49 research outputs found
Water at an electrochemical interface - a simulation study
The results of molecular dynamics simulations of the properties of water in
an aqueous ionic solution close to an interface with a model metallic electrode
are described. In the simulations the electrode behaves as an ideally
polarizable hydrophilic metal, supporting image charge interactions with
charged species, and it is maintained at a constant electrical potential with
respect to the solution so that the model is a textbook representation of an
electrochemical interface through which no current is passing. We show how
water is strongly attracted to and ordered at the electrode surface. This
ordering is different to the structure that might be imagined from continuum
models of electrode interfaces. Further, this ordering significantly affects
the probability of ions reaching the surface. We describe the concomitant
motion and configurations of the water and ions as functions of the electrode
potential, and we analyze the length scales over which ionic atmospheres
fluctuate. The statistics of these fluctuations depend upon surface structure
and ionic strength. The fluctuations are large, sufficiently so that the mean
ionic atmosphere is a poor descriptor of the aqueous environment near a metal
surface. The importance of this finding for a description of electrochemical
reactions is examined by calculating, directly from the simulation, Marcus free
energy profiles for transfer of charge between the electrode and a redox
species in the solution and comparing the results with the predictions of
continuum theories. Significant departures from the electrochemical textbook
descriptions of the phenomenon are found and their physical origins are
characterized from the atomistic perspective of the simulations.Comment: 29 pages, 15 figure
A framework for intelligent policy decision making based on a government data hub
Author ProofThe e-Oman Integration Platform is a data hub that enables data
exchanges across government in response to transactions. With millions of
transactions weekly, and thereby data exchanges, we propose to investigate the
potential of gathering intelligence from these linked sources to help government
officials make more informed decisions. A key feature of this data is the richness
and accuracy, which increases the value of the learning outcome when augmented
by other big and open data sources. We consider a high-level framework
within a government context, taking into account issues related to the definition
of public policies, data privacy, and the potential benefits to society. A preliminary,
qualitative validation of the framework in the context of e-Oman is
presented. This paper lays out foundational work into an ongoing research to
implement government decision-making based on big data.âSmartEGOV: Harnessing EGOV for Smart Governance (Foundations, Methods, Tools)/NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000037â, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (EFDR
Everything under control? Comparing Knepp Estate rewilding project with âtraditionalâ nature conservation
âRewildingâ is an increasingly prominent concept in conservation, but one that has attracted controversy. Debate frequently focuses on human âcontrolâ over nature. âTraditionalâ conservation has been presented as involving âhigh control,â and rewilding as âlow control.â Opposition to rewilding often stems from a perceived lack of control and associated perception of increased risk and uncertainty. This paper explores the concept of control in conservation. I identify multiple dimensions of control (âstabilisationâ, âlocationâ, âpredictionâ and âoutputsâ), illustrating that control is not a simple, linear concept. I compare two ethnographic case studies: the Sussex Wildlife Trustâs Old Lodge nature reserve; and Knepp Estate, one of the most influential rewilding projects in the UK. I use them to test assertions made about control in âtraditionalâ conservation and ârewildingâ. I outline how Old Lodge does not exert precise control in all respects, but involves elements of uncertainty and negotiation. I describe how Kneppâs model of rewilding reduces control in some dimensions but potentially increases it in others. I conclude that, while Kneppâs rewilding does represent a significant conceptual departure from âtraditionalâ conservation, it should not be characterised as an approach that reduces control in a simplistic way. Based on this analysis, I argue that reduction of control does not necessarily underpin the concept of rewilding. Rather, there is interplay between different control dimensions that combine to form multiple âconfigurations of control.â Using a framework of âconfigurations of controlâ, debate about the place of rewilding in conservation can become less polarised, and instead involve an active discussion of what configuration of control is desired. This analysis has the potential to increase understanding of rewilding projects as part of plural conservation strategies, in the UK and globally