Techno-socio-economic analysis of geological carbon sequestration opportunities

Although geological carbon sequestration is considered one of the pillars required to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, only a few demonstration sites are currently being developed around the globe. Lab-scale tests, pilot-scale tests, and a few pioneering demonstration projects suggest that substantial amounts of CO2 could be stored in depleted hydrocarbon reserves, saline aquifers, basalts and un-minable coal reserves, albeit a number of risks need to be managed. In this paper, we identify key features of potential geological sequestration sites and study their feasibility via a social-economic assessment, including technical parameters such as volumetric capacity, and reservoir characteristics such as porosity, depth, formation thickness, and initial water saturation. Several geographical sites were further studied in terms of the lifetime duration of a possible geological repository for a preliminary economic assessment. Among the five sites considered, i.e., Cantarell in Mexico, Oloibiri in Nigeria, Frigg in Norway, Rio Vista in the United States of America and Romashkino in Russia, our analysis identifies the Frigg Field as the most favourable site for geological carbon sequestration because of its significant volumetric capacity, no obvious cautionary technical issues, optimistic economic outlook, and extensive social support. Although preliminary, our results suggest that a viable industrial operation could be maintained for several decades in this location, paving the way for the global implementation of geological carbon sequestration required to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement

Qualitative research into families' experiences and behaviours in the Childcare Affordability Pilots (CAP09): actual costs pilot [+ appendix]

The Childcare Element (CCE) of Working Tax Credits (WTC) is designed to offer working parents financial support for the payment of childcare costs. Subject to a range of eligibility criteria, working families were able to claim 80% of their total childcare costs via this system at the time of the Pilot. Since April 2011, families can claim up to 70% of their childcare costs. The aim of the Actual Costs Pilot was to assess whether an alternative method of paying the CCE would change customer experiences and behaviour of claiming, and help them report their childcare costs more accurately. It is hoped this evidence may help the government understand how it can support families with children into sustainable employment. The Actual Costs system involved reporting childcare costs every four weeks to the dedicated team in the Tax Credits Office (TCO), and having up to 80% of these costs reimbursed within a limit of total childcare costs at £175 for one child, and £300 for two or more children, as in the standard system

An ``Improved" Lattice Study of Semi-leptonic Decays of D-Mesons

We present results of a lattice computation of the matrix elements of the vector and axial-vector currents which are relevant for the semi-leptonic decays $D \rightarrow K$ and $D \rightarrow K^*$. The computations are performed in the quenched approximation to lattice QCD on a $24^3 \times 48$ lattice at $\beta=6.2$, using an $O(a)$-improved fermionic action. In the limit of zero lepton masses the semi-leptonic decays $D \rightarrow K$ and $D \rightarrow K^*$ are described by four form factors: $f^{+}_K,V,A_1$ and $A_2$, which are functions of $q^2$, where $q^{\mu}$ is the four-momentum transferred in the process. Our results for these form factors at $q^2=0$ are: f^+_K(0)=0.67 \er{7}{8} , V(0)=1.01 \err{30}{13} , A_1(0)=0.70 \err{7}{10} , A_2(0)=0.66 \err{10}{15} , which are consistent with the most recent experimental world average values. We have also determined the $q^2$ dependence of the form factors, which we find to be reasonably well described by a simple pole-dominance model. Results for other form factors, including those relevant to the decays \dpi and \drho, are also given.Comment: 41 pages, uuencoded compressed postscript file containing 14 figures, LaTeX, Edinburgh Preprint 94/546 and Southampton Preprint SHEP 93/94-3

Skilful seasonal prediction of winter gas demand

In Britain, residential properties are predominantly heated using gas central heating systems. Ensuring a reliable supply of gas is therefore vital in protecting vulnerable sections of society from the adverse effects of cold weather. Ahead of the winter, the grid operator makes a prediction of gas demand to better anticipate possible conditions. Seasonal weather forecasts are not currently used to inform this demand prediction. Here we assess whether seasonal weather forecasts can skilfully predict the weather-driven component of both winter mean gas demand and the number of extreme gas demand days over the winter period. We find that both the mean and the number of extreme days are predicted with some skill from early November using seasonal forecasts of the large-scale atmospheric circulation (r > 0.5). Although temperature is most strongly correlated with gas demand, the more skilful prediction of the atmospheric circulation means it is a better predictor of demand. If seasonal weather forecasts are incorporated into pre-winter gas demand planning, they could help improve the security of gas supplies and reduce the impacts associated with extreme demand events

Radiative Transfer Modeling of a Coniferous Canopy Characterized by Airborne Remote Sensing

Solar radiation beneath a forest canopy can have large spatial variations, but this is frequently neglected in radiative transfer models for large-scale applications. To explicitly model spatial variations in subcanopy radiation, maps of canopy structure are required. Aerial photography and airborne laser scanning are used to map tree locations, heights, and crown diameters for a lodgepole pine forest in Colorado as inputs to a spatially explicit radiative transfer model. Statistics of subcanopy radiation simulated by the model are compared with measurements from radiometer arrays, and scaling of spatial statistics with temporal averaging and array size is discussed. Efficient parameterizations for spatial averages and standard deviations of subcanopy radiation are developed using parameters that can be obtained from the model or hemispherical photography

Intra-articular delivery of micronized dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane reduces degenerative changes after onset of post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Background: Micronized dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (mdHACM) has reduced short term post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) progression in rats when delivered 24 h after medial meniscal transection (MMT) and is being investigated for clinical use as a disease modifying therapy. Much remains to be assessed, including its potential for longer-term therapeutic benefit and treatment effects after onset of joint degeneration.Objectives: Characterize longer-term effects of acute treatment with mdHACM and determine whether treatment administered to joints with established PTOA could slow or reverse degeneration. Hypotheses: Acute treatment effects will be sustained for 6 weeks, and delivery of mdHACM after onset of joint degeneration will attenuate structural osteoarthritic changes.Methods: Rats underwent MMT or sham surgery (left leg). mdHACM was delivered intra-articularly 24 h or 3 weeks post-surgery (n = 5–7 per group). Six weeks post-surgery, animals were euthanized and left tibiae scanned using equilibrium partitioning of an ionic contrast agent microcomputed tomography (EPIC-µCT) to structurally quantify joint degeneration. Histology was performed to examine tibial plateau cartilage.Results: Quantitative 3D µCT showed that cartilage structural metrics (thickness, X-ray attenuation, surface roughness, exposed bone area) for delayed mdHACM treatment limbs were significantly improved over saline treatment and not significantly different from shams. Subchondral bone mineral density and thickness for the delayed treatment group were significantly improved over acute treated, and subchondral bone thickness was not significantly different from sham. Marginal osteophyte degenerative changes were decreased with delayed mdHACM treatment compared to saline. Acute treatment (24 h post-surgery) did not reduce longer-term joint tissue degeneration compared to saline. Histology supported µCT findings and further revealed that while delayed treatment reduced cartilage damage, chondrocytes displayed qualitatively different morphologies and density compared to sham.Conclusion: This study provides insight into effects of intra-articular delivery timing relative to PTOA progression and the duration of therapeutic benefit of mdHACM. Results suggest that mdHACM injection into already osteoarthritic joints can improve joint health, but a single, acute mdHACM injection post-injury does not prevent long term osteoarthritis associated with meniscal instability. Further work is needed to fully characterize the durability of therapeutic benefit in stable osteoarthritic joints and the effects of repeated injections

Open access inequalities in birth before arrival at hospital in South West England: A multimethods study of neonatal hypothermia and emergency medical services call-handler advice

Objectives To examine inequalities in birth before arrival (BBA) at hospitals in South West England, understand which groups are most likely to experience BBA and how this relates to hypothermia and outcomes (phase A). To investigate opportunities to improve temperature management advice given by emergency medical services (EMS) call-handlers during emergency calls regarding BBA in the UK (phase B). Design A two-phase multimethod study. Phase A analysed anonymised data from hospital neonatal records between January 2018 and January 2021. Phase B analysed anonymised EMS call transcripts, followed by focus groups with National Health Service (NHS) staff and patients. Setting Six Hospital Trusts in South West England and two EMS providers (ambulance services) in South West and North East England. Participants 18 multidisciplinary NHS staff and 22 members of the public who had experienced BBA in the UK. Results 35% (64/184) of babies conveyed to hospital were hypothermic on arrival. When compared with national data on all births in the South West, we found higher percentages of women with documented safeguarding concerns at booking, previous live births and 'late bookers' (booking their pregnancy >13 weeks gestation). These women may, therefore, be more likely to experience BBA. Preterm babies, babies to first-time mothers and babies born to mothers with disability or safeguarding concerns at booking were more likely to be hypothermic following BBA. Five main themes emerged from qualitative data on call-handler advice: (1) importance placed on neonatal temperature; (2) advice on where the baby should be placed following birth; (3) advice on how to keep the baby warm; (4) timing of temperature management advice and (5) clarity and priority of instructions. Conclusions Findings identified factors associated with BBA and neonatal hypothermia following BBA. Improvements to EMS call-handler advice could reduce the number of babies arriving at hospital hypothermic