On the Anthropogenic and Natural Injection of Matter into Earth's Atmosphere

Every year, more and more objects are sent to space. While staying in orbit at high altitudes, objects at low altitudes reenter the atmosphere, mostly disintegrating and adding material to the upper atmosphere. The increasing number of countries with space programs, advancing commercialization, and ambitious satellite constellation projects raise concerns about space debris in the future and will continuously increase the mass flux into the atmosphere. In this study, we compare the mass influx of human-made (anthropogenic) objects to the natural mass flux into Earth's atmosphere due to meteoroids, originating from solar system objects like asteroids and comets. The current and near future significance of anthropogenic mass sources is evaluated, considering planned and already partially installed large satellite constellations. Detailed information about the mass, composition, and ablation of natural and anthropogenic material are given, reviewing the relevant literature. Today, anthropogenic material does make up about 2.8 % compared to the annual injected mass of natural origin, but future satellite constellations may increase this fraction to nearly 40 %. For this case, the anthropogenic injection of several metals prevails the injection by natural sources by far. Additionally, we find that the anthropogenic injection of aerosols into the atmosphere increases disproportionately. All this can have yet unknown effects on Earth's atmosphere and the terrestrial habitat.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Advances in Space Researc

Evidence for a parsec scale X-ray jet from the accreting neutron star Circinus X-1

We analyzed the zero-order image of a 50 ks Chandra gratings observation of Circinus X-1, taken in 2005 during the source's low-flux state. Circinus X-1 is an accreting neutron star that exhibits ultra-relativistic arcsecond-scale radio jets and diffuse arcminute-scale radio jets and lobes. The image shows a clear excess along the general direction of the north-western counter-jet, coincident with the radio emission, suggesting that it originates either in the jet itself or in the shock the jet is driving into its environment. This makes Circinus X-1 the first neutron star for which an extended X-ray jet has been detected. The kinetic jet power we infer is significantly larger than the minimum power required for the jet to inflate the large scale radio nebula.Comment: Added journal reference, corrected on reference and typo in labels for Fig. 1; 5 pages, 3 figures, ApJ Letter, in pres

The Effect Of Knowledge Management Systems On Absorptive Capacity: Findings From International Law Firms

This case study is engaged in examining the effects of knowledge management systems (KMS) on absorptive capacity (ACAP). Often regarded as the major source of innovation and firm competitive advantage, ACAP raises questions of how to value, assimilate and apply new knowledge. Based on a multiple case study design we specifically investigate KMS as antecedent of ACAP. We interviewed six experts employed in knowledge management functions at two different international law firms operating in the Asian-Pacific, American, and European legal market. The findings from our case study analysis demonstrate that KMS have a positive effect on ACAP, especially on knowledge acquisition and assimilation

Lord of the Rings: A Kinematic Distance to Circinus X-1 from a Giant X-Ray Light Echo

Circinus X-1 exhibited a bright X-ray flare in late 2013. Follow-up observations with Chandra and XMM-Newton from 40 to 80 days after the flare reveal a bright X-ray light echo in the form of four well-defined rings with radii from 5 to 13 arcminutes, growing in radius with time. The large fluence of the flare and the large column density of interstellar dust towards Circinus X-1 make this the largest and brightest set of rings from an X-ray light echo observed to date. By deconvolving the radial intensity profile of the echo with the MAXI X-ray lightcurve of the flare we reconstruct the dust distribution towards Circinus X-1 into four distinct dust concentrations. By comparing the peak in scattering intensity with the peak intensity in CO maps of molecular clouds from the Mopra Southern Galactic Plane CO Survey we identify the two innermost rings with clouds at radial velocity ~ -74 km/s and ~ -81 km/s, respectively. We identify a prominent band of foreground photoelectric absorption with a lane of CO gas at ~ -32 km/s. From the association of the rings with individual CO clouds we determine the kinematic distance to Circinus X-1 to be $D_{Cir X-1} = 9.4^{+0.8}_{-1.0}$ kpc. This distance rules out earlier claims of a distance around 4 kpc, implies that Circinus X-1 is a frequent super-Eddington source, and places a lower limit of $\Gamma \gtrsim 22$ on the Lorentz factor and an upper limit of $\theta_{jet} \lesssim 3^{\circ}$ on the jet viewing angle.Comment: 20 pages, 21 figures, Astrophysical Journal, in prin

Reference values of impulse oscillometric lung function indices in adults of advanced age.

Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a non-demanding lung function test. Its diagnostic use may be particularly useful in patients of advanced age with physical or mental limitations unable to perform spirometry. Only few reference equations are available for Caucasians, none of them covering the old age. Here, we provide reference equations up to advanced age and compare them with currently available equations. IOS was performed in a population-based sample of 1990 subjects, aged 45-91 years, from KORA cohorts (Augsburg, Germany). From those, 397 never-smoking, lung healthy subjects with normal spirometry were identified and sex-specific quantile regression models with age, height and body weight as predictors for respiratory system impedance, resistance, reactance, and other parameters of IOS applied. Women (n = 243) showed higher resistance values than men (n = 154), while reactance at low frequencies (up to 20 Hz) was lower (p<0.05). A significant age dependency was observed for the difference between resistance values at 5 Hz and 20 Hz (R5-R20), the integrated area of low-frequency reactance (AX), and resonant frequency (Fres) in both sexes whereas reactance at 5 Hz (X5) was age dependent only in females. In the healthy subjects (n = 397), mean differences between observed values and predictions for resistance (5 Hz and 20 Hz) and reactance (5 Hz) ranged between -1% and 5% when using the present model. In contrast, differences based on the currently applied equations (Vogel & Smidt 1994) ranged between -34% and 76%. Regarding our equations the indices were beyond the limits of normal in 8.1% to 18.6% of the entire KORA cohort (n = 1990), and in 0.7% to 9.4% with the currently applied equations. Our study provides up-to-date reference equations for IOS in Caucasians aged 45 to 85 years. We suggest the use of the present equations particularly in advanced age in order to detect airway dysfunction

An Approximative Criterion for the Potential of Energetic Reasoning

Energetic reasoning is one of the most powerful propagation algorithms in cumulative scheduling. In practice, however, it is commonly not used because it has a high running time and its success highly depends on the tightness of the variable bounds. In order to speed up energetic reasoning, we provide a necessary condition to detect infeasibilities, which can be tested efficiently

Zur aktuellen Folterdebatte in Deutschland: ein Beitrag des Deutschen Instituts für Menschenrechte

Mit dem Papier reagierte das Institut auf die Diskussion über die Zulässigkeit von Folter in Ausnahmefällen. Follmar, Heinz und Schulz stellen u. A. dar, dass sich das Folterverbot aus den völkerrechtlichen Verpflichtungen sowie dem deutschen Recht ergibt und dass die Debatte um eine Straffreiheit einzelner Beamtinnen und Beamter nicht zu einer Relativierung des Verbots führen darf

Nachhaltige naturschutzfachliche Renaturierung von Naturräumen durch ein Projekt- und Naturschutzflächenmanagement: belegt am Beispiel von Kernzonen des Biotopverbundsystems im Kreis Herzogtum Lauenburg

Entwickelt wird ein Auswahlverfahren, um den möglichen Erfolg bei der Umsetzung von Naturschutzprojekten vorher einzuschätzen. Mit Hilfe des Projekt- und Naturschutzflächenmanagements werden alle erreichbaren Daten über den geplanten Projektbereich gesammelt, ausgewertet und bewertet. Sie bilden die Grundlage für die Einschätzung des Erwerbes oder des Tausches der benötigten Flächen. Die für die Bewertung aufgestellten Regeln ermöglichen die Festlegung von Projekten. Sie verkürzen den Projektzeitraum und lenken vorhandene Finanzmittel an die "richtige" Stelle. Nicht notwendige Ausgaben werden eingespart und direkt den Projekten zugeführt.A method for the assessment of the practical realization of nature reservation projects is developed. With the aid of project- and nature-conservation-management all available data about the planned project-area are collected, evaluated and valuated. They are the key for the assessment of the acquisation or the barter of needed areas. The developed rules for valuation enable the fixation of the projects. They shorten the period of realization and guide available finances to the „right“ point. Not necessary expense is saved and is directly spent on the projects being realized