Integrated Transport Planning: From Supply- to Demand-Oriented Planning. Considering the Benefits

The idea of integrated transport planning is widely accepted in the research community as well as in the field of transport policy. However, the actual implementation is still lagging behind. Acknowledging the gap between concept and reality, the benefits of a demand-oriented approach have to be reconsidered by the various stakeholders in politics, the economy, planning and civil society. In order to address this issue, we created a factual use-case by redefining empirical data (qualitative interviews) from Berlin, which our department collected in 2013 for a research project on e-mobility. The initial objective was to find out what kind of charging infrastructure would be necessary to persuade on-street parkers in densely-populated inner city areas to switch to e-mobility vehicles in the future, basically following the conventional ‚predict and provide‘-approach characteristic of traditional transport planning. In the course of the research, we decided to go against the directive and switched perspective completely in favour of a demand-approach, enquiring into people’s needs, which otherwise would have remained unidentified and invisible. Rather than creating the data to support proposed planning interventions, our method led to a much more sustainable, bottom-up planning strategy in line with the social and ecological benefits of an integrated transport planning approach and revealed the real mobility needs of people living in inner-city areas of Berlin.DFG, 414044773, Open Access Publizieren 2019 - 2020 / Technische Universität Berli

Transport timescales and tracer properties in the extratropical UTLS

A comprehensive evaluation of seasonal backward trajectories initialized in the Northern Hemisphere lowermost stratosphere (LMS) has been performed to investigate the origin of air parcels and the main mechanisms determining characteristic structures in H2O and CO within the LMS. In particular we explain the fundamental role of the transit time since last tropopause crossing (tTST) for the chemical structure of the LMS as well as the feature of the extra-tropical tropopause transition layer (ExTL) as identified from CO profiles. The distribution of H2O in the background LMS above Θ=320 K and 340 K in northern winter and summer, respectively, is found to be governed mainly by the saturation mixing ratio, which in turn is determined by the Lagrangian Cold Point (LCP) encountered by each trajectory. Most of the backward trajectories from this region in the LMS experienced their LCP in the tropics and sub-tropics. The transit time since crossing the tropopause from the troposphere to the stratosphere (tTST) is independent of the H2O value of the air parcel. TST often occurs 20 days after trajectories have encountered their LCP. CO, on the other hand, depends strongly on tTST due to its finite lifetime. The ExTL as identified from CO measurements is then explained as a layer of air just above the tropopause, which on average encountered TST fairly recently

Quantifying transport into the lowermost stratosphere using simultaneous in-situ measurements of SF6 and CO2

The seasonality of transport and mixing of air into the lowermost stratosphere (LMS) is studied using distributions of mean age of air and a~mass balance approach, based on in-situ observations of SF6 and CO2 during the SPURT (Spurenstofftransport in der Tropopausenregion, trace gas transport in the tropopause region) aircraft campaigns. Combining the information of the mean age of air and the water vapour distributions we demonstrate that the tropospheric air transported into the LMS above the extratropical tropopause layer (ExTL) originates predominantly from the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). The concept of our mass balance is based on simultaneous measurements of the two passive tracers and the assumption that transport into the LMS can be described by age spectra which are superposition of two different modes. Based on this concept we conclude that the stratospheric influence on LMS composition is strongest in April with tropospheric fractions (α1) below 20% and that the strongest tropospheric signatures are found in October with (α1 greater than 80%. Beyond the fractions, our mass balance concept allows to calculate the associated transit times for transport of tropospheric air from the tropics into the LMS. The shortest transit times (<0.3 years) are derived for the summer, continuously increasing up to 0.8 years by the end of spring. These findings suggest that strong quasi-horizontal mixing across the weak subtropical jet from summer to mid of autumn and the considerably shorter residual transport time-scales within the lower branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation in summer than in winter dominates the tropospheric influence in the LMS until the beginning of next year's summer

Quantifying transport into the lowermost stratosphere using simultaneous in-situ measurements of SF6 and CO2

The seasonality of transport and mixing of air into the lowermost stratosphere (LMS) is studied using distributions of mean age of air and a mass balance approach, based on in-situ observations of SF6 and CO2 during the SPURT (Spurenstofftransport in der Tropopausenregion, trace gas transport in the tropopause region) aircraft campaigns. Combining the information of the mean age of air and the water vapour distributions we demonstrate that the tropospheric air transported into the LMS above the extratropical tropopause layer (ExTL) originates predominantly from the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). The concept of our mass balance is based on simultaneous measurements of the two passive tracers and the assumption that transport into the LMS can be described by age spectra which are superposition of two different modes. Based on this concept we conclude that the stratospheric influence on LMS composition is strongest in April with extreme values of the tropospheric fractions (alpha1) below 20% and that the strongest tropospheric signatures are found in October with alpha1 greater than 80%. Beyond the fractions, our mass balance concept allows us to calculate the associated transit times for transport of tropospheric air from the tropics into the LMS. The shortest transit times (<0.3 years) are derived for the summer, continuously increasing up to 0.8 years by the end of spring. These findings suggest that strong quasi-horizontal mixing across the weak subtropical jet from summer to mid of autumn and the considerably shorter residual transport time-scales within the lower branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation in summer than in winter dominates the tropospheric influence in the LMS until the beginning of next year's summer

International Criminal Trials Creating a Dominate Narration of History and Overlooking Historical Blind Spots

History is key to developing a better understanding of the world, what has happened in the past helps one understand the present. Understanding and studying history helps one understand the identity of his country and other countries as well. History can be the link to understanding and connecting events. You can understand why Israel is hated by Arabs when you study the history of its creation. The definition and the determination of history itself are complicated. Regardless of how major the event you are learning about, history remains the stories which are narrated about this specific event. Historians support these stories with credible sources, transforming them from stories and tales to history. If this history was narrated from a different source, not a historian but a legal entity a criminal court for instance, there comes the entanglement between history writing and international criminal law. Some historical narratives are created by international criminal tribunals prosecuting mass atrocity and the historical function of these tribunals is then undeniable. At this point, one of the functions of international criminal courts would be producing historical records concerning both the accused and the broader mass atrocity to which they are alleged to have contributed1. As Fergal Gaynor stated, Any trial involving top military or political leaders, where the trial record incorporates thousands of documents and the testimony of hundreds of witnesses, can hardly avoid creating a historical record 2. History has several components, features, and characteristics to allow the production of a credible historical narrative, which shall be discussed further in Chapter 1 of this research. Criminal international trials also have several components, features, and characteristics to allow the production of a fair verdict and to ensure the delivery of the rights of the accused. The features and the components of international criminal trials are not constructed to produce a historical narrative about the atrocity. This itself may cause the produced narrative to be flawed and this is argued by many historians and scholars, this produced narrative may be considered bad history. One may then assume that historical narratives produced by international criminal tribunals is a collateral damage and is far from being the objective of these tribunals; accordingly, one would be unjust to criticize these narrations as they are far from being the objective of the tribunals. These narrations are then built on the assumption of the existence of a certain mass atrocity, if we take the ICTR as the discussed example in this research, the mere creation of the tribunal was to trial those accused of the genocide in Rwanda. Accordingly, when the tribunal was created it had already assumed that genocide had occurred, but the trial itself was trialing those accused of the genocide; what would have happened if the tribunal hadn\u27t convicted anyone? Would this mean that the genocide has not occurred? In this research I argue the exact opposite of the assumed bad history, I argue that the produced historical narrative is one of the main objectives of these tribunals because the atrocities that have been committed are too grave that no punishment can be equivalent to the committed genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity. What can be achieved is producing a historical narrative from the perspective of those controlling the trial, that would be dominant and would uphold the perspective of the victims about the massacre. Even if the produced narration was limited since its produced by a legal tribunal and even if the produced narration and the tribunal limitation were found to be biased, this bias may not be dreadful or unwelcome. The source of this bias, its elements, its effect, and its consequences are what need to be discussed, recognized, and then evaluated

Adaptive Efficiency Optimization For Digitally Controlled Dc-dc Converters

The design optimization of DC-DC converters requires the optimum selection of several parameters to achieve improved efficiency and performance. Some of these parameters are load dependent, line dependent, components dependent, and/or temperature dependent. Designing such parameters for a specific load, input and output, components, and temperature may improve single design point efficiency but will not result in maximum efficiency at different conditions, and will not guarantee improvement at that design point because of the components, temperature, and operating point variations. The ability of digital controllers to perform sophisticated algorithms makes it easy to apply adaptive control, where system parameters can be adaptively adjusted in response to system behavior in order to achieve better performance and stability. The use of adaptive control for power electronics is first applied with the Adaptive Frequency Optimization (AFO) method, which presents an auto-tuning adaptive digital controller with maximum efficiency point tracking to optimize DC-DC converter switching frequency. The AFO controller adjusts the DC-DC converter switching frequency while tracking the converter minimum input power point, under variable operating conditions, to find the optimum switching frequency that will result in minimum total loss and thus the maximum efficiency. Implementing variable switching frequencies in digital controllers introduces two main issues, namely, limit cycle oscillation and system instability. Dynamic Limit Cycle Algorithms (DLCA) is a dynamic technique tailored to improve system stability and to reduce limit cycle oscillation under variable switching frequency operation. The convergence speed and stability of AFO algorithm is further improved by presenting the analysis and design of a digital controller with adaptive auto-tuning algorithm that has a variable step size to track and detect the optimum switching frequency for a DC-DC converter. The Variable-Step-Size (VSS) algorithm is theoretically analyzed and developed based on buck DC-DC converter loss model and directed towered improving the convergence speed and accuracy of AFO adaptive loop by adjusting the converter switching frequency with variable step size. Finally, the efficiency of DC-DC converters is a function of several variables. Optimizing single variable alone may not result in maximum or global efficiency point. The issue of adjusting more than one variable at the same time is addressed by the Multivariable Adaptive digital Controller (MVAC). The MVAC is an adaptive method that continuously adjusts the DC-DC converter switching frequency and dead-time at the same time, while tracking the converter minimum input power, to find the maximum global efficiency point under variable conditions. In this research work, all adaptive methods were discussed, theoretically analyzed and its digital control algorithm along with experimental implementations were presented

Business Strategy & HR: Strange Bedfellows or Strategic Allies? (A qualitative Study to Unlock the Value of HR as Strategic Business Partner)

The paper focuses on the dialectically scoped concepts linked with the ideology of HR and its impact upon business success, strategic decision-making, and how well the function is able to add tangible value through its activities and interventions. HR’s capacity to understand business needs is addressed, alongside the function’s ability to improve the bottom line. The need to measure HR’s return on investment (ROI) is discussed in line with the effective performance management enforcement. Lastly, the potential role of HR as Strategic Business Partner is discussed. The study brings out more insight into the important aspects of the process of strategic human resource management with a view to explore a relationship of alliance between dialectically aligned concepts of business strategy and HR function. Keywords: Strategic Partner, Human Resource Transformation, Strategic Human Resource Management, Strategic Business Partner, Return on Investment (ROI), Performance Managemen

How are Digital Micro-Influencers Driving the Social Commerce?

Digital micro-influencers (DMIs) seem to drive social commerce as they connect with customers in tier-II towns better than others. The extant literature on the efforts and work processes of DMIs is limited. The present study fills the gap through a qualitative study in India. Using the persuasion knowledge model as a guiding framework, nineteen qualitative in-depth interviews with the DMIs were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study finds that understanding the target (target knowledge) helps DMIs in selecting appropriate brands (topic knowledge) and creating compelling content (persuasion knowledge), leading to social commerce. Also, topic knowledge assists persuasion knowledge. The study further offers insights into the nature of the motivators on the DMIs in the light of organismic integration theory. Theoretical and managerial implications for future research are provided