2,032 research outputs found
The impact of the unilateral EU commitment on the stability of international climate agreements
In this paper we analyze the negotiation strategy of the European Union regarding the formation of an international climate agreement for the post-2012 era. We use game theoretical stability concepts to explore incentives for key players in the climate policy game to join future climate agreements. We compare a minus 20 percent unilateral commitment strategy by the EU with a unilateral minus 30 percent emission reduction strategy for all Annex-B countries. Using a numerical integrated assessment climate-economy simulation model, we find that carbon leakage effects are negligible. Ther EU strategy to reduce emissions by 30% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2020 if other Annex-B countries follow does not induce participation of the USA with a similar 30% reduction commitement. However, the model shows that an appropriate initial allocation of emission allowances may stabilize a larger and more ambitious climate coalition than the Kyoto Protocol in its first commitment period.Climate change, Coalition theory, Integrated assessment model, Kyoto protocol
An instrumented tracer for Lagrangian measurements in Rayleigh-B\'enard convection
We have developed novel instrumentation for making Lagrangian measurements of
temperature in diverse fluid flows. A small neutrally buoyant capsule is
equipped with on-board electronics which measure temperature and transmit the
data via a wireless radio frequency link to a desktop computer. The device has
80 dB dynamic range, resolving milli-Kelvin changes in temperature with up to
100 ms sampling time. The capabilities of these "smart particles" are
demonstrated in turbulent thermal convection in water. We measure temperature
variations as the particle is advected by the convective motion, and analyse
its statistics. Additional use of cameras allow us to track the particle
position and to report here the first direct measurement of Lagrangian heat
flux transfer in Rayleigh-B{\'e}nard convection. The device shows promise for
opening new research in a broad variety of fluid systems.Comment: 14 page
Black-spruce-lichen woodlands growth and carbon drawdown potentials as revealed by mature stands
Black-spruce-lichen woodlands growth and carbon drawdown potentials as revealed by mature stands
The afforestation of widely distributed boreal open woodlands such as lichen woodlands (LWs) could provide both a restoration of the closed-crown forest structure in the boreal forest and a mitigation measure against global warming. By comparing natural, mature stands of LW with their dense counterparts — black-spruce–feathermoss stands as a plantation surrogate — this study aims to validate the long-term LW growth support capacity for a high tree density and their carbon sequestration potential after afforestation. Our results reveal that the site potential of LWs can be either lower or equivalent to that of dense stands. This finding contradicts the paradigm of systematic lower tree growth in LWs. The site potential of LWs can be assessed by dominant tree volume at 50 years. This study also shows that the CBM-CFS3 model can simulate the conservative net carbon balance of afforested LW, and, as such, can help reduce uncertainties regarding the long-term net carbon drawdown of afforested LWs
Finite dimensional quantizations of the (q,p) plane : new space and momentum inequalities
We present a N-dimensional quantization a la Berezin-Klauder or frame
quantization of the complex plane based on overcomplete families of states
(coherent states) generated by the N first harmonic oscillator eigenstates. The
spectra of position and momentum operators are finite and eigenvalues are
equal, up to a factor, to the zeros of Hermite polynomials. From numerical and
theoretical studies of the large behavior of the product of non null smallest positive and largest eigenvalues, we infer
the inequality (resp. ) involving, in suitable
units, the minimal () and maximal () sizes of
regions of space (resp. momentum) which are accessible to exploration within
this finite-dimensional quantum framework. Interesting issues on the
measurement process and connections with the finite Chern-Simons matrix model
for the Quantum Hall effect are discussed
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