Algorithms and Data Structures for Multi-Adaptive Time-Stepping

Multi-adaptive Galerkin methods are extensions of the standard continuous and discontinuous Galerkin methods for the numerical solution of initial value problems for ordinary or partial differential equations. In particular, the multi-adaptive methods allow individual and adaptive time steps to be used for different components or in different regions of space. We present algorithms for efficient multi-adaptive time-stepping, including the recursive construction of time slabs and adaptive time step selection. We also present data structures for efficient storage and interpolation of the multi-adaptive solution. The efficiency of the proposed algorithms and data structures is demonstrated for a series of benchmark problems.Comment: ACM Transactions on Mathematical Software 35(3), 24 pages (2008

Comparison of Density and Water Content Determinations Using Soil Cores and a Dual Probe Density Gauge

Wet bulk density and water content were determined with the standard soil-core method and by using a density and moisture gauge (gamma radiation and fast neutrons). Four soils collected at different forest sites were tested in the laboratory under different degrees of compression and at various water contents. Using the count ratios of the gauge for density and water as independent variables and wet bulk density and water content determined by soil cores as dependent variables, calibration equations were developed. For the soils used, the gauge values concerning wet bulk density were in close agreement with values determined with soil cores. However, the water content readings of the gauge had to be recalculated using the equations developed. The equations were tested on soil cores collected in the field after measurements with the gauge. The dry bulk density calculated as the wet bulk density given by the gauge minus the water content recalculated using the presented equations differed by an average of -1.6 percent from the soil-core values

Determinants of customer satisfaction with socially responsible investments: Do ethical and environmental factors impact customer satisfaction with SRI profiled mutual funds?

Although much research has been published on green/ethical consumer behaviour, the question of how consumers evaluate pro-socially positioned products in the post-purchase stage is still virtually unexplored. This is troubling given the significance of post-purchase evaluations within general marketing theory. To address this gap in the literature, this study examines how a set of technical and functional quality attributes contribute to customer satisfaction in a socially responsible investment (SRI) setting. The results of the study show that perceived financial quality of the SRI mutual fund is the most important predictor of customer satisfaction. However, perceived social, ethical, and environmental (SEE) quality is also positively related to satisfaction for the SRI mutual fund. Based on these results, it is argued that although SEE quality is important to customers, marketers of pro-socially profiled products should primarily focus on conventional quality attributes, as a good SEE record unlikely to generate customer satisfaction alone.Customer satisfaction; ethics; perceived quality; socially responsible investment; mutual funds

Performance Indicators in Agricultural Financial Markets. Factor Markets Working Document No. 43, May 2013

This study attempts to develop performance indicators for the financial markets based on the findings in an earlier Factor Markets Working Paper (No. 33, “Agricultural credit market institutions: A comparison of selected European countries”) and on FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) data. Two indicators were developed. One measured the long-term economic sustainability of agricultural firms since the financial characteristics of the firms were perceived as important factors when rejecting a loan applicant. If the indicator works, it should show that a low value in this indicator is related to the performance in the financial markets. The second indicator was the loan-to-value (LTV), or debt-to-asset ratio, the reasoning behind this indicator is that low values can point to credit constraints, and in WP 33 we saw that the interviewed experts expected LTVs to be much higher than what is actually the case. We find that the first indicator can’t be used to measure the performance of the financial institutions, since we can’t show any relationship between the indicator and activities in the financial markets. However, the indicator is valuable for its measurement of the long-term financial sustainability of the agricultural sector, or of the firms. The loan-to-value indicator does imply that most countries would have room to increase the credit

Trust as subject content: Advancing students’ reasoning on democracy through displacement

Purpose: The article explores how the tension between embracing and scrutinising democracy can be productively overcome through social science teaching about democracy that focuses on trust as a subject content. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical materials were collected through focus group interviews before and after an inquiry-based teaching segment on trust, and the materials were analysed qualitatively through three grounded themes. Findings: It is argued that working with the displacement of subject content in inquiry-based teaching about democracy enhances the possibilities for students to deepen their knowledge about democracy, while enabling them to scrutinise the democratic system critically. Research limitations/implications: The article reports from a small-scale study of four classes in two upper secondary schools in Sweden, and the study provides tentative observations and conclusions that should be investigated further in future research. Practical implications: The article shows how trust as a subject content can contribute to problematising students’ understandings of democracy, and how the displacement of content can be important in formulating compelling questions and in designing inquiries on democracy

Public Arenas of the Humanities : The Circulation of Knowledge in the Postwar Period

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate how a new history of thepostwar humanities could be written. Drawing on approaches from thehistory of knowledge, it outlines the conditions of the circulation ofknowledge in the public sphere during the 1960s and 1970s. By introducing“public arena of knowledge” as an analytical concept, the authors highlightcertain media platforms where circulation of knowledge occurred. As theirempirical examples, they focus on paperback series and the Christianpublic sphere. All in all, the chapter underlines the importance of thehumanities for a wider circulation of knowledge and thereby challengesa crisis narrative of the humanities of the postwar period that is prevalentin established historiography

Köpare av skogsfastigheter i Småland år 2000-2001

The aim of this thesis is to study the private owner structure in the Swedish forestry. This will be done with both a investigation of forest owners in Småland the year 2000 and 2001 and also a statistic research for the private forest owners in Sweden right now and over the years. In Sweden more than half of the total forest area is owned by private forest owner, witch is approximately 22 600 000 ha. Private forestry includes the owner categories private person, ordinary partnership and the estate of deceased persons. The main part of the private forestry is to be found in Norrland but also in the rest of Sweden private forestry constitute a large part of the forestry area. Forest statistics shows that since 1951 the share of private forestry owners is quite the same. In the beginning of the 1970 the share was as low as 46% of the total forestry area. That is approximately 5% less than the year 2000. This is according to the fact that state owned forestry areas decreased at expense for stock companies. In 1994 the government sold out their forest to two state companies, Assi Domän AB and Sveaskog. These two companies counts as stock companies and that is why the share of forest owned by stock companies has increased. The investigation was based on an inquiry. A questionnaire were send to 74 forest owners, 53 (71.6%) of them answered through telephone interviews. Most of the people that were a part of the investigated group were men. The investigation has a central point in the reason why the person chose to invest in forest property. The main reason was the forest owners´ interest in forest and its nature. Other reasons were hunting and fishing interests and that they thought that the bought of the forest property was a good capital investment. Other things the investigation showed were that the most of the interviewed persons had good financial position and many of them own forest properties before this investment.Syftet med detta arbete har varit att undersöka hur den privata, enskilda ägarstrukturen ser ut inom det svenska skogsbruket. Detta har skett dels genom en grundläggande ststistisk redovisning av hur ägarstrukturen utvecklats genom åren och hur den ser ut i dag, dels genom en enkätundersökning som undersöker vilka orsaker som avgör att privatpersoner investerar i skogsfastigheter i Småland. I Sverige äger privata skogsägare drygt hälften av den totala skogsarealen som är cirka 22 600 000 ha. Med privata skogsägare menas kategorierna enskild person, enkelt bolag och dödsbo. Den största delen av den privatägda skogen finns i Norrland (ca 5 000 000 ha, ungefär 43 %), i Götaland är den privatägda delen av skogen cirka 24 % och i Svealand ungefär 33 %. Detta gör de enskilda privatpersonerna till viktiga kuggar inom svenskt skogsbruk. Skoglig statistik visar att sedan 1951 är den privata andelen skogsägare ganska oförändrad. I början av 1970 var andelen privata skogsägare så låg som cirka 46 % vilket är ungefär 5 % mindre än år 2000. I stort sett är skillnaden mellan åren 1951 och 2000 att den allmänna andelen skogsägare har minskat på bekostnad av andelen ägd av aktiebolag. Det har sin största förklaring i att 1994 sålde staten ut sina kronoskogar till två då nybildade bolag som heter Assi Domän AB och Sveaskog. Dessa bolag räknas till aktiebolag och därför har andelen aktiebolagsägd skog ökat markant. Efter att den totala privatägda skogsarealen minskat under flera år, så har den ökat de senaste två decennierna. Mellan åren 1981 och 1988 har storleksklasserna upp till 100 ha minskat, medan de större klasserna ökat. Den senaste undersökningen av skogsarealens fördelning på de olika storleksklasserna visar att den totala privatägda skogsarealen har ökat. Arealen har ökat i klasserna upp till och med 400 ha. Däremot har det skett en kraftig minskning på 95 000 ha (9 %) i storleksklasserna som är större än 400 ha. Enkätundersökningen har en svarsfrekvens på 71,6 % och motsvarar det uppsatta målet på 70 %. De flesta personer som deltog i undersökningen är män. Enkätundersökningen har en central punkt i anledningen till att privatpersonen har valt att investera i skogsfastigheten. Den främsta anledningen är att den vederbörande är intresserad av skog och skogsmark. Men även andra anledningar som att de är jakt- och/eller fiskeintresserade och att de tyckte att det var en bra investering av kapital var populära anledningar. Vidare så har en övervägande andel av de personer som deltog i undersökningen goda ekonomiska förutsättningar och många äger skog sedan tidigare. Medelpersonen som investerar i skogsfastigheter i Småland år 2000 och 2001 ser ut så här (grundar sig på de vanligaste svaren från enkätundersökningen): • Manligt kön. • Investerar ensam utan partner. • Han är 50 år gammal. • Han har ett stort skogsintresse men har även andra anledningar till investeringen i skogsfastigheten som t.ex. jakt- och/eller fiskeintresse och att han anser att investeringen i skog är en bra placering av kapital. • Skogsarealen han köper är 28,5 ha. • Han har skogsinnehav sedan tidigare. • Han har bostad på annan ort och har ej för avsikt att bosätta sig på skogsfastigheten. • Han har på ett eller annat sätt en stark anknytning till skog. • Hushållet har en inkomst på 300-500 000 kronor/år och hushållets samlade marknadsvärde av sina tillgångar (exklusive den nyinköpta skogsfastigheten) är över 2 miljoner kronor

Coarse grainbeds in traffic environments : a way to reduce maintenance efforts

Planteringar som befinner sig nära vägar utsätts i jämförelse med planteringar i mer naturlika områden för större påfrestningar. De utsätts regelbundet för föroreningar från trafiken och salter under vinterväghållningen. Även risken för fysiska skador på växterna är påtaglig med tanke på alla fordon som dagligen passerar tätt intill planteringarna. En ännu större risk är skötselpersonalens utsatthet när de måste befinna sig i dessa miljöer för att sköta om planteringarna. Denna arbetsmiljö gör att personalen riskerar att bli skadade av trafiken. Därför är det även ur arbetsmiljösynpunkt viktigt att försöka minska skötselmomenten på dessa platser så mycket som möjligt. Ett sätt att minska detta problem i trafiknära miljöer är att anlägga växtbäddar med egenskaper som bidrar till att minska skötselintensiteten. Genom att använda sig mer av grovkorniga växtbäddar i trafiknära miljöer som minskar ogrästillväxten skulle man kunna minska skötselintensiteten på dessa platser och spara tid och pengar åt kommunerna. Fokus i arbetet har varit att kontakta de största kommunerna i Sverige och höra vilka erfarenheter de har av denna typ av växtbäddar och om de har exempel på växtbäddar som kan lyftas fram i detta arbete. Jag har sedan besökt planteringarna som de lyft fram och tittat på hur de har utvecklats. Jag har även tagit reda på hur växtbäddarna är uppbyggda, vilka växtarter som planterades och vilka skötselinsatser kommunerna gör per år för dessa planteringar. Av de trettio största kommunerna som kontaktats är det endast ett tiotal som svarat att de har erfarenhet av grovkorniga och näringsfattiga växtbäddar i trafiknära miljöer. Erfarenheten är mycket varierad från kommun till kommun. Vissa har positiva upplevelser medan andra har negativa. De kommuner med negativa erfarenheter har svarat att de utför få skötselinsatser för dessa planteringar eller inga skötselinsatser alls. Det har lett till att sly och rotogräs etablerat sig och brett ut sig i planteringarna. Bland de kommuner som svarat att de har mer positiva erfarenheter så utför de oftast också kontinuerlig skötsel av planteringarna. Men de svarar ändå att skötselinsatserna är betydligt lägre än för planteringar med mer näringsrika och fuktighetshållande växtbäddar. Det resultat jag kan dra från svaren är att det inte finns någon entydig bild från kommunerna huruvida man tycker grovkorniga växtbäddar är positiva eller negativa. Däremot har jag märkt att de kommuner som har mer positiva erfarenheter av grovkorniga växtbäddar är också de som lagt ner mer tid på etablerings- och kontinuerlig skötsel. Olika faktorer som påverkat planteringarnas utveckling är valet av växtbäddsmaterial, växtarter, årliga skötselinsatser och växtbäddens placering.Plantbeds that are close to traffic in comparison to plantbeds in more natural areas are exposed for greater strains. They are regularly exposed to pollutants from traffic and salts during winter road maintenance. The risk of physical damage to the plants is also significant in regard of all vehicles passing by daily close to the plantbeds. An even greater risk is the vulnerability of the working personnel when they have to be in these environments to take care of the plantbeds. This work environment can cause personnel to be injured by traffic. Therefore, it is also important from the work enviroment perspective to try to reduce maintenance effort in these places as much as possible. One way to reduce this problem in traffic environments is to plant plantbeds with properties that help reduce maintenance intensity. Using more of coarse grainbeds in traffic environments that reduce growth of weed could reduce the management intensity of these places and save time and money for the cities. The focus of the work has been to contact the largest cities in Sweden and ask which experiences they have regarding these plantbeds and if they have examples of plantbeds that can be showed in this work. I have visited the plantbeds that cities have given as examples and looked at how they have developed. I have also asked how the plantbeds are built up (material, deep of plantbed), which species were planted and what maintenace measures the cities does annually for these plantbeds. Of the thirty largest cities that have been contacted, there are only a dozen who answered that they have experience of these types of plantbeds in traffic environments. The experiences are very varied from city to city. Some have positive experiences while others have negative. The cities with negative experiences have responded that they do very few maintenance efforts for these plantbeds or no maintenance efforts at all. That has led to the fact that sludge and rootweeds have been established and unfolded in the plantbeds. Among the cities who responded that they have more positive experiences, they usually also carry out continuous maintenace of the plantbeds. But they still answer that maintenance efforts are significantly lower than for plantbeds with more nutritious and moisturizing plant beds. The result I can deduce from the answers is that there is no clear message from the cities whether or not they think that coarse grainbeds are positive or negative. However, I have noticed that those cities who have more positive experiences of coarse-grain plantbeds are also those who spend more time on establishment and continuous maintenace. Various factors affecting the development of the plantbeds are the choice of plantbed materials, plantspecies, maintenance efforts and the location of the plant bed