1,247 research outputs found
The origin of scatter in the star formation rate - stellar mass relation
Observations have revealed that the star formation rate (SFR) and stellar
mass (M) of star-forming galaxies follow a tight relation known as
the galaxy main sequence. However, what physical information is encoded in this
relation is under debate. Here, we use the EAGLE cosmological hydrodynamical
simulation to study the mass dependence, evolution and origin of scatter in the
SFR-M relation. At , we find that the scatter decreases
slightly with stellar mass from 0.35 dex at M
M to 0.30 dex at M M. The
scatter decreases from to by 0.05 dex at M M and by 0.15 dex for lower masses. We show that the scatter
at originates from a combination of fluctuations on short time-scales
(ranging from 0.2-2 Gyr) that are presumably associated with self-regulation
from cooling, star formation and outflows, but is dominated by long time-scale
( Gyr) variations related to differences in halo formation times.
Shorter time-scale fluctuations are relatively more important for lower-mass
galaxies. At high masses, differences in black hole formation efficiency cause
additional scatter, but also diminish the scatter caused by different halo
formation times. While individual galaxies cross the main sequence multiple
times during their evolution, they fluctuate around tracks associated with
their halo properties, i.e. galaxies above/below the main sequence at
tend to have been above/below the main sequence for Gyr.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Updated comparison to
observations. More detailed investigation of the relative importance of
SFH-fluctuation time-scales on the SFR(Mstar) scatter (S 4.3, Figs. 6 & 7
Export Diversity and Regional Growth: Empirical Evidence from South Africa
This paper provides empirical evidence on the relationship between exports, and in particular export diversity, and regional growth in a developing country context. Using export data for 19 sectors from 354 subnational (magisterial) districts of South Africa, we construct various measures of subnational export diversity. We find that it is not only how much that is exported, but also important is what is exported. Regions with less specialization and more diversified exports generally experienced higher economic growth rates and contributed much more to overall exports from South Africa. We also find that distance (and thus transport costs) may matter for export diversity. Estimating a cubic-spline density function for the various measures of export diversity we find that export diversity declines as the distance from a port (export hub) increases. Most magisterial districts with high export diversity values are located within 100 km of the nearest port. Furthermore, comparing the cubic-spline density functions for 2004 with that of 1996 shows that distance (transport costs) have become more important (under greater openness), with fewer diverse magisterial districts located further away from ports in 2004 than in 1996. One possible explanation for this changing pattern of export diversity may be due to the impact of greater foreign direct investment in South Africa since 1996.exports, export diversification, export variety, regional growth, new economic geography
The Significance of Transport Costs in Africa
The success of Africa's exports, as well as its spatial development, depends on lowering transport costs. In this Policy Brief, we address a number of pertinent questions on transport costs in Africa, such as 'what are transport costs?', 'do transport costs matter for trade?', 'how important are transport costs in practice?', and 'why are Africa's transport costs so high?' We present a case study of the firm location decisions of exporters in South Africa to illustrate the significance in particular of domestic transport costs for manufactured exports. The message from this Policy Brief is that Africa's international transport costs are significantly higher than that of other regions, and its domestic transport costs could be just as significant. Moreover we show how domestic transport costs influence the location, the quantity, and the diversity of manufactured exports. Various policy options to reduce transport costs in Africa are discussed.transport, costs, trade, Africa, infrastructure, roads, rail, ports, harbour, South Africa, goods, location, freight,
The Geographical Location of Manufacturing Exporters in South Africa
This paper provides empirical evidence on the location of export-oriented manufacturing firms in Africa (South Africa), and on how the patterns of location has changed over the past decade after the country embarked on trade liberalization. It is found that (a) the proximity to a port is an important consideration in most export-oriented manufacturing firms' location, with more than 70 per cent of manufacturing exports in South Africa originating from a band of 100 km from a port; and (b) there is a second band of location of these firms at a distance of between 200 and 400 km from the port. Between 1996 and 2004, manufactured exports in the band between 200 and 400 km from the nearest port increased. Various possible explanations for this dispersion of export location are discussed. These include (a) changes in international and domestic transport costs; (b) an increase in manufactured exports that depend on natural resources due to demand factors; and/or (c) inflation in land-rents or wage rates in the vicinity of hubs; and/or (d) the increasing productivity of export plants due to scale effects.geographical economics, manufacturing exports, domestic transport costs, South Africa
New MBA
Once again, the USB’s MBA has been
audited and approved by two international
accreditation agencies. But nothing remains
static. AMANDA MATTHEE finds out how
the USB has updated its MBA for 2009
The Optimal Distance to Port for Exporting Firms
Success in international trade depends, amongst other things, on distance from markets. Most new economic geography models focus on the distance between countries. In contrast much less theorizing and empirical analysis have focused on how distances within a country?for instance due to the location behaviour of exporting firms?matter to international trade. In this paper we contribute to the literature on the latter by offering a theoretical model to explain the optimal distance that an export-oriented firm would locate from a port. We present empirical evidence from South Africa in support of the model.distance, transport costs, manufactured exports
When We Dead Awaken —What About the Living?
Alexandra Matthee reviews Ibsen play in translatio
Klipsun Magazine, 1985, Volume 16, Issue 03 - January
https://cedar.wwu.edu/klipsun_magazine/1079/thumbnail.jp
Factors affecting the success of reseeding rehabilitation in the semi-arid Karoo, South Africa
Due to overgrazing, mining and other anthropogenic disturbances, large sections of the Karoo region have been degraded, resulting in areas with low vegetation cover, where erosion rates are high and vegetation is dominated by unpalatable species. These areas have low and unpredictable rainfall, with slow to non-existent autogenic recovery, and this often forces landowners to implement reseeding rehabilitation in an attempt to increase both overall vegetation cover and the relative abundance of palatable plants. Landowners use soil preparation treatments, which include creating micro-catchments, ripping, mulching and brush packing, to supplement land rehabilitation. This study investigated the significance of initial rainfall, mean monthly rainfall, soil preparation techniques, slope, existing vegetation cover, litter, mulch and stone cover in determining the success of reseeding rehabilitation. Rainfall had the most significant influence, where long-lived shrubs established best under low initial rainfall and high mean monthly rainfall, and grasses established best after receiving high initial rainfall. Micro-catchments proved the most successful soil preparation technique for the establishment of long-lived shrubs, while ripping and mulching impacted negatively on grass establishment. A combination of mulch and micro-catchments aided Osteospermum sinuatum establishment in soils where soil shrinkage cracks occurred. Temperature influenced seed germination and drought tolerance of Lessertia annularis, Fingerhuthia africana and O. sinuatum, with higher germination success of O. sinuatum under temperatures simulating summer, and of F. africana under temperatures simulating winter. L. annularis germination had a faster growth rate and higher survival when germinated under autumn/spring temperatures. Landowners are advised to sow seeds of more than one species during rehabilitation, to include micro-catchments as soil preparation treatment, and to sow seeds during a time when rainfall is predicted to be high
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