Extending the Particle ESBGK Method to Diatomic Molecules including Quantized Vibrational Energies

The particle-based ellipsoidal statistical Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (ESBGK) model is extended to diatomic molecules and compared with the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. For this an efficient method is developed that optionally allows the handling of quantized vibrational energies. The proposed method is verified with a gas in an adiabatic box relaxing from a non-equilibrium state to an equilibrium. It is shown that the analytical Landau-Teller expression as well as DSMC results agree very well with the new method. Furthermore, the method is compared with DSMC results and experimental measurements of a hypersonic flow around a 70$^\circ$ blunted cone. It is shown that the ellipsoidal statistical BGK compares very well with the DSMC results while saving up to a factor of $\approx 35.8$ CPU time for this low Knudsen number case.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1805.1103

Testing of strawberry-varieties (with/without biodegradable mulch film) for organic cultivation

Different strawberry varieties, available from organic propagation at that time were, planted in August 2004 and proofed about their suitability for organic cultivation, each variety was tested with and without biodegradable mulch film. Within the early ripening strawberry varieties ‘Clery’ had a middle yield and was susceptible for infections with leaf spot, losses of plants by Verticillium were seldom. This variety should be planted early to reach enough vigor in autumn. ‘Clery’ has an interesting potential in the phase of higher prices at the beginning strawberry season. ‘Darselect’ ripened shortly before ‘Elsanta’, the yield was lower, but the fruit-size bigger, so the picking could be done more quickly. ‘Elsanta’ showed in this trial under organic conditions not too bad results, but on this area no strawberries had been cultivated for many years before, so the potential of soil-borne diseases was only low to middle. In the group of middle ripening varieties ‘Korona’ suffered under the hot weather in June 2006 and reacted with heavy wilting symptoms, first of all caused by Verticillium, and with more leathery and small fruits. ‘Florence’ and ‘Peco’ had often sunburst (by intensive sunbeams). ‘St. Pierre’ had a vigor plant, middle yield and less sunburst, but should be picked well ripened. The late variety ‘Yamaska’ was robust, but tasted only middle good. The biodegradable mulch film increased in the first year the yield of the early ripening varieties, in the second year with a hot summer this effect disappeared. Partly snails used the mulch film as refuge, damages of the film also were caused by birds. The natural decomposition was sufficient, when the film was tilled into the soil after the second harvest

Quiver Presentations for Descent Algebras of Exceptional Type

The descent algebra of a finite Coxeter group $W$ is a basic algebra, and as such it has a presentation as quiver with relations. In recent work, we have developed a combinatorial framework which allows us to systematically compute such a quiver presentation for a Coxeter group of a given type. In this article, we use that framework to determine quiver presentations for the descent algebras of the Coxeter groups of exceptional or non-crystallographic type, i.e., of type $E_6$, $E_7$, $E_8$, $F_4$, $H_3$, $H_4$ or $I_2(m)$.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figure

Results from an experiment about pruning of the apple variety ‘GoldRush’

The scab resistant apple variety ‘GoldRush’ can be grown in regions, where vineyards are common. At the LVWO Weinsberg ‘GoldRush’ is ripening about October 20th. In organic fruit growing this variety must be thinned strongly, because it tends to alternate bearing. The intention of the small experiment in the organi-cally grown orchard Katzental was to reduce by special pruning measurements the time for thinning by hand and to improve the fruit quality. During the years 2001 to 2005 clear effects could be seen on the size of the apples. The time for hand thinning varied from year tot year depending from the setting of blossom clusters, but there was no success in reducing thinning time by pruning alone. There was a positive influence on the quantity of picked apples per hour. The trees grew more balanced, the number and the length of the one-year-old twigs/branch were higher in 2005. There was a middling effect of the severe pruning on the alter-nate bearing. Well-considered pruning is an important component within organic cultivation to produce ap-ple of high quality

Assessing Cultural and Ecological Variation in Ethnobiological Research: The Importance of Gender

Contending that a significant portion of current ethnobiological research continues to overlook cultural variation in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and practice, this paper explores the potential impacts of gender-imbalanced research on data collection, hypothesis testing, and the formulation and application of ethnobiological inventories and theories. A multidisciplinary review of over 220 studies addresses commonly held stereotypes underlying gender-imbalanced field research and demonstrates the need for more inclusive, finely-tuned studies which disaggregate indigenous knowledge and practice by gender. The paper outlines factors underlying gender-based spatial and temporal variation in ecosystem exposure and traditional ecological knowledge in rural societies worldwide, and discusses how these factors contribute to gender differences in wild food harvesting, biodiversity and agrobiodiversity maintenance, natural resource management, and the transmission and conservation of sacred and secular customs. The review concludes with suggestions for designing and implementing more inclusive research

Human capital and innovation in East and West German manufacturing firms

The paper analyses the theoretical and empirical relationship between employment, skill structure and innovation in East and West German manufacturing firms. The econometric part builds on firm data from the Mannheim Innovation Panel 1993, 1994 and 1995. In the German industrial sector, especially in East Germany, employment has declined and the share of highly skilled labour has risen. The econometric investigation of labour demand, based on the translog production function, reveals differences in the firms? behaviour in East and West German manufacturing and between innovative and non-innovative firms. It is shown that complex patterns of substitution between capital and different types of labour emerge, which depend on the stage of economic transformation, the type of firms, wage setting behaviour and public policy. The results suggest that in the current stage of transition subsidising labour might be more effective for creating jobs in East Germany than promoting R&D and capital equipment. Subsidies can be lower the higher the workers? qualification level is. --