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Scenarios of energy efficiency and CO2 emissions reduction potential in the buildings sector in China to year 2050
As China’s rapid urbanization continues and urban dwellers become more affluent, energy use in buildings is expected to grow. To understand how this growth can be slowed, we explore four scenarios for Chinese buildings, ranging from a high-energy-demand scenario with no new energy policies to lowest energy demand under a techno-economic-potential scenario that assumes full deployment of cost-effective efficient and renewable technologies by 2050. We show that, in the high energy demand scenario, building energy demand has an average annual growth rate of about 2.8%, with slower growth rates in the other three scenarios. In all scenarios, CO2 emissions grow slower than energy, with building CO2 peaking around 2045 in the high energy demand scenario, and as early as 2030 in the techno-economic-potential scenario. We show that although various technological solutions, systems and practices can be very effective in minimizing building energy use, rigorous policies are needed to overcome multiple implementation barriers
Multidimensional optical fractionation with holographic verification
The trajectories of colloidal particles driven through a periodic potential
energy landscape can become kinetically locked in to directions dictated by the
landscape's symmetries. When the landscape is realized with forces exerted by a
structured light field, the path a given particle follows has been predicted to
depend exquisitely sensitively on such properties as the particle's size and
refractive index These predictions, however, have not been tested
experimentally. Here, we describe measurements of colloidal silica spheres'
transport through arrays of holographic optical traps that use holographic
video microscopy to track individual spheres' motions in three dimensions and
simultaneously to measure each sphere's radius and refractive index with
part-per-thousand resolution. These measurements confirm previously untested
predictions for the threshold of kinetically locked-in transport, and
demonstrate the ability of optical fractionation to sort colloidal spheres with
part-per-thousand resolution on multiple characteristics simultaneously.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
Electrodeposition from supercritical fluids
Recent studies have shown that it is possible to electrodeposit a range of materials, such as Cu, Ag and Ge, from various supercritical fluids, including hydrofluorocarbons and mixtures of CO2 with suitable co-solvents. In this perspective we discuss the relatively new field of electrodeposition from supercritical fluids. The perspective focuses on some of the underlying physical chemistry and covers both practical and scientific aspects of electrodeposition from supercritical fluids. We also discuss possible applications for supercritical fluid electrodeposition and suggest some key developments that are required to take the field to the next stage
Semiclassical Concepts in Magnetoelectronics
Semiclassical theories of electron and spin transport in metallic magnetic
structures are reviewed with emphasis on the role of disorder and electronic
band structures in the current perpendicular to the interface plane (CPP)
transport configuration.Comment: Proceedings of the NEC Symposium on "Spin-related Quantum Transport
in Mesoscopic Systems", to be published in the Journal of Materials Science
and Engineering
Spin transfer torques in nonlocal lateral spin valve
We report a theoretical study on the spin and electron transport in the
nonlocal lateral spin valve with non-collinear magnetic configuration. The
nonlocal magnetoresistance, defined as the voltage difference on the detection
lead over the injected current, is derived analytically. The spin transfer
torques on the detection lead are calculated. It is found that spin transfer
torques are symmetrical for parallel and antiparallel magnetic configurations,
which is different from that in conventional sandwiched spin valve.Comment: 7 papges, 5 figure
Is Neolithic land use correlated with demography? An evaluation of pollen-derived land cover and radiocarbon-inferred demographic change from Central Europe
The transformation of natural landscapes in Middle Europe began in the Neolithic as a result of the introduction of food-producing economies. This paper examines the relation between land-cover and demographic change in a regionally restricted case study. The study area is the Western Lake Constance area which has very detailed palynological as well as archaeological records. We compare land-cover change derived from nine pollen records using a pseudo-biomisation approach with 14C date probability density functions from archaeological sites which serve as a demographic proxy. We chose the Lake Constance area as a regional example where the pollen signal integrates a larger spatial pattern. The land-cover reconstructions for this region show first notable impacts at the Middle to Young Neolithic transition. The beginning of the Bronze Age is characterised by increases of arable land and pasture/meadow, whereas the deciduous woodland decreases dramatically. Changes in the land-cover classes show a correlation with the 14C density curve: the correlation is best with secondary woodland in the Young Neolithic which reflects the lake shore settlement dynamics. In the Early Bronze Age, the radiocarbon density correlates with open land-cover classes, such as pasture, meadow and arable land, reflecting a change in the land-use strategy. The close overall correspondence between the two archives implies that population dynamics and land-cover change were intrinsically linked. We therefore see human impact as a key driver for vegetation change in the Neolithic. Climate might have an influence on vegetation development, but the changes caused by human land use are clearly detectable from Neolithic times, at least in these densely settled, mid-altitude landscapes
Sensitivity of Ag/Al Interface Specific Resistances to Interfacial Intermixing
We have measured an Ag/Al interface specific resistance, 2AR(Ag/Al)(111) =
1.4 fOhm-m^2, that is twice that predicted for a perfect interface, 50% larger
than for a 2 ML 50%-50% alloy, and even larger than our newly predicted 1.3
fOhmm^2 for a 4 ML 50%-50% alloy. Such a large value of 2ARAg/Al(111) confirms
a predicted sensitivity to interfacial disorder and suggests an interface
greater than or equal to 4 ML thick. From our calculations, a predicted
anisotropy ratio, 2AR(Ag/Al)(001)/2AR(Ag/Al)(111), of more then 4 for a perfect
interface, should be reduced to less than 2 for a 4 ML interface, making it
harder to detect any such anisotropy.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, 1 table. In Press: Journal of Applied Physic
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