The principles of the green economy in the context of agglomeration: Evidence from Big Ekaterinburg

The authors consider an urban agglomeration as a more integral informal economic subject uniting economic interests of its municipalities and expressing interests of the territory which can become a driver of the "green economy" strategy. High level of social and economic development of an agglomeration kernel, and high capabilities related to minimization of environmental risks and multiplying natural capital of the small cities allows synchronization of economic growth, optimal use of natural resources and decreasing decoupling effect. Using Big Ekaterinburg as an example of urban agglomerations the authors have shown that strategic planning documents on the municipal level require cardinal revision in the context of complex development of the territory, "green" economy principles implementation and harmonization of relations among the economy, society, and environment. © 2018 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.The authors would like to express their deepest gratitude to the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) for the support of the research within the project No. 17-22-07001 "The complex algorithm of culture-based regeneration of minor industrial cities in the context of agglomeration processes in Russia and Europe"

The principles of the green economy in the context of agglomeration: Evidence from Big Ekaterinburg

The authors consider an urban agglomeration as a more integral informal economic subject uniting economic interests of its municipalities and expressing interests of the territory which can become a driver of the "green economy" strategy. High level of social and economic development of an agglomeration kernel, and high capabilities related to minimization of environmental risks and multiplying natural capital of the small cities allows synchronization of economic growth, optimal use of natural resources and decreasing decoupling effect. Using Big Ekaterinburg as an example of urban agglomerations the authors have shown that strategic planning documents on the municipal level require cardinal revision in the context of complex development of the territory, "green" economy principles implementation and harmonization of relations among the economy, society, and environment. © 2018 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.The authors would like to express their deepest gratitude to the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) for the support of the research within the project No. 17-22-07001 "The complex algorithm of culture-based regeneration of minor industrial cities in the context of agglomeration processes in Russia and Europe"

Рискен-Нумедал-Грахам-Хакен нестабилности и само-пулсирање у квантним каскадним ласерима.

A theoretical study on low-threshold multimode instabilities in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) with Fabry-Pérot cavity is presented. Previously, low threshold Risken-Nummedal-Graham-Haken (RNGH) instabilities were reported in several experimental investigations of QCLs...Приказано је теоријско истраживање мултимодних нестабилности са ниским прагом у квантним каскадним ласерима (ККЛ). Претходно су у више експерименталних студија о ККЛ-у уочене нестабилности Рискен- Нумедал-Грахам-Хакен (РНГХ) типа мало изнад ласерског прага..

Preparation of zinc oxide varistors with submicronic grain size and ultra-high breakdown field

Cink-oksidni varistori sa izrazito visokim poljem proboja potrebni su u savremenim tehnologijama, gde je poželjno da prenaponska zaštita bude što manjih dimenzija, a istovremeno i električno funkcionalna. U ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji za postizanje visokog polja proboja primenjena su dva smera: dobijanje varistora iz pojedinačno sintetisanih nanodimenzionalnih prekursora (Co/Mn-dopiranog ZnO, Bi2O3 i Sb2O3), kao i metoda uvođenja Bi2O3 i Sb2O3 aditiva u već sintetisani Co/Mn-dopirani ZnO preko rastvora odgovarajućih soli...Zinc oxide varistors with ultra-high breakdown field are necessary for applications in modern technologies, where the overvoltage protection should be simultaneously as small as possible and electrically functional. Preparation of ultra-high breakdown field varistors, that was presented in this work, included two routes: preparation of varistors via separately synthesized nanoprecursors (Co/Mn-doped ZnO, Bi2O3 and Sb2O3), and also by the addition of Bi2O3 and Sb2O3 additives through the solutions of appropriate salts..

The review of some novel biomarkers in sedimentary organic matter

A series of novel C33-C35 hexacyclic benzohopanes have been identified in coals and crude oils of different ages from all over the world [1]. They differ from regular benzohopanes by the presence of methyl group in position C-31. These compounds are more abundant in coals and terrestrial oils. The investigation also showed that mature samples have distributions of benzohopanes distinct from immature ones, which are characterised by a greater number of benzohopane isomers. Although exact structures of the additional isomers were not determined, it seems they were formed by an isomerisation of alkyl groups attached to the aromatic ring. Two novel monoaromatic hydrocarbons (MW = 270; basic fragment ions m/z 255 and 146) were identified in coals, mudstones and crude oils. Their structures were determined as cis- and transicetexa-8,11,13-trienes (or dehydroicetexanes) using NMR spectroscopy. Dehydroicetexanes are potential biomarkers of Cupressaceae (cypress conifers). Benzo[b]naphtho[d]furans (BNFs) have been identified in oils, condensates, source-rocks, coals and coaly shales, being more abundant in the latter. We detected BNFs (m/z 218) in relatively high amounts in the aromatic fractions of pyrolysates of brown coals which attained the maturity corresponding to vitrinite reflectance of 1.80 %Rr [2]. This result suggests that BNFs can be attractive for investigations of mature fluids that originate from gas/condensate prone sources, rich in type III kerogen, which are usually depleted in biomarkers. Recently, it was observed that [2,1]/[1,2]BNF ratio can be used to describe lithofacies [3]. This ratio is much lower in sediments from fluvial-deltaic systems than in clay-depleted sediments from marine environments. 1-Chloro-n-alkanes (m/z 91) have been identified in saltmarsh vegetation, recent sediments from estuarine setting and freshwater lake sediments [4]. Despite their absence in the investigated crude oils, we identified a series of 1-chloro-n-alkanes in pyrolysates of the corresponding asphaltenes, obtained at 250 oC. This result indicates very good preservation of biomarkers occluded inside asphaltenes and announces a possible application of 1-chloro-n-alkanes in correlation studies.Invited Lectur

Organic geochemistry of crude oils from the turija oil field (SE Pannonian Basin, Serbia)

The Turija oil field, being an important oil field in Serbia, is located in the Banat Depression of the southeastern part of the Pannonian Basin. Oil samples from the Turija oil field were investigated in order to estimate origin, depositional environment, thermal maturity and age of the corresponding source rocks. For that purpose, a comprehensive analysis of biomarkers and aromatic compounds was performed. n-Alkanes are predominant compounds in the total ion chromatograms of saturated fractions of all samples, showing that Turija oils are not biodegraded. The distributions of n-alkanes, which are characterised by equivalent abundances of long- and short-chain homologues and maximums at C17, C21 and C27, suggest a mixed aquatic-terrestrial origin. The uniform distributions of regular C27-C29 5α(H)14α(H)17α(H) 20(R) steranes support the previous assumption. The presence of oleanane in all samples is indicative for a contribution of angiosperm plants to the precursor organic matter (OM). Furthermore, the presence of this biomarker implies the Upper Cretaceous or younger age of the corresponding source rocks. Isoreniratane and its derivatives have been identified in all samples. Although isorenieratane can originate from β-carotene, which is widespread in algae, bacteria and terrestrial plants, the presence of other catagenetic products of isorenieratene (mass fragmentogram m/z 133 of the aromatic fraction) unambiguously confirms a contribution of green sulphur bacteria Chlorobiaceae to the precursor organic material [1]. The pristane to phytane (Pr/Ph) ratio ranges from 0.64 to 1.17, indicating reducing to dysoxic conditions during the deposition of precursor OM. The presence of the above mentioned isorenieratane derivatives implies the photic zone of anoxia. The stratification of water column is also supported by the presence of gammacerane and values of gammacerane index, GI = gammacerane x 10/(gammacerane + C30 17α(H)21β(H)-hopane) > 1 in almost all the samples. Alkylated 2-methyl-2- (4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl) chromans (MTTCs) were detected in all studied oils. A predominance of 5,7,8-trimethyl-MTTC over 5,8-dimethyl-MTTC, 7,8-dimethyl-MTTC and 8-methyl-MTTC, associated with the values of MTTC ratio (MTTC = 5,7,8-trimethyl-MTTC/ΣMTTCs) in 0.44 to 0.65 range, indicates deposition of OM in a brackish environment [2]. The maturity of Turija oils was determined using typical sterane and hopane isomerisation maturity parameters and methyldibenzothiophene ratio, MDBTR = 4-MDBT/1-MDBT [3]. The obtained results indicate that Turija oils were generated in an early stage of oil window

Theoretical study of metal borides stability

We have recently identified metal-sandwich (MS) crystal structures and shown with ab initio calculations that the MS lithium monoboride phases are favored over the known stoichiometric ones under hydrostatic pressure [Phys. Rev. B 73, 180501(R) (2006)]. According to previous studies synthesized lithium monoboride tends to be boron-deficient, however the mechanism leading to this phenomenon is not fully understood. We propose a simple model that explains the experimentally observed off-stoichiometry and show that compared to such boron-deficient phases the MS-LiB compounds still have lower formation enthalpy under high pressures. We also investigate stability of MS phases for a large class of metal borides. Our ab initio results suggest that MS noble metal borides are less unstable than the corresponding AlB$_2$-type phases but not stable enough to form under equilibrium conditions.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figure

Origin of oils and source rocks characterization of the Turija-Sever oil field (SE Pannonian Basin, Serbia)

Oils from recently drilled wells in the Turija-Sever oil field were investigated in order to understand their genetic relationships, and to define the depositional environment, thermal maturity and geologic age of the corresponding source rocks, which are still unknown. Oils from the Turija-Sever oil field are generally similar and probably belong to the same genetic type. They originate from source rocks deposited in reducing to dysoxic redox conditions, with organic matter (OM) originating from mixed marine/terrestrial sources. Slight differences among oils are reflected through certain lower contribution of algal OM to oils from the northern part of the field and/or its faster degradation under dysoxic conditions. Oils were generated from source rocks in an early stage of oil window, corresponding to vitrinite reflectance between 0.60 and 0.65 %. Source rocks are of Tertiary age. Estimated source rocks depth interval and temperature interval of oil generation correspond to 2300 m – 2500 m and 124 °C – 138 °C, respectively

The applicability of asphaltene treatment (mild oxidation and pyrolysis) in the investigation of crude oils

The aim of this study is to check which of four performed oil asphaltene treatments shows the best similarity in distributions of biomarkers and aromatic hydrocarbons and in the values of corresponding parameters with those obtained for maltenes. The obtained results imply the lack of a unique method which can result in good fitting of all biomarker and alkylaromatic ratios in oil asphaltene treatment products and corresponding maltenes. Among the performed asphaltene treatments two methods deserve attention: oxidation by NaIO4/NaH2PO4 and pyrolysis at 400 oC