ALBERT

Description: We study networks of coupled oscillators whose local dynamics are governed by the fractional-order versions of the paradigmatic van der Pol and Rayleigh oscillators. We show that the networks exhibit diverse amplitude chimeras and oscillation death patterns. The occurrence of amplitude chimeras in a network of van der Pol oscillators is observed for the first time. A form of amplitude chimera, namely, “damped amplitude chimera” is observed and characterized, where the size of the incoherent region(s) increases continuously in the course of time, and the oscillations of drifting units are damped continuously until they are quenched to steady state. It is found that as the order of the fractional derivative decreases, the lifetime of classical amplitude chimeras increases, and there is a critical point at which there is a transition to damped amplitude chimeras. Overall, a decrease in the order of fractional derivatives reduces the propensity to synchronization and promotes oscillation death phenomena including solitary oscillation death and chimera death patterns that were unobserved in networks of integer-order oscillators. This effect of the fractional derivatives is verified by the stability analysis based on the properties of the master stability function of some collective dynamical states calculated from the block-diagonalized variational equations of the coupled systems. The present study generalizes the results of our recently studied network of fractional-order Stuart–Landau oscillators.

Description: Understanding the behavioral response dynamics to risks is important for informed policy-making at times of crises. Here we elucidate two response channels to Covid-19 risk and show that they weakened over time, prior to the availability of vaccines. We employ fixed-effects panel regression models to empirically assess the relationship between actual Covid-19 risk (daily case numbers), the perceived risk (attention paid to the pandemic via related Google search requests) and the resulting behavioral response (personal mobility choices) over two pandemic phases for 113 cities in eight countries, while accounting for government interventions. Prolonged exposure to Covid-19 reduces risk perception which in turn leads to a weakened behavioral response. Attention responses and mobility reductions across all three mobility types are weaker in the second phase, given the same levels of actual and perceived risk, respectively. Our results provide evidence that the risk response attenuates over time with implications for other crises evolving over long timescales.

Description: The transition toward renewables is central to climate action. The paper empirically tests whether renewables also enhance international peace, a hypothesis discussed in the International Political Economy (IPE) of renewables literature. It develops and tests hypotheses about the pacifying effects of renewables, with a view to establishing the foundations for analyzing more detailed causal mechanisms. These mechanisms rest on the ‘energy democracy’ debate, suggesting that a low carbon world sees less interstate tension thanks to more states being democratic; the ‘capitalist peace’ theorem, establishing that the deployment of renewables brings about economic development, reducing conflict; and the human security literature, positing that renewables reduce local-level reduce vulnerabilities, thus enhancing social stability and reducing violence. Using a longitudinal dataset on global renewable energy investment, econometric tests suggest that distributed renewable energy systems do not seem to foster democratic rule, nor do they have a significant influence on human development. Countering the energy democracy literature, it is a higher concentration of renewable investment that tends to increase stability/ absence of violence and human development, instead of decentralized investment patterns. We find no evidence for the ‘peace through prosperity’ argument. Overall, there is no support for the assumption that renewables bring about peace and reduce conflict. The paper critically discusses the limitations of these findings and suggests further avenues for empirical research.

Description: The complexity and importance of environmental, societal, and other challenges require new forms of science and practice collaboration. We first describe the complementarity of method-driven, theory-based, and (to the extent possible) validated scientific knowledge in contrast to real-world, action-based, and contextualized experimental knowledge. We argue that a thorough integration of these two modes of knowing is necessary for developing ground-breaking innovations and transitions for sustainable development. To reorganize types of science–practice collaborations, we extend Stokes’s Pasteur’s quadrant with its dimensions for the relevance of (i) (generalized) fundamental knowledge and (ii) applications when introducing (iii) process ownership, i.e., who controls the science–practice collaboration process. Process ownership is a kind of umbrella variable which comprises leadership (with the inflexion point of equal footing or co-leadership) and mutuality (this is needed for knowledge integration and developing socially robust orientations) which are unique selling points of transdisciplinarity. The extreme positions of process ownership are applied research (science takes control) and consulting (practice takes process ownership). Ideal transdisciplinary processes include authentic co-definition, co-representation, co-design, and co-leadership of science and practice. We discuss and grade fifteen approaches on science–practice collaboration along the process ownership scale and reflect on the challenges to make transdisciplinarity real.

Description: In 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine had a profound effect on EU energy and climate policies. The EU redesigned its approach to the geopolitics of energy security as it sought alternatives to Russian supplies with accelerated urgency. It upgraded its commitments to energy transition internally and through external actions too, whilst member states balanced these with the domestic politics of a cost-of-living crisis triggered by the war. The new era of geopolitical power had repercussions for the conceptual contours of EU approaches to energy and climate security, which were elevated to hard security issues. The article reviews the key developments in EU energy and climate policies in 2022 and notes three emerging and inter-related conceptual shifts in these: the securitization of the green transition, a more realpolitik approach to external climate actions and a rebalancing towards state intervention.

Description: There has been a recent proliferation of research and practice on the interior dimensions of sustainability, such as values, beliefs, worldviews and inner capacities. This nascent field of inner transformation is dynamic and emerging, with varied terminology, a breadth of applications, and intense debate about possible contributions as well as limitations and shortcomings. In this article, we aim to provide some orientation by systematising the core contributions of the emerging domain of inner transformation research via the acronym IMAGINE. We show that ontologically, inner transformation research highlights (i) the Interdependence of inner/outer and individual/collective/system phenomena, as well as (ii) the Multiple potential that is latent within each of us to enable transformative change. Correspondingly, it underscores the implications of inner phenomena for sustainability and related action-taking, particularly through: (iii) the Activation of inner dimensions across individual, collective and system levels, and (iv) the Generation of inner transformative capacities through intentional practices. Epistemologically, this necessitates the (v) INclusion of diverse perspectives, required for (vi) Expanding knowledge systems for sustainability. The presented heuristic offers a framework to systematically support and guide sustainability researchers, educators and practitioners to incorporate inner transformation into their work, which is a key requirement for sustainability outcomes and necessary to effectively formulate related policy frameworks.

Description: The assessment of persistence (P), bioaccumulation (B), and toxicity (T) of a chemical is a crucial first step at ensuring chemical safety and is a cornerstone of the European Union’s chemicals regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals). Existing methods for PBT assessment are overly complex and cumbersome, have produced incorrect conclusions, and rely heavily on animal-intensive testing. We explore how new-approach methodologies (NAMs) can overcome the limitations of current PBT assessment. We propose two innovative hazard indicators, termed cumulative toxicity equivalents (CTE) and persistent toxicity equivalents (PTE). Together they are intended to replace existing PBT indicators and can also accommodate the emerging concept of PMT (where M stands for mobility). The proposed “toxicity equivalents” can be measured with high throughput in vitro bioassays. CTE refers to the toxic effects measured directly in any given sample, including single chemicals, substitution products, or mixtures. PTE is the equivalent measure of cumulative toxicity equivalents measured after simulated environmental degradation of the sample. With an appropriate panel of animal-free or alternative in vitro bioassays, CTE and PTE comprise key environmental and human health hazard indicators. CTE and PTE do not require analytical identification of transformation products and mixture components but instead prompt two key questions: is the chemical or mixture toxic, and is this toxicity persistent or can it be attenuated by environmental degradation? Taken together, the proposed hazard indicators CTE and PTE have the potential to integrate P, B/M and T assessment into one high-throughput experimental workflow that sidesteps the need for analytical measurements and will support the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability of the European Union.

Description: Many geophysical inversion methods rely on simulating wave propagation. With the advent of advanced computing systems and the need for precise forward models for Full Waveform Inversion (FWI) and Reverse Time Migration (RTM) applications, elastic wave modeling has attracted more attention. In order to solve the wave equation, which is a Partial-Differential-Equation (PDE), using numerical methods such as Finite Difference (FD), an absorbing layer is defined at the boundaries of the model to avoid unwanted reflections. In wave simulations, a perfectly matched layer (PML) is a highly effective absorbing layer. In many simulations, applying a second-order equation system is simpler and more practical. Despite its usefulness, extending PML to second-order systems generates some difficulties because the method was originally designed for first-order systems. This paper proposes an unsplit PML implementation for the second-order heterogeneous elastic wave equation by making use of the auxiliary differential equations. This method has a lower computing cost compared to earlier studies and can be easily incorporated into existing codes. Numerical examples indicate the method’s satisfactory performance.

Description: 5 – 25 July 2023, Kiel (Germany) – Tallinn (Estonia) – Kiel (Germany) CYANO-OC