ESG as a concept advocates companies to pay more attention to environmental friendliness, social responsibility and corporate governance in their development process. Companies can attract investment ...and enhance their competitiveness by developing ESG concepts. Based on the data of Chinese listed companies for five years from 2017 to 2021, relevant indicators are constructed, and regression analysis is conducted on them using static panel models to empirically investigate the impact of ESG performance on corporate value. Specifically, this study documents a significant positive relationship between ESG performance and corporate value. The results still largely hold after a robustness checks, including alterative measure of corporate value. This study contributes to the existing literature on the economic consequences of ESG and provides implications for both researchers, investors, and practitioners.
•The Leeuwin Current became stronger after the Mid-Pleistocene Transition.•Stronger Leeuwin Current was mainly triggered by enhanced atmospheric circulation.•Stronger Leeuwin Current has not ...overturned the Pliocene-Pleistocene drying trend.
Although the Leeuwin Current (LC) is thought to play a pivotal role in climatic and oceanic systems of the western Australian region, how the LC developed through the Pliocene-Pleistocene period remains elusive. Here we used biomarker records to reconstruct variations of temperatures and primary productivity on the northwest shelf of Australia over the last 6 million years. Since ∼1.2 million years ago (Ma), our sea surface temperature record indicates progressive warming, with temperature values comparable to those in the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool, in contrast with the long-term global cooling trend. The regional surface warming was accompanied by suppressed primary productivity, together indicating prevailing warm, low-salinity, nutrient-deficient surface water, and thus a stronger LC since the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. During 4–1.2 Ma, greater surface temperature gradient between the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool and the northwest shelf of Australia and higher primary productivity seem to suggest a generally weaker LC. Warmer temperatures and lower productivity suggest a plausible existence of the LC during 6–4 Ma, but more work is required to confirm this. Impact of sea level and the Indonesian Throughflow on the LC strength may exist, but did not dominate through the Pliocene-Pleistocene period, considering different variation patterns among them. We propose the stronger LC after ∼1.2 Ma was more likely triggered by enhanced atmospheric circulation. Although the increased LC after ∼1.2 Ma may have potentially brought additional moisture to the Australian continent during the interglacial periods, it has not overturned the long-term drying trend through the Pliocene-Pleistocene period.
In this study, we applied steroid records at IODP Site U1461 to reconstruct long-term variations of production and composition of phytoplankton, and the microbial degradation on phytoplankton-derived ...organic carbon (OC) on the northwest shelf of Australia through the Pliocene-Pleistocene period. We aim to probe whether and how these behaviors are impacted by strengths of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) and the Leeuwin Current (LC), sea level variation, and continental material input. The results indicate that production of phytoplankton generally increased during 6–1.2 Ma, and decreased after ∼1.2 Ma, due to combination effect from intensified upwelling strength by pronounced Pliocene-Pleistocene cooling and low-salinity, tropical nutrient-deficient surface water input by the ITF and LC. The results also demonstrate increasing contributions of diatoms at ∼5.2 Ma, relatively higher contributions of dinoflagellates during 3.8–1.7 Ma, and another increasing contribution of diatoms after ∼1.7 Ma. We suggest that stronger ITF during ∼6.0–3.8 Ma and stronger LC during ∼1.2–0 Ma both induced higher contributions of diatoms to total phytoplankton, while increased terrestrial soil input in the mid-Pleistocene might be the potential reason why the timing of increasing contribution of diatoms (∼1.7 Ma) is slightly ahead of the intensified LC condition (∼1.2 Ma). Compared with the Pliocene, the microbial degradation on phytoplankton-derived organic carbon was more active in the mid-late Pleistocene, which could be related to terrestrial soil input, subsurface currents, and sea level variation. With synchronously lowered bioproductivity, phytoplankton-derived organic carbon burial capacity on the northwestern shelf of Australia lowered since ∼1.7 Ma.
•Higher diatom contributions at ∼5.2–3.8 Ma and ∼ 1.7–0 Ma on the NW Australian shelf.•Warm currents and terrestrial soil input triggered higher diatom contributions.•Stronger microbial OC degradation in the mid-late Pleistocene than in the Pliocene.•Terrestrial input, subsurface currents, and sea level modify microbial OC degradation.•Lowered OC burial capacity on the NW Australian shelf since the mid-Pleistocene.
Based on biomarkers and bulk organic carbon isotope, we reconstructed a 5‐million‐year history of terrestrial material input to the northwest shelf of Australia. Vegetational organic input ...continuously decreased through the Pliocene‐Pleistocene period due to decreased vegetation coverage and discharge under general aridification process. Triggered by lowered sea level and drier climates, soil input increased after ∼2.5–2.2 million years ago (Ma). Bulk terrestrial organic input demonstrates stronger variability after ∼1.7 Ma, as influenced by large‐amplitude hydrological swings on the Australian continent. Source of soils shifted between ∼1.5 and 1.2 Ma, along with presence of active dune fields. All lines of evidence together indicate a general wet climate in northwestern Australia during the early Pliocene, a continuously drying trend to the mid‐Pleistocene, and a drier phase with less vegetation coverage and expanded desert during the late Pleistocene, which is modulated by ongoing Indonesian Throughflow constriction and global atmospheric circulations.
Plain Language Summary
Terrestrial material indicators recorded in nearshore marine sedimentary cores are useful for studying the continental climates in northwestern Australia. Here, we present biomarker‐based data from cores at International Ocean Discovery Program Site U1461 to reconstruct the history of the terrestrial material input to the northwest shelf of Australia over the last 5 million years. We aim to reveal how the vegetation and soil organic transportations responded to climate changes in northwestern Australia through the Pliocene‐Pleistocene period. Our results show a continuous decrease in the vegetational organic input since 5 million years ago (Ma), an increased soil input at ∼2.5–2.2 Ma, a stronger variability in bulk terrestrial organic input since ∼1.7 Ma, and a shift in soil source between ∼1.5 and 1.2 Ma. All these changes together indicate that the climates in northwestern Australia shifted from a generally wet condition during the early Pliocene to a drier and more variable phase during the late Pleistocene, which is controlled by ongoing Indonesian Throughflow constriction and global atmospheric circulations.
Key Points
Five‐million‐year records of terrestrial material input to the northwest shelf of Australia were investigated
The records indicate a continuously Pliocene‐Pleistocene drying trend in northwestern Australia
More variable climates with less vegetation coverage and expanded desert/dune during the late Pleistocene were observed
The epoxy nanocomposites with Fe3O4 modified graphene oxide (Fe3O4/GO) were used to influence the micro-cracks resistance of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy (CF/EP) laminate at 77 K. Fe3O4/GO with good ...paramagnetic properties were prepared by co-precipitation method and used to modify epoxy for cryogenic applications. Fe3O4/GO modified CF/EP laminates were also prepared through vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM). The results show that the Fe3O4/GO can effectively improve the mechanical properties of epoxy (EP) matrix at 77 K and reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of EP matrix. It also can obviously improve the micro-cracks resistance of CF/EP composites at 77 K. Compared to neat EP, the CTE of Fe3O4/GO modified EP composite is decreased 51.6%. Compared to CF/EP composite, the micro-cracks density of Fe3O4/GO modified CF/EP composite at 77 K is decreased 60.0%.
Hydroxylated glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (OH-GDGTs) have been recently recognized as alternative biomarkers for sea surface temperature (SST) estimations in oceanic environments. Yet, it is ...still unclear whether OH-GDGTs are applicable on the northwest shelf of Australia. Here we present results of OH-GDGTs from sedimentary cores at IODP Site U1461 covering the Pliocene-Pleistocene period. We discussed potential sources and applications for OH-GDGTs on the northwest shelf of Australia by comparison with previously reconstructed records of surface and subsurface temperatures, terrigenous inputs, water depth changes, and phytoplankton composition. The historical variations in concentrations and distribution patterns of OH-GDGTs suggest that besides oceanic Thaumarchaea production, OH-GDGTs could be also contributed from terrigenous input to some extent. The relative abundance of OH-GDGTs over isoprenoid GDGTs (%OH-GDGTs) might track the variation in water temperature of subsurface layers or the whole water column as the isoGDGT-based TEX86 proxy does, while the ring indices of OH-GDGTs (RI-OH and RI-OH’) have some difficulties in tracking temperature variation on the northwest shelf of Australia through the whole Pliocene-Pleistocene period. However, when the samples were separated into two sections bounded at ∼1.3 Ma, the RI-OH and RI-OH’ show strong positive correlations with TEX86 values. Therefore, at ∼1.3 Ma, ∼1000 m lowering of water depth as well as the exposure of continental paleo-soils/sediments that previously formed in warmer periods potentially induced additional OH-GDGT-2 contributions to oceanic OH-GDGTs, eventually resulting in relatively higher RI-OH, RI-OH’ and %OH-GDGTs values on the northwest shelf of Australia in the mid- and late Pleistocene. If source of terrigenous OH-GDGTs and water depth are relatively stable, these OH-GDGT-based proxies are capable of tracking water temperature of subsurface layers or whole water column.
•Sources and applications for OH-GDGTs on NW shelf of Australia were discussed.•Beside oceanic Thaumarchaea, OH-GDGTs are minorly contributed by terrigenous source.•%OH-GDGTs proxy might track temperature as isoGDGT-based TEX86 does.•Sea level changes and terrigenous sourced OH-GDGTs challenged RI-OH and RI-OH’.•OH-GDGTs are applicable if source, terrigenous input and sea level depth are stable.
The rapid development of wearable smart devices has contributed to the enormous demands for smart flexible strain sensors. However, to date, the poor stretchability and sensitivity of conventional ...metals or inorganic semiconductor-based strain sensors have restricted their application in this field to some extent, and hence many efforts have been devoted to find suitable candidates to overcome these limitations. Recently, novel resistive-type electrically conductive polymer composites (ECPCs)-based strain sensors have attracted attention based on their merits of light weight, flexibility, stretchability, and easy processing, thus showing great potential applications in the fields of human movement detection, artificial muscles, human-machine interfaces, soft robotic skin,
etc.
For ECPCs-based strain sensors, the conductive filler type and the phase morphology design have important influences on the sensing property. Meanwhile, to achieve a successful application toward wearable devices, several imperative features, including a self-healing capability, superhydrophobicity, and good light transmission, need to be considered. The aim of the present review is to critically review the progress of ECPCs-based strain sensors and to foresee their future development.
Electrically conductive polymer composite-based smart strain sensors with different conductive fillers, phase morphology, and imperative features were reviewed.
It is assumed that the potential intensity of tropical cyclones (TC) will increase with rising global temperature. The western North Pacific is one of the three principal TC centers, but TC records ...from the region are scarce and sometimes controversial. Here we present grain‐size distributions and element contents of sediment cores from the East China Sea, in the western North Pacific. We interpret changes in the mean grain size of the coarse fraction as a proxy for TC intensity, and we infer a linkage of TC intensity to temperature changes over the last two millennia. Supported by model simulations, our results show that TC intensity increased (decreased) during relatively warm (cool) periods, confirming the control of temperature on TC intensity on a multicentennial scale. Our results suggest that long‐term TC intensity in the western North Pacific may increase with continued global warming.
Plain Language Summary
It is assumed that the potential intensity of tropical cyclones (TC) will increase with rising global temperature. However, the long‐term observational trend of TC intensity, and thus its relationship with temperature changes, is debated. Here we present a 2,000‐year TC reconstruction using physical and geochemical proxies from sediments of the East China Sea in the western North Pacific. Our results suggest that TC intensity increased (decreased) during relatively warm (cool) periods on a multicentennial scale. Our finding provides improved insinto the relationship between TC intensity and changes in global temperature.
Key Points
The coarse fraction of Chinese coastal sediments is used as a proxy for TC intensity
A 2,000‐year record of TC intensity in the western North Pacific is reconstructed
TC intensity increased during relatively warm periods on a multicentennial scale
Display omitted
•Friction and wear of glass fabric reinforced epoxy composites.•MoO3/CNTs modified glass fabric reinforced epoxy composites.•Friction and wear of MoO3/CNTs modified glass fabric ...reinforced epoxy composites.
A hybrid material composed of MoO3 nanobelts and oxide multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MoO3-CNTs) was prepared via a one-step hydrothermal method. A modified vacuum filtration technique was used to prepare uniform MoO3-CNTs films (f-MoO3-CNTs). These MoO3-CNTs and f-MoO3-CNTs were used to enhance the tribological properties of a glass fabric-reinforced epoxy (GF/EP) composite prepared using the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) method. Wear tests were carried out by using a ball-on-disc (“steel-on-polymer”) configuration under dry sliding conditions. The hybrid material acted as both the lubrication and reinforcement to improve the friction and wear performance of the GF/EP composite. The frictional coefficient decreased from 0.61 for the neat GF/EP composite to 0.50 for MoO3-CNTs/GF/EP and to 0.32 for f-MoO3-CNTs/GF/EP. The wear resistance of the GF/EP composite improved by about four times with the addition of f-MoO3-CNTs. The morphologies of the worn surfaces of the composites and their possible wear micro-mechanisms were investigated.
To explore the potential relationship between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle during car-following, we proposed a novel car-following model combining a convolutional neural network ...(CNN) with a long short-term memory (LSTM) network. Firstly, 400 car-following periods were extracted from the natural driving database and the OpenACC car-following experiment database. Then, we developed a CNN-LSTM car-following model, and the CNN is employed to analyze the potential relationship between the vehicle's dynamic parameters and to extract the features of car-following behavior to generate the feature vector. The LSTM network is adopted to save the feature vector and predict the speed of the following vehicle. Finally, the CNN-LSTM model is trained and tested with the extracted car-following trajectories data and compared with the classical car-following models (LSTM model, intelligent driver model). The results show that the accuracy and the ability to learn the heterogeneity of the proposed model are better than the other two. Furthermore, the CNN-LSTM model can accurately reproduce the hysteresis phenomenon of congested traffic flow and apply to heterogeneous traffic flow mixed with adaptive cruise control vehicles on the freeway, which indicates that it has strong generalization ability.
PDF
