Traffic-related non-exhaust particulate matter mainly consists of tire wear, brake wear, and road wear. For this study, passive-samplers were placed near highly frequented roads in industrial, ...agricultural, and urban environments with the aim of collecting and characterizing super-coarse (＞ 10 μm) airborne particles. Single-particle analysis using SEM-EDX was conducted on more than 500 particles with nearly 1500 spectra to determine their size, shape, volume, and chemical composition. The ambient aerosol near all studied roads is dominated by traffic-related abrasion particles, amounting to approximately 90 vol%. The majority of the particles were composites of tire-, road-, and brake-abrasion material. The particle assemblages differed in size distribution, composition, and structure depending on driving speed, traffic flow, and traffic fleet. Our study documents that tire wear significantly contributes to the flux of microplastics into the environment. A decrease in the release of this abrasion material, however, is unlikely in the near future.
Debt and growth: New evidence for the euro area Baum, Anja; Checherita-Westphal, Cristina; Rother, Philipp
Journal of international money and finance,
02/2013, Letnik:
32, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Against the background of the euro area sovereign debt crisis, our paper investigates the relationship between public debt and economic growth and adds to the existing literature in the following ...ways. First, we use a dynamic threshold panel methodology in order to analyse the non-linear impact of public debt on GDP growth. Second, we focus on 12 euro area countries for the period 1990–2010, therefore adding to the current discussion on debt sustainability in the euro area. Our empirical results suggest that the short-run impact of debt on GDP growth is positive and highly statistically significant, but decreases to around zero and loses significance beyond public debt-to-GDP ratios of around 67%. This result is robust throughout most of our specifications, in the dynamic and non-dynamic threshold models alike. For high debt-to-GDP ratios (above 95%), additional debt has a negative impact on economic activity. Furthermore, we can show that the long-term interest rate is subject to increased pressure when the public debt-to-GDP ratio is above 70%, broadly supporting the above findings.
Air quality measurements usually consist of ground-based instrumentation at fixed locations. However, vertical profiles of pollutants are of interest for understanding processes, distribution, ...dilution and concentration. Therefore, a multicopter system has been developed to investigate the vertical distribution of the concentration of aerosol particles, black carbon, ozone, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide and the meteorological parameters of temperature and humidity. This article presents the requirements by different users, the setup of the quadrocopter system, the instrumentation and the results of first applications. The vertical distribution of particulate matter next to a highway was strongly related to atmospheric stratification, with different concentrations below and above the temperature inversion present in the morning. After the qualification phase described in this article, two identically equipped multicopters will be used upwind and downwind of line or diffuse sources such as highways or urban areas to quantify the influence of their emissions on the local air quality.
Measuring and characterizing airborne particulate matter (PM) is an important research area because PM can lead to impacts on health and to visibility reduction, material damage and groundwater ...pollution. In regard to road dust, suspension and re-suspension and the contribution of non-exhaust PM to total traffic emissions are expected to increase as a result of predicted climate scenarios. European environmental regulations have been enforced to reduce exhaust particle emissions from road traffic, but little attention has been paid to reducing non-exhaust coarse particle emissions due to traffic. Therefore, a monitoring program for coarse PM has been initiated in early 2013 to assess the predicted increase in the abundance of non-exhaust particles. Particle sampling was performed with the passive-sampler technique Sigma-2. The subsequent single-particle analysis allows for characterization of individual particles, determination of PM size distribution, and calculation of PM mass concentrations. Two motorways near Cologne (Köln), Germany were selected as sampling sites, and the experimental setup in the field was realized with a so-called twin-site method. The present study reports single-particle analysis data for samples collected between May 31, 2013 and May 30, 2014. Coarse PM, generated through multi-source mechanisms, consists of, e.g., tire-wear, soot aggregates, and mineral dust. The highest mass concentration occurs at both motorways in spring, and the observed PM mainly contains traffic-abrasion particles. The field measurements show that the minimum PM concentration was found in the 5 to 12°C temperature range, whereas the maximum concentration was observed in both the －5 to 5°C and the 12 to 24°C ranges, in agreement with previous laboratory measurements. Correlation between super-coarse (d_p 10－80 μm, geometric equivalent diameter) PM concentration and precipitation displays a significant increase in concentration with decreasing number of precipitation events (dry weather periods).
According to U.N. estimates, low-income countries will have to increase their annual public spending by up to 30 percent of GDP to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), raising the ...question of whether they can do it all. This paper develops a new metric of fiscal space in low-income countries that accounts for macroeconomic uncertainty, allowing us to assess whether those spending needs can be accommodated. Illustrative simulations based on this methodology imply that, even under benign conditions, the fiscal space available in lowincome countries is likely insufficient to undertake the spending needed to achieve the SDGs. Improving public investment efficiency and domestic revenue mobilization can somewhat narrow the gap but it will require major efforts relative to recent trends.
Only a few empirical studies have analyzed the relationship between fiscal multipliers and the underlying state of the economy. This paper investigates this link on a country-by-country basis for the ...G7 economies (excluding Italy). Our results show that fiscal multipliers differ across countries, calling for a tailored use of fiscal policy. Moreover, the position in the business cycle affects the impact of fiscal policy on output: on average, government spending, and revenue multipliers tend to be larger in downturns than in expansions. This asymmetry has implications for the choice between an upfront fiscal adjustment versus a more gradual approach.
State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are present in key sectors of economies around the world. While they can provide an important public service, there is widespread concern that their activities and ...financial performance are hindered by corruption. In the meantime, cross-country analysis on the cost of corruption for SOEs remains scarce. We present new cross-country evidence on how corruption affects SOE performance using firm level data. We find that SOEs perform as well as private firms in core sectors when corruption is low but are significantly less efficient when corruption is high. We also show that, in turn, improvements in fiscal transparency and specific SOE governance reforms have the potential to improve SOE performance.
How do countries mobilize large additions to tax revenue - defined as an average increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio of 0.5 percent per year over three years or more? To answer this question, we build a ...novel dataset covering 55 episodes of large tax revenue increases in low-income countries and emerging markets. We find that: (i) reforms of indirect taxes and exemptions are the most common tax policy measures; (ii) multi-pronged tax administration reforms often go hand in hand with tax policy measures; and (iii) sustainability of the episodes hinges on tax administration reforms in the key compliance areas (risk-based audits, registration, filing, payment, and reporting).
Abstract
Drohnen, die auch als UAV/UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles/Systems) oder RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) bezeichnet werden, werden derzeit neben der Anwendung im privaten Umfeld für ...eine große Menge an kommerziellen Anwendungen diskutiert, entwickelt und eingesetzt. Die Messung von Luftqualitätsparametern mit auf Drohnen mitgeführten Kleingeräten ist in diesem Zusammenhang eine sehr junge Disziplin.
Durch die Anwendung auf Drohnen können so z. B. Kurzzeitmessungen in Höhen‐ und Längsprofilen oder anderen Messanordnungen als Ergänzung von Daten kontinuierlich arbeitender Referenzverfahren oder zur Einschätzung der besten Positionierung von festen Messstationen vor einem Aufbau durchgeführt werden.
Im Rahmen eines verkehrsträgerübergreifenden Expertennetzwerks wurde eine Machbarkeitsstudie durchgeführt, in der auf dem Markt befindliche Systeme gegenübergestellt und Empfehlungen für den Einsatz an Straßen, Wasserstraßen sowie Bahntrassen abgeleitet wurden. Mit ersten Testmessungen konnten darüber hinaus Hinweise auf die Eignung von Messsystemen gewonnen und Erfahrungen mit den Besonderheiten der Messung an Verkehrswegen gesammelt werden.
Abstract
Studies on air quality on traffic routes with drones
Drones, also named UAV/UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles/Systems) or RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) are currently being discussed, developed and used for a large number of commercial applications in addition to private use. The measurement of air quality parameters with small devices carried on drones is a very new discipline in this context.
By using them on drones, short‐term measurements in vertical and longitudinal profiles or other measuring arrangements can be carried out as a supplement to data from continuously operating reference instruments or to assess the best positioning of fixed measuring stations before installation.
Within the framework of an expert network covering different modes of transport, a feasibility study was carried out in which systems available on the market were compared and recommendations derived for use on roads, waterways and railway lines. In addition, initial test measurements provided information on the suitability of measurement systems and gained experience with the special features of measurement on traffic routes.
PDF
