| 1. |
- Gerlee, Philip, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Scientific Models : Red Atoms, White Lies and Black Boxes in a Yellow Book
- 2016
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common? They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and study particular aspects of the world around us. This book begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and artistic representations. It then recounts the history of modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The iterative process of model building is described and discussed in the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the scientific community, we also present the results of an interview study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how models are constructed and used in modern science. It also addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations by showing how models are used in different scientific fields. The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and engineering, as well as students at teacher training colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different modelling approaches in particular.
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| 2. |
- Gerlee, Philip, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Scientific Models
- 2016
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common? They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and study particular aspects of the world around us. This book begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and artistic representations. It then recounts the history of modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The iterative process of model building is described and discussed in the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the scientific community, we also present the results of an interview study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how models are constructed and used in modern science. It also addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations by showing how models are used in different scientific fields. The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and engineering, as well as students at teacher training colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different modelling approaches in particular.
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| 3. |
- Allard, Bert, 1945-, et al.
(författare)
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Mining waste management in the Baltic Sea Region : Min-Novation project
- 2013
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Bok (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mining waste and what to do about it is a common challenge facing companies, local authorities, environmental organizations, policymakers and increasingly other stakeholders in several countries of the Baltic Sea Region. From 2011 to 2013, a network of scientific and regional expertise brought together in the Min-Novation project has put this topic in the spotlight. The importance of the management of waste from extractive industries is due to the substantial share this waste has in the overall stream of waste generated in the EU. In 2010, 672 Mt or 28.3% of the total waste generated in the EU was attributable to the mining and quarrying industry, second only to construction (34.4%) and ahead of manufacturing (11.0%) and households (8.7%)1. Apart from this, mining waste is the raw material for one of the more visible man-made landmarks that surround us, with waste heaps of various shapes and sizes dotting the landscape up and down the Baltic Sea Region. Despite this dual prominence, mining waste is most often seen only as an environmental problem and in no way a resource. To move away from a one-sided view of mining waste, a life-cycle approach, which recognises that value can be recovered from waste and re-introduced into the product cycle is of the essence. It cannot be stressed enough that mining waste is a source of secondary raw materials, the use of which helps to protect the natural mineral deposits for future generations. Equally important is an appreciation of how the waste can be re-cycled in the excavation process (preventionand recovery) and adapted to create value for local communities (reclamation and revitalisation). However, for there to be effective mining waste management, both in the prevention stage, as well as in the recovery stage, and finally during land reclamation many conditions must be fulfilled. Of these the most important are access to appropriate technologies and methods and common sense legislation. Another condition not without importance is social acceptance for the recovery of waste located in old landfills. The Min-Novation Network over a span of 3 years has worked to understand and appreciate mining waste both as a corporate, community, regulatory and strategic issue. Set against the background of mining activity and waste management in the partner countries: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland and Sweden, both good practices and problem areas, which need to be addressed have been presented in this monograph. The purpose of this monograph is to show a cross-section of topics that affect how mining waste management works today, and which will play a decisive role in whether management of mining waste remains – an issue of primarily local relevance or whether it becomes a growth opportunity of national and EU-wide importance. The monograph focuses primarily on issues related to the management of waste from extractive industries in the countries whose representatives were involved in the Min-Novation project. Examples from outside the Baltic Sea Region of the use of waste heaps as an industrial heritage of the mining regions and also as attractions for local communities are presented as well. Indeed, every experience is valuable for the environment and socio-economic development of the Baltic Sea Region.
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| 4. |
- Omstedt, Anders, 1949
(författare)
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Guide to process based modelling of lakes and coastal seas
- 2011
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The intent of Guide to process based modeling of lakes and coastal seas is to introduce its readers to the subject, giving them a basic scientific understanding of and needed tools for aquatic studies. The book encourages the reader to solve geophysical problems using a systematic, process based approach. This approach divides the studied water body into dynamically relevant parts or natural sub-basins and identifies the major processes involved in the problem. Based on field observations and simplifications, the dynamics are then expressed mathematically, and tested carefully against relevant analytical solutions, extremes, and observations. After a background in lake and coastal seas physics and biogeochemistry the modeling started by addressing the Ekman ocean boundary layer. This gave the reader insight into numerical modeling and the importance of considering analytical solutions; we also learned how to test a solution for grid independence and time resolution. The next section considered the modeling of lakes. A simple slab model was developed for shallow lakes, while for deep lakes we considered how to model the effects of pressure on the temperature of maximum density. We learned how to read meteorological data and calculate corresponding heat fluxes at the atmosphere–water interface. The first ocean model was then developed by adding the salinity equation to the lake model. Basin geometry and river runoff were added to the model and the heat and salt conservation properties were investigated. The reader discovered that salt conservation was quite easily achieved; heat conservation, however, required that sea ice be included in the model. This was the topic of the next section, which considered the modeling of sea ice with its new boundary conditions. The importance of turbulent modeling was studied in the next section. Various models, from zero-equation to two-equation models, were investigated. The reader learned the importance of employing good turbulent models and of considering deepwater mixing. Then, we addressed how to include tides in the modeling by adding the horizontal pressure gradients modeled from tidal sea level variations. The first biogeochemical application was to model oxygen dynamics, and the reader learned how to add one more equation to the physical equation system. Another equation for plankton growth and mineralization was added in the next section. Oxygen concentration was related to plankton growth and mineralization, and the reader learned that understanding the nutrient dynamics called for further equations. One nutrient equation, representing phosphorus, was then added to the marine system and nutrient limitation was investigated. To learn more about the carbon system, we modeled the inorganic carbon dynamics. The importance of introducing biological processes when modeling the CO2 system was further investigated. The construction of nets of coupled sub-basins was then analyzed, and the first section addressed the modeling of two coupled basins. This exercise taught the reader to add one more sub-basin to the system. The PROBE-Baltic marine system was introduced, and the first application included only physical processes. Using this version, we could study several model aspects, such as turbulent mixing, dense bottom currents, heat and ice dynamics, water and heat budgets, and air–sea–land interactions. The second application included oxygen concentrations as well, giving a tool for studying, for example, the interaction between inflow dynamics and oxygen reduction due to biological mineralization. Finally, the third application included physical–biogeochemical dynamics, in particular, the CO2 system. This version allowed the study of aspects such as acid–base (pH) balance, biological production, and interaction with climate. Various aspects of lakes and coastal seas were illustrated with a number of exercises, and their solutions were worked through in Chapter 6. The appendixes to the book touch on various matters, including a short introduction to FORTRAN, nomenclature, data and programs needed for the book, the PROBE Manual, and a discussion on reconstructions of past aquatic conditions. With growing access to data on the Internet, it will become increasingly easier to analyze various water bodies, ranging from small lakes to coastal seas and ocean basins. Much can be learned using a process based approach, and one of its strengths is that it focuses on process understanding rather than numerical methods. It is therefore my hope that this book will stimulate students and researchers to develop their modeling skill and make model codes and data transparent to other research groups.
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