Towards sector-based attribution using intra-city variations in satellite-based emission ratios between CO₂ and CO

Carbon dioxide (CO2) and air pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO) are co-emitted by many combustion sources. Previous efforts have combined satellite-based observations of multiple tracers to calculate their emission ratio (ER) for inferring combustion efficiency at regional to city scale. Very few studies have focused on burning efficiency at the sub-city scale or related it to emission sectors using space-based observations. Several factors are important for deriving spatially-resolved ERs from asynchronous satellite measurements including 1) variations in meteorological conditions induced by different overpass times, 2) differences in vertical sensitivity of the retrievals (i.e., averaging kernel profiles), and 3) interferences from the biosphere and biomass burning. In this study, we extended an established emission estimate approach to arrive at spatially-resolved ERs based on retrieved column-averaged CO2 (XCO2) from the Snapshot Area Mapping (SAM) mode of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3) and column-averaged CO from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI). To evaluate the influence of the confounding factors listed above and further explain the intra-urban variations in ERs, we leveraged a Lagrangian atmospheric transport model and an urban land cover classification dataset and reported ERCO from the sounding level to the overpass- and city- levels. We found that the difference in the overpass times and averaging kernels between OCO and TROPOMI strongly affect the estimated spatially-resolved ERCO. Specifically, a time difference of > 3 hours typically led to dramatic changes in the wind direction and shape of urban plumes and thereby making the calculation of accurate sounding-specific ERCO difficult. After removing those cases from consideration and applying a simple plume shift method when necessary, we discovered significant contrasts in combustion efficiencies between 1) two megacities versus two industry-oriented cities and 2) different regions within a city, based on six to seven nearly-coincident overpasses per city. Results suggest that the combustion efficiency for heavy industry in Los Angeles is slightly lower than its overall city-wide value (< 10 ppb-CO / ppm-CO2). In contrast, ERs related to the heavy industry in Shanghai are found to be much higher than Shanghai’s city-mean and more aligned with city-means of the two industry-oriented Chinese cities (approaching 20 ppb-CO / ppm-CO2). Although investigations based on a larger number of satellite overpasses are needed, our first analysis provides guidance for estimating intra-city gradients in combustion efficiency from future missions, such as those that will map column CO2 and CO concentration simultaneously with high spatiotemporal resolutions.

Temporal and Spatial Analysis of PM2.5 and O3 Pollution Characteristics and Transmission in Central Liaoning Urban Agglomeration from 2015 to 2020

The central Liaoning urban agglomeration is an important heavy industry development base in China, and also an important part of the economy in northeast China. The atmospheric environmental problems caused by the development of heavy industry are particularly prominent. Trajectory clustering, potential source contribution (PSCF), and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis are used to discuss the temporal and spatial pollution characteristics of PM2.5 and ozone concentrations and reveal the regional atmospheric transmission pattern in central Liaoning urban agglomeration from 2015 to 2020. The results show that: (1) PM2.5 in the central Liaoning urban agglomeration showed a decreasing trend from 2015 to 2020. The concentration of PM2.5 is the lowest in 2018. Except for Benxi (34.7 µg/m3), the concentrations of PM2.5 in other cities do not meet the standard in 2020. The ozone concentration in Anshan, Liaoyang, and Shenyang reached the peaks in 2017, which are 68.76 µg/m3, 66.27 µg/m3, and 63.46 µg/m3 respectively. PM2.5 pollution is the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. The daily variation distribution of PM2.5 concentration showed a bimodal pattern. Ozone pollution is the most serious in summer, with the concentration of ozone reaching 131.14 µg/m3 in Shenyang. Fushun is affected by Shenyang intercity pollution, and the ozone concentration is high. (2) In terms of spatial distribution, the high values of PM2.5 are concentrated in monitoring stations in urban areas. On the contrary, the concentration of ozone in suburban stations is higher. The high concentration of ozone in the northeast of Anshan, Liaoyang, Shenyang to Tieling, and Fushun extended in a band distribution. (3) Through cluster analysis, it is found that PM2.5 and ozone in Shenyang are mainly affected by short-distance transport airflow. In winter, the weighted PSCF high-value area of PM2.5 presents as a potential contribution source zone of the northeast trend with wide coverage, in which the contribution value of the weighted CWT in the middle of Heilongjiang is the highest. The main potential source areas of ozone mass concentration in spring and summer are coastal cities and the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. We conclude that the regional transmission of pollutants is an important factor of pollution, so we should pay attention to the supply of industrial sources and marine sources of marine pollution in the surrounding areas of cities, and strengthen the joint prevention and control of air pollution among regions. The research results of this article provide a useful reference for the central Liaoning urban agglomeration to improve air quality.

Heritage of Liminality: Remnants of the Military in the Istrian City of Pula in the Aftermath of Yugoslav Socialism

Heritage of Liminality: Remnants of the Military in the Istrian City of Pula in the Aftermath of Yugoslav SocialismThis article is devoted to the meanings of the liminality that shaped the (self-) perception of the Croatian city of Pula and came as a result of the long-term presence of the military (and heavy industry) in the city. The study discusses the modalities of cohabitation of the Yugoslav People’s Army and the citizens of Pula, who lived together, interacted, and shaped each other during the period of Yugoslav socialism, and highlights the consequences of this mutual shaping in the aftermath of the Yugoslav socialist project. In the ongoing process of Pula’s contentious urban transformation, in which several military and industrial facilities, complexes, and areas still wait for their new functions and new owners, the city’s military nature and liminality have been identified as a problem by authorities and policy makers: they see the material and immaterial traces of the presence of the military in the city as an “unwanted heritage”. In opposition to the view that Pula’s military (and industrial) heritage is a problem to be overcome/eliminated, the article argues for a more inclusive approach that would acknowledge the fact that this heritage is perceived by citizens as closely related to their city’s multicultural and working-class tradition, and that would recognize its potential to produce meanings, values, histories, and memories.Nasleđe liminalnosti: tragovi prisustva vojske u istarskom gradu Puli posle kraja jugoslovenskog socijalizmaČlanak se bavi liminalnošću koja u značajnoj meri oblikuje (samo) percepciju grada Pule u Hrvatskoj, a nastala je kao rezultat dugotrajnog prisustva vojske (i teške industrije) u ovom gradu. U njemu raspravljam o modalitetima kohabitacije Jugoslovenske narodne armije i građana Pule, koji su zajedno živeli i delili urbani prostor u periodu jugoslovenskog socijalizma, i osvetljavam posledice ove kohabitacije, deljenja i uzajamnosti vidljive u vreme nakon kraja jugoslovenskog socijalističkog projekta. U ambivalentnom procesu urbane transformacije Pule koji se upravo odvija, dok mnogi vojni i industrijski objekti, kompleksi i prostori još uvek čekaju na novu namenu i vlasnike, gradske vlasti i snovaoci urbane politike „vojni” identitet grada i njegovu liminalnost identifikuju kao problem: materijalni i nematerijalni tragovi prisustva vojske u gradu označavaju se kao “neželjena baština”. Nasuprot viđenju pulske vojne (i industrijske) baštine kao problema koji treba prevazići/eliminisati, u članku se zalažem za inkluzivniji pristup koji uzima u obzir činjenicu da građani Pule ovo nasleđe usko povezuju sa multikulturnim i radničkim identitetom grada, i koji prepoznaje potencijal tog nasleđa da proizvodi značenja, vrednosti, istorije i sećanja.Dziedzictwo liminalności: znaki obecności wojska w Puli na Istrii po upadku jugosłowiańskiego socjalizmuArtykuł porusza kwestię liminalności w znacznym stopniu kształtującą (auto)percepcję miasta Pula w Chorwacji, co jest skutkiem wieloletniej obecności wojska (i przemysłu ciężkiego) w tym mieście. W tekście omawiam kwestię współdzielenia przestrzeni miejskiej w okresie jugosłowiańskiego socjalizmu przez Jugosłowiańską Armię Ludową i mieszkańców miasta, analizuję również skutki owej kohabitacji i współpracy widoczne w okresie po upadku jugosłowiańskiego projektu socjalistycznego. W trakcie wciąż trwającego ambiwalentnego procesu transformacji przestrzeni miejskiej Puli wiele obiektów, kompleksów i miejsc militarnych oraz przemysłowych oczekuje na zmianę przeznaczenia i nowych właścicieli, tymczasem władze miejskie oraz twórcy polityki miejskiej za podstawowy problem uznają „wojskową” tożsamość miasta i jej liminalność: materialne i niematerialne ślady obecności armii w mieście określane są jako „niechciane dziedzictwo”. Wbrew powszechnemu traktowaniu owego dziedzictwa jako problemu do rozwiązania, w swoim artykule wybieram podejście bardziej otwarte, które uwzględnia zdanie mieszkańców Puli wpisujących je w wielokulturową i robotniczą tożsamość miasta; staram się również podkreślić jego potencjał w procesie wytwarzania znaczeń, wartości, historii i pamięci.

Bringing the Outside In

Chapter 2, Bringing the Outside In, examines the industrial infrastructures within which the burgeoning profession of public relations coalesced: rail, steel, and coal, and the simultaneous development of information infrastructures to situate these industries as paragons of democracy in the American imagination. It was in struggles over labor rights, workers’ rights, employee welfare, and industrial reform that the practice of public relations forged its methods, as scions of power and privilege attempted to manage the “external environment” of public and political opinion to reduce friction for the machinations of heavy industry. While the “external environment” does not directly map onto the natural environment, we see in these struggles the porousness of the boundaries between the inside and the outside of industrial production, allowing industrial leaders to control the outside world in addition to the one within their walls.

Industrial decarbonization done right: identifying success factors for well-functioning permitting processes

1 Introduction 1.1 The urgency of industrial decarbonization The last few years have seen several of the world’s largest carbon dioxide-emitting countries and leading heavy industry companies committing to mid-century net-zero targets (Buckley 2021; Denyer and Kashiwagi 2020; McCurry 2020; Myers 2020). Consequently, the discussion on economy-wide transition to net-zero is accelerating, with focus shifting from “if” to “when” and “how”, even for heavy industry sectors like steel, cement and chemicals. This makes it increasingly urgent to analyse not just whether it is technologically feasible to decarbonize heavy industry, but also investigate issues more directly related to practical implementation. This includes site-specific planning, infrastructure availability, and consultation with local authorities and other stakeholders. Many of the latter considerations are formalized as part of the permitting processes that are an essential vehicle to ensure that industrial interests are balanced against interests of society at large. However, doing this balancing act can turn out to be very complicated and associated with uncertainties as to their outcome, as well as being demanding in resources and time. At the same time, to ensure broad buy-in and support from society, the investments needed must be implemented in a way that takes a broad spectrum of sustainability concerns into account, not just climate change mitigation. A key question is if and how permitting processes can run more smoothly and efficiently while still ensuring inclusive consultations, fair procedures and adherence to legal certainty. This policy brief discusses this question from the starting point of Swedish conditions, but many of the points raised will be relevant for a broader international discussion on taking industrial decarbonization to implementation. 1.2 Industrial transition and permitting processes in Sweden Decarbonization of the industrial sector in Sweden essentially entails a relatively small number of investment projects in the cement, steel, petrochemical and refinery sectors, where the vast majority of carbon emissions are concentrated (Karltorp et al. 2019; Nykvist et al. 2020). However, while few in number, the size of these investments means that their implementation will by necessity become relevant to many other parts of society. In connection with the increasing focus on how to implement industrial decarbonization in Sweden, discussions about permitting processes have been brought higher up on the agenda. While there has been an active discussion on permitting processes in Sweden for quite some time, it has primarily been focused on aspects related to mining and wind power (Larsen et al. 2017; Raitio et al. 2020). The last few years have, however, focused increasingly on industrial projects, in particular related to a proposed – though eventually cancelled – expansion of an oil refinery in the southwestern part of the country (Blad 2020). In terms of political discussions, both the governmental initiative Fossil-free Sweden (2020) and the Swedish Climate Policy Council (2020) emphasize that permitting processes need to become faster in order for Sweden’s industrial transition to be implemented in line with the time plan set by the 2017 Swedish Climate Act. Business representatives and organizations are also voicing concerns about the slow speed of permitting (Balanskommissionen 2019; Jacke 2018). At the same time, criticism has been raised that much of the environmental damage done in Sweden comes from activities conducted within limits set by environmental permits, which could be a flaw in the system (Malmaeus and Lindblom 2019). Finally, recent public inquiries have also discussed permitting processes.

An Autonomous Cyber-Physical Anomaly Detection System Based on Unsupervised Disentangled Representation Learning

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) in heavy industry are a combination of closely integrated physical processes, networking, and scientific computing. The physical production process is monitored and controlled by the CPS in question, through advanced real-time networking systems, where high-precision feedback loops can be changed when the overgrid of cooperative computing and communication components that make up the industrial process is required. These CPS operate independently but integrate interaction capabilities as well as with the external environment, creating the connection of the physical with the digital world. The outline is that the most effective modeling and development of high-reliability CPS are directly related to the maximization of the production process, extroversion, and industrial competition. In this paper, considering the high importance of the operational status of CPS for heavy industry, an innovative autonomous anomaly detection system based on unsupervised disentangled representation learning is presented. It is a temporal disentangled variational autoencoder (TDVA) which, mimicking the process of rapid human intuition, using high- or low-dimensional reasoning, finds and models the useful information independently, regardless of the given problem. Specifically, taking samples from the real data distribution representation space, separating them appropriately, and encoding them as separate disentangling dimensions create new examples that the system has not yet dealt with. In this way, first, it utilizes information from potentially inconsistent sources to learn the right representations that can then be broken down into subspace subcategories for easier and simpler categorization, and second, utilizing the latent representation of the model, it performs high-precision estimates of how similar or dissimilar the inputs are to each other, thus recognizing, with great precision and in a fully automated way, the system anomalies.

Impressions of the interdepartmental expedition to study Urov disease and goiter in August-October 1932

The problem of Trans-Baikal endemic polyarthritis or Kashin-Beck's disease, and in the language of the local population of the Urovka disease, is so urgent that the organs of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture, the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry, the People's Commissariat of Railways, Tsustrakh and other branches of the national economy and industry are interested in studying it.