A Distributed Modular Data Processing Chain Applied to Simulated Satellite Ozone Observations

Remote sensing of the atmospheric composition from current and future satellites, such as the Sentinel missions of the Copernicus programme, yields an unprecedented amount of data to monitor air quality, ozone, UV radiation and other climate variables. Hence, full exploitation of the growing wealth of information delivered by spaceborne observing systems requires addressing the technological challenges for developing new strategies and tools that are capable to deal with these huge data volumes. The H2020 AURORA (Advanced Ultraviolet Radiation and Ozone Retrieval for Applications) project investigated a novel approach for synergistic use of ozone profile measurements acquired at different frequencies (ultraviolet, visible, thermal infrared) by sensors onboard Geostationary Equatorial Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in the framework of the Copernicus Sentinel-4 and Sentinel-5 missions. This paper outlines the main features of the technological infrastructure, designed and developed to support the AURORA data processing chain as a distributed data processing and describes in detail the key components of the infrastructure and the software prototype. The latter demonstrates the technical feasibility of the automatic execution of the full processing chain with simulated data. The Data Processing Chain (DPC) presented in this work thus replicates a processing system that, starting from the operational satellite retrievals, carries out their fusion and results in the assimilation of the fused products. These consist in ozone vertical profiles from which further modules of the chain deliver tropospheric ozone and UV radiation at the Earth’s surface. The conclusions highlight the relevance of this novel approach to the synergistic use of operational satellite data and underline that the infrastructure uses general-purpose technologies and is open for applications in different contexts.

THE MAIN VECTORS OF ACCOUNTING DEVELOPMENT IN A DIGITAL ECONOMY

Purpose. The aim of the article is the analysis of scientific approaches to the interpretation of the peculiarities of the development of digital technologies of modern accounting in the digital economy. Methodology of research. The study was conducted using a dialectical approach to the study of the current state of the digital economy. In the course of the research general and special methods were used, in particular: the analytical method was used in the review of normative sources; the method of classification made it possible to differentiate the main components of the digital economy and accounting, and the method of description ‒ to give them a detailed description; monographic method is used in the study of literature sources on digital economics and accounting, system and analytical ‒ in the processing of information. Findings. It is determined that the digital economy is a communication environment of economic activity on the Internet, the result of transformational effects of new general-purpose technologies in the field of information and communication. It is substantiated that significant technological and informatization shifts, as well as growth of potential of digital economic information space stimulate modernization of accounting science, promote development of methodology and organization of accounting process, actualize the problem of positioning of accounting activity. The basic principles of functioning of the digital accounting platform are revealed, which allow to create the newest electronic systems with a significant number of users. Originality. It has been established that the block-chain is a promising accounting technology that eliminates traditional methods of accounting, documentation, processing, registration, inventory systems, while allowing companies to register both parties to the transaction in a joint book in real time, rather than keeping agreed records of financial transactions separately, private database. Practical value. The obtained results of the study will help increase the efficiency of the formation and development of accounting in a digital economy and will be the basis for further research in this area. Key words: digital economy, information technologies, accounting, digital accounting, block-chain, digital platform, digital technologies.

The Productivity J-Curve: How Intangibles Complement General Purpose Technologies

General purpose technologies (GPTs) like AI enable and require significant complementary investments. These investments are often intangible and poorly measured in national accounts. We develop a model that shows how this can lead to underestimation of productivity growth in a new GPTs early years and, later, when the benefits of intangible investments are harvested, productivity growth overestimation. We call this phenomenon the Productivity J-curve. We apply our method to US data and find that adjusting for intangibles related to computer hardware and software yields a TFP level that is 15.9 percent higher than official measures by the end of 2017. (JEL E22, E23, G31, L63, L86)

Theoretical and Methodological Approach to Identify Promising Areas in Scientific and Scientific and Technological Activity in Ukraine

The study is aimed at developing and implementing a theoretical and methodological approach to identify promising areas in scientific and scientific and technological activity in Ukraine. The following general and special methods are used: logical analysis (to determine the state and trends in the development of scientific and scientific and technological activity in Ukraine and other countries); modeling and prognosticating (to create prognostic models of scientific support for economic development); analysis and synthesis (to determine the priority areas of scientific and scientific and technological activity, general-purpose technologies and areas of scholars training); fuzzy logics (to identify sectors of economy, promising for scientific and scientific and technological development, and priority areas in scientific and scientific and technological activity. The suggested theoretical and methodical approach to substantiate promising guidelines for scientific and scientific and technological activity in Ukraine requires the following: analysis of current trends and assessment of global guidelines for scientific and scientific and technological activity; identification of promising economic sectors of Ukraine as for ensuring scientific and scientific and technological activity, and assessment of scientific support for their development; substantiation of the choice of promising general-purpose technologies and areas of scientific and scientific and technological activity in the country; substantiation of training areas for scientific personnel; identification of priority areas in providing scientific and scientific and technological activity that enables taking into account both global economic development trends and features, and the state of scientific and scientific and technological activity in the country. The use of the suggested theoretical and methodical approach has made it possible to substantiate the main topics of the activity in question and promising general-purpose technologies, which are aimed at ensuring the development of traditional economic sectors of strategic importance and high-tech industries, the development of which will increase the country's competitiveness and living standards in the future, i.e. meet the needs of all the stakeholders of scientific and scientific and technological activity (government, education, business, society).

GPTs and growth: evidence on the technological adoption of electrical and electronic technologies in the 1920s

The pervasive diffusion of electricity-related technologies at the beginning of the twentieth century has been studied extensively to understand the transformative potential of general purpose technologies (GPTs). Most of what we know, however, has been investigated in relation to the diffusion of their use. This article provides evidence on the county-level economic impact of the technological adoption of electrical and electronic (E&E) technologies in the 1920s in the United States (US). It focuses on measuring the impact of a GPT on technological adopters, i.e., those who are able to develop, transform, and complement it. It is shown that places with patenting activity in E&E technologies grew faster and paid higher wages than others between 1920 and 1930. This analysis required constructing a novel database identifying detailed geographical information for historical patent documents in the US since 1836, as well as developing a text-mining algorithm to identify E&E patents based on patent descriptions.

Digitalization and the Decoupling Debate: Can ICT Help to Reduce Environmental Impacts While the Economy Keeps Growing?

Digitalization can increase resource and energy productivities. However, the production and usage of information and communication technologies (ICTs) require materials and energy, and the application of ICTs fosters economic growth. This paper examines whether digitalization helps or hinders an absolute decoupling of environmental throughput from economic growth. The paper combines the literature on “green IT” and “ICT for green” with studies on decoupling, i.e., the relationship between economic growth, technological change, and environmental throughput. The paper identifies several strains of the decoupling debate and connects them to the environmental implications of digitalization. We focus on the relation between digitalization and (1) the question of finite non-renewable energies, (2) the environmental Kuznets curve, (3) the role of energy consumption for economic growth, (4) efficiency improvements vis-à-vis rebound effects, and (5) the role of general purpose technologies for resource and energy demand. We find that the empirical basis regarding digitalization’s relation to these four aspects is still weak and hence, further research is needed. Comparing the mitigating and the aggravating impacts of digitalization, we conclude that a more active political and societal shaping of the process of digitalization is needed to make ICT work for global environmental sustainability.