Incorporating Fuzzy Logic in Harrod’s Economic Growth Model

This paper suggests the possibility of incorporating the methodology of fuzzy logic theory into Harrod’s economic growth model, a classic model of economic dynamics for studying the growth of a developing economy based on the assumption that an economy with only savings and investment income is in equilibrium when savings are equal to investment. This model was the first precursor to exogenous growth models, which in turn gave rise to endogenous growth models. This article therefore represents a first step towards introducing fuzzy logic into economic growth models. The study concerned considers consumption and savings to depend on income by means of uncertain factors, and investment to depend on the variation of income through the accelerator factor, which we consider uncertain. These conditions are used to determine the equilibrium growth rate of income and investment, as well as the uncertain values for these variables in terms of fuzzy numbers. As a result, the new model is shown to expand the classical model by incorporating uncertainty into its variables.

B-Site Cation Ordering in Films, Superlattices, and Layer-by-Layer-Grown Double Perovskites

The preparation of cation-ordered thin films of correlated oxides is of great interest for both fundamental and applied research. The scientific long-term vision is strongly motivated by the perspective of studying electronic correlations in condensed matter without the presence of chemical or quenched disorder. A promising material platform provides double perovskite A2BB’O6 bulk samples with different types of B/B’ ordering. However, the growth of A- and/or B-site-ordered correlated oxide thin films is known to be a challenging task. In this review, we evaluate the growth of double perovskite A2BB’O6 thin films by means of well-elaborated physical vacuum deposition techniques, such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and sputtering and compare them with a close-to-equilibrium growth with the metalorganic aerosol deposition (MAD) technique. The latter was further developed to grow an emergent interfacial double perovskite phase in LaNiO3/LaMnO3 superlattices, and finally, by way of a layer-by-layer route. The growth of La2CoMnO6 films on SrTiO3(111) substrates by sequential deposition of single perovskite layers of LaCoO3/LaMnO3/LaCoO3/… was demonstrated and the film properties were compared to those obtained within the state-of-the art growth mode.

Non-equilibrium growth and twist of cross-linked collagen fibrils

Motivated by evidence for size-exclusion of the enzyme responsible for catalyzing cross-links during in vivo collagen fibril formation, we present a nonequilibrium coarse-grained model for fibril structure and radius control.

Surface energy driven miscibility gap suppression during nucleation of III-V ternary alloys

The existence of a miscibility gap limits the range of solid compositions which are possible to achieve under near-equilibrium growth conditions. Circumventing the miscibility gap is of paramount importance for...

INFLATION AND INEQUALITY IN A GROWING ECONOMY WITH CASH AND CREDIT GOODS

We develop a dynamic general equilibrium growth model, where households purchase final goods on cash or credit and have different capital and money endowments, to investigate whether inflation affects trends in income and consumption inequality. We show that, under a strong substitutability between cash and credit goods, inflation has a negative relationship with income inequality, but a U-shaped relationship with consumption inequality. The divergence between income and consumption inequality explains several recent empirical observations. This result has important policy implications, as consumption inequality better reflects the welfare distribution whereas income inequality fails to capture consumption disparities resulting from different consumption and asset distributions across households. In the growth model with heterogeneous households, there is a mixed relationship between growth and income inequality, confirming the existence of the Kuznets curve. The inflation-driven asset reallocation might also produce a Mundell–Tobin effect, enhancing growth.

Ophiolite carbonation: Constraints from listvenite core BT1B, Oman Drilling Project

<p>The widespread occurrence of the quartz–carbonate alteration assemblage (listvenite) in ophiolites indicates that ultramafic rock represents an effective sink for dissolved CO<sub>2</sub>. However, the understanding of the carbonation mechanisms is almost exclusively based on surface samples, which adds significant uncertainty to the interpretation of fossil hydrothermal systems. Here we present novel insight into the reaction textures and mechanisms of ultramafic rock carbonation obtained from the 300 m deep BT1B drill hole, ICDP Oman Drilling Project. Hole BT1B recovered continuous drill core intersecting surface alluvium, 200 meters of altered ultramafic rock comprising serpentinite and listvenite, and 100meters of the underlying metamorphic sole. The ultramafic part of BT1B is dominated by listvenite with only two thin intercalated serpentinite bands at 90 m and 180 m depth. Microstructural analyses indicate an evolution beginning with non-equilibrium growth of spheroidal carbonate composed of interlayered magnesite and dolomite in the completely serpentinized harzburgite, and magnesite and Ca-magnesite in the listvenite. Carbonate spheroids are characterized by sectorial zoning resulting from radially oriented low-angle boundaries. In the listvenite spheroidal carbonate is overgrown by euhedral magnesite indicative of near-equilibrium growth. Carbonate clumped isotope thermometry indicates carbonate crystallization predominantly between 100°C and 200°C. The strong macroscopic brecciation and veining of listvenite indicate that carbonation was facilitated by significant tectonic deformation allowing for infiltration of reactive fluids over an extended duration.</p>