EUA and sCER phase II price drivers: Unveiling the reasons for the existence of the EUA–sCER spread

This article studies the price relationships between EU emissions allowances (EUAs) – valid under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) – and secondary Certified Emissions Reductions (sCERs)—established from primary CERs generated through the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Given the price differences between EUAs and sCERs, financial and industrial operators may benefit from arbitrage strategies by buying sCERs and selling EUAs (i.e. selling the EUA–sCER spread) to cover their compliance position as industrial operators are allowed to use sCERs towards compliance with their emissions cap within the European system up to 13.4%. Our central results show that the spread is mainly driven by EUA prices and market microstructure variables and less importantly, as we would expect, by emissions-related fundamental drivers. This might be justified by the fact that the EU ETS remains the greatest source of CER demand to date.     

Relationship between microstructure, microhardness and corrosion sensitivity of an AA 2024-T3 friction stir welded joint

Corrosion sensitivity of a friction stir welded (FSW) AA2024-T3 aluminum alloy has been investigated using both normalized intergranular corrosion test (ASTM-G110) and local electrochemical open circuit potential measurements. In addition, Vickers microhardness and microstructural analysis have been performed.The HAZ close to the TMAZ is the most sensitive to intergranular corrosion because of the presence of continuous lines of S′(S) intergranular precipitates at grain boundaries. Pitting corrosion is due to the intermetallic particles. Their fragmentation produced by stirring effect modifies the pitting corrosion behavior. Microhardness variations depend on the relative volume fraction of GPB zones and S′(S) intragranular precipitates.     

Multispectral imaging axicons

Large-aperture linear diffractive axicons are optical devices providing achromatic nondiffracting beams with an extended depth of focus when illuminated by white light sources. Annular apertures introduce chromatic foci separation, making chromatic imaging possible despite important radiometric losses. Recently, a new type of diffractive axicon has been introduced, by multiplexing concentric annular axicons with appropriate sizes and periods, called a multiple annular linear diffractive axicon (MALDA). This new family of conical optics combines multiple annular axicons in different ways to optimize color foci recombination, separation, or interleaving. We present different types of MALDA, give an experimental illustration of the use of these devices, and describe the manufacturing issues related to their fabrication to provide color imaging systems with long focal depths and good diffraction efficiency. Application to multispectral image analysis is discussed.     

Social variables influence female sexual behavior in the musk shrew (Suncus murinus).

The role of social variables in the mediation of sexual behavior was examined in the female musk shrew (Suncus murinus). Two social variables were manipulated: amount of reproductive experience and exposure to male-related chemical cues. Virgin females took significantly longer to achieve receptivity than did sexually experienced females. In addition, exposure to soiled bedding taken from a male's cage for 24-hr prior to testing reduced receptivity latencies in all females. Even a brief (30 min) exposure to male-related cues was effective in facilitating receptivity in virgins. The converse was noted for female aggressive behavior. Virgin females attacked more frequently than experienced females, and preexposure to male-related cues reduced aggressiveness. These findings suggest that social variables play an important role in female sexual behavior in this primitive eutherian mammal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of background knowledge on object categorization and part detection.

Previous research has shown that background knowledge affects the ease of concept learning, but little research has examined its effects on speeded categorization of instances after the category is well learned. Subjects in 4 experiments first learned novel categories. At test, they categorized a new set of novel stimuli that were either consistent or inconsistent with background knowledge given about the categories. Background knowledge affected categorization responses in an untimed task, with usual reaction time instructions, with a response deadline, or when the stimuli were presented for 50 ms followed by a mask. Three other experiments using a part-detection task showed that subjects were more likely to notice missing parts that were critical than noncritical according to background knowledge. The mechanisms by which background knowledge affects categorization and part detection are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Design of integrated all-pass filters with linear group delay for analog signal processing applications

This article describes the design of integrated linear group delay filters for analog signal processing (ASP) applications and their implementation through constant-resistance lattice and bridged-T networks. Unlike previously published works, our design method uses a recursive procedure as the basis for the synthesis of a suitable transfer function. Thanks to this method, filters with a more linear group delay characteristic and flat magnitude response can be obtained. Two filters are designed in a 0.13-μm BiCMOS technology to demonstrate the method: a balanced lattice with a negative slope and an unbalanced bridged-T of positive slope.     

Deformation mechanism and texture and microstructure evolution during high-speed rolling of AZ31B Mg sheets

High-speed rolling of AZ31B was carried out under various preheating temperatures from RT to 350 °C. The evolution of texture, grain sizes, and dislocation density distribution (Kernel average misorientation distributions) in the mid-thickness and surface layer were investigated. Computer simulations of deformation textures were also performed in order to understand deformation mechanisms. It is concluded that the temperature increase due to the plastic and frictional working during high-speed rolling makes the <c+a> slip system more active and, hence, improves the ductility. The surface layer of the specimen has higher temperature and experiences severe shear stress; therefore the texture, microstructure, and dislocation density distribution are different from those of the mid-thickness of the specimen. Both mid-thickness and surface layer are dynamically recrystallized during the high-speed rolling.