Ziel der Arbeit ist es, ein genaueres Prozessverständnis zur Abflussbildung an Hängen auf der Basis der räumlichen Verbreitung periglazialer Deckschichten zu erhalten. Das Untersuchungsgebiet ist ein 6 ha großes, forstlich bewirtschaftetes Quelleinzugsgebiet im Osterzgebirge. Das anstehende Gestein ist Gneis. Der oberflächennahe Untergrund ist aus zwei- und dreigliedrigen Deckschichten zusammengesetzt. Auf der Punkt-, Hang- und Kleineinzugsgebietsskala werden hydrometrische, hydrochemische und geoelektrische Methoden sowie Färbeversuche eingesetzt, um auf die dominierenden Abflussbildungsprozesse schließen zu können. Aus der Synthese der Teilergebnisse werden drei typische Prozessabläufe in Abhängigkeit von der Gebietsvorfeuchte abgeleitet. Diese verdeutlichen, dass bei geringer Vorfeuchte Sättigungsoberflächenabfluss im Quellsumpf vorherrscht, bei mittlerer bis hoher Vorfeuchte dagegen Zwischenabfluss der dominierende Abflussprozess ist. Die Abflusswirksamkeit der Niederschläge steigt zudem mit zunehmender Vorfeuchte nichtlinear an. Es wird herausgestellt, dass die hydraulisch anisotropen Eigenschaften der Basislage entscheidend die oberflächennahen Fließwege des Wassers beeinflussen. Sie besitzt durch ihre hohe Lagerungsdichte einerseits vertikal wasserstauende Eigenschaften. Andererseits kann Wasser, begünstigt durch das dominant sandige Substrat und das hangparallel eingeregelte Bodenskelett innerhalb der Schicht bevorzugt lateral geleitet werden. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse verdeutlichen die Bedeutung der Eigenschaften der periglazialen Deckschichten für die Abflussbildung an Mittelgebirgshängen. / The aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of runoff processes on slopes based on the spatial distribution of periglacial cover beds. The study area is a 6 ha large forested spring catchment in the Eastern Ore Mountains, Saxony. Bedrock is gneiss overlain by periglacial cover beds comprising two or three layers. On plot, hillslope and small-catchment scales hydrometrical, hydrochemical and geoelectrical methods as well as tracer experiments are used to determine the constitutive runoff processes. From the synthesis of partial results, three pre-moisture controlled process cycles are derived. With low pre-moisture, saturation overland flow dominates in the spring bog. In contrast, with medium or high pre-moisture interflow occurs. Besides, with rising pre-moisture runoff coefficients increase in a non-linear manner. It is emphasised that the hydraulic anisotropic structure of the Basal Layer is the major control factor for subsurface water-flow paths. On the one hand, this layer acts as an aquitard for seeping water because of its high bulk density. On the other hand, water within the layer is able to flow laterally because of the sandy texture and the coarse clasts oriented parallel to the slope. These findings highlight the importance of relic periglacial cover beds for runoff generation in subdued mountains.

As wireless communication becomes an ever-more important and pervasive part of our everyday life, system capacity and quality of service issues are becoming more critical. In order to increase the system capacity and improve the quality of service, it is necessary that we pay closer attention to bandwidth and power efficiency issues. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a multicarrier modulation technique for high speed data transmission and is generally regarded as bandwidth efficient. However, OFDM signals suffer from high peak-to-average power ratios (PARs) which lead to power inefficiency in the RF portion of the transmitter. Moreover, in OFDM, the well-known pilot tone assisted modulation (PTAM) technique utilizes a number of dedicated training pilots to acquire the channel state information (CSI), resulting in somewhat reduced bandwidth efficiency. In this dissertation, we will address the above mentioned bandwidth and power efficiency issues in wireless transmissions. To avoid bandwidth efficiency loss due to dedicated training, we will first develop a superimposed training framework that can be used to track the frequency selective as well as the Doppler shift characteristics of a channel. Later on, we will propose a generalized superimposed training framework that allows improved channel estimates. To improve the power efficiency, we adopt the selected mapping (SLM) framework to reduce the PARs for both OFDM and forward link Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). We first propose a dynamic SLM algorithm to greatly reduce the computational requirement of SLM without sacrificing its PAR reducing capability. We propose a number of blind SLM techniques for OFDM and for forward link CDMA; they require no side information and are easy to implement. Our proposed blind SLM technique for OFDM is a novel joint channel estimation and PAR reduction algorithm, for which bandwidth efficiency power efficiency - complexity - bit error rate tradeoffs are carefully considered.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία εστιάζει στη μελέτη των πετρωμάτων που φιλοξενούν τη μεταλλοφορία ψευδαργύρου, αργύρου και μολύβδου στην ευρύτερη περιοχή των Μολάων Λακωνίας. Οι κύριοι σχηματισμοί που εντοπίζονται στην υπό μελέτη περιοχή είναι η ενότητα της Άρνας και τα στρώματα του Τυρού. Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι η πετρογραφική και γεωχημική μελέτη των δύο προαναφερθέντων σχηματισμών, ώστε να καταστούν κατανοητές οι συνθήκες σχηματισμού. Πραγματοποιήθηκαν 9 χημικές αναλύσεις σε ηφαιστειακά πετρώματα των στρωμάτων του Τυρού για κύρια στοιχεία, ιχνοστοιχεία και σπάνιες γαίες, παράλληλα μελετήθηκαν και 15 πετρογραφικές λεπτές τομές των ηφαιστειτών αυτών. Τα δεδομένα συμπληρώθηκαν με 14 χημικές αναλύσεις κύριων στοιχείων και 9 χημικές αναλύσεις ιχνοστοιχείων των πετρωμάτων της ενότητας της Άρνας από βιβλιογραφική πηγή. Τα ηφαιστειακά πετρώματα των στρωμάτων του Τυρού αποτελούν ηφαιστείτες με εύρος συστάσεων από ανδεσιτικό βασάλτη έως δακίτη. Φέρουν ασβεσταλκαλικό χαρακτήρα με ελαφρά θολεϊτική τάση. Επίσης, προβάλλονται στα πεδία των θολεϊτών ηφαιστειακού τόξου, καθώς και σε ζώνη καταβύθισης των λιθοσφαιρικών πλακών. Ορισμένα εκ των δειγμάτων έχουν μεταμορφωθεί σε πρασινοσχιστολιθική φάση, ενώ στην πλειοψηφία των φέρουν έντονη εξαλλοίωση. Τα πετρώματα της ενότητας της Άρνας αποτελούν μεταηφαιστειακά πετρώματα βασαλτικής σύστασης. Φέρουν σαφή θολεϊτικό χαρακτήρα και προβάλλονται στο πεδίο των βασαλτών μεσωκεάνιας ράχης. / This thesis focuses on the study of the rocks that host the metalliferous of zinc, silver and lead in the wider area of Molai, Laconia. The main formations, which are spotted in the under study area, are the section of Arna Units and the Tyros Beds. The purpose of this work is the petrographic and geochemical study of the two formations mentioned above, so that the conditions of the formation become comprehensible. Nine chemical analysis were carried out in volcanic rocks of Tyros Beds for main elements, trace elements and rare earth elements, while at the same time fifteen petrographic thin sections of those volcanic rocks were studied. The data was complete with fourteen chemical analysis of main elements and nine chemical analysis of trace elements of the Arna Units from a bibliographical source. The volcanic rocks of Tyros Beds are volcanic rocks with amplitude of composition from andesitic basalt to dacite. They have calc-alcaline nature with a slight tholeitic tendency. Also, they are displayed / projected in the fields of the volcanic arc’s tholeites as well as in the zone of the lithospheric plates’ submersion. Some of the samples have been transformed into a greenschist phase, while the majority has an intense alteration. The rocks of Arna Units are metavolcanic rocks with basaltic composition. They have a clear tholeitic nature and they are displayed in the field of the basalts of the mid ocean ridge.

Dans cette thèse, des simulations numériques tridimensionnelles instationnaires d'une installation expérimentale de combustion en boucle chimique sont réalisées. Le pilote expérimental, d'une puissance de 120 kWth, utilise un matériau perovskite, à base de Ca-Mn, comme transporteur d'oxygène. Les simulations numériques sont réalisées par le code NEPTUNE_CFD, selon une approche Euler-Euler pour les deux phases (solide et gazeuse), avec des modèles de fermeture spécifiques pour modéliser les transferts de masse, de mouvement et d'énergie. Les réactions hétérogènes (i.e. réactions gaz-solide) de réduction et d'oxydation sont décrites au moyen d'un modèle à cœur rétrécissant dans le grain, qui prend en compte les mécanismes compétitifs dans le processus global de réaction gaz-solide: réaction chimique à la surface interne des particules,diffusion à travers la couche de produits et transfert externe autour des particules. Les résultats des simulations numériques sont validées avec des mesures expérimentales et analysées afin de mieux comprendre le comportement local/instationnaire de l'écoulement gaz-particules réactif dans ce système de combustion en boucle chimique. L'outil théorique/numérique développé dans ce travail sera utilisé pour le dimensionnement d'une unité pilote à l’échelle des installations industrielles. / In this work, reactive unsteady three-dimensional numerical simulations of a Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) plant are performed. The plant is a 120 kWth pilot working with Ca-Mn-based material as selected oxygen carrier. Numerical simulations are performed by NEPTUNE_CFD code using an Euler-Euler approach which computes both the gas and the solid phases in an Eulerian fashion accounting for specific closures in order to model interphase mass, momentum and energy transfers. Reduction and oxidation heterogeneous (i.e. gas-solid) reactions are modeled by means of a grain model (shrinking core model in the grain) accounting for both the competing mechanisms of chemical reaction at the particle internal surface and gaseous diffusion through the product layer. Results from numerical simulations are validated against experimental measurements and analyzed in order to gain insight in the local behaviour of the reactive gas-particle flow in the CLC system. The theoretical/numerical tool developed in this work will be used for design upgrade recommendation in the stage of scaling-up from pilot to industrial facilities.

This thesis results from a pilot study which, driven by repeatedly surprising results, opens up a reliable method of geochronology for Quaternary research. There have been repeated attempts to expand the limits of normal use of U-Pb dating. Geologists typically use U-Pb dating on detrital zircons (DZ) for dating and provenance studies on rocks older than the Cenozoic era. We tested several tephra layers in Utah and New Mexico, USA, with published 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages between 1.3 and 1.6 Ma and found that the ages derived from clustered U-Pb dating are reliable, even though they were discordant. We used one of these tephra layers in the La Sal Mountains, Utah, to assign a minimum age to slope deposit layers (cover beds) underlying the tephra bed. In doing so, we discovered that we could not only identify unconformities between layers by means of palaeopedology. But that - although they were similar to one another regarding physical and chemical properties - they were not the same at all in terms of the provenance of their aeolian matter as derived from U-Pb analysis of detrital zircons, as one could actually assume. The source of aeolian matter mixed to these layers has changed decisively from layer to layer. The findings also allowed tentatively assigning palpable source areas for each layer. Since this had demonstrated the feasibility of a provenance approach, we then extended our study regionally to cover beds of the central Great Basin (GB) and the northern Colorado Plateau (CP). Using a published sequence-stratigraphic approach based upon stratigraphically consistent phases of soil development, we attempted to study cover beds from the same two Upper Quaternary time slices. We expanded our range of methods by end-member modelling analyzes (EMMA) and the analysis of surface and shape of detrital zircons. We used statistical methods such as multidimensional scaling (MDS) and density functions (probability density functions and kernel density estimations) to visualize similarities and distances of age distributions. The MDS and the density functions showed very clearly that the patterns of ages between the GB and the CP can be divided into two groups that differ from one another. This is probably due to different transport cascades of the zircons to and within both areas. Due to the lack of databases on the morphology of in-situ zirconia, it is not yet possible to draw precise conclusions about transport routes from them, although we have probably been able to identify traces of several stages of aeolian transport on many zircons. Conclusions can also be drawn about detrital zircons that were transported to the sampling point purely by the kinetic energy of volcanic eruptions during the Cretaceous (Cordilleran magmatic arc) and the Paleogene (strong volcanism within the study area). Moreover, we can show main similarities of the layers across the CP. Although they are separated spatially and temporally, they have a similar age distribution. The only exception here is the upper La Sal Mountains profile, for which I have several assumptions as to why this is so. We did not have enough conclusions for the reconstruction of the palaeoenvironmental conditions during the layer and soil formation phases; further investigations will have to follow. However, we show that a provenance study on Quaternary layers and further conclusions from the results are possible and would like to condense this approach for the study area in the future, but also try to transfer it to other study areas.:Abstract .......................................................................................................................3 Kurzfassung ................................................................................................................5 Contents ......................................................................................................................7 List of figures ............................................................................................................ 11 List of tables ............................................................................................................. 13 List of abbreviations and units .................................................................................. 14 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 16 1.1 Research questions ........................................................................................... 16 1.2 Cover beds ......................................................................................................... 17 1.3 Palaeosols .......................................................................................................... 17 1.4 Study area .......................................................................................................... 18 1.5 Zircons ............................................................................................................... 21 1.6 Thesis format ...................................................................................................... 23 2 Capability of U-Pb dating of zircons from Quaternary tephra: Jemez Mountains, NM, and La Sal Mountains, UT, USA ....................................................................... 24 2.1 Abstract .............................................................................................................. 25 2.2 Kurzfassung ....................................................................................................... 25 2.3 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 26 2.4 Geological setting ............................................................................................... 27 2.4.1 Jemez Mountains, New Mexico ...................................................................... 27 2.4.2 La Sal Mountains, Utah ................................................................................... 30 2.5 Methods ............................................................................................................. 30 2.6 Results and discussion ..................................................................................... 33 2.6 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 38 Data availability ........................................................................................................ 38 Competing interests.................................................................................................. 38 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. 38 2.7 References ......................................................................................................... 39 3 Cover beds older than the mid-Pleistocene revolution and the provenance of their aeolian components, La Sal Mountains, Utah, USA ........................................ 42 3.1 Abstract .............................................................................................................. 43 3.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 43 3.3 Material and methods ........................................................................................ 44 3.3.1 The La Sal Mountains tephra layer ................................................................. 44 3.3.2 Cover beds and palaeosols............................................................................. 45 3.3.3 Samples and analyses .................................................................................... 46 3.4 Results and discussion ...................................................................................... 49 3.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 56 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................... 58 Summary information A. Supplementary data ......................................................... 58 3.6 References ........................................................................................................ 58 4 Zircon provenance of Quaternary cover beds using U-Pb dating: regional differences in the south-western USA ...................................................................... 63 4.1 Abstract .............................................................................................................. 64 4.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 65 4.3 Materials ............................................................................................................. 66 4.3.1 Study areas ..................................................................................................... 66 4.3.2 Stratigraphy and sampling sites ...................................................................... 68 4.3.3 Palaeolake deposits ........................................................................................ 71 4.3.4 Potential sources of detrital zircons ................................................................ 71 4.4 Methods ............................................................................................................. 75 4.4.1 End-member modelling of grainsize composition ........................................... 75 4.4.2 U-Pb dating ..................................................................................................... 75 4.4.3 Zircon dimensions and surfaces ..................................................................... 77 4.4.4 Statistical and graphical representations ........................................................ 78 4.5 Results and discussion ...................................................................................... 79 4.5.1 Aeolian contribution to cover beds .................................................................. 79 4.5.2 Zircon morphology .......................................................................................... 82 4.5.3 Age distributions of detrital zircons ................................................................. 88 4.5.4 Multidimensional scaling (MDS) ..................................................................... 94 4.6 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 98 Appendix ................................................................................................................ 102 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................ 102 4.7 References ....................................................................................................... 103 5 Extended summary .............................................................................................. 118 5.1 Synthesis .......................................................................................................... 118 5.2 Regional differences and similarities ................................................................ 123 5.3 Outlook ............................................................................................................. 128 6 Supplementary Information ................................................................................. 130 6.1 Supplementary material chapter ‘Capability of U-Pb dating of zircons from Quaternary tephra: Jemez Mountains, NM, and La Sal Mountains, UT, USA’........ 130 6.1.1 Raw data electron microprobe analyses of glass shards from tephra layers .131 6.1.2 Raw data U-Pb ratios and calculated ages for all samples ............................137 6.2 Supplementary material chapter 3 ‘Cover beds older than the mid-Pleistocene revolution and the provenance of their eolian components, La Sal Mountains, Utah, USA’ .............................................................................................................. 160 6.3 Supplementary material chapter 4 ................................................................... 175 6.3.1 SI1 Raw U-Pb ratios and calculated ages ......................................................175 6.3.2 SI 3 Grainsize diagrams of samples of the present study (except for PL)......266 6.3.3 SI 4 Zircon morphology data .........................................................................269 6.3.3.1 Great Basin .................................................................................................269 6.3.3.2 Colorado Plateau ........................................................................................289 7 References (excluding chapters 2, 3 and 4) ....................................................... 308 8 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. 312 / Diese Arbeit ist das Ergebnis einer Pilotstudie, die aufgrund immer wieder neuer, unerwarteter Ergebnisse eine zuverlässige geochronologische Methode für die Quartärforschung eröffnet. Es wurde mehrfach versucht, die üblichen Grenzen der Verwendung der U-Pb-Datierung zu erweitern. In der Geologie wird die U-Pb-Datierung an detritischen Zirkonen (DZ) normalerweise für Datierungs- und Provenienzstudien an Gesteinen, die älter als das Känozoikum sind, eingesetzt. Wir haben mehrere Tephra-Schichten in Utah und New Mexico, USA, mit veröffentlichten 40 Ar/ 39 Ar-Altern zwischen 1.3 und 1.6 Ma getestet und festgestellt, dass die Alter, die aus den Clustern der U-Pb-Datierungen abgeleitet wurden, zuverlässig sind, obwohl sie diskordant waren. Wir haben eine dieser Tephra-Schichten in den La Sal Mountains, Utah, verwendet, umlagernden Deckschichten ein Mindestalter zuzuweisen. Dabei stellten wir fest, dass wir nicht nur mittels Paläopädologie Schichtgrenzen zwischen Schichten ausweisen konnten. Sondern dass sie sich, obwohl sie sich in Bezug auf physikalische und chemische Eigenschaften ähneln, in Bezug auch auf die Herkunft ihres äolischen Materials (abgeleitet aus der U-Pb-Analyse der DZ) überhaupt nicht glichen, wie man eigentlich annehmen könnte. Die Herkunft des eingemischten äolischen Materials hat sich von Schicht zu Schicht entscheidend verändert. Die Ergebnisse ermöglichten es auch, jeder Schicht konkrete wahrscheinliche Liefergebiete zuzuweisen. Da dies die Möglichkeit einer Provenienz-Analyse belegt hatte, erweiterten wir unsere Studie regional auf Deckschichten des zentralen Great Basin (GB) und des nördlichen Colorado Plateaus (CP). Unter Verwendung eines publizierten sequenz-stratigraphischen Ansatzes, der auf stratigraphisch konsistenten Phasen der Bodenentwicklung basiert, haben wir versucht, Deckschichten aus denselben beiden oberen quartären Zeitscheiben zu untersuchen. Wir erweiterten unser Methodenspektrum um End Member-Modellierung (EMMA) und die Analyse der Oberfläche und Form von DZ. Wir verwendeten statistische Methoden wie mehrdimensionale Skalierung (MDS) und Dichtefunktionen (Wahrscheinlichkeitsdichtefunktionen und Kerndichteschätzungen), um Ähnlichkeiten und Abstände von Altersverteilungen zu visualisieren. MDS und Dichtefunktionen zeigten deutlich, dass GB und CP unterschiedliche Altersspektren aufweisen. Dies ist wahrscheinlich auf unterschiedliche Transportkaskaden der Zirkone in beide und innerhalb beider Gebiete zurückzuführen. Aufgrund des Fehlens von Datenbanken zur Morphologie von gesteinsbürtigen Zirkonen kann man daraus noch keine genauen Rückschlüsse über Transportwege ziehen, obwohl wir wahrscheinlich an vielen Zirkonen Spuren mehrerer Schritte des äolischen Transports identifizieren konnten. Es liegen auch DZ vor, die vermutlich ausschließlich durch die kinetische Energie von Vulkanausbrüchen während der Kreidezeit (Cordilleran Magmatic Arc) und des Paläogens (starker Vulkanismus innerhalb des Untersuchungsgebiets) zum Probenahmepunkt transportiert wurden. Darüber hinaus können wir Ähnlichkeiten zwischen den verschiedenen Schichten im CP zeigen. Obwohl sie räumlich und zeitlich getrennt sind, haben sie eine ähnliche Altersverteilung. Die einzige Ausnahme hiervon ist das Profil der höheren La Sal Mountains, wofür es mehrere mögliche Gründe gibt. Wir konnten nicht genügend Erkenntnisse für die Rekonstruktion der paläoökologischen Bedingungen während der Schicht- und Bodenbildungsphasen gewinnen; weitere Untersuchungen müssen folgen. Wir zeigen jedoch, dass eine Provenienzstudie an quartären Schichten und weiterreichende Schlussfolgerungen möglich sind, und möchten diesen Ansatz für das Untersuchungsgebiet in Zukunft verdichten, aber auch versuchen, ihn auf andere Untersuchungsgebiete zu übertragen.:Abstract .......................................................................................................................3 Kurzfassung ................................................................................................................5 Contents ......................................................................................................................7 List of figures ............................................................................................................ 11 List of tables ............................................................................................................. 13 List of abbreviations and units .................................................................................. 14 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 16 1.1 Research questions ........................................................................................... 16 1.2 Cover beds ......................................................................................................... 17 1.3 Palaeosols .......................................................................................................... 17 1.4 Study area .......................................................................................................... 18 1.5 Zircons ............................................................................................................... 21 1.6 Thesis format ...................................................................................................... 23 2 Capability of U-Pb dating of zircons from Quaternary tephra: Jemez Mountains, NM, and La Sal Mountains, UT, USA ....................................................................... 24 2.1 Abstract .............................................................................................................. 25 2.2 Kurzfassung ....................................................................................................... 25 2.3 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 26 2.4 Geological setting ............................................................................................... 27 2.4.1 Jemez Mountains, New Mexico ...................................................................... 27 2.4.2 La Sal Mountains, Utah ................................................................................... 30 2.5 Methods ............................................................................................................. 30 2.6 Results and discussion ..................................................................................... 33 2.6 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 38 Data availability ........................................................................................................ 38 Competing interests.................................................................................................. 38 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. 38 2.7 References ......................................................................................................... 39 3 Cover beds older than the mid-Pleistocene revolution and the provenance of their aeolian components, La Sal Mountains, Utah, USA ........................................ 42 3.1 Abstract .............................................................................................................. 43 3.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 43 3.3 Material and methods ........................................................................................ 44 3.3.1 The La Sal Mountains tephra layer ................................................................. 44 3.3.2 Cover beds and palaeosols............................................................................. 45 3.3.3 Samples and analyses .................................................................................... 46 3.4 Results and discussion ...................................................................................... 49 3.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 56 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................... 58 Summary information A. Supplementary data ......................................................... 58 3.6 References ........................................................................................................ 58 4 Zircon provenance of Quaternary cover beds using U-Pb dating: regional differences in the south-western USA ...................................................................... 63 4.1 Abstract .............................................................................................................. 64 4.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 65 4.3 Materials ............................................................................................................. 66 4.3.1 Study areas ..................................................................................................... 66 4.3.2 Stratigraphy and sampling sites ...................................................................... 68 4.3.3 Palaeolake deposits ........................................................................................ 71 4.3.4 Potential sources of detrital zircons ................................................................ 71 4.4 Methods ............................................................................................................. 75 4.4.1 End-member modelling of grainsize composition ........................................... 75 4.4.2 U-Pb dating ..................................................................................................... 75 4.4.3 Zircon dimensions and surfaces ..................................................................... 77 4.4.4 Statistical and graphical representations ........................................................ 78 4.5 Results and discussion ...................................................................................... 79 4.5.1 Aeolian contribution to cover beds .................................................................. 79 4.5.2 Zircon morphology .......................................................................................... 82 4.5.3 Age distributions of detrital zircons ................................................................. 88 4.5.4 Multidimensional scaling (MDS) ..................................................................... 94 4.6 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 98 Appendix ................................................................................................................ 102 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................ 102 4.7 References ....................................................................................................... 103 5 Extended summary .............................................................................................. 118 5.1 Synthesis .......................................................................................................... 118 5.2 Regional differences and similarities ................................................................ 123 5.3 Outlook ............................................................................................................. 128 6 Supplementary Information ................................................................................. 130 6.1 Supplementary material chapter ‘Capability of U-Pb dating of zircons from Quaternary tephra: Jemez Mountains, NM, and La Sal Mountains, UT, USA’........ 130 6.1.1 Raw data electron microprobe analyses of glass shards from tephra layers .131 6.1.2 Raw data U-Pb ratios and calculated ages for all samples ............................137 6.2 Supplementary material chapter 3 ‘Cover beds older than the mid-Pleistocene revolution and the provenance of their eolian components, La Sal Mountains, Utah, USA’ .............................................................................................................. 160 6.3 Supplementary material chapter 4 ................................................................... 175 6.3.1 SI1 Raw U-Pb ratios and calculated ages ......................................................175 6.3.2 SI 3 Grainsize diagrams of samples of the present study (except for PL)......266 6.3.3 SI 4 Zircon morphology data .........................................................................269 6.3.3.1 Great Basin .................................................................................................269 6.3.3.2 Colorado Plateau ........................................................................................289 7 References (excluding chapters 2, 3 and 4) ....................................................... 308 8 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. 312

This master’s thesis deals with processing business project building boarding-house in Tisnov area. Theoretical part includes investment decision, business project, methods of economic evaluation investment and defines tourist trade. Practical part analyses present situation, description of boarding-house and environment, influence the crisis on accommodation. Design part costs accounting project, predicting incomes, net use of beds and average price in accommodation. Master’s thesis also rates investment efficiency by means of net present value and pay-off period.

The Master´s thesis deals with the fluid layer, with types of fluidized layer and with problems which can be solve during design of new fluidized beds. The aim was find the fluidized grid, which is the best form economical and technological point of view. In this work are compared three fluidized grids. The first was part of submission. Next two additional types were then proposed by the author of thesis. Proposals grids are discussed in detail from the design phase, through the modeling and subsequent simulation part in a computer program. The results of simulation are pressure losses. Which are compared with the recommended interval values. Afterward these tested beds are put through technical and economic analysis. The result is grade which is met both requirements.

Ziel der Arbeit ist es, ein genaueres Prozessverständnis zur Abflussbildung an Hängen auf der Basis der räumlichen Verbreitung periglazialer Deckschichten zu erhalten. Das Untersuchungsgebiet ist ein 6 ha großes, forstlich bewirtschaftetes Quelleinzugsgebiet im Osterzgebirge. Das anstehende Gestein ist Gneis. Der oberflächennahe Untergrund ist aus zwei- und dreigliedrigen Deckschichten zusammengesetzt. Auf der Punkt-, Hang- und Kleineinzugsgebietsskala werden hydrometrische, hydrochemische und geoelektrische Methoden sowie Färbeversuche eingesetzt, um auf die dominierenden Abflussbildungsprozesse schließen zu können. Aus der Synthese der Teilergebnisse werden drei typische Prozessabläufe in Abhängigkeit von der Gebietsvorfeuchte abgeleitet. Diese verdeutlichen, dass bei geringer Vorfeuchte Sättigungsoberflächenabfluss im Quellsumpf vorherrscht, bei mittlerer bis hoher Vorfeuchte dagegen Zwischenabfluss der dominierende Abflussprozess ist. Die Abflusswirksamkeit der Niederschläge steigt zudem mit zunehmender Vorfeuchte nichtlinear an. Es wird herausgestellt, dass die hydraulisch anisotropen Eigenschaften der Basislage entscheidend die oberflächennahen Fließwege des Wassers beeinflussen. Sie besitzt durch ihre hohe Lagerungsdichte einerseits vertikal wasserstauende Eigenschaften. Andererseits kann Wasser, begünstigt durch das dominant sandige Substrat und das hangparallel eingeregelte Bodenskelett innerhalb der Schicht bevorzugt lateral geleitet werden. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse verdeutlichen die Bedeutung der Eigenschaften der periglazialen Deckschichten für die Abflussbildung an Mittelgebirgshängen. / The aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of runoff processes on slopes based on the spatial distribution of periglacial cover beds. The study area is a 6 ha large forested spring catchment in the Eastern Ore Mountains, Saxony. Bedrock is gneiss overlain by periglacial cover beds comprising two or three layers. On plot, hillslope and small-catchment scales hydrometrical, hydrochemical and geoelectrical methods as well as tracer experiments are used to determine the constitutive runoff processes. From the synthesis of partial results, three pre-moisture controlled process cycles are derived. With low pre-moisture, saturation overland flow dominates in the spring bog. In contrast, with medium or high pre-moisture interflow occurs. Besides, with rising pre-moisture runoff coefficients increase in a non-linear manner. It is emphasised that the hydraulic anisotropic structure of the Basal Layer is the major control factor for subsurface water-flow paths. On the one hand, this layer acts as an aquitard for seeping water because of its high bulk density. On the other hand, water within the layer is able to flow laterally because of the sandy texture and the coarse clasts oriented parallel to the slope. These findings highlight the importance of relic periglacial cover beds for runoff generation in subdued mountains.

Att övergå från en linjär till en cirkulär ekonomi är nödvändigt om vi ska nå våra klimatmål. Återbruk och underhåll av redan existerande material och produkter är därför ett måste men sängar återbrukas och underhålls inte i lika stor omfattning som andra möbelgrupper.  I dag är många sängar utformade av en blandning av plaster, stål och trä där materialen är svåra att separera från varandra. Många av delarna är ihoplimmade och möjliggör inte till underhåll vilket medför att produktens livslängd blir förkortad. Andra aspekter som attityder och beteenden kan dock vara en avgörande faktor när det kommer till sängens möjlighet att återbrukas då dessa ofta anses både ohygieniska och smutsiga. Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka hur sängar skulle kunna ingå i den cirkulära ekonomi och därmed undvika att bli till avfall och därför kommer studien att titta på systemet kring sängar i helhet. Genom emotionell design kommer studien att undersöka attityder och beteenden kopplade till återbruk av textilier och sängar. Studiens fördjupningsområden har varit användarcentrerad design, emotionell design, cirkulär design och användarroll i den cirkulära ekonomin.  Studiens kunskapsbidrag är att ge en större förståelse för sängens kontext i den tekniska loopen och då framförallt under återbruk, reparation och underhåll samt fördjupad kunskap i konsumentbeteende, psykologi och drivkrafter bakom återbruk av sängar inom ett område som är relativt outforskat.  Designbidraget är ett koncept för att integrera sängklädseln i själva utformningen av sängramen för enklare underhåll. / To move from a linear to a circular economy is necessary for us to achieve our climate goals. Recycling and maintenance of existing materials and products is, therefore, a must but beds are not recycled or maintained to the same extent as other types of furniture.  Today, many beds are made of a mixture of plastic, steel, and wood where the materials are difficult to separate from each other. Many of the parts are glued together and do not allow for maintenance, which means that the product’s life is shortened. Other aspects such as attitudes and behaviors can, however, be a decisive factor when it comes to the bed’s ability to be reused as these are considered both unhygienic and dirty. The purpose of the study has been to investigate how beds could be included in the circular economy and thus avoid becoming waste and, therefore, the study will look at the system around beds as a whole. Through emotional design, the study will examine attitudes and behaviors linked to second-hand textiles and beds. The study’s main focus areas have been user-centered design, emotional design, circular design, and user role in the circular economy. The knowledge contribution of the study is to yield a greater understanding of the beds’ place in the technical loop, first and foremost reuse, restoration and maintenance. Another area that is relatively unexplored concerning the bed is consumer behavior, psychology, and motivations behind the refurbishing of beds. The design contribution is a concept for integrating the bedding into the actual design of the bed frame.

<p>The use of renewable energy systems is ever-growing in today's electricity grid to reduce the carbon footprint on the environment. However, a problem with wind and solar renewable energy systems is availability. Wind and solar energy production are entirely dependent on the weather, whereas global electricity demands have no such limitation. A cost-effective solution to the energy availability problem is to incorporate energy storage systems. The Economic Long-Duration Electricity Storage by Using Low-Cost Thermal Energy Storage and High-Efficiency Power Cycle (ENDURING) system developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a potential  energy storage system. In the ENDURING system, particles are heated via renewable energy or off-peak grid electricity and stored in large silos. When the electricity needs to be regenerated, the hot particles are passed to a Pressurized Fluidized Bed Heat Exchanger (PFB-HX), which heats air, and the hot pressurized air flows to a turbine and generator to produce electricity. The focus of this dissertation is on two components within the ENDURING system: the particle heater and the PFB-HX.</p> <p>First, the heat transfer within the particle heater is investigated numerically via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) coupled with Discrete Element Modeling (DEM). Although heat transfer to traditional molecular fluids such as liquids and gases are well characterized, the heat transfer to flowing particles is less understood. The heater surface angle, particle-particle and particle-wall friction coefficients, and contact resistance are parametrically varied to discover their individual effects on the heat transfer process. A separate set of simulations is conducted to compare against an experimental particle heater built at NREL. In addition to elucidating the heat transfer performance, the simulations also reveal oscillatory flow patterns. It is discovered that such turbulent behavior is related to the geometry of the heater elements.<br> </p> <p>Second, a laboratory-scale experimental setup of the PFB-HX is built. The temperature, pressure drop, and minimum fluidization velocity are used to characterize the heat transfer and assess the capabilities of the PFB-HX. High-temperature fluidized bed experiments with an initial temperature gradient are performed. The bed becomes fluidized, but temperature gradients remain, and the bed is not fully mixed. At sufficient superficial velocity, the bed temperature becomes uniform. CFD-DEM coupled simulations are performed to investigate the temperature distributions more precisely. Initial bed temperature differences of 100, 300, and 500K are simulated with varying superficial velocities to create a regime map. The purpose of the regime map is to determine when the fluidized bed temperature becomes fully mixed for different initial conditions and gas velocities. The overall goal of this work is to understand the heat transfer processes of the flowing particles in both the particle heater and the PFB-HX to aid in the design of the ENDURING system.</p>