@phdthesis{Zou2007,
  author    = {Zou, Yong},
  title     = {Exploring recurrences in quasiperiodic systems},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-16497},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {In this work, some new results to exploit the recurrence properties of quasiperiodic dynamical systems are presented by means of a two dimensional visualization technique, Recurrence Plots(RPs). Quasiperiodicity is the simplest form of dynamics exhibiting nontrivial recurrences, which are common in many nonlinear systems. The concept of recurrence was introduced to study the restricted three body problem and it is very useful for the characterization of nonlinear systems. I have analyzed in detail the recurrence patterns of systems with quasiperiodic dynamics both analytically and numerically. Based on a theoretical analysis, I have proposed a new procedure to distinguish quasiperiodic dynamics from chaos. This algorithm is particular useful in the analysis of short time series. Furthermore, this approach demonstrates to be efficient in recognizing regular and chaotic trajectories of dynamical systems with mixed phase space. Regarding the application to real situations, I have shown the capability and validity of this method by analyzing time series from fluid experiments.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Zemanova2007,
  author    = {Zemanov{\´a}, Lucia},
  title     = {Structure-function relationship in hierarchical model of brain networks},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-18400},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {The mammalian brain is, with its numerous neural elements and structured complex connectivity, one of the most complex systems in nature. Recently, large-scale corticocortical connectivities, both structural and functional, have received a great deal of research attention, especially using the approach of complex networks. Here, we try to shed some light on the relationship between structural and functional connectivities by studying synchronization dynamics in a realistic anatomical network of cat cortical connectivity. We model the cortical areas by a subnetwork of interacting excitable neurons (multilevel model) and by a neural mass model (population model). With weak couplings, the multilevel model displays biologically plausible dynamics and the synchronization patterns reveal a hierarchical cluster organization in the network structure. We can identify a group of brain areas involved in multifunctional tasks by comparing the dynamical clusters to the topological communities of the network. With strong couplings of multilevel model and by using neural mass model, the dynamics are characterized by well-defined oscillations. The synchronization patterns are mainly determined by the node intensity (total input strengths of a node); the detailed network topology is of secondary importance. The biologically improved multilevel model exhibits similar dynamical patterns in the two regimes. Thus, the study of synchronization in a multilevel complex network model of cortex can provide insights into the relationship between network topology and functional organization of complex brain networks.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Worseck2007,
  author    = {Worseck, G{\´a}bor},
  title     = {The transverse proximity effect in quasar spectra},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-18738},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {The intergalactic medium is kept highly photoionised by the intergalactic UV background radiation field generated by the overall population of quasars and galaxies. In the vicinity of sources of UV photons, such as luminous high-redshift quasars, the UV radiation field is enhanced due to the local source contribution. The higher degree of ionisation is visible as a reduced line density or generally as a decreased level of absorption in the Lyman alpha forest of neutral hydrogen. This so-called proximity effect has been detected with high statistical significance towards luminous quasars. If quasars radiate rather isotropically, background quasar sightlines located near foreground quasars should show a region of decreased Lyman alpha absorption close to the foreground quasar. Despite considerable effort, such a transverse proximity effect has only been detected in a few cases. So far, studies of the transverse proximity effect were mostly limited by the small number of suitable projected pairs or groups of high-redshift quasars. With the aim to substantially increase the number of quasar groups in the vicinity of bright quasars we conduct a targeted survey for faint quasars around 18 well-studied quasars at employing slitless spectroscopy. Among the reduced and calibrated slitless spectra of 29000 objects on a total area of 4.39 square degrees we discover in total 169 previously unknown quasar candidates based on their prominent emission lines. 81 potential z>1.7 quasars are selected for confirmation by slit spectroscopy at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We are able to confirm 80 of these. 64 of the newly discovered quasars reside at z>1.7. The high success rate of the follow-up observations implies that the majority of the remaining candidates are quasars as well. In 16 of these groups we search for a transverse proximity effect as a systematic underdensity in the HI Lyman alpha absorption. We employ a novel technique to characterise the random absorption fluctuations in the forest in order to estimate the significance of the transverse proximity effect. Neither low-resolution spectra nor high-resolution spectra of background quasars of our groups present evidence for a transverse proximity effect. However, via Monte Carlo simulations the effect should be detectable only at the 1-2sigma level near three of the foreground quasars. Thus, we cannot distinguish between the presence or absence of a weak signature of the transverse proximity effect. The systematic effects of quasar variability, quasar anisotopy and intrinsic overdensities near quasars likely explain the apparent lack of the transverse proximity effect. Even in absence of the systematic effects, we show that a statistically significant detection of the transverse proximity effect requires at least 5 medium-resolution quasar spectra of background quasars near foreground quasars whose UV flux exceeds the UV background by a factor 3. Therefore, statistical studies of the transverse proximity effect require large numbers of suitable pairs. Two sightlines towards the central quasars of our survey fields show intergalactic HeII Lyman alpha absorption. A comparison of the HeII absorption to the corresponding HI absorption yields an estimate of the spectral shape of the intergalactic UV radiation field, typically parameterised by the HeII/HI column density ratio eta. We analyse the fluctuating UV spectral shape on both lines of sight and correlate it with seven foreground quasars. On the line of sight towards Q0302-003 we find a harder radiation field near 4 foreground quasars. In the direct vicinity of the quasars eta is consistent with values of 25-100, whereas at large distances from the quasars eta>200 is required. The second line of sight towards HE2347-4342 probes lower redshifts where eta is directly measurable in the resolved HeII forest. Again we find that the radiation field near the 3 foreground quasars is significantly harder than in general. While eta still shows large fluctuations near the quasars, probably due to radiative transfer, the radiation field is on average harder near the quasars than far away from them. We interpret these discoveries as the first detections of the transverse proximity effect as a local hardness fluctuation in the UV spectral shape. No significant HI proximity effect is predicted for the 7 foreground quasars. In fact, the HI absorption near the quasars is close to or slightly above the average, suggesting that the weak signature of the transverse proximity effect is masked by intrinsic overdensities. However, we show that the UV spectral shape traces the transverse proximity effect even in overdense regions or at large distances. Therefore, the spectral hardness is a sensitive physical measure of the transverse proximity effect that is able to break the density degeneracy affecting the traditional searches.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Toenjes2007,
  author    = {T{\"o}njes, Ralf},
  title     = {Pattern formation through synchronization in systems of nonidentical autonomous oscillators},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-15973},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {This work is concerned with the spatio-temporal structures that emerge when non-identical, diffusively coupled oscillators synchronize. It contains analytical results and their confirmation through extensive computer simulations. We use the Kuramoto model which reduces general oscillatory systems to phase dynamics. The symmetry of the coupling plays an important role for the formation of patterns. We have studied the ordering influence of an asymmetry (non-isochronicity) in the phase coupling function on the phase profile in synchronization and the intricate interplay between this asymmetry and the frequency heterogeneity in the system. The thesis is divided into three main parts. Chapter 2 and 3 introduce the basic model of Kuramoto and conditions for stable synchronization. In Chapter 4 we characterize the phase profiles in synchronization for various special cases and in an exponential approximation of the phase coupling function, which allows for an analytical treatment. Finally, in the third part (Chapter 5) we study the influence of non-isochronicity on the synchronization frequency in continuous, reaction diffusion systems and discrete networks of oscillators.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Szklarski2007,
  author    = {Szklarski, Jacek T.},
  title     = {Helical magnetorotational instability in MHD Taylor-Couette flow},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-16002},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Magnetorotational instability (MRI) is one of the most important and most common instabilities in astrophysics. Today it is widely accepted that it serves as a major source of turbulent viscosity in accretion disks, the most energy efficient objects in the universe. The importance of the MRI for astrophysics has been realized only in recent fifteen years. However, originally it was discovered much earlier, in 1959, in a very different context. Theoretical flow of a conducting liquid confined between differentially rotating cylinders in the presence of an external magnetic field was analyzed. The central conclusion is that the additional magnetic field parallel to the axis of rotation can destabilize otherwise stable flow. Theory of non-magnetized fluid motion between rotating cylinders has much longer history, though. It has been studied already in 1888 and today such setup is usually referred as a Taylor-Couette flow. To prove experimentally the existence of MRI in a magnetized Taylor-Couette flow is a demanding task and different MHD groups around the world try to achieve it. The main problem lies in the fact that laboratory liquid metals which are used in such experiments are characterized by small magnetic Prandtl number. Consequently rotation rates of the cylinders must be extremely large and vast amount of technical problems emerge. One of the most important difficulties is an influence of plates enclosing the cylinders in any experiment. For fast rotation the plates tend to dominate the whole flow and the MRI can not be observed. In this thesis we discuss a special helical configuration of the applied magnetic field which allows the critical rotation rates to be much smaller. If only the axial magnetic field is present, the cylinders must rotate with angular velocities corresponding to Reynolds numbers of order Re ≈ 10^6. With the helical field this number is dramatically reduced to Re ≈ 10^3. The azimuthal component of the magnetic field can be easily generated by letting an electric current through the axis of rotation, In a Taylor-Couette flow the (primary) instability manifests itself as Taylor vortices. The specific geometry of the helical magnetic field leads to a traveling wave solution and the vortices are drifting in a direction determined by rotation and the magnetic field. In an idealized study for infinitely long cylinders this is not a problem. However, if the cylinders have finite length and are bounded vertically by the plates the situation is different. In this dissertation it is shown, with use of numerical methods, that the traveling wave solution also exists for MHD Taylor-Couette flow at finite aspect ratio H/D, H being height of the cylinders, D width of the gap between them. The nonlinear simulations provide amplitudes of fluid velocity which are helpful in designing an experiment. Although the plates disturb the flow, parameters like the drift velocity indicate that the helical MRI operates in this case. The idea of the helical MRI was implemented in a very recent experiment PROMISE. The results provided, for the first time, an evidence that the (helical) MRI indeed exists. Nevertheless, the influence of the vertical endplates was evident and the experiment can be, in principle, improved. Exemplary methods of reduction of the end-effect are here proposed. Near the vertical boundaries develops an Ekman-Hartmann layer. Study of this layer for the MHD Taylor-Couette system as well as its impact on the global flow properties is presented. It is shown that the plates, especially if they are conducting, can disturb the flow far more then previously thought also for relatively slow rotation rates.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Sule2007,
  author    = {Sule, Aniket},
  title     = {Formation and stability of the solar tachocline in MHD simulations},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14612},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {The solar tachocline is a thin transition layer between the solar radiative zone rotating uniformly and the solar convection zone, which has a mainly latitudinal differential rotation profile. This layer has a thickness of less than \$0.05R_{\sun}\$ and is subject to extreme radial as well as latitudinal shears. Helioseismological estimates put this layer at roughly \$0.7R_{\sun}\$. The tachocline mostly resides in the sub-adiabatic, non-turbulent radiative interior, except for a small overlap with the convection zone on the top. Many proposed dynamo mechanisms involve strong toroidal magnetic fields in this transition region. The exact mechanisms behind the formation of such a thin layer is still disputed. A very plausible mechanism is the one involving a weak, relic poloidal magnetic field trapped inside the radiative zone, which is responsible for expelling differential rotation outwards. This was first proposed by \citet{RK97}. The present work develops this idea with numerical simulations including additional effects like meridional circulation. It is shown that a relic field of 1~Gauss or smaller would be sufficient to explain the observed thickness of the tachocline. The stability of the solar tachocline is addressed as the next part of the problem. It is shown that the tachocline is stable up to a differential rotation of 52\\% in the absence of magnetic fields. This is a new finding as compared to the earlier two dimensional models which estimated the solar differential rotation (about 28\\%) to be marginally stable or even unstable. The changed stability limit is attributed to the changed stability criterion of the 3-dimensional model which also involves radial gradients of the angular velocity. In the presence of toroidal magnetic field belts, the lowest non-axisymmetric mode is shown to be the most unstable one for the radiative part of the tachocline. It is estimated that the tachocline would become unstable for toroidal fields exceeding about 100~Gauss. With both formation and stability questions satisfactorily addressed, this work presents the most comprehensive analysis of the physical processes in the solar tachocline to date.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Straesser2007,
  author    = {Str{\"a}ßer, Alexander},
  title     = {Neue Prinzipien zur Realisierung von gepulsten, frequenzstabilisierten Lasern mit hoher mittlerer Leistung und exzellenter Strahlqualit{\"a}t},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17496},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Wasserdampf in der Stratosph{\"a}re und Troposph{\"a}re ist eines der wichtigsten atmosph{\"a}rischen Treibhausgase. Neben seiner Bedeutung f{\"u}r das Klima hat es großen Einfluss auf die Bildung von polaren stratosph{\"a}rischen Wolken sowie auf die atmosph{\"a}rische Chemie. Weltweit erstmalig soll innerhalb eines Forscherverbundes in Deutschland ein leistungsstarkes, mobiles, abtastendes Wasserdampf-DIAL zur dreidimensional hochaufgel{\"o}sten Messung des atmosph{\"a}rischen Wasserdampfs entwickelt werden. Mit dem Wasserdampf-DIAL k{\"o}nnen Wasserdampfkonzentrationen in der Atmosph{\"a}re mit hoher zeitlicher und r{\"a}umlicher Aufl{\"o}sung gemessen werden. Das DIAL basiert auf einem Titan-Saphir-Laser oder einem dazu alternativen OPO-Laser (optisch parametrischer Oszillator). Der f{\"u}r das optische Pumpen dieser Laser n{\"o}tige Pumplaser wurde im Rahmen dieser Arbeit in der Arbeitsgruppe Nichtlineare Optik des Instituts f{\"u}r Physik der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam entwickelt. Ein hochaufl{\"o}sendes, mobiles DIAL erfordert einen Pumplaser mit großen Pulsenergien, guter Strahlqualit{\"a}t und einer hohen Effizienz. Um diese Ziele zu erreichen, wurde ein MOPA-System (Master Oscillator Power Amplifier) mit Frequenzstabilisierung auf der Basis von doppelbrechungskompensierten, transversal diodengepumpten Laserst{\"a}ben entwickelt und untersucht. Auf dem Weg dahin wurden unterschiedliche Realisierungsm{\"o}glichkeiten des MOPA-Systems gepr{\"u}ft. Im Rahmen dessen wurden die Festk{\"o}rperlasermaterialien Yb:YAG [1], kerndotierte Nd:YAG-Keramik [2] und herk{\"o}mmliches Nd:YAG vorgestellt und hinsichtlich ihrer Eignung f{\"u}r dieses MOPA-System untersucht. Nachdem die Entscheidung f{\"u}r Nd:YAG als laseraktives Material gefallen war, konnte darauf aufbauend die Konzeptionierung des Lasersystems auf der Basis von Verst{\"a}rkungsrechnungen vorgenommen werden. Die entwickelte Verst{\"a}rkungsrechnung tr{\"a}gt den Tatbest{\"a}nden von realen Systemen Rechnung, indem radiusabh{\"a}ngige Intensit{\"a}ten und eine radiale, nicht homogene Inversionsdichte ber{\"u}cksichtigt werden. Die Frequenzstabilisierung des gepulsten Oszillators (Frequenzstabilit{\"a}t von 1 MHz) wurde mittels des Pound-Drever-Hall-Verfahrens vorgenommen. Mit der Heterodynmethode wird die Frequenzstabilit{\"a}t des Oszillators gemessen. Nach Untersuchungen {\"u}ber verschiedene Konfigurationen f{\"u}r lineare und ringf{\"o}rmige Oszillatoren, wurde ein Ringoszillator mit zwei Laserk{\"o}pfen aufgebaut, in welchen von außen mit einem Laser fester Frequenz eingestrahlt wird. Dieser emittiert bei einer Wiederholrate von 400 Hz eine Pulsenergie von Eout = 21 mJ bei nahezu beugungsbegrenzter Strahlqualit{\"a}t (M2 < 1,2). Die Verst{\"a}rkung dieser Laserpulse erfolgte zun{\"a}chst durch eine Vorverst{\"a}rkerstufe und anschließend durch zwei doppelbrechungskompensierte Hauptverst{\"a}rker im Doppeldurchgang. Eine gute Strahlqualit{\"a}t (M2 = 1,75) konnte unter anderem erzielt werden, indem der Doppeldurchgang durch die Hauptverst{\"a}rker mit einem phasenkonjugierenden Spiegel (SF6), auf der Basis der stimulierten Brillouin Streuung, realisiert wurde. Der entwickelte Laser emittiert Pulse mit einer L{\"a}nge von 25 ns und einer Energie von 250 mJ. Insgesamt wurde ein bisher einmaliges Lasersystem entwickelt. In der Literatur sind die erreichte Frequenzstabilit{\"a}t, Strahlqualit{\"a}t und Leistung in dieser Kombination bisher nicht dokumentiert. In der Zukunft soll durch den Einsatz von kerndotierten, keramischen Lasermaterialien, h{\"o}heren Pumpleistungen der Hauptverst{\"a}rker und phasenkonjugierenden Spiegeln aus Quarz die Pulsenergie des Systems weiter erh{\"o}ht werden. [1] M. Ostermeyer, A. Straesser, "Theoretical investigation of Yb:YAG as laser material for nanosecond pulse emission with large energies in the joule range", Optics Communications, Vol. 274, pp. 422-428 (2007) [2] A. Str{\"a}ßer and M. Ostermeyer, "Improving the brightness of side pumped power amplifiers by using core doped ceramic rods", Optics Express, Vol. 14, pp. 6687- 6693 (2006)},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Stephan2007,
  author    = {Stephan, Niels},
  title     = {Ph{\"a}nomenologische Untersuchungen zur Feuchteempfindlichkeit der elektrischen Eigenschaften von d{\"u}nnen Polymerfilmen und deren Verwendung f{\"u}r neuartige Feuchtesensoren},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-13853},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die ph{\"a}nomenologische Untersuchung der Feuchteempfindlichkeit der elektrischen Eigenschaften d{\"u}nner Polymerschichten. Diese Untersuchungen stellen gleichzeitig Vorarbeiten zur Entwicklung von Prototypen von zwei polymeren D{\"u}nnschicht-Feuchtesensoren dar, die sich durch die spezielle Auswahl der feuchtesensitiven Materialien jeweils durch eine besondere Eigenschaft gegen{\"u}ber kommerziellen Massenprodukten auszeichnen. Ziel der Entwicklungsarbeiten f{\"u}r den ersten Prototypen war die Konstruktion eines schnellen Feuchtesensors, der pl{\"o}tzliche und sprunghafte Feuchte{\"a}nderungen in der umgebenden Atmosph{\"a}re m{\"o}glichst rasch detektieren kann. Daf{\"u}r wurden d{\"u}nne Schichten von Poly-DADMAC auf Interdigitalstrukturen aufgebracht, die einen m{\"o}glichst direkten Kontakt zwischen feuchtesensitiver Schicht und umgebender, feuchter Atmosph{\"a}re gew{\"a}hrleisten. Als Messgr{\"o}ßen dienten die Wechselstromgr{\"o}ßen Widerstand und Kapazit{\"a}t der Schichten. Die Feuchtekennlinien der Schichten zeigen gute Konstanz und hohe Reproduzierbarkeit. Der Widerstand der Schichten {\"a}ndert sich durch den Einfluss von Feuchte je nach Schichtdicke um 3 bis 5 Gr{\"o}ßenordnungen und eignet sich als Messgr{\"o}ße f{\"u}r die Feuchtigkeit im gesamten Feuchtebereich. Die Hysterese der Filme konnte auf kleiner als 2,5\% r.F. bestimmt werden, die Reproduzierbarkeit auf besser als 1\% r.F. Die Ansprechzeit der Schichten l{\"a}sst sich schichtdickenabh{\"a}ngig zu 1 bis 10 Sekunden bestimmen. Hierbei zeigen besonders die d{\"u}nnen Schichten kurze Ansprechzeiten. Zielstellung f{\"u}r den zweiten Feuchtesensor war die Entwicklung eines Prototypen, dessen sensitive Schicht sich biostatisch und biozid verh{\"a}lt, so dass er in biotischen Umgebungen eingesetzt werden kann. Es wurden f{\"u}nf Polysulfobetaine synthetisiert, deren Biozidit{\"a}t und Biostatik mit dem Kontakttest nach R{\"o}nnpagel, dem ISO846-Test und Abbautests bestimmt wurde. Zwei Polymere - Poly-DMMAAPS (BT2) und Poly-[MSA-Styren-Sulfobetain] (BT5) - erwiesen sich als ausreichend biozid und biostatisch. Schichten dieser Polymere wurden auf Interdigitalstrukturen aufgezogen, anschließend wurden die Kennlinien dieser Proben aufgenommen. Die Messwerte zeigen f{\"u}r beide Polymere gute Konstanz und eine hohe Reproduzierbarkeit. BT2-Proben sind zwischen 20\% und 80\% r.F. besonders empfindlich und zeigen {\"u}ber einen Monat keine Langzeitdrift. Vernetzte Proben zeigen bis 50°C keinen temperaturbedingten Abfall der Feuchteempfindlichkeit. Der Einsatz vernetzter BT5-Schichten als kapazitiver Feuchtesensor ist bis etwa 70°C m{\"o}glich, die Schichten sind selbst nach Lagerung im Hochvakuum und mehrfacher Betauung stabil. Damit liegen zwei funktionsf{\"a}hige Prototypen von Feuchtesensoren vor, f{\"u}r die die meisten Kennwerte denen von vergleichbaren kommerziellen Feuchtesensoren entsprechen. Gleichzeitig zeichnen sie sich aber durch eine sehr niedrige Ansprechzeit bzw. eine ausreichende Lebensdauer unter biotischen Bedingungen aus.},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Rust2007,
  author    = {Rust, Henning},
  title     = {Detection of long-range dependence : applications in climatology and hydrology},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-13347},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {It is desirable to reduce the potential threats that result from the variability of nature, such as droughts or heat waves that lead to food shortage, or the other extreme, floods that lead to severe damage. To prevent such catastrophic events, it is necessary to understand, and to be capable of characterising, nature's variability. Typically one aims to describe the underlying dynamics of geophysical records with differential equations. There are, however, situations where this does not support the objectives, or is not feasible, e.g., when little is known about the system, or it is too complex for the model parameters to be identified. In such situations it is beneficial to regard certain influences as random, and describe them with stochastic processes. In this thesis I focus on such a description with linear stochastic processes of the FARIMA type and concentrate on the detection of long-range dependence. Long-range dependent processes show an algebraic (i.e. slow) decay of the autocorrelation function. Detection of the latter is important with respect to, e.g. trend tests and uncertainty analysis. Aiming to provide a reliable and powerful strategy for the detection of long-range dependence, I suggest a way of addressing the problem which is somewhat different from standard approaches. Commonly used methods are based either on investigating the asymptotic behaviour (e.g., log-periodogram regression), or on finding a suitable potentially long-range dependent model (e.g., FARIMA[p,d,q]) and test the fractional difference parameter d for compatibility with zero. Here, I suggest to rephrase the problem as a model selection task, i.e.comparing the most suitable long-range dependent and the most suitable short-range dependent model. Approaching the task this way requires a) a suitable class of long-range and short-range dependent models along with suitable means for parameter estimation and b) a reliable model selection strategy, capable of discriminating also non-nested models. With the flexible FARIMA model class together with the Whittle estimator the first requirement is fulfilled. Standard model selection strategies, e.g., the likelihood-ratio test, is for a comparison of non-nested models frequently not powerful enough. Thus, I suggest to extend this strategy with a simulation based model selection approach suitable for such a direct comparison. The approach follows the procedure of a statistical test, with the likelihood-ratio as the test statistic. Its distribution is obtained via simulations using the two models under consideration. For two simple models and different parameter values, I investigate the reliability of p-value and power estimates obtained from the simulated distributions. The result turned out to be dependent on the model parameters. However, in many cases the estimates allow an adequate model selection to be established. An important feature of this approach is that it immediately reveals the ability or inability to discriminate between the two models under consideration. Two applications, a trend detection problem in temperature records and an uncertainty analysis for flood return level estimation, accentuate the importance of having reliable methods at hand for the detection of long-range dependence. In the case of trend detection, falsely concluding long-range dependence implies an underestimation of a trend and possibly leads to a delay of measures needed to take in order to counteract the trend. Ignoring long-range dependence, although present, leads to an underestimation of confidence intervals and thus to an unjustified belief in safety, as it is the case for the return level uncertainty analysis. A reliable detection of long-range dependence is thus highly relevant in practical applications. Examples related to extreme value analysis are not limited to hydrological applications. The increased uncertainty of return level estimates is a potentially problem for all records from autocorrelated processes, an interesting examples in this respect is the assessment of the maximum strength of wind gusts, which is important for designing wind turbines. The detection of long-range dependence is also a relevant problem in the exploration of financial market volatility. With rephrasing the detection problem as a model selection task and suggesting refined methods for model comparison, this thesis contributes to the discussion on and development of methods for the detection of long-range dependence.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Richter2007,
  author    = {Richter, Andreas},
  title     = {Structure formation and fractionation in systems of colloidal rods},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-13090},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Nowadays, colloidal rods can be synthesized in large amounts. The rods are typically cylindrically and their length ranges from several nanometers to a few micrometers. In solution, systems of colloidal rodlike molecules or aggregates can form liquid-crystalline phases with long-range orientational and spatial order. In the present work, we investigate structure formation and fractionation in systems of rodlike colloids with the help of Monte Carlo simulations in the NPT ensemble. Repulsive interactions can successfully be mimicked by the hard rod model, which has been studied extensively in the past. In many cases, attractive interactions like van der Waals or depletion forces cannot be neglected, however. In the first part of this work, the phase behavior of monodisperse attractive rods is characterized for different interaction strengths. Phase diagrams as a function of rod length and pressure are presented. Most systems of synthesized mesoscopic rods have a polydisperse length distribution as a consequence of the longitudinal growth process of the rods. For many technical and research applications, a rather small polydispersity is desired in order to have well defined material properties. The polydispersity can be reduced by a spatial demixing (fractionation) of long and short rods. Fractionation and structure formation is studied in a tridisperse and a polydisperse bulk suspension of rods. We observe that the resulting structures depend distinctly on the interaction strength. The fractionation in the system is strongly enhanced with increasing interaction strength. Suspensions are typically confined in a container. We also examine the influence of adjacent substrates in systems of tridisperse and polydisperse rod suspensions. Three different substrate types are studied in detail: a planar wall, a corrugated substrate, and a substrate with rectangular cavities. We analyze the fluid structure close to the substrate and substrate controlled fractionation. The spatial arrangement of long and short rods in front of the substrate depends sensitively on the substrate structure and the pressure. Rods with a predefined length are segregated at substrates with rectangular cavities.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{PereiradaSilva2007,
  author    = {Pereira da Silva, Tiago},
  title     = {Synchronization in active networks},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14347},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {In nature one commonly finds interacting complex oscillators which by the coupling scheme form small and large networks, e.g. neural networks. Surprisingly, the oscillators can synchronize, still preserving the complex behavior. Synchronization is a fundamental phenomenon in coupled nonlinear oscillators. Synchronization can be enhanced at different levels, that is, the constraints on which the synchronization appears. Those can be in the trajectory amplitude, requiring the amplitudes of both oscillators to be equal, giving place to complete synchronization. Conversely, the constraint could also be in a function of the trajectory, e.g. the phase, giving place to phase synchronization (PS). In this case, one requires the phase difference between both oscillators to be finite for all times, while the trajectory amplitude may be uncorrelated. The study of PS has shown its relevance to important technological problems, e.g. communication, collective behavior in neural networks, pattern formation, Parkinson disease, epilepsy, as well as behavioral activities. It has been reported that it mediates processes of information transmission and collective behavior in neural and active networks and communication processes in the Human brain. In this work, we have pursed a general way to analyze the onset of PS in small and large networks. Firstly, we have analyzed many phase coordinates for compact attractors. We have shown that for a broad class of attractors the PS phenomenon is invariant under the phase definition. Our method enables to state about the existence of phase synchronization in coupled chaotic oscillators without having to measure the phase. This is done by observing the oscillators at special times, and analyzing whether this set of points is localized. We have show that this approach is fruitful to analyze the onset of phase synchronization in chaotic attractors whose phases are not well defined, as well as, in networks of non-identical spiking/bursting neurons connected by chemical synapses. Moreover, we have also related the synchronization and the information transmission through the conditional observations. In particular, we have found that inside a network clusters may appear. These can be used to transmit more than one information, which provides a multi-processing of information. Furthermore, These clusters provide a multichannel communication, that is, one can integrate a large number of neurons into a single communication system, and information can arrive simultaneously at different places of the network.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Pazienti2007,
  author    = {Pazienti, Antonio},
  title     = {Manipulations of spike trains and their impact on synchrony analysis},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17447},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {The interaction between neuronal cells can be identified as the computing mechanism of the brain. Neurons are complex cells that do not operate in isolation, but they are organized in a highly connected network structure. There is experimental evidence that groups of neurons dynamically synchronize their activity and process brain functions at all levels of complexity. A fundamental step to prove this hypothesis is to analyze large sets of single neurons recorded in parallel. Techniques to obtain these data are meanwhile available, but advancements are needed in the pre-processing of the large volumes of acquired data and in data analysis techniques. Major issues include extracting the signal of single neurons from the noisy recordings (referred to as spike sorting) and assessing the significance of the synchrony. This dissertation addresses these issues with two complementary strategies, both founded on the manipulation of point processes under rigorous analytical control. On the one hand I modeled the effect of spike sorting errors on correlated spike trains by corrupting them with realistic failures, and studied the corresponding impact on correlation analysis. The results show that correlations between multiple parallel spike trains are severely affected by spike sorting, especially by erroneously missing spikes. When this happens sorting strategies characterized by classifying only good'' spikes (conservative strategies) lead to less accurate results than tolerant'' strategies. On the other hand, I investigated the effectiveness of methods for assessing significance that create surrogate data by displacing spikes around their original position (referred to as dithering). I provide analytical expressions of the probability of coincidence detection after dithering. The effectiveness of spike dithering in creating surrogate data strongly depends on the dithering method and on the method of counting coincidences. Closed-form expressions and bounds are derived for the case where the dither equals the allowed coincidence interval. This work provides new insights into the methodologies of identifying synchrony in large-scale neuronal recordings, and of assessing its significance.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Ong2007,
  author    = {Ong, James Kwan Yau},
  title     = {The predictability problem},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-15025},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Wir versuchen herauszufinden, ob das subjektive Maß der Cloze-Vorhersagbarkeit mit der Kombination objektiver Maße (semantische und n-gram-Maße) gesch{\"a}tzt werden kann, die auf den statistischen Eigenschaften von Textkorpora beruhen. Die semantischen Maße werden entweder durch Abfragen von Internet-Suchmaschinen oder durch die Anwendung der Latent Semantic Analysis gebildet, w{\"a}hrend die n-gram-Wortmaße allein auf den Ergebnissen von Internet-Suchmaschinen basieren. Weiterhin untersuchen wir die Rolle der Cloze-Vorhersagbarkeit in SWIFT, einem Modell der Blickkontrolle, und w{\"a}gen ab, ob andere Parameter den der Vorhersagbarkeit ersetzen k{\"o}nnen. Unsere Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass ein computationales Modell, welches Vorhersagbarkeitswerte berechnet, nicht nur Maße beachten muss, die die Relatiertheit eines Wortes zum Kontext darstellen; das Vorhandensein eines Maßes bez{\"u}glich der Nicht-Relatiertheit ist von ebenso großer Bedeutung. Obwohl hier jedoch nur Relatiertheits-Maße zur Verf{\"u}gung stehen, sollte SWIFT ebensogute Ergebnisse liefern, wenn wir Cloze-Vorhersagbarkeit mit unseren Maßen ersetzen.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Miteva2007,
  author    = {Miteva, Rositsa Stoycheva},
  title     = {Electron acceleration at localized wave structures in the solar corona},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14775},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Our dynamic Sun manifests its activity by different phenomena: from the 11-year cyclic sunspot pattern to the unpredictable and violent explosions in the case of solar flares. During flares, a huge amount of the stored magnetic energy is suddenly released and a substantial part of this energy is carried by the energetic electrons, considered to be the source of the nonthermal radio and X-ray radiation. One of the most important and still open question in solar physics is how the electrons are accelerated up to high energies within (the observed in the radio emission) short time scales. Because the acceleration site is extremely small in spatial extent as well (compared to the solar radius), the electron acceleration is regarded as a local process. The search for localized wave structures in the solar corona that are able to accelerate electrons together with the theoretical and numerical description of the conditions and requirements for this process, is the aim of the dissertation. Two models of electron acceleration in the solar corona are proposed in the dissertation: I. Electron acceleration due to the solar jet interaction with the background coronal plasma (the jet--plasma interaction) A jet is formed when the newly reconnected and highly curved magnetic field lines are relaxed by shooting plasma away from the reconnection site. Such jets, as observed in soft X-rays with the Yohkoh satellite, are spatially and temporally associated with beams of nonthermal electrons (in terms of the so-called type III metric radio bursts) propagating through the corona. A model that attempts to give an explanation for such observational facts is developed here. Initially, the interaction of such jets with the background plasma leads to an (ion-acoustic) instability associated with growing of electrostatic fluctuations in time for certain range of the jet initial velocity. During this process, any test electron that happen to feel this electrostatic wave field is drawn to co-move with the wave, gaining energy from it. When the jet speed has a value greater or lower than the one, required by the instability range, such wave excitation cannot be sustained and the process of electron energization (acceleration and/or heating) ceases. Hence, the electrons can propagate further in the corona and be detected as type III radio burst, for example. II. Electron acceleration due to attached whistler waves in the upstream region of coronal shocks (the electron--whistler--shock interaction) Coronal shocks are also able to accelerate electrons, as observed by the so-called type II metric radio bursts (the radio signature of a shock wave in the corona). From in-situ observations in space, e.g., at shocks related to co-rotating interaction regions, it is known that nonthermal electrons are produced preferably at shocks with attached whistler wave packets in their upstream regions. Motivated by these observations and assuming that the physical processes at shocks are the same in the corona as in the interplanetary medium, a new model of electron acceleration at coronal shocks is presented in the dissertation, where the electrons are accelerated by their interaction with such whistlers. The protons inflowing toward the shock are reflected there by nearly conserving their magnetic moment, so that they get a substantial velocity gain in the case of a quasi-perpendicular shock geometry, i.e, the angle between the shock normal and the upstream magnetic field is in the range 50--80 degrees. The so-accelerated protons are able to excite whistler waves in a certain frequency range in the upstream region. When these whistlers (comprising the localized wave structure in this case) are formed, only the incoming electrons are now able to interact resonantly with them. But only a part of these electrons fulfill the the electron--whistler wave resonance condition. Due to such resonant interaction (i.e., of these electrons with the whistlers), the electrons are accelerated in the electric and magnetic wave field within just several whistler periods. While gaining energy from the whistler wave field, the electrons reach the shock front and, subsequently, a major part of them are reflected back into the upstream region, since the shock accompanied with a jump of the magnetic field acts as a magnetic mirror. Co-moving with the whistlers now, the reflected electrons are out of resonance and hence can propagate undisturbed into the far upstream region, where they are detected in terms of type II metric radio bursts. In summary, the kinetic energy of protons is transfered into electrons by the action of localized wave structures in both cases, i.e., at jets outflowing from the magnetic reconnection site and at shock waves in the corona.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Makuch2007,
  author    = {Makuch, Martin},
  title     = {Circumplanetary dust dynamics : application to Martian dust tori and Enceladus dust plumes},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14404},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Our Solar system contains a large amount of dust, containing valuable information about our close cosmic environment. If created in a planet's system, the particles stay predominantly in its vicinity and can form extended dust envelopes, tori or rings around them. A fascinating example of these complexes are Saturnian rings containing a wide range of particles sizes from house-size objects in the main rings up to micron-sized grains constituting the E ring. Other example are ring systems in general, containing a large fraction of dust or also the putative dust-tori surrounding the planet Mars. The dynamical life'' of such circumplanetary dust populations is the main subject of our study. In this thesis a general model of creation, dynamics and death'' of circumplanetary dust is developed. Endogenic and exogenic processes creating dust at atmosphereless bodies are presented. Then, we describe the main forces influencing the particle dynamics and study dynamical responses induced by stochastic fluctuations. In order to estimate the properties of steady-state population of considered dust complex, the grain mean lifetime as a result of a balance of dust creation, life'' and loss mechanisms is determined. The latter strongly depends on the surrounding environment, the particle properties and its dynamical history. The presented model can be readily applied to study any circumplanetary dust complex. As an example we study dynamics of two dust populations in the Solar system. First we explore the dynamics of particles, ejected from Martian moon Deimos by impacts of micrometeoroids, which should form a putative tori along the orbit of the moon. The long-term influence of indirect component of radiation pressure, the Poynting-Robertson drag gives rise in significant change of torus geometry. Furthermore, the action of radiation pressure on rotating non-spherical dust particles results in stochastic dispersion of initially confined ensemble of particles, which causes decrease of particle number densities and corresponding optical depth of the torus. Second, we investigate the dust dynamics in the vicinity of Saturnian moon Enceladus. During three flybys of the Cassini spacecraft with Enceladus, the on-board dust detector registered a micron-sized dust population around the moon. Surprisingly, the peak of the measured impact rate occurred 1 minute before the closest approach of the spacecraft to the moon. This asymmetry of the measured rate can be associated with locally enhanced dust production near Enceladus south pole. Other Cassini instruments also detected evidence of geophysical activity in the south polar region of the moon: high surface temperature and extended plumes of gas and dust leaving the surface. Comparison of our results with this in situ measurements reveals that the south polar ejecta may provide the dominant source of particles sustaining the Saturn's E ring.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Krumpe2007,
  author    = {Krumpe, Mirko},
  title     = {X-ray and optical properties of X-ray luminous active galactic nuclei},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-16993},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Giacconi et al. (1962) discovered a diffuse cosmic X-ray background with rocket experiments when they searched for lunar X-ray emission. Later satellite missions found a spectral peak in the cosmic X-ray background at ~30 keV. Imaging X-ray satellites such as ROSAT (1990-1999) were able to resolve up to 80\% of the background below 2 keV into single point sources, mainly active galaxies. The cosmic X-ray background is the integration of all accreting super-massive (several million solar masses) black holes in the centre of active galaxies over cosmic time. Synthesis models need further populations of X-ray absorbed active galaxy nuclei (AGN) in order to explain the cosmic X-ray background peak at ~30 keV. Current X-ray missions such as XMM-Newton and Chandra offer the possibility of studying these additional populations. This Ph.D. thesis studies the populations that dominate the X-ray sky. For this purpose the 120 ksec XMM-Newton Marano field survey, named for an earlier optical quasar survey in the southern hemisphere, is analysed. Based on the optical follow-up observations the X-ray sources are spectroscopically classified. Optical and X-ray properties of the different X-ray source populations are studied and differences are derived. The amount of absorption in the X-ray spectra of type II AGN, which are considered as a main contributor to the X-ray background at ~30 keV, is determined. In order to extend the sample size of the rare type II AGN, this study also includes objects from another survey, the XMM-Newton Serendipitous Medium Sample. In addition, the dependence of the absorption in type II AGN with redshift and X-ray luminosity is analysed. We detected 328 X-ray sources in the Marano field. 140 sources were spectroscopically classified. We found 89 type I AGN, 36 type II AGN, 6 galaxies, and 9 stars. AGN, galaxies, and stars are clearly distinguishable by their optical and X-ray properties. Type I and II AGN do not separate clearly. They have a significant overlap in all studied properties. In a few cases the X-ray properties are in contradiction to the observed optical properties for type I and type II AGN. For example we find type II AGN that show evidence for optical absorption but are not absorbed in X-rays. Based on the additional use of near infra-red imaging (K-band), we were able to identify several of the rare type II AGN. The X-ray spectra of type II AGN from the XMM-Newton Marano field survey and the XMM-Newton Serendipitous Medium Sample were analysed. Since most of the sources have only ~40 X-ray counts in the XMM-Newton PN-detector, I carefully studied the fit results of simulated X-ray spectra as a function of fit statistic and binning method. The objects revealed only moderate absorption. In particular, I do not find any Compton-thick sources (absorbed by column densities of NH > 1.5 x 10^24 cm^-2). This gives evidence that type II AGN are not the main contributor of the X-ray background around 30 keV. Although bias effects may occur, type II AGN show no noticeable trend of the amount of absorption with redshift or X-ray luminosity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Korn2007,
  author    = {Korn, Christian},
  title     = {Stochastic dynamics of cell adhesion in hydrodynamic flow},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-12997},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {In this thesis the interplay between hydrodynamic transport and specific adhesion is theoretically investigated. An important biological motivation for this work is the rolling adhesion of white blood cells experimentally investigated in flow chambers. There, specific adhesion is mediated by weak bonds between complementary molecular building blocks which are either located on the cell surface (receptors) or attached to the bottom plate of the flow chamber (ligands). The model system under consideration is a hard sphere covered with receptors moving above a planar ligand-bearing wall. The motion of the sphere is influenced by a simple shear flow, deterministic forces, and Brownian motion. An algorithm is given that allows to numerically simulate this motion as well as the formation and rupture of bonds between receptors and ligands. The presented algorithm spatially resolves receptors and ligands. This opens up the perspective to apply the results also to flow chamber experiments done with patterned substrates based on modern nanotechnological developments. In the first part the influence of flow rate, as well as of the number and geometry of receptors and ligands, on the probability for initial binding is studied. This is done by determining the mean time that elapses until the first encounter between a receptor and a ligand occurs. It turns out that besides the number of receptors, especially the height by which the receptors are elevated above the surface of the sphere plays an important role. These findings are in good agreement with observations of actual biological systems like white blood cells or malaria-infected red blood cells. Then, the influence of bonds which have formed between receptors and ligands, but easily rupture in response to force, on the motion of the sphere is studied. It is demonstrated that different states of motion-for example rolling-can be distinguished. The appearance of these states depending on important model parameters is then systematically investigated. Furthermore, it is shown by which bond property the ability of cells to stably roll in a large range of applied flow rates is increased. Finally, the model is applied to another biological process, the transport of spherical cargo particles by molecular motors. In analogy to the so far described systems molecular motors can be considered as bonds that are able to actively move. In this part of the thesis the mean distance the cargo particles are transported is determined.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Gutjahr2007,
  author    = {Gutjahr, Petra},
  title     = {Conformations of semiflexible polymers and filaments},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-15918},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {The biological function and the technological applications of semiflexible polymers, such as DNA, actin filaments and carbon nanotubes, strongly depend on their rigidity. Semiflexible polymers are characterized by their persistence length, the definition of which is the subject of the first part of this thesis. Attractive interactions, that arise e.g.~in the adsorption, the condensation and the bundling of filaments, can change the conformation of a semiflexible polymer. The conformation depends on the relative magnitude of the material parameters and can be influenced by them in a systematic manner. In particular, the morphologies of semiflexible polymer rings, such as circular nanotubes or DNA, which are adsorbed onto substrates with three types of structures, are studied: (i) A topographical channel, (ii) a chemically modified stripe and (iii) a periodic pattern of topographical steps. The results are compared with the condensation of rings by attractive interactions. Furthermore, the bundling of two individual actin filaments, whose ends are anchored, is analyzed. This system geometry is shown to provide a systematic and quantitative method to extract the magnitude of the attraction between the filaments from experimentally observable conformations of the filaments.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Goldobin2007,
  author    = {Goldobin, Denis S.},
  title     = {Coherence and synchronization of noisy-driven oscillators},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-15047},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {In the present dissertation paper we study problems related to synchronization phenomena in the presence of noise which unavoidably appears in real systems. One part of the work is aimed at investigation of utilizing delayed feedback to control properties of diverse chaotic dynamic and stochastic systems, with emphasis on the ones determining predisposition to synchronization. Other part deals with a constructive role of noise, i.e. its ability to synchronize identical self-sustained oscillators. First, we demonstrate that the coherence of a noisy or chaotic self-sustained oscillator can be efficiently controlled by the delayed feedback. We develop the analytical theory of this effect, considering noisy systems in the Gaussian approximation. Possible applications of the effect for the synchronization control are also discussed. Second, we consider synchrony of limit cycle systems (in other words, self-sustained oscillators) driven by identical noise. For weak noise and smooth systems we proof the purely synchronizing effect of noise. For slightly different oscillators and/or slightly nonidentical driving, synchrony becomes imperfect, and this subject is also studied. Then, with numerics we show moderate noise to be able to lead to desynchronization of some systems under certain circumstances. For neurons the last effect means "antireliability" (the "reliability" property of neurons is treated to be important from the viewpoint of information transmission functions), and we extend our investigation to neural oscillators which are not always limit cycle ones. Third, we develop a weakly nonlinear theory of the Kuramoto transition (a transition to collective synchrony) in an ensemble of globally coupled oscillators in presence of additional time-delayed coupling terms. We show that a linear delayed feedback not only controls the transition point, but effectively changes the nonlinear terms near the transition. A purely nonlinear delayed coupling does not affect the transition point, but can reduce or enhance the amplitude of collective oscillations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Glushak2007,
  author    = {Glushak, Ksenia},
  title     = {Atmospheric circulation and the surface mass balance in a regional climate model of Antarctica},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17296},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Understanding the Earth's climate system and particularly climate variability presents one of the most difficult and urgent challenges in science. The Antarctic plays a crucial role in the global climate system, since it is the principal region of radiative energy deficit and atmospheric cooling. An assessment of regional climate model HIRHAM is presented. The simulations are generated with the HIRHAM model, which is modified for Antarctic applications. With a horizontal resolution of 55km, the model has been run for the period 1958-1998 creating long-term simulations from initial and boundary conditions provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA40 re-analysis. The model output is compared with observations from observation stations, upper air data, global atmospheric analyses and satellite data. In comparison with the observations, the evaluation shows that the simulations with the HIRHAM model capture both the large and regional scale circulation features with generally small bias in the modeled variables. On the annual time scale the largest errors in the model simulations are the overestimation total cloud cover and the colder near-surface temperature over the interior of the Antarctic plateau. The low-level temperature inversion as well as low-level wind jet is well captured by the model. The decadal scale processes were studied based on trend calculations. The long-term run was divided into two 20 years parts. The 2m temperature, 500 hPa temperature, MSLP, precipitation and net mass balance trends were calculated for both periods and over 1958 - 1998. During the last two decades the strong surface cooling was observed over the Eastern Antarctica, this result is in good agreement with the result of Chapman and Walsh (2005) who calculated the temperature trend based on the observational data. The MSLP trend reveals a big disparity between the first and second parts of the 40 year run. The overall trend shows the strengthening of the circumpolar vortex and continental anticyclone. The net mass balance as well as precipitation show a positive trend over the Antarctic Peninsula region, along Wilkes Land and in Dronning Maud Land. The Antarctic ice sheet grows over the Eastern part of Antarctica with small exceptions in Dronning Maud Land and Wilkes Land and sinks in the Antarctic Peninsula; this result is in good agreement with the satellite-measured altitude presented in Davis (2005) . To better understand the horizontal structure of MSLP, temperature and net mass balance trends the influence of the Southern Annual Mode (SAM) on the Antarctic climate was investigated. The main meteorological parameters during the positive and negative Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) phases were compared to each other. A positive/negative AAO index means strengthening/weakening of the circumpolar vortex, poleward/northward storm tracks and prevailing/weakening westerly winds. For detailed investigation of global teleconnection, two positive and one negative periods of AAO phase were chosen. The differences in MSLP and 2m temperature between positive and negative AAO years during the winter months partly explain the surface cooling during the last decades.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Giesecke2007,
  author    = {Giesecke, Andr{\´e}},
  title     = {Box-Simulationen von rotierender Magnetokonvektion im fl{\"u}ssigen Erdkern},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-13605},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Box-Simulationen von rotierender Magnetokonvektion im fl{\"u}ssigen Erdkern Numerische Simulationen der 3D-MHD Gleichungen sind mit Hilfe des Codes NIRVANA durchgef{\"u}hrt worden. Die Gleichungen f{\"u}r kompressible rotierende Magnetokonvektion wurden f{\"u}r erd{\"a}hnliche Bedingungen numerisch in einer kartesischen Box gel{\"o}st. Charakteristische Eigenschaften mittlerer Gr{\"o}ßen, wie der Turbulenz-Intensit{\"a}t oder der turbulente W{\"a}rmefluss, die durch die kombinierte Wirkung kleinskaliger Fluktuationen entstehen, wurden bestimmt. Die Korrelationsl{\"a}nge der Turbulenz h{\"a}ngt signifikant von der St{\"a}rke und der Orientierung des Magnetfeldes ab, und das anisotrope Verhalten der Turbulenz aufgrund von Coriolis- und Lorentzkraft ist f{\"u}r schnellere Rotation wesentlich st{\"a}rker ausgepr{\"a}gt. Die Ausbildung eines isotropen Verhaltens auf kleinen Skalen unter dem Einfluss von Rotation alleine wird bereits durch ein schwaches Magnetfeld verhindert. Dies resultiert in einer turbulenten Str{\"o}mung, die durch die vertikale Komponente dominiert wird. In Gegenwart eines horizontalen Magnetfeldes nimmt der vertikale turbulente W{\"a}rmefluss leicht mit zunehmender Feldst{\"a}rke zu, so dass die K{\"u}hlung eines rotierenden Systems verbessert wird. Der horizontale W{\"a}rmetransport ist stets westw{\"a}rts und in Richtung der Pole orientiert. Letzteres kann unter Umst{\"a}nden die Quelle f{\"u}r eine großskalige meridionale Str{\"o}mung darstellen, w{\"a}hrend erstes in globalen Simulationen mit nicht axialsymmetrischen Randbedingungen f{\"u}r den W{\"a}rmefluss von Bedeutung ist. Die mittlere elektromotorische Kraft, die die Erzeugung von magnetischem Fluss durch die Turbulenz beschreibt, wurde unmittelbar aus den L{\"o}sungen f{\"u}r Geschwindigkeit und Magnetfeld berechnet. Hieraus konnten die entsprechenden α-Koeffizienten hergeleitet werden. Aufgrund der sehr schwachen Dichtestratifizierung {\"a}ndert der α-Effekt sein Vorzeichen nahezu exakt in der Mitte der Box. Der α-Effekt ist positiv in der oberen H{\"a}lfte und negativ in der unteren H{\"a}lfte einer auf der Nordhalbkugel rotierenden Box. F{\"u}r ein starkes Magnetfeld ergibt sich zudem eine deutliche abw{\"a}rts orientierte Advektion von magnetischem Fluss. Ein Mean-Field Modell des Geodynamos wurde konstruiert, das auf dem α-Effekt basiert, wie er aus den Box-Simulationen berechnet wurde. F{\"u}r eine {\"a}ußerst beschr{\"a}nkte Klasse von radialen α-Profilen weist das lineare α^2-Modell Oszillationen auf einer Zeitskala auf, die durch die turbulente Diffusionszeit bestimmt wird. Die wesentlichen Eigenschaften der periodischen L{\"o}sungen werden pr{\"a}sentiert, und der Einfluss der Gr{\"o}ße des inneren Kerns auf die Charakteristiken des kritischen Bereichs, innerhalb dessen oszillierende L{\"o}sungen auftreten, wurden untersucht. Reversals werden als eine halbe Oszillation interpretiert. Sie sind ein recht seltenes Ereignis, da sie lediglich dann stattfinden k{\"o}nnen, wenn das α-Profil ausreichend lange in dem periodische L{\"o}sungen erlaubenden Bereich liegt. Aufgrund starker Fluktuationen auf der konvektiven Zeitskala ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines solchen Reversals relativ klein. In einem einfachen nicht-linearen Mean-Field Modell mit realistischen Eingabeparametern, die auf den Box-Simulationen beruhen, konnte die Plausibilit{\"a}t des Reversal-Modells anhand von Langzeitsimulationen belegt werden.},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{GholamiGhadikolaei2007,
  author    = {Gholami Ghadikolaei, Iraj},
  title     = {Data analysis of continuous gravitational waves},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-18800},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {This thesis describes two main projects; the first one is the optimization of a hierarchical search strategy to search for unknown pulsars. This project is divided into two parts; the first part (and the main part) is the semi-coherent hierarchical optimization strategy. The second part is a coherent hierarchical optimization strategy which can be used in a project like Einstein@Home. In both strategies we have found that the 3-stages search is the optimum strategy to search for unknown pulsars. For the second project we have developed a computer software for a coherent Multi-IFO (Interferometer Observatory) search. To validate our software, we have worked on simulated data as well as hardware injected signals of pulsars in the fourth LIGO science run (S4). While with the current sensitivity of our detectors we do not expect to detect any true Gravitational Wave signals in our data, we can still set upper limits on the strength of the gravitational waves signals. These upper limits, in fact, tell us how weak a signal strength we would detect. We have also used our software to set upper limits on the signal strength of known isolated pulsars using LIGO fifth science run (S5) data.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Dronov2007,
  author    = {Dronov, Roman},
  title     = {Multi-component protein films by layer-by-layer : assembly and electron transfer},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17281},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {Electron transfer phenomena in proteins represent one of the most common types of biochemical reactions. They play a central role in energy conversion pathways in living cells, and are crucial components in respiration and photosynthesis. These complex biochemical reaction cascades consist of a series of proteins and protein complexes that couple a charge transfer to different forms of chemical energy. The efficiency and sophisticated optimisation of signal transfer in these natural redox chains has inspired engineering of artificial architectures mimicking essential properties of their natural analogues. Implementation of direct electron transfer (DET) in protein assemblies was a breakthrough in bioelectronics, providing a simple and efficient way for coupling biological recognition events to a signal transducer. DET avoids the use of redox mediators, reducing potential interferences and side reactions, as well as being more compatible with in vivo conditions. However, only a few haem proteins, including the redox protein cytochrome c (cyt.c), and blue copper enzymes show efficient DET on different kinds of electrodes. Previous investigations with cyt.c have mainly focused on heterogeneous electron transfer of monolayers of this protein on gold. An important advance was the fabrication of cyt.c multilayers by electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly. The ease of fabrication, the stability, and the controllable permeability of polyelectrolyte multilayers have made them particularly attractive for electroanalytical applications. With cyt.c and sulfonated polyaniline it was for the first time possible that fully electro-active multilayers of the redox protein could be prepared. This approach was extended to design an analytical signal chain based on multilayers of cyt.c and xanthine oxidase (XOD). The system does not need an external mediator but relies on an in situ generation of a mediating radical and thus allows a signal transfer from hypoxanthine via the substrate converting enzyme and cyt.c to the electrode. Another kind of a signal chain is based on assembling proteins in complexes on electrodes in such a way that a direct protein-protein electron transfer becomes feasible. This design does not need a redox mediator in analogy to natural protein communication. For this purpose, cyt.c and the enzyme bilirubin oxidase (BOD, EC 1.3.3.5) are co-immobilized in a self-assembled polyelectrolyte multilayer on gold electrodes. Although these two proteins are not natural reaction partners, the protein architecture facilitates an electron transfer from the electrode via multiple protein layers to molecular oxygen resulting in a significant catalytic reduction current. Finally, we describe a novel strategy for multi-protein layer-by-layer self-assembly combining cyt.c with an enzyme sulfite oxidase (SOx) without use of any additional polymer. Electrostatic interactions between these two proteins with rather separated pI values during the assembly process from a low ionic strength buffer were found sufficient for the layer-by-layer deposition of the both biomolecules. It is anticipated that the concepts described in this work will stimulate further progress in multilayer design of even more complex biomimetic signal cascades taking advantage of direct communication between proteins.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Brand2007,
  author    = {Brand, Sascha},
  title     = {Klimavariabilit{\"a}t der Tropo- und Stratosph{\"a}re in einem globalen gekoppelten Atmosph{\"a}re-Ozean-Modell mit vereinfachter stratosph{\"a}rischer Chemie},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-16602},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {In dieser Arbeit wurde die Variabilit{\"a}t der Atmosph{\"a}re in einem neuen gekoppelten Klimamodell (ECHO-GiSP) untersucht, welches eine vereinfachte Stratosph{\"a}renchemie (bis 80 km H{\"o}he) enth{\"a}lt. Es wurden 2 Simulationen {\"u}ber 150 Jahre durchgef{\"u}hrt. In einer der Simulationen wurde die atmosph{\"a}rische Chemie modelliert, hatte aber keinen Einfluß auf die Dynamik des Klimamodelles. In der zweiten Simulation wurde hingegen die Wirkung der Chemie auf die Klimadynamik explizit ber{\"u}cksichtigt, die {\"u}ber die Strahlungsbilanz des Modelles erfolgt. Dies ist die erste Langzeitsimulation mit einem voll gekoppelten globalen Klimamodell mit interaktiver Chemie. Die Simulation mit r{\"u}ckgekoppelter Chemie zeigt eine Abschw{\"a}chung des atmosph{\"a}rischen Variabilit{\"a}tsmusters der Arktischen Oszillation (AO). Zudem kommt es in der Troposph{\"a}re zu einer Reduzierung der mittleren Windgeschwindigkeiten der gem{\"a}ßigten Breiten aufgrund verringerter Temperaturgegens{\"a}tze zwischen den Tropen und den Polargebieten. Auch in der Stratosph{\"a}re ergibt sich eine Abschw{\"a}chung und Erw{\"a}rmung des Polarwirbels. Diese Auswirkungen der Kopplung zwischen der atmosph{\"a}rischen Chemie und der Dynamik des Klimamodelles sind eine wichtige Erkenntnis, da in fr{\"u}heren Klimasimulationen die Variabilit{\"a}t der AO oft zu stark ausgepr{\"a}gt war. In der Stratosph{\"a}re reduziert sich infolge des abgeschw{\"a}chten Polarwirbels auch die großr{\"a}umige Zirkulation zwischen den beiden Hemisph{\"a}ren der Erde. In der Troposph{\"a}re werden hingegen die allgemeine Zirkulation, und damit auch die subtropischen Strahlstr{\"o}me des Windes verst{\"a}rkt. Zudem kommt es in den Tropen zu Temperatur{\"a}nderungen durch stratosph{\"a}rische Ozonschwankungen in Abh{\"a}ngigkeit von der AO. Allgemein ver{\"a}ndert sich die Kopplung zwischen Troposph{\"a}re und Stratosph{\"a}re, einschließlich des durch die Anregung von langen atmosph{\"a}rischen Wellen erfolgenden vertikalen Energie{\"u}bertrages aus der Troposph{\"a}re in die Stratosph{\"a}re.},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Bounama2007,
  author    = {Bounama, Christine},
  title     = {Thermische Evolution und Habitabilit{\"a}t erd{\"a}hnlicher Exoplaneten},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-16486},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2007},
  abstract  = {In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden Methoden der Erdsystemanalyse auf die Untersuchung der Habitabilit{\"a}t terrestrischer Exoplaneten angewandt. Mit Hilfe eines parametrisierten Konvektionsmodells f{\"u}r die Erde wird die thermische Evolution von terrestrischen Planeten berechnet. Bei zunehmender Leuchtkraft des Zentralsterns wird {\"u}ber den globalen Karbonat-Silikat-Kreislauf das planetare Klima stabilisiert. F{\"u}r eine photosynthetisch-aktive Biosph{\"a}re, die in einem bestimmten Temperaturbereich bei hinreichender CO2-Konzentration existieren kann, wird eine {\"U}berlebenspanne abgesch{\"a}tzt. Der Abstandsbereich um einen Stern, in dem eine solche Biosph{\"a}re produktiv ist, wird als photosynthetisch-aktive habitable Zone (pHZ) definiert und berechnet. Der Zeitpunkt, zu dem die pHZ in einem extrasolaren Planetensystem endg{\"u}ltig verschwindet, ist die maximale Lebenspanne der Biosph{\"a}re. F{\"u}r Supererden, massereiche terrestrische Planeten, ist sie umso l{\"a}nger, je massereicher der Planet ist und umso k{\"u}rzer, je mehr er mit Kontinenten bedeckt ist. F{\"u}r Supererden, die keine ausgepr{\"a}gten Wasser- oder Landwelten sind, skaliert die maximale Lebenspanne mit der Planetenmasse mit einem Exponenten von 0,14. Um K- und M-Sterne ist die {\"U}berlebensspanne einer Biosph{\"a}re auf einem Planeten immer durch die maximale Lebensspanne bestimmt und nicht durch das Ende der Hauptreihenentwicklung des Zentralsterns limitiert. Das pHZ-Konzept wird auf das extrasolare Planetensystem Gliese 581 angewandt. Danach k{\"o}nnte die 8-Erdmassen-Supererde Gliese 581d habitabel sein. Basierend auf dem vorgestellten pHZ-Konzept wird erstmals die von Ward und Brownlee 1999 aufgestellte Rare-Earth-Hypothese f{\"u}r die Milchstraße quantifiziert. Diese Hypothese besagt, dass komplexes Leben im Universum vermutlich sehr selten ist, wohingegen primitives Leben weit verbreitet sein k{\"o}nnte. Unterschiedliche Temperatur- und CO2-Toleranzen sowie ein unterschiedlicher Einfluss auf die Verwitterung f{\"u}r komplexe und primitive Lebensformen f{\"u}hrt zu unterschiedlichen Grenzen der pHZ und zu einer unterschiedlichen Absch{\"a}tzung f{\"u}r die Anzahl der Planeten, die mit den entsprechenden Lebensformen besiedelt sein k{\"o}nnten. Dabei ergibt sich, dass komplex besiedelte Planeten heute etwa 100-mal seltener sein m{\"u}ssten als primitiv besiedelte.},
  language  = {de}
}