To clarify the inconsistencies in existing elastic constant data of ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_3$ in the vicinity of the 105 K phase transition we have studied the temperature dependence of the Young’s modulus of ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_3$ crystals. Dynamic mechanical analysis at 10–140 K and 10–45 Hz has been used for the experiments. We found two remarkable features: a giant elastic softening (superelasticity) below the cubic $\to$ tetragonal phase transition, and elastic anomalies in the quantum paraelectric region between about 25 K and 45 K. The giant elastic softening is caused by domain-wall motion: it can be suppressed with uniaxial compression and does not occur in the [111] direction. Elastic anomalies observed in the quantum paraelectric region display nonlinear elastic behavior. We relate these nonlinear elastic anomalies with the appearance of polarization clusters. Our data can be consistently described assuming a freezing of the dynamical polar clusters below 25 K.

This paper outlines the grand challenges in global sustainability research and the objectives of the FP7 Future Internet PPP program within the Digital Agenda for Europe. Large user communities are generating significant amounts of valuable environmental observations at local and regional scales using the devices and services of the Future Internet. These communities’ environmental observations represent a wealth of information which is currently hardly used or used only in isolation and therefore in need of integration with other information sources. Indeed, this very integration will lead to a paradigm shift from a mere Sensor Web to an Observation Web with semantically enriched content emanating from sensors, environmental simulations and citizens. The paper also describes the research challenges to realize the Observation Web and the associated environmental enablers for the Future Internet. Such an environmental enabler could for instance be an electronic sensing device, a web-service application, or even a social networking group affording or facilitating the capability of the Future Internet applications to consume, produce, and use environmental observations in cross-domain applications. The term “envirofied” Future Internet is coined to describe this overall target that forms a cornerstone of work in the Environmental Usage Area within the Future Internet PPP program. Relevant trends described in the paper are the usage of ubiquitous sensors (anywhere), the provision and generation of information by citizens, and the convergence of real and virtual realities to convey understanding of environmental observations. The paper addresses the technical challenges in the Environmental Usage Area and the need for designing multi-style service oriented architecture. Key topics are the mapping of requirements to capabilities, providing scalability and robustness with implementing context aware information retrieval. Another essential research topic is handling data fusion and model based computation, and the related propagation of information uncertainty. Approaches to security, standardization and harmonization, all essential for sustainable solutions, are summarized from the perspective of the Environmental Usage Area. The paper concludes with an overview of emerging, high impact applications in the environmental areas concerning land ecosystems (biodiversity), air quality (atmospheric conditions) and water ecosystems (marine asset management).

We present the first low frequency (0.1-20 Hz) measurements of the complex elastic constant on KSCN single crystals. Our measurements show very slow sample-size dependent elastic relaxations, at temperatures ranging from $T_c-40\mathrm{}$ K up to the order-disorder phase transition temperature $T_c$. The data can be well explained with the assumption of temperature or equivalent entropy fluctuations. This phenomenon, although intimately related to the thermal-diffusion central peak phenomenon is, to our knowledge, for the first time seen in a macroscopic elastic susceptibility.

With the rise of social media platforms, crowdsourcing became a powerful tool for mobilizing the public. Events such as the earthquake in Haiti or the downfall of governments in Libya and Egypt indicate its potential in crisis situations. In the scope of this paper, we discuss the relevance of crowdsourcing in the area of crisis and disaster management (CDM). Starting with a general overview of the topic, we distinguish between different types of crowds and crowdsourcing and define what is meant by crowdtasking in the area of CDM. After considering technological, societal and ethical challenges for using crowdsourcing in crisis management, applications of crowdsourcing tools in ongoing projects are described and future developments outlined.