Gutenberg Open Science

The Open Science Repository of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

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Recent Submissions

ZeitschriftenaufsatzAccess status: Open Access ,
Utilizing information communication technologies (ICTs) during the process of disaffiliating from the ultra-Orthodox community
(2025) David, Yossi; Shomron, Baruch
The ultra-Orthodox community is characterized by high levels of commitment to community and religion and insulation from the outside world. Leaving such a community resembles the process of migration, in which the individual encounters new cultures, norms, and behaviors. This presents challenges with integration and disaffiliated community members do indeed often lack the tools, skills, and knowledge to successfully integrate into their new societies. Through qualitative in-depth interviews, we examine the role of information communication technologies (ICTs) and media in the processes of disaffiliation from ultra-Orthodox communities. Findings reveal the enablers and constraints these individuals experience in their journey and shed light on the importance of media and ICTs in individuals’ attempts to build new lives outside the ultra-Orthodox community. This study contributes to a better understanding of the role of media and ICTs in the lives of people undergoing major life changes, such as disaffiliation from the ultra-Orthodox community.
ZeitschriftenaufsatzAccess status: Open Access ,
Numerical modelling of diffusion-limited mineral growth for geospeedometry applications
(2025) Stroh, Annalena; Aellig, Pascal S.; Moulas, Evangelos
Diffusion and crystal growth are common processes in nature and can be observed in rocks that have experienced relatively high temperatures. Information about these processes is stored in the composition gradients of minerals. Diffusion can either occur within single crystals or across mineral interfaces. In the case of intercrystalline ion exchange, composition profiles across the interfaces are always discontinuous and may exhibit sharp compositional gradients. The compositional discontinuity and the associated gradients require an accurate treatment for the interface boundary condition. Here, we present a software package (MovingBoundaryMinerals.jl) that is openly available. In this package, we use an adaptive finite element method to describe the diffusion-couple equilibrium by taking into account the moving boundary separating the two phases. In addition, we utilize an adaptive grid approach to resolve the compositional gradients accurately at the interface region. This approach allows modelling a wide range of applications from mineral diffusion, simple ion exchange between diffusion couples, and diffusion-limited growth. The package has been tested versus variable available analytical solutions for diffusion and growth, and several benchmark cases are presented. Finally, our package can be used to model compositional gradients in growing/dissolving/diffusing crystals in the framework of diffusion chronometry and geospeedometry. This approach can provide thermal/time constraints in various geologic phenomena.
ZeitschriftenaufsatzAccess status: Open Access ,
The geomorphological and sedimentological legacy of the historical Lake Lorsch within the Weschnitz floodplain (northeastern Upper Rhine Graben, Germany)
(2026) Henselowsky, Felix; Fischer, Peter; Appel, Elena; Jäger, Barbara; Hillmus, Nicolai; Sandbrink, Helen; Becker, Thomas; Prien, Roland; Schenk, Gerrit Jasper; Mächtle, Bertil; Recker, Udo; Bubenzer, Olaf; Vött, Andreas
The artificial historical Lake Lorsch (1474/1479 to 1718/1720 CE) in the northeastern Upper Rhine Graben (Germany) is known from various historical sources (e.g., for fish farming) as a significant anthropogenic imprint of the Weschnitz floodplain. Nevertheless, there have been no geomorphological and sedimentological investigations into the (quasi-)natural context for the creation of the lake, its importance as a potential sediment archive and the subsequent use of the lake area until modern times. No relics of the lake can be observed in today's landscape. We investigated the geomorphological setting of the area using a high-resolution digital elevation model, groundwater-level data, and geophysical prospection, as well as sedimentological information from four sediment cores. Results indicate that the location of the lake is topographically deeper in relation to its receiving waters of the old Weschnitz and that Lake Lorsch was fed by groundwater. Sedimentary analysis (core LOR 21A, unit 2; LOSE 4 and LOSE 5, unit 3) exhibits lake deposit, with characteristics indicative of a limnic environment and a high groundwater table. At the same time, adjacent stratigraphy shows channel deposits (core LOR 20A, unit 3), reflecting an anthropogenically controlled inflow via a channel (Renngraben). Our results, based on a relative elevation model, fit well with the historical records: that the inflow for the anthropogenic channel was via the old Weschnitz (topographically higher than the lake area) and that the artificial Landgraben canal (topographically lower than the lake area) was crossed by a water bridge. It is a good example of how humans have acted as fluvial- and water-related agents for at least 500 years in the Weschnitz floodplain.