Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Condicionamento de um subsolo exposto no cerrado por meio de resíduos e da revegetação

To restore in an exposed subsoil, even partially, the dynamics of their attributes in the surface layer and, thus, presents conditions to receive and support the Cerrado vegetation, the use of specific techniques is required. To accelerate this step, an alternative could be the introduction of waste, such as aquatic weeds removed from water reservoirs of hydro power plants, as an organic waste, and ash sugarcane bagasse produced in sugarcane mills, as an agroindustrial waste. Thus, the objective was the conditioning of exposed subsoil in the Cerrado, through organic and inorganic waste addition and revegetation. The focus area has an extension of 10.66 km 2, in continuous area, located on the right bank of the Paraná River and degraded in the 60s during construction of the Ilha Solteira hydroelectric power. It conducted the initial characterization of the area and other evaluations were done after 12 and 24 months of implementation of the experiment. The area was fenced (heavy grade), to break the surface crusting, and scarified, at the average depth of 0.37 m. The area was again barred to break up the clods produced during the subsoil and the incorporation of waste (aquatic weeds and sugarcane ash) happened after them being spread on the subsoil surface. After six months, seedlings of ten Cerrado tree species were introduced randomly, in planting spacing of 4.0 x 5.0 m, totaling 1,080 seedlings. The experimental was a randomized block in a 3 x 4 factorial design, consisting of 3 doses of macrophytes (0, 16 and 32 t ha -1 ) and 4 ash levels (0, 15, 30 and 45 t ha -1 ), a total of 12 treatments, with 03 repetitions, established in plots 20 x 30 m (600 m 2 ), separated by 5 m wide ranges. After 24 months of experiment installation were evaluated: density, macro and microporosity, fertility, height and diameter of the plants, released CO 2 -carbon (CO 2 -C) and number of spores of arbuscular ...Para que um subsolo exposto tenha restabelecido, mesmo que parcialmente, a dinâmica de seus atributos na camada superficial e, com isto, apresente condições para receber e dar suporte à vegetação de cerrado é necessário a utilização de técnicas específicas. Para acelerem esta etapa uma alternativa seria a introdução de resíduos, como as macrófitas aquáticas removidas das águas de represas de usinas hidrelétricas, como resíduo orgânico e cinza de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar produzida em usinas sucroalcooleiras, como resíduo agroindustrial. Desta forma, o objetivo do trabalho foi o condicionamento de um subsolo exposto no Cerrado por meio de resíduos e da revegetação. A área foco tem extensão de 10,66 km 2, em área contínua, localizada à margem direita do Rio Paraná e degradada na década de 60 durante construção da Usina Hidrelétrica de Ilha Solteira-SP. Realizou-se a caracterização inicial da área e as demais avaliações foram feitas após 12 e 24 meses da implantação do experimento. A área foi gradeada (grade pesada), para rompimento do encrostamento superficial e escarificada, à profundidade média de 0,37 m. A área foi novamente gradeada para desmanchar os torrões produzidos durante a subsolagem e para a incorporação dos resíduos (macrófitas aquáticas e cinza de cana-de-açúcar) distribuídos a lanço. Após seis meses, mudas de dez espécies arbóreas de Cerrado foram introduzidas aleatoriamente, no espaçamento de plantio 4,0 x 5,0 m, totalizando 1.080 mudas. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 3 x 4, sendo os tratamentos composto de 3 doses de macrófitas (0, 16 e 32 t ha -1 ) e 4 doses de cinza (0, 15, 30 e 45 t ha -1 ), totalizando 12 tratamentos, com 03 repetições, estabelecidos em parcelas de 20 x 30 m (600 m 2 ), separadas por faixas de 5 m de largura. Após 24 meses da instalação do experimento..

ASPECTS OF THE SILVOPASTORAL SYSTEM CORRELATED WITH PROPERTIES OF A TYPIC QUARTZIPSAMMENT (ENTISOL) IN MATO GROSSO DO SUL, BRAZIL

In Brazil, grazing mismanagement may lead to soil and pasture degradation. To impede this process, integrated cropping systems such as silvopasture have been an effective alternative, allied with precision agriculture based on soil mapping for site-specific management. In this study, we aimed to define the soil property that best sheds light on the variability of eucalyptus and forage yield. The experiment was conducted in the 2011/12 crop year in Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. We analyzed linear and spatial correlations between eucalyptus traits and physical properties of a Typic Quartzipsamment at two depths (0.00-0.10 and 0.10-0.20 m). For that purpose, we set up a geostatistical grid for collection at 72 points. Gravimetric moisture in the 0.00-0.10 m layer is an important index of soil physical quality, showing correlation to eucalyptus circumference at breast height (CBH) in a Typic Quartzipsamment. With an increase in resistance to penetration in the soil surface layer, there is an increase in eucalyptus height and in neutral detergent fiber content in the forage crop. From a spatial point of view, the height of eucalyptus and the neutral detergent fiber of forage can be estimated by co-kriging analysis with soil resistance to penetration. Resistance to penetration values above 2.3 MPa indicated higher yielding sites

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data