Improved Energy Detector for Wideband Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio Networks

In this paper, an improved energy detector for a wideband spectrum sensing is proposed. For a better detection of the spectrum holes the overall band is divided into equal non-overlapping sub-bands. The main objective is to determine the detection thresholds for each of these subbands jointly. By defining the problem as an optimization problem, we aim to find the maximum aggregated opportunistic throughput of cognitive radio networks. Introducing practical constraints to this optimization problem will change the problem into a convex and solvable one. The results of this paper show that the proposed improved energy detector will increase the aggregated throughput considerably

U-Pb geochronology of the El Jadida rhyolite and relation to possible Lower Cambrian recycling (Coastal block, Moroccan Meseta).

The El Jadida (Mazagan) dome, whose existence was reported as early as 1934 by Yovanovitch and Freys, constitutes one of the first outcrops of the Moroccan Meseta where the Precambrian (PIII?)-Paleozoic (Lower Cambrian?) boundary was established (Gigout, 1951; Cornée et al., 1984). Since then, it is listed as one of the few locations where the basement of the Moroccan Variscan belt can be observed (Hoepffner et al.. 2005; Michard et al., 2010).Despite, the absence of geochronological and biostratigraphic precise data to constrain the time interval recorded here, there are stratigraphic similarities that allow a correlation with the Ediacaran-Cambrian geological record of Anti-Atlas belt (Cornée et al., 1984). In this study, we developed a petrographic, geochemical and U-Pb geochronological study using zircon extracted from: (i) the El Jadida rhyolite with the aim of characterizing the magma source and estimate the age of crystallization; (ii) a microbreccia sampled at the base of the El Jadida Dolomitic Formation for determining provenance

Sedimentary provenance of siliciclastic rocks from the Lalla Mouchaa Calcschists Formation (Coastal Block, Western Rehamna): Evidence of denudation of ca. 2 Ga basement in the Moroccan Meseta.

Paleoproterozoic basement rocks (ca. 2Ga) are scarce along the European and North African Paleozoic mountain chains (Fig.1a). In Morocco, ca. 2.2-2Ga granitic rocks (Gasquet et al., 2008; Kouyaté et al., 2013) have been exclusively reported in the Western Anti-Atlas at southwest of the Anti-Atlas Major Fault, (Choubert, 1963). In Eastern and Central Anti-Atlas and in the Moroccan Meseta, the existence of a Paleoproterozoic basement has only been recognized through indirect evidence (Gasquet et al., 2008; Michard et al., 2010). In the Anti- Atlas belt, ca. 2Ga detrital zircon grains are found in the Ediacaran siliciclastic rocks of the Bou Salda, Saghro and Taghdout groups (Abati et al., 2010). In the Moroccan Meseta, Paleoproterozoic (ca. 2Ga) zircon grains were extracted from gneiss and granitic xenoliths found in Triassic lamprophyre dykes, and from Carboniferous granophyric microgranite intrusions of central Jebilet (Dostal et al., 2005, Essaifi et al., 2003). Recently, a porphyritic rhyolite from the Rehamna Massif was dated at ca. 2.05Ga (Pereira et al., 2015), demonstrating for the first time, the exposure of the Eburnian basement in the Western Meseta. These Eburnian arc-related magmatic rocks, which are exposed to the south of the Permian Sebt Brikiyine granite in the core of anticlines from the Lalla Mouchaa Anticlinorium, are allegedly unconformably overlained by transgressive siliciclastic and carbonate beds (Corsini, 1988; Pereira et al., 2015). At north of the Sebt Brikiyine granite the probable Lower Cambrian sequence (Lalla Mouchaa Calcschists Formation; Guezou & Michard, 1976; Corsini, 1988) comprises a basal unit of microbreccias, arkosic sandstones and siltstones (lower member) that pass towards the top to centimeter-thick beds of calcschists interbedded with limestones and dolomites (upper member) that are conformably overlain by the “Paradoxides Shale Formation” composed of siltstone, greywacke and sandstone with Middle Cambrian fauna. In order to study the potential sources of the Lalla Mouchaa Calcschists Formation (probable Lower Cambrian), we have sampled a microbreccia at the Koudiat El Hamra region, for U-Pb geochronology on detrital zircon. This foliated microbreccia is composed of elongated Kfeldspar and quartz phenocrysts surrounded by a fine-grained matrix. Detrital zircon grains gave 206Pb/238Ub ages that in the Probability density plot curve are distributed by two main age peaks at ca. 2.05Ga and ca. 2.03Ga (Fig.1b), yielding a 206Pb/238U age-weighted mean of ca. 2.04Ga (El Houicha et al., 2018). The obtained U-Pb results point to a provenance from a Paleoproterozoic source, suggesting a possible contribution from rocks of the same age of the 2Ga porphyritic rhyolite exposed at south of the Sebt Brikiyine granite. Thus, there is a possibility that the Paleoproterozoic basement extends bellow the Paleozoic and Neoproterozoic sequences of the Rehamna massif

Elucidating lithium-ion and proton dynamics in anti-perovskite solid electrolytes

All-solid-state Li-ion batteries are currently attracting considerable research attention as they present a viable opportunity for increased energy density and safety when compared to conventional liquid electrolyte-based devices. The Li-rich anti-perovskite Li3−xOHxCl has generated recent interest as a potential solid electrolyte material, but its lithium and proton transport capabilities as a function of composition are not fully characterised. In this work, we apply a combination of ab initio molecular dynamics and 1H, 2H and 7Li solid-state NMR spectroscopy to study the mobility of lithium ions and protons in Li3−xOHxCl. Our calculations predict a strongly exothermic hydration enthalpy for Li3OCl, which explains the ease with which this material absorbs moisture and the difficulty in synthesising moisture-free samples. We show that the activation energy for Li-ion conduction increases with increasing proton content. The atomistic simulations indicate fast Li-ion diffusion but rule out the contribution of long-range proton diffusion. These findings are supported by variable-temperature solid-state NMR experiments, which indicate localised proton motion and long-range Li-ion mobility that are intimately connected. Our findings confirm that Li3−xOHxCl is a promising solid electrolyte material for all-solid-state Li-ion batteries

High coupling efficiency to a low dispersion slow light-supporting photonic crystal waveguide

In this paper, we design a waveguide on photonic crystal slab for propagation of low-dispersion slow light. By shifting the air holes adjacent to the waveguide, we obtain a photonic crystal waveguide with a group index of 25 in 25 nm bandwidth which results in a group index bandwidth product of 0.366. To take the advantages of low dispersion slow light generated in this engineered waveguide, we next focus on low coupling efficiency limitation. A low group index coupler is proposed to increase the transmission of the light to the slow mode in the low dispersion bandwidth. By using the proposed coupler and adjusting the structural parameters, the coupling efficiency to low dispersion slow light is improved 11 dB compared to the transmission without the coupler

On the Importance of Strengthening Moderate Beliefs in Climate Science to Foster Support for Immediate Action

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from "http://www.mdpi.com".Whereas many studies focus on climate skeptics to explain the lack of support for immediate action on climate change, this research examines the effect of moderate believers in climate science. Using data from a representative survey of 832 Indiana residents, we find that agreement with basic scientific conclusions about climate change is the strongest predictor of support for immediate action, and the strength of that agreement is an important characteristic of this association. Responses indicate widespread acceptance of climate change, moderate levels of risk perception, and limited support for immediate action. Half of the respondents (50%) preferred “more research” over “immediate action” (38%) and “no action” (12%) as a response to climate change. The probability of preferring immediate action is close to zero for those who strongly or somewhat disbelieve in climate change, but as belief in climate change grows from moderate to strong, the probability of preferring immediate action increases substantially; the strongest believers have a predicted probability of preferring immediate action of 71%. These findings suggest that, instead of simply engaging skeptics, increasing public support for immediate action might entail motivating those with moderate beliefs in climate change to hold their views with greater conviction