Shear-free models for relativistic fluids with heat flow and pressure isotropy.

M. Sc. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2014.We model the interior dynamics of a relativistic radiating fuid in a nonstatic spher- ically symmetric spacetime. The matter distribution takes the form of an imperfect fuid with a nonvanishing radially directed heat flux. The fluid pressure is isotropic and the spherically symmetric spacetime manifold is described by a shear-free line el- ement. In our investigation, the isotropy of pressure is a consistency condition which realises a second order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with variable coefficients in the gravitational potentials. We examine this governing equation by imposing vari- ous forms for these potentials and review classes of physically acceptable models that are applicable in relativistic astrophysics. Several new classes of new exact solutions to the condition of pressure isotropy are also found. A comparison of our solutions with earlier well known results is undertaken. A physical analysis of two of the new models is performed where the spatial and temporal evolution of the matter and grav- itational variables are probed. We demonstrate that the fluid pressure, energy density and heat flux are regular and well behaved for both models throughout the interior, and our results indicate that one of the models is consistent with the well established core-envelope framework for compact stellar scenarios. We also analyse the energy conditions for the radiating fluid and demonstrate consistent behaviour, with only the dominant condition being violated. Finally, an analysis of the relativistic thermody- namics of two solutions is undertaken in the Israel-Stewart theory and the temperature profiles for both the noncausal and causal cases are presented

Effect of Anthropogenic Landscape Features on Population Genetic Differentiation of Przewalski's Gazelle: Main Role of Human Settlement

Anthropogenic landscapes influence evolutionary processes such as population genetic differentiation, however, not every type of landscape features exert the same effect on a species, hence it is necessary to estimate their relative effect for species management and conservation. Przewalski's gazelle (Procapra przewalskii), which inhabits a human-altered area on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is one of the most endangered antelope species in the world. Here, we report a landscape genetic study on Przewalski's gazelle. We used skin and fecal samples of 169 wild gazelles collected from nine populations and thirteen microsatellite markers to assess the genetic effect of anthropogenic landscape features on this species. For comparison, the genetic effect of geographical distance and topography were also evaluated. We found significant genetic differentiation, six genetic groups and restricted dispersal pattern in Przewalski's gazelle. Topography, human settlement and road appear to be responsible for observed genetic differentiation as they were significantly correlated with both genetic distance measures [FST/(1−FST) and F′ST/(1−F′ST)] in Mantel tests. IBD (isolation by distance) was also inferred as a significant factor in Mantel tests when genetic distance was measured as FST/(1−FST). However, using partial Mantel tests, AICc calculations, causal modeling and AMOVA analysis, we found that human settlement was the main factor shaping current genetic differentiation among those tested. Altogether, our results reveal the relative influence of geographical distance, topography and three anthropogenic landscape-type on population genetic differentiation of Przewalski's gazelle and provide useful information for conservation measures on this endangered species

Analytical Models for Gravitating Radiating Systems

We analyse the gravitational behaviour of a relativistic heat conducting fluid in a shear-free spherically symmetric spacetime. We show that the isotropy of pressure is a consistency condition which realises a second order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with variable coefficients in the gravitational potentials. Several new classes of solutions are found to the governing equation by imposing various forms on one of the potentials. Interestingly, a complex transformation leads to an exact solution with only real metric functions. All solutions are written in terms of elementary functions. We demonstrate graphically that the fluid pressure, energy density, and heat flux are well behaved for the model, and the model is consistent with a core-envelope framework

Tree line shifts in the Swiss Alps: Climate change or land abandonment?

Questions: Did the forest area in the Swiss Alps increase between 1985 and 1997? Does the forest expansion near the tree line represent an invasion into abandoned grasslands (ingrowth) or a true upward shift of the local tree line? What land cover / land use classes did primarily regenerate to forest, and what forest structural types did primarily regenerate? And, what are possible drivers of forest regeneration in the tree line ecotone, climate and/or land use change? Location: Swiss Alps. Methods: Forest expansion was quantified using data from the repeated Swiss land use statistics GEOSTAT. A moving window algorithm was developed to distinguish between forest ingrowth and upward shift. To test a possible climate change influence, the resulting upward shifts were compared to a potential regional tree line. Results: A significant increase of forest cover was found between 1650 to and 2450 m. Above 1650 m, 10% of the new forest areas were identified as true upward shifts whereas 90% represented ingrowth, and we identified both land use and climate change as likely drivers. Most upward shift activities were found to occur within a band of 300 m below the potential regional tree line, indicating land use as the most likely driver. Only 4% of the upward shifts were identified to rise above the potential regional tree line, thus indicating climate change. Conclusions: Land abandonment was the most dominant driver for the establishment of new forest areas, even at the tree line ecotone. However, a small fraction of upwards shift can be attributed to the recent climate warming, a fraction that is likely to increase further if climate continues to warm, and with a longer time-span between warming and measurement of forest cover