Accurate light-time correction due to a gravitating mass

This work arose as an aftermath of Cassini's 2002 experiment \cite{bblipt03}, in which the PPN parameter $\gamma$ was measured with an accuracy $\sigma_\gamma = 2.3\times 10^{-5}$ and found consistent with the prediction $\gamma =1$ of general relativity. The Orbit Determination Program (ODP) of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which was used in the data analysis, is based on an expression for the gravitational delay which differs from the standard formula; this difference is of second order in powers of $m$ -- the sun's gravitational radius -- but in Cassini's case it was much larger than the expected order of magnitude $m^2/b$, where $b$ is the ray's closest approach distance. Since the ODP does not account for any other second-order terms, it is necessary, also in view of future more accurate experiments, to systematically evaluate higher order corrections and to determine which terms are significant. Light propagation in a static spacetime is equivalent to a problem in ordinary geometrical optics; Fermat's action functional at its minimum is just the light-time between the two end points A and B. A new and powerful formulation is thus obtained. Asymptotic power series are necessary to provide a safe and automatic way of selecting which terms to keep at each order. Higher order approximations to the delay and the deflection are obtained. We also show that in a close superior conjunction, when $b$ is much smaller than the distances of A and B from the Sun, of order $R$, say, the second-order correction has an \emph{enhanced} part of order $m^2R/b^2$, which corresponds just to the second-order terms introduced in the ODP. Gravitational deflection of the image of a far away source, observed from a finite distance from the mass, is obtained to $O(m^2)$.Comment: 4 figure

Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background: Upper Limits in the 10–6 to 10–3 Hz Band

We have used precision Doppler tracking of the Cassini spacecraft during its 2001-2002 solar opposition to derive improved observational limits to an isotropic background of low-frequency gravitational waves. Using the Cassini multilink radio system and an advanced tropospheric calibration system, the effects of heretofore leading noises—plasma and tropospheric scintillation—were, respectively, removed and calibrated to levels lower than other noises. The resulting data were used to construct upper limits to the strength of an isotropic background in the 10-6 to 10-3 Hz band. Our results are summarized as limits on the strain spectrum Sh( f), the characteristic strain (hc = the square root of the product of the frequency and the one-sided spectrum of strain at that frequency), and the energy density (Ω = energy density in bandwidth equal to center frequency assuming a locally white energy density spectrum, divided by the critical density). Our best limits are Sh( f) < 6 × 10-27 Hz-1 at several frequencies in the millihertz band, hc < 2 × 10-15 at about 0.3 mHz, and Ω < 0.025 × h, where h75 is the Hubble constant in units of 75 km s-1 Mpc-1, at 1.2 × 10-6 Hz. These are the best observational limits in the low-frequency band, the bound on Ω, for example, being about 3 orders of magnitude better than previous constraints from Doppler tracking

Breve histórico da certificação de imóveis rurais no Brasil e apresentação do Sistema de Gestão Fundiária - SIGEF Brief history of certification of rural properties in Brazil and presentation of Landed Property Management System - SIGEF

Com as transformações que estão ocorrendo da estrutura fundiária no Brasil, o Instituto Nacional de Reforma Agrária (INCRA), por meio da Lei no 10.267/2001, que se refere ao georreferenciamento e imóveis rurais, buscam estabelecer uma nova metodologia pra se levantar os imóveis rurais, e também a integração de suas bases de dados com outros órgãos na esfera federal, a fim de se conhecer totalmente a realidade dos imóveis rurais do Brasil. Com isso o processo de georreferenciamento, passa por diversas transformações, as quais através de novas tecnologias de informação se tornam cada vez mais automática, passando de um processo com muitos trâmites burocráticos, para uma forma totalmente online. Assim, tem-se a necessidade de elaborar um Sistema de Gestão Fundiária (SIGEF), o qual será retratado nesse trabalho.AbstractWith the changes that are occurring in land ownership structure of our country, the National Institute of Agrarian Reform (INCRA), through Law 10.267/2001, which refers to the georeferencing of rural properties, attempted to establish a new methodology to surveying rural properties and also integrate their databases with other agencies at the federal sphere in order to completely understand the reality of rural properties in Brazil. With it the process of georeferencing, go through several transformations, which through new information technologies becoming increasingly automatic, from a process with many bureaucratic procedures, to a fully online form. So has the need to develop a Landed Property Management System (SIGEF), which will be portrayed on this paper

Domain wall dynamics and Barkhausen effect in metallic ferromagnetic materials. II. Experiments

Barkhausen effect (BE) phenomenology in iron‐based ferromagnetic alloys is investigated by a proper experimental method, in which BE experiments are restricted to the central part of the hysteresis loop, and the amplitude probability distribution, P0(Φ), and power spectrum, F(ω), of the B flux rate Φ are measured under controlled values of the magnetization rate and differential permeability μ. It is found that all of the experimental data are approximately consistent with the law P0(Φ)∝Φ−1 exp(−Φ/〈Φ〉), where all dependencies on and μ are described by the single dimensionless parameter >0. Also the parameters describing the shape of F(ω) are found to obey remarkably simple and general laws of dependence on and μ. The experimental results are interpreted by means of the Langevin theory of domain‐wall dynamics proposed in a companion paper. The theory is in good agreement with experiments, and permits one to reduce the basic aspects of BE phenomenology to the behavior of two parameters describing the stochastic fluctuations of the local coercive field experienced by a moving domain wall

Influence of competitive level and tactical position on parameters of aerobic performance in professional soccer athletes from Brazil

Este estudo objetivou verificar a influência do nível competitivo e da posição tática sobre parâmetros relacionados ao desempenho aeróbio de atletas profissionais de futebol. Foram analisadas 453 avaliações ergoespirométricas de atletas profissionais de futebol (42 goleiros, 92 zagueiros, 61 laterais, 174 meio-campistas e 84 atacantes) que atuavam em quatro níveis competitivos: Campeonato Nacional Série A; Série B; Série C; e Campeonato Estadual. Não foram encontradas diferenças nos valores médios de consumo máximo de oxigênio (VO2max) e segundo limiar ventilatório (LV2) entre os níveis competitivos (p &gt; 0,05). Os goleiros apresentaram VO2max e LV2 (56 e 50 mL/kg/min, respectivamente) significativamente inferiores aos zagueiros (59 e 52 mL/kg.min; p = 0,002 e p = 0,028), laterais (60 e 53 mL/kg.min; p ; 0.05). The goalkeepers showed VO2max and LV2 (56 and 50 mL/kg.min, respectively) significant lower than full backs (59 and 52 mL/kg.min; p = 0.002 e p = 0.028), sideways (60 and 53 mL/kg.min; p = 0.000 e p = 0.004), midfields (59 and 52 mL/kg.min; p = 0.002 e p = 0.031) and forwards (59 and 52 mL/kg.min; p = 0.047 e p = 0.036). Therefore, the findings suggest that: 1) the aerobic performance does not differ according the competitive level; and 2) the goalkeepers have aerobic performance inferior to out-field players, which do not show differences between them

Domain wall dynamics and Barkhausen effect in metallic ferromagnetic materials. I. Theory

The Barkhausen effect (BE) in metallic ferromagnetic systems is theoretically investigated by a Langevin description of the stochastic motion of a domain wall in a randomly perturbed medium. BE statistical properties are calculated from approximate analytical solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation associated with the Langevin model, and from computer simulations of domain‐wall motion. It is predicted that the amplitude probability distribution P0(Φ) of the B flux rate Φ should obey the equation P0(Φ)∝Φ−1 exp(−Φ/〈Φ〉), with >0. This result implies scaling properties in the intermittent behavior of BE at low magnetization rates, which are described in terms of a fractal structure of fractal dimension D<1. Analytical expressions for the B power spectrum are also derived. Finally, the extension of the theory to the case where many domain walls participate in the magnetization process is discussed

Gravitational waves from coalescing binaries and Doppler experiments

Doppler tracking of interplanetary spacecraft provides the only method presently available for broad-band searches of low frequency gravitational waves. The instruments have a peak sensitivity around the reciprocal of the round-trip light-time T of the radio link connecting the Earth to the space-probe and therefore are particularly suitable to search for coalescing binaries containing massive black holes in galactic nuclei. A number of Doppler experiments -- the most recent involving the probes ULYSSES, GALILEO and MARS OBSERVER -- have been carried out so far; moreover, in 2002-2004 the CASSINI spacecraft will perform three 40 days data acquisition runs with expected sensitivity about twenty times better than that achieved so far. Central aims of this paper are: (i) to explore, as a function of the relevant instrumental and astrophysical parameters, the Doppler output produced by in-spiral signals -- sinusoids of increasing frequency and amplitude (the so-called chirp); (ii) to identify the most important parameter regions where to concentrate intense and dedicated data analysis; (iii) to analyze the all-sky and all-frequency sensitivity of the CASSINI's experiments, with particular emphasis on possible astrophysical targets, such as our Galactic Centre and the Virgo Cluster.Comment: 52 pages, LaTeX, 19 Postscript Figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Avaliação de técnicas de geoprocessamento no modelo digital de terreno com dados temporais: um abalroamento abalizado na inclinação da superfície terrestreEvaluation of GIS techniques in digital terrain model with temporal data: an approach based

O presente estudo teve por objetivo comparar os mapas de declividade obtidos em 1997 no Sistema Geográfico de Informações (SGI), com os mapas de declividade gerados em 2014, no Sistema de Processamento de Informações Georreferenciadas (SPRING). Os dados de entrada provenientes das áreas testes, cartas topográficas e imagens Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) foram armazenados em bancos de dados do SPRING. As áreas testes foram construídas com isolinhas bem definidas quanto ao espaçamento horizontal entre as curvas de nível. Os métodos de interpolação analisados foram: Média Ponderada/Cota/Quadrante, Média Ponderada/Quadrante, Média Ponderada, Média Simples, Vizinho Mais Próximo, Linear, Quíntico com linha de quebra, com o que foram obtidas grades retangulares de resolução espacial 1 m x 1 m. Já para a obtenção da grade Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN), os interpoladores foram Delaunay, Menor Ângulo, Isolinhas. Desses, foi selecionada a grade TIN com o interpolador Delaunay que permitiu a geração da imagem de declividade com resolução espacial de 1 m. Essa imagem foi fatiada de acordo com as classes de declive gerando os mapas de declividade digitais. Em seguida, foram estabelecidos os procedimentos estatísticos, índices de Porcentagem de Acerto (PA) e índices de Porcentagem de Acerto Total (PAT) para avaliação das classes de declive e áreas de declividade, obtidas nos dois períodos. Os resultados foram, em média, 10% superiores, para as áreas de relevo classificado como plano e de mais de 100% superiores, para áreas de relevo forte ondulado e montanhoso. Os dados de entrada provenientes da carta topográfica e da imagem SRTM com resolução espacial de 90 m foram satisfatórios. No entanto, houve avanços significativos no modo de entrada de dados e os valores de cada classe de declive dos mapas de declividade, quando comparado nos dois períodos. Estes, quando se aproximam dos valores reais, fornecem dados e informações importantes que são imprescindíveis nos estudos de planejamento de áreas urbanas e rurais.Abstract The present study aimed to compare the maps of slope obtained in 1997 in the Geographic Information System (GIS, SGI/INPE), with the declivity maps generated in 2014 in the Georeferenced Information Processing System (SPRING). The input data from the testing areas, topographic maps and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) images were stored in SPRING databases. The test areas were built with well-defined isolines concerning the horizontal spacing between the contour lines. The Interpolation methods analyzed were: Weighted Mean/Elevation/Quadrant, Weighted Mean/Quadrant, Weighted Mean, Simple Mean, Nearest Neighbor, Linear and Quintic Surface with breaklines. All these methods were used to draw rectangular grids with 1mx1m spatial resolution. In order to obtain the Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) grid, the interpolations used were Delaunay, lower angle and isolines. Out of these methods, we selected the TIN grid with Delaunay interpolator which allowed the generation slope image with spatial resolution of1m. This image was sliced according to slope classes generating digital declivity maps. Next, we established statistical procedures, indexes of Percentage of Accuracy (PA) and indexes of Percentage of Total Accuracy (PAT)) for the evaluation of the classes of slope and declivity areas obtained in the two periods. We concluded that the results were on average10% higher for areas classified as plan relief and over 100% higher for areas of corrugated and mountainous relief. The input data from topographic maps and SRTM image with spatial resolution of 90m were satisfactory. We observed that there were significant advances in data entry mode and in the values of each class of declivity maps when compared in both periods. When they are close to the real values, they can provide important data and information that are essential for the planning of land use in both, urban and rural areas

FEBRE HEMORRÁGICA PELO VÍRUS DA DENGUE: ANÁLISE EPIDEMIOLÓGICA DA MORBIDADE HOSPITALAR NA MACRORREGIÃO OESTE DO ESTADO DO PARANÁ, NO PERÍODO DE 2014 A 2024

Dengue is one of the most common contagious diseases in Brazil, caused by different types of viruses and transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Its clinical manifestation varies widely, from asymptomatic cases to severe situations such as hemorrhagic fever, which can result in death. The objective of this study is to carry out an epidemiological analysis of cases of hemorrhagic fever caused by the dengue virus in the Western Macroregion of the state of Paraná, covering the period from 2014 to 2024. This is an ecological, descriptive, quantitative and retrospective study, in the in which the SUS Hospital Morbidity data of patients reported with hemorrhagic fever were analyzed from January 2014 to April 2024, in the Western Macroregion of the state of Paraná, using data contained in the database of the SUS IT Department (DATASUS). During the period and region analyzed, the study sample consisted of 298 patients hospitalized due to hemorrhagic fever. The majority of cases occurred in male adults of white ethnicity. There were 26 deaths, the majority of which were in older age groups, male and white. April was the month with the highest number of hospitalizations during the period studied. The total cost of hospitalizations reached R$279,852.21, indicating a significant financial impact on the public health system. Therefore, hemorrhagic fever represents a challenge for the health system in the Western Macroregion, both in terms of incidence, costs and mortality. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain continuous vigilance and take preventative measures to avoid new cases.A dengue é uma das enfermidades contagiosas mais comuns no Brasil, causada por diferentes tipos de vírus e transmitida principalmente pelo mosquito Aedes aegypti. A sua manifestação clínica varia amplamente, desde casos assintomáticos até situações severas como a febre hemorrágica, que pode resultar em morte. O objetivo deste estudo é realizar uma análise epidemiológica dos casos de febre hemorrágica causada pelo vírus da dengue na Macrorregião Oeste do estado do Paraná, abrangendo o período de 2014 a 2024. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico, descritivo, quantitativo e retrospectivo, no qual foram analisados os dados de Morbidade Hospitalar do SUS dos pacientes notificados com febre hemorrágica no período de janeiro de 2014 a abril de 2024, na Macrorregião Oeste do estado do Paraná, por meio dos dados contidos no banco de dados do Departamento de Informática do SUS (DATASUS). Durante o período e na região analisada, a amostra do estudo consistiu de 298 pacientes hospitalizados devido à febre hemorrágica. A maioria dos casos ocorreu em adultos do sexo masculino e de etnia branca. Houve 26 óbitos, sendo a maioria em indivíduos de faixas etárias avançadas, do sexo masculino e de etnia branca. Abril foi o mês com o maior número de hospitalizações durante o período estudado. O custo total das hospitalizações alcançou R$ 279.852,21, indicando um impacto financeiro significativo para o sistema de saúde pública. Assim sendo, a febre hemorrágica representa um desafio para o sistema de saúde na Macrorregião Oeste, tanto em termos de incidência quanto de custos e mortalidade. Portanto, é crucial manter vigilância contínua e tomar medidas preventivas para evitar novos casos. &nbsp