A low-complexity PAR-reduction method for DMT-VDSL Per Ola Börjesson a, Hans G. Feichtinger b, ∗ , Niklas Grip c, Mikael Isaksson d,

DMT-VDSL signals have a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAR). In the transmitters, the PAR governs the necessary resolution of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and is an important factor for the power consumption of the line-driver. Aiming at implementation in a specific system, we propose a low complexity PAR-reduction method based on the iterative algorithm derived in [5, 20, 24, 25]. We maintain good performance while stressing a straigthforward and low-complex implementation. Key elements of the method are: low latency; no loss in data rate; precalculated and stored peak-cancellation waveform; and bit-shifts (multiplication with powers of two) replacing the scaling of the waveform. Computer simulations show that, for a DMT frame length of 4096 samples and a frame clip rate of 10 −4, the PAR can be reduced about 1.5 to 2.0 dB, depending on the number of peaks cancelled. When multiplication is replaced by bit-shifts, the reduction is still 1.5–1.7 dB.

Shape and size in phytoplankton ecology: do they matter?

This paper summarises the outcomes of the 14th Workshop of the International Association of Phytoplankton Taxonomy and Ecology (IAP). The authors mostly addressed their contributions on the following topics: morphological and morpho-functional descriptors of phytoplankton, size and shape structure of phytoplankton related to different kinds of environmental variables and the role of morphological and physiological plasticity of phytoplankton in maintaining the (apparently) same populations under different environmental conditions. Case studies from different kinds of aquatic environments (deep and shallow lakes, reservoirs with different age, purpose and trophic state, floodplain wetlands mostly in the temperate region but also from subtropical and tropical ones) have shown that similar environmental forcing calls for similar morpho-functional properties even though the corresponding associations can be markedly different on species level

Performance of Fast Repetition Rate fluorometry based estimates of primary productivity in coastal waters

Capturing the variability of primary productivity in highly dynamic coastal ecosystems remains a major challenge to marine scientists. To test the suitability of Fast Repetition Rate fluorometry (FRRf) for rapid assessment of primary productivity in estuarine and coastal locations, we conducted a series of paired analyses estimating 14C carbon fixation and primary productivity from electron transport rates with a Fast Repetition Rate fluorometer MkII, from waters on the Australian east coast. Samples were collected from two locations with contrasting optical properties and we compared the relative magnitude of photosynthetic traits, such as the maximum rate of photosynthesis (Pmax), light utilisation efficiency (α) and minimum saturating irradiance (EK) estimated using both methods. In the case of FRRf, we applied recent algorithm developments that enabled electron transport rates to be determined free from the need for assumed constants, as in most previous studies. Differences in the concentration and relative proportion of optically active substances at the two locations were evident in the contrasting attenuation of PAR (400–700 nm), blue (431 nm), green (531 nm) and red (669 nm) wavelengths. FRRF-derived estimates of photosynthetic parameters were positively correlated with independent estimates of 14C carbon fixation (Pmax: n = 19, R2 = 0.66; α: n = 21, R2 = 0.77; EK: n = 19, R2 = 0.45; all p < 0.05), however primary productivity was frequently underestimated by the FRRf method. Up to 81% of the variation in the relationship between FRRf and 14C estimates was explained by the presence of pico-cyanobacteria and chlorophyll-a biomass, and the proportion of photoprotective pigments, that appeared to be linked to turbidity. We discuss the potential importance of cyanobacteria in influencing the underestimations of FRRf productivity and steps to overcome this potential limitation