Ab-initio study of the relation between electric polarization and electric field gradients in ferroelectrics

The hyperfine interaction between the quadrupole moment of atomic nuclei and the electric field gradient (EFG) provides information on the electronic charge distribution close to a given atomic site. In ferroelectric materials, the loss of inversion symmetry of the electronic charge distribution is necessary for the appearance of the electric polarization. We present first-principles density functional theory calculations of ferroelectrics such as BaTiO3, KNbO3, PbTiO3 and other oxides with perovskite structures, by focusing on both EFG tensors and polarization. We analyze the EFG tensor properties such as orientation and correlation between components and their link with electric polarization. This work supports previous studies of ferroelectric materials where a relation between EFG tensors and polarization was observed, which may be exploited to study ferroelectric order when standard techniques to measure polarization are not easily applied.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables, corrected typos, as published in Phys. Rev.

Phase diagram of a random-anisotropy mixed-spin Ising model

We investigate the phase diagram of a mixed spin-1/2--spin-1 Ising system in the presence of quenched disordered anisotropy. We carry out a mean-field and a standard self-consistent Bethe--Peierls calculation. Depending on the amount of disorder, there appear novel transition lines and multicritical points. Also, we report some connections with a percolation problem and an exact result in one dimension.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review

Catches in ghost-fishing octopus and fish traps in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean (Algarve, Portugal)

Ghost fishing is the term used to describe the continued capture of fish and other living organisms after a fisherman has lost all control over the gear. Traps may be lost for a variety of reasons including theft, vandalism, abandonment, interactions with other gear, fouling on the bottom (i.e., traps and ropes are caught on rocky substrate), bad weather, and human error (Laist, 1995). Annual trap loss can be as high as 20% to 50% of fished traps in some fisheries (Al-Masroori et al., 2004). Because lost traps can continue to fish for long periods, albeit with decreasing efficiency over time (e.g., Smolowitz, 1978; Breen, 1987, 1990; Guillory, 1993), ghost fishing is a concern in fisheries worldwide

The Safe-Port project: an approach to port surveillance and protection

SAFE-PORT is a recently started project addressing the complex issue of determining the best configurations of resources for harbour and port surveillance and protection. More specifically, the main goal is to find, for any given scenario, an adequate set of configuration solutions — i.e., number and type of sensors and equipments, their locations and operating modes, the corresponding personnel and other support resources — that maximize protection over a specific area. The project includes research and development of sensors models, novel algorithms for optimization and decision support, and a computer-based decision support system (DSS) to assist decision makers in that task. It includes also the development of a simulation environment for modelling relevant aspects of the scenario (including sensors used for surveillance, platforms, threats and the environment), capable to incorporate data from field-trials, used to test and validate solutions proposed by the DSS. Test cases will consider the use of intelligent agents to model the behaviour of threats and of NATO forces in a realistic way, following experts’ definitions and parameters

Cosmic homogeneity: a spectroscopic and model-independent measurement

Cosmology relies on the Cosmological Principle, i.e., the hypothesis that the Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on large scales. This implies in particular that the counts of galaxies should approach a homogeneous scaling with volume at sufficiently large scales. Testing homogeneity is crucial to obtain a correct interpretation of the physical assumptions underlying the current cosmic acceleration and structure formation of the Universe. In this Letter, we use the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey to make the first spectroscopic and model-independent measurements of the angular homogeneity scale $\theta_{\rm h}$. Applying four statistical estimators, we show that the angular distribution of galaxies in the range 0.46 < z < 0.62 is consistent with homogeneity at large scales, and that $\theta_{\rm h}$ varies with redshift, indicating a smoother Universe in the past. These results are in agreement with the foundations of the standard cosmological paradigm.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Version accepted by MNRA