266 research outputs found
Genetic Assimilation and Canalisation in the Baldwin Effect
The Baldwin Effect indicates that individually learned behaviours acquired during an organism’s lifetime can influence the evolutionary path taken by a population, without any direct Lamarckian transfer of traits from phenotype to genotype. Several computational studies modelling this effect have included complications that restrict its applicability. Here we present a simplified model that is used to reveal the essential mechanisms and highlight several conceptual issues that have not been clearly defined in prior literature. In particular, we suggest that canalisation and genetic assimilation, often conflated in previous studies, are separate concepts and the former is actually not required for non-heritable phenotypic variation to guide genetic variation. Additionally, learning, often considered to be essential for the Baldwin Effect, can be replaced with a more general phenotypic plasticity model. These simplifications potentially permit the Baldwin Effect to operate in much more general circumstances
Probabilistic model checking multi-agent behaviors in dispersion games using counter abstraction
Accurate analysis of the stochastic dynamics of multi-agent system is important but challenging. Probabilistic model checking, a formal technique for analysing a system which exhibits stochastic behaviors, can be a natural solution to analyse multi-agent systems. In this paper, we investigate this problem in the context of dispersion games focusing on two strategies: basic simple strategy (BSS) and extended simple strategies (ESS). We model the system using discrete-time Markov chain (DTMC) and reduce the state space of the models by applying counter abstraction technique. Two important properties of the system are considered: convergence and convergence rate. We show that these kinds of properties can be automatically analysed and verified using probabilistic model checking techniques. Better understanding of the dynamics of the strategies can be obtained compared with empirical evaluations in previous work. Through the analysis, we are able to demonstrate that probabilistic model checking technique is applicable, and indeed useful for automatic analysis and verification of multi-agent dynamics.No Full Tex
Probing the high momentum component of the deuteron at high Q^2
The d(e,e'p) cross section at a momentum transfer of 3.5 (GeV/c)^2 was
measured over a kinematical range that made it possible to study this reaction
for a set of fixed missing momenta as a function of the neutron recoil angle
theta_nq and to extract missing momentum distributions for fixed values of
theta_nq up to 0.55 GeV/c. In the region of 35 (deg) <= theta_nq <= 45 (deg)
recent calculations, which predict that final state interactions are small,
agree reasonably well with the experimental data. Therefore these experimental
reduced cross sections provide direct access to the high momentum component of
the deuteron momentum distribution in exclusive deuteron
electro-disintegration.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Pulsar-wind nebulae and magnetar outflows: observations at radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths
We review observations of several classes of neutron-star-powered outflows:
pulsar-wind nebulae (PWNe) inside shell supernova remnants (SNRs), PWNe
interacting directly with interstellar medium (ISM), and magnetar-powered
outflows. We describe radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray observations of PWNe,
focusing first on integrated spectral-energy distributions (SEDs) and global
spectral properties. High-resolution X-ray imaging of PWNe shows a bewildering
array of morphologies, with jets, trails, and other structures. Several of the
23 so far identified magnetars show evidence for continuous or sporadic
emission of material, sometimes associated with giant flares, and a few
possible "magnetar-wind nebulae" have been recently identified.Comment: 61 pages, 44 figures (reduced in quality for size reasons). Published
in Space Science Reviews, "Jets and Winds in Pulsar Wind Nebulae, Gamma-ray
Bursts and Blazars: Physics of Extreme Energy Release
New methodology for describing the equilibrium beach profile applied ti teh Valencia's beachs
[EN] Nuevo metodo de determinación de la profundidad de cierre del prfil de playa y su aplicación para ajustar el volumen de arenas de aportación en alimentaciones artificialesAragones, L.; Serra Peris, JC.; Villacampa, Y.; Saval, JM.; Tinoco, H. (2016). New methodology for describing the equilibrium beach profile applied ti teh Valencia's beachs. Geomorphology. 259:1-11. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.06.049S11125
Implications of H.E.S.S. observations of pulsar wind nebulae
In this review paper on pulsar wind nebulae (PWN) we discuss the properties
of such nebulae within the context of containment against cross-field diffusion
(versus normal advection), the effect of reverse shocks on the evolution of
offset ``Vela-like'' PWN, constraints on maximum particle energetics, magnetic
field strength estimates based on spectral and spatial properties, and the
implication of such field estimates on the composition of the wind. A
significant part of the discussion is based on the High Energy Stereoscopic
System ({\it H.E.S.S.} or {\it HESS}) detection of the two evolved pulsar wind
nebulae Vela X (cocoon) and HESS J1825-137. In the case of Vela X (cocoon) we
also review evidence of a hadronic versus a leptonic interpretation, showing
that a leptonic interpretation is favored for the {\it HESS} signal. The
constraints discussed in this review paper sets a general framework for the
interpretation of a number of offset, filled-center nebulae seen by {\it HESS}.
These sources are found along the galactic plane with galactic latitudes
, where significant amounts of molecular gas is found. In these
regions, we find that the interstellar medium is inhomogeneous, which has an
effect on the morphology of supernova shock expansion. One consequence of this
effect is the formation of offset pulsar wind nebulae as observed.Comment: to appear in Springer Lecture Notes on Neutron Stars and Pulsars: 40
years after their discovery, eds. W. Becke
A low level of extragalactic background light as revealed by big gamma-rays from blazars
The diffuse extragalactic background light consists of the sum of the starlight emitted by galaxies through the history of the Universe, and it could also have an important contribution from the 'first stars', which may have formed before galaxy formation began. Direct measurements are difficult and not yet conclusive, owing to the large uncertainties caused by the bright foreground emission associated with zodiacal light1. An alternative approach2, 3, 4, 5 is to study the absorption features imprinted on the -ray spectra of distant extragalactic objects by interactions of those photons with the background light photons6. Here we report the discovery of -ray emission from the blazars7 H 2356 - 309 and 1ES 1101 - 232, at redshifts z = 0.165 and z = 0.186, respectively. Their unexpectedly hard spectra provide an upper limit on the background light at optical/near-infrared wavelengths that appears to be very close to the lower limit given by the integrated light of resolved galaxies8. The background flux at these wavelengths accordingly seems to be strongly dominated by the direct starlight from galaxies, thus excluding a large contribution from other sources—in particular from the first stars formed9. This result also indicates that intergalactic space is more transparent to -rays than previously thought
On the sensitivity of the HAWC observatory to gamma-ray bursts
We present the sensitivity of HAWC to Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). HAWC is a very
high-energy gamma-ray observatory currently under construction in Mexico at an
altitude of 4100 m. It will observe atmospheric air showers via the water
Cherenkov method. HAWC will consist of 300 large water tanks instrumented with
4 photomultipliers each. HAWC has two data acquisition (DAQ) systems. The main
DAQ system reads out coincident signals in the tanks and reconstructs the
direction and energy of individual atmospheric showers. The scaler DAQ counts
the hits in each photomultiplier tube (PMT) in the detector and searches for a
statistical excess over the noise of all PMTs. We show that HAWC has a
realistic opportunity to observe the high-energy power law components of GRBs
that extend at least up to 30 GeV, as it has been observed by Fermi LAT. The
two DAQ systems have an energy threshold that is low enough to observe events
similar to GRB 090510 and GRB 090902b with the characteristics observed by
Fermi LAT. HAWC will provide information about the high-energy spectra of GRBs
which in turn could help to understanding about e-pair attenuation in GRB jets,
extragalactic background light absorption, as well as establishing the highest
energy to which GRBs accelerate particles
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