Multivariate Nonparametric Estimation of the Pickands Dependence Function using Bernstein Polynomials

Many applications in risk analysis, especially in environmental sciences, require the estimation of the dependence among multivariate maxima. A way to do this is by inferring the Pickands dependence function of the underlying extreme-value copula. A nonparametric estimator is constructed as the sample equivalent of a multivariate extension of the madogram. Shape constraints on the family of Pickands dependence functions are taken into account by means of a representation in terms of a specific type of Bernstein polynomials. The large-sample theory of the estimator is developed and its finite-sample performance is evaluated with a simulation study. The approach is illustrated by analyzing clusters consisting of seven weather stations that have recorded weekly maxima of hourly rainfall in France from 1993 to 2011

Comparison of 30 THz impulsive burst time development to microwaves, H-alpha, EUV, and GOES soft X-rays

The recent discovery of impulsive solar burst emission in the 30 THz band is raising new interpretation challenges. One event associated with a GOES M2 class flare has been observed simultaneously in microwaves, H-alpha, EUV, and soft X-ray bands. Although these new observations confirm some features found in the two prior known events, they exhibit time profile structure discrepancies between 30 THz, microwaves, and hard X-rays (as inferred from the Neupert effect). These results suggest a more complex relationship between 30 THz emission and radiation produced at other wavelength ranges. The multiple frequency emissions in the impulsive phase are likely to be produced at a common flaring site lower in the chromosphere. The 30 THz burst emission may be either part of a nonthermal radiation mechanism or due to the rapid thermal response to a beam of high-energy particles bombarding the dense solar atmosphere.Comment: accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysic

Система обнаружения с беспроводной зарядкой на основе катушки с крестовидной перемычкой и активной системой управления аккумулятором

The article presents a detection system with spider web coil-based wireless charging. Commonly available metal detectors are sold as handheld systems, which enable only progressive, lengthy, time-consuming search. Importantly, a part of the investigated area can thus be easily missed, and the probability that a metal object will not be found increases substantially. This problem, however, is eliminable via the automatic position tracking mode embedded in the solution obtained through our research. The proposed system facilitates using the spider web coil simultaneously for wireless charging and metal detection by pulse induction. The topology of the detector can emit variable pulse lengths, thus allowing the device to detect more types of metal and to adapt itself to the permeability of the soil. The coil has a branch in a relevant part of the winding to reduce undesirable electromagnetic interference during the charging. On the transmitting side of the topology, impedance matching is included to maintain the maximum spatial gap variability. By changing the position of the receiving side, the output voltage changes; therefore, a high efficiency DC/DC converter is employed. The individual battery cells demonstrate different internal resistances, requiring us to apply a new method to balance the cells voltage. The system can be utilized on self-guided vehicles or drones; advantageously, a GPS resending the coordinates to a mesh radio allows for accurate positioning. With the mesh topology, potential cooperation between the multiple systems is possible. The setup utilizes the same coil for wireless power transfer and detection.В статье представлена система обнаружения с беспроводной зарядкой на основе катушки с крестообразной перемычкой. Обычно доступные металлоискатели продаются в виде переносных систем, которые позволяют осуществлять только постепенный, длительный и трудоемкий поиск. Важно отметить, что часть исследуемой зоны, таким образом, может быть легко пропущена, и вероятность того, что металлический объект не будет найден, существенно возрастает. Эта проблема устраняется с помощью автоматического режима отслеживания местоположения, встроенного в решение, полученное в результате наших исследований. Предлагаемая система облегчает одновременное использование катушки с крестообразной перемычкой для беспроводной зарядки и обнаружения металла с помощью импульсной индукции. Топология детектора может излучать переменную длину импульсов, что позволяет устройству обнаруживать больше типов металлов и адаптироваться к проницаемости почвы. Катушка имеет ответвление в соответствующей части обмотки, чтобы уменьшить нежелательные электромагнитные помехи во время зарядки. На передающей стороне топологии включено согласование импеданса для поддержания максимальной изменчивости пространственного зазора. При изменении положения приемной стороны изменяется выходное напряжение, поэтому используется высокоэффективный преобразователь постоянного тока в постоянный. Отдельные элементы батареи демонстрируют различные внутренние сопротивления, что требует применения нового метода для балансировки напряжения элементов. Система может быть использована на самонаводящихся транспортных средствах или беспилотных летательных аппаратах; GPS, успешно отправляющие координаты на многоканальное радио, обеспечивают точное позиционирование. При наличии многоканальной топологии возможно потенциальное сотрудничество между разнообразными системами. В установке используется одна и та же катушка для беспроводной передачи и обнаружения энергии

A bright impulsive solar burst detected at 30 THz

Ground- and space-based observations of solar flares from radio wavelengths to gamma-rays have produced considerable insights but raised several unsolved controversies. The last unexplored wavelength frontier for solar flares is in the range of submillimeter and infrared wavelengths. Here we report the detection of an intense impulsive burst at 30 THz using a new imaging system. The 30 THz emission exhibited remarkable time coincidence with peaks observed at microwave, mm/submm, visible, EUV and hard X-ray wavelengths. The emission location coincides with a very weak white-light feature, and is consistent with heating below the temperature minimum in the atmosphere. However, there are problems in attributing the heating to accelerated electrons. The peak 30 THz flux is several times larger than the usual microwave peak near 9 GHz, attributed to non-thermal electrons in the corona. The 30 THz emission could be consistent with an optically thick spectrum increasing from low to high frequencies. It might be part of the same spectral component found at sub-THz frequencies whose nature remains mysterious. Further observations at these wavelengths will provide a new window for flare studies.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted by Astrophysical Journal, March 23, 201

Systematics of Palicoureeae (Rubiaceae): recent advances in Brazilian groups

Palicoureeae (Rubiaceae) has its centre of diversity in the neotropics and comprises about 1500 species. Two genera with great diversity considering the Brazilian Flora are Palicourea Aubl. and Rudgea Salisb. with ca 170 and 70 species, respectively. These numbers are still underestimated, especially because several species of Psychotria L. subgenus Heteropsychotria Steyerm. need to be transferred to Palicourea, and there are several undescribed species of Rudgea. Some of our recent studies focused on resolving some taxonomic gaps and phylogenetic questions with these genera. Considering Palicourea, phylogenetic analyses are being conducted with sections Codonocalyx, Solenocalyx, and Suteria, which include 15 species of Atlantic Forest. The monophyly of sections is being tested using molecular markers. Considering Rudgea, we are investigating its diversity in the Northeast region of Brazil, trying to answer how many species occur in the region and how climatic changes may affect its distribution. Besides, the domatia of Rudgea are also being investigated, since these structures have an important taxonomic value, but its description is not very clear in the literature. These studies are being conducted with field work, especially in eastern Brazil, exsiccatae analyses, mostly from Brazilian herbaria, and from images of digital herbaria. The phylogenetic analyses used rps16, psbA-trnH, trnL-F, and ITS markers, and were conducted using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Regarding the phylogenetic inference of Palicourea, the preliminary results showed that Codonocalyx, Solenocalyx, and Suteria do not have molecular support to be sustained as monophyletic taxa. Regarding the diversity of Rudgea, there are at least 22 (~31% of the total) species in Northeast Brazil, with 18 occurring in the state of Bahia. However, there are 12 uncertain taxa still being analysed. Finally, a new proposal to classify the domatia of Rudgea is being carried out, to accommodate variation and intermediate types of domatia. Acknowledgments: CAPES, FAPES, and FAPESP