Spatial models for monitoring the spatio-temporal evolution of ashes after fire-a case study of a burnt grassland in Lithuania

Ash thickness is a key variable in the protection of soil against erosion agents after planned and unplanned fires. Ash thickness measurements were conducted along two transects (flat and sloping areas) following a grided experimental design. In order to interpolate data with accuracy and identify the techniques with the least bias, several interpolation methods were tested in the grided plot. Overall, the fire had a low severity. However, the fire significantly reduced the ground cover, especially on sloping areas, owing to the higher fire severity and/or less biomass previous to the fire. Ash thickness depended on fire severity and was thin where fire severity was higher and thicker in lower fire severity sites. The ash thickness decreased with time after the fire. Between 4 and 16 days after the fire, ash was transported by wind. The greatest reduction took place between 16 and 34 days after the fire as a result of rainfall, and was more efficient where fire severity was higher. Between 34 and 45 days after the fire, no significant differences in ash thickness were identified among ash colours and only traces of the ash layer remained. The omni-directional experimental variograms showed that variable structure did not change significantly with time. The ash spatial variability increased with time, particularly on the slope, as a result of water erosion

New trends in content and design at the Spanish cybermedia

In the last years, the cybermedia and the Internet itself have marked as medium and support of communication. Nevertheless, constant technologic evolution, the training of the newsroom people and the absence of a clear definition of the business model make continuous modifications in the final structure of the new media environment. This communication focuses in four important aspects: the hypertext –as a basis and essence of the Internet and the cybermedia as well–, the information architecture –as a managing system for big amounts of content–, the journalistic genres –as the main expression of the journalistic work–, and the design –the final layout of the product and, at the same time, the content access interface–. All these issues are continuously subjected to changes. In this paper, starting from the four axis mentioned before, we present an overview of the evolution of cybermedia in Spain and we suggest a perspective about the current situation of the sector

Low-lying single-particle structure of 17C and the N = 14 sub-shell closure

The first investigation of the single-particle structure of the bound states of 17C, via the d(16C, p) transfer reaction, has been undertaken. The measured angular distributions confirm the spin-parity assignments of 1/2+ and 5/2+ for the excited states located at 217 and 335 keV, respectively. The spectroscopic factors deduced for these states exhibit a marked single-particle character, in agreement with shell model and particle-core model calculations, and combined with their near degeneracy in energy provide clear evidence for the absence of the N = 14 sub-shell closure. The very small spectroscopic factor found for the 3/2+ ground state is consistent with theoretical predictions and indicates that the ν1d3/2 strength is carried by unbound states. With a dominant = 0 valence neutron configuration and a very low separation energy, the 1/2+ excited state is a one-neutron halo candidate.Consejo de Instalaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de UKRI. Reino Unido P003885Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España. Programa Ramón y Cajal RYC-2010-06484 y RYC-2012-11585Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO) de España No. FPA2013-46236-PMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades español y los fondos FEDER FIS2017-88410-P y RTI2018-098117-B-C21El programa de investigación e innovación Horizon 2020 de la Unión Europea Subvención No. 65400

Creating an Index to Calculate the Level of Convergence of a Medium

Since the end of 1990's, media are undergoing great changes brought by digital technology, with the objective to optimize resources and enrich contents. The concept of convergence has a relevant significance in this process. We see the convergence as an integrating process of traditional separated media outlets and modes of communication that affect business, technology, professionals, and audiences at all stages of production, delivery, and consumption of contents of any kind (information, entertainment, and advertising). This paper provides a methodological tool for calculating an index over which reflects the level of convergence of a medium. This proposal, fruit of the work of a collective research project -which is currently carried out by a numerous group of Spanish scholars with public funding (see for details our website _www.infotendencias.com/objetivos_)-, is based on the following variables: relationships among newsrooms, media polyvalence, type of collaboration on contents development, and type of contents delivery

Properties of Graphene: A Theoretical Perspective

In this review, we provide an in-depth description of the physics of monolayer and bilayer graphene from a theorist's perspective. We discuss the physical properties of graphene in an external magnetic field, reflecting the chiral nature of the quasiparticles near the Dirac point with a Landau level at zero energy. We address the unique integer quantum Hall effects, the role of electron correlations, and the recent observation of the fractional quantum Hall effect in the monolayer graphene. The quantum Hall effect in bilayer graphene is fundamentally different from that of a monolayer, reflecting the unique band structure of this system. The theory of transport in the absence of an external magnetic field is discussed in detail, along with the role of disorder studied in various theoretical models. We highlight the differences and similarities between monolayer and bilayer graphene, and focus on thermodynamic properties such as the compressibility, the plasmon spectra, the weak localization correction, quantum Hall effect, and optical properties. Confinement of electrons in graphene is nontrivial due to Klein tunneling. We review various theoretical and experimental studies of quantum confined structures made from graphene. The band structure of graphene nanoribbons and the role of the sublattice symmetry, edge geometry and the size of the nanoribbon on the electronic and magnetic properties are very active areas of research, and a detailed review of these topics is presented. Also, the effects of substrate interactions, adsorbed atoms, lattice defects and doping on the band structure of finite-sized graphene systems are discussed. We also include a brief description of graphane -- gapped material obtained from graphene by attaching hydrogen atoms to each carbon atom in the lattice.Comment: 189 pages. submitted in Advances in Physic

Sources and Sinks of Diversification and Conservation Priorities for the Mexican Tropical Dry Forest

Elucidating the geographical history of diversification is critical for inferring where future diversification may occur and thus could be a valuable aid in determining conservation priorities. However, it has been difficult to recognize areas with a higher likelihood of promoting diversification. We reconstructed centres of origin of lineages and identified areas in the Mexican tropical dry forest that have been important centres of diversification (sources) and areas where species are maintained but where diversification is less likely to occur (diversity sinks). We used a molecular phylogeny of the genus Bursera, a dominant member of the forest, along with information on current species distributions. Results indicate that vast areas of the forest have historically functioned as diversity sinks, generating few or no extant Bursera lineages. Only a few areas have functioned as major engines of diversification. Long-term preservation of biodiversity may be promoted by incorporation of such knowledge in decision-making

Algorithm Engineering in Robust Optimization

Robust optimization is a young and emerging field of research having received a considerable increase of interest over the last decade. In this paper, we argue that the the algorithm engineering methodology fits very well to the field of robust optimization and yields a rewarding new perspective on both the current state of research and open research directions. To this end we go through the algorithm engineering cycle of design and analysis of concepts, development and implementation of algorithms, and theoretical and experimental evaluation. We show that many ideas of algorithm engineering have already been applied in publications on robust optimization. Most work on robust optimization is devoted to analysis of the concepts and the development of algorithms, some papers deal with the evaluation of a particular concept in case studies, and work on comparison of concepts just starts. What is still a drawback in many papers on robustness is the missing link to include the results of the experiments again in the design