On the evolution of the molecular line profiles induced by the propagation of C-shock waves

We present the first results of the expected variations of the molecular line emission arising from material recently affected by C-shocks (shock precursors). Our parametric model of the structure of C-shocks has been coupled with a radiative transfer code to calculate the molecular excitation and line profiles of shock tracers such as SiO, and of ion and neutral molecules such as H13CO+ and HN13C, as the shock propagates through the unperturbed medium. Our results show that the SiO emission arising from the early stage of the magnetic precursor typically has very narrow line profiles slightly shifted in velocity with respect to the ambient cloud. This narrow emission is generated in the region where the bulk of the ion fluid has already slipped to larger velocities in the precursor as observed toward the young L1448-mm outflow. This strongly suggests that the detection of narrow SiO emission and of an ion enhancement in young shocks, is produced by the magnetic precursor of C-shocks. In addition, our model shows that the different velocity components observed toward this outflow can be explained by the coexistence of different shocks at different evolutionary stages, within the same beam of the single-dish observations.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Rejuvenation and memory in model spin glasses in three and four dimensions

We numerically study aging for the Edwards-Anderson model in three and four dimensions using different temperature-change protocols. In D=3, time scales a thousand times larger than in previous work are reached with the Spin Update Engine SUE machine. Deviations from cumulative aging are observed in the nonmonotonic time behavior of the coherence length. Memory and rejuvenation effects are found in a temperature-cycle protocol, revealed by vanishing effective waiting times. Similar effects are reported for the D=3 site-diluted ferromagnetic Ising model without chaos. However, rejuvenation is reduced if off-equilibrium corrections to the fluctuation-dissipation theorem are considered. Memory and rejuvenation are quantitatively describable in terms of the growth regime of the spin-glass coherence length

Abundant Z-cyanomethanimine in the interstellar medium: paving the way to the synthesis of adenine

We report the first detection in the interstellar medium of the Z-isomer of cyanomethanimine (HNCHCN), an HCN dimer proposed as precursor of adenine. We identified six transitions of Z-cyanomethanimine, along with five transitions of E-cyanomethanimine, using IRAM 30m observations towards the Galactic Center quiescent molecular cloud G+0.693. The Z-isomer has a column density of (2.0$\pm$0.6)$\times$10$^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$ and an abundance of 1.5$\times$10$^{-9}$. The relative abundance ratio between the isomers is [Z/E]$\sim$6. This value cannot be explained by the two chemical formation routes previously proposed (gas-phase and grain surface), which predicts abundances ratios between 0.9 and 1.5. The observed [Z/E] ratio is in good agreement with thermodynamic equilibrium at the gas kinetic temperature (130$-$210 K). Since isomerization is not possible in the ISM, the two species may be formed at high temperature. New chemical models, including surface chemistry on dust grains and gas-phase reactions, should be explored to explain our findings. Whatever the formation mechanism, the high abundance of Z-HNCHCN shows that precursors of adenine are efficiently formed in the ISM.Comment: Accepted in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letter

Complex organic molecules in the Galactic Centre: the N-bearing family

We present an unbiased spectral line survey toward the Galactic Centre (GC) quiescent giant molecular cloud (QGMC), G+0.693 using the GBT and IRAM 30$\,$ telescopes. Our study highlights an extremely rich organic inventory of abundant amounts of nitrogen (N)-bearing species in a source without signatures of star formation. We report the detection of 17 N-bearing species in this source, of which 8 are complex organic molecules (COMs). A comparison of the derived abundances relative to H$_2$ is made across various galactic and extragalactic environments. We conclude that the unique chemistry in this source is likely to be dominated by low-velocity shocks with X-rays/cosmic rays also playing an important role in the chemistry. Like previous findings obtained for O-bearing molecules, our results for N-bearing species suggest a more efficient hydrogenation of these species on dust grains in G+0.693 than in hot cores in the Galactic disk, as a consequence of the low dust temperatures coupled with energetic processing by X-ray/cosmic ray radiation in the GC.Comment: 24 pages, 23 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA

Catálogo de la flora vascular del Cerro del Toruño (Comarca de Los Alcores, Alcalá de Guadaíra, Sevilla)

Situado en la comarca de Los Alcores, el Cerro del Toruño es un cabezo calcarenítico incluido en el área metropolitana de Sevilla. Se encuentra protegido por la normativa provincial por el valor y naturalidad de su vegetación. El objetivo del presente estudio es la catalogación de su flora y su puesta en valor como reducto de vegetación natural en un paisaje fuertemente antropizado. Se han inventariado un total de 351 especies, 324 de ellas autóctonas, de las que tres están recogidas en la lista roja andaluza. El catálogo incluye 4 novedades corológicas de especies nativas a nivel provincial y 16 a nivel comarcal. La diversidad encontrada en la zona de estudio es comparable a la de zonas cercanas, dada la heterogeneidad de sus hábitats. Se comentan brevemente las comunidades vegetales de acebuchar, palmitar y matorral xerófilo sobre roquedos calcareníticos, en las que se ha observado un mejor grado de conservación. Finalmente se discute la importancia biogeográfica de los Alcores como isla edáfica tanto para especies calcícolas como psammófilas y litorales, dado el carácter mayoritariamente arcilloso de la Depresión del Guadalquivir.Checklist of vascular flora of the Toruño hill (Alcores region, Alcalá de Guadaira, Seville). Located in Los Alcores region, the Cerro del Toruño is a calcarenitic hill included in Sevilla’s metropolitan area. It is protected by provincial regulations due to the value and naturalness of its vegetation. The aim of this study is to catalogue its flora and highlight its importance as a patch of relict natural vegetation within a strongly anthropic landscape. We recorded 351 species, of which 324 are native and three included in the Andalusian red list. The checklist includes 4 new chorological records at the provincial level and 16 at the regional level. Species diversity is comparable to nearby areas, given its habitat heterogeneity. The wild olive copse, Mediterranean fan palm formations, and xerophilous scrublands on calcarenitic rocks display a better conservation situation and are briefly commented. Finally, we discuss the biogeographic importance of Los Alcores region as an edaphic island, surrounded by the mostly clayey Guadalquivir valley, for calcicolous and coastal sand species

The magnetic precursor of L1448-mm: Excitation differences between ion and neutral fluids

Shock modelling predicts an electron density enhancement within the magnetic precursor of C-shocks. Previous observations of SiO, H13CO+, HN13C and H13CN toward the young L1448-mm outflow showed an over-excitation of the ion fluid that was attributed to an electron density enhancement in the precursor. We re-visit this interpretation and test if it still holds when we consider different source morphologies and kinetic temperatures for the observed molecules, and also give some insight on the spatial extent of the electron density enhancement around L1448-mm. We estimate the opacities of H13CO+ and HN13C by observing the J=3\to2 lines of rarer isotopologues to confirm that the emission is optically thin. To model the excitation of the molecules, we use the large velocity gradient (LVG) approximation with updated collisional coefficients to i) re- analyse the observations toward the positions where the over-excitation of H13CO+ has previously been observed [i.e. toward L1448- mm at offsets (0,0) and (0,-10)], and ii) to investigate if the electron density enhancement is still required for the cases of extended and compact emission, and for kinetic temperatures of up to 400 K. We also report several lines of SiO, HN13C and H13CO+ toward new positions around this outflow, to investigate the spatial extent of the over-excitation of the ions in L1448-mm. From the isotopologue observations, we find that the emission of H13CO+ and HN13C from the precursor is optically thin if this emission is extended. Using the new collisional coefficients, an electron density enhancement is still needed to explain the excitation of H13CO+ for extended emission and for gas temperatures of\le 400 K toward L1448-mm (0,-10), and possibly also toward L1448-mm (0,0). For compact emission the data cannot be fitted. We do not find any evidence for the over-excitation of the ion fluid toward the newly observed positions around L1448-mm. The observed line emission of SiO, H13CO+ and HN13C toward L1448-mm (0,0) and (0,-10) is consistent with an electron density enhancement in the precursor component, if this emission is spatially extended. This is also true for the case of high gas temperatures (\le400 K) toward the (0,-10) offset. The electron density enhancement seems to be restricted to the southern, redshifted lobe of the L1448-mm outflow. Interferometric images of the line emission of these molecules are needed to confirm the spatial extent of the over-excitation of the ions and thus, of the electron density enhancement in the magnetic precursor of L1448-mm.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A; 9 pages, 3 figure

Chemical Features in the Circumnuclear Disk of the Galactic Center

The circumnuclear disk (CND) of the Galactic Center is exposed to many energetic phenomena coming from the supermassive black hole Sgr A* and stellar activities. These energetic activities can affect the chemical composition in the CND by the interaction with UV-photons, cosmic-rays, X-rays, and shock waves. We aim to constrain the physical conditions present in the CND by chemical modeling of observed molecular species detected towards it. We analyzed a selected set of molecular line data taken toward a position in the southwest lobe of the CND with the IRAM 30m and APEX 12-meter telescopes and derived the column density of each molecule using a large velocity gradient (LVG) analysis. The determined chemical composition is compared with a time-dependent gas-grain chemical model based on the UCL\_CHEM code that includes the effects of shock waves with varying physical parameters. Molecules such as CO, HCN, HCO$^+$, HNC, CS, SO, SiO, NO, CN, H$_2$CO, HC$_3$N, N$_2$H$^+$ and H$_3$O$^+$ are detected and their column densities are obtained. Total hydrogen densities obtained from LVG analysis range between $2 \times 10^4$ and $1 \times 10^6\,$cm$^{-3}$ and most species indicate values around several $\times 10^5\,$cm$^{-3}$, which are lower than values corresponding to the Roche limit, which shows that the CND is tidally unstable. The chemical models show good agreement with the observations in cases where the density is $\sim10^4\,$cm$^{-3}$, the cosmic-ray ionization rate is high, $>10^{-15} \,$s$^{-1}$, or shocks with velocities $> 40\,$km s$^{-1}$ have occurred. Comparison of models and observations favors a scenario where the cosmic-ray ionization rate in the CND is high, but precise effects of other factors such as shocks, density structures, UV-photons and X-rays from the Sgr A* must be examined with higher spatial resolution data.Comment: 17 Pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Spanish Validation of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA): Introducing the ERQ-SpA

Research on emotion regulation is now extensive and shows the benefits of the adaptive management of emotions for social functioning and psychological well-being. Our purpose was to test the psychometric properties of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents with a sample of nonclinical Spanish adolescents. A total of 462 secondary education students (223 girls, mean age = 13.89 years, SD = 1.38) participated. The instrument proved to be two-factor and gender-invariant. Results revealed the temporal stability of both emotion regulation strategies, while the predictive validity study revealed that depressive symptoms were negatively related to cognitive reappraisal, and positively related to expressive suppression. Our findings support the use of the ERQ-SpA in Spanish adolescents

Patterns of scuba diver behaviour to assess environmental impact on marine benthic communities: a suitable tool for management of recreational diving on Benidorm island (Western Mediterranean sea)

Few studies have analyzed the SCUBA divers’ behaviour in the Mediterranean Sea and none of them involved marine unprotected areas. Generally speaking the damage done by individuals is quite low, but the, accumulative effects of these disturbances can cause significant localised destruction of benthic marine organisms. The present study was carried out during the year 2005 on a diving site called La Llosa, on Benidorm Island (Alicante: Western Mediterranean Sea) with more than 7,000 dives per year. Two hundred and seventeen (217) divers were monitored randomly. Each subject was observed underwater for 10 minutes (Rouphael & Inglis, 2001). Samples were randomly collected during the high diving season (June-October). Divers were not aware of this surveillance so as not to interfere with their normal patterns of behaviour. The results showed that 95% of divers came into physical contact with benthic substrata during the 10-min observation period. Fin contact rates were significantly different depending on the diving certification level (Man-Whitney test, p<0.003) detecting the greatest number of contacts within higher diving certification levels (Bonferroni correction). Divers using an underwater light device came intocontact with the substratum significantly more frequently than non-light users (X2, p < 0.022). However, contact rate did not show significant variance across divers using a camera and those who did not (p<0.366). No difference was found between contact rates of divers who were given a briefing and those who were not. Environmental briefing before diving had no effect on the divers’ hand contact rates (X2, p<0.194), which shows a low marine environmental sensitivity level of divers. We concluded that the decrease in scuba divers contact rate would take place given an improvement of environmental awareness, specially among professional divers.Pocos estudios han analizado el comportamiento de los buceadores en el mar Mediterráneo y ninguno se ha centrado en las áreas marinas protegidas. El daño hecho por los buceadores suele ser bajo, pero los efectos acumulados, pueden ser importantes, aunque localizados. Este estudio se llevó a cabo durante el 2005 en una zona de buceo llamada La Llosa, cerca de Benidorm (Alicante, Mediterráneo occidental), con más de 7.000 inmersiones al año. La muestra aleatoria de buceadores llegó al tamaño 217. Se observó a cada buceador durante 10 minutos (Rouphael & Inglis, 2001), en la temporada alta (junio-octubre), de manera que los buceadores no supieran que eran vigilados, para no interferir en su comportamiento habitual. Los resultados mostraron que el 95% de los buceadores entran en contacto físico con los sustratos bentónicos durante el período de observación de 10 min. Las tasas de contacto fueron significativamente diferentes en función del nivel de certificación de buceo (Man-Whitney, p <0,003) detectándose mayor número de contactos en los niveles más altos de certificación de buceo (corrección de Bonferroni). Los buzos que utilizan linterna tuvieron un mayor número de contactos con el sustrato que los que no la usaron (X2, p < 0,022). Pero, no hubo diferentas significativas, entre los que llevaron cámara y no la llevaron (p < 0.366). Tampoco las hubo entre los buzos a los que se dio una conferencia previa a la inmersión y a los que no. La conferencia previa sobre medio ambiente no tuvo efecto sobre el número de contactos con las manos (X2, p < 0,194), lo que demuestra un bajo nivel de sensibilidad de los buceadores ante el medio ambiente marino. Se concluye que la disminución de la tasa de contacto de los buceadores se podría conseguir mejorando su conciencia medioambiental, especialmente la de los buceadores profesionales.Ciencias del Ma