The first analytical expression to estimate photometric redshifts suggested by a machine

We report the first analytical expression purely constructed by a machine to determine photometric redshifts ($z_{\rm phot}$) of galaxies. A simple and reliable functional form is derived using $41,214$ galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 10 (SDSS-DR10) spectroscopic sample. The method automatically dropped the $u$ and $z$ bands, relying only on $g$, $r$ and $i$ for the final solution. Applying this expression to other $1,417,181$ SDSS-DR10 galaxies, with measured spectroscopic redshifts ($z_{\rm spec}$), we achieved a mean $\langle (z_{\rm phot} - z_{\rm spec})/(1+z_{\rm spec})\rangle\lesssim 0.0086$ and a scatter $\sigma_{(z_{\rm phot} - z_{\rm spec})/(1+z_{\rm spec})}\lesssim 0.045$ when averaged up to $z \lesssim 1.0$. The method was also applied to the PHAT0 dataset, confirming the competitiveness of our results when faced with other methods from the literature. This is the first use of symbolic regression in cosmology, representing a leap forward in astronomy-data-mining connection.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

A Compound model for the origin of Earth's water

One of the most important subjects of debate in the formation of the solar system is the origin of Earth's water. Comets have long been considered as the most likely source of the delivery of water to Earth. However, elemental and isotopic arguments suggest a very small contribution from these objects. Other sources have also been proposed, among which, local adsorption of water vapor onto dust grains in the primordial nebula and delivery through planetesimals and planetary embryos have become more prominent. However, no sole source of water provides a satisfactory explanation for Earth's water as a whole. In view of that, using numerical simulations, we have developed a compound model incorporating both the principal endogenous and exogenous theories, and investigating their implications for terrestrial planet formation and water-delivery. Comets are also considered in the final analysis, as it is likely that at least some of Earth's water has cometary origin. We analyze our results comparing two different water distribution models, and complement our study using D/H ratio, finding possible relative contributions from each source, focusing on planets formed in the habitable zone. We find that the compound model play an important role by showing more advantage in the amount and time of water-delivery in Earth-like planets.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Position-dependent-mass; Cylindrical coordinates, separability, exact solvability, and PT-symmetry

The kinetic energy operator with position-dependent-mass in cylindrical coordinates is obtained. The separability of the corresponding Schr\"odinger equation is discussed within radial cylindrical mass settings. Azimuthal symmetry is assumed and spectral signatures of various z-dependent interaction potentials (Hermitian and non-Hermitian PT-symmetric) are reported.Comment: 16 page

Interação insetos-sementes: o mutualismo é possível.

Nesta publicação encontram-se reunidas informações sobre insetos e sementes de Parkia multijuga, Coffea canephora e Gossypium thurberi, para produzir um quadro comparativo da interação entre esses grupos de espécies. Argumentou-se que, no período reprodutivo das plantas, a cooperação entre estes organismos pode ir além da polinização. Foi proposto que os insetos podem ser elementos chave na estratégia reprodutiva das plantas, contribuindo decisivamente para o sucesso da germinação e estabelecimento de novas plântulas.bitstream/item/24657/1/doc98-insetos-sementes.pd