Effective ecosystem monitoring requires a multi-scaled approach

Ecosystem monitoring is fundamental to our understanding of how ecosystem change is impacting our natural resources and is vital for developing evidence-based policy and management. However, the different types of ecosystem monitoring, along with their recommended applications, are often poorly understood and contentious. Varying definitions and strict adherence to a specific monitoring type can inhibit effective ecosystem monitoring, leading to poor program development, implementation and outcomes. In an effort to develop a more consistent and clear understanding of ecosystem monitoring programs, we here review the main types of monitoring and recommend the widespread adoption of three classifications of monitoring, namely, targeted, surveillance and landscape monitoring. Landscape monitoring is conducted over large areas, provides spatial data, and enables questions relating to where and when ecosystem change is occurring to be addressed. Surveillance monitoring uses standardised field methods to inform on what is changing in our environments and the direction and magnitude of that change, whilst targeted monitoring is designed around testable hypotheses over defined areas and is the best approach for determining the causes of ecosystem change. The classification system is flexible and can incorporate different interests, objectives, targets and characteristics as well as different spatial scales and temporal frequencies, while also providing valuable structure and consistency across distinct ecosystem monitoring programs. To support our argument, we examine the ability of each monitoring type to inform on six key types of questions that are routinely posed for ecosystem monitoring programs, such as where and when change is occurring, what is the magnitude of change, and how can the change be managed? As we demonstrate, each type of ecosystem monitoring has its own strengths and weaknesses, which should be carefully considered relative to the desired results. Using this scheme, scientists and land managers can design programs best suited to their needs. Finally, we assert that for our most serious environmental challenges, it is essential that we include information from each of these monitoring scales to inform on all facets of ecosystem change, and this is best achieved through close collaboration between the scales. With a renewed understanding of the importance of each monitoring type, along with greater commitment to monitor cooperatively, we will be well placed to address some of our greatest environmental challenges

Laminar natural convection over a slender vertical frustum of a cone

The problem of laminar, natural convection flow over a slender frustum of a cone is treated in this paper. The governing differential equations are solved by a combination of quasi-linearization and finite-difference methods. Numerical solutions are obtained for Pr=0.7 and for a range of values of the transverse curvature parameter. It is shown that the effect of transverse curvature is of great significance in such flows. In diesem Bericht ist das Problem der laminaren natürlichen Konvektionsströmung an einem dünnen Kegelstumpf behandelt. Die maßgebliche Differentialgleichung ist durch eine Verbindung von Quasilinearisation und Differenzenverfahren gelöst. Eine numerische Lösung für Pr=0.7 wird für verschiedene Werte eines Krümmungsparameters angegeben. Es ist gezeigt, daß in solchen Strömungen dieser Krümmungsparameter eine große Bedeutung besitzt.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46649/1/231_2005_Article_BF01002323.pd

Perturbation analysis for periodic heat transfer in radiating fins

A perturbation analysis is presented for periodic heat transfer in radiating fins of uniform thickness. The base temperature is assumed to oscillate around a mean value. The perturbation expansion is carried out in terms of dimensionless amplitude ɛ of the base temperature oscillation. The zero-order problem which is nonlinear, and corresponds to the steady state fin behaviour, is solved by quasilinearization. A method of complex combination is used to reduce both the first and the second order problems to two, coupled linear boundary value problems which are subsequently solved by a noniterative numerical scheme. The second-order term is composed of an oscillatory component with twice the frequency of base temperature oscillation and a time-independent term which causes a net change in the steady state values of temperature and heat transfer rate. Within the range of parameters used, the net effect is to decrease the mean temperature and increase the mean heat transfer rate. This is in constrast to the linear case of convecting fins where the mean values are unaffected by base temperature oscillations. Detailed numerical results are presented illustrating the effects of fin parameter N and dimensionless frequency B on temperature distribution, heat transfer rate, and time-average fin efficiency. The time-average fin efficiency is found to reduce significantly at low N and high B. Eine Störungsanalyse wird für periodische Wärmeübertragung in Strahlungsrippen gleicher Dicke vorgelegt. Die Fußtemperatur wird als um einen Mittelwert schwingend angenommen. Die Störungsentwicklung wird in Termen einer dimensionslosen Amplitude e dieser Schwingung angesetzt. Das Problem nullter Ordnung, das nichtlinear ist und dem stationären Verhalten der Rippe entspricht, wird durch Quasilinearisierung gelöst. Eine Methode der komplexen Kombination wird angewandt, um die Probleme erster und zweiter Ordnung auf zwei gekoppelte Grenzwertprobleme zu reduzieren, die nacheinander nach einem nichtiterativen Schema gelöst werden. Der Term zweiter Ordnung besteht aus einer Schwingungskomponente mit der doppelten Frequenz der Schwingung der Fußtemperatur und einem zeitunabhängigen Term, der eine Nettoänderung der stationären Werte der Temperatur und der Wärmeübertragung verursacht. Im verwendeten Bereich der Parameter tritt eine Abnahme der mittleren Temperatur und eine Zunahme der mittleren Wärmeübertragung auf. Das steht im Gegensatz zum linearen Fall der Konvektionsrippe, bei dem die Mittelwerte durch Schwingungen der Fußtemperatur nicht beeinflußt werden. Detaillierte numerische Ergebnisse zeigen die Einflüsse des Rippenparameters N und der dimensionslosen Frequenz B auf Temperatur Verteilung, Wärmeübertragung und zeitliches Mittel des Rippengütegrades. Dieses zeitliche Mittel nimmt merklich ab bei kleinem N und hohem B.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46652/1/231_2005_Article_BF01003645.pd

Laminar natural convection over a slender vertical frustrum of a cone with constant wall heat flux

The problem of laminar natural convection flow over a slender frustrum of a cone with constant wall heat flux is treated in this paper. The governing differential equations are solved by a combination of quasilinearization and finite-difference methods. Numerical solutions are obtained for Prandtl numbers from 0.1 to 100 for a range of values of transverse curvature parameter. It is found that the effect of transverse curvature is of great significance in such flows. In dieser Arbeit wird das Problem der laminaren, natürlichen Konvektionsströmung öber einem dünnen Kegelstumpf mit konstantem Wandwärmestrom behandelt. Die maßgeblichen Differentialgleichungen werden mit Hilfe einer Kombination von Quasilinearisierung und Differenzenverfahren gelöst. Numerische Lösungen werden für die Prandtl ' sehen Zahlen zwischen 0. l und 100 innerhalb eines Bereiches von Querkrüm mungswerten erhalten. Es wird gezeigt, daß der Einfluß der Querkrümmung in solchen Strömungen von großer Bedeutung ist.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46650/1/231_2005_Article_BF00997635.pd

Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b, leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W' boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Measurement of the Lambda(b) cross section and the anti-Lambda(b) to Lambda(b) ratio with Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda decays in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The Lambda(b) differential production cross section and the cross section ratio anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) are measured as functions of transverse momentum pt(Lambda(b)) and rapidity abs(y(Lambda(b))) in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measurements are based on Lambda(b) decays reconstructed in the exclusive final state J/Psi Lambda, with the subsequent decays J/Psi to an opposite-sign muon pair and Lambda to proton pion, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 inverse femtobarns. The product of the cross section times the branching ratio for Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda versus pt(Lambda(b)) falls faster than that of b mesons. The measured value of the cross section times the branching ratio for pt(Lambda(b)) > 10 GeV and abs(y(Lambda(b))) < 2.0 is 1.06 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.12 nb, and the integrated cross section ratio for anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) is 1.02 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.09, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Measurement of isolated photon production in pp and PbPb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 2.76 TeV

Isolated photon production is measured in proton-proton and lead-lead collisions at nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energies of 2.76 TeV in the pseudorapidity range |eta|<1.44 and transverse energies ET between 20 and 80 GeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. The measured ET spectra are found to be in good agreement with next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD predictions. The ratio of PbPb to pp isolated photon ET-differential yields, scaled by the number of incoherent nucleon-nucleon collisions, is consistent with unity for all PbPb reaction centralities.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Search for new physics in events with opposite-sign leptons, jets, and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search is presented for physics beyond the standard model (BSM) in final states with a pair of opposite-sign isolated leptons accompanied by jets and missing transverse energy. The search uses LHC data recorded at a center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the CMS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 5 inverse femtobarns. Two complementary search strategies are employed. The first probes models with a specific dilepton production mechanism that leads to a characteristic kinematic edge in the dilepton mass distribution. The second strategy probes models of dilepton production with heavy, colored objects that decay to final states including invisible particles, leading to very large hadronic activity and missing transverse energy. No evidence for an event yield in excess of the standard model expectations is found. Upper limits on the BSM contributions to the signal regions are deduced from the results, which are used to exclude a region of the parameter space of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Additional information related to detector efficiencies and response is provided to allow testing specific models of BSM physics not considered in this paper.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO