Follow-up of X-ray transients detected by SWIFT with COLORES using the BOOTES network

The Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System (BOOTES) is a network of telescopes that allows the continuous monitoring of transient astrophysical sources. It was originally devoted to the study of the optical emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) that occur in the Universe. In this paper we show the initial results obtained using the spectrograph COLORES (mounted on BOOTES-2), when observing compact objects of diverse nature.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figues, to appear in "Swift: 10 years of discovery", Proceedings of Scienc

Invasion Through Quantitative Effects: Intense Shade Drives Native Decline and Invasive Success

The effects of invasive nonnative species on community composition are well documented. However, few studies have determined the mechanisms by which invaders drive these changes. The literature indicates that many nonnative plant species alter light availability differently than natives in a given community, suggesting that shading may be such a mechanism. We compared light quantity (photosynthetically active radiation, PAR) and quality (red : far-red ratio, R:Fr) in riparian reaches heavily invaded by a nonnative tree (Acer platanoides) to that in an uninvaded forest and experimentally tested the effects of our measured differences in PAR and R:Fr on the survival, growth, and biomass allocation of seedlings of the dominant native species and Acer platanoides. Light conditions representative of the understory of Acer platanoides-invaded forest decreased survival of the native maple Acer glabrum by 28%; Amelanchier alnifolia by 32%; Betula occidentalis by 55%; Elymus glaucus by 46%; and Sorbus aucuparia by 52%, relative to seedlings growing in PAR similar to that of native understories. In contrast, Acer platanoides and the native shrub Symphoricarpos albus were not affected by reductions in PAR. Acer platanoides seedlings and saplings are uniquely adapted to shade relative to native species. Acer platanoides was the only species tested that decreased allocation to roots relative to shoots in the invaded forest vs. the native forest light conditions. Therefore it was the only species to demonstrate an adaptive response to the particular light environment associated with Acer platanoides invasion as predicted by optimal partitioning theory. The profound change in light quantity associated with Acer platanoides canopies appears to act as an important driver of native suppression and conspecific success in invaded riparian communities. Further research is necessary to determine whether the effect of nonnative plant-driven changes on light quantity and quality is a widespread mechanism negatively affecting resident species and facilitating invasion by nonnatives

Complete partial metric spaces have partially metrizable computational models

We show that the domain of formal balls of a complete partial metric space (X, p) can be endowed with a complete partial metric that extends p and induces the Scott topology. This result, that generalizes well-known constructions of Edalat and Heckmann [A computational model for metric spaces, Theoret. Comput. Sci. 193 (1998), pp. 53-73] and Heckmann [Approximation of metric spaces by partial metric spaces, Appl. Cat. Struct. 7 (1999), pp. 71-83] for metric spaces and improves a recent result of Romaguera and Valero [A quantitative computational model for complete partial metric spaces via formal balls, Math. Struct. Comput. Sci. 19 (2009), pp. 541-563], motivates a notion of a partially metrizable computational model which allows us to characterize those topological spaces that admit a compatible complete partial metric via this model.The authors acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, under grant MTM2009-12872-C02-01.Romaguera Bonilla, S.; Tirado Peláez, P.; Valero Sierra, Ó. (2012). Complete partial metric spaces have partially metrizable computational models. International Journal of Computer Mathematics. 89(3):284-290. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207160.2011.559229S284290893ALI-AKBARI, M., HONARI, B., POURMAHDIAN, M., & REZAII, M. M. (2009). The space of formal balls and models of quasi-metric spaces. Mathematical Structures in Computer Science, 19(2), 337-355. doi:10.1017/s0960129509007439Edalat, A., & Heckmann, R. (1998). A computational model for metric spaces. Theoretical Computer Science, 193(1-2), 53-73. doi:10.1016/s0304-3975(96)00243-5Edalat, A., & Sünderhauf, P. (1999). Computable Banach spaces via domain theory. Theoretical Computer Science, 219(1-2), 169-184. doi:10.1016/s0304-3975(98)00288-6Flagg, B., & Kopperman, R. (1997). Computational Models for Ultrametric Spaces. Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science, 6, 151-159. doi:10.1016/s1571-0661(05)80164-1Heckmann, R. (1999). Applied Categorical Structures, 7(1/2), 71-83. doi:10.1023/a:1008684018933Kopperman, R., Künzi, H.-P. A., & Waszkiewicz, P. (2004). Bounded complete models of topological spaces. Topology and its Applications, 139(1-3), 285-297. doi:10.1016/j.topol.2003.12.001Krötzsch, M. (2006). Generalized ultrametric spaces in quantitative domain theory. Theoretical Computer Science, 368(1-2), 30-49. doi:10.1016/j.tcs.2006.05.037Künzi, H.-P. A. (2001). Nonsymmetric Distances and Their Associated Topologies: About the Origins of Basic Ideas in the Area of Asymmetric Topology. History of Topology, 853-968. doi:10.1007/978-94-017-0470-0_3LAWSON, J. (1997). Spaces of maximal points. Mathematical Structures in Computer Science, 7(5), 543-555. doi:10.1017/s0960129597002363Martin, K. (1998). Domain theoretic models of topological spaces. Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science, 13, 173-181. doi:10.1016/s1571-0661(05)80221-xMatthews, S. G.Partial metric topology. Procedings of the 8th Summer Conference on General Topology and Applications, Ann. New York Acad. Sci. 728 (1994), pp. 183–197Rodríguez-López, J., Romaguera, S., & Valero, O. (2008). Denotational semantics for programming languages, balanced quasi-metrics and fixed points. International Journal of Computer Mathematics, 85(3-4), 623-630. doi:10.1080/00207160701210653Romaguera, S., & Valero, O. (2009). A quasi-metric computational model from modular functions on monoids. International Journal of Computer Mathematics, 86(10-11), 1668-1677. doi:10.1080/00207160802691652ROMAGUERA, S., & VALERO, O. (2009). A quantitative computational model for complete partial metric spaces via formal balls. Mathematical Structures in Computer Science, 19(3), 541-563. doi:10.1017/s0960129509007671ROMAGUERA, S., & VALERO, O. (2010). Domain theoretic characterisations of quasi-metric completeness in terms of formal balls. Mathematical Structures in Computer Science, 20(3), 453-472. doi:10.1017/s0960129510000010Rutten, J. J. M. M. (1998). Weighted colimits and formal balls in generalized metric spaces. Topology and its Applications, 89(1-2), 179-202. doi:10.1016/s0166-8641(97)00224-1Schellekens, M. P. (2003). A characterization of partial metrizability: domains are quantifiable. Theoretical Computer Science, 305(1-3), 409-432. doi:10.1016/s0304-3975(02)00705-3Smyth, M. B. (2006). The constructive maximal point space and partial metrizability. Annals of Pure and Applied Logic, 137(1-3), 360-379. doi:10.1016/j.apal.2005.05.032Waszkiewicz, P. (2003). Applied Categorical Structures, 11(1), 41-67. doi:10.1023/a:1023012924892WASZKIEWICZ, P. (2006). Partial metrisability of continuous posets. Mathematical Structures in Computer Science, 16(02), 359. doi:10.1017/s096012950600519

The Host Galaxy and Optical Light Curve of the Gamma-Ray Burst GRB 980703

We present deep HST/STIS and ground-based photometry of the host galaxy of the gamma-ray burst GRB 980703 taken 17, 551, 710, and 716 days after the burst. We find that the host is a blue, slightly over-luminous galaxy with V_gal = 23.00 +/- 0.10, (V-R)_gal = 0.43 +/- 0.13, and a centre that is approximately 0.2 mag bluer than the outer regions of the galaxy. The galaxy has a star-formation rate of 8-13 M_sun/yr, assuming no extinction in the host. We find that the galaxy is best fit by a Sersic R^(1/n) profile with n ~= 1.0 and a half-light radius of 0.13 arcsec (= 0.72/h_100 proper kpc). This corresponds to an exponential disk with a scale radius of 0.22 arcsec (= 1.21/h_100 proper kpc). Subtracting a fit with elliptical isophotes leaves large residuals, which suggests that the host galaxy has a somewhat irregular morphology, but we are unable to connect the location of GRB 980703 with any special features in the host. The host galaxy appears to be a typical example of a compact star forming galaxy similar to those found in the Hubble Deep Field North. The R-band light curve of the optical afterglow associated with this gamma-ray burst is consistent with a single power-law decay having a slope of alpha = -1.37 +/- 0.14. Due to the bright underlying host galaxy the late time properties of the light-curve are very poorly constrained. The decay of the optical light curve is consistent with a contribution from an underlying Type Ic supernova like SN1998bw, or a dust echo, but such contributions cannot be securely established.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX using A&A Document Class v4.05, to appear in A&

INITIAL FOLLOW-UP OF OPTICAL TRANSIENTS WITH COLORES USING THE BOOTES NETWORK

The Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System (BOOTES) is a network of telescopes that allows the continuous monitoring of transient astrophysical sources. It was originally devoted to the study of the optical emissions from gamma-raybursts (GRBs) that occur in the Universe. In this paper we show the initial results obtained using the spectrograph COLORES (mounted on BOOTES-2), when observing optical transients (OTs) of a diverse nature

New results on the mathematical foundations of asymptotic complexity analysis of algorithms via complexity spaces

Schellekens [The Smyth completion: A common foundation for denotational semantics and complexity analysis, Electron. Notes Theor. Comput. Sci. 1 (1995), pp. 211-232.] introduced the theory of complexity (quasi-metric) spaces as a part of the development of a topological foundation for the asymptotic complexity analysis of programs and algorithms in 1995. The applicability of this theory to the asymptotic complexity analysis of divide and conquer algorithms was also illustrated by Schellekens in the same paper. In particular, he gave a new formal proof, based on the use of the Banach fixed-point theorem, of the well-known fact that the asymptotic upper bound of the average running time of computing of Mergesort belongs to the asymptotic complexity class of n log(2) n. Recently, Schellekens' method has been shown to be useful in yielding asymptotic upper bounds for a class of algorithms whose running time of computing leads to recurrence equations different from the divide and conquer ones reported in Cerda-Uguet et al. [The Baire partial quasi-metric space: A mathematical tool for the asymptotic complexity analysis in Computer Science, Theory Comput. Syst. 50 (2012), pp. 387-399.]. However, the variety of algorithms whose complexity can be analysed with this approach is not much larger than that of algorithms that can be analysed with the original Schellekens method. In this paper, on the one hand, we extend Schellekens' method in order to yield asymptotic upper bounds for a certain class of recursive algorithms whose running time of computing cannot be discussed following the techniques given by Cerda-Uguet et al. and, on the other hand, we improve the original Schellekens method by introducing a new fixed-point technique for providing, contrary to the case of the method introduced by Cerda-Uguet et al., lower asymptotic bounds of the running time of computing of the aforementioned algorithms and those studied by Cerda-Uguet et al. We illustrate and validate the developed method by applying our results to provide the asymptotic complexity class (asymptotic upper and lower bounds) of the celebrated algorithms Quicksort, Largetwo and Hanoi.The authors are thankful for the support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, grant MTM2009-12872-C02-01.Romaguera Bonilla, S.; Tirado Peláez, P.; Valero Sierra, Ó. (2012). New results on the mathematical foundations of asymptotic complexity analysis of algorithms via complexity spaces. International Journal of Computer Mathematics. 89(13-14):1728-1741. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207160.2012.659246S172817418913-14Cerdà-Uguet, M. A., Schellekens, M. P., & Valero, O. (2011). The Baire Partial Quasi-Metric Space: A Mathematical Tool for Asymptotic Complexity Analysis in Computer Science. Theory of Computing Systems, 50(2), 387-399. doi:10.1007/s00224-010-9310-7Cull, P., & Ecklund, E. F. (1985). Towers of Hanoi and Analysis of Algorithms. The American Mathematical Monthly, 92(6), 407. doi:10.2307/2322448García-Raffi, L. M., Romaguera, S., & Sánchez-Pérez, E. A. (2002). Sequence spaces and asymmetric norms in the theory of computational complexity. Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 36(1-2), 1-11. doi:10.1016/s0895-7177(02)00100-0García-Raffi, L. M., Romaguera, S., & Schellekens, M. P. (2008). Applications of the complexity space to the General Probabilistic Divide and Conquer Algorithms. Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications, 348(1), 346-355. doi:10.1016/j.jmaa.2008.07.026Künzi, H.-P. A. (2001). Nonsymmetric Distances and Their Associated Topologies: About the Origins of Basic Ideas in the Area of Asymmetric Topology. History of Topology, 853-968. doi:10.1007/978-94-017-0470-0_3Rodríguez-López, J., Romaguera, S., & Valero, O. (2008). Denotational semantics for programming languages, balanced quasi-metrics and fixed points. International Journal of Computer Mathematics, 85(3-4), 623-630. doi:10.1080/00207160701210653Rodríguez-López, J., Schellekens, M. P., & Valero, O. (2009). An extension of the dual complexity space and an application to Computer Science. Topology and its Applications, 156(18), 3052-3061. doi:10.1016/j.topol.2009.02.009Romaguera, S., & Schellekens, M. (1999). Quasi-metric properties of complexity spaces. Topology and its Applications, 98(1-3), 311-322. doi:10.1016/s0166-8641(98)00102-3Romaguera, S., & Valero, O. (2008). On the structure of the space of complexity partial functions. International Journal of Computer Mathematics, 85(3-4), 631-640. doi:10.1080/00207160701210117Romaguera, S., Schellekens, M. P., & Valero, O. (2011). The complexity space of partial functions: a connection between complexity analysis and denotational semantics. International Journal of Computer Mathematics, 88(9), 1819-1829. doi:10.1080/00207161003631885Schellekens, M. (1995). The Smyth Completion. Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science, 1, 535-556. doi:10.1016/s1571-0661(04)00029-5Scott, D. S. 1970. Outline of a mathematical theory of computation. Proceedings of the 4th Annual Princeton Conference on Information Sciences and Systems. March26–271970, Princeton, NJ. pp.169–176