New application of open source data and Rock Engineering System for debris flow susceptibility analysis

This research describes a quantitative, rapid, and low-cost methodology for debris flow susceptibility evaluation at the basin scale using open-access data and geodatabases. The proposed approach can aid decision makers in land management and territorial planning, by first screening for areas with a higher debris flow susceptibility. Five environmental predisposing factors, namely, bedrock lithology, fracture network, quaternary deposits, slope inclination, and hydrographic network, were selected as independent parameters and their mutual interactions were described and quantified using the Rock Engineering System (RES) methodology. For each parameter, specific indexes were proposed, aiming to provide a final synthetic and representative index of debris flow susceptibility at the basin scale. The methodology was tested in four basins located in the Upper Susa Valley (NW Italian Alps) where debris flow events are the predominant natural hazard. The proposed matrix can represent a useful standardized tool, universally applicable, since it is independent of type and characteristic of the basin

Re-sequenciamento genômico da cultivar de feijoeiro comum Pérola (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

O objetivo desse estudo é realizar através dos dados de re-sequenciamento da cultivar Pérola as análises de montagem, anotação e identificação de variações nucleotídicas através do alinhamento com os genomas de referência das variedades BAT93 e G19833 de feijoeiro comum.Pôster - pós-graduação

Identificação e validação de genes de referência para análise de RT-qPCR em arroz.

O objetivo desse estudo foi identificar e validar genes de referência para análise de RTqPCR em arroz.Pôster - pós-graduação

Behind the dust curtain: the spectacular case of GRB 160623A

We report on the X-ray dust-scattering features observed around the afterglow of the gamma ray burst GRB 160623A. With an XMM-Newton observation carried out ~2 days after the burst, we found evidence of at least six rings, with angular size expanding between ~2 and 9 arcmin, as expected for X-ray scattering of the prompt GRB emission by dust clouds in our Galaxy. From the expansion rate of the rings, we measured the distances of the dust layers with extraordinary precision: 528.1 +\- 1.2 pc, 679.2 +\- 1.9 pc, 789.0 +\- 2.8 pc, 952 +\- 5 pc, 1539 +\- 20 pc and 5079 +\- 64 pc. A spectral analysis of the ring spectra, based on an appropriate dust-scattering model (BARE-GR-B from Zubko et al. 2004}) and the estimated burst fluence, allowed us to derive the column density of the individual dust layers, which are in the range 7x10^20-1.5x10^22 cm^-2. The farthest dust-layer (i.e. the one responsible for the smallest ring) is also the one with the lowest column density and it is possibly very extended, indicating a diffuse dust region. The properties derived for the six dust-layers (distance, thickness, and optical depth) are generally in good agreement with independent information on the reddening along this line of sight and on the distribution of molecular and atomic gas.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, 1 table; accepted for publication in MNRA

Evidence for a Photospheric Component in the Prompt Emission of the Short GRB120323A and its Effects on the GRB Hardness-Luminosity Relation

The short GRB 120323A had the highest flux ever detected with the Fermi/GBM. Here we study its remarkable spectral properties and their evolution using two spectral models: (i) a single emission component scenario, where the spectrum is modeled by the empirical Band function, and (ii) a two component scenario, where thermal (Planck-like) emission is observed simultaneously with a non-thermal component (a Band function). We find that the latter model fits the integrated burst spectrum significantly better than the former, and that their respective spectral parameters are dramatically different: when fit with a Band function only, the Epeak of the event is unusually soft for a short GRB, while adding a thermal component leads to more typical short GRB values. Our time-resolved spectral analysis produces similar results. We argue here that the two-component model is the preferred interpretation for GRB 120323A, based on: (i) the values and evolution of the Band function parameters of the two component scenario, which are more typical for a short GRB, and (ii) the appearance in the data of a significant hardness-intensity correlation, commonly found in GRBs, when we employee two-component model fits; the correlation is non-existent in the Band-only fits. GRB 110721A, a long burst with an intense photospheric emission, exhibits the exact same behavior. We conclude that GRB 120323A has a strong photospheric emission contribution, first time observed in a short GRB. Magnetic dissipation models are difficult to reconcile with these results, which instead favor photospheric thermal emission and fast cooling synchrotron radiation from internal shocks. Finally, we derive a possibly universal hardness-luminosity relation in the source frame using a larger set of GRBs L,i=(1.59+/-0.84).10^50 (Epeak,i)^(1.33+/-0.07) erg/s), which could be used as a possible redshift estimator for cosmology.Comment: 27 pages, 13 figures, Accepted by ApJ (April, 7th 2013

Microturbulence studies in RFX-mod

Present-days Reversed Field Pinches (RFPs) are characterized by quasi-laminar magnetic configurations in their core, whose boundaries feature sharp internal transport barriers, in analogy with tokamaks and stellarators. The abatement of magnetic chaos leads to the reduction of associated particle and heat transport along wandering field lines. At the same time, the growth of steep temperature gradients may trigger drift microinstabilities. In this work we summarize the work recently done in the RFP RFX-mod in order to assess the existence and the impact upon transport of such electrostatic and electromagnetic microinstabilities as Ion Temperature Gradient (ITG), Trapped Electron Modes (TEM) and microtearing modes.Comment: Work presented at the 2010 Varenna workshop "Theory of Fusion Plasmas". To appear in Journal of Physics Conference Serie

About the parabolic relation existing between the skewness and the kurtosis in time series of experimental data

In this work we investigate the origin of the parabolic relation between skewness and kurtosis often encountered in the analysis of experimental time-series. We argue that the numerical values of the coefficients of the curve may provide informations about the specific physics of the system studied, whereas the analytical curve per se is a fairly general consequence of a few constraints expected to hold for most systems.Comment: To appear in Physica Script

To what extent can dynamical models describe statistical features of turbulent flows?

Statistical features of "bursty" behaviour in charged and neutral fluid turbulence, are compared to statistics of intermittent events in a GOY shell model, and avalanches in different models of Self Organized Criticality (SOC). It is found that inter-burst times show a power law distribution for turbulent samples and for the shell model, a property which is shared only in a particular case of the running sandpile model. The breakdown of self-similarity generated by isolated events observed in the turbulent samples, is well reproduced by the shell model, while it is absent in all SOC models considered. On this base, we conclude that SOC models are not adequate to mimic fluid turbulence, while the GOY shell model constitutes a better candidate to describe the gross features of turbulence.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, in press on Europhys. Lett. (may 2002

Identificação e quantificação da expressão de genes diferencialmente expressos sob condição de déficit hídrico em feijoeiro comum (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Com o intuito de avançar no conhecimento dos mecanismos genéticos envolvidos na tolerância à seca, esse estudo teve como objetivos a identificação de genes diferencialmente expressos em feijoeiro comum sob condições de déficit hídrico, validação via RT-PCT de alguns desses genes-candidatos potencialmente envolvidos na resposta ao estresse, bem como contribuir para o incremento do banco de sequências expressas (EST?s) enriquecidas para genes diferencialmente expressos nos genótipos BAT 477 (tolerante) e Pérola (suscetível) quando submetidos às condições de presença e ausência do déficit hídrico.CONAFE