Multifractal analysis of nonhyperbolic coupled map lattices: Application to genomic sequences

Symbolic sequences generated by coupled map lattices (CMLs) can be used to model the chaotic-like structure of genomic sequences. In this study it is shown that diffusively coupled Chebyshev maps of order 4 (corresponding to a shift of 4 symbols) very closely reproduce the multifractal spectrum $D_q$ of human genomic sequences for coupling constant $\alpha =0.35\pm 0.01$ if $q>0$. The presence of rare configurations causes deviations for $q<0$, which disappear if the rare event statistics of the CML is modified. Such rare configurations are known to play specific functional roles in genomic sequences serving as promoters or regulatory elements.Comment: 7 pages, 6 picture

Red-giant stars in eccentric binaries

The unparalleled photometric data obtained by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope has led to improved understanding of red-giant stars and binary stars. We discuss the characterization of known eccentric system, containing a solar-like oscillating red-giant primary component. We also report several new binary systems that are candidates for hosting an oscillating companion. A powerful approach to study binary stars is to combine asteroseimic techniques with light curve fitting. Seismology allows us to deduce the properties of red giants. In addition, by modeling the ellipsoidal modulations we can constrain the parameters of the binary system. An valuable independent source are ground-bases, high-resolution spectrographs

Development of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) procedures to control organic chemical hazards in the agricultural production of raw food commodities

Hazard Analysis by Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a systematic approach to the identification, assessment and control of hazards in the food chain. Effective HACCP requires the consideration of all possible hazards, i.e., chemical, microbiological and physical. However, current procedures focus primarily upon microbiological and physical hazards, and, to date, chemical aspects of HACCP have received relatively little attention. Consequently, this report discusses the application of HACCP to organic chemical contaminants and the particular problems that are likely to encounter within the agricultural sector. It also presents generic templates for the development of organic chemical contaminant HACCP procedures for selected raw food commodities, i.e., cereal crops, raw meats and milk

Generation of Magnetic Field in the Pre-recombination Era

We study the possibility of generating magnetic fields during the evolution of electron, proton, and photon plasma in the pre-recombination era. We show that a small magnetic field can be generated in the second order of perturbation theory for scalar modes with adiabatic initial conditions. The amplitude of the field is \la 10^{-30} \rm G at the present epoch for scales from sub-kpc to \ga 100 \rm Mpc.Comment: 8 page

Can spicules be detected at disc centre in broad-band Ca II H filter imaging data ?

We estimate the formation height range contributing to broad-band and narrow-band filter imaging data in Ca II H to investigate whether spicules can be detected in such observations at the centre of the solar disc. We apply spectral filters of FWHMs from 0.03 nm to 1 nm to observed Ca line profiles to simulate Ca imaging data. We estimate the relative intensity contributions of off-limb and on-disc structures. We compare the synthetic Ca filter imaging data with intensity maps of Ca spectra at different wavelengths and temperature maps at different optical depths. We determine the intensity response function for the wavelengths covered by the filters of different FWHM. The intensity emitted off the solar limb is about 5% of the intensity at disc centre. For a 0.3 nm-wide Ca II H filter, up to about 1/3 of the off-limb intensity comes from emission in Hepsilon. On the disc, only about 15% of the intensity transmitted through a broad-band filter comes from the line-core region. No traces of elongated fibrillar structures are visible in imaging data at disc centre, opposite to the line-core images of the Ca spectra. The response function for a 0.3 nm-wide filter peaks at about 200 km. Relative contributions from atmospheric layers above 800 km are about 10%. The inversion results suggest that the slightly enhanced emission around the photospheric magnetic network in broad-band Ca imaging data is caused by a thermal canopy at a height of about 600 km. Broad-band Ca II H imaging data do not trace upper chromospheric structures such as spicules in observations at the solar disc because of the too small relative contribution of the line core to the total wavelength-integrated filter intensity.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Approaching Visual Search in Photo-Realistic Scenes

Visual search is extended from the domain of polygonal figures presented on a uniform background to scenes in which search is for a photo-realistic object in a dense, naturalistic background. Scene generation for these displays relies on a powerful solid modeling program to define the three dimensional forms, surface properties, relative positions, and illumination of the objects and a rendering program to produce an image. Search in the presented experiments is for a rock with specific properties among other, similar rocks, although the method described can be generalized to other situations. Using this technique we explore the effects of illumination and shadows in aiding search for a rock in front of and closer to the viewer than other rocks in the scene. For these scenes, shadows of two different contrast levels can significantly deet·ease reaction times for displays in which target rocks are similar to distractor rocks. However, when the target rock is itself easily distinguishable from dis tractors on the basis of form, the presence or absence of shadows has no discernible effect. To relate our findings to those for earlier polygonal displays, we simplified the non-shadow displays so that only boundary information remained. For these simpler displays, search slopes (the reaction time as a function of the number of distractors) were significantly faster, indicating that the more complex photo-realistic objects require more time to process for visual search. In contrast with several previous experiments involving polygonal figures, we found no evidence for an effect of illumination direction on search times

Accounting for Seismic Risk in Financial Analysis of Property Investment

A methodology is presented for making property investment decisions using loss analysis and the principles of decision analysis. It proposes that the investor choose among competing investment alternatives on the basis of the certainty equivalent of their net asset value which depends on the uncertain discounted future net income, uncertain discounted future earthquake losses, initial equity and the investor’s risk tolerance. The earthquake losses are modelled using a seismic vulnerability function, the site seismic hazard function, and an assumption that strong shaking at a site follows a Poisson process. A building-specific vulnerability approach, called assembly-based vulnerability, or ABV, is used. ABV involves a simulation approach that includes dynamic structural analyses and damage analyses using fragility functions and probability distributions on unit repair costs and downtimes for all vulnerable structural and nonstructural components in a building. The methodology is demonstrated using some results from a seven-storey reinforced-concrete hotel in Los Angeles

Beneficial and Harmful Agile Practices for Product Quality

There is the widespread belief that Agile neglects the product quality. This lack of understanding how Agile processes assure the quality of the product prevents especially companies from regulated domains from an adoption of Agile. This work aims to identify which Agile Practices contribute towards product quality. Hence, data from a survey study is analyzed to identify Ag-ile Practices which are beneficial or harmful for the quality of the product. From 49 practices that were used in the survey so far, 36 were perceived to have a positive impact on product quality, while four practices were rated as being harmful. The results enrich understanding of how product quality can be achieved in Agile, and support selection of practices to improve quality

Spectroscopy at the solar limb: II. Are spicules heated to coronal temperatures ?

Spicules of the so-called type II were suggested to be relevant for coronal heating because of their ubiquity on the solar surface and their eventual extension into the corona. We investigate whether solar spicules are heated to transition-region or coronal temperatures and reach coronal heights (>6 Mm) using multi-wavelength observations of limb spicules in different chromospheric spectral lines (Ca II H, Hepsilon, Halpha, Ca II IR at 854.2 nm, He I at 1083 nm). We determine the line width of individual spicules and throughout the field of view and estimate the maximal height that different types of off-limb features reach. We derive estimates of the kinetic temperature and the non-thermal velocity from the line width of spectral lines from different chemical elements. We find that most regular spicules reach a maximal height of about 6 Mm above the solar limb. The majority of features found at larger heights are irregularly shaped with a significantly larger lateral extension than spicules. Both individual and average line profiles in all spectral lines show a decrease in their line width with height above the limb with very few exceptions. Both the kinetic temperature and the non-thermal velocity decrease with height above the limb. We find no indications that the spicules in our data reach coronal heights or transition-region or coronal temperatures.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physics, 52 pages, 32 figure

The polarization signature of photospheric magnetic fields in 3D MHD simulations and observations at disk center

Before using 3D MHD simulations of the solar photosphere in the determination of elemental abundances, one has to ensure that the correct amount of magnetic flux is present in the simulations. The presence of magnetic flux modifies the thermal structure of the solar photosphere, which affects abundance determinations and the solar spectral irradiance. We compare the polarization signals in disk-center observations of the solar photosphere in quiet-Sun regions with those in Stokes spectra computed on the basis of 3D MHD simulations having average magnetic flux densities of about 20, 56, 112 and 224 G. This approach allows us to find the simulation run that best matches the observations. The observations were taken with the Hinode SP, TIP, POLIS and the GFPI, respectively. We determine characteristic quantities of full Stokes profiles in a few photospheric spectral lines in the visible (630 nm) and near-infrared (1083 and 1565 nm). We find that the appearance of abnormal granulation in intensity maps of degraded simulations can be traced back to an initially regular granulation pattern with numerous bright points in the intergranular lanes before the spatial degradation. The linear polarization signals in the simulations are almost exclusively related to canopies of strong magnetic flux concentrations and not to transient events of magnetic flux emergence. We find that the average vertical magnetic flux density in the simulation should be less than 50 G to reproduce the observed polarization signals in the quiet Sun internetwork. A value of about 35 G gives the best match across the SP, TIP, POLIS and GFPI observations.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures; accepted for publication in Ap