Proposed taxonomy and framework to support the decision-making of investments in Big Science

RÉSUMÉ: Au cours des sept dernières décennies, les projets de Mégascience (Big Science) ont adopté une dimension internationale, sont devenus plus complexes et plus coûteux, rendant ainsi plus difficile la prise de décision des gouvernements en matière d’investissement. Combinant des méthodes de recherche qualitatives et quantitatives, l’objectif principal de cette recherche est d’aider les gouvernements nationaux à améliorer leur capacité à prendre des décisions éclairées et structurées en matière d’investissement en Mégascience, avec la participation de la communauté scientifique et de l’industrie. Pour atteindre cet objectif, deux objectifs spécifiques sont poursuivis. Le premier vise à construire une taxonomie générale de la Mégascience qui offre une compréhension globale allant au-delà de la vision traditionnelle du terme, c’est-à-dire de gros projets d’infrastructure pour la physique de haute énergie. Cette taxonomie est construite sur la base de domaines de recherche qui, en combinaison avec des définitions pratiques et complètes, peut être utilisée pour présélectionner des projets qui, s’ils répondent à des exigences spécifiques, seront éligibles à recevoir des financements importants. Le deuxième objectif spécifique est la structuration du problème de l’investissement gouvernemental en Mégascience. À cet effet, une série de 50 entretiens avec des parties prenantes de haut niveau de la Mégascience trace un portrait détaillé de la complexité de la prise de décision de financement. Les résultats ont révélé qu’il existe une seule cause principale du problème de décision d’investissement en Mégascience qui est la nature même de la Mégascience, dont le but est d’explorer la frontière de la connaissance, plutôt que le montant astronomique du financement en lui-même. La structuration du problème a également révélé que pour résoudre le problème, il est nécessaire de promouvoir un processus décisionnel qui soit objectif, et donc fondé sur des critères qualitatifs et / ou quantitatifs. Au final, cette recherche propose un cadre systématique et personnalisable afin de faciliter la prise de décision en matière d’investissements dans le domaine de la Mégascience. Le système propose un index de la Mégascience (« BigSci Index »), compatible avec toutes les initiatives en Mégascience de façon à fournir un cadre transparent, éclairé et fondé sur des données probantes pour le processus décisionnel et la reddition de comptes. La communauté scientifique, les représentants de l’industrie et les analystes gouvernementaux sont des éléments centraux de cette cadre. Les résultats de cette recherche offrent une double perspective par l’intermédiaire d’une contribution à une meilleure compréhension du phénomène de la Mégascience et également par l’introduction d’une nouvelle approche du problème de la prise de décision dans le financement des projets. L’adoption du cadre proposé permettrait de garantir aux gouvernements une prise de décision éclairée dans les investissements en Mégascience tout en adoptant les meilleures pratiques dans un processus rationnel, structuré et objectif. Ces avantages comprennent également une utilisation plus efficace des fonds publics et une plus grande transparence dans la prise de décision. Cela se traduirait en effet par une augmentation des avantages sociaux, économiques, politiques et scientifiques des investissements dans des projets de Mégascience.----------ABSTRACT: Over the past 70 years, Big Science projects have adopted an international dimension, which has become more complex, costly, and challenging regarding governments’ decision-making in investments. Combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, this research’s primary goal is to support national governments to improve their capacity to make informed and structured decisions on Big Science investments, with the participation of the scientific community and the industry. To reach this goal, two specific objectives are pursued. The first specific objective is to build a taxonomy of Big Science that provides a comprehensive understanding of the term beyond the traditional view of BigSci as high-energy physics infrastructure projects. This taxonomy is built based on research fields that, along with a proposed workable and comprehensive definition of Big Science, may be used to pre-select candidate project proposals to receive significant investments if they meet specific requirements. The second specific objective is to structure the problem of government investments in Big Science. To that effect, a set of 50 interviews with high-level Big Science stakeholders provided an in-depth portrait of the complex situation of the funding decision. The results revealed a single prime cause of the Big Science investment decision problem, which is the inherent nature of Big Science of exploring the frontier of knowledge, rather than the exorbitant amount of funding it demands. The problem structuring also revealed that to solve the problem, it is necessary to promote a decision-making process that should be objective, i.e., grounded on qualitative and/or quantitative criteria. In the end, this research proposes a systematic and customizable framework for supporting the decision-making of Big Science investments. The framework introduces the BigSci Index, which addresses any Big Science initiative and provides measures to ensure transparent, informed, and evidence-based decision-making and accountability. The scientific community, industry representatives, and government analysts are central components of the framework. The results provide a two-fold perspective: they contribute to a new understanding of the phenomenon of Big Science and offer a new approach to its funding decision problem. Adopting the proposed framework for the government decision-making of Big Science investments would ensure that decisions are well informed, follow best practices, and involve a rational, structured, and objective process. The benefits also include more effective use of public funds and greater clarity and transparency in decision-making. These, in turn, would translate into increased social, economic, political, and scientific benefits from investments in Big Science projects

Orographic enhancement processes of precipitation in Serra do Mar, São Paulo, Brazil.

Este é o primeiro trabalho no Brasil a estudar os processos de intensificação orográfica da precipitação. A região enfocada é a Serra do Mar, especificamente nas proximidades da Baixada Santista, São Paulo, onde o total de chuva acumulado no ano ultrapassa 4000 mm. O conjunto de dados utilizados constou de registros pluviométricos a cada 30 minutos, mapas CAPPI a cada 10 minutos do radar de Ponte Nova, imagens de satélite, observações de estações meteorológicas de superfície, campos sinóticos de pressão e vento e informações de temperatura da superfície do mar. As informações referem-se ao período de março de 1991 a março de 1995. Todo o período foi demarcado em grande escala pela presença do fenômeno El Niño/Oscilação Sul. Os resultados revelaram que os fenômenos de intensificação são comuns na região ao longo de todo o ano, em especial na primavera. A maioria dos 144 eventos analisados teve acumulação máxima inferior a 50 mm precipitados em até 12 horas com taxa média tipicamente de natureza estratiforme. Estas características variam sazonalmente e de acordo com a localidade na encosta da Serra do Mar. Os eventos costumam ser de origem pós-frontal com vento de sudeste e altos índices de umidade relativa à superfície, muita nebulosidade na faixa leste de São Paulo e pouca no interior do Estado. Este estudo conclui que predominam os casos de seeder-feeder, seguidos pelos eventos mistos (seeder-feeder/convecção disparada), os de convecção disparada e por fim os de autoconversão. O impacto de maior interesse dos processos de intensificação orográfica da precipitação nessa região é o escorregamento de encostas, pois geram significativos prejuízos econômicos e sociais. Nem todos os episódios de escorregamento de encostas na região, durante o período estudado, foram provocados por fenômenos de intensificação. Contudo, estes foram contribuintes fundamentais para o desenvolvimento do quadro de iminência de risco de acidentes na montanha. O risco maior é representado pelas chuvas de acumulação muito grande, duração muito longa e taxa de precipitação de natureza estratiforme, aspectos comuns na parte mais próxima do topo da Serra do Mar.This is the first Brazilian study on processes of orographic rainfall enhancement. The studied mountain range is Serra do Mar in the southeastern coast region of the São Paulo State, where the average annual accumulation exceeds 4000 mm. The used data set was composed by 30-minute recording raingauge network, 10-minute CAPPI maps from the Ponte Nova S-band radar, satellite imageries, sea surface temperature fields and synoptic and local surface meteorological observations. The temporal coverage was March 1991 through March 1995. El Niño/Southern Oscillation occurred during all this period. Results showed orographic enhancement processes are common all year long, specially in spring. Most part of 144 analyzed events spent less than 12 hours accumulating until 50 mm in a stratiform rain rate. These features have seasonal and spatial variations. The orographic enhancement events are usually associated to post frontal conditions, southeast surface winds, high surface relative humidity, cloudy conditions in São Paulo eastern region and clear sky inland. This study has concluded that the seeder-feeder mechanism was responsible for the majority of observed orographic enhancement cases, followed by seeder-feeder/triggered convection occurring simultaneously and then by triggered convection mechanism and finally by autoconvertion. The most interesting impact of these phenomena in this region is the land slides along the hill steep slope due to their social and economical losses. Some accident occurences were associated to orographic enhancement cases. The greatest accident risks lie in high precipitation accumulations with long duration and small rainfall rates. All of them are frequent near the top of Serra do Mar

Orographic enhancement processes of precipitation in Serra do Mar, São Paulo, Brazil.

Este é o primeiro trabalho no Brasil a estudar os processos de intensificação orográfica da precipitação. A região enfocada é a Serra do Mar, especificamente nas proximidades da Baixada Santista, São Paulo, onde o total de chuva acumulado no ano ultrapassa 4000 mm. O conjunto de dados utilizados constou de registros pluviométricos a cada 30 minutos, mapas CAPPI a cada 10 minutos do radar de Ponte Nova, imagens de satélite, observações de estações meteorológicas de superfície, campos sinóticos de pressão e vento e informações de temperatura da superfície do mar. As informações referem-se ao período de março de 1991 a março de 1995. Todo o período foi demarcado em grande escala pela presença do fenômeno El Niño/Oscilação Sul. Os resultados revelaram que os fenômenos de intensificação são comuns na região ao longo de todo o ano, em especial na primavera. A maioria dos 144 eventos analisados teve acumulação máxima inferior a 50 mm precipitados em até 12 horas com taxa média tipicamente de natureza estratiforme. Estas características variam sazonalmente e de acordo com a localidade na encosta da Serra do Mar. Os eventos costumam ser de origem pós-frontal com vento de sudeste e altos índices de umidade relativa à superfície, muita nebulosidade na faixa leste de São Paulo e pouca no interior do Estado. Este estudo conclui que predominam os casos de seeder-feeder, seguidos pelos eventos mistos (seeder-feeder/convecção disparada), os de convecção disparada e por fim os de autoconversão. O impacto de maior interesse dos processos de intensificação orográfica da precipitação nessa região é o escorregamento de encostas, pois geram significativos prejuízos econômicos e sociais. Nem todos os episódios de escorregamento de encostas na região, durante o período estudado, foram provocados por fenômenos de intensificação. Contudo, estes foram contribuintes fundamentais para o desenvolvimento do quadro de iminência de risco de acidentes na montanha. O risco maior é representado pelas chuvas de acumulação muito grande, duração muito longa e taxa de precipitação de natureza estratiforme, aspectos comuns na parte mais próxima do topo da Serra do Mar.This is the first Brazilian study on processes of orographic rainfall enhancement. The studied mountain range is Serra do Mar in the southeastern coast region of the São Paulo State, where the average annual accumulation exceeds 4000 mm. The used data set was composed by 30-minute recording raingauge network, 10-minute CAPPI maps from the Ponte Nova S-band radar, satellite imageries, sea surface temperature fields and synoptic and local surface meteorological observations. The temporal coverage was March 1991 through March 1995. El Niño/Southern Oscillation occurred during all this period. Results showed orographic enhancement processes are common all year long, specially in spring. Most part of 144 analyzed events spent less than 12 hours accumulating until 50 mm in a stratiform rain rate. These features have seasonal and spatial variations. The orographic enhancement events are usually associated to post frontal conditions, southeast surface winds, high surface relative humidity, cloudy conditions in São Paulo eastern region and clear sky inland. This study has concluded that the seeder-feeder mechanism was responsible for the majority of observed orographic enhancement cases, followed by seeder-feeder/triggered convection occurring simultaneously and then by triggered convection mechanism and finally by autoconvertion. The most interesting impact of these phenomena in this region is the land slides along the hill steep slope due to their social and economical losses. Some accident occurences were associated to orographic enhancement cases. The greatest accident risks lie in high precipitation accumulations with long duration and small rainfall rates. All of them are frequent near the top of Serra do Mar

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data