Interception of vertically approaching objects: temporal recruitment of the internal model of gravity and contribution of optical information

introduction: recent views posit that precise control of the interceptive timing can be achieved by combining on-line processing of visual information with predictions based on prior experience. Indeed, for interception of free-falling objects under gravity's effects, experimental evidence shows that time-to-contact predictions can be derived from an internal gravity representation in the vestibular cortex. however, whether the internal gravity model is fully engaged at the target motion outset or reinforced by visual motion processing at later stages of motion is not yet clear. moreover, there is no conclusive evidence about the relative contribution of internalized gravity and optical information in determining the time-to-contact estimates.methods: we sought to gain insight on this issue by asking 32 participants to intercept free falling objects approaching directly from above in virtual reality. object motion had durations comprised between 800 and 1100 ms and it could be either congruent with gravity (1 g accelerated motion) or not (constant velocity or -1 g decelerated motion). we analyzed accuracy and precision of the interceptive responses, and fitted them to bayesian regression models, which included predictors related to the recruitment of a priori gravity information at different times during the target motion, as well as based on available optical information.results: consistent with the use of internalized gravity information, interception accuracy and precision were significantly higher with 1 g motion. moreover, bayesian regression indicated that interceptive responses were predicted very closely by assuming engagement of the gravity prior 450 ms after the motion onset, and that adding a predictor related to on-line processing of optical information improved only slightly the model predictive power. discussion: thus, engagement of a priori gravity information depended critically on the processing of the first 450 ms of visual motion information, exerting a predominant influence on the interceptive timing, compared to continuously available optical information. finally, these results may support a parallel processing scheme for the control of interceptive timing

Breeding progress and preparedness for mass-scale deployment of perennial lignocellulosic biomass crops switchgrass, miscanthus, willow and poplar

Genetic improvement through breeding is one of the key approaches to increasing biomass supply. This paper documents the breeding progress to date for four perennial biomass crops (PBCs) that have high output–input energy ratios: namely Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), species of the genera Miscanthus (miscanthus), Salix (willow) and Populus (poplar). For each crop, we report on the size of germplasm collections, the efforts to date to phenotype and genotype, the diversity available for breeding and on the scale of breeding work as indicated by number of attempted crosses. We also report on the development of faster and more precise breeding using molecular breeding techniques. Poplar is the model tree for genetic studies and is furthest ahead in terms of biological knowledge and genetic resources. Linkage maps, transgenesis and genome editing methods are now being used in commercially focused poplar breeding. These are in development in switchgrass, miscanthus and willow generating large genetic and phenotypic data sets requiring concomitant efforts in informatics to create summaries that can be accessed and used by practical breeders. Cultivars of switchgrass and miscanthus can be seed-based synthetic populations, semihybrids or clones. Willow and poplar cultivars are commercially deployed as clones. At local and regional level, the most advanced cultivars in each crop are at technology readiness levels which could be scaled to planting rates of thousands of hectares per year in about 5 years with existing commercial developers. Investment in further development of better cultivars is subject to current market failure and the long breeding cycles. We conclude that sustained public investment in breeding plays a key role in delivering future mass-scale deployment of PBCs

Detection of very-high-energy {\gamma}-ray emission from the colliding wind binary {\eta} Car with H.E.S.S

Aims. Colliding wind binary systems have long been suspected to be high-energy (HE; 100 MeV < E < 100 GeV) {\gamma}-ray emitters. {\eta} Car is the most prominent member of this object class and is confirmed to emit phase-locked HE {\gamma} rays from hundreds of MeV to ~100 GeV energies. This work aims to search for and characterise the very-high-energy (VHE; E >100 GeV) {\gamma}-ray emission from {\eta} Car around the last periastron passage in 2014 with the ground-based High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.). Methods. The region around {\eta} Car was observed with H.E.S.S. between orbital phase p = 0.78 - 1.10, with a closer sampling at p {\approx} 0.95 and p {\approx} 1.10 (assuming a period of 2023 days). Optimised hardware settings as well as adjustments to the data reduction, reconstruction, and signal selection were needed to suppress and take into account the strong, extended, and inhomogeneous night sky background (NSB) in the {\eta} Car field of view. Tailored run-wise Monte-Carlo simulations (RWS) were required to accurately treat the additional noise from NSB photons in the instrument response functions. Results. H.E.S.S. detected VHE {\gamma}-ray emission from the direction of {\eta} Car shortly before and after the minimum in the X-ray light-curve close to periastron. Using the point spread function provided by RWS, the reconstructed signal is point-like and the spectrum is best described by a power law. The overall flux and spectral index in VHE {\gamma} rays agree within statistical and systematic errors before and after periastron. The {\gamma}-ray spectrum extends up to at least ~400 GeV. This implies a maximum magnetic field in a leptonic scenario in the emission region of 0.5 Gauss. No indication for phase-locked flux variations is detected in the H.E.S.S. data.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, in press with A&

Observation of a sudden cessation of a very-high-energy gamma-ray flare in PKS 1510-089 with H.E.S.S. and MAGIC in May 2016

The flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) PKS 1510-089 is known for its complex multiwavelength behavior, and is one of only a few FSRQs detected at very high energy (VHE, E >100 GeV) -rays. VHE -ray observations with H.E.S.S. and MAGIC during late May and early June 2016 resulted in the detection of an unprecedented flare, which reveals for the first time VHE -ray intranight variability in this source. While a common variability timescale of 1.5 hr is found, there is a significant deviation near the end of the flare with a timescale of ∼ 20 min marking the cessation of the event. The peak flux is nearly two orders of magnitude above the low-level emission. For the first time, curvature is detected in the VHE -ray spectrum of PKS 1510-089, which is fully explained through absorption by the extragalactic background light. Optical R-band observations with ATOM reveal a counterpart of the -ray flare, even though the detailed flux evolution differs from the VHE lightcurve. Interestingly, a steep flux decrease is observed at the same time as the cessation of the VHE flare. In the high energy (HE, E >100 MeV) -ray band only a moderate flux increase is observed with Fermi-LAT, while the HE -ray spectrum significantly hardens up to a photon index of 1.6. A search for broad-line region (BLR) absorption features in the -ray spectrum indicates that the emission region is located outside of the BLR. Radio VLBI observations reveal a fast moving knot interacting with a standing jet feature around the time of the flare. As the standing feature is located ∼ 50 pc from the black hole, the emission region of the flare may have been located at a significant distance from the black hole. If this correlation is indeed true, VHE rays have been produced far down the jet where turbulent plasma crosses a standing shock.Accepted manuscrip

Broadband Multi-wavelength Properties of M87 during the 2017 Event Horizon Telescope Campaign

Abstract: In 2017, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration succeeded in capturing the first direct image of the center of the M87 galaxy. The asymmetric ring morphology and size are consistent with theoretical expectations for a weakly accreting supermassive black hole of mass ∼6.5 × 109 M ⊙. The EHTC also partnered with several international facilities in space and on the ground, to arrange an extensive, quasi-simultaneous multi-wavelength campaign. This Letter presents the results and analysis of this campaign, as well as the multi-wavelength data as a legacy data repository. We captured M87 in a historically low state, and the core flux dominates over HST-1 at high energies, making it possible to combine core flux constraints with the more spatially precise very long baseline interferometry data. We present the most complete simultaneous multi-wavelength spectrum of the active nucleus to date, and discuss the complexity and caveats of combining data from different spatial scales into one broadband spectrum. We apply two heuristic, isotropic leptonic single-zone models to provide insight into the basic source properties, but conclude that a structured jet is necessary to explain M87’s spectrum. We can exclude that the simultaneous γ-ray emission is produced via inverse Compton emission in the same region producing the EHT mm-band emission, and further conclude that the γ-rays can only be produced in the inner jets (inward of HST-1) if there are strongly particle-dominated regions. Direct synchrotron emission from accelerated protons and secondaries cannot yet be excluded

Il progetto ArcheoNevola e la pianificazione di una scoperta: la tomba di un principe Piceno a Corinaldo (Ancona)

In Corinaldo, located in the northern Marche region, an integrated research brought to light a high-status tomb dating back to the 7th century BC, which provides remarkable data on a wide range of aspects of the Picenian culture in this central part of Italy. The discovery is the result of a combination of aerial survey, geophysical prospection and targeted archaeological excava- tion, undertaken by the multidisciplinary ArcheoNevola project, based in the University of Bologna, and carried out in ad- vance of a planned development program. The cooperation with the Marche Archaeological Superintendency and the Mu- nicipality of Corinaldo allowed to start with a preliminary impact assessment, within the designed construction of a new Sport complex in the Nevola River Valley. The excavations carried out in 2017 and 2018, here presented, involving small-scale trials followed by open-area investiga- tion, quickly confirmed and supplemented the results of the non-invasive survey, revealing the remains of an extraordinary funerary deposit related to a princely leader within the early Iron Age society of the region. As the first such monument identified and excavated in northern Marche this has provided an extraordinary opportunity to investigate a type-site of the Picenian culture, up till now poorly documented and little understood despite its undoubted importance in the pre-Roman development of the area. The success of the operation lies both in the value of the finding, which belongs to a rare class of elitarian funerary monu- ment, and in discovery methodology, as part of development-led archaeology. At this stage of the research, still in pro- gress, questions remain about several aspects of the Picene tomb and the ancient funerary landscape, but some prelimi- nary thoughts can be advanced about the amount of data collected, which will be progressively refined when the investiga- tion goes further

Reconstructing Social Relationships in a Post-Lockdown Suburban Area of Southern Italy Using Pastoral Counselling

The growing interest in spirituality has enabled numerous avenues of pastoral counselling support, which can be a useful resource for improving quality of life in the context of significant social deprivation. The aim of this research was to investigate the role of the spiritual dimension of pastoral support interventions created to help the inhabitants of a strongly deprived territory in Southern Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight people between the ages of 28 and 67 took part in the study. A qualitative research design was applied via online interviews with the participants, who were operators of a pastoral counselling service located on the outskirts of a suburban town. The main emergent themes were the importance of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of the participants, the role that these two aspects play in the lives of those who carry out activities devoted to helping others, and the ways in which these dimensions are used within support programmes responding to the needs of an area characterized by socioeconomic and psychosocial problems. The interviews revealed how pastoral counselling can be useful in situations of stress in highly deprived areas