19,162 research outputs found
Beyond similarity: A network approach for identifying and delimiting biogeographical regions
Biogeographical regions (geographically distinct assemblages of species and
communities) constitute a cornerstone for ecology, biogeography, evolution and
conservation biology. Species turnover measures are often used to quantify
biodiversity patterns, but algorithms based on similarity and clustering are
highly sensitive to common biases and intricacies of species distribution data.
Here we apply a community detection approach from network theory that
incorporates complex, higher order presence-absence patterns. We demonstrate
the performance of the method by applying it to all amphibian species in the
world (c. 6,100 species), all vascular plant species of the USA (c. 17,600),
and a hypothetical dataset containing a zone of biotic transition. In
comparison with current methods, our approach tackles the challenges posed by
transition zones and succeeds in identifying a larger number of commonly
recognised biogeographical regions. This method constitutes an important
advance towards objective, data derived identification and delimitation of the
world's biogeographical regions.Comment: 5 figures and 1 supporting figur
The flat X-ray spectrum of the LINER NGC1052
We report on ROSAT and ASCA observations of the LINER NGC1052, which is the
first one where broad optical lines in polarized light have been observed. The
2-10 keV spectrum is very flat, with an observed photon index (Gamma) ~0.1. A
model where a nuclear source is - partly or totally - obscured by a screen of
matter with column density ~10^23 atom/cm/cm is the most convincing explanation
for the observed flatness. This agrees with the hypothesis that the LINERs are
a population of low-luminosity AGN, to which the Seyfert unification scenario
applies. The intrinsic spectral index is still rather flat (1.0-1.4), as
observed in a few type-2 Seyferts so far or predicted if the accretion occurs
in an advection-dominated flow.Comment: 5 pages, Latex, 2 Postscript figures, accepted for publication in
MNRA
Full QCD on APE100 Machines
We present the first tests and results from a study of QCD with two flavours
of dynamical Wilson fermions using the Hybrid Monte Carlo Algorithm (HMCA) on
APE100 machines.Comment: 23 pages, LaTeX, 13 PS figures not include
Solar Neutrinos
The study of solar neutrinos has given since ever a fundamental contribution
both to astroparticle and to elementary particle physics, offering an ideal
test of solar models and offering at the same time relevant indications on the
fundamental interactions among particles. After reviewing the striking results
of the last two decades, which were determinant to solve the long standing
solar neutrino puzzle and refine the Standard Solar Model, we focus our
attention on the more recent results in this field and on the experiments
presently running or planned for the near future. The main focus at the moment
is to improve the knowledge of the mass and mixing pattern and especially to
study in detail the lowest energy part of the spectrum, which represents most
of solar neutrino spectrum but is still a partially unexplored realm. We
discuss this research project and the way in which present and future
experiments could contribute to make the theoretical framemork more complete
and stable, understanding the origin of some "anomalies" that seem to emerge
from the data and contributing to answer some present questions, like the exact
mechanism of the vacuum to matter transition and the solution of the so called
solar metallicity problem.Comment: 51 pages, to be published in Special Issue on Neutrino Physics,
Advances in High Energy Physics Hindawi Publishing Corporation 201
Numerical simulations of X-rays Free Electron Lasers (XFEL)
We study a nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation which arises as an effective
single particle model in X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFEL). This equation
appears as a first-principles model for the beam-matter interactions that would
take place in an XFEL molecular imaging experiment in \cite{frat1}. Since XFEL
is more powerful by several orders of magnitude than more conventional lasers,
the systematic investigation of many of the standard assumptions and
approximations has attracted increased attention.
In this model the electrons move under a rapidly oscillating electromagnetic
field, and the convergence of the problem to an effective time-averaged one is
examined. We use an operator splitting pseudo-spectral method to investigate
numerically the behaviour of the model versus its time-averaged version in
complex situations, namely the energy subcritical/mass supercritical case, and
in the presence of a periodic lattice.
We find the time averaged model to be an effective approximation, even close
to blowup, for fast enough oscillations of the external field. This work
extends previous analytical results for simpler cases \cite{xfel1}.Comment: 14 page
Extragalactic gamma-ray background from AGN winds and star-forming galaxies in cosmological galaxy formation models
We derive the contribution to the extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGB)
from AGN winds and star-forming galaxies by including a physical model for the
gamma-ray emission produced by relativistic protons accelerated by AGN-driven
and supernova-driven shocks into a state-of-the-art semi-analytic model of
galaxy formation. This is based on galaxy interactions as triggers of AGN
accretion and starburst activity and on expanding blast wave as the mechanism
to communicate outwards the energy injected into the interstellar medium by the
active nucleus. We compare the model predictions with the latest measurement of
the EGB spectrum performed by the Fermi-LAT in the range between 100 MeV and
820 GeV. We find that AGN winds can provide ~3515% of the observed EGB in
the energy interval E_{\gamma}=0.1-1 GeV, for ~7315% at E_{\gamma}=1-10
GeV, and for ~6020% at E_{\gamma}>10 GeV. The AGN wind contribution to the
EGB is predicted to be larger by a factor of 3-5 than that provided by
star-forming galaxies (quiescent plus starburst) in the hierarchical clustering
scenario. The cumulative gamma-ray emission from AGN winds and blazars can
account for the amplitude and spectral shape of the EGB, assuming the standard
acceleration theory, and AGN wind parameters that agree with observations. We
also compare the model prediction for the cumulative neutrino background from
AGN winds with the most recent IceCube data. We find that for AGN winds with
accelerated proton spectral index p=2.2-2.3, and taking into account internal
absorption of gamma-rays, the Fermi-LAT and IceCube data could be reproduced
simultaneously.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Study of the performance of the NA62 Small-Angle Calorimeter at the DANE Linac
The measurement of with 10% precision by the
NA62 experiment requires extreme background suppression. The Small Angle
Calorimeter aims to provide an efficient veto for photons flying at angles down
to zero with respect to the kaon flight direction. The initial prototype was
upgraded and tested at the Beam Test Facility of the DANE Linac at
Frascati. The energy resolution and the efficiency were measured and are
presented.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figure
A common distributed language approach to software integration
An important objective in software integration is the development of techniques to allow programs written in different languages to function together. Several approaches are discussed toward achieving this objective and the Common Distributed Language Approach is presented as the approach of choice
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