Nuclear modification factor for quarkonium production in high energy proton-nucleus collisions within the parton saturation approach

In this work, we analyze nuclear effects in the inclusive production of quarkonium in proton-nucleus collisions at high energy regime. A theoretical framework that includes initial state effects like nuclear shadowing and gluon density saturation is considered. Numerical results for nuclear modification factor, $R_{pA}(y)$, as a function of meson rapidity in proton-nucleus collisions are presented. The parameter-free predictions are compared to the available data from the Large Hadron Collider. Discussion on the main theoretical uncertainties is made, with emphasis on the phenomenological models for the nuclear saturation scale.     

A parametric study of stability and resonances around L 4 in the elliptic restricted three-body problem

The size of the stable region around the Lagrangian point L ₄ in the elliptic restricted three-body problem is determined by numerical integration as a function of the mass parameter and eccentricity of the primaries. The size distribution of the stable regions in the mass parameter-eccentricity plane shows minima at certain places that are identified with resonances between the librational frequencies of motions around L ₄. These are computed from an approximate analytical equation of Rabe relating the frequency, mass parameter and eccentricity. Solutions of this equation are determined numerically and the global behaviour of the frequencies depending on the mass parameter and eccentricity is shown and discussed. The minimum sizes of the stable regions around L ₄ change along the resonances and the relative strength of the resonances is analysed. Applications to possible Trojan exoplanets are indicated. Escape from L ₄ is also investigated.     

Snowpack disrupts relationship between young water fraction and isotope amplitude ratio; approximately one fifth of mountain streamflow less than one year old

Previous “fraction of young water” (F_yw) estimates based on relative annual isotopic amplitudes in precipitation (A_p) and streamflow (A_s) produced low F_yw values in mountain catchments, which is contrary to extensive research that reports rapid water transmission in mountains. This study investigated this discrepancy by testing the effect of snow accumulation on the model that underpins the F_yw method. A Monte-Carlo analysis of simulations for 20,000 randomly-generated catchment model configurations used 10 years of precipitation inputs for the Upper Elbow River catchment in the Rocky Mountains (Alberta, Canada) to model discharge with and without snowpack storage of winter precipitation. Neither direct nor modified precipitation input produced a 1:1 relationship between A_s/A_p and F_yw, undermining the applicability of the original F_yw method in mountain watersheds with large seasonal snow accumulation. With snowpack-modified input a given A_s/A_p ratio corresponds to a range of F_yw values, which can still provide semi-quantitative information. In the small (435 km²) Elbow River catchment a F_yw range of 7–23% supports previous findings of rapid transmission in mountain catchments. Further analysis showed that the improved discharge prediction (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency > 0.9) correlates with higher F_yw values and demonstrated that the interannual shifts in δ¹⁸O can be used to estimate of new water (<1 year) fraction in winter streamflow, and the estimate of 20% for the Elbow River further supports rapid transmission in mountain catchments.     

SPECTROSCOPOLARIMETRIC SENSING OF ENERGY DEPOSITION INTO THE CHROMOSPHERE DURING SOLAR FLARES – I. Observations

Measurements of linear polarization in hydrogen H and H lines, made with the Large Solar Vacuum Telescope of Baikal Astrophysical Observatory and Automated Solar Telescope of Sayan Solar Observatory, affiliated with the Russian Institute of Solar and Terrestrial Physics, are reported in this paper. Short-term polarization associated with solar flares is found to be present in active regions. There is a significant tendency for the H polarization vector to be radial, i.e., in the flare-to-disk-center direction. This polarization may be due to atmospheric bombardment by hecta keV protons. On the other hand, the polarization vector is found to be perpendicular to the radial direction at some locations where the line profile has a typical mustache shape suggesting a bombardment by energetic electrons. The H line is also linearly polarized. However, no preferential direction of polarization is found in this line, which is formed more deeply in the solar atmosphere.     

Identifying the accidental-natural mortality of leporids in the archaeological record: insights from a taphonomical analysis of a pitfall without evidence of human presence

Leporids (Lagomorpha, Mammalia), especially the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) and the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), have been among the most abundant small game in western Europe since the Pleistocene. These animals are preferred prey for more than 40 predators, which increases the chances of finding their skeletal remains at archaeological or natural sites, and in particular karstic formations alternately occupied by Palaeolithic human societies and other predators. Moreover, specific eco-ethological characteristics for both species also offer the possibility to produce a substantial quantity of their bones accumulated by natural mortality without predation, making it more difficult to identify their origin in the fossil record. Despite this fact, the taphonomic signature of accidental-natural accumulations of leporids in karsts, such as pitfalls, has never been properly characterised. In order to address these issues, we carried out a detailed taphonomic study of leporid remains in a pitfall without any evidence of human activity, namely at Coulet des Roches (Monieux, Vaucluse, south-eastern France). At this site, leporids are the most abundant species throughout the Last Glacial Maximum sedimentary sequence. The bone accumulation was analysed in order to determine the most relevant criteria to identify a natural accumulation that results from the accidental fall of individuals in the pitfall. The relative proportions of each species are consistent with their current ethology, and their mortality profiles are compatible with the structure of a living natural population. The completeness rate of the different skeletal portions for both species is relatively high, bones are less fragmented and, unlike what might be expected, very few anatomical connections were preserved. The observed anatomical representation, breakage, and bone surface modification patterns are discussed and compared with available data concerning accumulations with predation. Taken together, the identified criteria contribute valuable help in the recognition of accidental mortality in the fossil record, as well as to evaluate the proportion of leporid bones accumulated naturally and those accumulated by predation, human or not, in a deposit.     

Proglacial groundwater storage dynamics under climate change and glacier retreat

Proglacial aquifers are an important water store in glacierised mountain catchments that supplement meltwater-fed river flows and support freshwater ecosystems. Climate change and glacier retreat will perturb water storage in these aquifers, yet the climate-glacier-groundwater response cascade has rarely been studied and remains poorly understood. This study implements an integrated modelling approach that combines distributed glacio-hydrological and groundwater models with climate change projections to evaluate the evolution of groundwater storage dynamics and surface-groundwater exchanges in a temperate, glacierised catchment in Iceland. Focused infiltration along the meltwater-fed Virkisá River channel is found to be an important source of groundwater recharge and is projected to provide 14%–20% of total groundwater recharge by the 2080s. The simulations highlight a mechanism by which glacier retreat could inhibit river recharge in the future due to the loss of diurnal melt cycling in the runoff hydrograph. However, the evolution of proglacial groundwater level dynamics show considerable resilience to changes in river recharge and, instead, are driven by changes in the magnitude and seasonal timing of diffuse recharge from year-round rainfall. The majority of scenarios simulate an overall reduction in groundwater levels with a maximum 30-day average groundwater level reduction of 1 m. The simulations replicate observational studies of baseflow to the river, where up to 15% of the 30-day average river flow comes from groundwater outside of the melt season. This is forecast to reduce to 3%–8% by the 2080s due to increased contributions from rainfall and meltwater runoff. During the melt season, groundwater will continue to contribute 1%–3% of river flow despite significant reductions in meltwater runoff inputs. Therefore it is concluded that, in the proglacial region, groundwater will continue to provide only limited buffering of river flows as the glacier retreats.     

Offshore Absolute Calibration of Space-Borne Radar Altimeters

Absolute calibration of sea level measurements collected from space-borne radar altimeters is usually performed with respect to collocated sea level in situ records from tide gauges or GPS buoys (Ménard et al. 1994 Ménard, Y., Jeansou, E. and Vincent, P. 1994. Calibration of the TOPEX-Poseidon altimeters at Lampedusa: Additional results at Harves. J. Geophys Res., 99(C12): 24487–24504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029%2F94JC01300 [Google Scholar]; Haines et al. 1996 Haines, B. J., Christensen, E. J., Norman, R. A., Parke, M. E., Born, G. H. and Gill, S. K. 1996. Altimeter calibration and geophysical monitoring from collocated measurements at the Harvest oil platform. EOS Trans. Suppl., 77(22): W16 [Google Scholar]; Bonnefond et al. 2003; Haines et al. 2003 Haines, B. J., Dong, D., Born, G. H. and Gill, S. K. 2003. The Harvest experiment: Monitoring Jason-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon from a California offshore platform. Mar. Geod., 26: 239–259. [Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Schum et al. 2003 Schum, C. K., Yi, Y., Cheng, K., Kuo, C., Braun, A., Calmant, S. and Chambers, D. 2003. Calibration of Jason-1 Altimeter over Lake Erie. Mar. Geod., 26: 335–354.  [Google Scholar]; Watson et al. 2003 Watson, C., Coleman, R., White, N., Church, J. and Govind, R. 2003. Absolute calibration of TOPEX/ Poseidon and Jason-1 using GPS buoys in Bass Strait, Australia. Mar. Geod., 26: 285–304. [Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Watson et al. 2004 Watson, C., White, N., Coleman, R., Church, J., Morgan, P. and Govind, R. 2004. TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1: Absolute calibration in Bass Strait, Australia. Mar. Geod., 27: 107–131. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F01490410490465373[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Such a method allows regular and long-term control of altimetric systems with independent records. However, this approach is based on a single, geographically dependent point. In order to obtain more significant and accurate bias and drift estimates, there is a strong interest in multiplying the number of calibration opportunities. This article describes a method, called the “offshore method” that was developed to extend the single-point approach to a wider regional scale. The principle is to compare altimeter and tide gauge sea level data not only at the point of closest approach of an overflying pass, but also at distant points along adjacent satellite passes. However, connecting sea level satellite measurements with more distant in situ data requires a more accurate determination of the geoid and mean ocean dynamic topography slopes, and also of the ocean dynamical changes. In this demonstration experiment, 10 years of averaged TOPEX/Poseidon mean sea level profiles are used to precisely determine the geoid and the mean ocean circulation slope. The Mog2d barotropic ocean model (Carerre et Lyard 2003 Carrère, L. and Lyard, F. 2003. Modelling the barotropic response of the global ocean to atmospheric wind and pressure forcing-comparisons with observations. GRL, 30(6): 1275 [Google Scholar]) is used to improve our estimate of the ocean dynamics term. The method is first validated with Jason-1 data, off Corsica, where the dedicated calibration site of Senetosa provides independent reference data. The method is then applied to TOPEX/Poseidon on its new orbit and to Geosat Follow On. The results demonstrate that it is feasible to make altimeter calibrations a few tens to hundreds of kilometers away from a dedicated site, as long as accurate mean sea level altimeter profiles can be used to ensure the connection with reference tide gauges.     

A geographical information system for some Mediterranean benthic communities

Abstract

This paper describes a regional geographical information system (GIS) for some Mediterranean benthic communities. The area covered by the GIS lies between the cities of La Ciotat and Giens in southeast France. The distinctive characteristics of this GIS compared with others usually described in the literature, are that all its layers describe the same theme but as seen at different moments with different scales and techniques used by different oceanographers. A method was devised to synthesize, on a pixel basis, the content of all these layers. Each pixel within each layer is weighted with a function relating to the year of survey, the sampling technique and the scale of the original map corresponding to that layer. The synthesis map is composed of the highest weighted values found in the set of layers. Also at each pixel, conflicts between the contents of layers are quantified and mapped.     

DÉTERMINATION DU DÉBIT DES PUITS INCOMPLETS DE NAPPES LIBRES FONCÉS EN TERRAIN ISOTROPE ET ANISOTROPE

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the author relies on Darcy's law and on an hypothesis formulated from experimental considerations to establish a semi-empirical formula for the calculation of the discharge of partially penetrating wells of free aquifer sunk in isotropic soils.

This relatively simple relation applied to 27 cases studied under an experimental design or numerical computations, reveals itself to have an unexpected accuracy.

Starting from previous formula, the author establishes another one for partially penetrating wells bored in anisotropic soils.     

C) W.M.O.—E.C.A.F.E.

Abstract

The authors give data of water infiltrations in horizontal and vertical columns, and in a two dimensional model. The soils are two mixtures of sand and loam, and a natural sandy loam. The characteristics of these soils are given in the article.

As a conclusion, the two dimensional problem can be approached by a linear combination of data in horizontal and vertical columns.