Distribution of the genus Hypoplectrus (Teleostei: Serranidae) in the Greater Caribbean Region: support for a color‐based speciation

The reef‐associated fish genus Hypoplectrus (Serranidae), endemic to the western Atlantic Ocean, represents an ideal model to study speciation within a potentially highly dispersive (marine) ecosystem, because it consists of a complex of at least 10 morphs differentiated primarily by coloration. Although several recent studies on genetics, diet, and fertilization reveal little to no difference between the Hypoplectrus color morphs, there is still not a full understanding of what keeps these morphs distinct or drives their variation. Ecological information is needed alongside the genetic information to better understand this variation. Based on presence/absence records from scientific literature and direct observations in coral reefs, this work examined the distribution of the genus Hypoplectrus in the Greater Caribbean region. Some color morphs occurred simultaneously at given locations, but others showed geographic restrictions. Using cluster and nMDS analyses, we found three major groupings according to distribution: (i) widespread (Hypoplectrus puella, Hypoplectrus unicolor, and Hypoplectrus nigricans), (ii) less widespread (Hypoplectrus indigo, Hypoplectrus gummigutta, Hypoplectrus chlorurus, Hypoplectrus aberrans, and Hypoplectrus guttavarius), and (iii) geographically confined or segregated (Hypoplectrus gemma, Hypoplectrus providencianus). Geographic sections selected for the Greater Caribbean (eastern, western and northern) were dominated by at least three widely distributed Hypoplectrus morphs. New geographic records of some color morphs were documented and compared to previous established distribution ranges in the Greater Caribbean.     

Soft proton flux on <Emphasis Type="Italic">ATHENA</Emphasis> focal plane and its impact on the magnetic diverter design

The experience gained with the current generation of X-ray telescopes like Chandra and XMM-Newton has shown that low energy “soft” protons can pose a severe threat to the possibility to exploit scientific data, reducing the available exposure times by up to 50% and introducing a poorly reproducible background component. These soft protons are present in orbits outside the radiation belts and enter the mirrors, being concentrated towards the focal plane instruments, losing energy along their path and finally depositing their remaining energy in the detectors. Their contribution to the residual background will be even higher for ATHENA with respect to previous missions, given the much higher collecting area of the mirrors, even if the instruments will likely suffer no significant radiation damage from this particles flux. As a consequence this soft proton flux shall be damped with the use of a magnetic diverter to avoid excess background loading on the WFI or X-IFU instruments. We present here a first complete evaluation of this background component for the two focal plane instruments of the ATHENA mission in absence of a magnetic diverter, and derive the requirements for such device to reduce the soft protons induced background below the level required to enable the mission science. We estimate the soft proton flux expected in L2 for the interplanetary component and for the component generated locally by acceleration processes in the magnetotail. We produce a proton response matrix for each of the two instruments of ATHENA focal plane, exploiting two independent Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the optics concentration efficiency, and Geant4 simulations to evaluate the energy loss inside the radiation filters and deposited in the detector. With this modular approach we derive the expected fluxes and spectra for the soft protons component of the background. Finally, we calculate the specifics of a magnetic diverter able to reduce such flux below the required level for both X-IFU and WFI.     

OSL dating of the Middle Palaeolithic Hotel California site,Sierra de Atapuerca,north‐central Spain

In this study we present optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results obtained at one of the most important open‐air Middle Palaeolithic sites in the Sierra de Atapuerca foothills – Hotel California. We also assess the possibility of obtaining extended‐range OSL chronologies for a nearby Middle Pleistocene fluvial deposit using several novel methods, namely OSL dating of individual quartz ‘supergrains’, multi‐grain aliquot thermally transferred OSL (TT‐OSL) dating and the first application of a single‐grain TT‐OSL dating procedure. Four single‐grain OSL ages constrain the Middle Palaeolithic occupation of Hotel California to between 71±6 and 48±3 ka. The Hotel California single‐grain equivalent dose (D_e) distributions are highly overdispersed and contain several dose populations, which are probably attributable to post‐depositional sediment mixing, partial bleaching and intrinsic scatter. The reliability of multi‐grain aliquot OSL dating is compromised by the complex underlying D_e dispersion affecting these samples, as well as by biasing multi‐grain averaging effects. Extended‐range OSL and TT‐OSL chronologies for the nearby Pico River terrace are consistent with each other and with broad independent age control. These experimental approaches yield a weighted average age of 348±16 ka for terrace T_A9 of the Arlanzón River sequence. Our results highlight the benefits of comparing ages obtained using several OSL methodologies to improve the robustness of luminescence chronologies. They also demonstrate the potential that single‐grain OSL techniques offer for establishing improved age constraints on the many other Middle Palaeolithic sites found at Atapuerca and elsewhere across north‐central Spain.     

Cosmic Background Bose Condensation (CBBC)

Degeneracy effects for bosons are more important for smaller particle mass, smaller temperature and higher number density. Bose condensation requires that particles be in the same lowest energy quantum state. We propose a cosmic background Bose condensation, present everywhere, with its particles having the lowest quantum energy state, ?c/λ, with λ about the size of the visible universe, and therefore unlocalized. This we identify with the quantum of the self gravitational potential energy of any particle, and with the bit of information of minimum energy. The entropy of the universe (～10¹²² bits) has the highest number density (～10³⁶ bits/cm³) of particles inside the visible universe, the smallest mass, ～10^?66 g, and the smallest temperature, ～10^?29 K. Therefore it is the best candidate for a Cosmic Background Bose Condensation (CBBC), a completely calmed fluid, with no viscosity, in a superfluidity state, and possibly responsible for the expansion of the universe.     

The solubility of calcite and aragonite in seawater of 35%. salinity at 25°C and atmospheric pressure

The solubilities of synthetic, natural and biogenic aragonite and calcite, in natural seawater of 35%. salinity at 25°C and 1 atm pressure, were measured using a closed system technique. Equilibration times ranged up to several months. The apparent solubility constant determined for calcite of 4.39(±0.20) × 10^?7 mol² kg^?2 is in good agreement with other recent solubility measurements and is constant after 5 days equilibration. When we measured aragonite solubility we observed that it decreased with increasing time of equilibration. The value of 6.65(±0.12) × 10^?7 mol² kg^?2, determined for equilibration times in excess of 2 months, is significantly less than that found in other recent measurements, which employed equilibration times of only a few hours to days. No statistically significant difference was found among the synthetic, natural and biogenic material. Solid to solution ratio, contamination of aragonite with up to 10 wt% calcite and recycling of the aragonite made no statistically significant difference in solubility when long equilibration times were used.Measured apparent solubility constants of aragonite and calcite are respectively 22( ± 3)% and 20( ± 2)% less than apparent solubility constants calculated from thermodynamic equilibrium constants and seawater total activity coefficients. These large differences in measured and calculated apparent solubility constants may be the result of the formation of surface layers of lower solubility than the bulk solid.     

A Peculiar Broad Line Radio Galaxy 1938-155： VLA Observation at 90 cm

We observed 1938-155, a broad line radio galaxy (BLRG), with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 90cm with an angular resolution of 6.8" × 4.0". The source consists of two components separated by 4 arcsec (- 20kpc, for H0 = 65km s-1 Mpc-1, q0 = 0.5) along the SE-NW direction. Both components show steep-spectra with a similar spectral index α - 0.83 ± 0.07 (Sv ∝ v-α). The bright double components are surrounded by a low-brightness cocoon. The radio properties of the two bright components are consistent with the hot spots produced by twin jets. An upper limit of - 0.0008 for the core dominance parameter (R) is inferred, suggesting there is no prominent radio core in the source. Assuming a modest viewing angle 30f77, a jet velocity is estimated - 0.07 c, based on the jet to counter-jet brightness ratio (J). The lower limit in jet speed inferred is consistent with no Doppler beaming effect on the jet. The radio galaxy 1938-155 could be an exceptional BLRG with no prominent radio core or jet.     

Aptian bio-events—an integrated biostratigraphic analysis of the Almadich Formation, Inner Prebetic Domain, SE Spain

The Upper Barremian to Aptian Almadich Formation (Inner Prebetic Domain of the Betic Cordillera) is composed of hemipelagic sediments deposited on a distal carbonate ramp in the southern Iberian Palaeomargin. Within this facies we have found a thick interval of blue to black shales and marls that is interpreted as deposited under oxygen-depleted conditions. We think that this interval, dated as early Aptian, represents the local record of Ocean Anoxic Event 1a. The integrated biostratigraphic analysis of a section in the Almadich Formation, by means of planktonic foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils and ammonites, enables us to recognize most of the biostratigraphic units based on these three fossil groups and to correlate between them. The Sartousiana, Sarasini, Weissi, Deshayesi and Furcata (ammonite) Zones were identified for the Upper Barremian–Lower Aptian interval. By means of calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy the Micrantholithus hoschulzii, Hayesites irregularis and Rhagodiscus angustus Zones, plus several additional biohorizons, were identified. A quantitative study performed on a set of 27 Lower Aptian samples has enabled the precise identification of the ‘nannoconid crisis’, the lower limit of which clearly precedes the main anoxic event, and its correlation with other bioevents. Planktonic foraminifera occur consistently throughout the Lower to Upper Aptian of the Cau section and are moderately well preserved. This fact allows us to use the most recent taxonomic framework, based on wall texture, to identify the Blowiella blowi, Schackoina cabri, Globigerinelloides ferreolensis, Globigerinelloides algerianus, Hedbergella trocoidea andTicinella bejaouaensis Zones. Coincident with the anoxic episode, the planktonic foraminiferal assemblages are composed of a significant number of forms with elongated chambers and/or tubulospines assigned to the genera Claviblowiella,Lilliputianella , Leupoldina and Schackoina. Most of the planktonic foraminiferal and nannofossil taxa are illustrated.