Re-visit of HST FUV observations of hot-Jupiter system HD 209458: No Si III detection and the need for COS transit observations

The discovery of OI atoms and CII ions in the upper atmosphere of HD 209458b, made with the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) using the G140L grating, showed that these heavy species fill an area comparable to the planet's Roche lobe. The derived ~10% transit absorption depths require super-thermal processes and/or supersolar abundances. From subsequent Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) observations, CII absorption was reported with tentative velocity signatures, and absorption by SiIII ions was also claimed in disagreement with a negative STIS G140L detection. Here, we revisit the COS dataset showing a severe limitation in the published results from having contrasted the in-transit spectrum against a stellar spectrum averaged from separate observations, at planetary phases 0.27, 0.72, and 0.49. We find variable stellar SiIII and CII emissions that were significantly depressed not only during transit but also at phase 0.27 compared to phases 0.72 and 0.49. Their respective off-transit 7.5 and 3.1% flux variations are large compared to their reported 8.2+/-1.4% and 7.8+/-1.3% transit absorptions. Significant variations also appear in the stellar line shapes, questioning reported velocity signatures. We furthermore present archive STIS G140M transit data consistent with no SiIII absorption, with a negative result of 1.7+/-18.7 including ~15% variability. Silicon may still be present at lower ionization states, in parallel with the recent detection of extended magnesium, as MgI atoms. In this frame, the firm detection of OI and CII implying solar or supersolar abundances contradicts the recent inference of potential x20-125 subsolar metallicity for HD 209458b.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Dues notes breus de toponímia valenciana: Penyagolosa, Les Useres

Aquest treball estudia dos topònims castellonencs, Penyagolosa i Les Useres que no han rebut encara, segons ens sembla, una explicació sencerament versemblant. Al nostre parer, Penyagolosa ofereix com a segon element del compost una form,a -golosa, que ha d'ésser explicada com a resultat del llat. closa o clusa, tancada (pels cingles o barrancs, o també potser per la vegetació). D'altra banda, Les Useres pot ésser tot simplement el desenvolupament del llat. iusaria, de baix , ell mateix provinent del llat. deorsum. Ambdues hipòtesis tenen l'avantatge de no proposar cap mot d'asterisc i d'inserir els nostres topònims dins una sèrie molt ampla i ben coneguda arreu d'Espanya i de la Romània sencera.This paper aims to study two place-names from Castelló de la Plana (Comunitat Valenciana, Spain): Penyagolosa and Les Useres. In our view neither of them has yet been satisfactorily explained. In our opinion the origin of - golosa is the lat. closa or clusa, closed (by precipices or perhaps by vegetation). On the other hand the development of late lat. iusaria, low can explain Les Useres. Both hypotheses have a clear advantage: they do not propose any unattested word and they relate our names with others belonging to a very well-known group of place-names from Spain and the whole of Romania

Quantum Simulations of Relativistic Quantum Physics in Circuit QED

We present a scheme for simulating relativistic quantum physics in circuit quantum electrodynamics. By using three classical microwave drives, we show that a superconducting qubit strongly-coupled to a resonator field mode can be used to simulate the dynamics of the Dirac equation and Klein paradox in all regimes. Using the same setup we also propose the implementation of the Foldy-Wouthuysen canonical transformation, after which the time derivative of the position operator becomes a constant of the motion.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Emission Line Variability of the Accreting Young Brown Dwarf 2MASSW J1207334-393254: From Hours to Years

We have obtained a series of high-resolution optical spectra for the brown dwarf 2MASSW J1207334-393254 (2M1207) using the ESO Very Large Telescope with the UVES spectrograph during two consecutive observing nights (time resolution of ~12 min) and the Magellan Clay telescope with the MIKE spectrograph. Combined with previously published results, these data allow us to investigate changes in the emission line spectrum of 2M1207 on timescales of hours to years. Most of the emission line profiles of 2M1207 are broad, in particular that of Halpha, indicating that the dominant fraction of the emission must be attributed to disk accretion rather than to magnetic activity. From the Halpha 10% width we deduce a relatively stable accretion rate between 10^(-10.1...-9.8) Msun/yr for two nights of consecutive observations. Therefore, either the accretion stream is nearly homogeneous over (sub-)stellar longitude or the system is seen face-on. Small but significant variations are evident throughout our near-continuous observation, and they reach a maximum after ~8 h, roughly the timescale on which maximum variability is expected across the rotation cycle. Together with past measurements, we confirm that the accretion rate of 2M1207 varies by more than one order of magnitude on timescales of months to years. Such variable mass accretion yields a plausible explanation for the observed spread in the accretion rate vs. mass diagram. The magnetic field required to drive the funnel flow is on the order of a few hundred G. Despite the obvious presence of a magnetic field, no radio nor X-ray emission has been reported for 2M1207. Possibly strong accretion suppresses magnetic activity in brown dwarfs, similar to the findings for higher mass T Tauri stars.Comment: accepted for publication in Ap

El plioceno continental de la depresión Guadix-Baza (Prov. Granada) y su fauna de micromamíferos. Nota preliminar

Se realiza en este trabajo una primera síntesis paleontológica y  bioestratigráfica del Plioceno continental de la cuenca de Guadix-Baza. Este piso se encuentra representado en las formaciones de Gorafe-Huélago (sección de Gorafe) y Baza (secciones de Galera, Orce, Fuentenueva y Cañada de Murcia). Se establece una sucesión que oscila entre la biozona MN 14 hasta la biozona MN 17. Las zonas MN 14 y MN 15 se caracterizan por la predominancia de las especies de Múridos (Stephanomys, Occitanornys, Paraethomys). Los primeros Arvicólidos aparecen en la zona MN 15 (Mimomys cf. occitanus), caracterizando las zonas MN 16 (Kislangia cf. cappetai) y MN 17 (Mimomys cf. reidi). Algunos elementos persisten a lo largo de toda la sucesión (Castillomys, Apodemus, Eliomys, Gazella)

Measuring the purity of a qubit state: entanglement estimation with fully separable measurements

Given a finite number $N$ of copies of a qubit state we compute the maximum fidelity that can be attained using joint-measurement protocols for estimating its purity. We prove that in the asymptotic $N\to\infty$ limit, separable-measurement protocols can be as efficient as the optimal joint-measurement one if classical communication is used. This in turn shows that the optimal estimation of the entanglement of a two-qubit state can also be achieved asymptotically with fully separable measurements. The relationship between our global Bayesian approach and the quantum Cramer-Rao bound is also discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, RevTeX, improved versio

Public Participation in Water Planning in the Ebro River Basin (Spain) and Tucson Basin (U.S., Arizona) : Impact on Water Policy and Adaptive Capacity Building

The benefits of public participation in water management are recognized by governments, scholars, and stakeholders. These benefits, however, do not result from all engagement endeavors. This leads to the question: What are the determinants for effective public participation? Given a list of criteria for achieving the transformational capacity of participation, we analyze the benefits (including the influence on public policies) gained through public participation and the determinant factors for obtaining these benefits in the Ebro River Basin in Spain and in the Tucson Basin in Arizona (U.S.). Furthermore, and considering that droughts and floods are major water management challenges in both case studies, we focus on the potential of participation to build adaptive capacity. Our analysis of these case studies concludes that influence on public policies is determined more by the context of the participatory process, i.e., legal framework, political leadership, and social awareness, whereas influence on adaptive capacity building depends more on the characteristics of the participatory process, particularly the existence of active on-site consultation and deliberation

Patents and Competition in the Automobile Industry

Methane (CH4) fluxes from world rivers are still poorly constrained, with measurements restricted mainly to temperate climates. Additional river flux measurements, including spatio-temporal studies, are important to refine extrapolations. Here we assess the spatio-temporal variability of CH4 fluxes from the Amazon and its main tributaries, the Negro, Solimoes, Madeira, Tapajos, Xingu, and Para Rivers, based on direct measurements using floating chambers. Sixteen of 34 sites were measured during low and high water seasons. Significant differences were observed within sites in the same river and among different rivers, types of rivers, and seasons. Ebullition contributed to more than 50% of total emissions for some rivers. Considering only river channels, our data indicate that large rivers in the Amazon Basin release between 0.40 and 0.58 Tg CH4 yr(-1). Thus, our estimates of CH4 flux from all tropical rivers and rivers globally were, respectively, 19-51% to 31-84% higher than previous estimates, with large rivers of the Amazon accounting for 22-28% of global river CH4 emissions.Funding Agencies|FAPESP [08/58089-9, 2011/06609-1, 2011/14502-2, 2012/17359-9]</p