Strings in horizons, dissipation and a possible interpretation of the Hagedorn temperature

We consider the entanglement of closed bosonic strings intersecting the event horizon of a Rindler spacetime, and, by using some simplified (rather semiclassical) arguments and some elements of the string field theory, we show the existence of a critical temperature beyond which closed strings cannot be in thermal equilibrium. The order of magnitude of this critical value coincides with the Hagedorn temperature, which suggests an interpretation consistent with the fact of having a partition function that is ill defined for temperatures higher than it. Possible implications of the present approach for the microscopical structure of stretched horizons are also pointed out.

Análise da estabilidade da região externa do sistema Plutão-Caronte após a descoberta dos novos satélites NIX e HIDRA: aplicação à sonda new horizons

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The sailboat island and the New Horizons trajectory

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Superfícies geomórficas e atributos de Latossolos em uma seqüência Arenítico-Basáltica da região de Jaboticabal (SP)

Em um segmento de vertente com substrato de arenito em contato com basalto, regionalmente muito freqüente, pretendeu-se não só relacionar as superfícies geomórficas com os atributos físicos, químicos e mineralógicos dos Latossolos nelas encontrados, mas também testar métodos geoestatísticos para localização de limites dessas superfícies. Usando critérios geomorfológicos, três superfícies foram identificadas e topograficamente caracterizadas. Os solos foram amostrados, a intervalos regulares de 25 m, na profundidade de 0,6 a 0,8 m (topo do horizonte B), em uma transeção de 1.700 m perfazendo 109 pontos. Nas amostras, foram analisados: densidade de partículas, granulometria, CTC do solo, CTC da argila, Fe total da argila (ataque por H2SO4) e óxidos de Fe livres (por dissolução seletiva). A fração argila desferrificada foi analisada por difração de raios X. Com base na estratigrafia e variações do relevo local, foram identificadas e diferenciadas, no campo, três superfícies geomórficas. Analisaram-se também o perfil altimétrico e o modelo de elevação digital do terreno. Observou-se que as três diferentes superfícies estão bem relacionadas com os atributos físicos, químicos e mineralógicos dos seus respectivos solos. Na parte inferior desta vertente, superfície mais recente e sobre basalto, em Latossolo Vermelho eutroférrico típico, foram encontradas as maiores variabilidades da declividade, da argila e de Fe. As variações da inclinação do terreno, quando analisadas sistematicamente pelo split moving windows dissimilarity analysis (análise estatística de dissimilaridade, em segmentos móveis), mostraram que este método estatístico pode ser usado para ajudar a localizar os limites entre superfícies geomórficas. As variações dos solos da transeção, e arredores, mostraram-se relacionadas com idade, inclinação do terreno e litologia. O trabalho geomórfico detalhado forneceu importantes informações para subsidiar os trabalhos de levantamento de solos e de pedogênese.

Caracterização mineralógica de Latossolos em diferentes feições do relevo na região de Jaboticabal, SP

Different surface land form expressed by the relief can cause variations in soil properties in different magnitudes, depending mainly on a specific location in the landscape. Therefore, the objective of this study was to make the mineralogical characterization of Oxisols in different relief forms in the region of Jaboticabal, SP. Three trenches were opened in the convex, linear and concave landforms, done morphological description of the soil horizons and collected soil samples for physical, chemical and mineralogical characterization. It was found that the oxidic mineralogy is dependent on the type of landform, with the dominance of goethite on the concave landform and hematite on the linear landform. The desferrific clay minerals exhibited dominance of gibbsite in the concave, compared to convex and linear landforms that were dominated by the kaolinitic mineralogy.

Fission-track dating of South American natural glasses: an overview

Although many glass-bearing horizons can be found in South American volcanic complexes or sedimentary series, only a relatively few tephra and obsidian-bearing volcanic fields have been studied using the fission-track (FT) dating method. Among them, the volcanics located in the Sierra de Guamani (east of Quito, Ecuador) were studied by several authors. Based upon their ages, obsidians group into three clusters: (1) very young obsidians, similar to 0.2Ma old, (2) intermediate-age obsidians, similar to 0.4- similar to 0.8 Ma old, and (3) older obsidians, similar to 1.4- similar to 1.6 Ma old. The FT method is also an efficient alternative technique for identification of the sources of prehistoric obsidian artefacts. Provenance studies carried out in South America have shown that the Sierra de Guamani obsidian occurrences were important sources of raw material for toot making during pre-Columbian times. Glasses originated from these sources were identified in sites distributed over relatively wide areas of Ecuador and Colombia.Only a few systematic studies on obsidians in other sectors were carried out. Nevertheless, very singular glasses have been recognised in South America, such as Macusanite (Peru) and obsidian Quiron (Argentina), which are being proposed as additional reference materials for FT dating. Analyses of tephra beds interstratified with sedimentary deposits revealed the performance of FT dating in tephrochronological studies. A remarkable example is the famous deposit outcropping at Farola Monte Hermoso, near Bahia Blanca (Buenos Aires Province), described for the first time by the middle of the 19th century by Charles Darwin.Considering the large number of volcanic glasses that were recognised in volcanic complexes and in sedimentary series, South America is a very promising region for the application of FT dating. The examples given above show that this technique may yield important results in different disciplinary fields. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of electrical resistivity to identify collapsible soils in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Recuperação do subsolo em área de empréstimo usada para construção de hidrelétrica

Áreas degradadas referem-se a ecossistemas alterados, onde perdas ou adições são as formas mais comuns de perturbações e degradações ambientais. As áreas de empréstimo em hidrelétricas podem ser consideradas áreas degradadas, pois delas foram retirados os horizontes superficiais do solo. Portanto, este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a recuperação de atributos físicos e da matéria orgânica do subsolo de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico, degradado pela retirada de solo para construção de usina hidrelétrica, por meio de adubação verde e aplicação de calcário e gesso. A pesquisa foi implantada em 1992 e os tratamentos constituíram-se de: testemunha (solo mobilizado e vegetação espontânea); mucuna-preta; guandu até 1994, seguido por feijão-de-porco; calcário + mucuna-preta; calcário + guandu até 1994, seguido por feijão-de-porco; calcário + gesso + mucuna-preta e calcário + gesso + guandu até 1994, seguido por feijão-de-porco. Os tratamentos foram implantados seguindo o esquema em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Após sete anos, em 1999, foram avaliadas a porosidade do solo, a macroporosidade, a microporosidade, a densidade do solo, matéria orgânica e a produção de massa seca da braquiária. Os tratamentos adotados estão contribuindo para a recuperação dos atributos físicos do subsolo exposto, e o tratamento com mucuna-preta, sem a correção do solo, tem se mostrado mais promissor. Os efeitos da recuperação do solo estão atingindo a profundidade de 0,00-0,10 m.

Recuperação de área degradada por construção de hidroelétrica com adubação verde e corretivo

As áreas de empréstimo em hidrelétricas são as áreas remanescentes da construção da fundação da barragem e podem ser consideradas áreas degradadas, pois delas foram retirados os horizontes superficiais do solo. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a recuperação de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico, degradado por construção civil (Usina Hidrelétrica de Ilha Solteira-SP), por meio de adubação verde e aplicação de calagem e gessagem. Os tratamentos constituíram-se de: testemunha (solo mobilizado e vegetação espontânea); mucuna-preta e guandu até 1994. Depois foram substituídos por feijão-de-porco; calcário + mucuna-preta; calcário + guandu até 1994. Nova substituição foi feita por feijão-de-porco; calcário + gesso + mucuna-preta e calcário + gesso + guandu até 1994. Outra substituição foi feita por feijão-de-porco. Esses tratamentos foram estabelecidos em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições: após quatro anos com os adubos verdes, um ano com milho, um ano com aveia-preta e dois anos com braquiária. Foram avaliados: pH, teores de Ca2+, Mg2+, P, K, capacidade de troca catiônica, saturação por bases e teor de matéria orgânica. Os tratamentos adotados estão recuperando os atributos químicos do solo degradado, e a mucuna-preta apresentou os melhores resultados, quando comparada ao guandu e feijão-de-porco. Os efeitos da recuperação dos atributos químicos do solo alcançaram a profundidade de 0,0-0,2 m. As técnicas adotadas para recuperação desses atributos químicos (adubação verde, calagem e gessagem) no primeiro ano atingiram a profundidade do solo de 0,0-0,1 m e, somente após cinco anos, de 0,0-0,2 m.

Edaphic characterization of a forest savanna ecotone in southeastern Brazil

Edaphic characterization of a forest savanna ecotone in southeastern Brazil. This study was motivated by the scarcity of studies involving descriptions of edaphic horizons in the transition from savanna to forest. It aims at comparing the chemical features and the texture of savanna and forest soils in one ecotone, and at considering possible edaphic influences on vegetation. In areas pertaining to the Botanical Garden of Bauru, State of São Paulo, two-meter deep pits were opened in different parts of a seasonal semi-deciduous forest and of a forested savanna to directly collect soil samples in different horizons. The physicochemical analysis revealed high contents of different nutrients, e.g., Ca and Mg, and low contents of Al in the superficial horizons of the seasonal forest, which were classified as eutrophic. Conversely, all the forested savanna horizons were considered as dystrophic. These edaphic features may be due to the different microenvironments of the studied phytocenoses.

Shell beds as paleoecological puzzles: A case study from the Upper Permian of the Parana Basin, Brazil

Microstratigraphic, sedimentological, and taphonomic features of the Ferraz Shell Bed, from the Upper Permian (Kazanian-Tatarian?) Corumbatai Formation of Rio Claro Region (the Parana Basin, Brazil), indicate that the bed consists of four distinct microstratigraphic units. They include, from bottom to top, a lag concentration (Unit 1), a partly reworked storm deposit (Unit 2), a rapidly deposited sandstone unit with three thin horizons recording episodes of reworking (Unit 3), and a shell-rich horizon generated by reworking/winnowing that was subsequently buried by storm-induced obrution deposit (Unit 4). The bioclasts of the Ferraz Shell Bed represent exclusively bivalve mollusks. Pinzonella illusa and Terraia aequilateralis are the dominant species. Taphonomic analysis indicates that mollusks are heavily time-averaged (except for some parts of Unit 3). Moreover, different species are time-averaged to a different degree (disharmonious time-averaging). The units differ statistically from one another in their taxonomic and ecological composition, in their taphonomic pattern, and in the size-frequency distributions of the two most common species. Other Permian shell beds of the Parana Basin are similar to the Ferraz Shell Bed in their faunal composition (they typically contain similar sets of 5 to 10 bivalve species) and in their taphonomic, sedimentologic, and microstratigraphic characteristics. However, rare shell beds that include 2-3 species only and are dominated by articulated shells preserved in life position also occur. Diversity levels in the Permian benthic associations of the Parana Basin were very low, with the point diversity of 2-3 species and with the within-habitat and basin-wide (alpha and gamma) diversities of 10 species, at most. The Parana Basin benthic communities may have thus been analogous to low-diversity bivalve-dominated associations of the present-day Baltic Sea. The 'Ferraz-type' shell beds of the Parana Basin represent genetically complex and highly heterogeneous sources of paleontological data. They are cumulative records of spectra of benthic ecosystems time-averaged over long periods of time (10(2)-10(4) years judging from actualistic research). Detailed biostratinomic reconstructions of shell beds can not only offer useful insights into their depositional histories, but may also allow paleoecologists to optimize their sampling designs, and consequently, refine paleoecological and paleoenvironmental interpretations.

Extra dimensions at the CERN LHC via mini-black holes: Effective Kerr-Newman brane-world effects

We solve Einstein equations on the brane to derive the exact form of the brane-world-corrected perturbations in Kerr-Newman singularities, using Randall-Sundrum and Arkani-Hamed-Dimopoulos-Dvali (ADD) models. It is a consequence of such models that Kerr-Newman mini-black holes can be produced in LHC. We use this approach to derive a normalized correction for the Schwarzschild Myers-Perry radius of a static (4+n)-dimensional mini-black hole, using more realistic approaches arising from Kerr-Newman mini-black hole analysis. Besides, we prove that there are four Kerr-Newman black hole horizons in the brane-world scenario we use, although only the outer horizon is relevant in the physical measurable processes. Parton cross sections in LHC and Hawking temperature are also investigated as functions of Planck mass (in the LHC range 1-10 TeV), mini-black hole mass, and the number of large extra dimensions in brane-world large extra-dimensional scenarios. In this case a more realistic brane-effect-corrected formalism can achieve more precisely the effective extra-dimensional Planck mass and the number of large extra dimensions-in the Arkani-Hamed-Dimopoulos-Dvali model-or the size of the warped extra dimension-in Randall-Sundrum formalism.

Interaction of Hawking radiation with static sources in de Sitter and Schwarzschild-de Sitter spacetimes

We study and look for similarities between the response rates R-dS(a(0),Lambda) and R-SdS(a(0),Lambda,M) of a static scalar source with constant proper acceleration a(0) interacting with a massless, conformally coupled Klein-Gordon field (i) in de Sitter spacetime, in the Euclidean vacuum, which describes a thermal flux of radiation emanating from the de Sitter cosmological horizon and (ii) in Schwarzschild-de Sitter spacetime, in the Gibbons-Hawking vacuum, which describes thermal fluxes of radiation emanating from both the hole and the cosmological horizons, respectively, where Lambda is the cosmological constant and M is the black hole mass. After performing the field quantization in each of the above spacetimes, we obtain the response rates at the tree level in terms of an infinite sum of zero-energy field modes possessing all possible angular momentum quantum numbers. In the case of de Sitter spacetime, this formula is worked out and a closed, analytical form is obtained. In the case of Schwarzschild-de Sitter spacetime such a closed formula could not be obtained, and a numerical analysis is performed. We conclude, in particular, that R-dS(a(0),Lambda) and R-SdS(a(0),Lambda,M) do not coincide in general, but tend to each other when Lambda-->0 or a(0)-->infinity. Our results are also contrasted and shown to agree (in the proper limits) with related ones in the literature.

The Unruh effect and its applications

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Variation of the Equator due to a Highly Inclined and Eccentric Disturber

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)