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We present the first measurement of event-by-event fluctuations in the kaon sector in Pb - Pb collisions at root S-NN = 2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The robust fluctuation correlator nu(dyn) is used to evaluate the magnitude of fluctuations of the relative yields of neutral and charged kaons, as well as the relative yields of charged kaons, as a function of collision centrality and selected kinematic ranges. While the correlator nu(dyn) [K+,K-] exhibits a scaling approximately in inverse proportion of the charged particle multiplicity, nu(dyn)[K-S(0),K-+/-] features a significant deviation from such scaling. Within uncertainties, the value of nu(dyn) [K-S(0), K-+/-] is independent of the selected transverse momentum interval, while it exhibits a pseudorapidity dependence. The results are compared with HIJING, AMPT and EPOS-LHC predictions, and are further discussed in the context of the possible production of disoriented chiral condensates in central Pb - Pb collisions.

We build a dynamic duopoly model that accounts for the empirical observation of monopoly persistence in the long run. More specifically, we analyze the conditions under which it is optimal for the market leader in an initially duopoly setup to undertake pre-emptive R&D investment ("strategic predation") that eventually leads to the exit of the follower firm. The follower is assumed to benefit from the innovative activities of the leader through R&D spillovers. The novel feature of our approach is that we introduce an explicit dynamic model and contrast it with its static counterpart. Contrary to the predictions of the static model, strategic predation that leads to the persistence of monopoly is in general the optimal strategy to pursue in a dynamic framework when spillovers are not large.

The ALICE Collaboration has measured the energy dependence of exclusive photoproduction of J/psi vector mesons off proton targets in ultra-peripheral p-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair =5.02 TeV. The e+e- and mu+mu- decay channels are used to measure the cross section as a function of the rapidity of the J/psi in the range -2.5

Vigorous discussions and disagreements about the future changes in drought intensity in the U.S. Great Plains have been taking place recently within the literature. These discussions have involved widely varying estimates based on drought indices and model-based projections of the future. To investigate and understand the causes for such a disparity between these previous estimates, the authors analyzed the soil moisture at the near-surface soil layer and the entire soil column, as well as the Palmer drought severity index, the Palmer Z index, and the standardized precipitation and evaporation index using the output from the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4), and 25 state-of-the-art climate models. These drought indices were computed using potential evapotranspiration estimated by the physically based Penman–Monteith method (PE_pm) and the empirically based Thornthwaite method (PE_th). The results showed that the short-term drought indices are similar to modeled surface soil moisture and show a small but consistent drying trend in the future. The long-term drought indices and the total column soil moisture, however, are consistent in projecting more intense future drought. When normalized, the drought indices with PE_th all show unprecedented future drying, while the drought indices with PE_pm show comparable dryness with the modeled soil moisture. Additionally, the drought indices with PE_pm are closely related to soil moisture during both the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Overall, the drought indices with PE_pm, as well as the modeled total column soil moisture, suggest a widespread and very significant drying in the Great Plains toward the end of the century. The results suggest that the sharp contrasts about future drought risk in the Great Plains discussed in previous studies are caused by 1) comparing the projected changes in short-term droughts with that of the long-term droughts and/or 2) computing the atmospheric evaporative demand using an empirically based method (e.g., PE_th). The analysis here may be applied for drought projections in other regions across the globe.

As the plants grow in a fixed place, they can be a good indicator which reflects the level of environmental pollution. It is necessary for them to develop a strategy to cope with stress under unfavorable environmental conditions. In this study, spindle trees (Euonymus japonica) were collected from a clean area (Kijang) as well as a heavily polluted area (Onsan) to check applicability of irradiation combined with plant bioassay to environmental monitoring. The leaves were irradiated with 0, 50 and 100 Gy of gamma rays, and then evaluated for antioxidative capacity with 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and superoxide dismutase (SOD) analysis. The result shows that there was no significant changes in SOD and EDA (Electron Donationg Ability) in the samples collected from a polluted area. In the meanwhile, SOD increased in the samples from a clean area until 6 to 10 hours after irradiation, then it decreased gradually until 24 hours after irradiation. In conclusion, the plants in the polluted area have developed higher resistance to oxidative stress induced by ionizing radiation than those in the relatively clean area. Irradiation combined with plant bioassay on enzymatic activities and free radical scavenging capacity has proven to be a possible tool for biomonitoring the environmental pollution.

A relationship between the heliospheric magnetic field, atmospheric electric field, lightning activity, and secondary cosmic rays measured on the high mount of Lomnický Štít (2,634 m a.s.l.), Slovakia, during the declining phase of the solar cycle 24 is investigated with a focus on variations related to solar rotation (about 27 days). The secondary cosmic rays are detected using a neutron monitor and the detector system SEVAN, which distinguishes between different particles and energies. Using spectral analysis, we found distinct ∼27-day periodicities in variations of Bx and By components of the heliospheric magnetic field and in pressure-corrected measurements of secondary cosmic rays. The 27-day variations of secondary cosmic rays, on average, advanced and lagged the variations of Bx and By components by about 40° and −140°, respectively. Distinct 27-day periodicities were found both in the neutron monitor and the SEVAN upper and middle detector measurements. A nondominant periodicity of ∼27 days was also found for lightning activity. A cross-spectral analysis between fluctuation of the lightning activity and fluctuation of the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF) showed that fluctuation of the lightning activity was in phase and in antiphase with Bx and By components of the HMF, respectively, which is in agreement with previous studies investigating the influence of solar activity on lightning. On the other hand, the ∼27-day periodicity was not significant in the atmospheric electric field measured in Slovakia and Czechia. Therefore, no substantial influence of Bx and By on the atmospheric electric field was observed at these middle-latitude stations.

Isotope fractionation between the gas and aerosol phases is an important phenomenon for studying atmospheric processes. Here, for the first time, seasonally resolved stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) values are systematically used to study phase interactions in bulk aerosol and gaseous carbonaceous samples. Seasonal variations in the δ13C of total carbon (TC; δ13CTC) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC; δ13CWSOC) in fine aerosol particles (PM2.5) as well as in the total carbon of part of the gas phase (TCgas; δ13CTCgas) were studied at a suburban site in Prague, Czech Republic, Central Europe. Year-round samples were collected for the main and backup filters from 14 April 2016 to 1 May 2017 every 6 days with a 48 h sampling period (n = 66). During all seasons, the highest 13C enrichment was found in WSOC, followed by particulate TC, whereas the highest 13C depletion was found in gaseous TC. We observed a clear seasonal pattern for all δ13C, with the highest values in winter (avg. δ13CTC = -25.5 ± 0.8‰, δ13CWSOC = -25.0 ± 0.7‰, δ13CTCgas = -27.7 ± 0.5‰) and the lowest values in summer (avg. δ13CTC = -27.2 ± 0.5‰, δ13CWSOC = -26.4 ± 0.3‰, δ13CTCgas = -28.9 ± 0.3‰). This study supports the existence of different aerosol sources at the site during the year. Despite the different seasonal compositions of carbonaceous aerosols, the isotope difference (Δδ13C) between δ13CTC (aerosol) and δ13CTCgas (gas phase) was similar during the seasons (year avg. 1.97 ± 0.50‰). Moreover, Δδ13C between WSOC and TC in PM2.5 showed a difference between spring and winter, but in general, these values were also similar year-round (year avg. 0.71 ± 0.37‰). During the entire period, TCgas and WSOC were the most 13C-depleted and most 13C-enriched fractions, respectively, and although the resulting difference Δ(δ13CWSOC - δ13CTCgas) was significant, it was almost invariant throughout the year (2.67 ± 0.44‰). The present study suggests that the stable carbon isotopic fractionation between the bulk aerosol and gas phases is probably not entirely dependent on the chemical composition of individual carbonaceous compounds from different sources.

Abstract The variability of aerosol chemical composition and the impact of the origin of respective air masses were studied in high time resolution for selected periods of high and low levels of aerosol burden at a suburban station in Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic in summer and winter. Ambient aerosol measurements were performed using the compact-Time of Flight-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (c-ToF-AMS) and variations in concentration of the main species are discussed. The average mass concentrations for the main species were (summer; winter): organic matter (4.2 μg/m 3 ; 8.4 μg/m 3 ), SO 4 2 − (2.0 μg/m 3 ; 4.4 μg/m 3 ), NH 4 + (1.2 μg/m 3 ; 2.8 μg/m 3 ), NO 3 − (0.8 μg/m 3 ; 5.4 μg/m 3 ) and Cl − (0.1 μg/m 3 ; 0.23 μg/m 3 ). We found an inverse relationship between non-refractory submicron particulate matter (NR-PM 1 ) levels and the boundary layer height, mainly in winter. Furthermore, levels of pollution were influenced by the air mass origin, where cleaner maritime air masses resulted in lower aerosol levels compared to those of continental origin. Analysis of the diurnal variation of NR-PM 1 showed minimum concentrations in the afternoon caused by dilution as a result of an increase in the boundary layer height. Most maximum concentrations of the main species occurred in the morning or night except sulphate which had a midday maximum, probably due to downdraft from upper boundary layer air and photochemical formation in the afternoon.