Search results for "LTER"
showing 10 items of 3539 documents
Bachelor groups form due to individual choices or environmental disrupters in African striped mice
2021
International audience; In several mammal species, bachelor groups occur as a regular life history stage between dispersal and becoming the breeding male of a multi-female group. However, it is rarely investigated how such groups come into existence and how males that choose this strategy differ in life history traits from other males. Males of the socially flexible African striped mouse Rhabdomys pumilio have been historically reported to adopt one of three alternative tactics, i.e., small group-living philopatric males, intermediate solitary living roaming males, or large group-living territorial males. Here, we describe for the first time, bachelors as a fourth male tactic. Using long-te…
Social information use about novel aposematic prey is not influenced by a predator’s previous experience with toxins
2019
Aposematism is an effective antipredator strategy. However, the initial evolution and maintenance of aposematism are paradoxical because conspicuous prey are vulnerable to attack by naive predators. Consequently, the evolution of aposematic signal mimicry is also difficult to explain. The cost of conspicuousness can be reduced if predators learn about novel aposematic prey by observing another predator's response to that same prey. On the other hand, observing positive foraging events might also inform predators about the presence of undefended mimics, accelerating predation on both mimics and their defended models. It is currently unknown, however, how personal and social information combi…
Effect of peracetic acid on levels of geosmin, 2-methylisoborneol, and their potential producers in a recirculating aquaculture system for rearing ra…
2019
Abstract In recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)s, off-flavors and odors, mainly caused by geosmin (GSM) and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), can accumulate in the flesh of fish from RAS water, reducing the profitability of production. In this study, peracetic acid (PAA) was applied in three application intervals to pump sumps of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in RAS. Using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the potential off-flavor producers were quantified using geoA and MIB synthase genes. Streptomyces was identified as the major GSM producer, and biofilters showed the highest number of potential off-flavor producers. Concentrations of GSM and MIB were analyzed in the …
On Some Misconceptions Concerning Digital Banking and Alternative Delivery Channels
2016
A great deal of conceptual confusion surrounds the notions of digital banking and innovative alternative delivery channels that support banking and other financial transactions globally. The authors contend that the concepts of digital banking and associated delivery channels are ambiguous and restrictive; their usability has been undermined and their purpose and objective have, to a large extent, been misunderstood. Against this backdrop, the authors offer an inclusive definition of digital banking and delivery channels and provide logical explanations of these terms that can benefit scholars, the telecommunication sector, the banking industry, policy makers, and service providers (in term…
Adaptive-gain extended Kalman filter: Extension to the continuous-discrete case
2009
In the present article we propose a nonlinear observer that merges the behaviors 1) of an extended Kalman filter, mainly designed to smooth off noise , and 2) of high-gain observers devoted to handle large perturbations in the state estimation. We specifically aim at continuous-discrete systems. The strategy consists in letting the high-gain self adapt according to the innovation. We define innovation computed over a time window and justify its usage via an important lemma. We prove the general convergence of the resulting observer.
Tutorial on dynamic analysis of the Costas loop
2016
Abstract Costas loop is a classical phase-locked loop (PLL) based circuit for carrier recovery and signal demodulation. The PLL is an automatic control system that adjusts the phase of a local signal to match the phase of the input reference signal. This tutorial is devoted to the dynamic analysis of the Costas loop. In particular the acquisition process is analyzed. Acquisition is most conveniently described by a number of frequency and time parameters such as lock-in range, lock-in time, pull-in range, pull-in time, and hold-in range. While for the classical PLL equations all these parameters have been derived (many of them are approximations, some even crude approximations), this has not…
A class of third order iterative Kurchatov–Steffensen (derivative free) methods for solving nonlinear equations
2019
Abstract In this paper we show a strategy to devise third order iterative methods based on classic second order ones such as Steffensen’s and Kurchatov’s. These methods do not require the evaluation of derivatives, as opposed to Newton or other well known third order methods such as Halley or Chebyshev. Some theoretical results on convergence will be stated, and illustrated through examples. These methods are useful when the functions are not regular or the evaluation of their derivatives is costly. Furthermore, special features as stability, laterality (asymmetry) and other properties can be addressed by choosing adequate nodes in the design of the methods.
Adaptive Consensus-Based Distributed Kalman Filter for WSNs with Random Link Failures
2016
Wireless Sensor Networks have emerged as a very powerful tool for the monitoring and control, over large areas, of diverse phenomena. One of the most appealing properties of these networks is their potentiality to perform complex tasks in a total distributed fashion, without requiring a central entity. In this scenario, where nodes are constrained to use only local information and communicate with one-hop neighbors, iterative consensus algorithms are extensively used due to their simplicity. In this work, we propose the design of a consensus-based distributed Kalman filter for state estimation, in a sensor network whose connections are subject to random failures. As a result of this unrelia…
Adaptive Neural Control of MIMO Nonstrict-Feedback Nonlinear Systems with Time Delay
2016
In this paper, an adaptive neural output-feedback tracking controller is designed for a class of multiple-input and multiple-output nonstrict-feedback nonlinear systems with time delay. The system coefficient and uncertain functions of our considered systems are both unknown. By employing neural networks to approximate the unknown function entries, and constructing a new input-driven filter, a backstepping design method of tracking controller is developed for the systems under consideration. The proposed controller can guarantee that all the signals in the closed-loop systems are ultimately bounded, and the time-varying target signal can be tracked within a small error as well. The main con…
Integrated GNSS/IMU Hub Motion Estimator for Offshore Wind Turbine Blade Installation
2019
Abstract Offshore wind turbines (OWTs) have become increasingly popular for their ability to harvest clean offshore wind energy. Bottom-fixed foundations are the most used foundation type. Because of its large diameter, the foundation is sensitive to wave loads. For typical manually assisted blade-mating operations, the decision to perform the mating operation is based on the relative distance and velocity between the blade root center and the hub, and in accordance with the weather window. Hence, monitoring the hub real-time position and velocity is necessary, whether the blade installation is conducted manually or automatically. In this study, we design a hub motion estimation algorithm f…