Abstract: We report the discovery and characterisation of a giant transiting planet orbiting a nearby M3.5V dwarf (d = 80.4pc, G = 15.1 mag, K=11.2mag, R-* = 0.358 +/- 0.015 R-circle dot, M-* = 0.340 +/- 0.009 M-circle dot). Using the photometric time series from TESS sectors 10, 36, 46, and 63 and near-infrared spectrophotometry from ExTrA, we measured a planetary radius of 0.77 +/- 0.03 R-J and an orbital period of 1.52 days. With high-resolution spectroscopy taken by the CFHT/SPIRou and ESO/ESPRESSO spectrographs, we refined the host star parameters ([Fe/H] = 0.27 +/- 0.12) and measured the mass of the planet (0.273 +/- 0.006 M-J). Based on these measurements, TOI-4860 b joins the small set of massive planets (>80 M-E) found around mid to late M dwarfs (<0.4 R-circle dot), providing both an interesting challenge to planet formation theory and a favourable target for further atmospheric studies with transmission spectroscopy. We identified an additional signal in the radial velocity data that we attribute to an eccentric planet candidate (e = 0.66 +/- 0.09) with an orbital period of 427 +/- 7 days and a minimum mass of 1.66 +/- 0.26 M-J, but additional data would be needed to confirm this.

Abstract: This article describes an affordable method for the synthesis of MnMoO4 nanoflowers through the microwave synthesis approach. By manipulating the reaction parameters like solvent, pH, microwave power, and irradiation duration along this pathway, various nanostructures can be acquired. The synthesized nanoflowers were analyzed by using a powder X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS) to determine their crystalline nature, morphological and functional group, and optical properties, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was performed for the examination of elemental composition and chemical states by qualitative and quantitative analysis. The results of the investigations demonstrated that the MnMoO4 nanostructures with good crystallinity and distinct shape were formed successfully. The synthesized MnMoO4 nanoflowers were tested for their efficiency as a photocatalyst in the degradation studies of methylene blue (MB) as model organic contaminants in an aqueous medium under visible light, which showed their photocatalytic activity with a degradation of 85%. Through the band position calculations using the electronegative value of MnMoO4, the photocatalytic mechanism of the nanostructures was proposed. The results indicated that the effective charge separation, and transfer mechanisms, in addition to the flower-like shape, were responsible for the photocatalytic performance. The stability of the recovered photocatalyst was examined through its recyclability in the degradation of MB. Leveraging MnMoO4's photocatalytic properties, future studies may focus on scaling up these processes for practical and large-scale environmental remediation.

Abstract: There is a wide variety of drought indices, yet a consensus on suitable indices and temporal scales for monitoring streamflow drought remains elusive across diverse hydrological settings. Considering the growing interest in spatially distributed indices for ungauged areas, this study addresses the following questions: (i) What temporal scales of precipitation-based indices are most suitable to assess streamflow drought in catchments with different hydrological regimes? (ii) Do soil moisture indices outperform meteorological indices as proxies for streamflow drought? (iii) Are snow indices more effective than meteorological indices for assessing streamflow drought in snow-influenced catchments? To answer these questions, we examined 100 near-natural catchments in Chile with four hydrological regimes, using the standardised precipitation index (SPI), standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), empirical standardised soil moisture index (ESSMI), and standardised snow water equivalent index (SWEI), aggregated across various temporal scales. Cross-correlation and event coincidence analysis were applied between these indices and the standardised streamflow index at a temporal scale of 1 month (SSI-1), as representative of streamflow drought events. Our results underscore that there is not a single drought index and temporal scale best suited to characterise all streamflow droughts in Chile, and their suitability largely depends on catchment memory. Specifically, in snowmelt-driven catchments characterised by a slow streamflow response to precipitation, the SPI at accumulation periods of 12-24 months serves as the best proxy for characterising streamflow droughts, with median correlation and coincidence rates of approximately 0.70-0.75 and 0.58-0.75, respectively. In contrast, the SPI at a 3-month accumulation period is the best proxy over faster-response rainfall-driven catchments, with median coincidence rates of around 0.55. Despite soil moisture and snowpack being key variables that modulate the propagation of meteorological deficits into hydrological ones, meteorological indices are better proxies for streamflow drought. Finally, to exclude the influence of non-drought periods, we recommend using the event coincidence analysis, a method that helps assessing the suitability of meteorological, soil moisture, and/or snow drought indices as proxies for streamflow drought events.

Abstract: Background. Wildfires have caused significant damage in Chile, with critical infrastructure being vulnerable to extreme wildfires. Aim. This work describes a methodology for estimating wildfire risk that was applied to an electrical substation in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) of Valparaiso, Chile. Methods. Wildfire risk is defined as the product between the probability of a wildfire reaching infrastructure at the WUI and its consequences or impacts. The former is determined with event trees combined with modelled burn probability. Wildfire consequence is considered as the ignition probability of a proxy fuel within the substation, as a function of the incident heat flux using a probit expression derived from experimental data. The heat flux is estimated using modelled fire intensity and geometry and a corresponding view factor from an assumed solid flame. Key results. The probability of normal and extreme fires reaching the WUI is of the order of 10(-4) and 10(-6) events/year, respectively. Total wildfire risk is of the order of 10(-5) to 10(-4) events/year Conclusions. This methodology offers a comprehensive interpretation of wildfire risk that considers both wildfire likelihood and consequences. Implications. The methodology is an interesting tool for quantitatively assessing wildfire risk of critical infrastructure and risk mitigation measures.

Abstract: Retrofitting wastewater treatment plants with continuous aerobic granular sludge reactors is a promising alternative to enhance treatment capacities and reduce footprint. This study investigates the main variables influencing granulation and microbial dynamics in two reactor configurations (25 L): stirred tanks in series (R1) and a plug-flow-like system (R2). Granule formation was achieved by increasing the organic loading rate (OLR) from 0.7 to 4.1 kg COD/(m3 & sdot;d) and the up-flow velocity in the biomass selector from 1.4 to 6.9 m/h. However, irreversible granule destabilization occurred at day 68 for R1 and day 108 for R2. Principal component analysis and examination of food-to-microorganisms (F/M) ratio medians identified the F/M ratio as the primary variable associated with instability. Microbial analysis revealed that a high F/M ratio induced significant increases in the abundance of specific genera such as Arcobacter, Cloacibacterium, Rikenella, Aquaspirillum and Sphaerotillus, whose overgrowth may negatively impact granule stability. Based on these findings, maximum F/M ratio thresholds were obtained to establish operational conditions allowing the maintenance of stable aerobic granules on continuous flow reactor configurations.

Abstract: A medium with specific anisotropic refractive indices can induce a supersymmetric behavior in the propagation of polarized electromagnetic waves, in an analog fashion to a quantum mechanical system. The polarizations of the wave are the ones which behave as superpartners from each other. For this to happen, the anisotropy of the medium must be transverse to the direction of propagation of the wave, with different refractive indices along the direction of each polarization, being in this way a biaxial medium. These refractive indices must be complex and follow a very specific relation in order to trigger the supersymetric response of the electromagnetic wave, each of them with spatial dependence on the longitudinal (propagation) direction of the wave. In this form, in these materials, different polarized light can be used to test supersymmetry in an optical fashion.

Abstract: The feedback between particle-size segregation and rheology in bidisperse granular flows is studied using the Stokes' problem configuration. A method of lines scheme is implemented to solve the coupled momentum and segregation equations for a normally graded particle size distributed bulk at constant solids volume fraction. The velocity profiles develop quickly into a transient state, decoupled from segregation yet determined by the particle size. From this transient state, the velocity profile changes due to the particles' relative movement, which redistributes the frictional response, hence its rheology. Additionally, the particles' relative friction is modified via a frictional coefficient ratio, by analogy with the particles' size ratio. While positive values of this coefficient exacerbate the nonlinearity of the velocity profiles induced by size differences, negative values dampen this behaviour. The numerical solutions reproduce well the analytical solutions for the velocity profile, which can be obtained from the steady-state conditions of the momentum and segregation equations for the transient and steady states, respectively. Segregation-momentum balances and four characteristic time scales can be established to propose two non-dimensional quantities, including specific Schmidt and Peclet numbers that describe broadly the segregation-rheology feedback. The proposed scheme, theoretical solutions and non-dimensional numbers offer a combined approach to understand segregation and flow dynamics within a granular bulk, extensible across many flow configurations.

Abstract: It is known that a nonlinear Schrodinger equation describes the self-modulation of a large amplitude circularly polarized wave in relativistic electron-positron plasmas in the weakly and strongly magnetized limits. Here, we show that such an equation can be written as a modified second Painleve equation, producing accelerated propagating wave solutions for those nonlinear plasmas. This solution even allows the plasma wave to reverse its direction of propagation. The acceleration parameter depends on the plasma magnetization. This accelerating solution is different to the usual soliton solution propagating at constant speed.

Abstract: The ODMeans R package implements the OD-Means model, a two-layer hierarchical clustering algorithm designed for extracting both global and local travel patterns from Origin–Destination Pairs (OD-Pairs). In contrast to existing models, OD-Means automates cluster determination and offers advantages such as smaller Within-Cluster Distance (WCD) and dual hierarchies. The package includes functions for applying the model and visualizing the results on maps. Using real taxi data from Santiago, Chile, we demonstrate the package’s capabilities, showcasing its flexibility and impact on understanding urban mobility patterns.

Abstract: Context. Different theories have been developed to explain the origins and properties of close-in giant planets, but none of them alone can explain all of the properties of the warm Jupiters (WJs, Porb = 10-200 days). One of the most intriguing characteristics of WJs is that they have a wide range of orbital eccentricities, challenging our understanding of their formation and evolution. Aims. The investigation of these systems is crucial in order to put constraints on formation and evolution theories. TESS is providing a significant sample of transiting WJs around stars bright enough to allow spectroscopic follow-up studies. Methods. We carried out a radial velocity (RV) follow-up study of the TESS candidate TOI-4515 b with the high-resolution spectrograph HARPS-N in the context of the GAPS project, the aim of which is to characterize young giant planets, and the TRES and FEROS spectrographs. We then performed a joint analysis of the HARPS-N, TRES, FEROS, and TESS data in order to fully characterize this planetary system. Results. We find that TOI-4515 b orbits a 1.2 Gyr-old G-star, has an orbital period of Pb = 15.266446 +/- 0.000013 days, a mass of Mb = 2.01 +/- 0.05 MJ, and a radius of Rb = 1.09 +/- 0.04 RJ. We also find an eccentricity of e = 0.46 +/- 0.01, placing this planet among the WJs with highly eccentric orbits. As no additional companion has been detected, this high eccentricity might be the consequence of past violent scattering events.