Nesta dissertação nós revisamos aspectos gerais de teorias de gauge, os princípios da formulação de rede da cromodinâmica quântica (QCD) e algumas propriedades de quarkônios pesados, i.e. estados ligados de um quark pesado e seu antiquark. Como um exemplo de simulações de Monte Carlo de modelos de rede, apresentamos aplicações nos casos do oscilador harmônico e teorias de gauge SU(2). Nós estudamos o efeito de incorporar o propagador de gluon de simulações na rede em um modelo de potencial para a descrição do quarkônio, no caso do botômomio e do charmônio. Nós usamos em ambos os casos uma abordagem numérica para calcular as massas dos estados de quarkônio. O espectro resultante é comparado em ambos os casos com cálculos usando o potencial de Coulomb mais linear (ou potencial Cornell). / In this dissertation we review general aspects of gauge theories, the principles of the lattice formulation of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and some properties of heavy quarkonia, i.e. bound states of a heavy quark and its antiquark. As an illustration of Monte Carlo simulations of lattice models, we present applications in the case of the harmonic oscillator and SU(2) gauge theory. We study the effect of incorporating the gluon propagator from lattice simulations into a potential model for the description of quarkonium, in the case of bottomonium and charmonium. We use a numerical approach to evaluate masses of quarkonium states. The resulting spectrum is compared in both cases to calculations using the Coulomb plus linear (or Cornell) potential.

Nesta dissertação nós revisamos aspectos gerais de teorias de gauge, os princípios da formulação de rede da cromodinâmica quântica (QCD) e algumas propriedades de quarkônios pesados, i.e. estados ligados de um quark pesado e seu antiquark. Como um exemplo de simulações de Monte Carlo de modelos de rede, apresentamos aplicações nos casos do oscilador harmônico e teorias de gauge SU(2). Nós estudamos o efeito de incorporar o propagador de gluon de simulações na rede em um modelo de potencial para a descrição do quarkônio, no caso do botômomio e do charmônio. Nós usamos em ambos os casos uma abordagem numérica para calcular as massas dos estados de quarkônio. O espectro resultante é comparado em ambos os casos com cálculos usando o potencial de Coulomb mais linear (ou potencial Cornell). / In this dissertation we review general aspects of gauge theories, the principles of the lattice formulation of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and some properties of heavy quarkonia, i.e. bound states of a heavy quark and its antiquark. As an illustration of Monte Carlo simulations of lattice models, we present applications in the case of the harmonic oscillator and SU(2) gauge theory. We study the effect of incorporating the gluon propagator from lattice simulations into a potential model for the description of quarkonium, in the case of bottomonium and charmonium. We use a numerical approach to evaluate masses of quarkonium states. The resulting spectrum is compared in both cases to calculations using the Coulomb plus linear (or Cornell) potential.

This research focuses on the spatial analysis of the habitat of two vulnerable species, the one-horn rhinoceros in the grasslands of southern Nepal, and the red-cockaded woodpecker in the Piney woods of southeast Texas, in the USA. A study sites relevant for biodiversity conservation was selected in each country: Chitwan National Park in Nepal, and areas near the Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas. Land-use differs in the two study areas: the first is still undergoing agrarian development while the second is in a technological phase and undergoing urbanization processes. Satellite remote sensing images were used to derive land-cover maps by supervised classification. These maps were then processed by Geographic Information Systems methods to apply habitat models based on basic resources (food and cover) and obtain habitat suitability maps. Several landscape metrics were computed to quantify the habitat characteristics especially the composition and configuration of suitable habitat patches. Sensitivity analyses were performed as the nominal values of some of the model parameters were arbitrary. Development potential probability models were used to hypothesize changes in land-use of the second study site. Various scenarios were employed to examine the impact of development on the habitat of red-cockaded woodpecker. The method derived in this study would prove beneficial to guide management and conservation of wildlife habitats.