Doubts about the validity of the species name Hipparchia hermione (Linnaeus, 1764), it being associated with the two species Hipparchia alcyone ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) and Hipparchia genava (Fruhstorfer, 1908) following the designation of a lectotype by Kudrna (1977) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) - First part -

In 1977, Otakar Kudrna (*1939-†2021, obituary see Balletto and Leigheb, 2021) published his “Revision of the Genus Hipparchia”, where he classified all the known species and forms of this genus according to characters of wings, androconia, male genital armatures and further subjective criteria. Until today, Kudrna’s study is considered as the guideline of systematics of the genus Hipparchia. He selected there a lectotype specimen of a Rock Grayling male in the Linnaean collection. “Hipparchia hermione Linnaeus, 1764” is therefore, at the moment, the technically correct name to identify the species. The “International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature” (ICZN) has nothing to add at this point; it only comments on cases submitted to it in the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature. Within the meaning of the present study and in accordance with Verity (1913), this damaged specimen without abdomen represents the same species as Ignaz Schiffermüller – allegedly the only author of the Vienna directory (see Kudrna and B., 2005, p. 5) – has described under H. alcyone from the Vienna region by referring to a coloured copper engraving published by Rösel von Rosenhof (1755). Kudrna’s “Revision” became the starting point of an extended scientific research activity during my free time containing, as a matter of priority, the examination of problem cases of systematics by checking the preimaginal characters of many rearing series from different sites. It turned out that a number of classifications proposed by Kudrna (1977) had to be reassessed as soon as characters of the pre-imaginal stages were available. The most complex case I have verified concerned the third European Grayling species which Leraut (1990) introduced under the name of Hipparchia genava (Fruhstorfer, 1908). Kudrna (1977) failed to separate this species from H. alcyone (D. & S., 1775). Throughout his life, he never agreed with Leraut’s opinion. In recent years, Kudrna had hoped that genetic examinations would make redundant every rearing attempt by amateur lepidopterists and furnish the proof that his opinion was the correct one. Since he never undertook any rearing experiments, his systematics were based only on prepared imagines being housed in museum collections. He saw himself as a person with the competency to decide within a few minutes upon complex questions of taxonomy and ignored completely the assessments of others. For verifying the effective rank of H. genava, I had to examine also the two most closely related species: Hipparchia fagi and H. alcyone by rearing them all ex ovo with material from several widely spaced sites. Already on finalising my rearing work of this group, it became apparent that Leraut (1990) had been on the absolutely right path by accepting a third Grayling species, within this group. For the first time, I published the results of my rearing attempts between 2002 and 2006 in several articles in the quarterly bulletin Linneana Belgica and I readily provided information on this case to interested colleagues. Over time only, I realized that the Rock Grayling I knew from the volume on butterflies (Diurna) by Forster and Wohlfahrt (1955) as from the guides by Higgins and Riley (1970-84) under the name of H. alcyone had become H. hermione, because of the lectotype designation by Kudrna (1977). A stony path was in front of me to substantiate the factual correctness of the view taken by Leraut (1990). Complex clarifications by Peter Russell furnished well-founded arguments on the complex scientific issue why the use of the name “hermione Linnaeus, 1764” should be rejected for the Rock Grayling previously known as H. alcyone.

SVD-clustering, a general image-analyzing method explained and demonstrated on model and Raman micro-spectroscopic maps

An image analyzing method (SVD-clustering) is presented. Amplitude vectors of SVD factorization (V1…Vi) were introduced into the imaging of the distribution of the corresponding Ui basis-spectra. Since each Vi vector contains each point of the map, plotting them along the X, Y, Z dimensions of the map reconstructs the spatial distribution of the corresponding Ui basis-spectrum. This gives valuable information about the first, second, etc. higher-order deviations present in the map. We extended SVD with a clustering method, using the significant Vi vectors from the VT matrix as coordinates of image points in a ne-dimensional space (ne is the effective rank of the data matrix). This way every image point had a corresponding coordinate in the ne-dimensional space and formed a point set. Clustering was applied to this point set. SVD-clustering is universal; it is applicable to any measurement where data are recorded as a function of an external parameter (time, space, temperature, concentration, species, etc.). Consequently, our method is not restricted to spectral imaging, it can find application in many different 2D and 3D image analyses. Using SVD-clustering, we have shown on models the theoretical possibilities and limitations of the method, especially in the context of creating, meaning/interpreting of cluster spectra. Then for real-world samples, two examples are presented, where we were able to reveal minute alterations in the samples (changing cation ratios in minerals, differently structured cellulose domains in plant root) with spatial resolution.

Wald Statistics in high-dimensional PCA

In this study, we consider PCA for Gaussian observations X1, …, Xn with covariance Σ = ∑iλiPi in the ’effective rank’ setting with model complexity governed by r(Σ) ≔ tr(Σ)∕∥Σ∥. We prove a Berry-Essen type bound for a Wald Statistic of the spectral projector $\hat P_r$. This can be used to construct non-asymptotic goodness of fit tests and confidence ellipsoids for spectral projectors Pr. Using higher order pertubation theory we are able to show that our Theorem remains valid even when $\mathbf{r}(\Sigma) \gg \sqrt{n}$.

On the Use of Cost-Effective Valid-Time-Shifting (VTS) Method to Increase Ensemble Size in the GFS Hybrid 4DEnVar System

Valid-time-shifting (VTS) ensembles, either in the form of full ensemble members (VTSM) or ensemble perturbations (VTSP), were investigated as inexpensive means to increase ensemble size in the NCEP Global Forecast System (GFS) hybrid four-dimensional ensemble–variational (4DEnVar) data assimilation system. VTSM is designed to sample timing and/or phase errors, while VTSP can eliminate spurious covariances through temporal smoothing. When applying a shifting time interval (τ = 1, 2, or 3 h), VTSM and VTSP triple the baseline background ensemble size from 80 (ENS80) to 240 (ENS240) in the EnVar variational update, where the overall cost is only increased by 23%–27%, depending on the selected τ. Experiments during a 10-week summer period show the best-performing VTSP with τ = 2 h improves global temperature and wind forecasts out to 5 days over ENS80. This could be attributed to the improved background ensemble distribution, ensemble correlation accuracy, and increased effective rank in the populated background ensemble. VTSM generally degrades global forecasts in the troposphere. Improved global forecasts above 100 hPa by VTSM may benefit from the increased spread that alleviates the underdispersiveness of the original background ensemble at such levels. Both VTSM and VTSP improve tropical cyclone track forecasts over ENS80. Although VTSM and VTSP are much less expensive than directly running a 240-member background ensemble, owing to the improved ensemble covariances, the best-performing VTSP with τ = 1 h performs comparably or only slightly worse than ENS240. The best-performing VTSM with τ = 3 h even shows more accurate track forecasts than ENS240, likely contributed to by its better sampling of timing and/or phase errors for cases with small ensemble track spread.