WorldWideScience

Sample records for circumstellar grain formation

  1. Laboratory Studies Of Circumstellar Carbonaceous Grain Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras, Cesar; Sciamma-O'Brien, Ella; Salama, Farid

    2014-06-01

    The study of the formation processes of dust is essential to understand the budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Although dust with all its components plays an important role in the evolution of interstellar (IS) chemistry and in the formation of organic molecules, little is known on the formation processes of carbonaceous dust. We report the progress that was recently achieved in this domain using NASA Ames’ COSmIC facility (Contreras & Salama 2013, ApJS, 208, 6). PAHs are important chemical building blocks of IS dust. They are detected in IDPs and in meteoritic samples. Additionally, observational, laboratory, and theoretical studies have shown that PAHs are an important, ubiquitous component of the ISM. The formation of PAHs from smaller molecules has not been extensively studied. Therefore, we have performed laboratory experiments to study the dynamic processes of carbon grain formation, starting from the smallest hydrocarbon molecules into the formation of larger PAH and further into nanograins. Studies of IS dust analogs formed from a variety of PAH and hydrocarbon precursors as well as species that include the atoms O, N, and S, have recently been performed in our laboratory using the COSmIC facility to provide conditions that simulate IS and circumstellar environments. The species formed in the COSmiC chamber through a pulsed discharge nozzle plasma source are detected and characterized with a cavity ringdown spectrometer coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, thus providing both spectroscopic and ion mass information in-situ. Analysis of solid soot particles was also conducted using scanning electron microscopy at the UCSC/NASA Ames’ MACS facility. The SEM analysis of the deposition of soot from methane and acetylene precursors seeded in argon plasmas provide examples on the types of nanoparticles and micrograins that are produced in these gas mixtures under our experimental conditions. From these measurements, we derive information on

  2. Grain Formation Processes in Oxygen-Rich Circumstellar Outflows: Testing the Metastable Eutectic Condensation Hypothesis and Measuring Atom-Grain & Grain-Grain Sticking Coefficients (A Sub-orbital Investigation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuth, Joseph

    An experimentally-based model of grain formation in oxygen-rich circumstellar outflows that includes vapor-solid nucleation, grain growth, thermal annealing and grain aggregation in sufficient detail to predict the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the shells for comparison with observations of a wide range of stellar sources still lacks critical data. In order to gather this data we propose to conduct a series of laboratory experiments using our proven experimental system and microgravity condensation, growth and grain aggregation experiments on sounding rockets with a flight-proven payload provided by Dr. Yuki Kimura of Hokkaido University. We have proposed that solids from a hydrogen-rich, supersaturated, Fe-Mg-SiO vapor condense at metastable eutectic points in this ternary phase diagram. Because the FeOMgO system is totally miscible (has no eutectic or metastable eutectic compositions), this predicts that condensates will be pure Mg-silicate or Fe-silicate grains and that no primary condensate will be a mixed Fe-Mg-silicate. We have shown that this observation leads to a logical explanation as to why pure magnesium olivine and enstatite minerals are detected in circumstellar winds rather than the mixed Mg-Fe-silicate grains that might otherwise be expected (Rietmeijer, Nuth & Karner, 1999). This simplifying hypothesis has been built into our models of circumstellar condensation and growth. However, these experimental results require confirmation and testing since they should apply to other, quite similar condensable systems. We propose to test this hypothesis by condensing solids from the Fe-Mg-AlO ternary vapor system. Since FeO-MgO miscibility also applies to this system, the primary condensates from such a vapor should consist of pure amorphous Fe-aluminates and Mg-aluminates. No mixed Fe-Mg-spinels should be detected as primary condensates if this hypothesis is correct, just as none were detected for the FeO-MgO-SiO system. Confirmation of this

  3. Constraints on Circumstellar Dust Grain Sizes from High Spatial Resolution Observations in the Thermal Infrared

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloemhof, E. E.; Danen, R. M.; Gwinn, C. R.

    1996-01-01

    We describe how high spatial resolution imaging of circumstellar dust at a wavelength of about 10 micron, combined with knowledge of the source spectral energy distribution, can yield useful information about the sizes of the individual dust grains responsible for the infrared emission. Much can be learned even when only upper limits to source size are available. In parallel with high-resolution single-telescope imaging that may resolve the more extended mid-infrared sources, we plan to apply these less direct techniques to interpretation of future observations from two-element optical interferometers, where quite general arguments may be made despite only crude imaging capability. Results to date indicate a tendency for circumstellar grain sizes to be rather large compared to the Mathis-Rumpl-Nordsieck size distribution traditionally thought to characterize dust in the general interstellar medium. This may mean that processing of grains after their initial formation and ejection from circumstellar atmospheres adjusts their size distribution to the ISM curve; further mid-infrared observations of grains in various environments would help to confirm this conjecture.

  4. Composite grains: Application to circumstellar dust

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. B. Vaidya

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA we calculate the absorption efficiency of the composite grain, made up of a host silicate spheroid and inclusions of graphite, in the spectral region 5.0-25.0μm. We study the absorption as a function of the voulume fraction of the inclusions. In particular, we study the variation in the 10.0μm and 18.0μm emission features with the volume fraction of the inclusions. Using the extinction efficiencies, of the composite grains we calculate the infrared fluxes at several dust temperatures and compare the model curves with the observed infrared emission curves (IRAS-LRS, obtained for circumstellar dust shells around oxygen rich M-type stars.

  5. Rapid formation of large dust grains in the luminous supernova 2010jl.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gall, Christa; Hjorth, Jens; Watson, Darach; Dwek, Eli; Maund, Justyn R; Fox, Ori; Leloudas, Giorgos; Malesani, Daniele; Day-Jones, Avril C

    2014-07-17

    The origin of dust in galaxies is still a mystery. The majority of the refractory elements are produced in supernova explosions, but it is unclear how and where dust grains condense and grow, and how they avoid destruction in the harsh environments of star-forming galaxies. The recent detection of 0.1 to 0.5 solar masses of dust in nearby supernova remnants suggests in situ dust formation, while other observations reveal very little dust in supernovae in the first few years after explosion. Observations of the spectral evolution of the bright SN 2010jl have been interpreted as pre-existing dust, dust formation or no dust at all. Here we report the rapid (40 to 240 days) formation of dust in its dense circumstellar medium. The wavelength-dependent extinction of this dust reveals the presence of very large (exceeding one micrometre) grains, which resist destruction. At later times (500 to 900 days), the near-infrared thermal emission shows an accelerated growth in dust mass, marking the transition of the dust source from the circumstellar medium to the ejecta. This provides the link between the early and late dust mass evolution in supernovae with dense circumstellar media.

  6. Circumstellar grain extinction properties of recently discovered post AGB stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buss, R.H. Jr.; Lamers, H.J.G.L.M.; Snow, T.P. Jr.

    1989-01-01

    The circumstellar grains of two hot evolved post asymptotic giant branch (post AGB) stars, HD 89353 and HD 213985 were examined. From ultraviolet spectra, energy balance of the flux, and Kurucz models, the extinction around 2175 A was derived. With visual spectra, an attempt was made to detect 6614 A diffuse band absorption arising from the circumstellar grains so that we could examine the relationship of these features to the infrared features. For both stars, we did not detect any diffuse band absorption at 6614 A, implying the carrier of this diffuse band is not the carrier of the unidentified infrared features not of the 2175 A bump. The linear ultraviolet extinction of the carbon-rich star HD 89353 was determined to continue across the 2175 A region with no sign of the bump; for HD 213985 it was found to be the reverse: a strong, wide bump in the mid-ultraviolet. The 213985 bump was found to be positioned at 2340 A, longward of its usual position in the interstellar medium. Since HD 213985 was determined to have excess carbon, the bump probably arises from a carbonaceous grain. Thus, in view of the ultraviolet and infrared properties of the two post AGB stars, ubiquitous interstellar infrared emission features do not seem to be associated with the 2175 A bump. Instead, the infrared features seem related to the linear ultraviolet extinction component: hydrocarbon grains of radius less than 300 A are present with the linear HD 89353 extinction; amorphous anhydrous carbonaceous grains of radius less than 50 A might cause the shifted ultraviolet extinction bump of HD 213985

  7. A Model of Silicate Grain Nucleation and Growth in Circumstellar Outflows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paquette, John A.; Ferguson, Frank T.; Nuth, Joseph A., III

    2011-01-01

    Based on its abundance, high bond energy, and recent measurements of its vapor pressure SiO is a natural candidate for dust nucleation in circumstellar outflows around asymptotic giant branch stars. In this paper, we describe a model of the nucleation and growth of silicate dust in such outflows. The sensitivity of the model to varying choices of poorly constrained chemical parameters is explored, and the merits of using scaled rather than classical nucleation theory are briefly considered, An elaboration of the model that includes magnesium and iron as growth species is then presented and discussed. The composition of the bulk of the grains derived from the model is consistent with olivines and pyroxenes, but somewhat metal-rich grains and very small, nearly pure SiO grains are also produced,

  8. Circumstellar Disks and Outflows in Turbulent Molecular Cloud Cores: Possible Formation Mechanism for Misaligned Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsumoto, Tomoaki [Faculty of Sustainability Studies, Hosei University, Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8160 (Japan); Machida, Masahiro N. [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro, E-mail: matsu@hosei.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602 (Japan)

    2017-04-10

    We investigate the formation of circumstellar disks and outflows subsequent to the collapse of molecular cloud cores with the magnetic field and turbulence. Numerical simulations are performed by using an adaptive mesh refinement to follow the evolution up to ∼1000 years after the formation of a protostar. In the simulations, circumstellar disks are formed around the protostars; those in magnetized models are considerably smaller than those in nonmagnetized models, but their size increases with time. The models with stronger magnetic fields tend to produce smaller disks. During evolution in the magnetized models, the mass ratios of a disk to a protostar is approximately constant at ∼1%–10%. The circumstellar disks are aligned according to their angular momentum, and the outflows accelerate along the magnetic field on the 10–100 au scale; this produces a disk that is misaligned with the outflow. The outflows are classified into two types: a magnetocentrifugal wind and a spiral flow. In the latter, because of the geometry, the axis of rotation is misaligned with the magnetic field. The magnetic field has an internal structure in the cloud cores, which also causes misalignment between the outflows and the magnetic field on the scale of the cloud core. The distribution of the angular momentum vectors in a core also has a non-monotonic internal structure. This should create a time-dependent accretion of angular momenta onto the circumstellar disk. Therefore, the circumstellar disks are expected to change their orientation as well as their sizes in the long-term evolutions.

  9. Dust formation and ionization in novae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, Tetsuo; Sato, Shuji; Nariai, Kyoji.

    1979-01-01

    In order to explain the fact that some novae show the increase of infrared radiation indicating the formation of circumstellar dust grains while some others do not, the theory that the formation of dust in the circumstellar envelope of a nova depends on the intensity of ultraviolet radiation from a central star has been presented. It is known that the central star of a nova emits radiation at nearly constant rate, and its effective temperature rises. It was concluded that the novae with higher emission than a certain value are the poor candidates for dust formation because the whole envelope is ionized before dust is formed. But this conclusion is misleading. The evolution of the ultraviolet radiation emanating from a central star is summarized. The condensation of grains is possible when the partial pressure of the vapor, from which the grains are formed, becomes higher than the saturation vapor pressure. The temperature of grains can be estimated by equating the radiations absorbed and emitted. The grains evaporate if the grain temperature is higher than the condensation temperature. The formation of a Stroemgren sphere in the exploding envelope of a nova is discussed. For the formation of grains, it is necessary that temperature drops below the condensation temperature before the whole envelope is ionized. Hence dust grains do not grow if the grain temperature at a phase is higher than the condensation temperature. (Kako, I.)

  10. On circumstellar molecules in the Pleiades.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobbs, L. M.

    1972-01-01

    Consideration of both old and new observations of the interstellar 4232-A line of CH(+) for the brightest members of the Pleiades. These observations suggest that the molecules are circumstellar in some sense, perhaps resembling in this respect the micron-sized grains inferred to be present in this region.

  11. Ultraviolet extinction in M-supergiant circumstellar envelopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buss, R.H. Jr.; Snow, T.P. Jr.

    1986-01-01

    Using International Ultraviolet (IUS) archival low-dispersion spectra, ultraviolet spectral extinctions were derived for the circumstellar envelopes of two M supergiants: HD 60414 and HD 213310. The observed stellar systems belong to a class of widely-separated spectroscopic binaries that are called VV Cephei stars. The total extinction was calculated by dividing the reddened fluxes with unreddened comparison fluxes of similar stars (g B2.5 for HD 213310 and a normalized s+B3 for HD 60414) from the reference atlas. After substracting the interstellar extinctions, which were estimated from the E(B-V) reddening of nearby stars, the resultant circumstellar extinctions were normalized at about 3.5 inverse microns. Not only is the 2175 A extinction bump absent in the circumstellar extinctions, but the far-ultraviolet extinction rise is also absent. The rather flat, ultraviolet extinction curves were interpreted as signatures of a population of noncarbonaceous, oxygen-rich grains with diameters larger than the longest observed wavelength

  12. Radiative transfer in spherical circumstellar dust envelopes. III. Dust envelope models of some well known infrared stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Apruzese, J.P.

    1975-01-01

    The radiative transfer techniques described elsewhere by the author have been employed to construct dust envelope models of several well known infrared stars. The resulting calculations indicate that the infrared emissivity of circumstellar grains generally must be higher than that which many calculations of small nonsilicate grains yield. This conclusion is dependent to some degree on the (unknown) size of the stellar envelopes considered, but is quite firm in the case of the spatially resolved envelope of IRC+10216. Further observations of the spatial distribution of the infrared radiation from stellar envelopes will be invaluable in deciphering the properties of the circumstellar grains

  13. THE FIRST PLANETS: THE CRITICAL METALLICITY FOR PLANET FORMATION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, Jarrett L.; Li Hui

    2012-01-01

    A rapidly growing body of observational results suggests that planet formation takes place preferentially at high metallicity. In the core accretion model of planet formation this is expected because heavy elements are needed to form the dust grains which settle into the midplane of the protoplanetary disk and coagulate to form the planetesimals from which planetary cores are assembled. As well, there is observational evidence that the lifetimes of circumstellar disks are shorter at lower metallicities, likely due to greater susceptibility to photoevaporation. Here we estimate the minimum metallicity for planet formation, by comparing the timescale for dust grain growth and settling to that for disk photoevaporation. For a wide range of circumstellar disk models and dust grain properties, we find that the critical metallicity above which planets can form is a function of the distance r at which the planet orbits its host star. With the iron abundance relative to that of the Sun [Fe/H] as a proxy for the metallicity, we estimate a lower limit for the critical abundance for planet formation of [Fe/H] crit ≅ –1.5 + log (r/1 AU), where an astronomical unit (AU) is the distance between the Earth and the Sun. This prediction is in agreement with the available observational data, and carries implications for the properties of the first planets and for the emergence of life in the early universe. In particular, it implies that the first Earth-like planets likely formed from circumstellar disks with metallicities Z ∼> 0.1 Z ☉ . If planets are found to orbit stars with metallicities below the critical metallicity, this may be a strong challenge to the core accretion model.

  14. Grain processes in massive star formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolfire, M.G.; Cassinelli, J.P.

    1986-01-01

    Observational evidence suggests that stars greater than 100 M(solar) exist in the Galaxy and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), however classical star formation theory predicts stellar mass limits of only approx. 60 M(solar). A protostellar accretion flow consists of inflowing gas and dust. Grains are destroyed as they are near the central protostar creating a dust shell or cocoon. Radiation pressure acting on the grain can halt the inflow of material thereby limiting the amount of mass accumulated by the protostar. We first consider rather general constraints on the initial grain to gas ratio and mass accretion rates that permit inflow. We further constrain these results by constructing a numerical model. Radiative deceleration of grains and grain destruction processes are explicitly accounted for in an iterative solution of the radiation-hydrodynamic equations. Findings seem to suggest that star formation by spherical accretion requires rather extreme preconditioning of the grain and gas environment

  15. High-Resolution Near-Infrared Polarimetry of a Circumstellar Disk around UX Tau A

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serabyn, G.; Grady, C. A.; Currie, T.

    2012-01-01

    We present H-band polarimetric imagery of UX Tau A taken with HiCIAO/AO188 on the Subaru Telescope. UX Tau A has been classified as a pre-transitional disk object, with a gap structure separating its inner and outer disks. Our imagery taken with the 0.15" (21 AU) radius coronagraphic mask has revealed a strongly polarized circumstellar disk surrounding UX Tau A which extends to 120 AU, at a spatial resolution of 0.1" (14 AU). It is inclined by 46 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees as the west side is nearest. Although SED modeling and sub-millimeter imagery suggested the presence of a gap in the disk, with the inner edge of the outer disk estimated to be located at 25 - 30 AU, we detect no evidence of a gap at the limit of our inner working angle (23AU) at the near-infrared wavelength. We attribute the observed strong polarization (up to 66 %) to light scattering by dust grains in the disk. However, neither polarization models of the circumstellar disk based on Rayleigh scattering nor Mie scattering approximations were consistent with the observed azimuthal profile of the polarization degrees of the disk. Instead, a geometric optics model of the disk with nonspherical grains with the radii of 30 micrometers is consistent with the observed profile. We suggest that the dust grains have experienced frequent collisional coagulations and have grown in the circumstellar disk of UX Tau A.

  16. Infrared Spectroscopic Survey of the Quiescent Medium of Nearby Clouds. I. Ice Formation and Grain Growth in Lupus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boogert, A.; Chiar, J.; Knez, C.; Öberg, K.; Mundy, L.; Pendleton, Y.; Tielens, A.G.G.M.; Dishoeck, van E.F.

    2013-01-01

    Infrared photometry and spectroscopy (1-25 {$μ$}m) of background stars reddened by the Lupus molecular cloud complex are used to determine the properties of grains and the composition of ices before they are incorporated into circumstellar envelopes and disks. H$_{2}$O ices form at extinctions of A

  17. Dust Spectroscopy and the Nature of Grains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tielens, A. G. G. M.

    2006-01-01

    Ground-based, air-borne and space-based, infrared spectra of a wide variety of objects have revealed prominent absorption and emission features due to large molecules and small dust grains. Analysis of this data reveals a highly diverse interstellar and circumstellar grain inventory, including both amorphous materials and highly crystalline compounds (silicates and carbon). This diversity points towards a wide range of physical and chemical birthsites as well as a complex processing of these grains in the interstellar medium. In this talk, I will review the dust inventory contrasting and comparing both the interstellar and circumstellar reservoirs. The focus will be on the processes that play a role in the lifecycle of dust in the interstellar medium.

  18. Formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in circumstellar envelopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frenklach, M.; Feigelson, E.D.

    1989-01-01

    Production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes was investigated using a kinetic approach. A detailed chemical reaction mechanism of gas-phase PAH formation and growth, containing approximately 100 reactions of 40 species, was numerically solved under the physical conditions expected in cool stellar winds. The chemistry is based on studies of soot production in hydrocarbon pyrolysis and combustion. Several first-ring and second-ring cyclization processes were considered. A linear lumping algorithm was used to describe PAH growth beyond the second aromatic ring. PAH production using this mechanism was examined with respect to a grid of idealized constant velocity stellar winds as well as several published astrophysical models. The basic result is that the onset of PAH production in the interstellar envelopes is predicted to occur within the temperature interval of 1100 to 900 K. The absolute amounts of the PAHs formed, however, are very sensitive to a number of parameters, both chemical and astrophysical, whose values are not accurately known. Astrophysically meaningful quantities of PAHs require particularly dense and slow stellar winds and high initial acetylene abundance. It is suggested that most of the PAHs may be produced in a relatively small fraction of carbon-rich red giants. 87 refs

  19. Radiative transfer in gray circumstellar dust envelopes: VY Canis Majoris revisited

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwartz, R.D.

    1975-01-01

    The circumstellar dust model for VY CMa proposed by Herbig is reinvestigated using a generalized form of Huang's theory of radiative transfer. The resultant envelope parameters and the emergent energy distribution are found to be insensitive to the choice of Eddington factor for a given envelope inner boundary temperature. Observed fluxes from 0.43 to 74 μ are incorporated into the model, and problems relating to grain emissivity for lambda>30 μ and grain survival at the indicated inner boundary temperature of 1855degreeK are discussed

  20. Efficient radiative transfer in dust grain mixtures

    OpenAIRE

    Wolf, S.

    2002-01-01

    The influence of a dust grain mixture consisting of spherical dust grains with different radii and/or chemical composition on the resulting temperature structure and spectral energy distribution of a circumstellar shell is investigated. The comparison with the results based on an approximation of dust grain parameters representing the mean optical properties of the corresponding dust grain mixture reveal that (1) the temperature dispersion of a real dust grain mixture decreases substantially ...

  1. GAS PHASE SYNTHESIS OF (ISO)QUINOLINE AND ITS ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF NUCLEOBASES IN THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parker, Dorian S. N.; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Kostko, Oleg; Troy, Tyler P.; Ahmed, Musahid; Mebel, Alexander M.; Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.

    2015-01-01

    Nitrogen-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) have been proposed to play a key role in the astrochemical evolution of the interstellar medium, yet the formation mechanisms of even their simplest prototypes—quinoline and isoquinoline—remain elusive. Here, we reveal a novel concept that under high temperature conditions representing circumstellar envelopes of carbon stars, (iso)quinoline can be synthesized via the reaction of pyridyl radicals with two acetylene molecules. The facile gas phase formation of (iso)quinoline in circumstellar envelopes defines a hitherto elusive reaction class synthesizing aromatic structures with embedded nitrogen atoms that are essential building blocks in contemporary biological-structural motifs. Once ejected from circumstellar shells and incorporated into icy interstellar grains in cold molecular clouds, these NPAHs can be functionalized by photo processing forming nucleobase-type structures as sampled in the Murchison meteorite

  2. Studies of Young, Star-forming Circumstellar Disks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Jaehan

    2017-08-01

    Disks of gas and dust around forming stars - circumstellar disks - last only a few million years. This is a very small fraction of the entire lifetime of Sun-like stars, several billion years. Nevertheless, by the time circumstellar disks dissipate stars complete building up their masses, giant planets finish accreting gas, and terrestrial bodies are nearly fully grown and ready for their final assembly to become planets. Understanding the evolution of circumstellar disks are thus crucial in many contexts. Using numerical simulations as the primary tool, my thesis has focused on the studies of various physical processes that can occur throughout the lifetime of circumstellar disks, from their formation to dispersal. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 emphasize the importance of early evolution, during which time a forming star-disk system obtains mass from its natal cloud: the infall phase. In Chapter 2 and 3, I have modeled episodic outbursts of accretion in protostellar systems resulting from disk instabilities - gravitational instability and magnetorotational instability. I showed that outbursts occur preferentially during the infall phase, because the mass addition provides more favorable conditions for gravitational instability to initiate the outburst cycle, and that forming stars build up a significant fraction of their masses through repeated short-lived, episodic outbursts. The infall phase can also be important for the formation of planets. Recent ALMA observations revealed sets of bright and dark rings in circumstellar disks of young, forming stars, potentially indicating early formation of planets. In Chapter 4, I showed that infall streams can create radial pressure bumps near the outer edge of the mass landing on the disk, from which vortices can form, collecting solid particles very efficiently to make initial seeds of planets. The next three chapters highlight the role of planets in setting the observational appearance and the evolution of circumstellar disks

  3. Formation of dust grains in the ejecta of SN 1987A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kozasa, Takashi; Hasegawa, Hiroichi; Nomoto, Kenichi

    1989-01-01

    Formation of dust grains in the ejecta of SN 1987A is investigated on the basis of a theory of homogeneous nucleation and grain growth. The formation of dust grains in the gas ejected from a heavy element-rich mantle is considered, including the effects of latent heat released during grain growth and of radiation from the photosphere. It is shown that dust grains can condense in the heavy-element-rich mantle, and that the time of formation strongly depends on the temperature structure in the ejecta. Moreover, the formation of dust grains is retarded by the strong SN radiation field and the effect of latent heat deposited during grain growth. 41 refs

  4. Grand-design Spiral Arms in a Young Forming Circumstellar Disk

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tomida, Kengo; Lin, Chia Hui [Department of Earth and Space Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Machida, Masahiro N. [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Hosokawa, Takashi [Department of Physics, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Sakurai, Yuya, E-mail: tomida@vega.ess.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp [Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

    2017-01-20

    We study formation and long-term evolution of a circumstellar disk in a collapsing molecular cloud core using a resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulation. While the formed circumstellar disk is initially small, it grows as accretion continues, and its radius becomes as large as 200 au toward the end of the Class-I phase. A pair of grand-design spiral arms form due to gravitational instability in the disk, and they transfer angular momentum in the highly resistive disk. Although the spiral arms disappear in a few rotations as expected in a classical theory, new spiral arms form recurrently as the disk, soon becoming unstable again by gas accretion. Such recurrent spiral arms persist throughout the Class-0 and I phases. We then perform synthetic observations and compare our model with a recent high-resolution observation of a young stellar object Elias 2–27, whose circumstellar disk has grand-design spiral arms. We find good agreement between our theoretical model and the observation. Our model suggests that the grand-design spiral arms around Elias 2–27 are consistent with material arms formed by gravitational instability. If such spiral arms commonly exist in young circumstellar disks, it implies that young circumstellar disks are considerably massive and gravitational instability is the key process of angular momentum transport.

  5. Grand-design Spiral Arms in a Young Forming Circumstellar Disk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomida, Kengo; Lin, Chia Hui; Machida, Masahiro N.; Hosokawa, Takashi; Sakurai, Yuya

    2017-01-01

    We study formation and long-term evolution of a circumstellar disk in a collapsing molecular cloud core using a resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulation. While the formed circumstellar disk is initially small, it grows as accretion continues, and its radius becomes as large as 200 au toward the end of the Class-I phase. A pair of grand-design spiral arms form due to gravitational instability in the disk, and they transfer angular momentum in the highly resistive disk. Although the spiral arms disappear in a few rotations as expected in a classical theory, new spiral arms form recurrently as the disk, soon becoming unstable again by gas accretion. Such recurrent spiral arms persist throughout the Class-0 and I phases. We then perform synthetic observations and compare our model with a recent high-resolution observation of a young stellar object Elias 2–27, whose circumstellar disk has grand-design spiral arms. We find good agreement between our theoretical model and the observation. Our model suggests that the grand-design spiral arms around Elias 2–27 are consistent with material arms formed by gravitational instability. If such spiral arms commonly exist in young circumstellar disks, it implies that young circumstellar disks are considerably massive and gravitational instability is the key process of angular momentum transport.

  6. CIRCUMSTELLAR MAGNETITE FROM THE LAP 031117 CO3.0 CHONDRITE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zega, Thomas J. [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092 (United States); Haenecour, Pierre; Floss, Christine [Laboratory for Space Sciences and Physics Department, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1105, St. Louis, MO 63130 (United States); Stroud, Rhonda M., E-mail: tzega@lpl.arizona.edu [Materials Science and Technology Division, Code 6366, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave, SW Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

    2015-07-20

    We report the first microstructural confirmation of circumstellar magnetite, identified in a petrographic thin section of the LaPaz Icefield 031117 CO3.0 chondrite. The O-isotopic composition of the grain indicates an origin in a low-mass (∼2.2 M{sub ⊙}), approximately solar metallicity red/asymptotic giant branch (RGB/AGB) star undergoing first dredge-up. The magnetite is a single crystal measuring 750 × 670 nm, is free of defects, and is stoichiometric Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. We hypothesize that the magnetite formed via oxidation of previously condensed Fe dust within the circumstellar envelope of its progenitor star. Using an empirically derived rate constant for this reaction, we calculate that such oxidation could have occurred over timescales ranging from approximately ∼9000–500,000 years. This timescale is within the lifetime of estimates for dust condensation within RGB/AGB stars.

  7. INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY OF THE QUIESCENT MEDIUM OF NEARBY CLOUDS. I. ICE FORMATION AND GRAIN GROWTH IN LUPUS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boogert, A. C. A.; Chiar, J. E.; Knez, C.; Mundy, L. G.; Öberg, K. I.; Pendleton, Y. J.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Van Dishoeck, E. F.

    2013-01-01

    Infrared photometry and spectroscopy (1-25 μm) of background stars reddened by the Lupus molecular cloud complex are used to determine the properties of grains and the composition of ices before they are incorporated into circumstellar envelopes and disks. H 2 O ices form at extinctions of A K = 0.25 ± 0.07 mag (A V = 2.1 ± 0.6). Such a low ice formation threshold is consistent with the absence of nearby hot stars. Overall, the Lupus clouds are in an early chemical phase. The abundance of H 2 O ice (2.3 ± 0.1 × 10 –5 relative to N H ) is typical for quiescent regions, but lower by a factor of three to four compared to dense envelopes of young stellar objects. The low solid CH 3 OH abundance ( 2 O) indicates a low gas phase H/CO ratio, which is consistent with the observed incomplete CO freeze out. Furthermore it is found that the grains in Lupus experienced growth by coagulation. The mid-infrared (>5 μm) continuum extinction relative to A K increases as a function of A K . Most Lupus lines of sight are well fitted with empirically derived extinction curves corresponding to R V ∼ 3.5 (A K = 0.71) and R V ∼ 5.0 (A K = 1.47). For lines of sight with A K > 1.0 mag, the τ 9.7 /A K ratio is a factor of two lower compared to the diffuse medium. Below 1.0 mag, values scatter between the dense and diffuse medium ratios. The absence of a gradual transition between diffuse and dense medium-type dust indicates that local conditions matter in the process that sets the τ 9.7 /A K ratio. This process is likely related to grain growth by coagulation, as traced by the A 7.4 /A K continuum extinction ratio, but not to ice mantle formation. Conversely, grains acquire ice mantles before the process of coagulation starts

  8. Grain formation in cool stellar envelopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deguchi, S.

    1980-01-01

    The nucleation and growth of dust grains in the stellar envelope are investigated for the case of oxygen-rich stars, where the mass loss occurs as a result of the radiation pressure on the dust grains. The number density of grains, the final grain sizes, and the final amount of metals remaining in gaseous states are calculated based on the grain-nucleation theory proposed by Yamamoto and Hasegawa and Draine and Salpeter. It is shown that, even if we base our calculations on the Lothe-Pound nucleation rate equation instead of the classical, homogeneous nucleation rate equation, the proposed theory gives a number density of grains quite similar to that based on the classical rate equation. The approximate solution of the flow, in this paper, brings physical insight to the problem of how the formation of grains couples the flow passing the sonic point. The metals in the outer envelope remain in gaseous state by the amount of 1--10% of the initial content for the mass-loss rate of 10 -5 M/sub sun/ yr -1 and by less than 1% for the massloss are less than 3 x 10 -6 M/sub sun/ yr -1 . Species of metals condensed onto the grains are also discussed

  9. Light-scattering models applied to circumstellar dust properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koehler, Melanie; Mann, Ingrid

    2004-01-01

    Radiation pressure force, Poynting-Robertson effect, and collisions are important to determine the size distribution of dust in circumstellar debris disks with the two former parameters depending on the light-scattering properties of grains. We here present Mie and discrete-dipole approximation (DDA) calculations to describe the optical properties of dust particles around β Pictoris, Vega, and Fomalhaut in order to study the influence of the radiation pressure force. We find that the differences between Mie and DDA calculations are lower than 30% for all porosities. Therefore, Mie calculations can be used to determine the cut-off limits which contribute to the size distribution for the different systems

  10. Formation of dust grains with impurities in red giant winds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dominik, Carsten

    1994-01-01

    Among the several proposed carriers of diffuse interstellar bands (DIB's) are impurities in small dust grains, especially in iron oxide grains (Huffman 1977) and silicate grains (Huffman 1970). Most promising are single ion impurities since they can reproduce the observed band widths (Whittet 1992). These oxygen-rich grains are believed to originate mostly in the mass flows from red giants and in supernovae ejecta (e.g. Gehrz 1989). A question of considerable impact for the origin of DIB's is therefore, whether these grains are produced as mainly clean crystals or as some dirty materials. A formalism has been developed that allows tracking of the heterogeneous growth of a dust grain and its internal structure during the dust formation process. This formalism has been applied to the dust formation in the outflow from a red giant star.

  11. Tracing magnetic fields with aligned grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lazarian, A.

    2007-01-01

    Magnetic fields play a crucial role in various astrophysical processes, including star formation, accretion of matter, transport processes (e.g., transport of heat), and cosmic rays. One of the easiest ways to determine the magnetic field direction is via polarization of radiation resulting from extinction or/and emission by aligned dust grains. Reliability of interpretation of the polarization maps in terms of magnetic fields depends on how well we understand the grain-alignment theory. Explaining what makes grains aligned has been one of the big issues of the modern astronomy. Numerous exciting physical effects have been discovered in the course of research undertaken in this field. As both the theory and observations matured, it became clear that the grain-alignment phenomenon is inherent not only in diffuse interstellar medium or molecular clouds but also is a generic property of the dust in circumstellar regions, interplanetary space and cometary comae. Currently the grain-alignment theory is a predictive one, and its results nicely match observations. Among its predictions is a subtle phenomenon of radiative torques. This phenomenon, after having stayed in oblivion for many years after its discovery, is currently viewed as the most powerful means of alignment. In this article, I shall review the basic physical processes involved in grain alignment, and the currently known mechanisms of alignment. I shall also discuss possible niches for different alignment mechanisms. I shall dwell on the importance of the concept of grain helicity for understanding of many properties of grain alignment, and shall demonstrate that rather arbitrarily shaped grains exhibit helicity when they interact with gaseous and radiative flows

  12. Heterodyne spatial interferometry of circumstellar dust shells at a wavelength of 11 microns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sutton, E.C.

    1979-01-01

    The spatial distribution of the 11 micron thermal emission from circumstellar dust envelopes has been studied using an infrared heterodyne interferometer. Circumstellar dust envelopes often exist around cool, late-type stars. These envelopes radiate strongly at 11 microns, particularly if they are composed of silicate grains, which have a strong emission feature near this wavelength. By measuring the spatial distribution of this dust emission it is possible to probe the temperatures and densities of the circumstellar material and thereby to gain an understanding of the structures of circumstellar envelopes. Among the sources which have been observed with this interferometer are α Orionis, o Ceti, VY Canis Majoris, and IRC + 10216. The 11 micron brightness distributions of these objects all have spatially extended dust-emission components which are resolved in these measurements. The dust envelopes of α Orionis and o Ceti are optically thin, having optical depths at 11 microns of 0.02 and 0.04, respectively. In addition, variations are seen in the 11 micron brightness distribution of o Ceti which correlate with the stellar variability. These variations primarily represent changes in the relative amount of spatially compact photospheric emission and spatially extended dust emission. The source VY Canis Majoris, on the other had, has a dust envelope which is optically thick at 11 microns. The dust envelope of IRC + 10216, although optically thick at visible wavelengths, does not seem to be optically thick at 11 microns since there is a spatially compact component of the 11 micron brightness distribution which presumably represents emission from the central star

  13. INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY OF THE QUIESCENT MEDIUM OF NEARBY CLOUDS. I. ICE FORMATION AND GRAIN GROWTH IN LUPUS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boogert, A. C. A. [IPAC, NASA Herschel Science Center, Mail Code 100-22, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Chiar, J. E. [SETI Institute, Carl Sagan Center, 189 Bernardo Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94043 (United States); Knez, C.; Mundy, L. G. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Öberg, K. I. [Departments of Chemistry and Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Pendleton, Y. J. [Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Van Dishoeck, E. F., E-mail: aboogert@ipac.caltech.edu [Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands)

    2013-11-01

    Infrared photometry and spectroscopy (1-25 μm) of background stars reddened by the Lupus molecular cloud complex are used to determine the properties of grains and the composition of ices before they are incorporated into circumstellar envelopes and disks. H{sub 2}O ices form at extinctions of A{sub K} = 0.25 ± 0.07 mag (A{sub V} = 2.1 ± 0.6). Such a low ice formation threshold is consistent with the absence of nearby hot stars. Overall, the Lupus clouds are in an early chemical phase. The abundance of H{sub 2}O ice (2.3 ± 0.1 × 10{sup –5} relative to N{sub H}) is typical for quiescent regions, but lower by a factor of three to four compared to dense envelopes of young stellar objects. The low solid CH{sub 3}OH abundance (<3%-8% relative to H{sub 2}O) indicates a low gas phase H/CO ratio, which is consistent with the observed incomplete CO freeze out. Furthermore it is found that the grains in Lupus experienced growth by coagulation. The mid-infrared (>5 μm) continuum extinction relative to A{sub K} increases as a function of A{sub K}. Most Lupus lines of sight are well fitted with empirically derived extinction curves corresponding to R{sub V} ∼ 3.5 (A{sub K} = 0.71) and R{sub V} ∼ 5.0 (A{sub K} = 1.47). For lines of sight with A{sub K} > 1.0 mag, the τ{sub 9.7}/A{sub K} ratio is a factor of two lower compared to the diffuse medium. Below 1.0 mag, values scatter between the dense and diffuse medium ratios. The absence of a gradual transition between diffuse and dense medium-type dust indicates that local conditions matter in the process that sets the τ{sub 9.7}/A{sub K} ratio. This process is likely related to grain growth by coagulation, as traced by the A{sub 7.4}/A{sub K} continuum extinction ratio, but not to ice mantle formation. Conversely, grains acquire ice mantles before the process of coagulation starts.

  14. The formation of small grains in shocks in the ISM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Anthony P.; Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.

    1994-01-01

    Carbonaceous and silicate grains swept up, and betatron accelerated, by supernova-generated shock waves in the interstellar medium are exposed to grain destructive processing. The degree of grain destruction is determined by the differential gas-grain and grain-grain velocities, which lead to sputtering of the grain surface and grain core disruption (deformation, vaporization and shattering), respectively. The threshold pressure for grain shattering in grain-grain collisions (100 k bar) is considerably lower than that for vaporization (approximately 5 M bar). Therefore, collisions between grains shatter large grains into smaller fragments (i.e., small grains and PAH's). Using a new algorithms for the destructive processes, it was possible to model the formation fo small grain fragments in grain-grain collisions in the warm phase of the interstellar medium. It was found that in one cycle through the warm medium (approximately 3 x 10(sup 6) years) of order 1-2% of the total grain mass is shattered into particles with radii of less than 50 A.

  15. Tracing Planets in Circumstellar Discs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uribe Ana L.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Planets are assumed to form in circumstellar discs around young stellar objects. The additional gravitational potential of a planet perturbs the disc and leads to characteristic structures, i.e. spiral waves and gaps, in the disc density profile. We perform a large-scale parameter study on the observability of these planet-induced structures in circumstellar discs in the (submm wavelength range for the Atacama Large (SubMillimeter Array (ALMA. On the basis of hydrodynamical and magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of star-disc-planet models we calculate the disc temperature structure and (submm images of these systems. These are used to derive simulated ALMA maps. Because appropriate objects are frequent in the Taurus-Auriga region, we focus on a distance of 140 pc and a declination of ≈ 20°. The explored range of star-disc-planet configurations consists of six hydrodynamical simulations (including magnetic fields and different planet masses, nine disc sizes with outer radii ranging from 9 AU to 225 AU, 15 total disc masses in the range between 2.67·10-7 M⊙ and 4.10·10-2 M⊙, six different central stars and two different grain size distributions, resulting in 10 000 disc models. At almost all scales and in particular down to a scale of a few AU, ALMA is able to trace disc structures induced by planet-disc interaction or the influence of magnetic fields in the wavelength range between 0.4...2.0 mm. In most cases, the optimum angular resolution is limited by the sensitivity of ALMA. However, within the range of typical masses of protoplane tary discs (0.1 M⊙...0.001 M⊙ the disc mass has a minor impact on the observability. At the distance of 140 pc it is possible to resolve discs down to 2.67·10-6 M⊙ and trace gaps in discs with 2.67·10-4 M⊙ with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than three. In general, it is more likely to trace planet-induced gaps in magneto-hydrodynamical disc models, because gaps are wider in the presence of

  16. Pyrene synthesis in circumstellar envelopes and its role in the formation of 2D nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Long; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Xu, Bo; Ablikim, Utuq; Ahmed, Musahid; Joshi, Dharati; Veber, Gregory; Fischer, Felix R.; Mebel, Alexander M.

    2018-05-01

    For the past decades, the hydrogen-abstraction/acetylene-addition (HACA) mechanism has been instrumental in attempting to untangle the origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as identified in carbonaceous meteorites such as Allende and Murchison. However, the fundamental reaction mechanisms leading to the synthesis of PAHs beyond phenanthrene (C14H10) are still unknown. By exploring the reaction of the 4-phenanthrenyl radical (C14H9•) with acetylene (C2H2) under conditions prevalent in carbon-rich circumstellar environments, we show evidence of a facile, isomer-selective formation of pyrene (C16H10). Along with the hydrogen-abstraction/vinylacetylene-addition (HAVA) mechanism, molecular mass growth processes from pyrene may lead through systematic ring expansions not only to more complex PAHs, but ultimately to 2D graphene-type structures. These fundamental reaction mechanisms are crucial to facilitate an understanding of the origin and evolution of the molecular universe and, in particular, of carbon in our Galaxy.

  17. CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELL FORMATION IN SYMBIOTIC RECURRENT NOVAE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moore, Kevin; Bildsten, Lars [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States)

    2012-12-20

    We present models of spherically symmetric recurrent nova shells interacting with circumstellar material (CSM) in a symbiotic system composed of a red giant (RG) expelling a wind and a white dwarf accreting from this material. Recurrent nova eruptions periodically eject material at high velocities ({approx}> 10{sup 3} km s{sup -1}) into the RG wind profile, creating a decelerating shock wave as CSM is swept up. High CSM densities cause the shocked wind and ejecta to have very short cooling times of days to weeks. Thus, the late-time evolution of the shell is determined by momentum conservation instead of energy conservation. We compute and show evolutionary tracks of shell deceleration, as well as post-shock structure. After sweeping up all the RG wind, the shell coasts at a velocity {approx}100 km s{sup -1}, depending on system parameters. These velocities are similar to those measured in blueshifted CSM from the symbiotic nova RS Oph, as well as a few Type Ia supernovae that show evidence of CSM, such as 2006X, 2007le, and PTF 11kx. Supernovae occurring in such systems may not show CSM interaction until the inner nova shell gets hit by the supernova ejecta, days to months after the explosion.

  18. EVIDENCE FOR H{sub 2} FORMATION DRIVEN DUST GRAIN ALIGNMENT IN IC 63

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andersson, B-G; De Buizer, J.; Charcos-Llorens, M. [SOFIA Science Center, USRA, NASA Ames Research Center, M.S. N211-3 Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Piirola, V. [Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO, University of Turku, Väisäläntie 20, FI-21500 Piikkiö (Finland); Clemens, D. P. [Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Uomoto, A. [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Geballe, T. R. [Gemini Observatory, Northern Operations Center, 670 N. A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Lazarian, A.; Hoang, T. [Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin, 475 North Charter Street, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Vornanen, T., E-mail: bg@sofia.usra.edu [Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku, Väisäläntie 20, FI-21500 Piikkiö (Finland)

    2013-10-01

    In the interstellar medium (ISM), molecular hydrogen is expected to form almost exclusively on the surfaces of dust grains. Due to that molecule's large formation energy (–4.5 eV), several dynamical effects are likely associated with the process, including the alignment of asymmetric dust grains with the ambient magnetic field. Such aligned dust grains are, in turn, believed to cause the broadband optical/infrared polarization observed in the ISM. Here, we present the first observational evidence for grain alignment driven by H{sub 2} formation, by showing that the polarization of the light from stars behind the reflection nebula IC 63 appears to correlate with the intensity of H{sub 2} fluorescence. While our results strongly suggest a role for 'Purcell rockets' in grain alignment, additional observations are needed to conclusively confirm their role. By showing a direct connection between H{sub 2} formation and a probe of the dust characteristics, these results also provide one of the first direct confirmations of the grain-surface formation of H{sub 2}. We compare our observations to ab initio modeling based on Radiative Torque Alignment (RAT) theory.

  19. Young Stellar Variability of GM Cephei by Circumstellar Dust Clumps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Po-Chieh; Chen, Wen-Ping; Hu, Chia-Ling; Burkhonov, Otabek; Ehgamberdiev, Shuhrat; Liu, Jinzhong; Naito, Hiroyuki; Pakstiene, Erika; Qvam, Jan Kare Trandem; Rätz, Stefanie; Semkov, Evgeni

    2018-04-01

    UX Orionis stars are a sub-type of Herbig Ae/be or T Tauri stars exhibiting sporadic extinction of stellar light due to circumstellar dust obscuration. GM Cep is such an UX Orionis star in the young (∼ 4 Myr) open cluster Trumpler 37 at ∼ 900 pc, showing a prominent infrared access, H-alpha emission, and flare activity. Our multi-color photometric monitoring from 2009 to 2016 showed (i) sporadic brightening on a time scale of days due to young stellar accretion, (ii) cyclic, but not strictly periodical, occultation events, each lasting for a couple months, with a probable recurrence time of about two years, (iii) normal dust reddening as the star became redder when dimmer, (iv) the unusual "blueing" phenomena near the brightness minima, during which the star appeared bluer when dimmer, and (v) a noticeable polarization, from 3 to 9 percent in g', r', and i' -bands. The occultation events may be caused by dust clumps, signifying the density inhomogeneity in a young stellar disk from grain coagulation to planetesimal formation. The level of polarization was anti-correlated with the brightness in the bright state, when the dust clump backscattered stellar light. We discussed two potential hypotheses: orbiting dust clumps versus dust clumps along a spiral arm structure.

  20. LABORATORY STRATEGIES FOR HYDRATE FORMATION IN FINE-GRAINED SEDIMENTS

    KAUST Repository

    Lei, L.; Santamarina, Carlos

    2018-01-01

    Fine‐grained sediments limit hydrate nucleation, shift the phase boundary and hinder gas supply. Laboratory experiments in this study explore different strategies to overcome these challenges, including the use of a more soluble guest molecule rather than methane, grain‐scale gas‐storage within porous diatoms, ice‐to‐hydrate transformation to grow lenses at predefined locations, forced gas injection into water saturated sediments, and long‐term guest molecule transport. Tomographic images, thermal and pressure data provide rich information on hydrate formation and morphology. Results show that hydrate formation is inherently displacive in fine‐grained sediments; lenses are thicker and closer to each other in compressible, high specific surface area sediments subjected to low effective stress. Temperature and pressure trajectories follow a shifted phase boundary that is consistent with capillary effects. Exo‐pore growth results in freshly formed hydrate with a striped and porous structure; this open structure becomes an effective pathway for gas transport to the growing hydrate front. Ice‐to‐hydrate transformation goes through a liquid stage at pre‐melt temperatures; then, capillarity and cryogenic suction compete, and some water becomes imbibed into the sediment faster than hydrate reformation. The geometry of hydrate lenses and the internal hydrate structure continue evolving long after the exothermal response to hydrate formation has completely decayed. Multiple time‐dependent processes occur during hydrate formation, including gas, water and heat transport, sediment compressibility, reaction rate and the stochastic nucleation process. Hydrate formation strategies conceived for this study highlight the inherent difficulties in emulating hydrate formation in fine‐grained sediments within the relatively short time‐scale available for laboratory experiments.

  1. LABORATORY STRATEGIES FOR HYDRATE FORMATION IN FINE-GRAINED SEDIMENTS

    KAUST Repository

    Lei, L.

    2018-04-02

    Fine‐grained sediments limit hydrate nucleation, shift the phase boundary and hinder gas supply. Laboratory experiments in this study explore different strategies to overcome these challenges, including the use of a more soluble guest molecule rather than methane, grain‐scale gas‐storage within porous diatoms, ice‐to‐hydrate transformation to grow lenses at predefined locations, forced gas injection into water saturated sediments, and long‐term guest molecule transport. Tomographic images, thermal and pressure data provide rich information on hydrate formation and morphology. Results show that hydrate formation is inherently displacive in fine‐grained sediments; lenses are thicker and closer to each other in compressible, high specific surface area sediments subjected to low effective stress. Temperature and pressure trajectories follow a shifted phase boundary that is consistent with capillary effects. Exo‐pore growth results in freshly formed hydrate with a striped and porous structure; this open structure becomes an effective pathway for gas transport to the growing hydrate front. Ice‐to‐hydrate transformation goes through a liquid stage at pre‐melt temperatures; then, capillarity and cryogenic suction compete, and some water becomes imbibed into the sediment faster than hydrate reformation. The geometry of hydrate lenses and the internal hydrate structure continue evolving long after the exothermal response to hydrate formation has completely decayed. Multiple time‐dependent processes occur during hydrate formation, including gas, water and heat transport, sediment compressibility, reaction rate and the stochastic nucleation process. Hydrate formation strategies conceived for this study highlight the inherent difficulties in emulating hydrate formation in fine‐grained sediments within the relatively short time‐scale available for laboratory experiments.

  2. The circumstellar environment of evolved stars as traced by molecules and dust. The diagnostic power of Herschel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombaert, Robin

    2013-12-01

    require that the dust species is embedded in a heterogeneous composite grain structure together with carbonaceous compounds. The final chapter considers the circumstellar gas chemistry of carbon-rich AGB stars. The recent discovery of warm water vapor in carbon-rich winds challenges our understanding of chemical processes ongoing in the wind. Two mechanisms for producing warm water were proposed: water formation induced by interstellar ultraviolet photons penetrating into the inner region of a clumpy wind, and water formation induced by shocks passing through the atmospheric and inner-wind molecular gas. A sample of eighteen carbon-rich AGB stars has been observed with the Herschel Space Telescope and offers insights into the dependence of water properties on the stellar and circumstellar conditions. We suggest that both proposed water formation mechanisms must be at work to account for the following findings: 1) warm water is present in all observed carbon stars; 2) water formation efficiency decreases with higher circumstellar column density; 3) water properties strongly depend on the variability characteristics of the AGB stars; and 4) a positive water abundance gradient is present up to at most ˜ 50 rstar in individual stars.

  3. Evidence for circumstellar obscuration of OB stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bohannan, B.

    1975-01-01

    Reddish found a strong increase of color excess with increasing stellar luminosity: here referred to as the Reddish Effect: in ten young galactic clusters and associations. New photometric and spectroscopic observations drawn from the literature are combined with data used by Reddish to reconsider the color excess versus intrinsic magnitude diagrams of the same ten stellar groups. The reality of the Effect is questioned in all but one of the systems; this was accomplished by identifying possible foreground stars and by recognizing some of the brightest stars as supergiants, then applying correct intrinsic color indices. After careful reanalysis, the one stellar group to retain an indication of the Reddish Effect is Cygnus OB2. No correlation of reddening with luminosity was found for five additional very young stellar groups in the southern hemisphere; these groups should exhibit the Effect if it is a natural consequence of stellar evolution. Reddish ascribed the correlation to massive circumstellar remnants of material from which the stars formed. However, a peculiar dispersion in color excess could also be attributed to patchy dust within the stellar group. In several stellar systems previously identified as displaying the Reddish Effect, a correlation of observed color excess with dust and gas concentrations is noted on Palomar Sky Survey prints. If present, circumstellar dust clouds should []anifest their existence in modes other than a correlation of color excess with luminosity. The following possibilities are considered and all show negative results: correlation of color excess with spectral type; correlation of reddening slope E/subU//sub -//subB//E/subB//sub -//subV/ with spectral type; observable infrared excess. The preceding astrophysical arguments strongly imply that circumstellar dust remnants from stellar formation do not remain around stars during their main-sequence lifetimes. (auth)

  4. New Paradigm for Plasma Crystal Formation with weak grain interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsytovich, V.N.; Morfill, G.E.

    2005-01-01

    New results for non-linear grain screening, non-linear ion drag and non-linear collective attractions appropriate for existing experiments are used for the first time together to explain the observed phenomena of plasma condensation. Based on the physics of collective non-linear grain attraction a paradigm for plasma crystal formation is formulated according to which plasma the crystal formation is due to localization of grains in weak non-linear collective attraction wells. Nonlinearity in screening is an important feature of new paradigm and takes into account that the grain charges are large. The physical consequence of large non-linearity is the presence of relative large attraction potential well at distances several times larger then the non-linear screening radius. Calculated location of the potential well is of the order of the observed inter-grain distances in plasma crystals and the calculated deepness of the potential well determining the temperature of phase transition is close to that observed. The calculations of the deepness of the attraction collective well and the critical value of the coupling constant are performed using an assumption that the collective attraction length is larger than the non-linear screening length. The concept of collective grain interaction in complex plasmas is considered for the case where the non-linear screening is fully determining the collective attraction well

  5. Effect of acicular ferrite formation on grain refinement in the coarse-grained region of heat-affected zone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan, X.L.; Wei, R.; Wu, K.M.

    2010-01-01

    The microstructure of acicular ferrite and its formation for the grain refinement of coarse-grained region of heat-affected zone of high strength low-alloy bainite steels were studied using three-dimensional reconstruction technique. Crystallographic grain size was analyzed by means of electron backscatter diffraction. It was revealed that the microstructure in the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone consisted of predominantly bainite packets and a small proportion of acicular ferrite. Acicular ferrite was of lath or plate-like rather than needle or rod-like morphology. Tempering of the coarse-grained region of heat-affected zone showed that the acicular ferrite was more stable than the bainite, indicating that the acicular ferrite was formed prior to bainite. The acicular ferrite laths or plates divided the prior austenite grains into smaller and separate regions, and confining the bainite transformed at lower temperatures in the smaller regions and hence leading to the grain refinement in the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone.

  6. Effect of acicular ferrite formation on grain refinement in the coarse-grained region of heat-affected zone

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wan, X.L.; Wei, R. [Institute of Advanced Steels and Welding Technology, Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Systems Science on Metallurgical Processing, Key Laboratory for Ferrous Metallurgy and Resources Utilization of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081 (China); Wu, K.M., E-mail: wukaiming@wust.edu.cn [Institute of Advanced Steels and Welding Technology, Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Systems Science on Metallurgical Processing, Key Laboratory for Ferrous Metallurgy and Resources Utilization of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081 (China)

    2010-07-15

    The microstructure of acicular ferrite and its formation for the grain refinement of coarse-grained region of heat-affected zone of high strength low-alloy bainite steels were studied using three-dimensional reconstruction technique. Crystallographic grain size was analyzed by means of electron backscatter diffraction. It was revealed that the microstructure in the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone consisted of predominantly bainite packets and a small proportion of acicular ferrite. Acicular ferrite was of lath or plate-like rather than needle or rod-like morphology. Tempering of the coarse-grained region of heat-affected zone showed that the acicular ferrite was more stable than the bainite, indicating that the acicular ferrite was formed prior to bainite. The acicular ferrite laths or plates divided the prior austenite grains into smaller and separate regions, and confining the bainite transformed at lower temperatures in the smaller regions and hence leading to the grain refinement in the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone.

  7. Formation of intra-island grain boundaries in pentacene monolayers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jian; Wu, Yu; Duhm, Steffen; Rabe, Jürgen P; Rudolf, Petra; Koch, Norbert

    2011-12-21

    To assess the formation of intra-island grain boundaries during the early stages of pentacene film growth, we studied sub-monolayers of pentacene on pristine silicon oxide and silicon oxide with high pinning centre density (induced by UV/O(3) treatment). We investigated the influence of the kinetic energy of the impinging molecules on the sub-monolayer growth by comparing organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD) and supersonic molecular beam deposition (SuMBD). For pentacene films fabricated by OMBD, higher pentacene island-density and higher polycrystalline island density were observed on UV/O(3)-treated silicon oxide as compared to pristine silicon oxide. Pentacene films deposited by SuMBD exhibited about one order of magnitude lower island- and polycrystalline island densities compared to OMBD, on both types of substrates. Our results suggest that polycrystalline growth of single islands on amorphous silicon oxide is facilitated by structural/chemical surface pinning centres, which act as nucleation centres for multiple grain formation in a single island. Furthermore, the overall lower intra-island grain boundary density in pentacene films fabricated by SuMBD reduces the number of charge carrier trapping sites specific to grain boundaries and should thus help achieving higher charge carrier mobilities, which are advantageous for their use in organic thin-film transistors.

  8. Formation Timescales of Amosphous Rims on Lunar Grains Derived from ARTEMIS Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poppe, A. R.; Farrell, W. M.; Halekas, Jasper S.

    2018-01-01

    The weathering of airless bodies exposed to space is a fundamental process in the formation and evolution of planetary surfaces. At the Moon, space weathering induces a variety of physical, chemical, and optical changes including the formation of nanometer-sized amorphous rims on individual lunar grains. These rims are formed by vapor redeposition from micrometeoroid impacts and ion irradiation-induced amorphization of the crystalline matrix. For ion irradiation-induced rims, however, laboratory experiments of the depth and formation timescales of these rims stand in stark disagreement with observations of lunar soil grains. We use observations by the Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) spacecraft in orbit around the Moon to compute the mean ion flux to the lunar surface between 10 eV and 5 MeV and convolve this flux with ion irradiation-induced vacancy production rates as a function of depth calculated using the Stopping Range of Ions in Matter model. By combining these results with laboratory measurements of the critical fluence for charged-particle amorphization in olivine, we can predict the formation timescale of amorphous rims as a function of depth in olivinic grains. This analysis resolves two outstanding issues: (1) the provenance of >100 nm amorphous rims on lunar grains and (2) the nature of the depth-age relationship for amorphous rims on lunar grains.

  9. The Lack of Chemical Equilibrium does not Preclude the Use of the Classical Nucleation Theory in Circumstellar Outflows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paquette, John A.; Nuth, Joseph A., III

    2011-01-01

    Classical nucleation theory has been used in models of dust nucleation in circumstellar outflows around oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars. One objection to the application of classical nucleation theory (CNT) to astrophysical systems of this sort is that an equilibrium distribution of clusters (assumed by CNT) is unlikely to exist in such conditions due to a low collision rate of condensable species. A model of silicate grain nucleation and growth was modified to evaluate the effect of a nucleation flux orders of magnitUde below the equilibrium value. The results show that a lack of chemical equilibrium has only a small effect on the ultimate grain distribution.

  10. Fullerenes and fulleranes in circumstellar envelopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yong; Kwok, Sun; Sadjadi, SeyedAbdolreza

    2016-01-01

    Three decades of search have recently led to convincing discoveries of cosmic fullerenes. The presence of C_6_0 and C"+ _6_0 in both circumstellar and interstellar environments suggests that these molecules and their derivatives can be efficiently formed in circumstellar envelopes and survive in harsh conditions. Detailed analysis of the infrared bands from fullerenes and their connections with the local properties can provide valuable information on the physical conditions and chemical processes that occurred in the late stages of stellar evolution. The identification of C"+ _6_0 as the carrier of four diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) suggests that fullerene- related compounds are abundant in interstellar space and are essential for resolving the DIB mystery. Experiments have revealed a high hydrogenation rate when C_6_0 is exposed to atomic hydrogen, motivating the attempt to search for cosmic fulleranes. In this paper, we present a short review of current knowledge of cosmic fullerenes and fulleranes and briefly discuss the implications on circumstellar chemistry. (paper)

  11. White dwarf atmospheres and circumstellar environments

    CERN Document Server

    Hoard, Donald W

    2012-01-01

    Written by selected astronomers at the forefront of their fields, this timely and novel book compiles the latest results from research on white dwarf stars, complementing existing literature by focusing on fascinating new developments in our understanding of the atmospheric and circumstellar environments of these stellar remnants. Complete with a thorough refresher on the observational characteristics and physical basis for white dwarf classification, this is a must-have resource for researchers interested in the late stages of stellar evolution, circumstellar dust and nebulae, and the future

  12. Characterizing the Evolution of Circumstellar Systems with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Gemini Planet Imager

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolff, Schuyler; Schuyler G. Wolff

    2018-01-01

    The study of circumstellar disks at a variety of evolutionary stages is essential to understand the physical processes leading to planet formation. The recent development of high contrast instruments designed to directly image the structures surrounding nearby stars, such as the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) and coronagraphic data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have made detailed studies of circumstellar systems possible. In my thesis work I detail the observation and characterization of three systems. GPI polarization data for the transition disk, PDS 66 shows a double ring and gap structure with a temporally variable azimuthal asymmetry. This evolved morphology could indicate shadowing from some feature in the innermost regions of the disk, a gap-clearing planet, or a localized change in the dust properties of the disk. Millimeter continuum data of the DH Tau system places limits on the dust mass that is contributing to the strong accretion signature on the wide-separation planetary mass companion, DH Tau b. The lower than expected dust mass constrains the possible formation mechanism, with core accretion followed by dynamical scattering being the most likely. Finally, I present HST scattered light observations of the flared, edge-on protoplanetary disk ESO H$\\alpha$ 569. I combine these data with a spectral energy distribution to model the key structural parameters such as the geometry (disk outer radius, vertical scale height, radial flaring profile), total mass, and dust grain properties in the disk using the radiative transfer code MCFOST. In order to conduct this work, I developed a new tool set to optimize the fitting of disk parameters using the MCMC code \\texttt{emcee} to efficiently explore the high dimensional parameter space. This approach allows us to self-consistently and simultaneously fit a wide variety of observables in order to place constraints on the physical properties of a given disk, while also rigorously assessing the uncertainties in

  13. The Circumstellar Environment of VY CMa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, N.; Humphreys, R. M.; Krautter, J.; Gehrz, R. D.; Davidson, K.; Jones, T. J.; Hubrig, S.

    1999-05-01

    VY Canis Majoris is one of the most luminous known M supergiants. It is near the upper liminosity limit for cool stars on the HR Diagram. The optical star is partially obscured by its own circumstellar material. We present preliminary results of recent HST/WFPC2 optical imaging, and ground-based near-IR and mid-IR imaging of VY CMa and its circumstellar environment. We compare these results with previously obtained images of the related, but more evolved object IRC+10420 and discuss implications for their possible evolutionary and mass loss histories.

  14. FORMATION INNOVATIVELY FOCUSED INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE GRAIN MARKET

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. S. Latynin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Summary. The perspective scheme of infrastructure of the modern grain market is directed on perfection merchandising grains by means of liquidation of is material disproportions between its participants for decrease in logistical costs counting upon 1 t grains, and creations of the alternative organized channel merchandising, providing a direct output on the wholesale market of direct commodity producers of grain and their participation in distribution of profit received from export. Elimination of is material disproportions on all circuit passage of grain from the supplier of production up to the end user is necessary for connecting with the organization merchandising on principles of logistics. It will allow to ensure the general synergistic effect exceeding total effect at separate participants of a circuit. The structure of Association participants of the grain market, is directed on creation mutual interest by a deepening specialization of each participant merchandising, consolidations of their investment resources to development of this circuit, to decrease in logistical costs. Feature of the modern period functioning of the grain market is necessity acceleration of scientific and technical progress on the basis of innovative processes. Innovative activity causes necessity of faster development of an infrastructure of the grain market. One directions promotion of innovations is development in region techno park formations. Their advantage consists in an opportunity initiators of new technologies independently to carry out their scientific and design development and to advance a grain husbandry through commercialization and a transfer. With a view modernization of a regional infrastructure of the grain market in modern conditions creation electronic trading platform, introduction system of electronic commerce is extremely actual. By means of electronic technologies economic attitudes in the market essentially change, giving to them scale

  15. Monte Carlo kinetics simulations of ice-mantle formation on interstellar grains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrod, Robin

    2015-08-01

    The majority of interstellar dust-grain chemical kinetics models use rate equations, or alternative population-based simulation methods, to trace the time-dependent formation of grain-surface molecules and ice mantles. Such methods are efficient, but are incapable of considering explicitly the morphologies of the dust grains, the structure of the ices formed thereon, or the influence of local surface composition on the chemistry.A new Monte Carlo chemical kinetics model, MIMICK, is presented here, whose prototype results were published recently (Garrod 2013, ApJ, 778, 158). The model calculates the strengths and positions of the potential mimima on the surface, on the fly, according to the individual pair-wise (van der Waals) bonds between surface species, allowing the structure of the ice to build up naturally as surface diffusion and chemistry occur. The prototype model considered contributions to a surface particle's potential only from contiguous (or "bonded") neighbors; the full model considers contributions from surface constituents from short to long range. Simulations are conducted on a fully 3-D user-generated dust-grain with amorphous surface characteristics. The chemical network has also been extended from the simple water system previously published, and now includes 33 chemical species and 55 reactions. This allows the major interstellar ice components to be simulated, such as water, methane, ammonia and methanol, as well as a small selection of more complex molecules, including methyl formate (HCOOCH3).The new model results indicate that the porosity of interstellar ices are dependent on multiple variables, including gas density, the dust temperature, and the relative accretion rates of key gas-phase species. The results presented also have implications for the formation of complex organic molecules on dust-grain surfaces at very low temperatures.

  16. Beta-Tin Grain Formation in Aluminum-Modified Lead-Free Solder Alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeve, Kathlene N.; Handwerker, Carol A.

    2018-01-01

    The limited number of independent β-Sn grain orientations that typically form during solidification of Sn-based solders and the resulting large β-Sn grain size have major effects on overall solder performance and reliability. This study analyzes whether additions of Al to Sn-Cu and Sn-Cu-Ag alloys can be used to change the grain size, morphology, and twinning structures of atomized (as-solidified) and re-melted (reflowed) β-Sn dendrites as determined using scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction for as-solidified and reflow cycled (20-250°C, 1-5 cycles) Sn-Cu-Al and Sn-Ag-Cu-Al drip atomized spheres (260 μm diameter). The resulting microstructures were compared to as-solidified and reflow cycled Sn-Ag-Cu spheres (450 μm diameter) as well as as-solidified Sn-Ag-Cu, Sn-Cu, and Sn-Ag microstructures from the literature. Previous literature observations reporting reductions in undercooling and β-Sn grain size with Al micro-alloying additions could not be correlated to the presence of the Cu9Al4 phase or Al solute. The as-solidified spheres displayed no change in β-Sn dendrite structure or grain size when compared to non-Al-modified alloys, and the reflow cycled spheres produced high undercoolings (22-64°C), indicating a lack of potent nucleation sites. The current findings highlighted the role of Ag in the formation of the interlaced twinning structure and demonstrated that with deliberate compositional choices, formation of the alloy's β-Sn grain structure (cyclical twinning versus interlaced twinning) could be influenced, in both the as-solidified and reflow cycled states, though still not producing the fine-grain sizes and multiple orientations desired for improved thermomechanical properties.

  17. The Formation of Formaldehyde on Interstellar Carbonaceous Grain Analogs by O/H Atom Addition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Potapov, Alexey; Jäger, Cornelia [Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Solid State Physics, Helmholtzweg 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Henning, Thomas [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Jonusas, Mindaugas; Krim, Lahouari, E-mail: alexey.potapov@uni-jena.de [Department of Chemistry, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 8233, MONARIS, Paris F-75005 (France)

    2017-09-10

    An understanding of possible scenarios for the formation of astrophysically relevant molecules, particularly complex organic molecules, will bring us one step closer to the understanding of our astrochemical heritage. In this context, formaldehyde is an important molecule as a precursor of methanol, which in turn is a starting point for the formation of more complex organic species. In the present experiments, for the first time, following the synthesis of CO, formaldehyde has been produced on the surface of interstellar grain analogs, hydrogenated fullerene-like carbon grains, by O and H atom bombardment. The formation of H{sub 2}CO is an indication for a possible methanol formation route in such systems.

  18. Mass loss from OH/IR stars - Models for the infrared emission of circumstellar dust shells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Justtanont, K.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

    1992-01-01

    The IR emission of a sample of 24 OH/IR stars is modeled, and the properties of circumstellar dust and mass-loss rate of the central star are derived. It is shown that for some sources the observations of the far-IR emission is well fitted with a lambda exp -1 law, while some have a steeper index of 1.5. For a few sources, the presence of circumstellar ice grains is inferred from detailed studies of the observed 10-micron feature. Dust mass-loss rates are determined from detailed studies for all the stars in this sample. They range from 6.0 x 10 exp -10 solar mass/yr for an optically visible Mira to 2.2 x 10 exp -6 solar mass/yr for a heavily obscured OH/IR star. These dust mass-loss rates are compared to those calculated from IRAS photometry using 12-, 25-, and 60-micron fluxes. The dust mass-loss rates are also compared to gas mass-loss rates determined from OH and CO observations. For stars with tenuous shells, a dust-to-gas ratio of 0.001 is obtained.

  19. Spurious Grain Formation at Cross-Sectional Expansion During Directional Solidification: Influence of Thermosolutal Convection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghods, M.; Lauer, M.; Upadhyay, S. R.; Grugel, R. N.; Tewari, S. N.; Poirier, D. R.

    2018-04-01

    Formation of spurious grains during directional solidification (DS) of Al-7 wt.% Si and Al-19 wt.% Cu alloys through an abrupt increase in cross-sectional area has been examined by experiments and by numerical simulations. Stray grains were observed in the Al-19 wt.% Cu samples and almost none in the Al-7 wt.% Si. The locations of the stray grains correlate well where numerical solutions indicate the solute-rich melt to be flowing up the thermal gradient faster than the isotherm velocity. It is proposed that the spurious grain formation occurred by fragmentation of slender tertiary dendrite arms was enhanced by thermosolutal convection. In Al-7 wt.% Si, the dendrite fragments sink in the surrounding melt and get trapped in the dendritic array growing around them, and therefore they do not grow further. In the Al-19 wt.% Cu alloy, on the other hand, the dendrite fragments float in the surrounding melt and some find conducive thermal conditions for further growth and become stray grains.

  20. EXTINCTION LAWS TOWARD STELLAR SOURCES WITHIN A DUSTY CIRCUMSTELLAR MEDIUM AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagao, Takashi; Maeda, Keiichi [Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Nozawa, Takaya, E-mail: nagao@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1, Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

    2016-06-01

    Many astronomical objects are surrounded by dusty environments. In such dusty objects, multiple scattering processes of photons by circumstellar (CS) dust grains can effectively alter extinction properties. In this paper, we systematically investigate the effects of multiple scattering on extinction laws for steady-emission sources surrounded by the dusty CS medium using a radiation transfer simulation based on the Monte Carlo technique. In particular, we focus on whether and how the extinction properties are affected by properties of CS dust grains by adopting various dust grain models. We confirm that behaviors of the (effective) extinction laws are highly dependent on the properties of CS grains, especially the total-to-selective extinction ratio R{sub V}, which characterizes the extinction law and can be either increased or decreased and compared with the case without multiple scattering. We find that the criterion for this behavior is given by a ratio of albedos in the B and V bands. We also find that either small silicate grains or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are necessary for realizing a low value of R{sub V} as often measured toward SNe Ia if the multiple scattering by CS dust is responsible for their non-standard extinction laws. Using the derived relations between the properties of dust grains and the resulting effective extinction laws, we propose that the extinction laws toward dusty objects could be used to constrain the properties of dust grains in CS environments.

  1. EXTINCTION LAWS TOWARD STELLAR SOURCES WITHIN A DUSTY CIRCUMSTELLAR MEDIUM AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagao, Takashi; Maeda, Keiichi; Nozawa, Takaya

    2016-01-01

    Many astronomical objects are surrounded by dusty environments. In such dusty objects, multiple scattering processes of photons by circumstellar (CS) dust grains can effectively alter extinction properties. In this paper, we systematically investigate the effects of multiple scattering on extinction laws for steady-emission sources surrounded by the dusty CS medium using a radiation transfer simulation based on the Monte Carlo technique. In particular, we focus on whether and how the extinction properties are affected by properties of CS dust grains by adopting various dust grain models. We confirm that behaviors of the (effective) extinction laws are highly dependent on the properties of CS grains, especially the total-to-selective extinction ratio R V , which characterizes the extinction law and can be either increased or decreased and compared with the case without multiple scattering. We find that the criterion for this behavior is given by a ratio of albedos in the B and V bands. We also find that either small silicate grains or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are necessary for realizing a low value of R V as often measured toward SNe Ia if the multiple scattering by CS dust is responsible for their non-standard extinction laws. Using the derived relations between the properties of dust grains and the resulting effective extinction laws, we propose that the extinction laws toward dusty objects could be used to constrain the properties of dust grains in CS environments.

  2. Gas phase chemical kinetics at high temperature of carbonaceous molecules: application to circumstellar envelopes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biennier, L.; Gardez, A.; Saidani, G.; Georges, R.; Rowe, B.; Reddy, K. P. J.

    2011-05-01

    Circumstellar shells of evolved stars are a theater of extremely rich physical and chemical processes. More than seventy molecules of varied nature have been identified in the envelopes through their spectral fingerprints in the microwave or far infrared regions. Many of them are carbon chain molecules and radicals and a significant number are unique to the circumstellar medium. However, observational data remain scarce and more than half of the detected species have been observed in only one object, the nearby carbon star IRC + 10216. Chemical kinetic models are needed to describe the formation of molecules in evolved circumstellar outflows. Upcoming terrestrial telescopes such as ALMA will increase the spatial resolution by several orders of magnitude and provide a wealth of data. The determination of relevant laboratory kinetics data is critical to keep up with the development of the observations and of the refinement of chemical models. Today, the majority of reactions studied in the laboratory are the ones involved in combustion and concerning light hydrocarbons. Our objective is to provide the scientific community with rate coefficients of reactions between abundant species in these warm environments. Cyanopolyynes from HC_2N to HC_9N have all been detected in carbon rich circumstellar envelopes in up to 10 sources for HC_3N. Neutral-neutral reactions of the CN radical with unsaturated hydrocarbons could be a dominant route in the formation of cyanopolyynes, even at low temperatures. Our approach aims to bridge the temperature gap between resistively heated flow tubes and shock tubes. The present kinetic measurements are obtained using a new reactor combining a high enthalpy source (Moudens et al. 2011) with a flow tube and a pulsed laser photolysis and laser induced fluorescence system to probe the undergoing chemical reactions. The high enthalpy flow tube has been used to measure the rate constant of the reaction of the CN radical with propane, propene

  3. Origins of GEMS Grains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messenger, S.; Walker, R. M.

    2012-01-01

    Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected in the Earth s stratosphere contain high abundances of submicrometer amorphous silicates known as GEMS grains. From their birth as condensates in the outflows of oxygen-rich evolved stars, processing in interstellar space, and incorporation into disks around new stars, amorphous silicates predominate in most astrophysical environments. Amorphous silicates were a major building block of our Solar System and are prominent in infrared spectra of comets. Anhydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) thought to derive from comets contain abundant amorphous silicates known as GEMS (glass with embedded metal and sulfides) grains. GEMS grains have been proposed to be isotopically and chemically homogenized interstellar amorphous silicate dust. We evaluated this hypothesis through coordinated chemical and isotopic analyses of GEMS grains in a suite of IDPs to constrain their origins. GEMS grains show order of magnitude variations in Mg, Fe, Ca, and S abundances. GEMS grains do not match the average element abundances inferred for ISM dust containing on average, too little Mg, Fe, and Ca, and too much S. GEMS grains have complementary compositions to the crystalline components in IDPs suggesting that they formed from the same reservoir. We did not observe any unequivocal microstructural or chemical evidence that GEMS grains experienced prolonged exposure to radiation. We identified four GEMS grains having O isotopic compositions that point to origins in red giant branch or asymptotic giant branch stars and supernovae. Based on their O isotopic compositions, we estimate that 1-6% of GEMS grains are surviving circumstellar grains. The remaining 94-99% of GEMS grains have O isotopic compositions that are indistinguishable from terrestrial materials and carbonaceous chondrites. These isotopically solar GEMS grains either formed in the Solar System or were completely homogenized in the interstellar medium (ISM). However, the

  4. CONCURRENT FORMATION OF CARBON AND SILICATE DUST IN NOVA V1280 SCO

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sakon, Itsuki; Onaka, Takashi; Usui, Fumihiko [Department of Astronomy, Graduate Schools of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Sako, Shigeyuki; Takahashi, Hidenori; Ohsawa, Ryou [Institute of Astronomy, University of Tokyo, 2-21-1 Ohsawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015 (Japan); Nozawa, Takaya [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Kimura, Yuki [Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0819 (Japan); Fujiyoshi, Takuya [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 650 North A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Shimonishi, Takashi [Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramaki aza Aoba 6-3, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan); Arai, Akira [Koyama Astronomical Observatory, Kyoto Sangyo University, Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 603-8555 (Japan); Uemura, Makoto [Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-3-1, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan); Nagayama, Takahiro [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-35 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Koo, Bon-Chul [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Kozasa, Takashi, E-mail: isakon@astron.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Cosmosciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810 (Japan)

    2016-02-01

    We present infrared multi-epoch observations of the dust-forming nova V1280 Sco over ∼2000 days from the outburst. The temporal evolution of the infrared spectral energy distributions at 1272, 1616, and 1947 days can be explained by the emissions produced by amorphous carbon dust of mass (6.6–8.7) × 10{sup −8} M{sub ⊙} with a representative grain size of 0.01 μm and astronomical silicate dust of mass (3.4–4.3) × 10{sup −7} M{sub ⊙} with a representative grain size of 0.3–0.5 μm. Both of these dust species travel farther away from the white dwarf without apparent mass evolution throughout those later epochs. The dust formation scenario around V1280 Sco suggested from our analyses is that the amorphous carbon dust is formed in the nova ejecta followed by the formation of silicate dust either in the expanding nova ejecta or as a result of the interaction between the nova wind and the circumstellar medium.

  5. The Role of Grain Orientation and Grain Boundary Characteristics in the Mechanical Twinning Formation in a High Manganese Twinning-Induced Plasticity Steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shterner, Vadim; Timokhina, Ilana B.; Rollett, Anthony D.; Beladi, Hossein

    2018-04-01

    In the current study, the dependence of mechanical twinning on grain orientation and grain boundary characteristics was investigated using quasi in-situ tensile testing. The grains of three main orientations (i.e., , , and parallel to the tensile axis (TA)) and certain characteristics of grain boundaries (i.e., the misorientation angle and the inclination angle between the grain boundary plane normal and the TA) were examined. Among the different orientations, and were the most and the least favored orientations for the formation of mechanical twins, respectively. The orientation was intermediate for twinning. The annealing twin boundaries appeared to be the most favorable grain boundaries for the nucleation of mechanical twinning. No dependence was found for the inclination angle of annealing twin boundaries, but the orientation of grains on either side of the annealing twin boundary exhibited a pronounced effect on the propensity for mechanical twinning. Annealing twin boundaries adjacent to high Taylor factor grains exhibited a pronounced tendency for twinning regardless of their inclination angle. In general, grain orientation has a significant influence on twinning on a specific grain boundary.

  6. Circumstellar matter and the nature of the SN1987A progenitor star

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chevalier, R.A.; Fransson, C.

    1987-01-01

    The radio observations of the supernova SN1987A can be interpreted in terms of its interaction with circumstellar matter. The early turn-on of the radio emission implies a relatively low density circumstellar medium. The optical properties of the supernova imply that the progenitor star had a smaller radius than that of a typical type II supernova progenitor. The mass loss properties are consistent with this hypothesis. The authors predict the thermal X-ray luminosity of the supernova, and note that it is below the current upper limit. A bright infrared dust echo is not expected. Weak ultraviolet emission lines from circumstellar gas may be visible. Although the circumstellar density is low, it is possible that the progenitor star did lose a substantial fraction of its mass prior to the supernova explosion. (author)

  7. Crystallographic contribution to the formation of the columnar grain structure in cobalt films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hara, K.; Itoh, K.; Okamoto, K.; Hashimoto, T.

    1996-01-01

    In order to clarify the crystallographic contribution to the formation of the columnar grain structure, the geometric and crystallographic alignments of columnar grains in cobalt films were investigated on the basis of magnetic and optical measurements. The films were deposited by sputtering at an incidence angle of 45 on glass substrates heated at 332 K. The film thickness ranged from 20 to 850 nm. Above 50 nm the columnar grains align in the direction parallel to the incidence plane and form a two-degree crystallographic orientation. The packing density of columnar grains decreases with increasing thickness when the thickness exceeds 50 nm. From these results we conclude that the crystal habit appearing on column tops induces the two-degree orientation through geometric selection and aligns the selected columnar grains in the parallel direction. (orig.)

  8. Influence of transport mechanisms on nucleation and grain structure formation in DC cast aluminium alloy ingots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedel, M.; Založnik, M.; Kumar, A.; Combeau, H.; Jarry, P.; Waz, E.

    2012-01-01

    The grain structure formation in direct chill (DC) casting is directly linked to nucleation, which is generally promoted by inoculation. Inoculation prevents defects, but also modifies the physical properties by changing the microstructure. We studied the coupling of the nucleation on inoculant particles and the grain growth in the presence of melt flow induced by thermosolutal convection and of the transport of free-floating equiaxed grains. We used a volume-averaged two-phase multiscale model with a fully coupled description of phenomena on the grain scale (nucleation on grain refiner particles and grain growth) and on the product scale (macroscopic transport). The transport of inoculant particles is also modeled, which accounts for the inhomogeneous distribution of inoculant particles in the melt. The model was applied to an industrial sized (350mm thick) DC cast aluminium alloy ingot. A discretised nuclei size distribution was defined and the impact of different macroscopic phenomena on the grain structure formation was studied: the zone and intensity of nucleation and the resulting grain size distribution. It is shown that nucleation in the presence of macroscopic transport cannot be explained only in terms of cooling rate, but variations of composition, nuclei density and grain density, all affected by transport, must be accounted for.

  9. H2O Formation in C-rich AGB Winds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lombaert, R.; Decin, L.; Royer, P.; de Koter, A.; Cox, N.L.J.; De Ridder, J.; Khouri, T.; Agúndez, M.; Blommaert, J.A.D.L.; Gernicharo, J.; González-Alfonso, E.; Groenewegen, M.A.T.; Kerschbaum, F.; Neufeld, D.; Vandenbussche, B.; Waelkens, C.

    2015-01-01

    The Herschel detection of warm H2O vapor emission from C-rich winds of AGB stars challenges the current understanding of circumstellar chemistry. Two mechanisms have been invoked to explain warm H2O formation. In the first, penetration of UV interstellar radiation through a clumpy circumstellar

  10. Physical processes in circumstellar disks around young stars

    CERN Document Server

    2011-01-01

    Circumstellar disks are vast expanses of dust that form around new stars in the earliest stages of their birth. Predicted by astronomers as early as the eighteenth century, they weren't observed until the late twentieth century, when interstellar imaging technology enabled us to see nascent stars hundreds of light years away. Since then, circumstellar disks have become an area of intense study among astrophysicists, largely because they are thought to be the forerunners of planetary systems like our own-the possible birthplaces of planets.            This volume brings

  11. THE REINCARNATION OF INTERSTELLAR DUST: THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC REFRACTORY MATERIAL IN INFRARED SPECTRA OF COMETARY COMAE AND CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kimura, Hiroshi, E-mail: hiroshi_kimura@cps-jp.org [Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, c/o CPS (Center for Planetary Science), Chuo-ku Minatojima Minamimachi 7-1-48, Kobe 650-0047 (Japan)

    2013-09-20

    We consider the reincarnation of interstellar dust to be reborn in protoplanetary disks as aggregates consisting of submicron-sized grains with a crystalline or amorphous silicate core and an organic-rich carbonaceous mantle. We find that infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust reproduce emission peaks at correct wavelengths where the peaks were observed in cometary comae, debris disks, and protoplanetary disks if the volume fraction of organic refractory meets the constraints on elemental abundances. We discuss what we can learn from the infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust in cometary comae and circumstellar disks.

  12. The Reincarnation of Interstellar Dust: The Importance of Organic Refractory Material in Infrared Spectra of Cometary Comae and Circumstellar Disks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimura, Hiroshi

    2013-09-01

    We consider the reincarnation of interstellar dust to be reborn in protoplanetary disks as aggregates consisting of submicron-sized grains with a crystalline or amorphous silicate core and an organic-rich carbonaceous mantle. We find that infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust reproduce emission peaks at correct wavelengths where the peaks were observed in cometary comae, debris disks, and protoplanetary disks if the volume fraction of organic refractory meets the constraints on elemental abundances. We discuss what we can learn from the infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust in cometary comae and circumstellar disks.

  13. THE REINCARNATION OF INTERSTELLAR DUST: THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC REFRACTORY MATERIAL IN INFRARED SPECTRA OF COMETARY COMAE AND CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, Hiroshi

    2013-01-01

    We consider the reincarnation of interstellar dust to be reborn in protoplanetary disks as aggregates consisting of submicron-sized grains with a crystalline or amorphous silicate core and an organic-rich carbonaceous mantle. We find that infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust reproduce emission peaks at correct wavelengths where the peaks were observed in cometary comae, debris disks, and protoplanetary disks if the volume fraction of organic refractory meets the constraints on elemental abundances. We discuss what we can learn from the infrared spectra of reincarnated interstellar dust in cometary comae and circumstellar disks

  14. A mechanism for the formation of equiaxed grains in welds of aluminum-lithium alloy 2090

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, D.C.; Wang, G.-X.; Srivatsan, T.S.

    2003-01-01

    In this technical note, the formation and presence of a zone of equiaxed grains (EQZ) along the fusion boundary of welded aluminum-lithium alloy 2090 using filler metals containing zirconium and lithium is presented and discussed. However, no EQZ was evident in welded joints of alloy 2090 using the commercial filler metals: aluminum alloy 2319 and 4145. Under identical conditions, aluminum-lithium alloy 2090 was fusion welded using several new filler metals containing various amounts of zirconium and lithium. Results reveal an increase in the width of the zone of equiaxed grains with an increase in zirconium and lithium content in the filler metal. A viable mechanism for the formation of equiaxed grains and its relationship to filler metal composition is highlighted

  15. CIRCUMSTELLAR DEBRIS DISKS: DIAGNOSING THE UNSEEN PERTURBER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nesvold, Erika R. [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution for Science, 5241 Broad Branch Rd., Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Naoz, Smadar; Vican, Laura [Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, 475 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Farr, Will M. [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT (United Kingdom)

    2016-07-20

    The first indication of the presence of a circumstellar debris disk is usually the detection of excess infrared emission from the population of small dust grains orbiting the star. This dust is short-lived, requiring continual replenishment, and indicating that the disk must be excited by an unseen perturber. Previous theoretical studies have demonstrated that an eccentric planet orbiting interior to the disk will stir the larger bodies in the belt and produce dust via interparticle collisions. However, motivated by recent observations, we explore another possible mechanism for heating a debris disk: a stellar-mass perturber orbiting exterior to and inclined to the disk and exciting the disk particles’ eccentricities and inclinations via the Kozai–Lidov mechanism. We explore the consequences of an exterior perturber on the evolution of a debris disk using secular analysis and collisional N -body simulations. We demonstrate that a Kozai–Lidov excited disk can generate a dust disk via collisions and we compare the results of the Kozai–Lidov excited disk with a simulated disk perturbed by an interior eccentric planet. Finally, we propose two observational tests of a dust disk that can distinguish whether the dust was produced by an exterior brown dwarf or stellar companion or an interior eccentric planet.

  16. Ultrafine grain formation in Mg–Zn alloy by in situ precipitation during high-pressure torsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meng, Fanqiang; Rosalie, Julian M.; Singh, Alok; Somekawa, Hidetoshi; Tsuchiya, Koichi

    2014-01-01

    A ultrafine-grained structure was produced in a Mg–3.4Zn (at.%) alloy subjected to high-pressure torsion (HPT) at ambient temperature. Hardness and X-ray diffraction measurements indicated the microstructure reached a steady state after three revolutions. Transmission electron microscopy observations showed equiaxed, dynamically recrystallized grains with an average diameter of 140 nm after 20 revolutions, substantially less than the steady-state grain size in pure Mg deformed by HPT. This is attributed to the formation of precipitates during processing, which impedes the growth of recrystallized grains

  17. On the angular momentum in star formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horedt, G.P.

    1978-01-01

    The author discusses the rotation of interstellar clouds which are in a stage immediately before star formation. Cloud collisions seem to be the principal cause of the observed rotation of interstellar clouds. The rotational motion of the clouds is strongly influenced by turbulence. Theories dealing with the resolution of the angular momentum problem in star formation are classified into five major groups. The old idea that the angular momentum of an interstellar cloud passes during star formation into the angular momentum of double star systems and/or circumstellar clouds, is developed. It is suggested that a rotating gas cloud contracts into a ring-like structure which fragments into self-gravitating subcondensations. By collisions and gas accretion these subcondensations accrete into binary systems surrounded by circumstellar clouds. Using some rough approximations the authors find analytical expressions for the semi-major axis of the binary system and for the density of the circumstellar clouds as a function of the initial density and of the initial angular velocity of an interstellar cloud. The obtained values are well within the observational limits. (Auth.)

  18. ALMA OBSERVATIONS OF HD 141569’s CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    White, J. A.; Boley, A. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada); Hughes, A. M.; Flaherty, K. M. [Department of Astronomy, Van Vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, 96 Foss Hill Drive, Middletown, CT 06459 (United States); Ford, E. [Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, 525 Davey Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-2111 (United States); Wilner, D.; Payne, M. [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Corder, S., E-mail: jawhite@astro.ubc.ca [North American ALMA Science Center, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22903 (United States)

    2016-09-20

    We present ALMA band 7 (345 GHz) continuum and {sup 12}CO( J = 3-2) observations of the circumstellar disk surrounding HD 141569. At an age of about 5 Myr, the disk has a complex morphology that may be best interpreted as a nascent debris system with gas. Our 870 μ m ALMA continuum observations resolve a dust disk out to approximately 56 au from the star (assuming a distance of 116 pc) with 0.″38 resolution and 0.07 mJy beam{sup −1} sensitivity. We measure a continuum flux density for this inner material of 3.8 ± 0.4 mJy (including calibration uncertainties). The {sup 12}CO(3-2) gas is resolved kinematically and spatially from about 30 to 210 au. The integrated {sup 12}CO(3-2) line flux density is 15.7 ± 1.6 Jy km s{sup −1}. We estimate the mass of the millimeter debris and {sup 12}CO(3-2) gas to be ≳0.04 M {sub ⊕} and ∼2 × 10{sup −3} M {sub ⊕}, respectively. If the millimeter grains are part of a collisional cascade, then we infer that the inner disk (<50 au) has ∼160 M {sub ⊕} contained within objects less than 50 km in radius, depending on the planetesimal size distribution and density assumptions. Markov Chain Monte Carlo modeling of the system reveals a disk morphology with an inclination of 53.°4 centered around an M = 2.39 M {sub ⊙} host star ( M sin( i ) = 1.92 M {sub ⊙}). We discuss whether the gas in HD 141569's disk may be second generation. If it is, the system can be used to study the clearing stages of planet formation.

  19. Millimeter wave studies of circumstellar chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenenbaum, Emily Dale

    2010-06-01

    Millimeter wave studies of molecules in circumstellar envelopes and a planetary nebula have been conducted. Using the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) on Mt. Graham, a comparative spectral survey from 215-285 GHz was carried out of the carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch star IRC +10216 and the oxygen-rich supergiant VY Canis Majoris. A total of 858 emission lines were observed in both objects, arising from 40 different molecules. In VY Canis Majoris, AlO, AlOH, and PO were detected for the first time in interstellar space. In IRC +10216, PH3 was detected for the first time beyond the solar system, and C3O, and CH2NH were found for the first time in a circumstellar envelope. Additionally, in the evolved planetary nebula, the Helix, H2CO, C2H, and cyclic-C3H2 were observed using the SMT and the Kitt Peak 12 m telescopes. The presence of these three molecules in the Helix suggests that relatively complex chemistry occurs in planetary nebulae, despite the harsh ultraviolet field. Overall, the research on molecules in circumstellar and planetary nebulae furthers our understanding of the nature of the material that is fed back into the interstellar medium from evolved stars. Besides telescope work, laboratory research was also conducted -- the rotational spectrum of ZnCl was measured and its bond length and rotational constants were determined. Lastly, in partial fulfillment of a graduate certificate in entrepreneurial chemistry, the commercial applications of terahertz spectroscopy were explored through literature research.

  20. ION-INDUCED PROCESSING OF COSMIC SILICATES: A POSSIBLE FORMATION PATHWAY TO GEMS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jäger, C.; Sabri, T. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Laboratory Astrophysics and Cluster Physics Group, Institute of Solid State Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Wendler, E. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Henning, Th., E-mail: cornelia.jaeger@uni-jena.de [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

    2016-11-01

    Ion-induced processing of dust grains in the interstellar medium and in protoplanetary and planetary disks plays an important role in the entire dust cycle. We have studied the ion-induced processing of amorphous MgFeSiO{sub 4} and Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} grains by 10 and 20 keV protons and 90 keV Ar{sup +} ions. The Ar{sup +} ions were used to compare the significance of the light protons with that of heavier, but chemically inert projectiles. The bombardment was performed in a two-beam irradiation chamber for in situ ion-implantation at temperatures of 15 and 300 K and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy to monitor the alteration of the silicate composition under ion irradiation. A depletion of oxygen from the silicate structure by selective sputtering of oxygen from the surface of the grains was observed in both samples. The silicate particles kept their amorphous structure, but the loss of oxygen caused the reduction of ferrous (Fe{sup 2+}) ions and the formation of iron inclusions in the MgFeSiO{sub 4} grains. A few Si inclusions were produced in the iron-free magnesium silicate sample pointing to a much less efficient reduction of Si{sup 4+} and formation of metallic Si inclusions. Consequently, ion-induced processing of magnesium-iron silicates can produce grains that are very similar to the glassy grains with embedded metals and sulfides frequently observed in interplanetary dust particles and meteorites. The metallic iron inclusions are strong absorbers in the NIR range and therefore a ubiquitous requirement to increase the temperature of silicate dust grains in IR-dominated astrophysical environments such as circumstellar shells or protoplanetary disks.

  1. A circumstellar molecular gas structure associated with the massive young star Cepheus A-HW 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torrelles, Jose M.; Rodriguez, Luis F.; Canto, Jorge; Ho, Paul T. P.

    1993-01-01

    We report the detection via VLA-D observations of ammonia of a circumstellar high-density molecular gas structure toward the massive young star related to the object Cepheus A-HW 2, a firm candidate for the powering source of the high-velocity molecular outflow in the region. We suggest that the circumstellar molecular gas structure could be related to the circumstellar disk previously suggested from infrared, H2O, and OH maser observations. We consider as a plausible scenario that the double radio continuum source of HW 2 could represent the ionized inner part of the circumstellar disk, in the same way as proposed to explain the double radio source in L1551. The observed motions in the circumstellar molecular gas can be produced by bound motions (e.g., infall or rotation) around a central mass of about 10-20 solar masses (B0.5 V star or earlier).

  2. Characterizing Debris Disks in the Late Stages of Planet Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Jacob

    2018-01-01

    The planet formation process shapes the morphology and grain size distribution of circumstellar disks, encoding the formation history of a given system. Remnants of planet formation, such as comets and asteroids, collisionally evolve and can replenish the dust and small solids that would otherwise be cleared on short timescales. These grains are observed through reprocessed starlight at submm to cm wavelengths.The spectrum of the mm/cm emission reveals details of the grain population. However, one confounding parameter in studying these grains around stars is the stars themselves. The emission from stars in the mm/cm is nontrivial and generally not well-constrained. I will present examples of debris systems (HD 141569 and Fomalhaut) studied by ALMA and the VLA, in which unconstrained stellar emission may be contributing to the observed flux densities. Such contamination in turn biases the inferred emission from the disk and the corresponding dust properties. In some cases, the behavior of the observed A/B stars can exhibit an emission profile that has similarities to that of the Sun's mm/cm emission, although the same processes are not thought to necessarily occur in the atmospheres of massive stars.To address the uncertainty in stellar emission at mm/cm wavelengths, we present ongoing radio observations (JCMT, SMA, VLA) of Sirius A, which is a bright, nearby star with no known debris. We seek to use this system to set an observationally determined standard for stellar atmosphere modeling and debris disk studies around A stars, as well as to take the first step toward characterizing potential intrinsic uncertainty in stellar emission at these wavelengths. This talk will highlight the effort to characterize stellar atmospheres through a project known as MESAS (Measuring the Emission of Stellar Atmospheres at Submillimeter/millimeter wavelengths) which is imperative to the success of current and future debris disk studies.

  3. Rapid disappearance of a warm, dusty circumstellar disk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melis, Carl; Zuckerman, B; Rhee, Joseph H; Song, Inseok; Murphy, Simon J; Bessell, Michael S

    2012-07-04

    Stars form with gaseous and dusty circumstellar envelopes, which rapidly settle into disks that eventually give rise to planetary systems. Understanding the process by which these disks evolve is paramount in developing an accurate theory of planet formation that can account for the variety of planetary systems discovered so far. The formation of Earth-like planets through collisional accumulation of rocky objects within a disk has mainly been explored in theoretical and computational work in which post-collision ejecta evolution typically is ignored, although recent work has considered the fate of such material. Here we report observations of a young, Sun-like star (TYC 8241 2652 1) where infrared flux from post-collisional ejecta has decreased drastically, by a factor of about 30, over a period of less than two years. The star seems to have gone from hosting substantial quantities of dusty ejecta, in a region analogous to where the rocky planets orbit in the Solar System, to retaining at most a meagre amount of cooler dust. Such a phase of rapid ejecta evolution has not been previously predicted or observed, and no currently available physical model satisfactorily explains the observations.

  4. CONSTRAINTS ON THE RADIAL VARIATION OF GRAIN GROWTH IN THE AS 209 CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pérez, Laura M.; Carpenter, John M.; Isella, Andrea; Ricci, Luca; Sargent, Anneila I.; Chandler, Claire J.; Andrews, Sean M.; Harris, Robert J.; Calvet, Nuria; Corder, Stuartt A.; Deller, Adam T.; Dullemond, Cornelis P.; Linz, Hendrik; Greaves, Jane S.; Henning, Thomas; Kwon, Woojin; Lazio, Joseph; Mundy, Lee G.; Storm, Shaye; Testi, Leonardo

    2012-01-01

    We present dust continuum observations of the protoplanetary disk surrounding the pre-main-sequence star AS 209, spanning more than an order of magnitude in wavelength from 0.88 to 9.8 mm. The disk was observed with subarcsecond angular resolution (0.''2-0.''5) to investigate radial variations in its dust properties. At longer wavelengths, the disk emission structure is notably more compact, providing model-independent evidence for changes in the grain properties across the disk. We find that physical models which reproduce the disk emission require a radial dependence of the dust opacity κ ν . Assuming that the observed wavelength-dependent structure can be attributed to radial variations in the dust opacity spectral index (β), we find that β(R) increases from β 1.5 for R ∼> 80 AU, inconsistent with a constant value of β across the disk (at the 10σ level). Furthermore, if radial variations of κ ν are caused by particle growth, we find that the maximum size of the particle-size distribution (a max ) increases from submillimeter-sized grains in the outer disk (R ∼> 70 AU) to millimeter- and centimeter-sized grains in the inner disk regions (R ∼ max (R) with predictions from physical models of dust evolution in protoplanetary disks. For the dust composition and particle-size distribution investigated here, our observational constraints on a max (R) are consistent with models where the maximum grain size is limited by radial drift.

  5. Yield and grain quality of spring barley as affected by biomass formation at early growth stages

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Křen, J.; Klem, Karel; Svobodová, I.; Míša, P.; Neudert, L.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 60, č. 5 (2014), s. 221-227 ISSN 1214-1178 R&D Projects: GA MZe QI111A133 Keywords : Hordeum vulgare L * above-ground biomass * tillering * grain yield formation * grain protein content Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.226, year: 2014

  6. The composition of circumstellar and interstellar dust

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tielens, AGGM; Woodward, CE; Biscay, MD; Shull, JM

    2001-01-01

    A large number of solid dust components have been identified through analysis of stardust recovered from meteorites, and analysis of IR observations of circumstellar shells and the interstellar medium. These include graphite, hydrogenated amorphous carbon, diamond, PAHs, silicon-, iron-, and

  7. Formation of {1 0 0} textured columnar grain structure in a non-oriented electrical steel by phase transformation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xie, Li; Yang, Ping, E-mail: yangp@mater.ustb.edu.cn; Zhang, Ning; Zong, Cui; Xia, Dongsheng; Mao, Weimin

    2014-04-01

    This study confirms the effect of anisotropic strain energy on the formation of {1 0 0} textured columnar grain structure induced by temperature gradient during γ to α phase transformation in pure hydrogen atmosphere. Results indicate that high temperature gradient in pure hydrogen atmosphere induces a significant strain energy difference across grain boundaries during γ to α phase transformation, leading to the formation of {1 0 0} texture with columnar grains. Given its simplicity in processing and its ability to obtain good texture-related magnetic properties, the proposed approach is helpful to the development of new types of non-oriented electrical steel. - Highlights: • A strong {1 0 0} texture with columnar grains was obtained. • Good texture and magnetic properties are attributed to the anisotropic strain energy. • The anisotropy in elastic strain energy was induced by the temperature gradient. • The phase transformation rate affects columnar grain morphology.

  8. Investigation on the asymmetry of thermal condition and grain defect formation in the customary directional solidification process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, D; Wu, Q; Hollad, S; Bührig-Polaczek, A

    2012-01-01

    In the present study, the non-uniformity of the thermal condition and the corresponding grain defect formation in the customary Bridgman process were investigated. The casting clusters in radial alignment were directionally solidified in a Bridgman furnace. It was found that in the casting cluster, the shadow side facing the central rod was ineffectively heated in the hot zone and ineffectively cooled in the cooling zone during withdrawal, compared with the heater side facing the furnace heater. The metallographic examination of the simplified turbine blades exhibited that the platforms on the shadow side are very prone to stray grain formation, while the heater side reveals a markedly lower tendency for that. The asymmetric thermal condition causes the asymmetrical formation of these grain defects. This non-uniformity of the thermal condition should be minimized as far as possible, in order to effectively optimize the quality of the SC superalloy components.

  9. Enantiomeric separation of complex organic molecules produced from irradiation of interstellar/circumstellar ice analogs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuevo, M.; Meierhenrich, U. J.; D'Hendecourt, L.; Muñoz Caro, G. M.; Dartois, E.; Deboffle, D.; Thiemann, W. H.-P.; Bredehöft, J.-H.; Nahon, L.

    Irradiation of interstellar/circumstellar ice analogs by ultraviolet (UV) light followed by warm up in the laboratory leads to the formation of complex organic molecules, stable at room temperature. Hydrolysis of the room temperature residue releases amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. These amino acids exist in two different forms (L and D), but proteins encountered in living beings consist exclusively of L enantiomers. The origin of this property, called homochirality, is still unknown. Amino acids can be detected and quantified by chemical techniques such as chiral gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Enantiomers of chiral organics are also known to interact selectively with circularly polarized light (CPL), leading to a selective production or destruction of the final compounds. This paper describes how we settled an experiment where amino acids are formed by irradiation of interstellar/circumstellar ice analogs with ultraviolet (UV) CPL, produced by a synchrotron radiation beamline, which allowed us to quantify the effect of such polarized light on the production of amino acids. These results can be compared to the enantiomeric excesses measured in primitive meteorites such as Murchison.

  10. DYNAMICS OF CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS. III. THE CASE OF GG Tau A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, Andrew F.; Marzari, F.

    2016-01-01

    stars occurs at a steady rate of a few ×10 −8 M ⊙ yr −1 , with the net result that, without replenishment, the disk lifetimes would be shorter than ∼10 4 yr. Our simulations show that only wide orbit configurations are able to retain circumstellar disks, by virtue of accretion driven from the robust material streams generated in wide configurations, which are very weak in close configurations. In wide, eccentric orbit configurations, accretion is episodic and occurs preferentially onto the secondary, with rates strongly peaked near the binary periapse. Based on our results, we conclude that the GG Tau A torus is strongly self gravitating and that a major contribution to its thermal energy input is the shock dissipation associated with spiral structures generated both by self gravitating disturbances and by the stirring action of the binary. We interpret the sharply defined features observed in the torus as manifestations of such spiral structures. We interpret the low density disk surrounding it as an excretion disk created by the outward mass flux generated by the spiral arms as they propagate outwards. Typical eccentricities calculated for the shape of the tori modeled in our simulations are large enough to account for the supposed ∼20° mutual inclination between the stellar orbit plane of GG Tau A and its surrounding torus through a degeneracy between the interpretation of inclination of the torus and its eccentricity. We therefore interpret the observations in favor of a coplanar system with an eccentric torus. Because accretion onto the disks occurs at rates sufficient to sustain them only in wide orbit configurations, we conclude that the gas currently resident in the circumstellar disks of the GG Tau A system has been accreted from the torus within the past few thousand years. Although circumstellar disks will persist over time spans long enough to permit planet formation, the overall environment remains unfavorable due to high temperatures and other

  11. DYNAMICS OF CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS. III. THE CASE OF GG Tau A

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nelson, Andrew F. [XCP-2, Mailstop T082, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Marzari, F., E-mail: andy.nelson@lanl.gov, E-mail: francesco.marzari@pd.infn.it [Università di Padova, Dipartimento di Fisica, via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova (Italy)

    2016-08-20

    stars occurs at a steady rate of a few ×10{sup −8} M {sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}, with the net result that, without replenishment, the disk lifetimes would be shorter than ∼10{sup 4} yr. Our simulations show that only wide orbit configurations are able to retain circumstellar disks, by virtue of accretion driven from the robust material streams generated in wide configurations, which are very weak in close configurations. In wide, eccentric orbit configurations, accretion is episodic and occurs preferentially onto the secondary, with rates strongly peaked near the binary periapse. Based on our results, we conclude that the GG Tau A torus is strongly self gravitating and that a major contribution to its thermal energy input is the shock dissipation associated with spiral structures generated both by self gravitating disturbances and by the stirring action of the binary. We interpret the sharply defined features observed in the torus as manifestations of such spiral structures. We interpret the low density disk surrounding it as an excretion disk created by the outward mass flux generated by the spiral arms as they propagate outwards. Typical eccentricities calculated for the shape of the tori modeled in our simulations are large enough to account for the supposed ∼20° mutual inclination between the stellar orbit plane of GG Tau A and its surrounding torus through a degeneracy between the interpretation of inclination of the torus and its eccentricity. We therefore interpret the observations in favor of a coplanar system with an eccentric torus. Because accretion onto the disks occurs at rates sufficient to sustain them only in wide orbit configurations, we conclude that the gas currently resident in the circumstellar disks of the GG Tau A system has been accreted from the torus within the past few thousand years. Although circumstellar disks will persist over time spans long enough to permit planet formation, the overall environment remains unfavorable due to high

  12. CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELLS IN ABSORPTION IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borkowski, Kazimierz J.; Blondin, John M.; Reynolds, Stephen P.

    2009-01-01

    Progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe) have been predicted to modify their ambient circumstellar (CSM) and interstellar environments through the action of their powerful winds. While there is X-ray and optical evidence for circumstellar interaction in several remnants of Type Ia SNe, widespread evidence for such interaction in Type Ia SNe themselves has been lacking. We consider prospects for the detection of CSM shells that have been predicted to be common around Type Ia SNe. Such shells are most easily detected in Na I absorption lines. Variable (declining) absorption is expected to occur soon after the explosion, primarily during the SN rise time, for shells located within ∼1-10 pc of a SN. The distance of the shell from the SN can be determined by measuring the timescale for line variability.

  13. Effect of reversion annealing on the formation of nano/ultrafine grained structure in 201 austenitic stainless steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moallemi, Mohammad; Najafizadeh, Abbas; Kermanpur, Ahmad [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rezaee, Ahad, E-mail: a.rezaee@ma.iut.ac.ir [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2011-12-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The secondary increase in the martensite content after reversion annealing. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Formation of thermally induced martensite due to carbide precipitation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The smallest average grain size of 70 nm is achieved by annealing at 850 Degree-Sign C for 15 s. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A fully austenitic structure with grain size of 100 nm and 1370 MPa yield strength. - Abstract: The formation of nano/ultrafine grain structure in a 201 austenitic stainless steel was investigated by the martensite thermomechanical treatment. Cast ingots were first homogenized, then hot-forged and solution-annealed to reduce the initial grain size. Cold rolling was then conducted down to 90% reduction in thickness, followed by reversion annealing at a temperature in the range of 1023-1173 K for 15-1800 s. The effect of reversion parameters on grain refinement was investigated. The resulting microstructures were characterized by a scanning electron microscopy equipped with X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometer, an X-ray diffractometer and a Feritscope. The hardness was measured by the Vickers method. The results show that a nano/ultrafine-grained structure formed in the initial stages of the reversion, but significant grain growth took place during the entire course of reversion. Initially lowered, the volume fraction of martensite increased again during the reversion treatment due to carbide precipitation. A fully austenitic nano grained 201 stainless steel with the average grain size of 100 nm was produced, possessing a yield strength of about 1370 MPa.

  14. Circumstellar disks around binary stars in Taurus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akeson, R. L.; Jensen, E. L. N.

    2014-01-01

    We have conducted a survey of 17 wide (>100 AU) young binary systems in Taurus with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) at two wavelengths. The observations were designed to measure the masses of circumstellar disks in these systems as an aid to understanding the role of multiplicity in star and planet formation. The ALMA observations had sufficient resolution to localize emission within the binary system. Disk emission was detected around all primaries and 10 secondaries, with disk masses as low as 10 –4 M ☉ . We compare the properties of our sample to the population of known disks in Taurus and find that the disks from this binary sample match the scaling between stellar mass and millimeter flux of F mm ∝M ∗ 1.5--2.0 to within the scatter found in previous studies. We also compare the properties of the primaries to those of the secondaries and find that the secondary/primary stellar and disk mass ratios are not correlated; in three systems, the circumsecondary disk is more massive than the circumprimary disk, counter to some theoretical predictions.

  15. Dust grain charges in a nuclear-track plasma and the formation of dynamic vortex dust structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rykov, V.A.; Khudyakov, A.V.; Filinov, V.S.; Vladimirov, V.I.; Deputatova, L.V.; Krutov, D.V.; Nefedov, A.P.; Fortov, V.E.

    2002-01-01

    Results are presented from Monte Carlo calculations of the electric charge of dust grains in a plasma produced during the slowing down of the radioactive decay products of californium nuclei in neon. The dust grain charging is explained for the first time as being due to the drift of electrons and ions in an external electric field. It is shown that the charges of the grains depend on their coordinates and strongly fluctuate with time. The time-averaged grain charges agree with the experimental data obtained on ordered liquidlike dust structures in a nuclear-track plasma. The time-averaged dust grain charges are used to carry out computer modeling of the formation of dynamic vortex structures observed in experiments. Evidence is obtained of the fact that the electrostatic forces experienced by the dust grains are potential in character

  16. CONFIRMATION OF CIRCUMSTELLAR PHOSPHINE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Agúndez, M.; Cernicharo, J. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, C/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, E-28049 Cantoblanco (Spain); Decin, L. [Sterrenkundig Instituut Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 Amsterdam (Netherlands); Encrenaz, P. [LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, 61 Av. de l' Observatoire, F-75014 Paris (France); Teyssier, D. [European Space Astronomy Centre, Urb. Villafranca del Castillo, P.O. Box 50727, E-28080 Madrid (Spain)

    2014-08-01

    Phosphine (PH{sub 3}) was tentatively identified a few years ago in the carbon star envelopes IRC +10216 and CRL 2688 from observations of an emission line at 266.9 GHz attributable to the J = 1-0 rotational transition. We report the detection of the J = 2-1 rotational transition of PH{sub 3} in IRC +10216 using the HIFI instrument on board Herschel, which definitively confirms the identification of PH{sub 3}. Radiative transfer calculations indicate that infrared pumping in excited vibrational states plays an important role in the excitation of PH{sub 3} in the envelope of IRC +10216, and that the observed lines are consistent with phosphine being formed anywhere between the star and 100 R {sub *} from the star, with an abundance of 10{sup –8} relative to H{sub 2}. The detection of PH{sub 3} challenges chemical models, none of which offer a satisfactory formation scenario. Although PH{sub 3} holds just 2% of the total available phosphorus in IRC +10216, it is, together with HCP, one of the major gas phase carriers of phosphorus in the inner circumstellar layers, suggesting that it could also be an important phosphorus species in other astronomical environments. This is the first unambiguous detection of PH{sub 3} outside the solar system, and is a further step toward a better understanding of the chemistry of phosphorus in space.

  17. Variable extinction in HD 45677 and the evolution of dust grains in pre-main-sequence disks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sitko, Michael L.; Halbedel, Elaine M.; Lawrence, Geoffrey F.; Smith, J. Allyn; Yanow, Ken

    1994-01-01

    Changes in the UV extinction and IR emission were sought in the Herbig Ae/Be star candidate HD 45677 (= FS CMa) by comparing UV, optical, and IR observations made approximately 10 yr apart. HD 45677 varied significantly, becoming more than 50% brighter in the UV and optical than it was a decade ago. A comparison of the observations between epochs indicates that if the variations are due to changes in dust obscuration, the dust acts as a gray absorber into the near-IR and must be depleted in grains smaller than 1 micron. This is similar to the results obtained on the circumstellar disks of stars like Vega and Beta Pic, and suggests that radiation pressure may be responsible for the small-grain depletion. In addition, the total IR flux seems to have declined, indicating a decrease in the total mass of the dust envelope that contributes to the IR emission in this part of the spectrum. Due to the anomalous nature of the extinction, the use of normal extinction curves to deredden the spectral energy distributions of stars with circumstellar dust may lead to significant errors and should be used with great caution.

  18. THE EFFECTS OF GRAIN SIZE AND TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTIONS ON THE FORMATION OF INTERSTELLAR ICE MANTLES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pauly, Tyler; Garrod, Robin T., E-mail: tap74@cornell.edu [Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801 (United States)

    2016-02-01

    Computational models of interstellar gas-grain chemistry have historically adopted a single dust-grain size of 0.1 micron, assumed to be representative of the size distribution present in the interstellar medium. Here, we investigate the effects of a broad grain-size distribution on the chemistry of dust-grain surfaces and the subsequent build-up of molecular ices on the grains, using a three-phase gas-grain chemical model of a quiescent dark cloud. We include an explicit treatment of the grain temperatures, governed both by the visual extinction of the cloud and the size of each individual grain-size population. We find that the temperature difference plays a significant role in determining the total bulk ice composition across the grain-size distribution, while the effects of geometrical differences between size populations appear marginal. We also consider collapse from a diffuse to a dark cloud, allowing dust temperatures to fall. Under the initial diffuse conditions, small grains are too warm to promote grain-mantle build-up, with most ices forming on the mid-sized grains. As collapse proceeds, the more abundant, smallest grains cool and become the dominant ice carriers; the large population of small grains means that this ice is distributed across many grains, with perhaps no more than 40 monolayers of ice each (versus several hundred assuming a single grain size). This effect may be important for the subsequent processing and desorption of the ice during the hot-core phase of star formation, exposing a significant proportion of the ice to the gas phase, increasing the importance of ice-surface chemistry and surface–gas interactions.

  19. The Effects of Grain Size and Temperature Distributions on the Formation of Interstellar Ice Mantles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauly, Tyler; Garrod, Robin T.

    2016-02-01

    Computational models of interstellar gas-grain chemistry have historically adopted a single dust-grain size of 0.1 micron, assumed to be representative of the size distribution present in the interstellar medium. Here, we investigate the effects of a broad grain-size distribution on the chemistry of dust-grain surfaces and the subsequent build-up of molecular ices on the grains, using a three-phase gas-grain chemical model of a quiescent dark cloud. We include an explicit treatment of the grain temperatures, governed both by the visual extinction of the cloud and the size of each individual grain-size population. We find that the temperature difference plays a significant role in determining the total bulk ice composition across the grain-size distribution, while the effects of geometrical differences between size populations appear marginal. We also consider collapse from a diffuse to a dark cloud, allowing dust temperatures to fall. Under the initial diffuse conditions, small grains are too warm to promote grain-mantle build-up, with most ices forming on the mid-sized grains. As collapse proceeds, the more abundant, smallest grains cool and become the dominant ice carriers; the large population of small grains means that this ice is distributed across many grains, with perhaps no more than 40 monolayers of ice each (versus several hundred assuming a single grain size). This effect may be important for the subsequent processing and desorption of the ice during the hot-core phase of star formation, exposing a significant proportion of the ice to the gas phase, increasing the importance of ice-surface chemistry and surface-gas interactions.

  20. An alternative explanation for evidence that xenon depletion, pore formation, and grain subdivision begin at different local burnups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rest, J.; Hofman, G.L.

    2000-01-01

    In order to interpret the recent observation that xenon depletion, pore formation, and grain subdivision occur successively at increasing local burnups, a rate-theory-based model is used to investigate the nucleation and growth of cavities during low-temperature irradiation of UO 2 in the presence of irradiation-induced interstitial-loop formation and growth. Consolidation of the dislocation structure takes into account the generation of forest dislocations and capture of interstitial dislocation loops. The loops accumulate and ultimately evolve into a low-energy cellular dislocation structure. The cell walls have been previously identified as recrystallization nuclei. The calculations indicate that nanometer-size bubbles are associated with this cellular dislocation structure while the observed micron-size bubbles are presumed to be either preexisting pores deformed by adjacent grains and/or new pores formed in the new recrystallized grain-boundary junctions. Subsequent to recrystallization, gas released from the recrystallized grains feeds the preexisting pores and the recrystallized grains may appear to form a preferential concentration of subdivided grains around the growing pores. This picture is illustrated in a sequence of photomicrographs of irradiated U 3 O 8

  1. A High-mass Protobinary System with Spatially Resolved Circumstellar Accretion Disks and Circumbinary Disk

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kraus, S.; Kluska, J.; Kreplin, A.; Bate, M.; Harries, T. J.; Hone, E.; Anugu, A. [School of Physics, Astrophysics Group, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL (United Kingdom); Hofmann, K.-H.; Weigelt, G. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Monnier, J. D. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 311 West Hall, 1085 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); De Wit, W. J. [ESO, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago 19 (Chile); Wittkowski, M., E-mail: skraus@astro.ex.ac.uk [ESO, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching bei München (Germany)

    2017-01-20

    High-mass multiples might form via fragmentation of self-gravitational disks or alternative scenarios such as disk-assisted capture. However, only a few observational constraints exist on the architecture and disk structure of high-mass protobinaries and their accretion properties. Here, we report the discovery of a close (57.9 ± 0.2 mas = 170 au) high-mass protobinary, IRAS17216-3801, where our VLTI/GRAVITY+AMBER near-infrared interferometry allows us to image the circumstellar disks around the individual components with ∼3 mas resolution. We estimate the component masses to ∼20 and ∼18 M {sub ⊙} and find that the radial intensity profiles can be reproduced with an irradiated disk model, where the inner regions are excavated of dust, likely tracing the dust sublimation region in these disks. The circumstellar disks are strongly misaligned with respect to the binary separation vector, which indicates that the tidal forces did not have time to realign the disks, pointing toward a young dynamical age of the system. We constrain the distribution of the Br γ and CO-emitting gas using VLTI/GRAVITY spectro-interferometry and VLT/CRIRES spectro-astrometry and find that the secondary is accreting at a higher rate than the primary. VLT/NACO imaging shows L ′-band emission on (3–4)× larger scales than the binary separation, matching the expected dynamical truncation radius for the circumbinary disk. The IRAS17216-3801 system is ∼3× more massive and ∼5× more compact than other high-mass multiplies imaged at infrared wavelength and the first high-mass protobinary system where circumstellar and circumbinary dust disks could be spatially resolved. This opens exciting new opportunities for studying star–disk interactions and the role of multiplicity in high-mass star formation.

  2. Intracluster dust, circumstellar shells, and the wavelength dependence of polarization in orion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breger, M.

    1977-01-01

    The wavelength dependence of polarization of 21 polarized stars near the Orion Nebula has been measured. Most stars fit the standard interstellar law. The wavelength of maximum linear polarization, lambda/sub max/, ranges from normal values to 0.71μm. The polarimetric, spectroscopic, and photometric data support a normal reddening law (Rapprox. =3) for most Orion stars, and present evidence for unusually large grain sizes in front of some Orion stars. For the stars BR 545 and BR 885 large values of lambda/sub max/ are associated with unusually large values of total to selective extinction.A division of the observed polarization into intracluster dust and circumstellar shell components shows that the presence of shells does not usually lead to linear polarization in the optical wavelength region. Also, no association of polarization with known light variability could be found. The nature of the intracluster dust clouds is discussed briefly.The results of searches for circular polarization as well as short-period variability are presented in two appendices

  3. Herschel/HIFI deepens the circumstellar NH3 enigma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Menten, K. M.; Wyrowski, F.; Alcolea, J.; De Beck, E.; Decin, L.; Marston, A. P.; Bujarrabal, V.; Cernicharo, J.; Dominik, C.; Justtanont, K.; de Koter, A.; Melnick, G.; Neufeld, D. A.; Olofsson, H.; Planesas, P.; Schmidt, M.; Schoier, F. L.; Szczerba, R.; Teyssier, D.; Waters, L. B. F. M.; Edwards, K.; Olberg, M.; Phillips, T. G.; Morris, P.; Salez, M.; Caux, E.

    2010-01-01

    Context. Circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of a variety of evolved stars have been found to contain ammonia (NH3) in amounts that exceed predictions from conventional chemical models by many orders of magnitude. Aims. The observations reported here were performed in order to better constrain the NH3

  4. The chemistry of molecular anions in circumstellar sources

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Agúndez, Marcelino [LUTH, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, 5 Place Jules Janssen, 92190 Meudon (France); Cernicharo, José [Departamento de Astrofísica, CAB, CSIC-INTA, Ctra. de Torrejón a Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Madrid (Spain); Guélin, Michel [Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, 300 rue de la Piscine, 38406 Saint Martin d' Héres (France)

    2015-01-22

    The detection of negatively charged molecules in the interstellar and circumstellar medium in the past four years has been one of the most impacting surprises in the area of molecular astrophysics. It has motivated the interest of astronomers, physicists, and chemists on the study of the spectroscopy, chemical kinetics, and prevalence of molecular anions in the different astronomical regions. Up to six different molecular anions have been discovered in space to date, the last one being the small ion CN{sup −}, which has been observed in the envelope of the carbon star IRC +10216 and which contrary to the other larger anions is not formed by electron attachment to CN, but through reactions of large carbon anions with nitrogen atoms. Here we briefly review the current status of our knowledge of the chemistry of molecular anions in space, with particular emphasis on the circumstellar source IRC +10216, which to date is the astronomical source harboring the largest variety of anions.

  5. Circumstellar disks around binary stars in Taurus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akeson, R. L. [NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, IPAC/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Jensen, E. L. N. [Swarthmore College, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Swarthmore, PA 19081 (United States)

    2014-03-20

    We have conducted a survey of 17 wide (>100 AU) young binary systems in Taurus with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) at two wavelengths. The observations were designed to measure the masses of circumstellar disks in these systems as an aid to understanding the role of multiplicity in star and planet formation. The ALMA observations had sufficient resolution to localize emission within the binary system. Disk emission was detected around all primaries and 10 secondaries, with disk masses as low as 10{sup –4} M {sub ☉}. We compare the properties of our sample to the population of known disks in Taurus and find that the disks from this binary sample match the scaling between stellar mass and millimeter flux of F{sub mm}∝M{sub ∗}{sup 1.5--2.0} to within the scatter found in previous studies. We also compare the properties of the primaries to those of the secondaries and find that the secondary/primary stellar and disk mass ratios are not correlated; in three systems, the circumsecondary disk is more massive than the circumprimary disk, counter to some theoretical predictions.

  6. Sedimentary controls on modern sand grain coat formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowey, Patrick J.; Worden, Richard H.; Utley, James; Hodgson, David M.

    2017-05-01

    Coated sand grains can influence reservoir quality evolution during sandstone diagenesis. Porosity can be reduced and fluid flow restricted where grain coats encroach into pore space. Conversely pore-lining grain coats can restrict the growth of pore-filling quartz cement in deeply buried sandstones, and thus can result in unusually high porosity in deeply buried sandstones. Being able to predict the distribution of coated sand grains within petroleum reservoirs is thus important to help find good reservoir quality. Here we report a modern analogue study of 12 sediment cores from the Anllóns Estuary, Galicia, NW Spain, collected from a range of sub-environments, to help develop an understanding of the occurrence and distribution of coated grains. The cores were described for grain size, bioturbation and sedimentary structures, and then sub-sampled for electron and light microscopy, laser granulometry, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The Anllóns Estuary is sand-dominated with intertidal sand flats and saltmarsh environments at the margins; there is a shallowing/fining-upwards trend in the estuary-fill succession. Grain coats are present in nearly every sample analysed; they are between 1 μm and 100 μm thick and typically lack internal organisation. The extent of grain coat coverage can exceed 25% in some samples with coverage highest in the top 20 cm of cores. Samples from muddy intertidal flat and the muddy saltmarsh environments, close to the margins of the estuary, have the highest coat coverage (mean coat coverage of 20.2% and 21.3%, respectively). The lowest mean coat coverage occurs in the sandy saltmarsh (10.4%), beyond the upper tidal limit and sandy intertidal flat environments (8.4%), close to the main estuary channel. Mean coat coverage correlates with the concentration of clay fraction. The primary controls on the distribution of fine-grained sediment, and therefore grain coat distribution, are primary sediment transport and deposition processes that

  7. Why do interstellar grains exist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seab, C.G.; Hollenbach, D.J.; Mckee, C.F.; Tielens, A.G.G.M.

    1986-01-01

    There exists a discrepancy between calculated destruction rates of grains in the interstellar medium and postulated sources of new grains. This problem was examined by modelling the global life cycle of grains in the galaxy. The model includes: grain destruction due to supernovae shock waves; grain injection from cool stars, planetary nebulae, star formation, novae, and supernovae; grain growth by accretion in dark clouds; and a mixing scheme between phases of the interstellar medium. Grain growth in molecular clouds is considered as a mechanism or increasing the formation rate. To decrease the shock destruction rate, several new physical processes, such as partial vaporization effects in grain-grain collisions, breakdown of the small Larmor radius approximation for betatron acceleration, and relaxation of the steady-state shock assumption are included

  8. Radiation-induced grain subdivision and bubble formation in U3Si2 at LWR temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Tiankai; Gong, Bowen; He, Lingfeng; Harp, Jason; Tonks, Michael; Lian, Jie

    2018-01-01

    U3Si2, an advanced fuel form proposed for light water reactors (LWRs), has excellent thermal conductivity and a high fissile element density. However, limited understanding of the radiation performance and fission gas behavior of U3Si2 is available at LWR conditions. This study explores the irradiation behavior of U3Si2 by 300 keV Xe+ ion beam bombardment combining with in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. The crystal structure of U3Si2 is stable against radiation-induced amorphization at 350 °C even up to a very high dose of 64 displacements per atom (dpa). Grain subdivision of U3Si2 occurs at a relatively low dose of 0.8 dpa and continues to above 48 dpa, leading to the formation of high-density nanoparticles. Nano-sized Xe gas bubbles prevail at a dose of 24 dpa, and Xe bubble coalescence was identified with the increase of irradiation dose. The volumetric swelling resulting from Xe gas bubble formation and coalescence was estimated with respect to radiation dose, and a 2.2% volumetric swelling was observed for U3Si2 irradiated at 64 dpa. Due to extremely high susceptibility to oxidation, the nano-sized U3Si2 grains upon radiation-induced grain subdivision were oxidized to nanocrystalline UO2 in a high vacuum chamber for TEM observation, eventually leading to the formation of UO2 nanocrystallites stable up to 80 dpa.

  9. Variable circumstellar obscuration of the carbon star R Fornacis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feast, M.W.; Whitelock, P.A.; Catchpole, R.M.; Roberts, G.; Overbeek, M.D.

    1984-01-01

    In 1983 the carbon Mira-type variable R For became unusually faint in the visible and infrared. This is interpreted as a change in circumstellar obscuration. For absorption by graphite spheres the required particle radius is 0.15 μm. (author)

  10. Discovery of a Circumstellar Disk in the Lagoon Nebula

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-04-01

    Circumstellar disks of gas and dust play a crucial role in the formation of stars and planets. Until now, high-resolution images of such disks around young stars within the Orion Nebula obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) constituted the most direct proof of their existence. Now, another circumstellar disk has been detected around a star in the Lagoon Nebula - also known as Messier 8 (M8) , a giant complex of interstellar gas and dust with many young stars in the southern constellation of Sagittarius and four times more distant than the Orion Nebula. The observations were carried out by an international team of scientists led by Bringfried Stecklum (Thüringer Landessternwarte, Tautenburg, Germany) [1] who used telescopes located at the ESO La Silla observatory and also observations from the HST archive. These new results are paving the road towards exciting research programmes on star formation which will become possible with the ESO Very Large Telescope. The harsh environment of circumstellar disks The existence of circumstellar disks has been inferred from indirect measurements of young stellar objects, such as the spectral energy distribution, the analysis of the profiles of individual spectral lines and measurements of the polarisation of the emitted light [2]. Impressive images of such disks in the Orion Nebula, known as proplyds (PROto-PLanetarY DiskS), have been obtained by the HST during the recent years. They have confirmed the interpretation of previous ground-based emission-line observations and mapping by radio telescopes. Moreover, they demonstrated that those disks which are located close to hot and massive stars are subject to heating caused by the intense radiation from these stars. Subsequently, the disks evaporate releasing neutral gas which streams off. During this process, shock fronts (regions with increased density) with tails of ionised gas result at a certain distance between the disk and the hot star. These objects appear on

  11. Study at radio wavelengths of circumstellar envelopes around red giants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Do Thi Hoai

    2015-01-01

    The thesis studies mass losing AGB stars and their circumstellar environments, with focus on the development of stellar outflows and their interaction with the surrounding medium. It uses emission from two tracers: carbon monoxide (CO), through its rotational lines in the millimeter range, probes the inner regions of the circumstellar shells out to photodissociation distances, while atomic hydrogen (HI, 21 cm) is better suited to the study of the external regions. The high spectral and spatial resolutions achieved in radio observations allow for a detailed exploration of the kinematics of the relatively slow outflows of red giants. After having introduced the subject, I discuss the case of an S-type star (RS Cnc) that has been observed in CO with the IRAM telescopes, as well as in HI with the VLA, concentrating on the modelling of the spatially resolved CO line profiles and illustrating the complementarity between HI and CO. Results of the CO modelling of other AGB stars observed at IRAM (EP Aqr, XHer and RXBoo) and of a post-AGB star observed with ALMA, the Red Rectangle, are also presented. The formation of the HI line profile in various cases of mass losing AGB stars, in particular YCVn for which a model is presented, is studied next, exploring several effects that might explain the lack of detected emission from stars with high mass loss rates. Similarities between the bipolar outflows of the AGB stars that have been studied, all having mass loss rates in the region of 10"-"7 solar masses per year and displaying nearly spherical morphologies are discussed together with the information on the gas temperature obtained from the simultaneous observation of two CO lines. (author)

  12. Are young supernova remnants interacting with circumstellar gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chevalier, R.A.

    1982-01-01

    The young remnants of galactic Type I supernovae (SN 1006, SN 1572, and SN 1604) appear to be interacting with moderately dense gas (n/sub O/> or =0.1 cm -3 ). If the gas in the ambient interstellar medium, the observations suggest that gas of this density is fairly pervasive. If the gas is circumstellar, there are important implications for the progenitors of Type I supernovae. A plausible density distribution for circumstellar gas is rhoinfinityr -2 . The expansion of a supernova into such a medium is examined and is compared with expansion into a uniform medium. The two cases can be distinguished on the basis of their density profiles and their rates of expansion. Currently available data factor the hypothesis of expansion in a uniform medium for all three Type I remnants; the evidence is the strongest for SN 1572 and the weakest for SN 1604. Further X-ray and radio observations of the galactic remnants and of extragalactic Type I supernovae should serve to test this hypothesis

  13. ALIGNMENT OF PROTOSTARS AND CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS DURING THE EMBEDDED PHASE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spalding, Christopher; Batygin, Konstantin; Adams, Fred C.

    2014-01-01

    Star formation proceeds via the collapse of a molecular cloud core over multiple dynamical timescales. Turbulence within cores results in a spatially non-uniform angular momentum of the cloud, causing a stochastic variation in the orientation of the disk forming from the collapsing material. In the absence of star-disk angular momentum coupling, such disk-tilting would provide a natural mechanism for the production of primordial spin-orbit misalignments in the resulting planetary systems. However, owing to high accretion rates in the embedded phase of star formation, the inner edge of the circumstellar disk extends down to the stellar surface, resulting in efficient gravitational and accretional angular momentum transfer between the star and the disk. Here, we demonstrate that the resulting gravitational coupling is sufficient to suppress any significant star-disk misalignment, with accretion playing a secondary role. The joint tilting of the star-disk system leads to a stochastic wandering of star-aligned bipolar outflows. Such wandering widens the effective opening angle of stellar outflows, allowing for more efficient clearing of the remainder of the protostar's gaseous envelope. Accordingly, the processes described in this work provide an additional mechanism responsible for sculpting the stellar initial mass function

  14. The chemistry in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars: following the origin of the elements to the origin of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziurys, Lucy M

    2006-08-15

    Mass loss from evolved stars results in the formation of unusual chemical laboratories: circumstellar envelopes. Such envelopes are found around carbon- and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars and red supergiants. As the gaseous material of the envelope flows from the star, the resulting temperature and density gradients create a complex chemical environment involving hot, thermodynamically controlled synthesis, molecule "freeze-out," shock-initiated reactions, and photochemistry governed by radical mechanisms. In the circumstellar envelope of the carbon-rich star IRC+10216, >50 different chemical compounds have been identified, including such exotic species as C(8)H, C(3)S, SiC(3), and AlNC. The chemistry here is dominated by molecules containing long carbon chains, silicon, and metals such as magnesium, sodium, and aluminum, which makes it quite distinct from that found in molecular clouds. The molecular composition of the oxygen-rich counterparts is not nearly as well explored, although recent studies of VY Canis Majoris have resulted in the identification of HCO(+), SO(2), and even NaCl in this object, suggesting chemical complexity here as well. As these envelopes evolve into planetary nebulae with a hot, exposed central star, synthesis of molecular ions becomes important, as indicated by studies of NGC 7027. Numerous species such as HCO(+), HCN, and CCH are found in old planetary nebulae such as the Helix. This "survivor" molecular material may be linked to the variety of compounds found recently in diffuse clouds. Organic molecules in dense interstellar clouds may ultimately be traced back to carbon-rich fragments originally formed in circumstellar shells.

  15. Laboratory Studies of the Formation of Carbonaceous Cosmic Dust from PAH Precursors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salama, Farid; Contreras, C. S.

    2012-05-01

    The study of the formation and destruction processes of cosmic dust is essential to understand and to quantify the budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Although dust with all its components plays an important role in the evolution of interstellar chemistry and in the formation of organic molecules, little is known on the formation and destruction processes of carbonaceous dust. PAHs are important chemical building blocks of interstellar dust. They are detected in interplanetary dust particles and in meteoritic samples and are an important, ubiquitous component of the interstellar medium. The formation of PAHs from smaller molecules has not been extensively studied. Therefore, it is imperative that laboratory experiments be conducted to study the dynamic processes of carbon grain formation from PAH precursors. Studies of interstellar dust analogs formed from a variety of PAH and hydrocarbon precursors as well as species that include O, N, and S, have recently been performed using the COSmIC facility in our laboratory under conditions that simulate interstellar and circumstellar environments. The species formed in the pulsed discharge nozzle (PDN) plasma source are detected and characterized with high-sensitivity cavity ringdown spectroscopy coupled to a Reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ReTOF-MS), thus providing both spectroscopic and ion mass information in-situ. We report the measurements obtained in these experiments. Studies with hydrocarbon precursors show the feasibility of specific molecules to form PAHs, while studies with carbon ring systems (benzene and derivatives, PAHs) precursors provide information on pathways toward larger carbonaceous molecules. From these unique measurements, we derive information on the size and the structure of interstellar dust grain particles, the growth and the destruction processes of interstellar dust and the resulting budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Acknowledgements: This research is

  16. Circumstellar X-ray Emission from SN1978K

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlegel, Eric M.; Colbert, E.; Petre, R.

    1995-02-01

    We present the X-ray light curve in the 0.2 2.4 keV band based on fiveROSAT observations of SN1978K in NGC 1313. The X-ray emission is believed to arise from the interaction of the reverse shock and the expanding debris from the supernova. The reverse shock becomes established after the outgoing shock runs into circumstellar matter.

  17. The effect of grain refinement and silicon content on grain formation in hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Y.C.; Dahle, A.K.; StJohn, D.H.; Hutt, J.E.C. [Queensland Univ., Brisbane (Australia). Dept. of Mining, Minerals and Mater. Eng.

    1999-01-15

    The effect of increasing the amount of added grain refiner on grain size and morphology has been investigated for a range of hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys. The results show a transition in grain size at a silicon concentration of about 3 wt% in unrefined alloys; the grain size decreasing with silicon content before the transition, and increasing beyond the transition point. A change in morphology also occurs with increased silicon content. The addition of grain refiner leads to greater refinement for silicon contents below the transition point than for those contents above the transition point, while the transition point seems to remain unchanged. The slope of the grain size versus silicon content curve after the transition seems to be unaffected by the degree of grain refinement. The results are related to the competitive processes of nucleation and constitutional effects during growth and their impact on nucleation kinetics. (orig.) 13 refs.

  18. Circumstellar ammonia in oxygen-rich evolved stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, K. T.; Menten, K. M.; Kamiński, T.; Wyrowski, F.; Lacy, J. H.; Greathouse, T. K.

    2018-04-01

    pumping and is at least ten times higher than that in the carbon-rich CSE of IRC +10216. NH3 in OH 231.8+4.2 and IRC +10420 is found to emit in gas denser than the ambient medium. Incidentally, we also derived a new period of IK Tau from its V-band light curve. Conclusions: NH3 is again detected in very high abundance in evolved stars, especially the oxygen-rich ones. Its emission mainly arises from localised spatial-kinematic structures that are probably denser than the ambient gas. Circumstellar shocks in the accelerated wind may contribute to the production of NH3. Future mid-infrared spectroscopy and radio imaging studies are necessary to constrain the radii and physical conditions of the formation regions of NH3. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.Based on observations carried out under project numbers 216-09, 212-10, and 052-15 with the IRAM 30m Telescope. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain).Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.All the spectra used in the article are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/612/A48

  19. Characteristics of the stress-induced formation of R-phase in ultrafine-grained NiTi shape memory wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olbricht, J.; Yawny, A.; Pelegrina, J.L.; Eggeler, G.; Yardley, V.A.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •We investigated the stress-induced formation of R-phase in NiTi shape memory wires. •The R-phase related strains were isolated from the overall stress-strain-behavior. •The stress–strain characteristics of R-phase suggest a homogeneous transformation. •Thermography confirms the homogeneous R-phase formation in ultrafine-grained NiTi. -- Abstract: The transformation between the cubic B2 and monoclinic B19′ phases in ultrafine-grained pseudoelastic NiTi can occur as a two-step process involving the intermediate rhombohedral R-phase. Experimental work using differential scanning calorimetry, electrical resistance measurements and transmission electron microscopy has demonstrated the formation of this intermediate phase during thermal cycling and during mechanical loading. In the present paper, complementary mechanical and thermographic results are presented which allow to further assess the character of the stress-induced R-phase formation. The transformation from B2 to R-phase is demonstrated to occur homogeneously within the gauge length rather than via advancing Lüders-type transition regions as it is the case in the localized transformation from B2 or R-phase to B19′

  20. Analysis of stray grain formation in single crystal CMSX-4 superalloy; Analyse der Bildung von Fehlkoernern in einer einkristallinen CMSX-4-Superlegierung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chmiela, Bartosz; Sozanska, Maria; Cwajna, Jan [Silesian Univ. of Technology, Katowice (Poland). Dept. of Materials Science; Szeliga, Dariusz [Rzeszow Univ. of Technology (Poland). Dept. of Materials Science; Jarczyk, Jerzy [ALD Vacuum Technologies, Hanau (Germany)

    2013-08-01

    Modern single crystal (SX) turbine blades are fabricated by directional solidification using a grain selector. The grain selection process was investigated by numerical simulation and verified by the experiment. A coupled ProCAST and cellular automaton finite element (CAFE) model was used in this study. According to the latest literature data, we designed the grain selector. Simulation confirmed an optimal grain selection efficiency of the applied selector geometry. The obtained experimental results reveal the possibility of stray grain formation in SX castings with a designed selector, in contrast to the simulation results. (orig.)

  1. Search of massive star formation with COMICS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okamoto, Yoshiko K.

    2004-04-01

    Mid-infrared observations is useful for studies of massive star formation. Especially COMICS offers powerful tools: imaging survey of the circumstellar structures of forming massive stars such as massive disks and cavity structures, mass estimate from spectroscopy of fine structure lines, and high dispersion spectroscopy to census gas motion around formed stars. COMICS will open the next generation infrared studies of massive star formation.

  2. THE VLA VIEW OF THE HL TAU DISK: DISK MASS, GRAIN EVOLUTION, AND EARLY PLANET FORMATION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carrasco-González, Carlos; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Galván-Madrid, Roberto [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica UNAM, Apartado Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán, México (Mexico); Henning, Thomas; Linz, Hendrik; Birnstiel, Til; Boekel, Roy van; Klahr, Hubert [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie Heidelberg, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Chandler, Claire J.; Pérez, Laura [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, 1003 Lopezville Road, Socorro, NM 87801-0387 (United States); Anglada, Guillem; Macias, Enrique; Osorio, Mayra [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Apartado 3004, E-18080 Granada (Spain); Flock, Mario [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Menten, Karl [Jansky Fellow of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (United States); Testi, Leonardo [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching bei München (Germany); Torrelles, José M. [Institut de Ciències de l’Espai (CSIC-IEEC) and Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (UB-IEEC), Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Zhu, Zhaohuan, E-mail: c.carrasco@crya.unam.mx, E-mail: l.rodriguez@crya.unam.mx, E-mail: r.galvan@crya.unam.mx, E-mail: henning@mpia.de, E-mail: linz@mpia.de [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2016-04-10

    The first long-baseline ALMA campaign resolved the disk around the young star HL Tau into a number of axisymmetric bright and dark rings. Despite the very young age of HL Tau, these structures have been interpreted as signatures for the presence of (proto)planets. The ALMA images triggered numerous theoretical studies based on disk–planet interactions, magnetically driven disk structures, and grain evolution. Of special interest are the inner parts of disks, where terrestrial planets are expected to form. However, the emission from these regions in HL Tau turned out to be optically thick at all ALMA wavelengths, preventing the derivation of surface density profiles and grain-size distributions. Here, we present the most sensitive images of HL Tau obtained to date with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array at 7.0 mm wavelength with a spatial resolution comparable to the ALMA images. At this long wavelength, the dust emission from HL Tau is optically thin, allowing a comprehensive study of the inner disk. We obtain a total disk dust mass of (1–3) × 10{sup −3} M {sub ⊙}, depending on the assumed opacity and disk temperature. Our optically thin data also indicate fast grain growth, fragmentation, and formation of dense clumps in the inner densest parts of the disk. Our results suggest that the HL Tau disk may be actually in a very early stage of planetary formation, with planets not already formed in the gaps but in the process of future formation in the bright rings.

  3. THE VLA VIEW OF THE HL TAU DISK: DISK MASS, GRAIN EVOLUTION, AND EARLY PLANET FORMATION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carrasco-González, Carlos; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Galván-Madrid, Roberto; Henning, Thomas; Linz, Hendrik; Birnstiel, Til; Boekel, Roy van; Klahr, Hubert; Chandler, Claire J.; Pérez, Laura; Anglada, Guillem; Macias, Enrique; Osorio, Mayra; Flock, Mario; Menten, Karl; Testi, Leonardo; Torrelles, José M.; Zhu, Zhaohuan

    2016-01-01

    The first long-baseline ALMA campaign resolved the disk around the young star HL Tau into a number of axisymmetric bright and dark rings. Despite the very young age of HL Tau, these structures have been interpreted as signatures for the presence of (proto)planets. The ALMA images triggered numerous theoretical studies based on disk–planet interactions, magnetically driven disk structures, and grain evolution. Of special interest are the inner parts of disks, where terrestrial planets are expected to form. However, the emission from these regions in HL Tau turned out to be optically thick at all ALMA wavelengths, preventing the derivation of surface density profiles and grain-size distributions. Here, we present the most sensitive images of HL Tau obtained to date with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array at 7.0 mm wavelength with a spatial resolution comparable to the ALMA images. At this long wavelength, the dust emission from HL Tau is optically thin, allowing a comprehensive study of the inner disk. We obtain a total disk dust mass of (1–3) × 10 −3 M ⊙ , depending on the assumed opacity and disk temperature. Our optically thin data also indicate fast grain growth, fragmentation, and formation of dense clumps in the inner densest parts of the disk. Our results suggest that the HL Tau disk may be actually in a very early stage of planetary formation, with planets not already formed in the gaps but in the process of future formation in the bright rings

  4. The formation of PSB-like shear bands in cyclically deformed ultrafine grained copper processed by ECAP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, S.D.; Wang, Z.G.; Jiang, C.B.; Li, G.Y.; Alexandrov, I.V.; Valiev, R.Z

    2003-06-15

    Cyclic deformation was performed on ultrafine grained copper processed by ECAP. Shear bands (SBs) and adjacent microstructures were investigated using electron channeling contrast in scanning electron microscope. The possible formation mechanism of SB was discussed based on the characteristic distribution of defects introduced by ECAP.

  5. Against the grain : French and German preference formation on agricultural trade during the GATT Uruguay Round

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Alons, G.C.

    2010-01-01

    In Against the Grain, Gerry Alons presents her research on French and German preference formation on agricultural trade liberalization in the 1980s and 1990s. In this process, the French and German governments were confronted with contradictory domestic and international pressure. While the farm

  6. The spatial distribution of microfabric around gravel grains: indicator of till formation processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    KalväNs, Andis; Saks, Tomas

    2010-05-01

    Till micromorphology studies in thin sections is an established tool in the field of glacial geology. Often the thin sections are inspected only visually with help of mineralogical microscope. This can lead to subjective interpretation of observed structures. More objective method used in till micromorphology is measurement of apparent microfabric, usually seen as preferred orientation of elongated sand grains. In theses studies only small fraction of elongated sand grains often confined to small area of thin section usually are measured. We present a method for automated measurement of almost all elongated sand grains across the full area of the thin section. Apparently elongated sand grains are measured using simple image analysis tools, the data are processed in a way similar to regular till fabric data and visualised as a grid of rose diagrams. The method allows to draw statistical information about spatial variation of microfabric preferred orientation and fabric strength with resolution as fine as 1 mm. Late Weichselian tills from several sites in Western Latvia were studied and large variations in fabric strength and spatial distribution were observed in macroscopically similar till units. The observed types of microfabric spatial distributions include strong, monomodal and uniform distribution; weak and highly variable in small distances distribution; consistently bimodal distribution and domain-like pattern of preferred sand grain orientation. We suggest that the method can be readily used to identify the basic deformation and sedimentation processes active during the final stages of till formation. It is understood that the microfabric orientation will be significant affected by nearby large particles. The till is highly heterogonous sediment and the source of microfabric perturbations observed in thin section might lie outside the section plane. Therefore we suggest that microfabric distribution around visible sources of perturbation - gravel grains cut

  7. Mid-IR Observations of Mira Circumstellar Environment

    OpenAIRE

    Marengo, Massimo; Karovska, Margarita; Fazio, Giovanni G.; Hora, Joseph L.; Hoffmann, William F.; Dayal, Aditya; Deutsch, Lynne K.

    2001-01-01

    This paper presents results from high-angular resolution mid-IR imaging of the Mira AB circumbinary environment using the MIRAC3 camera at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). We resolved the dusty circumstellar envelope at 9.8, 11.7 and 18 micron around Mira A (o Ceti), and measured the size of the extended emission. Strong deviations from spherical symmetry are detected in the images of Mira AB system, including possible dust clumps in the direction of the companion (Mira B). These ...

  8. A Madurella mycetomatis Grain Model in Galleria mellonella Larvae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wendy Kloezen

    Full Text Available Eumycetoma is a chronic granulomatous subcutaneous infectious disease, endemic in tropical and subtropical regions and most commonly caused by the fungus Madurella mycetomatis. Interestingly, although grain formation is key in mycetoma, its formation process and its susceptibility towards antifungal agents are not well understood. This is because grain formation cannot be induced in vitro; a mammalian host is necessary to induce its formation. Until now, invertebrate hosts were never used to study grain formation in M. mycetomatis. In this study we determined if larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella could be used to induce grain formation when infected with M. mycetomatis. Three different M. mycetomatis strains were selected and three different inocula for each strain were used to infect G. mellonella larvae, ranging from 0.04 mg/larvae to 4 mg/larvae. Larvae were monitored for 10 days. It appeared that most larvae survived the lowest inoculum, but at the highest inoculum all larvae died within the 10 day observation period. At all inocula tested, grains were formed within 4 hours after infection. The grains produced in the larvae resembled those formed in human and in mammalian hosts. In conclusion, the M. mycetomatis grain model in G. mellonella larvae described here could serve as a useful model to study the grain formation and therapeutic responses towards antifungal agents in the future.

  9. The interaction of Type Ia supernovae with their circumstellar medium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chiotellis, A.

    2013-01-01

    This thesis is focused on the study of a specific class of supernovae, named Type Ia (or thermonuclear) supernovae. In particular, we attempt to gain information about their origin through the study of the interaction of these supernovae with circumstellar structures that have been shaped by their

  10. Dust grains from the heart of supernovae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bocchio, M.; Marassi, S.; Schneider, R.; Bianchi, S.; Limongi, M.; Chieffi, A.

    2016-03-01

    Dust grains are classically thought to form in the winds of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. However, there is increasing evidence today for dust formation in supernovae (SNe). To establish the relative importance of these two classes of stellar sources of dust, it is important to know the fraction of freshly formed dust in SN ejecta that is able to survive the passage of the reverse shock and be injected in the interstellar medium. With this aim, we have developed a new code, GRASH_Rev, that allows following the dynamics of dust grains in the shocked SN ejecta and computing the time evolution of the mass, composition, and size distribution of the grains. We considered four well-studied SNe in the Milky Way and Large Magellanic Cloud: SN 1987A, CasA, the Crab nebula, and N49. These sources have been observed with both Spitzer and Herschel, and the multiwavelength data allow a better assessment the mass of warm and cold dust associated with the ejecta. For each SN, we first identified the best explosion model, using the mass and metallicity of the progenitor star, the mass of 56Ni, the explosion energy, and the circumstellar medium density inferred from the data. We then ran a recently developed dust formation model to compute the properties of freshly formed dust. Starting from these input models, GRASH_Rev self-consistently follows the dynamics of the grains, considering the effects of the forward and reverse shock, and allows predicting the time evolution of the dust mass, composition, and size distribution in the shocked and unshocked regions of the ejecta. All the simulated models aagree well with observations. Our study suggests that SN 1987A is too young for the reverse shock to have affected the dust mass. Hence the observed dust mass of 0.7-0.9 M⊙ in this source can be safely considered as indicative of the mass of freshly formed dust in SN ejecta. Conversely, in the other three SNe, the reverse shock has already destroyed between 10-40% of the

  11. Photoelectric charging of dust grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ignatov, A. M.

    2009-01-01

    Photoemission from the surface of a dust grain in vacuum is considered. It is shown that the cutoff in the energy spectrum of emitted electrons leads to the formation of a steady-state electron cloud. The equation describing the distribution of the electric potential in the vicinity of a dust grain is solved numerically. The dust grain charge is found as a function of the grain size.

  12. Formation of incoherent deformation twin boundaries in a coarse-grained Al-7Mg alloy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, S. B.; Zhang, K.; Bjørge, R.; Tao, N. R.; Marthinsen, K.; Lu, K.; Li, Y. J.

    2015-08-01

    Deformation twinning has rarely been observed in coarse grained Al and its alloys except under some extreme conditions such as ultrahigh deformation strain or strain rates. Here, we report that a significant amount of Σ3 deformation twins could be generated in a coarse-grained Al-7 Mg alloy by dynamic plastic deformation (DPD). A systematic investigation of the Σ3 boundaries shows that they are Σ3{112} type incoherent twin boundaries (ITBs). These ITBs have formed by gradual evolution from copious low-angle deformation bands through -twist Σ boundaries by lattice rotation. These findings provide an approach to generate deformation twin boundaries in high stacking fault energy metallic alloys. It is suggested that high solution content of Mg in the alloy and the special deformation mode of DPD played an important role in formation of the Σ and ITBs.

  13. Age of origin of the polymetamorphosed Copperton Formation, Namaqua-Natal Province, determined by single grain zircon Pb-Pb dating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cornell, D.H.; Griffin, G.; Kroener, A.; Humphreys, H.

    1990-01-01

    The Copperton Formation of the Areachap Group in the Northern Cape Province is a strongly metamorphosed, predominantly metavolcanic unit which contains several massive sulphide deposits. Previous work on this unit has established a complex metamorphic history, the four main phases of which are fairly well dated by a combination of methods; however, the age of origin is still poorly constrained. Zircons extracted from the Smouspan Gneiss Member of the Copperton formation are euhedral and show a crystal habit which indicates an igneous and probably volcanic origin, with no discernable metamorphic component. Whole-grain thermal evaporation on four such zircon grains yielded a precise set of 207 Pb/ 206 Pb data which establishes a 1 285 ± 14 Ma age for the origin of the Smouspan Gneiss and Copperton Formation. Indications of a ∼1 600 Ma age from other parts of the Areachap Group should be treated with caution until more reliable data are obtained. 9 figs., 2 tabs., 29 refs

  14. Observations of Circumstellar Thermochemical Equilibrium: The Case of Phosphorus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milam, Stefanie N.; Charnley, Steven B.

    2011-01-01

    We will present observations of phosphorus-bearing species in circumstellar envelopes, including carbon- and oxygen-rich shells 1. New models of thermochemical equilibrium chemistry have been developed to interpret, and constrained by these data. These calculations will also be presented and compared to the numerous P-bearing species already observed in evolved stars. Predictions for other viable species will be made for observations with Herschel and ALMA.

  15. Formation of molecular hydrogen on carbonaceous grains from the interstellar medium. Role of the surface, her relaxation, her morphology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bachellerie, D.

    2008-12-01

    The formation of H 2 in the interstellar medium, from two hydrogen atoms, is a fundamental question in astrophysics. This very exothermic reaction is indeed the first step of a series of essential reactions for the interstellar physical-chemistry that takes place on the surface of interstellar dust grains. In the warm regions of the ISM, diffuse clouds and Photodissociation regions, the invoked formation mechanism is the Eley-Rideal heterogeneous catalysis reaction, in which one H atom is initially chemisorbed. The grains have mainly carbonaceous graphitic-like composition. Previous theoretical works carried out using constrained geometries were unable to explain the formation of H 2 in the observed rovibrationnal states (v≤5). In order to take into account the degrees of freedom of all relevant atoms, we have built, from the Brenner potential, a new potential that models the graphene H-H system.With this potential, we have completed a classical molecular dynamics study of the formation of H 2 . This work has been performed for collision energies of the impinging H atoms from 0.015 eV to 0.2 eV and for surface temperature of 0, 10 and 30 K. One of the salient results is that the reaction cross section is directly related with the shape of the potential seen by the impinging H atom. Furthermore, the rovibrationnal distribution obtained by allowing the surface atoms to move is in better agreement with the one observed by astrophysicists (v≤6), the surface absorbs a large part (∼25%) of the available energy. Some works about the influence of: an additional H atom upon the surface or a possible porous structure of the grains, on the formation of H 2 are presented in appendices. (author)

  16. Effect of grain refiner on intermetallic phase formation in directional solidification of 6xxx series wrought Al alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sha, G.; O' Reilly, K.; Cantor, B. [Oxford Univ. (United Kingdom). Centre for Adv. Mat. and Composites; Hamerton, R.; Worth, J.

    2000-07-01

    The effect of a grain refiner on the formation of intermetallic phases in a directionally solidified (Bridgman grown) model 6xxx series wrought Al alloy has been investigated using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A base alloy with and without Al-Ti-B grain refiner was directionally solidified in a Bridgman furnace at growth velocities in the range of 5-120 mm/min. In both cases, the Fe-containing intermetallic phases present were found to be mainly {alpha}-AlFeSi and {beta}-AlFeSi. However, in the alloy with grain refiner solidified at 5mm/min, Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4} was also observed. Quantitative XRD results indicated that the addition of Al-Ti-B grain refiner has a strong influence on the relative quantities of intermetallic phases forming during solidification at different growth velocities, which was also confirmed by TEM observations. TEM observations also show that depending on where the {beta}-AlFeSi particles solidified e.g. grain boundaries or triple grain junctions, the size and morphology of the particles may change dramatically. TiB{sub 2} particles were observed to nucleate {beta}-AlFeSi at low and high growth velocities in the 6xxx series Al alloys. (orig.)

  17. Grains of Nonferrous and Noble Metals in Iron-Manganese Formations and Igneous Rocks of Submarine Elevations of the Sea of Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolesnik, O. N.; Astakhova, N. V.

    2018-01-01

    Iron-manganese formations and igneous rocks of submarine elevations in the Sea of Japan contain overlapping mineral phases (grains) with quite identical morphology, localization, and chemical composition. Most of the grains conform to oxides, intermetallic compounds, native elements, sulfides, and sulfates in terms of the set of nonferrous, noble, and certain other metals (Cu, Zn, Sn, Pb, Ni, Mo, Ag, Pd, and Pt). The main conclusion that postvolcanic hydrothermal fluids are the key sources of metals is based upon a comparison of the data of electron microprobe analysis of iron-manganese formations and igneous rocks dredged at the same submarine elevations in the Sea of Japan.

  18. Investigation of microorganisms involved in biosynthesis of the kefir grain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Sheng-Yao; Chen, Kun-Nan; Lo, Yung-Ming; Chiang, Ming-Lun; Chen, Hsi-Chia; Liu, Je-Ruei; Chen, Ming-Ju

    2012-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand the significance of each microorganism in grain formation by evaluating their microbial aggregation and cell surface properties during co-aggregation of LAB and yeasts together with an investigation of biofilm formation. Non-grain forming strains from viili were also evaluated as a comparison. Results indicated that the kefir grain strains, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens and Saccharomyces turicensis possess strong auto-aggregation ability and that Lactobacillus kefiri shows significant biofilm formation properties. Significant co-aggregation was noted when S. turicensis and kefir LAB strains (Lb. kefiranofaciens and Lb. kefiri) were co-cultured. Most of the tested LAB strains are hydrophilic and had a negative charge on their cell surface. Only the kefir LAB strains, Lb. kefiranofaciens HL1 and Lb. kefiri HL2, possessed very high hydrophobicity and had a positive cell surface charge at pH 4.2. In contrast, the LAB and yeasts in viili did not show any significant self-aggregation or biofilm formation. Based on the above results, we propose that grain formation begins with the self-aggregation of Lb. kefiranofaciens and S. turicensis to form small granules. At this point, the biofilm producer, Lb. kefiri, then begins to attach to the surface of granules and co-aggregates with other organisms and components in the milk to form the grains. On sub-culturing, more organisms attach to the grains resulting in grain growth. When investigated by scanning electron microscopy, it was found that short-chain lactobacilli such as Lb. kefiri occupy the surface, while long-chain lactobacilli such as Lb. kefiranofaciens have aggregated towards the center of the kefir grains. These findings agree with the above hypothesis on the formation of grains. Taken together, this study demonstrates the importance of cell surface properties together with fermentation conditions to the formation of grains in kefir. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All

  19. Interstellar Chemistry Special Feature: The chemistry in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars: Following the origin of the elements to the origin of life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziurys, Lucy M.

    2006-08-01

    Mass loss from evolved stars results in the formation of unusual chemical laboratories: circumstellar envelopes. Such envelopes are found around carbon- and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars and red supergiants. As the gaseous material of the envelope flows from the star, the resulting temperature and density gradients create a complex chemical environment involving hot, thermodynamically controlled synthesis, molecule "freeze-out," shock-initiated reactions, and photochemistry governed by radical mechanisms. In the circumstellar envelope of the carbon-rich star IRC+10216, >50 different chemical compounds have been identified, including such exotic species as C8H, C3S, SiC3, and AlNC. The chemistry here is dominated by molecules containing long carbon chains, silicon, and metals such as magnesium, sodium, and aluminum, which makes it quite distinct from that found in molecular clouds. The molecular composition of the oxygen-rich counterparts is not nearly as well explored, although recent studies of VY Canis Majoris have resulted in the identification of HCO+, SO2, and even NaCl in this object, suggesting chemical complexity here as well. As these envelopes evolve into planetary nebulae with a hot, exposed central star, synthesis of molecular ions becomes important, as indicated by studies of NGC 7027. Numerous species such as HCO+, HCN, and CCH are found in old planetary nebulae such as the Helix. This "survivor" molecular material may be linked to the variety of compounds found recently in diffuse clouds. Organic molecules in dense interstellar clouds may ultimately be traced back to carbon-rich fragments originally formed in circumstellar shells.

  20. Comparative study of He bubble formation in nanostructured reduced activation steel and its coarsen-grained counterpart

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, W. B.; Zhang, J. H.; Ji, Y. Z.; Xia, L. D.; Liu, H. P.; Yun, D.; He, C. H.; Zhang, C.; Yang, Z. G.

    2018-03-01

    High temperature (550 °C) He ions irradiation was performed on nanostructured (NS) and coarsen-grained (CG) reduced activation steel to investigate the effects of GBs/interfaces on the formation of bubbles during irradiation. Experimental results showed that He bubbles were preferentially trapped at dislocations and/or grain boundaries (GBs) for both of the samples. Void denuded zones (VDZs) were observed in the CG samples, while VDZs near GBs were unobvious in NS sample. However, both the average bubble size and the bubble density in peak damage region of the CG sample were significantly larger than that observed in the NS sample, which indicated that GBs play an important role during the irradiation, and the NS steel had better irradiation resistance than its CG counterpart.

  1. Radio Interferometric Detection of TiO and TiO_2 in VY Canis Majoris: "seeds" of Inorganic Dust Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunken, S.; Muller, H. S. P.; Kaminski, T.; Menten, K. M.; Gott-Lieb, C. A.; Patel, N. A.; Young, K. H.; McCarthy, M. C.; Winters, J. M.; Decin, L.

    2013-06-01

    Circumstellar envelopes around late-type stars harbour a rich variety of molecular gas and copious amounts of dust, originating from the mass-loss of the central star during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) or the red supergiant phase. The formation of dust in these objects, in particular the first nucleation stages out of gas phase molecules, is still poorly understood. Here we report the first detection of pure rotational transitions of the two simplest titanium oxides, TiO and TiO_2, towards the oxygen-rich red supergiant VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa). This actually represents the first secure identification of TiO_2 in space. Observations of several rotational emission lines of both species with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) in the 345 GHz-band and with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) around 220 GHz confirm the presence of these refractory species in the cool (<1000 K) circumstellar envelope in a region several times the size of the dust formation zone. The role of Ti oxides as "seeds" of inorganic dust formation in oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes will be discussed in view of the present observations.

  2. The chemical composition of three Lambda Bootis stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venn, K.A.; Lambert, D.L.

    1990-01-01

    Abundance analyses are reported for three certain members (Lambda Boo, 29 Cyg, Pi1 Ori) of the class of rapidly rotating, metal-poor A-type stars known as Lambda Bootis stars. Model atmosphere analysis of high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra shows that the metal deficiencies are more severe than previously reported: Fe/H = -2.0, -1.8, -1.3 for Lambda Boo, 29 Cyg, and Pi1 Ori, respectively. Other metals (Mg, Ca, Ti, and Sr) are similarly underabundant, with Na often having a smaller underabundance. C, N, O, and S have near-solar abundances. Vega is shown to be a mild Lambda Boo star. The abundance anomalies of the Lambda Boo stars resemble those found for the interstellar gas in which the metals are depleted through formation of interstellar grains. It is suggested that the Lambda Boo stars are created when circumstellar (or interstellar) gas is separated from the grains and accreted by the star. The bulk of the interstellar grains comprises a circumstellar cloud or disk that is detectable by its infrared radiation. 67 refs

  3. Erratic Male Meiosis Resulting in 2n Pollen Grain Formation in a 4x Cytotype (2n=28 of Ranunculus laetus Wall. ex Royle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puneet Kumar

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Two accessions were studied for male meiosis in Ranunculus laetus from the cold regions of Northwest Himalayas. One accession showed the presence of 14 bivalents at diakinesis and regular segregation of bivalents at anaphase I which lead to normal tetrad formation with four n microspores and consequently n pollen grains and 100% pollen fertility. Second accession from the same locality revealed the erratic meiosis characterized by the presence of all the 28 chromosomes as univalents in meiocytes at metaphase I. Univalent chromosomes failed to segregate during anaphases and produced restitution nuclei at meiosis I and II. These restitution nuclei resulted into dyads and triads which subsequently produced two types of apparently fertile pollen grains. On the basis of size, the two types of pollen grains were categorized as n (normal reduced and 2n (unreduced, 1.5-times larger than the n pollen grains. The estimated frequency of 2n pollen grains from dyads and triads (61.59% was almost the same as that of the observed one (59.90%, which indicated that 2n pollen grains in R. laetus were the result of dyads and triads. The present paper herein may provide an insight into the mechanisms of the formation of various intraspecific polyploids through sexual polyploidization in R. laetus.

  4. Grain dynamics and inter-grain coupling in dusty plasma Coulomb crystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahman, H.U.; Mohideen, U.; Smith, M.A.; Rosenberg, M.; Mendis, D.A.

    2001-01-01

    We review our results on the lattice structure and the lattice dynamics of dusty plasma Coulomb crystals formed in rectangular conductive grooves. The basic structure appears to be made of mutually repulsive columns of grains confined by the walls of the groove. The columns are oriented along the direction of the electrode sheath electric field. Inter-grain coupling as a function of plasma temperature and density were investigated by measurement of these parameters. A simple phenomenological model wherein the inter-grain spacing along the column results from an attractive electric field induced dipole-dipole force balanced by a repulsive monopole Coulomb force is consistent with observed features of the Coulomb crystal. In addition, here we present some preliminary measurements of the vibration and rotation dynamics of the individual grains in the Coulomb crystal. The thermal energy of the dust grain thus calculated is much less than the inter-grain Coulomb potential energy as required for the formation of stable structures. Also the observed rotational frequency is consistent with the assumption of thermal equilibrium between the dust grains and the neutral gas. (orig.)

  5. Grain surface chemistry in protoplanetary disks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reboussin, Laura

    2015-01-01

    Planetary formation occurs in the protoplanetary disks of gas and dust. Although dust represents only 1% of the total disk mass, it plays a fundamental role in disk chemical evolution since it acts as a catalyst for the formation of molecules. Understanding this chemistry is therefore essential to determine the initial conditions from which planets form. During my thesis, I studied grain-surface chemistry and its impact on the chemical evolution of molecular cloud, initial condition for disk formation, and protoplanetary disk. Thanks to numerical simulations, using the gas-grain code Nautilus, I showed the importance of diffusion reactions and gas-grain interactions for the abundances of gas-phase species. Model results combined with observations also showed the effects of the physical structure (in temperature, density, AV) on the molecular distribution in disks. (author)

  6. Circumstellar Material on and off the Main Sequence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Amy; Debes, John H.; Deming, Drake

    2017-06-01

    There is evidence of circumstellar material around main sequence, giant, and white dwarf stars that originates from the small-body population of planetary systems. These bodies tell us something about the chemistry and evolution of protoplanetary disks and the planetary systems they form. What happens to this material as its host star evolves off the main sequence, and how does that inform our understanding of the typical chemistry of rocky bodies in planetary systems? In this talk, I will discuss the composition(s) of circumstellar material on and off the main sequence to begin to answer the question, “Is Earth normal?” In particular, I look at three types of debris disks to understand the typical chemistry of planetary systems—young debris disks, debris disks around giant stars, and dust around white dwarfs. I will review the current understanding on how to infer dust composition for each class of disk, and present new work on constraining dust composition from infrared excesses around main sequence and giant stars. Finally, dusty and polluted white dwarfs hold a unique key to our understanding of the composition of rocky bodies around other stars. In particular, I will discuss WD1145+017, which has a transiting, disintegrating planetesimal. I will review what we know about this system through high speed photometry and spectroscopy and present new work on understanding the complex interplay of physics that creates white dwarf pollution from the disintegration of rocky bodies.

  7. Oxygen-rich Mass Loss with a Pinch of Salt: NaCl in the Circumstellar Gas of IK Tauri and VY Canis Majoris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milam, S. N.; Apponi, A. J.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.

    2007-10-01

    The NaCl molecule has been observed in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) and IK Tauri (IK Tau)-the first identifications of a metal refractory in oxygen-rich shells of evolved stars. Five rotational transitions of NaCl at 1 and 2 mm were detected toward VY CMa and three 1 mm lines were observed toward IK Tau, using the telescopes of the Arizona Radio Observatory. In both objects, the line widths of the NaCl profiles were extremely narrow relative to those of other molecules, indicating that sodium chloride has not reached the terminal outflow velocity in either star, likely a result of early condensation onto grains. Modeling the observed spectra suggests abundances, relative to H2, of f~5×10-9 in VY CMa and f~4×10-9 in IK Tau, with source sizes of 0.5" and 0.3", respectively. The extent of these sources is consistent with the size of the dust acceleration zones in both stars. NaCl therefore appears to be at least as abundant in O-rich shells as compared to C-rich envelopes, where f~(0.2-2)×10-9, although it appears to condense out earlier in the O-rich case. Chemical equilibrium calculations indicate that NaCl is the major carrier of sodium at T~1100 K for oxygen-rich stars, with predicted fractional abundances in good agreement with the observations. These measurements suggest that crystalline salt may be an important condensate for sodium in both C- and O-rich circumstellar shells.

  8. IDENTIFYING NEARBY, YOUNG, LATE-TYPE STARS BY MEANS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schneider, Adam; Song, Inseok; Melis, Carl; Zuckerman, B.; Bessell, Mike

    2012-01-01

    It has recently been shown that a significant fraction of late-type members of nearby, very young associations (age ∼<10 Myr) display excess emission at mid-IR wavelengths indicative of dusty circumstellar disks. We demonstrate that the detection of mid-IR excess emission can be utilized to identify new nearby, young, late-type stars including two definite new members ('TWA 33' and 'TWA 34') of the TW Hydrae Association (TWA). Both new TWA members display mid-IR excess emission in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer catalog and they show proper motion and youthful spectroscopic characteristics—namely, Hα emission, strong lithium absorption, and low surface gravity features consistent with known TWA members. We also detect mid-IR excess—the first unambiguous evidence of a dusty circumstellar disk—around a previously identified UV-bright, young, accreting star (2M1337) that is a likely member of the Lower-Centaurus Crux region of the Scorpius-Centaurus Complex.

  9. TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS THAT METHANOL MASER RINGS TRACE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS: HIGH-RESOLUTION NEAR-INFRARED AND MID-INFRARED IMAGING

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Buizer, James M.; Bartkiewicz, Anna; Szymczak, Marian

    2012-01-01

    Milliarcsecond very long baseline interferometry maps of regions containing 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission have lead to the recent discovery of ring-like distributions of maser spots and the plausible hypothesis that they may be tracing circumstellar disks around forming high-mass stars. We aimed to test this hypothesis by imaging these regions in the near- and mid-infrared at high spatial resolution and compare the observed emission to the expected infrared morphologies as inferred from the geometries of the maser rings. In the near-infrared we used the Gemini North adaptive optics system of ALTAIR/NIRI, while in the mid-infrared we used the combination of the Gemini South instrument T-ReCS and super-resolution techniques. Resultant images had a resolution of ∼150 mas in both the near-infrared and mid-infrared. We discuss the expected distribution of circumstellar material around young and massive accreting (proto)stars and what infrared emission geometries would be expected for the different maser ring orientations under the assumption that the masers are coming from within circumstellar disks. Based upon the observed infrared emission geometries for the four targets in our sample and the results of spectral energy distribution modeling of the massive young stellar objects associated with the maser rings, we do not find compelling evidence in support of the hypothesis that methanol masers rings reside in circumstellar disks.

  10. Models for the circumstellar medium of long gamma-ray burst progenitor candidates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marle, A.J. van

    2006-01-01

    Long gamma-ray bursts are highly energetic events that are thought to occur when certain massive stars, that end their lives as Wolf-Rayet stars, collapse at the end of their evolution. We present models of the circumstellar medium around those massive stars that are thought to be possible

  11. Exploring bainite formation kinetics distinguishing grain-boundary and autocatalytic nucleation in high and low-Si steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ravi, Ashwath M.; Sietsma, Jilt; Santofimia, Maria J.

    2016-01-01

    Bainite formation in steels begins with nucleation of bainitic ferrite at austenite grain boundaries (γ/γ interfaces). This leads to creation of bainitic ferrite/austenite interfaces (α/γ interfaces). Bainite formation continues through autocatalysis with nucleation of bainitic ferrite at these newly created α/γ interfaces. The displacive theory of bainite formation suggests that the formation of bainitic ferrite is accompanied by carbon enrichment of surrounding austenite. This carbon enrichment generally leads to carbide precipitation unless such a reaction is thermodynamically or kinetically unfavourable. Each bainitic ferrite nucleation event is governed by an activation energy. Depending upon the interface at which nucleation occurs, a specific activation energy would be related to a specific nucleation mechanism. On the basis of this concept, a model has been developed to understand the kinetics of bainite formation during isothermal treatments. This model is derived under the assumptions of displacive mechanism of bainite formation. The fitting parameters used in this model are physical entities related to nucleation and microstructural dimensions. The model is designed in such a way that the carbon redistribution during bainite formation is accounted for, leading to prediction of transformation kinetics both with and without of carbide precipitation during bainite formation. Furthermore, the model is validated using two different sets of kinetic data published in the literature.

  12. Connecting macroscopic observables and microscopic assembly events in amyloid formation using coarse grained simulations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noah S Bieler

    Full Text Available The pre-fibrillar stages of amyloid formation have been implicated in cellular toxicity, but have proved to be challenging to study directly in experiments and simulations. Rational strategies to suppress the formation of toxic amyloid oligomers require a better understanding of the mechanisms by which they are generated. We report Dynamical Monte Carlo simulations that allow us to study the early stages of amyloid formation. We use a generic, coarse-grained model of an amyloidogenic peptide that has two internal states: the first one representing the soluble random coil structure and the second one the [Formula: see text]-sheet conformation. We find that this system exhibits a propensity towards fibrillar self-assembly following the formation of a critical nucleus. Our calculations establish connections between the early nucleation events and the kinetic information available in the later stages of the aggregation process that are commonly probed in experiments. We analyze the kinetic behaviour in our simulations within the framework of the theory of classical nucleated polymerisation, and are able to connect the structural events at the early stages in amyloid growth with the resulting macroscopic observables such as the effective nucleus size. Furthermore, the free-energy landscapes that emerge from these simulations allow us to identify pertinent properties of the monomeric state that could be targeted to suppress oligomer formation.

  13. Debris Disks: Probing Planet Formation

    OpenAIRE

    Wyatt, Mark C.

    2018-01-01

    Debris disks are the dust disks found around ~20% of nearby main sequence stars in far-IR surveys. They can be considered as descendants of protoplanetary disks or components of planetary systems, providing valuable information on circumstellar disk evolution and the outcome of planet formation. The debris disk population can be explained by the steady collisional erosion of planetesimal belts; population models constrain where (10-100au) and in what quantity (>1Mearth) planetesimals (>10km i...

  14. Irradiation of FeS: Implications for the Lifecycle of Sulfur in the Interstellar Medium and Presolar FeS Grains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, Lindsay P.; Loeffler, M. J.; Christoffersen, R.; Dukes, C.; Rahman, Z.; Baragiola, R.

    2010-01-01

    Fe(Ni) sulfides are ubiquitous in chondritic meteorites and cometary samples where they are the dominant host of sulfur. Despite their abundance in these early solar system materials, their presence in interstellar and circumstellar environments is poorly understood. Fe-sulfides have been reported from astronomical observations of pre- and post-main sequence stars [1, 2] and occur as inclusions in bonafide circumstellar silicate grains [3, 4]. In cold, dense molecular cloud (MC) environments, sulfur is highly depleted from the gas phase [e.g. 5], yet observations of sulfur-bearing molecules in dense cores find a total abundance that is only a small fraction of the sulfur seen in diffuse regions [6], therefore the bulk of the depletion must reside in an abundant unobserved phase. In stark contrast, sulfur is essentially undepleted from the gas phase in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) [7-9], indicating that little sulfur is incorporated into solid grains in this environment. This is a rather puzzling observation unless Fe-sulfides are not produced in significant quantities in stellar outflows, or their lifetime in the ISM is very short due to rapid destruction. The main destruction mechanism is sputtering due to supernova shocks in the warm, diffuse ISM [10]. This process involves the reduction of Fe-sulfide with the production of Fe metal as a by-product and returning S to the gas phase. In order to test this hypothesis, we irradiated FeS and analyzed the resulting material using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

  15. Ferroelectric domain continuity over grain boundaries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mantri, Sukriti; Oddershede, Jette; Damjanovic, Dragan

    2017-01-01

    Formation and mobility of domain walls in ferroelectric materials is responsible for many of their electrical and mechanical properties. Domain wall continuity across grain boundaries has been observed since the 1950's and is speculated to affect the grain boundary-domain interactions, thereby...... impacting macroscopic ferroelectric properties in polycrystalline systems. However detailed studies of such correlated domain structures across grain boundaries are limited. In this work, we have developed the mathematical requirements for domain wall plane matching at grain boundaries of any given...... orientation. We have also incorporated the effect of grain boundary ferroelectric polarization charge created when any two domains meet at the grain boundary plane. The probability of domain wall continuity for three specific grain misorientations is studied. Use of this knowledge to optimize processing...

  16. A Novel, Extremely Elongated, and Endocellular Bacterial Symbiont Supports Cuticle Formation of a Grain Pest Beetle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirota, Bin; Okude, Genta; Anbutsu, Hisashi; Futahashi, Ryo; Moriyama, Minoru; Meng, Xian-Ying; Nikoh, Naruo; Koga, Ryuichi; Fukatsu, Takema

    2017-09-26

    The saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Silvanidae), is a cosmopolitan stored-product pest. Early studies on O. surinamensis in the 1930s described the presence of peculiar bacteriomes harboring endosymbiotic bacteria in the abdomen. Since then, however, the microbiological nature of the symbiont has been elusive. Here we investigated the endosymbiotic system of O. surinamensis in detail. In the abdomen of adults, pupae, and larvae, four oval bacteriomes were consistently identified, whose cytoplasm was full of extremely elongated tubular bacterial cells several micrometers wide and several hundred micrometers long. Molecular phylogenetic analysis identified the symbiont as a member of the Bacteroidetes , in which the symbiont was the most closely related to the endosymbiont of a grain pest beetle, Rhyzopertha dominica (Bostrichidae). The symbiont was detected in developing embryos, corroborating vertical symbiont transmission through host generations. The symbiont gene showed AT-biased nucleotide composition and accelerated molecular evolution, plausibly reflecting degenerative evolution of the symbiont genome. When the symbiont infection was experimentally removed, the aposymbiotic insects grew and reproduced normally, but exhibited a slightly but significantly more reddish cuticle and lighter body mass. These results indicate that the symbiont of O. surinamensis is not essential for the host's growth and reproduction but contributes to the host's cuticle formation. Symbiont genome sequencing and detailed comparison of fitness parameters between symbiotic and aposymbiotic insects under various environmental conditions will provide further insights into the symbiont's biological roles for the stored-product pest. IMPORTANCE Some beetles notorious as stored-product pests possess well-developed symbiotic organs called bacteriomes for harboring specific symbiotic bacteria, although their biological roles have been poorly understood. Here we report

  17. DEVELOPMENT OF GRAIN MARKET IN UKRAINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandr Maslak

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The subject of the research is a set of theoretical, methodological and practical fundamentals of organizational and economic functioning are integrated agricultural formations in the grain market of Ukraine. The methodological basis of research is the complex analysis of economic processes in the grain market in Ukraine and the world. During research we used such methods as method of systematization and comparison, statistic, economic, balance, constructive, target-oriented, and the methods of induction and deduction, analogy and comparison. Main aim of this article is the analysis of the situation on the grain market in Ukraine, defining the role of integrated agricultural formations in this market, improving the organizational-economic mechanism of its functioning, identifies ways of improving the competitiveness of Ukraine among world exporters of grain. Using results of the studies we examined trends grain market in Ukraine; influence of businesses in grain production; analysis of constraints to improve production efficiency of grain; defined domestic (internal needs of grain in Ukraine; assessed the status and expediency transformation infrastructure of the grain market of Ukraine; defined priority directions of development of the grain market in Ukraine. As a result of the preparation of articles, it is obtained the following conclusions: Ukraine is the world's largest producers and exporters of grain, the production of integrated agricultural units to a third of the total grain; technical condition of farm does not meet the needs of production; the domestic market is unable to provide the existing demand for grain production, contributing to export growth; Ukraine has a number of problems due to increased grain production, namely the shortage of storage capacity for the storage of grain, limited performance transshipment of grain in port elevators and imperfection and depreciation of transport systems; solving the existing problems is

  18. Observations of the interstellar ice grain feature in the Taurus molecular clouds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whittet, D.C.B.; Bode, H.F.; Longmore, A.J.; Baines, D.W.T.; Evans, A.

    1983-01-01

    Although water ice was originally proposed as a major constituent of the interstellar grain population (e.g. Oort and van de Hulst, 1946), the advent of infrared astronomy has shown that the expected absorption due to O-H stretching vibrations at 3 μm is illusive. Observations have in fact revealed that the carrier of this feature is apparently restricted to regions deep within dense molecular clouds (Merrill et al., 1976; Willner et al., 1982). However, the exact carrier of this feature is still controversial, and many questions remain as to the conditions required for its appearance. It is also uncertain whether it is restricted to circumstellar shells, rather than the general cloud medium. Detailed discussion of the 3 μm band properties is given elsewhere in this volume. 15 references, 4 figures

  19. Spectroscopic Evolution of Disintegrating Planetesimals: Minute to Month Variability in the Circumstellar Gas Associated with WD 1145+017

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Redfield, Seth; Cauley, P. Wilson; Duvvuri, Girish M. [Astronomy Department and Van Vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459 (United States); Farihi, Jay [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Parsons, Steven G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Gänsicke, Boris T., E-mail: sredfield@wesleyan.edu [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

    2017-04-10

    With the recent discovery of transiting planetary material around WD 1145+017, a critical target has been identified that links the evolution of planetary systems with debris disks and their accretion onto the star. We present a series of observations, five epochs over a year, taken with Keck and the VLT, which for the first time show variability of circumstellar absorption in the gas disk surrounding WD 1145+017 on timescales of minutes to months. Circumstellar absorption is measured in more than 250 lines of 14 ions among 10 different elements associated with planetary composition, e.g., O, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni. Broad circumstellar gas absorption with a velocity spread of 225 km s{sup −1} is detected, but over the course of a year blueshifted absorption disappears, while redshifted absorption systematically increases. A correlation of equivalent width and oscillator strength indicates that the gas is not highly optically thick (median τ ≈ 2). We discuss simple models of an eccentric disk coupled with magnetospheric accretion to explain the basic observed characteristics of these high-resolution and high signal-to-noise observations. Variability is detected on timescales of minutes in the two most recent observations, showing a loss of redshifted absorption for tens of minutes, coincident with major transit events and consistent with gas hidden behind opaque transiting material. This system currently presents a unique opportunity to learn how the gas causing the spectroscopic, circumstellar absorption is associated with the ongoing accretion evidenced by photospheric contamination, as well as the transiting planetary material detected in photometric observations.

  20. ON THE FORMATION OF BENZOIC ACID AND HIGHER-ORDER BENZENE CARBOXYLIC ACIDS IN INTERSTELLAR MODEL ICE GRAINS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMurtry, Brandon M.; Saito, Sean E. J.; Turner, Andrew M.; Chakravarty, Harish K.; Kaiser, Ralf I. [W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

    2016-11-10

    With a binary ice mixture of benzene (C{sub 6}H{sub 6}) and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) at 10 K under contamination-free ultrahigh vacuum conditions, the formation of benzene carboxylic acids in interstellar ice grains was studied. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to probe for the formation of new species during the chemical processing of the ice mixture and during the following temperature-programmed desorption. Newly formed benzene carboxylic acid species, i.e., benzoic acid, as well as meta - and para -benzene dicarboxylic acid, were assigned using newly emerging bands in the infrared spectrum; a reaction mechanism, along with rate constants, was proposed utilizing the kinetic fitting of the coupled differential equations.

  1. The First 40 Million Years of Circumstellar Disk Evolution: The Signature of Terrestrial Planet Formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meng, Huan Y. A.; Rieke, George H.; Su, Kate Y. L.; Gáspár, András

    2017-01-01

    We characterize the first 40 Myr of evolution of circumstellar disks through a unified study of the infrared properties of members of young clusters and associations with ages from 2 Myr up to ∼40 Myr: NGC 1333, NGC 1960, NGC 2232, NGC 2244, NGC 2362, NGC 2547, IC 348, IC 2395, IC 4665, Chamaeleon I, Orion OB1a and OB1b, Taurus, the β Pictoris Moving Group, ρ Ophiuchi, and the associations of Argus, Carina, Columba, Scorpius–Centaurus, and Tucana–Horologium. Our work features: (1) a filtering technique to flag noisy backgrounds; (2) a method based on the probability distribution of deflections, P ( D ), to obtain statistically valid photometry for faint sources; and (3) use of the evolutionary trend of transitional disks to constrain the overall behavior of bright disks. We find that the fraction of disks three or more times brighter than the stellar photospheres at 24 μ m decays relatively slowly initially and then much more rapidly by ∼10 Myr. However, there is a continuing component until ∼35 Myr, probably due primarily to massive clouds of debris generated in giant impacts during the oligarchic/chaotic growth phases of terrestrial planets. If the contribution from primordial disks is excluded, the evolution of the incidence of these oligarchic/chaotic debris disks can be described empirically by a log-normal function with the peak at 12–20 Myr, including ∼13% of the original population, and with a post-peak mean duration of 10–20 Myr.

  2. The First 40 Million Years of Circumstellar Disk Evolution: The Signature of Terrestrial Planet Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Huan Y. A.; Rieke, George H.; Su, Kate Y. L.; Gáspár, András

    2017-02-01

    We characterize the first 40 Myr of evolution of circumstellar disks through a unified study of the infrared properties of members of young clusters and associations with ages from 2 Myr up to ˜40 Myr: NGC 1333, NGC 1960, NGC 2232, NGC 2244, NGC 2362, NGC 2547, IC 348, IC 2395, IC 4665, Chamaeleon I, Orion OB1a and OB1b, Taurus, the β Pictoris Moving Group, ρ Ophiuchi, and the associations of Argus, Carina, Columba, Scorpius-Centaurus, and Tucana-Horologium. Our work features: (1) a filtering technique to flag noisy backgrounds; (2) a method based on the probability distribution of deflections, P(D), to obtain statistically valid photometry for faint sources; and (3) use of the evolutionary trend of transitional disks to constrain the overall behavior of bright disks. We find that the fraction of disks three or more times brighter than the stellar photospheres at 24 μm decays relatively slowly initially and then much more rapidly by ˜10 Myr. However, there is a continuing component until ˜35 Myr, probably due primarily to massive clouds of debris generated in giant impacts during the oligarchic/chaotic growth phases of terrestrial planets. If the contribution from primordial disks is excluded, the evolution of the incidence of these oligarchic/chaotic debris disks can be described empirically by a log-normal function with the peak at 12-20 Myr, including ˜13% of the original population, and with a post-peak mean duration of 10-20 Myr.

  3. The First 40 Million Years of Circumstellar Disk Evolution: The Signature of Terrestrial Planet Formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meng, Huan Y. A.; Rieke, George H.; Su, Kate Y. L.; Gáspár, András, E-mail: hyameng@lpl.arizona.edu [Steward Observatory, Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

    2017-02-10

    We characterize the first 40 Myr of evolution of circumstellar disks through a unified study of the infrared properties of members of young clusters and associations with ages from 2 Myr up to ∼40 Myr: NGC 1333, NGC 1960, NGC 2232, NGC 2244, NGC 2362, NGC 2547, IC 348, IC 2395, IC 4665, Chamaeleon I, Orion OB1a and OB1b, Taurus, the β Pictoris Moving Group, ρ Ophiuchi, and the associations of Argus, Carina, Columba, Scorpius–Centaurus, and Tucana–Horologium. Our work features: (1) a filtering technique to flag noisy backgrounds; (2) a method based on the probability distribution of deflections, P ( D ), to obtain statistically valid photometry for faint sources; and (3) use of the evolutionary trend of transitional disks to constrain the overall behavior of bright disks. We find that the fraction of disks three or more times brighter than the stellar photospheres at 24 μ m decays relatively slowly initially and then much more rapidly by ∼10 Myr. However, there is a continuing component until ∼35 Myr, probably due primarily to massive clouds of debris generated in giant impacts during the oligarchic/chaotic growth phases of terrestrial planets. If the contribution from primordial disks is excluded, the evolution of the incidence of these oligarchic/chaotic debris disks can be described empirically by a log-normal function with the peak at 12–20 Myr, including ∼13% of the original population, and with a post-peak mean duration of 10–20 Myr.

  4. The role of grain size in He bubble formation: Implications for swelling resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Atwani, O.; Nathaniel, J. E.; Leff, A. C.; Muntifering, B. R.; Baldwin, J. K.; Hattar, K.; Taheri, M. L.

    2017-02-01

    Nanocrystalline metals are postulated as radiation resistant materials due to their high defect and particle (e.g. Helium) sink density. Here, the performance of nanocrystalline iron films is investigated in-situ in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) using He irradiation at 700 K. Automated crystal orientation mapping is used in concert with in-situ TEM to explore the role of grain orientation and grain boundary character on bubble density trends. Bubble density as a function of three key grain size regimes is demonstrated. While the overall trend revealed an increase in bubble density up to a saturation value, grains with areas ranging from 3000 to 7500 nm2 show a scattered distribution. An extrapolated swelling resistance based on bubble size and areal density indicated that grains with sizes less than 2000 nm2 possess the greatest apparent resistance. Moreover, denuded zones are found to be independent of grain size, grain orientation, and grain boundary misorientation angle.

  5. The role of grain size in He bubble formation: Implications for swelling resistance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Atwani, O., E-mail: oelatwan25@gmail.com [Drexel University, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Nathaniel, J.E.; Leff, A.C. [Drexel University, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Muntifering, B.R. [Department of Radiation Solid Interactions, Sandia National Laboratories, NM (United States); Baldwin, J.K. [Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Hattar, K. [Department of Radiation Solid Interactions, Sandia National Laboratories, NM (United States); Taheri, M.L. [Drexel University, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

    2017-02-15

    Nanocrystalline metals are postulated as radiation resistant materials due to their high defect and particle (e.g. Helium) sink density. Here, the performance of nanocrystalline iron films is investigated in-situ in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) using He irradiation at 700 K. Automated crystal orientation mapping is used in concert with in-situ TEM to explore the role of grain orientation and grain boundary character on bubble density trends. Bubble density as a function of three key grain size regimes is demonstrated. While the overall trend revealed an increase in bubble density up to a saturation value, grains with areas ranging from 3000 to 7500 nm{sup 2} show a scattered distribution. An extrapolated swelling resistance based on bubble size and areal density indicated that grains with sizes less than 2000 nm{sup 2} possess the greatest apparent resistance. Moreover, denuded zones are found to be independent of grain size, grain orientation, and grain boundary misorientation angle.

  6. Pure iron grains are rare in the universe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimura, Yuki; Tanaka, Kyoko K; Nozawa, Takaya; Takeuchi, Shinsuke; Inatomi, Yuko

    2017-01-01

    The abundant forms in which the major elements in the universe exist have been determined from numerous astronomical observations and meteoritic analyses. Iron (Fe) is an exception, in that only depletion of gaseous Fe has been detected in the interstellar medium, suggesting that Fe is condensed into a solid, possibly the astronomically invisible metal. To determine the primary form of Fe, we replicated the formation of Fe grains in gaseous ejecta of evolved stars by means of microgravity experiments. We found that the sticking probability for the formation of Fe grains is extremely small; only a few atoms will stick per hundred thousand collisions so that homogeneous nucleation of metallic Fe grains is highly ineffective, even in the Fe-rich ejecta of type Ia supernovae. This implies that most Fe is locked up as grains of Fe compounds or as impurities accreted onto other grains in the interstellar medium.

  7. Properties and Alignment of Interstellar Dust Grains toward Type Ia Supernovae with Anomalous Polarization Curves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoang, Thiem, E-mail: thiemhoang@kasi.re.kr [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute 776, Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055 (Korea, Republic of); Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H8 (Canada); Institute of Theoretical Physics, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

    2017-02-10

    Recent photometric and polarimetric observations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) show unusually low total-to-selective extinction ratios ( R {sub V} < 2) and wavelengths of maximum polarization ( λ{sub max} < 0.4 μ m) for several SNe Ia, which indicates peculiar properties of interstellar (IS) dust in the SN-hosted galaxies and/or the presence of circumstellar (CS) dust. In this paper, we use an inversion technique to infer the best-fit grain size distribution and the alignment function of interstellar grains along the lines of sight toward four SNe Ia with anomalous extinction and polarization data (SN 1986G, SN 2006X, SN 2008fp, and SN 2014J). We find that to reproduce low values of R{sub V}, a significant enhancement in the mass of small grains of radius a < 0.1 μ m is required. For SN 2014J, a simultaneous fit to its observed extinction and polarization is unsuccessful if all the data are attributed to IS dust (model 1), but a good fit is obtained when accounting for the contribution of CS dust (model 2). For SN 2008fp, our best-fit results for model 1 show that in order to reproduce an extreme value of λ{sub max} ∼ 0.15 μ m, small silicate grains must be aligned as efficiently as big grains. For this case, we suggest that strong radiation from the SN can induce efficient alignment of small grains in a nearby intervening molecular cloud via the radiative torque (RAT) mechanism. The resulting time dependence polarization from this RAT alignment model can be tested by observing at ultraviolet wavelengths.

  8. Circumstellar Gas in Young Planetary Debris Disks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberge, A.

    Circumstellar (CS) disks orbiting young stars fall into two categories: primordial disks, composed of unprocessed interstellar dust and gas, and debris disks, produced by the destruction of solid planetary bodies. In the first class, the most abundant gas is H_2; in the second, it appears that the H_2 gas has disappeared, possibly through incorporation into gas giant planets. The lifetime of H_2 gas in a CS disk is therefore of great importance, as it dictates the timescale for the formation of giant planets. FUSE observations of H_2 in CS disk systems have shown that FUV absorption spectroscopy may sensitively probe for small amounts of gas along the line of sight to the star. Most importantly, the FUSE non-detection of H_2 gas in the Beta Pictoris disk suggests that the primordial gas lifetime is less than about 12 Myr, and that gas giant planets must form very quickly. However, this suggestion is based on one system, and needs to be tested in additional systems with a range of ages, especially since there are indications that age is not the only factor in the evolution of a CS disk. We propose for FUSE observations of 3 additional debris disk systems, Fomalhaut, HD3003, and HD2884. Fomalhaut is an intermediate age debris disk, one of the Fabulous Four CS disks first discovered in 1984. The other two disks are younger, with ages similar to that of Beta Pic. All three stars are brighter in the FUV than Beta Pic, permitting us to sensitively probe for traces of H_2 gas. We will also measure the amount of secondary atomic gas produced from planetary bodies in these disks, in an effort to understand the entire evolution of CS gas in young planetary systems.

  9. Evolution of grain boundary character distributions in alloy 825 tubes during high temperature annealing: Is grain boundary engineering achieved through recrystallization or grain growth?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai, Qin; Zhao, Qing; Xia, Shuang; Wang, Baoshun; Zhou, Bangxin; Su, Cheng

    2017-01-01

    Grain boundary engineering (GBE) of nickel-based alloy 825 tubes was carried out with different cold drawing deformations by using a draw-bench on a factory production line and subsequent annealing at various temperatures. The microstructure evolution of alloy 825 during thermal-mechanical processing (TMP) was characterized by means of the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique to study the TMP effects on the grain boundary network and the evolution of grain boundary character distributions during high temperature annealing. The results showed that the proportion of ∑ 3 n coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries of alloy 825 tubes could be increased to > 75% by the TMP of 5% cold drawing and subsequent annealing at 1050 °C for 10 min. The microstructures of the partially recrystallized samples and the fully recrystallized samples suggested that the proportion of low ∑ CSL grain boundaries depended on the annealing time. The frequency of low ∑ CSL grain boundaries increases rapidly with increasing annealing time associating with the formation of large-size highly-twinned grains-cluster microstructure during recrystallization. However, upon further increasing annealing time, the frequency of low ∑ CSL grain boundaries decreased markedly during grain growth. So it is concluded that grain boundary engineering is achieved through recrystallization rather than grain growth. - Highlights: •The grain boundary engineering (GBE) is applicable to 825 tubes. •GBE is achieved through recrystallization rather than grain growth. •The low ∑ CSL grain boundaries in 825 tubes can be increased to > 75%.

  10. Numerical study of the impact of inoculant and grain transport on macrosegregation and microstructure formation during solidification of an Al-22%Cu alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tveito, K O; M'Hamdi, M; Bedel, M; Zaloz'nik, M; Combeau, H; Kumar, A; Dutta, P

    2012-01-01

    We investigate the impact of the nucleation law for nucleation on Al-Ti-B inoculant particles, of the motion of inoculant particles and of the motion of grains on the predicted macrosegregation and microstructure in a grain-refined Al-22 wt.% Cu alloy casting. We conduct the study by numerical simulations of a casting experiment in a side-cooled 76×76×254 mm sand mould. Macrosegregation and microstructure formation are studied with a volume-averaged two-phase model accounting for macroscopic heat and solute transport, melt convection, and transport of inoculant particles and equiaxed grains. On the microscopic scale it accounts for nucleation on inoculant particles with a given size distribution (and corresponding activation undercooling distribution)and for the growth of globular solid grains. The growth kinetics is described by accounting for limited solute diffusion in both liquid and solid phases and for convective effects. We show that the consideration of a size distribution of the inoculants has a strong impact on the microstructure(final grain size) prediction. The transport of inoculants significantly increases the microstructure heterogeneities and the grain motion refines the microstructure and reduces the microstructure heterogeneities.

  11. Time-Dependent Dust Formation in Novae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung-Won Suh

    1991-06-01

    Full Text Available The dust formation processes in novae are investigated with close attention to recent infrared observations. Using mainly the classical nucleation theory, we have calculated the time scales of dust formation and growth in the environments of novae. Those time scales roughly resemble the typical observations. We have classified the dust-forming novae into three classes according to their explosion properties and the thermodynamic properties of dust grains. Oxygen grains from much later than carbon grains because of their thermodynamic properties. The effect of grain formation to the efficiency of stellar winds to drive the material outward is tested with newly obtained Planck mean values of dust grains.

  12. Distribution of SO_{2} and so in the Envelope of Vy-Canis Majoris: Insight Into Circumstellar Sulfur Chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adande, Gilles; Ziurys, L. M.

    2013-06-01

    Millimeter wave observations of SO_{2} and SO in the envelope of the O-rich supergiant VY-Canis Majoris have been conducted with the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) of the Arizona Radio Observatory, between 210 and 290 GHz. A non LTE radiative transfer code has been written to fit the line profile of 22 lines of SO_{2} and 5 transitions of SO, and model their abundance and distribution within the circumstellar envelope. The rotational levels involved span a wide energy range, from 13 cm^{-1} to 104 cm^{-1} for SO_{2}, and 17 to 40 cm^{-1} for SO. The high number of transitions fitted provides strong constraints on the excitation conditions, hydrogen density and kinetic temperatures. The results will be discussed in relation to the formation processes and chemistry of these two species in O-rich molecular envelopes.

  13. Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates through Citizen Science

    OpenAIRE

    Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; Garcia, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L.; Rebull, Luisa M.; Wisniewski, John P.; Nesvold, Erika

    2016-01-01

    The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μm excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectr...

  14. Suprathermal grains: on intergalactic magnetic fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dasgupta, A.K.

    1979-01-01

    Charged dust grains of radii a approximately equal to 3 x 10 -6 to approximately 3 x 10 -5 cm may be driven out of the galaxy due to radiation pressure of starlight. Once clear of the main gas-dust layer, dust grains may then escape into intergalactic space. Such grains are virtually indestructible-being evaporated only during formation. The dust grains, once injected into the intergalactic medium, may acquire suprathermal energy, thus 'suprathermal grains' in collision with magnetized cloud by the Fermi process. In order to attain relativistic energy, suprathermal grains have to move in and out ('scattering') of the magnetic field of the medium. It is now well established that high energy cosmic rays are of the order 10 20 eV or more. It has been speculated that these high energy (> = 10 18 eV) cosmic ray particles are charged dust grains, of intergalactic origin. This is possible only if there exists a magnetic field in the intergalactic medium. (Auth.)

  15. The Physics and Chemistry of Oxygen-Rich Circumstellar Envelopes as Traced by Simple Molecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Ka Tat

    2018-04-01

    multiple radio inversion lines of NH3. Furthermore, mid-infrared absorption of NH3 has been observed by the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) for IK Tau and VY CMa. Full radiative transfer modelling including mid-infrared pumping to the first vibrationally excited state (v2=1) has been carried out to reproduce the observed emission and absorption spectra and to retrieve the NH3 abundances in the targets. It is found that the NH3 emission in the CSEs of the targets arises from localised spatial-kinematic structures in which the gas density may be higher than in the surrounding gas. Circumstellar shocks may contribute to, but cannot fully account for, the formation of the molecule. Besides circumstellar chemistry, our understanding of the dust formation and wind-driving mechanisms of oxygen-rich evolved stars is still incomplete. One of the obstacles in the past was the difficulty in imaging the dust condensation and wind acceleration zones due to the lack of high-angular resolution instruments. Thanks to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), which has the longest baseline of about 15 km, we are now able to produce high-fidelity images at unprecedented angular resolutions of tens of milliarcseconds (mas) in the (sub)millimetre regime. Such angular resolutions, which are comparable to the stellar radii of nearby objects, are necessary to understand the gas dynamics and chemical evolution in the pulsating atmosphere and dust formation zone of nearby AGB stars. The eponymous Mira-type long-period variable, o Cet, was observed as a Science Verification target during the first ALMA Long Baseline Campaign that took place in 2014. The observations produced images of the stellar radio photosphere and the molecular transitions of SiO and H2O at an angular resolution of about 30 mas near 220 GHz (1.3 mm). The millimetre stellar disc of o Cet was resolved and modelled. More importantly, this is the first time that molecular line absorption against the

  16. Study of some properties of point defects in grain boundaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, Georges

    1973-01-01

    With the aim of deducing simple informations on the grain boundary core structure, we investigated self diffusion under hydrostatic pressure, impurity diffusion (In and Au), electromigration (Sb) along certain types of grain boundaries in Ag bicrystals, and the Moessbauer effect of 57 Co located in the grain boundaries of polycrystalline Be. Our results lead to the following conclusions: the formation of a vacancy like defects is necessary to grain boundary diffusion; solute atoms may release most of their elastic energy of dissolution as they segregate at the boundary; in an electrical field, the drift of Sb ions parallel to the boundary takes place toward the anode as in the bulk. The force on the grain boundary ions is larger than in the bulk; Moessbauer spectroscopy revealed the formation of Co-rich aggregates, which may proves important in the study of early stages of grain boundary precipitation. (author) [fr

  17. Infrared spectrophotometry and radiative transfer in optically thick circumstellar dust envelopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merrill, K.M.

    1976-01-01

    The Two-Micron Sky Survey of Neugebauer and Leighton and, more recently, the AFCRL Infrared Sky Survey of Walker and Price have detected numerous compact, isolated, bright infrared sources which are not identified with previously cataloged stars. Observations of many such objects suggest that extensive circumstellar dust envelopes modify the flux from a central source. The present investigations employ broad bandpass photometry at lambda lambda 1.65 μm to 12.5 μm and narrow bandpass spectrophotometry (Δ lambda/lambda approximately 0.015) at lambda lambda 2-4 μm and lambda lambda 8-13 μm to determine the properties of a large sample of such infrared sources. Infrared spectrophotometry can clearly differentiate between normal stars of spectral types M(''oxygen-rich'') and C (''carbon-rich'') on the basis of characteristic absorption bands arising in cool stellar atmospheres. Most of the 2 μ Sky Survey and many of the AFCRL Sky Survey sources appear to be stars of spectral types M and C which are differentiated from normal cool comparison stars only by the presence of extensive circumstellar dust envelopes. Due to the large optical depth of the envelopes, the flux from the star and from the dust cannot be simply separated. Hence solutions of radiative transfer through spherically symmetric envelopes of arbitrary optical depth were generated by a generalized computer code which employed opacities of real dust

  18. Surface chemistry on interstellar oxide grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denison, P.; Williams, D.A.

    1981-01-01

    Detailed calculations are made to test the predictions of Duley, Millar and Williams (1978) concerning the chemical reactivity of interstellar oxide grains. A method is established for calculating interaction energies between atoms and the perfect crystal with or without surface vacancy sites. The possibility of reactions between incident atoms and absorbed atoms is investigated. It is concluded that H 2 formation can occur on the perfect crystal surfaces, and that for other diatomic molecules the important formation sites are the Fsub(s)- and V 2- sub(s)-centres. The outline by Duley, Millar and Williams (1979) of interstellar oxide grain growth and destruction is justified by these calculations. (author)

  19. NON-IDEAL MHD EFFECTS AND MAGNETIC BRAKING CATASTROPHE IN PROTOSTELLAR DISK FORMATION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Zhiyun; Krasnopolsky, Ruben; Shang Hsien

    2011-01-01

    Dense, star-forming cores of molecular clouds are observed to be significantly magnetized. A realistic magnetic field of moderate strength has been shown to suppress, through catastrophic magnetic braking, the formation of a rotationally supported disk (RSD) during the protostellar accretion phase of low-mass star formation in the ideal MHD limit. We address, through two-dimensional (axisymmetric) simulations, the question of whether realistic levels of non-ideal effects, computed with a simplified chemical network including dust grains, can weaken the magnetic braking enough to enable an RSD to form. We find that ambipolar diffusion (AD), the dominant non-ideal MHD effect over most of the density range relevant to disk formation, does not enable disk formation, at least in two dimensions. The reason is that AD allows the magnetic flux that would be dragged into the central stellar object in the ideal MHD limit to pile up instead in a small circumstellar region, where the magnetic field strength (and thus the braking efficiency) is greatly enhanced. We also find that, on the scale of tens of AU or more, a realistic level of Ohmic dissipation does not weaken the magnetic braking enough for an RSD to form, either by itself or in combination with AD. The Hall effect, the least explored of these three non-ideal MHD effects, can spin up the material close to the central object to a significant, supersonic rotation speed, even when the core is initially non-rotating, although the spun-up material remains too sub-Keplerian to form an RSD. The problem of catastrophic magnetic braking that prevents disk formation in dense cores magnetized to realistic levels remains unresolved. Possible resolutions of this problem are discussed.

  20. Infrared observations of circumstellar ammonia in OH/IR supergiants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLaren, R.A.; Betz, A.L.

    1980-01-01

    Ammonia has been detected in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris, VX Sagittarii, and IRC+10420 by means of several absorption lines in the ν 2 vibration-rotation band near 950 cm -1 . The line profiles are well resolved (0.2 km s -1 resolution) and show the gas being accelerated to terminal expansion velocities near 30 km s -1 . The observations reveal a method for determining the position of the central star on VLBI maps of OH maser emission to an accuracy of approx.0''.2. A firm lower limit of 2 x 10 15 cm -2 is obtained for the NH 3 column density in VY Canis Majoris

  1. New Circumstellar Sources of PO and PN: The Increasing Role of Phosphorus Chemistry in Oxygen-rich Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziurys, L. M.; Schmidt, D. R.; Bernal, J. J.

    2018-04-01

    PO and PN have been newly identified in several oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes, using the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory. The J = 5 → 4 and J = 6 → 5 transitions of PN near 235 and 282 GHz, and the lambda doublets originating in the J = 5.5 → 4.5 and J = 6.5 → 5.5 lines of PO at 240 and 284 GHz, have been detected toward the shells of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars TX Cam and R Cas. A similar set of lines has been observed toward the supergiant NML Cyg, and new transitions of these two molecules were also measured toward the AGB star IK Tau. Along with the previous data from VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), these spectral lines were analyzed using the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) circumstellar modeling code, ESCAPADE. For the AGB stars, peak abundances found for PN and PO were f ∼ (1–2) × 10‑8 and (0.5–1) × 10‑7, respectively, while those for the supergiants were f(PN) ∼ (0.3–0.7) × 10‑8 and f(PO) ∼ (5–7) × 10‑8. PN was well modeled with a spherical radial distribution, suggesting formation near the stellar photosphere, perhaps enhanced by shocks. PO was best reproduced by a shell model, indicating a photochemical origin, except for VY CMa. Overall, the abundance of PO is a factor of 5–20 greater than that of PN. This study suggests that phosphorus-bearing molecules are common in O-rich envelopes, and that a significant amount of phosphorus (>20%) remains in the gas phase.

  2. Transient β-hairpin formation in α-synuclein monomer revealed by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Hang; Ma, Wen [Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Han, Wei [Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Schulten, Klaus, E-mail: kschulte@ks.uiuc.edu [Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

    2015-12-28

    Parkinson’s disease, originating from the intrinsically disordered peptide α-synuclein, is a common neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 5% of the population above age 85. It remains unclear how α-synuclein monomers undergo conformational changes leading to aggregation and formation of fibrils characteristic for the disease. In the present study, we perform molecular dynamics simulations (over 180 μs in aggregated time) using a hybrid-resolution model, Proteins with Atomic details in Coarse-grained Environment (PACE), to characterize in atomic detail structural ensembles of wild type and mutant monomeric α-synuclein in aqueous solution. The simulations reproduce structural properties of α-synuclein characterized in experiments, such as secondary structure content, long-range contacts, chemical shifts, and {sup 3}J(H{sub N}H{sub C{sub α}})-coupling constants. Most notably, the simulations reveal that a short fragment encompassing region 38-53, adjacent to the non-amyloid-β component region, exhibits a high probability of forming a β-hairpin; this fragment, when isolated from the remainder of α-synuclein, fluctuates frequently into its β-hairpin conformation. Two disease-prone mutations, namely, A30P and A53T, significantly accelerate the formation of a β-hairpin in the stated fragment. We conclude that the formation of a β-hairpin in region 38-53 is a key event during α-synuclein aggregation. We predict further that the G47V mutation impedes the formation of a turn in the β-hairpin and slows down β-hairpin formation, thereby retarding α-synuclein aggregation.

  3. Resolving the clumpy circumstellar environment of the B[e] supergiant LHA 120-S 35

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, A. F.; Cidale, L. S.; Kraus, M.; Arias, M. L.; Barbá, R. H.; Maravelias, G.; Borges Fernandes, M.

    2018-05-01

    . The outermost regions show a complex structure, outlined by fragmented clumps or partial-ring features of Ca II and O I. Additionally, we observe variations in the profiles of the only visible absorption features, the He I lines. Conclusions: We suggest that LHA 120-S 35 has passed through the red-supergiant (RSG) phase and evolves back bluewards in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. In this scenario, the formation of the complex circumstellar structure could be the result of the wind-wind interactions of the post-RSG wind with the previously ejected material from the RSG. The accumulation of material in the circumstellar environment could be attributed to enhanced mass-loss, probably triggered by stellar pulsations. However, the presence of a binary companion cannot be excluded. Finally, we find that LHA 120-S 35 is the third B[e] supergiant belonging to a young stellar cluster. Based on data acquired using (1) the du Pont Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, under the programme CNTAC 2008-02 (PI: Barbá), (2) the MPG 2.2-m Telescope at La Silla Observatory, Chile, under the programme ID.: 094.A-9029(D) and under the agreement MPI-Observatório Nacional/MCTIC, Prog. ID.: 096.A-9030(A), (3) the J. Sahade 2.15-m Telescope at Complejo Astronómico El Leoncito, operated under agreement between the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina and the National Universities of La Plata, Córdoba and San Juan, (4) the 8.1-m Telescope at Gemini South Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministério da Ciěncia, Tecnologia e Inovacão (Brazil) and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (Argentina), under the programme

  4. The influence of grain size on the strain-induced martensite formation in tensile straining of an austenitic 15Cr–9Mn–Ni–Cu stainless steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kisko, A.; Misra, R.D.K.; Talonen, J.; Karjalainen, L.P.

    2013-01-01

    In order to improve understanding on the behavior of ultrafine-grained austenitic stainless steels during deformation, the influence of the austenite grain size and microstructure on the strain-induced martensite transformation was investigated in an austenitic 15Cr–9Mn–Ni–Cu (Type 204Cu) stainless steel. By different reversion treatments of the 60% cold-rolled sheet, varying grain sizes from ultrafine (0.5 μm), micron-scale (1.5 μm), fine (4 μm) to coarse (18 μm) were obtained. Some microstructures also contained a mixture of ultrafine or micron-scale and coarse initially cold-worked austenite grains. Samples were tested in tensile loading and deformation structures were analyzed after 2%, 10% and 20% engineering strains by means of martensite content measurements, scanning electron microscope together with a electron backscatter diffraction device and transmission electron microscope. The results showed that the martensite nucleation sites and the rate of transformation vary. In ultrafine grains strain-induced α′-martensite nucleates at grain boundaries and twins, whereas in coarser grains as well as in coarse-grained retained austenite, α′-martensite formation occurs at shear bands, sometimes via ε-martensite. The transformation rate of strain-induced α′-martensite decreases with decreasing grain size to 1.5 μm. However, the rate is fastest in the microstructure containing a mixture of ultrafine and retained cold-worked austenite grains. There the ultrafine grains transform quite readily to martensite similarly as the coarse retained austenite grains, where the previous cold-worked microstructure is still partly remaining

  5. Simulating galactic dust grain evolution on a moving mesh

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinnon, Ryan; Vogelsberger, Mark; Torrey, Paul; Marinacci, Federico; Kannan, Rahul

    2018-05-01

    Interstellar dust is an important component of the galactic ecosystem, playing a key role in multiple galaxy formation processes. We present a novel numerical framework for the dynamics and size evolution of dust grains implemented in the moving-mesh hydrodynamics code AREPO suited for cosmological galaxy formation simulations. We employ a particle-based method for dust subject to dynamical forces including drag and gravity. The drag force is implemented using a second-order semi-implicit integrator and validated using several dust-hydrodynamical test problems. Each dust particle has a grain size distribution, describing the local abundance of grains of different sizes. The grain size distribution is discretised with a second-order piecewise linear method and evolves in time according to various dust physical processes, including accretion, sputtering, shattering, and coagulation. We present a novel scheme for stochastically forming dust during stellar evolution and new methods for sub-cycling of dust physics time-steps. Using this model, we simulate an isolated disc galaxy to study the impact of dust physical processes that shape the interstellar grain size distribution. We demonstrate, for example, how dust shattering shifts the grain size distribution to smaller sizes resulting in a significant rise of radiation extinction from optical to near-ultraviolet wavelengths. Our framework for simulating dust and gas mixtures can readily be extended to account for other dynamical processes relevant in galaxy formation, like magnetohydrodynamics, radiation pressure, and thermo-chemical processes.

  6. Infrared observations of circumstellar ammonia in OH/IR supergiants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mclaren, R. A.; Betz, A. L.

    1980-01-01

    Ammonia has been detected in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris, VX Sagittarii, and IRC +10420 by means of several absorption lines in the nu-2 vibration-rotation band near 950 kaysers. The line profiles are well resolved (0.2 km/sec resolution) and show the gas being accelerated to terminal expansion velocities near 30 km/sec. The observations reveal a method for determining the position of the central star on VLBI maps of OH maser emission to an accuracy of approximately 0.2 arcsec. A firm lower limit of 2 x 10 to the 15th/sq cm is obtained for the NH3 column density in VY Canis Majoris.

  7. Small vs. large dust grains in transitional disks: do different cavity sizes indicate a planet?. SAO 206462 (HD 135344B) in polarized light with VLT/NACO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garufi, A.; Quanz, S. P.; Avenhaus, H.; Buenzli, E.; Dominik, C.; Meru, F.; Meyer, M. R.; Pinilla, P.; Schmid, H. M.; Wolf, S.

    2013-12-01

    Context. Transitional disks represent a short stage of the evolution of circumstellar material. Studies of dust grains in these objects can provide pivotal information on the mechanisms of planet formation. Dissimilarities in the spatial distribution of small (μm-size) and large (mm-size) dust grains have recently been pointed out. Aims: Constraints on the small dust grains can be obtained by imaging the distribution of scattered light at near-infrared wavelengths. We aim at resolving structures in the surface layer of transitional disks (with particular emphasis on the inner 10-50 AU), thus increasing the scarce sample of high-resolution images of these objects. Methods: We obtained VLT/NACO near-IR high-resolution polarimetric differential imaging observations of SAO 206462 (HD 135344B). This technique allows one to image the polarized scattered light from the disk without any occulting mask and to reach an inner working angle of ~0.1″. Results: A face-on disk is detected in H and Ks bands between 0.1″ and 0.9″. No significant differences are seen between the H and Ks images. In addition to the spiral arms, these new data allow us to resolve for the first time an inner disk cavity for small dust grains. The cavity size (≃28 AU) is much smaller than what is inferred for large dust grains from (sub-)mm observations (39 to 50 AU). This discrepancy cannot be ascribed to any resolution effect. Conclusions: The interaction between the disk and potential orbiting companion(s) can explain both the spiral arm structure and the discrepant cavity sizes for small and large dust grains. One planet may be carving out the gas (and, thus, the small grains) at 28 AU, and generating a pressure bump at larger radii (39 AU), which holds back the large grains. We analytically estimate that, in this scenario, a single giant planet (with a mass between 5 and 15 MJ) at 17 to 20 AU from the star is consistent with the observed cavity sizes. Based on observations collected at the

  8. SiO maser emission as a density tracer of circumstellar envelopes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stroh, Michael; Pihlstrom, Ylva; Sjouwerman, Lorant

    2018-06-01

    The circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of evolved stars offer a method to construct a sample of point-masses along the full Galactic plane, which can be used to test models of the gravitational potential. In the CSEs of red giants, SiO maser emission is frequently observed at 43 and 86 GHz, providing line-of-sight velocities. The Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamical Evolution (BAaDE) project aims to explore the complex structure of the inner Galaxy and Galactic Bulge, by observing 43 GHz SiO at the Very Large Array and 86 GHz SiO at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, with an expected final sample of about 20,000 line-of-sight velocities and positions. We observed the 43 GHz and 86 GHz transitions near-simultaneously in a subsample of the sources using the Australia Telescope Compact Array and found that on average the 43 GHz v=1 line is 1.3 times stronger than the 86 GHz v=1 line. The presence of a detectable 43 GHz v=3 line alters the statistics, consistent with the SiO masers displaying 43 GHz v=3 emission arising in a denser regime in the circumstellar shell compared to those without. Comparing our results with radiative models implies that the 43 GHz v=3 line is a tracer of density variations caused by stellar pulsations. We will discuss these results in the context of the BAaDE project.

  9. DETECTION OF WEAK CIRCUMSTELLAR GAS AROUND THE DAZ WHITE DWARF WD 1124-293: EVIDENCE FOR THE ACCRETION OF MULTIPLE ASTEROIDS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Debes, J. H. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Kilic, M. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Faedi, F. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Shkolnik, E. L. [Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Lopez-Morales, M. [Institut de Ciencies de l' Espai (CSIC-IEEC), Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciencies, Torre C5, parell, 2a pl, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Weinberger, A. J.; Slesnick, C. [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5249 Broad Branch RD, N.W., Washington, DC 20015 (United States); West, R. G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)

    2012-07-20

    Single metal-polluted white dwarfs with no dusty disks are believed to be actively accreting metals from a circumstellar disk of gas caused by the destruction of asteroids perturbed by planetary systems. We report, for the first time, the detection of circumstellar Ca II gas in absorption around the DAZ WD 1124-293, which lacks an infrared excess. We constrain the gas to >7 R{sub WD} and <32000 AU, and estimate it to be at {approx}54 R{sub WD}, well within WD 1124-293's tidal disruption radius. This detection is based on several epochs of spectroscopy around the Ca II H and K lines ({lambda} = 3968 A, 3933 A) with the MIKE spectrograph on the Magellan/Clay Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We confirm the circumstellar nature of the gas by observing nearby sightlines and finding no evidence for gas from the local interstellar medium. Through archival data we have measured the equivalent width of the two photospheric Ca lines over a period of 11 years. We see <5%-7% epoch-to-epoch variation in equivalent widths over this time period, and no evidence for long term trends. The presence of a circumstellar gas implies a near edge-on inclination to the system, thus we place limits to short period transiting planetary companions with R > R{sub Circled-Plus} using the Wide Angle Search for Planets survey. The presence of gas in orbit around WD 1124-293 implies that most DAZs could harbor planetary systems. Since 25%-30% of white dwarfs show metal line absorption, the dynamical process for perturbing small bodies must be robust.

  10. MIDCOURSE SPACE EXPERIMENT VERSUS IRAS TWO-COLOR DIAGRAMS AND THE CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPE-SEQUENCE OF OXYGEN-RICH LATE-TYPE STARS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sjouwerman, Lorant O.; Capen, Stephanie M.; Claussen, Mark J.

    2009-01-01

    We present Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) two-color diagrams that can be used to characterize circumstellar environments of sources with good quality MSX colors in terms of IRAS color regions for oxygen-rich stars. With these diagrams, we aim to provide a new tool that can be used to study circumstellar environments and to improve detection rates for targeted surveys for circumstellar maser emission similar to the IRAS two-color diagram. This new tool is especially useful for regions in the sky where IRAS was confused, in particular in the Galactic plane and bulge region. Unfortunately, using MSX colors alone does not allow one to distinguish between carbon-rich and oxygen-rich objects. An application of this tool on 86 GHz SiO masers shows that for this type of masers an instantaneous detection rate of 60% to 80% can be achieved if target sources are selected according to MSX color (region). Our investigations may have revealed an error in the MSX point source catalog version 2.3. That is, the photometry of the 21.3 μm (MSX E filter) band for most weak 8.28 μm (or MSX A filter) band sources seems off by about a factor 2 (0.5-1 mag too bright).

  11. A Rigidly Rotating Magnetosphere Model for the Circumstellar Environments of Magnetic OB Stars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, R.; Owocki, S.; Groote, D.

    2005-11-01

    We report on a new model for the circumstellar environments of rotating, magnetic hot stars. This model predicts the channeling of wind plasma into a corotating magnetosphere, where -- supported against gravity by centrifugal forces -- it can steadily accumulate over time. We apply the model to the B2p star σ Ori E, demonstrating that it can simultaneously reproduce the spectroscopic, photometric and magnetic variations exhibited by the star.

  12. Multiple void formation in plasmas containing multispecies charged grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Y. H.; Chen, Z. Y.; Bogaerts, A.; Yu, M. Y.

    2006-01-01

    Self-organized separation of charged-dust species in two-dimensional dusty plasmas is studied by means of molecular-dynamics simulation. The multispecies dust grains, interacting through a screened Coulomb potential with a long-range attractive component, are confined by an external quadratic potential and subjected to a radially outward ion drag force. It is found that, in general, the species are spatially separated by bandlike dust-free (or void) regions, and grains of the same species tend to populate a common shell. At large ion drag and/or large plasma screening, a central disklike void as well as concentric bandlike voids separating the different species appear. Because of the outward drag and the attractive component of the dust-dust interaction forces, highly asymmetrical states consisting of species-separated dust clumps can also exist despite the fact that all the forces are either radial or central

  13. The peculiar balmer decrement of SN 2009ip: Constraints on circumstellar geometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levesque, Emily M.; Stringfellow, Guy S.; Bally, John; Keeney, Brian A. [CASA, Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado 389-UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); Ginsburg, Adam G., E-mail: Emily.Levesque@colorado.edu [European Southern Observatory, ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-95748 Garching bei München (Germany)

    2014-01-01

    We present optical and near-IR spectroscopic observations of the luminous blue variable SN 2009ip during its remarkable photometric evolution of 2012. The spectra sample three key points in the SN 2009ip light curve, corresponding to its initial brightening in August (2012-A) and its dramatic rebrightening in early October (2012-B). Based on line fluxes and velocities measured in our spectra, we find a surprisingly low I(Hα)/I(Hβ) ratio (∼1.3-1.4) in the 2012-B spectra. Such a ratio implies either a rare Case B recombination scenario where Hα, but not Hβ, is optically thick, or an extremely high density for the circumstellar material of n{sub e} > 10{sup 13} cm{sup –3}. The Hα line intensity yields a minimum radiating surface area of ≳20,000 AU{sup 2} in Hα at the peak of SN 2009ip's photometric evolution. Combined with the nature of this object's spectral evolution in 2012, a high circumstellar density and large radiating surface area imply the presence of a thin disk geometry around the central star (and, consequently, a possible binary companion), suggesting that the observed 2012-B rebrightening of SN 2009ip can be attributed to the illumination of the disk's inner rim by fast-moving ejecta produced by the underlying events of 2012-A.

  14. Fractal dust grains in plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, F.; Peng, R. D.; Liu, Y. H.; Chen, Z. Y.; Ye, M. F.; Wang, L.

    2012-01-01

    Fractal dust grains of different shapes are observed in a radially confined magnetized radio frequency plasma. The fractal dimensions of the dust structures in two-dimensional (2D) horizontal dust layers are calculated, and their evolution in the dust growth process is investigated. It is found that as the dust grains grow the fractal dimension of the dust structure decreases. In addition, the fractal dimension of the center region is larger than that of the entire region in the 2D dust layer. In the initial growth stage, the small dust particulates at a high number density in a 2D layer tend to fill space as a normal surface with fractal dimension D = 2. The mechanism of the formation of fractal dust grains is discussed.

  15. Mathematical simulation of point defect interaction with grain boundaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bojko, V.S.

    1987-01-01

    Published works, where the interaction of point defects and grain boundaries was studied by mathematical simulation methods, have been analysed. Energetics of the vacancy formation both in nuclei of large-angle special grain boundaries and in lattice regions adjoining them has been considered. The data obtained permit to explain specific features of grain-boundary diffusion processes. Results of mathematical simulation of the interaction of impurity atoms and boundaries have been considered. Specific features of the helium atom interaction with large-angle grain boundaries are analysed as well

  16. Nitrogen chemistry on dust grains: the formation of hydroxylamine, precursor to glycine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidali, Gianfranco; Lemaire, Jean Louis; Shi, Jianming; Hopkins, Tyler; Garrod, Rob; He, Jiao

    2015-08-01

    In ices coating dust grains in molecular clouds, nitrogen-containing molecules - mostly NH3 - are present in sizable quantity, up to 15-20% with respect to water ice, the largest component. We studied the oxidation of ammonia in a series of experiments using beams of oxygen and ammonia in various configurations (co-deposition and sequential deposition with various NH3:O ratios). We detected the formation of hydroxylamine (NH2OH) and other products, depending on the degree of oxidation. A simulation of a dense cloud with input from experimental data shows that on and in ices at 14 K and with modest activation energy for reaction, NH2OH is easily formed and its abundance never falls below a tenth of the NH3 abundance. Strategies for detection of hydroxylamine in the ISM will be presented.This work is supported by the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Division (grant No.1311958 to G.V.). R.T.G. acknowledges the support of the NASA Astrophysics Theory Program (grant No. NNX11AC38G).

  17. THE PDS 66 CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK AS SEEN IN POLARIZED LIGHT WITH THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolff, Schuyler G.; Greenbaum, Alexandra Z.; Perrin, Marshall; Hines, Dean C.; Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.; Nielsen, Eric L.; Wang, Jason; Dong, Ruobing; Duchêne, Gaspard; Graham, James R.; Kalas, Paul; Cardwell, Andrew; Chilcote, Jeffrey; Draper, Zachary H.; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Hung, Li-Wei; Goodsell, Stephen J.; Grady, Carol A.; Hartung, Markus; Hibon, Pascale

    2016-01-01

    We present H- and K-band imaging polarimetry for the PDS 66 circumstellar disk obtained during the commissioning of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI). Polarization images reveal a clear detection of the disk in to the 0.″12 inner working angle (IWA) in the H band, almost three times closer to the star than the previous Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations with NICMOS and STIS (0.″35 effective IWA). The centro-symmetric polarization vectors confirm that the bright inner disk detection is due to circumstellar scattered light. A more diffuse disk extends to a bright outer ring centered at 80 AU. We discuss several physical mechanisms capable of producing the observed ring + gap structure. GPI data confirm enhanced scattering on the east side of the disk that is inferred to be nearer to us. We also detect a lateral asymmetry in the south possibly due to shadowing from material within the IWA. This likely corresponds to a temporally variable azimuthal asymmetry observed in HST/STIS coronagraphic imaging

  18. THE PDS 66 CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK AS SEEN IN POLARIZED LIGHT WITH THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wolff, Schuyler G.; Greenbaum, Alexandra Z. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Perrin, Marshall; Hines, Dean C. [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Nielsen, Eric L. [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Wang, Jason; Dong, Ruobing; Duchêne, Gaspard; Graham, James R.; Kalas, Paul [Astronomy Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Cardwell, Andrew [LBT Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Room 552, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Chilcote, Jeffrey [Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Draper, Zachary H. [University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2 (Canada); Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Hung, Li-Wei [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, 430 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Goodsell, Stephen J. [Gemini Observatory, 670 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Grady, Carol A. [Eureka Scientific, 2452 Delmer, Suite 100, Oakland, CA 96002 (United States); Hartung, Markus; Hibon, Pascale, E-mail: swolff9@jh.edu [Gemini Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); and others

    2016-02-10

    We present H- and K-band imaging polarimetry for the PDS 66 circumstellar disk obtained during the commissioning of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI). Polarization images reveal a clear detection of the disk in to the 0.″12 inner working angle (IWA) in the H band, almost three times closer to the star than the previous Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations with NICMOS and STIS (0.″35 effective IWA). The centro-symmetric polarization vectors confirm that the bright inner disk detection is due to circumstellar scattered light. A more diffuse disk extends to a bright outer ring centered at 80 AU. We discuss several physical mechanisms capable of producing the observed ring + gap structure. GPI data confirm enhanced scattering on the east side of the disk that is inferred to be nearer to us. We also detect a lateral asymmetry in the south possibly due to shadowing from material within the IWA. This likely corresponds to a temporally variable azimuthal asymmetry observed in HST/STIS coronagraphic imaging.

  19. New observations and models of circumstellar CO line emission of AGB stars in the Herschel SUCCESS programme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danilovich, T.; Teyssier, D.; Justtanont, K.; Olofsson, H.; Cerrigone, L.; Bujarrabal, V.; Alcolea, J.; Cernicharo, J.; Castro-Carrizo, A.; García-Lario, P.; Marston, A.

    2015-09-01

    Context. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are in one of the latest evolutionary stages of low to intermediate-mass stars. Their vigorous mass loss has a significant effect on the stellar evolution, and is a significant source of heavy elements and dust grains for the interstellar medium. The mass-loss rate can be well traced by carbon monoxide (CO) line emission. Aims: We present new Herschel/HIFI and IRAM 30 m telescope CO line data for a sample of 53 galactic AGB stars. The lines cover a fairly large range of excitation energy from the J = 1 → 0 line to the J = 9 → 8 line, and even the J = 14 → 13 line in a few cases. We perform radiative transfer modelling for 38 of these sources to estimate their mass-loss rates. Methods: We used a radiative transfer code based on the Monte Carlo method to model the CO line emission. We assume spherically symmetric circumstellar envelopes that are formed by a constant mass-loss rate through a smoothly accelerating wind. Results: We find models that are consistent across a broad range of CO lines for most of the stars in our sample, i.e., a large number of the circumstellar envelopes can be described with a constant mass-loss rate. We also find that an accelerating wind is required to fit, in particular, the higher-J lines and that a velocity law will have a significant effect on the model line intensities. The results cover a wide range of mass-loss rates (~10-8 to 2 × 10-5 M⊙ yr-1) and gas expansion velocities (2 to 21.5 km s-1) , and include M-, S-, and C-type AGB stars. Our results generally agree with those of earlier studies, although we tend to find slightly lower mass-loss rates by about 40%, on average. We also present "bonus" lines detected during our CO observations. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.Based on observations carried out with the IRAM 30 m Telescope. IRAM is

  20. The evolution of grain mantles and silicate dust growth at high redshift

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ceccarelli, Cecilia; Viti, Serena; Balucani, Nadia; Taquet, Vianney

    2018-05-01

    In dense molecular clouds, interstellar grains are covered by mantles of iced molecules. The formation of the grain mantles has two important consequences: it removes species from the gas phase and promotes the synthesis of new molecules on the grain surfaces. The composition of the mantle is a strong function of the environment that the cloud belongs to. Therefore, clouds in high-zeta galaxies, where conditions - like temperature, metallicity, and cosmic ray flux - are different from those in the Milky Way, will have different grain mantles. In the last years, several authors have suggested that silicate grains might grow by accretion of silicon-bearing species on smaller seeds. This would occur simultaneously with the formation of the iced mantles and be greatly affected by its composition as a function of time. In this work, we present a numerical study of the grain mantle formation in high-zeta galaxies, and we quantitatively address the possibility of silicate growth. We find that the mantle thickness decreases with increasing redshift, from about 120 to 20 layers for z varying from 0 to 8. Furthermore, the mantle composition is also a strong function of the cloud redshift, with the relative importance of CO, CO2, ammonia, methane, and methanol highly varying with z. Finally, being Si-bearing species always a very minor component of the mantle, the formation of silicates in molecular clouds is practically impossible.

  1. Shifting of the resonance location for planets embedded in circumstellar disks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marzari, F.

    2018-03-01

    Context. In the early evolution of a planetary system, a pair of planets may be captured in a mean motion resonance while still embedded in their nesting circumstellar disk. Aims: The goal is to estimate the direction and amount of shift in the semimajor axis of the resonance location due to the disk gravity as a function of the gas density and mass of the planets. The stability of the resonance lock when the disk dissipates is also tested. Methods: The orbital evolution of a large number of systems is numerically integrated within a three-body problem in which the disk potential is computed as a series of expansion. This is a good approximation, at least over a limited amount of time. Results: Two different resonances are studied: the 2:1 and the 3:2. In both cases the shift is inwards, even if by a different amount, when the planets are massive and carve a gap in the disk. For super-Earths, the shift is instead outwards. Different disk densities, Σ, are considered and the resonance shift depends almost linearly on Σ. The gas dissipation leads to destabilization of a significant number of resonant systems, in particular if it is fast. Conclusions: The presence of a massive circumstellar disk may significantly affect the resonant behavior of a pair of planets by shifting the resonant location and by decreasing the size of the stability region. The disk dissipation may explain some systems found close to a resonance but not locked in it.

  2. Statistical Theory of Normal Grain Growth Revisited

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gadomski, A.; Luczka, J.

    2002-01-01

    In this paper, we discuss three physically relevant problems concerning the normal grain growth process. These are: Infinite vs finite size of the system under study (a step towards more realistic modeling); conditions of fine-grained structure formation, with possible applications to thin films and biomembranes, and interesting relations to superplasticity of materials; approach to log-normality, an ubiquitous natural phenomenon, frequently reported in literature. It turns out that all three important points mentioned are possible to be included in a Mulheran-Harding type behavior of evolving grains-containing systems that we have studied previously. (author)

  3. Fracture toughness of WWER Uranium dioxide fuel pellets with various grain size

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sivov, R.; Novikov, V.; Mikheev, E.; Fedotov, A.

    2015-01-01

    Uranium dioxide fuel pellets with grain sizes 13, 26, and 33 μm for WWER were investigated in the present work in order to determine crack formation and the fracture toughness.The investigation of crack formation in uranium oxide fuel pellets of the WWER-types showed that Young’s modulus and the microhardness of polycrystalline samples increase with increasing grain size, while the fracture toughness decreases. Characteristically, radial Palmqvist cracks form on the surface of uranium dioxide pellets for loads up to 1 kg. Transgranular propagation of cracks over distances several-fold larger than the length of the imprint diagonal is observed in pellets with large grains and small intragrain pores. Intergranular propagation of cracks along grain boundaries with branching occurs in pellets with small grains and low pore concentration on the grain boundaries. Blunting on large pores and at breaks in direction does not permit the cracks to reach a significant length

  4. Binary energy source of the HH 250 outflow and its circumstellar environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comerón, Fernando; Reipurth, Bo; Yen, Hsi-Wei; Connelley, Michael S.

    2018-04-01

    Aims: Herbig-Haro flows are signposts of recent major accretion and outflow episodes. We aim to determine the nature and properties of the little-known outflow source HH 250-IRS, which is embedded in the Aquila clouds. Methods: We have obtained adaptive optics-assisted L-band images with the NACO instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), together with N- and Q-band imaging with VISIR also on the VLT. Using the SINFONI instrument on the VLT we carried out H- and K-band integral field spectroscopy of HH 250-IRS, complemented with spectra obtained with the SpeX instrument at the InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF) in the JHKL bands. Finally, the SubMillimeter Array (SMA) interferometer was used to study the circumstellar environment of HH 250-IRS at 225 and 351 GHz with CO (2-1) and CO (3-2) maps and 0.9 mm and 1.3 mm continuum images. Results: The HH 250-IRS source is resolved into a binary with 0.''53 separation, corresponding to 120 AU at the adopted distance of 225 pc. The individual components show heavily veiled spectra with weak CO absorption indicative of late-type stars. Both are Class I sources, but their spectral energy distributions between 1.5 μm and 19 μm differ markedly and suggest the existence of a large cavity around one of the components. The millimeter interferometric observations indicate that the gas mainly traces a circumbinary envelope or disk, while the dust emission is dominated by one of the circumstellar envelopes. Conclusions: HH 250-IRS is a new addition to the handful of multiple systems where the individual stellar components, the circumstellar disks and a circumbinary disk can be studied in detail, and a rare case among those systems in which a Herbig-Haro flow is present. Based on observations obtained with the VLT (Cerro Paranal, Chile) in programs 089.C-0196(A), 095.C-0488(A), and 095.C-0488(B), as well as with IRTF (Mauna Kea, Hawaii), SMA (Mauna Kea, Hawaii), and the Nordic Optical Telescope (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain

  5. Laboratory Experiments on the Low-temperature Formation of Carbonaceous Grains in the ISM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fulvio, Daniele; Góbi, Sándor; Jäger, Cornelia; Kereszturi, Ákos; Henning, Thomas

    2017-11-01

    The life cycle of cosmic dust grains is far from being understood and the origin and evolution of interstellar medium (ISM) grains is still under debate. In the ISM, the cosmic dust destruction rate is faster than the production rate by stellar sources. However, observations of ISM refractory matter suggest that to maintain a steady amount of cosmic grains, some supplementary production mechanism takes place. In this context, we aimed to study possible reformation mechanisms of cosmic grains taking place at low temperature directly in the ISM. The low-temperature condensation of carbonaceous materials has been investigated in experiments mimicking the ISM conditions. Gas-phase carbonaceous precursors created by laser ablation of graphite were forced to accrete on cold substrates (T ≈ 10 K) representing surviving dust grains. The growing and evolution of the condensing carbonaceous precursors have been monitored by MIR and UV spectroscopy under a number of experimental scenarios. For the first time, the possibility to form ISM carbonaceous grains in situ is demonstrated. The condensation process is governed by carbon chains that first condense into small carbon clusters and finally into more stable carbonaceous materials, of which structural characteristics are comparable to the material formed in gas-phase condensation experiments at very high temperature. We also show that the so-formed fullerene-like carbonaceous material is transformed into a more ordered material under VUV processing. The cold condensation mechanisms discussed here can give fundamental clues to fully understand the balance between the timescale for dust injection, destruction, and reformation in the ISM.

  6. Circumstellar Disk Lifetimes In Numerous Galactic Young Stellar Clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richert, A. J. W.; Getman, K. V.; Feigelson, E. D.; Kuhn, M. A.; Broos, P. S.; Povich, M. S.; Bate, M. R.; Garmire, G. P.

    2018-04-01

    Photometric detections of dust circumstellar disks around pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, coupled with estimates of stellar ages, provide constraints on the time available for planet formation. Most previous studies on disk longevity, starting with Haisch, Lada & Lada (2001), use star samples from PMS clusters but do not consider datasets with homogeneous photometric sensitivities and/or ages placed on a uniform timescale. Here we conduct the largest study to date of the longevity of inner dust disks using X-ray and 1-8 {μ m} infrared photometry from the MYStIX and SFiNCs projects for 69 young clusters in 32 nearby star-forming regions with ages t ≤ 5 Myr. Cluster ages are derived by combining the empirical AgeJX method with PMS evolutionary models, which treat dynamo-generated magnetic fields in different ways. Leveraging X-ray data to identify disk-free objects, we impose similar stellar mass sensitivity limits for disk-bearing and disk-free YSOs while extending the analysis to stellar masses as low as M ˜ 0.1 M⊙. We find that the disk longevity estimates are strongly affected by the choice of PMS evolutionary model. Assuming a disk fraction of 100% at zero age, the inferred disk half-life changes significantly, from t1/2 ˜ 1.3 - 2 Myr to t1/2 ˜ 3.5 Myr when switching from non-magnetic to magnetic PMS models. In addition, we find no statistically significant evidence that disk fraction varies with stellar mass within the first few Myr of life for stars with masses <2 M⊙, but our samples may not be complete for more massive stars. The effects of initial disk fraction and star-forming environment are also explored.

  7. Exploring the circumstellar disk-like structure of the B[e] supergiant LHA 120-S 73

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Torres, A.F.; Cidale, L.S.; Kraus, Michaela; Arias, M.L.; Maravelias, Grigorios; Borges Fernandes, M.; Vallverdú, R.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 58, č. 1 (2016), s. 120-122 E-ISSN 1669-9521 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7AMB14AR017; GA MŠk LG14013 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : stars * early-type * circumstellar matter Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics http://www.astronomiaargentina.org.ar/b58/2016baaa...58...120T.pdf

  8. New Process for Grain Refinement of Aluminum. Final Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dr. Joseph A. Megy

    2000-09-22

    A new method of grain refining aluminum involving in-situ formation of boride nuclei in molten aluminum just prior to casting has been developed in the subject DOE program over the last thirty months by a team consisting of JDC, Inc., Alcoa Technical Center, GRAS, Inc., Touchstone Labs, and GKS Engineering Services. The Manufacturing process to make boron trichloride for grain refining is much simpler than preparing conventional grain refiners, with attendant environmental, capital, and energy savings. The manufacture of boride grain refining nuclei using the fy-Gem process avoids clusters, salt and oxide inclusions that cause quality problems in aluminum today.

  9. CREATION OF EXPORT-ORIENTED NETWORK OF GRAIN ELEVATORS IN UKRAINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. M. Kozachenko

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. The scientific paper highlights improving the efficiency of export rail transportation of grain cargoes in Ukraine by introducing shipper routing and concentration of loading at the terminal grain elevators. Methodology. According to the experience of the USA and Canada, one of the most effective ways to reduce costs in the grain to-port supply chain is a shipper routing of the rail traffic. Shipper routing for transportation of grain cargoes involves the concentration of their loading on the multiple junctions. The junctions are proposed to be selected with the use of cluster analysis methods. For the formation of the grain loading concentration areas the authors used methods of set theory and multi-criteria optimization. Findings. Based on agglomerative cluster analysis algorithm, the junctions on a network of Ukrainian railways are selected and the areas of possible concentration of grain loading are formed. DSU-algorithm allowed distinguishing the overlapping and non-overlapping areas of concentration. The problem of selecting non-overlapping areas of the grain loading concentration is formalized as the problem of multiobjective integer programming with boolean variables. The solution of this problem by a modified simplex algorithm allows selecting on the railway network of Ukraine 24 districts of possible grain loading concentration, which cover 70 stations and at minimal additional cost provide routing of about 7.5 million tons of grain per year. Originality. The originality of the work lies in the fact that the authors developed the mathematical procedure for selection of junctions and concentration areas of grain loading at the Ukrainian railway network, taking into account the economic efficiency of the process. Practicalvalue. Application of the developed method of grain loading concentration for the formation of unit trains will significantly reduce the logistics costs in the supply chain of grain to Ukrainian ports for

  10. A madurella mycetomatis grain model in galleria mellonella larvae

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    W. Kloezen (Wendy); M. van Helvert-van Poppel (Marilyn); A.H. Fahal (Ahmed); W.W.J. van de Sande (Wendy)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractEumycetoma is a chronic granulomatous subcutaneous infectious disease, endemic in tropical and subtropical regions and most commonly caused by the fungus Madurella mycetomatis. Interestingly, although grain formation is key in mycetoma, its formation process and its susceptibility

  11. Cytomictic Anomalous Male Meiosis and 2n Pollen Grain Formation in Mertensia echioides Benth. (Boraginaceae from Kashmir Himalaya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reyaz Ahmad Malik

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Presently Mertensia echioides Benth. (Boraginaceae collected from Kashmir Himalaya, India, is cytologically analyzed for the first time revealing 2n=2x=24 (diploid. Interestingly we found 4.3–6.2% syncytic meiocytes/PMCs with 2n=4x=48 (tetraploid in addition to normal meiocytes (2n=24 during male meiosis. These comparatively larger PMCs (pollen mother cells lead to the formation of fertile giant 2n pollen grains. A frequency of 6.4–13.3% PMCs shows transfer of chromatin material at prophase-I and, therefore, results in aneuploid meiocytes. Whole chromatin transfer by the process of cytomixis could also have led to the formation of tetraploid cells. Translocation heterozygosity is also evident in the form of multivalents in 12–17% diploid (2x meiocytes at diakinesis and metaphase-I and is reported for the first time in this species. The syncytes formed depict open chain hexavalent and quadrivalent formation in the three populations with different frequencies. Moreover chromatin stickiness at metaphase-I is observed in 45% of PMCs in population-1 (P-1. Syncyte or unreduced PMC formation leading to unreduced fertile gametes is here speculated to act as a possible way out for infraspecific polyploidization in the species.

  12. Deformation-induced microstructural evolution at grain scale

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winther, Grethe

    During plastic deformation metals develop microstructures which may be analysed on several scales,spanning from crystallographic textures averaged over the entire sample to the scale of individualgrains. Even within individual grains, intragranular phenomena in the form of orientation gradients...... aswell as dislocation patterning by formation of dislocation boundaries occur. Experimental data andassociated data analysis at the grain scale and below will be presented to illustrate our current level ofunderstanding. The basis for the analysis is the crystallographic orientation of the grain as well...... is presented for both fcc and bcc materials inseveral deformation modes, demonstrating a clear grain orientation dependence [Huang & Winther,2007]. This dependence has its origin in a dependence on the slip systems [Winther & Huang, 2007].This further implies that the dislocations in the boundaries come from...

  13. Dust Coagulation in Infalling Protostellar Envelopes I. Compact Grains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yorke, H.; Lin, D.; Suttner, G.

    1999-01-01

    Dust plays a key role in the optical, thermodynamic and gas dynamical behavior of collapsing molecular cores. Because of relative velocities of the individual dust grains, coagulation and shattering can modify the grain size distribution and -- due to corresponding changes in the medium's opacity significantly -- influence the evolution during early phases of star formation.

  14. Archival Legacy Investigations of Circumstellar Environments (ALICE): Statistical assessment of point source detections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choquet, Élodie; Pueyo, Laurent; Soummer, Rémi; Perrin, Marshall D.; Hagan, J. Brendan; Gofas-Salas, Elena; Rajan, Abhijith; Aguilar, Jonathan

    2015-09-01

    The ALICE program, for Archival Legacy Investigation of Circumstellar Environment, is currently conducting a virtual survey of about 400 stars, by re-analyzing the HST-NICMOS coronagraphic archive with advanced post-processing techniques. We present here the strategy that we adopted to identify detections and potential candidates for follow-up observations, and we give a preliminary overview of our detections. We present a statistical analysis conducted to evaluate the confidence level on these detection and the completeness of our candidate search.

  15. Young stellar population and star formation history ofW4 HII region/Cluster Complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panwar, Neelam

    2018-04-01

    The HII region/cluster complex has been a subject of numerous investigations to study the feedback effect of massive stars on their surroundings. Massive stars not only alter the morphology of the parental molecular clouds, but also influence star formation, circumstellar disks and the mass function of low-mass stars in their vicinity. However, most of the studies of low-mass stellar content of the HII regions are limited only to the nearby regions. We study the star formation in the W4 HII region using deep optical observations obtained with the archival data from Canada - France - Hawaii Telescope, Two-Micron All Sky Survey, Spitzer, Herschel and Chandra. We investigate the spatial distribution of young stellar objects in the region, their association with the remnant molecular clouds, and search for the clustering to establish the sites of recent star formation. Our analysis suggests that the influence of massive stars on circumstellar disks is significant only to thei! r immediate neighborhood. The spatial correlation of the young stars with the distribution of gas and dust of the complex indicate that the clusters would have formed in a large filamentary cloud. The observing facilities at the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT), providing high-resolution spectral and imaging capabilities, will fulfill the major objectives in the study of HII regions.

  16. Modeling the effects of cooling rate, hydrogen content, grain refiner and modifier on microporosity formation in Al A356 alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Conley, J.G.; Huang, J.; Asada, J.; Akiba, K. [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

    2000-06-15

    Cast Aluminum-Silicon alloys are used in numerous automotive and industrial weight sensitive applications because of their low density and excellent castability. The presence of trapped gas and or shrinkage pores in certain locations within castings has been shown to influence fatigue life. These micromechanical defects can be found most anywhere in a casting depending on processing conditions. A large amount of porosity located in the center of the cast material thickness may have no effect on mechanical properties or fatigue performance. A smaller, isolated pore near a surface may have a significant impact on mechanical properties. Hence, it is important to develop a comprehensive model to predict the size, location and distribution of microporosity in castings. In this work, we model the effect of various casting process parameters on microporosity formation for aluminum A356 alloy castings. The process parameters include cooling rate, hydrogen content, grain refiner and modifier. The proposed two-dimensional model predicts the size, morphology and distribution of microporosity at a given location in the casting. The method couples a mathematical model of porosity evolution with a probabilistic grain structure prediction model. The porosity evolution model is based on the simultaneous solution of the continuity and momentum equations for the metal and the mass conservation equation for the dissolved gas. The nucleation and growth of grains are simulated with a probabilistic method that uses the information from a heat transfer simulation, i.e. temperature and solid fraction, to determine the transition rules for grain evolution. The simulation results correlate well with experimental observation of porosity in cast structures. (orig.)

  17. Circumstellar envelopes seen in radio (OH masers) and in the infrared observations (IRAS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David, Pedro-Correia-de-Matos

    1992-01-01

    Intermediate mass stars, namely from one to nine solar masses, eject mass into the surrounding interstellar medium at high rates (up to 1/10000 solar masses per year) in their late stages of evolution on the so called asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Indeed, the presence of a circumstellar envelope (CSE) composed of dust and gas is one of the principal features of the objects on the AGB. Because of the high opacity at visible wavelength of the CSE, most of these objects can only be observed at infrared and radio frequencies. This study was undertaken using infrared and radio data from a large sample of CSE sources. The infrared data was obtained from the infrared astronomical satellite (IRAS) data base. For a selection of IRAS objects, radio observations were made of the OH maser at 1612 and 1667 MHz at the Nancay radio telescope, France. This work consists in two parts, one is theoretical in nature, the other observational. The theoretical part is concerned with the modeling of IRAS low resolution spectra (LRS catalog) and IRAS photometry through the use of a radiative transfer code. Confrontation between models and data has yielded such results as a better definition of the grain optical properties and the behavior of the CSE as it evolves. A model of a shock wave (a possible lifting engine of the CSE) propagating in the atmosphere of Mira stars (AGB) is described. On the observational side, a large number of objects has been surveyed for the presence of OH masers at 1612 and 1667 MHz. A statistical analysis has established more clearly the evolutionary status of CSE and the OH maser characteristics. A compiling of detection rates for the occurrence of masers, average location of these masing CSEs in the Galaxy, and OH maser characteristics is reported for use in future work. (author) [fr

  18. Optical polarimetry of star-forming regions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gledhill, T M

    1987-01-01

    The polarimetric investigation of nebulosity associated with loss-mass pre-main sequence (PMS) stellar objects is detailed. Three regions of on-going star formation are considered, specifically, the Haro 6-5 and the HL/XZ Tau systems - both associated with dark clouds in the Taurus complex - and the PV Cephei nebulosity near NGC7023. In each region the imaging observations suggest bipolarity in the optical structure of the nebulosity, and the polarimetric data are used to determine the locations of the illuminating sources. Evidence is found for the association of circumstellar discs of obscuration with the PMS objects Haro 6-5A (FS Tau), Haro 6-5B, HL Tau, and PV Cephei. In each case the polarimetric data suggest that the local magnetic field has played an important role in the evolution of the star and the circumstellar material. Examination of the source-region polarization maps suggests that at least one of the objects considered is surrounded by a dust grain-aligning magnetic field with a predominantly toroidal geometry in the plane of the circumstellar disc. Implications for current theories of outflow acceleration and cloud evolution are discussed.

  19. A WISE survey of circumstellar disks in Taurus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esplin, T. L.; Luhman, K. L.; Mamajek, E. E.

    2014-01-01

    We have compiled photometry at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 μm from the all-sky survey performed by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) for all known members of the Taurus complex of dark clouds. Using these data and photometry from the Spitzer Space Telescope, we have identified members with infrared excess emission from circumstellar disks and have estimated the evolutionary stages of the detected disks, which include 31 new full disks and 16 new candidate transitional, evolved, evolved transitional, and debris disks. We have also used the WISE All-Sky Source Catalog to search for new disk-bearing members of Taurus based on their red infrared colors. Through optical and near-infrared spectroscopy, we have confirmed 26 new members with spectral types of M1-M7. The census of disk-bearing stars in Taurus should now be largely complete for spectral types earlier than ∼M8 (M ≳ 0.03 M ☉ ).

  20. A WISE survey of circumstellar disks in Taurus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esplin, T. L.; Luhman, K. L. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Mamajek, E. E., E-mail: taran.esplin@psu.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627 (United States)

    2014-04-01

    We have compiled photometry at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 μm from the all-sky survey performed by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) for all known members of the Taurus complex of dark clouds. Using these data and photometry from the Spitzer Space Telescope, we have identified members with infrared excess emission from circumstellar disks and have estimated the evolutionary stages of the detected disks, which include 31 new full disks and 16 new candidate transitional, evolved, evolved transitional, and debris disks. We have also used the WISE All-Sky Source Catalog to search for new disk-bearing members of Taurus based on their red infrared colors. Through optical and near-infrared spectroscopy, we have confirmed 26 new members with spectral types of M1-M7. The census of disk-bearing stars in Taurus should now be largely complete for spectral types earlier than ∼M8 (M ≳ 0.03 M {sub ☉}).

  1. Astrobiological Effects of Stellar Radiation in Circumstellar Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuntz, Manfred; Gurdemir, Levent; Guinan, Edward F.; Kurucz, Robert L.

    2006-10-01

    The centerpiece of all life on Earth is carbon-based biochemistry. Previous scientific research has suggested that biochemistry based on carbon may also play a decisive role in extraterrestrial life forms, i.e., alien life outside of Earth, if existent. In the following, we explore if carbon-based macromolecules (such as DNA) in the environments of stars other than the Sun are able to survive the effects of energetic stellar radiation, such as UV-C in the wavelength band between 200 and 290 nm. We focus on main-sequence stars akin to the Sun, but of hotter (F-type stars) and cooler (K- and M-type stars) surface temperature. Emphasis is placed on investigating the radiative environment in stellar habitable zones (HZs). Stellar habitable zones have an important relevance in astrobiology because they constitute circumstellar regions in which a planet of suitable size can have surface temperatures for water to exist in liquid form.

  2. Study Tranport Barrier Formation using Bi- Stable Sandpile Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitpitak, B.; Kanjanaput, W.; Poolyarat, N.; Picha, R; Onjun, T.

    2014-01-01

    The formation of plasma transport barrier in Tokamak is an important issue for achieving high energy confinement and sufficient fusion performance. The simulation using in this experiment simulates cycles of dropping grains in a sandpile with two stable and two unstable slope regimes which share the same characteristic as the formation of pedestal and there are several parameters used, including stable boundaries, grains in a toppling, relax process iterations per cycle, grains in a drop and number of drops per cycle. By using this simulation, the effects of the relaxation times and number of trooping grain (the number of collapsing grain in the relaxation process) can be investigated. It is found in the simulations that the pedestal region can be observed only when the number of deposited grain exceeds a critical value which is related to number of relaxation times and number of allowed trooping grain. In another words, the pedestal formation occurs when the particle deposition rate is higher than the average diffusion rate. In addition, altering amount of trooping grain can lead to remarkable effects on slope and height of the profiles. In order to achieve better energy confinement, further study of formation of plasma transport barrier is needed.

  3. Grain boundary characteristics and texture formation in a medium carbon steel during its austenitic decomposition in a high magnetic field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Y.D.; Esling, C.; Lecomte, J.S.; He, C.S.; Zhao, X.; Zuo, L.

    2005-01-01

    A 12-T magnetic field has been applied to a medium plain carbon steel during the diffusional decomposition of austenite and the effect of a high magnetic field on the distribution of misorientation angles, grain boundary characteristics and texture formation in the ferrite produced has been investigated. The results show that a high magnetic field can cause a considerable decrease in the frequency of low-angle misorientations and an increase in the occurrence of low Σ coincidence boundaries, in particular the Σ3 of ferrite. This may be attributed to the elevation in the transformation temperature caused by the magnetic field and, therefore, the reduction of the transformation stress. The wider temperature range for grain growth offers longer time to the less mobile Σ boundaries to enlarge their areas. Moreover, the magnetic field can enhance the transverse field-direction fiber ( parallel TFD). It can be assumed that the effects of the field were caused by the dipolar interaction between the magnetic moments of Fe atoms

  4. H i and CO in the circumstellar environment of the S-type star RS Cancri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Libert, Y.; Winters, J. M.; Le Bertre, T.; Gérard, E.; Matthews, L. D.

    2010-06-01

    Context. The history of mass loss during the AGB phase is key to understanding the stellar evolution and the gas and dust replenishment of the interstellar medium. The mass-loss phenomenon presents fluctuations with a wide variety of timescales and spatial scales and requires combining data from multiple tracers. Aims: We study the respective contributions of the central source and of the external medium to the complex geometry of circumstellar ejecta. Methods: This paper presents Plateau de Bure Interferometer and IRAM 30-m telescope CO rotational line observations, along with H i data obtained with the Nançay Radio Telescope for the oxygen-rich semi-regular variable RS Cnc, in order to probe its circumstellar environment on different scales. Results: We detect both the CO(1-0) and the CO(2-1) rotational lines from RS Cnc. The line profiles are composite, comprising two components of half-width ~2 km s-1 and ~8 km s-1, respectively. Whereas the narrow velocity component seems to originate in an equatorial disk in the central part of the CO envelope, the broad component reveals a bipolar structure, with a north-south velocity gradient. In addition, we obtain new H i data on the source and around it in a field of almost 1 square degree. The H i line is centered on vLSR = 7 km s-1 in agreement with CO observations. A new reduction process reveals a complex extended structure in the northwest direction, of estimated size ~18', with a position angle (~310°) opposite the direction of the stellar proper motion (~140°). We derive an H i mass of ~3 × 10-2 M_⊙ for this structure. Based on a non spherical simulation, we find that this structure is consistent with arising from the interaction of the star undergoing mass loss at an average rate of ~10-7 M⊙ yr-1 over ~2-3 × 105 years with the interstellar medium. Conclusions: Using CO and H i lines, we show that the circumstellar environment around RS Cnc includes two related but well separated regions. With CO, we

  5. Impact fracture experiments simulating interstellar grain-grain collisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freund, Friedemann; Chang, Sherwood; Dickinson, J. Thomas

    1990-01-01

    Oxide and silicate grains condensing during the early phases of the formation of the solar system or in the outflow of stars are exposed to high partial pressures of the low-z elements H, C, N and O and their simple gaseous compounds. Though refractory minerals are nominally anhydrous and non-carbonate, if they crystallize in the presence of H2O, N2 and CO or CO2 gases, they dissolve traces of the gaseous components. The question arises: How does the presence of dissolved gases or gas components manifest itself when grain-grain collisions occur. What are the gases emitted when grains are shattered during a collision event. Researchers report on fracture experiments in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV, approximately less than 10 to the -8th power mbar) designed to measure (by means of a quadrupole mass spectrometer, QMS, with microns to ms time resolution) the emission of gases and vapors during and after impact (up to 1.5 sec). Two terrestrial materials were chosen which represent structural and compositional extremes: olivine (San Carlos, AZ), a densely packed Mg-Fe(2+) silicate from the upper mantle, available as 6 to 12 mm single crystals, and obsidian (Oregon), a structurally open, alkaline-SiO2-rich volcanic glass. In the olivine crystals OH- groups have been identified spectroscopically, as well as H2 molecules. Obsidian is a water-rich glass containing OH- besides H2O molecules. Olivine from the mantle often contains CO2, either as CO2-rich fluid in fluid inclusions or structurally dissolved or both. By analogy to synthetic glasses CO2 in the obsidian may be present in form of CO2 molecules in voids of molecular dimensions, or as carbonate anions, CO3(2-). No organic molecules have been detected spectroscopically in either material. Results indicate that refractory oxide/silicates which contain dissolved traces of the H2O and CO/CO2 components but no spectroscopically detectable traces of organics may release complex H-C-O (possibly H-C-N-O) molecules upon fracture

  6. Shear localization and microstructure in coarse grained beta titanium alloy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Bingfeng, E-mail: biw009@ucsd.edu [State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, United States of America (United States); Key Lab of Nonferrous Materials, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Wang, Xiaoyan [State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Li, Zezhou [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, United States of America (United States); Ma, Rui [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Zhao, Shiteng [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, United States of America (United States); Xie, Fangyu [State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Zhang, Xiaoyong [State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China)

    2016-01-15

    Adiabatic shear localization plays an important role in the deformation and failure of the coarse grained beta titanium alloy Ti-5 Al-5 Mo-5 V-1 Cr-1 Fe with grain size about 1 mm at high strain rate deformation. Hat shaped specimens with different nominal shear strains are used to induce the formation of shear bands under the controlled shock-loading experiments. The true stress in the specimens can reach about 1040 MPa where the strain is about 1.83. The whole shear localization process lasts about 35 μs. The microstructures within the shear band are investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy / electron backscatter diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the width of the shear bands decreases with increasing nominal shear strain, and the grains in the transition region near the shear band are elongated along the shear band, and the core of the shear band consists of the ultrafine deformed grains with width of 0.1 μm and heavy dislocations. With the aims of accommodating the imposed shear strain and maintaining neighboring grain compatibility, the grain subdivision continues to take place within the band. A fiber texture is formed in the core of the shear band. The calculated temperature rise in the shear band can reach about 722 K. Dynamic recovery is responsible for the formation of the microstructure in coarse grained beta titanium alloy.

  7. Grain preservation in SSSR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trisviatski, L.A.

    1973-01-01

    First the importance of cereals collected in the S.S.S.R., the reason why the government had to put in practice a storage chain, composed of large capacity store houses (200 000 metric tonnes, or more) is reminded. When climatic conditions result in wet harvested grains, cereals are dried either in state enterprise dryers (32 to 50 tonnes/hour) or in kolkhozes' dryers (2 to 16 tonnes/hour). A new type of drying with recycling, has been developped, economizing 10 to 15 p. 100. Then the possibilities offered by the technique of partial drying of very wet grains are studied and the preservation processes using fresh ventilation, or hot ventilation with drying effect are described. The question of silage of wet grains destined to animal consumption is then examined as well as preservation by sodium pyrosulfide; the use of propionic acid, little developped in SSSR, is studied now, just as storage with inert gas. The struggle technics against insects, either with chemical agents, or with irradiation are described. Finally the modalities of technicians formation, specialized in preservation, are discussed [fr

  8. Mass loss of evolved massive stars: the circumstellar environment at high angular resolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montarges, Miguel

    2014-01-01

    Mass loss of evolved stars is still largely mysterious, despite its importance as the main evolution engine for the chemical composition of the interstellar medium. For red supergiants (RSG), the triggering of the outflow and the mechanism of dust condensation remain unknown. Concerning red giant stars, we still do not know how their mass loss is able to form a bipolar planetary nebula. During my PhD thesis, I observed evolved stars with high angular resolution techniques. They allowed us to study the surface and the close environment of these stars, from where mass loss originates. With near-infrared interferometric observations, I characterized the water vapor and carbon monoxide envelope of the nearby RSG Betelgeuse. I also monitored a hot spot on its surface and analyzed the structure of its convection, as well as that of Antares (another very nearby supergiant) thanks to radiative hydrodynamical simulations. Diffraction-limited imaging techniques (near-infrared adaptive optics, ultraviolet space telescope) allowed me to observe the evolution of inhomogeneities in the circumstellar envelope of Betelgeuse and to discover a circumstellar disk around L2 Puppis, an asymptotic giant branch star. These multi-scale and multi-wavelength observations obtained at several epochs allowed us to monitor the evolution of the structures and to derive information on the dynamics of the stellar environment. With a wider stellar sample expected in the next few years, this observing program will allow a better understanding of the mass loss of evolved stars. (author)

  9. Constraints on gamma-ray burst and supernova progenitors through circumstellar absorption lines : II. Post-LBV Wolf-Rayet stars

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marle, A.J.; Langer, N.; Garcia-Segura, G.

    2007-01-01

    Van Marle et al. (2005) showed that circumstellar absorption lines in early Type Ib/c supernova and gamma-ray burst afterglow spectra may reveal the progenitor evolution of the exploding Wolf-Rayet star. While the quoted paper deals with Wolf-Rayet stars which evolved through a red supergiant stage,

  10. Formation mechanisms and sequence response of authigenic grain-coating chlorite: evidence from the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation in the southern Sichuan Basin, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Yu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Authigenic grain-coating chlorite is widely distributed in the clastic rocks of many sedimentary basins around the world. These iron minerals were mainly derived from flocculent precipitates formed when rivers flow into the ocean, especially in deltaic environments with high hydrodynamic conditions. At the same time, sandstone sequences with grain-coating chlorites also tend to have relatively high glauconite and pyrite content. EPMA composition analysis shows that glauconites with “high Al and low Fe” content indicate slightly to semi-saline marine environments with weak alkaline and weakly reducing conditions. By analyzing the chlorite-containing sandstone bodies of the southern Sichuan Xujiahe Formation, this study found that chlorite was mainly distributed in sedimentary microfacies, including underwater distributary channels, distributary channels, shallow lake sandstone dams, and mouth bars. Chlorite had a tendency to form in the upper parts of sandstone bodies with signs of increased base level, representing the influence of marine (lacustrine transgression. This is believed to be influenced by megamonsoons in the Middle and Upper Yangtze Region during the Late Triassic Epoch. During periods of abundant precipitation, river discharges increased and more Fe particulates flowed into the ocean (lake. In the meantime, increases or decreases in lake level were only affected by precipitation for short periods of time. The sedimentary environment shifted from weakly oxidizing to weak alkaline, weakly reducing conditions as sea level increased, and Fe-rich minerals as authigenic chlorite and glauconite began to form and deposit.

  11. Strongly coupled Coulomb systems with positive dust grains: thermal and UV-induced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samarian, A.A.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: A plasma containing macroscopic dust particles or grains (often referred to as a dusty or colloidal or complex plasma) has the feature that grains may be charged by electron or ion flux or by photo- or thermoelectron emission. Electron emission from a grain surface produces a positive charge; capture of electrons produces the reverse effect making the dust grains negatively charged. Most dusty plasma research is concerned with the ordered dust structures (so-called 'plasma crystal') in glow discharges. The dust grains in these experiments were found to carry a negative charge due to the higher mobility of electrons as compared to ions in the discharge plasma. In recent years, in parallel with the study of the properties of plasma crystals under discharge conditions, attempts to obtain a structure from positively charged dust grains have been made, and structure formation processes for various charging mechanisms, particularly thermoelectron emission and photoemission, have been investigated. In this paper we review the essential features of strongly coupled plasmas with positive dust grains. An ordered structure of CeO 2 grains has been experimentally observed in a combustion products jet. The grains were charged positively and suspended in the plasma flow. Their charge is about 10 3 a and the calculated value of a Coulomb coupling parameter Γ is >10, corresponding to a plasma liquid. The ordered structures of Al 2 O 3 dust grains in propellant combustion products plasma have been observed for the first time. These structures were found in the sheath boundary of condensation region. The obtained data let us estimate the value of parameter Γ =3-40, corresponding to the plasma liquid state. The possibility is studied of the formation of ordered dust grain structures in thermal plasma. The range of the required values of the coupling parameter Γ is calculated using the results of diagnostic measurements carried out in thermal plasma with grains of

  12. The character and behaviour of circumstellar shells at T Tauri stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goetz, W.

    1988-01-01

    T Tauri stars are extremely young low-mass stars in the pre-main sequence stage. A brief review of investigations made at the Sonneberg observatory concerning the character and the behaviour of circumstellar shells at T Tauri stars is given. They lead to the construction of a shell model on the basis of observational facts. The idea rests upon the causal connection between the gas and dust shell phenomenon and the cosmogonic mass loss of the stars, which is the connecting link between the stars and their shells and which appears in the early phase of the pre-main sequence stage and decreases, like the accompanying shell phenomena, during the evolution of the stars. (author)

  13. Fine-grained sheet silicate rocks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weaver, C.E.

    1977-09-01

    Considerable interest has been shown in the possibility of using shales as repositories for radioactive waste and a variety of other waste products, and it appears that over the next few years much money and effort will be expended to investigate and test a wide variety of shales. If shales are to be studied in detail by a large number of investigators, it is important that all concerned have the same concept of what constitutes a shale. The term shale and other terms for fine-grained rocks have been used for many years and have been continually redefined. Most definitions predate the development of modern instrumentation and are based on field observations and intuition; however, the main problem is the diversity of definitions. An attempt is made here to develop a simple, rational classification of fine-grained sediments, and it is hoped that this classification will eliminate some of the present ambiguity. In order that the classification be pertinent, mineral composition and textural data were compiled and evaluated. The data on unconsolidated and consolidated sediments were contrasted and the effects of burial diagenesis assessed. It was found necessary to introduce a new term, physil, to describe all sheet silicate minerals. In contrast to the term clay mineral, the term physil has no size connotation. A simple classification is proposed that is based on the percentage of physils and grain size. In Part II the fine-grained physil rocks are classified on the basis of physil type, non-physil minerals, and texture. Formations are listed which have the mineral and textural characteristics of the most important rock types volumetrically. Selected rock types, and the formations in which they can be found, are recommended for laboratory study to determine their suitability for the storage of high-level radioactive waste

  14. ROCKY PLANETESIMAL FORMATION VIA FLUFFY AGGREGATES OF NANOGRAINS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arakawa, Sota; Nakamoto, Taishi, E-mail: arakawa.s.ac@m.titech.ac.jp [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan)

    2016-12-01

    Several pieces of evidence suggest that silicate grains in primitive meteorites are not interstellar grains but condensates formed in the early solar system. Moreover, the size distribution of matrix grains in chondrites implies that these condensates might be formed as nanometer-sized grains. Therefore, we propose a novel scenario for rocky planetesimal formation in which nanometer-sized silicate grains are produced by evaporation and recondensation events in early solar nebula, and rocky planetesimals are formed via aggregation of these nanograins. We reveal that silicate nanograins can grow into rocky planetesimals via direct aggregation without catastrophic fragmentation and serious radial drift, and our results provide a suitable condition for protoplanet formation in our solar system.

  15. THE MORPHOLOGY OF IRC+10420's CIRCUMSTELLAR EJECTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tiffany, Chelsea; Humphreys, Roberta M.; Jones, Terry J.; Davidson, Kris

    2010-01-01

    Images of the circumstellar ejecta associated with the post-red supergiant IRC+10420 show a complex ejecta with visual evidence for episodic mass loss. In this paper, we describe the transverse motions of numerous knots, arcs, and condensations in the inner ejecta measured from second epoch Hubble Space Telescope/WFPC2 images. When combined with the radial motions for several of the features, the total space motion and direction of the outflows show that they were ejected at different times, in different directions, and presumably from separate regions on the surface of the star. These discrete structures in the ejecta are kinematically distinct from the general expansion of the nebula and their motions are dominated by their transverse velocities. They are apparently all moving within a few degrees of the plane of the sky. We are thus viewing IRC+10420 nearly pole-on and looking nearly directly down onto its equatorial plane. We also discuss the role of surface activity and magnetic fields on IRC+10420's recent mass-loss history.

  16. Grain formation in the expanding gas flow around cool luminous stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hasegawa, H.

    1984-01-01

    The existence of solid particles in interstellar space has been revealed by the extinction of starlight in UV, visible and IR. The important sources of interstellar grains are considered to be cool luminous mass loss stars. (author)

  17. Mechanical behavior of ultrafine-grained materials under combined static and dynamic loadings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo Y.Z.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Ultrafine-grained (UFG materials have extensive prospects for engineering application due to their excellent mechanical properties. However, the grain size decrease reduces their strain hardening ability and makes UFG materials more susceptible to deformation instability such as shear localization. In most cases, critical shear strain is taken as the criterion for formation of shear localization under impact loading or adiabatic shear band (ASB. Recently, some researchers found that the formation of ASB was determined only by the dynamic loading process and had nothing to do with its static loading history. They proposed for coarse-grained metals a dynamic stored energy-based criterion for ASB and verified it by some experiments. In this study, we will focus on the shear localization behavior of UFG metals such as UFG titanium and magnesium alloy AZ31. Quasi-static loading and dynamic loading will be applied on the same specimen alternately. The shear localization behavior will be analyzed and the criterion of its formation will be evaluated.

  18. Macrosegregation and Grain Formation Caused by Convection Associated with Directional Solidification Through Cross-Section Increase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghods, Masoud; Lauer, Mark; Tewari, Surendra; Poirier, David; Grugel, Richard

    2016-01-01

    Cylindrical Al-7 wt% Silicon, Al-19 wt% Copper and Lead-6 wt% Antimony alloy samples were directionally solidified (DS) with liquid above, solid below, and gravity pointing down, in graphite crucibles having an abrupt cross-sectional increase. These alloys have similar solidification shrinkage but are expected to have different degrees of thermosolutal convection during solidification. Microstructures in the DS samples in the vicinity of the section change have been studied in order to examine the effect of convection associated with the combined influence of thermosolutal effects and solidification shrinkage. Extensive radial and axial macrosegregation associated with cross-section change is observed. It also appears that steepling and local primary alpha-phase remelting resulting from convection are responsible for stray grain formation at the reentrant corners. Preliminary results from a numerical model, which includes solidification shrinkage and thermosolutal convection in the mushy zone, indicate that these regions are prone to solutal remelting of dendrites.

  19. Relaxing the Small Particle Approximation for Dust-grain opacities in Carbon-star Wind Models

    OpenAIRE

    Mattsson, Lars; Höfner, Susanne

    2010-01-01

    We have computed wind models with time-dependent dust formation and grain-size dependent opacities, where (1) the problem is simplified by assuming a fixed dust-grain size, and where (2) the radiation pressure efficiency is approximated using grain sizes based on various means of the actual grain size distribution. It is shown that in critical cases, the effect of grain sizes can be significant. For well-developed winds, however, the effects on the mass-loss rate and the wind speed are small.

  20. Recombination efficiency of molecular hydrogen on interstellar grains - II: A numerical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chakrabarti, S.K.; Ankan, Das; Kinsuk, Acharyya; Sonali, Chakrabarti

    2006-05-01

    Knowledge of the recombination time on the grain surfaces has been a major obstacle in deciding the production rate of molecular hydrogen and other molecules in the interstellar medium. We present a numerical study to compute this time for molecular hydrogen for various cloud and grain parameters. We also find the time dependence, particularly when a grain is freshly injected into the system. Apart from the fact that the recombination times seem to be functions of the grain parameters such as the activation barrier energy, temperature etc., our result also shows the dependence on the number of sites in the grain S and the effective accretion rate per site a s of atomic hydrogen. To put simply the average time that a pair of atomic hydrogens will take to produce one molecular hydrogen depends on how heavily the grain is already populated by atomic and molecular hydrogens and how fast the hopping and desorption times are. We show that if we write the average recombination time as T r ∼ S α /A H , where, A H is the hopping rate, then α could be much greater than 1 for all astrophysically relevant accretion rates. Thus the average formation rate of H 2 is also dependent on the grain parameters, temperature and the accretion rate. We believe that our results will affect the overall rate of the formation of complex molecules such as methanol which requires successive hydrogenation on the grain surfaces in the interstellar medium. (author)

  1. Production of Al-Ti-C grain refiners with the addition of elemental carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gezer, Berke Turgay; Toptan, Fatih; Daglilar, Sibel; Kerti, Isil

    2010-01-01

    Grain refining process used in aluminium alloys, has an important role for preventing columnar, coarse grains and encouraging fine, equiaxed grain formation. Al-Ti-B grain refiners are widely used as aluminium grain refiners despite the problems in application Al-Ti-C refiners have an increasing demand in recent years. In the present work, Al-Ti-C grain refiners with different Ti:C ratios were produced by insitu method with the addition of elemental carbon. Microstructures were characterised by optic microscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy. The effects of temperature, holding time and Ti:C ratio on the grain refinement process were investigated and optimum conditions were determined.

  2. Observational constraints for the circumstellar disk of the B[e] star CPD-52 9243

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cidale, L. S.; Borges Fernandes, M.; Andruchow, I.; Arias, M. L.; Kraus, M.; Chesneau, O.; Kanaan, S.; Curé, M.; de Wit, W. J.; Muratore, M. F.

    2012-12-01

    Context. The formation and evolution of gas and dust environments around B[e] supergiants are still open issues. Aims: We intend to study the geometry, kinematics and physical structure of the circumstellar environment (CE) of the B[e] supergiant CPD-52 9243 to provide further insights into the underlying mechanism causing the B[e] phenomenon. Methods: The influence of the different physical mechanisms acting on the CE (radiation pressure, rotation, bi-stability or tidal forces) is somehow reflected in the shape and kinematic properties of the gas and dust regions (flaring, Keplerian, accretion or outflowing disks). To investigate these processes we mainly used quasi-simultaneous observations taken with high spatial resolution optical long-baseline interferometry (VLTI/MIDI), near-IR spectroscopy of CO bandhead features (Gemini/Phoenix and VLT/CRIRES) and optical spectra (CASLEO/REOSC). Results: High angular resolution interferometric measurements obtained with VLTI/MIDI provide strong support for the presence of a dusty disk(ring)-like structure around CPD-52 9243, with an upper limit for its inner edge of ~8 mas (~27.5 AU, considering a distance of 3.44 kpc to the star). The disk has an inclination angle with respect to the line of sight of 46 ± 7°. The study of CO first overtone bandhead evidences a disk structure in Keplerian rotation. The optical spectrum indicates a rapid outflow in the polar direction. Conclusions: The IR emission (CO and warm dust) indicates Keplerian rotation in a circumstellar disk while the optical line transitions of various species are consistent with a polar wind. Both structures appear simultaneously and provide further evidence for the proposed paradigms of the mass-loss in supergiant B[e] stars. The presence of a detached cold CO ring around CPD-52 9243 could be due to a truncation of the inner disk caused by a companion, located possibly interior to the disk rim, clearing the center of the system. More spectroscopic and

  3. Direct imaging of extra-solar planetary systems with the Circumstellar Imaging Telescope (CIT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terrile, R.J.

    1988-01-01

    In a joint study conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Perkin-Elmer Corporation it was found that an earth orbital, 1.5 meter diameter low scattered light coronagraphic telescope can achieve a broad range of scientific objectives including the direct detection of Jupiter-sized planets around the nearby stars. Recent major advances in the understanding of coronagraphic performance and in the field of super smooth mirror fabrication allow such an instrument to be designed and built within current technology. Such a project, called the Circumstellar Imaging Telescope (CIT), is currently being proposed. 10 references

  4. Circumstellar Interaction in Supernovae in Dense Environments—An Observational Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandra, Poonam

    2018-02-01

    In a supernova explosion, the ejecta interacting with the surrounding circumstellar medium (CSM) give rise to variety of radiation. Since CSM is created from the mass loss from the progenitor, it carries footprints of the late time evolution of the star. This is one of the unique ways to get a handle on the nature of the progenitor system. Here, I will focus mainly on the supernovae (SNe) exploding in dense environments, a.k.a. Type IIn SNe. Radio and X-ray emission from this class of SNe have revealed important modifications in their radiation properties, due to the presence of high density CSM. Forward shock dominance in the X-ray emission, internal free-free absorption of the radio emission, episodic or non-steady mass loss rate, and asymmetry in the explosion seem to be common properties of this class of SNe.

  5. Arcsecond Resolution Mapping of Sulfur Dioxide Emission in the Circumstellar Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Roger R.; Moullet, Arielle; Patel, Nimesh A.; Biersteker, John; Derose, Kimberly L.; Young, Kenneth H.

    2012-02-01

    We report Submillimeter Array observations of SO2 emission in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris, with an angular resolution of ≈1''. SO2 emission appears in three distinct outflow regions surrounding the central continuum peak emission that is spatially unresolved. No bipolar structure is noted in the sources. A fourth source of SO2 is identified as a spherical wind centered at the systemic velocity. We estimate the SO2 column density and rotational temperature assuming local thermal equilibrium (LTE) as well as perform non-LTE radiative transfer analysis using RADEX. Column densities of SO2 are found to be ~1016 cm-2 in the outflows and in the spherical wind. Comparison with existing maps of the two parent species OH and SO shows the SO2 distribution to be consistent with that of OH. The abundance ratio f_{SO_{2}}/f_{SO} is greater than unity for all radii larger than 3 × 1016 cm. SO2 is distributed in fragmented clumps compared to SO, PN, and SiS molecules. These observations lend support to specific models of circumstellar chemistry that predict f_{SO_{2}}/f_{SO}>1 and may suggest the role of localized effects such as shocks in the production of SO2 in the CSE.

  6. ARCSECOND RESOLUTION MAPPING OF SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSION IN THE CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPE OF VY CANIS MAJORIS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, Roger R.; Moullet, Arielle; Patel, Nimesh A.; Biersteker, John; Derose, Kimberly L.; Young, Kenneth H.

    2012-01-01

    We report Submillimeter Array observations of SO 2 emission in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris, with an angular resolution of ≈1''. SO 2 emission appears in three distinct outflow regions surrounding the central continuum peak emission that is spatially unresolved. No bipolar structure is noted in the sources. A fourth source of SO 2 is identified as a spherical wind centered at the systemic velocity. We estimate the SO 2 column density and rotational temperature assuming local thermal equilibrium (LTE) as well as perform non-LTE radiative transfer analysis using RADEX. Column densities of SO 2 are found to be ∼10 16 cm –2 in the outflows and in the spherical wind. Comparison with existing maps of the two parent species OH and SO shows the SO 2 distribution to be consistent with that of OH. The abundance ratio f SO 2 /f SO is greater than unity for all radii larger than 3 × 10 16 cm. SO 2 is distributed in fragmented clumps compared to SO, PN, and SiS molecules. These observations lend support to specific models of circumstellar chemistry that predict f SO 2 /f SO >1 and may suggest the role of localized effects such as shocks in the production of SO 2 in the CSE.

  7. Grain-size segregation and levee formation in geophysical mass flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, C.G.; Kokelaar, B.P.; Iverson, Richard M.; Logan, M.; LaHusen, R.G.; Gray, J.M.N.T.

    2012-01-01

    Data from large-scale debris-flow experiments are combined with modeling of particle-size segregation to explain the formation of lateral levees enriched in coarse grains. The experimental flows consisted of 10 m3 of water-saturated sand and gravel, which traveled ∼80 m down a steeply inclined flume before forming an elongated leveed deposit 10 m long on a nearly horizontal runout surface. We measured the surface velocity field and observed the sequence of deposition by seeding tracers onto the flow surface and tracking them in video footage. Levees formed by progressive downslope accretion approximately 3.5 m behind the flow front, which advanced steadily at ∼2 m s−1during most of the runout. Segregation was measured by placing ∼600 coarse tracer pebbles on the bed, which, when entrained into the flow, segregated upwards at ∼6–7.5 cm s−1. When excavated from the deposit these were distributed in a horseshoe-shaped pattern that became increasingly elevated closer to the deposit termination. Although there was clear evidence for inverse grading during the flow, transect sampling revealed that the resulting leveed deposit was strongly graded laterally, with only weak vertical grading. We construct an empirical, three-dimensional velocity field resembling the experimental observations, and use this with a particle-size segregation model to predict the segregation and transport of material through the flow. We infer that coarse material segregates to the flow surface and is transported to the flow front by shear. Within the flow head, coarse material is overridden, then recirculates in spiral trajectories due to size-segregation, before being advected to the flow edges and deposited to form coarse-particle-enriched levees.

  8. A Novel, Extremely Elongated, and Endocellular Bacterial Symbiont Supports Cuticle Formation of a Grain Pest Beetle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Hirota

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Silvanidae, is a cosmopolitan stored-product pest. Early studies on O. surinamensis in the 1930s described the presence of peculiar bacteriomes harboring endosymbiotic bacteria in the abdomen. Since then, however, the microbiological nature of the symbiont has been elusive. Here we investigated the endosymbiotic system of O. surinamensis in detail. In the abdomen of adults, pupae, and larvae, four oval bacteriomes were consistently identified, whose cytoplasm was full of extremely elongated tubular bacterial cells several micrometers wide and several hundred micrometers long. Molecular phylogenetic analysis identified the symbiont as a member of the Bacteroidetes, in which the symbiont was the most closely related to the endosymbiont of a grain pest beetle, Rhyzopertha dominica (Bostrichidae. The symbiont was detected in developing embryos, corroborating vertical symbiont transmission through host generations. The symbiont gene showed AT-biased nucleotide composition and accelerated molecular evolution, plausibly reflecting degenerative evolution of the symbiont genome. When the symbiont infection was experimentally removed, the aposymbiotic insects grew and reproduced normally, but exhibited a slightly but significantly more reddish cuticle and lighter body mass. These results indicate that the symbiont of O. surinamensis is not essential for the host’s growth and reproduction but contributes to the host’s cuticle formation. Symbiont genome sequencing and detailed comparison of fitness parameters between symbiotic and aposymbiotic insects under various environmental conditions will provide further insights into the symbiont’s biological roles for the stored-product pest.

  9. Science at the interface : grain boundaries in nanocrystalline metals.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez, Mark Andrew; Follstaedt, David Martin; Knapp, James Arthur; Brewer, Luke N.; Holm, Elizabeth Ann; Foiles, Stephen Martin; Hattar, Khalid M.; Clark, Blythe B.; Olmsted, David L.; Medlin, Douglas L.

    2009-09-01

    Interfaces are a critical determinant of the full range of materials properties, especially at the nanoscale. Computational and experimental methods developed a comprehensive understanding of nanograin evolution based on a fundamental understanding of internal interfaces in nanocrystalline nickel. It has recently been shown that nanocrystals with a bi-modal grain-size distribution possess a unique combination of high-strength, ductility and wear-resistance. We performed a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the structure and motion of internal interfaces in nanograined metal and the resulting grain evolution. The properties of grain boundaries are computed for an unprecedented range of boundaries. The presence of roughening transitions in grain boundaries is explored and related to dramatic changes in boundary mobility. Experimental observations show that abnormal grain growth in nanograined materials is unlike conventional scale material in both the level of defects and the formation of unfavored phases. Molecular dynamics simulations address the origins of some of these phenomena.

  10. Structures, Bonding, and Energetics of Potential Triatomic Circumstellar Molecules Containing Group 15 and 16 Elements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Walter E; Agarwal, Jay; Schaefer, Henry F

    2015-12-03

    The recent discovery of PN in the oxygen-rich shell of the supergiant star VY Canis Majoris points to the formation of several triatomic molecules involving oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus; these are also intriguing targets for main-group synthetic inorganic chemistry. In this research, high-level ab initio electronic structure computations were conducted on the potential circumstellar molecule OPN and several of its heavier group 15 and 16 congeners (SPN, SePN, TePN, OPP, OPAs, and OPSb). For each congener, four isomers were examined. Optimized geometries were obtained with coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)] using large Dunning basis sets [aug-cc-pVQZ, aug-cc-pV(Q+d)Z, and aug-cc-pVQZ-PP], and relative energies were determined at the complete basis set limit of CCSDT(Q) from focal point analyses. The linear phosphorus-centered molecules were consistently the lowest in energy of the group 15 congeners by at least 6 kcal mol(-1), resulting from double-triple and single-double bond resonances within the molecule. The linear nitrogen-centered molecules were consistently the lowest in energy of the group 16 congeners by at least 5 kcal mol(-1), due to the electronegative central nitrogen atom encouraging electron delocalization throughout the molecule. For OPN, OPP, and SPN, anharmonic vibrational frequencies and vibrationally corrected rotational constants are predicted; good agreement with available experimental data is observed.

  11. THE EFFECT OF SEDIMENT GRAIN SIZE ON HEAVY METAL CONTENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svetlana Maslennikova

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In the natural surroundings tectonical, climatological, dynamic and physico-chemical conditions of sedimentation are the crucial factors in the process of sediment composition formation. Grain size is one of the most investigated reasons of space and temporary variability in heavy metal concentration. In general, the data on grain size measurement afford to appreciate sorption capacity of sediments and arrange them. The dependence heavy metal content on grain size of sediments has been examined in the enormous amount of research works. The main conclusion is that if grain size decreases, metal content increases.We have carried out sediment grain size measurement of two lakes (Chebachje Lake, Piketnoye Lake located in the South of Western Siberia, Russia. To define grain size of these sediments the sorting of samples collected layer-by-layer has been conducted by nest of sieves (from 43 to 1000 µm. Accomplished examinations allow to state that layer-by-layer grain size measurement of sediments has significant importance in reconstruction of paleoecologic peculiarities and also influences organic and inorganic matter concentrating in the sediments in dynamics

  12. INTERPRETATION OF INFRARED VIBRATION-ROTATION SPECTRA OF INTERSTELLAR AND CIRCUMSTELLAR MOLECULES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lacy, John H.

    2013-01-01

    Infrared vibration-rotation lines can be valuable probes of interstellar and circumstellar molecules, especially symmetric molecules, which have no pure rotational transitions. But most such observations have been interpreted with an isothermal absorbing slab model, which leaves out important radiative transfer and molecular excitation effects. A more realistic non-LTE and non-isothermal radiative transfer model has been constructed. The results of this model are in much better agreement with the observations, including cases where lines in one branch of a vibration-rotation band are in absorption and another in emission. In general, conclusions based on the isothermal absorbing slab model can be very misleading, but the assumption of LTE may not lead to such large errors, particularly if the radiation field temperature is close to the gas temperature.

  13. Microphase separation and the formation of ion conductivity channels in poly(ionic liquid)s: A coarse-grained molecular dynamics study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weyman, Alexander; Bier, Markus; Holm, Christian; Smiatek, Jens

    2018-05-01

    We study generic properties of poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) via coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations in bulk solution and under confinement. The influence of different side chain lengths on the spatial properties of the PIL systems and on the ionic transport mechanism is investigated in detail. Our results reveal the formation of apolar and polar nanodomains with increasing side chain length in good agreement with previous results for molecular ionic liquids. The ion transport numbers are unaffected by the occurrence of these domains, and the corresponding values highlight the potential role of PILs as single-ion conductors in electrochemical devices. In contrast to bulk behavior, a pronounced formation of ion conductivity channels in confined systems is initiated in close vicinity to the boundaries. We observe higher ion conductivities in these channels for increasing PIL side chain lengths in comparison with bulk values and provide an explanation for this effect. The appearance of these domains points to an improved application of PILs in modern polymer electrolyte batteries.

  14. Genetic dissection of grain traits in Yamadanishiki, an excellent sake-brewing rice cultivar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okada, Satoshi; Suehiro, Miki; Ebana, Kaworu; Hori, Kiyosumi; Onogi, Akio; Iwata, Hiroyoshi; Yamasaki, Masanori

    2017-12-01

    The grain traits of Yamadanishiki, an excellent sake-brewing rice cultivar in Japan, are governed by multiple QTLs, namely, a total of 42 QTLs including six major QTLs. Japanese rice wine (sake) is produced using brewing rice (Oryza sativa L.) that carries traits desirable for sake-brewing, such as a larger grain size and higher white-core expression rate (WCE) compared to cooking rice cultivars. However, the genetic basis for these traits in brewing rice cultivars is still unclear. We performed analyses of quantitative trait locus (QTL) of grain and days to heading over 3 years on populations derived from crosses between Koshihikari, a cooking rice, and Yamadanishiki, an excellent sake-brewing rice. A total of 42 QTLs were detected for the grain traits, and the Yamadanishiki alleles at 16 QTLs contributed to larger grain size. Two major QTLs essential for regulating both 100-grain weight (GWt) and grain width (GWh) were harbored in the same regions on chromosomes 5 and 10. An interaction was noted between the environment and the QTL associated with WCE on chromosome 6, which was detected in two of 3 years. In addition, two QTLs for WCE on chromosomes 3 and 10 overlapped with the QTLs for GWt and GWh, suggesting that QTLs associated with grain size also play an important role in the formation of white-core. Despite differences in the rate of grain growth in both Koshihikari and Yamadanishiki across 2 years, the WCE in Yamadanishiki remained consistent, thus demonstrating that the formation of white-core does not depend on grain filling speed. These data can be informative for programs involved in breeding better cooking and brewing rice cultivars.

  15. Trace, isotopic analysis of micron-sized grains -- Mo, Zr analysis of stardust (SiC and graphite grains).

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pellin, M. J.; Nicolussi, G. K.

    1998-02-19

    Secondary Neutral Mass Spectrometry using resonant laser ionization can provide for both high useful yields and high discrimination while maintaining high lateral and depth resolutions. An example of the power of the method is measurement of the isotopic composition of Mo and Zr in 1-5 {micro}m presolar SiC and graphite grains isolated from the Murchison CM2 meteorite for the first time. These grains have survived the formation of the Solar System and isotopic analysis reveals a record of the stellar nucleosynthesis present during their formation. Mo and Zr, though present at less than 10 ppm in some grains, are particularly useful in that among their isotopes are members that can only be formed by distinct nucleosynthetic processes known as s-, p-, and r-process. Successful isotopic analysis of these elements requires both high selectivity (since these are trace elements) and high efficiency (since the total number of atoms available are limited). Resonant Ionization Spectroscopy is particularly useful and flexible in this application. While the sensitivity of this t.edmique has often been reported in the past, we focus hereon the very low noise properties of the technique. We further demonstrate the efficacy of noise removal by two complimentary methods. First we use the resonant nature of the signal to subtract background signal. Second we demonstrate that by choosing the appropriate resonance scheme background can often be dramatically reduced.

  16. Dust discs around low-mass main-sequence stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolstencroft, R.D.; Walker, H.J.

    1988-01-01

    Current understanding of the formation of circumstellar discs as a natural accompaniment to the process of low-mass star formation is briefly reviewed. Models of the thermal emission from the dust discs around the prototype stars α Lyr, α PsA, β Pic and ε Eri are discussed, which indicate that the central regions of three of these discs are almost devoid of dust within radii ranging between 17 and 26 AU, with the temperature of the hottest dust lying between about 115 and 210 K. One possible explanation of the dust-free zones is the presence of a planet at the inner boundary of each cloud that sweeps up grains crossing its orbit. The colour, diameter and thickness of the optical image of β Pic, obtained by coronagraphic techniques, have provided further information on the size, radial distribution of number density and orbital inclination of the grains. The difference in surface brightness on the two sides of the disc is puzzling, but might be explained if the grains are elongated and aligned by the combined effects of a stellar wind and a magnetic field of spiral configuration. Finally, we discuss the orbital evolution and lifetimes of particles in these discs, which are governed primarily by radiation pressure, Poynting-Robertson drag and grain-grain collisions. (author)

  17. Laboratory Studies of the Formation of Interstellar Dust from Molecular Precursors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras, Cesar S.; Salama, Farid

    2009-06-01

    The study of the formation and the destruction processes of cosmic dust is essential to understand and to quantify the budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Interstellar dust presents a continuous size distribution from large molecules, radicals and ions to nanometer-sized particles to micron-sized grains. The lower end of the carbonaceous dust size distribution is thought to be responsible for the ubiquitous spectral features that are seen in emission in the IR (UIBs) and in absorption in the visible (DIBs). The higher end of the dust-size distribution is thought to be responsible for the continuum emission plateau that is seen in the IR and for the strong absorption seen in the interstellar UV extinction curve. All these spectral signatures are characteristic of cosmic organic materials that are ubiquitous and present in various forms from gas-phase molecules to solid-state grains and all are expected to exhibit FIR spectral signatures. Space observations from the UV (HST) to the IR (ISO, Spitzer) help place size constraints on the molecular component of carbonaceous IS dust and its contribution to the IS features in the UV and in the IR. Studies of large molecular and nano-sized IS dust analogs formed from PAH precursors have been performed in our laboratory under conditions that simulate interstellar and circumstellar environments. The species (molecules, molecular fragments, ions, nanoparticles, etc...) formed in the pulsed discharge nozzle (PDN) plasma source are detected and characterized with a high-sensitivity cavity ringdown spectrometer (CRDS) coupled to a Reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ReTOF-MS). We will present new experimental results that indicate that nanoparticles are generated in the plasma. From these unique measurements, we derive information on the nature, the size and the structure of interstellar dust particles, the growth and the destruction processes of IS dust and the resulting budget of extraterrestrial organic

  18. Film grain synthesis and its application to re-graining

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schallauer, Peter; Mörzinger, Roland

    2006-01-01

    Digital film restoration and special effects compositing require more and more automatic procedures for movie regraining. Missing or inhomogeneous grain decreases perceived quality. For the purpose of grain synthesis an existing texture synthesis algorithm has been evaluated and optimized. We show that this algorithm can produce synthetic grain which is perceptually similar to a given grain template, which has high spatial and temporal variation and which can be applied to multi-spectral images. Furthermore a re-grain application framework is proposed, which synthesises based on an input grain template artificial grain and composites this together with the original image content. Due to its modular approach this framework supports manual as well as automatic re-graining applications. Two example applications are presented, one for re-graining an entire movie and one for fully automatic re-graining of image regions produced by restoration algorithms. Low computational cost of the proposed algorithms allows application in industrial grade software.

  19. Excitation of collective plasma modes during collisions between dust grains and the formation of dust plasma crystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goree, J.A.; Morfill, G.; Tsytovich, V.N.

    1998-01-01

    Dust plasma crystals have recently been produced in experiments in a number of laboratories. For dust crystallization to occur, there should exist an efficient mechanism for the cooling of the dust plasma component. It is shown that the excitation of collective plasma modes during collisions between the grains may serve as the required cooling mechanism. The excitation of dust sound waves is found to be most efficient. It is shown that the cooling of dust grains via the excitation of collective plasma modes can be even more efficient than that due to collisions with neutral particles, which was previously considered to be the only mechanism for cooling of the dust plasma component. At present, the first experiments are being carried out to study collisions between individual dust grains. High efficiency of the excitation of plasma modes caused by collisions between dust grains is attributed to the coherent displacement of the plasma particles that shield the grains. it is shown that the excitation efficiency is proportional to the fourth power of the charge of the dust grains and to a large power of their relative velocity, and is independent of their mass. The results obtained can be checked in experiments studying how the binary collisions between dust grains and the pressure of the neutral component influence the dust crystallization

  20. Dust grain charging in a wake of other grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miloch, W. J.; Block, D.

    2012-01-01

    The charging of dust grain in the wake of another grains in sonic and supersonic collisionless plasma flows is studied by numerical simulations. We consider two grains aligned with the flow, as well as dust chains and multiple grain arrangements. It is found that the dust charge depends significantly on the flow speed, distance between the grains, and the grain arrangement. For two and three grains aligned, the charges on downstream grains depend linearly on the flow velocity and intergrain distance. The simulations are carried out with DiP3D, a three dimensional particle-in-cell code with both electrons and ions represented as numerical particles [W. J. Miloch et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 103703 (2010)].

  1. Recycling process of Mn-Al doped large grain UO2 pellets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nam, Ik Hui; Yang, Jae Ho; Rhee, Young Woo; Kim, Dong Joo; Kim, Jong Hun; Kim, Keon Sik; Song, Kun Woo

    2010-01-01

    To reduce the fuel cycle costs and the total mass of spent light water reactor (LWR) fuels, it is necessary to extend the fuel discharged burn-up. Research on fuel pellets focuses on increasing the pellet density and grain size to increase the uranium contents and the high burnup safety margins for LWRs. KAERI are developing the large grain UO 2 pellet for the same purpose. Small amount of additives doping technology are used to increase the grain size and the high temperature deformation of UO 2 pellets. Various promising additive candidates had been developed during the last 3 years and the MnO-Al 2 O 3 doped UO 2 fuel pellet is one of the most promising candidates. In a commercial UO 2 fuel pellet manufacturing process, defective UO 2 pellets or scraps are produced and those should be reused. A common recycling method for defective UO 2 pellets or scraps is that they are oxidized in air at about 450 .deg. C to make U 3 O 8 powder and then added to UO 2 powder. In the oxidation of a UO 2 pellet, the oxygen propagates along the grain boundary. The U 3 O 8 formation on the grain boundary causes a spallation of the grains. So, size and shape of U 3 O 8 powder deeply depend on the initial grain size of UO 2 pellets. In the case of Mn-Al doped large grain pellets, the average grain size is about 45μm and about 5 times larger than a typical un-doped UO 2 pellet which has grain size of about 8∼10μm. That big difference in grain size is expected to cause a big difference in recycled U 3 O 8 powder morphology. Addition of U 3 O 8 to UO 2 leads to a drop in the pellet density, impeding a grain growth and the formation of graph- like pore segregates. Such degradation of the UO 2 pellet properties by adding the recycled U 3 O 8 powder depend on the U 3 O 8 powder properties. So, it is necessary to understand the property and its effect on the pellet of the recycled U 3 O 8 . This paper shows a preliminary result about the recycled U 3 O 8 powder which was obtained by

  2. Metamorphism of cosmic dust: Processing from circumstellar outflows to the cometary regolith

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nuth, J.A. III.

    1989-01-01

    Metamorphism of refractory particles continues in the interstellar medium (ISM) where the driving forces are sputtering by cosmic ray particles, annealing by high energy photons, and grain destruction in supernova generated shocks. Studies of the depletion of the elements from the gas phase of the interstellar medium tell us that if grain destruction occurs with high efficiency in the ISM, then there must be some mechanism by which grains can be formed in the ISM. Most grains in a cloud which collapses to form a star will be destroyed; many of the surviving grains will be severely processed. Grains in the outermost regions of the nebula may survive relatively unchanged by thermal processing or hydration. It is these grains which one hopes to find in comets. However, only those grains encased in ice at low temperature can be considered pristine since a considerable degree of hydrous alteration might occur in a cometary regolith if the comet enters the inner solar system. The physical, chemical and isotopic properties of a refractory grain at each stage of its life cycle will be discussed

  3. DECODING THE MESSAGE FROM METEORITIC STARDUST SILICON CARBIDE GRAINS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewis, Karen M.; Lugaro, Maria; Gibson, Brad K.; Pilkington, Kate

    2013-01-01

    Micron-sized stardust grains that originated in ancient stars are recovered from meteorites and analyzed using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The most widely studied type of stardust is silicon carbide (SiC). Thousands of these grains have been analyzed with high precision for their Si isotopic composition. Here we show that the distribution of the Si isotopic composition of the vast majority of stardust SiC grains carries the imprints of a spread in the age-metallicity distribution of their parent stars and of a power-law increase of the relative formation efficiency of SiC dust with the metallicity. This result offers a solution for the long-standing problem of silicon in stardust SiC grains, confirms the necessity of coupling chemistry and dynamics in simulations of the chemical evolution of our Galaxy, and constrains the modeling of dust condensation in stellar winds as a function of the metallicity.

  4. PETROLOGIC CONSTRAINTS ON AMORPHOUS AND CRYSTALLINE MAGNESIUM SILICATES: DUST FORMATION AND EVOLUTION IN SELECTED HERBIG Ae/Be SYSTEMS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rietmeijer, Frans J. M.; Nuth, Joseph A.

    2013-01-01

    The Infrared Space Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Herschel Space Observatory surveys provided a wealth of data on the Mg-silicate minerals (forsterite, enstatite), silica, and ''amorphous silicates with olivine and pyroxene stoichiometry'' around Herbig Ae/Be stars. These incredible findings do not resonate with the mainstream Earth Sciences because of (1) disconnecting ''astronomical nomenclature'' and the long existing mineralogical and petrologic terminology of minerals and amorphous materials, and (2) the fact that Earth scientists (formerly geologists) are bound by the ''Principle of Actualism'' that was put forward by James Hutton (1726-1797). This principle takes a process-oriented approach to understanding mineral and rock formation and evolution. This paper will (1) review and summarize the results of laboratory-based vapor phase condensation and thermal annealing experiments, (2) present the pathways of magnesiosilica condensates to Mg-silicate mineral (forsterite, enstatite) formation and processing, and (3) present mineralogical and petrologic implications of the properties and compositions of the infrared-observed crystalline and amorphous dust for the state of circumstellar disk evolution. That is, the IR-observation of smectite layer silicates in HD142527 suggests the break-up of asteroid-like parent bodies that had experienced aqueous alteration. We discuss the persistence of amorphous dust around some young stars and an ultrafast amorphous to crystalline dust transition in HD 163296 that leads to forsterite grains with numerous silica inclusions. These dust evolution processes to form forsterite, enstatite ± tridymite could occur due to amorphous magnesiosilica dust precursors with a serpentine- or smectite-dehydroxylate composition.

  5. PETROLOGIC CONSTRAINTS ON AMORPHOUS AND CRYSTALLINE MAGNESIUM SILICATES: DUST FORMATION AND EVOLUTION IN SELECTED HERBIG Ae/Be SYSTEMS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rietmeijer, Frans J. M. [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC 03 2040, 1-University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-001 (United States); Nuth, Joseph A., E-mail: fransjmr@unm.edu [Astrochemistry Laboratory, Solar System Exploration Division, Code 691, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

    2013-07-01

    The Infrared Space Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Herschel Space Observatory surveys provided a wealth of data on the Mg-silicate minerals (forsterite, enstatite), silica, and ''amorphous silicates with olivine and pyroxene stoichiometry'' around Herbig Ae/Be stars. These incredible findings do not resonate with the mainstream Earth Sciences because of (1) disconnecting ''astronomical nomenclature'' and the long existing mineralogical and petrologic terminology of minerals and amorphous materials, and (2) the fact that Earth scientists (formerly geologists) are bound by the ''Principle of Actualism'' that was put forward by James Hutton (1726-1797). This principle takes a process-oriented approach to understanding mineral and rock formation and evolution. This paper will (1) review and summarize the results of laboratory-based vapor phase condensation and thermal annealing experiments, (2) present the pathways of magnesiosilica condensates to Mg-silicate mineral (forsterite, enstatite) formation and processing, and (3) present mineralogical and petrologic implications of the properties and compositions of the infrared-observed crystalline and amorphous dust for the state of circumstellar disk evolution. That is, the IR-observation of smectite layer silicates in HD142527 suggests the break-up of asteroid-like parent bodies that had experienced aqueous alteration. We discuss the persistence of amorphous dust around some young stars and an ultrafast amorphous to crystalline dust transition in HD 163296 that leads to forsterite grains with numerous silica inclusions. These dust evolution processes to form forsterite, enstatite {+-} tridymite could occur due to amorphous magnesiosilica dust precursors with a serpentine- or smectite-dehydroxylate composition.

  6. Direct insight into grains formation in Si layers grown on 3C-SiC by chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khazaka, Rami; Portail, Marc; Vennéguès, Philippe; Alquier, Daniel; Michaud, Jean François

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: In this contribution, we demonstrated the influence of the 3C-SiC layer on the subsequent growth of Si epilayers. We were able to give a direct evidence that the rotation in the Si epilayer of 90° around the growth direction occurs exactly on the termination of an antiphase boundary in the 3C-SiC layer as shown in the figure above. Thus, increasing the layer thickness of the 3C-SiC leads to a direct improvement of the crystalline quality of the subsequent Si epilayer. (a) Cross-section bright-field TEM image of the Si/3C-SiC layer stack along two 3C-SiC zone axes [1 −1 0] and [1 1 0] (equivalent to [1 −1 1] and [1 1 2] in Si, respectively), (b) dark field image selecting a (2 0 −2) electron diffraction spot indicated by the black circle in the SAED shown as inset, (c) dark field image selecting a (−1 1 −1) electron diffraction spot indicated by the black circle in the SAED shown as inset. The dotted white line in the images show the position of the defect in the 3C-SiC layer. - Abstract: This work presents a structural study of silicon (Si) thin films grown on cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) by chemical vapor deposition. The presence of grains rotated by 90° around the growth direction in the Si layer is directly related to the presence of antiphase domains on the 3C-SiC surface. We were able to provide a direct evidence that the 90° rotation of Si grains around the growth direction occurs exactly on the termination of antiphase boundaries (APBs) in 3C-SiC layer. Increasing the 3C-SiC thickness reduces the APBs density on 3C-SiC surface leading to a clear improvement of the uppermost Si film crystal quality. Furthermore, we observed by high resolution plan-view TEM images the presence of hexagonal Si domains limited to few nm in size. These hexagonal Si domains are inclusions in small Si grains enclosed in larger ones rotated by 90°. Finally, we propose a model of grains formation in the Si layer taking into consideration the effect

  7. Role of Surface Chemistry in Grain Adhesion and Dissipation during Collisions of Silica Nanograins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Quadery, Abrar H.; Tucker, William C.; Dove, Adrienne R.; Schelling, Patrick K. [Department of Physics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-2385 (United States); Doan, Baochi D., E-mail: patrick.schelling@ucf.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-2385 (United States)

    2017-08-01

    The accretion of dust grains to form larger objects, including planetesimals, is a central problem in planetary science. It is generally thought that weak van der Waals interactions play a role in accretion at small scales where gravitational attraction is negligible. However, it is likely that in many instances, chemical reactions also play an important role, and the particular chemical environment on the surface could determine the outcomes of dust grain collisions. Using atomic-scale simulations of collisional aggregation of nanometer-sized silica (SiO{sub 2}) grains, we demonstrate that surface hydroxylation can act to weaken adhesive forces and reduce the ability of mineral grains to dissipate kinetic energy during collisions. The results suggest that surface passivation of dangling bonds, which generally is quite complete in an Earth environment, should tend to render mineral grains less likely to adhere during collisions. It is shown that during collisions, interactions scale with interparticle distance in a manner consistent with the formation of strong chemical bonds. Finally, it is demonstrated that in the case of collisions of nanometer-scale grains with no angular momentum, adhesion can occur even for relative velocities of several kilometers per second. These results have significant implications for early planet formation processes, potentially expanding the range of collision velocities over which larger dust grains can form.

  8. PHOTOCHEMISTRY IN THE INNER LAYERS OF CLUMPY CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPES: FORMATION OF WATER IN C-RICH OBJECTS AND OF C-BEARING MOLECULES IN O-RICH OBJECTS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agundez, Marcelino; Cernicharo, Jose; Guelin, Michel

    2010-01-01

    A mechanism based on the penetration of interstellar ultraviolet photons into the inner layers of clumpy circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) around asymptotic giant branch stars is proposed to explain the non-equilibrium chemistry observed in such objects. We show through a simple modeling approach that in CSEs with a certain degree of clumpiness or with moderately low mass loss rates (a few 10 -7 M sun yr -1 ) a photochemistry can take place in the warm and dense inner layers, inducing important changes in the chemical composition. In carbon-rich objects water vapor and ammonia would be formed with abundances of 10 -8 -10 -6 relative to H 2 , while in oxygen-rich envelopes ammonia and carbon-bearing molecules such as HCN and CS would form with abundances of 10 -9 -10 -7 relative to H 2 . The proposed mechanism would explain the recent observation of warm water vapor in the carbon-rich envelope IRC+10216 with the Herschel Space Observatory and predict that H 2 O should be detectable in other carbon-rich objects.

  9. H12CN and H13CN excitation analysis in the circumstellar outflow of R Sculptoris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saberi, M.; Maercker, M.; De Beck, E.; Vlemmings, W. H. T.; Olofsson, H.; Danilovich, T.

    2017-03-01

    Context. The 12CO/13CO isotopologue ratio in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars has been extensively used as the tracer of the photospheric 12C/13C ratio. However, spatially-resolved ALMA observations of R Scl, a carbon rich AGB star, have shown that the 12CO/13CO ratio is not consistent over the entire CSE. Hence, it can not necessarily be used as a tracer of the 12C/13C ratio. The most likely hypothesis to explain the observed discrepancy between the 12CO/13CO and 12C/13C ratios is CO isotopologue selective photodissociation by UV radiation. Unlike the CO isotopologue ratio, the HCN isotopologue ratio is not affected by UV radiation. Therefore, HCN isotopologue ratios can be used as the tracer of the atomic C ratio in UV irradiated regions. Aims: We aim to present ALMA observations of H13CN(4-3) and APEX observations of H12CN(2-1), H13CN(2-1, 3-2) towards R Scl. These new data, combined with previously published observations, are used to determine abundances, ratio, and the sizes of line-emitting regions of the aforementioned HCN isotopologues. Methods: We have performed a detailed non-LTE excitation analysis of circumstellar H12CN(J = 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-3) and H13CN(J = 2-1, 3-2, 4-3) line emission around R Scl using a radiative transfer code based on the accelerated lambda iteration (ALI) method. The spatial extent of the molecular distribution for both isotopologues is constrained based on the spatially resolved H13CN(4-3) ALMA observations. Results: We find fractional abundances of H12CN/H2 = (5.0 ± 2.0) × 10-5 and H13CN/H2 = (1.9 ± 0.4) × 10-6 in the inner wind (r ≤ (2.0 ± 0.25) ×1015 cm) of R Scl. The derived circumstellar isotopologue ratio of H12CN/H13CN = 26.3 ± 11.9 is consistent with the photospheric ratio of 12C/13C 19 ± 6. Conclusions: We show that the circumstellar H12CN/H13CN ratio traces the photospheric 12C/13C ratio. Hence, contrary to the 12CO/13CO ratio, the H12CN/H13CN ratio is not affected by UV

  10. The influence of climatic conditions changes on grain yield in Winter Triticale (X Triticosecale Wittm.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ionuț RACZ

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is making out the influence of climatic changes on grain yield of winter triticale in relation with applied fertilizer. The influence of environmental conditions on growing and development of triticale plants depends of grow stages and their duration. During five experimental years (2010-2015 the climatic conditions were different year to year, with an accentuated heating trend, influencing plant phenology, accelerating or slowing down some important processes disturbing grain yield formation. The influence of drought is more accentuated by heating stress and prolonging of these conditions during the main phenological processes have a negative influence on plant growth or development with effect on the grain yield formation process.

  11. Grain-filling duration and grain yield relationships in wheat mutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larik, A.S.

    1987-01-01

    Nine stable mutants of bread wheat along with their mother cultivars were investigated for grain-filling characteristics in relation to grain yield. Significant differences among mutants for grain-filling duration and grain-filling index were observed. Inspite of the consistent differences in grain-filling duration there was no significant association between grain-filling duration and grain yield in C-591 and Nayab mutants. Failure to detect an yield advantage due to differences in grain-filling duration in these genotypes suggests that any advantage derived from alteration of grain-filling period may have been outweighed by the coincident changes in length of the vegetative period. Other factors such as synchrony of anthesis may have limited out ability to find an association between grainfilling duration and grain yield. On the contrary, significant association between grain-filling duration and grain yield displayed by indus-66 indus-66 mutants derived from gamma rays, shows the ability of gamma rays to induce functional alternations in the pattern of gene arrangements controlling these traits. Thus, the vaability observed in these physiological traits suggests that selection for these traits could be useful in improving grain yield. (author)

  12. Formation of multiple stoichiometric phases in binary systems by combined bulk and grain boundary diffusion: Experiments and model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svoboda, J.; Fischer, F.D.; Schillinger, W.

    2013-01-01

    The thermodynamic extremal principle has been used by the authors to treat the evolution of binary and multicomponent systems under the assumption that all phases are nearly stoichiometric. Up to now only bulk diffusion has been taken into account. The concept is now extended to combined bulk and grain boundary diffusion possible in each newly formed phase. The grains are approximated by cylinders allowing interface diffusion along the top and bottom of the grains and grain boundary diffusion along the mantle with different interface/grain boundary diffusion coefficients. A consistent analysis yields an effective diffusion coefficient taking into account the combined interface/grain boundary and bulk diffusion of each individual component. The current concept is applied to the Cu–Sn couple which has been studied by a number of researchers. The results of simulations are compared with experiments at 200 °C on solid systems reported in the literature as well as with our experiments at 250 °C with liquid Sn.

  13. Stacking fault tetrahedra formation in the neighbourhood of grain boundaries

    CERN Document Server

    Samaras, M; Van Swygenhoven, H; Victoria, M

    2003-01-01

    Large scale molecular dynamics computer simulations are performed to study the role of the grain boundary (GB) during the cascade evolution in irradiated nanocrystalline Ni. At all primary knock-on atom (PKA) energies in cascades near GBs, the damage produced after cooling down is vacancy dominated. Truncated stacking fault tetrahedra (TSFTs) are easily formed at 10 keV and higher PKA energies. At the higher energies a complex partial dislocation network forms, consisting of TSFTs. The GB acts as an interstitial sink without undergoing major structural changes.

  14. Giant grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leitch-Devlin, M.A.; Millar, T.J.; Williams, D.A.

    1976-01-01

    Infrared observations of the Orion nebula have been interpreted by Rowan-Robinson (1975) to imply the existence of 'giant' grains, radius approximately 10 -2 cm, throughout a volume about a parsec in diameter. Although Rowan-Robinson's model of the nebula has been criticized and the presence of such grains in Orion is disputed, the proposition is accepted, that they exist, and in this paper situations in which giant grains could arise are examined. It is found that, while a giant-grain component to the interstellar grain density may exist, it is difficult to understand how giant grains arise to the extent apparently required by the Orion nebula model. (Auth.)

  15. Heating the Primordial Soup: X-raying the Circumstellar Disk of RY Lupi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Principe, David

    2015-09-01

    X-ray irradiation of circumstellar disks plays a vital role in their chemical evolution yet few high resolution X-ray observations exist characterizing both the disk-illuminating radiation field and the soft energy spectrum absorbed by the disk. We propose HETG spectroscopic observations of RY Lupi, a rare example of a nearly edge-on, actively accreting star-disk system within 150 pc. We aim to take advantage of its unique viewing geometry with the goals of (a) determining the intrinsic X-ray spectrum of the central pre-MS star so as to establish whether its X-ray emission can be attributed to accretion shocks or coronal emission, and (b) model the spectrum of X-rays absorbed by its gaseous disk. These results will serve as essential input to models of irradiated, planet-forming disks.

  16. The equilibrium and oscillations of dust grains in a discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cramer, N.F.; Vladimirov, S.V.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: In a vertically oriented laboratory discharge plasma, dust particles are negatively charged and usually levitate in the sheath or pre-sheath region under the balance of gravitational, electrostatic (due to the sheath electric field) and plasma (such as the ion drag) forces. The ion flow, in addition to a direct (dragging) influence, is also responsible for the generation of associated collective plasma processes which can strongly affect the vertical arrangement of the grains, such as in the case of supersonic flows when a wake field is generated. Under some circumstances, the grains may form into a stable regular structure, the dust-plasma crystal, which can support a variety of lattice waves. The mechanism of formation of the crystal is still not well understood. The charge of the dust particles appears mainly due to electron and ion current onto the grain surfaces. The dependence of the dust particle charge on the sheath parameters has an important effect on the oscillations and equilibrium of dust grains in the vertical plane, leading to a possible disruption of the equilibrium position of the particle. Recent experiments at Sydney have shown the formation of the crystalline and liquid states of arrays of dust grains, and the self-excitation of vertical oscillations of the grains. To model these experiments, we have studied the interaction of dust grains with the plasma, including the charging of the grain, with a number of different models. A fluid model of the plasma to study the dust trapping, disruptions of the equilibrium, and the modes of transverse waves (vertically polarized) in arrays of grains in a dust-plasma crystal. It is found that for a grain radius greater than a critical value, there is no equilibrium position. Possible vertical oscillations about the stable equilibrium may develop high amplitudes, thus leading to a fall of the oscillating grain onto the electrode when the potential barrier is overcome. It is found that the charge

  17. Formation of ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels by ball-milling and their mechanical properties after neutron irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, Y.J.; Yamasaki, T.; Fukami, T.; Terasawa, M.; Mitamura, T.

    2003-01-01

    In order to overcome the irradiation embrittlement in austenitic stainless steels, ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels with very fine TiC particles have been developed. The SUS316L-TiC nanocomposite powders having 1.0 to 2.0 mass% TiC were prepared by ball-milling SUS316L-TiC powder mixtures for 125 h in an argon gas atmosphere. The milled powders were consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) under a pressure of 200 MPa at temperatures between 700 and 1000 C, and the bulk materials with grain sizes between 100 and 400 nm have been produced. The possibility of using fine-grained TiC particles to pin grain boundaries and thereby maintain the ultra-fine grained structures has been discussed. In order to clarify the effects of the neutron irradiation on mechanical properties of the ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels, Vickers microhardness measurements were performed before and after the irradiation of 1.14 x 10 23 n/m 2 and 1.14 x 10 24 n/m 2 . The hardness increased with increasing the dose of the irradiation. However, these increasing rates of the ultra-fine grained steels were much smaller than those of the coarse-grained SUS316L steels having grain sizes between 13 and 50 μm. (orig.)

  18. Neurogenic plasma exudation mediates grain dust-induced tissue injury in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, X P; Von Essen, S; Rubinstein, I

    1997-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether an aqueous extract of grain sorghum dust (GDE) elicits neurogenic plasma exudation in the oral mucosa in vivo. Using intravital microscopy, we found that GDE elicited significant, concentration-dependent leaky site formation and an increase in clearance of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran (FITC-dextran; mol mass 70 kDa) from the hamster cheek pouch (P grain sorghum dust elicits immediate oral mucosa inflammation in vivo.

  19. Circumstellar envelopes of Cepheids: a possible bias affecting the distance scale?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kervella, Pierre; Gallenne, Alexandre; Mérand, Antoine

    2013-02-01

    Circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) have been detected around many Cepheids, first based on long-baseline interferometry, and now also using other observing techniques. These envelopes are particularly interesting for two reasons: their presence could impact the Cepheid distance scale, and they may be valuable tracers of stellar mass loss. Here we focus on their potential impact on the calibration of the Cepheid distance scale. We consider the photometric contribution of the envelopes in the visible, near-, and thermal-infrared domains. We conclude that the impact of CSEs on the apparent luminosities of Cepheids is negligible at visible wavelengths and generally weak (case. Overall, the contribution of CSEs to the usual period-luminosity relations (from the visible to the K band) is mostly negligible. They could affect calibrations at longer wavelengths, although the presence of envelopes may have been partially taken into account in the existing empirical calibrations.

  20. GRAIN GROWTH IN THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS OF THE YOUNG STARS CY Tau AND DoAr 25

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pérez, Laura M.; Chandler, Claire J. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Isella, Andrea [Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005 (United States); Carpenter, John M.; Sargent, Anneila I. [California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Andrews, Sean M.; Ricci, Luca [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Calvet, Nuria [University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Corder, Stuartt A. [Joint ALMA Observatory, Av. Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Deller, Adam T. [The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), 7990-AA Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Dullemond, Cornelis P. [Heidelberg University, Center for Astronomy, Albert Ueberle Str 2, Heidelberg (Germany); Greaves, Jane S. [University of St. Andrews, Physics and Astronomy, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Harris, Robert J. [University of Illinois, 1002 West Green St., Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Henning, Thomas; Linz, Hendrik [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Kwon, Woojin [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055 (Korea, Republic of); Lazio, Joseph [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, CA 91106 (United States); Mundy, Lee G.; Storm, Shaye [University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Tazzari, Marco [European Southern Observatory, Karl Schwarzschild str. 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); and others

    2015-11-01

    We present new results from the Disks@EVLA program for two young stars: CY Tau and DoAr 25. We trace continuum emission arising from their circusmtellar disks from spatially resolved observations, down to tens of AU scales, at λ = 0.9, 2.8, 8.0, 9.8 mm for DoAr 25 and at λ = 1.3, 2.8, 7.1 mm for CY Tau. Additionally, we constrain the amount of emission whose origin is different from thermal dust emission from 5 cm observations. Directly from interferometric data, we find that observations at 7 mm and 1 cm trace emission from a compact disk while millimeter-wave observations trace an extended disk structure. From a physical disk model, where we characterize the disk structure of CY Tau and DoAr 25 at wavelengths shorter than 5 cm, we find that (1) dust continuum emission is optically thin at the observed wavelengths and over the spatial scales studied, (2) a constant value of the dust opacity is not warranted by our observations, and (3) a high-significance radial gradient of the dust opacity spectral index, β, is consistent with the observed dust emission in both disks, with low-β in the inner disk and high-β in the outer disk. Assuming that changes in dust properties arise solely due to changes in the maximum particle size (a{sub max}), we constrain radial variations of a{sub max} in both disks, from cm-sized particles in the inner disk (R < 40 AU) to millimeter sizes in the outer disk (R > 80 AU). These observational constraints agree with theoretical predictions of the radial-drift barrier, however, fragmentation of dust grains could explain our a{sub max}(R) constraints if these disks have lower turbulence and/or if dust can survive high-velocity collisions.

  1. PRODUCTION AND RECOIL LOSS OF COSMOGENIC NUCLIDES IN PRESOLAR GRAINS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trappitsch, Reto; Leya, Ingo

    2016-01-01

    Presolar grains are small particles that condensed in the vicinity of dying stars. Some of these grains survived the voyage through the interstellar medium (ISM) and were incorporated into meteorite parent bodies at the formation of the Solar System. An important question is when these stellar processes happened, i.e., how long presolar grains were drifting through the ISM. While conventional radiometric dating of such small grains is very difficult, presolar grains are irradiated with galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) in the ISM, which induce the production of cosmogenic nuclides. This opens the possibility to determine cosmic-ray exposure (CRE) ages, i.e., how long presolar grains were irradiated in the ISM. Here, we present a new model for the production and loss of cosmogenic 3 He, 6,7 Li, and 21,22 Ne in presolar SiC grains. The cosmogenic production rates are calculated using a state-of-the-art nuclear cross-section database and a GCR spectrum in the ISM consistent with recent Voyager data. Our findings are that previously measured 3 He and 21 Ne CRE ages agree within the (sometimes large) 2 σ uncertainties and that the CRE ages for most presolar grains are smaller than the predicted survival times. The obtained results are relatively robust since interferences from implanted low-energy GCRs into the presolar SiC grains and/or from cosmogenic production within the meteoroid can be neglected.

  2. Correlation between Bieniawski’s RMR index and Barton’s Q index in fine-grained sedimentary rock formations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. D. Fernández-Gutiérrez

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available From the XX century, various rock mass classification systems have been proposed. Among them, the Bieniawski’s RMR system and Barton’s Q system have emerged as the most used rock mass classification worldwide. Correlations between both indices have been proposed, usually with a wide scattering of the data used in deriving the equations. However, it has been observed that correlations established for a specific geological unit fit better. The aim of this paper is to propose a correlation between RMR and Q indices for fine-grained sedimentary rock formations, normally found in the area of Bilbao (Spain, by means of the collected data during the excavation of the tunnel Etxebarri-Casco Viejo of the line 3 of the Metropolitan Railway of Bilbao. Obtained equation shows a high correlation coefficient and a unique relationship between the two classification systems has been proposed, not depending on the choice of the independent variable.

  3. Debris flow rheology: Experimental analysis of fine-grained slurries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Major, Jon J.; Pierson, Thomas C.

    1992-01-01

    The rheology of slurries consisting of ≤2-mm sediment from a natural debris flow deposit was measured using a wide-gap concentric-cylinder viscometer. The influence of sediment concentration and size and distribution of grains on the bulk rheological behavior of the slurries was evaluated at concentrations ranging from 0.44 to 0.66. The slurries exhibit diverse rheological behavior. At shear rates above 5 s−1 the behavior approaches that of a Bingham material; below 5 s−1, sand exerts more influence and slurry behavior deviates from the Bingham idealization. Sand grain interactions dominate the mechanical behavior when sand concentration exceeds 0.2; transient fluctuations in measured torque, time-dependent decay of torque, and hysteresis effects are observed. Grain rubbing, interlocking, and collision cause changes in packing density, particle distribution, grain orientation, and formation and destruction of grain clusters, which may explain the observed behavior. Yield strength and plastic viscosity exhibit order-of-magnitude variation when sediment concentration changes as little as 2–4%. Owing to these complexities, it is unlikely that debris flows can be characterized by a single rheological model.

  4. A SOFIA FORCAST Grism Study of the Mineralogy of Dust in the Winds of Proto-planetary Nebulae: RV Tauri Stars and SRd Variables

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arneson, R. A.; Gehrz, R. D.; Woodward, C. E.; Shenoy, D. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 106 Pleasant Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Helton, L. A. [USRA-SOFIA Science Center, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Evans, A. [Astrophysics Group, Lennard Jones Laboratory, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG (United Kingdom); Keller, L. D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, 264 Center for Natural Sciences, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 14850 (United States); Hinkle, K. H. [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, AZ 85726 (United States); Jura, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Lebzelter, T. [Institute for Astrophysics (IfA), University of Vienna, Türkenschanzstrasse 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Lisse, C. M. [Solar System Exploration Branch, Space Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Rushton, M. T. [Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy, Str. Cutitul de Argint 5, Bucharest, 040557 (Romania); Mizrachi, J., E-mail: arneson@astro.umn.edu [Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 (United States)

    2017-07-01

    We present a SOFIA FORCAST grism spectroscopic survey to examine the mineralogy of the circumstellar dust in a sample of post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) yellow supergiants that are believed to be the precursors of planetary nebulae. Our mineralogical model of each star indicates the presence of both carbon-rich and oxygen-rich dust species—contrary to simple dredge-up models—with a majority of the dust in the form of amorphous carbon and graphite. The oxygen-rich dust is primarily in the form of amorphous silicates. The spectra do not exhibit any prominent crystalline silicate emission features. For most of the systems, our analysis suggests that the grains are relatively large and have undergone significant processing, supporting the hypothesis that the dust is confined to a Keplerian disk and that we are viewing the heavily processed, central regions of the disk from a nearly face-on orientation. These results help to determine the physical properties of the post-AGB circumstellar environment and to constrain models of post-AGB mass loss and planetary nebula formation.

  5. Investigation on grain refinement and precipitation strengthening applied in high speed wire rod containing vanadium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Da-yong; Xiao, Fu-ren, E-mail: frxiao@ysu.edu.cn; Wang, Bin; Liu, Jia-ling; Liao, Bo, E-mail: cyddjyjs@263.net

    2014-01-13

    To obtain necessary information for the simulation of high speed wire production process, the effect of grain refinement and precipitation strengthening on two high speed wire rod steels with different vanadium and nitrogen contents was investigated by continuous cooling transformation (CCT) characteristics. CCT curves were constructed by the dilatometer test and microscopic observation. Results showed that the formation of intra-granular ferrite (IGF) could refine grain remarkably and accelerate the ferrite transformation. Schedules for high speed wire production process focused on the effect of cooling rate. Ferrite grain was refined by increasing cooling rate and the formation of IGF. The microhardness calculation revealed that the steels were strengthened mostly by a combined effect of grain refinement and precipitation hardening. Degenerated pearlite was observed at lower transformation temperature and the fracture morphology changed from cementite lamellar to nanoscale cementite particle with increasing cooling rate. Based on the analysis above, an optimal schedule was applied and the microstructure and microhardness were improved.

  6. Russian Kefir Grains Microbial Composition and Its Changes during Production Process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotova, I B; Cherdyntseva, T A; Netrusov, A I

    2016-01-01

    By combining DGGE-PCR method, classical microbiological analysis and light- and electron microscopic observations, it was found that the composition of microbial communities of central Russia regions kefir grains, starter and kefir drink include bacteria of the genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Lactococcus, and yeast anamorphs of the genera Saccharomyces, Kazachstania and Gibellulopsis. Fifteen prokaryotic and four eukaryotic pure cultures of microorganisms were isolated and identified from kefir grains. It has been shown that members of the genus Lactobacillus prevailed in kefir grains, whereas strains Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides and Lactococcus lactis dominated in the final product - kefir drink. Yeasts contained in kefir grains in small amounts have reached a significant number of cells in the process of development of this dairy product. The possibility of reverse cell aggregation has been attempted in a mixed cultivation of all isolated pure cultures, but full formation kefir grains is not yet observed after 1.5 years of observation and reinoculations.

  7. Carpel size, grain filling, and morphology determine individual grain weight in wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Quan; Mayes, Sean; Sparkes, Debbie L

    2015-11-01

    Individual grain weight is a major yield component in wheat. To provide a comprehensive understanding of grain weight determination, the carpel size at anthesis, grain dry matter accumulation, grain water uptake and loss, grain morphological expansion, and final grain weight at different positions within spikelets were investigated in a recombinant inbred line mapping population of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)×spelt (Triticum spelta L.). Carpel size, grain dry matter and water accumulation, and grain dimensions interacted strongly with each other. Furthermore, larger carpels, a faster grain filling rate, earlier and longer grain filling, more grain water, faster grain water absorption and loss rates, and larger grain dimensions were associated with higher grain weight. Frequent quantitative trait locus (QTL) coincidences between these traits were observed, particularly those on chromosomes 2A, 3B, 4A, 5A, 5DL, and 7B, each of which harboured 16-49 QTLs associated with >12 traits. Analysis of the allelic effects of coincident QTLs confirmed their physiological relationships, indicating that the complex but orderly grain filling processes result mainly from pleiotropy or the tight linkages of functionally related genes. After grain filling, distal grains within spikelets were smaller than basal grains, primarily due to later grain filling and a slower initial grain filling rate, followed by synchronous maturation among different grains. Distal grain weight was improved by increased assimilate availability from anthesis. These findings provide deeper insight into grain weight determination in wheat, and the high level of QTL coincidences allows simultaneous improvement of multiple grain filling traits in breeding. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  8. New 3DXRD results on recrystallization and grain growth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juul Jensen, Dorte; West, Stine; Poulsen, Stefan Othmar

    2012-01-01

    New in-situ 3DXRD results obtained since the last Rex&GG conference are presented and discussed. This includes: Documentation of the formation of nuclei with new orientations, determination of apparent activation energies for individual bulk grains during recrystallization and evolution in the 3D...

  9. Insights from simulations of star formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larson, Richard B

    2007-01-01

    Although the basic physics of star formation is classical, numerical simulations have yielded essential insights into how stars form. They show that star formation is a highly nonuniform runaway process characterized by the emergence of nearly singular peaks in density, followed by the accretional growth of embryo stars that form at these density peaks. Circumstellar discs often form from the gas being accreted by the forming stars, and accretion from these discs may be episodic, driven by gravitational instabilities or by protostellar interactions. Star-forming clouds typically develop filamentary structures, which may, along with the thermal physics, play an important role in the origin of stellar masses because of the sensitivity of filament fragmentation to temperature variations. Simulations of the formation of star clusters show that the most massive stars form by continuing accretion in the dense cluster cores, and this again is a runaway process that couples star formation and cluster formation. Star-forming clouds also tend to develop hierarchical structures, and smaller groups of forming objects tend to merge into progressively larger ones, a generic feature of self-gravitating systems that is common to star formation and galaxy formation. Because of the large range of scales and the complex dynamics involved, analytic models cannot adequately describe many aspects of star formation, and detailed numerical simulations are needed to advance our understanding of the subject. 'The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers.' Richard W Hamming, in Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers (1962) 'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' William Shakespeare, in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1604) (key issues review)

  10. Insights from simulations of star formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Larson, Richard B [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, Box 208101, New Haven, CT 06520-8101 (United States)

    2007-03-15

    Although the basic physics of star formation is classical, numerical simulations have yielded essential insights into how stars form. They show that star formation is a highly nonuniform runaway process characterized by the emergence of nearly singular peaks in density, followed by the accretional growth of embryo stars that form at these density peaks. Circumstellar discs often form from the gas being accreted by the forming stars, and accretion from these discs may be episodic, driven by gravitational instabilities or by protostellar interactions. Star-forming clouds typically develop filamentary structures, which may, along with the thermal physics, play an important role in the origin of stellar masses because of the sensitivity of filament fragmentation to temperature variations. Simulations of the formation of star clusters show that the most massive stars form by continuing accretion in the dense cluster cores, and this again is a runaway process that couples star formation and cluster formation. Star-forming clouds also tend to develop hierarchical structures, and smaller groups of forming objects tend to merge into progressively larger ones, a generic feature of self-gravitating systems that is common to star formation and galaxy formation. Because of the large range of scales and the complex dynamics involved, analytic models cannot adequately describe many aspects of star formation, and detailed numerical simulations are needed to advance our understanding of the subject. 'The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers.' Richard W Hamming, in Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers (1962) 'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' William Shakespeare, in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1604) (key issues review)

  11. Irradiation of astrophysical ice grains by cosmic-ray ions: a REAX simulation study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mainitz, Martin; Anders, Christian; Urbassek, Herbert M.

    2016-07-01

    Context. The impact of cosmic rays on ice grains delivers considerable energy, inducing chemical reactions and molecule ejection. Aims: We study the effects of cosmic ray impact on ice grains, including shock wave expansion, grain heating, molecule fragmentation, formation of chemical reaction products, sputtering and evaporation. Methods: Molecular-dynamics simulations using the REAX potential allow us to follow the processes occurring in the irradiated ice grain; the mechanical, thermal and chemical consequences are simulated. The ice grain consists of a mixture of water, carbon dioxide, methanol and ammonia. The case of 1 keV/nm energy deposition is studied as an example. Results: The ion track emits a shock wave into the ambient grain. Due to the strong heating, abundant molecule fragmentation is observed; several of the fragments either recombine or form new product molecules. Prompt sputtering from the ion track is followed by evaporation from the surface of the heated grain. We present mass spectra of the chemically transformed species in the grain and in the ejecta.

  12. Prevalence of IgE antibodies to grain and grain dust in grain elevator workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, D M; Romeo, P A; Olenchock, S A

    1986-01-01

    IgE-mediated allergic reactions have been postulated to contribute to respiratory reactions seen in workers exposed to grain dusts. In an attempt better to define the prevalence of IgE antibodies in workers exposed to grain dusts, we performed the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) on worker sera using both commercial allergens prepared from grain and worksite allergens prepared from grain dust samples collected at the worksite. We found that the two types of reagents identified different populations with respect to the specificity of IgE antibodies present. The RAST assay performed using worksite allergens correlated well with skin test procedures. These results may allow us to gain better understanding of allergy associated with grain dust exposure, and document the utility of the RAST assay in assessment of occupational allergies. PMID:3709478

  13. Prevalence of IgE antibodies to grain and grain dust in grain elevator workers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lewis, D.M.; Romeo, P.A.; Olenchock, S.A.

    1986-04-01

    IgE-mediated allergic reactions have been postulated to contribute to respiratory reactions seen in workers exposed to grain dusts. In an attempt better to define the prevalence of IgE antibodies in workers exposed to grain dusts, we performed the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) on worker sera using both commercial allergens prepared from grain and worksite allergens prepared from grain dust samples collected at the worksite. We found that the two types of reagents identified different populations with respect to the specificity of IgE antibodies present. The RAST assay performed using worksite allergens correlated well with skin test procedures. These results may allow us to gain better understanding of allergy associated with grain dust exposure, and document the utility of the RAST assay in assessment of occupational allergies.

  14. Prevalence of IgE antibodies to grain and grain dust in grain elevator workers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewis, D.M.; Romeo, P.A.; Olenchock, S.A.

    1986-01-01

    IgE-mediated allergic reactions have been postulated to contribute to respiratory reactions seen in workers exposed to grain dusts. In an attempt better to define the prevalence of IgE antibodies in workers exposed to grain dusts, we performed the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) on worker sera using both commercial allergens prepared from grain and worksite allergens prepared from grain dust samples collected at the worksite. We found that the two types of reagents identified different populations with respect to the specificity of IgE antibodies present. The RAST assay performed using worksite allergens correlated well with skin test procedures. These results may allow us to gain better understanding of allergy associated with grain dust exposure, and document the utility of the RAST assay in assessment of occupational allergies

  15. COMPUTING THE DUST DISTRIBUTION IN THE BOW SHOCK OF A FAST-MOVING, EVOLVED STAR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Marle, A. J.; Meliani, Z.; Keppens, R.; Decin, L.

    2011-01-01

    We study the hydrodynamical behavior occurring in the turbulent interaction zone of a fast-moving red supergiant star, where the circumstellar and interstellar material collide. In this wind-interstellar-medium collision, the familiar bow shock, contact discontinuity, and wind termination shock morphology form, with localized instability development. Our model includes a detailed treatment of dust grains in the stellar wind and takes into account the drag forces between dust and gas. The dust is treated as pressureless gas components binned per grain size, for which we use 10 representative grain size bins. Our simulations allow us to deduce how dust grains of varying sizes become distributed throughout the circumstellar medium. We show that smaller dust grains (radius <0.045 μm) tend to be strongly bound to the gas and therefore follow the gas density distribution closely, with intricate fine structure due to essentially hydrodynamical instabilities at the wind-related contact discontinuity. Larger grains which are more resistant to drag forces are shown to have their own unique dust distribution, with progressive deviations from the gas morphology. Specifically, small dust grains stay entirely within the zone bound by shocked wind material. The large grains are capable of leaving the shocked wind layer and can penetrate into the shocked or even unshocked interstellar medium. Depending on how the number of dust grains varies with grain size, this should leave a clear imprint in infrared observations of bow shocks of red supergiants and other evolved stars.

  16. The circumstellar envelopes of F and G type supergiants in the large magellanic cloud

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagen, W.; Humphreys, R.M.; Stencel, R.E.

    1981-01-01

    We have obtained high-dispersion echellograms at 2.5 and 5.1 A/mm of four F and G-type supergiants (Msub(V) approximately -9) in the large Magellanic Cloud for the purpose of studying their outer atmospheres as compared to their Milky Way counterparts. Line doubling at Na I D indicates extensive circumstellar envelopes and mass loss rates in excess of 10 -5 M . yr -1 with outflow velocities of 10-60 km s -1 . Deep exposures at Ca II H and K reveal new information about the chromospheres of extragalactic stars. The presence of H and K wing emission lines augments this, and also provides an independent way of estimating Msub(V). (author)

  17. Nitrile versus isonitrile adsorption at interstellar grain surfaces. II. Carbonaceous aromatic surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertin, M.; Doronin, M.; Michaut, X.; Philippe, L.; Markovits, A.; Fillion, J.-H.; Pauzat, F.; Ellinger, Y.; Guillemin, J.-C.

    2017-12-01

    Context. Almost 20% of the 200 different species detected in the interstellar and circumstellar media present a carbon atom linked to nitrogen by a triple bond. Of these 37 molecules, 30 are nitrile R-CN compounds, the remaining 7 belonging to the isonitrile R-NC family. How these species behave in their interactions with the grain surfaces is still an open question. Aims: In a previous work, we have investigated whether the difference between nitrile and isonitrile functional groups may induce differences in the adsorption energies of the related isomers at the surfaces of interstellar grains of various nature and morphologies. This study is a follow up of this work, where we focus on the adsorption on carbonaceous aromatic surfaces. Methods: The question is addressed by means of a concerted experimental and theoretical approach of the adsorption energies of CH3CN and CH3NC on the surface of graphite (with and without surface defects). The experimental determination of the molecule and surface interaction energies is carried out using temperature-programmed desorption in an ultra-high vacuum between 70 and 160 K. Theoretically, the question is addressed using first-principle periodic density functional theory to represent the organised solid support. Results: The adsorption energy of each compound is found to be very sensitive to the structural defects of the aromatic carbonaceous surface: these defects, expected to be present in a large numbers and great diversity on a realistic surface, significantly increase the average adsorption energies to more than 50% as compared to adsorption on perfect graphene planes. The most stable isomer (CH3CN) interacts more efficiently with the carbonaceous solid support than the higher energy isomer (CH3NC), however.

  18. Process of Equiaxed Grains of RE-Al Alloy under Slope Vibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Shikun; Yi Rongxi; Pan Xiaoliang; Zheng Xiaoqiu; Guo Xiuyan

    2010-01-01

    A new technique using slope vibration casting process during heating and isothermal holding period to prepare Al-7Si-2RE alloy has been studied. The small, near-spherical and non-dendritic microstructure with the semi-solid processing requirements has been obtained. Experiments show that the cooling method, pouring process and the convection of melt caused by slope vibration had significant effects on the formation of near-spherical primary gains. The water-cooled copper mold casting with slope vibration at the temperature near liquidus can obtain Al-7Si-2RE alloy with small homogeneous equiaxed grains, the average grain diameter is 48.3 μm, and the average grain roundness is 1.92.

  19. Stage I surface crack formation in thermal fatigue: A predictive multi-scale approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osterstock, S.; Robertson, C.; Sauzay, M.; Aubin, V.; Degallaix, S.

    2010-01-01

    A multi-scale numerical model is developed, predicting the formation of stage I cracks, in thermal fatigue loading conditions. The proposed approach comprises 2 distinct calculation steps. Firstly, the number of cycles to micro-crack initiation is determined, in individual grains. The adopted initiation model depends on local stress-strain conditions, relative to sub-grain plasticity, grain orientation and grain deformation incompatibilities. Secondly, 2-4 grains long surface cracks (stage I) is predicted, by accounting for micro-crack coalescence, in 3 dimensions. The method described in this paper is applied to a 500 grains aggregate, loaded in representative thermal fatigue conditions. Preliminary results provide quantitative insight regarding position, density, spacing and orientations of stage I surface cracks and subsequent formation of crack networks. The proposed method is fully deterministic, provided all grain crystallographic orientations and micro-crack linking thresholds are specified. (authors)

  20. Origin of grain orientation during solidification of an aluminum alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, H.L.; Elmer, J.W.; DebRoy, T.

    2016-01-01

    The evolution of grain morphology during solidification of a moving aluminum alloy pool is simulated by considering heat transfer, flow of liquid metal in the molten pool and solidification parameters. The computationally efficient model consists of a 3D coupled heat transfer and fluid flow simulation to predict the molten pool shape and temperature field, and a 2D model of grain formation in the molten pool. The results demonstrate that columnar grains grow in a curved pattern rather than along straight lines from the fusion boundary towards the center of the molten pool. The calculated results are validated with independent experimental data. The computed ratio of local temperature gradient to solidification rate, G/R, is used to model the columnar to equiaxed transition during solidification. The simulated results show that only curved columnar grains are formed when the scanning speed is low (2.0 mm/s). In contrast, a transition from curved columnar to equiaxed morphologies occurs at the higher scanning speeds of 8.0 mm/s and 11.5 mm/s, with higher equiaxed grain fraction at higher speed. The similarities between the physical processes governing fusion welding and additive manufacturing (AM) make the model capable of predicting grain orientation in both processes.

  1. A SELF-CONSISTENT MODEL OF THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DEBRIS CREATED BY A GIANT HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT IN THE HD 172555 SYSTEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, B. C.; Melosh, H. J.; Lisse, C. M.; Chen, C. H.; Wyatt, M. C.; Thebault, P.; Henning, W. G.; Gaidos, E.; Elkins-Tanton, L. T.; Bridges, J. C.; Morlok, A.

    2012-01-01

    Spectral modeling of the large infrared excess in the Spitzer IRS spectra of HD 172555 suggests that there is more than 10 19 kg of submicron dust in the system. Using physical arguments and constraints from observations, we rule out the possibility of the infrared excess being created by a magma ocean planet or a circumplanetary disk or torus. We show that the infrared excess is consistent with a circumstellar debris disk or torus, located at ∼6 AU, that was created by a planetary scale hypervelocity impact. We find that radiation pressure should remove submicron dust from the debris disk in less than one year. However, the system's mid-infrared photometric flux, dominated by submicron grains, has been stable within 4% over the last 27 years, from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (1983) to WISE (2010). Our new spectral modeling work and calculations of the radiation pressure on fine dust in HD 172555 provide a self-consistent explanation for this apparent contradiction. We also explore the unconfirmed claim that ∼10 47 molecules of SiO vapor are needed to explain an emission feature at ∼8 μm in the Spitzer IRS spectrum of HD 172555. We find that unless there are ∼10 48 atoms or 0.05 M ⊕ of atomic Si and O vapor in the system, SiO vapor should be destroyed by photo-dissociation in less than 0.2 years. We argue that a second plausible explanation for the ∼8 μm feature can be emission from solid SiO, which naturally occurs in submicron silicate ''smokes'' created by quickly condensing vaporized silicate.

  2. Nonlinear screening of dust grains and structurization of dusty plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsytovich, V. N.; Gusein-zade, N. G.

    2013-01-01

    A review of theoretical ideas on the physics of structurization instability of a homogeneous dusty plasma, i.e., the formation of zones with elevated and depressed density of dust grains and their arrangement into different structures observed in laboratory plasma under microgravity conditions, is presented. Theoretical models of compact dust structures that can form in the nonlinear stage of structurization instability, as well as models of a system of voids (both surrounding a compact structure and formed in the center of the structure), are discussed. Two types of structures with very different dimensions are possible, namely, those smaller or larger than the characteristic mean free path of ions in the plasma flow. Both of them are characterized by relatively regular distributions of dust grains; however, the first ones usually require external confinement, while the structures of the second type can be self-sustained (which is of particular interest). In this review, they are called dust clusters and self-organized dust structures, respectively. Both types of the structures are characterized by new physical processes that take place only in the presence of the dust component. The role of nonlinearities in the screening of highly charged dust grains that are often observed in modern laboratory experiments turns out to be great, but these nonlinearities have not received adequate study as of yet. Although structurization takes place upon both linear and nonlinear screening, it can be substantially different under laboratory and astrophysical conditions. Studies on the nonlinear screening of large charges in plasma began several decades ago; however, up to now, this effect was usually disregarded when interpreting the processes occurring in laboratory dusty plasma. One of the aims of the present review was to demonstrate the possibility of describing the nonlinear screening of individual grains and take it into account with the help of the basic equations for the

  3. Comparison of the Mineralogy of Comet Wild 2 Coma Grains to Other Astromaterials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, David; Zolensky, Michael

    2010-01-01

    We propose that Kuiper Belt samples (in this case comet coma grains from the Jupiter family comet Wild 2) are recognizably different from the bulk of materials in outer belt asteroids, because of their different formation positions and times in the early solar system. We believe this despite similarities found between some Wild 2 grains and components of carbonaceous chondrites (i.e. some CAI and chondrules). Kuiper Belt samples must preserve measurable mineralogical and compositional evidence of formation at unique positions and times in the early solar nebula, and these formational differences must have imparted recognizable special characteristics. We hypothesize that these characteristics include: (1) Unique major element compositional ranges of common astromaterial minerals, especially olivine and pyroxene; (2) Unique minor element compositions of major silicate phases, especially olivine and low-Ca pyroxene; (3) Degree and effects of radiation processing -- including amorphous rims, metal coatings, and Glass with Embedded Metal and Sulfides (GEMS); (4) Presence of abundant presolar silicate grains as recognized by anomalous oxygen in silicates; (5) Oxidation state of the mineral assemblage. We are working our way through all available Wild 2 samples, selecting 1-2 non-consecutive viable TEM grids from each possible extracted Wild 2 grain. We especially prefer TEM grids from grains for which complete mineralogical details have not been published (which is to say the majority of the extracted grains). We are performing a basic mineralogic survey by E-beam techniques, to establish the essential features of the extracted Wild 2 grains. We are making a particular effort to carefully and accurately measure minor elements of olivine and pyroxene, as these minerals are widespread in astromaterials, and comparisons of their compositions will serve to place the Wild 2 silicates in contact with asteroids, meteorites and chondritic interplanetary dust particles

  4. Unusual Microtopography on an Apollo 12 Soil Grain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; Keprta, N. T.; Clemett, S. J.; Berger, E. L.; Rahman, Z.; McKay, D. S.; Gibson, E. K.; Wentworth, S. J.

    2014-01-01

    We have observed the presence of a previously undescribed microtopography in several regions on the surface of a lunar grain from Apollo regolith sample 12070,29. This microtopography consists of flattened triangular prisms, henceforth referred to as denticles, set in an orderly arrangement. We propose three possible processes to describe the presence of these structures: (1) radiation; (2) aqueous activity; or (3) impact. Radiation—the surface of the Earth’s moon is subject to energetic ion and photon irradiation which can produce a multitude of morphological effects on grain surfaces including erosion/sputtering, vesicle formation, and amorphization of crystalline phases. Under certain conditions surface erosion can result in the formation of well-ordered nanostructures including mounds, dots, wave-shaped, rippled or corrugated features typically <10s nm in size and organized into pattered arrays. However larger pyramid-shaped features up to approx. 300 nm at the base, similar in shape to lunar denticles, were produced on Cu substrates ex-posed to ion beam sputtering.. Aqueous alteration—recent reports of purported water on the Moon imply the possibility of brief, limited exposure of surface materials to aqueous fluids. Aqueous corrosion of silicates can result in the formation of crystallographically controlled denticulated features, up to 10s of micron at the base, arranged in a patterned formation. Impact—the surface of the moon is impacted by meteorites, particularly by micron-size particles, resulting in the formation of a variety of crater types. While it is difficult to envision a scenario in which a patterned array could be formed by impact, fracturing along planes of crystallographic structural weakness due to external stress could explain these features.

  5. Abnormal grain growth: a non-equilibrium thermodynamic model for multi-grain binary systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svoboda, J; Fischer, F D

    2014-01-01

    Abnormal grain growth as the abrupt growth of a group of the largest grains in a multi-grain system is treated within the context of unequal retardation of grain growth due to the segregation of solute atoms from the bulk of the grains into the grain boundaries. During grain boundary migration, the segregated solute atoms are dragged under a small driving force or left behind the migrating grain boundary under a large driving force. Thus, the solute atoms in the grain boundaries of large grains, exhibiting a large driving force, can be released from the grain boundary. The mobility of these grain boundaries becomes significantly higher and abnormal grain growth is spontaneously provoked. The mean-field model presented here assumes that each grain is described by its grain radius and by its individual segregation parameter. The thermodynamic extremal principle is engaged to obtain explicit evolution equations for the radius and segregation parameter of each grain. Simulations of grain growth kinetics for various conditions of segregation with the same initial setting (100 000 grains with a given radius distribution) are presented. Depending on the diffusion coefficients of the solute in the grain boundaries, abnormal grain growth may be strongly or marginally pronounced. Solute segregation and drag can also significantly contribute to the stabilization of the grain structure. Qualitative agreement with several experimental results is reported. (paper)

  6. The Physics of Planetesimal Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Jacob; Armitage, Philip; Youdin, Andrew; Li, Rixin

    2015-12-01

    Planetesimals are the precursors to planets, and understanding their formation is an essential step towards developing a complete theory of planet formation. For small solid particles (e.g., dust grains) to coagulate into planetesimals, however, requires that these particles grow beyond centimeter sizes; with traditional coagulation physics, this is very difficult. The streaming instability, which is a clumping process akin to the pile-up of cars in a traffic jam, generates sufficiently high solid densities that the mutual gravity between the clumped particles eventually causes their collapse towards planetesimal mass and size scales. Exploring this transition from dust grains to planetesimals is still in its infancy but is extremely important if we want to understand the basics of planet formation. Here, I present a series of high resolution, first principles numerical simulations of potoplanetary disk gas and dust to study the clumping of particles via the streaming instability and the subsequent collapse towards planetesimals. These simulations have been employed to characterize the planetesimal population as a function of radius in protoplanetary disks. The results of these simulations will be crucial for planet formation models to correctly explain the formation and configuration of solar systems.

  7. A Numerical Model of Anisotropic Mass Transport Through Grain Boundary Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yibo

    Tin (Sn) thin films are commonly used in electronic circuit applications as coatings on contacts and solders for joining components. It is widely observed, for some such system, that whiskers---long, thin crystalline structures---emerge and grow from the film. The Sn whisker phenomenon has become a highly active research area since Sn whiskers have caused a large amount of damage and loss in manufacturing, military, medical and power industries. Though lead (Pb) addition to Sn has been used to solve this problem for over five decades, the adverse environmental and health effects of Pb have motivated legislation to severely constrain Pb use in society. People are researching and seeking the reasons which cause whiskers and corresponding methods to solve the problem. The contributing factors to cause a Sn whisker are potentially many and much still remains unknown. Better understanding of fundamental driving forces should point toward strategies to improve (a) the accuracy with which we can predict whisker formation, and (b) our ability to mitigate the phenomenon. This thesis summarizes recent important research achievements in understanding Sn whisker formation and growth, both experimentally and theoretically. Focus is then placed on examining the role that anisotropy in grain boundary diffusivity plays in determining whisker characteristics (specifically, whether they form and, if so, where on a surface). To study this aspect of the problem and to enable future studies on stress driven grain boundary diffusion, this thesis presents a numerical anisotropic mass transport model. In addition to presenting details of the model and implementation, model predictions for a set of increasingly complex grain boundary networks are discussed. Preliminary results from the model provide evidence that anisotropic grain boundary diffusion may be a primary driving mechanism in whisker formation.

  8. Dexamethasone attenuates grain sorghum dust extract-induced increase in macromolecular efflux in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhter, S R; Ikezaki, H; Gao, X P; Rubinstein, I

    1999-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether dexamethasone attenuates grain sorghum dust extract-induced increase in macromolecular efflux from the in situ hamster cheek pouch and, if so, whether this response is specific. By using intravital microscopy, we found that an aqueous extract of grain sorghum dust elicited significant, concentration-dependent leaky site formation and increase in clearance of FITC-labeled dextran (FITC-dextran; mol mass, 70 kDa) from the in situ hamster cheek pouch (P grain sorghum dust extract- and substance P-induced increases in macromolecular efflux from the in situ hamster cheek pouch in a specific fashion.

  9. The TiCl{sub 3} catalyst in NaAlH{sub 4} for hydrogen storage induces grain refinement and impacts on hydrogen vacancy formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, S.; Eijt, S.W.H. [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Department of Radiation, Radionuclides and Reactors, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Huot, J. [Universite du Quebec a Trois Rivieres, Quebec (Canada); Kockelmann, W.A. [ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom); Wagemaker, M. [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Department of Radiation, Radionuclides and Reactors, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Mulder, F.M. [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Department of Radiation, Radionuclides and Reactors, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands)], E-mail: f.m.mulder@tudelft.nl

    2007-09-15

    TiCl{sub 3} acts as an efficient catalyst for NaAlH{sub 4} (sodium alanate), altering its hydrogen sorption kinetics and reversibility considerably. In order to clarify its role, we performed in situ neutron diffraction experiments on protonated catalysed and uncatalysed NaAlH{sub 4}. The phase transformations were monitored in the first two reaction steps during hydrogen release and in the second step during reloading. Our study for the first time provides clear indications that both Ti{sub x}Al{sub 1-x} and NaCl formed act as grain refiner for Al and NaH, respectively, preventing particle growth. Particle sizes generally stay small upon desorption and reloading of TiCl{sub 3} catalysed NaAlH{sub 4}, while significant particle growth is observed for uncatalysed NaAlH{sub 4}. The small crystallite sizes and observed hydrogen vacancy formation greatly facilitate the mass transfer during loading and unloading. This study underlines the importance of grain refining for achieving reversibility and faster kinetics of the hydrogen sorption processes, with a crucial double role played by the catalyst.

  10. Circumstellar and circumplanetary disks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Eugene

    2000-11-01

    This thesis studies disks in three astrophysical contexts: (1)protoplanetary disks; (2)the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt; and (3)planetary rings. We derive hydrostatic, radiative equilibrium models of passive protoplanetary disks surrounding T Tauri and Herbig Ae/Be stars. Each disk is encased by an optically thin layer of superheated dust grains. This layer is responsible for up to ~70% of the disk luminosity at wavelengths between ~5 and 60 μm. The heated disk flares and absorbs more stellar radiation at a given stellocentric distance than a flat disk would. Spectral energy distributions are computed and found to compare favorably with the observed flattish infrared excesses of several young stellar objects. Spectral features from dust grains in the superheated layer appear in emission if the disk is viewed nearly face-on. We present the results of a pencil-beam survey of the Kuiper Belt using the Keck 10-m telescope. Two new objects are discovered. Data from all surveys are pooled to construct the luminosity function from mR = 20 to 27. The cumulative number of objects per square degree, Σ(surface area but the largest bodies contain most of the mass. To order-of-magnitude, 0.2 M⊕ and 1 × 1010 comet progenitors lie between 30 and 50 AU. The classical Kuiper Belt appears truncated at a distance of 50 AU. We propose that rigid precession of narrow eccentric planetary rings surrounding Uranus and Saturn is maintained by a balance of forces due to ring self- gravity, planetary oblateness, and interparticle collisions. Collisional impulses play an especially dramatic role near ring edges. Pressure-induced accelerations are maximal near edges because there (1)velocity dispersions are enhanced by resonant satellite perturbations, and (2)the surface density declines steeply. Remarkably, collisional forces felt by material in the last ~100 m of a ~10 km wide ring can increase equilibrium masses up to a factor of ~100. New ring surface densities are derived which accord with

  11. A grain-boundary diffusion model of dynamic grain growth during superplastic deformation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Byung-Nam; Hiraga, Keijiro; Sakka, Yoshio; Ahn, Byung-Wook

    1999-01-01

    Dynamic grain growth during superplastic deformation is modelled on the basis of a grain-boundary diffusion mechanism. On the grain boundary where a static and a dynamic potential difference coexist, matter transport along the boundary is assumed to contribute to dynamic grain growth through depositing the matter on the grain surface located opposite to the direction of grain-boundary migration. The amount of the diffusive matter during deformation is calculated for an aggregate of spherical grains and is converted to the increment of mean boundary migration velocity. The obtained relationship between the strain rate and the dynamic grain growth rate is shown to be independent of deformation mechanisms, provided that the grain growth is controlled by grain-boundary diffusion. The strain dependence, strain-rate dependence and temperature dependence of grain growth predicted from this model are consistent with those observed in superplastic ZrO 2 -dispersed Al 2 O 3

  12. Advancing spaceborne tools for the characterization of planetary ionospheres and circumstellar environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Ewan Streets

    This work explores remote sensing of planetary atmospheres and their circumstellar surroundings. The terrestrial ionosphere is a highly variable space plasma embedded in the thermosphere. Generated by solar radiation and predominantly composed of oxygen ions at high altitudes, the ionosphere is dynamically and chemically coupled to the neutral atmosphere. Variations in ionospheric plasma density impact radio astronomy and communications. Inverting observations of 83.4 nm photons resonantly scattered by singly ionized oxygen holds promise for remotely sensing the ionospheric plasma density. This hypothesis was tested by comparing 83.4 nm limb profiles recorded by the Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System aboard the International Space Station to a forward model driven by coincident plasma densities measured independently via ground-based incoherent scatter radar. A comparison study of two separate radar overflights with different limb profile morphologies found agreement between the forward model and measured limb profiles. A new implementation of Chapman parameter retrieval via Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques quantifies the precision of the plasma densities inferred from 83.4 nm emission profiles. This first study demonstrates the utility of 83.4 nm emission for ionospheric remote sensing. Future visible and ultraviolet spectroscopy will characterize the composition of exoplanet atmospheres; therefore, the second study advances technologies for the direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanets. Such spectroscopy requires the development of new technologies to separate relatively dim exoplanet light from parent star light. High-contrast observations at short wavelengths require spaceborne telescopes to circumvent atmospheric aberrations. The Planet Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Rocket Experiment (PICTURE) team designed a suborbital sounding rocket payload to demonstrate visible light high-contrast imaging with a visible nulling coronagraph

  13. Carpel size, grain filling, and morphology determine individual grain weight in wheat

    OpenAIRE

    Xie, Quan; Mayes, Sean; Sparkes, Debbie L.

    2015-01-01

    Individual grain weight is a major yield component in wheat. To provide a comprehensive understanding of grain weight determination, the carpel size at anthesis, grain dry matter accumulation, grain water uptake and loss, grain morphological expansion, and final grain weight at different positions within spikelets were investigated in a recombinant inbred line mapping population of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)?spelt (Triticum spelta L.). Carpel size, grain dry matter and water accumulat...

  14. Strength and fatigue of an ultrafine-grained Al-Cu-Mg alloy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khafizova Elvira

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The dependence of strength and fatigue on microstructure of the Al-Cu-Mg alloy has been investigated. Various microstructures of the alloy were produced: the one with a coarse-grained (CG structure after T6 heat treatment; the one with a homogeneous ultrafine-grained (UFG structure and the one with a bimodal (mixed structure, both processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP. The mean grain size and morphology of precipitates were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The ultimate tensile strength and the fatigue endurance limit were determined using the tensile and fatigue tests of standard specimens. It is established that the formation of a homogeneous UFG structure and of a bimodal (mixed structure alloy contributes to a significant increase in microhardness by 16% and 60%, and an increase of the ultimate tensile strength by 20 and 52%, respectively, as compared to the samples subjected to T6 heat treatment. Fatigue tests show that the alloy with a bimodal (mixed structure has the highest fatigue endurance limit, 45% higher than in the sample subjected to T6 heat treatment. In contrast, the formation of a homogeneous UFG structure enables increasing the fatigue endurance limit by 15% only.

  15. Grain size effect in corrosion behavior of electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni coatings in alkaline solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Liping; Zhang Junyan; Gao Yan; Xue Qunji; Hu Litian; Xu Tao

    2006-01-01

    Effects of grain size reduction on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of nanocrystalline Ni produced by pulse electrodeposition were characterized using potentiodynamic polarization testing and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to confirm the electrochemical measurements and the suggested mechanisms. The corrosion resistance of Ni coatings in alkaline solutions considerably increased as the grain size decreased from microcrystalline to nanocrystalline. The higher corrosion resistance of NC Ni may be due to the more rapid formation of continuous Ni(OH) 2 passive films compared with coarse-grained Ni coatings

  16. Formation and fragmentation of protostellar dense cores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maury, Anaelle

    2009-01-01

    Stars form in molecular clouds, when they collapse and fragment to produce protostellar dense cores. These dense cores are then likely to contract under their own gravity, and form young protostars, that further evolve while accreting their circumstellar mass, until they reach the main sequence. The main goal of this thesis was to study the formation and fragmentation of protostellar dense cores. To do so, two main studies, described in this manuscript, were carried out. First, we studied the formation of protostellar cores by quantifying the impact of protostellar outflows on clustered star formation. We carried out a study of the protostellar outflows powered by the young stellar objects currently formed in the NGc 2264-C proto-cluster, and we show that protostellar outflows seem to play a crucial role as turbulence progenitors in clustered star forming regions, although they seem unlikely to significantly modify the global infall processes at work on clump scales. Second, we investigated the formation of multiple systems by core fragmentation, by using high - resolution observations that allow to probe the multiplicity of young protostars on small scales. Our results suggest that the multiplicity rate of protostars on small scales increase while they evolve, and thus favor dynamical scenarios for the formation of multiple systems. Moreover, our results favor magnetized scenarios of core collapse to explain the small-scale properties of protostars at the earliest stages. (author) [fr

  17. Nano grained AZ31 alloy achieved by equal channel angular rolling process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassani, F.Z.; Ketabchi, M.

    2011-01-01

    Equal channel angular rolling (ECAR) is a severe plastic deformation process which is carried out on large, thin sheets. The grain size could be significantly decreased by this process. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of grain refinement of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet by this process to nanometer. The effect of the number of ECAR passes on texture evolution of AZ31 magnesium alloy was investigated. ECAR temperature was controlled to maximize the grain refinement efficiency along with preventing cracking. The initial microstructure of as-received AZ31 sheet showed an average grain size of about 21 μm. The amount of grain refinement increased with increasing the pass number. After 10 passes of the process, significant grain refinement occurred and the field emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) micrographs showed that the size of grains were decreased significantly to about 14-70 nm. These grains were formed at the grain boundaries and inside some of the previous larger micrometer grains. Observation of optical microstructures and X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) showed the formation of twins after ECAR process. Micro-hardness of material was studied at room temperature. There was a continuous enhancement of hardness by increasing the pass number of ECAR process. At the 8th pass, hardness values increased by 53%. At final passes hardness reduced slightly, which was attributed to saturation of strain in high number of passes.

  18. Grain dissection as a grain size reducing mechanism during ice microdynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinbach, Florian; Kuiper, Ernst N.; Eichler, Jan; Bons, Paul D.; Drury, Martin R.; Griera, Albert; Pennock, Gill M.; Weikusat, Ilka

    2017-04-01

    Ice sheets are valuable paleo-climate archives, but can lose their integrity by ice flow. An understanding of the microdynamic mechanisms controlling the flow of ice is essential when assessing climatic and environmental developments related to ice sheets and glaciers. For instance, the development of a consistent mechanistic grain size law would support larger scale ice flow models. Recent research made significant progress in numerically modelling deformation and recrystallisation mechanisms in the polycrystalline ice and ice-air aggregate (Llorens et al., 2016a,b; Steinbach et al., 2016). The numerical setup assumed grain size reduction is achieved by the progressive transformation of subgrain boundaries into new high angle grain boundaries splitting an existing grain. This mechanism is usually termed polygonisation. Analogue experiments suggested, that strain induced grain boundary migration can cause bulges to migrate through the whole of a grain separating one region of the grain from another (Jessell, 1986; Urai, 1987). This mechanism of grain dissection could provide an alternative grain size reducing mechanism, but has not yet been observed during ice microdynamics. In this contribution, we present results using an updated numerical approach allowing for grain dissection. The approach is based on coupling the full field theory crystal visco-plasticity code (VPFFT) of Lebensohn (2001) to the multi-process modelling platform Elle (Bons et al., 2008). VPFFT predicts the mechanical fields resulting from short strain increments, dynamic recrystallisation process are implemented in Elle. The novel approach includes improvements to allow for grain dissection, which was topologically impossible during earlier simulations. The simulations are supported by microstructural observations from NEEM (North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling) ice core. Mappings of c-axis orientations using the automatic fabric analyser and full crystallographic orientations using electron

  19. Binding energetics of substitutional and interstitial helium and di-helium defects with grain boundary structure in α-Fe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tschopp, M. A.; Gao, F.; Yang, L.; Solanki, K. N.

    2014-01-01

    The formation/binding energetics and length scales associated with the interaction between He atoms and grain boundaries in BCC α-Fe were explored. Ten different low Σ grain boundaries from the 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 symmetric tilt grain boundary systems were used. In this work, we then calculated formation/binding energies for 1–2 He atoms in the substitutional and interstitial sites (HeV, He 2 V, HeInt, He 2 Int) at all potential grain boundary sites within 15 Å of the boundary (52 826 simulations total). The present results provide detailed information about the interaction energies and length scales of 1–2 He atoms with grain boundaries for the structures examined. A number of interesting new findings emerge from the present study. For instance, the Σ3(112) twin boundary in BCC Fe possesses a much smaller binding energy than other boundaries, which corresponds in long time dynamics simulations to the ability of an interstitial He defect to break away from the boundary in simulations on the order of nanoseconds. Additionally, positive correlations between the calculated formation/binding energies of the He defects (R > 0.9) asserts that the local environment surrounding each site strongly influences the He defect energies and that highly accurate quantum mechanics calculations of lower order defects may be an adequate predictor of higher order defects. Various metrics to quantify or classify the local environment were compared with the He defect binding energies. The present work shows that the binding and formation energies for He defects are important for understanding the physics of He diffusion and trapping by grain boundaries, which can be important for modeling He interactions in polycrystalline steels

  20. Binding energetics of substitutional and interstitial helium and di-helium defects with grain boundary structure in α-Fe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tschopp, M. A., E-mail: mark.tschopp@gatech.edu [Dynamic Research Corporation, (on site at) U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005 (United States); Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi 39762 (United States); Gao, F.; Yang, L. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352 (United States); Solanki, K. N. [Arizona State University, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Tempe, Arizona 85287 (United States)

    2014-01-21

    The formation/binding energetics and length scales associated with the interaction between He atoms and grain boundaries in BCC α-Fe were explored. Ten different low Σ grain boundaries from the 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 symmetric tilt grain boundary systems were used. In this work, we then calculated formation/binding energies for 1–2 He atoms in the substitutional and interstitial sites (HeV, He{sub 2}V, HeInt, He{sub 2}Int) at all potential grain boundary sites within 15 Å of the boundary (52 826 simulations total). The present results provide detailed information about the interaction energies and length scales of 1–2 He atoms with grain boundaries for the structures examined. A number of interesting new findings emerge from the present study. For instance, the Σ3(112) twin boundary in BCC Fe possesses a much smaller binding energy than other boundaries, which corresponds in long time dynamics simulations to the ability of an interstitial He defect to break away from the boundary in simulations on the order of nanoseconds. Additionally, positive correlations between the calculated formation/binding energies of the He defects (R > 0.9) asserts that the local environment surrounding each site strongly influences the He defect energies and that highly accurate quantum mechanics calculations of lower order defects may be an adequate predictor of higher order defects. Various metrics to quantify or classify the local environment were compared with the He defect binding energies. The present work shows that the binding and formation energies for He defects are important for understanding the physics of He diffusion and trapping by grain boundaries, which can be important for modeling He interactions in polycrystalline steels.

  1. Microstructure and texture of a nano-grained complex Al alloy fabricated by accumulative roll-bonding of dissimilar Al alloys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seong-Hee; Jeon, Jae-Yeol; Lee, Kwang-Jin

    2013-01-01

    An ultrafine grain (UFG) complex lamella aluminum alloy sheet was successfully fabricated by ARB process using AA1050 and AA6061. The lamella thickness of the alloy became thinner and elongated to the rolling direction with increasing the number of ARB cycles. By TEM observation, it is revealed that the aspect ratio of UFGs formed by ARB became smaller with increasing the number of ARB cycles. In addition, the effect of ARB process on the development of deformation texture at the quarter thickness of ARB-processed sheets was clarified. ARB process leaded to the formation of the rolling texture with shear texture and weak cube orientation. The subdivision of the grains to the rolling direction began to occur after 3 cycles of the ARB, resulting in formation of ultrafine grains with small aspect ratio. After 5 cycles, the ultrafine grained structure with the average grain diameter of 560 nm develops in almost whole regions of the sample.

  2. Formation and dissociation of dust molecules in dusty plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Jia; Feng Fan; Liu Fucheng; Dong Lifang; He Yafeng

    2016-01-01

    Dust molecules are observed in a dusty plasma experiment. By using measurements with high spatial resolution, the formation and dissociation of the dust molecules are studied. The ion cloud in the wake of an upper dust grain attracts the lower dust grain nearby. When the interparticle distance between the upper dust grain and the lower one is less than a critical value, the two dust grains would form a dust molecule. The upper dust grain always leads the lower one as they travel. When the interparticle distance between them is larger than the critical value, the dust molecule would dissociate. (paper)

  3. Grain-size sorting and slope failure in experimental subaqueous grain flows

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleinhans, M.G.; Asch, Th.W.J. van

    2005-01-01

    Grain-size sorting in subaqueous grain flows of a continuous range of grain sizes is studied experimentally with three mixtures. The observed pattern is a combination of stratification and gradual segregation. The stratification is caused by kinematic sieving in the grain flow. The segregation is

  4. Method of making quasi-grain boundary-free polycrystalline solar cell structure and solar cell structure obtained thereby

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, Franklin N.; Neugroschel, Arnost

    1984-02-14

    A new solar cell structure is provided which will increase the efficiency of polycrystalline solar cells by suppressing or completely eliminating the recombination losses due to the presence of grain boundaries. This is achieved by avoiding the formation of the p-n junction (or other types of junctions) in the grain boundaries and by eliminating the grain boundaries from the active area of the cell. This basic concept can be applied to any polycrystalline material; however, it will be most beneficial for cost-effective materials having small grains, including thin film materials.

  5. Catalysis by Dust Grains in the Solar Nebula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kress, Monika E.; Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.

    1996-01-01

    In order to determine whether grain-catalyzed reactions played an important role in the chemistry of the solar nebula, we have applied our time-dependent model of methane formation via Fischer-Tropsch catalysis to pressures from 10(exp -5) to 1 bar and temperatures from 450 to 650 K. Under these physical conditions, the reaction 3H2 + CO yields CH4 + H2O is readily catalyzed by an iron or nickel surface, whereas the same reaction is kinetically inhibited in the gas phase. Our model results indicate that under certain nebular conditions, conversion of CO to methane could be extremely efficient in the presence of iron-nickel dust grains over timescales very short compared to the lifetime of the solar nebula.

  6. Kinetics of water sorption of damaged bean grains: Thermodynamic properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo C. Corrêa

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the thermodynamic properties of damaged beans. Grains with initial moisture content of 53.85% (d.b. were used. A part of the grains was used to obtain the desorption isotherms, while another part was subjected to drying until a moisture content of 5.26% (d.b. was achieved; therefore, it was subjected to the adsorption process. To induce damage, a Stein breakage tester was used. To obtain the equilibrium moisture content, grains were placed in a climatic chamber whose temperatures were 20, 30, 40, and 50 ± 1 °C combined with a relative humidity of 30, 40, 50, 70, and 90 ± 3%. Although in the desorption process, damaged grains had a lower differential enthalpy compared with the control, the reverse behavior was observed in the adsorption process. Mechanical damage caused the formation of a greater number of available adsorption sites, resulting in higher differential entropy values in adsorption and lower values in desorption compared with the control. The mechanical damage had no effect on the Gibbs free energy.

  7. Potential of ultrafine grained materials as high performance penetrator materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee C.S.

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The shear formability and the metal jet formability are important for the kinetic energy penetrator and the chemical energy penetrator, respectively. The shear formability of ultrafine grained (UFG steel was examined, mainly focusing on the effects of the grain shape on the shear characteristics. For this purpose, UFG 4130 steel having the different UFG structures, the lamellar UFG and the equiaxed UFG, was prepared by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP. The lamellar UFG steel exhibited more sharper and localized shear band formation than the equiaxed UFG steel. This is because a lamellar UFG structure was unfavourable against grain rotation which is a main mechanism of the band propagation in UFG materials. Meanwhile, the metal jet formability of UFG OFHC Cu also processed by ECAP was compared to that of coarse grained (CG one by means of dynamic tensile extrusion (DTE tests. CG OFHC Cu exhibited the higher DTE ductility, i.e. better metal jet stability, than UFG OFHC Cu. The initial high strength and the lack of strain hardenability of UFG OFHC Cu were harmful to the metal jet formability.

  8. Infrared Astronomy and Star Formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, N.J.

    1985-01-01

    Infrared astronomy is a natural tool to use in studying star formation because infrared light penetrates the surrounding dust and because protostars are expected to emit infrared light. Infrared mapping and photometry have revealed many compact sources, often embedded in more extensive warm dust associated with a molecular cloud core. More detailed study of these objects is now beginning, and traditional interpretations are being questioned. Some compact sources are now thought to be density enhancements which are not self-luminous. Infrared excesses around young stars may not always be caused by circumstellar dust; speckle measurements have shown that at least some of the excess toward T Tauri is caused by an infrared companion. Spectroscopic studies of the dense, star-forming cores and of the compact objects themselves have uncovered a wealth of new phenomena, including the widespread occurence of energetic outflows. New discoveries with IRAS and with other planned infrared telescopes will continue to advance this field. (author)

  9. High day- and night-time temperatures affect grain growth dynamics in contrasting rice genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Wanju; Yin, Xinyou; Struik, Paul C; Solis, Celymar; Xie, Fangming; Schmidt, Ralf C; Huang, Min; Zou, Yingbin; Ye, Changrong; Jagadish, S V Krishna

    2017-11-02

    Rice grain yield and quality are predicted to be highly vulnerable to global warming. Five genotypes including heat-tolerant and susceptible checks, a heat-tolerant near-isogenic line and two hybrids were exposed to control (31 °C/23 °C, day/night), high night-time temperature (HNT; 31 °C/30 °C), high day-time temperature (HDT; 38 °C/23 °C) and high day- and night-time temperature (HNDT; 38 °C/30 °C) treatments for 20 consecutive days during the grain-filling stage. Grain-filling dynamics, starch metabolism enzymes, temporal starch accumulation patterns and the process of chalk formation were quantified. Compensation between the rate and duration of grain filling minimized the impact of HNT, but irreversible impacts on seed-set, grain filling and ultimately grain weight were recorded with HDT and HNDT. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated irregular and smaller starch granule formation affecting amyloplast build-up with HDT and HNDT, while a quicker but normal amylopast build-up was recorded with HNT. Our findings revealed temporal variation in the starch metabolism enzymes in all three stress treatments. Changes in the enzymatic activity did not derail starch accumulation under HNT when assimilates were sufficiently available, while both sucrose supply and the conversion of sucrose into starch were affected by HDT and HNDT. The findings indicate differential mechanisms leading to high day and high night temperature stress-induced loss in yield and quality. Additional genetic improvement is needed to sustain rice productivity and quality under future climates. © Society for Experimental Biology 2017.

  10. OXYGEN ISOTOPIC COMPOSITIONS OF SOLAR CORUNDUM GRAINS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Makide, Kentaro; Nagashima, Kazuhide; Huss, Gary R.; Krot, Alexander N.

    2009-01-01

    Oxygen is one of the major rock-forming elements in the solar system and the third most abundant element of the Sun. Oxygen isotopic composition of the Sun, however, is not known due to a poor resolution of astronomical spectroscopic measurements. Several Δ 17 O values have been proposed for the composition of the Sun based on (1) the oxygen isotopic measurements of the solar wind implanted into metallic particles in lunar soil ( 2 O 3 ) is thermodynamically the first condensate from a cooling gas of solar composition. Corundum-bearing CAIs, however, are exceptionally rare, suggesting either continuous reaction of the corundum condensates with a cooling nebular gas and their replacement by hibonite (CaAl 12 O 19 ) or their destruction by melting together with less refractory condensates during formation of igneous CAIs. In contrast to the corundum-bearing CAIs, isolated micrometer-sized corundum grains are common in the acid-resistant residues from unmetamorphosed chondrites. These grains could have avoided multistage reprocessing during CAI formation and, therefore, can potentially provide constraints on the initial oxygen isotopic composition of the solar nebula, and, hence, of the Sun. Here we report oxygen isotopic compositions of ∼60 micrometer-sized corundum grains in the acid-resistant residues from unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (Semarkona (LL3.0), Bishunpur (LL3.1), Roosevelt County 075 (H3.2)) and unmetamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites (Orgueil (CI1), Murray (CM2), and Alan Hills A77307 (CO3.0)) measured with a Cameca ims-1280 ion microprobe. All corundum grains, except two, are 16 O-rich (Δ 17 O = -22.7 per mille ± 8.5 per mille, 2σ), and compositionally similar to the mineralogically pristine CAIs from the CR carbonaceous chondrites (-23.3 per mille ± 1.9 per mille, 2σ), and solar wind returned by the Genesis spacecraft (-27 per mille ± 6 per mille, 2σ). One corundum grain is highly 17 O-enriched (δ 17 O ∼ +60 per mille, δ 18 O

  11. Characterization of pomegranate juice and whey based novel beverage fermented by kefir grains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabokbar, Nayereh; Khodaiyan, Faramarz

    2015-06-01

    Mixture of pomegranate juice and whey was evaluated as a potential substrate for production of a novel probiotic beverage by kefir grains. Different fermentation conditions were used as viz: two fermentation temperature (19 ºC and 25 ºC) and two levels of kefir grains inoculum (5 % and 8%w/v). pH, acidity, lactose consumption as well as organic acids formation were determined during 32 hours of fermentation. Results showed that kefir grains were able to utilize lactose and decrease pH, increase acidity, produce lactic acid and acetic acid, while the level of citric acid decreased. It was observed these change depended on temperature and level of kefir grains with the highest changes at the temperature of 25 ºC and kefir grains inoculum of 8%w/v. Pomegranate juice and whey mixture therefore may serve as a suitable substrate for the production of novel probiotic dairy-fruit juice beverage by kefir grains and the sensory characteristics of this beverage were shown desirable results.

  12. Grain-boundary unzipping by oxidation in polycrystalline graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexandre, Simone; Lucio, Aline; Nunes, Ricardo

    2011-03-01

    The need for large-scale production of graphene will inevitably lead to synthesis of the polycrystalline material [1,2]. Understanding the chemical, mechanical, and electronic properties of grain boundaries in graphene polycrystals will be crucial for the development of graphene-based electronics. Oxidation of this material has been suggested to lead to graphene ribbons, by the oxygen-driven unzipping mechanism. A cooperative-strain mechanism, based on the formation of epoxy groups along lines of parallel bonds in the hexagons of graphene's honeycomb lattice, was proposed to explain the unzipping effect in bulk graphene In this work we employ ab initio calculations to study the oxidation of polycrystalline graphene by chemisorption of oxygen at the grain boundaries. Our results indicate that oxygen tends to segregate at the boundaries, and that the unzipping mechanism is also operative along the grain boundaries, despite the lack of the parallel bonds due to the presence of fivefold and sevenfold carbon rings along the boundary core. We acknowledge support from the Brazilian agencies: CNPq, Fapemig, and INCT-Materiais de Carbono.

  13. Explosive anisotropic grain growth of delta-NiMo by solid-state diffusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chou, T.C.; Nieh, T.G.

    1991-01-01

    Anomalous, anisotropic grain growth has been observed in delta(δ)-NiMo intermetallic compound during the annealings of Mo/Ni thin-film diffusion couples at 700 and 800 degree C. Two layered microstructures showing median-sized, equiaxed grains and large columnar single crystalline grains were generated. The growth direction of the columnar grains was parallel to the direction of Ni diffusion flux. Electron diffraction indicated that both the median-sized and the columnar grains were δ-NiMo. The composition of δ-NiMo was determined to be Ni48-Mo52 (at.%). According to the thickness of reaction-formed δ-NiMo, the apparent interdiffusion coefficient was measured to be about 10 -10 cm 2 /s which is 4 to 5 orders of magnitude greater than literature data. The enhanced diffusion rate in Ni-Mo, and the anomalous anisotropic grain growth of δ-NiMo compound are discussed on the basis of exothermic reactions between Ni and Mo during diffusional intermixing. The enthalpy of the formation of δ-NiMo is calculated and demonstrated to be sufficient to cause melting/solidification of the compound

  14. The angle of repose of spherical grains in granular Hele–Shaw cells: a molecular dynamics study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maleki, Hamed; Ebrahimi, Fatemeh; Oskoee, Ehsan Nedaaee

    2008-01-01

    We report the results of three-dimensional molecular dynamic simulations on the angle of repose of a sandpile formed by pouring mono-sized cohesionless spherical grains into a granular Hele–Shaw cell. In particular, we are interested in investigating the effects of those variables which may have a significant impact on the pattern formation of granular mixtures in Hele–Shaw cells. The results indicate that the frictional forces influence the formation of piles on the grain level remarkably. Furthermore, we see that increasing grain insertion rate decreases the angle of repose slightly. We also find that the cell thickness is a significant factor and the angle of repose decays when the size of the gap between the lateral walls increases. In addition to agreeing with the experimental exponential decay law, our results are in accordance with a recently proposed model which takes into account the arching effects. Using grains with different sizes reveals that the behaviour of the angle of repose when both size and cell thickness are varied is controlled by a scaled function of the ratio of these two variables

  15. The circumstellar shells and mass loss rates of four M supergiants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernat, A.P.

    1977-01-01

    A reanalysis of the physical structure of the circumstellar gas shells of four bright M supergiants, Betelgeuse, Antares, α Herculis, and μ Cephei, has been undertaken. The observational data include old Hale Observatories plates, recent McDonald Struve telescope plates, and McDonald 2.7 m photoelectric scans. These data are analyzed in the full expanding spherical geometry formulation of the radiative transfer equation.The results of the present analysis indicate that column densities in the gas shells must be revised downward compared with the previous plane-parallel results. However, the physical extents of the shells are considerably larger than previously assumed. These extents are inferred through ionization modeling, Weymann's Ca II technique, and direct observation. Also inferred are schematic wavelength-dependent chromospheric color temperatures. These results lead to much larger mass loss rates (in the range 6.7 x 10 -7 to 4.2 x 10 -4 M/sub sun/ yr -2 ) than previously inferred. The influence of these large rates of mass loss on the evolution of both stars and the Galaxy is briefly discussed

  16. Generation of a Circumstellar Gas Disk by Hot Jupiter WASP-12b

    Science.gov (United States)

    Debrecht, Alex; Carroll-Nellenback, Jonathan; Frank, Adam; Fossati, Luca; Blackman, Eric G.; Dobbs-Dixon, Ian

    2018-05-01

    Observations of transiting extra-solar planets provide rich sources of data for probing the in-system environment. In the WASP-12 system, a broad depression in the usually-bright MgII h&k lines has been observed, in addition to atmospheric escape from the extremely hot Jupiter WASP-12b. It has been hypothesized that a translucent circumstellar cloud is formed by the outflow from the planet, causing the observed signatures. We perform 3D hydrodynamic simulations of the full system environment of WASP-12, injecting a planetary wind and stellar wind from their respective surfaces. We find that a torus of density high enough to account for the lack of MgII h&k line core emission in WASP-12 can be formed in approximately 13 years. We also perform synthetic observations of the Lyman-alpha spectrum at different points in the planet's orbit, which demonstrate that significant absorption occurs at all points in the orbit, not just during transits, as suggested by the observations.

  17. The effect of dispersoids on the grain refinement mechanisms during deformation of aluminium alloys to ultra-high strains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Apps, P.J.; Berta, M.; Prangnell, P.B.

    2005-01-01

    The effect of fine dispersoids on the mechanisms and rate of grain refinement has been investigated during the severe deformation of a model aluminium alloy. A binary Al-0.2Sc alloy, containing coherent Al 3 Sc dispersoids, of ∼20 nm in diameter and ∼100 nm spacing, has been deformed by equal channel angular extrusion to an effective strain of ten. The resulting deformation structures were quantitatively analysed using high-resolution electron backscattered diffraction orientation mapping, and the results have been compared to those obtained from a single-phase Al-0.13Mg alloy, deformed under identical conditions. The presence of fine, non-shearable, dispersoids has been found to homogenise slip, retard the formation of a cellular substructure and inhibit the formation of microshear bands during deformation. These factors combine to reduce the rate of high-angle grain boundary generation at low to medium strains and, hence, retard the formation of a submicron grain structure to higher strains during severe deformation

  18. A comparison of grain boundary evolution during grain growth in fcc metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brons, J.G.; Thompson, G.B.

    2013-01-01

    Grain growth of Cu and Ni thin films, subjected to in situ annealing within a transmission electron microscope, has been quantified using a precession-enhanced electron diffraction technique. The orientation of each grain and its misorientation with respect to its neighboring grains were calculated. The Cu underwent grain growth that maintained a monomodal grain size distribution, with its low-angle grain boundaries being consumed, and the Ni exhibited grain size distributions in stages, from monomodal to bimodal to monomodal. The onset of Ni’s abnormal grain growth was accompanied by a sharp increase in the Σ3 and Σ9 boundary fractions, which is attributed to simulation predictions of their increased mobility. These Σ3 and Σ9 fractions then dropped to their room temperature values during the third stage of grain growth. In addition to the Σ3 and Σ9 boundaries, the Σ5 and Σ7 boundaries also underwent an increase in total boundary fraction with increasing temperature in both metals

  19. Charging of Individual Micron-Size Interstellar/Planetary Dust Grains by Secondary Electron Emissions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tankosic, D.; Abbas, M. M.

    2012-01-01

    Dust grains in various astrophysical environments are generally charged electrostatically by photoelectric emissions with UV/X-ray radiation, as well as by electron/ion impact. Knowledge of physical and optical properties of individual dust grains is required for understanding of the physical and dynamical processes in space environments and the role of dust in formation of stellar and planetary systems. In this paper, we discuss experimental results on dust charging by electron impact, where low energy electrons are scattered or stick to the dust grains, thereby charging the dust grains negatively, and at sufficiently high energies the incident electrons penetrate the grain leading to excitation and emission of electrons referred to as secondary electron emission (SEE). Currently, very limited experimental data are available for charging of individual micron-size dust grains, particularly by low energy electron impact. Available theoretical models based on the Sternglass equation (Sternglass, 1954) are applicable for neutral, planar, and bulk surfaces only. However, charging properties of individual micron-size dust grains are expected to be different from the values measured on bulk materials. Our recent experimental results on individual, positively charged, micron-size lunar dust grains levitated in an electrodynamic balance facility (at NASA-MSFC) indicate that the SEE by electron impact is a complex process. The electron impact may lead to charging or discharging of dust grains depending upon the grain size, surface potential, electron energy, electron flux, grain composition, and configuration (e.g. Abbas et al, 2010). Here we discuss the complex nature of SEE charging properties of individual micron-size lunar dust grains and silica microspheres.

  20. Solar Ion Processing of Itokawa Grains: Reconciling Model Predictions with Sample Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christoffersen, Roy; Keller, L. P.

    2014-01-01

    Analytical TEM observations of Itokawa grains reported to date show complex solar wind ion processing effects in the outer 30-100 nm of pyroxene and olivine grains. The effects include loss of long-range structural order, formation of isolated interval cavities or "bubbles", and other nanoscale compositional/microstructural variations. None of the effects so far described have, however, included complete ion-induced amorphization. To link the array of observed relationships to grain surface exposure times, we have adapted our previous numerical model for progressive solar ion processing effects in lunar regolith grains to the Itokawa samples. The model uses SRIM ion collision damage and implantation calculations within a framework of a constant-deposited-energy model for amorphization. Inputs include experimentally-measured amorphization fluences, a Pi steradian variable ion incidence geometry required for a rotating asteroid, and a numerical flux-versus-velocity solar wind spectrum.

  1. Precipitation behavior and grain refinement of burnishing Al-Zn-Mg alloy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ce Pang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Burnishing is a unique strengthening approach to improve the strength of surface layer and remains the ductility of the interior of metallic materials. In this work, burnishing treatment was employed to improve the surface microstructure of naturally aged Al-Zn-Mg alloys after solid solution. Transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and nano-indentation were used to characterize the effects of the burnishing on the microstructures of surface layer and Guinier-Preston (GP zones. It was indicated that GP zones uniformly distributed and dispersed in the matrix before burnishing, and the amount of GP zones decreased dramatically after burnishing processing. Additionally, the grains in the surficial layer were refined into nano-crystals with an average grain size of 78 nm. Burnishing treatment not only led to formation of large number of dislocation substructures in the sub-surface and near-matrix surface, but also promoted the precipitation of metastable η' phase at grain boundaries. The synergistic effects of the grain refinement, dislocation multiplication and the precipitation of η' phase strengthen the burnished layer of Al-Zn-Mg alloy. Keywords: Al-Zn-Mg alloy, Burnishing, Nano-crystal, Precipitation, Grain refinement

  2. A SELF-CONSISTENT MODEL OF THE CIRCUMSTELLAR DEBRIS CREATED BY A GIANT HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT IN THE HD 172555 SYSTEM

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, B. C.; Melosh, H. J. [Department of Physics, Purdue University, 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Lisse, C. M. [JHU-APL, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Chen, C. H. [STScI, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Wyatt, M. C. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Thebault, P. [LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, F-92195 Meudon Principal Cedex (France); Henning, W. G. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Gaidos, E. [Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Elkins-Tanton, L. T. [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); Bridges, J. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Morlok, A., E-mail: johns477@purdue.edu [Department of Physical Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA (United Kingdom)

    2012-12-10

    Spectral modeling of the large infrared excess in the Spitzer IRS spectra of HD 172555 suggests that there is more than 10{sup 19} kg of submicron dust in the system. Using physical arguments and constraints from observations, we rule out the possibility of the infrared excess being created by a magma ocean planet or a circumplanetary disk or torus. We show that the infrared excess is consistent with a circumstellar debris disk or torus, located at {approx}6 AU, that was created by a planetary scale hypervelocity impact. We find that radiation pressure should remove submicron dust from the debris disk in less than one year. However, the system's mid-infrared photometric flux, dominated by submicron grains, has been stable within 4% over the last 27 years, from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (1983) to WISE (2010). Our new spectral modeling work and calculations of the radiation pressure on fine dust in HD 172555 provide a self-consistent explanation for this apparent contradiction. We also explore the unconfirmed claim that {approx}10{sup 47} molecules of SiO vapor are needed to explain an emission feature at {approx}8 {mu}m in the Spitzer IRS spectrum of HD 172555. We find that unless there are {approx}10{sup 48} atoms or 0.05 M{sub Circled-Plus} of atomic Si and O vapor in the system, SiO vapor should be destroyed by photo-dissociation in less than 0.2 years. We argue that a second plausible explanation for the {approx}8 {mu}m feature can be emission from solid SiO, which naturally occurs in submicron silicate ''smokes'' created by quickly condensing vaporized silicate.

  3. Influence of grain size in the near-micrometre regime on the deformation microstructure in aluminium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le, G.M.; Godfrey, A.; Hansen, N.; Liu, W.; Winther, G.; Huang, X.

    2013-01-01

    The effect of grain size on deformation microstructure formation in the near-micrometre grain size regime has been studied using samples of aluminium prepared using a spark plasma sintering technique. Samples in a fully recrystallized grain condition with average grain sizes ranging from 5.2 to 0.8 μm have been prepared using this technique. Examination in the transmission electron microscope of these samples after compression at room temperature to approximately 20% reduction reveals that grains larger than 7 μm are subdivided by cell block boundaries similar to those observed in coarse-grained samples, with a similar dependency on the crystallographic orientation of the grains. With decreasing grain size down to approx. 1 μm there is a gradual transition from cell block structures to cell structures. At even smaller grain sizes of down to approx. 0.5 μm the dominant features are dislocation bundles and random dislocations, although at a larger compressive strain of 30% dislocation rotation boundaries may also be found in the interior of grains of this size. A standard 〈1 1 0〉 fibre texture is found for all grain sizes, with a decreasing sharpness with decreasing grain size. The structural transitions with decreasing grain size are discussed based on the general principles of grain subdivision by deformation-induced dislocation boundaries and of low-energy dislocation structures as applied to the not hitherto explored near-micrometre grain size regime

  4. Microstructure of warm rolling and pearlitic transformation of ultrafine-grained GCr15 steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Jun-Jie; Lian, Fu-Liang; Liu, Hong-Ji; Jiang, Tao; Guo, Sheng-Wu; Du, Lin-Xiu; Liu, Yong-Ning

    2014-01-01

    Pearlitic transformation mechanisms have been investigated in ultra-fine grained GCr15 steel. The ultrafine-grained steel, whose grain size was less than 1 μm, was prepared by thermo-mechanical treatment at 873 K and then annealing at 923 K for 2 h. Pearlitic transformation was conducted by reheating the ultra-fine grained samples at 1073 K and 1123 K for different periods of time and then cooling in air. Scanning electron microscope observation shows that normal lamellar pearlite, instead of granular cementite and ferrite, cannot be formed when the grain size is approximately less than 4(± 0.6) μm, which yields a critical grain size for normal lamellar pearlitic transformations in this chromium alloyed steel. The result confirms that grain size has a great influence on pearlitic transformation by increasing the diffusion rate of carbon atoms in the ultra-fine grained steel, and the addition of chromium element doesn't change this pearlitic phase transformation rule. Meanwhile, the grain growth rate is reduced by chromium alloying, which is beneficial to form fine grains during austenitizing, thus it facilitating pearlitic transformation by divorced eutectoid transformation. Moreover, chromium element can form a relatively high gradient in the frontier of the undissolved carbide, which promotes carbide formation in the frontier of the undissolved carbide, i.e., chromium promotes divorced eutectoid transformation. - Highlights: • Ultrafine-grained GCr15 steel was obtained by warm rolling and annealing technology. • Reduction of grain size makes pearlite morphology from lamellar to granular. • Adding Cr does not change normal pearlitic phase transformation rule in UFG steel. • Cr carbide resists grain growth and facilitates pearlitic transformation by DET

  5. Fatigue behavior and damage characteristic of ultra-fine grain low-purity copper processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu Changzheng; Wang Qingjuan [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xian Jiaotong University, Xian 710049 (China); Zheng Maosheng [Institute of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials, Northwest University, Xian 710069 (China)], E-mail: mszhengnw@sohu.com; Li Jindou; Huang Meiquan; Jia Qingming; Zhu Jiewu [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xian Jiaotong University, Xian 710049 (China); Kunz, Ludvik; Buksa, Michal [Institute of Physics of Materials, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno 61662 (Czech Republic)

    2008-02-25

    The S-N and Coffin-Manson plot, cyclic stress-strain response, changes of microstructure, and the surface morphology of ultra-fine grain (UFG) low-purity copper processed by ECAP were tested and observed in present study. And the formation mechanism of shear bands was discussed in detail. The results show that the UFG Cu represents longer lifetime under stress-controlled fatigue, but lower fatigue resistance under strain-controlled fatigue when compared with the coarse grain counterpart. Cyclic stress-strain responses of UFG Cu under stress-controlled fatigue alter from cyclic softening to cyclic hardening as stress amplitude decreases. But the responses always show cyclic softening under strain-controlled fatigue in present testing. By electron back scattering diffraction and transmission electron microscope technique, the shear bands were discovered on the surface of all cycled samples and no grain coarsening was discovered near the shear bands, which indicated that there was no inevitable relationship between formation of SBs and cyclic softening/grain coarsening. The discovery should be related to impurities in copper. The oriented distribution of defects along the shear plane in the last ECAP processing is one of the major mechanisms of SBs formation.

  6. Fatigue behavior and damage characteristic of ultra-fine grain low-purity copper processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Changzheng; Wang Qingjuan; Zheng Maosheng; Li Jindou; Huang Meiquan; Jia Qingming; Zhu Jiewu; Kunz, Ludvik; Buksa, Michal

    2008-01-01

    The S-N and Coffin-Manson plot, cyclic stress-strain response, changes of microstructure, and the surface morphology of ultra-fine grain (UFG) low-purity copper processed by ECAP were tested and observed in present study. And the formation mechanism of shear bands was discussed in detail. The results show that the UFG Cu represents longer lifetime under stress-controlled fatigue, but lower fatigue resistance under strain-controlled fatigue when compared with the coarse grain counterpart. Cyclic stress-strain responses of UFG Cu under stress-controlled fatigue alter from cyclic softening to cyclic hardening as stress amplitude decreases. But the responses always show cyclic softening under strain-controlled fatigue in present testing. By electron back scattering diffraction and transmission electron microscope technique, the shear bands were discovered on the surface of all cycled samples and no grain coarsening was discovered near the shear bands, which indicated that there was no inevitable relationship between formation of SBs and cyclic softening/grain coarsening. The discovery should be related to impurities in copper. The oriented distribution of defects along the shear plane in the last ECAP processing is one of the major mechanisms of SBs formation

  7. Mechanism of secondary recrystallization of Goss grains in grain-oriented electrical steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayakawa, Yasuyuki

    2017-12-01

    Since its invention by Goss in 1934, grain-oriented (GO) electrical steel has been widely used as a core material in transformers. GO exhibits a grain size of over several millimeters attained by secondary recrystallization during high-temperature final batch annealing. In addition to the unusually large grain size, the crystal direction in the rolling direction is aligned with , which is the easy magnetization axis of α-iron. Secondary recrystallization is the phenomenon in which a certain very small number of {110} (Goss) grains grow selectively (about one in 106 primary grains) at the expense of many other primary recrystallized grains. The question of why the Goss orientation is exclusively selected during secondary recrystallization has long been a main research subject in this field. The general criterion for secondary recrystallization is a small and uniform primary grain size, which is achieved through the inhibition of normal grain growth by fine precipitates called inhibitors. This paper describes several conceivable mechanisms of secondary recrystallization of Goss grains mainly based on the selective growth model.

  8. From Dust Grains to Planetesimals: The Importance of the Streaming Instability in Protoplanetary Disks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Jacob B.; Armitage, Philip J.; Youdin, Andrew N.; Li, Rixin

    2016-01-01

    Planetesimals are the precursors to planets, and understanding their formation is an essential step towards developing a complete theory of planet formation. For small solid particles (e.g., dust grains) to coagulate into planetesimals, however, requires that these particles grow beyond centimeter sizes; with traditional coagulation physics, this is very difficult. The streaming instability, which is a clumping process akin to the pile-up of cars in a traffic jam, generates sufficiently high solid densities that the mutual gravity between the clumped particles eventually causes their collapse towards planetesimal mass and size scales. Exploring this transition from dust grains to planetesimals is still in its infancy but is extremely important if we want to understand the basics of planet formation. Here, I present a series of high resolution, first principles numerical simulations of protoplanetary disk gas and dust to study the clumping of particles via the streaming instability and the subsequent collapse towards planetesimals. These simulations have been employed to characterize the planetesimal population as a function of radius in protoplanetary disks. The results of these simulations will be crucial for planet formation models to correctly explain the formation and configuration of solar systems.

  9. Spitzer view of massive star formation in the tidally stripped Magellanic Bridge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, C.-H. Rosie; Indebetouw, Remy; Muller, Erik; Kawamura, Akiko; Gordon, Karl D.; Meixner, Margaret; Seale, Jonathan P.; Shiao, Bernie; Sewiło, Marta; Whitney, Barbara A.; Meade, Marilyn R.; Fukui, Yasuo; Madden, Suzanne C.; Oliveira, Joana M.; Van Loon, Jacco Th.; Robitaille, Thomas P.

    2014-01-01

    The Magellanic Bridge is the nearest low-metallicity, tidally stripped environment, offering a unique high-resolution view of physical conditions in merging and forming galaxies. In this paper, we present an analysis of candidate massive young stellar objects (YSOs), i.e., in situ, current massive star formation (MSF) in the Bridge using Spitzer mid-IR and complementary optical and near-IR photometry. While we definitely find YSOs in the Bridge, the most massive are ∼10 M ☉ , <<45 M ☉ found in the LMC. The intensity of MSF in the Bridge also appears to be decreasing, as the most massive YSOs are less massive than those formed in the past. To investigate environmental effects on MSF, we have compared properties of massive YSOs in the Bridge to those in the LMC. First, YSOs in the Bridge are apparently less embedded than in the LMC: 81% of Bridge YSOs show optical counterparts, compared to only 56% of LMC sources with the same range of mass, circumstellar dust mass, and line-of-sight extinction. Circumstellar envelopes are evidently more porous or clumpy in the Bridge's low-metallicity environment. Second, we have used whole samples of YSOs in the LMC and the Bridge to estimate the probability of finding YSOs at a given H I column density, N(H I). We found that the LMC has ∼3 × higher probability than the Bridge for N(H I) >12 × 10 20 cm –2 , but the trend reverses at lower N(H I). Investigating whether this lower efficiency relative to H I is due to less efficient molecular cloud formation or to less efficient cloud collapse, or to both, will require sensitive molecular gas observations.

  10. Spitzer view of massive star formation in the tidally stripped Magellanic Bridge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, C.-H. Rosie; Indebetouw, Remy [Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Muller, Erik; Kawamura, Akiko [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Gordon, Karl D.; Meixner, Margaret; Seale, Jonathan P.; Shiao, Bernie [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Sewiło, Marta [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Whitney, Barbara A.; Meade, Marilyn R. [Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Fukui, Yasuo [Department of Astrophysics, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusaku, Nagoya 464-8602 (Japan); Madden, Suzanne C. [CEA, Laboratoire AIM, Irfu/SAp, Orme des Merisiers, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Oliveira, Joana M.; Van Loon, Jacco Th. [Astrophysics Group, Lennard-Jones Laboratories, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG (United Kingdom); Robitaille, Thomas P., E-mail: rchen@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

    2014-04-20

    The Magellanic Bridge is the nearest low-metallicity, tidally stripped environment, offering a unique high-resolution view of physical conditions in merging and forming galaxies. In this paper, we present an analysis of candidate massive young stellar objects (YSOs), i.e., in situ, current massive star formation (MSF) in the Bridge using Spitzer mid-IR and complementary optical and near-IR photometry. While we definitely find YSOs in the Bridge, the most massive are ∼10 M {sub ☉}, <<45 M {sub ☉} found in the LMC. The intensity of MSF in the Bridge also appears to be decreasing, as the most massive YSOs are less massive than those formed in the past. To investigate environmental effects on MSF, we have compared properties of massive YSOs in the Bridge to those in the LMC. First, YSOs in the Bridge are apparently less embedded than in the LMC: 81% of Bridge YSOs show optical counterparts, compared to only 56% of LMC sources with the same range of mass, circumstellar dust mass, and line-of-sight extinction. Circumstellar envelopes are evidently more porous or clumpy in the Bridge's low-metallicity environment. Second, we have used whole samples of YSOs in the LMC and the Bridge to estimate the probability of finding YSOs at a given H I column density, N(H I). We found that the LMC has ∼3 × higher probability than the Bridge for N(H I) >12 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup –2}, but the trend reverses at lower N(H I). Investigating whether this lower efficiency relative to H I is due to less efficient molecular cloud formation or to less efficient cloud collapse, or to both, will require sensitive molecular gas observations.

  11. RY Geminorum: an Algol binary with moderate circumstellar emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, D.S.; Eaton, J.A.; Wilson, J.W.; Stuhlinger, T.

    1982-01-01

    RY Gem was observed extensively on the UBV system at two observatories over a period of 13 years. One new time of minimum, JD (Hel.) 2,444,215.490+-0.001 is derived, and a revised ephemeris for epochs since 1950: JD (Hel.)=2,439,732.6328+9sup(d).300567n is presented. Analyses carried out for both the Russell model and the Roche model give consistent values for the geometrical elements of the system: rsub(h)=r 1 =0.093+-0.001, rsub(c)=r 2 =0.2285+-0.0008, i=83 deg.5+-0 deg.2. For any reasonable value of the mass of the hotter component, the system consists of an early A-type star only slightly (Osup(m).5) above the main sequence and a cooler component having the surface temperature and gravity of a K1,3-K4,5 star. The most likely absolute dimensions of the components are M 1 =2.0+-03Msub(sun), R 1 =2.3+-0.1Rsub(sun) and M 2 =0.31+-0.06Msub(sun), R 2 =5.6+-0.2Rsub(sun). The effects of ring emission, which were removed from the observations before they were analyzed, seem to be typical of circumstellar emission in many other long-period Algol systems. (author)

  12. Significance of grain boundaries and stacking faults on hydrogen storage properties of Mg2Ni intermetallics processed by high-pressure torsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hongo, Toshifumi; Edalati, Kaveh; Arita, Makoto; Matsuda, Junko; Akiba, Etsuo; Horita, Zenji

    2015-01-01

    Mg 2 Ni intermetallics are processed using three different routes to produce three different microstructural features: annealing at high temperature for coarse grain formation, severe plastic deformation through high-pressure torsion (HPT) for nanograin formation, and HPT processing followed by annealing for the introduction of stacking faults. It is found that both grain boundaries and stacking faults are significantly effective to activate the Mg 2 Ni intermetallics for hydrogen storage at 423 K (150 °C). The hydrogenation kinetics is also considerably enhanced by the introduction of large fractions of grain boundaries and stacking faults while the hydrogenation thermodynamics remains unchanged. This study shows that, similar to grain boundaries and cracks, stacking faults can act as quick pathways for the transportation of hydrogen in the hydrogen storage materials

  13. Dynamics of dust in astrophysical plasma and implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoang, Thiem

    2012-06-01

    Dust is a ubiquitous constituent of the interstellar medium, molecular clouds, and circumstellar and protoplanetary disks. Dust emission interferes with observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropy and its polarized emission dominates the CMB B-mode polarization that prevents us from getting insight into the inflation epoch of the early universe. In my PhD thesis, I have studied fundamental physical processes of dust dynamics in astrophysical plasma and explored their implications for observations of the CMB, studies of magnetic fields, and formation of planets. I have investigated the spinning dust emission from very small grains (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) of non-spherical shapes (including spheroid and triaxial ellipsoid shapes) that have grain axes fluctuating around grain angular momentum due to internal thermal fluctuations within the grain. I have proposed an approach based on Fourier transform to find power spectrum of spinning dust emission from grains of arbitrary grain shape. In particular, I have devised a method to find exact grain angular momentum distribution using the Langevin equation. I have explored the effects of transient spin-up by single-ion collisions, transient heating by single UV photons, and compressible turbulence on spinning dust emission. This improved model of spinning dust emission well reproduces observation data by Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe and allows a reliable separation of Galactic contamination from the CMB. I have identified grain helicity as the major driver for grain alignment via radiative torques (RATs) and suggested an analytical model of RATs based on this concept. Dust polarization predicted by the model has been confirmed by numerous observations, and can be used as a frequency template for the CMB B-mode searches. I have proposed a new type of dust acceleration due to magnetohydrodynamic turbulence through transit time damping for large grains, and quantified a

  14. The role of grain boundaries and transient porosity increase as fluid pathways for reaction front propagation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jonas, Laura; John, Timm; Geisler, Thorsten; Putnis, Andrew

    2013-04-01

    The pseudomorphic replacement of Carrara marble by calcium phosphates was studied as a model system to examine the influence of different fluid pathways for reaction front propagation induced by fluid-rock interaction. In this model system, the grain boundaries present in the rock and the transient porosity structures developing throughout the replacement reaction enable the reaction front to progress further into the rock as well as to the center of each single grain until complete transformation. Hydrothermal treatment of the marble using phosphate bearing solutions at temperature levels of 150° C and 200° C for different durations lead to the formation of two product phases which were identified as hydroxyapatite [Ca5(PO4)3OH] as well as β-tricalcium phosphate [β-Ca3(PO4)2] (β-TCP). The formation of β-TCP was probably favored by the presence of ~0.6wt.% of Mg in the parent phase. Completely transformed single grains show a distinctive zoning, both in composition and texture. Whereas areas next to the grain boundary consist of nearly pure hydroxyapatite and show a coarse porosity, areas close to the center of the single grains show a high amount of β-TCP and a very fine porous microstructure. If F was added as an additional solution component, the formation of β-TCP was avoided and up to 3wt.% of F were incorporated into the product apatite. The use of the isotope 18O as a chronometer for the replacement reaction makes it possible to reconstruct the chronological development of the calcium phosphate reaction front. Raman analysis revealed that the incorporation of 18O in the PO4 tetrahedron of hydroxyapatite results in the development of distinct profiles in the calcium phosphate reaction front perpendicular to the grain boundaries of the marble. Through the use of the 18O chronometer, it is possible to estimate and compare the time effectiveness of the different fluid pathways in this model system. The results show that the grain boundaries serve as a

  15. Grain-boundary engineering applied to grain growth in a high temperature material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huda, Z.

    1993-01-01

    Crystallography of grain boundaries are determined for a high temperature material, before and after grain growth processes, so as to study the induction of special properties useful for application in components of a gas-turbine engine. The philosophy of grain-boundary engineering is applied to grain growth in APK-6, a powder formed nickel-base superalloy so as to establish the possible structure/property relationships. The alloy in the as received condition is shown to possess a strong texture and contained coincident site lattices (CSL) boundaries with most boundaries having sigma values in the range of 3 > sigma > 25. A normal grain-growth heat treatment result in a good population of low angle grain boundaries, and drastically reduces the proportion of CSL boundaries. A strong [011] annealing texture is observed after an intermediate grain growth; most grain boundaries, here, tend to be high angle indicating a possibility of possessing special properties. (author)

  16. Preparation, analysis, and release of simulated interplanetary grains into low earth orbit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stephens, J.R.; Strong, I.B.; Kunkle, T.D.

    1985-01-01

    Astronomical observations which reflect the optical and dynamical properties of interstellar and interplanetary grains are the primary means of identifying the shape, size, and the chemistry of extraterrestrial grain materials and is a major subject of this workshop. Except for recent samplings of extraterrestrial particles in near-Earth orbit and in the stratosphere, observations have been the only method of deducing the properties of extraterrestrial particles. Terrestrial laboratory experiments typically seek not to reproduce astrophysical conditions but to illuminate fundamental dust processes and properties which must be extrapolated to interesting astrophysical conditions. In this report, we discuss the formation and optical characterization of simulated interstellar and interplanetary dust with particular emphasis on studying the properties on irregularly shaped particles. We also discuss efforts to develop the techniques to allow dust experiments to be carried out in low-Earth orbit, thus extending the conditions under which dust experiments may be performed. The objectives of this study are threefold: (1) Elucidate the optical properties, including scattering and absorption, of simulated interstellar grains including SiC, silicates, and carbon grains produced in the laboratory. (2) Develop the capabilities to release grains and volatile materials into the near-Earth environment and study their dynamics and optical properties. (3) Study the interaction of released materials with the near-Earth environment to elucidate grain behavior in astrophysical environments. Interaction of grains with their environment may, for example, lead to grain alignment or coagulation, which results in observable phenomena such as polarization of lighter or a change of the scattering properties of the grains

  17. Grain growth kinetics for B2O3-doped ZnO ceramics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuksel Berat

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Grain growth kinetics in 0.1 to 2 mol % B2O3-added ZnO ceramics was studied by using a simplified phenomenological grain growth kinetics equation Gn = K0 · t · exp(-Q/RT together with the physical properties of sintered samples. The samples, prepared by conventional ceramics processing techniques, were sintered at temperatures between 1050 to 1250 °C for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 hours in air. The kinetic grain growth exponent value (n and the activation energy for the grain growth of the 0.1 mol % B2O3-doped ZnO ceramics were found to be 2.8 and 332 kJ/mol, respectively. By increasing B2O3 content to 1 mol %, the grain growth exponent value (n and the activation energy decreased to 2 and 238 kJ/mol, respectively. The XRD study revealed the presence of a second phase, Zn3B2O6 formed when the B2O3 content was > 1 mol %. The formation of Zn3B2O6 phase gave rise to an increase of the grain growth kinetic exponent and the grain growth activation energy. The kinetic grain growth exponent value (n and the activation energy for the grain growth of the 2 mol % B2O3-doped ZnO ceramics were found to be 3 and 307 kJ/mol, respectively. This can be attributed to the second particle drag (pinning mechanism in the liquid phase sintering.

  18. Phloem Transport of Arsenic Species from Flag Leaf to Grain During Grain Filling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    A Carey; G Norton; C Deacon; K Scheckel; E Lombi; T Punshon; M Guerinot; A Lanzirotti; M Newville; et al.

    2011-12-31

    Strategies to reduce arsenic (As) in rice grain, below concentrations that represent a serious human health concern, require that the mechanisms of As accumulation within grain be established. Therefore, retranslocation of As species from flag leaves into filling rice grain was investigated. Arsenic species were delivered through cut flag leaves during grain fill. Spatial unloading within grains was investigated using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) microtomography. Additionally, the effect of germanic acid (a silicic acid analog) on grain As accumulation in arsenite-treated panicles was examined. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) were extremely efficiently retranslocated from flag leaves to rice grain; arsenate was poorly retranslocated, and was rapidly reduced to arsenite within flag leaves; arsenite displayed no retranslocation. Within grains, DMA rapidly dispersed while MMA and inorganic As remained close to the entry point. Germanic acid addition did not affect grain As in arsenite-treated panicles. Three-dimensional SXRF microtomography gave further information on arsenite localization in the ovular vascular trace (OVT) of rice grains. These results demonstrate that inorganic As is poorly remobilized, while organic species are readily remobilized, from leaves to grain. Stem translocation of inorganic As may not rely solely on silicic acid transporters.

  19. Phloem transport of arsenic species from flag leaf to grain during grain filling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carey, Anne-Marie; Norton, Gareth J.; Deacon, Claire; Scheckel, Kirk G.; Lombi, Enzo; Punshon, Tracy; Guerinot, Mary Lou; Lanzirotti, Antonio; Newville, Matt; Choi, Yongseong; Price, Adam H.; Meharg, Andrew A. (EPA); (U. South Australia); (Aberdeen); (UC); (Dartmouth)

    2011-09-20

    Strategies to reduce arsenic (As) in rice grain, below concentrations that represent a serious human health concern, require that the mechanisms of As accumulation within grain be established. Therefore, retranslocation of As species from flag leaves into filling rice grain was investigated. Arsenic species were delivered through cut flag leaves during grain fill. Spatial unloading within grains was investigated using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) microtomography. Additionally, the effect of germanic acid (a silicic acid analog) on grain As accumulation in arsenite-treated panicles was examined. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) were extremely efficiently retranslocated from flag leaves to rice grain; arsenate was poorly retranslocated, and was rapidly reduced to arsenite within flag leaves; arsenite displayed no retranslocation. Within grains, DMA rapidly dispersed while MMA and inorganic As remained close to the entry point. Germanic acid addition did not affect grain As in arsenite-treated panicles. Three-dimensional SXRF microtomography gave further information on arsenite localization in the ovular vascular trace (OVT) of rice grains. These results demonstrate that inorganic As is poorly remobilized, while organic species are readily remobilized, from leaves to grain. Stem translocation of inorganic As may not rely solely on silicic acid transporters.

  20. Ionizing radiation for insect control in grain and grain products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tilton, E.W.; Brower, J.H.

    1987-01-01

    A technical review summarizes and discusses information on various aspects of the use of ionizing radiation for the control of insect infestation in grains and grain products. Topics include: the effects of ionizing radiation on insects infesting stored-grain products; the 2 main types of irradiators (electron accelerators; radioisotopes (e.g.: Co-60; Cs-137); dosimetry systems and methodology; variations in radiation resistance by stored-product pests; the proper selection of radiation dose; the effects of combining various treatments (temperature, infrared/microwave radiation, hypoxia, chemicals) with ionizing radiation; sublethal radiation for controlling bulk grain insects; the feeding capacity of irradiated insects; the susceptibility of insecticide-resistant insects to ionizing radiation; and the possible resistance of insects to ionizing radiation. Practical aspects of removing insects from irradiated grain also are discussed

  1. Development of helium porosity near-by grain boundaries in nickel-carbon alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reutov, I.V.; Reutov, V.F.

    1995-01-01

    The peculiarities of development of helium porosity near grain boundaries in nickel with 0.002-0.065 at.% carbon uniformly doped with helium up to 2·10 -2 at.% in the process of post-irradiation isothermal annealing at 800 deg C for 1-50 hours are studied. It is stated that at this annealing temperature intensive nucleation and growth of bubbles are observed in near-boundary region whose width grows both with increase of annealing time and carbon content. The TEM studies have shown that in near-boundary zone itself the process of bubble growth is non-uniform: bubble size increases and their density decreases as the distance from grain boundary is increased. The effect observed is discussed from the point of view of formation of two zones with different level of swelling in a grain (near-by boundary and matrix) and consequently, hydrostatic stress as well conditioning the flux of vacancies and helium-vacancy complexes from matrix to grain boundary. 8 refs., 5 figs

  2. Stress-assisted grain growth in nanocrystalline metals: Grain boundary mediated mechanisms and stabilization through alloying

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yang; Tucker, Garritt J.; Trelewicz, Jason R.

    2017-01-01

    The mechanisms of stress-assisted grain growth are explored using molecular dynamics simulations of nanoindentation in nanocrystalline Ni and Ni-1 at.% P as a function of grain size and deformation temperature. Grain coalescence is primarily confined to the high stress region beneath the simulated indentation zone in nanocrystalline Ni with a grain size of 3 nm. Grain orientation and atomic displacement vector mapping demonstrates that coalescence transpires through grain rotation and grain boundary migration, which are manifested in the grain interior and grain boundary components of the average microrotation. A doubling of the grain size to 6 nm and addition of 1 at.% P eliminates stress-assisted grain growth in Ni. In the absence of grain coalescence, deformation is accommodated by grain boundary-mediated dislocation plasticity and thermally activated in pure nanocrystalline Ni. By adding solute to the grain boundaries, the temperature-dependent deformation behavior observed in both the lattice and grain boundaries inverts, indicating that the individual processes of dislocation and grain boundary plasticity will exhibit different activity based on boundary chemistry and deformation temperature.

  3. Plasma kinetics around a dust grain in an ion flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maiorov, S.A.; Vladimirov, S.V.; Cramer, N.F.

    2000-01-01

    (the run time is of the order of the period of ion oscillations at the ion plasma frequency) does not allow us to see the formation of the wake associated with a collective standing ion-acoustic wave (in the case of supersonic flow velocities) within the Mach cone. However, our conclusion is that the electron kinetics are not so important for the ion focusing and even longer timescale processes such as wake formation, and therefore to save computer time, future MD simulations can assume that the ions and the dust are immersed in an electron background which obeys a Boltzmann distribution. Another interesting feature observed in our present simulations is the formation of an ion precursor in front of the (stationary) grain; this appears to be a kinetic effect which cannot occur in a fluid description

  4. Hormonal changes in the grains of rice subjected to water stress during grain filling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, J; Zhang, J; Wang, Z; Zhu, Q; Wang, W

    2001-09-01

    Lodging-resistant rice (Oryza sativa) cultivars usually show slow grain filling when nitrogen is applied in large amounts. This study investigated the possibility that a hormonal change may mediate the effect of water deficit that enhances whole plant senescence and speeds up grain filling. Two rice cultivars showing high lodging resistance and slow grain filling were field grown and applied with either normal or high amount nitrogen (HN) at heading. Well-watered and water-stressed (WS) treatments were imposed 9 days post anthesis to maturity. Results showed that WS increased partitioning of fixed (14)CO(2) into grains, accelerated the grain filling rate but shortened the grain filling period, whereas the HN did the opposite way. Cytokinin (zeatin + zeatin riboside) and indole-3-acetic acid contents in the grains transiently increased at early filling stage and WS treatments hastened their declines at the late grain filling stage. Gibberellins (GAs; GA(1) + GA(4)) in the grains were also high at early grain filling but HN enhanced, whereas WS substantially reduced, its accumulation. Opposite to GAs, abscisic acid (ABA) in the grains was low at early grain filling but WS remarkably enhanced its accumulation. The peak values of ABA were significantly correlated with the maximum grain filling rates (r = 0.92**, P water stress during grain filling, especially a decrease in GAs and an increase in ABA, enhances the remobilization of prestored carbon to the grains and accelerates the grain filling rate.

  5. Adiabatic shear localization in ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Bingfeng, E-mail: biw009@ucsd.edu [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego (United States); State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Key Lab of Nonferrous Materials, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Ma, Rui; Zhou, Jindian [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Li, Zezhou; Zhao, Shiteng [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego (United States); Huang, Xiaoxia [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

    2016-10-15

    Localized shear is an important mode of deformation; it leads to catastrophic failure with low ductility, and occurs frequently during high strain-rate deformation. The hat-shaped specimen has been successfully used to generate shear bands under controlled shock-loading tests. The microstructure in the forced shear band was characterized by optical microscopy, microhardness, and transmission electron microscopy. The true flow stress in the shear region can reach 800 MPa where the strain is about 2.2. The whole shear localization process lasts for about 100 μs. The shear band is a long and straight band distinguished from the matrix by boundaries. It can be seen that the grains in the boundary of the shear band are highly elongated along the shear direction and form the elongated cell structures (0.2 µm in width), and the core of the shear band consists of a number of recrystallized equiaxed grains with 0.2−0.3 µm in diameters, and the second phase particles distribute in the boundary of the ultrafine equiaxed new grains. The calculated temperature in the shear band can reach about 667 K. Finally, the formation of the shear band in the ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy and its microstructural evolution are proposed.

  6. Impact of grain microstructure on the heterogeneity of precipitation strengthening in an Al–Li–Cu alloy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dorin, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.dorin@deakin.edu.au [Université Grenoble Alpes, SIMAP, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CNRS, SIMAP, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3217 (Australia); Constellium Technology Center, CS 10027, 38341 Voreppe Cedex (France); Deschamps, Alexis; De Geuser, Frédéric [Université Grenoble Alpes, SIMAP, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CNRS, SIMAP, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Robaut, Florence [Consortium des Moyens Technologiques Communs, Grenoble-INP, F-38502 St. Martin d’Hères (France)

    2015-03-11

    The effect of grain microstructure on the age-hardening behavior is investigated on recrystallized and un-recrystallized Al–Cu–Li alloys by combining electron-backscatter-diffraction and micro-hardness mapping. The spatial heterogeneity of micro-hardness is found to be strongly dependent on the grain microstructure. Controlled experiments are carried out to change the pre-strain before artificial ageing. These experiments lead to an evaluation of the range of local strain induced by pre-stretching as a function of the grain microstructure and results in heterogeneous formation of the hardening T{sub 1} precipitates.

  7. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GRAINS IN 2014 ALUMINIUM ALLOY AFTER EQUAL CHANNEL ANGULAR EXTRUSION (ECAE PROCESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Boczkal

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available In 2014 alloy deformed by Equal Channel Angular Extrusion process (ECAE the changes in the size and shape of structural constituents were examined. The samples subjected after deformation to additional annealing at 300°C/10min were characterized by larger grains of nearly-equiaxial shapes. The microstructure after deformation was composed of a large number of the mutually crossing bands and microbands. The intersection of microbands resulted in formation of rectangular and rhombohedral grains. It was noted that the average grain size after ε = 4.6 (4 passes was 0.2 μm.

  8. Microbiota of kefir grains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomislav Pogačić

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Kefir grains represent the unique microbial community consisting of bacteria, yeasts, and sometimes filamentous moulds creating complex symbiotic community. The complexity of their physical and microbial structures is the reason that the kefir grains are still not unequivocally elucidated. Microbiota of kefir grains has been studied by many microbiological and molecular approaches. The development of metagenomics, based on the identification without cultivation, is opening new possibilities for identification of previously nonisolated and non-identified microbial species from the kefir grains. Considering recent studies, there are over 50 microbial species associated with kefir grains. The aim of this review is to summarise the microbiota composition of kefir grains. Moreover, because of technological and microbiological significance of the kefir grains, the paper provides an insight into the microbiological and molecular methods applied to study microbial biodiversity of kefir grains.

  9. Grain refinement of permanent mold cast copper base alloys. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sadayappan, M.; Thomson, J. P.; Elboujdaini, M.; Gu, G. Ping; Sahoo, M.

    2004-04-29

    Grain refinement behavior of copper alloys cast in permanent molds was investigated. This is one of the least studied subjects in copper alloy castings. Grain refinement is not widely practiced for leaded copper alloys cast in sand molds. Aluminum bronzes and high strength yellow brasses, cast in sand and permanent molds, were usually fine grained due to the presence of more than 2% iron. Grain refinement of the most common permanent mold casting alloys, leaded yellow brass and its lead-free replacement EnviroBrass III, is not universally accepted due to the perceived problem of hard spots in finished castings and for the same reason these alloys contain very low amounts of iron. The yellow brasses and Cu-Si alloys are gaining popularity in North America due to their low lead content and amenability for permanent mold casting. These alloys are prone to hot tearing in permanent mold casting. Grain refinement is one of the solutions for reducing this problem. However, to use this technique it is necessary to understand the mechanism of grain refinement and other issues involved in the process. The following issues were studied during this three year project funded by the US Department of Energy and the copper casting industry: (1) Effect of alloying additions on the grain size of Cu-Zn alloys and their interaction with grain refiners; (2) Effect of two grain refining elements, boron and zirconium, on the grain size of four copper alloys, yellow brass, EnviroBrass II, silicon brass and silicon bronze and the duration of their effect (fading); (3) Prediction of grain refinement using cooling curve analysis and use of this method as an on-line quality control tool; (4) Hard spot formation in yellow brass and EnviroBrass due to grain refinement; (5) Corrosion resistance of the grain refined alloys; (6) Transfer the technology to permanent mold casting foundries; It was found that alloying elements such as tin and zinc do not change the grain size of Cu-Zn alloys

  10. Formation of Hydroxylamine on Dust Grains via Ammonia Oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jiao; Vidali, Gianfranco; Lemaire, Jean-Louis; Garrod, Robin T.

    2015-01-01

    The quest to detect prebiotic molecules in space, notably amino acids, requires an understanding of the chemistry involving nitrogen atoms. Hydroxylamine (NH2OH) is considered a precursor to the amino acid glycine. Although not yet detected, NH2OH is considered a likely target of detection with ALMA. We report on an experimental investigation of the formation of hydroxylamine on an amorphous silicate surface via the oxidation of ammonia. The experimental data are then fed into a simulation of the formation of NH2OH in dense cloud conditions. On ices at 14 K and with a modest activation energy barrier, NH2OH is found to be formed with an abundance that never falls below a factor 10 with respect to NH3. Suggestions of conditions for future observations are provided.

  11. Laboratory Studies of Charging Properties of Dust Grains in Astrophysical/Planetary Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tankosic, D.; Abbas, M. M.

    2012-01-01

    Dust grains in various astrophysical environments are generally charged electrostatically by photoelectric emissions with UV/X-ray radiation, as well as by electron/ion impact. Knowledge of physical and optical properties of individual dust grains is required for understanding of the physical and dynamical processes in space environments and the role of dust in formation of stellar and planetary systems. In this paper we focus on charging of individual micron/submicron dust grains by processes that include: (a) UV photoelectric emissions involving incident photon energies higher than the work function of the material and b) electron impact, where low energy electrons are scattered or stick to the dust grains, thereby charging the dust grains negatively, and at sufficiently high energies the incident electrons penetrate the grain leading to excitation and emission of electrons referred to as secondary electron emission (SEE). It is well accepted that the charging properties of individual micron/submicron size dust grains are expected to be substantially different from the bulk materials. However, no viable models for calculation of the charging properties of individual micron size dust grains are available at the present time. Therefore, the photoelectric yields, and secondary electron emission yields of micron-size dust grains have to be obtained by experimental methods. Currently, very limited experimental data are available for charging of individual micron-size dust grains. Our experimental results, obtained on individual, micron-size dust grains levitated in an electrodynamic balance facility (at NASA-MSFC), show that: (1) The measured photoelectric yields are substantially higher than the bulk values given in the literature and indicate a particle size dependence with larger particles having order-of-magnitude higher values than for submicron-size grains; (2) dust charging by low energy electron impact is a complex process. Also, our measurements indicate that

  12. THE NATURE OF TRANSITION CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS. II. SOUTHERN MOLECULAR CLOUDS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romero, Gisela A.; Schreiber, Matthias R.; Rebassa-Mansergas, Alberto [Departamento de Fisica y Astronomia, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso (Chile); Cieza, Lucas A. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Merin, Bruno [Herschel Science Centre, ESAC (ESA), P.O. Box 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Smith Castelli, Analia V. [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires (Argentina); Allen, Lori E. [Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065 (United States); Morrell, Nidia [Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Observatories, Casilla 601, La Serena (Chile)

    2012-04-10

    Transition disk objects are pre-main-sequence stars with little or no near-IR excess and significant far-IR excess, implying inner opacity holes in their disks. Here we present a multifrequency study of transition disk candidates located in Lupus I, III, IV, V, VI, Corona Australis, and Scorpius. Complementing the information provided by Spitzer with adaptive optics (AO) imaging (NaCo, VLT), submillimeter photometry (APEX), and echelle spectroscopy (Magellan, Du Pont Telescopes), we estimate the multiplicity, disk mass, and accretion rate for each object in our sample in order to identify the mechanism potentially responsible for its inner hole. We find that our transition disks show a rich diversity in their spectral energy distribution morphology, have disk masses ranging from {approx}<1 to 10 M{sub JUP}, and accretion rates ranging from {approx}<10{sup -11} to 10{sup -7.7} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. Of the 17 bona fide transition disks in our sample, three, nine, three, and two objects are consistent with giant planet formation, grain growth, photoevaporation, and debris disks, respectively. Two disks could be circumbinary, which offers tidal truncation as an alternative origin of the inner hole. We find the same heterogeneity of the transition disk population in Lupus III, IV, and Corona Australis as in our previous analysis of transition disks in Ophiuchus while all transition disk candidates selected in Lupus V, VI turned out to be contaminating background asymptotic giant branch stars. All transition disks classified as photoevaporating disks have small disk masses, which indicates that photoevaporation must be less efficient than predicted by most recent models. The three systems that are excellent candidates for harboring giant planets potentially represent invaluable laboratories to study planet formation with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array.

  13. THE NATURE OF TRANSITION CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS. II. SOUTHERN MOLECULAR CLOUDS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romero, Gisela A.; Schreiber, Matthias R.; Rebassa-Mansergas, Alberto; Cieza, Lucas A.; Merín, Bruno; Smith Castelli, Analía V.; Allen, Lori E.; Morrell, Nidia

    2012-01-01

    Transition disk objects are pre-main-sequence stars with little or no near-IR excess and significant far-IR excess, implying inner opacity holes in their disks. Here we present a multifrequency study of transition disk candidates located in Lupus I, III, IV, V, VI, Corona Australis, and Scorpius. Complementing the information provided by Spitzer with adaptive optics (AO) imaging (NaCo, VLT), submillimeter photometry (APEX), and echelle spectroscopy (Magellan, Du Pont Telescopes), we estimate the multiplicity, disk mass, and accretion rate for each object in our sample in order to identify the mechanism potentially responsible for its inner hole. We find that our transition disks show a rich diversity in their spectral energy distribution morphology, have disk masses ranging from ∼ JUP , and accretion rates ranging from ∼ –11 to 10 –7.7 M ☉ yr –1 . Of the 17 bona fide transition disks in our sample, three, nine, three, and two objects are consistent with giant planet formation, grain growth, photoevaporation, and debris disks, respectively. Two disks could be circumbinary, which offers tidal truncation as an alternative origin of the inner hole. We find the same heterogeneity of the transition disk population in Lupus III, IV, and Corona Australis as in our previous analysis of transition disks in Ophiuchus while all transition disk candidates selected in Lupus V, VI turned out to be contaminating background asymptotic giant branch stars. All transition disks classified as photoevaporating disks have small disk masses, which indicates that photoevaporation must be less efficient than predicted by most recent models. The three systems that are excellent candidates for harboring giant planets potentially represent invaluable laboratories to study planet formation with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array.

  14. The effects of irradiation on grain coat color and grain texture in winter wheat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miao Bingliang; Liu Xueyu

    1989-01-01

    Dry seeds of the variety ''Yangmai 5'' with red grain coat, semihard grain texture, and the variety ''Ningmai 3'' with red grain coat, soft grain texture were irradiated with Y-rays at various doses.The effect on M1 grain coat color was different between two varieties, the higher doses made grain coat color of ''Yangmai 5'' redder, but had hardly effect on ''Ningmai 3''.The effect on M1 grain texture showed that the grain texture became softer with doses increased.It was found that there were 0.6% of positive ( red to white ) grain coat color mutants and 2.0% of negative(hard to soft) grain texture mutants in M2 of ''Yangmai 5'', and there were 0.7% of negative ( white to red ) grain coat color mutants and 3.6% of positive ( soft to hard ) grain texture mutants in M2 of ''Ningmai 3''. It seemed that the positive mutants selected in M3 were stable in M4. The results showed that γ-rays can be used to improve the grain coat color andgrain texture of wheat varieties

  15. Moving beyond Watson-Crick models of coarse grained DNA dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linak, Margaret C; Tourdot, Richard; Dorfman, Kevin D

    2011-11-28

    DNA produces a wide range of structures in addition to the canonical B-form of double-stranded DNA. Some of these structures are stabilized by Hoogsteen bonds. We developed an experimentally parameterized, coarse-grained model that incorporates such bonds. The model reproduces many of the microscopic features of double-stranded DNA and captures the experimental melting curves for a number of short DNA hairpins, even when the open state forms complicated secondary structures. We demonstrate the utility of the model by simulating the folding of a thrombin aptamer, which contains G-quartets, and strand invasion during triplex formation. Our results highlight the importance of including Hoogsteen bonding in coarse-grained models of DNA.

  16. Microstructure and mechanical properties of spot friction stir welded ultrafine grained 1050 Al and conventional grained 6061-T6 Al alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Y.F.; Fujii, H.; Tsuji, N.

    2013-01-01

    The ultrafine grained (UFGed) 1050 Al plates with a thickness of 2 mm, which were produced by the accumulative roll bonding technique after 5 cycles, were spot friction stir welded to 2 mm thick 6061-T6 Al alloy plates at different rotation speeds. Although the UFGed 1050 Al plates were used as the lower plates in order to reduce the heat generation therein during the welding process, the initial nano-sized lamellar structure still transformed into an equiaxial grain structure with a grain size of about 5.9 µm in the stir zone of the joints. Simultaneously, coarsening of the precipitates and formation of large quantities of nano-sized subgrains were found in the stir zone of the 6061 Al alloy plates. Microstructural observation by high resolution transmission electron microscope showed that the two plates were bonded through a transitional layer with a thickness of about 15 nm, within which a lot of screw dislocations formed due to the frictional force between the two plates. A mechanical properties evaluation revealed that the maximum shear tensile load can reach about 4127 N and the joints fractured just outside the hook region in the lower 1050 Al plate

  17. KEY ISSUES REVIEW: Insights from simulations of star formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Richard B.

    2007-03-01

    Although the basic physics of star formation is classical, numerical simulations have yielded essential insights into how stars form. They show that star formation is a highly nonuniform runaway process characterized by the emergence of nearly singular peaks in density, followed by the accretional growth of embryo stars that form at these density peaks. Circumstellar discs often form from the gas being accreted by the forming stars, and accretion from these discs may be episodic, driven by gravitational instabilities or by protostellar interactions. Star-forming clouds typically develop filamentary structures, which may, along with the thermal physics, play an important role in the origin of stellar masses because of the sensitivity of filament fragmentation to temperature variations. Simulations of the formation of star clusters show that the most massive stars form by continuing accretion in the dense cluster cores, and this again is a runaway process that couples star formation and cluster formation. Star-forming clouds also tend to develop hierarchical structures, and smaller groups of forming objects tend to merge into progressively larger ones, a generic feature of self-gravitating systems that is common to star formation and galaxy formation. Because of the large range of scales and the complex dynamics involved, analytic models cannot adequately describe many aspects of star formation, and detailed numerical simulations are needed to advance our understanding of the subject. 'The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers.' Richard W Hamming, in Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers (1962) 'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' William Shakespeare, in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1604)

  18. FORMATION OF HYDROXYLAMINE ON DUST GRAINS VIA AMMONIA OXIDATION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    He, Jiao; Vidali, Gianfranco [Physics Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244 (United States); Lemaire, Jean-Louis [Paris Observatory, F-75014 Paris (France); Garrod, Robin T., E-mail: gvidali@syr.edu [Center for Radiophysics and Space Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States)

    2015-01-20

    The quest to detect prebiotic molecules in space, notably amino acids, requires an understanding of the chemistry involving nitrogen atoms. Hydroxylamine (NH{sub 2}OH) is considered a precursor to the amino acid glycine. Although not yet detected, NH{sub 2}OH is considered a likely target of detection with ALMA. We report on an experimental investigation of the formation of hydroxylamine on an amorphous silicate surface via the oxidation of ammonia. The experimental data are then fed into a simulation of the formation of NH{sub 2}OH in dense cloud conditions. On ices at 14 K and with a modest activation energy barrier, NH{sub 2}OH is found to be formed with an abundance that never falls below a factor 10 with respect to NH{sub 3}. Suggestions of conditions for future observations are provided.

  19. Grain boundary and grain interior conduction in γ'-Bi2MoO6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vera, C.M.C.; Aragon, R.

    2005-01-01

    Impedance spectroscopy of fine grained ( 2 MoO 6 samples, in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz-250 kHz, relevant to sensor applications, up to 800 deg. C, has been used to characterize grain boundary and grain interior contributions to conduction. Above 500 deg. C, the grain boundary contribution is no longer rate limiting and conduction is dominated by the grain interior component. The corresponding activation energies are 0.98 eV for grain boundary and 0.73 eV for grain interior components. The weak dependence of conductivity on oxygen partial pressure below 500 deg. C can be attributed to electrode-electrolyte interface phenomena, whereas the robust response to ethanol is commensurate with changes in intrinsic ionic conductivity

  20. Formation of cellular structure in beryllium at plastic working

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Papirov, I.I.; Nikolaenko, A.A.; Shokurov, V.S.; Pikalov, A.I.

    2013-01-01

    Conditions of cellular structure formation are investigated at various kinds of deformation and heat treatment of beryllium ingots. It is shown that the cellular structure plays the important role in formation of complex of physical mechanical properties of beryllium. Influence of impurity, various conditions of deformation (temperature, squeezing degree) and heat treatments on substructure, texture and mechanical properties of metal is investigated. Optimum conditions of rolling and heat treatments of beryllium are defined. The way of sign-variable cyclic deformation of beryllium ingots is offered for reception quasi-isotropic fine-grained metal. Physical-mechanical properties of ultra fine-grained metal are studied

  1. DISK DETECTIVE: DISCOVERY OF NEW CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK CANDIDATES THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuchner, Marc J.; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, Code 667 Greenbelt, MD 21230 (United States); Silverberg, Steven M.; Wisniewski, John P. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy The University of Oklahoma 440 W. Brooks St. Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Bans, Alissa S. [Valparaiso University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Neils Science Center, 1610 Campus Drive East, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (United States); Bhattacharjee, Shambo [International Space University 1 Rue Jean-Dominique Cassini F-67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden (France); Kenyon, Scott J. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 60 Garden Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Debes, John H. [Space Telescope Science Institute 3700 San Martin Dr. Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Currie, Thayne [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan 650 N A’ohokhu Place Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); García, Luciano [Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Laprida 854, X5000BGR, Córdoba (Argentina); Jung, Dawoon [Korea Aerospace Research Institute Lunar Exploration Program Office 169-84 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34133 (Korea, Republic of); Lintott, Chris [Denys Wilkinson Building Keble Road Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Rebull, Luisa M. [Infrared Processing and Analaysis Center Caltech M/S 314-6 1200 E. California Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Nesvold, Erika, E-mail: Marc.Kuchner@nasa.gov, E-mail: michael.w.mcelwain@nasa.gov, E-mail: deborah.l.padgett@nasa.gov, E-mail: carol.a.grady@nasa.gov, E-mail: silverberg@ou.edu, E-mail: wisniewski@ou.edu [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015-1305 (United States); Collaboration: Disk Detective Collaboration; and others

    2016-10-20

    The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μ m excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and protoplanetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137, and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 μ m excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

  2. DISK DETECTIVE: DISCOVERY OF NEW CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK CANDIDATES THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuchner, Marc J.; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Wisniewski, John P.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; García, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; Rebull, Luisa M.; Nesvold, Erika

    2016-01-01

    The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μ m excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and protoplanetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137, and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 μ m excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

  3. Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates Through Citizen Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; Garcia, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; hide

    2016-01-01

    The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 micron excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASAs Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and proto planetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137,and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 micron excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

  4. Constraining Phosphorus Chemistry in Carbon- and Oxygen-Rich Circumstellar Envelopes: Observations of PN, HCP, and CP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milam, S. N.; Halfen, D. T.; Tenenbaum, E. D.; Apponi, A. J.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.

    2008-09-01

    Millimeter-wave observations of PN, CP, and HCP have been carried out toward circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). HCP and PN have been identified in the carbon-rich source CRL 2688 via observations at 1 mm using the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and 2-3 mm with the Kitt Peak 12 m. An identical set of measurements were carried out toward IRC +10216, as well as observations of CP at 1 mm. PN was also observed toward VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), an oxygen-rich supergiant star. The PN and HCP line profiles in CRL 2688 and IRC +10216 are roughly flat topped, indicating unresolved, optically thin emission; CP, in contrast, has a distinct "U" shape in IRC +10216. Modeling of the line profiles suggests abundances, relative to H2, of f(PN) ~ (3-5) × 10-9 and f(HCP) ~ 2 × 10-7 in CRL 2688, about an order of magnitude higher than in IRC +10216. In VY CMa, f(PN) is ~4 × 10-8. The data in CRL 2688 and IRC +10216 are consistent with LTE formation of HCP and PN in the inner envelope, as predicted by theoretical calculations, with CP a photodissociation product at larger radii. The observed abundance of PN in VY CMa is a factor of 100 higher than LTE predictions. In IRC +10216, the chemistry of HCP/CP mimics that of HCN/CN and suggests an N2 abundance of f ~ 1 × 10-7. The chemistry of phosphorus appears active in both carbon- and oxygen-rich envelopes of evolved stars.

  5. Development of microstructure and texture in strip casting grain oriented silicon steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yang; Xu, Yun-Bo, E-mail: yunbo_xu@126.com; Zhang, Yuan-Xiang; Fang, Feng; Lu, Xiang; Liu, Hai-Tao; Wang, Guo-Dong

    2015-04-01

    Grain oriented silicon steel was produced by strip casting and two-stage cold rolling processes. The development of microstructure and texture was investigated by using optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron backscattered diffraction. It is shown that the microstructure and texture evolutions of strip casting grain oriented silicon steel are significantly distinct from those in the conventional processing route. The as-cast strip is composed of coarse solidification grains and characterized by pronounced 〈001〉//ND texture together with very weak Goss texture. The initial coarse microstructure enhances {111} shear bands formation during the first cold rolling and then leads to the homogeneously distributed Goss grains through the thickness of intermediate annealed sheet. After the secondary cold rolling and primary annealing, strong γ fiber texture with a peak at {111}〈112〉 dominates the primary recrystallization texture, which is beneficial to the abnormal growth of Goss grain during the subsequent high temperature annealing. Therefore, the secondary recrystallization of Goss orientation evolves completely after the high temperature annealing and the grain oriented silicon steel with a good magnetic properties (B{sub 8}=1.94 T, P{sub 1.7/50}=1.3 W/kg) can be prepared. - Highlights: • Grain oriented silicon steel was developed by a novel ultra-short process. • Many evenly distributed Goss “seeds” were originated from cold rolled shear bands. • More MnS inhibitors were obtained due to the rapid cooling of strip casing. • The magnetic induction of grain oriented silicon steel was significantly improved.

  6. Grain Entrapment Pressure on the Torso: Can You Breathe while Buried in Grain?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Kevin G; Jones, Carol L

    2017-04-26

    The pressure applied to the chest and back of a simulated grain entrapment victim was measured. Pressure sensors were attached to the chest and back of a manikin that was buried in grain in the vertical position. Measurements were made in four grain types at four grain depths ranging from the top of the manikin's shoulders to 0.61 m (24 in.) over the head. The pressure ranged from 1.6 to 4.0 kPa (0.23 to 0.57 psi). Based on available physiological information, this amount of pressure is unlikely to limit the respiration of an otherwise healthy adult male victim. However, other factors, such as the victim's age, gender, and body position in the grain, may influence respiration. The aspiration of grain appears to be the most likely asphyxiation risk during grain bin entrapment. Entering a grain storage bin is inherently dangerous, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for permit-required confined spaces and grain handling facilities must be followed. Due to the risk of grain aspiration during engulfment, the development of safety equipment that could help protect the airway of a victim should be investigated. Copyright© by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.

  7. Three-dimensional study of grain boundary engineering effects on intergranular stress corrosion cracking of 316 stainless steel in high temperature water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tingguang; Xia, Shuang; Bai, Qin; Zhou, Bangxin; Zhang, Lefu; Lu, Yonghao; Shoji, Tetsuo

    2018-01-01

    The intergranular cracks and grain boundary (GB) network of a GB-engineered 316 stainless steel after stress corrosion cracking (SCC) test in high temperature high pressure water of reactor environment were investigated by two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) characterization in order to expose the mechanism that GB-engineering mitigates intergranular SCC. The 3D microstructure shown that the essential characteristic of the GB-engineered microstructure is formation of many large twin-boundaries as a result of multiple-twinning, which results in the formation of large grain-clusters. The large grain-clusters played a key role to the improvement of intergranular SCC resistance by GB-engineering. The main intergranular cracks propagated in a zigzag along the outer boundaries of these large grain-clusters because all inner boundaries of the grain-clusters were twin-boundaries (∑3) or twin-related boundaries (∑3n) which had much lower susceptibility to SCC than random boundaries. These large grain-clusters had tree-ring-shaped topology structure and very complex morphology. They got tangled so that difficult to be separated during SCC, resulting in some large crack-bridges retained in the crack surface.

  8. Grain Handling and Storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Troy G.; Minor, John

    This text for a secondary- or postecondary-level course in grain handling and storage contains ten chapters. Chapter titles are (1) Introduction to Grain Handling and Storage, (2) Elevator Safety, (3) Grain Grading and Seed Identification, (4) Moisture Control, (5) Insect and Rodent Control, (6) Grain Inventory Control, (7) Elevator Maintenance,…

  9. Grain Grading and Handling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rendleman, Matt; Legacy, James

    This publication provides an introduction to grain grading and handling for adult students in vocational and technical education programs. Organized in five chapters, the booklet provides a brief overview of the jobs performed at a grain elevator and of the techniques used to grade grain. The first chapter introduces the grain industry and…

  10. Concurrent grain boundary motion and grain rotation under an applied stress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorkaya, Tatiana; Molodov, Konstantin D.; Molodov, Dmitri A.; Gottstein, Guenter

    2011-01-01

    Simultaneous shear coupling and grain rotation were observed experimentally during grain boundary migration in high-purity Al bicrystals subjected to an external mechanical stress at elevated temperatures. This behavior is interpreted in terms of the structure of the investigated planar 18.2 o non-tilt grain boundary with a 20 o twist component. For characterization of the grain rotation after annealing under stress the bicrystal surface topography across the boundary was measured by atomic force microscopy. The temperature dependence of the boundary migration rate was measured and the migration activation energy determined.

  11. Methods of assessing grain-size distribution during grain growth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tweed, Cherry J.; Hansen, Niels; Ralph, Brian

    1985-01-01

    This paper considers methods of obtaining grain-size distributions and ways of describing them. In order to collect statistically useful amounts of data, an automatic image analyzer is used, and the resulting data are subjected to a series of tests that evaluate the differences between two related...... distributions (before and after grain growth). The distributions are measured from two-dimensional sections, and both the data and the corresponding true three-dimensional grain-size distributions (obtained by stereological analysis) are collected. The techniques described here are illustrated by reference...

  12. Grain boundary structure and properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balluffi, R.W.

    1979-01-01

    An attempt is made to distinguish those fundamental aspects of grain boundaries which should be relevant to the problem of the time dependent fracture of high temperature structural materials. These include the basic phenomena which are thought to be associated with cavitation and cracking at grain boundaries during service and with the more general microstructural changes which occur during both processing and service. A very brief discussion of the current state of our knowledge of these fundamentals is given. Included are the following: (1) structure of ideal perfect boundaries; (2) defect structure of grain boundaries; (3) diffusion at grain boundaries; (4) grain boundaries as sources/sinks for point defects; (5) grain boundary migration; (6) dislocation phenomena at grain boundaries; (7) atomic bonding and cohesion at grain boundaries; (8) non-equilibrium properties of grain boundaries; and (9) techniques for studying grain boundaries

  13. Growth and sedimentation of dust grains in the primitive solar nebular

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Battaglia, A.

    1987-01-01

    Formation of the planets in the solar system is envisioned to occur via a gravitational instability in a thin layer of dust located at the midplane of the primitive solar nebula. The break-up of the dust layer gives rise to seed plants (planetesimals) that, through successive collisions, eventually form the present-day planets. This thesis addresses the problem of the formation of the dust layer, beginning with a configuration in which the dust particles are uniformly mixed with the nebula's turbulent gas. To describe the properties of turbulence in the primitive solar nebula, models by Canuto et al. (1987) and by Cabot et al. (1987) are used. The available results concerning calculation of the velocity of particles embedded in a turbulent fluid were found to be unsatisfactory; therefore, a new formalism was developed to express the latter quantity in terms of the properties of the turbulence in the fluid. Following the space-time evolution of the grains, formalism was developed that simulates the simultaneous processes of collisions and sedimentation of the dust grains in the primitive solar nebula. It is concluded that, for the model of the primitive solar nebula considered, the formation of a dust layer at midplane is very unlikely

  14. Surface potential at a ferroelectric grain due to asymmetric screening of depolarization fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Genenko, Yuri A., E-mail: genenko@mm.tu-darmstadt.de; Hirsch, Ofer [Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Erhart, Paul [Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg (Sweden)

    2014-03-14

    Nonlinear screening of electric depolarization fields, generated by a stripe domain structure in a ferroelectric grain of a polycrystalline material, is studied within a semiconductor model of ferroelectrics. It is shown that the maximum strength of local depolarization fields is rather determined by the electronic band gap than by the spontaneous polarization magnitude. Furthermore, field screening due to electronic band bending and due to presence of intrinsic defects leads to asymmetric space charge regions near the grain boundary, which produce an effective dipole layer at the surface of the grain. This results in the formation of a potential difference between the grain surface and its interior of the order of 1 V, which can be of either sign depending on defect transition levels and concentrations. Exemplary acceptor doping of BaTiO{sub 3} is shown to allow tuning of the said surface potential in the region between 0.1 and 1.3 V.

  15. Collective attraction of equal-sign charged grains in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsytovich, V.N.; Morfill, G.E.

    2002-01-01

    It is shown that, in the presence of many grains embedded in a plasma, any two grains with the same charge sign can attract each other. The attraction is caused by collective effects. Both the strength of attraction and the distance at which the attraction is located depend on the average dust density. In the limit of strong collective interaction, the potential energy of interaction is found to be equal to the Coulomb interaction with an amplitude periodically changing its sign at a sequence of interdust distances. The condition for collective effects to dominate lead to a threshold condition that is fulfilled in existing experiments. The effect of collective attraction is applied for the physical interpretation of the observed phenomenon of the formation of dust crystals in laboratory experiments

  16. Interstellar grains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoyle, F.; Wickramasinghe, N.C.

    1980-11-01

    Interstellar extinction of starlight was observed and plotted as a function of inverse wavelength. Agreement with the calculated effects of the particle distribution is shown. The main kinds of grain distinguished are: (1) graphite spheres of radius 0.02 microns, making up 10% of the total grain mass (2) small dielectric spheres of radius 0.04 microns making up 25% and (3) hollow dielectric cylinders containing metallic iron, with diameters of 2/3 microns making up 45%. The remaining 20% consists of other metals, metal oxides, and polysiloxanes. Absorption factor evidence suggests that the main dielectric component of the grains is organic material.

  17. Reproductive performance of reindeer fed all-grain and hay-grain rations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. M. Blanchard

    1986-06-01

    Full Text Available Reproductive performance of grain-fed reindeer {Rangifer tarandus was evaluated over a 2-year period. Groups of pregnant reindeer were fed one of three rations, (1 100% whole-grain barley, (2 98.9% whole-grain barley and 1.2% mineral and trace element supplement, and (3 70% whole-grain barley and 30% finely-chopped bluegrass hay. Reindeer fed unsupplemented whole-barley failed to produce a single live calf. The addition of mineral and trace element supplement to the ration did not result in any significant improvement in reproductive performance. Eighty-five percent of the reindeer consuming unsupplemented and supplemented all-barley rations became pregnant; however, 76% of the pregnancies resulted in stillborn calves. One-hundred percent of the cows maintained on the grain/hay ration produced live calves. We speculate that reproductive failure in reindeer cows maintained on all-grain rations is most likely a result of a diet induced disfunction in maternal rumen and/or carbohydrate metabolism rather than a micro-nutrient deficiency. More research is neeeded to determine which metabolic pathways are affected.

  18. Dependence of corrosion properties of AISI 304L stainless steel on the austenite grain size

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sabooni, Soheil; Rashtchi, Hamed; Eslami, Abdoulmajid; Karimzadeh, Fathallah; Enayati, Mohammad Hossein; Raeissi, Keyvan; Imani, Reihane Faghih [Isfahan Univ. of Technology, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Dept. of Materials Engineering; Ngan, Alfonso Hing Wan [The Univ. of Hong Kong (China). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

    2017-07-15

    The corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steels is known to be hampered by the loss of chromium available for passive surface layer formation as a result of chromium carbide precipitation at austenite grain boundaries during annealing treatments. Although high-temperature annealing can promote carbide dissolution leading to better corrosion resistance, grain coarsening also results, which would lead to poorer mechanical properties. Processing methods to achieve both good corrosion resistance and mechanical properties are thus highly desirable for austenitic stainless steels. In the present study, we show that the corrosion resistance of AISI 304L stainless steel can be improved by grain refinement into the ultrafine-grained regime. Specifically, samples with different austenite grain sizes in the range of 0.65-12 μm were studied by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. All samples showed a typical passive behavior with similar corrosion potential, but the corrosion current density decreased significantly with decreasing grain size. The results show that the sample with the finest grain size had the best corrosion resistance due to a higher resistance of the passive layer to pitting attacks. This study indicates that grain refinement which improves mechanical properties can also significantly improve the corrosion resistance of AISI 304L stainless steel.

  19. Electron microscopic studies of the matrix formation of hard tissue organized cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chou, Ching-Eng

    1982-01-01

    In order to study the functions of odontoblast, especially on the matrix formation, odontoblasts of rats' incisor and molar teeth were used. The animals were sacrificed 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours and 24 hours after 3 H-proline administration to obtain the specimen. The specimens were processed for electron microscopic autoradiography. The following results were obtained. 1. 5 minutes after 3 H-proline administration: Silver grains indicated 3 H-proline uptake were already noted within the cells and localized in the rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and surrounding ribosomes, partially within the karyoplasm. 2. 15 minutes after 3 H-proline administration: The number of silver grains were generally increased as compared with the findings obtained in 5 minutes. The localization moved to the Golgi apparatus and their surroundings. 3. 30 minutes after 3 H-proline administration: Silver grains obtained in Tome's fibers area and some in predentin. In this area granules derived from Golgi body were found. 4. 1 hour after 3 H-proline administration: The number of silver grains were generally decreased and more pronounced movement toward predentin, the marked movement of silver grains were obtained onto the collagen fibers and surroundings. 5. 2 hours after 3 H-proline administration: Silver grains moved to the calcified area and there collagen fibers became more remarkable. 6. 24 hours after 3 H-proline administration: No silver grains were founded in the odontoblast side but deposited in the predentin calcified area with stable condition. Based on the results of these observations, odontoblasts were shown to perform the function of synthesis, storage, transportation and control of collagen formation in addition to the role of matrix formation. (author)

  20. STAR FORMATION ACROSS THE W3 COMPLEX

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Román-Zúñiga, Carlos G.; Ybarra, Jason E.; Tapia, Mauricio [Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica en Ensenada, Km 103 Carr. Tijuana–Ensenada, Ensenada 22860 (Mexico); Megías, Guillermo D. [Facultad de Física. Universidad de Sevilla. Dpto. Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Sevilla, E-41080 (Spain); Lada, Elizabeth A. [Astronomy Department, University of Florida, 211 Bryant Space Sciences Center, FL 32611 (United States); Alves, Joáo F. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Vienna, Türkenschanzstr. 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria)

    2015-09-15

    We present a multi-wavelength analysis of the history of star formation in the W3 complex. Using deep, near-infrared ground-based images combined with images obtained with Spitzer and Chandra observatories, we identified and classified young embedded sources. We identified the principal clusters in the complex and determined their structure and extension. We constructed extinction-limited samples for five principal clusters and constructed K-band luminosity functions that we compare with those of artificial clusters with varying ages. This analysis provided mean ages and possible age spreads for the clusters. We found that IC 1795, the centermost cluster of the complex, still hosts a large fraction of young sources with circumstellar disks. This indicates that star formation was active in IC 1795 as recently as 2 Myr ago, simultaneous to the star-forming activity in the flanking embedded clusters, W3-Main and W3(OH). A comparison with carbon monoxide emission maps indicates strong velocity gradients in the gas clumps hosting W3-Main and W3(OH) and shows small receding clumps of gas at IC 1795, suggestive of rapid gas removal (faster than the T Tauri timescale) in the cluster-forming regions. We discuss one possible scenario for the progression of cluster formation in the W3 complex. We propose that early processes of gas collapse in the main structure of the complex could have defined the progression of cluster formation across the complex with relatively small age differences from one group to another. However, triggering effects could act as catalysts for enhanced efficiency of formation at a local level, in agreement with previous studies.

  1. General principles for the formation of dust self-organizing structures. Dust collective attraction and plasma crystal formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsytovich, V.N.

    2005-01-01

    It is demonstrated that a homogeneous dusty plasma is universally unstable to form structures. The effect of collective grain attraction is a basic phenomenon for the proposed new paradigm (general principles) for the plasma crystal formation

  2. Grain Refinement and Texture Mitigation in Low Boron Containing TiAl-Alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecht, Ulrike; Witusiewicz, Victor T.

    2017-12-01

    Controlling the grain size and texture of lamellar TiAl-alloys is essential for well-balanced creep and fatigue properties. Excellent refinement and texture mitigation are achieved in aluminum lean alloys by low boron additions of 0.2 at.%. This amount is sufficient to promote in situ formation of ultrafine borides during the last stages of body centered cubic (BCC) solidification. The borides subsequently serve as nucleation sites for hexagonal close packed (HCP) during the BCC-HCP phase transformation. Bridgman solidification experiments with alloy Ti-43Al-8Nb-0.2C-0.2B were performed under a different growth velocity, i.e., cooling rate, to evaluate the HCP grain size distribution and texture. For slow-to-moderate cooling rates, about 65% of HCP grains are randomly oriented, despite the pronounced texture of the parent BCC phase resulting from directional solidification. For high cooling rates, obtained by quenching, texture mitigation is less pronounced. Only 28% of the HCP grains are randomly oriented, the majority being crystallographic variants of the Burgers orientation relationship.

  3. Modeling Nucleation and Grain Growth in the Solar Nebula: Initial Progress Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuth, Joseph A.; Paquette, J. A.; Ferguson, F. T.

    2010-01-01

    The primitive solar nebula was a violent and chaotic environment where high energy collisions, lightning, shocks and magnetic re-connection events rapidly vaporized some fraction of nebular dust, melted larger particles while leaving the largest grains virtually undisturbed. At the same time, some tiny grains containing very easily disturbed noble gas signatures (e.g., small, pre-solar graphite or SiC particles) never experienced this violence, yet can be found directly adjacent to much larger meteoritic components (chondrules or CAIs) that did. Additional components in the matrix of the most primitive carbonaceous chondrites and in some chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles include tiny nebular condensates, aggregates of condensates and partially annealed aggregates. Grains formed in violent transient events in the solar nebula did not come to equilibrium with their surroundings. To understand the formation and textures of these materials as well as their nebular abundances we must rely on Nucleation Theory and kinetic models of grain growth, coagulation and annealing. Such models have been very uncertain in the past: we will discuss the steps we are taking to increase their reliability.

  4. OGLE-LMC-ECL-11893: The discovery of a long-period eclipsing binary with a circumstellar disk

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dong, Subo [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Road 5, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100871 (China); Katz, Boaz [Institute for Advanced Study, 1 Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Prieto, Jose L. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Udalski, Andrzej; Kozlowski, Szymon [Warsaw University Observatory, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warszawa (Poland); Street, R. A.; Tsapras, Y. [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740 Cortona Drive, suite 102, Goleta, CA 93117 (United States); Bramich, D. M. [Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar Foundation, Tornado Tower, Floor 19, P.O. Box 5825, Doha (Qatar); Hundertmark, M.; Horne, K.; Dominik, M.; Jaimes, R. Figuera [SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Snodgrass, C. [Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany)

    2014-06-10

    We report the serendipitous discovery of a disk-eclipse system OGLE-LMC-ECL-11893. The eclipse occurs with a period of 468 days, a duration of about 15 days, and a deep (up to Δm{sub I} ≈ 1.5), peculiar, and asymmetric profile. A possible origin of such an eclipse profile involves a circumstellar disk. The presence of the disk is confirmed by the H-α line profile from the follow-up spectroscopic observations, and the star is identified as Be/Ae type. Unlike the previously known disk-eclipse candidates, the eclipses of OGLE-LMC-ECL-11893 retain the same shape throughout the span of ∼17 yr (13 orbital periods), indicating no measurable orbital precession of the disk.

  5. Spectral Evidence for an Inner Carbon-rich Circumstellar Belt in the Young HD 36546 A-star System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lisse, C. M. [JHU-APL, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Sitko, M. L. [Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0011 and Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States); Russell, R. W. [The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90009 (United States); Marengo, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, 12 Physics Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50010 (United States); Currie, T. [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Melis, C. [Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0424 (United States); Mittal, T. [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McCone Hall, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Song, I., E-mail: carey.lisse@jhuapl.edu, E-mail: ron.vervack@jhuapl.edu, E-mail: sitkoml@ucmail.uc.edu, E-mail: ray.russell@aero.org, E-mail: mmarengo@iastate.edu, E-mail: currie@naoj.org, E-mail: cmelis@ucsd.edu, E-mail: tmittal2@berkeley.edu, E-mail: song@physast.uga.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2451 (United States)

    2017-05-10

    Using the NASA/IRTF SpeX and BASS spectrometers we have obtained 0.7–13 μ m observations of the newly imaged 3–10 Myr old HD 36546 disk system. The SpeX spectrum is most consistent with the photospheric emission expected from an L {sub *} ∼ 20 L {sub ⊙}, solar abundance A1.5V star with little to no extinction, and excess emission from circumstellar dust detectable beyond 4.5 μ m. Non-detections of CO emission lines and accretion signatures point to the gas-poor circumstellar environment of a very old transition disk. Combining the SpeX + BASS spectra with archival WISE / AKARI / IRAS / Herschel photometry, we find an outer cold dust belt at ∼135 K and 20–40 au from the primary, likely coincident with the disk imaged by Subaru, and a new second inner belt with a temperature ∼570 K and an unusual, broad SED maximum in the 6–9 μ m region, tracing dust at 1.1–2.2 au. An SED maximum at 6–9 μ m has been reported in just two other A-star systems, HD 131488 and HD 121191, both of ∼10 Myr age. From Spitzer , we have also identified the ∼12 Myr old A7V HD 148657 system as having similar 5–35 μ m excess spectral features. The Spitzer data allows us to rule out water emission and rule in carbonaceous materials—organics, carbonates, SiC—as the source of the 6–9 μ m excess. Assuming a common origin for the four young A-star systems’ disks, we suggest they are experiencing an early era of carbon-rich planetesimal processing.

  6. High-Burnup-Structure (HBS): Model Development in MARMOT for HBS Formation and Stability Under Radiation and High Temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, K.; Bai, X.; Zhang, Y.; Biner, B.

    2016-01-01

    A detailed phase field model for the formation of High Burnup Structure (HBS) was developed and implemented in MARMOT. The model treats the HBS formation as an irradiation-induced recrystallization. The model takes into consideration the stored energy associated with dislocations formed under irradiation. The accumulation of radiation damage, hence, increases the system free energy and triggers recrystallization. The increase in the free energy due to the formation of new grain boundaries is offset by the reduction in the free energy by creating dislocation-free grains at the expense of the deformed grains. The model was first used to study the growth of recrystallized flat and circular grains. The model results were shown to agree well with theoretical predictions. The case of HBS formation in UO2 was then investigated. It was found that a threshold dislocation density of (or equivalently a threshold burn-up of 33-40 GWd/t) is required for HBS formation at 1200K, which is in good agreement with theory and experiments. In future studies, the presence of gas bubbles and their effect on the formation and evolution of HBS will be considered.

  7. Consolidation of the formation sand by chemical methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana Mihočová

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available The sand control by consolidation involves the process of injecting chemicals into the naturally unconsolidated formation to provide an in situ grain-to-grain cementation. The sand consolidation chemicals are available for some 30 years. Several types of consolidating material were tried. Presently available systems utilize solidified plastics to provide the cementation. These systems include phenol resin, phenol-formaldehyde, epoxy, furan and phenolic-furfuryl.The sand consolidation with the steam injection is a novel technique. This process provides a highly alkaline liquid phase and temperatures to 300 °C to geochemically create cements by interacting with the dirty sand.While the formation consolidation has widely applied, our experience has proved a high level of success.

  8. POLARIMETRY WITH THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER: METHODS, PERFORMANCE AT FIRST LIGHT, AND THE CIRCUMSTELLAR RING AROUND HR 4796A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perrin, Marshall D.; Duchene, Gaspard; Graham, James R.; Kalas, Paul G.; Millar-Blanchaer, Max; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Chilcote, Jeffrey; Wiktorowicz, Sloane J.; Dillon, Daren; Gavel, Donald; Macintosh, Bruce; Bauman, Brian; Cardwell, Andrew; Goodsell, Stephen; Hartung, Markus; Hibon, Pascale; De Rosa, Robert J.; Doyon, René; Dunn, Jennifer; Erikson, Darren

    2015-01-01

    We present the first results from the polarimetry mode of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI), which uses a new integral field polarimetry architecture to provide high contrast linear polarimetry with minimal systematic biases between the orthogonal polarizations. We describe the design, data reduction methods, and performance of polarimetry with GPI. Point-spread function (PSF) subtraction via differential polarimetry suppresses unpolarized starlight by a factor of over 100, and provides sensitivity to circumstellar dust reaching the photon noise limit for these observations. In the case of the circumstellar disk around HR 4796A, GPI's advanced adaptive optics system reveals the disk clearly even prior to PSF subtraction. In polarized light, the disk is seen all the way in to its semi-minor axis for the first time. The disk exhibits surprisingly strong asymmetry in polarized intensity, with the west side ≳ 9 times brighter than the east side despite the fact that the east side is slightly brighter in total intensity. Based on a synthesis of the total and polarized intensities, we now believe that the west side is closer to us, contrary to most prior interpretations. Forward scattering by relatively large silicate dust particles leads to the strong polarized intensity on the west side, and the ring must be slightly optically thick in order to explain the lower brightness in total intensity there. These findings suggest that the ring is geometrically narrow and dynamically cold, perhaps shepherded by larger bodies in the same manner as Saturn's F ring

  9. Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Growth Restriction on Grain Size in Binary Cu Alloys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Cziegler

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Grain refinement by elemental addition has been extensively investigated within the last decades in Al or Mg alloys. In contrast, in the Cu system, the role of solute on grain size is less investigated. In this study, the grain refinement potency of several alloying elements of the Cu system was examined. To predict grain size depending on the growth restriction factor Q, grain size modelling was performed. The results obtained by the grain size model were compared to variations in the grain size of binary Cu alloys with increasing solute content under defined cooling conditions of the TP-1 grain refiner test of the Aluminium Association©. It was found that the experimental results differed significantly from the predicted grain size values for several alloying elements. A decreasing grain size with increasing alloy concentration was observed independently of the growth restriction potency of the alloying elements. Furthermore, excessive grain coarsening was found for several solutes beyond a transition point. It is assumed that contradictory variations in grain size result from a change in the nucleating particle density of the melt. Significant decreases in grain size are supposed to be due to the in-situ formation of potent nucleation sites. Excessive grain coarsening with increasing solute content may occur due to the removal of nucleating particles. The model shows that the difference in the actual number of particles before and beyond the transition point must be in the range of several orders of magnitude.

  10. The Andatza coarse-grained turbidite system (westernmost Pyrenees: Stratigraphy, sedimentology and structural control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Bodego

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This is a field-based work that describes the stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Andatza Conglomerate Formation. Based on facies analysis three facies associations of a coarse-grained turbidite system and the related slope have been identified: (1 an inner fan of a turbidite system (or canyon and (2 a low- and (3 a high-gradient muddy slope respectively. The spatial distribution of the facies associations and the palaeocurrent analysis allow to interpret a depositional model for the Andatza Conglomerates consisting of an L-shaped, coarse-grained turbidite system, whose morphology was structurally controlled by synsedimentary basement-involved normal faults. The coarse-grained character of the turbidite system indicates the proximity of the source area, with the presence of a narrow shelf that fed the turbidite canyon from the north.

  11. A Rare Allele of GS2 Enhances Grain Size and Grain Yield in Rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jiang; Wang, Yuexing; Fang, Yunxia; Zeng, Longjun; Xu, Jie; Yu, Haiping; Shi, Zhenyuan; Pan, Jiangjie; Zhang, Dong; Kang, Shujing; Zhu, Li; Dong, Guojun; Guo, Longbiao; Zeng, Dali; Zhang, Guangheng; Xie, Lihong; Xiong, Guosheng; Li, Jiayang; Qian, Qian

    2015-10-05

    Grain size determines grain weight and affects grain quality. Several major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) regulating grain size have been cloned; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism that regulates the size of rice grains remains fragmentary. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a dominant QTL, grain size on chromosome 2 (GS2), which encodes Growth-Regulating Factor 4 (OsGRF4), a transcriptional regulator. GS2 localizes to the nucleus and may act as a transcription activator. A rare mutation of GS2 affecting the binding site of a microRNA, OsmiR396c, causes elevated expression of GS2/OsGRF4. The increase in GS2 expression leads to larger cells and increased numbers of cells, which thus enhances grain weight and yield. The introduction of this rare allele of GS2/OsGRF4 into rice cultivars could significantly enhance grain weight and increase grain yield, with possible applications in breeding high-yield rice varieties. Copyright © 2015 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Grain boundary corrosion and alteration phase formation during the oxidative dissolution of UO2 pellets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wronkiewicz, D.J.; Buck, E.C.; Bates, J.K.

    1996-01-01

    Alteration behavior of UO 2 pellets following reaction under unsaturated drip-test conditions at 90 C for up to 10 years was examined by solid phase and leachate analyses. Sample reactions were characterized by preferential dissolution of grain boundaries between the original press-sintered UO 2 granules comprising the samples, development of a polygonal network of open channels along the intergrain boundaries, and spallation of surface granules that had undergone severe grain boundary corrosion. The development of a dense mat of alteration phases after 2 years of reaction trapped loose granules, resulting in reduced rates of particulate U release. The paragenetic sequence of alteration phases that formed on the present samples was similar to that observed in surficial weathering zones of natural uraninite (UO 2 ) deposits, with alkali and alkaline earth uranyl silicates representing the long-term solubility-limiting phases for U in both systems

  13. High-cycle fatigue behavior of ultrafine-grained austenitic stainless and TWIP steels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamada, A.S. [Materials Engineering Laboratory (4KOMT), Box 4200, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu (Finland); Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez Canal University, Box 43721, Suez (Egypt); Karjalainen, L.P., E-mail: pentti.karjalainen@oulu.fi [Materials Engineering Laboratory (4KOMT), Box 4200, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu (Finland)

    2010-08-20

    High-cycle fatigue behavior of ultrafine-grained (UFG) 17Cr-7Ni Type 301LN austenitic stainless and high-Mn Fe-22Mn-0.6C TWIP steels were investigated in a reversed plane bending fatigue and compared to the behavior of steels with conventional coarse grain (CG) size. Optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to examine fatigue damage mechanisms. Testing showed that the fatigue limits leading to fatigue life beyond 4 x 10{sup 6} cycles were about 630 MPa for 301LN while being 560 MPa for TWIP steel, and being 0.59 and 0.5 of the tensile strength respectively. The CG counterparts were measured to have the fatigue limits of 350 and 400 MPa. The primary damage caused by fatigue took place by grain boundary cracking in UFG 301LN, while slip band cracking occurred in CG 301LN. However, in the case of TWIP steel, the fatigue damage mechanism is similar in spite of the grain size. In the course of cycling neither the formation of a martensite structure nor mechanical twinning occurs, but intense slip bands are created with extrusions and intrusions. Fatigue crack initiates preferentially on grain and twin boundaries, and especially in the intersection sites of slip bands and boundaries.

  14. Three-dimensional cellular automaton-finite element modeling of solidification grain structures for arc-welding processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Shijia; Guillemot, Gildas; Gandin, Charles-André

    2016-01-01

    Solidification grain structure has significant impact on the final properties of welded parts using fusion welding processes. Direct simulation of grain structure at industrial scale is yet rarely reported in the literature and remains a challenge. A three-dimensional (3D) coupled Cellular Automaton (CA) – Finite Element (FE) model is presented that predicts the grain structure formation during multiple passes Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). The FE model is established in a level set (LS) approach that tracks the evolution of the metal-shielding gas interface due to the addition of metal. The FE method solves the mass, energy and momentum conservation equations for the metal plus shielding gas system based on an adaptive mesh (FE mesh). Fields are projected in a second FE mesh, named CA mesh. A CA grid made of a regular lattice of cubic cells is created to overlay the fixed CA mesh. The CA model based on the CA grid simulates the melting and growth of the grain boundaries in the liquid pool. In order to handle large computational domains while keeping reasonable computational costs, parallel computations and dynamic strategies for the allocation/deallocation of the CA grid are introduced. These strategies correspond to significant optimizations of the computer memories that are demonstrated. The 3D CAFE model is first applied to the simple configuration of single linear passes by GTAW of a duplex stainless steel URANUS 2202. It is then applied to a more persuasive example considering GMAW in spray transfer mode during multiple passes to fill a V-groove chamfer. Simulations reveal the possibility to handle domains with millions of grains in representative domain sizes while following the formation of textures that result from the growth competition among columnar grains. -- Graphical abstract: Simulated 3D grain structure (3D CAFE model) for GTAW multiple linear passes at the surface of a duplex stainless steel (URANUS 22002

  15. Effects of grain size and grain boundaries on defect production in nanocrystalline 3C-SiC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swaminathan, N.; Kamenski, Paul J.; Morgan, Dane; Szlufarska, Izabela

    2010-01-01

    Cascade simulations in single crystal and nanocrystalline SiC have been conducted in order to determine the role of grain boundaries and grain size on defect production during primary radiation damage. Cascades are performed with 4 and 10 keV silicon as the primary knock-on atom (PKA). Total defect production is found to increase with decreasing grain size, and this effect is shown to be due to increased production in grain boundaries and changing grain boundary volume fraction. In order to consider in-grain defect production, a new mapping methodology is developed to properly normalize in-grain defect production rates for nanocrystalline materials. It is shown that the presence of grain boundaries does not affect the total normalized in-grain defect production significantly (the changes are lower than ∼20%) for the PKA energies considered. Defect production in the single grain containing the PKA is also studied and found to increase for smaller grain sizes. In particular, for smaller grain sizes the defect production decreases with increasing distance from the grain boundary while for larger grain sizes the presence of the grain boundaries has negligible effect on defect production. The results suggest that experimentally observed changes in radiation resistance of nanocrystalline materials may be due to long-term damage evolution rather than changes in defect production rates from primary damage.

  16. Grain dust and the lungs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan-Yeung, M.; Ashley, M. J.; Grzybowski, S.

    1978-01-01

    Grain dust is composed of a large number of materials, including various types of grain and their disintegration products, silica, fungi, insects and mites. The clinical syndromes described in relation to exposure to grain dust are chronic bronchitis, grain dust asthma, extrinsic allergic alveolitis, grain fever and silo-filler's lung. Rhinitis and conjunctivitis are also common in grain workers. While the concentration and the quality of dust influence the frequency and the type of clinical syndrome in grain workers, host factors are also important. Of the latter, smoking is the most important factor influencing the frequency of chronic bronchitis. The role of atopy and of bronchial hyperreactivity in grain dust asthma has yet to be assessed. Several well designed studies are currently being carried out in North America not only to delineate the frequency of the respiratory abnormalities, the pathogenetic mechanisms and the host factors, but also to establish a meaningful threshold limit concentration for grain dust. Images p1272-a PMID:348288

  17. Rapid detection of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens in kefir grain and kefir milk using newly developed real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dong-Hyeon; Chon, Jung-Whan; Kim, Hong-Seok; Yim, Jin-Hyeok; Kim, Hyunsook; Seo, Kun-Ho

    2015-04-01

    Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens is an indicator microorganism for kefir and a key factor in kefir grain formation and kefiran production. We designed a novel real-time PCR primer and probe set, LKF_KU504, for the rapid detection of L. kefiranofaciens. In inclusivity and exclusivity tests, only 14 L. kefiranofaciens strains were positive among 61 microorganisms, indicating 100 % sensitivity and specificity. The LKF_KU504 set also differentiated kefir milk from 30 commercial nonkefir yogurts. The levels of L. kefiranofaciens in kefir grain and kefir milk were significantly different, indicating L. kefiranofaciens was more concentrated in kefir grain than in kefir milk.

  18. Formation of ultra-fine grained TiC-dispersed SUS316L by ball-milling and their consolidation by hot isostatic pressing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, Yongjia; Yamasaki, Tohru; Fukami, Takeshi; Mitamura, Tohru; Terasawa, Mititaka

    2003-01-01

    In order to overcome the irradiation embrittlement in austenitic stainless steels, ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels with very fine TiC particles have been developed. The SUS316-TiC nanocomposite powders having 1.0 to 2.0 mass%TiC were prepared by ball-milling SUS316-TiC powder mixtures for 125h in an argon gas atmosphere. The milled powders were consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) under a pressure of 200 MPa at temperature between 700-1000degC, and the bulk materials with crystallite size ranging between 100-400 nm have been produced. The possibility of using fine-grained TiC particles for pinning grain boundaries and thereby to maintain the ultra-fine grained structures has been discussed. (author)

  19. MOLECULAR LINE OBSERVATIONS OF THE CARBON-RICH CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPE CIT 6 AT 7 mm WAVELENGTHS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chau, Wayne; Zhang Yong; Nakashima, Jun-ichi; Kwok, Sun [Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Deguchi, Shuji [Nobeyama Radio Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory, Minamimaki, Minamisaku, Nagano 384-1305 (Japan)

    2012-11-20

    We present a {lambda}7 mm spectral line survey of the carbon-rich circumstellar envelope (CSE) CIT 6 using the 45 m telescope at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory. A total of 25 spectral features belonging to five molecular species (HC{sub 3}N, HC{sub 5}N, HC{sub 7}N, SiO, and CS) are detected, enabling us to investigate the chemistry of cyanopolyyne chains. The line strengths are compared with those of the proto-typical carbon-rich CSE IRC+10216. The results show that the cyanopolyyne molecules are enhanced in CIT 6, suggesting that it is more evolved than IRC+10216. In order to investigate the structure of CIT 6, we have constructed a three-dimensional spatiokinematic model. By comparing the observed line profiles with the models, we conclude that this envelope is asymmetric and is composed of several incomplete shells.

  20. Grain boundary sweeping and dissolution effects on fission product behavior under severe fuel damage accident conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rest, J.

    1985-10-01

    The theoretical FASTGRASS-VFP model has been used in the interpretation of fission gas, iodine, tellurium, and cesium release from severe-fuel-damage (SFD) tests performed in the PBF reactor in Idaho. A theory of grain boundary sweeping of gas bubbles, gas bubble behavior during fuel liquefaction (destruction of grain boundaries due to formation of a U-rich melt phase), and during U-Zr eutectic melting has been included within the FASTGRASS-VFP formalism. The grain-boundary-sweeping theory considers the interaction between the moving grain boundary and two distinct size classes of bubbles, those on grain faces and on grain edges. The theory of the effects of fuel liquefaction and U-Zr eutectic melting on fission product behavior considers the migration and coalescence of fission gas bubbles in either molten uranium, or a zircaloy-uranium eutectic melt. The FASTGRASS-VFP predictions, measured release rates from the above tests, and previously published release rates are compared and differences between fission product behavior in trace-irradiated and in normally irradiated fuel are highlighted

  1. ON THE FORMATION OF GLYCOLALDEHYDE IN DENSE MOLECULAR CORES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woods, Paul M.; Kelly, George; Viti, Serena; Slater, Ben; Brown, Wendy A.; Puletti, Fabrizio; Burke, Daren J.; Raza, Zamaan

    2012-01-01

    Glycolaldehyde is a simple monosaccharide sugar linked to prebiotic chemistry. Recently, it was detected in a molecular core in the star-forming region G31.41+0.31 at a reasonably high abundance. We investigate the formation of glycolaldehyde at 10 K to determine whether it can form efficiently under typical dense core conditions. Using an astrochemical model, we test five different reaction mechanisms that have been proposed in the astrophysical literature, finding that a gas-phase formation route is unlikely. Of the grain-surface formation routes, only two are efficient enough at very low temperatures to produce sufficient glycolaldehyde to match the observational estimates, with the mechanism culminating in CH 3 OH + HCO being favored. However, when we consider the feasibility of these mechanisms from a reaction chemistry perspective, the second grain-surface route looks more promising, H 3 CO + HCO.

  2. Nano-grain SnO{sub 2} electrodes for high conversion efficiency SnO{sub 2}-DSSC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jung-Hoon; Shin, Yu-Ju [Department of Chemistry, the Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 422-743 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Nam-Gyu [School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-01-15

    The nano-grain ZnO/SnO{sub 2} composite electrode was prepared by adding 5 w% of the 200-250 nm ZnO particles to the 5 nm SnO{sub 2} colloid in the presence of hydroxypropylcellulose (M.W.=80,000). The nano-grain SnO{sub 2} electrode was obtained by removing the ZnO particles from the composite electrode using acetic acid. The FE-SEM micrographs revealed that both electrodes consisted of interconnected nano-grains that were ca. 800 nm in size, and the large pores between the grains furnished the wide electrolyte diffusion channels within the electrodes. The photovoltaic properties of the nano-grain electrodes were investigated by measuring the I-V behaviors, the IPCE spectra and the ac-impedance spectra. The nano-grain electrodes exhibited remarkably improved conversion efficiencies of 3.96% for the composite and 2.98% for the SnO{sub 2} electrode compared to the value of 1.66% for the usual nano-particle SnO{sub 2} electrode. The improvement conversion efficiencies were mainly attributed to the formation of nano-grains, which facilitated the electron diffusion within the grains. The improved electrolyte diffusion as well as the light-scattering effects enhanced the photovoltaic performance of the SnO{sub 2} electrode. (author)

  3. Effect of grain mobility on ionic conductivity of Ceria added YSZ electrolyte

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Alka; Omar, Shobit; Balani, Kantesh

    2012-01-01

    In an effort to develop novel electrolyte materials, the present work explores the effect of grain boundary mobility on ionic conductivity of CeO 2 -YSZ electrolyte. For cubic zirconia in general, the higher the grain boundary mobility, the lower the activation energy for oxide ion migration and judicious doping can be an effective method for mobility control. The two main directions for fabricating 8 mol. % YSZs (8YSZ) with 0,5 and 10 wt % CeO 2 are being followed: (i) co doping by conventional sintering (CS, 1400 ℃, 4h holding, ∼98 % theoretical density), and (ii) nano composite approach by spark plasma sintering (SPS, 1200 ℃, 5 min holding, ∼96 % theoretical density). Phase analysis by XRD, indicates that CeO 2 forms the complete solid solution with YSZ when synthesized by CS and both solid solution and composite formation (seen as isolated ceria rich zones in YSZ matrix by EDS analysis via TEM) by SPS. The grain boundary mobility for CS samples of pure and 10%CeO 2 added YSZ are 6.69 x 10 -18 to 10.35 X 10 -18 m 3 /N/s respectively. While for SPS sintered samples of pure and 10% CeO 2 added YSZ the grain boundary mobility comes out to be ∼0.032 X 10 -18 to 0.039 X 10 18 m 3 /N/s respectively. Grain mobility does not show any marginal change with increasing ceria content, elicit that the defect concentration is nearly constant in 8YSZ and is insensitive to ceria content. Remarkable increase of grain mobility in the SPS samples is attributed to rapid grain coarsening in the nano-grains limited to shorter sintering times. As expected, grain mobility for longer-times average out the transient phase and lower the net grain mobility such as in CS samples. The enhanced mobility in CeO 2 -YSZ SPS sintered electrolytes must be due to lower cation migration energy (activation energy for oxide ion migration), promoting enhanced ionic conductivity. (author)

  4. Grain centre mapping - 3DXRD measurements of average grain characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oddershede, Jette; Schmidt, Søren; Lyckegaard, Allan

    2014-01-01

    characteristics of each grain (such as their centre-of-mass positions, volumes, phases, orientations and/or elastic strain tensor components), while the exact locations of the grain boundaries are unknown. In the present chapter a detailed description of the setup and software for both grain centre mapping...... and the closely related boxscan method is given. Both validation experiments and applications for in situ studies of microstructural changes during plastic deformation and crack growth are given. Finally an outlook with special emphasis on coupling the measured results with modelling is given....

  5. FORMATION OF S-BEARING SPECIES BY VUV/EUV IRRADIATION OF H2S-CONTAINING ICE MIXTURES: PHOTON ENERGY AND CARBON SOURCE EFFECTS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Y.-J.; Juang, K.-J.; Qiu, J.-M.; Chu, C.-C.; Yih, T.-S.; Nuevo, M.; Jiménez-Escobar, A.; Muñoz Caro, G. M.; Wu, C.-Y. R.; Fung, H.-S.; Ip, W.-H.

    2015-01-01

    Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is a key molecule in astrobiology that acts as a catalyst in peptide synthesis by coupling amino acids. Experimental studies suggest that hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a precursor of OCS, could be present in astrophysical environments. In the present study, we used a microwave-discharge hydrogen-flow lamp, simulating the interstellar UV field, and a monochromatic synchrotron light beam to irradiate CO:H 2 S and CO 2 :H 2 S ice mixtures at 14 K with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photons in order to study the effect of the photon energy and carbon source on the formation mechanisms and production yields of S-containing products (CS 2 , OCS, SO 2 , etc.). Results show that (1) the photo-induced OCS production efficiency in CO:H 2 S ice mixtures is higher than that of CO 2 :H 2 S ice mixtures; (2) a lower concentration of H 2 S enhances the production efficiency of OCS in both ice mixtures; and (3) the formation pathways of CS 2 differ significantly upon VUV and EUV irradiations. Furthermore, CS 2 was produced only after VUV photoprocessing of CO:H 2 S ices, while the VUV-induced production of SO 2 occurred only in CO 2 :H 2 S ice mixtures. More generally, the production yields of OCS, H 2 S 2 , and CS 2 were studied as a function of the irradiation photon energy. Heavy S-bearing compounds were also observed using mass spectrometry during the warm-up of VUV/EUV-irradiated CO:H 2 S ice mixtures. The presence of S-polymers in dust grains may account for the missing sulfur in dense clouds and circumstellar environments

  6. Study of Ferrite During Refinement of Prior Austenite Grains in Microalloyed Steel Continuous Casting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jiang; Wen, Guanghua; Tang, Ping

    2017-12-01

    The formation of coarse prior austenite grain is a key factor to promote transverse crack, and the susceptibility to the transverse crack can be reduced by refining the austenite grain size. In the present study, the high-temperature confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) was used to simulate two types of double phase-transformation technologies. The distribution and morphology of ferrites under different cooling conditions were analyzed, and the effects of ferrite distribution and morphology on the double phase-transformation technologies were explored to obtain the suitable double phase-change technology for the continuous casting process. The results indicate that, under the thermal cycle TH0 [the specimens were cooled down to 913 K (640 °C) at a cooling rate of 5.0 K/s (5.0 °C/s)], the width of prior austenite grain boundaries was thick, and the dislocation density at grain boundaries was high. It had strong inhibition effect on crack propagation; under the thermal cycle TH1 [the specimens were cooled down to 1073 K (800 °C) at a cooling rate of 5.0 K/s (5.0 °C/s) and then to 913 K (640 °C) at a cooling rate of 1.0 K/s (1.0 °C/s)], the width of prior austenite grain boundary was thin, and the dislocation density at grain boundaries was low. It was beneficial to crack propagation. After the first phase change, the developed film-like ferrite along the austenite grain boundaries improved the nucleation conditions of new austenitic grains and removed the inhibition effect of the prior austenite grain boundaries on the austenite grain size.

  7. Grain Boundary Segregation in Metals

    CERN Document Server

    Lejcek, Pavel

    2010-01-01

    Grain boundaries are important structural components of polycrystalline materials used in the vast majority of technical applications. Because grain boundaries form a continuous network throughout such materials, their properties may limit their practical use. One of the serious phenomena which evoke these limitations is the grain boundary segregation of impurities. It results in the loss of grain boundary cohesion and consequently, in brittle fracture of the materials. The current book deals with fundamentals of grain boundary segregation in metallic materials and its relationship to the grain boundary structure, classification and other materials properties.

  8. A multi-wavelength investigation of the radio-loud supernova PTF11qcj and its circumstellar environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corsi, A. [Department of Physics, The George Washington University, 725 21st St, NW, Washington, DC 20052 (United States); Ofek, E. O.; Gal-Yam, A.; Xu, D. [Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot (Israel); Frail, D. A. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Kulkarni, S. R.; Horesh, A.; Carpenter, J.; Arcavi, I.; Cao, Y.; Mooley, K.; Sesar, B. [Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Fox, D. B. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Kasliwal, M. M. [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Sullivan, M.; Maguire, K.; Pan, Y.-C. [Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Cenko, S. B. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 685, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Sternberg, A. [Max-Planck-Institut fur Astrophysik, D-85741 Garching (Germany); Bersier, D., E-mail: corsi@gwu.edu [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool (United Kingdom); and others

    2014-02-10

    We present the discovery, classification, and extensive panchromatic (from radio to X-ray) follow-up observations of PTF11qcj, a supernova (SN) discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF). Our observations with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array show that this event is radio-loud: PTF11qcj reached a radio peak luminosity comparable to that of the famous gamma-ray-burst-associated SN 1998bw (L {sub 5} {sub GHz} ≈ 10{sup 29} erg s{sup –1} Hz{sup –1}). PTF11qcj is also detected in X-rays with the Chandra Observatory, and in the infrared band with Spitzer. Our multi-wavelength analysis probes the SN interaction with circumstellar material. The radio observations suggest a progenitor mass-loss rate of ∼10{sup –4} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1} × (v{sub w} /1000 km s{sup –1}), and a velocity of ≈0.3-0.5 c for the fastest moving ejecta (at ≈10 days after explosion). However, these estimates are derived assuming the simplest model of SN ejecta interacting with a smooth circumstellar wind, and do not account for possible inhomogeneities in the medium and asphericity of the explosion. The radio data show deviations from such a simple model, as well as a late-time re-brightening. The X-ray flux from PTF11qcj is compatible with the high-frequency extrapolation of the radio synchrotron emission (within the large uncertainties). A light echo from pre-existing dust is in agreement with our infrared data. Our pre-explosion data from the PTF suggest that a precursor eruption of absolute magnitude M{sub r} ≈ –13 mag may have occurred ≈2.5 yr prior to the SN explosion. Overall, PTF11qcj fits the expectations from the explosion of a Wolf-Rayet star. Precursor eruptions may be a feature characterizing the final pre-explosion evolution of such stars.

  9. Radiative transfer in dust clouds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rowan-Robinson, M.; Harris, S.

    1983-01-01

    The infrared emission has been modelled from 85 late-type M stars, essentially all such stars in the AFGL catalogue with substantial circumstellar dust shells and for which adequate observational data are currently available. The dependence of the emergent spectrum on the temperature of the stars, the condensation temperature of the grains, and the density distribution, optical depth and extent of the shell have been investigated. Consistent models for most stars have been found using dirty silicate grains, with an n(r) proportional to r - 2 density distribution and a grain melting temperature of 1000 K. Allowance has been made for the effect of molecular bands. Although these bands have a dramatic effect on the spectrum of late-type stars at visual wavelengths, there is little effect on the infrared emission from the circumstellar shell. All stars in the study except GL 915, VY CMa and NML Cyg are consistent with having spherically symmetric shells. Except for VY CMa and NML Cyg, for which other evidence suggests a disc geometry, the intensity distributions predicted by the models are consistent with interferometric measurements at infrared wavelengths. (author)

  10. The influence of laser scribing on magnetic domain formation in grain oriented electrical steel visualized by directional neutron dark-field imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauscher, P.; Betz, B.; Hauptmann, J.; Wetzig, A.; Beyer, E.; Grünzweig, C.

    2016-12-01

    The performance and degree of efficiency of transformers are directly determined by the bulk magnetic properties of grain oriented electrical steel laminations. The core losses can be improved by post manufacturing methods, so-called domain refinement techniques. All these methods induce mechanical or thermal stress that refines the domain structure. The most commonly used technique is laser scribing due to the no-contact nature and the ease of integration in existing production systems. Here we show how directional neutron dark-field imaging allows visualizing the impact of laser scribing on the bulk and supplementary domain structure. In particular, we investigate the domain formation during magnetization of samples depending on laser treatment parameters such as laser energy and line distances. The directional dark-field imaging findings were quantitatively interpreted in the context with global magnetic hysteresis measurements. Especially we exploit the orientation sensitivity in the dark-field images to distinguish between different domain structures alignment and their relation to the laser scribing process.

  11. Austenite grain growth and microstructure control in simulated heat affected zones of microalloyed HSLA steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Lei [Department of Machine Tools and Factory Management, Technical University of Berlin, Pascalstraße 8 – 9, 10587, Berlin (Germany); Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin (Germany); Kannengiesser, Thomas [Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin (Germany); Institute of Materials and Joining Technology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Universitetsplatz 2, 39106, Magdeburg (Germany)

    2014-09-08

    The roles of microalloying niobium, titanium and vanadium for controlling austenite grain growth, microstructure evolution and hardness were investigated at different simulated heat affected zones (HAZ) for high strength low alloy (HSLA) S690QL steel. High resolution FEG-SEM has been used to characterize fine bainitic ferrite, martensite and nanosized second phases at simulated coarse and fine grain HAZs. It was found that for Ti bearing steel (Ti/N ratio is 2) austenite grain had the slowest growth rate due to the presence of most stable TiN. The fine cuboidal particles promoted intragranular acicular ferrite (IGF) formation. Nb bearing steel exhibited relatively weaker grain growth retardation compared with titanium bearing steels and a mixed microstructure of bainite and martensite was present for all simulated HAZs. IGF existed at coarse grain HAZ of Ti+V bearing steel but it was totally replaced by bainite at fine grain HAZs. Hardness result was closely related to the morphology of bainitic ferrite, intragranular ferrite and second phases within ferrite. The microstructure and hardness results of different simulated HAZs were in good agreement with welded experimental results.

  12. Grain boundary migration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dimitrov, O.

    1975-01-01

    Well-established aspects of grain-boundary migration are first briefly reviewed (influences of driving force, temperature, orientation and foreign atoms). Recent developments of the experimental methods and results are then examined, by considering the various driving of resistive forces acting on grain boundaries. Finally, the evolution in the theoretical models of grain-boundary motion is described, on the one hand for ideally pure metals and, on the other hand, in the presence of solute impurity atoms [fr

  13. Phloem Transport Of Arsenic Species From Flag Leaf To Grain During Grain Filling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strategies to reduce arsenic (As) in rice grain, below concentrations that represent a serious human health concern, require that the mechanisms of As accumulation within grain be established. Therefore, retranslocation of As species from flag leaves into filling rice grain was ...

  14. The effects of the finest grains on the mechanical behaviours of nanocrystalline materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Lingling; Huo Ruxiao; Zhou Jianqiu; Wang Ying; Zhang Shu

    2012-01-01

    This article proposes a new constitutive model to account for effects of the finest grains, with sizes ranging from 2 to 4 nm, on the mechanical behaviours of nanocrystalline (NC) materials. In this model, the normal nanograins (ranging from 20 to 100 nm) were treated as though they were composed of a grain interior (GI) and a grain boundary (GB) affected zone (GBAZ). The finest grains were considered to be part of the GBAZ, denoted as super triple junctions (STJs). For the initial plastic deformation stage of the NC materials, a phenomenological constitutive equation was suggested to predict the deformation behaviours of the GBAZ. The formation of GB dislocation (GBD) pileups provides dramatic strain hardening in deformed NC materials and thereby enhances their ductility. Then, the constitutive equations to describe the plastic deformation of the GI and the GBAZ lattice region were established. In this stage, the GBAZ are already saturated with GBD pileups, and GI deformation is the dominant mechanism. Finally, the mechanical model for the NC materials with the finest grains was built using the self-consistent method, and an overall moderate “work hardening,” sustained over a long range of plastic strain, was predicted. The effects of TJs/STJs on the deformation mechanism were quantitatively analysed. The analysis demonstrated that the existence of the finest grains will simultaneously lead to good strength and good ductility.

  15. Microstructure quantification of ultrafine grained pure copper fabricated by simple shear extrusion (SSE) technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bagherpour, E.; Qods, F.; Ebrahimi, R.; Miyamoto, H.

    2016-01-01

    In the present paper commercially pure copper was processed by simple shear extrusion (SSE) technique up to 12 passes using the so-called route C. For SSE processing an appropriate die with a linear die profile was designed and constructed. Effect of SSE passes on isotropy and uniformity of microstructures are focused. Electron back-scattering diffraction (EBSD) was used to evaluate the microstructure of the deformed samples in three orthogonal planes. To investigate the microstructural uniformity EBSD maps were taken from center to periphery of the extrusion direction plane (ED-plane) samples. Significant evolution in grain refinement was achieved down to sub-micron grain size in all planes. Hardness measurements show a considerable increase in hardness of the material after the processing, which confirms the microstructural evolutions. EBSD scans revealed a homogeneous ultrafine grained microstructure after 12 passes. Micro-shear bands were found as potential sites for accelerating the formation of new grains by fragmentation of the initial grains. The total frequency of coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries including Σ3 boundaries increased by the increasing of SSE passes. The higher fraction of low to high angle grain boundaries of SSE compared to equal channel angular pressing is an evidence for the cyclic behavior of SSE technique.

  16. Microstructure quantification of ultrafine grained pure copper fabricated by simple shear extrusion (SSE) technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bagherpour, E., E-mail: e.bagherpour@semnan.ac.ir [Faculty of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Mechanical Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394 (Japan); Qods, F., E-mail: qods@semnan.ac.ir [Faculty of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ebrahimi, R., E-mail: ebrahimy@shirazu.ac.ir [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Miyamoto, H., E-mail: hmiyamot@mail.doshisha.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394 (Japan)

    2016-09-30

    In the present paper commercially pure copper was processed by simple shear extrusion (SSE) technique up to 12 passes using the so-called route C. For SSE processing an appropriate die with a linear die profile was designed and constructed. Effect of SSE passes on isotropy and uniformity of microstructures are focused. Electron back-scattering diffraction (EBSD) was used to evaluate the microstructure of the deformed samples in three orthogonal planes. To investigate the microstructural uniformity EBSD maps were taken from center to periphery of the extrusion direction plane (ED-plane) samples. Significant evolution in grain refinement was achieved down to sub-micron grain size in all planes. Hardness measurements show a considerable increase in hardness of the material after the processing, which confirms the microstructural evolutions. EBSD scans revealed a homogeneous ultrafine grained microstructure after 12 passes. Micro-shear bands were found as potential sites for accelerating the formation of new grains by fragmentation of the initial grains. The total frequency of coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries including Σ3 boundaries increased by the increasing of SSE passes. The higher fraction of low to high angle grain boundaries of SSE compared to equal channel angular pressing is an evidence for the cyclic behavior of SSE technique.

  17. Morphology and grain structure evolution during epitaxial growth of Ag films on native-oxide-covered Si surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hur, Tae-Bong; Kim, Hong Koo; Perello, David; Yun, Minhee; Kulovits, Andreas; Wiezorek, Joerg

    2008-01-01

    Epitaxial nanocrystalline Ag films were grown on initially native-oxide-covered Si(001) substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Mechanisms of grain growth and morphology evolution were investigated. An epitaxially oriented Ag layer (∼5 nm thick) formed on the oxide-desorbed Si surface during the initial growth phase. After a period of growth instability, characterized as kinetic roughening, grain growth stagnation, and increase of step-edge density, a layer of nanocrystalline Ag grains with a uniform size distribution appeared on the quasi-two-dimensional layer. This hierarchical process of film formation is attributed to the dynamic interplay between incoming energetic Ag particles and native oxide. The cyclic interaction (desorption and migration) of the oxide with the growing Ag film is found to play a crucial role in the characteristic evolution of grain growth and morphology change involving an interval of grain growth stagnation

  18. Grain boundary motion and grain rotation in aluminum bicrystals: recent experiments and simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molodov, D A; Barrales-Mora, L A; Brandenburg, J-E

    2015-01-01

    The results of experimental and computational efforts over recent years to study the motion of geometrically different grain boundaries and grain rotation under various driving forces are briefly reviewed. Novel in-situ measuring techniques based on orientation contrast imaging and applied simulation techniques are described. The experimental results obtained on specially grown aluminum bicrystals are presented and discussed. Particularly, the faceting and migration behavior of low angle grain boundaries under the curvature force is addressed. In contrast to the pure tilt boundaries, which remained flat/faceted and immobile during annealing at elevated temperatures, mixed tilt-twist boundaries readily assumed a curved shape and steadily moved under the capillary force. Computational analysis revealed that this behavior is due to the inclinational anisotropy of grain boundary energy, which in turn depends on boundary geometry. The shape evolution and shrinkage kinetics of cylindrical grains with different tilt and mixed boundaries were studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The mobility of low angle <100> boundaries with misorientation angles higher than 10°, obtained by both the experiments and simulations, was found not to differ from that of the high angle boundaries, but decreases essentially with further decrease of misorientation. The shape evolution of the embedded grains in simulations was found to relate directly to results of the energy computations. Further simulation results revealed that the shrinkage of grains with pure tilt boundaries is accompanied by grain rotation. In contrast, grains with the tilt-twist boundaries composed of dislocations with the mixed edge-screw character do not rotate during their shrinkage. Stress driven boundary migration in aluminium bicrystals was observed to be coupled to a tangential translation of the grains. The activation enthalpy of high angle boundary migration was found to vary non-monotonically with

  19. THE INCIDENCE OF NON-SPHERICAL CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPES IN ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH STARS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Politano, Michael; Taam, Ronald E.

    2011-01-01

    The relative occurrence of asymmetric structures in the circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in detached binary star systems is studied based on a population synthesis method. The effects of envelope shaping by the gravitational interaction of the companion on an outflowing stellar wind are incorporated using previously derived empirical fits to numerical simulations. It is shown that significant asymmetries in the CSE, characterized by a ratio of the density in the equatorial direction relative to the polar direction, can exceed 10 for AGB stars characterized by luminosities in the range of 1000-10, 000 L sun in systems with orbital separations of 3-30 AU and mass ratios of 0.25-1. The incidence of such systems relative to a present-day field population of AGB stars (single + binary) is estimated to be 1%-6%, depending upon input parameter choices. For more modest density contrasts exceeding a factor of two, the incidence increases to 4%-15%. With the advent of future high-resolution molecular line studies of CSEs with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, it is anticipated that the number of AGB stars exhibiting detectable asymmetries will significantly increase.

  20. Nano/ultrafine grained austenitic stainless steel through the formation and reversion of deformation-induced martensite: Mechanisms, microstructures, mechanical properties, and TRIP effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shirdel, M., E-mail: mshirdel1989@ut.ac.ir [School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-4563, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mirzadeh, H., E-mail: hmirzadeh@ut.ac.ir [School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-4563, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Advanced Metalforming and Thermomechanical Processing Laboratory, School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Parsa, M.H., E-mail: mhparsa@ut.ac.ir [School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-4563, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Center of Excellence for High Performance Materials, School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Advanced Metalforming and Thermomechanical Processing Laboratory, School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    A comprehensive study was carried out on the strain-induced martensitic transformation, its reversion to austenite, the resultant grain refinement, and the enhancement of strength and strain-hardening ability through the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect in a commercial austenitic 304L stainless steel with emphasis on the mechanisms and the microstructural evolution. A straightforward magnetic measurement device, which is based on the measurement of the saturation magnetization, for evaluating the amount of strain-induced martensite after cold rolling and reversion annealing in metastable austenitic stainless steels was used, which its results were in good consistency with those of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. A new parameter called the effective reduction in thickness was introduced, which corresponds to the reasonable upper bound on the obtainable martensite fraction based on the saturation in the martensitic transformation. By means of thermodynamics calculations, the reversion mechanisms were estimated and subsequently validated by experimental results. The signs of thermal martensitic transformation at cooling stage after reversion at 850 °C were found, which was attributed to the rise in the martensite start temperature due to the carbide precipitation. After the reversion treatment, the average grain sizes were around 500 nm and the nanometric grains of the size of ~ 65 nm were also detected. The intense grain refinement led to the enhanced mechanical properties and observation of the change in the work-hardening capacity and TRIP effect behavior. A practical map as a guidance for grain refining and characterizing the stability against grain growth was proposed, which shows the limitation of the reversion mechanism for refinement of grain size. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Nano/ultrafine grained austenitic stainless steel through martensite treatment • A parameter descriptive of a reasonable upper bound on

  1. Nano/ultrafine grained austenitic stainless steel through the formation and reversion of deformation-induced martensite: Mechanisms, microstructures, mechanical properties, and TRIP effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shirdel, M.; Mirzadeh, H.; Parsa, M.H.

    2015-01-01

    A comprehensive study was carried out on the strain-induced martensitic transformation, its reversion to austenite, the resultant grain refinement, and the enhancement of strength and strain-hardening ability through the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect in a commercial austenitic 304L stainless steel with emphasis on the mechanisms and the microstructural evolution. A straightforward magnetic measurement device, which is based on the measurement of the saturation magnetization, for evaluating the amount of strain-induced martensite after cold rolling and reversion annealing in metastable austenitic stainless steels was used, which its results were in good consistency with those of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. A new parameter called the effective reduction in thickness was introduced, which corresponds to the reasonable upper bound on the obtainable martensite fraction based on the saturation in the martensitic transformation. By means of thermodynamics calculations, the reversion mechanisms were estimated and subsequently validated by experimental results. The signs of thermal martensitic transformation at cooling stage after reversion at 850 °C were found, which was attributed to the rise in the martensite start temperature due to the carbide precipitation. After the reversion treatment, the average grain sizes were around 500 nm and the nanometric grains of the size of ~ 65 nm were also detected. The intense grain refinement led to the enhanced mechanical properties and observation of the change in the work-hardening capacity and TRIP effect behavior. A practical map as a guidance for grain refining and characterizing the stability against grain growth was proposed, which shows the limitation of the reversion mechanism for refinement of grain size. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Nano/ultrafine grained austenitic stainless steel through martensite treatment • A parameter descriptive of a reasonable upper bound on

  2. 75 FR 76254 - Official Performance and Procedural Requirements for Grain Weighing Equipment and Related Grain...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 7 CFR Part 802 [Docket GIPSA-2010-FGIS-0012] RIN 0580-AB19 Official Performance and Procedural Requirements for Grain Weighing Equipment and Related Grain Handling Systems AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards...

  3. STABILITY OF MAGNETIZED DISKS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PLANET FORMATION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lizano, Susana; Galli, Daniele; Cai, Mike J.; Adams, Fred C.

    2010-01-01

    This paper considers gravitational perturbations in geometrically thin disks with rotation curves dominated by a central object, but with substantial contributions from magnetic pressure and tension. The treatment is general, but the application is to the circumstellar disks that arise during the gravitational collapse phase of star formation. We find the dispersion relation for spiral density waves in these generalized disks and derive the stability criterion for axisymmetric (m = 0) disturbances (the analog of the Toomre parameter Q T ) for any radial distribution of the mass-to-flux ratio λ. The magnetic effects work in two opposing directions: on one hand, magnetic tension and pressure stabilize the disk against gravitational collapse and fragmentation; on the other hand, they also lower the rotation rate making the disk more unstable. For disks around young stars the first effect generally dominates, so that magnetic fields allow disks to be stable for higher surface densities and larger total masses. These results indicate that magnetic fields act to suppress the formation of giant planets through gravitational instability. Finally, even if gravitational instability can form a secondary body, it must lose an enormous amount of magnetic flux in order to become a planet; this latter requirement represents an additional constraint for planet formation via gravitational instability and places a lower limit on the electrical resistivity.

  4. An investigation of the interstellar extinction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roche, P.F.; Aitken, D.K.; Melbourne Univ., Point Cook

    1984-01-01

    The 10 μm extinction towards six WC8 or WC9 Wolf-Rayet stars is investigated. All objects show smooth dust emission suffering silicate absorption with depths well correlated with the extinction in the visible. The de-reddened spectra are well represented by emission from featureless grain components, possibly from iron or carbon grains. The extinction to the stars is found to be dominantly interstellar in origin with little extinction from the circumstellar shell. (author)

  5. 78 FR 33224 - Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-04

    ... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers... Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around all inbound and outbound grain-shipment and grain-shipment assist vessels involved in commerce with the Columbia Grain facility on the Willamette River in...

  6. 78 FR 57261 - Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-18

    ... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Grain-Shipment and Grain-Shipment Assist Vessels, Columbia and Willamette Rivers... temporary safety zone around all inbound and outbound grain-shipment and grain-shipment assist vessels involved in commerce with the Columbia Grain facility on the Willamette River in Portland, OR, the United...

  7. Effect of Ion Streaming on Diffusion of Dust Grains in Dissipative System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begum, M.; Das, N.

    2018-01-01

    The presence of strong electric fields in the sheath region of laboratory complex plasma induces an ion drift and perturbs the field around dust grains. The downstream focusing of ions leads to the formation of oscillatory kind of attractive wake potential which superimpose with the normal Debye-Hückel (DH) potential. The structural properties of complex plasma and diffusion coefficient of dust grains in the presence of such a wake potential have been investigated using Langevin dynamics simulation in the subsonic regime of ion flow. The study reveals that the diffusion of dust grains is strongly affected by the ion flow, so that the diffusion changes its character in the wake potential to the DH potential dominant regimes. The dependence of the diffusion coefficient on the parameters, such as the neutral pressure, dust grain size, ion flow velocity, and Coulomb coupling parameter, have been calculated for the subsonic regime by using the Green-Kubo expression, which is based on the integrated velocity autocorrelation function. It is found that the diffusion and the structural property of the system is intimately connected with the interaction potential and significantly get affected in the presence of ion flow in the subsonic regime.

  8. METAMORPHOSIS OF SN 2014C: DELAYED INTERACTION BETWEEN A HYDROGEN POOR CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVA AND A NEARBY CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milisavljevic, D.; Margutti, R.; Kamble, A.; Patnaude, D. J.; Raymond, J. C.; Challis, P.; Drout, M. R.; Grindlay, J. E.; Kirshner, R. P.; Lunnan, R.; Miller, G. F.; Parrent, J. T.; Sanders, N. E.; Eldridge, J. J.; Fong, W.; Bietenholz, M.; Chornock, R.; Fransson, C.; Fesen, R. A.; Mackey, J.

    2015-01-01

    We present optical observations of supernova SN 2014C, which underwent an unprecedented slow metamorphosis from H-poor type Ib to H-rich type IIn over the course of one year. The observed spectroscopic evolution is consistent with the supernova having exploded in a cavity before encountering a massive shell of the progenitor star’s stripped hydrogen envelope. Possible origins for the circumstellar shell include a brief Wolf–Rayet fast wind phase that overtook a slower red supergiant wind, eruptive ejection, or confinement of circumstellar material by external influences of neighboring stars. An extended high velocity Hα absorption feature seen in near-maximum light spectra implies that the progenitor star was not completely stripped of hydrogen at the time of core collapse. Archival pre-explosion Subaru Telescope Suprime-Cam and Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images of the region obtained in 2009 show a coincident source that is most likely a compact massive star cluster in NGC 7331 that hosted the progenitor system. By comparing the emission properties of the source with stellar population models that incorporate interacting binary stars we estimate the age of the host cluster to be 30–300 Myr, and favor ages closer to 30 Myr in light of relatively strong Hα emission. SN 2014C is the best observed member of a class of core-collapse supernovae that fill the gap between events that interact strongly with dense, nearby environments immediately after explosion and those that never show signs of interaction. Better understanding of the frequency and nature of this intermediate population can contribute valuable information about the poorly understood final stages of stellar evolution

  9. METAMORPHOSIS OF SN 2014C: DELAYED INTERACTION BETWEEN A HYDROGEN POOR CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVA AND A NEARBY CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milisavljevic, D.; Margutti, R.; Kamble, A.; Patnaude, D. J.; Raymond, J. C.; Challis, P.; Drout, M. R.; Grindlay, J. E.; Kirshner, R. P.; Lunnan, R.; Miller, G. F.; Parrent, J. T.; Sanders, N. E. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138 (United States); Eldridge, J. J. [Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Fong, W. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Bietenholz, M. [Hartebeesthoek Radio Observatory, P.O. Box 443, Krugersdorp 1740 (South Africa); Chornock, R. [Astrophysical Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 251B Clippinger Lab, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States); Fransson, C. [Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Fesen, R. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Lab, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Mackey, J., E-mail: dmilisav@cfa.harvard.edu [Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Auf dem Hgel 71, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); and others

    2015-12-20

    We present optical observations of supernova SN 2014C, which underwent an unprecedented slow metamorphosis from H-poor type Ib to H-rich type IIn over the course of one year. The observed spectroscopic evolution is consistent with the supernova having exploded in a cavity before encountering a massive shell of the progenitor star’s stripped hydrogen envelope. Possible origins for the circumstellar shell include a brief Wolf–Rayet fast wind phase that overtook a slower red supergiant wind, eruptive ejection, or confinement of circumstellar material by external influences of neighboring stars. An extended high velocity Hα absorption feature seen in near-maximum light spectra implies that the progenitor star was not completely stripped of hydrogen at the time of core collapse. Archival pre-explosion Subaru Telescope Suprime-Cam and Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images of the region obtained in 2009 show a coincident source that is most likely a compact massive star cluster in NGC 7331 that hosted the progenitor system. By comparing the emission properties of the source with stellar population models that incorporate interacting binary stars we estimate the age of the host cluster to be 30–300 Myr, and favor ages closer to 30 Myr in light of relatively strong Hα emission. SN 2014C is the best observed member of a class of core-collapse supernovae that fill the gap between events that interact strongly with dense, nearby environments immediately after explosion and those that never show signs of interaction. Better understanding of the frequency and nature of this intermediate population can contribute valuable information about the poorly understood final stages of stellar evolution.

  10. FORMATION OF S-BEARING SPECIES BY VUV/EUV IRRADIATION OF H{sub 2}S-CONTAINING ICE MIXTURES: PHOTON ENERGY AND CARBON SOURCE EFFECTS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Y.-J.; Juang, K.-J.; Qiu, J.-M.; Chu, C.-C.; Yih, T.-S. [Department of Physics, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan County 32054, Taiwan (China); Nuevo, M. [NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Jiménez-Escobar, A.; Muñoz Caro, G. M. [Centro de Astrobiología, INTA-CSIC, Torrejón de Ardoz, E-28850 Madrid (Spain); Wu, C.-Y. R. [Space Sciences Center and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1341 (United States); Fung, H.-S. [National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan (China); Ip, W.-H. [Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan County 32049, Taiwan (China)

    2015-01-10

    Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is a key molecule in astrobiology that acts as a catalyst in peptide synthesis by coupling amino acids. Experimental studies suggest that hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S), a precursor of OCS, could be present in astrophysical environments. In the present study, we used a microwave-discharge hydrogen-flow lamp, simulating the interstellar UV field, and a monochromatic synchrotron light beam to irradiate CO:H{sub 2}S and CO{sub 2}:H{sub 2}S ice mixtures at 14 K with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photons in order to study the effect of the photon energy and carbon source on the formation mechanisms and production yields of S-containing products (CS{sub 2}, OCS, SO{sub 2}, etc.). Results show that (1) the photo-induced OCS production efficiency in CO:H{sub 2}S ice mixtures is higher than that of CO{sub 2}:H{sub 2}S ice mixtures; (2) a lower concentration of H{sub 2}S enhances the production efficiency of OCS in both ice mixtures; and (3) the formation pathways of CS{sub 2} differ significantly upon VUV and EUV irradiations. Furthermore, CS{sub 2} was produced only after VUV photoprocessing of CO:H{sub 2}S ices, while the VUV-induced production of SO{sub 2} occurred only in CO{sub 2}:H{sub 2}S ice mixtures. More generally, the production yields of OCS, H{sub 2}S{sub 2}, and CS{sub 2} were studied as a function of the irradiation photon energy. Heavy S-bearing compounds were also observed using mass spectrometry during the warm-up of VUV/EUV-irradiated CO:H{sub 2}S ice mixtures. The presence of S-polymers in dust grains may account for the missing sulfur in dense clouds and circumstellar environments.

  11. Multiscale model of metal alloy oxidation at grain boundaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sushko, Maria L.; Alexandrov, Vitaly; Schreiber, Daniel K.; Rosso, Kevin M.; Bruemmer, Stephen M.

    2015-01-01

    High temperature intergranular oxidation and corrosion of metal alloys is one of the primary causes of materials degradation in nuclear systems. In order to gain insights into grain boundary oxidation processes, a mesoscale metal alloy oxidation model is established by combining quantum Density Functional Theory (DFT) and mesoscopic Poisson-Nernst-Planck/classical DFT with predictions focused on Ni alloyed with either Cr or Al. Analysis of species and fluxes at steady-state conditions indicates that the oxidation process involves vacancy-mediated transport of Ni and the minor alloying element to the oxidation front and the formation of stable metal oxides. The simulations further demonstrate that the mechanism of oxidation for Ni-5Cr and Ni-4Al is qualitatively different. Intergranular oxidation of Ni-5Cr involves the selective oxidation of the minor element and not matrix Ni, due to slower diffusion of Ni relative to Cr in the alloy and due to the significantly smaller energy gain upon the formation of nickel oxide compared to that of Cr 2 O 3 . This essentially one-component oxidation process results in continuous oxide formation and a monotonic Cr vacancy distribution ahead of the oxidation front, peaking at alloy/oxide interface. In contrast, Ni and Al are both oxidized in Ni-4Al forming a mixed spinel NiAl 2 O 4 . Different diffusivities of Ni and Al give rise to a complex elemental distribution in the vicinity of the oxidation front. Slower diffusing Ni accumulates in the oxide and metal within 3 nm of the interface, while Al penetrates deeper into the oxide phase. Ni and Al are both depleted from the region 3–10 nm ahead of the oxidation front creating voids. The oxide microstructure is also different. Cr 2 O 3 has a plate-like structure with 1.2–1.7 nm wide pores running along the grain boundary, while NiAl 2 O 4 has 1.5 nm wide pores in the direction parallel to the grain boundary and 0.6 nm pores in the perpendicular direction providing an additional

  12. The Gas-Phase Formation of Methyl Formate in Hot Molecular Cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horn, Anne; Møllendal, Harald; Sekiguchi, Osamu; Uggerud, Einar; Roberts, Helen; Herbst, Eric; Viggiano, A. A.; Fridgen, Travis D.

    2004-08-01

    Methyl formate, HCOOCH3, is a well-known interstellar molecule prominent in the spectra of hot molecular cores. The current view of its formation is that it occurs in the gas phase from precursor methanol, which is synthesized on the surfaces of grain mantles during a previous colder era and evaporates while temperatures increase during the process of high-mass star formation. The specific reaction sequence thought to form methyl formate, the ion-molecule reaction between protonated methanol and formaldehyde followed by dissociative recombination of the protonated ion [HCO(H)OCH3]+, has not been studied in detail in the laboratory. We present here the results of both a quantum chemical study of the ion-molecule reaction between [CH3OH2]+ and H2CO as well as new experimental work on the system. In addition, we report theoretical and experimental studies for a variety of other possible gas-phase reactions leading to ion precursors of methyl formate. The studied chemical processes leading to methyl formate are included in a chemical model of hot cores. Our results show that none of these gas-phase processes produces enough methyl formate to explain its observed abundance.

  13. Grain destruction in interstellar shocks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seab, C.G.; Shull, J.M.

    1984-01-01

    One of the principal methods for removing grains from the Interstellar Medium is to destroy them in shock waves. Previous theoretical studies of shock destruction have generally assumed only a single size and type of grain; most do not account for the effect of the grain destruction on the structure of the shock. Earlier calculations have been improved in three ways: first, by using a ''complete'' grain model including a distribution of sizes and types of grains; second, by using a self-consistent shock structure that incorporates the changing elemental depletions as the grains are destroyed; and third, by calculating the shock-processed ultraviolet extinction curves for comparison with observations. (author)

  14. Mechanisms of ultrafine-grained austenite formation under different isochronal conditions in a cold-rolled metastable stainless steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Celada-Casero, C., E-mail: c.celada@cenim.csic.es [MATERALIA group, Dpt. of Physical Metallurgy, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas (CENIM-CSIC), Av. Gregorio del Amo 8, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Huang, B.M. [National Taiwan University, Dpt. of Materials Science and Engineering, 1 Roosvelt Road, Section 4, 10617 Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (China); Aranda, M.M. [MATERALIA group, Dpt. of Physical Metallurgy, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas (CENIM-CSIC), Av. Gregorio del Amo 8, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Yang, J.-R. [National Taiwan University, Dpt. of Materials Science and Engineering, 1 Roosvelt Road, Section 4, 10617 Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (China); Martin, D. San [MATERALIA group, Dpt. of Physical Metallurgy, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas (CENIM-CSIC), Av. Gregorio del Amo 8, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

    2016-08-15

    The primary objective of this work is to obtain fundamental insights on phase transformations, with focus on the reaustenitization process (α′→γ transformation), of a cold-rolled (CR) semi-austenitic metastable stainless steel upon different isochronal conditions (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 °C/s). For this purpose, an exhaustive microstructural characterization has been performed by using complementary experimental such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), micro-hardness Vickers and magnetization measurements. It has been detected that all microstructural changes shift to higher temperatures as the heating rate increases. The reaustenitization occurs in two-steps for all heating rates, which is attributed to the chemical banding present in the CR state. The α′→γ transformation is controlled by the migration of substitutional alloying elements across the austenite/martensite (γ/α′) interface, which finally leads to ultrafine-grained reaustenitized microstructures (440–280 nm). The morphology of the martensite phase in the CR state has been found to be the responsible for such a grain refinement, along with the presence of χ-phase and nanometric Ni{sub 3}(Ti,Al) precipitates that pin the austenite grain growth, especially upon slowly heating at 0.1 °C/s. - Highlights: •Ultrafine-grained austenite structures are obtained isochronally at 0.1–100 °C/s •The α′→γ transformation occurs in two steps due to the initial chemical banding •A diffusional mechanism governs the α′→γ transformation for all heating rates •The dislocation-cell-type of martensite promotes a diffusional mechanism •Precipitates located at α′/γ interfaces hinder the austenite growth.

  15. Laboratory Synthesized Calcium Oxide and Calcium Hydroxide Grains: A Candidate to Explain the 6.8 Micron Band

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimura, Yuki; Nuth, Joseph A., III

    2005-01-01

    We will demonstrate that CaO and Ca(OH)2 are excellent candidates to explain the 6.8 microns feature, which is one of the most obscure features in young stellar objects. We discuss the condensation of CaO grains and the potential formation of a Ca(OH)2 surface layer. The infrared spectra of these grains are compared with the spectra of fifteen young stellar objects. We note that CaO-rich grains are seen in all meteoritic CAIs (calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions) and the 6.8 micron feature has only been observed in young stellar objects. Therefore, we consider CaO grains to be a plausible candidate to explain the 6.8 microns feature and hypothesize that they are produced in the hot interiors of young stellar environments.

  16. Grain size and burnup dependence of spent fuel oxidation: Geological repository impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kansa, E.J.; Hanson, B.D.; Stout, R.B.

    1999-01-01

    Further refinements to the oxidation model of Stout et al. have been made. The present model incorporates the burnup dependence of the oxidation rate and an allowance for a distribution of grain sizes. The model was tested by comparing the model results with the oxidation histories of spent-fuel samples oxidized in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) or oven dry-bath (ODB) experiments. The experimental and model results are remarkably close and confirm the assumption that grain-size distributions and activation energies are the important parameters to predicting oxidation behavior. The burnup dependence of the activation energy was shown to have a greater effect than decreasing the effective grain size in suppressing the rate of the reaction U 4 O 9 r↓U 3 O 8 . Model results predict that U 3 O 8 formation of spent fuels exposed to oxygen will be suppressed even for high burnup fuels that have undergone restructuring in the rim region, provided the repository temperature is kept sufficiently low

  17. ON THE FORMATION OF GLYCOLALDEHYDE IN DENSE MOLECULAR CORES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Woods, Paul M.; Kelly, George; Viti, Serena [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Slater, Ben; Brown, Wendy A.; Puletti, Fabrizio; Burke, Daren J.; Raza, Zamaan, E-mail: paul.woods@ucl.ac.uk [Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ (United Kingdom)

    2012-05-01

    Glycolaldehyde is a simple monosaccharide sugar linked to prebiotic chemistry. Recently, it was detected in a molecular core in the star-forming region G31.41+0.31 at a reasonably high abundance. We investigate the formation of glycolaldehyde at 10 K to determine whether it can form efficiently under typical dense core conditions. Using an astrochemical model, we test five different reaction mechanisms that have been proposed in the astrophysical literature, finding that a gas-phase formation route is unlikely. Of the grain-surface formation routes, only two are efficient enough at very low temperatures to produce sufficient glycolaldehyde to match the observational estimates, with the mechanism culminating in CH{sub 3}OH + HCO being favored. However, when we consider the feasibility of these mechanisms from a reaction chemistry perspective, the second grain-surface route looks more promising, H{sub 3}CO + HCO.

  18. Uranium mineralization in the Mesoproterozoic Banganapalle formation near Nagayapalle, Cuddapah Basin, Andhra Pradesh

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basu, Himadri; Harikrishnan, T.; Hanumanthappa, D.; Rengarajan, M.; Saravanan, B.; Bhagat, Sangeeta; Mahendra Kumar

    2008-01-01

    Cuddapah Basin is the hub of uranium exploration for years together in India. Initial efforts were for quartz-pebble-conglomerate type mineralization. However, the emphasis later shifted towards dolostone-hosted mineralization and finally to unconformity-associated uranium mineralization. The recent finding of uranium mineralization associated with the Banganapalle Formation near Nagayapalle is the outcome of continuous exploration input in the Cuddapah Basin over years. Uranium mineralization (up to 0.278% U 3 O 8 ) associated with the Mesoproterozoic Banganapalle Formation near Nagayapalle is represented by pitchblende and autunite. Pitchblende occurs as tiny grains in the intergranular spaces and along grain boundaries; and also at places replaces pyrite and covellite grains. The geological set-up indicates that the geodomain is favourable for uranium mineralization. (author)

  19. Plant Density Effect on Grain Number and Weight of Two Winter Wheat Cultivars at Different Spikelet and Grain Positions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Yingli; Zheng, Mengjing; Yang, Dongqing; Jin, Min; Chen, Jin; Wang, Zhenlin; Yin, Yanping

    2016-01-01

    In winter wheat, grain development is asynchronous. The grain number and grain weight vary significantly at different spikelet and grain positions among wheat cultivars grown at different plant densities. In this study, two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, ‘Wennong6’ and ‘Jimai20’, were grown under four different plant densities for two seasons, in order to study the effect of plant density on the grain number and grain weight at different spikelet and grain positions. The results showed that the effects of spikelet and grain positions on grain weight varied with the grain number of spikelets. In both cultivars, the single-grain weight of the basal and middle two-grain spikelets was higher at the 2nd grain position than that at the 1st grain position, while the opposite occurred in the top two-grain spikelets. In the three-grain spikelets, the distribution of the single-grain weight was different between cultivars. In the four-grain spikelets of Wennong6, the single-grain weight was the highest at the 2nd grain position, followed by the 1st, 3rd, and 4th grain positions. Regardless of the spikelet and grain positions, the single-grain weight was the highest at the 1st and 2nd grain positions and the lowest at the 3rd and 4th grain positions. Overall, plant density affected the yield by controlling the seed-setting characteristics of the tiller spike. Therefore, wheat yield can be increased by decreasing the sterile basal and top spikelets and enhancing the grain weight at the 3rd and 4th grain positions, while maintaining it at the 1st and 2nd grain positions on the spikelet. PMID:27171343

  20. In-situ TEM observation of the response of ultrafine- and nanocrystalline-grained tungsten to extreme irradiation environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Atwani, O; Hinks, J A; Greaves, G; Gonderman, S; Qiu, T; Efe, M; Allain, J P

    2014-05-06

    The accumulation of defects, and in particular He bubbles, can have significant implications for the performance of materials exposed to the plasma in magnetic-confinement nuclear fusion reactors. Some of the most promising candidates for deployment into such environments are nanocrystalline materials as the engineering of grain boundary density offers the possibility of tailoring their radiation resistance properties. In order to investigate the microstructural evolution of ultrafine- and nanocrystalline-grained tungsten under conditions similar to those in a reactor, a transmission electron microscopy study with in situ 2 keV He(+) ion irradiation at 950 °C has been completed. A dynamic and complex evolution in the microstructure was observed including the formation of defect clusters, dislocations and bubbles. Nanocrystalline grains with dimensions less than around 60 nm demonstrated lower bubble density and greater bubble size than larger nanocrystalline (60-100 nm) and ultrafine (100-500 nm) grains. In grains over 100 nm, uniform distributions of bubbles and defects were formed. At higher fluences, large faceted bubbles were observed on the grain boundaries, especially on those of nanocrystalline grains, indicating the important role grain boundaries can play in trapping He and thus in giving rise to the enhanced radiation tolerance of nanocrystalline materials.

  1. Formation of biaxial texture in metal films by selective ion beam etching

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, S.J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, 106 Rhines Hall, P.O. Box 116400, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Norton, D.P. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, 106 Rhines Hall, P.O. Box 116400, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States)]. E-mail: dnort@mse.ufl.edu; Selvamanickam, Venkat [IGC-SuperPower, LLC, 450 Duane Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12304 (United States)

    2006-05-15

    The formation of in-plane texture via ion bombardment of uniaxially textured metal films was investigated. In particular, selective grain Ar ion beam etching of uniaxially textured (0 0 1) Ni was used to achieve in-plane aligned Ni grains. Unlike conventional ion beam assisted deposition, the ion beam irradiates the uniaxially textured film surface with no impinging deposition flux. The initial uniaxial texture is established via surface energy minimization with no ion irradiation. Within this sequential texturing method, in-plane grain alignment is driven by selective etching and grain overgrowth. Biaxial texture was achieved for ion beam irradiation at elevated temperature.

  2. Formation of biaxial texture in metal films by selective ion beam etching

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, S.J.; Norton, D.P.; Selvamanickam, Venkat

    2006-01-01

    The formation of in-plane texture via ion bombardment of uniaxially textured metal films was investigated. In particular, selective grain Ar ion beam etching of uniaxially textured (0 0 1) Ni was used to achieve in-plane aligned Ni grains. Unlike conventional ion beam assisted deposition, the ion beam irradiates the uniaxially textured film surface with no impinging deposition flux. The initial uniaxial texture is established via surface energy minimization with no ion irradiation. Within this sequential texturing method, in-plane grain alignment is driven by selective etching and grain overgrowth. Biaxial texture was achieved for ion beam irradiation at elevated temperature

  3. Gibberellic Acid: A Key Phytohormone for Spikelet Fertility in Rice Grain Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Choon-Tak; Paek, Nam-Chon

    2016-05-23

    The phytohormone gibberellic acid (GA) has essential signaling functions in multiple processes during plant development. In the "Green Revolution", breeders developed high-yield rice cultivars that exhibited both semi-dwarfism and altered GA responses, thus improving grain production. Most studies of GA have concentrated on germination and cell elongation, but GA also has a pivotal role in floral organ development, particularly in stamen/anther formation. In rice, GA signaling plays an important role in spikelet fertility; however, the molecular genetic and biochemical mechanisms of GA in male fertility remain largely unknown. Here, we review recent progress in understanding the network of GA signaling and its connection with spikelet fertility, which is tightly associated with grain productivity in cereal crops.

  4. Grain size effect on the electrical response of SnO2 thin and thick film gas sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raluca Savu

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Porous nano and micro crystalline tin oxide films were deposited by RF Magnetron Sputtering and doctor blade techniques, respectively. Electrical resistance and impedance spectroscopy measurements, as a function of temperature and atmosphere, were performed in order to determine the influence of the microstructure and working conditions over the electrical response of the sensors. The conductivity of all samples increases with the temperature and decreases in oxygen, as expected for an n-type semiconducting material. The impedance plots indicated the existence of two time constants related to the grains and the grain boundaries. The Nyquist diagrams at low frequencies revealed the changes that took place in the grain boundary region, with the contribution of the grains being indicated by the formation of a second semicircle at high frequencies. The better sensing performance of the doctor bladed samples can be explained by their lower initial resistance values, bigger grain sizes and higher porosity.

  5. Influence of inocula and grains on sclerotia biomass and carotenoid yield of Penicillium sp. PT95 during solid-state fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jian-Rong; Yuan, Jing-Ming

    2003-10-01

    Various inocula and grains were evaluated for carotenoid production by solid-state fermentation using Penicillium sp. PT95. Millet medium was more effective in both sclerotia growth and carotenoid production than other grain media. An inoculum in the form of sclerotia yielded higher sclerotia biomass compared to either a spore inoculum or a mycelial pellet inoculum. Adding wheat bran to grain medium favored the formation of sclerotia. However, neither the inoculum type nor addition of wheat bran resulted in a significant change in the carotenoid content of sclerotia. Among grain media supplemented with wheat bran (wheat bran:grain =1:4 w/w, dry basis), a medium consisting of rice and wheat bran gave the highest sclerotia biomass (15.10 g/100 g grain), a medium consisting of buckwheat and wheat bran gave the highest content of carotenoid in sclerotia (0.826 mg/g dry sclerotia), and a medium consisting of millet and wheat bran gave the highest carotenoid yield (11.457 mg/100 g grain).

  6. Effect of a Traveling Magnetic Field on Micropore Formation in Al-Cu Alloys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanjin Xu

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The effect of traveling magnetic fields (TMFs on the grain and micro-pore formation in an Al alloy was studied by scanning electron microscope and X-ray microtomography in this work. The results show that with the increasing magnetic flux density, the three-dimensional morphology of the micro-pores transformed from dendrite to a relatively equiaxed structure. Quantified results show that both the micro-pore volume fraction and the average grain size of the primary phase decreased as the TMF density increased. The analyses show that the forced convection induced by TMF can break the dendrites, refine the grain size, and promote the liquid feeding, leading to the decrease in the volume fraction of the porosity and improved mechanical property. The TMF performed at different stages during solidification reveal that the maximum effect of TMF on reducing the micro-pore formation was found when TMF was applied in the stage of nucleation and the early stage of grain growth during solidification.

  7. Modelling of grain refinement driven by negative grain boundary energy

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Fischer, F. D.; Zickler, G. A.; Svoboda, Jiří

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 97, č. 23 (2017), s. 1963-1977 ISSN 1478-6435 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-06390S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : grain refinement * grain nucleation * distribution concept * jump on distribution function Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics OBOR OECD: Thermodynamics Impact factor: 1.505, year: 2016

  8. Responses of Grain Maize to Plant Density at Different Irrigation Regimes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara SAMADVAND

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In order to examine the effects of different plant densities, plant patterns and irrigation regimes on yield, yield components and harvest index of grain maize, a field experiment was conducted at Miyandoab Agricultural Research Station, Iran. A strip split plot experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that the effect of plant density was significant on kernel yield, harvest index, 1,000 kernel weight. The highest kernel yield was obtained from 90,000 plants ha-1 density. Maximum grain yield (18.530 t ha-1 was obtained from furrow irrigation. However, there was no significant difference between moisture levels of 100% and 120% of field capacity. The lowest kernel yield was obtained at 80% field capacity. This study also showed that mean kernel weight and the number of kernels per row were the most determinant factors in grain yield formation. The highest and the lowest harvest indices were obtained at 120% and 80% treatments of field capacity treatment, respectively.

  9. Grain and burnup dependence of spent fuel oxidation: geological repository impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanson, B. D.; Kansa, E. J.; Stoot, R.B.

    1998-01-01

    Further refinements to the oxidation model of Stout et al. have been made. The present model incorporates the burnup dependence of the oxidation rate in addition to an allowance for a distribution of grain sizes. The model was tested by comparing the model results with the oxidation histories of spent fuel samples oxidized in Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) or Oven Dry-Bath (ODB) experiments. The comparison between the experimental and model results are remarkably close and confirm the assumption that grain-size distributions and activation energies are the important parameters to predicting oxidation behavior. The burnup dependence of the activation energy was shown to have a greater effect than decreasing the effective grain size in suppressing the rate of the reaction U 4 O 9 (rightwards arrow)U 3 O 4 . Model results predict that U 3 O 8 formation of spent fuels exposed to oxygen will be suppressed even for high burnup fuels that have undergone restructuring in the rim region, provided the repository temperature is kept sufficient

  10. Textural Maturity Analysis and Sedimentary Environment Discrimination Based on Grain Shape Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunwal, M.; Mulchrone, K. F.; Meere, P. A.

    2017-12-01

    Morphological analysis of clastic sedimentary grains is an important source of information regarding the processes involved in their formation, transportation and deposition. However, a standardised approach for quantitative grain shape analysis is generally lacking. In this contribution we report on a study where fully automated image analysis techniques were applied to loose sediment samples collected from glacial, aeolian, beach and fluvial environments. A range of shape parameters are evaluated for their usefulness in textural characterisation of populations of grains. The utility of grain shape data in ranking textural maturity of samples within a given sedimentary environment is evaluated. Furthermore, discrimination of sedimentary environment on the basis of grain shape information is explored. The data gathered demonstrates a clear progression in textural maturity in terms of roundness, angularity, irregularity, fractal dimension, convexity, solidity and rectangularity. Textural maturity can be readily categorised using automated grain shape parameter analysis. However, absolute discrimination between different depositional environments on the basis of shape parameters alone is less certain. For example, the aeolian environment is quite distinct whereas fluvial, glacial and beach samples are inherently variable and tend to overlap each other in terms of textural maturity. This is most likely due to a collection of similar processes and sources operating within these environments. This study strongly demonstrates the merit of quantitative population-based shape parameter analysis of texture and indicates that it can play a key role in characterising both loose and consolidated sediments. This project is funded by the Irish Petroleum Infrastructure Programme (www.pip.ie)

  11. Grain Interactions in Crystal Plasticity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyle, K.P.; Curtin, W.A.

    2005-01-01

    The plastic response of a sheet metal is governed by the collective response of the underlying grains. Intragranular plasticity depends on intrinsic variables such as crystallographic orientation and on extrinsic variables such as grain interactions; however, the role of the latter is not well understood. A finite element crystal plasticity formulation is used to investigate the importance of grain interactions on intragranular plastic deformation in initially untextured polycrystalline aggregates. A statistical analysis reveals that grain interactions are of equal (or more) importance for determining the average intragranular deviations from the applied strain as compared to the orientation of the grain itself. Furthermore, the influence of the surrounding grains is found to extend past nearest neighbor interactions. It is concluded that the stochastic nature of the mesoscale environment must be considered for a proper understanding of the plastic response of sheet metals at the grain-scale

  12. Morphology-controlled synthesis of SiO2 hollow microspheres using pollen grain as a biotemplate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Feng; Li Dongxu

    2009-01-01

    Hollow surface-structured silica microspheres, a potential candidate for drug delivery systems, were synthesized using the rape pollen grain as a biotemplate via a facile sol-gel coating followed by a calcination process. Different surface morphologies relating to the controllable release property were also achieved on the as-prepared silica hollow microspheres by changing the ratio of the tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and water in sols. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravity (TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were utilized to characterize the original pollen grain, the silica sols-coated pollen grain and the as-prepared hollow silica microspheres, respectively. Results indicated that the pollen grain would be removed at around 500 deg. C, and the sol coating was kept to form hollow microspheres. Physical adsorption was proved to be the main effect in the sol coating. A speculation on the formation mechanism of different morphologies is also given.

  13. Large modulation of carrier transport by grain-boundary molecular packing and microstructure in organic thin films

    KAUST Repository

    Rivnay, Jonathan

    2009-11-08

    Solution-processable organic semiconductors are central to developing viable printed electronics, and performance comparable to that of amorphous silicon has been reported for films grown from soluble semiconductors. However, the seemingly desirable formation of large crystalline domains introduces grain boundaries, resulting in substantial device-to-device performance variations. Indeed, for films where the grain-boundary structure is random, a few unfavourable grain boundaries may dominate device performance. Here we isolate the effects of molecular-level structure at grain boundaries by engineering the microstructure of the high-performance n-type perylenediimide semiconductor PDI8-CN 2 and analyse their consequences for charge transport. A combination of advanced X-ray scattering, first-principles computation and transistor characterization applied to PDI8-CN 2 films reveals that grain-boundary orientation modulates carrier mobility by approximately two orders of magnitude. For PDI8-CN 2 we show that the molecular packing motif (that is, herringbone versus slip-stacked) plays a decisive part in grain-boundary-induced transport anisotropy. The results of this study provide important guidelines for designing device-optimized molecular semiconductors. © 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

  14. Void formation by annealing of neutron-irradiated plastically deformed molybdenum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petersen, K.; Nielsen, B.; Thrane, N.

    1976-01-01

    The positron annihilation technique has been used in order to study the influence of plastic deformation on the formation and growth of voids in neutron irradiated molybdenum single crystals treated by isochronal annealing. Samples were prepared in three ways: deformed 12-19% before irradiation, deformed 12-19% after irradiation, and - for reference purposes -non-deformed. In addition a polycrystalline sample was prepared in order to study the influence of the grain boundaries. All samples were irradiated at 60 0 C with a flux of 2.5 x 10 18 fast neutrons/cm 2 . After irradiation the samples were subjected to isochronal annealing. It was found that deformation before irradiation probably enhanced the formation of voids slightly. Deformation after irradiation strongly reduced the void formation. The presence of grain boundaries in the polycrystalline sample had a reducing influence on the growth of voids. (author)

  15. Circumstellar and interstellar material in the CO3 chondrite ALHA77307: An isotopic and elemental investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bose, Maitrayee; Floss, Christine; Stadermann, Frank J.; Stroud, Rhonda M.; Speck, Angela K.

    2012-09-01

    We have carried out a NanoSIMS C, N and O ion imaging study of the CO3.0 chondrite ALHA77307. The distribution of O-anomalous grains in ALHA77307 is similar to that observed in other primitive meteorites, and is dominated (84%) by 17O-rich Group 1 grains from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars of close-to-solar metallicity. Four percent of the grains belong to Group 2, whose 18O depletions suggest cool-bottom processing in low-mass stars during the AGB phase, while 8% are Group 4 grains with likely origins in Type II supernova (SN) ejecta. One ferromagnesian silicate has a very high 17O enrichment; nova explosions have been suggested as sources for such grains, but recent models with updated reaction rates show large discrepancies with the grain data, leaving the origins of these grains uncertain. Most of the grains are silicates (86%) with the remainder consisting of oxides (8%), three silica grains and two 'composite' grains composed of multiple subgrains with different elemental compositions. The elemental compositions of the silicates are similar to those found in other studies, with a predominance of non-stoichiometric compositions and high (up to 44 at.%) Fe concentrations. A comparison of isotopic and elemental compositions for all presolar silicates shows that olivine compositions are overabundant in Group 4 grains compared to grains from Groups 1 and 2. This may reflect injection of presolar material from a nearby supernova into the early solar nebula and incorporation into parent bodies before alteration of compositions through irradiation and sputtering in the interstellar medium, as is likely to have occurred for the Group 1 and 2 grains from more distant AGB stars. The matrix material in ALHA77307 contains abundant carbonaceous hotspots with excesses in 15N. However, unlike CR chondrites, the insoluble organic matter (IOM) in ALHA77307 does not have a bulk N isotopic anomaly, consistent with Raman evidence that it has experienced more

  16. Grain size statistics and depositional pattern of the Ecca Group sandstones, Karoo Supergroup in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baiyegunhi Christopher

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Grain size analysis is a vital sedimentological tool used to unravel the hydrodynamic conditions, mode of transportation and deposition of detrital sediments. In this study, detailed grain-size analysis was carried out on thirty-five sandstone samples from the Ecca Group in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Grain-size statistical parameters, bivariate analysis, linear discriminate functions, Passega diagrams and log-probability curves were used to reveal the depositional processes, sedimentation mechanisms, hydrodynamic energy conditions and to discriminate different depositional environments. The grain-size parameters show that most of the sandstones are very fine to fine grained, moderately well sorted, mostly near-symmetrical and mesokurtic in nature. The abundance of very fine to fine grained sandstones indicate the dominance of low energy environment. The bivariate plots show that the samples are mostly grouped, except for the Prince Albert samples that show scattered trend, which is due to the either mixture of two modes in equal proportion in bimodal sediments or good sorting in unimodal sediments. The linear discriminant function analysis is dominantly indicative of turbidity current deposits under shallow marine environments for samples from the Prince Albert, Collingham and Ripon Formations, while those samples from the Fort Brown Formation are lacustrine or deltaic deposits. The C-M plots indicated that the sediments were deposited mainly by suspension and saltation, and graded suspension. Visher diagrams show that saltation is the major process of transportation, followed by suspension.

  17. Grain size statistics and depositional pattern of the Ecca Group sandstones, Karoo Supergroup in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baiyegunhi, Christopher; Liu, Kuiwu; Gwavava, Oswald

    2017-11-01

    Grain size analysis is a vital sedimentological tool used to unravel the hydrodynamic conditions, mode of transportation and deposition of detrital sediments. In this study, detailed grain-size analysis was carried out on thirty-five sandstone samples from the Ecca Group in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Grain-size statistical parameters, bivariate analysis, linear discriminate functions, Passega diagrams and log-probability curves were used to reveal the depositional processes, sedimentation mechanisms, hydrodynamic energy conditions and to discriminate different depositional environments. The grain-size parameters show that most of the sandstones are very fine to fine grained, moderately well sorted, mostly near-symmetrical and mesokurtic in nature. The abundance of very fine to fine grained sandstones indicate the dominance of low energy environment. The bivariate plots show that the samples are mostly grouped, except for the Prince Albert samples that show scattered trend, which is due to the either mixture of two modes in equal proportion in bimodal sediments or good sorting in unimodal sediments. The linear discriminant function analysis is dominantly indicative of turbidity current deposits under shallow marine environments for samples from the Prince Albert, Collingham and Ripon Formations, while those samples from the Fort Brown Formation are lacustrine or deltaic deposits. The C-M plots indicated that the sediments were deposited mainly by suspension and saltation, and graded suspension. Visher diagrams show that saltation is the major process of transportation, followed by suspension.

  18. Stabilisation of the grain market by the flexible use of grain for bioethanol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Helming, J.F.M.; Pronk, A.; Woltjer, I.

    2010-01-01

    This report reviews whether the grain market and grain price can be stabilised by the variation of the use of grain in the EU-27's production of bioethanol. The time horizon of this study is 2020, whereby account is taken of the minimum 10% obligation for biofuel use in the EU-27. An economic

  19. Inter-grain coupling and grain charge in dusty plasma Coulomb crystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, M. A.; Goodrich, J.; Mohideen, U.; Rahman, H. U.; Rosenberg, M.; Mendis, D. A.

    1998-01-01

    We have studied the lattice structure and grain charge of dusty plasma Coulomb crystals formed in rectangular conductive grooves as a function of plasma temperature and density. The crystal appears to be made of mutually repulsive columns of grains confined by the walls of the groove. The columns are oriented along the direction of the electrode sheath electric field. A simple phenomenological model wherein the inter-grain spacing results from an attractive electric field induced dipole-dipole force balanced by a repulsive monopole Coulomb force is consistent with observed features of the Coulomb crystal

  20. High mass star formation to the extremes: NGC 3603 at high angular resolution in the near-infrared

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nuernberger, Dieter E A

    2008-01-01

    High angular resolution observations play a decisive role for our understanding of high mass star formation processes, both within our Galaxy and in extragalactic starburst regions. We take the Galactic starburst template NGC 3603 as paradigm and report here on high angular resolution JHK s L' observations of the enigmatic, highly reddened sources IRS 9A-C in the NGC 3603 region, which were performed with NACO at ESO's Very Large Telescope Yepun. These broad-band imaging data strongly support the classification of IRS 9A-C as high mass protostellar candidates. We also confirm unambiguously the membership of IRS 9A-C with the NGC 3603 region as gas and dust is seen to be stripped off from their circumstellar envelopes by strong stellar winds, originating from the high mass main sequence stars of the nearby OB cluster. The orientation of these gas and dust streamers coincides with that of a very faint, only marginally detected mini-pillar protruding from the adjacent molecular clump NGC 3603 MM 2. The L' data show extended envelopes around IRS 9A-C and reveal sub-structures therein which are indicative for non-spherically distributed material. It seems obvious that protostellar mass outflows are at work to clear cavities along the polar axes of the central protostar, and / or that circumstellar disks are taking shape.

  1. A constitutive model of nanocrystalline metals based on competing grain boundary and grain interior deformation mechanisms

    KAUST Repository

    Gurses, Ercan

    2011-12-01

    In this work, a viscoplastic constitutive model for nanocrystalline metals is presented. The model is based on competing grain boundary and grain interior deformation mechanisms. In particular, inelastic deformations caused by grain boundary diffusion, grain boundary sliding and dislocation activities are considered. Effects of pressure on the grain boundary diffusion and sliding mechanisms are taken into account. Furthermore, the influence of grain size distribution on macroscopic response is studied. The model is shown to capture the fundamental mechanical characteristics of nanocrystalline metals. These include grain size dependence of the strength, i.e., both the traditional and the inverse Hall-Petch effects, the tension-compression asymmetry and the enhanced rate sensitivity. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Grain-scale imaging and compositional characterization of cryo-preserved India NGHP 01 gas-hydrate-bearing cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stern, Laura A.; Lorenson, T.D.

    2014-01-01

    We report on grain-scale characteristics and gas analyses of gas-hydrate-bearing samples retrieved by NGHP Expedition 01 as part of a large-scale effort to study gas hydrate occurrences off the eastern-Indian Peninsula and along the Andaman convergent margin. Using cryogenic scanning electron microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and gas chromatography, we investigated gas hydrate grain morphology and distribution within sediments, gas hydrate composition, and methane isotopic composition of samples from Krishna–Godavari (KG) basin and Andaman back-arc basin borehole sites from depths ranging 26 to 525 mbsf. Gas hydrate in KG-basin samples commonly occurs as nodules or coarse veins with typical hydrate grain size of 30–80 μm, as small pods or thin veins 50 to several hundred microns in width, or disseminated in sediment. Nodules contain abundant and commonly isolated macropores, in some places suggesting the original presence of a free gas phase. Gas hydrate also occurs as faceted crystals lining the interiors of cavities. While these vug-like structures constitute a relatively minor mode of gas hydrate occurrence, they were observed in near-seafloor KG-basin samples as well as in those of deeper origin (>100 mbsf) and may be original formation features. Other samples exhibit gas hydrate grains rimmed by NaCl-bearing material, presumably produced by salt exclusion during original hydrate formation. Well-preserved microfossil and other biogenic detritus are also found within several samples, most abundantly in Andaman core material where gas hydrate fills microfossil crevices. The range of gas hydrate modes of occurrence observed in the full suite of samples suggests a range of formation processes were involved, as influenced by local in situconditions. The hydrate-forming gas is predominantly methane with trace quantities of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons of primarily microbial origin. The composition indicates the gas hydrate is Structure I.

  3. Grain boundary corrosion and alteration phase formation during the oxidative dissolution of UO{sub 2} pellets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wronkiewicz, D.J.; Buck, E.C.; Bates, J.K.

    1996-12-31

    Alteration behavior of UO{sub 2} pellets following reaction under unsaturated drip-test conditions at 90 C for up to 10 years was examined by solid phase and leachate analyses. Sample reactions were characterized by preferential dissolution of grain boundaries between the original press-sintered UO{sub 2} granules comprising the samples, development of a polygonal network of open channels along the intergrain boundaries, and spallation of surface granules that had undergone severe grain boundary corrosion. The development of a dense mat of alteration phases after 2 years of reaction trapped loose granules, resulting in reduced rates of particulate U release. The paragenetic sequence of alteration phases that formed on the present samples was similar to that observed in surficial weathering zones of natural uraninite (UO{sub 2}) deposits, with alkali and alkaline earth uranyl silicates representing the long-term solubility-limiting phases for U in both systems.

  4. Supercoil Formation During DNA Melting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayar, Mehmet; Avsaroglu, Baris; Kabakcioglu, Alkan

    2009-03-01

    Supercoil formation plays a key role in determining the structure-function relationship in DNA. Biological and technological processes, such as protein synthesis, polymerase chain reaction, and microarrays relys on separation of the two strands in DNA, which is coupled to the unwinding of the supercoiled structure. This problem has been studied theoretically via Peyrard-Bishop and Poland-Scheraga type models, which include a simple representation of the DNA structural properties. In recent years, computational models, which provide a more realtistic representaion of DNA molecule, have been used to study the melting behavior of short DNA chains. Here, we will present a new coarse-grained model of DNA which is capable of simulating sufficiently long DNA chains for studying the supercoil formation during melting, without sacrificing the local structural properties. Our coarse-grained model successfully reproduces the local geometry of the DNA molecule, such as the 3'-5' directionality, major-minor groove structure, and the helical pitch. We will present our initial results on the dynamics of supercoiling during DNA melting.

  5. Grain boundary diffusion of Dy films prepared by magnetron sputtering for sintered Nd–Fe–B magnets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, W.; Luo, J. M.; Guan, Y. W.; Huang, Y. L.; Chen, M.; Hou, Y. H.

    2018-05-01

    Dy films, deposited on the surface of sintered Nd–Fe–B magnets by magnetron sputtering, were employed for grain boundary diffusion source. High coercivity sintered Nd–Fe–B magnets were successfully prepared. Effects of sputtering power and grain boundary diffusion processes (GBDP) on the microstructure and magnetic properties were investigated in detail. The dense and uniform Dy films were beneficial to prepare high coercivity magnets by GBDP. The maximum coercivity value of 1189 kA m‑1 could be shown, which was an amplification of 22.3%, compared with that of as-prepared Nd–Fe–B magnet. Furthermore, the improved remanence and maximum energy product were also achieved through tuning grain boundary diffusion processes. Our results demonstrated that the formation of (Nd, Dy)2Fe14B shell surrounding Nd2Fe14B grains and fine, uniform and continuous intergranular RE-rich phases jointly contribute to the improved coercivity.

  6. Influences of residual oxygen impurities, cubic indium oxide grains and indium oxy-nitride alloy grains in hexagonal InN crystalline films grown on Si(111) substrates by electron cyclotron resonance plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yodo, T.; Nakamura, T.; Kouyama, T.; Harada, Y.

    2005-01-01

    We investigated the influences of residual oxygen (O) impurities, cubic indium oxide (β-In 2 O 3 ) grains and indium oxy-nitride (InON) alloy grains in 200 nm-thick hexagonal (α)-InN crystalline films grown on Si(111) substrates by electron cyclotron resonance plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Although β-In 2 O 3 grains with wide band-gap energy were formed in In film by N 2 annealing, they were not easily formed in N 2 -annealed InN films. Even if they were not detected in N 2 -annealed InN films, the as-grown films still contained residual O impurities with concentrations of less than 0.5% ([O]≤0.5%). Although [O]∝1% could be estimated by investigating In 2 O 3 grains formed in N 2 -annealed InN films, [O]≤0.5% could not be measured by it. However, we found that they can be qualitatively measured by investigating In 2 O 3 grains formed by H 2 annealing with higher reactivity with InN and O 2 , using X-ray diffraction and PL spectroscopy. In this paper, we discuss the formation mechanism of InON alloy grains in InN films. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  7. CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS AS A MECHANISM FOR PRODUCING IR VARIABILITY IN DEBRIS DISKS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osten, Rachel; Livio, Mario; Lubow, Steve; Pringle, J. E.; Soderblom, David; Valenti, Jeff

    2013-01-01

    Motivated by recent observations of short-timescale variations in the infrared emission of circumstellar disks, we propose that coronal mass ejections can remove dust grains on timescales as short as a few days. Continuous monitoring of stellar activity, coupled with infrared observations, can place meaningful constraints on the proposed mechanism.

  8. Open clusters. III. Fundamental parameters of B stars in NGC 6087, NGC 6250, NGC 6383, and NGC 6530 B-type stars with circumstellar envelopes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aidelman, Y.; Cidale, L. S.; Zorec, J.; Panei, J. A.

    2018-02-01

    Context. Stellar physical properties of star clusters are poorly known and the cluster parameters are often very uncertain. Methods: Our goals are to perform a spectrophotometric study of the B star population in open clusters to derive accurate stellar parameters, search for the presence of circumstellar envelopes, and discuss the characteristics of these stars. The BCD spectrophotometric system is a powerful method to obtain stellar fundamental parameters from direct measurements of the Balmer discontinuity. To this end, we wrote the interactive code MIDE3700. The BCD parameters can also be used to infer the main properties of open clusters: distance modulus, color excess, and age. Furthermore, we inspected the Balmer discontinuity to provide evidence for the presence of circumstellar disks and identify Be star candidates. We used an additional set of high-resolution spectra in the Hα region to confirm the Be nature of these stars. Results: We provide Teff, log g, Mv, Mbol, and spectral types for a sample of 68 stars in the field of the open clusters NGC 6087, NGC 6250, NGC 6383, and NGC 6530, as well as the cluster distances, ages, and reddening. Then, based on a sample of 230 B stars in the direction of the 11 open clusters studied along this series of three papers, we report 6 new Be stars, 4 blue straggler candidates, and 15 B-type stars (called Bdd) with a double Balmer discontinuity, which indicates the presence of circumstellar envelopes. We discuss the distribution of the fraction of B, Be, and Bdd star cluster members per spectral subtype. The majority of the Be stars are dwarfs and present a maximum at the spectral type B2-B4 in young and intermediate-age open clusters (operating under agreement of CONICET and the Universities of La Plata, Córdoba, and San Juan, Argentina.Tables 1, 2, 9-16 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/610/A30

  9. Post-irradiation examinations and high-temperature tests on undoped large-grain UO{sub 2} discs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Noirot, J., E-mail: jean.noirot@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 St. Paul Lez Durance (France); Pontillon, Y. [CEA, DEN, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 St. Paul Lez Durance (France); Yagnik, S. [EPRI, P.O. Box 10412, Palo Alto, CA 94303-0813 (United States); Turnbull, J.A. [Independent Consultant (United Kingdom)

    2015-07-15

    Within the Nuclear Fuel Industry Research (NFIR) programme, several fuel variants –in the form of thin circular discs – were irradiated in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) at burn-ups up to ∼100 GWd/t{sub HM}. The design of the fuel assembly was similar to that used in other HBWR programmes: the assembly contained several rods with fuel discs sandwiched between Mo discs, which limited temperature differences within each fuel disc. One such variant was made of large-grain UO{sub 2} discs (3D grain size = ∼45 μm) which were subjected to three burn-ups: 42, 72 and 96 GWd/t{sub HM}. Detailed characterizations of some of these irradiated large-grain UO{sub 2} discs were performed in the CEA Cadarache LECA-STAR hot laboratory. The techniques used included electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Comparisons were then carried out with more standard grain size UO{sub 2} discs irradiated under the same conditions. Examination of the high burn-up large-grain UO{sub 2} discs revealed the limited formation of a high burn-up structure (HBS) when compared with the standard-grain UO{sub 2} discs at similar burn-up. High burn-up discs were submitted to temperature transients up to 1200 °C in the heating test device called Merarg at a relatively low temperature ramp rate (0.2 °C/s). In addition to the total gas release during these tests, the release peaks throughout the temperature ramp were monitored. Tests at 1600 °C were also conducted on the 42 GWd/t{sub HM} discs. The fuels were then characterized with the same microanalysis techniques as those used before the tests, to investigate the effects of these tests on the fuel’s microstructure and on the fission gas behaviour. This paper outlines the high resistance of this fuel to gas precipitation at high temperature and to HBS formation at high burn-up. It also shows the similarity of the positions, within the grains, where HBS forms

  10. Grain Flow at High Stresses

    Science.gov (United States)

    McSaveney, M. J.

    2015-12-01

    The transport mechanism of rapid long-runout rock avalanches was a hotly debated topic when I came on the scene in 1967. So how come it is still debated today? My explanation is that it is the expected outcome of peer review, poor comprehension, and technological advances outpacing intellectual advances. Why think about the problem when we can model it! So let us think about the problem. Shreve thought that rock avalanches fell upon and trapped a layer of air. What physics was he thinking about? It is how feathers and tissue papers fall. When my rock avalanches fly, they fly like unlubricated bricks using the physics of projectiles and ballistics. But the main transport mechanism is not flight. The dominant impression from watching a rock avalanche in motion is of fluid flow, as Heim described it in 1882. A rock avalanche is a very large grain flow. Bagnold studied dispersive grain flows, but why should one assume that rock avalanches are dispersive grain flows as many do. The more common grain flow type is a dense grain flow and rock avalanches are dense grain flows in which the weight can and does generate very high stresses at grain contacts. Brittle rock deforms elastically up to its compressive strength, whereupon it breaks, releasing elastic strain as transient elastic strain (seismic energy to a seismologist, acoustic energy to a physicist). Melosh and others have shown that acoustic energy can fluidize a grain mass. There is no exotic physics behind grain flow at high stress. When grains break, the released elastic strain has to go somewhere, and it goes somewhere principally by transmission though grain contacts. Depending on the state of stress at the grain contact, the contact will pass the stress or will slip at conventional values of Coulomb friction. Enough thinking! A physical model of the entire process is too big for any laboratory. So whose numerical model will do it?

  11. Unidirectional splitting and uniting of rays in the cambium of Platanus accompanying the formation of interlocked grain in wood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Krawczyszyn

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Developmental changes in the cambium producing interlocked grain wood of Platanus, were determined by an analysis of successive late xylem layers (TLX at the borders of the annual rings. Intensive splitting and uniting of rays were observed. These occured by intrusion of fusiform cells into the rays and by loss of the fusiform initials which formed the strands separating the rays, respectively. Uniting of rays was unidirectional within the large areas of cambium (domain, so was the splitting, too. There were domains of Z and S-type. Orientation of splitting and uniting of rays at a particular locality of the cambium was reversed at irregular time intervals. It appears that the reason for these reversals was slow movement of domain pattern. The occurrence of alternating Z and S domains brought about the alternation of the grain inclination from right to left and back again in the interlocked-grained wood.

  12. Microbiota of kefir grains

    OpenAIRE

    Tomislav Pogačić; Sanja Šinko; Šimun Zamberlin; Dubravka Samaržija

    2013-01-01

    Kefir grains represent the unique microbial community consisting of bacteria, yeasts, and sometimes filamentous moulds creating complex symbiotic community. The complexity of their physical and microbial structures is the reason that the kefir grains are still not unequivocally elucidated. Microbiota of kefir grains has been studied by many microbiological and molecular approaches. The development of metagenomics, based on the identification without cultivation, is opening new possibilities f...

  13. Formation and dissociation of dust molecules in dusty plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Jia; Feng, Fan; Liu, Fucheng; Dong, Lifang; He, Yafeng

    2016-09-01

    Dust molecules are observed in a dusty plasma experiment. By using measurements with high spatial resolution, the formation and dissociation of the dust molecules are studied. The ion cloud in the wake of an upper dust grain attracts the lower dust grain nearby. When the interparticle distance between the upper dust grain and the lower one is less than a critical value, the two dust grains would form a dust molecule. The upper dust grain always leads the lower one as they travel. When the interparticle distance between them is larger than the critical value, the dust molecule would dissociate. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11205044 and 11405042), the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China (Grant Nos. A2011201006 and A2012201015), the Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hebei Province, China (Grant No. Y2012009), the Program for Young Principal Investigators of Hebei Province, China, and the Midwest Universities Comprehensive Strength Promotion Project, China.

  14. An investigation on microstructure and mechanical propertiesof a Nb-microalloyed nano/ultrafine grained 201 austenitic stainless steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samaei Baghbadorani, H., E-mail: h.samaeibaghbadorani@ma.iut.ac.ir [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, 84156-83111 Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kermanpur, A. [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, 84156-83111 Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Najafizadeh, A. [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, 84156-83111 Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Fould Institute of Technology, Fouldshare 84916-63763 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Behjati, P.; Rezaee, A.; Moallemi, M. [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, 84156-83111 Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-06-11

    The present study was aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of a nano/ultrafine grained Nb-containing 201 austenitic stainless steel. For this purpose, 90% cold rolled sheets with fully martensitic microstructure were isothermally annealed at 900 °C for different times of 1 to 1800 s, leading to the reversion of strain- induced α′-martensite to austenite and significant grain refinement. Ferritescopy, X-ray diffractometery and optical/electron microscopy techniques along with hardness measurements and tensile tests were used to study the evolution in microstructure and mechanical properties in the course of annealing. It was found that heavy cold-rolling promoted formation of Nb-rich carbonitrides which effectively retarded the growth of fine reverted austenite grains. The obtained results showed that the complete transformation of martensite to austenite took about 60 s with the corresponding austenite grain size of about 90 nm. This sample had an ultrahigh yield strength of 1170 MPa, which was almost four times higher than that of the raw material and outstanding elongation of 37%. Further, the true stress–strain curves of the reversion annealed samples revealed two distinct uniform elongation stages (stage I and stage II), whereas, the onset of stage II was concurrent with pronounced strain hardening. This was related to the sharp increase in the formation of α′-martensite upon tensile straining.

  15. Misorientation related microstructure at the grain boundary in a nickel-based single crystal superalloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Ming; Zhuo, Longchao; Liu, Zhanli; Lu, Xiaogang; Shi, Zhenxue; Li, Jiarong; Zhu, Jing

    2015-01-01

    The mechanical properties of nickel-based single crystal superalloys deteriorate with increasing misorientation, thus the finished product rate of the casting of single crystal turbine airfoils may be reduced due to the formation of grain boundaries especially when the misorientation angle exceeds to some extent. To this day, evolution of the microstructures at the grain boundaries with misorientation and the relationship between the microstructures and the mechanical properties are still unclear. In this work a detailed characterization of the misorientation related microstructure at the grain boundary in DD6 single crystal superalloy has been carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques; the elemental distribution at the grain boundaries has been analyzed by energy dispersive (EDS) X-ray mapping; and the effect of precipitation of μ phases at the grain boundary on the mechanical property has been evaluated by finite element calculation. It is shown that the proportion of γ phase at the grain boundaries decreases, while the proportion of γ′ phase at the grain boundaries increases with increasing misorientation; the μ phase is precipitated at the grain boundaries when the misorientation angle exceeds about 10° and thus it could lead to a dramatic deterioration of the mechanical properties, as well as that the enrichment of Re and W gradually disappears as the misorientation angle increases. All these factors may result in the degradation of the mechanical properties at the grain boundaries as the misorientation increases. Furthermore, the finite element calculation confirms that precipitation of μ phases at the grain boundary is responsible for the significant deterioration of the mechanical properties when the misorientation exceeds about 10°. This work provides a physical imaging of the microstructure for understanding the relationship between the mechanical properties and the misorientation

  16. Interplay between grain structure and protein adsorption on functional response of osteoblasts: ultrafine-grained versus coarse-grained substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misra, R D K; Nune, C; Pesacreta, T C; Somani, M C; Karjalainen, L P

    2013-01-01

    The rapid adsorption of proteins is the starting and primary biological response that occurs when a biomedical device is implanted in the physiological system. The biological response, however, depends on the surface characteristics of the device. Considering the significant interest in nano-/ultrafine surfaces and nanostructured coatings, we describe here, the interplay between grain structure and protein adsorption (bovine serum albumin: BSA) on osteoblasts functions by comparing nanograined/ultrafine-grained (NG/UFG) and coarse-grained (CG: grain size in the micrometer range) substrates by investigating cell-substrate interactions. The protein adsorption on NG/UFG surface was beneficial in favorably modulating biological functions including cell attachment, proliferation, and viability, whereas the effect was less pronounced on protein adsorbed CG surface. Additionally, immunofluorescence studies demonstrated stronger vinculin signals associated with actin stress fibers in the outer regions of the cells and cellular extensions on protein adsorbed NG/UFG surface. The functional response followed the sequence: NG/UFG(BSA) > NG/UFG > CG(BSA) > CG. The differences in the cellular response on bare and protein adsorbed NG/UFG and CG surfaces are attributed to cumulative contribution of grain structure and degree of hydrophilicity. The study underscores the potential advantages of protein adsorption on artificial biomedical devices to enhance the bioactivity and regulate biological functions. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Suppression of Boride Formation in Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of Pairings of Parent Superalloy Materials with Different Compositions and Grain Structures and Resulting Mechanical Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steuer, Susanne; Singer, Robert F.

    2014-07-01

    Two Ni-based superalloys, columnar grained Alloy 247 and single-crystal PWA1483, are joined by transient liquid phase bonding using an amorphous brazing foil containing boron as a melting point depressant. At lower brazing temperatures, two different morphologies of borides develop in both base materials: plate-like and globular ones. Their ratio to each other is temperature dependent. With very high brazing temperatures, the deleterious boride formation in Alloy 247 can be totally avoided, probably because the three-phase-field moves to higher alloying element contents. For the superalloy PWA1483, the formation of borides cannot be completely avoided at high brazing temperatures as incipient melting occurs. During subsequent solidification of these areas, Chinese-script-like borides precipitate. The mechanical properties (tensile tests at room and elevated temperatures and short-term creep rupture tests at elevated temperatures) for brazed samples without boride precipitation are very promising. Tensile strengths and creep times to 1 pct strain are comparable, respectively, higher than the ones of the weaker parent material for all tested temperatures and creep conditions (from 90 to 100 pct rsp. 175 to 250 pct).

  18. Whole grains and health: attitudes to whole grains against a prevailing background of increased marketing and promotion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMackin, Elaine; Dean, Moira; Woodside, Jayne V; McKinley, Michelle C

    2013-04-01

    To explore current awareness and perceptions of whole grain foods and perceived barriers and facilitators of whole grain consumption. Focus groups were conducted to investigate consumer attitudes to whole grains. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Discussions were held throughout Northern Ireland with adults who were at least partly responsible for food shopping. Seven focus groups were held (n 43; thirty-three females, ten males). All participants were aware of the term 'whole grain' and had a basic level of awareness of their health benefits. Prominent barriers and facilitators of whole grain intake were related to perceptions of the sensory properties (most dominant factor) of whole grains; knowledge of how to locate, identify and use whole grains; and awareness of the health benefits, perceived cost and family influences. Parents of young children appeared to be altruistically motivated with many stating they wanted to ensure their children consumed whole grains in order to establish good eating habits. Participants were generally aware of the term 'whole grain'; however, even against a background of increased availability and promotion of whole grain foods, many key barriers to whole grain consumption were still evident. Alongside general education efforts, opportunities and challenges exist for the food industry to develop novel, but affordable, food products that are able to deliver whole grains in a wide variety of forms, including whole grains 'in disguise' for those who are most resistant to change.

  19. Aerodynamic properties of fractal grains: implications for the primordial solar nebula

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meakin, P.; Donn, B.

    1988-01-01

    Under conditions in the primordial solar nebula and dense interstellar clouds, small grains have low relative velocities. This is the condition for efficient sticking and formation of fractal aggregates. A calculation of the ratio of cross section, sigma, to number of primary particles, N, for fractal clusters yielded 1n sigma/N = 0.2635 + 0.5189N sup (-0.1748). This ratio decreases slowly with N and approaches a constant for large N. Under the usual assumption of collisions producing spherical compact, uniform density aggregates, sigma/N varies as N sup -1/3 and decreases rapidly. Fractal grains are therefore much more closely coupled to the gas than are compact aggregates. This has a significant effect on the aerodynamic behavior of aggregates and consequently on their evolution and that of the nebula

  20. COMPARATIVE SPECTRA OF OXYGEN-RICH VERSUS CARBON-RICH CIRCUMSTELLAR SHELLS: VY CANIS MAJORIS AND IRC +10216 AT 215-285 GHz

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tenenbaum, E. D.; Dodd, J. L.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.; Milam, S. N.

    2010-01-01

    A sensitive (1σ rms at 1 MHz resolution ∼3 mK) 1 mm spectral line survey (214.5-285.5 GHz) of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) and IRC +10216 has been conducted to compare the chemistries of oxygen- and carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes. This study was carried out using the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory with a new Atacama Large Millimeter Array type receiver. This survey is the first to chemically characterize an O-rich circumstellar shell at millimeter wavelengths. In VY CMa, 128 emission features were detected arising from 18 different molecules; and in IRC +10216, 720 lines were observed, assigned to 32 different species. The 1 mm spectrum of VY CMa is dominated by SO 2 and SiS; in IRC +10216, C 4 H and SiC 2 are the most recurrent species. Ten molecules were common to both sources: CO, SiS, SiO, CS, CN, HCN, HNC, NaCl, PN, and HCO + . Sulfur plays an important role in VY CMa, but saturated/unsaturated carbon dominates the molecular content of IRC +10216, producing CH 2 NH, for example. Although the molecular complexity of IRC +10216 is greater, VY CMa supports a unique 'inorganic' chemistry leading to the oxides PO, AlO, and AlOH. Only diatomic and triatomic compounds were observed in VY CMa, while species with four or more atoms are common in IRC +10216, reflecting carbon's ability to form multiple strong bonds, unlike oxygen. In VY CMa, a new water maser (v 2 = 2) has been found, as well as vibrationally excited NaCl. Toward IRC +10216, vibrationally excited CCH was detected for the first time.