ORIGIN OF THE GALAXY MASS-METALLICITY-STAR FORMATION RELATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harwit, Martin; Brisbin, Drew

2015-01-01

We describe an equilibrium model that links the metallicity of low-redshift galaxies to stellar evolution models. It enables the testing of different stellar initial mass functions and metal yields against observed galaxy metallicities. We show that the metallicities of more than 80,000 Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies in the low-redshift range 0.07 ≤ z ≤ 0.3 considerably constrain stellar evolution models that simultaneously relate galaxy stellar mass, metallicity, and star formation rates to the infall rate of low-metallicity extragalactic gas and outflow of enriched matter. A feature of our model is that it encompasses both the active star forming phases of a galaxy and epochs during which the same galaxy may lie fallow. We show that the galaxy mass-metallicity-star formation relation can be traced to infall of extragalactic gas mixing with native gas from host galaxies to form stars of observed metallicities, the most massive of which eject oxygen into extragalactic space. Most consequential among our findings is that, on average, extragalactic infall accounts for one half of the gas required for star formation, a ratio that is remarkably constant across galaxies with stellar masses ranging at least from M* = 2 × 10 9 to 6 × 10 10 M ☉ . This leads us to propose that star formation is initiated when extragalactic infall roughly doubles the mass of marginally stable interstellar clouds. The processes described may also account quantitatively for the metallicity of extragalactic space, though to check this the fraction of extragalactic baryons will need to be more firmly established

ORIGIN OF THE GALAXY MASS-METALLICITY-STAR FORMATION RELATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harwit, Martin; Brisbin, Drew, E-mail: harwit@verizon.net [Center for Radiophysics and Space Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States)

2015-02-20

We describe an equilibrium model that links the metallicity of low-redshift galaxies to stellar evolution models. It enables the testing of different stellar initial mass functions and metal yields against observed galaxy metallicities. We show that the metallicities of more than 80,000 Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies in the low-redshift range 0.07 ≤ z ≤ 0.3 considerably constrain stellar evolution models that simultaneously relate galaxy stellar mass, metallicity, and star formation rates to the infall rate of low-metallicity extragalactic gas and outflow of enriched matter. A feature of our model is that it encompasses both the active star forming phases of a galaxy and epochs during which the same galaxy may lie fallow. We show that the galaxy mass-metallicity-star formation relation can be traced to infall of extragalactic gas mixing with native gas from host galaxies to form stars of observed metallicities, the most massive of which eject oxygen into extragalactic space. Most consequential among our findings is that, on average, extragalactic infall accounts for one half of the gas required for star formation, a ratio that is remarkably constant across galaxies with stellar masses ranging at least from M* = 2 × 10{sup 9} to 6 × 10{sup 10} M {sub ☉}. This leads us to propose that star formation is initiated when extragalactic infall roughly doubles the mass of marginally stable interstellar clouds. The processes described may also account quantitatively for the metallicity of extragalactic space, though to check this the fraction of extragalactic baryons will need to be more firmly established.

Four new planets around giant stars and the mass-metallicity correlation of planet-hosting stars

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, M. I.; Jenkins, J. S.; Brahm, R.; Wittenmyer, R. A.; Olivares E., F.; Melo, C. H. F.; Rojo, P.; Jordán, A.; Drass, H.; Butler, R. P.; Wang, L.

2016-05-01

Context. Exoplanet searches have revealed interesting correlations between the stellar properties and the occurrence rate of planets. In particular, different independent surveys have demonstrated that giant planets are preferentially found around metal-rich stars and that their fraction increases with the stellar mass. Aims: During the past six years we have conducted a radial velocity follow-up program of 166 giant stars to detect substellar companions and to characterize their orbital properties. Using this information, we aim to study the role of the stellar evolution in the orbital parameters of the companions and to unveil possible correlations between the stellar properties and the occurrence rate of giant planets. Methods: We took multi-epoch spectra using FEROS and CHIRON for all of our targets, from which we computed precision radial velocities and derived atmospheric and physical parameters. Additionally, velocities computed from UCLES spectra are presented here. By studying the periodic radial velocity signals, we detected the presence of several substellar companions. Results: We present four new planetary systems around the giant stars HIP 8541, HIP 74890, HIP 84056, and HIP 95124. Additionally, we study the correlation between the occurrence rate of giant planets with the stellar mass and metallicity of our targets. We find that giant planets are more frequent around metal-rich stars, reaching a peak in the detection of f = 16.7+15.5-5.9% around stars with [Fe/H] ~ 0.35 dex. Similarly, we observe a positive correlation of the planet occurrence rate with the stellar mass, between M⋆ ~ 1.0 and 2.1 M⊙, with a maximum of f = 13.0+10.1-4.2% at M⋆ = 2.1 M⊙. Conclusions: We conclude that giant planets are preferentially formed around metal-rich stars. In addition, we conclude that they are more efficiently formed around more massive stars, in the stellar mass range of ~1.0-2.1 M⊙. These observational results confirm previous findings for solar

Half-metallicity and giant magneto-optical Kerr effect in N-doped NaTaO3

KAUST Repository

Saeed, Yasir; Singh, Nirpendra; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2012-01-01

gradient approximation. We find a giant polar Kerr rotation of 2.16°at 725 nm wave length (visible region), much higher than in other half-metallic perovskites and the prototypical half-metal PtMnSb. We explain the physical origin of this unexpected

Nanodielectrics with giant permittivity

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Following the prediction, during the last couple of years we have investigated the effect of giant permittivity in one-dimensional systems of conventional metals and conjugated polymer chains. In this article, we have tried to summarize the works on giant permittivity and finally the fabrication of nanocapacitor using metal ...

IS THERE AN UNACCOUNTED FOR EXCESS IN THE EXTRAGALACTIC COSMIC RADIO BACKGROUND?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subrahmanyan, Ravi [Raman Research Institute, CV Raman Avenue, Sadashivanagar, Bangalore 560080 (India); Cowsik, Ramanath, E-mail: rsubrahm@rri.res.in, E-mail: cowsik@physics.wustl.edu [Physics Department and McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University, Campus Box 1105, St. Louis, MO 63130 (United States)

2013-10-10

Analyses of the distribution of absolute brightness temperature over the radio sky have recently led to suggestions that there exists a substantial unexplained extragalactic radio background. Consequently, there have been numerous attempts to place constraints on plausible origins of this 'excess'. We suggest here that this expectation of a large extragalactic background, over and above that contributed by the sources observed in the surveys, is based on an extremely simple geometry adopted to model the Galactic emission and the procedure adopted in the estimation of the extragalactic contribution. In this paper, we derive the extragalactic radio background from wide-field radio images using a more realistic modeling of the Galactic emission and decompose the sky maps at 150, 408, and 1420 MHz into anisotropic Galactic and isotropic extragalactic components. The anisotropic Galactic component is assumed to arise from a highly flattened spheroid representing the thick disk, embedded in a spherical halo, both centered at the Galactic center, along with Galactic sources, filamentary structures, and Galactic loops and spurs. All components are constrained to be positive and the optimization scheme minimizes the sky area occupied by the complex filaments. We show that in contrast with simple modeling of Galactic emission as a plane parallel slab, the more realistic modeling yields estimates for the uniform extragalactic brightness that are consistent with expectations from known extragalactic radio source populations.

Stellar candles for the extragalactic distance scale

CERN Document Server

Gieren, Wolfgang

2003-01-01

This volume reviews the current status with respect to both theory and observation of the extragalactic distance scale. A sufficient accuracy is required both for a precise determination of the cosmological parameters and also in order to achieve a better understanding of physical processes in extragalactic systems. The "standard candles", used to set up the extragalactic distance scale, reviewed in this book include cepheid variables, RR Lyrae variables, novae, Type Ia and Type II supernovae as well as globular clusters and planetary nebulae.

Inverse problem for extragalactic transport of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ptuskin, V.S.; Rogovaya, S.I.; Zirakashvili, V.N.

2015-01-01

The energy spectra and composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are changing in a course of propagation in the expanding Universe filled with background radiation. We developed a numerical code for solution of inverse problem for cosmic-ray transport equations that allows the determination of average source spectra of different nuclei from the cosmic ray spectra observed at the Earth. Employing this approach, the injection spectra of protons and Iron nuclei in extragalactic sources are found assuming that only these species are accelerated at the source. The data from the Auger experiment and the combined data from the Telescope Array + HiRes experiments are used to illustrate the method

Inverse problem for extragalactic transport of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ptuskin, V.S.; Rogovaya, S.I.; Zirakashvili, V.N., E-mail: vptuskin@izmiran.ru, E-mail: rogovaya@izmiran.ru, E-mail: zirak@izmiran.ru [Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IZMIRAN), Troitsk, Moscow, 142190 (Russian Federation)

2015-03-01

The energy spectra and composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are changing in a course of propagation in the expanding Universe filled with background radiation. We developed a numerical code for solution of inverse problem for cosmic-ray transport equations that allows the determination of average source spectra of different nuclei from the cosmic ray spectra observed at the Earth. Employing this approach, the injection spectra of protons and Iron nuclei in extragalactic sources are found assuming that only these species are accelerated at the source. The data from the Auger experiment and the combined data from the Telescope Array + HiRes experiments are used to illustrate the method.

The Chemistry of Extragalactic Carbon Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Woods, Paul; Walsh, C.; Cordiner, M. A.; Kemper, F.

2013-01-01

Prompted by the ongoing interest in Spitzer Infrared Spectrometer spectra of carbon stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud, we have investigated the circumstellar chemistry of carbon stars in low-metallicity environments. Consistent with observations, our models show that acetylene is particularly abundant in the inner regions of low metallicity carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch stars - more abundant than carbon monoxide. As a consequence, larger hydrocarbons have higher abundances at the metallicities of the Magellanic Clouds than in stars with solar metallicity. We also find that the oxygen and nitrogen chemistry is suppressed at lower metallicity, as expected. Finally, we calculate molecular line emission from carbon stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud and find that several molecules should be readily detectable with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array at Full Science operations.

Carbon isotope ratios in field Population II giant stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sneden, C.; Pilachowski, C.A.; Vandenberg, D.A.; Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ; Victoria Univ., Canada)

1986-01-01

Carbon isotope ratios have been derived from high-resolution spectra of the CH G-band in 15 very metal-poor Population II giant stars and two similar dwarf stars. Many of the giants possess very low C-12/C-13 ratios, some approaching the CN cycle equilibrium value. The metal-poor dwarfs do not have detectable CH-13 features; thus the low carbon isotope ratios in the giants probably are due to their internal evolutions. These results strongly support the idea that at least part of the anomalously low C/N values in Population II giants arises from very efficient mixing of their envelopes into the CN cycle burning layers. Detailed calculations of the expected CNO surface abundances in Population II giants in different evolutionary states have been performed. These computations demonstrate that the observed carbon isotope ratios cannot be produced during the first dredge-up mixing phases in low-mass, low metal abundance stars. Numerical experiments show that theoretical and observational results can be brought into agreement with artificially induced extra mixing. An agent to provoke this additional mixing has not been identified with certainty yet, although internal stellar rotation is a promising candidate. 63 references

GASEOUS MEAN OPACITIES FOR GIANT PLANET AND ULTRACOOL DWARF ATMOSPHERES OVER A RANGE OF METALLICITIES AND TEMPERATURES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freedman, Richard S. [SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA (United States); Lustig-Yaeger, Jacob [Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Fortney, Jonathan J. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Lupu, Roxana E.; Marley, Mark S. [Space Science and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States); Lodders, Katharina, E-mail: Richard.S.Freedman@nasa.gov [Planetary Chemistry Laboratory, Washington University, St. Louis, MO (United States)

2014-10-01

We present new calculations of Rosseland and Planck gaseous mean opacities relevant to the atmospheres of giant planets and ultracool dwarfs. Such calculations are used in modeling the atmospheres, interiors, formation, and evolution of these objects. Our calculations are an expansion of those presented in Freedman et al. to include lower pressures, finer temperature resolution, and also the higher metallicities most relevant for giant planet atmospheres. Calculations span 1 μbar to 300 bar, and 75-4000 K, in a nearly square grid. Opacities at metallicities from solar to 50 times solar abundances are calculated. We also provide an analytic fit to the Rosseland mean opacities over the grid in pressure, temperature, and metallicity. In addition to computing mean opacities at these local temperatures, we also calculate them with weighting functions up to 7000 K, to simulate the mean opacities for incident stellar intensities, rather than locally thermally emitted intensities. The chemical equilibrium calculations account for the settling of condensates in a gravitational field and are applicable to cloud-free giant planet and ultracool dwarf atmospheres, but not circumstellar disks. We provide our extensive opacity tables for public use.

Multipole giant resonances in highly excited nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Keding; Cai Yanhuang

1989-01-01

The isoscalar giant surface resonance and giant dipole resonance in highly excited nuclei are discussed. Excitation energies of the giant modes in 208 Pb are calculated in a simplified model, using the concept of energy wieghted sum rule (EWSR), and the extended Thomas-Fermi approximation at the finite temperature is employed to describe the finite temperature is employed to describe the finite temperature equilibrium state. It is shown that EWSR and the energy of the resonance depend only weakly on temperature in the system. This weak dependence is analysed

GRANULATION SIGNATURES IN THE SPECTRUM OF THE VERY METAL-POOR RED GIANT HD 122563

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RamIrez, I.; Collet, R.; Asplund, M.; Lambert, D. L.; Allende Prieto, C.

2010-01-01

A very high resolution (R = λ/Δλ = 200, 000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ≅ 340) blue-green spectrum of the very metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≅ -2.6) red giant star HD 122563 has been obtained by us at McDonald Observatory. We measure the asymmetries and core wavelengths of a set of unblended Fe I lines covering a wide range of line strength. Line bisectors exhibit the characteristic C-shape signature of surface convection (granulation) and they span from about 100 m s -1 in the strongest Fe I features to 800 m s -1 in the weakest ones. Core wavelength shifts range from about -100 to -900 m s -1 , depending on line strength. In general, larger blueshifts are observed in weaker lines, but there is increasing scatter with increasing residual flux. Assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE), we synthesize the same set of spectral lines using a state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic simulation for a stellar atmosphere of fundamental parameters similar to those of HD 122563. We find good agreement between model predictions and observations. This allows us to infer an absolute zero point for the line shifts and radial velocity. Moreover, it indicates that the structure and dynamics of the simulation are realistic, thus providing support to previous claims of large 3D-LTE corrections to elemental abundances and fundamental parameters of very metal-poor red giant stars obtained with standard 1D-LTE spectroscopic analyses, as suggested by the hydrodynamic model used here.

Giant spin-orbit-induced spin splitting in two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide semiconductors

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Zhiyong

2011-10-14

Fully relativistic first-principles calculations based on density functional theory are performed to study the spin-orbit-induced spin splitting in monolayer systems of the transition-metal dichalcogenides MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2. All these systems are identified as direct-band-gap semiconductors. Giant spin splittings of 148–456 meV result from missing inversion symmetry. Full out-of-plane spin polarization is due to the two-dimensional nature of the electron motion and the potential gradient asymmetry. By suppression of the Dyakonov-Perel spin relaxation, spin lifetimes are expected to be very long. Because of the giant spin splittings, the studied materials have great potential in spintronics applications.

Giant spin-orbit-induced spin splitting in two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide semiconductors

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Zhiyong; Cheng, Yingchun; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2011-01-01

Fully relativistic first-principles calculations based on density functional theory are performed to study the spin-orbit-induced spin splitting in monolayer systems of the transition-metal dichalcogenides MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2. All these systems are identified as direct-band-gap semiconductors. Giant spin splittings of 148–456 meV result from missing inversion symmetry. Full out-of-plane spin polarization is due to the two-dimensional nature of the electron motion and the potential gradient asymmetry. By suppression of the Dyakonov-Perel spin relaxation, spin lifetimes are expected to be very long. Because of the giant spin splittings, the studied materials have great potential in spintronics applications.

Extragalactic Ultra-High Energy Cosmic-Rays - Part One - Contribution from Hot Spots in Fr-II Radio Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Rachen, J. P.; Biermann, P. L.

1993-05-01

The hot spots of Fanaroff-Riley class II radio galaxies, considered as working surfaces of highly collimated plasma jets, are proposed to be the dominant sources of the cosmic rays at energies above 1 EeV^a^. We apply the model of first order Fermi acceleration at strong, nonrelativistic shock waves to the hot spot region. The strength of the model has been demonstrated by Biermann & Strittmatter (1987) and by Meisenheimer et al. (1989), who explain their radio-to optical spectra and infer the physical conditions of the radiating plasma. Using synchrotron radiating electrons as a trace, we can calculate the spectrum and the maximum energy of protons accelerated under the same conditions. For simplicity, we disregard heavy nuclei, but their probable role is discussed. The normalization of proton flux injected in extragalactic space is performed by using estimates from Rawlings & Saunders (1991) for the total energy stored in relativistic particles inside the jets and radio galaxy evolution models given by Peacock (1985). We calculate the spectral modifications due to interactions of the protons with the microwave background photons in an evolving universe, following Berezinsky & Grigor'eva (1988). Constraints on the extragalactic magnetic field can be imposed, since it must permit an almost homogeneous filling of the universe with energetic protons. The observed ultra-high energy cosmic ray spectrum is reproduced in slope and flux, limited at high energies by the Greisen-cutoff at about 80 EeV. The requirements on the content of relativistic protons in jets and the constraints to the extragalactic magnetic field are consistent with common estimates. The data beyond the Greisen cutoff for protons may be explained by including heavy nuclei in our model, since they can propagate over cosmological distances up to more than 100 EeV.

UNUSUALLY LUMINOUS GIANT MOLECULAR CLOUDS IN THE OUTER DISK OF M33

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bigiel, F.; Blitz, L.; Plambeck, R. L.; Bolatto, A. D.; Leroy, A. K.; Walter, F.; Rosolowsky, E. W.; Lopez, L. A.

2010-01-01

We use high spatial resolution (∼7 pc) observations from the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter Wave Astronomy (CARMA) to derive detailed properties for eight giant molecular clouds (GMCs) at a galactocentric radius corresponding to approximately two CO scale lengths, or ∼0.5 optical radii (r 25 ), in the Local Group spiral galaxy M33. At this radius, molecular gas fraction, dust-to-gas ratio, and metallicity are much lower than in the inner part of M33 or in a typical spiral galaxy. This allows us to probe the impact of environment on GMC properties by comparing our measurements to previous data from the inner disk of M33, the Milky Way, and other nearby galaxies. The outer disk clouds roughly fall on the size-linewidth relation defined by extragalactic GMCs, but are slightly displaced from the luminosity-virial mass relation in the sense of having high CO luminosity compared to the inferred virial mass. This implies a different CO-to-H 2 conversion factor, which is on average a factor of 2 lower than the inner disk and the extragalactic average. We attribute this to significantly higher measured brightness temperatures of the outer disk clouds compared to the ancillary sample of GMCs, which is likely an effect of enhanced radiation levels due to massive star formation in the vicinity of our target field. Apart from brightness temperature, the properties we determine for the outer disk GMCs in M33 do not differ significantly from those of our comparison sample. In particular, the combined sample of inner and outer disk M33 clouds covers roughly the same range in size, line width, virial mass, and CO luminosity than the sample of Milky Way GMCs. When compared to the inner disk clouds in M33, however, we find even the brightest outer disk clouds to be smaller than most of their inner disk counterparts. This may be due to incomplete sampling or a potentially steeper cloud mass function at larger radii.

Giant Pulse Phenomena in a High Gain Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Stephen X.; Merritt, Scott; Krainak, Michael A.; Yu, Anthony

2018-01-01

High gain Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs) are vulnerable to optical damage when unseeded, e.g. due to nonlinear effects that produce random, spontaneous Q-switched (SQS) pulses with high peak power, i.e. giant pulses. Giant pulses can damage either the components within a high gain EDFA or external components and systems coupled to the EDFA. We explore the conditions under which a reflective, polarization-maintaining (PM), core-pumped high gain EDFA generates giant pulses, provide details on the evolution of normal pulses into giant pulses, and provide results on the transient effects of giant pulses on an amplifier's fused-fiber couplers, an effect which we call Fiber Overload Induced Leakage (FOIL). While FOIL's effect on fused-fiber couplers is temporary, its damage to forward pump lasers in a high gain EDFA can be permanent.

Study of extragalactic sources with H.E.S.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giebels, Berrie

2007-01-01

The field of Very High Energy (VHE) γ-ray emitting extragalactic sources has considerably evolved since the new generation of atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes (ACT) of improved sensitivity, such as H.E.S.S. array and the MAGIC ACT, have started operating. This has led to a wealth of new clues about emission mechanisms at high energy through the discovery of new sources, more accurate spectra and temporal studies of sources known previously, and simultaneous multi-wavelength (MWL) campaigns since broad band variability is a key phenomenon to the underlying physical mechanisms at play. The fact that some of these new sources are located at redshifts close to z ∼ 0.2 makes them powerful probes of the Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) through the attenuation of γ-rays above 100 GeV

Differences in the size-internal velocity relation of galactic and extragalactic HII regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odell, C.R.

1990-01-01

The nature of the size-internal velocity relation in extragalactic HII regions is examined in order to improve their use as distance determinants. The relation between the linear size and the internal velocity was compared for HII regions in the Galaxy and in external galaxies. Data for the former are from the researcher's own studies at high spatial resolution, while the latter have been the subject of spectroscopy that includes almost the entire objects. The Galactic HII regions are corrected to values of the internal velocity that would be observed if they were at extragalactic distances. A very different size-internal velocity relation was found for the two types of objects in the sense that the extragalactic objects are some ten times larger at the same internal velocity. This is interpreted to mean that the extragalactic HII regions are actually complexes of small HII regions comparable in size to their Galactic counterparts

METALLICITIES, AGE-METALLICITY RELATIONSHIPS, AND KINEMATICS OF RED GIANT BRANCH STARS IN THE OUTER DISK OF THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrera, R.; Gallart, C.; Aparicio, A.; Hardy, E.

2011-01-01

The outer disk of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is studied in order to unveil clues about its formation and evolution. Complementing our previous studies in innermost fields (3 kpc ∼< R ∼< 7 kpc), we obtained deep color-magnitude diagrams in six fields with galactocentric distances from 5.2 kpc to 9.2 kpc and different azimuths. The comparison with isochrones shows that while the oldest population is approximately coeval in all fields, the age of the youngest populations increases with increasing radius. This agrees with the results obtained in the innermost fields. Low-resolution spectroscopy in the infrared Ca II triplet region has been obtained for about 150 stars near the tip of the red giant branch in the same fields. Radial velocities and stellar metallicities have been obtained from these spectra. The metallicity distribution of each field has been analyzed together with those previously studied. The metal content of the most metal-poor objects, which are also the oldest according to the derived age-metallicity relationships, is similar in all fields independently of the galactocentric distance. However, while the metallicity of the most metal-rich objects measured, which are the youngest ones, remains constant in the inner 6 kpc, it decreases with increasing radius from there on. The same is true for the mean metallicity. According to the derived age-metallicity relationships, which are consistent with being the same in all fields, this result may be interpreted as an outside-in formation scheme in opposition with the inside-out scenario predicted by ΛCDM cosmology for a galaxy like the LMC. The analysis of the radial velocities of our sample of giants shows that they follow a rotational cold disk kinematics. The velocity dispersion increases as metallicity decreases indicating that the most metal-poor/oldest objects are distributed in a thicker disk than the most metal-rich/youngest ones in agreement with the findings in other disks such as that of

Wolf-Rayet stars associated to giant regions of star formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Odorico, S.; Rosa, M.

1982-01-01

Data on Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in extragalactic H II regions and emission line galaxies are presented and discussed. The sample is still limited and inhomogeneous but two important points appear to be already established: a) The WR stars are more numerous than the blue supergiants at least in same phase of the evolution of the stellar clusters which ionize the giant H II regions, b) When the WR stars are detected, two cases are apparently observed, one in which only WN, the other in which both WN and WC, are present. (Auth.)

Half-metallicity and giant magneto-optical Kerr effect in N-doped NaTaO3

KAUST Repository

Saeed, Yasir

2012-09-01

We use density functional theory and the modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) approach to analyze the electronic and magneto-optical properties of N-doped NaTaO 3. The mBJ results show a half-metallic nature of NaTaO 2N, in contrast to the generalized gradient approximation. We find a giant polar Kerr rotation of 2.16°at 725 nm wave length (visible region), much higher than in other half-metallic perovskites and the prototypical half-metal PtMnSb. We explain the physical origin of this unexpected property. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Correlation between Mixing Length and Metallicity on the Giant Branch: Implications for Ages in the Gaia Era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tayar, Jamie; Somers, Garrett; Pinsonneault, Marc H.; Johnson, Jennifer A.; Stello, Dennis; Mints, Alexey; Zamora, O.; García-Hernández, D. A.; Prieto, Carlos Allende; Maraston, Claudia; Serenelli, Aldo; Bastien, Fabienne A.; Basu, Sarbani; Bird, J. C.; Cohen, R. E.; Cunha, Katia; Elsworth, Yvonne; García, Rafael A.

2017-01-01

In the updated APOGEE- Kepler catalog, we have asteroseismic and spectroscopic data for over 3000 first ascent red giants. Given the size and accuracy of this sample, these data offer an unprecedented test of the accuracy of stellar models on the post-main-sequence. When we compare these data to theoretical predictions, we find a metallicity dependent temperature offset with a slope of around 100 K per dex in metallicity. We find that this effect is present in all model grids tested, and that theoretical uncertainties in the models, correlated spectroscopic errors, and shifts in the asteroseismic mass scale are insufficient to explain this effect. Stellar models can be brought into agreement with the data if a metallicity-dependent convective mixing length is used, with Δ α ML,YREC ∼ 0.2 per dex in metallicity, a trend inconsistent with the predictions of three-dimensional stellar convection simulations. If this effect is not taken into account, isochrone ages for red giants from the Gaia data will be off by as much as a factor of two even at modest deviations from solar metallicity ([Fe/H] = −0.5).

The Correlation between Mixing Length and Metallicity on the Giant Branch: Implications for Ages in the Gaia Era

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tayar, Jamie; Somers, Garrett; Pinsonneault, Marc H.; Johnson, Jennifer A. [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, OH 43210 (United States); Stello, Dennis [Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA), School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Mints, Alexey [Stellar Astrophysics Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, DK-8000 Aarhus C (Denmark); Zamora, O.; García-Hernández, D. A.; Prieto, Carlos Allende [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Vía Lactea s/n, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Maraston, Claudia [ICG—University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Road, PO1 3FX, Portsmouth (United Kingdom); Serenelli, Aldo [Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC), Carrer de Can Magrans, Barcelona, E-08193 (Spain); Bastien, Fabienne A. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 525 Davey Lab, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16803 (United States); Basu, Sarbani [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States); Bird, J. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, 6301 Stevenson Circle, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Cohen, R. E. [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción (Chile); Cunha, Katia [Observatório Nacional-MCTI (Brazil); Elsworth, Yvonne [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); García, Rafael A. [Laboratoire AIM, CEA/DRF-CNRS, Université Paris 7 Diderot, IRFU/SAp, Centre de Saclay, F-91191, Gif-sur-Yvette (France); and others

2017-05-01

In the updated APOGEE- Kepler catalog, we have asteroseismic and spectroscopic data for over 3000 first ascent red giants. Given the size and accuracy of this sample, these data offer an unprecedented test of the accuracy of stellar models on the post-main-sequence. When we compare these data to theoretical predictions, we find a metallicity dependent temperature offset with a slope of around 100 K per dex in metallicity. We find that this effect is present in all model grids tested, and that theoretical uncertainties in the models, correlated spectroscopic errors, and shifts in the asteroseismic mass scale are insufficient to explain this effect. Stellar models can be brought into agreement with the data if a metallicity-dependent convective mixing length is used, with Δ α {sub ML,YREC} ∼ 0.2 per dex in metallicity, a trend inconsistent with the predictions of three-dimensional stellar convection simulations. If this effect is not taken into account, isochrone ages for red giants from the Gaia data will be off by as much as a factor of two even at modest deviations from solar metallicity ([Fe/H] = −0.5).

Extragalactic Gravitational Collapse

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, Martin J.

After some introductory "numerology", routes towards black hole formation are briefly reviewed; some properties of black holes relevant to theories for active galactic nuclei are then described. Applications are considered to specific models for energy generation and the production of relativistic beams. The paper concludes with a discussion of extragalactic sources of gravitational waves.

Infrared observations of extragalactic sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleinmann, D.E.

1977-01-01

The available balloon-borne and airborne infrared data on extragalactic sources, in particular M 82, NGC 1068 and NGC 253, is reviewed and discussed in the context of the extensive groundbased work. The data is examined for the clues they provide on the nature of the ultimate source of the energy radiated and on the mechanism(s) by which it is radiated. Since the discovery of unexpectedly powerful infrared radiation from extragalactic objects - a discovery now about 10 years old - the outstanding problems in this field have been to determine (1) the mechanism by which prodigious amounts of energy are released in the infrared, and (2) the nature of the underlying energy source. (Auth.)

New properties of giant resonances in highly excited nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morsch, H.P.

1991-01-01

Studies on the giant dipole resonance in very hot nuclei investigated in heavy ion-induced particle-γ coincidence experiments are reviewed. A signature is found in the γ-decay of excited nuceli which shows direct decay of the giant dipole resonance. This provides a new dimension in giant resonance studies and the possibility to study the dependence of giant resonance energy, width and sum rule strength on excitation energy and rotation of the system. Further, the fact that the giant resonance splits in deformed nuclei provides a unique way to get information on the shape of hot nuclei. First results are obtained on the following questions: (i)What is the nuclear shape at high temperature (T≥2 MeV)? (ii)Is there a phase transition in the nuclear shape at T∼1.7 MeV? (iii)Does motional narrowing exist in hot nuclei? (author). 19 refs., 11 figs

Changes in the metallicity of gas giant planets due to pebble accretion

Science.gov (United States)

Humphries, R. J.; Nayakshin, S.

2018-06-01

We run numerical simulations to study the accretion of gas and dust grains on to gas giant planets embedded into massive protoplanetary discs. The outcome is found to depend on the disc cooling rate, planet mass, grain size, and irradiative feedback from the planet. If radiative cooling is efficient, planets accrete both gas and pebbles rapidly, open a gap, and usually become massive brown dwarfs. In the inefficient cooling case, gas is too hot to accrete on to the planet but pebble accretion continues and the planets migrate inward rapidly. Radiative feedback from the planet tends to suppress gas accretion. Our simulations predict that metal enrichment of planets by dust grain accretion inversely correlates with the final planet mass, in accordance with the observed trend in the inferred bulk composition of Solar system and exosolar giant planets. To account for observations, however, as many as ˜30-50 per cent of the dust mass should be in the form of large grains.

Extragalactic globular clusters. I. The metallicity calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brodie, J.P.; Huchra, J.P.

1990-01-01

The ability of absorption-line strength indices, measured from integrated globular cluster spectra, to predict mean cluster metallicity is explored. Statistical criteria, are used to identify the six best indices out of about 20 measured in a large sample of Galactic and M31 cluster spectra. Linear relations between index and metallicity have been derived along with new calibrations of infrared colors (V - K, J - K, and CO) versus Fe/H. Estimates of metallicity from the six spectroscopic index-metallicity relations have been combined in three different ways to identify the most efficient estimator and the minimum bias estimator of Fe/H - the weighted mean. This provides an estimate of Fe/H accurate to about 15 percent. 37 refs

The effects of age on red giant metallicities derived from the near-infrared CaII triplet

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cole, AA; Smecker-Hane, TA; Tolstoy, E; Bosler, TL; Gallagher, JS

2004-01-01

We have obtained spectra with a resolution of similar to2.5 Angstrom in the region of approximate to7500-9500 Angstrom for 116 red giants in five galactic globular clusters and six old open clusters (five with published metallicities and one previously unmeasured). The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio

High-Energy Cosmic Ray Self-Confinement Close to Extra-Galactic Sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Blasi, Pasquale; Amato, Elena; D'Angelo, Marta

2015-09-18

The ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays observed on the Earth are most likely accelerated in extra-Galactic sources. For the typical luminosities invoked for such sources, the electric current associated to the flux of cosmic rays that leave them is large. The associated plasma instabilities create magnetic fluctuations that can efficiently scatter particles. We argue that this phenomenon forces cosmic rays to be self-confined in the source proximity for energies Esources for energies Esource luminosity in units of 10^{44} erg/s.

Transition from galactic to extra-galactic cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aloisio, Roberto

2006-01-01

In this paper we review the main features of the observed Cosmic Rays spectrum in the energy range 10 17 eV to 10 20 eV. We present a theoretical model that explains the main observed features of the spectrum, namely the second Knee and Dip, and implies a transition from Galactic to Extra-Galactic cosmic rays at energy E ≅ 10 18 eV, with a proton dominated Extra-Galactic spectrum

The transition from galactic to extragalactic cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanev, Todor [Bartol Research Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)

2007-06-15

We discuss the region of transition between galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays. The exact shapes and compositions of these two components contain information about important parameters of powerful astrophysical sources and the conditions in extragalactic space. Several types of experimental data, including the exact shape of the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays, their chemical composition and their anisotropy, and the fluxes of cosmogenic neutrinos have to be included in the solution of this problem.

Extragalactic sources in Cosmic Microwave Background maps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zotti, G. De; Castex, G. [SISSA, via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste (Italy); González-Nuevo, J. [Departamento de Física, Universidad de Oviedo, C. Calvo Sotelo s/n, 33007 Oviedo (Spain); Lopez-Caniego, M. [European Space Agency, ESAC, Planck Science Office, Camino bajo del Castillo, s/n, Urbanización Villafranca del Castillo, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid (Spain); Negrello, M.; Clemens, M. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, vicolo dell' Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Cai, Z.-Y. [CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Department of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Delabrouille, J. [APC, 10, rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, 75205 Paris Cedex 13 (France); Herranz, D.; Bonavera, L. [Instituto de Física de Cantabria (CSIC-UC), avda. los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander (Spain); Melin, J.-B. [DSM/Irfu/SPP, CEA-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Tucci, M. [Département de Physique Théorique and Center for Astroparticle Physics, Université de Genève, 24 quai Ansermet, CH-1211 Genève 4 (Switzerland); Serjeant, S. [Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA (United Kingdom); Bilicki, M. [Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre, Department of Astronomy, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch (South Africa); Andreani, P., E-mail: gianfranco.dezotti@oapd.inaf.it, E-mail: gcastex@sissa.it, E-mail: gnuevo@uniovi.es, E-mail: marcos.lopez.caniego@sciops.esa.int [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748, Garching (Germany); and others

2015-06-01

We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne CMB experiment for studies of extragalactic sources with reference to COrE+, a project submitted to ESA in response to the call for a Medium-size mission (M4). We consider three possible options for the telescope size: 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m (although the last option is probably impractical, given the M4 boundary conditions). The proposed instrument will be far more sensitive than Planck and will have a diffraction-limited angular resolution. These properties imply that even the 1 m telescope option will perform substantially better than Planck for studies of extragalactic sources. The source detection limits as a function of frequency have been estimated by means of realistic simulations taking into account all the relevant foregrounds. Predictions for the various classes of extragalactic sources are based on up-to-date models. The most significant improvements over Planck results are presented for each option. COrE+ will provide much larger samples of truly local star-forming galaxies (by about a factor of 8 for the 1 m telescope, of 17 for 1.5 m, of 30 for 2 m), making possible analyses of the properties of galaxies (luminosity functions, dust mass functions, star formation rate functions, dust temperature distributions, etc.) across the Hubble sequence. Even more interestingly, COrE+ will detect, at |b| > 30°, thousands of strongly gravitationally lensed galaxies (about 2,000, 6,000 and 13,000 for the 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m options, respectively). Such large samples are of extraordinary astrophysical and cosmological value in many fields. Moreover, COrE+ high frequency maps will be optimally suited to pick up proto-clusters of dusty galaxies, i.e. to investigate the evolution of large scale structure at larger redshifts than can be reached by other means. Thanks to its high sensitivity COrE+ will also yield a spectacular advance in the blind detection of extragalactic sources in polarization: we expect that

Extragalactic sources in Cosmic Microwave Background maps

Science.gov (United States)

De Zotti, G.; Castex, G.; González-Nuevo, J.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Negrello, M.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Clemens, M.; Delabrouille, J.; Herranz, D.; Bonavera, L.; Melin, J.-B.; Tucci, M.; Serjeant, S.; Bilicki, M.; Andreani, P.; Clements, D. L.; Toffolatti, L.; Roukema, B. F.

2015-06-01

We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne CMB experiment for studies of extragalactic sources with reference to COrE+, a project submitted to ESA in response to the call for a Medium-size mission (M4). We consider three possible options for the telescope size: 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m (although the last option is probably impractical, given the M4 boundary conditions). The proposed instrument will be far more sensitive than Planck and will have a diffraction-limited angular resolution. These properties imply that even the 1 m telescope option will perform substantially better than Planck for studies of extragalactic sources. The source detection limits as a function of frequency have been estimated by means of realistic simulations taking into account all the relevant foregrounds. Predictions for the various classes of extragalactic sources are based on up-to-date models. The most significant improvements over Planck results are presented for each option. COrE+ will provide much larger samples of truly local star-forming galaxies (by about a factor of 8 for the 1 m telescope, of 17 for 1.5 m, of 30 for 2 m), making possible analyses of the properties of galaxies (luminosity functions, dust mass functions, star formation rate functions, dust temperature distributions, etc.) across the Hubble sequence. Even more interestingly, COrE+ will detect, at |b| > 30°, thousands of strongly gravitationally lensed galaxies (about 2,000, 6,000 and 13,000 for the 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m options, respectively). Such large samples are of extraordinary astrophysical and cosmological value in many fields. Moreover, COrE+ high frequency maps will be optimally suited to pick up proto-clusters of dusty galaxies, i.e. to investigate the evolution of large scale structure at larger redshifts than can be reached by other means. Thanks to its high sensitivity COrE+ will also yield a spectacular advance in the blind detection of extragalactic sources in polarization: we expect that it

The temperature dependence of giant resonances in high-excited nucleus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ming; Song Hongqiu

1991-01-01

The Hartree-Fock equation and the linear response theory in finite temperature are used to calculate the positions and transition strenghths of the giant resonances of high-excited nucleus Pb 208 . The result shows a downward shift and a broadening of the giant resonance energies as temperatrue increases

Optical spectroscopy of ten extragalactic radiosources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rawlings, S.; Riley, J.M.; Saunders, R.

1989-01-01

We present optical spectroscopy of ten objects associated with extra-galactic radiosources, using the University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope. Redshifts are measured for four radiogalaxies (B20217 + 36A + B, 3C73, 0648 + 19A, 0648 + 19B) and for a galaxy which is probably associated with a double radio-source with highly unusual properties (0951 + 37); existing redshifts are confirmed for two radiogalaxies (4C39.04, 4C40.08); and a tentative redshift of z=2.87 measured for the quasar 3C82. (author)

Thermal spin filtering effect and giant magnetoresistance of half-metallic graphene nanoribbon co-doped with non-metallic Nitrogen and Boron

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hai; Zheng, Anmin; Gao, Guoying; Yao, Kailun

2018-03-01

Ab initio calculations based on density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function are performed to investigate the thermal spin transport properties of single-hydrogen-saturated zigzag graphene nanoribbon co-doped with non-metallic Nitrogen and Boron in parallel and anti-parallel spin configurations. The results show that the doped graphene nanoribbon is a full half-metal. The two-probe system based on the doped graphene nanoribbon exhibits various excellent spin transport properties, including the spin-filtering effect, the spin Seebeck effect, the single-spin negative differential thermal resistance effect and the sign-reversible giant magnetoresistance feature. Excellently, the spin-filtering efficiency can reach nearly 100% in the parallel configuration and the magnetoresistance ratio can be up to -1.5 × 1010% by modulating the electrode temperature and temperature gradient. Our findings indicate that the metal-free doped graphene nanoribbon would be a promising candidate for spin caloritronic applications.

Fluid dynamics of giant resonances on high spin states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Nardo, M.; Di Toro, M.; Giansiracusa, G.; Lombardo, U.; Russo, G.

1983-01-01

We describe giant resonances built on high spin states along the yrast line as scaling solutions of a linearized Vlasov equation in a rotating frame obtained from a TDHF theory in phase space. For oblate cranked solutions we get a shift and a splitting of the isoscalar giant resonances in terms of the angular velocity. Results are shown for 40 Ca and 168 Er. The relative CM strengths are also calculated. (orig.)

High redshift quasars and high metallicities

Science.gov (United States)

Ferland, Gary J.

1997-01-01

A large-scale code called Cloudy was designed to simulate non-equilibrium plasmas and predict their spectra. The goal was to apply it to studies of galactic and extragalactic emission line objects in order to reliably deduce abundances and luminosities. Quasars are of particular interest because they are the most luminous objects in the universe and the highest redshift objects that can be observed spectroscopically, and their emission lines can reveal the composition of the interstellar medium (ISM) of the universe when it was well under a billion years old. The lines are produced by warm (approximately 10(sup 4)K) gas with moderate to low density (n less than or equal to 10(sup 12) cm(sup -3)). Cloudy has been extended to include approximately 10(sup 4) resonance lines from the 495 possible stages of ionization of the lightest 30 elements, an extension that required several steps. The charge transfer database was expanded to complete the needed reactions between hydrogen and the first four ions and fit all reactions with a common approximation. Radiative recombination rate coefficients were derived for recombination from all closed shells, where this process should dominate. Analytical fits to Opacity Project (OP) and other recent photoionization cross sections were produced. Finally, rescaled OP oscillator strengths were used to compile a complete set of data for 5971 resonance lines. The major discovery has been that high redshift quasars have very high metallicities and there is strong evidence that the quasar phenomenon is associated with the birth of massive elliptical galaxies.

Is PKS 2155 an extragalactic source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maraschi, L.; Treves, A. (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan (Italy). Lab. di Fisica Cosmica e Tecnologie Relative; Milan Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Fisica); Tanzi, E.G. (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan (Italy). Lab. di Fisica Cosmica e Tecnologie Relative); Tarenghi, M. (European Southern Observatory, Garching (Germany, F.R.))

1981-01-01

We present here observations in the far ultraviolet (1200-3000 Angstroem) obtained with I.U.E. The presence of weak variable emission features is discussed and the extragalactic nature of the object is questioned.

New Limits on Extragalactic Magnetic Fields from Rotation Measures

Science.gov (United States)

Pshirkov, M. S.; Tinyakov, P. G.; Urban, F. R.

2016-05-01

We take advantage of the wealth of rotation measures data contained in the NRAO VLA Sky Survey catalog to derive new, statistically robust, upper limits on the strength of extragalactic magnetic fields. We simulate the extragalactic magnetic field contribution to the rotation measures for a given field strength and correlation length, by assuming that the electron density follows the distribution of Lyman-α clouds. Based on the observation that rotation measures from distant radio sources do not exhibit any trend with redshift, while the extragalactic contribution instead grows with distance, we constrain fields with Jeans' length coherence length to be below 1.7 nG at the 2 σ level, and fields coherent across the entire observable Universe below 0.65 nG. These limits do not depend on the particular origin of these cosmological fields.

The nature of extragalactic radio-jets from high-resolution radio-interferometric observations

OpenAIRE

Perucho, Manel

2014-01-01

Extragalactic jets are a common feature of radio-loud active galaxies. The nature of the observed jets in relation to the bulk flow is still unclear. In particular it is not clear whether the observations of parsec-scale jets using the very long baseline interferometric technique (VLBI) reveal wave-like structures that develop and propagate along the jet, or trace the jet flow itself. In this contribution I review the evidence collected during the last years showing that the ridge-lines of he...

Extragalactic origin of gamma-ray bursts. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, M.; Teller, E.

1984-01-01

Detectors of gamma-rays carried by satellites and later by high-flying balloons showed the existence of events lasting from fifteen milliseconds to about a hundred seconds, arriving from all directions in space. A few hundred events have been observed in a little more than a decade. The energy of gamma-rays range from a few kilovolts to millions of volts. Recent evidence indicates that considerable energy may be carried at least in some cases even above 10 MeV. But the bulk of the energy appeared to be emitted between 100 and 200 keV. The observed intensities range between 10 -3 and 10 -7 ergs/cm 2 . The simple facts about intensity distribution are compatible with two extreme assumptions but exclude intermediate hypotheses. Either the events occur in our own galaxy in a region smaller than the thickness of the galaxy or they are of extragalactic origin and come from distant galaxies. Practically all attempted explanations have made the former explanation which requires that a mass of approximately 10 20 grams impinges on a neutron star (assuming a near to 100% conversion of gravitational energy available on the surface of the neutron star or 10 20 ergs/gram into gamma-rays which, of course, is unrealistic). In case of an extragalactic origin, the neutron star must attract and convert, as we shall see, about 2 x 10 30 grams or 10 -3 of the solar mass. It is perhaps the size of such events which deterred a detailed discussion of this alternative. Montgomery Johnson and I have tried to assume these big collisions, explore the consequences, and I shall talk about this extragalactic hypothesis

Is PKS 2155 an extragalactic source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maraschi, L.; Treves, A.

1981-01-01

We present here observations in the far ultraviolet (1200-3000 Angstroem) obtained with I.U.E. The presence of weak variable emission features is discussed and the extragalactic nature of the object is questioned. (orig./WL)

A Bayesian approach shows no correlation between transit-depth and stellar metallicity for confirmed and candidates Kepler gas giants planets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nehmé, C; Sarkis, P

2017-01-01

Previous study to investigate the correlation between the transit depth and the stellar metallicity of Kepler’s (Q1-Q12) gas giant planets (radii of 5-20R ⊙ ) has led to a weakly significant negative correlation. We use the cumulative catalog of planets detected by the NASA Kepler mission Q1-Q17 catalog, as of April 2015, to perform a solid statistical analysis of this correlation. In the present work, we revise this correlation, within a Bayesian framework, for two large samples: sample A confirmed planets and sample B (confirmed + candidates). We expand a hierarchical method to account for false positives in the studied samples. Our statistical analysis reveals no correlation between the transit depth and the stellar metallicity. This has implications for planet formation theory and interior structure of giant planets. (paper)

High temperature equation of state of metallic hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shvets, V. T.

2007-01-01

The equation of state of liquid metallic hydrogen is solved numerically. Investigations are carried out at temperatures from 3000 to 20 000 K and densities from 0.2 to 3 mol/cm 3 , which correspond both to the experimental conditions under which metallic hydrogen is produced on earth and the conditions in the cores of giant planets of the solar system such as Jupiter and Saturn. It is assumed that hydrogen is in an atomic state and all its electrons are collectivized. Perturbation theory in the electron-proton interaction is applied to determine the thermodynamic potentials of metallic hydrogen. The electron subsystem is considered in the randomphase approximation with regard to the exchange interaction and the correlation of electrons in the local-field approximation. The proton-proton interaction is taken into account in the hard-spheres approximation. The thermodynamic characteristics of metallic hydrogen are calculated with regard to the zero-, second-, and third-order perturbation theory terms. The third-order term proves to be rather essential at moderately high temperatures and densities, although it is much smaller than the second-order term. The thermodynamic potentials of metallic hydrogen are monotonically increasing functions of density and temperature. The values of pressure for the temperatures and pressures that are characteristic of the conditions under which metallic hydrogen is produced on earth coincide with the corresponding values reported by the discoverers of metallic hydrogen to a high degree of accuracy. The temperature and density ranges are found in which there exists a liquid phase of metallic hydrogen

At what particle energy do extragalactic cosmic rays start to predominate?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wibig, Tadeusz; Wolfendale, Arnold W

2005-01-01

We have previously argued (e.g. Szabelski et al 2002 Astropart. Phys. 17 125) that the well-known 'ankle' in the cosmic ray energy spectrum, at log E (eV) ∼ 18.7-19.0, marks the transition from mainly galactic sources at lower energies to mainly extragalactic above. Recently, however, there have been claims for lower transitional energies, specifically from log E (eV) ∼ 17.0 (Thompson et al 2004 Proc. Catania Cosmic Ray Conf.) via 17.2-17.8 (Berezinsky et al 2004 Astropart. Phys. 21 617) to 18.0 (Hillas 2004 Proc. Leeds Cosmic Ray Conf.). In our model the ankle arises naturally from the sum of simple power law-spectra with slopes differing by Δγ ∼ 1.8; from differential slope γ = -3.8 for galactic particles (near log E = 19) to γ ∼ -2.0 for extragalactic sources. In the other models, on the other hand, the ankle is intrinsic to the extragalactic component alone, and arises from the shape of the rate of energy loss versus energy for the (assumed) protons interacting with the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Our detailed analysis of the world's data on the ultra-high energy spectrum shows that taken together, or separately, the resulting mean sharpness of the ankle (second derivative of the log(intensity x E 3 ) with respect to log E) is consistent with our 'mixed' model. For explanation in terms of extragalactic particles alone, however, the ankle will be at the wrong energy-for reasonable production models and of insufficient magnitude if, as seems likely, there is still a significant fraction of heavy nuclei at the ankle energy

Spectroscopy of late type giant stars

Science.gov (United States)

Spaenhauer, A.; Thevenin, F.

1984-06-01

An attempt to calibrate broadband RGU colors of late type giant stars in terms of the physical parameters of the objects is reported. The parameters comprise the effective temperature, surface gravity and global metal abundance with respect to the sun. A selection of 21 giant star candidates in the Basel fields Plaut 1, Centaurus III and near HD 95540 were examined to obtain a two color plot. Attention is focused on the G-R color range 1.5-2.15 mag, i.e., spectral types K0-K5. A relationship between R and the metallicity is quantified and shown to have a correlation coefficient of 0.93. No correlation is found between metallicity and gravity or R and the effective temperature.

THE SEGUE K GIANT SURVEY. III. QUANTIFYING GALACTIC HALO SUBSTRUCTURE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janesh, William; Morrison, Heather L.; Ma, Zhibo; Harding, Paul [Department of Astronomy, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Rockosi, Constance [UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Starkenburg, Else [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700, STN CSC, Victoria BC V8W 3P6 (Canada); Xue, Xiang Xiang; Rix, Hans-Walter [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Beers, Timothy C. [Department of Physics and JINA Center for the Evolution of the Elements, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Johnson, Jennifer [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Lee, Young Sun [Department of Astronomy and Space Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134 (Korea, Republic of); Schneider, Donald P. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2016-01-10

We statistically quantify the amount of substructure in the Milky Way stellar halo using a sample of 4568 halo K giant stars at Galactocentric distances ranging over 5–125 kpc. These stars have been selected photometrically and confirmed spectroscopically as K giants from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey’s Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration project. Using a position–velocity clustering estimator (the 4distance) and a model of a smooth stellar halo, we quantify the amount of substructure in the halo, divided by distance and metallicity. Overall, we find that the halo as a whole is highly structured. We also confirm earlier work using blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars which showed that there is an increasing amount of substructure with increasing Galactocentric radius, and additionally find that the amount of substructure in the halo increases with increasing metallicity. Comparing to resampled BHB stars, we find that K giants and BHBs have similar amounts of substructure over equivalent ranges of Galactocentric radius. Using a friends-of-friends algorithm to identify members of individual groups, we find that a large fraction (∼33%) of grouped stars are associated with Sgr, and identify stars belonging to other halo star streams: the Orphan Stream, the Cetus Polar Stream, and others, including previously unknown substructures. A large fraction of sample K giants (more than 50%) are not grouped into any substructure. We find also that the Sgr stream strongly dominates groups in the outer halo for all except the most metal-poor stars, and suggest that this is the source of the increase of substructure with Galactocentric radius and metallicity.

POPULATION EFFECTS ON THE METALLICITY DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION DERIVED FROM THE RED GIANT BRANCH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ordoñez, Antonio J.; Sarajedini, Ata

2015-01-01

We have tested the reliability of the red giant branch (RGB) as a metallicity indicator accounting for observational errors as well as the complexity of star formation histories and chemical evolution histories observed in various stellar systems. We generate model color–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) produced with a variety of evolutionary histories and compare the resultant metallicity estimates from the colors and magnitudes of RGB stars to the true input metallicities. We include realistic models for photometric errors and completeness in our synthetic CMDs. As expected, for simple simple stellar populations dominated by old stars, the RGB provides a very accurate estimate of the modular metallicity value for a population. An error in the age of a system targeted for this type of study may produce metallicity errors of a few tenths of a dex. The size of this metallicity error depends linearly on the age error, and we find this dependence to be stronger with more precise photometry. If the population has experienced any significant star formation within the last ∼6 Gyr, the metallicity estimates, [M/H], derived from the RGB may be in error by up to ∼0.5 dex. Perhaps the most important consideration for this technique is an accurate, independent estimate of the average age for the target stellar system, especially if it is probable that a significant fraction of the population formed less than ∼6 Gyr ago

EoR Foregrounds: the Faint Extragalactic Radio Sky

Science.gov (United States)

Prandoni, Isabella

2018-05-01

A wealth of new data from upgraded and new radio interferometers are rapidly improving and transforming our understanding of the faint extra-galactic radio sky. Indeed the mounting statistics at sub-mJy and μJy flux levels is finally allowing us to get stringent observational constraints on the faint radio population and on the modeling of its various components. In this paper I will provide a brief overview of the latest results in areas that are potentially important for an accurate treatment of extra-galactic foregrounds in experiments designed to probe the Epoch of Reionization.

Quantitative spectroscopy of blue supergiants in metal-poor dwarf galaxy NGC 3109

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosek, Matthew W. Jr.; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Bresolin, Fabio; Urbaneja, Miguel A.; Przybilla, Norbert; Evans, Christopher J.; Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Gieren, Wolfgang; Carraro, Giovanni

2014-01-01

We present a quantitative analysis of the low-resolution (∼4.5 Å) spectra of 12 late-B and early-A blue supergiants (BSGs) in the metal-poor dwarf galaxy NGC 3109. A modified method of analysis is presented which does not require use of the Balmer jump as an independent T eff indicator, as used in previous studies. We determine stellar effective temperatures, gravities, metallicities, reddening, and luminosities, and combine our sample with the early-B-type BSGs analyzed by Evans et al. to derive the distance to NGC 3109 using the flux-weighted gravity-luminosity relation (FGLR). Using primarily Fe-group elements, we find an average metallicity of [ Z-bar ] = –0.67 ± 0.13, and no evidence of a metallicity gradient in the galaxy. Our metallicities are higher than those found by Evans et al. based on the oxygen abundances of early-B supergiants ([ Z-bar ] = –0.93 ± 0.07), suggesting a low α/Fe ratio for the galaxy. We adjust the position of NGC 3109 on the BSG-determined galaxy mass-metallicity relation accordingly and compare it to metallicity studies of H II regions in star-forming galaxies. We derive an FGLR distance modulus of 25.55 ± 0.09 (1.27 Mpc) that compares well with Cepheid and tip of the red giant branch distances. The FGLR itself is consistent with those found in other galaxies, demonstrating the reliability of this method as a measure of extragalactic distances.

Quantitative spectroscopy of blue supergiants in metal-poor dwarf galaxy NGC 3109

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosek, Matthew W. Jr.; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Bresolin, Fabio [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Urbaneja, Miguel A.; Przybilla, Norbert [Institute for Astro and Particle Physics, A-6020 Innsbruck University (Austria); Evans, Christopher J. [UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Gieren, Wolfgang [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción (Chile); Carraro, Giovanni, E-mail: mwhosek@ifa.hawaii.edu, E-mail: kud@ifa.hawaii.edu, E-mail: bresolin@ifa.hawaii.edu, E-mail: Miguel.Urbaneja-Perez@uibk.ac.at, E-mail: Norbert.Przybilla@uibk.ac.at, E-mail: chris.evans@stfc.ac.uk, E-mail: pietrzyn@astrouw.edu.pl, E-mail: wgieren@astro-udec.cl, E-mail: gcarraro@eso.org [European Southern Observatory, La Silla Paranal Observatory (Chile)

2014-04-20

We present a quantitative analysis of the low-resolution (∼4.5 Å) spectra of 12 late-B and early-A blue supergiants (BSGs) in the metal-poor dwarf galaxy NGC 3109. A modified method of analysis is presented which does not require use of the Balmer jump as an independent T {sub eff} indicator, as used in previous studies. We determine stellar effective temperatures, gravities, metallicities, reddening, and luminosities, and combine our sample with the early-B-type BSGs analyzed by Evans et al. to derive the distance to NGC 3109 using the flux-weighted gravity-luminosity relation (FGLR). Using primarily Fe-group elements, we find an average metallicity of [ Z-bar ] = –0.67 ± 0.13, and no evidence of a metallicity gradient in the galaxy. Our metallicities are higher than those found by Evans et al. based on the oxygen abundances of early-B supergiants ([ Z-bar ] = –0.93 ± 0.07), suggesting a low α/Fe ratio for the galaxy. We adjust the position of NGC 3109 on the BSG-determined galaxy mass-metallicity relation accordingly and compare it to metallicity studies of H II regions in star-forming galaxies. We derive an FGLR distance modulus of 25.55 ± 0.09 (1.27 Mpc) that compares well with Cepheid and tip of the red giant branch distances. The FGLR itself is consistent with those found in other galaxies, demonstrating the reliability of this method as a measure of extragalactic distances.

The Segue K giant survey. II. A catalog of distance determinations for the Segue K giants in the galactic halo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue, Xiang-Xiang; Rix, Hans-Walter; Ma, Zhibo; Morrison, Heather L.; Harding, Paul; Beers, Timothy C.; Ivans, Inese I.; Jacobson, Heather R.; Johnson, Jennifer; Lee, Young Sun; Lucatello, Sara; Rockosi, Constance M.; Sobeck, Jennifer S.; Yanny, Brian; Zhao, Gang; Allende Prieto, Carlos

2014-01-01

We present an online catalog of distance determinations for 6036 K giants, most of which are members of the Milky Way's stellar halo. Their medium-resolution spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey/Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration are used to derive metallicities and rough gravity estimates, along with radial velocities. Distance moduli are derived from a comparison of each star's apparent magnitude with the absolute magnitude of empirically calibrated color-luminosity fiducials, at the observed (g – r) 0 color and spectroscopic [Fe/H]. We employ a probabilistic approach that makes it straightforward to properly propagate the errors in metallicities, magnitudes, and colors into distance uncertainties. We also fold in prior information about the giant-branch luminosity function and the different metallicity distributions of the SEGUE K-giant targeting sub-categories. We show that the metallicity prior plays a small role in the distance estimates, but that neglecting the luminosity prior could lead to a systematic distance modulus bias of up to 0.25 mag, compared to the case of using the luminosity prior. We find a median distance precision of 16%, with distance estimates most precise for the least metal-poor stars near the tip of the red giant branch. The precision and accuracy of our distance estimates are validated with observations of globular and open clusters. The stars in our catalog are up to 125 kpc from the Galactic center, with 283 stars beyond 50 kpc, forming the largest available spectroscopic sample of distant tracers in the Galactic halo.

Extragalactic astronomy and cosmology an introduction

CERN Document Server

Schneider, Peter

2015-01-01

Accounting for the astonishing developments in the field of Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology, this second edition has been updated and substantially expanded. Starting with the description of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, this cogently written textbook introduces the reader to the astronomy of galaxies, their structure, active galactic nuclei, evolution and large scale distribution in the Universe. After an extensive and thorough introduction to modern observational and theoretical cosmology, the focus turns to the formation of structures and astronomical objects in the early Universe. The basics of classical astronomy and stellar astrophysics needed for extragalactic astronomy are provided in the appendix. The new edition incorporates some of the most spectacular results from new observatories like the Galaxy Evolution Explorer, Herschel, ALMA, WMAP and Planck, as well as new instruments and multi-wavelength campaigns which have expanded our understanding of the Universe and the objects populating it....

Kinematics and Metallicity of M31 Red Giants: The Giant Southern Stream and Discovery of a Second Cold Component at R=20 kpc

Science.gov (United States)

Kalirai, Jasonjot S.; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Gilbert, Karoline M.; Reitzel, David B.; Majewski, Steven R.; Rich, R. Michael; Cooper, Michael C.

2006-04-01

We present spectroscopic observations of red giant branch (RGB) stars in the Andromeda spiral galaxy (M31), acquired with the DEIMOS instrument on the Keck II 10 m telescope. The three fields targeted in this study are in the M31 spheroid, outer disk, and giant southern stream. In this paper, we focus on the kinematics and chemical composition of RGB stars in the stream field located at a projected distance of R=20 kpc from M31's center. A mix of stellar populations is found in this field. M31 RGB stars are isolated from Milky Way dwarf star contaminants using a variety of spectral and photometric diagnostics. The radial velocity distribution of RGB stars displays a clear bimodality-a primary peak centered at v¯1=-513 km s-1 and a secondary one at v¯2=-417 km s-1-along with an underlying broad component that is presumably representative of the smooth spheroid of M31. Both peaks are found to be dynamically cold with intrinsic velocity dispersions of σ(v)~16 km s-1. The mean metallicity and metallicity dispersion of stars in the two peaks is also found to be similar: ~-0.45 and σ([Fe/H])=0.2. The observed velocity of the primary peak is consistent with that predicted by dynamical models for the stream, but there is no obvious explanation for the secondary peak. The nature of the secondary cold population is unclear: it may represent (1) tidal debris from a satellite merger event that is superimposed on, but unrelated to, the giant southern stream; (2) a wrapped around component of the giant southern stream; or (3) a warp or overdensity in M31's disk at Rdisk>50 kpc (this component is well above the outward extrapolation of the smooth exponential disk brightness profile). Data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous

Searching for Extragalactic Sources in the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Baravalle, Laura D.; Alonso, M. Victoria; Nilo Castellón, José Luis; Beamín, Juan Carlos; Minniti, Dante

2018-01-01

We search for extragalactic sources in the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea survey that are hidden by the Galaxy. Herein, we describe our photometric procedure to find and characterize extragalactic objects using a combination of SExtractor and PSFEx. It was applied in two tiles of the survey: d010 and d115, without previous extragalactic IR detections, in order to obtain photometric parameters of the detected sources. The adopted criteria to define extragalactic candidates include CLASSSTAR 0.002 and the colors: 0.5 0.44 mag. We detected 345 and 185 extragalactic candidates in the d010 and d115 tiles, respectively. All of them were visually inspected and confirmed to be galaxies. In general, they are small and more circular objects, due to the near-IR sensitivity to select more compact objects with higher surface brightness. The procedure will be used to identify extragalactic objects in other tiles of the VVV disk, which will allow us to study the distribution of galaxies and filaments hidden by the Milky Way.

A Science Portal and Archive for Extragalactic Globular Cluster Systems Data

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Michael; Rhode, Katherine L.; Gopu, Arvind

2015-01-01

For several years we have been carrying out a wide-field imaging survey of the globular cluster populations of a sample of giant spiral, S0, and elliptical galaxies with distances of ~10-30 Mpc. We use mosaic CCD cameras on the WIYN 3.5-m and Kitt Peak 4-m telescopes to acquire deep BVR imaging of each galaxy and then analyze the data to derive global properties of the globular cluster system. In addition to measuring the total numbers, specific frequencies, spatial distributions, and color distributions for the globular cluster populations, we have produced deep, high-quality images and lists of tens to thousands of globular cluster candidates for the ~40 galaxies included in the survey.With the survey nearing completion, we have been exploring how to efficiently disseminate not only the overall results, but also all of the relevant data products, to the astronomical community. Here we present our solution: a scientific portal and archive for extragalactic globular cluster systems data. With a modern and intuitive web interface built on the same framework as the WIYN One Degree Imager Portal, Pipeline, and Archive (ODI-PPA), our system will provide public access to the survey results and the final stacked mosaic images of the target galaxies. In addition, the astrometric and photometric data for thousands of identified globular cluster candidates, as well as for all point sources detected in each field, will be indexed and searchable. Where available, spectroscopic follow-up data will be paired with the candidates. Advanced imaging tools will enable users to overlay the cluster candidates and other sources on the mosaic images within the web interface, while metadata charting tools will allow users to rapidly and seamlessly plot the survey results for each galaxy and the data for hundreds of thousands of individual sources. Finally, we will appeal to other researchers with similar data products and work toward making our portal a central repository for data

Filling the gap between the quantum and classical worlds of nanoscale magnetism: giant molecular aggregates based on paramagnetic 3d metal ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Papatriantafyllopoulou, Constantina; Moushi, Eleni E; Christou, George; Tasiopoulos, Anastasios J

2016-03-21

In this review, aspects of the syntheses, structures and magnetic properties of giant 3d and 3d/4f paramagnetic metal clusters in moderate oxidation states are discussed. The term "giant clusters" is used herein to denote metal clusters with nuclearity of 30 or greater. Many synthetic strategies towards such species have been developed and are discussed in this paper. Attempts are made to categorize some of the most successful methods to giant clusters, but it will be pointed out that the characteristics of the crystal structures of such compounds including nuclearity, shape, architecture, etc. are unpredictable depending on the specific structural features of the included organic ligands, reaction conditions and other factors. The majority of the described compounds in this review are of special interest not only for their fascinating nanosized structures but also because they sometimes display interesting magnetic phenomena, such as ferromagnetic exchange interactions, large ground state spin values, single-molecule magnetism behaviour or impressively large magnetocaloric effects. In addition, they often possess the properties of both the quantum and the classical world, and thus their systematic study offers the potential for the discovery of new physical phenomena, as well as a better understanding of the existing ones. The research field of giant clusters is under continuous evolution and their intriguing structural characteristics and magnetism properties that attract the interest of synthetic Inorganic Chemists promise a brilliant future for this class of compounds.

Standard globular cluster giant branches in the (MI/V-IO) plane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Da Costa, G.S.; Armandroff, T.E.

1990-01-01

CCD photometry in the V, I (Cousins) bandpasses is presented for a large number of giants in eight galactic globular clusters. The (V-I) O color of the giant branch accurately ranks clusters in metal abundance, and can accordingly be used to ascertain both metal abundances and abundance dispersions in old stellar populations. A relation is derived that yields the bolometric correction to the I magnitude for red giants as a function of (V-I) O color. With this relation, and the assumption of the LDZ distance scale, the bolometric magnitudes of the brightest red giants in the clusters were determined; good agreement is obtained with the predictions of stellar evolution theory for the luminosity of the He core flash. 63 refs

Lithium abundances and metallicities in stars near the main-sequence turnoff and a giant in M67

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia Lopez, R.J.; Rebolo, R.; Beckman, J.E.

1988-01-01

The iron abundance of seven stars near the main-sequence (MS) turnoff and a giant in M67 are spectroscopically derived, and the results are discussed. The resulting mean iron abundance of the turnoff stars is (Fe/H) = 0.04 + or - 0.04. Taken together with previous determinations for younger clusters, this shows that there has been relatively little change of the iron abundance in the solar neighborhood during the last 5 Gyr. Lithium was detected in one unevolved star and marginally in the giant, while in the other MS stars only upper limits were found. The considerable differences in Li abundances for stars with similar surface temperature imply that there is at least one parameter affecting Li depletion apart from stellar mass and metallicity. Nonsimultaneous star formation in the cluster cloud explain the scatter in lithium abundances. 50 references

An Optical View of Extragalactic γ-Ray Emitters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paiano, Simona [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (INAF), Padua (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, Padua (Italy); Falomo, Renato [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (INAF), Padua (Italy); Landoni, Marco [Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera (INAF), Merate (Italy); Treves, Aldo [Università degli Studi dell' Insubria, Varese (Italy); Scarpa, Riccardo, E-mail: simona.paiano@oapd.inaf.it [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain); Departamento de Astrofsica, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Spain)

2017-11-23

The Fermi Gamma-ray Observatory discovered about a thousand extragalactic sources emitting energy from 100 MeV to 100 GeV. The majority of these sources belong to the class of blazars characterized by a quasi-featureless optical spectrum (BL Lac Objects). This hampers the determination of their redshift and therefore hinders the characterization of this class of objects. To investigate the nature of these sources and to determine their redshift, we are carrying out an extensive campaign using the 10 m Gran Telescopio Canarias to obtain high S/N ratio optical spectra. These observations allow us to confirm the blazar nature of the targets, to find new redshifts or to set stringent limits on the redshift based on the minimum equivalent width of specific absorption features that can be measured in the spectrum and are expected from their host galaxy, assuming it is a massive elliptical galaxy. These results are of importance for the multi-frequencies emission models of the blazars, to test their extreme physics, to shed light on their cosmic evolution and abundance in the far Universe. These gamma emitters are also of great importance for the characterization of the extragalactic background light through the absorption by the IR-optical background photons.

Spectrum of the extragalactic background light

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruzual A, G [Centro de Investigacion de Astronomia, Merida (Venezuela)

1981-01-01

The observed spectrum of the extragalactic background light in the range from ultraviolet to optical wavelengths is compared with a model prediction. The model uses the locally observed luminosity function of galaxies as well as evolutionary models for galaxy spectral energy distributions. The predicition is too faint by a factor of about 10.

THE ACS NEARBY GALAXY SURVEY TREASURY. IX. CONSTRAINING ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH EVOLUTION WITH OLD METAL-POOR GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girardi, Leo; Williams, Benjamin F.; Gilbert, Karoline M.; Rosenfield, Philip; Dalcanton, Julianne J.; Marigo, Paola; Boyer, Martha L.; Dolphin, Andrew; Weisz, Daniel R.; Skillman, Evan; Melbourne, Jason; Olsen, Knut A. G.; Seth, Anil C.

2010-01-01

In an attempt to constrain evolutionary models of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase at the limit of low masses and low metallicities, we have examined the luminosity functions and number ratios between AGB and red giant branch (RGB) stars from a sample of resolved galaxies from the ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury. This database provides Hubble Space Telescope optical photometry together with maps of completeness, photometric errors, and star formation histories for dozens of galaxies within 4 Mpc. We select 12 galaxies characterized by predominantly metal-poor populations as indicated by a very steep and blue RGB, and which do not present any indication of recent star formation in their color-magnitude diagrams. Thousands of AGB stars brighter than the tip of the RGB (TRGB) are present in the sample (between 60 and 400 per galaxy), hence, the Poisson noise has little impact in our measurements of the AGB/RGB ratio. We model the photometric data with a few sets of thermally pulsing AGB (TP-AGB) evolutionary models with different prescriptions for the mass loss. This technique allows us to set stringent constraints on the TP-AGB models of low-mass, metal-poor stars (with M sun , [Fe/H]∼ sun . This is also in good agreement with recent observations of white dwarf masses in the M4 old globular cluster. These constraints can be added to those already derived from Magellanic Cloud star clusters as important mileposts in the arduous process of calibrating AGB evolutionary models.

HEAO A-2 extragalactic results

Science.gov (United States)

Boldt, E. A.

1979-01-01

The all-sky surveys made with the A-2 instrument aboard HEAO-1 involved spectroscopy over a broad enough band width, with sufficient resolution, to obtain the basic spectral characteristics for two extreme aspects of the extragalactic X-ray sky. The overall spectrum (above 3 KeV) is remarkably well decribed by a thermal model. At the other extreme, the detailed broad-band observations of individual sources are restricted to objects within the present epoch. The objects include several individual active galaxies studied in detail for the first time as well as clusters of galaxies. Relating these results to the vast spatially unresolved hard X-ray flux measured with this instruments as well as the softer X-rays (at less than 3 keV) spatially resolved to high redshifts with the Einstein Observatory remains a challenge.

Probing the properties of extragalactic SNRs

Science.gov (United States)

Leonidaki, Ioanna

2016-06-01

The investigation of extragalactic SNRs gives us the advantage of surmounting the challenges we are usually confronted with when observing Galactic SNRs, most notably Galactic extinction and distance uncertainties. At the same time, by obtaining larger samples of SNRs, we are allowed to cover a wider range of environments and ISM parameters than our Galaxy, providing us a more complete and representative picture of SNR populations. I will outline the recent progress on extragalactic surveys of SNR populations focusing on the optical, radio, and X-ray bands. Multi-wavelength surveys can provide several key aspects of the physical processes taking place during the evolution of SNRs while at the same time can overcome possible selection effects that are inherent from monochromatic surveys. I will discuss the properties derived in each band (e.g. line ratios, luminosities, densities, temperatures) and their connection in order to yield information on various aspects of their behaviour and evolution. For example their interplay with the surrounding medium, their correlation with star formation activity, their luminosity distributions and their dependence on galaxy types.

Radio outbursts in extragalactic sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinzel, W.M.

1989-01-01

Three aspects of the flux density variability of extragalactic radio sources were examined: millimeter wavelength short timescale variability, the spectral evolution of outbursts, and whether the outbursts are periodically spaced. Observations of extragalactic radio sources were conducted using the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory between January and June 1985 at 88.2 GHz and during June and July 1985 at 40.0 GHz. Many of the sources exhibited significant flux density variations during the observing span. In addition, the most rapid variations observed were comparable with those reported in previous works. Two sources, 0355+50 and OJ287, both exhibited outbursts whose rise and fall timescales were less than a month. An anomalous flux density dropout was observed in 3C446 and was interpreted as an occultation event. Data at five frequencies between 2.7 and 89.6 GHz from the Dent-Balonek monitoring program were used to investigate the spectral evolution of eight outbursts. Outburst profile fitting was used to deconvolve the individual outbursts from one another at each frequency. The fit profiles were used to generate multiple epoch spectra to investigate the evolution of the outbursts. A phase residual minimization method was used to examine four sources for periodic behavior

Extragalactic Astronomy: The Universe Beyond Our Galaxy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Kenneth Charles

This booklet is part of an American Astronomical Society curriculum project designed to provide teaching materials to teachers of secondary school chemistry, physics, and earth science. The material is presented in three parts: one section provides the fundamental content of extragalactic astronomy, another section discusses modern discoveries in…

Giant resonances in free atoms and in clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brechignac, C.; Connerade, J.P.

1994-01-01

A review of recent developments in the study of giant resonances in free atoms and in clusters is presented, with particular emphasis on the transition from free atoms to atoms in the condensed phase. Giant resonances in alkali and related metallic clusters due to the excitation of closed shells of delocalized electrons are also reviewed and the relation between different types of collective oscillations is discussed. (author)

Ejection of iron-bearing giant-impact fragments and the dynamical and geochemical influence of the fragment re-accretion

Science.gov (United States)

Genda, Hidenori; Iizuka, Tsuyoshi; Sasaki, Takanori; Ueno, Yuichiro; Ikoma, Masahiro

2017-07-01

The Earth was born in violence. Many giant collisions of protoplanets are thought to have occurred during the terrestrial planet formation. Here we investigated the giant impact stage by using a hybrid code that consistently deals with the orbital evolution of protoplanets around the Sun and the details of processes during giant impacts between two protoplanets. A significant amount of materials (up to several tens of percent of the total mass of the protoplanets) is ejected by giant impacts. We call these ejected fragments the giant-impact fragments (GIFs). In some of the erosive hit-and-run and high-velocity collisions, metallic iron is also ejected, which comes from the colliding protoplanets' cores. From ten numerical simulations for the giant impact stage, we found that the mass fraction of metallic iron in GIFs ranges from ∼1 wt% to ∼25 wt%. We also discussed the effects of the GIFs on the dynamical and geochemical characteristics of formed terrestrial planets. We found that the GIFs have the potential to solve the following dynamical and geochemical conflicts: (1) The Earth, currently in a near circular orbit, is likely to have had a highly eccentric orbit during the giant impact stage. The GIFs are large enough in total mass to lower the eccentricity of the Earth to its current value via their dynamical friction. (2) The concentrations of highly siderophile elements (HSEs) in the Earth's mantle are greater than what was predicted experimentally. Re-accretion of the iron-bearing GIFs onto the Earth can contribute to the excess of HSEs. In addition, Iron-bearing GIFs provide significant reducing agent that could transform primitive CO2-H2O atmosphere and ocean into more reducing H2-bearing atmosphere. Thus, GIFs are important for the origin of Earth's life and its early evolution.

CHROMOSPHERIC MODELS AND THE OXYGEN ABUNDANCE IN GIANT STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dupree, A. K.; Avrett, E. H.; Kurucz, R. L., E-mail: dupree@cfa.harvard.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2016-04-10

Realistic stellar atmospheric models of two typical metal-poor giant stars in Omega Centauri, which include a chromosphere (CHR), influence the formation of optical lines of O i: the forbidden lines (λ6300, λ6363) and the infrared triplet (λλ7771−7775). One-dimensional semi-empirical non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) models are constructed based on observed Balmer lines. A full non-LTE formulation is applied for evaluating the line strengths of O i, including photoionization by the Lyman continuum and photoexcitation by Lyα and Lyβ. Chromospheric models (CHR) yield forbidden oxygen transitions that are stronger than those in radiative/convective equilibrium (RCE) models. The triplet oxygen lines from high levels also appear stronger than those produced in an RCE model. The inferred oxygen abundance from realistic CHR models for these two stars is decreased by factors of ∼3 as compared to values derived from RCE models. A lower oxygen abundance suggests that intermediate-mass AGB stars contribute to the observed abundance pattern in globular clusters. A change in the oxygen abundance of metal-poor field giants could affect models of deep mixing episodes on the red giant branch. Changes in the oxygen abundance can impact other abundance determinations that are critical to astrophysics, including chemical tagging techniques and galactic chemical evolution.

Simulations of extragalactic magnetic fields and of their observables

Science.gov (United States)

Vazza, F.; Brüggen, M.; Gheller, C.; Hackstein, S.; Wittor, D.; Hinz, P. M.

2017-12-01

The origin of extragalactic magnetic fields is still poorly understood. Based on a dedicated suite of cosmological magneto-hydrodynamical simulations with the ENZO code we have performed a survey of different models that may have caused present-day magnetic fields in galaxies and galaxy clusters. The outcomes of these models differ in cluster outskirts, filaments, sheets and voids and we use these simulations to find observational signatures of magnetogenesis. With these simulations, we predict the signal of extragalactic magnetic fields in radio observations of synchrotron emission from the cosmic web, in Faraday rotation, in the propagation of ultra high energy cosmic rays, in the polarized signal from fast radio bursts at cosmological distance and in spectra of distant blazars. In general, primordial scenarios in which present-day magnetic fields originate from the amplification of weak (⩽nG ) uniform seed fields result in more homogeneous and relatively easier to observe magnetic fields than astrophysical scenarios, in which present-day fields are the product of feedback processes triggered by stars and active galaxies. In the near future the best evidence for the origin of cosmic magnetic fields will most likely come from a combination of synchrotron emission and Faraday rotation observed at the periphery of large-scale structures.

DETERMINING AGES OF APOGEE GIANTS WITH KNOWN DISTANCES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feuillet, Diane K.; Holtzman, Jon [Department of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States); Bovy, Jo [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Girardi, Léo [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova—INAF, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); MacDonald, Nick [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Majewski, Steven R. [Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Nidever, David L., E-mail: feuilldk@nmsu.edu [Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)

2016-01-20

We present a sample of 705 local giant stars observed using the New Mexico State University 1 m telescope with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III/Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) spectrograph, for which we estimate stellar ages and the local star formation history (SFH). The high-resolution (R ∼ 22,500), near infrared (1.51–1.7 μm) APOGEE spectra provide measurements of stellar atmospheric parameters (temperature, surface gravity, [M/H], and [α/M]). Due to the smaller uncertainties in surface gravity possible with high-resolution spectra and accurate Hipparcos distance measurements, we are able to calculate the stellar masses to within 30%. For giants, the relatively rapid evolution up the red giant branch allows the age to be constrained by the mass. We examine methods of estimating age using both the mass–age relation directly and a Bayesian isochrone matching of measured parameters, assuming a constant SFH. To improve the SFH prior, we use a hierarchical modeling approach to constrain the parameters of the model SFH using the age probability distribution functions of the data. The results of an α-dependent Gaussian SFH model show a clear age–[α/M] relation at all ages. Using this SFH model as the prior for an empirical Bayesian analysis, we determine ages for individual stars. The resulting age–metallicity relation is flat, with a slight decrease in [M/H] at the oldest ages and a ∼0.5 dex spread in metallicity across most ages. For stars with ages ≲1 Gyr we find a smaller spread, consistent with radial migration having a smaller effect on these young stars than on the older stars.

High temperature giant dipole and isoscalar resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navarro, J.; Barranco, M.; Garcias, F.; Suraud, E.

1990-01-01

We present a systematic study of the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) at high temperatures (T > ∼ 4 MeV) in the framework of a semi-classical approximation that uses the m 1 and m 3 RPA sum rules to estimate the GDR mean energy. We focus on the evolution with T of the collective nature of the GDR and of the L = 0,2,3 and 4 isoscalar resonances. We find that the GDR remains particularly collective at high T, suggesting that it might be possible to observe it experimentally even at temperatures close to the maximum one a nucleus can sustain

Giant Planet Candidates, Brown Dwarfs, and Binaries from the SDSS-III MARVELS Planet Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Neil; Ge, Jian; Li, Rui; de Lee, Nathan M.; Heslar, Michael; Ma, Bo; SDSS-Iii Marvels Team

2015-01-01

We report the discoveries of giant planet candidates, brown dwarfs, and binaries from the SDSS-III MARVELS survey. The finalized 1D pipeline has provided 18 giant planet candidates, 16 brown dwarfs, and over 500 binaries. An additional 96 targets having RV variability indicative of a giant planet companion are also reported for future investigation. These candidates are found using the advanced MARVELS 1D data pipeline developed at UF from scratch over the past three years. This pipeline carefully corrects most of the instrument effects (such as trace, slant, distortion, drifts and dispersion) and observation condition effects (such as illumination profile, fiber degradation, and tracking variations). The result is long-term RV precisions that approach the photon limits in many cases for the ~89,000 individual stellar observations. A 2D version of the pipeline that uses interferometric information is nearing completion and is demonstrating a reduction of errors to half the current levels. The 2D processing will be used to increase the robustness of the detections presented here and to find new candidates in RV regions not confidently detectable with the 1D pipeline. The MARVELS survey has produced the largest homogeneous RV measurements of 3300 V=7.6-12 FGK stars with a well defined cadence of 27 RV measurements over 2 years. The MARVELS RV data and other follow-up data (photometry, high contrast imaging, high resolution spectroscopy and RV measurements) will explore the diversity of giant planet companion formation and evolution around stars with a broad range in metallicity (Fe/H -1.5-0.5), mass ( 0.6-2.5M(sun)), and environment (thin disk and thick disk), and will help to address the key scientific questions identified for the MARVELS survey including, but not limited to: Do metal poor stars obey the same trends for planet occurrence as metal rich stars? What is the distribution of giant planets around intermediate-mass stars and binaries? Is the 'planet desert

Migration to the pulmonary artery of nine metallic coils placed in the internal iliac vein for treatment of giant rectal varices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wataru Yamasaki

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Transcatheter venous embolization with metallic coils is a safe and reliable method for the treatment of pelvic congestion syndrome and pelvic varicocele. While rare, coil migration to the pulmonary arteries is potentially fatal. We report the migration to the pulmonary artery of a cluster of nine metallic microcoils placed in the internal iliac vein to obliterate giant rectal varices. Our patient suffered no severe sequelae. To avoid coil migration to the pulmonary arteries, the coils chosen for placement must take into consideration the characteristics of the target vessels, particularly of larger veins.

Extragalactic background light measurements and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooray, Asantha

2016-03-01

This review covers the measurements related to the extragalactic background light intensity from γ-rays to radio in the electromagnetic spectrum over 20 decades in wavelength. The cosmic microwave background (CMB) remains the best measured spectrum with an accuracy better than 1%. The measurements related to the cosmic optical background (COB), centred at 1 μm, are impacted by the large zodiacal light associated with interplanetary dust in the inner Solar System. The best measurements of COB come from an indirect technique involving γ-ray spectra of bright blazars with an absorption feature resulting from pair-production off of COB photons. The cosmic infrared background (CIB) peaking at around 100 μm established an energetically important background with an intensity comparable to the optical background. This discovery paved the way for large aperture far-infrared and sub-millimetre observations resulting in the discovery of dusty, starbursting galaxies. Their role in galaxy formation and evolution remains an active area of research in modern-day astrophysics. The extreme UV (EUV) background remains mostly unexplored and will be a challenge to measure due to the high Galactic background and absorption of extragalactic photons by the intergalactic medium at these EUV/soft X-ray energies. We also summarize our understanding of the spatial anisotropies and angular power spectra of intensity fluctuations. We motivate a precise direct measurement of the COB between 0.1 and 5 μm using a small aperture telescope observing either from the outer Solar System, at distances of 5 AU or more, or out of the ecliptic plane. Other future applications include improving our understanding of the background at TeV energies and spectral distortions of CMB and CIB.

Giant HII regions as distance indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melnick, Jorge; Terlevich, Robert; Moles, Mariano

1987-01-01

The correlations between the integrated Hβ luminosities, the velocity widths of the nebular lines and the metallicities of giant HII regions and HII galaxies are demonstrated to provide powerful distance indicators. They are calibrated on a homogeneous sample of giant HII regions with well determined distances and applied to distant HII galaxies to obtain a value of H 0 =95+-10 for the Hubble parameter, consistent with the value obtained by the Tully-Fisher technique. The effect of Malmquist bias and other systematic effects on the HII region method are discussed in detail. (Author)

Giant magnetostriction in Ca2FeReO6 double perovskite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serrate, D.; De Teresa, J.M.; Algarabel, P.A.; Marquina, C.; Morellon, L.; Blasco, J.; Ibarra, M.R.

2005-01-01

We report magnetostriction measurements in polycrystalline Ca 2 FeReO 6 magnetic double perovskite up to 20T and in the temperature range 4.2-250K. This compound shows a high Curie temperature (T C =523K) and a structural transition at low temperatures (T S =110K). By combining magnetostriction measurements parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field, we evaluate the anisotropic (λ t ) and volume magnetostriction (ω). The λ t at room temperature is large and reaches below T S the giant value of ∼0.1% at 15T. Below T S , the ω is also found to be large: ∼0.05% at 15T at 5K. These results are interpreted within a scenario where the Re orbital state plays a crucial role in the ground state. The observed effect could open a new way to observe giant magnetostriction effects in transition-metal-based magnetic oxides through suitable tuning of the orbital effects in the transition metals

Fast Radio Bursts from Extragalactic Light Sails

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lingam, Manasvi [John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Loeb, Abraham, E-mail: manasvi@seas.harvard.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2017-03-10

We examine the possibility that fast radio bursts (FRBs) originate from the activity of extragalactic civilizations. Our analysis shows that beams used for powering large light sails could yield parameters that are consistent with FRBs. The characteristic diameter of the beam emitter is estimated through a combination of energetic and engineering constraints, and both approaches intriguingly yield a similar result that is on the scale of a large rocky planet. Moreover, the optimal frequency for powering the light sail is shown to be similar to the detected FRB frequencies. These “coincidences” lend some credence to the possibility that FRBs might be artificial in origin. Other relevant quantities, such as the characteristic mass of the light sail, and the angular velocity of the beam, are also derived. By using the FRB occurrence rate, we infer upper bounds on the rate of FRBs from extragalactic civilizations in a typical galaxy. The possibility of detecting fainter signals is briefly discussed, and the wait time for an exceptionally bright FRB event in the Milky Way is estimated.

Fast Radio Bursts from Extragalactic Light Sails

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lingam, Manasvi; Loeb, Abraham

2017-01-01

We examine the possibility that fast radio bursts (FRBs) originate from the activity of extragalactic civilizations. Our analysis shows that beams used for powering large light sails could yield parameters that are consistent with FRBs. The characteristic diameter of the beam emitter is estimated through a combination of energetic and engineering constraints, and both approaches intriguingly yield a similar result that is on the scale of a large rocky planet. Moreover, the optimal frequency for powering the light sail is shown to be similar to the detected FRB frequencies. These “coincidences” lend some credence to the possibility that FRBs might be artificial in origin. Other relevant quantities, such as the characteristic mass of the light sail, and the angular velocity of the beam, are also derived. By using the FRB occurrence rate, we infer upper bounds on the rate of FRBs from extragalactic civilizations in a typical galaxy. The possibility of detecting fainter signals is briefly discussed, and the wait time for an exceptionally bright FRB event in the Milky Way is estimated.

Energy spectrum of extragalactic gamma-ray sources

Science.gov (United States)

Protheroe, R. J.

1985-01-01

The result of Monte Carlo electron photon cascade calculations for propagation of gamma rays through regions of extragalactic space containing no magnetic field are given. These calculations then provide upper limits to the expected flux from extragalactic sources. Since gamma rays in the 10 to the 14th power eV to 10 to the 17th power eV energy range are of interest, interactions of electrons and photons with the 3 K microwave background radiation are considered. To obtain an upper limit to the expected gamma ray flux from sources, the intergalactic field is assumed to be so low that it can be ignored. Interactions with photons of the near-infrared background radiation are not considered here although these will have important implications for gamma rays below 10 to the 14th power eV if the near infrared background radiation is universal. Interaction lengths of electrons and photons in the microwave background radiation at a temperature of 2.96 K were calculated and are given.

Extragalactic active objects in the radio and infrared bands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikora, M [Polska Akademia Nauk, Warsaw. Centrum Astronomiczne

1981-01-01

This paper is the second in a series of papers concerning extragalactic active objects. We discuss the properties of Seyfert's galaxies, radiogalaxies, quasars and BL Lacertae objects in the radio and infrared bands.

Detection of ultra-high-energy cosmic radiation at the Pierre Auger Observatory, theoretical study of its propagation through extragalactic space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allard, D.

2004-10-01

The Pierre Auger observatory's main aim is to observe the ultra-energetic cosmic ray spectrum with high statistics. Indeed, the spectrum around 10 20 eV is so far only poorly known, due to low statistics and the expected GZK (Gneisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin) cut-off is for the time being not clearly observed. The first part will deal with propagation of charged (protons and nuclei) ultra-energetic cosmic rays in the extragalactic medium. We will investigate the influence of physical parameters, such as the composition of cosmic ray fluxes, on the highest energy spectrum shape. The influence of the turbulent extragalactic magnetic fields on the spectrum of the clusters will also be studied. We will also investigate the possibility to observe gamma ray bursts with the Pierre Auger Observatory by using the single particle technique. We will show how galactic gamma ray bursts could become a persistent and quasi-isotropic source due to the 'Compton trail' induced by Compton scattering of the primary photon beam in the interstellar medium. In the section devoted to simulations, we will develop methods to reconstruct air showers and identify primary cosmic rays. We will also study the aperture of the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger observatory. Finally, we will use the methods developed in the previous chapters to analyze the data of the year 2004 and will give preliminary results. (author)

THE SPITZER EXTRAGALACTIC REPRESENTATIVE VOLUME SURVEY: THE ENVIRONMENTS OF HIGH-z SDSS QUASI-STELLAR OBJECTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falder, J. T.; Stevens, J. A.; Jarvis, Matt J.; Bonfield, D. G.; Lacy, M.; Farrah, D.; Oliver, S.; Surace, J.; Mauduit, J.-C.; Vaccari, M.; Marchetti, L.; Gonzalez-Solares, E.; Afonso, J.; Cava, A.; Seymour, N.

2011-01-01

This paper presents a study of the environments of SDSS quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) in the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey (SERVS). We concentrate on the high-redshift QSOs as these have not been studied in large numbers with data of this depth before. We use the IRAC 3.6-4.5 μm color of objects and ancillary r-band data to filter out as much foreground contamination as possible. This technique allows us to find a significant (>4σ) overdensity of galaxies around QSOs in a redshift bin centered on z ∼ 2.0 and an (>2σ) overdensity of galaxies around QSOs in a redshift bin centered on z ∼ 3.3. We compare our findings to the predictions of a semi-analytic galaxy formation model, based on the ΛCDM MILLENNIUM simulation, and find for both redshift bins that the model predictions match well the source density we have measured from the SERVS data.

STARDUST FROM ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gail, H.-P.; Zhukovska, S. V.; Hoppe, P.; Trieloff, M.

2009-01-01

The formation of dust in the outflows of low- and intermediate-mass stars on the first giant branch and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) is studied and the relative contributions of stars of different initial masses and metallicities to the interstellar medium (ISM) at the instant of solar system formation are derived. These predictions are compared with the characteristics of the parent stars of presolar dust grains found in primitive meteorites and interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) inferred from their isotopic compositions. For this purpose, model calculations for dust condensation in stellar outflows are combined with synthetic models of stellar evolution on the first giant branch and AGB and an evolution model of the Milky Way for the solar neighborhood. The dust components considered are olivine, pyroxene, carbon, SiC, and iron. The corresponding dust production rates are derived for the solar vicinity. From these rates and taking into account dust destruction by supernova shocks in the ISM, the contributions to the inventory of presolar dust grains in the solar system are derived for stars of different initial masses and metallicities. It is shown that stars on the first giant branch and the early AGB are not expected to form dust, in accord with astronomical observations. Dust formation is concentrated in the last phase of evolution, the thermally pulsing AGB. Due to the limited lifetime of dust grains in the ISM only parent stars from a narrow range of metallicities are expected to contribute to the population of presolar dust grains. Silicate and silicon carbide dust grains are predicted to come from parent stars with metallicities not less than about Z ∼ 0.008 (0.6 x solar). This metallicity limit is higher than that inferred from presolar SiC grain isotope data. The population of presolar carbon dust grains is predicted to originate from a wider range of metallicities, down to Z ∼ 0.004. Masses of AGB stars that produce C-rich dust are in the range �

Assisted phytoextraction of heavy metals: compost and Trichoderma effects on giant reed (Arundo donax L. uptake and soil N-cycle microflora

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nunzio Fiorentino

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Little information is available as to the real effectiveness of the phytoextraction remediation technique, since laboratory experiments are still the most common way in which this is measured. Given this, an experiment on a cadmium-polluted soil was carried out in open field conditions in Southern Italy with the aim of assessing the growth and the phytoextraction potential of giant reed (Arundo donax L. Compost fertilisation and Trichoderma harzianum A6 inoculations were used to verify the possibility of increasing the metal uptake of the crop. Biomass yield of giant reed in the first growth season (average 12.8 Mg ha–1 was not affected by the Cd concentration in the soil and this increased significantly with compost fertilisation (13.8 Mg ha–1. Both compost fertilisation and T. harzianum inoculation increased cadmium uptake and translocation in leaves. Nitrifying bacteria was shown to be a useful tool to biomonitor soil quality. These results proved the suitability of the giant reed for assisted-phytoremedation with the use of compost fertilisation and T. harzianum.

CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES IN FIELD RED GIANTS FROM HIGH-RESOLUTION H-BAND SPECTRA USING THE APOGEE SPECTRAL LINELIST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Verne V.; Cunha, Katia; Shetrone, Matthew D.; Meszaros, Szabolcs; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Garcìa Pèrez, Ana; Majewski, Steven R.; Schiavon, Ricardo; Holtzman, Jon; Johnson, Jennifer A.

2013-01-01

High-resolution H-band spectra of five bright field K, M, and MS giants, obtained from the archives of the Kitt Peak National Observatory Fourier transform spectrometer, are analyzed to determine chemical abundances of 16 elements. The abundances were derived via spectrum synthesis using the detailed linelist prepared for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Apache Point Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), which is a high-resolution near-infrared spectroscopic survey to derive detailed chemical abundance distributions and precise radial velocities for 100,000 red giants sampling all Galactic stellar populations. The red giant sample studied here was chosen to probe which chemical elements can be derived reliably from the H-band APOGEE spectral region. These red giants consist of two K-giants (α Boo and μ Leo), two M-giants (β And and δ Oph), and one thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) star of spectral type MS (HD 199799). Measured chemical abundances include the cosmochemically important isotopes 12 C, 13 C, 14 N, and 16 O, along with Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu. The K and M giants exhibit the abundance signature of the first dredge-up of CN-cycle material, while the TP-AGB star shows clear evidence of the addition of 12 C synthesized during 4 He-burning thermal pulses and subsequent third dredge-up. A comparison of the abundances derived here with published values for these stars reveals consistent results to ∼0.1 dex. The APOGEE spectral region and linelist is thus well suited for probing both Galactic chemical evolution, as well as internal nucleosynthesis and mixing in populations of red giants via high-resolution spectroscopy.

CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES IN FIELD RED GIANTS FROM HIGH-RESOLUTION H-BAND SPECTRA USING THE APOGEE SPECTRAL LINELIST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Verne V.; Cunha, Katia [National Optical Astronomy Observatories, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Shetrone, Matthew D. [Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Meszaros, Szabolcs; Allende Prieto, Carlos [Instituto d' Astrofisica de Canarias, E-38205, La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Bizyaev, Dmitry [Apache Point Observatory, Sunspot, NM 88349 (United States); Garcia Perez, Ana; Majewski, Steven R. [Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Schiavon, Ricardo [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 5UX (United Kingdom); Holtzman, Jon [Department of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States); Johnson, Jennifer A., E-mail: vsmith@noao.edu [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)

2013-03-01

High-resolution H-band spectra of five bright field K, M, and MS giants, obtained from the archives of the Kitt Peak National Observatory Fourier transform spectrometer, are analyzed to determine chemical abundances of 16 elements. The abundances were derived via spectrum synthesis using the detailed linelist prepared for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Apache Point Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), which is a high-resolution near-infrared spectroscopic survey to derive detailed chemical abundance distributions and precise radial velocities for 100,000 red giants sampling all Galactic stellar populations. The red giant sample studied here was chosen to probe which chemical elements can be derived reliably from the H-band APOGEE spectral region. These red giants consist of two K-giants ({alpha} Boo and {mu} Leo), two M-giants ({beta} And and {delta} Oph), and one thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) star of spectral type MS (HD 199799). Measured chemical abundances include the cosmochemically important isotopes {sup 12}C, {sup 13}C, {sup 14}N, and {sup 16}O, along with Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu. The K and M giants exhibit the abundance signature of the first dredge-up of CN-cycle material, while the TP-AGB star shows clear evidence of the addition of {sup 12}C synthesized during {sup 4}He-burning thermal pulses and subsequent third dredge-up. A comparison of the abundances derived here with published values for these stars reveals consistent results to {approx}0.1 dex. The APOGEE spectral region and linelist is thus well suited for probing both Galactic chemical evolution, as well as internal nucleosynthesis and mixing in populations of red giants via high-resolution spectroscopy.

A KECK HIRES DOPPLER SEARCH FOR PLANETS ORBITING METAL-POOR DWARFS. II. ON THE FREQUENCY OF GIANT PLANETS IN THE METAL-POOR REGIME

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sozzetti, Alessandro; Torres, Guillermo; Latham, David W.; Stefanik, Robert P.; Korzennik, Sylvain G.; Boss, Alan P.; Carney, Bruce W.; Laird, John B.

2009-01-01

We present an analysis of three years of precision radial velocity (RV) measurements of 160 metal-poor stars observed with HIRES on the Keck 1 telescope. We report on variability and long-term velocity trends for each star in our sample. We identify several long-term, low-amplitude RV variables worthy of followup with direct imaging techniques. We place lower limits on the detectable companion mass as a function of orbital period. Our survey would have detected, with a 99.5% confidence level, over 95% of all companions on low-eccentricity orbits with velocity semiamplitude K ∼> 100 m s -1 , or M p sin i ∼> 3.0 M J (P/yr) (1/3) , for orbital periods P ∼ p p ≅ 1%. Our results can usefully inform theoretical studies of the process of giant-planet formation across two orders of magnitude in metallicity.

On the extragalactic origin of gamma-ray bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, M.; Teller, E.

1984-01-01

A theory to explain the origin of extragalactic gamma ray bursts is presented. Collisions of black dwarf and neutron stars with a subsequent fragmentation of the dwarf producing relativistic particle accelerations toward the neutron star and a resulting turbulent flow of material at the neutron star surface is postulated

High-throughput isolation of giant viruses in liquid medium using automated flow cytometry and fluorescence staining.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacques Yaacoub Bou Khalil

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The isolation of giant viruses using amoeba co-culture is tedious and fastidious. Recently, the procedure was successfully associated with a method that detects amoebal lysis on agar plates. However, the procedure remains time-consuming and is limited to protozoa growing on agar. We present here advances for the isolation of giant viruses. A high-throughput automated method based on flow cytometry and fluorescent staining was used to detect the presence of giant viruses in liquid medium. Development was carried out with the Acanthamoeba polyphaga strain widely used in past and current co-culture experiments. The proof of concept was validated with virus suspensions: artificially contaminated samples but also environmental samples from which viruses were previously isolated. After validating the technique, and fortuitously isolating a new Mimivirus, we automated the technique on 96-well plates and tested it on clinical and environmental samples using other protozoa. This allowed us to detect more than ten strains of previously known species of giant viruses and 7 new strains of a new virus lineage. This automated high-throughput method demonstrated significant time saving, and higher sensitivity than older techniques. It thus creates the means to isolate giant viruses at high speed.

Giant high occipital encephalocele

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agrawal Amit

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Encephaloceles are rare embryological mesenchymal developmental anomalies resulting from inappropriate ossification in skull through with herniation of intracranial contents of the sac. Encephaloceles are classified based on location of the osseous defect and contents of sac. Convexity encephalocele with osseous defect in occipital bone is called occipital encephalocele. Giant occipital encephaloceles can be sometimes larger than the size of baby skull itself and they pose a great surgical challenge. Occipital encephaloceles (OE are further classified as high OE when defect is only in occipital bone above the foramen magnum, low OE when involving occipital bone and foramen magnum and occipito-cervical when there involvement of occipital bone, foramen magnum and posterior upper neural arches. Chiari III malformation can be associated with high or low occipital encephaloceles. Pre-operatively, it is essential to know the size of the sac, contents of the sac, relation to the adjacent structures, presence or absence of venous sinuses/vascular structures and osseous defect size. Sometimes it becomes imperative to perform both CT and MRI for the necessary information. Volume rendered CT images can depict the relation of osseous defect to foramen magnum and provide information about upper neural arches which is necessary in classifying these lesions.

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS): Extragalactic Science

Science.gov (United States)

Coppi, Paolo S.; Extragalactic Science Working Group; AGIS Collaboration

2010-03-01

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS), a proposed next-generation array of Cherenkov telescopes, will provide an unprecedented view of the high energy universe. We discuss how AGIS, with its larger effective area, improved angular resolution, lower threshold, and an order of magnitude increase in sensitivity, impacts the extragalactic science possible in the very high energy domain. Likely source classes detectable by AGIS include AGN, GRBs, clusters, star-forming galaxies, and possibly the cascade radiation surrounding powerful cosmic accelerators. AGIS should see many of the sources discovered by Fermi. With its better sensitivity and angular resolution, AGIS then becomes a key instrument for identifying and characterizing Fermi survey sources, the majority of which will have limited Fermi photon statistics and localizations.

Giant magnetoresistance through a single molecule.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmaus, Stefan; Bagrets, Alexei; Nahas, Yasmine; Yamada, Toyo K; Bork, Annika; Bowen, Martin; Beaurepaire, Eric; Evers, Ferdinand; Wulfhekel, Wulf

2011-03-01

Magnetoresistance is a change in the resistance of a material system caused by an applied magnetic field. Giant magnetoresistance occurs in structures containing ferromagnetic contacts separated by a metallic non-magnetic spacer, and is now the basis of read heads for hard drives and for new forms of random access memory. Using an insulator (for example, a molecular thin film) rather than a metal as the spacer gives rise to tunnelling magnetoresistance, which typically produces a larger change in resistance for a given magnetic field strength, but also yields higher resistances, which are a disadvantage for real device operation. Here, we demonstrate giant magnetoresistance across a single, non-magnetic hydrogen phthalocyanine molecule contacted by the ferromagnetic tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope. We measure the magnetoresistance to be 60% and the conductance to be 0.26G(0), where G(0) is the quantum of conductance. Theoretical analysis identifies spin-dependent hybridization of molecular and electrode orbitals as the cause of the large magnetoresistance.

Statistical studies of powerful extragalactic radio sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macklin, J T

1981-01-01

This dissertation is mainly about the use of efficient statistical tests to study the properties of powerful extragalactic radio sources. Most of the analysis is based on subsets of a sample of 166 bright (3CR) sources selected at 178 MHz. The first chapter is introductory and it is followed by three on the misalignment and symmetry of double radio sources. The properties of nuclear components in extragalactic sources are discussed in the next chapter, using statistical tests which make efficient use of upper limits, often the only available information on the flux density from the nuclear component. Multifrequency observations of four 3CR sources are presented in the next chapter. The penultimate chapter is about the analysis of correlations involving more than two variables. The Spearman partial rank correlation coefficient is shown to be the most powerful test available which is based on non-parametric statistics. It is therefore used to study the dependences of the properties of sources on their size at constant redshift, and the results are interpreted in terms of source evolution. Correlations of source properties with luminosity and redshift are then examined.

NONLINEAR COLOR-METALLICITY RELATIONS OF GLOBULAR CLUSTERS. III. ON THE DISCREPANCY IN METALLICITY BETWEEN GLOBULAR CLUSTER SYSTEMS AND THEIR PARENT ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Suk-Jin; Lee, Sang-Yoon; Cho, Jaeil; Kim, Hak-Sub; Chung, Chul; Kim, Sooyoung; Lee, Young-Wook; Blakeslee, John P.; Peng, Eric W.; Sohn, Sangmo T.

2011-01-01

One of the conundrums in extragalactic astronomy is the discrepancy in observed metallicity distribution functions (MDFs) between the two prime stellar components of early-type galaxies—globular clusters (GCs) and halo field stars. This is generally taken as evidence of highly decoupled evolutionary histories between GC systems and their parent galaxies. Here we show, however, that new developments in linking the observed GC colors to their intrinsic metallicities suggest nonlinear color-to-metallicity conversions, which translate observed color distributions into strongly peaked, unimodal MDFs with broad metal-poor tails. Remarkably, the inferred GC MDFs are similar to the MDFs of resolved field stars in nearby elliptical galaxies and those produced by chemical evolution models of galaxies. The GC MDF shape, characterized by a sharp peak with a metal-poor tail, indicates a virtually continuous chemical enrichment with a relatively short timescale. The characteristic shape emerges across three orders of magnitude in the host galaxy mass, suggesting a universal process of chemical enrichment among various GC systems. Given that GCs are bluer than field stars within the same galaxy, it is plausible that the chemical enrichment processes of GCs ceased somewhat earlier than that of the field stellar population, and if so, GCs preferentially trace the major, vigorous mode of star formation events in galactic formation. We further suggest a possible systematic age difference among GC systems, in that the GC systems in more luminous galaxies are older. This is consistent with the downsizing paradigm whereby stars of brighter galaxies, on average, formed earlier than those of dimmer galaxies; this additionally supports the similar nature shared by GCs and field stars. Although the sample used in this study (the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys/Wide Field Channel, WFPC2, and WFC3 photometry for the GC systems in the Virgo galaxy cluster) confines our

Giant Dirac point shift of graphene phototransistors by doped silicon substrate current

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masaaki Shimatani

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Graphene is a promising new material for photodetectors due to its excellent optical properties and high-speed response. However, graphene-based phototransistors have low responsivity due to the weak light absorption of graphene. We have observed a giant Dirac point shift upon white light illumination in graphene-based phototransistors with n-doped Si substrates, but not those with p-doped substrates. The source-drain current and substrate current were investigated with and without illumination for both p-type and n-type Si substrates. The decay time of the drain-source current indicates that the Si substrate, SiO2 layer, and metal electrode comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS capacitor due to the presence of defects at the interface between the Si substrate and SiO2 layer. The difference in the diffusion time of the intrinsic major carriers (electrons and the photogenerated electron-hole pairs to the depletion layer delays the application of the gate voltage to the graphene channel. Therefore, the giant Dirac point shift is attributed to the n-type Si substrate current. This phenomenon can be exploited to realize high-performance graphene-based phototransistors.

Giant Dirac point shift of graphene phototransistors by doped silicon substrate current

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shimatani, Masaaki; Ogawa, Shinpei, E-mail: Ogawa.Shimpei@eb.MitsubishiElectric.co.jp; Fujisawa, Daisuke [Advanced Technology R& D Center, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, 8-1-1 Tsukaguchi-Honmachi, Amagasaki, Hyogo 661-8661 (Japan); Okuda, Satoshi [Advanced Technology R& D Center, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, 8-1-1 Tsukaguchi-Honmachi, Amagasaki, Hyogo 661-8661 (Japan); The Institute of the Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Kanai, Yasushi; Ono, Takao; Matsumoto, Kazuhiko [The Institute of the Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan)

2016-03-15

Graphene is a promising new material for photodetectors due to its excellent optical properties and high-speed response. However, graphene-based phototransistors have low responsivity due to the weak light absorption of graphene. We have observed a giant Dirac point shift upon white light illumination in graphene-based phototransistors with n-doped Si substrates, but not those with p-doped substrates. The source-drain current and substrate current were investigated with and without illumination for both p-type and n-type Si substrates. The decay time of the drain-source current indicates that the Si substrate, SiO{sub 2} layer, and metal electrode comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor due to the presence of defects at the interface between the Si substrate and SiO{sub 2} layer. The difference in the diffusion time of the intrinsic major carriers (electrons) and the photogenerated electron-hole pairs to the depletion layer delays the application of the gate voltage to the graphene channel. Therefore, the giant Dirac point shift is attributed to the n-type Si substrate current. This phenomenon can be exploited to realize high-performance graphene-based phototransistors.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: LUMINOSITY CLASS, PLANET OCCURRENCE, AND PLANET-METALLICITY RELATION OF THE COOLEST KEPLER TARGET STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mann, Andrew W.; Hilton, Eric J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Gaidos, Eric [Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Lepine, Sebastien, E-mail: amann@ifa.hawaii.edu [Department of Astrophysics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024 (United States)

2012-07-01

We estimate the stellar parameters of late K- and early M-type Kepler target stars. We obtain medium-resolution visible spectra of 382 stars with K{sub P} - J > 2 ({approx_equal}K5 and later spectral type). We determine luminosity class by comparing the strength of gravity-sensitive indices (CaH, K I, Ca II, and Na I) to their strength in a sample of stars of known luminosity class. We find that giants constitute 96% {+-} 1% of the bright (K{sub P} < 14) Kepler target stars, and 7% {+-} 3% of dim (K{sub P} > 14) stars, significantly higher than fractions based on the stellar parameters quoted in the Kepler Input Catalog (KIC). The KIC effective temperatures are systematically (110{sup +15}{sub -35} K) higher than temperatures we determine from fitting our spectra to PHOENIX stellar models. Through Monte Carlo simulations of the Kepler exoplanet candidate population, we find a planet occurrence of 0.36 {+-} 0.08 when giant stars are properly removed, somewhat higher than when a KIC log g > 4 criterion is used (0.27 {+-} 0.05). Last, we show that there is no significant difference in g - r color (a probe of metallicity) between late-type Kepler stars with transiting Earth-to-Neptune-size exoplanet candidates and dwarf stars with no detected transits. We show that a previous claimed offset between these two populations is most likely an artifact of including a large number of misidentified giants.

Red giants and yellow stragglers in the young open cluster NGC 2447

Science.gov (United States)

da Silveira, M. D.; Pereira, C. B.; Drake, N. A.

2018-06-01

In this work we analysed, using high-resolution spectroscopy, a sample of 12 single and 4 spectroscopic binary stars of the open cluster NGC 2447. For the single stars, we obtained atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances of Li, C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Si, Ti, Ni, Cr, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Eu. Rotational velocities were obtained for all the stars. The abundances of the light elements and Eu and the rotational velocities were derived using spectral synthesis technique. We obtained a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.17 ± 0.05. We found that the abundances of all elements are similar to field giants and/or giants of open clusters, even for the s-process elements, which are enhanced as in other young open clusters. We show that the spectroscopic binaries NGC 2447-26, 38, and 42 are yellow-straggler stars, of which the primary is a giant star and the secondary a main-sequence A-type star.

Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS): Motivation, Design and Target Catalogue

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, L. J. M.; Robotham, A. S. G.; Driver, S. P.; Lagos, C. P.; Cortese, L.; Mannering, E.; Foster, C.; Lidman, C.; Hashemizadeh, A.; Koushan, S.; O'Toole, S.; Baldry, I. K.; Bilicki, M.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Bremer, M. N.; Brown, M. J. I.; Bryant, J. J.; Catinella, B.; Croom, S. M.; Grootes, M. W.; Holwerda, B. W.; Jarvis, M. J.; Maddox, N.; Meyer, M.; Moffett, A. J.; Phillipps, S.; Taylor, E. N.; Windhorst, R. A.; Wolf, C.

2018-06-01

The Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS) is a large spectroscopic campaign at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) aimed at bridging the near and distant Universe by producing the highest completeness survey of galaxies and groups at intermediate redshifts (0.3 < z < 1.0). Our sample consists of ˜60,000 galaxies to Y<21.2 mag, over ˜6 deg2 in three well-studied deep extragalactic fields (Cosmic Origins Survey field, COSMOS, Extended Chandra Deep Field South, ECDFS and the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission Large-Scale Structure region, XMM-LSS - all Large Synoptic Survey Telescope deep-drill fields). This paper presents the broad experimental design of DEVILS. Our target sample has been selected from deep Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) Y-band imaging (VISTA Deep Extragalactic Observations, VIDEO and UltraVISTA), with photometry measured by PROFOUND. Photometric star/galaxy separation is done on the basis of NIR colours, and has been validated by visual inspection. To maximise our observing efficiency for faint targets we employ a redshift feedback strategy, which continually updates our target lists, feeding back the results from the previous night's observations. We also present an overview of the initial spectroscopic observations undertaken in late 2017 and early 2018.

Extragalactic Gamma Ray Excess from Coma Supercluster Direction ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

a power-law spectrum for γ rays from extragalactic sources and concluded a power- law index between 1.4 and 3 with values between 1.8 and 2 being the most common. Scharf & Mukherjee (2002) used data obtained by the Compton γ ray observatory spacecraft. They found a “fog” of γ rays associated to the galaxy clusters ...

Planck early results. XV. Spectral energy distributions and radio continuum spectra of northern extragalactic radio sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aatrokoski, J.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Lavonen, N.

2011-01-01

Spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and radio continuum spectra are presented for a northern sample of 104 extragalactic radio sources, based on the Planck Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (ERCSC) and simultaneous multifrequency data. The nine Planck frequencies, from 30 to 857 GHz......, are complemented by a set of simultaneous observations ranging from radio to gamma-rays. This is the first extensive frequency coverage in the radio and millimetre domains for an essentially complete sample of extragalactic radio sources, and it shows how the individual shocks, each in their own phase...... of development, shape the radio spectra as they move in the relativistic jet. The SEDs presented in this paper were fitted with second and third degree polynomials to estimate the frequencies of the synchrotron and inverse Compton (IC) peaks, and the spectral indices of low and high frequency radio data...

Chemical study of the metal-rich globular cluster NGC 5927

Science.gov (United States)

Mura-Guzmán, A.; Villanova, S.; Muñoz, C.; Tang, B.

2018-03-01

Globular clusters (GCs) are natural laboratories where stellar and chemical evolution can be studied in detail. In addition, their chemical patterns and kinematics can tell us to which Galactic structure (disc, bulge, halo or extragalactic) the cluster belongs to. NGC 5927 is one of most metal-rich GCs in the Galaxy and its kinematics links it to the thick disc. We present abundance analysis based on high-resolution spectra of seven giant stars. The data were obtained using Fibre Large Array Multi Element Spectrograph/Ultraviolet Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) spectrograph mounted on UT2 telescope of the European Southern Observatory. The principal objective of this work is to perform a wide and detailed chemical abundance analysis of the cluster and look for possible Multiple Populations (MPs). We determined stellar parameters and measured 22 elements corresponding to light (Na, Al), alpha (O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti), iron-peak (Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn), and heavy elements (Y, Zr, Ba, Ce, Nd, Eu). We found a mean iron content of [Fe/H] = -0.47 ± 0.02 (error on the mean). We confirm the existence of MPs in this GC with an O-Na anti-correlation, and moderate spread in Al abundances. We estimate a mean [α/Fe] = 0.25 ± 0.08. Iron-peak elements show no significant spread. The [Ba/Eu] ratios indicate a predominant contribution from SNeII for the formation of the cluster.

Giant magnetoresistance and extraordinary magnetoresistance in inhomogeneous semiconducting DyNiBi

OpenAIRE

Casper, Frederick; Felser, Claudia

2007-01-01

The semiconducting half-Heulser compound DyNiBi shows a negative giant magnetoresistance (GMR) below 200 K. Except for a weak deviation, this magnetoresistance scales roughly with the square of the magnetization in the paramagnetic state, and is related to the metal-insulator transition. At low temperature, a positive magnetoresistance is found, which can be suppressed by high fields. The magnitude of the positive magnetoresistance changes slightly with the amount of impurity phase.

Transport properties and giant Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in the first organic conductor with metal complex anion containing selenocyanate ligand, (ET)2TlHg(SeCN)4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laukhin, V.N.; Audouard, A.; Rakoto, H.; Broto, J.M.; Goze, F.; Coffe, G.; Brossard, L.; Redoules, J.P.; Kartsovnik, M.V.; Kushch, N.D.; Buravov, L.I.; Khomenko, A.G.; Yagubskii, E.B.; Askenazy, S.; Pari, P.

1995-01-01

Temperature dependence of the resistivity in various crystallographic directions and high pulsed field magnetoresistance of organic metal α-(ET) 2 TlHg(SeCN) 4 have been studied at temperatures down to 80 mK. Giant Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, which are attributed to the two-dimensional nature of the cylindrical Fermi surface with a very small warping along the direction of the lowest conductivity have been observed. Four harmonics of the fast oscillations with fundamental frequency F 0 =653±3 T and slow frequency oscillations with F s =38±5 T have been revealed. (orig.)

Very high-density planets: a possible remnant of gas giants.

Science.gov (United States)

Mocquet, A; Grasset, O; Sotin, C

2014-04-28

Data extracted from the Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia (see http://exoplanet.eu) show the existence of planets that are more massive than iron cores that would have the same size. After meticulous verification of the data, we conclude that the mass of the smallest of these planets is actually not known. However, the three largest planets, Kepler-52b, Kepler-52c and Kepler-57b, which are between 30 and 100 times the mass of the Earth, have indeed density larger than an iron planet of the same size. This observation triggers this study that investigates under which conditions these planets could represent the naked cores of gas giants that would have lost their atmospheres during their migration towards the star. This study shows that for moderate viscosity values (10(25) Pa s or lower), large values of escape rate and associated unloading stress rate during the atmospheric loss process lead to the explosion of extremely massive planets. However, for moderate escape rate, the bulk viscosity and finite-strain incompressibility of the cores of giant planets can be large enough to retain a very high density during geological time scales. This would make those a new kind of planet, which would help in understanding the interior structure of the gas giants. However, this new family of exoplanets adds some degeneracy for characterizing terrestrial exoplanets.

Isotropic extragalactic flux from dark matter annihilations: lessons from interacting dark matter scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moliné, Ángeles [CFTP, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Schewtschenko, Jascha A.; Boehm, Céline [Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP), Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Palomares-Ruiz, Sergio [Instituto de Física Corpuscular (IFIC), CSIC-Universitat de València, Apartado de Correos 22085, E-46071 Valencia (Spain); Baugh, Carlton M., E-mail: maria.moline@ist.utl.pt, E-mail: jascha@schewtschenko.net, E-mail: Sergio.Palomares.Ruiz@ific.uv.es, E-mail: c.m.boehm@durham.ac.uk, E-mail: c.m.baugh@durham.ac.uk [Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC), Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

2016-08-01

The extragalactic γ-ray and neutrino emission may have a contribution from dark matter (DM) annihilations. In the case of discrepancies between observations and standard predictions, one could infer the DM pair annihilation cross section into cosmic rays by studying the shape of the energy spectrum. So far all analyses of the extragalactic DM signal have assumed the standard cosmological model (ΛCDM) as the underlying theory. However, there are alternative DM scenarios where the number of low-mass objects is significantly suppressed. Therefore the characteristics of the γ-ray and neutrino emission in these models may differ from ΛCDM as a result. Here we show that the extragalactic isotropic signal in these alternative models has a similar energy dependence to that in ΛCDM, but the overall normalisation is reduced. The similarities between the energy spectra combined with the flux suppression could lead one to misinterpret possible evidence for models beyond ΛCDM as being due to CDM particles annihilating with a much weaker cross section than expected.

Isotropic extragalactic flux from dark matter annihilations: lessons from interacting dark matter scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moliné, Ángeles; Schewtschenko, Jascha A.; Boehm, Céline; Palomares-Ruiz, Sergio; Baugh, Carlton M.

2016-01-01

The extragalactic γ-ray and neutrino emission may have a contribution from dark matter (DM) annihilations. In the case of discrepancies between observations and standard predictions, one could infer the DM pair annihilation cross section into cosmic rays by studying the shape of the energy spectrum. So far all analyses of the extragalactic DM signal have assumed the standard cosmological model (ΛCDM) as the underlying theory. However, there are alternative DM scenarios where the number of low-mass objects is significantly suppressed. Therefore the characteristics of the γ-ray and neutrino emission in these models may differ from ΛCDM as a result. Here we show that the extragalactic isotropic signal in these alternative models has a similar energy dependence to that in ΛCDM, but the overall normalisation is reduced. The similarities between the energy spectra combined with the flux suppression could lead one to misinterpret possible evidence for models beyond ΛCDM as being due to CDM particles annihilating with a much weaker cross section than expected.

Room temperature giant and linear magnetoresistance in topological insulator Bi2Te3 nanosheets.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaolin; Du, Yi; Dou, Shixue; Zhang, Chao

2012-06-29

Topological insulators, a new class of condensed matter having bulk insulating states and gapless metallic surface states, have demonstrated fascinating quantum effects. However, the potential practical applications of the topological insulators are still under exploration worldwide. We demonstrate that nanosheets of a Bi(2)Te(3) topological insulator several quintuple layers thick display giant and linear magnetoresistance. The giant and linear magnetoresistance achieved is as high as over 600% at room temperature, with a trend towards further increase at higher temperatures, as well as being weakly temperature-dependent and linear with the field, without any sign of saturation at measured fields up to 13 T. Furthermore, we observed a magnetic field induced gap below 10 K. The observation of giant and linear magnetoresistance paves the way for 3D topological insulators to be useful for practical applications in magnetoelectronic sensors such as disk reading heads, mechatronics, and other multifunctional electromagnetic applications.

Evolution and nucleosynthesis of asymptotic giant branch stellar models of low metallicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fishlock, Cherie K.; Karakas, Amanda I.; Yong, David [Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2611 (Australia); Lugaro, Maria, E-mail: cherie.fishlock@anu.edu.au, E-mail: amanda.karakas@anu.edu.au, E-mail: david.yong@anu.edu.au, E-mail: maria.lugaro@monash.edu [Monash Centre for Astrophysics, Monash University, Clayton VIC 3800 (Australia)

2014-12-10

We present stellar evolutionary tracks and nucleosynthetic predictions for a grid of stellar models of low- and intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars at Z = 0.001 ([Fe/H] =–1.2). The models cover an initial mass range from 1 M {sub ☉} to 7 M {sub ☉}. Final surface abundances and stellar yields are calculated for all elements from hydrogen to bismuth as well as isotopes up to the iron group. We present the first study of neutron-capture nucleosynthesis in intermediate-mass AGB models, including a super-AGB model, of [Fe/H] = –1.2. We examine in detail a low-mass AGB model of 2 M {sub ☉} where the {sup 13}C(α,n){sup 16}O reaction is the main source of neutrons. We also examine an intermediate-mass AGB model of 5 M {sub ☉} where intershell temperatures are high enough to activate the {sup 22}Ne neutron source, which produces high neutron densities up to ∼10{sup 14} n cm{sup –3}. Hot bottom burning is activated in models with M ≥ 3 M {sub ☉}. With the 3 M {sub ☉} model, we investigate the effect of varying the extent in mass of the region where protons are mixed from the envelope into the intershell at the deepest extent of each third dredge-up. We compare the results of the low-mass models to three post-AGB stars with a metallicity of [Fe/H] ≅ – 1.2. The composition is a good match to the predicted neutron-capture abundances except for Pb and we confirm that the observed Pb abundances are lower than what is calculated by AGB models.

Flavor ratios of extragalactic neutrinos and neutrino shortcuts in extra dimensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aeikens, Elke; Päs, Heinrich [Fakultät für Physik, Technische Universität Dortmund,44221 Dortmund (Germany); Pakvasa, Sandip [Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Hawaii,Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Sicking, Philipp [Fakultät für Physik, Technische Universität Dortmund,44221 Dortmund (Germany)

2015-10-02

The recent measurement of high energy extragalactic neutrinos by the IceCube Collaboration has opened a new window to probe non-standard neutrino properties. Among other effects, sterile neutrino altered dispersion relations (ADRs) due to shortcuts in an extra dimension can significantly affect astrophysical flavor ratios. We discuss two limiting cases of this effect, first active-sterile neutrino oscillations with a constant ADR potential and second an MSW-like resonant conversion arising from geodesics oscillating around the brane in an asymmetrically warped extra dimension. We demonstrate that the second case has the potential to suppress significantly the flux of specific flavors such as ν{sub μ} or ν{sub τ} at high energies.

Flavor ratios of extragalactic neutrinos and neutrino shortcuts in extra dimensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aeikens, Elke; Päs, Heinrich; Sicking, Philipp [Fakultät für Physik, Technische Universität Dortmund, 44221 Dortmund (Germany); Pakvasa, Sandip, E-mail: elke.aeikens@tu-dortmund.de, E-mail: heinrich.paes@tu-dortmund.de, E-mail: pakvasa@phys.hawaii.edu, E-mail: philipp.sicking@tu-dortmund.de [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

2015-10-01

The recent measurement of high energy extragalactic neutrinos by the IceCube Collaboration has opened a new window to probe non-standard neutrino properties. Among other effects, sterile neutrino altered dispersion relations (ADRs) due to shortcuts in an extra dimension can significantly affect astrophysical flavor ratios. We discuss two limiting cases of this effect, first active-sterile neutrino oscillations with a constant ADR potential and second an MSW-like resonant conversion arising from geodesics oscillating around the brane in an asymmetrically warped extra dimension. We demonstrate that the second case has the potential to suppress significantly the flux of specific flavors such as ν{sub μ} or ν{sub τ} at high energies.

White Paper on the Status and Future of Ground-based Gamma-Ray Astronomy - Extragalactic Science Working Group

Science.gov (United States)

Krawczynski, H.; Coppi, P.; Dermer, C.; Dwek, E.; Georganopoulos, M.; Horan, D.; Jones, T.; Krennrich, F.; Mukherjee, R.; Perlman, E.; Vassiliev, V.

2007-04-01

In fall 2006, the Division of Astrophysics of the American Physical Society requested a white paper about the status and future of ground based gamma-ray astronomy. The white paper will largely be written in the year 2007. Interested scientists are invited to join the science working groups. In this contribution, we will report on some preliminary results of the extragalactic science working group. We will discuss the potential of future ground based gamma-ray experiments to elucidate how supermassive black holes accrete matter, form jets, and accelerate particles, and to study in detail the acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays in extragalactic systems like infrared galaxies and galaxy clusters. Furthermore, we discuss avenues to constrain the spectrum of the extragalactic infrared to optical background radiation, and to measure the extragalactic magnetic fields based on gamma-ray observations. Eventually, we discuss the potential of ground based experiments for conducting gamma-ray source surveys. More information about the white paper can be found at: http://cherenkov.physics.iastate.edu/wp/

Cosmic Ray Origin: Lessons from Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays and the Galactic/Extragalactic Transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parizot, Etienne

2014-11-15

We examine the question of the origin of the Galactic cosmic-rays (GCRs) in the light of the data available at the highest energy end of the spectrum. We argue that the data of the Pierre Auger Observatory and of the KASCADE-Grande experiment suggest that the transition between the Galactic and the extragalactic components takes place at the energy of the ankle in the all-particle cosmic-ray spectrum, and at an energy of the order of 10{sup 17} eV for protons. Such a high energy for Galactic protons appears difficult to reconcile with the general view that GCRs are accelerated by the standard diffusive shock acceleration process at the forward shock of individual supernova remnants (SNRs). We also review various difficulties of the standard SNR-GCR connection, related to the evolution of the light element abundances and to significant isotopic anomalies. We point out that most of the power injected by the supernovæ in the Galaxy is actually released inside superbubbles, which may thus play an important role in the origin of cosmic-rays, and could solve some persistent problems of the standard SNR-GCR scenario in a rather natural way.

Asteroseismic Diagram for Subgiants and Red Giants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gai, Ning; Tang, Yanke [College of Physics and Electronic information, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023 (China); Yu, Peng [College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Dou, Xianghua, E-mail: ning_gai@163.com, E-mail: tyk450@163.com [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023 (China)

2017-02-10

Asteroseismology is a powerful tool for constraining stellar parameters. NASA’s Kepler mission is providing individual eigenfrequencies for a huge number of stars, including thousands of red giants. Besides the frequencies of acoustic modes, an important breakthrough of the Kepler mission is the detection of nonradial gravity-dominated mixed-mode oscillations in red giants. Unlike pure acoustic modes, mixed modes probe deeply into the interior of stars, allowing the stellar core properties and evolution of stars to be derived. In this work, using the gravity-mode period spacing and the large frequency separation, we construct the ΔΠ{sub 1}–Δ ν asteroseismic diagram from models of subgiants and red giants with various masses and metallicities. The relationship ΔΠ{sub 1}–Δ ν is able to constrain the ages and masses of the subgiants. Meanwhile, for red giants with masses above 1.5 M {sub ⊙}, the ΔΠ{sub 1}–Δ ν asteroseismic diagram can also work well to constrain the stellar age and mass. Additionally, we calculate the relative “isochrones” τ , which indicate similar evolution states especially for similar mass stars, on the ΔΠ{sub 1}–Δ ν diagram.

THE REDSHIFT DISTRIBUTION OF GIANT ARCS IN THE SLOAN GIANT ARCS SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayliss, Matthew B.; Gladders, Michael D.; Koester, Benjamin P.; Oguri, Masamune; Hennawi, Joseph F.; Sharon, Keren; Dahle, Haakon

2011-01-01

We measure the redshift distribution of a sample of 28 giant arcs discovered as a part of the Sloan Giant Arcs Survey. Gemini/GMOS-North spectroscopy provides precise redshifts for 24 arcs, and 'redshift desert' constrains for the remaining 4 arcs. This is a direct measurement of the redshift distribution of a uniformly selected sample of bright giant arcs, which is an observable that can be used to inform efforts to predict giant arc statistics. Our primary giant arc sample has a median redshift z = 1.821 and nearly two-thirds of the arcs, 64%, are sources at z ∼> 1.4, indicating that the population of background sources that are strongly lensed into bright giant arcs resides primarily at high redshift. We also analyze the distribution of redshifts for 19 secondary strongly lensed background sources that are not visually apparent in Sloan Digital Sky Survey imaging, but were identified in deeper follow-up imaging of the lensing cluster fields. Our redshift sample for the secondary sources is not spectroscopically complete, but combining it with our primary giant arc sample suggests that a large fraction of all background galaxies that are strongly lensed by foreground clusters reside at z ∼> 1.4. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests indicate that our well-selected, spectroscopically complete primary giant arc redshift sample can be reproduced with a model distribution that is constructed from a combination of results from studies of strong-lensing clusters in numerical simulations and observational constraints on the galaxy luminosity function.

On the necessity of composition-dependent low-temperature opacity in models of metal-poor asymptotic giant branch stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Constantino, Thomas; Campbell, Simon; Lattanzio, John [Monash Centre for Astrophysics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Gil-Pons, Pilar, E-mail: thomas.constantino@monash.edu [Department of Applied Physics, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, 08860 Barcelona (Spain)

2014-03-20

The vital importance of composition-dependent low-temperature opacity in low-mass (M ≤ 3 M {sub ☉}) asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stellar models of metallicity Z ≥ 0.001 has recently been demonstrated. Its significance to more metal-poor, intermediate-mass (M ≥ 2.5 M {sub ☉}) models has yet to be investigated. We show that its inclusion in lower-metallicity models ([Fe/H] ≤–2) is essential and that there exists no threshold metallicity below which composition-dependent molecular opacity may be neglected. We find it to be crucial in all intermediate-mass models investigated ([Fe/H] ≤–2 and 2.5 ≤ M/M {sub ☉} ≤ 5), because of the evolution of the surface chemistry, including the orders of magnitude increase in the abundance of molecule-forming species. Its effect on these models mirrors that previously reported for higher-metallicity models—increase in radius, decrease in T {sub eff}, faster mass loss, shorter thermally pulsing AGB lifetime, reduced enrichment in third dredge-up products (by a factor of 3-10), and an increase in the mass limit for hot bottom burning. We show that the evolution of low-metallicity models with composition-dependent low-temperature opacity is relatively independent of initial metal abundance because its contribution to the opacity is far outweighed by changes resulting from dredge-up. Our results imply a significant reduction in the expected number of nitrogen-enhanced metal-poor stars, which may help explain their observed paucity. We note that these findings are partially a product of the macrophysics adopted in our models, in particular, the Vassiliadis and Wood mass loss rate which is strongly dependent on radius.

Giant photoluminescence enhancement in tungsten-diselenide–gold plasmonic hybrid structures

KAUST Repository

Wang, Zhuo

2016-05-06

Impressive properties arise from the atomically thin nature of transition metal dichalcogenide two-dimensional materials. However, being atomically thin limits their optical absorption or emission. Hence, enhancing their photoluminescence by plasmonic nanostructures is critical for integrating these materials in optoelectronic and photonic devices. Typical photoluminescence enhancement from transition metal dichalcogenides is 100-fold, with recent enhancement of 1,000-fold achieved by simultaneously enhancing absorption, emission and directionality of the system. By suspending WSe2 flakes onto sub-20-nm-wide trenches in gold substrate, we report a giant photoluminescence enhancement of ~20,000-fold. It is attributed to an enhanced absorption of the pump laser due to the lateral gap plasmons confined in the trenches and the enhanced Purcell factor by the plasmonic nanostructure. This work demonstrates the feasibility of giant photoluminescence enhancement in WSe2 with judiciously designed plasmonic nanostructures and paves a way towards the implementation of plasmon-enhanced transition metal dichalcogenide photodetectors, sensors and emitters.

Giant photoluminescence enhancement in tungsten-diselenide–gold plasmonic hybrid structures

KAUST Repository

Wang, Zhuo; Dong, Zhaogang; Gu, Yinghong; Chang, Yung-Huang; Zhang, Lei; Li, Lain-Jong; Zhao, Weijie; Eda, Goki; Zhang, Wenjing; Grinblat, Gustavo; Maier, Stefan A.; Yang, Joel K. W.; Qiu, Cheng-Wei; Wee, Andrew T. S.

2016-01-01

Impressive properties arise from the atomically thin nature of transition metal dichalcogenide two-dimensional materials. However, being atomically thin limits their optical absorption or emission. Hence, enhancing their photoluminescence by plasmonic nanostructures is critical for integrating these materials in optoelectronic and photonic devices. Typical photoluminescence enhancement from transition metal dichalcogenides is 100-fold, with recent enhancement of 1,000-fold achieved by simultaneously enhancing absorption, emission and directionality of the system. By suspending WSe2 flakes onto sub-20-nm-wide trenches in gold substrate, we report a giant photoluminescence enhancement of ~20,000-fold. It is attributed to an enhanced absorption of the pump laser due to the lateral gap plasmons confined in the trenches and the enhanced Purcell factor by the plasmonic nanostructure. This work demonstrates the feasibility of giant photoluminescence enhancement in WSe2 with judiciously designed plasmonic nanostructures and paves a way towards the implementation of plasmon-enhanced transition metal dichalcogenide photodetectors, sensors and emitters.

The giant branch of omega Centauri. I. Abundance variations due to mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bessell, M.S.; Norris, J.

1976-01-01

David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) intermediate-band and RI photometry, together with low-dispersion spectra of a representative sample of stars on the upper giant branch were analysed. Several conclusions were: i) The large width of the giant branch is inseparably connected with mixing. All stars on the red side of the upper giant branch appear to have greatly enhanced features of the CN molecule, with no comparable enhancement of [Fe/H]. ii) A positive correlation between [Fe/H] and the CN excess deltaC (41--42) exists in ω Cen similar to that reported by McClure and Norris for NGC 362. We suggest that this can be explained by the effect of the strong CN band at lambda3800 on the 38 filter of the DDO system. A broad continuum depression around lambda4000 exists in the mixed stars and may also contribute to the correlation. iii) The stars on the blue side of the giant branch show no evidence for mixing and yield an abundance [Fe/H]=-2.1 +- 0.2. It appears that the material from which the cluster formed was as metal deficient as the very metal poor globular clusters. iv) The strong CN enhancement in stars on the red side of the giant branch is not accompanied by greatly enhanced features of CH and C 2 as found in the CH stars. We suggest that the CN stars have O/C>1 and that during the mixing process much of the material now seen at the surface of these objects has been processed through the CN cycle. v) The large width of the branch seen in the (V, B--V) -plane is greatly reduced in the (R, R--I) -plane. This suggests to us that blocking effects are predominant in causing the observed spread in (B--V). We consider the problem that ω Cen is apparently unique in possessing an anomalously wide giant branch. We investigate the possibility that the effect could result from anomalously large angular momentum, and suggest that it might be profitable to observe the highly flattened cluster NGC 6273 to ascertain if it exhibits the same phenomenon

CANDELS : THE COSMIC ASSEMBLY NEAR-INFRARED DEEP EXTRAGALACTIC LEGACY SURVEY

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grogin, Norman A.; Kocevski, Dale D.; Faber, S. M.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Koekemoer, Anton M.; Riess, Adam G.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Alexander, David M.; Almaini, Omar; Ashby, Matthew L. N.; Barden, Marco; Bell, Eric F.; Bournaud, Frederic; Brown, Thomas M.; Caputi, Karina I.; Casertano, Stefano; Cassata, Paolo; Castellano, Marco; Challis, Peter; Chary, Ranga-Ram; Cheung, Edmond; Cirasuolo, Michele; Conselice, Christopher J.; Cooray, Asantha Roshan; Croton, Darren J.; Daddi, Emanuele; Dahlen, Tomas; Dave, Romeel; de Mello, Duilia F.; Dekel, Avishai; Dickinson, Mark; Dolch, Timothy; Donley, Jennifer L.; Dunlop, James S.; Dutton, Aaron A.; Elbaz, David; Fazio, Giovanni G.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Finkelstein, Steven L.; Fontana, Adriano; Gardner, Jonathan P.; Garnavich, Peter M.; Gawiser, Eric; Giavalisco, Mauro; Grazian, Andrea; Guo, Yicheng; Hathi, Nimish P.; Haeussler, Boris; Hopkins, Philip F.; Huang, Jia-Sheng; Huang, Kuang-Han; Jha, Saurabh W.; Kartaltepe, Jeyhan S.; Kirshner, Robert P.; Koo, David C.; Lai, Kamson; Lee, Kyoung-Soo; Li, Weidong; Lotz, Jennifer M.; Lucas, Ray A.; Madau, Piero; McCarthy, Patrick J.; McGrath, Elizabeth J.; McIntosh, Daniel H.; McLure, Ross J.; Mobasher, Bahram; Moustakas, Leonidas A.; Mozena, Mark; Nandra, Kirpal; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Niemi, Sami-Matias; Noeske, Kai G.; Papovich, Casey J.; Pentericci, Laura; Pope, Alexandra; Primack, Joel R.; Rajan, Abhijith; Ravindranath, Swara; Reddy, Naveen A.; Renzini, Alvio; Rix, Hans-Walter; Robaina, Aday R.; Rodney, Steven A.; Rosario, David J.; Rosati, Piero; Salimbeni, Sara; Scarlata, Claudia; Siana, Brian; Simard, Luc; Smidt, Joseph; Somerville, Rachel S.; Spinrad, Hyron; Straughn, Amber N.; Strolger, Louis-Gregory; Telford, Olivia; Teplitz, Harry I.; Trump, Jonathan R.; van der Wel, Arjen; Villforth, Carolin; Wechsler, Risa H.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Wiklind, Tommy; Wild, Vivienne; Wilson, Grant; Wuyts, Stijn; Yan, Hao-Jing; Yun, Min S.

2011-01-01

The Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) is designed to document the first third of galactic evolution, over the approximate redshift (z) range 8-1.5. It will image >250,000 distant galaxies using three separate cameras on the Hubble Space Telescope, from the

Rapid formation of gas giants, ice giants and super-Earths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boss, A P [DTM, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015 (United States)], E-mail: boss@dtm.ciw.edu

2008-08-15

Giant planets might have been formed by either of the two basic mechanisms, top-down (disk instability) or bottom-up (core accretion). The latter mechanism is the most generally accepted mechanism and it begins with the collisional accumulation of solid cores that may then accrete sufficient gas to become gas giants. The former mechanism is more heretical and begins with the gravitational instability of the protoplanetary disk gas, leading to the formation of self-gravitating protoplanets, within which the dust settles to form a solid core. The disk instability mechanism has been thought of primarily as a mechanism for the formation of gas giants, but if it occurs in a disk that is being photoevaporated by the ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars, then the outer gaseous protoplanets can be photoevaporated as well and stripped of their gaseous envelopes. The result would then be ice giants (cold super-Earths), such as the objects discovered recently by microlensing orbiting two presumed M dwarf stars. M dwarfs that form in regions of future high-mass star formation would be expected to produce cold super-Earths orbiting at distances of several astronomical units (AU) and beyond, while M dwarfs that form in regions of low-mass star formation would be expected to have gas giants at those distances. Given that most stars are born in the former rather than in the latter regions, M dwarfs should have significantly more super-Earths than gas giants on orbits of several AU or more.

Rapid formation of gas giants, ice giants and super-Earths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boss, A P

2008-01-01

Giant planets might have been formed by either of the two basic mechanisms, top-down (disk instability) or bottom-up (core accretion). The latter mechanism is the most generally accepted mechanism and it begins with the collisional accumulation of solid cores that may then accrete sufficient gas to become gas giants. The former mechanism is more heretical and begins with the gravitational instability of the protoplanetary disk gas, leading to the formation of self-gravitating protoplanets, within which the dust settles to form a solid core. The disk instability mechanism has been thought of primarily as a mechanism for the formation of gas giants, but if it occurs in a disk that is being photoevaporated by the ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars, then the outer gaseous protoplanets can be photoevaporated as well and stripped of their gaseous envelopes. The result would then be ice giants (cold super-Earths), such as the objects discovered recently by microlensing orbiting two presumed M dwarf stars. M dwarfs that form in regions of future high-mass star formation would be expected to produce cold super-Earths orbiting at distances of several astronomical units (AU) and beyond, while M dwarfs that form in regions of low-mass star formation would be expected to have gas giants at those distances. Given that most stars are born in the former rather than in the latter regions, M dwarfs should have significantly more super-Earths than gas giants on orbits of several AU or more

Giant Faraday Rotation in Metal-Fluoride Nanogranular Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, N; Ikeda, K; Gu, Bo; Takahashi, S; Masumoto, H; Maekawa, S

2018-03-21

Magneto-optical Faraday effect is widely applied in optical devices and is indispensable for optical communications and advanced information technology. However, the bismuth garnet Bi-YIG is only the Faraday material since 1972. Here we introduce (Fe, FeCo)-(Al-,Y-fluoride) nanogranular films exhibiting giant Faraday effect, 40 times larger than Bi-YIG. These films have a nanocomposite structure, in which nanometer-sized Fe, FeCo ferromagnetic granules are dispersed in a Al,Y-fluoride matrix.

The giant branch of Omega Centauri. II. Mixing versus primordial abundance variations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norris, J.; Bessell, M.S.

1977-01-01

The lower giant branch of ω Centauri in the magnitude range 13< V<14 contains weak-G-band stars, CH stars, and CN stars; five stars from a sample of 20 members are clearly peculiar. There is also a positive correlation between the strength of the CN band at lambda3883 and the Ca II H and K lines in this sample, with the calcium lines being strongest in the CH and CN stars. All available BVRI data show that while the wide giant branch of ω Cen in the (V, B--V) -plane extends redward almost to that of 47 Tuc, there is a clear separation of ω Cen from 47 Tuc in the (V, R--I) -plane. This suggests that there are no stars on the giant branch of ω Cen with metal abundance as high as that in 47 Tuc. We obtain an upper limit [Fe/H]approx.-1.0 for a sample of approx.60 ω Cen giants brighter than V=14. This is surprising in view of the result of Freeman and Rodgers that there exist strong-lined RR Lyrae stars on the horizontal branch of ω Cen which are most easily understood in terms of 47 Tucanae-like abundances. While we offer no explanation for the strong-lined RR Lyrae stars, we suggest that the mixed stars on the giant branch of ω Cen are stronger lined than normal because of the effect of CN opacity on their atmospheric structure

The Structure of the Nearby Giant Star-Forming Region 30 Doradus

Science.gov (United States)

Pellegrini, Eric; Baldwin, Jack; Hanson, Margaret; Ferland, Gary; Troland, Thomas

2007-08-01

The rates of star formation and chemical evolution are controlled in part by the interaction of stellar radiation and winds with the remnant molecular gas from which the stars have formed. We are carrying out a detailed, panchromatic study of these processes in the two nearest giant star-forming regions, 30 Doradus and NGC 3603, as an aide in understanding the nature of Giant Extragalactic H II Regions, starbursts, and Ultra-Luminous IR Galaxies. We recently completed our observations of NGC 3603. Here we request 2 nights on the Blanco telescope to obtain a dense grid of optical long-slit spectra criss- crossing 30 Dor. These will cover the [S II] doublet (to measure N_e) and also [O III], H(beta), [O I], H(alpha) and [N II] to measure the ionization mechanism and ionization parameter, at ~3800 different spots in the nebula. We also request 3 nights on SOAR to take K-band long slit spectra covering H^+ Br(gamma) and several H_2 lines across three representative edge-on ionization fronts in 30 Dor. The IR spectra will be taken in locations also covered by the optical spectra, and will tell us about the structure, pressure support and heating mechanisms in the photo-dissociation regions (PDRs) at these points. Either half of this project can stand on its own, but both parts together will permit the PI to complete his PhD thesis.

Alpha Elements' Effects on Planet Formation and the Hunt for Extragalactic Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Penny, Matthew; Rodriguez, Joseph E.; Beatty, Thomas; Zhou, George

2018-01-01

A star's likelihood of hosting a giant planet is well known to be strongly dependent on metallicity. However, little is known about what elements cause this correlation (e.g. bulk metals, iron, or alpha elements such as silicon and oxygen). This is likely because most planet searches target stars in the Galactic disk, and due to Galactic chemical evolution, alpha element abundances are themselves correlated with metallicity within a population. We investigate the feasibility of simultaneous transiting planet search towards the alpha-poor Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and alpha-rich Galactic bulge in a single field of view of DECam, that would enable a comparative study of planet frequency over an [alpha/Fe] baseline of ~0.4 dex. We show that a modestly sized survey could detect planet candidates in both populations, but that false positive rejection in Sgr Dwarf may be prohibitively expensive. Conversely, two-filter survey observations alone would be sufficient to rule out a large fraction of bulge false positives, enabling statistical validation of candidates with a modest follow-up investment. Although over a shorter [alpha/Fe] baseline, this survey would provide a test of whether it is alpha or iron that causes the planet metallicity correlation.

Fine structure of 25 extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wittels, J.J.; Knight, C.A.; Shapiro, I.I.; Hinteregger, H.F.; Rogers, A.E.E.; Whitney, A.R.; Clark, T.A.; Hutton, L.K.; Marandino, G.E.; Neill, A.E.; Ronnang, B.G.; Rydbeck, O.E.H.; Klemperer, W.K.; Warnock, W.W.

1975-01-01

Between 1972 April and 1973 May, 25 extragalactic radio sources were observed interferometrically at 7.8 GHz(lambdaapprox. =3.8 cm) with five pairings of antennas. These sources exhibit a broad variety of fine structures from very simple to complex. Although the structure and the total power of some of these sources have remained unchanged within the sensitivity of our measurements during the year of observations, both the total flux and the correlated flux of others have undergone large changes in a few weeks

Superluminal motion of extragalactic objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matveenko, L.I. (AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Kosmicheskikh Issledovanij)

1983-07-01

Extragalactic objects with active nuclei are reviewed. Experimental data are obtained with the method of superfar radiointerferometry. The main peculiarities of the complex structure of Seyfert galaxies, quasars and lacertae objects are considered: the distribution of radiobrightness, spectra, alteration of the density of radiation flux and the distance between the components of sources. The superluminal velocities of component divergence observed are explained by different reasons: fast motion of components considerable difference of the Hubble component or non-cosmologic nature of the red shift of objects, effect of echoreflection of radiation, gravitation lens, systematic alteration of the optical thickness of the object, synchronouys radiation of electrons in the dipole magnetic field, as well as different kinematic illusions connected with the final time of signal propagation.

Superluminal motion of extragalactic objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matveenko, L.I.

1983-01-01

Extragalactic objects with active nuclei are reviewed. Experimental data are obtained with the method of superfar radiointerferometry. The main peculiarities of the complex strUcture of Seyfert galaxies quasars and lacertae ob ects are considered: the distribution of radiobrightness, spectra, alteration of the density of radiation flux and the distance between the components of sources. The superluminal velocities of component divergence observed are explained by different reasons: fast motion of components considerable difference of the Hubble component or non-cosmologic nature of the red shift of objects, effect of echoreflection of radiation, gravitation lens, systematic alteration of the optical thickness of the object, synchronoUs radiation of electrons in the dipole magnetic field, as well as different kinematic illusions connected with the final time of signal propagation

Transport properties and giant Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in the first organic conductor with metal complex anion containing selenocyanate ligand, (ET){sub 2}TlHg(SeCN){sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laukhin, V.N. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France)]|[Institute of Chemical Physics in Chernogolovka, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, MD 142432 (Russian Federation); Audouard, A. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France); Rakoto, H. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France); Broto, J.M. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France); Goze, F. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France); Coffe, G. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France); Brossard, L. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France); Redoules, J.P. [Service National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses du CNRS et Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, URA CNRS 074, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France); Kartsovnik, M.V. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, MD 142432 (Russian Federation); Kushch, N.D. [Institute of Chemical Physics in Chernogolovka, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, MD 142432 (Russian Federation); Buravov, L.I.

1995-05-01

Temperature dependence of the resistivity in various crystallographic directions and high pulsed field magnetoresistance of organic metal {alpha}-(ET){sub 2}TlHg(SeCN){sub 4} have been studied at temperatures down to 80 mK. Giant Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, which are attributed to the two-dimensional nature of the cylindrical Fermi surface with a very small warping along the direction of the lowest conductivity have been observed. Four harmonics of the fast oscillations with fundamental frequency F{sub 0}=653{+-}3 T and slow frequency oscillations with F{sub s}=38{+-}5 T have been revealed. (orig.).

Lithium-rich very metal-poor stars discovered with LAMOST and Subaru

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Wako; Li, Haining; Matsuno, Tadafumi; Kumar, Yerra Bharat; Shi, Jianrong; Suda, Takuma; Zhao, Gang

2018-04-01

Lithium is a unique element that is produced in the Big Bang nucleosynthesis but is destroyed by nuclear reactions inside stars. As a result, almost constant lithium abundance is found in unevolved main-sequence metal-poor stars, although the value is systematically lower than that expected from the standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis models, whereas lithium abundances of red giants are more than one order of magnitudes lower than those of unevolved stars. There are, however, a small fraction of metal-poor stars that show extremely high lithium abundances, which is not explained by standard stellar evolution models. We have discovered 12 new very metal-poor stars that have enhancement of lithium by more than 10 times compared with typical metal-poor stars at similar evolutionary stages by the large-scale spectroscopic survey with LAMOST and the follow-up high-resolution spectroscopy with the Subaru Telescope. The sample shows a wide distribution of evolutionary stages from subgiants to red giants with the metallicity of -3.3 <[Fe/H]< -1.6. The chemical abundance ratios of other elements have been obtained by our spectroscopic study, and an estimate of the binary frequency by radial velocity monitoring is ongoing. The observational results provide new constraints on the scenarios to explain lithium-rich metal-poor stars, such as extra mixing during the evolution along the red giant branch, mass-transfer from a companion AGB star, and engulfment of planet-like objects. These explanations are very unlikely for at least some of lithium-rich objects in our sample, suggesting a new mechanism that enhances lithium during the low-mass star evolution.

A model for extremely powerful extragalactic water masers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Ying-Cheng; Alcock, C.

1988-08-01

The reasons for the differences between extremely powerful extragalatic water masers (EPEWMs) and strong Galactic H/sub 2/O masers are discussed. This model quite successfully explains many important characteristics of EPEWMs; the rapid time variations, the broad range and random velocity distribution, the extremely high luminosities, the various heights or widths of features in spectra, the strong infrared radiation from the galaxies, how an active nucleus contributes to an EPEWM, how some parts of EPEWMs producing strong features are pumped, why this pump mechanism can work, and why EPEWMs are different from strong Galactic H/sub 2/O masers. Recent observations of extragalactic water masers which have extremely high luminosities raise the possibility that the stimulated emission rate in the maser emission line in these regions is much higher than in Galactic masers. It is possible that the local stimulated emission rate exceeds the local bandwidth for the radiation. In this case the standard expression relating the photon emission rate to the profile averaged mean intensity does not apply. A new expression for the photon emission rate is derived.

A model for extremely powerful extragalactic water masers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Ying-Cheng; Alcock, C.

1988-08-01

The reasons for the differences between extremely powerful extragalatic water masers (EPEWMs) and strong Galactic H 2 O masers are discussed. This model quite successfully explains many important characteristics of EPEWMs; the rapid time variations, the broad range and random velocity distribution, the extremely high luminosities, the various heights or widths of features in spectra, the strong infrared radiation from the galaxies, how an active nucleus contributes to an EPEWM, how some parts of EPEWMs producing strong features are pumped, why this pump mechanism can work, and why EPEWMs are different from strong Galactic H 2 O masers. Recent observations of extragalactic water masers which have extremely high luminosities raise the possibility that the stimulated emission rate in the maser emission line in these regions is much higher than in Galactic masers. It is possible that the local stimulated emission rate exceeds the local bandwidth for the radiation. In this case the standard expression relating the photon emission rate to the profile averaged mean intensity does not apply. A new expression for the photon emission rate is derived

Giant dipole resonance in hot nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mau, N.V.

1993-01-01

Giant resonances built on an excited state of the nucleus at a finite temperature T are studied. The following questions are investigated: how long such collective effects occur in a nucleus when T increases. How the properties of the giant resonances vary when the temperature increases. How the study of giant resonances in hot nuclei can give information on the structure of the nucleus in a highly excited state. The special case of the giant dipole resonance is studied. Some of the experimental results are reviewed and in their theoretical interpretation is discussed. (K.A.). 56 refs., 20 figs., 4 tabs

Young α-enriched giant stars in the solar neighbourhood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martig, Marie; Rix, Hans-Walter; Aguirre, Victor Silva

2015-01-01

We derive age constraints for 1639 red giants in the APOKASC sample for which seismic parameters from Kepler, as well as effective temperatures, metallicities and [alpha/Fe] values from APOGEE DR12 (Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment Data Release 12) are available. We investig...

The giant quadrupole resonance in highly excited rotating nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Civitarese, O.; Furui, S.; Ploszajczak, M.; Faessler, A.

1983-01-01

The giant quadrupole resonance in highly excited, fast rotating nuclei is studied as a function of both the nuclear temperature and the nuclear angular momentum. The photo-absorption cross sections for quadrupole radiation in 156 Dy, 160 Er and 164 Er are evaluated within the linear response theory. The strength functions of the γ-ray spectrum obtained from the decay of highly excited nuclear states by deexcitation of the isoscalar quadrupole mode show a fine structure, which depends on the temperature T, the angular momentum I and the deformation of the nucleus β. The splitting of the modes associated with the signature-conserving and signature-changing components of the quadrupole field is discussed. (orig.)

Planck intermediate results: XLV. Radio spectra of northern extragalactic radio sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ade, P. A R; Aghanim, N.; Aller, H. D.

2016-01-01

Continuum spectra covering centimetre to submillimetre wavelengths are presented for a northern sample of 104 extragalactic radio sources, mainly active galactic nuclei, based on four-epoch Planck data. The nine Planck frequencies, from 30 to 857 GHz, are complemented by a set of simultaneous gro...

Interpretation of astrophysical neutrinos observed by IceCube experiment by setting Galactic and extra-Galactic spectral components

CERN Document Server

Marinelli, Antonio; Grasso, Dario; Urbano, Alfredo; Valli, Mauro

2016-01-01

The last IceCube catalog of High Energy Starting Events (HESE) obtained with a livetime of 1347 days comprises 54 neutrino events equally-distributed between the three families with energies between 25 TeV and few PeVs. Considering the homogeneous flavors distribution (1:1:1) and the spectral features of these neutrinos the IceCube collaboration claims the astrophysical origin of these events with more than $5\\sigma$. The spatial distribution of cited events does not show a clear correlation with known astrophysical accelerators leaving opened both the Galactic and the extra-Galactic origin interpretations. Here, we compute the neutrino diffuse emission of our Galaxy on the basis of a recently proposed phenomenological model characterized by radially-dependent cosmic-ray (CR) transport properties. We show that the astrophysical spectrum measured by IceCube experiment can be well explained adding to the diffuse Galactic neutrino flux (obtained with this new model) a extra-Galactic component derived from the as...

Photometric metal abundances for twenty clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jennens, P.A.; Helfer, H.L.

1975-01-01

Metal abundances, colour excesses and distance moduli have been determined for individual giant stars, using UBViyz photometry, in NGC 188, 559, 752, 1245, 1342, 1907, 1912, 2099, 5139 (ω cen), 5316, 5617, 5822, 5823, 6067, IC 4651, 6819, 6940, 7142, 7261 and 7789. All six clusters with ages 3 to 8x10 9 yr have metal abundances agreeing with one another; their average value of [Fe/H]=-0.24+-0.05, agrees with the average found for the bright K-giants near the Sun. All six clusters are at least 140pc from the galactic plane. For the younger clusters less than approximately 10 9 yr old, one-third are metal deficient. The very young cluster, NGC 559, is probably very metal weak. (author)

Where does particle acceleration occur in extended extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, P.A.

1980-01-01

It is suggested that particle acceleration does not occur in the extended lobes of extragalactic radio sources, but only in the compact heads. Away from these, waves capable of accelerating particles may not propagate. Although wave generation within the lobes would allow acceleration there, it is not obvious that the plasma is sufficiently disturbed for this to occur. (author)

Spectroscopy of Six Red Giants in the Draco Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Graeme H.; Siegel, Michael H.; Shetrone, Matthew D.; Winnick, Rebeccah

2006-10-01

Keck Observatory LRIS-B (Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) spectra are reported for six red giant stars in the Draco dwarf spheroidal galaxy and several comparison giants in the globular cluster M13. Indexes that quantify the strengths of the Ca II H and K lines, the λ3883 and λ4215 CN bands, and the λ4300 G band have been measured. These data confirm evidence of metallicity inhomogeneity within Draco obtained by previous authors. The four brightest giants in the sample have absolute magnitudes in the range -2.6intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch stars to enrich the interstellar medium while star formation was still occurring. The data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

The Extragalactic Background Light and the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

Science.gov (United States)

Dwek, Eli; Krennrich, Frank

2012-01-01

The extragalactic background light (EBL) is one of the fundamental observational quantities in cosmology. All energy releases from resolved and unresolved extragalactic sources, and the light from any truly diffuse background, excluding the cosmic microwave background (CMB), contribute to its intensity and spectral energy distribution. It therefore plays a crucial role in cosmological tests for the formation and evolution of stellar objects and galaxies, and for setting limits on exotic energy releases in the universe. The EBL also plays an important role in the propagation of very high energy gamma-rays which are attenuated en route to Earth by pair producing gamma-gamma interactions with the EBL and CMB. The EBL affects the spectrum of the sources, predominantly blazars, in the approx 10 GeV to 10 TeV energy regime. Knowledge of the EBL intensity and spectrum will allow the determination of the intrinsic blazar spectrum in a crucial energy regime that can be used to test particle acceleration mechanisms and VHE gamma-ray production models. Conversely, knowledge of the intrinsic gamma-ray spectrum and the detection of blazars at increasingly higher redshifts will set strong limits on the EBL and its evolution. This paper reviews the latest developments in the determination of the EBL and its impact on the current understanding of the origin and production mechanisms of gamma-rays in blazars, and on energy releases in the universe. The review concludes with a summary and future directions in Cherenkov Telescope Array techniques and in infrared ground-based and space observatories that will greatly improve our knowledge of the EBL and the origin and production of very high energy gamma-rays.

Theoretical red-giant branches for globular clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

VandenBerg, D.A.

1984-01-01

The authors reports computations of stellar evolutionary sequences from the base of the red-giant branch to the helium flash. Representative models with masses in the range of 0.8 to 0.9 solar masses were selected in order that the stars on the giant branches had ages of approximately 16 billion yr. Initial numerical experiments indicated that a value of α = 1.6 for the ratio of the mixing length to the pressure scale height was needed to provide the best of the Z = 0.0001 model sequence with the observations of M92. Sequences for the other assumed metallicities, Z = 0.0003, 0.001, 0.003, and 0.006, were then computed for the same value of the mixing-length parameter and overlayed directly on the observations. (Auth.)

Role of cosmic ray protons in two types of extragalactic objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vestrand, W.T.

1980-01-01

For many years the physics of galactic cosmic rays has been studied in detail. Very little work, however, has been done concerning cosmic ray protons in extragalactic objects. Here the role cosmic ray protons can play in two types of extragalactic sites are examined: (1) clusters of galaxies, and (2) the active nuclei of Quasars that produce superluminal radio components. Models of Coma-type radio halos must explain both their large extent and their rarity. A model is presented wherein secondary electrons produced by the interaction of cosmic ray protons with the observed intracluster gas are responsible for the diffuse radio emission. This model predicts a correlation between a cluster's evolutionary state and the presence of Coma-type halos. If a cluster's x-ray morphology is an indication of the cluster's evolutionary state, this prediction is supported by observations. This model also predicts that clusters with Coma-type halos will emit π 0 γ-rays. If the intracluster magnetic field in Coma has the strength favored by many authors, B/sub c/ = 0.2 microgauss, these γ-rays should be detectable with the proposed GRO satellite. Superluminal radio sources may originate in highly compact and relativistically hot plasmas. The production of mesons and their secondaries in an ultrarelativistic plasma is examined. Source functions from a relativistic Maxwellian distribution of protons are numerically calculated for conditions likely during the formation of superluminal radio components. Analytic expressions for the source functions from a power law distribution of relativistic protons are also presented

The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts III: Polarization properties of FRBs 160102 & 151230

Science.gov (United States)

Caleb, M.; Keane, E. F.; van Straten, W.; Kramer, M.; Macquart, J. P.; Bailes, M.; Barr, E. D.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Bhandari, S.; Burgay, M.; Farah, W.; Jameson, A.; Jankowski, F.; Johnston, S.; Petroff, E.; Possenti, A.; Stappers, B.; Tiburzi, C.; Krishnan, V. Venkatraman

2018-05-01

We report on the polarization properties of two fast radio bursts (FRBs): 151230 and 160102 discovered in the SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts (SUPERB) at the Parkes radio telescope. FRB 151230 is observed to be 6 ± 11% circularly polarized and 35 ± 13 % linearly polarized with a rotation measure (RM) consistent with zero. Conversely, FRB 160102 is observed to have a circular polarization fraction of 30 ± 11 %, linear polarization fraction of 84 ± 15 % for RM =-221(6) rad m-2 and the highest measured DM (2596.1 ± 0.3 pc cm-3) for an FRB to date. We examine possible progenitor models for FRB 160102 in extragalactic, non-cosmological and cosmological scenarios. After accounting for the Galactic foreground contribution, we estimate the intrinsic RM to be -256(9) rad m-2 in the low-redshift case and ˜-2.4 × 102 rad m-2 in the high-redshift case. We assess the relative likeliness of these scenarios and how each can be tested. We also place constraints on the scattering measure and study the impact of scattering on the signal's polarization position angle.

Rotationally symmetric structure in two extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lonsdale, C.J.; Morison, I.

1980-01-01

The new multi-telescope radio-linked interferometer (MTRLI) at Jodrell Bank was used during January and February 1980 at a frequency of 408 MHz to map the extragalactic radio sources 3C196 and 3C305 with a resolution of approximately 1 arc s. It is shown here that both the markedly symmetric structures observed and the spectral index distributions inferred from comparisons with previously published 5 GHz maps provide evidence for the source axes having rotated during the lifetime of the emitting regions. (U.K.)

Heavy-element yields and abundances of asymptotic giant branch models with a Small Magellanic Cloud metallicity

Science.gov (United States)

Karakas, Amanda I.; Lugaro, Maria; Carlos, Marília; Cseh, Borbála; Kamath, Devika; García-Hernández, D. A.

2018-06-01

We present new theoretical stellar yields and surface abundances for asymptotic giant branch (AGB) models with a metallicity appropriate for stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC, Z = 0.0028, [Fe/H] ≈ -0.7). New evolutionary sequences and post-processing nucleosynthesis results are presented for initial masses between 1 and 7 M⊙, where the 7 M⊙ is a super-AGB star with an O-Ne core. Models above 1.15 M⊙ become carbon rich during the AGB, and hot bottom burning begins in models M ≥ 3.75 M⊙. We present stellar surface abundances as a function of thermal pulse number for elements between C to Bi and for a selection of isotopic ratios for elements up to Fe and Ni (e.g. 12C/13C), which can be compared to observations. The integrated stellar yields are presented for each model in the grid for hydrogen, helium, and all stable elements from C to Bi. We present evolutionary sequences of intermediate-mass models between 4 and 7 M⊙ and nucleosynthesis results for three masses (M = 3.75, 5, and 7 M⊙) including s-process elements for two widely used AGB mass-loss prescriptions. We discuss our new models in the context of evolved AGB and post-AGB stars in the SMCs, barium stars in our Galaxy, the composition of Galactic globular clusters including Mg isotopes with a similar metallicity to our models, and to pre-solar grains which may have an origin in metal-poor AGB stars.

Giant Planets: Good Neighbors for Habitable Worlds?

Science.gov (United States)

Georgakarakos, Nikolaos; Eggl, Siegfried; Dobbs-Dixon, Ian

2018-04-01

The presence of giant planets influences potentially habitable worlds in numerous ways. Massive celestial neighbors can facilitate the formation of planetary cores and modify the influx of asteroids and comets toward Earth analogs later on. Furthermore, giant planets can indirectly change the climate of terrestrial worlds by gravitationally altering their orbits. Investigating 147 well-characterized exoplanetary systems known to date that host a main-sequence star and a giant planet, we show that the presence of “giant neighbors” can reduce a terrestrial planet’s chances to remain habitable, even if both planets have stable orbits. In a small fraction of systems, however, giant planets slightly increase the extent of habitable zones provided that the terrestrial world has a high climate inertia. In providing constraints on where giant planets cease to affect the habitable zone size in a detrimental fashion, we identify prime targets in the search for habitable worlds.

CHEMICAL ABUNDANCE ANALYSIS OF A NEUTRON-CAPTURE ENHANCED RED GIANT IN THE BULGE PLAUT FIELD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Christian I.; Rich, R. Michael [Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, 430 Portola Plaza, Box 951547, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States); McWilliam, Andrew, E-mail: cijohnson@astro.ucla.edu, E-mail: rmr@astro.ucla.edu, E-mail: cjohnson@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: andy@obs.carnegiescience.edu [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States)

2013-09-20

We present chemical abundances for 27 elements ranging from oxygen to erbium in the metal-poor ([Fe/H] = –1.67) bulge red giant branch star 2MASS 18174532-3353235. The results are based on equivalent width and spectrum synthesis analyses of a high-resolution (R ∼ 30, 000) spectrum obtained with the Magellan-MIKE spectrograph. While the light (Z ∼< 30) element abundance patterns match those of similar metallicity bulge and halo stars, the strongly enhanced heavy element abundances are more similar to 'r-II' halo stars (e.g., CS 22892-052) typically found at [Fe/H] ∼< – 2.5. We find that the heaviest elements (Z ≥ 56) closely follow the scaled-solar r-process abundance pattern. We do not find evidence supporting significant s-process contributions; however, the intermediate mass elements (e.g., Y and Zr) appear to have been produced through a different process than the heaviest elements. The light and heavy element abundance patterns of 2MASS 18174532-3353235 are in good agreement with the more metal-poor r-process enhanced stars CS 22892-052 and BD +17{sup o}3248. 2MASS 18174532-3353235 also shares many chemical characteristics with the similar metallicity but comparatively α-poor Ursa Minor dwarf galaxy giant COS 82. Interestingly, the Mo and Ru abundances of 2MASS 18174532-3353235 are also strongly enhanced and follow a similar trend recently found to be common in moderately metal-poor main-sequence turn-off halo stars.

Rapid variability of extragalactic radio sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quirrenbach, A.; Witzel, A.; Krichbaum, T.; Hummel, C.A.; Alberdi, A.; Schalinski, C.

1989-02-02

Since its discovery more than 20 years ago, variability of extragalactic radio sources on timescales of weeks to years has been the subject of many investigations. We have examined the variability of these sources on timescales of hours at wavelengths of 6 and 11 cm using the 100-m telescope of the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie and report the results for two sources. The quasar QSO0917 + 62 showed variations with amplitudes of up to 23% in /similar to/ 24 hours, which were correlated at the two wavelengths; in the BL Lac object 0716 + 71 we found variations with amplitudes of 7-11%. We discuss intrinsic effects, gravitational lensing and scattering in the interstellar medium as possible explanations for rapid radio variability.

Rapid variability of extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quirrenbach, A.; Witzel, A.; Krichbaum, T.; Hummel, C.A.; Alberdi, A.; Schalinski, C.

1989-01-01

Since its discovery more than 20 years ago, variability of extragalactic radio sources on timescales of weeks to years has been the subject of many investigations. We have examined the variability of these sources on timescales of hours at wavelengths of 6 and 11 cm using the 100-m telescope of the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie and report the results for two sources. The quasar QSO0917 + 62 showed variations with amplitudes of up to 23% in ∼ 24 hours, which were correlated at the two wavelengths; in the BL Lac object 0716 + 71 we found variations with amplitudes of 7-11%. We discuss intrinsic effects, gravitational lensing and scattering in the interstellar medium as possible explanations for rapid radio variability. (author)

THE EXTRAGALACTIC DISTANCE DATABASE: ALL DIGITAL H I PROFILE CATALOG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courtois, Helene M.; Bonhomme, Nicolas; Tully, R. Brent; Zavodny, Maximilian; Barnes, Austin; Fisher, J. Richard

2009-01-01

An important component of the Extragalactic Distance Database is a group of catalogs related to the measurement of H I line profile parameters. One of these is the All Digital H I catalog which contains an amalgam of information from new data and old. The new data result from observations with Arecibo and Parkes Telescopes and with the Green Bank Telescope, including continuing input since the award of the NRAO Cosmic Flows Large Program. The old data have been collected from archives, wherever available, particularly the Cornell University Digital H I Archive, the Nancay Telescope extragalactic H I archive, and the Australia Telescope H I archive. The catalog currently contains information on ∼15, 000 profiles relating to ∼13, 000 galaxies. The channel-flux per channel files, from whatever source, is carried through a common pipeline. The derived parameter of greatest interest is W m50 , the profile width at 50% of the mean flux. After appropriate adjustment, the parameter W mx is derived, the line width that statistically approximates the peak-to-peak maximum rotation velocity before correction for inclination, 2V max sini.

STAR-TO-STAR IRON ABUNDANCE VARIATIONS IN RED GIANT BRANCH STARS IN THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER NGC 3201

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmerer, Jennifer; Ivans, Inese I.; Filler, Dan; Francois, Patrick; Charbonnel, Corinne; Monier, Richard; James, Gaël

2013-01-01

We present the metallicity as traced by the abundance of iron in the retrograde globular cluster NGC 3201, measured from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of 24 red giant branch stars. A spectroscopic analysis reveals a spread in [Fe/H] in the cluster stars at least as large as 0.4 dex. Star-to-star metallicity variations are supported both through photometry and through a detailed examination of spectra. We find no correlation between iron abundance and distance from the cluster core, as might be inferred from recent photometric studies. NGC 3201 is the lowest mass halo cluster to date to contain stars with significantly different [Fe/H] values.

Star-to-star Iron Abundance Variations in Red Giant Branch Stars in the Galactic Globular Cluster NGC 3201

Science.gov (United States)

Simmerer, Jennifer; Ivans, Inese I.; Filler, Dan; Francois, Patrick; Charbonnel, Corinne; Monier, Richard; James, Gaël

2013-02-01

We present the metallicity as traced by the abundance of iron in the retrograde globular cluster NGC 3201, measured from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of 24 red giant branch stars. A spectroscopic analysis reveals a spread in [Fe/H] in the cluster stars at least as large as 0.4 dex. Star-to-star metallicity variations are supported both through photometry and through a detailed examination of spectra. We find no correlation between iron abundance and distance from the cluster core, as might be inferred from recent photometric studies. NGC 3201 is the lowest mass halo cluster to date to contain stars with significantly different [Fe/H] values.

Metallicity of Young and Old Stars in Irregular Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Tikhonov, N. A.

2018-01-01

Based on archived images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope, stellar photometry for 105 irregular galaxies has been conducted. We have shown the red supergiant and giant branches in the obtained Hertzsprung-Russel diagrams. Using the TRGB method, distances to galaxies and metallicity of red giants have been determined. The color index ( V - I) of the supergiant branch at the luminosity level M I = -7 was chosen as the metallicity index of red supergiants. For the galaxies under study, the diagrams have been built, in which the correlation can be seen between the luminosity of galaxies ( M B ) and metallicity of red giants and supergiants. The main source of variance of the results in the obtained diagrams is, in our opinion, uncertainty inmeasurements of galaxy luminosities and star-forming outburst. The relation between metallicity of young and old stars shows that main enrichment of galaxies with metals has taken place in the remote past. Deviations of some galaxies in the obtained relation can possibly be explained with the fall of the intergalactic gas on them, although, this inconsiderably affects metallicities of the stellar content.

Space distribution of extragalactic sources - Cosmology versus evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavaliere, A.; Maccacaro, T.

1990-01-01

Alternative cosmologies have been recurrently invoked to explain in terms of global spacetime structure the apparent large increase, with increasing redshift, in the average luminosity of active galactic nuclei. These models interestingly seek to avoid the complexities of the canonical interpretation in terms of intrinsic population evolutions in a Friedmann universe. However, a problem of consistency for these cosmologies is pointed out, since they have to include also other classes of extragalactic sources, such as clusters of galaxies and BL Lac objects, for which there is preliminary evidence of a different behavior. 40 refs

Book review: “Extragalactic astronomy and cosmology—an introduction”

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cappi, Alberto

2015-01-01

This is the second edition of a textbook conceived to be used in an introductory course on extragalactic astronomy and cosmology (the author is professor at Bonn University and a well-known specialist in gravitational lensing). A new edition is fully justified because, as Schneider () explains in the preface, the field has been evolving rapidly during the years which have passed since the first edition (published in 2006), with the advent of new observational facilities and new surveys.

Book review: “Extragalactic astronomy and cosmology—an introduction”

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cappi, Alberto, E-mail: alberto.cappi@oabo.inaf.it [INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Bologna (Italy)

2015-09-16

This is the second edition of a textbook conceived to be used in an introductory course on extragalactic astronomy and cosmology (the author is professor at Bonn University and a well-known specialist in gravitational lensing). A new edition is fully justified because, as Schneider () explains in the preface, the field has been evolving rapidly during the years which have passed since the first edition (published in 2006), with the advent of new observational facilities and new surveys.

Giant Rapid X-ray Flares in Extragalactic Globular Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, Jimmy

2018-01-01

There is only one known class of non-destructive, highly energetic astrophysical object in the Universe whose energy emission varies by more than a factor of 100 on time scales of less than a minute -- soft gamma repeaters/anomalous X-ray pulsars, whose flares are believed to be caused by the energy release from the cracking of a neutron star's surface by very strong magnetic fields. All other known violent, rapid explosions, including gamma-ray bursts and supernovae, are believed to destroy the object in the process. Here, we report the discovery of a second class of non-destructive, highly energetic rapidly flaring X-ray object located within two nearby galaxies with fundamentally different properties than soft gamma repeaters/anomalous X-ray pulsars. One source is located within a suspected globular cluster of the host galaxy and flared one time, while the other source is located in either a globular cluster of the host galaxy or the core of a stripped dwarf companion galaxy that flared on six occasions over a seven year time span. When not flaring, the sources appear as normal accreting neutron star or black hole X-ray binaries, indicating that the flare event does not significantly disrupt the host system. While the nature of these sources is still unclear, the discovery of these sources in decade-old archival Chandra X-ray Observatory data illustrates the under-utilization of X-ray timing as a means to discover new classes of explosive events in the Universe.

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.)

Giant Oil Fields - The Highway to Oil: Giant Oil Fields and their Importance for Future Oil Production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robelius, Fredrik

2007-01-01

Since the 1950s, oil has been the dominant source of energy in the world. The cheap supply of oil has been the engine for economic growth in the western world. Since future oil demand is expected to increase, the question to what extent future production will be available is important. The belief in a soon peak production of oil is fueled by increasing oil prices. However, the reliability of the oil price as a single parameter can be questioned, as earlier times of high prices have occurred without having anything to do with a lack of oil. Instead, giant oil fields, the largest oil fields in the world, can be used as a parameter. A giant oil field contains at least 500 million barrels of recoverable oil. Only 507, or 1 % of the total number of fields, are giants. Their contribution is striking: over 60 % of the 2005 production and about 65 % of the global ultimate recoverable reserve (URR). However, giant fields are something of the past since a majority of the largest giant fields are over 50 years old and the discovery trend of less giant fields with smaller volumes is clear. A large number of the largest giant fields are found in the countries surrounding the Persian Gulf. The domination of giant fields in global oil production confirms a concept where they govern future production. A model, based on past annual production and URR, has been developed to forecast future production from giant fields. The results, in combination with forecasts on new field developments, heavy oil and oil sand, are used to predict future oil production. In all scenarios, peak oil occurs at about the same time as the giant fields peak. The worst-case scenario sees a peak in 2008 and the best-case scenario, following a 1.4 % demand growth, peaks in 2018

Evolution of thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch stars. IV. Constraining mass loss and lifetimes of low mass, low metallicity AGB stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenfield, Philip; Dalcanton, Julianne J.; Weisz, Daniel; Williams, Benjamin F. [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Marigo, Paola [Department of Physics and Astronomy G. Galilei, University of Padova, Vicolo dell' Osservatorio 3, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Girardi, Léo; Gullieuszik, Marco [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova—INAF, Vicolo dell' Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Bressan, Alessandro [Astrophysics Sector, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste (Italy); Dolphin, Andrew [Raytheon Company, 1151 East Hermans Road, Tucson, AZ 85756 (United States); Aringer, Bernhard [Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna, Turkenschanzstraße 17, A-1180 Wien (Austria)

2014-07-20

The evolution and lifetimes of thermally pulsating asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) stars suffer from significant uncertainties. In this work, we analyze the numbers and luminosity functions of TP-AGB stars in six quiescent, low metallicity ([Fe/H] ≲ –0.86) galaxies taken from the ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury sample, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) photometry in both optical and near-infrared filters. The galaxies contain over 1000 TP-AGB stars (at least 60 per field). We compare the observed TP-AGB luminosity functions and relative numbers of TP-AGB and red giant branch (RGB) stars, N{sub TP-AGB}/N{sub RGB}, to models generated from different suites of TP-AGB evolutionary tracks after adopting star formation histories derived from the HST deep optical observations. We test various mass-loss prescriptions that differ in their treatments of mass loss before the onset of dust-driven winds (pre-dust). These comparisons confirm that pre-dust mass loss is important, since models that neglect pre-dust mass loss fail to explain the observed N{sub TP-AGB}/N{sub RGB} ratio or the luminosity functions. In contrast, models with more efficient pre-dust mass loss produce results consistent with observations. We find that for [Fe/H] ≲ –0.86, lower mass TP-AGB stars (M ≲ 1 M{sub ☉}) must have lifetimes of ∼0.5 Myr and higher masses (M ≲ 3 M{sub ☉}) must have lifetimes ≲ 1.2 Myr. In addition, assuming our best-fitting mass-loss prescription, we show that the third dredge-up has no significant effect on TP-AGB lifetimes in this mass and metallicity range.

An Indication of Anisotropy in Arrival Directions of Ultra-high-energy Cosmic Rays through Comparison to the Flux Pattern of Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Almela, A.; Castillo, J. Alvarez; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Anastasi, G. A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andrada, B.; Andringa, S.; Aramo, C.; Arsene, N.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Balaceanu, A.; Barbato, F.; Luz, R. J. Barreira; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; Berat, C.; Bertaina, M. E.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Biteau, J.; Blaess, S. G.; Blanco, A.; Blazek, J.; Bleve, C.; Boháčová, M.; Bonifazi, C.; Borodai, N.; Botti, A. M.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Bretz, T.; Bridgeman, A.; Briechle, F. L.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buitink, S.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, L.; Cancio, A.; Canfora, F.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalani, F.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Chavez, A. G.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Clay, R. W.; Cerutti, A. C. Cobos; Colalillo, R.; Coleman, A.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Consolati, G.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Cronin, J.; D’Amico, S.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; Almeida, R. M. de; Jong, S. J. de; Mauro, G. De; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; Mitri, I. De; Oliveira, J. de; Souza, V. de; Debatin, J.; Deligny, O.; Castro, M. L. Díaz; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; D’Olivo, J. C.; Dorosti, Q.; Anjos, R. C. dos; Dova, M. T.; Dundovic, A.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Erfani, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Falcke, H.; Farmer, J.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Fenu, F.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filipčič, A.; Freire, M. M.; Fujii, T.; Fuster, A.; Gaïor, R.; García, B.; Gaté, F.; Gemmeke, H.; Gherghel-Lascu, A.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Głas, D.; Glaser, C.; Golup, G.; Berisso, M. Gómez; Vitale, P. F. Gómez; González, N.; Gorgi, A.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Halliday, R.; Hampel, M. R.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Heimann, P.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huege, T.; Hulsman, J.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Jandt, I.; Johnsen, J. A.; Josebachuili, M.; Jurysek, J.; Kääpä, A.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Keilhauer, B.; Kemmerich, N.; Kemp, E.; Kemp, J.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Kuempel, D.; Mezek, G. Kukec; Kunka, N.; Awad, A. Kuotb; Lago, B. L.; LaHurd, D.; Lang, R. G.; Lauscher, M.; Legumina, R.; Oliveira, M. A. Leigui de; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; Presti, D. Lo; Lopes, L.; López, R.; Casado, A. López; Lorek, R.; Luce, Q.; Lucero, A.; Malacari, M.; Mallamaci, M.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Mariş, I. C.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martinez, H.; Bravo, O. Martínez; Meza, J. J. Masías; Mathes, H. J.; Mathys, S.; Matthews, J.; Matthiae, G.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melo, D.; Menshikov, A.; Merenda, K. -D.; Michal, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Mockler, D.; Mollerach, S.; Montanet, F.; Morello, C.; Morlino, G.; Mostafá, M.; Müller, A. L.; Müller, G.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, S.; Mussa, R.; Naranjo, I.; Nellen, L.; Nguyen, P. H.; Niculescu-Oglinzanu, M.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Novotny, V.; Nožka, L.; Núñez, L. A.; Oikonomou, F.; Olinto, A.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Papenbreer, P.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pedreira, F.; Pȩkala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Peña-Rodriguez, J.; Pereira, L. A. S.; Perlin, M.; Perrone, L.; Peters, C.; Petrera, S.; Phuntsok, J.; Pierog, T.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Poh, J.; Porowski, C.; Prado, R. R.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Ramos-Pollan, R.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravignani, D.; Ridky, J.; Riehn, F.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rizi, V.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Roncoroni, M. J.; Roth, M.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Ruehl, P.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Saleh, A.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santos, E. M.; Santos, E.; Sarazin, F.; Sarmento, R.; Sarmiento-Cano, C.; Sato, R.; Schauer, M.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schimp, M.; Schmidt, D.; Scholten, O.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F. G.; Schröder, S.; Schulz, A.; Schumacher, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Segreto, A.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sigl, G.; Silli, G.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sonntag, S.; Soriano, J. F.; Squartini, R.; Stanca, D.; Stanič, S.; Stasielak, J.; Stassi, P.; Stolpovskiy, M.; Strafella, F.; Streich, A.; Suarez, F.; Durán, M. Suarez; Sudholz, T.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šupík, J.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Taboada, A.; Taborda, O. A.; Theodoro, V. M.; Timmermans, C.; Peixoto, C. J. Todero; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Elipe, G. Torralba; Travnicek, P.; Trini, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Galicia, J. F. Valdés; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van Bodegom, P.; Berg, A. M. van den; Vliet, A. van; Varela, E.; Cárdenas, B. Vargas; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Ventura, C.; Quispe, I. D. Vergara; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Villaseñor, L.; Vorobiov, S.; Wahlberg, H.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weindl, A.; Wiedeński, M.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyński, H.; Wirtz, M.; Wittkowski, D.; Wundheiler, B.; Yang, L.; Yushkov, A.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zepeda, A.; Zimmermann, B.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zong, Z.; Zuccarello, F.

2018-02-01

A new analysis of the dataset from the Pierre Auger Observatory provides evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays on an intermediate angular scale, which is indicative of excess arrivals from strong, nearby sources. The data consist of 5514 events above 20 EeV with zenith angles up to 80 deg recorded before 2017 April 30. Sky models have been created for two distinct populations of extragalactic gamma-ray emitters: active galactic nuclei from the second catalog of hard Fermi-LAT sources (2FHL) and starburst galaxies from a sample that was examined with Fermi-LAT. Flux-limited samples, which include all types of galaxies from the Swift-BAT and 2MASS surveys, have been investigated for comparison. The sky model of cosmic-ray density constructed using each catalog has two free parameters, the fraction of events correlating with astrophysical objects and an angular scale characterizing the clustering of cosmic rays around extragalactic sources. A maximum-likelihood ratio test is used to evaluate the best values of these parameters and to quantify the strength of each model by contrast with isotropy. It is found that the starburst model fits the data better than the hypothesis of isotropy with a statistical significance of 4.0 sigma, the highest value of the test statistic being for energies above 39 EeV. The three alternative models are favored against isotropy with 2.7-3.2 sigma significance. The origin of the indicated deviation from isotropy is examined and prospects for more sensitive future studies are discussed.

“Effect of giant rat's tail grass ( Sporobolus pyramidalis p.beauv ) on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of giant rat's tail grass ( Sporobolus pyramidalis p.beauv ) on Total Petroleum ... the use of plants, have been adopted for the remediation of the affected soils. ... Residual TPH and heavy metals (chromium, Cr and lead, Pb) were ...

The NuSTAR Extragalactic Surveys: Overview And Catalog From The Cosmos Field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Civano, F.; Hickox, R. C.; Puccetti, S.

2015-01-01

To provide the census of the sources contributing to the X-ray background peak above 10 keV, Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is performing extragalactic surveys using a three-tier "wedding cake" approach. We present the NuSTAR survey of the COSMOS field, the medium sensitivity...

EFFECT OF METALLICITY ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE HABITABLE ZONE FROM THE PRE-MAIN SEQUENCE TO THE ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH AND THE SEARCH FOR LIFE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Danchi, William C. [Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 667, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Lopez, Bruno, E-mail: william.c.danchi@nasa.gov, E-mail: bruno.lopez@oca.eu [Observatoire de la Cote d' Azur, Laboratoire Lagrange UMR 7293, BP 4229, F-06034 Nice Cedex 4 (France)

2013-05-20

During the course of stellar evolution, the location and width of the habitable zone changes as the luminosity and radius of the star evolves. The duration of habitability for a planet located at a given distance from a star is greatly affected by the characteristics of the host star. A quantification of these effects can be used observationally in the search for life around nearby stars. The longer the duration of habitability, the more likely it is that life has evolved. The preparation of observational techniques aimed at detecting life would benefit from the scientific requirements deduced from the evolution of the habitable zone. We present a study of the evolution of the habitable zone around stars of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 M{sub Sun} for metallicities ranging from Z = 0.0001 to Z = 0.070. We also consider the evolution of the habitable zone from the pre-main sequence until the asymptotic giant branch is reached. We find that metallicity strongly affects the duration of the habitable zone for a planet as well as the distance from the host star where the duration is maximized. For a 1.0 M{sub Sun} star with near solar metallicity, Z = 0.017, the duration of the habitable zone is >10 Gyr at distances 1.2-2.0 AU from the star, whereas the duration is >20 Gyr for high-metallicity stars (Z = 0.070) at distances of 0.7-1.8 AU, and {approx}4 Gyr at distances of 1.8-3.3 AU for low-metallicity stars (Z = 0.0001). Corresponding results have been obtained for stars of 1.5 and 2.0 solar masses.

EFFECT OF METALLICITY ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE HABITABLE ZONE FROM THE PRE-MAIN SEQUENCE TO THE ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH AND THE SEARCH FOR LIFE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danchi, William C.; Lopez, Bruno

2013-01-01

During the course of stellar evolution, the location and width of the habitable zone changes as the luminosity and radius of the star evolves. The duration of habitability for a planet located at a given distance from a star is greatly affected by the characteristics of the host star. A quantification of these effects can be used observationally in the search for life around nearby stars. The longer the duration of habitability, the more likely it is that life has evolved. The preparation of observational techniques aimed at detecting life would benefit from the scientific requirements deduced from the evolution of the habitable zone. We present a study of the evolution of the habitable zone around stars of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 M ☉ for metallicities ranging from Z = 0.0001 to Z = 0.070. We also consider the evolution of the habitable zone from the pre-main sequence until the asymptotic giant branch is reached. We find that metallicity strongly affects the duration of the habitable zone for a planet as well as the distance from the host star where the duration is maximized. For a 1.0 M ☉ star with near solar metallicity, Z = 0.017, the duration of the habitable zone is >10 Gyr at distances 1.2-2.0 AU from the star, whereas the duration is >20 Gyr for high-metallicity stars (Z = 0.070) at distances of 0.7-1.8 AU, and ∼4 Gyr at distances of 1.8-3.3 AU for low-metallicity stars (Z = 0.0001). Corresponding results have been obtained for stars of 1.5 and 2.0 solar masses.

The ALFALFA Extragalactic Catalog and Data Processing Pipeline

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Brian R.; Haynes, Martha P.; Giovanelli, Riccardo; ALFALFA Team

2018-06-01

The Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA 21cm HI Survey has reached completion. The observations and data are used by team members and the astronomical community in a variety of scientific initiatives with gas-rich galaxies, cluster environments, and studies of low redshift cosmology. The survey covers nearly 7000 square degrees of high galactic latitude sky visible from Arecibo, Puerto Rico and ~4400 hours of observations from 2005 to 2011. We present the extragalactic HI source catalog of over ~31,000 detections, their measured properties, and associated derived parameters. The observations were carefully reduced using a custom made data reduction pipeline and interface. Team members interacted with this pipeline through observation planning, calibration, imaging, source extraction, and cataloging. We describe this processing workflow as it pertains to the complexities of the single-dish multi-feed data reduction as well as known caveats of the source catalog and spectra for use in future astronomical studies and analysis. The ALFALFA team at Cornell has been supported by NSF grants AST-0607007, AST-1107390 and AST-1714828 and by grants from the Brinson Foundation.

Extragalactic circuits, transmission lines, and CR particle acceleration

CERN Document Server

Kronberg, Philipp P

2014-01-01

A non-negligible fraction of a Supermassive Black Hole's (SMBH) rest mass energy gets transported into extragalactic space by a remarkable process in jets which are incompletely understood. What are the physical processes which transport this energy? It is likely that the energy flows electromagnetically, rather than via a particle beam flux. The deduced electromagnetic fields may produce particles of energy as high as $\\sim 10^{20}$ eV. The energetics of SMBH accretion disk models and the electromagnetic energy transfer imply that a SMBH should generate a $10^{18} - 10^{19}$ Amp\\`eres current close to the black hole and its accretion disk. We describe the so far best observation-based estimate of the magnitude of the current flow along the axis of the jet extending from the nucleus of the active galaxy in 3C303. The current is measured to be $I \\sim 10^{18}$ Amp\\`eres at $\\sim 40$ kpc away from the AGN. This indicates that organized current flow remains intact over multi-kpc distances. The electric current $...

High-resolution abundance analysis of red giants in the globular cluster NGC 6522

Science.gov (United States)

Barbuy, B.; Chiappini, C.; Cantelli, E.; Depagne, E.; Pignatari, M.; Hirschi, R.; Cescutti, G.; Ortolani, S.; Hill, V.; Zoccali, M.; Minniti, D.; Trevisan, M.; Bica, E.; Gómez, A.

2014-10-01

Context. The [Sr/Ba] and [Y/Ba] scatter observed in some galactic halo stars that are very metal-poor and in a few individual stars of the oldest known Milky Way globular cluster NGC 6522 have been interpreted as evidence of early enrichment by massive fast-rotating stars (spinstars). Because NGC 6522 is a bulge globular cluster, the suggestion was that not only the very-metal poor halo stars, but also bulge stars at [Fe/H] ~ -1 could be used as probes of the stellar nucleosynthesis signatures from the earlier generations of massive stars, but at much higher metallicity. For the bulge the suggestions were based on early spectra available for stars in NGC 6522, with a medium resolution of R ~ 22 000 and a moderate signal-to-noise ratio. Aims: The main purpose of this study is to re-analyse the NGC 6522 stars reported previously by using new high-resolution (R ~ 45 000) and high signal-to-noise spectra (S/N > 100). We aim at re-deriving their stellar parameters and elemental ratios, in particular the abundances of the neutron-capture s-process-dominated elements such as Sr, Y, Zr, La, and Ba, and of the r-element Eu. Methods: High-resolution spectra of four giants belonging to the bulge globular cluster NGC 6522 were obtained at the 8m VLT UT2-Kueyen telescope with the UVES spectrograph in FLAMES-UVES configuration. The spectroscopic parameters were derived based on the excitation and ionization equilibrium of Fe i and Fe ii. Results: Our analysis confirms a metallicity [Fe/H] = -0.95 ± 0.15 for NGC 6522 and the overabundance of the studied stars in Eu (with +0.2 < [Eu/Fe] < + 0.4) and alpha-elements O and Mg. The neutron-capture s-element-dominated Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, and La now show less pronounced variations from star to star. Enhancements are in the range 0.0 < [Sr/Fe] < +0.4, +0.23 < [Y/Fe] < +0.43, 0.0 < [Zr/Fe] < +0.4, 0.0 < [La/Fe] < +0.35, and 0.05 < [Ba/Fe] < +0.55. Conclusions: The very high overabundances of [Y/Fe] previously reported for the four studied

Giant Geometrically Amplified Piezoresistance in Metal-Semiconductor Hybrid Resistors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ole; Reck, Kasper; Thomsen, Erik Vilain

2008-01-01

We show that very high geometrically amplified piezoresistance can indeed be obtained in microstructured metal-semiconductor hybrid devices, even significantly higher amplification factors than the factor of approximately 8 demonstrated recently by Rowe and co-workers may be achieved. However, we...... than the sensitivity of conventional piezoresistors fabricated in the same piezoresistive material. ©2008 American Institute of Physics...

Giant lobelias exemplify convergent evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Givnish Thomas J

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Giant lobeliads on tropical mountains in East Africa and Hawaii have highly unusual, giant-rosette growth forms that appear to be convergent on each other and on those of several independently evolved groups of Asteraceae and other families. A recent phylogenetic analysis by Antonelli, based on sequencing the widest selection of lobeliads to date, raises doubts about this paradigmatic example of convergent evolution. Here I address the kinds of evidence needed to test for convergent evolution and argue that the analysis by Antonelli fails on four points. Antonelli's analysis makes several important contributions to our understanding of lobeliad evolution and geographic spread, but his claim regarding convergence appears to be invalid. Giant lobeliads in Hawaii and Africa represent paradigmatic examples of convergent evolution.

Nutritional evaluation of the giant grassropper (Zonocerus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The biological value of giant grasshopper protein (Zonocerus variegatus) was evaluated by comparing the weight gained, food efficiency ratio (FER), protein efficiency ratio (PER) of rats fed standard laboratory chow with that of rats fed giant grasshopper, Soyabean(Glycine max) and crayfish. The effect of high fibre content ...

Microsatellite variability reveals high genetic diversity and low genetic differentiation in a critical giant panda population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiandong YANG, Zhihe ZHANG, Fujun SHEN, Xuyu YANG, Liang ZHANG, Limin CHEN, Wenping ZHANG, Qing ZHU, Rong HOU

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Understanding present patterns of genetic diversity is critical in order to design effective conservation and management strategies for endangered species. Tangjiahe Nature Reserve (NR is one of the most important national reserves for giant pandas Ailuropoda melanoleuca in China. Previous studies have shown that giant pandas in Tangjiahe NR may be threatened by population decline and fragmentation. Here we used 10 microsatellite DNA markers to assess the genetic variability in the Tangjiahe population. The results indicate a low level of genetic differentiation between the Hongshihe and Motianling subpopulations in the reserve. Assignment tests using the Bayesian clustering method in STRUCTURE identified one genetic cluster from 42 individuals of the two subpopulations. All individuals from the same subpopulation were assigned to one cluster. This indicates high gene flow between subpopulations. F statistic analyses revealed a low FIS-value of 0.024 in the total population and implies a randomly mating population in Tangjiahe NR. Additionally, our data show a high level of genetic diversity for the Tangjiahe population. Mean allele number (A, Allelic richness (AR and mean expected heterozygosity (HE for the Tangjiahe population was 5.9, 5.173 and 0.703, respectively. This wild giant panda population can be restored through concerted effort [Current Zoology 57 (6: 717–724, 2011].

MAGNESIUM ISOTOPE RATIOS IN ω CENTAURI RED GIANTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Da Costa, G. S.; Norris, John E.; Yong, David

2013-01-01

We have used the high-resolution observations obtained at the Anglo-Australian Telescope with Ultra-High Resolution Facility (R ∼ 100,000) and at Gemini-S with b-HROS (R ∼ 150,000) to determine magnesium isotope ratios for seven ω Cen red giants that cover a range in iron abundance from [Fe/H] = –1.78 to –0.78 dex, and for two red giants in M4 (NGC 6121). The ω Cen stars sample both the ''primordial'' (i.e., O-rich, Na- and Al-poor) and the ''extreme'' (O-depleted, Na- and Al-rich) populations in the cluster. The primordial population stars in both ω Cen and M4 show ( 25 Mg, 26 Mg)/ 24 Mg isotopic ratios that are consistent with those found for the primordial population in other globular clusters with similar [Fe/H] values. The isotopic ratios for the ω Cen extreme stars are also consistent with those for extreme population stars in other clusters. The results for the extreme population stars studied indicate that the 26 Mg/ 24 Mg ratio is highest at intermediate metallicities ([Fe/H] 26 Mg in the extreme population stars is notably higher than that of 25 Mg, in contrast to model predictions. The 25 Mg/ 24 Mg isotopic ratio in fact does not show any obvious dependence on either [Fe/H] or [Al/Fe] nor, intriguingly, any obvious difference between the primordial and extreme population stars.

Allometry indicates giant eyes of giant squid are not exceptional.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitz, Lars; Motani, Ryosuke; Oufiero, Christopher E; Martin, Christopher H; McGee, Matthew D; Gamarra, Ashlee R; Lee, Johanna J; Wainwright, Peter C

2013-02-18

The eyes of giant and colossal squid are among the largest eyes in the history of life. It was recently proposed that sperm whale predation is the main driver of eye size evolution in giant squid, on the basis of an optical model that suggested optimal performance in detecting large luminous visual targets such as whales in the deep sea. However, it is poorly understood how the eye size of giant and colossal squid compares to that of other aquatic organisms when scaling effects are considered. We performed a large-scale comparative study that included 87 squid species and 237 species of acanthomorph fish. While squid have larger eyes than most acanthomorphs, a comparison of relative eye size among squid suggests that giant and colossal squid do not have unusually large eyes. After revising constants used in a previous model we found that large eyes perform equally well in detecting point targets and large luminous targets in the deep sea. The eyes of giant and colossal squid do not appear exceptionally large when allometric effects are considered. It is probable that the giant eyes of giant squid result from a phylogenetically conserved developmental pattern manifested in very large animals. Whatever the cause of large eyes, they appear to have several advantages for vision in the reduced light of the deep mesopelagic zone.

Variations in the small-scale galactic magnetic field and short time-scale intensity variations of extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonetti, J.H.

1985-01-01

Structure functions of the Faraday rotation measures (RMs) of extragalactic radio sources are used to investigate variations in the interstellar magnetic field on length scales of approx.0.01 to 100 pc. Model structure functions derived assuming a power-law power spectrum of irregularities in n/sub e/B, are compared with those observed. The results indicate an outer angular scale for RM variations of approximately less than or equal to 5 0 and evidence for RM variations on scales as small as 1'. Differences in the variance of n/sub e/B fluctuations for various lines of sight through the Galaxy are found. Comparison of pulsar scintillations in right- and left-circular polarizations yield an upper limit to the variations in n/sub e/ on a length scale of approx.10 11 cm. RMs were determined through high-velocity molecular flows in galactic star-formation regions, with the goal of constraining magnetic fields in and near the flows. RMs of 7 extragalactic sources with a approx.20 arcmin wide area seen through Cep A, fall in two groups separated by approx.150 rad m -2 - large given our knowledge of RM variations on small angular scales and possibly a result of the anisotropy of the high-velocity material

Giant magneto-spin-Seebeck effect and magnon transfer torques in insulating spin valves

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yihong; Chen, Kai; Zhang, Shufeng

2018-01-01

We theoretically study magnon transport in an insulating spin valve (ISV) made of an antiferromagnetic insulator sandwiched between two ferromagnetic insulator (FI) layers. In the conventional metal-based spin valve, the electron spins propagate between two metallic ferromagnetic layers, giving rise to giant magnetoresistance and spin transfer torque. Here, the incoherent magnons in the ISV serve as angular momentum carriers and are responsible for the angular momentum transport between two FI layers across the antiferromagnetic spacer. We predict two transport phenomena in the presence of the temperature gradient: a giant magneto-spin-Seebeck effect in which the output voltage signal is controlled by the relative orientation of the two FI layers and magnon transfer torque that can be used for switching the magnetization of the FI layers with a temperature gradient of the order of 0.1 Kelvin per nanometer.

Mass loss on the Asymptotic Giant Branch

OpenAIRE

Zijlstra, Albert

2006-01-01

Mass loss on the Asymptotic Giant Branch provides the origin of planetary nebulae. This paper reviews several relevant aspects of AGB evolution: pulsation properties, mass loss formalisms and time variable mass loss, evidence for asymmetries on the AGB, binarity, ISM interaction, and mass loss at low metallicity. There is growing evidence that mass loss on the AGB is already asymmetric, but with spherically symmetric velocity fields. The origin of the rings may be in pulsational instabilities...

Probing Extragalactic Planets Using Quasar Microlensing

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Xinyu; Guerras, Eduardo

2018-02-01

Previously, planets have been detected only in the Milky Way galaxy. Here, we show that quasar microlensing provides a means to probe extragalactic planets in the lens galaxy, by studying the microlensing properties of emission close to the event horizon of the supermassive black hole of the background quasar, using the current generation telescopes. We show that a population of unbound planets between stars with masses ranging from Moon to Jupiter masses is needed to explain the frequent Fe Kα line energy shifts observed in the gravitationally lensed quasar RXJ 1131–1231 at a lens redshift of z = 0.295 or 3.8 billion lt-yr away. We constrain the planet mass-fraction to be larger than 0.0001 of the halo mass, which is equivalent to 2000 objects ranging from Moon to Jupiter mass per main-sequence star.

Surgical treatment for giant incisional hernia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, A; Rosenberg, J; Bisgaard, T

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Repair for giant incisional hernias is a challenge due to unacceptable high morbidity and recurrence rates. Several surgical techniques are available, but all are poorly documented. This systematic review was undertaken to evaluate the existing literature on repair for giant...... % with a wide range between studies of 4-100 %. The mortality ranged from 0 to 5 % (median 0 %) and recurrence rate ranged from 0 to 53 % (median 5 %). Study follow-up ranged from 15 to 97 months (median 36 months). Mesh repair should always be used for patients undergoing repair for a giant hernia......, and the sublay position may have advantages over onlay positioning. To avoid tension, it may be advisable to use a mesh in combination with a component separation technique. Inlay positioning of the mesh and repair without a mesh should be avoided. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence to optimise repair for giant hernias...

Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey with The Hubble Space Telescope: Stellar Cluster Catalogs and First Insights Into Cluster Formation and Evolution in NGC 628

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adamo, A.; Ryon, J.E.; Messa, M.; Kim, H.; Grasha, K.; Cook, D.O.; Calzetti, D.; Lee, J.C.; Whitmore, B.C.; Elmegreen, B.G.; Ubeda, L.; Smith, L.J.; Bright, S.N.; Runnholm, A.; Andrews, J.E.; Fumagalli, M.; Gouliermis, D.A.; Kahre, L.; Nair, P.; Thilker, D.; Walterbos, R.; Wofford, A.; Aloisi, A.; Ashworth, G.; Brown, T.M.; Chandar, R.; Christian, C.; Cignoni, M.; Clayton, G.C.; Dale, D.A.; de Mink, S.E.; Dobbs, C.; Elmegreen, D.M.; Evans, A.S.; Gallagher III, J.S.; Grebel, E.K.; Herrero, A.; Hunter, D.A.; Johnson, K.E.; Kennicutt, R.C.; Krumholz, M.R.; Lennon, D.; Levay, K.; Martin, C.; Nota, A.; Östlin, G.; Pellerin, A.; Prieto, J.; Regan, M.W.; Sabbi, E.; Sacchi, E.; Schaerer, D.; Schiminovich, D.; Shabani, F.; Tosi, M.; Van Dyk, S.D.; Zackrisson, E.

2017-01-01

We report the large effort that is producing comprehensive high-level young star cluster (YSC) catalogs for a significant fraction of galaxies observed with the Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) Hubble treasury program. We present the methodology developed to extract cluster positions, verify

An Indication of Anisotropy in Arrival Directions of Ultra-high-energy Cosmic Rays through Comparison to the Flux Pattern of Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Anastasi, G. A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andrada, B.; Andringa, S.; Aramo, C.; Arsene, N.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Balaceanu, A.; Barbato, F.; Barreira Luz, R. J.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; Berat, C.; Bertaina, M. E.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Biteau, J.; Blaess, S. G.; Blanco, A.; Blazek, J.; Bleve, C.; Boháčová, M.; Bonifazi, C.; Borodai, N.; Botti, A. M.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Bretz, T.; Bridgeman, A.; Briechle, F. L.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buitink, S.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, L.; Cancio, A.; Canfora, F.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalani, F.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Chavez, A. G.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Clay, R. W.; Cobos Cerutti, A. C.; Colalillo, R.; Coleman, A.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Consolati, G.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Cronin, J.; D’Amico, S.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; de Jong, S. J.; De Mauro, G.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; De Mitri, I.; de Oliveira, J.; de Souza, V.; Debatin, J.; Deligny, O.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; D’Olivo, J. C.; Dorosti, Q.; dos Anjos, R. C.; Dova, M. T.; Dundovic, A.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Erfani, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Falcke, H.; Farmer, J.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Fenu, F.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filipčič, A.; Freire, M. M.; Fujii, T.; Fuster, A.; Gaïor, R.; García, B.; Gaté, F.; Gemmeke, H.; Gherghel-Lascu, A.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Głas, D.; Glaser, C.; Golup, G.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; González, N.; Gorgi, A.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Halliday, R.; Hampel, M. R.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Heimann, P.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huege, T.; Hulsman, J.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Jandt, I.; Johnsen, J. A.; Josebachuili, M.; Jurysek, J.; Kääpä, A.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Keilhauer, B.; Kemmerich, N.; Kemp, E.; Kemp, J.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Kuempel, D.; Kukec Mezek, G.; Kunka, N.; Kuotb Awad, A.; Lago, B. L.; LaHurd, D.; Lang, R. G.; Lauscher, M.; Legumina, R.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; Lo Presti, D.; Lopes, L.; López, R.; López Casado, A.; Lorek, R.; Luce, Q.; Lucero, A.; Malacari, M.; Mallamaci, M.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Mariş, I. C.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Masías Meza, J. J.; Mathes, H. J.; Mathys, S.; Matthews, J.; Matthiae, G.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melo, D.; Menshikov, A.; Merenda, K.-D.; Michal, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Mockler, D.; Mollerach, S.; Montanet, F.; Morello, C.; Morlino, G.; Mostafá, M.; Müller, A. L.; Müller, G.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, S.; Mussa, R.; Naranjo, I.; Nellen, L.; Nguyen, P. H.; Niculescu-Oglinzanu, M.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Novotny, V.; Nožka, L.; Núñez, L. A.; Oikonomou, F.; Olinto, A.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Papenbreer, P.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pedreira, F.; Pȩkala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Peña-Rodriguez, J.; Pereira, L. A. S.; Perlin, M.; Perrone, L.; Peters, C.; Petrera, S.; Phuntsok, J.; Pierog, T.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Poh, J.; Porowski, C.; Prado, R. R.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Ramos-Pollan, R.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravignani, D.; Ridky, J.; Riehn, F.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rizi, V.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Roncoroni, M. J.; Roth, M.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Ruehl, P.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Saleh, A.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santos, E. M.; Santos, E.; Sarazin, F.; Sarmento, R.; Sarmiento-Cano, C.; Sato, R.; Schauer, M.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schimp, M.; Schmidt, D.; Scholten, O.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F. G.; Schröder, S.; Schulz, A.; Schumacher, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Segreto, A.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sigl, G.; Silli, G.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sonntag, S.; Soriano, J. F.; Squartini, R.; Stanca, D.; Stanič, S.; Stasielak, J.; Stassi, P.; Stolpovskiy, M.; Strafella, F.; Streich, A.; Suarez, F.; Suarez Durán, M.; Sudholz, T.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šupík, J.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Taboada, A.; Taborda, O. A.; Theodoro, V. M.; Timmermans, C.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Torralba Elipe, G.; Travnicek, P.; Trini, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van Bodegom, P.; van den Berg, A. M.; van Vliet, A.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Ventura, C.; Vergara Quispe, I. D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Villaseñor, L.; Vorobiov, S.; Wahlberg, H.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weindl, A.; Wiedeński, M.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyński, H.; Wirtz, M.; Wittkowski, D.; Wundheiler, B.; Yang, L.; Yushkov, A.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zepeda, A.; Zimmermann, B.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zong, Z.; Zuccarello, F.; The Pierre Auger Collaboration

2018-02-01

A new analysis of the data set from the Pierre Auger Observatory provides evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays on an intermediate angular scale, which is indicative of excess arrivals from strong, nearby sources. The data consist of 5514 events above 20 {EeV} with zenith angles up to 80° recorded before 2017 April 30. Sky models have been created for two distinct populations of extragalactic gamma-ray emitters: active galactic nuclei from the second catalog of hard Fermi-LAT sources (2FHL) and starburst galaxies from a sample that was examined with Fermi-LAT. Flux-limited samples, which include all types of galaxies from the Swift-BAT and 2MASS surveys, have been investigated for comparison. The sky model of cosmic-ray density constructed using each catalog has two free parameters, the fraction of events correlating with astrophysical objects, and an angular scale characterizing the clustering of cosmic rays around extragalactic sources. A maximum-likelihood ratio test is used to evaluate the best values of these parameters and to quantify the strength of each model by contrast with isotropy. It is found that the starburst model fits the data better than the hypothesis of isotropy with a statistical significance of 4.0σ, the highest value of the test statistic being for energies above 39 {EeV}. The three alternative models are favored against isotropy with 2.7σ–3.2σ significance. The origin of the indicated deviation from isotropy is examined and prospects for more sensitive future studies are discussed. Any correspondence should be addressed to .

Peering Through the Muck: Notes on the the Influence of the Galactic Interstellar Medium on Extragalactic Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Lockman, Felix J.

This paper considers some effects of foreground Galactic gas on radiation received from extragalactic objects, with an emphasis on the use of the 21cm line to determine the total N(HI). In general, the opacity of the 21cm line makes it impossible to derive an accurate value of N(HI) by simply applying a formula to the observed emission, except in directions where there is very little interstellar matter. The 21cm line can be used to estimate the likelihood that there is significant molecular hydrogen in a particular direction, but carries little or no information on the amount of ionized gas, which can be a major source of foreground effects. Considerable discussion is devoted to the importance of small-scale angular structure in HI, with the conclusion that it will rarely contribute significantly to the total error compared to other factors (such as the effects of ionized gas) for extragalactic sight lines at high Galactic latitude. The direction of the Hubble/Chandra Deep Field North is used as an example of the complexities that might occur even in the absence of opacity or molecular gas.

Oscillating red giants in eclipsing binary systems: empirical reference value for asteroseismic scaling relation

Science.gov (United States)

Themeßl, N.; Hekker, S.; Southworth, J.; Beck, P. G.; Pavlovski, K.; Tkachenko, A.; Angelou, G. C.; Ball, W. H.; Barban, C.; Corsaro, E.; Elsworth, Y.; Handberg, R.; Kallinger, T.

2018-05-01

The internal structures and properties of oscillating red-giant stars can be accurately inferred through their global oscillation modes (asteroseismology). Based on 1460 days of Kepler observations we perform a thorough asteroseismic study to probe the stellar parameters and evolutionary stages of three red giants in eclipsing binary systems. We present the first detailed analysis of individual oscillation modes of the red-giant components of KIC 8410637, KIC 5640750 and KIC 9540226. We obtain estimates of their asteroseismic masses, radii, mean densities and logarithmic surface gravities by using the asteroseismic scaling relations as well as grid-based modelling. As these red giants are in double-lined eclipsing binaries, it is possible to derive their independent dynamical masses and radii from the orbital solution and compare it with the seismically inferred values. For KIC 5640750 we compute the first spectroscopic orbit based on both components of this system. We use high-resolution spectroscopic data and light curves of the three systems to determine up-to-date values of the dynamical stellar parameters. With our comprehensive set of stellar parameters we explore consistencies between binary analysis and asteroseismic methods, and test the reliability of the well-known scaling relations. For the three red giants under study, we find agreement between dynamical and asteroseismic stellar parameters in cases where the asteroseismic methods account for metallicity, temperature and mass dependence as well as surface effects. We are able to attain agreement from the scaling laws in all three systems if we use Δνref, emp = 130.8 ± 0.9 μHz instead of the usual solar reference value.

CORRELATIONS OF THE ARRIVAL DIRECTIONS OF ULTRA-HIGH ENERGY COSMIC RAYS WITH EXTRAGALACTIC OBJECTS AS OBSERVED BY THE TELESCOPE ARRAY EXPERIMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abu-Zayyad, T.; Allen, M.; Anderson, R.; Barcikowski, E.; Belz, J. W.; Bergman, D. R.; Blake, S. A.; Cady, R.; Hanlon, W. [High Energy Astrophysics Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Aida, R. [Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Yamanashi (Japan); Azuma, R.; Fukuda, T. [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo (Japan); Cheon, B. G.; Cho, E. J. [Department of Physics and The Research Institute of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chiba, J. [Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba (Japan); Chikawa, M. [Department of Physics, Kinki University, Higashi Osaka, Osaka (Japan); Cho, W. R. [Department of Physics, Yonsei University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Fujii, H. [Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies, KEK, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Fujii, T. [Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka (Japan); Fukushima, M. [Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan); and others

2013-11-10

We search for correlations between the positions of extragalactic objects and the arrival directions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with primary energy E ≥ 40 EeV as observed by the surface detector array of the Telescope Array (TA) experiment during the first 40 months of operation. We examine several public astronomical object catalogs, including the Veron-Cetty and Veron catalog of active galactic nuclei. We count the number of TA events correlated with objects in each catalog as a function of three parameters: the maximum angular separation between a TA event and an object, the minimum energy of the events, and the maximum redshift of the objects. We determine the combination of these parameters that maximizes the correlations, and we calculate the probability of having the same levels of correlations from an isotropic distribution of UHECR arrival directions. No statistically significant correlations are found when penalties for scanning over the above parameters and for searching in several catalogs are taken into account.

ULTRAVIOLET ESCAPE FRACTIONS FROM GIANT MOLECULAR CLOUDS DURING EARLY CLUSTER FORMATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howard, Corey; Pudritz, Ralph [Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1 (Canada); Klessen, Ralf [Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik Albert-Ueberle-Str. 2, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany)

2017-01-01

The UV photon escape fraction from molecular clouds is a key parameter for understanding the ionization of the interstellar medium and extragalactic processes such as cosmic reionization. We present the ionizing photon flux and the corresponding photon escape fraction ( f {sub esc}) arising as a consequence of star cluster formation in a turbulent, 10{sup 6} M {sub ⊙} giant molecular cloud, simulated using the code FLASH. We make use of sink particles to represent young, star-forming clusters coupled with a radiative transfer scheme to calculate the emergent UV flux. We find that the ionizing photon flux across the cloud boundary is highly variable in time and space due to the turbulent nature of the intervening gas. The escaping photon fraction remains at ∼5% for the first 2.5 Myr, followed by two pronounced peaks at 3.25 and 3.8 Myr with a maximum f {sub esc} of 30% and 37%, respectively. These peaks are due to the formation of large H ii regions that expand into regions of lower density, some of which reaching the cloud surface. However, these phases are short-lived, and f {sub esc} drops sharply as the H ii regions are quenched by the central cluster passing through high-density material due to the turbulent nature of the cloud. We find an average f {sub esc} of 15% with factor of two variations over 1 Myr timescales. Our results suggest that assuming a single value for f {sub esc} from a molecular cloud is in general a poor approximation, and that the dynamical evolution of the system leads to large temporal variation.

SUBSTELLAR-MASS COMPANIONS TO THE K-GIANTS HD 240237, BD +48 738, AND HD 96127

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gettel, S.; Wolszczan, A.; Niedzielski, A.; Nowak, G.; Adamów, M.; Zieliński, P.; Maciejewski, G.

2012-01-01

We present the discovery of substellar-mass companions to three giant stars by the ongoing Penn State-Toruń Planet Search conducted with the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The most massive of the three stars, K2-giant HD 240237, has a 5.3 M J minimum mass companion orbiting the star at a 746 day period. The K0-giant BD +48 738 is orbited by a ≥0.91 M J planet which has a period of 393 days and shows a nonlinear, long-term radial velocity (RV) trend that indicates a presence of another, more distant companion, which may have a substellar mass or be a low-mass star. The K2-giant HD 96127 has a ≥4.0 M J mass companion in a 647 day orbit around the star. The two K2-giants exhibit a significant RV noise that complicates the detection of low-amplitude, periodic variations in the data. If the noise component of the observed RV variations is due to solar-type oscillations, we show, using all the published data for the substellar companions to giants, that its amplitude is anti-correlated with stellar metallicity.

Measuring Precise Radii of Giants Orbiting Giants to Distinguish Between Planet Evolution Models

Science.gov (United States)

Grunblatt, Samuel; Huber, Daniel; Lopez, Eric; Gaidos, Eric; Livingston, John

2017-10-01

Despite more than twenty years since the initial discovery of highly irradiated gas giant planets, the mechanism for planet inflation remains unknown. However, proposed planet inflation mechanisms can now be separated into two general classes: those which allow for post-main sequence planet inflation by direct irradiation from the host star, and those which only allow for slowed cooling of the planet over its lifetime. The recent discovery of two inflated warm Jupiters orbiting red giant stars with the NASA K2 Mission allows distinction between these two classes, but uncertainty in the planet radius blurs this distinction. Observing transits of these planets with the Spitzer Space Telescope would reduce stellar variability and thus planet radius uncertainties by approximately 50% relative to K2, allowing distinction between the two planet inflation model classes at a 3-sigma level. We propose to observe one transit of both known warm Jupiters orbiting red giant stars, K2-97b and EPIC228754001.01, to distinguish between planet model inflation classes and measure the planetary heating efficiency to 3-sigma precision. These systems are benchmarks for the upcoming NASA TESS Mission, which is predicted to discover an order of magnitude more red giant planet systems after launching next year.

NOEMA Observations of a Molecular Cloud in the Low-metallicity Galaxy Kiso 5639

Science.gov (United States)

Elmegreen, Bruce G.; Herrera, Cinthya; Rubio, Monica; Elmegreen, Debra Meloy; Sánchez Almeida, Jorge; Muñoz-Tuñón, Casiana; Olmo-García, Amanda

2018-06-01

A giant star-forming region in a metal-poor dwarf galaxy has been observed in optical lines with the 10 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) and in the emission line of CO(1–0) with the Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) mm-wave interferometer. The metallicity was determined to be 12+{log}({{O}}/{{H}})=7.83+/- 0.09, from which we estimate a conversion factor of α CO ∼ 100 M ⊙ pc‑2(K km s‑1)‑1 and a molecular cloud mass of ∼2.9 × 107 M ⊙. This is an enormous concentration of molecular mass at one end of a small galaxy, suggesting a recent accretion. The molecular cloud properties seem normal: the surface density, 120 M ⊙ pc‑2, is comparable to that of a standard giant molecular cloud; the cloud’s virial ratio of ∼1.8 is in the star formation range; and the gas consumption time, 0.5 Gyr, at the present star formation rate is typical for molecular regions. The low metallicity implies that the cloud has an average visual extinction of only 0.8 mag, which is close to the threshold for molecule formation. With such an extinction threshold, molecular clouds in metal-poor regions should have high surface densities and high internal pressures. If high pressure is associated with the formation of massive clusters, then metal-poor galaxies such as dwarfs in the early universe could have been the hosts of metal-poor globular clusters.

Evolution, Nucleosynthesis, and Yields of Low-mass Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars at Different Metallicities. II. The FRUITY Database

Science.gov (United States)

Cristallo, S.; Piersanti, L.; Straniero, O.; Gallino, R.; Domínguez, I.; Abia, C.; Di Rico, G.; Quintini, M.; Bisterzo, S.

2011-12-01

By using updated stellar low-mass stars models, we systematically investigate the nucleosynthesis processes occurring in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. In this paper, we present a database dedicated to the nucleosynthesis of AGB stars: FRANEC Repository of Updated Isotopic Tables & Yields (FRUITY). An interactive Web-based interface allows users to freely download the full (from H to Bi) isotopic composition, as it changes after each third dredge-up (TDU) episode and the stellar yields the models produce. A first set of AGB models, having masses in the range 1.5 3.0 and metallicities 1 × 10-3 <= Z <= 2 × 10-2, is discussed. For each model, a detailed description of the physical and the chemical evolution is provided. In particular, we illustrate the details of the s-process and we evaluate the theoretical uncertainties due to the parameterization adopted to model convection and mass loss. The resulting nucleosynthesis scenario is checked by comparing the theoretical [hs/ls] and [Pb/hs] ratios to those obtained from the available abundance analysis of s-enhanced stars. On the average, the variation with the metallicity of these spectroscopic indexes is well reproduced by theoretical models, although the predicted spread at a given metallicity is substantially smaller than the observed one. Possible explanations for such a difference are briefly discussed. An independent check of the TDU efficiency is provided by the C-stars luminosity function. Consequently, theoretical C-stars luminosity functions for the Galactic disk and the Magellanic Clouds have been derived. We generally find good agreement with observations.

Segmentectomy for giant pulmonary sclerosing haemangiomas with high serum KL-6 levels

OpenAIRE

Kuroda, Hiroaki; Mun, Mingyon; Okumura, Sakae; Nakagawa, Ken

2012-01-01

We describe a 61-year old female patient with a giant pulmonary sclerosing haemangioma (PSH) and an extremely high preoperative serum KL-6 level. During an annual health screening, the patient showed a posterior mediastinal mass on chest radiography. Chest computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-circumscribed 60 mm diameter nodule with a marked contrast enhancement in the left lower lobe. The preoperative serum KL-6 level was elevated to 8204 U/ml. We performed a fo...

A High-Mass Cold Core in the Auriga-California Giant Molecular Cloud

Science.gov (United States)

Magnus McGehee, Peregrine; Paladini, Roberta; Pelkonen, Veli-Matti; Toth, Viktor; Sayers, Jack

2015-08-01

The Auriga-California Giant Molecular Cloud is noted for its relatively low star formation rate, especially at the high-mass end of the Initial Mass Function. We combine maps acquired by the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory's Multiwavelength Submillimeter Inductance Camera [MUSIC] in the wavelength range 0.86 to 2.00 millimeters with Planck and publicly-available Herschel PACS and SPIRE data in order to characterize the mass, dust properties, and environment of the bright core PGCC G163.32-8.41.

THE GLOBAL EVOLUTION OF GIANT MOLECULAR CLOUDS. II. THE ROLE OF ACCRETION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldbaum, Nathan J.; Krumholz, Mark R.; Matzner, Christopher D.; McKee, Christopher F.

2011-01-01

We present virial models for the global evolution of giant molecular clouds (GMCs). Focusing on the presence of an accretion flow and accounting for the amount of mass, momentum, and energy supplied by accretion and star formation feedback, we are able to follow the growth, evolution, and dispersal of individual GMCs. Our model clouds reproduce the scaling relations observed in both galactic and extragalactic clouds. We find that accretion and star formation contribute roughly equal amounts of turbulent kinetic energy over the lifetime of the cloud. Clouds attain virial equilibrium and grow in such a way as to maintain roughly constant surface densities, with typical surface densities of order 50-200 M sun pc -2 , in good agreement with observations of GMCs in the Milky Way and nearby external galaxies. We find that as clouds grow, their velocity dispersion and radius must also increase, implying that the linewidth-size relation constitutes an age sequence. Lastly, we compare our models to observations of GMCs and associated young star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud and find good agreement between our model clouds and the observed relationship between H II regions, young star clusters, and GMCs.

Atypical visual loss in giant cell arteritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thystrup, Jan Deichmann; Knudsen, G M; Mogensen, A M

1994-01-01

Three patients with atypical ocular involvement due to histologically verified giant cell arteritis are reported. Prior to diagnosis, the first patient had periods of amaurosis fugax. He presented with normal vision. In spite of high-dose systemic corticosteroid therapy, he became blind in the te......Three patients with atypical ocular involvement due to histologically verified giant cell arteritis are reported. Prior to diagnosis, the first patient had periods of amaurosis fugax. He presented with normal vision. In spite of high-dose systemic corticosteroid therapy, he became blind...

Enhanced current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance effect in half-metallic NiMnSb based nanojunctions with multiple Ag spacers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, Zhenchao; Yamamoto, Tatsuya [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Kubota, Takahide; Takanashi, Koki [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)

2016-06-06

Current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) heterostructure devices using half-metallic NiMnSb Heusler alloy electrodes with single, dual, and triple Ag spacers were fabricated. The NiMnSb alloy films and Ag spacers show (001) epitaxial growth in all CPP-GMR multilayer structures. The dual-spacer CPP-GMR nanojunction exhibited an enhanced CPP-GMR ratio of 11% (a change in the resistance-area product, ΔRA, of 3.9 mΩ μm{sup 2}) at room temperature, which is approximately twice (thrice) of 6% (1.3 mΩ μm{sup 2}) in the single-spacer device. The enhancement of the CPP-GMR effects in the dual-spacer devices could be attributed to improved interfacial spin asymmetry. Moreover, it was observed that the CPP-GMR ratios increased monotonically as the temperatures decreased. At 4.2 K, a CPP-GMR ratio of 41% (ΔRA = 10.5 mΩ μm{sup 2}) was achieved in the dual-spacer CPP-GMR device. This work indicates that multispacer structures provide an efficient enhancement of CPP-GMR effects in half-metallic material-based CPP-GMR systems.

Topics in extragalactic astronomy with special reference to the southern hemisphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaucouleurs, G. De

1977-01-01

The following topics are covered: classification of galaxies; photometry, colorimetry, spectrophotometry of galaxies; type I supernovae as checks of cosmological models; diameters of galaxies; extragalactic distance indicators; Local Group and nearby group of galaxies; structure of the Local Supercluster of galaxies; anisotropy of the redshifts and kinematics of the Local Supercluster; large scale distribution of galaxies and clusters of galaxies; galaxy counts and probes in depth; problems in the southern hemisphere. (U.K.)

eXtragalactic astronomy: the X-games of adaptive optics

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Olivier

2000-07-01

Observing active nuclei, Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies, starburst and merging galaxies, is both a challenge and a requirement for adaptive optics. It is a requirement, because models needed to explain the high infrared flux and the physics of these monsters need constraints that come, in part, from the fine details gleaned on high angular resolution images, and it is a challenge because, being distant, these objects are usually faint in apparent visual magnitude, meaning that the wavefront sensors have to operate in a photon starved regime. Many observations have been controversial in the past, and it is always difficult to tell an artifact such as astigmatism from an inner bar. The importance of observing the point spread function is therefore even more crucial than on bright objects, as PSF reconstruction methods 'a la Veran' break down when the photon noise dominates the statistics of the wave front, or when locking the loop on extended objects. Yet, while some cases have been controversial, some very clear and profound results have been obtained in the extragalactic domain, such as the detection of host galaxy to quasars and star formation studies. It turns out that the fundamental prerequisite to such success stories is a stable, well understood and well calibrated PSF.

Fatal canine distemper virus infection of giant pandas in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Na; Yu, Yicong; Wang, Tiecheng; Wilker, Peter; Wang, Jianzhong; Li, Yuanguo; Sun, Zhe; Gao, Yuwei; Xia, Xianzhu

2016-06-16

We report an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection among endangered giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Five of six CDV infected giant pandas died. The surviving giant panda was previously vaccinated against CDV. Genomic sequencing of CDV isolated from one of the infected pandas (giant panda/SX/2014) suggests it belongs to the Asia-1 cluster. The hemagglutinin protein of the isolated virus and virus sequenced from lung samples originating from deceased giant pandas all possessed the substitutions V26M, T213A, K281R, S300N, P340Q, and Y549H. The presence of the Y549H substitution is notable as it is found at the signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) receptor-binding site and has been implicated in the emergence of highly pathogenic CDV and host switching. These findings demonstrate that giant pandas are susceptible to CDV and suggest that surveillance and vaccination among all captive giant pandas are warranted to support conservation efforts for this endangered species.

New method for metal-abundance determination in late-type stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, B.

1978-01-01

An empirical technique has been developed for deriving heavy-element abundances from near-infrared blends of weak metallic lines. It is applicable to G and K stars of population I and II and is independent of gravity and microturbulence. A feature of the method is that it gives abundances for ''super-metal-rich'' giants consistent with high-dispersion analyses. The technique may be applicable to abundance problems in galaxies. It is also shown that precision colorimetry unaffected by sky transparency changes is possible with a diode array spectrometer

Giant CP stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loden, L.O.; Sundman, A.

1989-01-01

This study is part of an investigation of the possibility of using chemically peculiar (CP) stars to map local galactic structure. Correct luminosities of these stars are therefore crucial. CP stars are generally regarded as main-sequence or near-main-sequence objects. However, some CP stars have been classified as giants. A selection of stars, classified in literature as CP giants, are compared to normal stars in the same effective temperature interval and to ordinary 'non giant' CP stars. There is no clear confirmation of a higher luminosity for 'CP giants', than for CP stars in general. In addition, CP characteristics seem to be individual properties not repeated in a component star or other cluster members. (author). 50 refs., 5 tabs., 3 figs

HIGH-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPY OF EXTREMELY METAL-POOR STARS IN THE LEAST EVOLVED GALAXIES: BOÖTES II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Alexander P.; Frebel, Anna; Simon, Joshua D.; Geha, Marla

2016-01-01

We present high-resolution Magellan/MIKE spectra of the four brightest confirmed red giant stars in the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Boötes II (Boo II). These stars all inhabit the metal-poor tail of the Boo II metallicity distribution function. The chemical abundance pattern of all detectable elements in these stars is consistent with that of the Galactic halo. However, all four stars have undetectable amounts of neutron-capture elements Sr and Ba, with upper limits comparable to the lowest ever detected in the halo or in other dwarf galaxies. One star exhibits significant radial velocity variations over time, suggesting it to be in a binary system. Its variable velocity has likely increased past determinations of the Boo II velocity dispersion. Our four stars span a limited metallicity range, but their enhanced α-abundances and low neutron-capture abundances are consistent with the interpretation that Boo II has been enriched by very few generations of stars. The chemical abundance pattern in Boo II confirms the emerging trend that the faintest dwarf galaxies have neutron-capture abundances distinct from the halo, suggesting the dominant source of neutron-capture elements in halo stars may be different than in ultra-faint dwarfs

Tuning the giant Rashba effect on a BiAg2 surface alloy: Two different approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frantzeskakis, E.; Crepaldi, A.; Pons, S.; Kern, K.; Grioni, M.

2010-01-01

We discuss two different approaches for tuning the giant spin-orbit splitting of a BiAg 2 surface alloy. The first approach consists of electron doping by alkaline metal deposition in order to shift the energy position of the spin-split surface states, while the second is based on the novel Si(1 1 1)-Ag-BiAg 2 trilayer system. In both cases the spin-polarized structure near the Fermi level can be controlled by an external parameter, while the second approach permits coupling the concept of giant spin-splitting with a semiconducting substrate.

High Re-Operation Rates Using Conserve Metal-On-Metal Total Hip Articulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, S L; Jakobsen, Thomas; Christoffersen, Hardy

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Metal-on-metal hip articulations have been intensely debated after reports of adverse reactions and high failure rates. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the implant of a metal-on.metal total hip articulation (MOM THA) from a single manufacture in a two-center st......INTRODUCTION: Metal-on-metal hip articulations have been intensely debated after reports of adverse reactions and high failure rates. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the implant of a metal-on.metal total hip articulation (MOM THA) from a single manufacture in a two...

Assembling the Infrared Extragalactic Background Light with CIBER-2: Probing Inter-Halo Light and the Epoch of Reionization.

Science.gov (United States)

Bock, James

We propose to carry out a program of observations with the Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER-2). CIBER-2 is a near-infrared sounding rocket experiment designed to measure spatial fluctuations in the extragalactic background light. CIBER-2 scientifically follows on the detection of fluctuations with the CIBER-1 imaging instrument, and will use measurement techniques developed and successfully demonstrated by CIBER-1. With high-sensitivity, multi-band imaging measurements, CIBER-2 will elucidate the history of interhalo light (IHL) production and carry out a deep search for extragalactic background fluctuations associated with the epoch of reionization (EOR). CIBER-1 has made high-quality detections of large-scale fluctuations over 4 sounding rocket flights. CIBER-1 measured the amplitude and spatial power spectrum of fluctuations, and observed an electromagnetic spectrum that is close to Rayleigh-Jeans, but with a statistically significant turnover at 1.1 um. The fluctuations cross-correlate with Spitzer images and are significantly bluer than the spectrum of the integrated background derived from galaxy counts. We interpret the CIBER-1 fluctuations as arising from IHL, low-mass stars tidally stripped from their parent galaxies during galaxy mergers. The first generation of stars and their remnants are likely responsible for the for the reionization of the intergalactic medium, observed to be ionized out to the most distant quasars at a redshift of 6. The total luminosity produced by first stars is uncertain, but a lower limit can be placed assuming a minimal number of photons to produce and sustain reionization. This 'minimal' extragalactic background component associated with reionization is detectable in fluctuations at the design sensitivity of CIBER-2. The CIBER-2 instrument is optimized for sensitivity to surface brightness in a short sounding rocket flight. The instrument consists of a 28 cm wide-field telescope operating in 6 spectral bands

Giant Condyloma Acuminatum: A Surgical Riddle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shukla

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Giant condyloma acuminatum (GCA commonly known as Buschke-Lowenstein tumor (BLT is a rare sexually transmitted disease, which is always preceded by condyloma accuminata and linked to human papillomavirus (HPV. Most commonly affected sites are male and female genitalia, anal and perianal regions. Giant condyloma acuminatum is well-known as slow growing but locally destructive with a high rate of recurrence and increased frequency of malignant transformation. Surgical management is considered to be the best among all the options.

Giant coercivity in ferromagnetic Co doped ZnO single crystal thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loukya, B.; Negi, D.S.; Dileep, K.; Kumar, N.; Ghatak, Jay; Datta, R.

2013-01-01

The origin of ferromagnetism in ZnO doped with transition metal impurities has been discussed extensively and appeared to be a highly controversial and challenging topic in today's solid state physics. Magnetism observed in this system is generally weak and soft. We have grown Co:ZnO up to 30 at% Co in single crystal thin film form on c-plane sapphire. A composition dependent coercivity is observed in this system which reaches peak value at 25 at% Co, the values are 860 Oe and 1149 Oe with applied field along parallel and perpendicular to the film substrate interface respectively. This giant coercivity might pave the way to exploit this material as a magnetic semiconductor with novel logic functionalities. The findings are explained based on defect band itinerant ferromagnetism and its partial interaction with localized d electrons of Co through charge transfer. Besides large coercivity, an increase in the band gap with Co concentration has also been observed along with blue emission peak with long tail confirming the formation of extended point defect levels in the host lattice band gap. - Highlights: • Co doped ZnO ferromagnetic single crystal thin film. • Giant coercivity in Co:ZnO thin film which may help to turn this material into application. • Cathodoluminescence (CL) data showing increase in band gap with Co concentrations. • A theoretical proposal is made to explain the observed giant coercivity

Landau theory and giant room-temperature barocaloric effect in $M{{F}}_3$ metal trifluorides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corrales-Salazar, A. [Univ. of Costa Rica, San Jose (Costa Rica); Brierley, R. T. [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States); Littlewood, P. B. [Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Guzmán-Verri, G. G. [Univ. of Costa Rica, San Jose (Costa Rica); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2017-10-17

The structural phase transitions of MF₃ (M = Al, Cr, V, Fe, Ti, Sc) metal trifluorides are studied within a simple Landau theory consisting of tilts of rigid MF₆ octahedra associated with soft antiferrodistortive optic modes that are coupled to long-wavelength strain generating acoustic phonons. We calculate the temperature and pressure dependence of several quantities such as the spontaneous distortions, volume expansion, and shear strains as well as T - P phase diagrams. By contrasting our model to experiments we quantify the deviations from mean-field behavior and find that the tilt fluctuations of the MF₆ octahedra increase with metal cation size. We apply our model to predict giant barocaloric effects in Sc-substituted TiF₃ of up to about 15 JK^-1 kg^-1 for modest hydrostatic compressions of 0.2GPa. The effect extends over a wide temperature range of over 140K (including room temperature) due to a large predicted rate, dT_c/dP = 723K GPa^-1, which exceeds those of typical barocaloric materials. Our results suggest that open lattice frameworks such as the trifluorides are an attractive platform to search for giant barocaloric effects.

Extragalactic dispersion measures of fast radio bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Jun; Han, J. L.

2015-01-01

Fast radio bursts show large dispersion measures, much larger than the Galactic dispersion measure foreground. Therefore, they evidently have an extragalactic origin. We investigate possible contributions to the dispersion measure from host galaxies. We simulate the spatial distribution of fast radio bursts and calculate the dispersion measures along the sightlines from fast radio bursts to the edge of host galaxies by using the scaled NE2001 model for thermal electron density distributions. We find that contributions to the dispersion measure of fast radio bursts from the host galaxy follow a skew Gaussian distribution. The peak and the width at half maximum of the dispersion measure distribution increase with the inclination angle of a spiral galaxy, to large values when the inclination angle is over 70°. The largest dispersion measure produced by an edge-on spiral galaxy can reach a few thousand pc cm −3 , while the dispersion measures from dwarf galaxies and elliptical galaxies have a maximum of only a few tens of pc cm −3 . Notice, however, that additional dispersion measures of tens to hundreds of pc cm −3 can be produced by high density clumps in host galaxies. Simulations that include dispersion measure contributions from the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Andromeda Galaxy are shown as examples to demonstrate how to extract the dispersion measure from the intergalactic medium. (paper)

EVOLUTION, NUCLEOSYNTHESIS, AND YIELDS OF LOW-MASS ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH STARS AT DIFFERENT METALLICITIES. II. THE FRUITY DATABASE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cristallo, S.; Domínguez, I.; Abia, C.; Piersanti, L.; Straniero, O.; Gallino, R.; Di Rico, G.; Quintini, M.; Bisterzo, S.

2011-01-01

By using updated stellar low-mass stars models, we systematically investigate the nucleosynthesis processes occurring in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. In this paper, we present a database dedicated to the nucleosynthesis of AGB stars: FRANEC Repository of Updated Isotopic Tables and Yields (FRUITY). An interactive Web-based interface allows users to freely download the full (from H to Bi) isotopic composition, as it changes after each third dredge-up (TDU) episode and the stellar yields the models produce. A first set of AGB models, having masses in the range 1.5 ≤M/M ☉ ≤ 3.0 and metallicities 1 × 10 –3 ≤ Z ≤ 2 × 10 –2 , is discussed. For each model, a detailed description of the physical and the chemical evolution is provided. In particular, we illustrate the details of the s-process and we evaluate the theoretical uncertainties due to the parameterization adopted to model convection and mass loss. The resulting nucleosynthesis scenario is checked by comparing the theoretical [hs/ls] and [Pb/hs] ratios to those obtained from the available abundance analysis of s-enhanced stars. On the average, the variation with the metallicity of these spectroscopic indexes is well reproduced by theoretical models, although the predicted spread at a given metallicity is substantially smaller than the observed one. Possible explanations for such a difference are briefly discussed. An independent check of the TDU efficiency is provided by the C-stars luminosity function. Consequently, theoretical C-stars luminosity functions for the Galactic disk and the Magellanic Clouds have been derived. We generally find good agreement with observations.

Giant duodenal ulcers

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Eric Benjamin Newton; Mark R Versland; Thomas E Sepe

2008-01-01

Giant duodenal ulcers (GDUs) are a subset of duodenal ulcers that have historically resulted in greater morbidity than usual duodenal ulcers. Until recently,few cases had been successfully treated with medical therapy. However, the widespread use of endoscopy,the introduction of H-2 receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors, and the improvement in surgical techniques all have revolutionized the diagnosis,treatment and outcome of this condition. Nevertheless,GDUs are still associated with high rates of morbidity,mortality and complications. Thus, surgical evaluation of a patient with a GDU should remain an integral part of patient care. These giant variants, while usually benign, can frequently harbor malignancy. A careful review of the literature highlights the important differences when comparing GDUs to classical peptic ulcers and why they must be thought of differently than their more common counterpart.

A precise extragalactic test of General Relativity.

Science.gov (United States)

Collett, Thomas E; Oldham, Lindsay J; Smith, Russell J; Auger, Matthew W; Westfall, Kyle B; Bacon, David; Nichol, Robert C; Masters, Karen L; Koyama, Kazuya; van den Bosch, Remco

2018-06-22

Einstein's theory of gravity, General Relativity, has been precisely tested on Solar System scales, but the long-range nature of gravity is still poorly constrained. The nearby strong gravitational lens ESO 325-G004 provides a laboratory to probe the weak-field regime of gravity and measure the spatial curvature generated per unit mass, γ. By reconstructing the observed light profile of the lensed arcs and the observed spatially resolved stellar kinematics with a single self-consistent model, we conclude that γ = 0.97 ± 0.09 at 68% confidence. Our result is consistent with the prediction of 1 from General Relativity and provides a strong extragalactic constraint on the weak-field metric of gravity. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Giant magnetic anisotropy of rare-earth adatoms and dimers adsorbed by graphene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kai-Cheng; Li, Yong-Feng; Liu, Yong; Zhu, Yan; Shi, Li-Bin

2017-05-24

Nowadays, transition-metal adatoms and dimers with giant magnetic anisotropy have attracted much attention due to their potential applications in data storage, spintronics and quantum computations. Using density-functional calculations, we investigated the magnetic anisotropy of the rare-earth adatoms and dimers adsorbed by graphene oxide. Our calculations reveal that the adatoms of Tm, Er and Sm possess giant magnetic anisotropy, typically larger than 40 meV. When the dimers of (Tm,Er,Sm)-Ir are adsorbed onto graphene oxide, the magnetic anisotropy even exceeds 200 meV. The magnetic anisotropy can be tuned by the external electric field as well as the environment.

The PdBI arcsecond whirlpool survey (PAWS): Environmental dependence of giant molecular cloud properties in M51

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colombo, Dario; Hughes, Annie; Schinnerer, Eva; Meidt, Sharon E.; Leroy, Adam K.; Pety, Jérôme; Dumas, Gaëlle; Schuster, Karl F.; Dobbs, Clare L.; García-Burillo, Santiago; Thompson, Todd A.; Kramer, Carsten

2014-01-01

Using data from the PdBI Arcsecond Whirlpool Survey (PAWS), we have generated the largest extragalactic giant molecular cloud (GMC) catalog to date, containing 1507 individual objects. GMCs in the inner M51 disk account for only 54% of the total 12 CO(1-0) luminosity of the survey, but on average they exhibit physical properties similar to Galactic GMCs. We do not find a strong correlation between the GMC size and velocity dispersion, and a simple virial analysis suggests that ∼30% of GMCs in M51 are unbound. We have analyzed the GMC properties within seven dynamically motivated galactic environments, finding that GMCs in the spiral arms and in the central region are brighter and have higher velocity dispersions than inter-arm clouds. Globally, the GMC mass distribution does not follow a simple power-law shape. Instead, we find that the shape of the mass distribution varies with galactic environment: the distribution is steeper in inter-arm region than in the spiral arms, and exhibits a sharp truncation at high masses for the nuclear bar region. We propose that the observed environmental variations in the GMC properties and mass distributions are a consequence of the combined action of large-scale dynamical processes and feedback from high-mass star formation. We describe some challenges of using existing GMC identification techniques for decomposing the 12 CO(1-0) emission in molecule-rich environments, such as M51's inner disk.

[Tissular expansion in giant congenital nevi treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen Van Nuoi, V; Francois-Fiquet, C; Diner, P; Sergent, B; Zazurca, F; Franchi, G; Buis, J; Vazquez, M-P; Picard, A; Kadlub, N

2014-08-01

Surgical management of giant melanotic naevi remains a surgical challenge. Tissue expansion provides tissue of the same quality for the repair of defects. The aim of this study is to review tissular expansion for giant melanotic naevi. We conducted a retrospective study from 2000 to 2012. All children patients who underwent a tissular expansion for giant congenital naevi had been included. Epidemiological data, surgical procedure, complication rate and results had been analysed. Thirty-tree patients had been included; they underwent 61 procedures with 79 tissular-expansion prosthesis. Previous surgery, mostly simple excision had been performed before tissular expansion. Complete naevus excision had been performed in 63.3% of the cases. Complications occurred in 45% of the cases, however in 50% of them were minor. Iterative surgery increased the complication rate. Tissular expansion is a valuable option for giant congenital naevus. However, complication rate remained high, especially when iterative surgery is needed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Restricted access Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, increases faunal diversity through physical engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Robert J.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Lamy, Thomas; Kui, Li; Rassweiler, Andrew; Reed, Daniel C.

2018-01-01

Foundation species define the ecosystems they live in, but ecologists have often characterized dominant plants as foundational without supporting evidence. Giant kelp has long been considered a marine foundation species due to its complex structure and high productivity; however, there is little quantitative evidence to evaluate this. Here, we apply structural equation modelling to a 15-year time series of reef community data to evaluate how giant kelp affects the reef community. Although species richness was positively associated with giant kelp biomass, most direct paths did not involve giant kelp. Instead, the foundational qualities of giant kelp were driven mostly by indirect effects attributed to its dominant physical structure and associated engineering influence on the ecosystem, rather than by its use as food by invertebrates and fishes. Giant kelp structure has indirect effects because it shades out understorey algae that compete with sessile invertebrates. When released from competition, sessile species in turn increase the diversity of mobile predators. Sea urchin grazing effects could have been misinterpreted as kelp effects, because sea urchins can overgraze giant kelp, understorey algae and sessile invertebrates alike. Our results confirm the high diversity and biomass associated with kelp forests, but highlight how species interactions and habitat attributes can be misconstrued as direct consequences of a foundation species like giant kelp.

Photoproduced fluorescent Au(I)@(Ag2/Ag3)-thiolate giant cluster: an intriguing sensing platform for DMSO and Pb(II).

Science.gov (United States)

Ganguly, Mainak; Mondal, Chanchal; Jana, Jayasmita; Pal, Anjali; Pal, Tarasankar

2014-01-14

Synergistic evolution of fluorescent Au(I)@(Ag2/Ag3)-thiolate core-shell particles has been made possible under the Sun in presence of the respective precursor coinage metal compounds and glutathione (GSH). The green chemically synthesized fluorescent clusters are giant (∼600 nm) in size and robust. Among all the common water miscible solvents, exclusively DMSO exhibits selective fluorescence quenching (Turn Off) because of the removal of GSH from the giant cluster. Again, only Pb(II) ion brings back the lost fluorescence (Turn On) leaving aside all other metal ions. This happens owing to the strong affinity of the sulfur donor of DMSO for Pb(II). Thus, employing the aqueous solution containing the giant cluster, we can detect DMSO contamination in water bodies at trace level. Besides, a selective sensing platform has emerged out for Pb(II) ion with a detection limit of 14 × 10(-8) M. Pb(II) induced fluorescence recovery is again vanished by I(-) implying a promising route to sense I(-) ion.

Giant Cell Arteritis

Science.gov (United States)

Giant cell arteritis is a disorder that causes inflammation of your arteries, usually in the scalp, neck, and arms. ... arteries, which keeps blood from flowing well. Giant cell arteritis often occurs with another disorder called polymyalgia ...

Giant Faraday Rotation of High-Order Plasmonic Modes in Graphene-Covered Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzmin, Dmitry A; Bychkov, Igor V; Shavrov, Vladimir G; Temnov, Vasily V

2016-07-13

Plasmonic Faraday rotation in nanowires manifests itself in the rotation of the spatial intensity distribution of high-order surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes around the nanowire axis. Here we predict theoretically the giant Faraday rotation for SPPs propagating on graphene-coated magneto-optically active nanowires. Upon the reversal of the external magnetic field pointing along the nanowire axis some high-order plasmonic modes may be rotated by up to ∼100° on the length scale of about 500 nm at mid-infrared frequencies. Tuning the carrier concentration in graphene by chemical doping or gate voltage allows for controlling SPP-properties and notably the rotation angle of high-order azimuthal modes. Our results open the door to novel plasmonic applications ranging from nanowire-based Faraday isolators to the magnetic control in quantum-optical applications.

Fatal canine distemper virus infection of giant pandas in China

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Na; Yu, Yicong; Wang, Tiecheng; Wilker, Peter; Wang, Jianzhong; Li, Yuanguo; Sun, Zhe; Gao, Yuwei; Xia, Xianzhu

2016-01-01

We report an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection among endangered giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Five of six CDV infected giant pandas died. The surviving giant panda was previously vaccinated against CDV. Genomic sequencing of CDV isolated from one of the infected pandas (giant panda/SX/2014) suggests it belongs to the Asia-1 cluster. The hemagglutinin protein of the isolated virus and virus sequenced from lung samples originating from deceased giant pandas all possessed the substitutions V26M, T213A, K281R, S300N, P340Q, and Y549H. The presence of the Y549H substitution is notable as it is found at the signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) receptor-binding site and has been implicated in the emergence of highly pathogenic CDV and host switching. These findings demonstrate that giant pandas are susceptible to CDV and suggest that surveillance and vaccination among all captive giant pandas are warranted to support conservation efforts for this endangered species. PMID:27310722

Dark Matter and Extragalactic Gas Clouds in the NGC 4532/DDO 137 System

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, G. L.; Lu, N. Y.; Salpeter, E. E.; Connell, B. M.

1998-01-01

H I synthesis mapping of NGC 4532 and DDO 137, a pair of Sm galaxies on the edge of the Virgo cluster, is used to determine rotation curves for each of the galaxies and to resolve the structure and kinematics of three extragalactic H I clouds embedded in an extended envelope of diffuse HI discovered in earlier Arecibo studies of the system.

Gradients in giant branch morphology in the core of 47 Tucanae

Science.gov (United States)

Bailyn, Charles D.

1994-01-01

I describe an algorithm which uses the high spatial resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope to complement the high spatial-to-noise, approximately symmetric point response function, relatively large spatial coverage, and standard filters available from ground based images of crowded fields. Applying this technique to the central regions of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae, I find that the morphology of the giant branch in the core is significantly different from that in more distant regions (r approximately equals 5 to 10 core radii) of the cluster. In particular, there appear to be fewer bright giants in the core, along with an enhanced `asymptotic giant branch' (AGB) sequence. Depletion of giants has been observed in the cores of other dense clusters, and may be due to `stripping' of large stars by stellar encounters and/or mass transfer in binary systems. Central concentrations of true asymptotic giant branch stars are not expected to result from dynamical processes; possibly some of these stars may be evolved blue stragglers.

From linking of metal-oxide building blocks in a dynamic library to giant clusters with unique properties and towards adaptive chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Achim; Gouzerh, Pierre

2012-11-21

Following Nature's lessons, today chemists can cross the boundary of the small molecule world to construct multifunctional and highly complex molecular nano-objects up to protein size and even cell-like nanosystems showing responsive sensing. Impressive examples emerge from studies of the solutions of some oxoanions of the early transition metals especially under reducing conditions which enable the controlled linking of metal-oxide building blocks. The latter are available from constitutional dynamic libraries, thus providing the option to generate multifunctional unique nanoscale molecular systems with exquisite architectures, which even opens the way towards adaptive and evolutive (Darwinian) chemistry. The present review presents the first comprehensive report of current knowledge (including synthesis aspects not discussed before) regarding the related giant metal-oxide clusters mainly of the type {Mo(57)M'(6)} (M' = Fe(III), V(IV)) (torus structure), {M(72)M'(30)} (M = Mo, M' = V(IV), Cr(III), Fe(III), Mo(V)), {M(72)Mo(60)} (M = Mo, W) (Keplerates), {Mo(154)}, {Mo(176)}, {Mo(248)} ("big wheels"), and {Mo(368)} ("blue lemon") - all having the important transferable pentagonal {(M)M(5)} groups in common. These discoveries expanded the frontiers of inorganic chemistry to the mesoscopic world, while there is probably no collection of discrete inorganic compounds which offers such a versatile chemistry and the option to study new phenomena of interdisciplinary interest. The variety of different properties of the sphere- and wheel-type metal-oxide-based clusters can directly be related to their unique architectures: The spherical Keplerate-type capsules having 20 crown-ether-type pores and tunable internal functionalities allow the investigation of confined matter as well as that of sphere-surface-supramolecular and encapsulation chemistry - including related new aspects of the biologically important hydrophobic effects - but also of nanoscale ion transport and

[Treatment of giant acoustic neuromas].

Science.gov (United States)

Samprón, Nicolás; Altuna, Xabier; Armendáriz, Mikel; Urculo, Enrique

2014-01-01

To analyze the treatment modality and outcome of a series of patients with giant acoustic neuromas, a particular type of tumour characterised by their size (extracanalicular diameter of 4cm or more) and high morbidity and mortality. This was a retrospective unicentre study of patients with acoustic neuromas treated in a period of 12 years. In our institutional series of 108 acoustic neuromas operated on during that period, we found 13 (12%) cases of giant acoustic neuromas. We reviewed the available data of these cases, including presentation and several clinical, anatomical, and microsurgical aspects. All patients were operated on by the same neurosurgeon and senior author (EU) using the suboccipital retrosigmoid approach and complete microsurgical removal was achieved in 10 cases. In one case, near total removal was deliberately performed, in another case a CSF shunt was placed as the sole treatment measure, and in the remaining case no direct treatment was given. One patient died in the immediate postoperative period. One year after surgery, 4 patients showed facial nerve function of iii or more in the House-Brackman scale. The 4 most important prognostic characteristics of giant acoustic neuromas are size, adhesion to surrounding structures, consistency and vascularity. Only the first of these is evident in neuroimaging. Giant acoustic neuromas are characterised by high morbidity at presentation as well as after treatment. Nevertheless, the objective of complete microsurgical removal with preservation of cranial nerve function is attainable in some cases through the suboccipital retrosigmoid approach. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

The Chemical Composition Contrast between M3 and M13 Revisited: New Abundances for 28 Giant Stars in M3

Science.gov (United States)

Sneden, Christopher; Kraft, Robert P.; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Peterson, Ruth C.; Fulbright, Jon P.

2004-04-01

We report new chemical abundances of 23 bright red giant members of the globular cluster M3, based on high-resolution (R~45,000) spectra obtained with the Keck I telescope. The observations, which involve the use of multislits in the HIRES Keck I spectrograph, are described in detail. Combining these data with a previously reported small sample of M3 giants obtained with the Lick 3 m telescope, we compare metallicities and [X/Fe] ratios for 28 M3 giants with a 35-star sample in the similar-metallicity cluster M13, and with Galactic halo field stars having [Fe/H]=A(Si), we derive little difference in [X/Fe] ratios in the M3, M13, or halo field samples. All three groups exhibit C depletion with advancing evolutionary state beginning at the level of the red giant branch ``bump,'' but the overall depletion of about 0.7-0.9 dex seen in the clusters is larger than that associated with the field stars. The behaviors of O, Na, Mg, and Al are distinctively different among the three stellar samples. Field halo giants and subdwarfs have a positive correlation of Na with Mg, as predicted from explosive or hydrostatic carbon burning in Type II supernova sites. Both M3 and M13 show evidence of high-temperature proton-capture synthesis from the ON, NeNa, and MgAl cycles, while there is no evidence for such synthesis among halo field stars. But the degree of such extreme proton-capture synthesis in M3 is smaller than it is in M13: the M3 giants exhibit only modest deficiencies of O and corresponding enhancements of Na, less extreme overabundances of Al, fewer stars with low Mg and correspondingly high Na, and no indication that O depletions are a function of advancing evolutionary state, as has been claimed for M13. We have also considered NGC 6752, for which Mg isotopic abundances have been reported by Yong et al. Giants in NGC 6752 and M13 satisfy the same anticorrelation of O abundances with the ratio (25Mg+26Mg)/24Mg, which measures the relative contribution of rare to

The conjunction of factors that lead to formation of giant gold provinces and deposits in non-arc settings

Science.gov (United States)

Groves, David I.; Goldfarb, Richard J.; Santosh, M.

2016-01-01

It is quite evident that it is not anomalous metal transport, nor unique depositional conditions, nor any single factor at the deposit scale, that dictates whether a mineral deposit becomes a giant or not. A hierarchical approach thus is required to progressively examine controlling parameters at successively decreasing scales in the total mineral system to understand the location of giant gold deposits in non-arc environments. For giant orogenic, intrusion-related gold systems (IRGS) and Carlin-type gold deposits and iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits, there are common factors among all of these at the lithospheric to crustal scale. All are sited in giant gold provinces controlled by complex fundamental fault or shear zones that follow craton margins or, in the case of most Phanerozoic orogenic giants, define the primary suture zones between tectonic terranes. Giant provinces of IRGS, IOCG, and Carlin-type deposits require melting of metasomatized lithosphere beneath craton margins with ascent of hybrid lamprophyric to granitic magmas and associated heat flux to generate the giant province. The IRGS and IOCG deposits require direct exsolution of volatile-rich magmatic-hydrothermal fluids, whereas the association of such melts with Carlin-type ores is more indirect and enigmatic. Giant orogenic gold provinces show no direct relationship to such magmatism, forming from metamorphic fluids, but show an indirect relationship to lamprophyres that reflect the mantle connectivity of controlling first-order structures.

Constraints on decaying dark matter from the extragalactic gamma-ray background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ando, Shin'ichiro

2015-02-01

If dark matter is unstable and the mass is within GeV-TeV regime, its decays produce high-energy photons that give contribution to the extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGRB). We constrain dark matter decay by analyzing the 50-month EGRB data measured with Fermi satellite, for different decay channels motivated with several supersymmetric scenarios featuring R-parity violation. We adopt the latest astrophysical models for various source classes such as active galactic nuclei and star-forming galaxies, and take associated uncertainties properly into account. The lower limits for the lifetime are very stringent for a wide range of dark matter mass, excluding the lifetime shorter than 10 28 s for mass between a few hundred GeV and ∝1TeV, e.g., for b anti b decay channel. Furthermore, most dark matter models that explain the anomalous positron excess are also excluded. These constraints are robust, being little dependent on astrophysical uncertainties, unlike other probes such as Galactic positrons or anti-protons.

Giant Low Surface Brightness Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Alka; Kantharia, Nimisha G.; Das, Mousumi

2018-04-01

In this paper, we present radio observations of the giant low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies made using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). LSB galaxies are generally large, dark matter dominated spirals that have low star formation efficiencies and large HI gas disks. Their properties suggest that they are less evolved compared to high surface brightness galaxies. We present GMRT emission maps of LSB galaxies with an optically-identified active nucleus. Using our radio data and archival near-infrared (2MASS) and near-ultraviolet (GALEX) data, we studied morphology and star formation efficiencies in these galaxies. All the galaxies show radio continuum emission mostly associated with the centre of the galaxy.

SOLAR-LIKE OSCILLATIONS IN A METAL-POOR GLOBULAR CLUSTER WITH THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stello, Dennis; Gilliland, Ronald L.

2009-01-01

We present analyses of variability in the red giant stars in the metal-poor globular cluster NGC 6397, based on data obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. We use a nonstandard data reduction approach to turn a 23 day observing run originally aimed at imaging the white dwarf population, into time-series photometry of the cluster's highly saturated red giant stars. With this technique we obtain noise levels in the final power spectra down to 50 parts per million, which allows us to search for low-amplitude solar-like oscillations. We compare the observed excess power seen in the power spectra with estimates of the typical frequency range, frequency spacing, and amplitude from scaling the solar oscillations. We see evidence that the detected variability is consistent with solar-like oscillations in at least one and perhaps up to four stars. With metallicities 2 orders of magnitude lower than those of the Sun, these stars present so far the best evidence of solar-like oscillations in such a low-metallicity environment.

DEEP MIXING IN EVOLVED STARS. II. INTERPRETING Li ABUNDANCES IN RED GIANT BRANCH AND ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmerini, S.; Busso, M.; Maiorca, E.; Cristallo, S.; Abia, C.; Uttenthaler, S.; Gialanella, L.

2011-01-01

We reanalyze the problem of Li abundances in red giants of nearly solar metallicity. After outlining the problems affecting our knowledge of the Li content in low-mass stars (M ≤ 3 M sun ), we discuss deep-mixing models for the red giant branch stages suitable to account for the observed trends and for the correlated variations of the carbon isotope ratio; we find that Li destruction in these phases is limited to masses below about 2.3 M sun . Subsequently, we concentrate on the final stages of evolution for both O-rich and C-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Here, the constraints on extra-mixing phenomena previously derived from heavier nuclei (from C to Al), coupled to recent updates in stellar structure models (including both the input physics and the set of reaction rates used), are suitable to account for the observations of Li abundances below A(Li) ≡ log ε(Li) ≅ 1.5 (and sometimes more). Also, their relations with other nucleosynthesis signatures of AGB phases (like the abundance of F, and the C/O and 12 C/ 13 C ratios) can be explained. This requires generally moderate efficiencies (M-dot -6 M sun yr -1 ) for non-convective mass transport. At such rates, slow extra mixing does not remarkably modify Li abundances in early AGB phases; on the other hand, faster mixing encounters a physical limit in destroying Li, set by the mixing velocity. Beyond this limit, Li starts to be produced; therefore, its destruction on the AGB is modest. Li is then significantly produced by the third dredge up. We also show that effective circulation episodes, while not destroying Li, would easily bring the 12 C/ 13 C ratios to equilibrium, contrary to the evidence in most AGB stars, and would burn F beyond the limits shown by C(N) giants. Hence, we do not confirm the common idea that efficient extra mixing drastically reduces the Li content of C stars with respect to K-M giants. This misleading appearance is induced by biases in the data, namely: (1) the difficulty

Constraint on dark matter annihilation with dark star formation using Fermi extragalactic diffuse gamma-ray background data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Qiang; Yue, Bin; Chen, Xuelei; Zhang, Bing

2011-01-01

It has been proposed that during the formation of the first generation stars there might be a ''dark star'' phase in which the power of the star comes from dark matter annihilation. The adiabatic contraction process to form the dark star would result in a highly concentrated density profile of the host halo at the same time, which may give enhanced indirect detection signals of dark matter. In this work we investigate the extragalactic γ-ray background from dark matter annihilation with such a dark star formation scenario, and employ the isotropic γ-ray data from Fermi-LAT to constrain the model parameters of dark matter. The results suffer from large uncertainties of both the formation rate of the first generation stars and the subsequent evolution effects of the host halos of the dark stars. We find, in the most optimistic case for γ-ray production via dark matter annihilation, the expected extragalactic γ-ray flux will be enhanced by 1-2 orders of magnitude. In such a case, the annihilation cross section of the supersymmetric dark matter can be constrained to the thermal production level, and the leptonic dark matter model which is proposed to explain the positron/electron excesses can be well excluded. Conversely, if the positron/electron excesses are of a dark matter annihilation origin, then the early Universe environment is such that no dark star can form

Literature review of giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas) biology and conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Halstead, Brian J.; Wylie, Glenn D.; Casazza, Michael L.

2015-08-03

This report reviews the available literature on giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) to compile existing information on this species and identify knowledge gaps that, if addressed, would help to inform conservation efforts for giant gartersnakes.  Giant gartersnakes comprise a species of semi-aquatic snake precinctive to wetlands in the Central Valley of California.  The diversion of surface water and conversion of wetlands to agricultural and other land uses resulted in the loss of more than 90 percent of natural giant gartersnake habitats.  Because of this habitat loss, giant gartersnakes are now listed by the United States and California Endangered Species Acts as Threatened.  Most extant populations occur in the rice-growing regions of the Sacramento Valley, which comprises the northern portion of the giant gartersnake’s former range.  The huge demand for water in California for agriculture, industry, recreation, and other human consumption, combined with periodic severe drought, places remaining giant gartersnake habitats at increased risk of degradation and loss.  This literature review summarizes the available information on giant gartersnake distribution, habitat relations, behavior, demography, and other aspects of its biology relevant to conservation.  This information is then compiled into a graphical conceptual model that indicates the importance of different aspects of giant gartersnake biology for maintaining positive population growth, and identifies those areas for which important information relevant for conservation is lacking.  Directing research efforts toward these aspects of giant gartersnake ecology will likely result in improvements to conserving this unique species while meeting the high demands for water in California.

Origin of the ankle in the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray spectrum, and of the extragalactic protons below it

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, Michael; Farrar, Glennys R.; Anchordoqui, Luis A.

2015-12-01

The sharp change in slope of the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) spectrum around 1 018.6 eV (the ankle), combined with evidence of a light but extragalactic component near and below the ankle and intermediate composition above, has proved exceedingly challenging to understand theoretically, without fine-tuning. We propose a mechanism whereby photo-disintegration of ultrahigh energy nuclei in the region surrounding a UHECR accelerator accounts for the observed spectrum and inferred composition at Earth. For suitable source conditions, the model reproduces the spectrum and the composition over the entire extragalactic cosmic ray energy range, i.e. above 1 017.5 eV . Predictions for the spectrum and flavors of neutrinos resulting from this process are also presented.

Percolation-enhanced nonlinear scattering from semicontinuous metal films

Science.gov (United States)

Breit, M.; von Plessen, G.; Feldmann, J.; Podolskiy, V. A.; Sarychev, A. K.; Shalaev, V. M.; Gresillon, S.; Rivoal, J. C.; Gadenne, P.

2001-03-01

Strongly enhanced second-harmonic generation (SHG), which is characterized by nearly isotropic distribution, is observed for gold-glass films near the percolation threshold. The diffuse-like SHG scattering, which can be thought of as nonlinear critical opalescence, is in sharp contrast with highly collimated linear reflection and transmission from these nanostructured semicontinuous metal films. Our observations, which can be explained by giant fluctuations of local nonlinear sources for SHG, verify recent predictions of percolation-enhanced nonlinear scattering.

High-frequency EPR on high-spin transition-metal sites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mathies, Guinevere

2012-01-01

The electronic structure of transition-metal sites can be probed by electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The study of high-spin transition-metal sites benefits from EPR spectroscopy at frequencies higher than the standard 9.5 GHz. However, high-frequency EPR is a developing field. In

A Clustered Extragalactic Foreground Model for the EoR

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, S. G.; Trott, C. M.; Jordan, C. H.

2018-05-01

We review an improved statistical model of extra-galactic point-source foregrounds first introduced in Murray et al. (2017), in the context of the Epoch of Reionization. This model extends the instrumentally-convolved foreground covariance used in inverse-covariance foreground mitigation schemes, by considering the cosmological clustering of the sources. In this short work, we show that over scales of k ~ (0.6, 40.)hMpc-1, ignoring source clustering is a valid approximation. This is in contrast to Murray et al. (2017), who found a possibility of false detection if the clustering was ignored. The dominant cause for this change is the introduction of a Galactic synchrotron component which shadows the clustering of sources.

Planck Early Results. XV. Spectral Energy Distributions and Radio Continuum Spectra of Northern Extragalactic Radio Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Aatrokoski, J.; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Aller, H. D.; Aller, M. F.; Angelakis, E.; Amaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.;

Thermal and rotational effect on giant dipole resonances in rotating nuclei at high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugawara-Tanabe, Kazuko; Tanabe, Kosai.

1986-01-01

Microscopic calculations are carried out for the giant dipole resonances excited on the thermal high spin states in 162 Er and 166 Er based on the thermal linear response theory with realistic forces and large single-particle space. The dynamical strength function is compared with the experimental γ-ray absorption cross section. The general trend that the resonance energy decreases and the resonance width increases with increasing angular momentum and temperature is well reproduced by the calculations. (author)

A semianalytical method for calculating the parameters of the electromagnetic halos around extragalactic gamma-ray sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kel'ner, [No Value; Khangulyan, DV; Aharonian, FA

2004-01-01

The ultrahigh-energy (>20 TeV) gamma rays emitted by active galactic nuclei can be absorbed in intergalactic space through the production of electron-positron pairs during their interaction with extragalactic background photon fields. The electrons and positrons produced by this interaction form an

Imaging of giant pituitary adenomas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Majos, C.; Coll, S.; Aguilera, C.; Pons, L.C. [Bellvitge Univ., Barcelona (Spain). Inst. de Diagnostice per la Imatge; Acebes, J.J. [Department of Neurosurgery, Ciutat Sanitaria i Universitaria de Bellvitge, L`Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (Spain)

1998-10-01

We present five proven giant pituitary adenomas studied by CT and MRI, and review the clinical and imaging findings. Our aim was to examine the radiologic appearances and to search for criteria useful in distinguishing these tumors from other sellar and suprasellar tumours, mainly craniopharyngioma. The main differences from small adenomas were high prevalence of macrocysts, a more invasive behaviour and a clinical picture dominated by mass effect rather than endocrine disturbance. Factors supporting the diagnosis of pituitary adenoma in a giant intra- and suprasellar mass include: infrasellar extension, absence of calcification and presence of low-signal cysts on T1-weighted images. (orig.) (orig.) With 4 figs., 2 tabs., 9 refs.

Highly Dense Isolated Metal Atom Catalytic Sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Yaxin; Kasama, Takeshi; Huang, Zhiwei

2015-01-01

-ray diffraction. A combination of electron microscopy images with X-ray absorption spectra demonstrated that the silver atoms were anchored on five-fold oxygen-terminated cavities on the surface of the support to form highly dense isolated metal active sites, leading to excellent reactivity in catalytic oxidation......Atomically dispersed noble-metal catalysts with highly dense active sites are promising materials with which to maximise metal efficiency and to enhance catalytic performance; however, their fabrication remains challenging because metal atoms are prone to sintering, especially at a high metal...... loading. A dynamic process of formation of isolated metal atom catalytic sites on the surface of the support, which was achieved starting from silver nanoparticles by using a thermal surface-mediated diffusion method, was observed directly by using in situ electron microscopy and in situ synchrotron X...

Segmentectomy for giant pulmonary sclerosing haemangiomas with high serum KL-6 levels

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroda, Hiroaki; Mun, Mingyon; Okumura, Sakae; Nakagawa, Ken

2012-01-01

We describe a 61-year old female patient with a giant pulmonary sclerosing haemangioma (PSH) and an extremely high preoperative serum KL-6 level. During an annual health screening, the patient showed a posterior mediastinal mass on chest radiography. Chest computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-circumscribed 60 mm diameter nodule with a marked contrast enhancement in the left lower lobe. The preoperative serum KL-6 level was elevated to 8204 U/ml. We performed a four-port thoracoscopic basal segmentectomy and lymph node sampling for diagnosis and therapy. The postoperative diagnosis showed PSH. The serum KL-6 level decreased dramatically with tumour resection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with PSH showing a high serum KL-6 level. PMID:22454483

H‑ Opacity and Water Dissociation in the Dayside Atmosphere of the Very Hot Gas Giant WASP-18b

Science.gov (United States)

Arcangeli, Jacob; Désert, Jean-Michel; Line, Michael R.; Bean, Jacob L.; Parmentier, Vivien; Stevenson, Kevin B.; Kreidberg, Laura; Fortney, Jonathan J.; Mansfield, Megan; Showman, Adam P.

2018-03-01

We present one of the most precise emission spectra of an exoplanet observed so far. We combine five secondary eclipses of the hot Jupiter WASP-18b (T day ∼ 2900 K) that we secured between 1.1 and 1.7 μm with the Wide Field Camera 3 instrument on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Our extracted spectrum (S/N = 50, R ∼ 40) does not exhibit clearly identifiable molecular features but is poorly matched by a blackbody spectrum. We complement this data with previously published Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera observations of this target and interpret the combined spectrum by computing a grid of self-consistent, 1D forward models, varying the composition and energy budget. At these high temperatures, we find there are important contributions to the overall opacity from H‑ ions, as well as the removal of major molecules by thermal dissociation (including water), and thermal ionization of metals. These effects were omitted in previous spectral retrievals for very hot gas giants, and we argue that they must be included to properly interpret the spectra of these objects. We infer a new metallicity and C/O ratio for WASP-18b, and find them well constrained to be solar ([M/H] = ‑0.01 ± 0.35, C/O < 0.85 at 3σ confidence level), unlike previous work but in line with expectations for giant planets. The best-fitting self-consistent temperature–pressure profiles are inverted, resulting in an emission feature at 4.5 μm seen in the Spitzer photometry. These results further strengthen the evidence that the family of very hot gas giant exoplanets commonly exhibit thermal inversions.

The operation of giant incisional hernia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, Axelina; Krag, Christen; Jørgensen, Lars Nannestad

2014-01-01

Incisional hernia is a common complication to laparotomy impacting negatively on quality of life, risk of emergency surgery and cosmesis. The operation of giant incisional hernia (cross diameter of hernia defect > 20 cm) is a high risk procedure and the surgical techniques are not based on high...

Oxygen abundance in metal-poor dwarfs, derived from the forbidden line

Science.gov (United States)

Spite, M.; Spite, F.

1991-12-01

The oxygen abundance is redetermined in a few metal-poor dwarfs, using the oxygen forbidden line at 630 nm rather than the oxygen triplet at 777 nm previously used by Abia and Rebolo (1989). The ratios form O/Fe are clearly lower than the previous ones and are in agreement with the ratios found in the metal-poor red giants, suggesting that no real difference exists between dwarfs and giants. Finally, it can be argued that, pending the acquisition of additional information, the oxygen abundances derived from the forbidden line are more reliable than the abundances found from the triplet.

The conjunction of factors that lead to formation of giant gold provinces and deposits in non-arc settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David I. Groves

2016-05-01

In contrast to their province scale similarities, the different giant gold deposit styles show contrasting critical controls at the district to deposit scale. For orogenic gold deposits, the giants appear to have formed by conjunction of a greater number of parameters to those that control smaller deposits, with resultant geometrical and lithostratigraphic complexity as a guide to their location. There are few giant IRGS due to their inferior fluid-flux systems relative to orogenic gold deposits, and those few giants are essentially preservational exceptions. Many Carlin-type deposits are giants due to the exceptional conjunction of both structural and lithological parameters that caused reactive and permeable rocks, enriched in syngenetic gold, to be located below an impermeable cap along antiformal “trends”. Hydrocarbons probably played an important role in concentrating metal. The supergiant Post-Betze deposit has additional ore zones in strain heterogeneities surrounding the pre-gold Goldstrike stock. All unequivocal IOCG deposits are giant or near-giant deposits in terms of gold-equivalent resources, partly due to economic factors for this relatively poorly understood, low Cu-Au grade deposit type. The supergiant Olympic Dam deposit, the most shallowly formed deposit among the larger IOCGs, probably owes its origin to eruption of volatile-rich hybrid magma at surface, with formation of a large maar and intense and widespread brecciation, alteration and Cu-Au-U deposition in a huge rock volume.

Curve-of-growth analysis of a red giant in the globular cluster M13

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffin, R.

1979-01-01

A coude spectrogram of a red giant (L973) in the globular cluster M13 is analysed, with respect to α Boo, by the differential curve-of-growth technique. The overall metal abundance is found to be approximately one-tenth of that of α Boo, or one-fortieth that of the Sun. (author)

Globular cluster metallicity scale: evidence from stellar models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demarque, P.; King, C.R.; Diaz, A.

1982-01-01

Theoretical giant branches have been constructed to determine their relative positions for metallicities in the range -2.3 0 )/sub 0,g/ based on these models is presented which yields good agreement over the observed range of metallicities for galactic globular clusters and old disk clusters. The metallicity of 47 Tuc and M71 given by this calibration is about -0.8 dex. Subject headings: clusters, globular: stars: abundances: stars: interiors

Evidences of extragalactic origin and planet engulfment in the metal-poor twin pair HD 134439/HD 134440

Science.gov (United States)

Reggiani, Henrique; Meléndez, Jorge

2018-04-01

Recent studies of chemical abundances in metal-poor halo stars show the existence of different populations, which is important for studies of Galaxy formation and evolution. Here, we revisit the twin pair of chemically anomalous stars HD 134439 and HD 134440, using high resolution (R ˜ 72 000) and high S/N ratio (S/N ˜ 250) HDS/Subaru spectra. We compare them to the well-studied halo star HD 103095, using the line-by-line differential technique to estimate precise stellar parameters and LTE chemical abundances. We present the abundances of C, O, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Y, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, and Sm. We compare our results to the precise abundance patterns of Nissen & Schuster (2010) and data from dwarf Spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). We show that the abundance pattern of these stars appears to be closely linked to that of dSphs with [α/Fe] knee below [Fe/H] < -1.5. We also find a systematic difference of 0.06 ± 0.01 dex between the abundances of these twin binary stars, which could be explained by the engulfment of a planet, thus suggesting that planet formation is possible at low metallicities ([Fe/H] = -1.4).

CANDELS: The Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Grogin, Norman A.; Koekemoer, anton M.; Faber, S. M.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Kocevski, Dale D.; Riess, Adam G.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Alexander, David M.; Almaini, Omar; Ashby, Matthew L. N.;

Revealing the microstructure of the giant component in random graph ensembles

Science.gov (United States)

Tishby, Ido; Biham, Ofer; Katzav, Eytan; Kühn, Reimer

2018-04-01

The microstructure of the giant component of the Erdős-Rényi network and other configuration model networks is analyzed using generating function methods. While configuration model networks are uncorrelated, the giant component exhibits a degree distribution which is different from the overall degree distribution of the network and includes degree-degree correlations of all orders. We present exact analytical results for the degree distributions as well as higher-order degree-degree correlations on the giant components of configuration model networks. We show that the degree-degree correlations are essential for the integrity of the giant component, in the sense that the degree distribution alone cannot guarantee that it will consist of a single connected component. To demonstrate the importance and broad applicability of these results, we apply them to the study of the distribution of shortest path lengths on the giant component, percolation on the giant component, and spectra of sparse matrices defined on the giant component. We show that by using the degree distribution on the giant component one obtains high quality results for these properties, which can be further improved by taking the degree-degree correlations into account. This suggests that many existing methods, currently used for the analysis of the whole network, can be adapted in a straightforward fashion to yield results conditioned on the giant component.

The width of jets in powerful edge-brightened extragalactic double radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banhatti, D.G.

1987-01-01

The widths of primary and secondary jets are derived from a sample of 14 double hotspots in powerful extended extragalactic double radio sources. In the model employed, the primary jet extends from the core to the more compact primary hotspot and the secondary jet emerges from the primary hotspot and dissipates to form the diffuse secondary hotspot. Mean values of hotspot size/jet extent imply that the primary and secondary jets, if free, must be 2 0 and > 27 0 wide, respectively. (author)

Capabilities of the NASA/IPAC extragalactic database in the era of a global virtual observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzarella, Joseph M.; Madore, Barry F.; Helou, George

2001-11-01

We review the capabilities of the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED, http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu) for information retrieval and knowledge discovery in the context of a globally distributed virtual observatory. Since it's inception in 1990, NED has provided astronomers world-wide with the results of a systematic cross-correlation of catalogs covering all wavelengths, along with thousands of extragalactic observations culled from published journal articles. NED is continuously being expanded and revised to include new catalogs and published observations, each undergoing a process of cross-identification to capture the current state of knowledge about extragalactic sources in a panchromatic fashion. In addition to assimilating data from the literature, the team in incrementally folding in millions of observations from new large-scale sky surveys such as 2MASS, NVSS, APM, and SDSS. At the time of writing the system contains over 3.3 million unique objects with 4.2 million cross-identifications. We summarize the recent evolution of NED from its initial emphasis on object name-, position-, and literature-based queries into a research environment that also assists statistical data exploration and discovery using large samples of objects. Newer capabilities enable intelligent Web mining of entries in geographically distributed astronomical archives that are indexed by object names and positions in NED, sample building using constraints on redshifts, object types and other parameters, as well as image and spectral archives for targeted or serendipitous discoveries. A pilot study demonstrates how NED is being used in conjunction with linked survey archives to characterize the properties of galaxy classes to form a training set for machine learning algorithms; an initial goal is production of statistical likelihoods that newly discovered sources belong to known classes, represent statistical outliers, or candidates for fundamentally new types of objects. Challenges and

Chemical Analysis of Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars in M62

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lapenna, E.; Mucciarelli, A.; Ferraro, F. R.; Origlia, L.; Lanzoni, B.; Massari, D.; Dalessandro, E.

2015-01-01

We have collected UVES-FLAMES high-resolution spectra for a sample of 6 asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and 13 red giant branch (RGB) stars in the Galactic globular cluster (GC) M62 (NGC 6266). Here we present the detailed abundance analysis of iron, titanium, and light elements (O, Na, Mg, and Al).

Surgical management of giant posterior communicating artery aneurysms.

Science.gov (United States)

Velat, Gregory J; Zabramski, Joseph M; Nakaji, Peter; Spetzler, Robert F

2012-09-01

Giant posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysms (> 25 mm) are rare lesions associated with a poor prognosis and high rates of morbidity and mortality. To review the clinical results of giant PCoA aneurysms surgically treated at our institution, focusing on operative nuances. All cases of giant PCoA aneurysms treated surgically at our institution were identified from a prospectively maintained patient database. Patient demographic factors, medical comorbidities, rupture status, neurological presentation, clinical outcomes, and surgical records were critically reviewed. From 1989 to 2010, 11 patients (10 women) underwent surgical clipping of giant PCoA aneurysms. Presenting signs and symptoms included cranial nerve palsies, diminished mental status, headache, visual changes, and seizures. Five aneurysms were ruptured on admission. All aneurysms were clipped primarily except 1, which was treated by parent artery sacrifice and extracranial-to-intracranial bypass after intraoperative aneurysm rupture. Perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were 36% (4 of 11) and 18.3% (2 of 11), respectively. Excellent or good clinical outcomes, defined as modified Rankin Scale scores ≤ 2, were achieved in 86% (5 of 6) of patients available for long-term clinical follow-up (mean, 12.5 ± 13.6 months). Giant PCoA aneurysms are rare vascular lesions that may present with a variety of neurological signs and symptoms. These lesions can be successfully managed surgically with satisfactory morbidity and mortality rates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest surgical series of giant PCoA aneurysms published to date.

RE-INFLATED WARM JUPITERS AROUND RED GIANTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez, Eric D. [Institute for Astronomy, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Fortney, Jonathan J. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)

2016-02-10

Since the discovery of the first transiting hot Jupiters, models have sought to explain the anomalously large radii of highly irradiated gas giants. We now know that the size of hot Jupiter radius anomalies scales strongly with a planet's level of irradiation and numerous models like tidal heating, ohmic dissipation, and thermal tides have since been developed to help explain these inflated radii. In general, however, these models can be grouped into two broad categories: models that directly inflate planetary radii by depositing a fraction of the incident irradiation into the interior and models that simply slow a planet's radiative cooling, allowing it to retain more heat from formation and thereby delay contraction. Here we present a new test to distinguish between these two classes of models. Gas giants orbiting at moderate orbital periods around post-main-sequence stars will experience enormous increases to their irradiation as their host stars move up the sub-giant and red-giant branches. If hot Jupiter inflation works by depositing irradiation into the planet's deep interiors then planetary radii should increase in response to the increased irradiation. This means that otherwise non-inflated gas giants at moderate orbital periods of >10 days can re-inflate as their host stars evolve. Here we explore the circumstances that can lead to the creation of these “re-inflated” gas giants and examine how the existence or absence of such planets can be used to place unique constraints on the physics of the hot Jupiter inflation mechanism. Finally, we explore the prospects for detecting this potentially important undiscovered population of planets.

Archival Investigation of Outburst Sites and Progenitors of Extragalactic Intermediate-Luminosity Mid-IR Transients

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Howard

2017-08-01

Our team is using Spitzer in a long-term search for extragalactic mid-infrared (MIR) variable stars and transients-the SPIRITS project (SPitzer InfraRed Intensive Transients Survey). In this first exploration of luminous astrophysical transients in the infrared, we have discovered a puzzling new class. We call them SPRITEs: eSPecially Red Intermediate-luminosity Transient Events. They have maximum MIR luminosities between supernovae and classical novae, but are not detected in the optical to deep limits. To date, we have discovered more than 50 SPRITEs in galaxies out to 17 Mpc. In this Archival Research proposal, we request support in order to investigate the pre-eruption sites in HST images of some 3 dozen SPRITEs discovered to date, and an additional 2 dozen that we are likely to find until the end of Spitzer observing in late 2018. Our aims are (1) characterize the pre-outburst environments at HST resolution in the visible and near-IR, to understand the stellar populations, stellar ages and masses, and interstellar medium at the outburst sites; (2) search for progenitors; (3) help prepare the way for a better understanding of the nature of extragalactic IR transients that will be investigated by JWST.

Metallicity and Kinematics of M31's Outer Stellar Halo from a Keck Spectroscopic Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Reitzel, David B.; Guhathakurta, Puragra

2002-07-01

We present first results from a spectroscopic survey designed to examine the metallicity and kinematics of individual red giant branch stars in the outer halo of the Andromeda spiral galaxy (M31). This study is based on multislit spectroscopy with the Keck II 10 m telescope and Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph of the Ca II near-infrared triplet in 99 M31 halo candidates in a field at R=19 kpc on the southeast minor axis with brightnesses from 20intermediate-velocity stars (-160~2 dex range over which the abundance measurement methods are calibrated. The mean/median metallicity of the M31 halo is about =-1.9 to -1.1 dex (depending on the details of metallicity calibration and sample selection) and possibly higher: the high-metallicity end of the distribution is poorly constrained by our data since the selection function for the secure M31 sample excludes over 80% of the giants in solar/supersolar metallicity range. Possible reasons are explored for the apparent discrepancy between the mean [Fe/H] found in our spectroscopic survey (corrected for metallicity selection bias) and the slightly higher mean values found in earlier photometric studies. Field halo red giants in M31 appear to be somewhat more metal-rich on average than their Milky Way counterparts. The M31 halo [Fe/H] distribution is comparable to that of M31 globular clusters, Galactic globular clusters, and Local Group dwarf satellite galaxies. The data in this 19 kpc outer halo field are broadly consistent with a scenario in which the halo is built from the accretion of small stellar subsystems. There are four stars in the secure M31 sample that have particularly strong Ca II lines, indicating solar metallicity, at a common velocity of ~-340 km s-1 close to the galaxy's systemic velocity, similar to what might be expected for M31 disk giants on the minor axis. An extrapolation of the inner disk brightness profile, however, falls far short of accounting for these four stars-the disk would instead have to

OXYGEN METALLICITY DETERMINATIONS FROM OPTICAL EMISSION LINES IN EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Athey, Alex E.; Bregman, Joel N.

2009-01-01

We measured the oxygen abundances of the warm (T ∼ 10 4 K) phase of gas in seven early-type galaxies through long-slit observations. A template spectra was constructed from galaxies void of warm gas and subtracted from the emission-line galaxies, allowing for a clean measurement of the nebular lines. The ratios of the emission lines are consistent with photoionization, which likely originates from the ultraviolet flux of postasymototic giant branch stars. We employ H II region photoionization models to determine a mean oxygen metallicity of 1.01 ± 0.50 solar for the warm interstellar medium (ISM) in this sample. This warm ISM 0.5-1.5 solar metallicity is consistent with modern determinations of the metallicity in the hot (T ∼ 10 6 -10 7 K) ISM and the upper range of this warm ISM metallicity is consistent with stellar population metallicity determinations. A solar metallicity of the warm ISM favors an internal origin for the warm ISM such as asymptotic giant branch mass loss within the galaxy.

High-Pressure Thermodynamic Properties of f-electron Metals, Transition Metal Oxides, and Half-Metallic Magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard T. Scalettar; Warren E. Pickett

2005-01-01

This project involves research into the thermodynamic properties of f-electron metals, transition metal oxides, and half-metallic magnets at high pressure. These materials are ones in which the changing importance of electron-electron interactions as the distance between atoms is varied can tune the system through phase transitions from localized to delocalized electrons, from screened to unscreened magnetic moments, and from normal metal to one in which only a single spin specie can conduct. Three main thrusts are being pursued: (1) Mott transitions in transition metal oxides, (2) magnetism in half-metallic compounds, and (3) large volume-collapse transitions in f-band metals

High-Pressure Thermodynamic Properties of f-electron Metals, Transition Metal Oxides, and Half-Metallic Magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scalettar, Richard T.; Pickett, Warren E.

2004-07-01

This project involves research into the thermodynamic properties of f-electron metals, transition metal oxides, and half-metallic magnets at high pressure. These materials are ones in which the changing importance of electron-electron interactions as the distance between atoms is varied can tune the system through phase transitions from localized to delocalized electrons, from screened to unscreened magnetic moments, and from normal metal to one in which only a single spin specie can conduct. Three main thrusts are being pursued: (1) Mott transitions in transition metal oxides, (2) magnetism in half-metallic compounds, and (3) large volume-collapse transitions in f-band metals.

High-Pressure Thermodynamic Properties of f-electron Metals, Transition Metal Oxides, and Half-Metallic Magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Richard T. Scalettar; Warren E. Pickett

2005-08-02

This project involves research into the thermodynamic properties of f-electron metals, transition metal oxides, and half-metallic magnets at high pressure. These materials are ones in which the changing importance of electron-electron interactions as the distance between atoms is varied can tune the system through phase transitions from localized to delocalized electrons, from screened to unscreened magnetic moments, and from normal metal to one in which only a single spin specie can conduct. Three main thrusts are being pursued: (i) Mott transitions in transition metal oxides, (ii) magnetism in half-metallic compounds, and (iii) large volume-collapse transitions in f-band metals.

Breast carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjerdrum, L M; Lauridsen, M C; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt

2001-01-01

Primary carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells is a very rare tumour of the female breast. The clinical course, histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features of 61 cases of invasive duct carcinoma with osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells (OMGCs) are reviewed and a new...... in the literature have shown that 86% of patients with these tumours are still alive after 5 years. Histologically, these tumours are invasive ductal carcinomas with OMGCs next to the neoplastic glands and within their lumen. Signs of recent and past haemorrhage are ubiquitously present in the highly vascularized...

Metal enrichment in the Fermi bubbles as a probe of their origin

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Yoshiyuki; Nakashima, Shinya; Tahara, Masaya; Kataoka, Jun; Totani, Tomonori; Fujita, Yutaka; Sofue, Yoshiaki

2015-06-01

The Fermi bubbles are gigantic gamma-ray structures in our Galaxy. The physical origin of the bubbles is still under debate. The leading scenarios can be divided into two categories. One is nuclear star-forming activity similar to extragalactic starburst galaxies and the other is past active galactic nucleus (AGN)-like activity of the Galactic center supermassive black hole. In this letter, we propose that metal abundance measurements will provide an important clue to probe their origin. Based on a simple spherically symmetric bubble model, we find that the generated metallicity and abundance patterns of the bubbles' gas strongly depend on assumed star formation or AGN activities. Star formation scenarios predict higher metallicities and abundance ratios of [O/Fe] and [Ne/Fe] than AGN scenarios do because of supernovae ejecta. Furthermore, the resultant abundance depends on the gamma-ray emission process because different mass injection histories are required for the different gamma-ray emission processes due to the acceleration and cooling time scales of non-thermal particles. Future X-ray missions such as ASTRO-H and Athena will give a clue to probe the origin of the bubbles through abundance measurements with their high energy resolution instruments.

Longevity of Compositionally Stratified Layers in Ice Giants

Science.gov (United States)

Friedson, A. J.

2017-12-01

In the hydrogen-rich atmospheres of gas giants, a decrease with radius in the mixing ratio of a heavy species (e.g. He, CH4, H2O) has the potential to produce a density stratification that is convectively stable if the heavy species is sufficiently abundant. Formation of stable layers in the interiors of these planets has important implications for their internal structure, chemical mixing, dynamics, and thermal evolution, since vertical transport of heat and constituents in such layers is greatly reduced in comparison to that in convecting layers. Various processes have been suggested for creating compositionally stratified layers. In the interiors of Jupiter and Saturn, these include phase separation of He from metallic hydrogen and dissolution of dense core material into the surrounding metallic-H envelope. Condensation of methane and water has been proposed as a mechanism for producing stable zones in the atmospheres of Saturn and the ice giants. However, if a stably stratified layer is formed adjacent to an active region of convection, it may be susceptible to progressive erosion as the convection intrudes and entrains fluid into the unstable envelope. We discuss the principal factors that control the rate of entrainment and associated erosion and present a specific example concerning the longevity of stable layers formed by condensation of methane and water in Uranus and Neptune. We also consider whether the temporal variability of such layers may engender episodic behavior in the release of the internal heat of these planets. This research is supported by a grant from the NASA Solar System Workings Program.

Microwave plasmatrons for giant integrated circuit processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrin, A.B.

2000-02-01

A method for calculating the interaction of a powerful microwave with a plane layer of magnetoactive low-pressure plasma under conditions of electron cyclotron resonance is presented. In this paper, the plasma layer is situated between a plane dielectric layer and a plane metal screen. The calculation model contains the microwave energy balance, particle balance, and electron energy balance. The equation that expressed microwave properties of nonuniform magnetoactive plasma is found. The numerical calculations of the microwave-plasma interaction for a one-dimensional model of the problem are considered. Applications of the results for microwave plasmatrons designed for processing giant integrated circuits are suggested.

Provirophages and transpovirons as the diverse mobilome of giant viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Desnues, Christelle; La Scola, Bernard; Yutin, Natalya; Fournous, Ghislain; Robert, Catherine; Azza, Saïd; Jardot, Priscilla; Monteil, Sonia; Campocasso, Angélique; Koonin, Eugene V; Raoult, Didier

2012-10-30

A distinct class of infectious agents, the virophages that infect giant viruses of the Mimiviridae family, has been recently described. Here we report the simultaneous discovery of a giant virus of Acanthamoeba polyphaga (Lentille virus) that contains an integrated genome of a virophage (Sputnik 2), and a member of a previously unknown class of mobile genetic elements, the transpovirons. The transpovirons are linear DNA elements of ~7 kb that encompass six to eight protein-coding genes, two of which are homologous to virophage genes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the free form of the transpoviron replicates within the giant virus factory and accumulates in high copy numbers inside giant virus particles, Sputnik 2 particles, and amoeba cytoplasm. Analysis of deep-sequencing data showed that the virophage and the transpoviron can integrate in nearly any place in the chromosome of the giant virus host and that, although less frequently, the transpoviron can also be linked to the virophage chromosome. In addition, integrated fragments of transpoviron DNA were detected in several giant virus and Sputnik genomes. Analysis of 19 Mimivirus strains revealed three distinct transpovirons associated with three subgroups of Mimiviruses. The virophage, the transpoviron, and the previously identified self-splicing introns and inteins constitute the complex, interconnected mobilome of the giant viruses and are likely to substantially contribute to interviral gene transfer.

The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts - I. Survey description and overview

Science.gov (United States)

Keane, E. F.; Barr, E. D.; Jameson, A.; Morello, V.; Caleb, M.; Bhandari, S.; Petroff, E.; Possenti, A.; Burgay, M.; Tiburzi, C.; Bailes, M.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Eatough, R. P.; Flynn, C.; Jankowski, F.; Johnston, S.; Kramer, M.; Levin, L.; Ng, C.; van Straten, W.; Krishnan, V. Venkatraman

2018-01-01

We describe the Survey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts (SUPERB), an ongoing pulsar and fast transient survey using the Parkes radio telescope. SUPERB involves real-time acceleration searches for pulsars and single-pulse searches for pulsars and fast radio bursts. We report on the observational set-up, data analysis, multiwavelength/messenger connections, survey sensitivities to pulsars and fast radio bursts and the impact of radio frequency interference. We further report on the first 10 pulsars discovered in the project. Among these is PSR J1306-40, a millisecond pulsar in a binary system where it appears to be eclipsed for a large fraction of the orbit. PSR J1421-4407 is another binary millisecond pulsar; its orbital period is 30.7 d. This orbital period is in a range where only highly eccentric binaries are known, and expected by theory; despite this its orbit has an eccentricity of 10-5.

Forecasting the Contribution of Polarized Extragalactic Radio Sources in CMB Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Puglisi, G.; Galluzzi, V.; Bonavera, L.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, J.; Lapi, A.; Massardi, M.; Perrotta, F.; Baccigalupi, C.; Celotti, A.; Danese, L.

2018-05-01

We combine the latest data sets obtained with different surveys to study the frequency dependence of polarized emission coming from extragalactic radio sources (ERS). We consider data over a very wide frequency range starting from 1.4 GHz up to 217 GHz. This range is particularly interesting since it overlaps the frequencies of the current and forthcoming cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. Current data suggest that at high radio frequencies (ν ≥ 20 GHz) the fractional polarization of ERS does not depend on the total flux density. Conversely, recent data sets indicate a moderate increase of polarization fraction as a function of frequency, physically motivated by the fact that Faraday depolarization is expected to be less relevant at high radio frequencies. We compute ERS number counts using updated models based on recent data, and we forecast the contribution of unresolved ERS in CMB polarization spectra. Given the expected sensitivities and the observational patch sizes of forthcoming CMB experiments, about ∼200 (up to ∼2000) polarized ERS are expected to be detected. Finally, we assess that polarized ERS can contaminate the cosmological B-mode polarization if the tensor-to-scalar ratio is <0.05 and they have to be robustly controlled to de-lens CMB B-modes at the arcminute angular scales.

Extragalactic Peaked-spectrum Radio Sources at Low Frequencies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Callingham, J. R.; Gaensler, B. M.; Sadler, E. M.; Lenc, E. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA), School of Physics, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Ekers, R. D.; Bell, M. E. [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science (CASS), Marsfield, NSW 2122 (Australia); Line, J. L. B.; Hancock, P. J.; Kapińska, A. D.; McKinley, B.; Procopio, P. [ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) (Australia); Hurley-Walker, N.; Tingay, S. J.; Franzen, T. M. O.; Morgan, J. [International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102 (Australia); Dwarakanath, K. S. [Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bangalore 560080 (India); For, B.-Q. [International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Hindson, L.; Johnston-Hollitt, M. [School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140 (New Zealand); Offringa, A. R., E-mail: joseph.callingham@sydney.edu.au [Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Dwingeloo (Netherlands); and others

2017-02-20

We present a sample of 1483 sources that display spectral peaks between 72 MHz and 1.4 GHz, selected from the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array (GLEAM) survey. The GLEAM survey is the widest fractional bandwidth all-sky survey to date, ideal for identifying peaked-spectrum sources at low radio frequencies. Our peaked-spectrum sources are the low-frequency analogs of gigahertz-peaked spectrum (GPS) and compact-steep spectrum (CSS) sources, which have been hypothesized to be the precursors to massive radio galaxies. Our sample more than doubles the number of known peaked-spectrum candidates, and 95% of our sample have a newly characterized spectral peak. We highlight that some GPS sources peaking above 5 GHz have had multiple epochs of nuclear activity, and we demonstrate the possibility of identifying high-redshift ( z > 2) galaxies via steep optically thin spectral indices and low observed peak frequencies. The distribution of the optically thick spectral indices of our sample is consistent with past GPS/CSS samples but with a large dispersion, suggesting that the spectral peak is a product of an inhomogeneous environment that is individualistic. We find no dependence of observed peak frequency with redshift, consistent with the peaked-spectrum sample comprising both local CSS sources and high-redshift GPS sources. The 5 GHz luminosity distribution lacks the brightest GPS and CSS sources of previous samples, implying that a convolution of source evolution and redshift influences the type of peaked-spectrum sources identified below 1 GHz. Finally, we discuss sources with optically thick spectral indices that exceed the synchrotron self-absorption limit.

Recurrent nitrofurantoin-induced giant cell interstitial pneumonia: Case report and literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boeun Lee

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Giant cell interstitial pneumonia (GIP is a rare form of chronic interstitial pneumonia typically associated with hard metal exposure. Only two cases of GIP induced by nitrofurantoin have been reported in the medical literature. We are reporting a case of recurrent nitrofurantoin-induced GIP. Although extremely rare, GIP needs to be included in the differential diagnosis in patients with chronic nitrofurantoin use who present with respiratory illness.

Giant pulses of pulsar radio emission

OpenAIRE

Kuzmin, A. D.

2007-01-01

Review report of giant pulses of pulsar radio emission, based on our detections of four new pulsars with giant pulses, and the comparative analysis of the previously known pulsars with giant pulses, including the Crab pulsar and millisecond pulsar PSR B1937+21.

High resolution spectroscopy of Red Giant Branch stars and the chemical evolution of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lemasle, B.; de Boer, T. J. L.; Hill, V.; Tolstoy, E.; Irwin, M. J.; Jablonka, P.; Venn, K.; Battaglia, G.; Starkenburg, E.; Shetrone, M.; Letarte, B.; Francois, P.; Helmi, A.; Primas, F.; Kaufer, A.; Szeifert, T.; Ballet, J.; Martins, F.; Bournaud, F.; Monier, R.; Reylé, C.

2014-01-01

From VLT-FLAMES high-resolution spectra, we determine the abundances of several α, iron-peak and neutron-capture elements in 47 Red Giant Branch stars in the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We confirm that SNe Ia started to contribute to the chemical enrichment of Fornax at [Fe/H] between --2.0 and

An unusual case of aortic rupture after deployment of a bare stent in the treatment of aortic dissection in a patient with giant-cell arteritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rynio, Pawel; Kazimierczak, Arkadiusz; Gutowski, Piotr; Cnotliwy, Miloslaw

2017-06-01

Giant-cell arteritis is associated with a higher risk of aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection formation. We present a women with aortic dissection type B treated with a stent graft and bare-metal stent implantation. After the stent deployment we noticed aortic rupture, which was successfully treated with implantation of an additional stent graft. This report highlights the difficulty of endovascular therapy in patients with giant-cell arteritis. We have to bear in mind that chronic inflammation of the aorta leads to a more fragile aortic wall than normal. We recommend the use of a stent graft over a bare-metal stent and gentle use of a balloon catheter.

A Historical Review of High Speed Metal Forming

OpenAIRE

Zittel, G.

2010-01-01

This paper will present a Historical Review of High Speed Metal Forming beginning with the first thought of forming metal by using an electromagnetic impulse to today, whereby High Speed Metal Forming is an accepted production process. Although this paper will briefly cover the basic physics of the process, it will not dwell on it. It will rather show how the industrial acceptance of High Speed Metal Forming is tightly connected to the knowledge acquired from many applications studies. These ...

THE SPLASH SURVEY: A SPECTROSCOPIC PORTRAIT OF ANDROMEDA'S GIANT SOUTHERN STREAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, Karoline M.; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Kollipara, Priya; Kalirai, Jason S.; Kirby, Evan N.; Beaton, Rachael L.; Majewski, Steven R.; Patterson, Richard J.; Geha, Marla C.

2009-01-01

The giant southern stream (GSS) is the most prominent tidal debris feature in M31's stellar halo and covers a significant fraction of its southern quadrant. The GSS is a complex structure composed of a relatively metal-rich, high-surface-brightness 'core' and a lower metallicity, lower-surface-brightness 'envelope'. We present spectroscopy of red giant stars in six fields in the vicinity of M31's GSS (including four new fields and improved spectroscopic reductions for two previously published fields) and one field on stream C, an arc-like feature seen in star-count maps on M31's southeast minor axis at R ∼ 60 kpc. These data are part of our ongoing Spectroscopic and Photometric Landscape of Andromeda's Stellar Halo survey of M31 using the DEIMOS instrument on the Keck II 10 m telescope. Several GSS-related findings and measurements are presented here. We present the innermost kinematical detection of the GSS core to date (R = 17 kpc). This field also contains the inner continuation of a second kinematically cold component that was originally seen in a GSS core field at R ∼ 21 kpc. The velocity gradients of the GSS and the second component in the combined data set are parallel over a range of ΔR = 7 kpc, suggesting that this may represent a bifurcation in the line-of-sight velocities of GSS stars. We present the first kinematical detection of substructure in the GSS envelope (S quadrant, R ∼ 58 kpc). Using kinematically identified samples, we show that the envelope debris has a ∼0.7 dex lower mean photometric metallicity and possibly higher intrinsic velocity dispersion than the GSS core. The GSS is also identified in the field of the M31 dwarf spheroidal satellite And I; the GSS in this field has a metallicity distribution identical to that of the GSS core. We confirm the previous finding of two kinematically cold components in stream C, and measure intrinsic velocity dispersions of ∼10 and ∼4 km s -1 . This compilation of the kinematical (mean

Testing the Planet-Metallicity Correlation in M-dwarfs with Gemini GNIRS Spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Hobson, M. J.; Jofré, E.; García, L.; Petrucci, R.; Gómez, M.

2018-04-01

While the planet-metallicity correlation for FGK main-sequence stars hosting giant planets is well established, it is less clear for M-dwarf stars. We determine stellar parameters and metallicities for 16 M-dwarf stars, 11 of which host planets, with near-infrared spectra from the Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GNIRS). We find that M-dwarfs with planets are preferentially metal-rich compared to those without planets. This result is supported by the analysis of a larger catalogue of 18 M stars with planets and 213 M stars without known planets T15, and demonstrates the utility of GNIRS spectra to obtain reliable stellar parameters of M stars. We also find that M dwarfs with giant planets are preferentially more metallic than those with low-mass planets, in agreement with previous results for solar-type stars. These results favor the core accretion model of planetary formation.

Atypical Mg-poor Milky Way Field Stars with Globular Cluster Second-generation-like Chemical Patterns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernández-Trincado, J. G.; Geisler, D.; Tang, B.; Villanova, S.; Mennickent, R. E. [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción (Chile); Zamora, O.; García-Hernández, D. A.; Dell’Agli, F.; Prieto, Carlos Allende [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Souto, Diogo; Cunha, Katia [Observatório Nacional, Rua Gal. José Cristino 77, Rio de Janeiro, RJ—20921-400 (Brazil); Schiavon, R. P. [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom); Hasselquist, Sten [New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States); Shetrone, M. [University of Texas at Austin, McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis, TX 79734 (United States); Vieira, K. [Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomía, AP 264, Mérida 5101-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Zasowski, G. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Sobeck, J.; Hayes, C. R.; Majewski, S. R. [Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); Placco, V. M., E-mail: jfernandezt@astro-udec.cl, E-mail: jfernandezt87@gmail.com [Department of Physics and JINA Center for the Evolution of the Elements, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); and others

2017-09-01

We report the peculiar chemical abundance patterns of 11 atypical Milky Way (MW) field red giant stars observed by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). These atypical giants exhibit strong Al and N enhancements accompanied by C and Mg depletions, strikingly similar to those observed in the so-called second-generation (SG) stars of globular clusters (GCs). Remarkably, we find low Mg abundances ([Mg/Fe] < 0.0) together with strong Al and N overabundances in the majority (5/7) of the metal-rich ([Fe/H] ≳ −1.0) sample stars, which is at odds with actual observations of SG stars in Galactic GCs of similar metallicities. This chemical pattern is unique and unprecedented among MW stars, posing urgent questions about its origin. These atypical stars could be former SG stars of dissolved GCs formed with intrinsically lower abundances of Mg and enriched Al (subsequently self-polluted by massive AGB stars) or the result of exotic binary systems. We speculate that the stars Mg-deficiency as well as the orbital properties suggest that they could have an extragalactic origin. This discovery should guide future dedicated spectroscopic searches of atypical stellar chemical patterns in our Galaxy, a fundamental step forward to understanding the Galactic formation and evolution.

Dendrite-Free Sodium-Metal Anodes for High-Energy Sodium-Metal Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Bing; Li, Peng; Zhang, Jinqiang; Wang, Dan; Munroe, Paul; Wang, Chengyin; Notten, Peter H L; Wang, Guoxiu

2018-05-31

Sodium (Na) metal is one of the most promising electrode materials for next-generation low-cost rechargeable batteries. However, the challenges caused by dendrite growth on Na metal anodes restrict practical applications of rechargeable Na metal batteries. Herein, a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanotube (NSCNT) paper is used as the interlayer to control Na nucleation behavior and suppress the Na dendrite growth. The N- and S-containing functional groups on the carbon nanotubes induce the NSCNTs to be highly "sodiophilic," which can guide the initial Na nucleation and direct Na to distribute uniformly on the NSCNT paper. As a result, the Na-metal-based anode (Na/NSCNT anode) exhibits a dendrite-free morphology during repeated Na plating and striping and excellent cycling stability. As a proof of concept, it is also demonstrated that the electrochemical performance of sodium-oxygen (Na-O 2 ) batteries using the Na/NSCNT anodes show significantly improved cycling performances compared with Na-O 2 batteries with bare Na metal anodes. This work opens a new avenue for the development of next-generation high-energy-density sodium-metal batteries. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Extragalactic Background Light expected from photon-photon absorption on spectra of distant Active Galactic Nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinitsyna, V. G.; Sinitsyna, V. Y.

2013-01-01

Extragalactic background radiation blocks the propagation of TeV gamma-ray over large distances by producing e + e - pairs. As a result, primary spectrum of gamma-source is changed, depending on spectrum of background light. So, hard spectra of Active Galactic Nuclei with high red shifts allow the determination of a EBL spectrum. The redshifts of SHALON TeV gamma-ray sources range from 0.018 to 1.375 those spectra are resolved at the energies from 800 GeV to 30 TeV. Spectral energy distribution of EBL constrained from observations of Mkn421 (z=0.031), Mkn501 (z=0.034), Mkn180 (z=0.046), OJ287 (z=0.306), 3c454.3 (z=0.859) and 1739+5220(z=1.375) together with models and measurements are presented. (authors)

Giant secondary grain growth in Cu films on sapphire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L. Miller

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Single crystal metal films on insulating substrates are attractive for microelectronics and other applications, but they are difficult to achieve on macroscopic length scales. The conventional approach to obtaining such films is epitaxial growth at high temperature using slow deposition in ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Here we describe a different approach that is both simpler to implement and produces superior results: sputter deposition at modest temperatures followed by annealing to induce secondary grain growth. We show that polycrystalline as-deposited Cu on α-Al2O3(0001 can be transformed into Cu(111 with centimeter-sized grains. Employing optical microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and electron backscatter diffraction to characterize the films before and after annealing, we find a particular as-deposited grain structure that promotes the growth of giant grains upon annealing. To demonstrate one potential application of such films, we grow graphene by chemical vapor deposition on wafers of annealed Cu and obtain epitaxial graphene grains of 0.2 mm diameter.

The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts – II. New FRB discoveries and their follow-up

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bhandari, S.; Keane, E.F.; Barr, E.D.; Jameson, A.; Petroff, E.; Johnston, S.; Bailes, M.; Bhat, N.D.R.; Burgay, M.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Caleb, M.; Eatough, R.P.; Flynn, C.; Green, J.A.; Jankowski, F.; Kramer, M.; Krishnan, V Venkatraman; Morello, V.; Possenti, A.; Stappers, B.; Tiburzi, C.; van Straten, W.; Andreoni, I.; Butterley, T.; Chandra, P.; Cooke, J.; Corongiu, A.; Coward, D.M.; Dhillon, V.S.; Dodson, R.; Hardy, L.K.; Howell, E.J.; Jaroenjittichai, P.; Klotz, A.; Littlefair, S.P.; Marsh, T.R.; Mickaliger, M.; Muxlow, T.; Perrodin, D.; Pritchard, D.; Sawangwit, U.; Terai, T.; Tominaga, N.; Torne, P.; Totani, T.; Trois, A.; Turpin, D.; Niino, Y.; Wilson, R.W.; Albert, A.; André, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Marti, J.; Basa, S.; Belhorma, B.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bourret, S.; Bouwhuis, M.C.; Brânzas, H.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Cherkaoui El Moursli, R.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coelho, J.A.B.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Díaz, A.F.; Deschamps, A.; De Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; Di Palma, I.; Domi, A.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; El Bojaddaini, I.; El Khayati, N.; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Ettahiri, A.; Fassi, F.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L.A.; Gay, P.; Giordano, V.; Glotin, H.; Grégoire, T.; Gracia-Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A.J.; Hello, Y.; Hernandez-Rey, J.J.; Hößl, J.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C.; Illuminati, G.; James, C.W.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Katz, U.; Kießling, D.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmann, R.; Lefevre, D.; Leonora, E.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martinez-Mora, J.A.; Mele, R.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Navas, S.; Nezri, E.; Organokov, M.; Pavalas, G.E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Sanchez-Losa, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D.F.E.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schussler, F.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Trovato, A.; Turpin, D.; Tönnis, C.; Vallage, B.; Van Elewyck, V.; Versari, F.; Vivolo, D.; Vizzocca, A.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J.D.; Zúñiga, J.

2017-01-01

We report the discovery of four Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) in the ongoing SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts at the Parkes Radio Telescope: FRBs 150610, 151206, 151230 and 160102. Our real-time discoveries have enabled us to conduct extensive, rapid multimessenger follow-up at 12 major

Evidence of an Upper Bound on the Masses of Planets and Its Implications for Giant Planet Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Schlaufman, Kevin C.

2018-01-01

Celestial bodies with a mass of M≈ 10 {M}{Jup} have been found orbiting nearby stars. It is unknown whether these objects formed like gas-giant planets through core accretion or like stars through gravitational instability. I show that objects with M≲ 4 {M}{Jup} orbit metal-rich solar-type dwarf stars, a property associated with core accretion. Objects with M≳ 10 {M}{Jup} do not share this property. This transition is coincident with a minimum in the occurrence rate of such objects, suggesting that the maximum mass of a celestial body formed through core accretion like a planet is less than 10 {M}{Jup}. Consequently, objects with M≳ 10 {M}{Jup} orbiting solar-type dwarf stars likely formed through gravitational instability and should not be thought of as planets. Theoretical models of giant planet formation in scaled minimum-mass solar nebula Shakura–Sunyaev disks with standard parameters tuned to produce giant planets predict a maximum mass nearly an order of magnitude larger. To prevent newly formed giant planets from growing larger than 10 {M}{Jup}, protoplanetary disks must therefore be significantly less viscous or of lower mass than typically assumed during the runaway gas accretion stage of giant planet formation. Either effect would act to slow the Type I/II migration of planetary embryos/giant planets and promote their survival. These inferences are insensitive to the host star mass, planet formation location, or characteristic disk dissipation time.

Establishment and cryopreservation of a giant panda skeletal muscle-derived cell line.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Fang-Jian; Zeng, Chang-Jun; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Cheng-Dong; Xiong, Tie-Yi; Fang, Sheng-Guo; Zhang, He-Min

2015-06-01

The giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca is an endangered species and is a symbol for wildlife conservation. Although efforts have been made to protect this rare and endangered species through breeding and conservative biology, the long-term preservation of giant panda genome resources (gametes, tissues, organs, genomic libraries, etc.) is still a practical option. In this study, the giant panda skeletal muscle-derived cell line was successfully established via primary explants culture and cryopreservation techniques. The population doubling time of giant panda skeletal cells was approximately 33.8 h, and this population maintained a high cell viability before and after cryopreservation (95.6% and 90.7%, respectively). The two skeletal muscle-specific genes SMYD1 and MYF6 were expressed and detected by RT-PCR in the giant panda skeletal muscle-derived cell line. Karyotyping analysis revealed that the frequencies of giant panda skeletal muscle cells showing a chromosome number of 2n=42 ranged from 90.6∼94.2%. Thus, the giant panda skeletal muscle-derived cell line provides a vital resource and material platform for further studies and is likely to be useful for the protection of this rare and endangered species.

Excitation of giant resonances in heavy ion collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuehn, W.

1991-01-01

Introduction: What are Giant Resonances? General Features of Giant Resonances, Macroscopic Description and Classification, Basic Excitation Mechanisms, Decay Modes, Giant Resonances Built on Excited States, Relativistic Coulomb Excitation of Giant Resonances, Experimental Situation. (orig.)

Floret-like multinucleated giant cells in neurofibroma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Golka Dariusz

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract This short report discusses a case of neurofibroma containing floret-like multinucleated giant cells. This being the second such case in the literature. Floret-like multinucleated giant cells have been reported in gynaecomastia and neurofibroma in neurofibromatosis type 1. These cells have been reported in uncommon soft tissue tumours including pleomorphic lipoma, giant cell collagenoma, giant cell fibroblastoma and giant cell angiofibroma. We recommend these cells to be interpreted carefully keeping in mind the rare malignant change in neurofibromas. Immunohistochemistry would help in defining the nature of such cells.

Giant Photogalvanic Effect in Noncentrosymmetric Plasmonic Nanoparticles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhukovsky, Sergei; Babicheva, Viktoriia; Evlyukhin, Andrey B.

2014-01-01

Photoelectric properties of noncentrosymmetric, similarly oriented metallic nanoparticles embedded in a homogeneous semiconductor matrix are theoretically studied. Because of the asymmetric shape of the nanoparticle boundary, photoelectron emission acquires a preferred direction, resulting......, but is several orders of magnitude stronger. Termed the giant plasmonic photogalvanic effect, the reported phenomenon is valuable for characterizing photoemission and photoconductive properties of plasmonic nanostructures and can find many uses for photodetection and photovoltaic applications....... in a photocurrent flow in that direction when nanoparticles are uniformly illuminated by a homogeneous plane wave. This effect is a direct analogy of the photogalvanic (or bulk photovoltaic) effect known to exist in media with noncentrosymmetric crystal structure, such as doped lithium niobate or bismuth ferrite...

Canine distemper viral infection threatens the giant panda population in China

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Yipeng; Zhang, Xinke; Ma, Yisheng; Qiao, Yanchao; Liu, Xiaobin; Zhao, Kaihui; Zhang, Chenglin; Lin, Degui; Fu, Xuelian; Xu, Xinrong; Wang, Yiwei; Wang, Huanan

2017-01-01

We evaluated exposure to canine distemper virus (CDV) in eight wild giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and 125 unvaccinated domestic dogs living in and around Foping National Nature Reserve (FNNR), China. Seventy-two percent of unvaccinated domestic dogs (mixed breed) had neutralizing antibodies for CDV due to exposure to the disease. The eight wild giant pandas were naïve to CDV and carried no positive antibody titer. RT-PCR assays for hemagglutinin (H) gene confirmed the presence of CDV in 31 clinically ill dogs from several areas near FNNR. Genomic sequence analysis showed that the 21 canine CDV were highly homologous to each other and belonged to the Asian-1 genotype. They showed high homology with the GP01 strain sequenced from a fatally infected giant panda, suggesting cross-species infection. Observational and GPS tracking data revealed home range overlap in pandas and dogs around FNNR. This study shows that CDV is endemic in domestic dogs near FNNR and that cross-species CDV infection threatens the wild giant panda population. PMID:29371956

Canine distemper viral infection threatens the giant panda population in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Yipeng; Zhang, Xinke; Ma, Yisheng; Qiao, Yanchao; Liu, Xiaobin; Zhao, Kaihui; Zhang, Chenglin; Lin, Degui; Fu, Xuelian; Xu, Xinrong; Wang, Yiwei; Wang, Huanan

2017-12-26

We evaluated exposure to canine distemper virus (CDV) in eight wild giant pandas ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) and 125 unvaccinated domestic dogs living in and around Foping National Nature Reserve (FNNR), China. Seventy-two percent of unvaccinated domestic dogs (mixed breed) had neutralizing antibodies for CDV due to exposure to the disease. The eight wild giant pandas were naïve to CDV and carried no positive antibody titer. RT-PCR assays for hemagglutinin ( H ) gene confirmed the presence of CDV in 31 clinically ill dogs from several areas near FNNR. Genomic sequence analysis showed that the 21 canine CDV were highly homologous to each other and belonged to the Asian-1 genotype. They showed high homology with the GP01 strain sequenced from a fatally infected giant panda, suggesting cross-species infection. Observational and GPS tracking data revealed home range overlap in pandas and dogs around FNNR. This study shows that CDV is endemic in domestic dogs near FNNR and that cross-species CDV infection threatens the wild giant panda population.

Diffusion of cosmic rays at EeV energies in inhomogeneous extragalactic magnetic fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batista, Rafael Alves; Sigl, Günter, E-mail: rafael.alves.batista@desy.de, E-mail: guenter.sigl@desy.de [II. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg (Germany)

2014-11-01

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays can propagate diffusively in cosmic magnetic fields. When their propagation time is comparable to the age of the universe, a suppression in the flux relative to the case in the absence of magnetic fields will occur. In this work we find an approximate parametrization for this suppression for energies below ∼ Z EeV using several magnetic field distributions obtained from cosmological simulations of the magnetized cosmic web. We assume that the magnetic fields have a Kolmogorov power spectrum with the field strengths distributed according to these simulations. We show that, if magnetic fields are coupled to the matter distribution, low field strengths will fill most of the volume, making the suppression milder compared to the case of a constant magnetic field with strength equal to the mean value of this distribution. We also derive upper limits for this suppression to occur for some models of extragalactic magnetic fields, as a function of the coherence length of these fields.

From red giants to planetary nebulae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwok, S.

1982-01-01

The transition from red giants to planetary nebulae is studied by comparing the spectral characteristics of red giant envelopes and planetary nebulae. Observational and theoretical evidence both suggest that remnants of red giant envelopes may still be present in planetary nebula systems and should have significant effects on their formation. The dynamical effects of the interaction of stellar winds from central stars of planetary nebulae with the remnant red giant envelopes are evaluated and the mechanism found to be capable of producing the observed masses and momenta of planetary nebulae. The observed mass-radii relation of planetary nebulae may also be best explained by the interacting winds model. The possibility that red giant mass loss, and therefore the production of planetary nebulae, is different between Population I and II systems is also discussed

MODELING EXTRAGALACTIC EXTINCTION THROUGH GAMMA-RAY BURST AFTERGLOWS

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Zonca, Alberto; Mulas, Giacomo; Casu, Silvia; Aresu, Giambattista [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Via della Scienza 5, I-09047 Selargius (Italy); Cecchi-Pestellini, Cesare, E-mail: azonca@oa-cagliari.inaf.it, E-mail: gmulas@oa-cagliari.inaf.it, E-mail: silvia@oa-cagliari.inaf.it, E-mail: garesu@oa-cagliari.inaf.it, E-mail: cecchi-pestellini@astropa.inaf.it [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, P.za Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo (Italy)

2016-09-20

We analyze extragalactic extinction profiles derived through gamma-ray burst afterglows, using a dust model specifically constructed on the assumption that dust grains are not immutable but respond, time-dependently, to the local physics. Such a model includes core-mantle spherical particles of mixed chemical composition (silicate core, sp{sup 2}, and sp{sup 3} carbonaceous layers), and an additional molecular component in the form of free-flying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We fit most of the observed extinction profiles. Failures occur for lines of sight, presenting remarkable rises blueward of the bump. We find a tendency for the carbon chemical structure to become more aliphatic with the galactic activity, and to some extent with increasing redshifts. Moreover, the contribution of the molecular component to the total extinction is more important in younger objects. The results of the fitting procedure (either successes and failures) may be naturally interpreted through an evolutionary prescription based on the carbon cycle in the interstellar medium of galaxies.

Metal resistance or tolerance? Acidophiles confront high metal loads via both abiotic and biotic mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark eDopson

2014-04-01

Full Text Available All metals are toxic at high concentrations and consequently their intracellular concentrations must be regulated. Acidophilic microorganisms have an optimum growth pH < 3 and proliferate in natural and anthropogenic low pH environments. Some acidophiles are involved in the catalysis of sulfide mineral dissolution, resulting in high concentrations of metals in solution. Acidophiles are often described as highly metal resistant via mechanisms such as multiple and/or more efficient active resistance systems than are present in neutrophiles. However, this is not the case for all acidophiles and we contend that their growth in high metal concentrations is partially due to an intrinsic tolerance as a consequence of the environment in which they live. In this perspective, we highlight metal tolerance via complexation of free metals by sulfate ions and passive tolerance to metal influx via an internal positive cytoplasmic transmembrane potential. These tolerance mechanisms have been largely ignored in past studies of acidophile growth in the presence of metals and should be taken into account.

On the Radii of Close-in Giant Planets.

Science.gov (United States)

Burrows; Guillot; Hubbard; Marley; Saumon; Lunine; Sudarsky

2000-05-01

The recent discovery that the close-in extrasolar giant planet HD 209458b transits its star has provided a first-of-its-kind measurement of the planet's radius and mass. In addition, there is a provocative detection of the light reflected off of the giant planet tau Bootis b. Including the effects of stellar irradiation, we estimate the general behavior of radius/age trajectories for such planets and interpret the large measured radii of HD 209458b and tau Boo b in that context. We find that HD 209458b must be a hydrogen-rich gas giant. Furthermore, the large radius of a close-in gas giant is not due to the thermal expansion of its atmosphere but to the high residual entropy that remains throughout its bulk by dint of its early proximity to a luminous primary. The large stellar flux does not inflate the planet but retards its otherwise inexorable contraction from a more extended configuration at birth. This implies either that such a planet was formed near its current orbital distance or that it migrated in from larger distances (>/=0.5 AU), no later than a few times 107 yr of birth.

MRI findings of giant plasmacytoma of the calvarium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Norihiro; Suzuki, Yasuo; Ishii, Ryoji

2007-01-01

We report two cases of giant plasmacytoma of the calvarium with the dural tail sign. Though the dural tail sign has been reported as a highly specific finding of meningiomas, the recent literature has described its appearance with other tumors, such as schwannomas, lymphomas, and metastatic brain tumors. Therefore, we reviewed 10 cases of plasmacytomas with a dural tail sign including our two cases and discussed the origin of dural tail signs. It was concluded that giant plasmacytoma of the calvarium is one of the entities that produces a dural tail sign. (author)

CLUES on Fermi-LAT prospects for the extragalactic detection of μνSSM gravitino dark matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gómez-Vargas, G.A.; Muñoz, C.; Yepes, G. [Departamento de Física Teórica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049, Madrid (Spain); Fornasa, M.; Zandanel, F.; Prada, F. [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), E-18008, Granada (Spain); Cuesta, A.J., E-mail: germanarturo.gomez@uam.es, E-mail: mattia@iaa.es, E-mail: fabio@iaa.es, E-mail: antonio.cuesta@yale.edu, E-mail: carlos.munnoz@uam.es, E-mail: fprada@iaa.es, E-mail: gustavo.yepes@uam.es [Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale University, CT 06511, New Haven (United States)

2012-02-01

The μνSSM is a supersymmetric model that has been proposed to solve the problems generated by other supersymmetric extensions of the standard model of particle physics. Given that R-parity is broken in the μνSSM, the gravitino is a natural candidate for decaying dark matter since its lifetime becomes much longer than the age of the Universe. In this model, gravitino dark matter could be detectable through the emission of a monochromatic gamma ray in a two-body decay. We study the prospects of the Fermi-LAT telescope to detect such monochromatic lines in 5 years of observations of the most massive nearby extragalactic objects. The dark matter halo around the Virgo galaxy cluster is selected as a reference case, since it is associated to a particularly high signal-to-noise ratio and is located in a region scarcely affected by the astrophysical diffuse emission from the galactic plane. The simulation of both signal and background gamma-ray events is carried out with the Fermi Science Tools, and the dark matter distribution around Virgo is taken from a N-body simulation of the nearby extragalactic Universe, with constrained initial conditions provided by the CLUES project. We find that a gravitino with a mass range of 0.6–2 GeV, and with a lifetime range of about 3 × 10{sup 27}–2 × 10{sup 28} s would be detectable by the Fermi-LAT with a signal-to-noise ratio larger than 3. We also obtain that gravitino masses larger than about 4 GeV are already excluded in the μνSSM by Fermi-LAT data of the galactic halo.

The long lives of giant clumps and the birth of outflows in gas-rich galaxies at high redshift

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bournaud, Frédéric; Renaud, Florent; Daddi, Emanuele; Duc, Pierre-Alain; Elbaz, David; Gabor, Jared M.; Juneau, Stéphanie; Kraljic, Katarina; Le Floch' , Emeric [CEA, IRFU/SAp, F-91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette (France); Perret, Valentin; Amram, Philippe; Epinat, Benoit [Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d' Astrophysique de Marseille), F-13388 Marseille (France); Dekel, Avishai [Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel); Elmegreen, Bruce G. [IBM Research Division, T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 (United States); Elmegreen, Debra M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 (United States); Teyssier, Romain [Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich (Switzerland)

2014-01-01

Star-forming disk galaxies at high redshift are often subject to violent disk instability, characterized by giant clumps whose fate is yet to be understood. The main question is whether the clumps disrupt within their dynamical timescale (≤50 Myr), like the molecular clouds in today's galaxies, or whether they survive stellar feedback for more than a disk orbital time (≈300 Myr) in which case they can migrate inward and help building the central bulge. We present 3.5-7 pc resolution adaptive mesh refinement simulations of high-redshift disks including photoionization, radiation pressure, and supernovae feedback. Our modeling of radiation pressure determines the mass loading and initial velocity of winds from basic physical principles. We find that the giant clumps produce steady outflow rates comparable to and sometimes somewhat larger than their star formation rate, with velocities largely sufficient to escape the galaxy. The clumps also lose mass, especially old stars, by tidal stripping, and the stellar populations contained in the clumps hence remain relatively young (≤200 Myr), as observed. The clumps survive gaseous outflows and stellar loss, because they are wandering in gas-rich turbulent disks from which they can reaccrete gas at high rates compensating for outflows and tidal stripping, overall keeping realistic and self-regulated gaseous and stellar masses. The outflow and accretion rates have specific timescales of a few 10{sup 8} yr, as opposed to rapid and repeated dispersion and reformation of clumps. Our simulations produce gaseous outflows with velocities, densities, and mass loading consistent with observations, and at the same time suggest that the giant clumps survive for hundreds of Myr and complete their migration to the center of high-redshift galaxies. These long-lived clumps are gas-dominated and contain a moderate mass fraction of stars; they drive inside-out disk evolution, thickening, spheroid growth, and fueling of the central

9 Boo is a K-giant with high abundance of lithium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khyanni, L.

1984-01-01

An unusually strong lithium resonance lipe lambda 6707.8 was detected in the spectrum of the K-giant 9 Boo. The lithium abundance lg Nsub(Li)=2.5+-0.5 is estimated from a theoretical curve of growth calculated for a model atmosphere with Tsub(eff)=4000 K, lg g=2.0

THE COSMOLOGICAL IMPACT OF LUMINOUS TeV BLAZARS. I. IMPLICATIONS OF PLASMA INSTABILITIES FOR THE INTERGALACTIC MAGNETIC FIELD AND EXTRAGALACTIC GAMMA-RAY BACKGROUND

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broderick, Avery E; Chang, Philip; Pfrommer, Christoph [Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, 60 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H8 (Canada)

2012-06-10

Inverse Compton cascades (ICCs) initiated by energetic gamma rays (E {approx}> 100 GeV) enhance the GeV emission from bright, extragalactic TeV sources. The absence of this emission from bright TeV blazars has been used to constrain the intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF), and the stringent limits placed on the unresolved extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGRB) by Fermi have been used to argue against a large number of such objects at high redshifts. However, these are predicated on the assumption that inverse Compton scattering is the primary energy-loss mechanism for the ultrarelativistic pairs produced by the annihilation of the energetic gamma rays on extragalactic background light photons. Here, we show that for sufficiently bright TeV sources (isotropic-equivalent luminosities {approx}> 10{sup 42} erg s{sup -1}) plasma beam instabilities, specifically the 'oblique' instability, present a plausible mechanism by which the energy of these pairs can be dissipated locally, heating the intergalactic medium. Since these instabilities typically grow on timescales short in comparison to the inverse Compton cooling rate, they necessarily suppress the ICCs. As a consequence, this places a severe constraint on efforts to limit the IGMF from the lack of a discernible GeV bump in TeV sources. Similarly, it considerably weakens the Fermi limits on the evolution of blazar populations. Specifically, we construct a TeV-blazar luminosity function from those objects currently observed and find that it is very well described by the quasar luminosity function at z {approx} 0.1, shifted to lower luminosities and number densities, suggesting that both classes of sources are regulated by similar processes. Extending this relationship to higher redshifts, we show that the magnitude and shape of the EGRB above {approx}10 GeV are naturally reproduced with this particular example of a rapidly evolving TeV-blazar luminosity function.

Evaluation of workers exposed to dust containing hard metals and aluminum oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarz, Y; Kivity, S; Fischbein, A; Abraham, J L; Fireman, E; Moshe, S; Dannon, Y; Topilsky, M; Greif, J

1998-08-01

Fourteen worker exposed to hard metals and aluminum oxide were evaluated. Six heavily exposed workers underwent bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage, and five workers underwent transbronchial biopsy. Microchemical analysis of transbronchial biopsies showed a high lung burden of exogenous particles, especially metal related to their hard metals exposure. Lung tissue and cellular changes, which were associated with exposure to hard metal and aluminum oxide, corresponded well with the microanalytic test results. Three workers had at biopsy diffuse interstitial inflammatory changes: two of them were asymptomatic with normal chest X-ray films, and one had clinically evident disease with severe giant cell inflammation. Two other workers showed focal inflammation. The worker showing clinical disease and one asymptomatic worker with interstitial inflammatory changes had evaluated bronchoalveolar lavage fluid-eosinophilia counts. These two were father (with clinical disease) and son (asymptomatic).

Revisiting the Microlensing Event OGLE 2012-BLG-0026: A Solar Mass Star with Two Cold Giant Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Beaulieu, J.-P.; Bennett, D. P.; Batista, V.; Fukui, A.; Marquette, J.-B.; Brillant, S.; Cole, A. A.; Rogers, L. A.; Sumi, T.; Abe, F.

2016-01-01

Two cold gas giant planets orbiting a G-type main-sequence star in the galactic disk were previously discovered in the high-magnification microlensing event OGLE-2012-BLG-0026. Here, we present revised host star flux measurements and a refined model for the two-planet system using additional light curve data. We performed high angular resolution adaptive optics imaging with the Keck and Subaru telescopes at two epochs while the source star was still amplified. We detected the lens flux, H = 16.39 +/- 0.08. The lens, a disk star, is brighter than predicted from the modeling in the original study. We revisited the light curve modeling using additional photometric data from the B and C telescope in New Zealand and CTIO 1.3 m H-band light curve. We then include the Keck and Subaru adaptive optic observation constraints. The system is composed of an approximately 4-9 Gyr lens star of M(sub lens) = 1.06 +/- 0.05 solar mass at a distance of D(sub lens) = 4.0 +/- 0.3 kpc, orbited by two giant planets of 0.145 +/- 0.008 M(sub Jup) and 0.86 +/- 0.06 M(sub Jup), with projected separations of 4.0 +/- 0.5 au and 4.8 +/- 0.7 au, respectively. Because the lens is brighter than the source star by 16 +/- 8% in H, with no other blend within one arcsec, it will be possible to estimate its metallicity using subsequent IR spectroscopy with 8-10 m class telescopes. By adding a constraint on the metallicity it will be possible to refine the age of the system.

REVISITING THE MICROLENSING EVENT OGLE 2012-BLG-0026: A SOLAR MASS STAR WITH TWO COLD GIANT PLANETS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaulieu, J.-P.; Batista, V.; Marquette, J.-B.

2016-01-01

Two cold gas giant planets orbiting a G-type main-sequence star in the galactic disk were previously discovered in the high-magnification microlensing event OGLE-2012-BLG-0026. Here, we present revised host star flux measurements and a refined model for the two-planet system using additional light curve data. We performed high angular resolution adaptive optics imaging with the Keck and Subaru telescopes at two epochs while the source star was still amplified. We detected the lens flux, H = 16.39 ± 0.08. The lens, a disk star, is brighter than predicted from the modeling in the original study. We revisited the light curve modeling using additional photometric data from the B and C telescope in New Zealand and CTIO 1.3 m H -band light curve. We then include the Keck and Subaru adaptive optic observation constraints. The system is composed of a ∼4–9 Gyr lens star of M lens = 1.06 ± 0.05 M ⊙ at a distance of D lens = 4.0 ± 0.3 kpc, orbited by two giant planets of 0.145 ± 0.008 M Jup and 0.86 ± 0.06 M Jup , with projected separations of 4.0 ± 0.5 au and 4.8 ± 0.7 au, respectively. Because the lens is brighter than the source star by 16 ± 8% in H, with no other blend within one arcsec, it will be possible to estimate its metallicity using subsequent IR spectroscopy with 8–10 m class telescopes. By adding a constraint on the metallicity it will be possible to refine the age of the system.

Ecology of litterfall production of giant bamboo Dendrocalamus asper in a watershed area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.G. Toledo Bruno

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Giant bamboo Dendrocalamus asper is recommended in environmental and livelihood programs in the Philippines due to its various ecological, economic and social benefits. However, there are limited data on the ecology of giant bamboo litterfall production, which contributes to soil nutrient availability. Bamboo also contributed in carbon sequestration. The study was conducted within the Taganibong Watershed in Bukidnon, Philippines. Nine litterfall traps measuring 1mx1m were established within the giant bamboo stand in the study area. Results show that giant bamboo litterfall is dominated by leaves. Biological characteristics of bamboo litterfall do no not influence litterfall production but temperature, wind speed and humidity correlate with the amount of litterfall. Findings of the study further revealed that fresh giant bamboo tissue contains high carbon content and the soil in the bamboo stand has higher organic matter than the open clearing. These data indicate the role of giant bamboo in carbon sequestration and soil nutrient availability.

Giant multipole resonances: an experimental review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertrand, F.E.

1979-01-01

During the past several years experimental evidence has been published for the existance of nondipole giant resonances. These giant multipole resonances, the so-called new giant resonances were first observed through inelastic hadron and electron scattering and such measurements have continued to provide most of the information in this field. A summary is provided of the experimental evidence for these new resonances. The discussion deals only with results from inelastic scattering and only with the electric multipoles. Emphasis is placed on the recent observations of the giant monopole resonance. Results from recent heavy-ion and pion inelastic scattering are discussed. 38 references

Nuclear isovector giant resonances excited by pion single charge exchange

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, B.H.

1993-07-01

This thesis is an experimental study of isovector giant resonances in light nuclei excited by pion single charge exchange reactions. Giant dipole resonances in light nuclei are known to be highly structured. For the mass 9 and 13 giant dipole resonances, isospin considerations were found to be very important to understanding this structure. by comparing the excitation functions from cross section measurements of the (π + , π 0 ) and (π, π 0 ) inclusive reactions, the authors determined the dominant isospin structure of the analog IVGR's. The comparison was made after decomposing the cross section into resonant and non-resonant components. This decomposition is made in the framework of strong absorption and quasi-free scattering. Measurements in the region of the isovector giant dipole resonances (IVGDR) were made to cover the inclusive angular distributions out to the second minimum. Study of the giant resonance decay process provides further understanding of the resonances. This study was carried out by observing the (π + , π 0 p) coincident reactions involving the resonances of 9 B and 13 N excited from 9 Be and 13 C nuclei. These measurements determined the spectra of the decay protons. This method also permitted a decomposition of the giant resonances into their isospin components. The multipolarities of the resonances were revealed by the decay proton angular correlations which, for dipoles, are of the form 1 + A 2 P 2 (cos θ)

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is highly associated with giant idiopathic esophageal ulcers in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Bei; Cheng, Xin; Gao, Jackson; Zhao, Hong; Chen, Liping; Wang, Liwei; Huang, Shaoping; Fan, Zhenyu; Zhang, Renfang; Shen, Yinzhong; Li, Lei; Liu, Baochi; Qi, Tangkai; Wang, Jing; Cheng, Jilin

2016-01-01

This study aimed to determine whether the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exists in giant idiopathic esophageal ulcers in the patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). 16 AIDS patients with a primary complaint of epigastric discomfort were examined by gastroscopy. Multiple and giant esophageal ulcers were biopsied and analyzed with pathology staining and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine the potential pathogenic microorganisms, including HIV, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex viruses (HSV). HIV was detected in ulcer samples from 12 out of these 16 patients. Ulcers in 2 patients were infected with CMV and ulcers in another 2 patients were found HSV positive. No obvious cancerous pathological changes were found in these multiple giant esophageal ulcer specimens. HIV may be one of the major causative agents of multiple benign giant esophageal ulcers in AIDS patients.

Probing the Extragalactic Cosmic-Ray Origin with Gamma-Ray and Neutrino Backgrounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Globus, Noemie; Piran, Tsvi [Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, 91904 Jerusalem (Israel); Allard, Denis; Parizot, Etienne [Laboratoire Astroparticule et Cosmologie, Université Paris Diderot/CNRS, 10 rue A. Domon et L. Duquet, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13 (France)

2017-04-20

GeV–TeV gamma-rays and PeV–EeV neutrino backgrounds provide a unique window on the nature of the ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). We discuss the implications of the recent Fermi -LAT data regarding the extragalactic gamma-ray background and related estimates of the contribution of point sources as well as IceCube neutrino data on the origin of the UHECRs. We calculate the diffuse flux of cosmogenic γ -rays and neutrinos produced by the UHECRs and derive constraints on the possible cosmological evolution of UHECR sources. In particular, we show that the mixed-composition scenario considered in Globus et al., which is in agreement with both (i) Auger measurements of the energy spectrum and composition up to the highest energies and (ii) the ankle-like feature in the light component detected by KASCADE-Grande, is compatible with both the Fermi -LAT measurements and with current IceCube limits. We also discuss the possibility for future experiments to detect associated cosmogenic neutrinos and further constrain the UHECR models, including possible subdominant UHECR proton sources.

Establishing the accuracy of asteroseismic mass and radius estimates of giant stars - I. Three eclipsing systems at [Fe/H] ˜ -0.3 and the need for a large high-precision sample

Science.gov (United States)

Brogaard, K.; Hansen, C. J.; Miglio, A.; Slumstrup, D.; Frandsen, S.; Jessen-Hansen, J.; Lund, M. N.; Bossini, D.; Thygesen, A.; Davies, G. R.; Chaplin, W. J.; Arentoft, T.; Bruntt, H.; Grundahl, F.; Handberg, R.

2018-05-01

We aim to establish and improve the accuracy level of asteroseismic estimates of mass, radius, and age of giant stars. This can be achieved by measuring independent, accurate, and precise masses, radii, effective temperatures and metallicities of long period eclipsing binary stars with a red giant component that displays solar-like oscillations. We measured precise properties of the three eclipsing binary systems KIC 7037405, KIC 9540226, and KIC 9970396 and estimated their ages be 5.3 ± 0.5, 3.1 ± 0.6, and 4.8 ± 0.5 Gyr. The measurements of the giant stars were compared to corresponding measurements of mass, radius, and age using asteroseismic scaling relations and grid modelling. We found that asteroseismic scaling relations without corrections to Δν systematically overestimate the masses of the three red giants by 11.7 per cent, 13.7 per cent, and 18.9 per cent, respectively. However, by applying theoretical correction factors fΔν according to Rodrigues et al. (2017), we reached general agreement between dynamical and asteroseismic mass estimates, and no indications of systematic differences at the precision level of the asteroseismic measurements. The larger sample investigated by Gaulme et al. (2016) showed a much more complicated situation, where some stars show agreement between the dynamical and corrected asteroseismic measures while others suggest significant overestimates of the asteroseismic measures. We found no simple explanation for this, but indications of several potential problems, some theoretical, others observational. Therefore, an extension of the present precision study to a larger sample of eclipsing systems is crucial for establishing and improving the accuracy of asteroseismology of giant stars.

Electrified BPS giants: BPS configurations on giant gravitons with static electric field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali-Akbari, Mohammad; Sheikh-Jabbari, Mohammad Mahdi

2007-01-01

We consider D3-brane action in the maximally supersymmetric type IIB plane-wave background. Upon fixing the light-cone gauge, we obtain the light-cone Hamiltonian which is manifestly supersymmetric. The 1/2 BPS solutions of this theory (solutions which preserve 16 supercharges) are either of the form of spherical three branes, the giant gravitons, or zero size point like branes. We then construct specific classes of 1/4 BPS solutions of this theory in which static electric field on the brane is turned on. These solutions are deformations about either of the two 1/2 BPS solutions. In particular, we study in some detail 1/4 BPS configurations with electric dipole on the three sphere giant, i.e. BIons on the giant gravitons, which we hence call BIGGons. We also study BPS configurations corresponding to turning on a background uniform constant electric field. As a result of this background electric field the three sphere giant is deformed to squashed sphere, while the zero size point like branes turn into circular or straight fundamental strings in the plane-wave background, with their tension equal to the background electric field

Molecular transitions as probes of the physical conditions of extragalactic environments

Science.gov (United States)

Viti, Serena

2017-11-01

Aims: We present a method to interpret molecular observations and molecular line ratios in nearby extragalactic regions. Methods: Ab initio grids of time dependent chemical models, varying in gas density, temperature, cosmic ray ionization rate, and radiation field, are used as inputs into RADEX calculations. Tables of abundances, column densities, theoretical line intensities, and line ratios for some of the most used dense gas tracers are provided. The degree of correlation as well as degeneracy inherent in molecular ratios is discussed. Comparisons of the theoretical intensities with example observations are also provided. Results: We find that, within the parameters space explored, chemical abundances can be constrained by a well-defined set of gas density, gas temperature, and cosmic ray ionization rates for the species we investigate here. However, line intensities, and more importantly line ratios, from different chemical models can be very similar, thereby leading to a clear degeneracy. We also find that the gas subjected to a galactic cosmic ray ionization rate will not necessarily have reached steady state in 1 million years. The species most affected by time dependency effects are HCN and CS, which are both high density tracers. We use our ab initio method to fit an example set of data from two galaxies, I.e. M 82 and NGC 253. We find that (I) molecular line ratios can be easily matched even with erroneous individual line intensities; (II) no set of species can be matched by a one-component interstellar medium (ISM); and (III) a species may be a good tracer of an energetic process but only under specific density and temperature conditions. Conclusions: We provide tables of chemical abundances and line intensities ratios for some of the most commonly observed extragalactic tracers of dense gas for a grid of models. We show that by taking the chemistry behind each species and the individual line intensities into consideration, many degeneracies that arise

Giant cells around bone biomaterials: Osteoclasts or multi-nucleated giant cells?

Science.gov (United States)

Miron, Richard J; Zohdi, Hamoon; Fujioka-Kobayashi, Masako; Bosshardt, Dieter D

2016-12-01

Recently accumulating evidence has put into question the role of large multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs) around bone biomaterials. While cells derived from the monocyte/macrophage lineage are one of the first cell types in contact with implanted biomaterials, it was originally thought that specifically in bone tissues, all giant cells were bone-resorbing osteoclasts whereas foreign body giant cells (FBGCs) were found associated with a connective tissue foreign body reaction resulting in fibrous encapsulation and/or material rejection. Despite the great majority of bone grafting materials routinely found with large osteoclasts, a special subclass of bone biomaterials has more recently been found surrounded by large giant cells virtually incapable of resorbing bone grafts even years after their implantation. While original hypotheses believed that a 'foreign body reaction' may be taking place, histological data retrieved from human samples years after their implantation have put these original hypotheses into question by demonstrating better and more stable long-term bone volume around certain bone grafts. Exactly how or why this 'special' subclass of giant cells is capable of maintaining long-term bone volume, or methods to scientifically distinguish them from osteoclasts remains extremely poorly studied. The aim of this review article was to gather the current available literature on giant cell markers and differences in expression patterns between osteoclasts and MNGCs utilizing 19 specific markers including an array of CD-cell surface markers. Furthermore, the concept of now distinguishing between pro-inflammatory M1-MNGCs (previously referred to as FBGCs) as well as wound-healing M2-MNGCs is introduced and discussed. This review article presents 19 specific cell-surface markers to distinguish between osteoclasts and MNGCs including an array of CD-cell surface markers. Furthermore, the concept of now distinguishing between pro-inflammatory M1-MNGCs (often

Giant resonances in atoms and in fluorine cage molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansfield, M.W.D.

1987-01-01

Giant resonances in the photoabsorption spectra of atoms occur in the extreme ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In order to observe absorption spectra in this region it is necessary to generate columns of atomic vapor which will often by very hot and chemically aggressive, and to contain them without solid windows between two regions of high vacuum, the spectrometer and the light source, usually an electron synchrotron. The technical problems are often formidable so that although it had long been recognized that giant resonances in solid lanthanides were essentially atomic phenomena (Fomichev et al. 1967, Dehmer et al. 1971) earlier investigations of giant resonances in atoms were limited to the more manageable elements which precede the transition rows, the inert gases, alkali and alkaline earth elements. In this paper the authors discusses the spectra of transition row atoms in order of decreasing localization (Smith and Kmetko 1983) viz. 4d → f, 5d → f, 3p → d, 4p → d and 5p → d. He tends to avoid discussion of the giant resonances themselves because their profiles and interpretation will be discussed comprehensively by other contributors. Instead he concentrates on the detailed analyses which have been attempted of the discrete structure which usually accompanies giant resonances in atoms. Interpretation of this structure can provide accurate determinations of thresholds for inner shell excitation in atoms and can also be used to anticipate structure which may overlie the giant resonances and distort their profiles. 75 references, 21 figures

A New Empirical Metallicity Calibration for Vilnius Photometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bartašiūtė S.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We present a new calibration of the seven-color Vilnius system in terms of [Fe/H], applicable to F–M stars in the metallicity range −2.8 ≤[Fe/H]≤ +0.5. We employ a purely empirical approach, based on ~1000 calibrating stars with high-resolution spectroscopic abundance determinations. It is shown that the color index P–Y is the best choice for a most accurate and sensitive abundance indicator for both dwarf and giant stars. Using it, [Fe/H] values can be determined with an accuracy of ±0.12 dex for stars of solar and mildly subsolar metallicity and ±0.17 dex for stars with [Fe/H] < −1. The new calibration is a significant improvement over the previous one used to date.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: The VLBA Extragalactic Proper Motion Catalog (Truebenbach+, 2017)

Science.gov (United States)

Truebenbach, A. E.; Darling, J.

2017-11-01

We created our catalog of extragalactic radio proper motions using the 2017a Goddard VLBI global solution. The 2017a solution is computed from more than 30 years of dual-band VLBI observations --1979 August 3 to 2017 March 27. We also observed 28 objects with either no redshift or a "questionable" Optical Characteristic of Astrometric Radio Sources (OCARS; Malkin 2016ARep...60..996M) redshift at the Apache Point Observatory (APO) 3.5m telescope and/or at Gemini North. We conducted observations on the 3.5m telescope at Apache Point Observatory with the Dual Imaging Spectrograph (DIS) from 2015 April 18 to 2016 June 30. We chose two objects for additional observations with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph-North (GMOS-N) at Gemini North Observatory. 2021+317 was observed on 2016 June 26 and 28, while 0420+417 was observed on 2016 November 8 and 26. We also observed 42 radio sources with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in the X-band (3.6cm/8.3GHz). Our targets had all been previously observed by VLBI. Our VLBA observations were conducted in two campaigns from 2015 September to 2016 January and 2016 October to November. The final extragalactic proper motion catalog (created primarily from archival Goddard VLBI data, with redshifts obtained from OCARS) contains 713 proper motions with average uncertainties of 24μas/yr. (5 data files).

Pressure induced insulator–metal transition and giant negative piezoresistance in Pr{sub 0.6}Ca{sub 0.4}Mn{sub 0.96}Al{sub 0.04}O{sub 3} polycrystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arumugam, S., E-mail: sarumugam1963@yahoo.com [Centre for High Pressure Research, School of Physics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli 620024, Tamil Nadu (India); Thiyagarajan, R. [Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai 201203 (China); Kalaiselvan, G.; Sivaprakash, P. [Centre for High Pressure Research, School of Physics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli 620024, Tamil Nadu (India)

2016-11-01

The effect of external hydrostatic pressure (P) on the magnetization (M) and resistivity (ρ) properties of charge-orbital (CO) ordered-insulating phase-separated manganite Pr{sub 0.6}Ca{sub 0.4}Mn{sub 0.96}Al{sub 0.04}O{sub 3} system is reported here. At ambient P, CO ordering transition and spin-canting in the AFM are observed at 223 K and 55 K respectively in M(T) and ρ(T) measurements. Application of P increases simultaneously the magnitude of magnetization (M) and transition temperature, and weakens the CO ordering in M(T) measurements up to 0.98 GPa. During ρ(T) measurements, P induces an insulator–metallic transition (T{sub IM}) at 1.02 GPa, and further increase of P up to 2.84 GPa leads to increase of T{sub IM} (dT{sub IM}/dP =21.6 K/GPa). ρ at T{sub IM} is reduced about three orders of magnitude at 2.84 GPa, and leads to the giant negative piezoresistance (~98%). These results are analyzed separately in two temperature regions i.e., below and above T{sub IM} by power function equation and small polaronic hopping model respectively. It is understood from these analyses that the application of P suppresses the Jahn–Teller distortions, electron–electron and electron–magnon scattering factors, and induces the insulator–metal transition in Pr{sub 0.6}Ca{sub 0.4}Mn{sub 0.96}Al{sub 0.04}O{sub 3} system. - Highlights: • Application of P on Pr{sub 0.6}Ca{sub 0.4}Mn{sub 0.96}Al{sub 0.04}O{sub 3} reduces resistivity (ρ) remarkably at low-temperatures, and exhibits an insulator to metallic transition at 1.02 GPa. • The reduction in ρ by P is about three orders of magnitude at 2.84 GPa, leads to the giant negative piezoresistance about 98%. • The effect of the suppression of Jahn–Teller distortions, electron–electron and electron–magnon scattering under an applied P exhibits to the metal-Insulator transition. • The phase-separation in this system has been tuned by both internal and external perturbations.

Giant magnetic anisotropy of heavy p-elements on high-symmetry substrates: a new paradigm for supported nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Rui; Deng, Bei; Shi, Xingqiang; Zheng, Xiaohong

2018-04-01

Nanostructures with giant magnetic anisotropy energies (MAEs) are desired in designing miniaturized magnetic storage and quantum computing devices. Previous works focused mainly on materials or elements with d electrons. Here, by taking Bi–X(X = In, Tl, Ge, Sn, Pb) adsorbed on nitrogenized divacancy of graphene and Bi atoms adsorbed on MgO(100) as examples, through ab initio and model calculations, we propose that special p-element dimers and single-adatoms on symmetry-matched substrates possess giant atomic MAEs of 72–200 meV, and has room temperature structural stability. The huge MAEs originate from the p-orbital degeneracy around the Fermi level in a symmetry-matched surface ligand field and the lifting of this degeneracy when spin–orbit interaction (SOI) is taken into account. Especially, we developed a simplified quantum mechanical model for the design principles of giant MAEs of supported magnetic adatoms and dimers. Thus, our discoveries and mechanisms provide a new paradigm to design giant atomic MAE of p electrons in supported nanostructures.

The giant Stark effect in armchair-edge phosphorene nanoribbons under a transverse electric field

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Benliang; Zhou, Benhu; Liu, Pu; Zhou, Guanghui

2018-01-01

We study the variation of electronic properties for armchair-edge phosphorene nanoribbons (APNRs) modulated by a transverse electric field. Within the tight-binding model Hamiltonian, and by solving the differential Schrödinger equation, we find that a band gap closure appears at the critical field due to the giant Stark effect for an APNR. The gap closure has no field polarity, and the gap varies quadratically for small fields but becomes linear for larger ones. We attribute the giant Stark effect to the broken edge degeneracy, i.e., the charge redistributions of the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum states localized at opposite edges induced by the field. By combined with the Green's function approach, it is shown that in the presence of the critical field a gap of density of states (DOS) disappears and a high value DOS turns up at the energy position of the band gap closure. Finally, as the field increases, we find the band gap decreases more rapidly and the gap closure occurs at smaller fields for wider ribbons. Both the band gap and DOS variations with the field show an insulator-metal transition induced by a transverse electric field for the APNR. Our results show that wider APNRs are more appreciable to design field-effect transistors.

The Tarantula Nebula as a template for extragalactic star forming regions from VLT/MUSE and HST/STIS

Science.gov (United States)

Crowther, Paul A.; Caballero-Nieves, Saida M.; Castro, Norberto; Evans, Christopher J.

2017-11-01

We present VLT/MUSE observations of NGC 2070, the dominant ionizing nebula of 30 Doradus in the LMC, plus HST/STIS spectroscopy of its central star cluster R136. Integral Field Spectroscopy (MUSE) and pseudo IFS (STIS) together provides a complete census of all massive stars within the central 30×30 parsec2 of the Tarantula. We discuss the integrated far-UV spectrum of R136, of particular interest for UV studies of young extragalactic star clusters. Strong He iiλ1640 emission at very early ages (1-2 Myr) from very massive stars cannot be reproduced by current population synthesis models, even those incorporating binary evolution and very massive stars. A nebular analysis of the integrated MUSE dataset implies an age of ~4.5 Myr for NGC 2070. Wolf-Rayet features provide alternative age diagnostics, with the primary contribution to the integrated Wolf-Rayet bumps arising from R140 rather than the more numerous H-rich WN stars in R136. Caution should be used when interpreting spatially extended observations of extragalactic star-forming regions.

Acceleration of Cooling of Ice Giants by Condensation in Early Atmospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurosaki, Kenji; Ikoma, Masahiro

2017-01-01

The present infrared brightness of a planet originates partly from the accretion energy that the planet gained during its formation and hence provides important constraints to the planet formation process. A planet cools down from a hot initial state to the present state by losing energy through radiative emission from its atmosphere. Thus, the atmospheric properties affect the planetary cooling rate. Previous theories of giant planet cooling assume that the atmospheric composition is unchanged throughout the evolution. Planet formation theories, however, suggest that the atmospheres especially of ice giants are rich in heavy elements in the early stages. These heavy elements include condensable species such as H 2 O, NH 3 , and CH 4 , which are expected to have a great impact on atmospheric temperature and thus on radiative emission through latent heat release. In this study we investigate the effect of such condensation on the planetary emission flux and quantify the impact on the cooling timescale. We then demonstrate that the latent heat of these species keeps the atmosphere hot and thus the emission flux high for billions of years, resulting in an acceleration of the cooling of ice giants. This sheds light on the long-standing problem that Uranus is much less bright than theoretically predicted and is different in brightness from Neptune in spite of the similarity in mass and radius. We also find that young ice giants with highly enriched atmospheres are much brighter in the mid-infrared than ice giants with non-enriched atmospheres. This provides important implications for future direct imaging of extrasolar ice giants.

Acceleration of Cooling of Ice Giants by Condensation in Early Atmospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurosaki, Kenji; Ikoma, Masahiro, E-mail: kurosaki.k@nagoya-u.jp, E-mail: ikoma@eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2017-06-01

The present infrared brightness of a planet originates partly from the accretion energy that the planet gained during its formation and hence provides important constraints to the planet formation process. A planet cools down from a hot initial state to the present state by losing energy through radiative emission from its atmosphere. Thus, the atmospheric properties affect the planetary cooling rate. Previous theories of giant planet cooling assume that the atmospheric composition is unchanged throughout the evolution. Planet formation theories, however, suggest that the atmospheres especially of ice giants are rich in heavy elements in the early stages. These heavy elements include condensable species such as H{sub 2}O, NH{sub 3}, and CH{sub 4}, which are expected to have a great impact on atmospheric temperature and thus on radiative emission through latent heat release. In this study we investigate the effect of such condensation on the planetary emission flux and quantify the impact on the cooling timescale. We then demonstrate that the latent heat of these species keeps the atmosphere hot and thus the emission flux high for billions of years, resulting in an acceleration of the cooling of ice giants. This sheds light on the long-standing problem that Uranus is much less bright than theoretically predicted and is different in brightness from Neptune in spite of the similarity in mass and radius. We also find that young ice giants with highly enriched atmospheres are much brighter in the mid-infrared than ice giants with non-enriched atmospheres. This provides important implications for future direct imaging of extrasolar ice giants.

Mismatch between the eye and the optic lobe in the giant squid.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yung-Chieh; Liu, Tsung-Han; Yu, Chun-Chieh; Su, Chia-Hao; Chiao, Chuan-Chin

2017-07-01

Giant squids ( Architeuthis ) are a legendary species among the cephalopods. They live in the deep sea and are well known for their enormous body and giant eyes. It has been suggested that their giant eyes are not adapted for the detection of either mates or prey at distance, but rather are best suited for monitoring very large predators, such as sperm whales, at distances exceeding 120 m and at a depth below 600 m (Nilsson et al. 2012 Curr. Biol. 22 , 683-688. (doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.02.031)). However, it is not clear how the brain of giant squids processes visual information. In this study, the optic lobe of a giant squid ( Architeuthis dux , male, mantle length 89 cm), which was caught by local fishermen off the northeastern coast of Taiwan, was scanned using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging in order to examine its internal structure. It was evident that the volume ratio of the optic lobe to the eye in the giant squid is much smaller than that in the oval squid ( Sepioteuthis lessoniana ) and the cuttlefish ( Sepia pharaonis ). Furthermore, the cell density in the cortex of the optic lobe is significantly higher in the giant squid than in oval squids and cuttlefish, with the relative thickness of the cortex being much larger in Architeuthis optic lobe than in cuttlefish. This indicates that the relative size of the medulla of the optic lobe in the giant squid is disproportionally smaller compared with these two cephalopod species. This morphological study of the giant squid brain, though limited only to the optic lobe, provides the first evidence to support that the optic lobe cortex, the visual information processing area in cephalopods, is well developed in the giant squid. In comparison, the optic lobe medulla, the visuomotor integration centre in cephalopods, is much less developed in the giant squid than other species. This finding suggests that, despite the giant eye and a full-fledged cortex within the optic lobe, the brain of giant

Should the Endangered Status of the Giant Panda Really Be Reduced? The Case of Giant Panda Conservation in Sichuan, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ben; Lei, Shuo; Qing, Qin; Wen, Yali

2018-05-03

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reduced the threat status of the giant panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable” in September 2016. In this study, we analyzed current practices for giant panda conservation at regional and local environmental scales, based on recent reports of giant panda protection efforts in Sichuan Province, China, combined with the survey results from 927 households within and adjacent to the giant panda reserves in this area. The results showed that household attitudes were very positive regarding giant panda protection efforts. Over the last 10 years, farmers’ dependence on the natural resources provided by giant panda reserves significantly decreased. However, socio-economic development increased resource consumption, and led to climate change, habitat fragmentation, environmental pollution, and other issues that placed increased pressure on giant panda populations. This difference between local and regional scales must be considered when evaluating the IUCN status of giant pandas. While the status of this species has improved in the short-term due to positive local attitudes, large-scale socio-economic development pressure could have long-term negative impacts. Consequently, the IUCN assessment leading to the classification of giant panda as “vulnerable” instead of “endangered”, should not affect its conservation intensity and effort, as such actions could negatively impact population recovery efforts, leading to the extinction of this charismatic species.

Should the Endangered Status of the Giant Panda Really Be Reduced? The Case of Giant Panda Conservation in Sichuan, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Ma

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN reduced the threat status of the giant panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable” in September 2016. In this study, we analyzed current practices for giant panda conservation at regional and local environmental scales, based on recent reports of giant panda protection efforts in Sichuan Province, China, combined with the survey results from 927 households within and adjacent to the giant panda reserves in this area. The results showed that household attitudes were very positive regarding giant panda protection efforts. Over the last 10 years, farmers’ dependence on the natural resources provided by giant panda reserves significantly decreased. However, socio-economic development increased resource consumption, and led to climate change, habitat fragmentation, environmental pollution, and other issues that placed increased pressure on giant panda populations. This difference between local and regional scales must be considered when evaluating the IUCN status of giant pandas. While the status of this species has improved in the short-term due to positive local attitudes, large-scale socio-economic development pressure could have long-term negative impacts. Consequently, the IUCN assessment leading to the classification of giant panda as “vulnerable” instead of “endangered”, should not affect its conservation intensity and effort, as such actions could negatively impact population recovery efforts, leading to the extinction of this charismatic species.

Isolation of high purity americium metal via distillation

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Leah N.; King, James A.; Fielding, Randall S.; Lessing, Paul

2018-03-01

Pure americium metal is a crucial component for the fabrication of transmutation fuels. Unfortunately, americium in pure metal form is not available; however, a number of mixed metals and mixed oxides that include americium are available. In this manuscript a method is described to obtain high purity americium metal from a mixture of americium and neptunium metals with lead impurity via distillation.

A search for lithium-rich giant stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, J.A.; Sneden, C.; Lambert, D.L.; Dutchover, E. Jr.

1989-01-01

Lithium abundances or upper limits have been determined for 644 bright G-K giant stars selected from the DDO photometric catalog. Two of these giants possess surface lithium abundances approaching the cosmic value of the interstellar medium and young main-sequence stars, and eight more giants have Li contents far in excess of standard predictions. At least some of these Li-rich giants are shown to be evolved to the stage of having convectively mixed envelopes, either from the direct evidence of low surface carbon isotope ratios, or from the indirect evidence of their H-R diagram positions. Suggestions are given for the unique conditions that might have allowed these stars to produce or accrete new lithium for their surface layers, or simply to preserve from destruction their initial lithium contents. The lithium abundance of the remaining stars demonstrates that giants only very rarely meet the expectations of standard first dredge-up theories; the average extra Li destruction required is about 1.5 dex. The evolutionary states of these giants and their average masses are discussed briefly, and the Li distribution of the giants is compared to predictions of Galactic chemical evolution. 110 refs

BOO-1137-AN EXTREMELY METAL-POOR STAR IN THE ULTRA-FAINT DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXY BOOeTES I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norris, John E.; Yong, David; Gilmore, Gerard; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.

2010-01-01

We present high-resolution (R ∼ 40,000), high-signal-to-noise ratio (20-90) spectra of an extremely metal-poor giant star Boo-1137 in the 'ultra-faint' dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) Booetes I, absolute magnitude M V ∼ -6.3. We derive an iron abundance of [Fe/H] = -3.7, making this the most metal-poor star as yet identified in an ultra-faint dSph. Our derived effective temperature and gravity are consistent with its identification as a red giant in Booetes I. Abundances for a further 15 elements have also been determined. Comparison of the relative abundances, [X/Fe], with those of the extremely metal-poor red giants of the Galactic halo shows that Boo-1137 is 'normal' with respect to C and N, the odd-Z elements Na and Al, the iron-peak elements, and the neutron-capture elements Sr and Ba, in comparison with the bulk of the Milky Way halo population having [Fe/H] ∼<-3.0. The α-elements Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti are all higher by Δ[X/Fe] ∼ 0.2 than the average halo values. Monte Carlo analysis indicates that Δ[α/Fe] values this large are expected with a probability ∼0.02. The elemental abundance pattern in Boo-1137 suggests inhomogeneous chemical evolution, consistent with the wide internal spread in iron abundances we previously reported. The similarity of most of the Boo-1137 relative abundances with respect to halo values, and the fact that the α-elements are all offset by a similar small amount from the halo averages, points to the same underlying galaxy-scale stellar initial mass function, but that Boo-1137 likely originated in a star-forming region where the abundances reflect either poor mixing of supernova (SN) ejecta, or poor sampling of the SN progenitor mass range, or both.

PANCHROMATIC HUBBLE ANDROMEDA TREASURY. XII. MAPPING STELLAR METALLICITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN M31

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregersen, Dylan; Seth, Anil C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Williams, Benjamin F.; Dalcanton, Julianne J.; Johnson, L. C.; Lewis, Alexia R. [Department of Astronomy, Box 351580, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Lang, Dustin [McWilliams Center for Cosmology, Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Girardi, Leó [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova—INAF, Vicolo dell’Osservatori 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Skillman, Evan D. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Bell, Eric [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Dolphin, Andrew E. [Raytheon, 1151 E. Hermans Road, Tucson, AZ 85706 (United States); Fouesneau, Morgan [MPIA, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Guhathakurta, Puragra; Hamren, Katherine M. [UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California at Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Kalirai, Jason [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Monachesi, Antonela [MPA, Garching (Germany); Olsen, Knut, E-mail: dylan.gregersen@utah.edu, E-mail: aseth@astro.utah.edu [NOAO, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)

2015-12-15

We present a study of spatial variations in the metallicity of old red giant branch stars in the Andromeda galaxy. Photometric metallicity estimates are derived by interpolating isochrones for over seven million stars in the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey. This is the first systematic study of stellar metallicities over the inner 20 kpc of Andromeda’s galactic disk. We see a clear metallicity gradient of −0.020 ± 0.004 dex kpc{sup −1} from ∼4–20 kpc assuming a constant red giant branch age. This metallicity gradient is derived after correcting for the effects of photometric bias and completeness and dust extinction, and is quite insensitive to these effects. The unknown age gradient in M31's disk creates the dominant systematic uncertainty in our derived metallicity gradient. However, spectroscopic analyses of galaxies similar to M31 show that they typically have small age gradients that make this systematic error comparable to the 1σ error on our metallicity gradient measurement. In addition to the metallicity gradient, we observe an asymmetric local enhancement in metallicity at radii of 3–6 kpc that appears to be associated with Andromeda’s elongated bar. This same region also appears to have an enhanced stellar density and velocity dispersion.

Macroscopic description of isoscalar giant multipole resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nix, J.R.; Sierk, A.J.

1980-01-01

On the basis of a simple macroscopic model, we calculate the isoscalar giant-resonance energy as a function of mass number and multipole degree. The restoring force is determined from the distortion of the Fermi surface, and the inertia is determined for the incompressible, irrotational flow of nucleons with unit effective mass. With no adjustable parameters, the resulting closed expression reproduces correctly the available experimental data, namely the magnitude and dependence upon mass number of the giant quadrupole energy and the magnitude of the giant octupole energy for 208 Pb. We also calculate the isoscalar giant-resonance width as a function of mass number and multipole degree for various macroscopic damping mechanisms, including two-body viscosity, one-body dissipation, and modified one-body dissipation. None of these damping mechanisms reproduces correctly all features of the available experimental data, namely the magnitude and dependence upon mass number of the giant quadrupole width and the magnitude of the giant octupole width for 208 Pb

High power X-ray welding of metal-matrix composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenberg, Richard A.; Goeppner, George A.; Noonan, John R.; Farrell, William J.; Ma, Qing

1997-12-01

A method for joining metal-matrix composites (MMCs) by using high power x-rays as a volumetric heat source is provided. The method involves directing an x-ray to the weld line between two adjacent MMCs materials to create an irradiated region or melt zone. The x-rays have a power density greater than about 10{sup 4} watts/cm{sup 2} and provide the volumetric heat required to join the MMC materials. Importantly, the reinforcing material of the metal-matrix composites remains uniformly distributed in the melt zone, and the strength of the MMCs are not diminished. In an alternate embodiment, high power x-rays are used to provide the volumetric heat required to weld metal elements, including metal elements comprised of metal alloys. In an alternate embodiment, high power x-rays are used to provide the volumetric heat required to weld metal elements, including metal elements comprised of metal alloys.

Multicentric lymphoma in a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla).

Science.gov (United States)

Sanches, Adrien W D; Werner, Pedro R; Margarido, Tereza C C; Pachaly, Jose R

2013-03-01

Neoplastic disease is not well documented in giant anteaters. This report describes a disseminated lymphoma in an adult male giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) from the City Zoo of Curitiba, State of Paraná, Brazil. No clinical signs were noticed before its death, except for a slight inappetence. At postmortem examination, pale white to yellow, variably sized nodules infiltrated the heart, liver, and intestinal lymph nodes. Histologically, two distinct cell populations were present in the nodular lesions: one characterized by smaller cells, primarily lymphocytic in nature, and another characterized by larger rounded cells with loose chromatin and frequently indented nuclei resembling histiocytes. Giant binucleated cells were occasionally observed. Mitotic figures numbered 2-3 mitotic figures/x400 field. Both cellular populations presented with moderate pleomorphism, large nuclei, a high nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio, distinct nucleoli, and coarse nuclear chromatin. The neoplasia was classified as a form of multicentric lymphohistiocytic lymphoma (Rappaport Classification) and as an intermediate grade lymphoma (National Cancer Institute Working Formulation).

Tests of the Giant Impact Hypothesis

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, J. H.

1998-01-01

The giant impact hypothesis has gained popularity as a means of explaining a volatile-depleted Moon that still has a chemical affinity to the Earth. As Taylor's Axiom decrees, the best models of lunar origin are testable, but this is difficult with the giant impact model. The energy associated with the impact would be sufficient to totally melt and partially vaporize the Earth. And this means that there should he no geological vestige of Barber times. Accordingly, it is important to devise tests that may be used to evaluate the giant impact hypothesis. Three such tests are discussed here. None of these is supportive of the giant impact model, but neither do they disprove it.

HEMATOLOGY, SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY, AND URINALYSIS VALUES IN THE ADULT GIANT PANDA ( AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA).

Science.gov (United States)

Burrell, Caitlin; Zhang, Hemin; Li, Desheng; Wang, Chengdong; Li, Caiwu; Aitken-Palmer, Copper

2017-12-01

The giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a high-profile threatened species with individuals in captivity worldwide. As a result of advances in captive animal management and veterinary medicine, the ex situ giant panda population is aging, and improved understanding of age-related changes is necessary. Urine and blood samples were collected in April and July 2015 and analyzed for complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and biochemical and microscopic urine analysis for all individuals sampled ( n = 7, 7-16 yr of age) from giant panda housed at the China Research and Conservation Centre for the Giant Panda in Bifengxia, Sichuan Province, China. Hematology and serum biochemistry values were similar to those previously reported for giant panda aged 2-20 yr and to Species360 (formerly International Species Information System) values. Urine was overall dilute (urine specific gravity range: 1.001-1.021), acellular, and acidic (pH range: 6-7). This is the first report of hematologic and serum biochemistry, with associated urinalysis values, in the giant panda aged 7-16 yr.

Library of Giant Planet Reflection Spectra for WFirst and Future Space Telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Adam J. R. W.; Fortney, Jonathan; Morley, Caroline; Batalha, Natasha E.; Lewis, Nikole K.

2018-01-01

Future large space space telescopes will be able to directly image exoplanets in optical light. The optical light of a resolved planet is due to stellar flux reflected by Rayleigh scattering or cloud scattering, with absorption features imprinted due to molecular bands in the planetary atmosphere. To aid in the design of such missions, and to better understand a wide range of giant planet atmospheres, we have built a library of model giant planet reflection spectra, for the purpose of determining effective methods of spectral analysis as well as for comparison with actual imaged objects. This library covers a wide range of parameters: objects are modeled at ten orbital distances between 0.5 AU and 5.0 AU, which ranges from planets too warm for water clouds, out to those that are true Jupiter analogs. These calculations include six metalicities between solar and 100x solar, with a variety of different cloud thickness parameters, and across all possible phase angles.

Robust giant magnetoresistive effect type multilayer sensor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lenssen, K.M.H.; Kuiper, A.E.T.; Roozeboom, F.

2002-01-01

A robust Giant Magneto Resistive effect type multilayer sensor comprising a free and a pinned ferromagnetic layer, which can withstand high temperatures and strong magnetic fields as required in automotive applications. The GMR multi-layer has an asymmetric magneto-resistive curve and enables

Hadron excitation of giant resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morsch, H.-P.

1985-01-01

A review is given on giant resonance studies in heavy nuclei using scattering of different hadronic probes. Concerning isoscalar giant resonances compression modes are discussed with the possibility to obtain more detailed structure information. From detailed studies of α scattering the distribution of isoscalar strengths of multipolarity up to L=6 was obtained. Some recent aspects of heavy ion excitation of collective modes are mentioned. The possibility to study isovector giant resonances in hadron charge exchange reactions is discussed. Finally, a comparison is made between α and 200 MeV proton scattering from which isoscalar and spin-isospin continuum response are extracted. (orig.)

Description of the giant dipole mode in states of high angular momentum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hilton, R.R.

1982-01-01

The effects of the Coriolis interaction on the giant dipole mode is discussed within the framework of a cranked deformed oscillator in which dipole-dipole two body forces are taken into account. Energy splittings of the dipole mode in addition to those attributable to the shape are found. (orig.)

Giant magneto-resistance devices

CERN Document Server

Hirota, Eiichi; Inomata, Koichiro

2002-01-01

This book deals with the application of giant magneto-resistance (GMR) effects to electronic devices. It will appeal to engineers and graduate students in the fields of electronic devices and materials. The main subjects are magnetic sensors with high resolution and magnetic read heads with high sensitivity, required for hard-disk drives with recording densities of several gigabytes. Another important subject is novel magnetic random-access memories (MRAM) with non-volatile non-destructive and radiation-resistant characteristics. Other topics include future GMR devices based on bipolar spin transistors, spin field-effect transistors (FETs) and double-tunnel junctions.

YOUNG SOLAR SYSTEM's FIFTH GIANT PLANET?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesvorný, David

2011-01-01

Studies of solar system formation suggest that the solar system's giant planets formed and migrated in the protoplanetary disk to reach the resonant orbits with all planets inside ∼15 AU from the Sun. After the gas disk's dispersal, Uranus and Neptune were likely scattered by the gas giants, and approached their current orbits while dispersing the transplanetary disk of planetesimals, whose remains survived to this time in the region known as the Kuiper Belt. Here we performed N-body integrations of the scattering phase between giant planets in an attempt to determine which initial states are plausible. We found that the dynamical simulations starting with a resonant system of four giant planets have a low success rate in matching the present orbits of giant planets and various other constraints (e.g., survival of the terrestrial planets). The dynamical evolution is typically too violent, if Jupiter and Saturn start in the 3:2 resonance, and leads to final systems with fewer than four planets. Several initial states stand out in that they show a relatively large likelihood of success in matching the constraints. Some of the statistically best results were obtained when assuming that the solar system initially had five giant planets and one ice giant, with the mass comparable to that of Uranus and Neptune, and which was ejected to interstellar space by Jupiter. This possibility appears to be conceivable in view of the recent discovery of a large number of free-floating planets in interstellar space, which indicates that planet ejection should be common.

Young Solar System's Fifth Giant Planet?

Science.gov (United States)

Nesvorný, David

2011-12-01

Studies of solar system formation suggest that the solar system's giant planets formed and migrated in the protoplanetary disk to reach the resonant orbits with all planets inside ~15 AU from the Sun. After the gas disk's dispersal, Uranus and Neptune were likely scattered by the gas giants, and approached their current orbits while dispersing the transplanetary disk of planetesimals, whose remains survived to this time in the region known as the Kuiper Belt. Here we performed N-body integrations of the scattering phase between giant planets in an attempt to determine which initial states are plausible. We found that the dynamical simulations starting with a resonant system of four giant planets have a low success rate in matching the present orbits of giant planets and various other constraints (e.g., survival of the terrestrial planets). The dynamical evolution is typically too violent, if Jupiter and Saturn start in the 3:2 resonance, and leads to final systems with fewer than four planets. Several initial states stand out in that they show a relatively large likelihood of success in matching the constraints. Some of the statistically best results were obtained when assuming that the solar system initially had five giant planets and one ice giant, with the mass comparable to that of Uranus and Neptune, and which was ejected to interstellar space by Jupiter. This possibility appears to be conceivable in view of the recent discovery of a large number of free-floating planets in interstellar space, which indicates that planet ejection should be common.

Bio-assembled nanocomposites in conch shells exhibit giant electret hysteresis

KAUST Repository

Yao, Yingbang

2012-10-23

Giant electric polarization (2000-4000 μC cm-2) is observed in natural conch shells. The nanolaminas and biopolymer layers of their unique hierarchical microstructures exhibit ferroelectret behavior and account for the observed polarization. Such huge polarization leads to extremely high pyroelectric coefficients, 2-3 orders of magnitude larger than those of conventional ferroelectric materials. The possibility of tailoring the giant polarization for various applications is considered. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Bio-assembled nanocomposites in conch shells exhibit giant electret hysteresis

KAUST Repository

Yao, Yingbang; Wang, Qingxiao; Wang, Hongtao; Zhang, Bei; Zhao, Chao; Wang, Zhihong; Xu, Zhengkui; Wu, Ying; Huang, Wei; Qian, Peiyuan; Zhang, Xixiang

2012-01-01

Giant electric polarization (2000-4000 μC cm-2) is observed in natural conch shells. The nanolaminas and biopolymer layers of their unique hierarchical microstructures exhibit ferroelectret behavior and account for the observed polarization. Such huge polarization leads to extremely high pyroelectric coefficients, 2-3 orders of magnitude larger than those of conventional ferroelectric materials. The possibility of tailoring the giant polarization for various applications is considered. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

GIANT API: an application programming interface for functional genomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Andrew M; Wong, Aaron K; Fisk, Ian; Troyanskaya, Olga G

2016-07-08

GIANT API provides biomedical researchers programmatic access to tissue-specific and global networks in humans and model organisms, and associated tools, which includes functional re-prioritization of existing genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Using tissue-specific interaction networks, researchers are able to predict relationships between genes specific to a tissue or cell lineage, identify the changing roles of genes across tissues and uncover disease-gene associations. Additionally, GIANT API enables computational tools like NetWAS, which leverages tissue-specific networks for re-prioritization of GWAS results. The web services covered by the API include 144 tissue-specific functional gene networks in human, global functional networks for human and six common model organisms and the NetWAS method. GIANT API conforms to the REST architecture, which makes it stateless, cacheable and highly scalable. It can be used by a diverse range of clients including web browsers, command terminals, programming languages and standalone apps for data analysis and visualization. The API is freely available for use at http://giant-api.princeton.edu. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Chemical analysis of eight giant stars of the globular cluster NGC 6366

Science.gov (United States)

Puls, Arthur A.; Alves-Brito, Alan; Campos, Fabíola; Dias, Bruno; Barbuy, Beatriz

2018-05-01

The metal-rich Galactic globular cluster NGC 6366 is the fifth closest to the Sun. Despite its interest, it has received scarce attention, and little is known about its internal structure. Its kinematics suggests a link to the halo, but its metallicity indicates otherwise. We present a detailed chemical analysis of eight giant stars of NGC 6366, using high-resolution and high-quality spectra (R > 40 000, S/N > 60) obtained at the VLT (8.2 m) and CFHT (3.6 m) telescopes. We attempted to characterize its chemistry and to search for evidence of multiple stellar populations. The atmospheric parameters were derived using the method of excitation and ionization equilibrium of Fe I and Fe II lines and from those atmospheric parameters we calculated the abundances for other elements and found that none of the elements measured presents star-to-star variation greater than the uncertainties. We compared the derived abundances with those of other globular clusters and field stars available in the literature. We determined a mean [Fe/H] = -0.60 ± 0.03 for NGC 6366 and found some similarity of this object with M 71, another inner halo globular cluster. The Na-O anticorrelation extension is short and no star-to-star variation in Al is found. The presence of second generation stars is not evident in NGC 6366.

Hybrid model for the decay of nuclear giant resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussein, M.S.

1986-12-01

The decay properties of nuclear giant multipole resonances are discussed within a hybrid model that incorporates, in a unitary consistent way, both the coherent and statistical features. It is suggested that the 'direct' decay of the GR is described with continuum first RPA and the statistical decay calculated with a modified Hauser-Feshbach model. Application is made to the decay of the giant monopole resonance in 208 Pb. Suggestions are made concerning the calculation of the mixing parameter using the statistical properties of the shell model eigenstates at high excitation energies. (Author) [pt

Planck early results. XIII. Statistical properties of extragalactic radio sources in the Planck Early Release Compact Source Catalogue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lähteenmäki, A.; Poutanen, T.; Natoli, P.

2011-01-01

The data reported in Planck's Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (ERCSC) are exploited to measure the number counts (dN/dS) of extragalactic radio sources at 30, 44, 70, 100, 143 and 217 GHz. Due to the full-sky nature of the catalogue, this measurement extends to the rarest and brightest sou...

Giant multipole resonances: perspectives after ten years

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertrand, F.E.

1980-01-01

Nearly ten years ago evidence was published for the first of the so-called giant multipole resonances, the giant quadrupole resonance. During the ensuing years research in this field has spread to many nuclear physics laboratories throughout the world. The present status of electric giant multipole resonances is reviewed. 24 figures, 1 table

FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS, INTEGRATED RED GIANT BRANCH MASS LOSS, AND DUST PRODUCTION IN THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER 47 TUCANAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, I.; Zijlstra, A. A.; Boyer, M. L.; Gordon, K.; Meixner, M.; Sewilo, M.; Shiao, B.; Whitney, B.; Van Loon, J. Th.; Hora, J. L.; Robitaille, T.; Babler, B.; Meade, M.; Block, M.; Misselt, K.

2011-01-01

Fundamental parameters and time evolution of mass loss are investigated for post-main-sequence stars in the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tucanae (NGC 104). This is accomplished by fitting spectral energy distributions (SEDs) to existing optical and infrared photometry and spectroscopy, to produce a true Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. We confirm the cluster's distance as d = 4611 +213 -200 pc and age as 12 ± 1 Gyr. Horizontal branch models appear to confirm that no more red giant branch mass loss occurs in 47 Tuc than in the more metal-poor ω Centauri, though difficulties arise due to inconsistencies between the models. Using our SEDs, we identify those stars that exhibit infrared excess, finding excess only among the brightest giants: dusty mass loss begins at a luminosity of ∼1000 L sun , becoming ubiquitous above L = 2000 L sun . Recent claims of dust production around lower-luminosity giants cannot be reproduced, despite using the same archival Spitzer imagery.

Changes of foraging patch selection and utilization by a giant panda after bamboo flowering.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guochun; Song, Huadong; Altigani, Latifa A A; Zheng, Xueli; Bu, Shuhai

2017-07-01

The bamboo flowering leads to the habitat fragmentation and food quality decline of a giant panda. Few empirical research has been conducted about the giant panda's response to the bamboo flowering. Here, we investigated the characteristics of bamboo stands, giant panda's activity, and selection and utilization of bamboo stands by giant panda in Taibaishan National Nature Reserve, China, over a 3-year period (September 2013-May 2016) during the Fargesia qinlingensis flowering period. Our results indicated that the proportion of whole bamboo stands flowering has gradually expanded from 26.7% in 2013 and 33.9% in 2014 to 52.3% in 2015. Although the flowering bamboo has lower crude protein and higher crude fiber than a non-flowering bamboo, the giant panda still fed on flowering bamboo from the evidence of droppings. The giant panda left its feeding sites and moved to the high elevation along river when the proportion of flowering reached 69.2% at elevation of 2350-2450 m in the third year. With the decline of the quality of bamboo stand of Fargesia qinlingensis, the giant panda abandoned its feeding sites when the threshold value of bamboo flowering reached 56.9-69.2%. Flexibility in foraging strategy and spatial behavior can help the giant panda to better adapt to the environment.

MOLECULAR CLONING, SEQUENCING, EXPRESSION AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF GIANT PANDA (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) INTERFERON-GAMMA.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hui; Wang, Wen-Xiu; Wang, Bao-Qin; Zhu, Xiao-Fu; Wu, Xu-Jin; Ma, Qing-Yi; Chen, De-Kun

2012-06-29

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an endangered species and indigenous to China. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is the only member of type □ IFN and is vital for the regulation of host adapted immunity and inflammatory response. Little is known aboutthe FN-γ gene and its roles in giant panda.In this study, IFN-γ gene of Qinling giant panda was amplified from total blood RNA by RT-CPR, cloned, sequenced and analysed. The open reading frame (ORF) of Qinling giant panda IFN-γ encodes 152 amino acidsand is highly similar to Sichuan giant panda with an identity of 99.3% in cDNA sequence. The IFN-γ cDNA sequence was ligated to the pET32a vector and transformed into E. coli BL21 competent cells. Expression of recombinant IFN-γ protein of Qinling giant panda in E. coli was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Biological activity assay indicated that the recombinant IFN-γ protein at the concentration of 4-10 µg/ml activated the giant panda peripheral blood lymphocytes,while at 12 µg/mlinhibited. the activation of the lymphocytes.These findings provide insights into the evolution of giant panda IFN-γ and information regarding amino acid residues essential for their biological activity.

Solitary ulcerated congenital giant juvenile xanthogranuloma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su Yuen Ng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A 3-month-old female patient with a giant ulcerated nodule over the back since birth was diagnosed as congenital giant juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG based on clinical and histopathological examination. Congenital giant JXG with ulceration at birth is a rare presentation of JXG and commonly misdiagnosed. This case emphasizes the importance of being aware of the myriad presentations of JXG in order to make a correct diagnosis and avoid unnecessary investigations or treatment.

Giant resonances in heavy-ion reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussein, M.S.

1982-11-01

The several roles of multipole giant resonances in heavy-ion reactions are discussed. In particular, the modifications in the effective ion-ion potencial due to the virtual excitation of giant resonances at low energies, are considered and estimated for several systems. Real excitation of giant resonances in heavy-ion reactions at intermediate energies are then discussed and their importance in the approach phase of deeply inelastic processes in emphasized. Several demonstrative examples are given. (Author) [pt

Giant Pulse Studies of Ordinary and Recycled Pulsars with NICER

Science.gov (United States)

Lewandowska, Natalia; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Gendreau, Keith C.; Enoto, Teruaki; Harding, Alice; Lommen, Andrea; Ray, Paul S.; Deneva, Julia; Kerr, Matthew; Ransom, Scott M.; NICER Team

2018-01-01

Radio Giant Pulses are one of the earliest discovered form of anomalous single pulse emission from pulsars. Known for their non-periodical occurrence, restriction to certain phase ranges, power-law intensity distributions, pulse widths ranging from microseconds to nanoseconds and very high brightness temperatures, they stand out as an individual form of pulsar radio emission.Discovered originally in the case of the Crab pulsar, several other pulsars have been observed to emit radio giant pulses, the most promising being the recycled pulsar PSR B1937+21 and also the Vela pulsar.Although radio giant pulses are apparently the result of a coherent emission mechanism, recent studies of the Crab pulsar led to the discovery of an additional incoherent component at optical wavelengths. No such component has been identified for recycled pulsars, or Vela yet.To provide constraints on possible emission regions in their magnetospheres and to search for differences between giant pulses from ordinary and recycled pulsars, we present the progress of the correlation study of PSR B1937+21 and the Vela pulsar carried out with NICER and several radio observatories.

Combined surgical and medical treatment of giant prolactinoma: case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rădoi Mugurel

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The operative management of giant pituitary prolactinoma represents a significant challenge for neurosurgeons, due to the degree of local tumor infiltration into adjacent structures such as cavernous sinus. The degree of parasellar tumor extension can be classified according to the Knosp grading system’ while suprasellar extension is qualified in accordance with the modified Hardys classification system. This report describes the case of a male patient with a giant pituitary prolactinoma in which a partial tumor resection via a subfrontal approach was achieved. Typically, resection rates of less than 50% have been reported following surgery on giant pituitary adenomas. Prolactin levels were very high, consistent with invasive giant prolactinoma. Our patient was treated with Cabergoline which eventually normalized the prolactin level and significantly reduced the size of the residual tumor. This case serves to illustrate that in the presence of significant suprasellar and parasellar extension, multi-modal treatment strategies with surgery and dopamine agonist, is the gold standard in the management of locally aggressive pituitary prolactinomas.

Design and experimental study of a novel giant magnetostrictive actuator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xue, Guangming, E-mail: yy0youxia@163.com [Vehicle and Electrical Engineering Department, Ordnance Engineering College, Shijiazhuang, 050003 China (China); Zhang, Peilin; He, Zhongbo; Li, Dongwei; Huang, Yingjie [Vehicle and Electrical Engineering Department, Ordnance Engineering College, Shijiazhuang, 050003 China (China); Xie, Wenqiang [Cadre Rotational Training Brigade, Ordnance Engineering College, Shijiazhuang, 050003 China (China)

2016-12-15

Giant magnetostrictive actuator has been widely used in precise driving occasions for its excellent performance. However, in driving a switching valve, especially the ball-valve in an electronic controlled injector, the actuator can’t exhibit its good performance for limits in output displacement and responding speed. A novel giant magnetostrictive actuator, which can reach its maximum displacement for being exerted with no bias magnetic field, is designed in this paper. Simultaneously, elongating of the giant magetostrictive material is converted to shortening of the actuator's axial dimension with the help of an output rod in “T” type. Furthermore, to save responding time, the driving voltage with high opening voltage while low holding voltage is designed. Responding time and output displacement are studied experimentally with the help of a measuring system. From measured results, designed driving voltage can improve the responding speed of actuator displacement quite effectively. And, giant magnetostrictive actuator can output various steady-state displacements to reach more driving effects. - Highlights: • GMA with zero bias magnetic field can reach maximum displacement in one direction. • Driving wave with high opening voltage can promote GMA's responding speed. • Higher opening voltage is exerted, less rise time is reached. • Continuous displacements from 0 to maximum value can be achieved by GMA.

Surface Compositions of Red Giant Stars in Globular Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Eric; Lau, Marie; Smith, Graeme; Chen, Brian

2018-01-01

Globular clusters (GCs) are excellent “laboratories” to study the formation and evolution of our galaxy. In order to understand, more specifically, the chemical compositions and stellar evolution of the stars in GCs, we ask whether or not deep internal mixing occurs in red giants or if in fact the compositions come from the primordial interstellar medium or previous generations of stars. It has been discovered that as a star evolves up the red giant branch, the surface carbon abundance decreases, which is evidence of deep internal mixing. We questioned whether these processes also affect O or Na abundance as a star evolves. We collected measurement data of red giants from GCs out of academic journals and sorted the data into catalogs. Then, we plotted the catalogs into figures, comparing surface O and Na each with stellar luminosity. Statistical tests were ran to quantify the amount of correlation between the variables. Out of 27 GCs, we concluded that eight show a positive correlation between Na and luminosity, and two show a negative correlation between O and luminosity. Properties of GCs were compared to determine if chemical distribution in stars depends on GCs as the self-enrichment scenario suggests. We created histograms of sodium distribution to test for bimodality to examine if there are separate trends in each GC. In six GCs, two different sequences of red giants appear for Na versus luminosity, suggesting evidence that the depth of mixing may differ among each red giant in a GC. This study has provided new evidence that the changing chemical abundances on the surfaces of red giants can be due to stellar evolutionary effects and deep internal mixing, which may not necessarily depend on the GC and may differ in depth among each red giant. Through this study, we learn more about stellar evolution which will eventually help us understand the origins of our universe. Most of this work was carried out by high school students working under the auspices of

VizieR Online Data Catalog: VIMOS Public Extragalactic Survey (VIPERS) DR1 (Garilli+, 2014)

Science.gov (United States)

Garilli, B.; Guzzo, L.; Scodeggio, M.; Bolzonella, M.; Abbas, U.; Adami, C.; Arnouts, S.; Bel, J.; Bottini, D.; Branchini, E.; Cappi, A.; Coupon, J.; Cucciati, O.; Davidzon, I.; de Lucia, G.; de la Torre, S.; Franzetti, P.; Fritz, A.; Fumana, M.; Granett, B. R.; Ilbert, O.; Iovino, A.; Krywult, J.; Le Brun, V.; Le Fevre, O.; Maccagni, D.; Malek, K.; Marulli, F.; McCracken, H. J.; Paioro, L.; Polletta, M.; Pollo, A.; Schlagenhaufer, H.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Tojeiro, R.; Vergani, D.; Zamorani, G.; Zanichelli, A.; Burden, A.; di Porto, C.; Marchetti, A.; Marinoni, C.; Mellier, Y.; Moscardini, L.; Nichol, R. C.; Peacock, J. A.; Percival, W. J.; Phleps, S.; Wolk, M.

2014-09-01

We present the first Public Data Release (PDR-1) of the VIMOS Public Extragalactic Survey (VIPERS). It comprises 57204 spectroscopic measurements together with all additional information necessary for optimal scientific exploitation of the data, in particular the associated photometric measurements and quantification of the photometric and survey completeness. VIPERS is an ESO Large Programme designed to build a spectroscopic sample of =~100000 galaxies with iABaccessing the data through the survey database (http://vipers.inaf.it) where all information can be queried interactively. (4 data files).

A highly efficient surface plasmon polaritons excitation achieved with a metal-coupled metal-insulator-metal waveguide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongyan Yang

2014-12-01

Full Text Available We propose a novel metal-coupled metal-insulator-metal (MC-MIM waveguide which can achieve a highly efficient surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs excitation. The MC-MIM waveguide is formed by inserting a thin metal film in the insulator of an MIM. The introduction of the metal film, functioning as an SPPs coupler, provides a space for the interaction between SPPs and a confined electromagnetic field of the intermediate metal surface, which makes energy change and phase transfer in the metal-dielectric interface, due to the joint action of incomplete electrostatic shielding effect and SPPs coupling. Impacts of the metal film with different materials and various thickness on SPPs excitation are investigated. It is shown that the highest efficient SPPs excitation is obtained when the gold film thickness is 60 nm. The effect of refractive index of upper and lower symmetric dielectric layer on SPPs excitation is also discussed. The result shows that the decay value of refractive index is 0.3. Our results indicate that this proposed MC-MIM waveguide may offer great potential in designing a new SPPs source.

The development and performance of the EXAM detector to search for extragalactic antimatter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coan, T.E.

1989-01-01

The design and development of a practical balloon borne instrument capable of detecting heavy (Z approximately equal to -26) antimatter in the cosmic rays are described. Emphasis is placed on describing the essential physics of the EXAM (extragalactic antimatter) instrument's individual detectors that make such a detection possible. In particular, it is shown that the responses from a plastic scintillator, a Cerenkov radiation detector, dielectric track detectors, and proportional drift tube arrays can be used to uniquely determine the speed, charge magnitude, and charge sign of a cosmic ray nucleus. This novel nonmagnetic detection scheme permits the construction of a relatively light weight (approximately 2,000 kg) detector with a large collecting power (approximately 10 sq m sr). The profound cosmological and elementary particle physics implications of the detection of just a single heavy antimatter nucleus are discussed in chapter one, along with arguments that imply that such a detected antinucleus must necessarily be extragalactic in origin. Chapters two through six describe the response of EXAM's individual detectors to the passage of heavily ionizing charged particles. Chapter seven is an overview of the mechanical construction of the entire instrument. Details of the measurement of the light collection efficiency of EXAM's Cerenkov detector and primary scintillator using sea-level muons and how this will be used to assist in the flight data analysis are contained in chapter eight. This chapter also includes a description of the instrument's electronic configuration and its data acquisition system. Finally, there are two appendices summarizing some important mechanical stress calculations that were required to actually build the instrument

A NEW CEPHEID DISTANCE TO THE GIANT SPIRAL M101 BASED ON IMAGE SUBTRACTION OF HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE/ADVANCED CAMERA FOR SURVEYS OBSERVATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shappee, Benjamin J.; Stanek, K. Z.

2011-01-01

We accurately determine a new Cepheid distance to M101 (NGC 5457) using archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Advanced Camera for Surveys V and I time series photometry of two fields within the galaxy. We make a slight modification to the ISIS image subtraction package to obtain optimal differential light curves from HST data. We discovered 827 Cepheids with periods between 3 and 80 days, the largest extragalactic sample of Cepheids observed with HST by a factor of two. With this large Cepheid sample, we find that the relative distance of M101 from the Large Magellanic Cloud is Δμ LMC = 10.63 ± 0.04 (random) ± 0.06 (systematic) mag. If we use the geometrically determined maser distance to NGC 4258 as our distance anchor, the distance modulus of M101 is μ 0 = 29.04 ± 0.05 (random) ± 0.18 (systematic) mag or D = 6.4 ± 0.2 (random) ± 0.5 (systematic) Mpc. The uncertainty is dominated by the maser distance estimate (±0.15 mag), which should improve over the next few years. We determine a steep metallicity dependence, γ, for our Cepheid sample through two methods, yielding γ = -0.80 ± 0.21 (random) ± 0.06 (systematic) mag dex -1 and γ = -0.72 +0.22 -0.25 (random) ± 0.06 (systematic) mag dex -1 . We see marginal evidence for variations in the Wesenheit period-luminosity relation slope as a function of deprojected galactocentric radius. We also use the tip of the red giant branch method to independently determine the distance modulus to M101 of μ 0 = 29.05 ± 0.06 (random) ± 0.12 (systematic) mag.

Ages and Heavy Element Abundances from Very Metal-poor Stars in the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Camilla Juul; El-Souri, Mariam; Monaco, Lorenzo; Villanova, Sandro; Bonifacio, Piercarlo; Caffau, Elisabetta; Sbordone, Luca

2018-03-01

Sagittarius (Sgr) is a massive disrupted dwarf spheroidal galaxy in the Milky Way halo that has undergone several stripping events. Previous chemical studies were restricted mainly to a few, metal-rich ([Fe/H] \\gtrapprox -1) stars that suggested a top-light initial mass function (IMF). Here we present the first high-resolution, very metal-poor ([Fe/H] =‑1 to ‑3) sample of 13 giant stars in the main body of Sgr. We derive abundances of 13 elements, namely C, Ca, Co, Fe, Sr, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Dy, Pb, and Th, that challenge the interpretation based on previous studies. Our abundances from Sgr mimic those of the metal-poor halo, and our most metal-poor star ([Fe/H] ∼ -3) indicates a pure r-process pollution. Abundances of Sr, Pb, and Th are presented for the first time in Sgr, allowing for age determination using nuclear cosmochronology. We calculate ages of 9+/- 2.5 {Gyr}. Most of the sample stars have been enriched by a range of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with masses between 1.3 and 5 M ⊙. Sgr J190651.47–320147.23 shows a large overabundance of Pb (2.05 dex) and a peculiar abundance pattern best fit by a 3 M ⊙ AGB star. Based on star-to-star scatter and observed abundance patterns, a mixture of low- and high-mass AGB stars and supernovae (15–25 M ⊙) is necessary to explain these patterns. The high level (0.29 ± 0.05 dex) of Ca indicates that massive supernovae must have existed and polluted the early ISM of Sgr before it lost its gas. This result is in contrast with a top-light IMF with no massive stars polluting Sgr. Based on data obtained UVES/VLT ID: 083.B-0774, 075.B-0127.

Swiss roll operation for giant fibroadenoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Soomro, Saleem A; Memon, Sohail A; Mohammad, Noor; Maher, Mumtaz

2009-01-01

Fibroadenoma 5 cm or more is called giant fibroadenoma. Giant fibroadenoma can distort the shape of breast and causes asymmetry, so it should be excised. There are several techniques for excision of giant fibroadenoma. In our technique we remove them through cosmetically acceptable circumareolar incision to maintain the shape and symmetry of breast. The objectives were to assess the cosmetic results of Swiss roll operation for giant fibroadenoma. The study was conducted for six years from January, 2002 to December, 2007. Seventy patients of giant fibroadenoma were included in this study. They were diagnosed on history and clinical examination supported by ultrasound and postoperative histopathological examination. Data were collected from outpatient department and operation theatre. Swiss roll operation was performed under general anaesthesia. Mean tumor size was 6.38 cm. Three cm and 4 cm incisions were used for tumour 6 cm in size respectively. Skin closed with Vicryl 3/0 subcuticular stitches. Sixteen out of 70 patients had no scar while others hadminimal scar. All patients had normal shape and symmetry of breast. On histopathology fibroadenoma was confirmed. Giant fibroadenoma should be removed through cosmetically acceptable cicumareolar incision especially in unmarried young females who have small breast. Swiss-roll operation is superior in maintaining the shape and symmetry of breast. No major complication was found in our series except seroma formation in 10 patients.

Giant serpentine intracranial aneurysm: a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jae Seong; Lee, Myeong Sub; Kim, Myung Soon; Kim, Dong Jin; Park, Joong Wha; Whang, Kum

2001-01-01

The authors present a case of giant serpentine aneurysm (a partially thrombosed aneurysm containing tortuous vascular channels with a separate entrance and outflow pathway). Giant serpentine aneurysms form a subgroup of giant intracranial aneurysms, distinct from saccular and fusiform varieties, and in this case, too, the clinical presentation and radiographic features of CT, MR imaging and angiography were distinct

Large-scale anisotropy in the extragalactic gamma-ray background as a probe for cosmological antimatter

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yi-Tian; Stecker, Floyd W.; Gleiser, Marcelo; Cline, David B.

1990-01-01

Intrinsic anisotropies in the extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGB), which should be detectable with the forthcoming Gamma Ray Observatory, can be used to examine some of the mechanisms proposed to explain its origin, one of which, the baryon-symmetric big bang (BSBB) model, is investigated here. In this simulation, large domains containing matter and antimatter galaxies produce gamma rays by annihilation at the domain boundaries. This mechanism can produce mountain-chain-shaped angular fluctuations in the EGB flux.

Crystal structure of actinide metals at high compression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fast, L.; Soederlind, P.

1995-08-01

The crystal structures of some light actinide metals are studied theoretically as a function of applied pressure. The first principles electronic structure theory is formulated in the framework of density functional theory, with the gradient corrected local density approximation of the exchange-correlation functional. The light actinide metals are shown to be well described as itinerant (metallic) f-electron metals and generally, they display a crystal structure which have, in agreement with previous theoretical suggestions, increasing degree of symmetry and closed-packing upon compression. The theoretical calculations agree well with available experimental data. At very high compression, the theory predicts closed-packed structures such as the fcc or the hcp structures or the nearly closed-packed bcc structure for the light actinide metals. A simple canonical band picture is presented to explain in which particular closed-packed form these metals will crystallize at ultra-high pressure

Experimental observation of percolation-enhanced nonlinear light scattering from semicontinuous metal films

Science.gov (United States)

Breit, M.; Podolskiy, V. A.; Grésillon, S.; von Plessen, G.; Feldmann, J.; Rivoal, J. C.; Gadenne, P.; Sarychev, Andrey K.; Shalaev, Vladimir M.

2001-09-01

Strongly enhanced second-harmonic generation (SHG), which is characterized by a nearly isotropic intensity distribution, is observed for gold-glass films near the percolation threshold. The diffuselike SHG scattering, which can be thought of as nonlinear critical opalescence, is in sharp contrast with highly collimated linear reflection and transmission from these nanostructured semicontinuous metal films. Our observations, which can be explained by giant fluctuations of local nonlinear sources for SHG due to plasmon localization, verify recent predictions of percolation-enhanced nonlinear scattering.

Capture of terrestrial-sized moons by gas giant planets.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Darren M

2013-04-01

Terrestrial moons with masses >0.1 M (symbol in text) possibly exist around extrasolar giant planets, and here we consider the energetics of how they might form. Binary-exchange capture can occur if a binary-terrestrial object (BTO) is tidally disrupted during a close encounter with a giant planet and one of the binary members is ejected while the other remains as a moon. Tidal disruption occurs readily in the deep gravity wells of giant planets; however, the large encounter velocities in the wells make binary exchange more difficult than for planets of lesser mass. In addition, successful capture favors massive binaries with large rotational velocities and small component mass ratios. Also, since the interaction tends to leave the captured moons on highly elliptical orbits, permanent capture is only possible around planets with sizable Hill spheres that are well separated from their host stars.

Evolution of Extragalactic Radio Sources and Quasar/Galaxy Unification

Science.gov (United States)

Onah, C. I.; Ubachukwu, A. A.; Odo, F. C.; Onuchukwu, C. C.

2018-04-01

We use a large sample of radio sources to investigate the effects of evolution, luminosity selection and radio source orientation in explaining the apparent deviation of observed angular size - redshift (θ - z) relation of extragalactic radio sources (EGRSs) from the standard model. We have fitted the observed θ - z data with standard cosmological models based on a flat universe (Ω0 = 1). The size evolution of EGRSs has been described as luminosity, temporal and orientation-dependent in the form DP,z,Φ ≍ P±q(1 + z)-m sinΦ, with q=0.3, Φ=59°, m=-0.26 for radio galaxies and q=-0.5, Φ=33°, m=3.1 for radio quasars respectively. Critical points of luminosity, logPcrit=26.33 WHz-1 and logDc=2.51 kpc (316.23 kpc) of the present sample of radio sources were also observed. All the results were found to be consistent with the popular quasar/galaxy unification scheme.

318-MHz variability of complete samples of extragalactic radio sources. II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennison, B.; Broderick, J.J.; Ledden, J.E.; O'Dell, S.L.; Condon, J.J.

1981-01-01

We report the remainder of two- and three-epoch 318-MHz observations of extragalactic sources in samples complete to 3 Jy at 1400 MHz and 1 Jy at 5000 MHz. From analysis of this low-frequency variability survey, we find that steep-spectrum (α> or =0.5) sources do not appear to vary, but about 40% of all flat-spectrum (α<0.5) sources exhibit low-frequency variability exceeding 8% over approx.5 yr. Among the flat-spectrum sources, those with inverted spectra show the largest fractional variations. We also find that the incidence of low-frequency variability is strongly correlated with the determination that a source is an optically violent variable. These statistical properties are consistent with models invoking relativistic beaming of radio and optical emission

Stellar oscillations in planet-hosting giant stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hatzes, Artie P; Zechmeister, Mathias [Thueringer Landessternwarte, Sternwarte 5, D-07778 (Germany)], E-mail: artie@tls-tautenburg.de

2008-10-15

Recently a number of giant extrasolar planets have been discovered around giant stars. These discoveries are important because many of these giant stars have intermediate masses in the range 1.2-3 Msun. Early-type main sequence stars of this mass range have been avoided by radial velocity planet search surveys due the difficulty of getting the requisite radial velocity precision needed for planet discoveries. Thus, giant stars can tell us about planet formation for stars more massive than the sun. However, the determination of stellar masses for giant stars is difficult due to the fact that evolutionary tracks for stars covering a wide range of masses converge to the same region of the H-R diagram. We report here on stellar oscillations in three planet-hosting giant stars: HD 13189, {beta} Gem, and {iota} Dra. Precise stellar radial velocity measurements for these stars show variations whose periods and amplitudes are consistent with solar-like p-mode oscillations. The implied stellar masses for these objects based on the characteristics of the stellar oscillations are consistent with the predictions of stellar isochrones. An investigation of stellar oscillations in planet hosting giant stars offers us the possibility of getting an independent determination of the stellar mass for these objects which is of crucial importance for extrasolar planet studies.

Giant nuclear resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snover, K.A.

1989-01-01

Giant nuclear resonances are elementary mods of oscillation of the whole nucleus, closely related to the normal modes of oscillation of coupled mechanical systems. They occur systematically in most if not all nuclei, with oscillation energies typically in the range 10-30 MeV. One of the best - known examples is the giant electric dipole (El) resonance, in which all the protons and all the neutrons oscillate with opposite phase, producing a large time - varying electric dipole moment which acts as an effective antenna for radiating gamma ray. This paper discusses this mode as well as quadrupole and monopole modes

LUMINOUS AND HIGH STELLAR MASS CANDIDATE GALAXIES AT z ≈ 8 DISCOVERED IN THE COSMIC ASSEMBLY NEAR-INFRARED DEEP EXTRAGALACTIC LEGACY SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Haojing; Finkelstein, Steven L.; Huang, Kuang-Han; Ryan, Russell E.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Koekemoer, Anton M.; Grogin, Norman A.; Dickinson, Mark; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Somerville, Rachel S.; Davé, Romeel; Faber, S. M.; Papovich, Casey; Guo Yicheng; Giavalisco, Mauro; Lee, Kyoung-soo; Reddy, Naveen; Siana, Brian D.; Cooray, Asantha R.; Hathi, Nimish P.

2012-01-01

One key goal of the Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey is to track galaxy evolution back to z ≈ 8. Its two-tiered ''wide and deep'' strategy bridges significant gaps in existing near-infrared surveys. Here we report on z ≈ 8 galaxy candidates selected as F105W-band dropouts in one of its deep fields, which covers 50.1 arcmin 2 to 4 ks depth in each of three near-infrared bands in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey southern field. Two of our candidates have J 1 mag brighter than any previously known F105W-dropouts. We derive constraints on the bright end of the rest-frame ultraviolet luminosity function of galaxies at z ≈ 8, and show that the number density of such very bright objects is higher than expected from the previous Schechter luminosity function estimates at this redshift. Another two candidates are securely detected in Spitzer Infrared Array Camera images, which are the first such individual detections at z ≈ 8. Their derived stellar masses are on the order of a few × 10 9 M ☉ , from which we obtain the first measurement of the high-mass end of the galaxy stellar mass function at z ≈ 8. The high number density of very luminous and very massive galaxies at z ≈ 8, if real, could imply a large stellar-to-halo mass ratio and an efficient conversion of baryons to stars at such an early time.

Extragalactic Hard X-ray Surveys: From INTEGRAL to Simbol-X

Science.gov (United States)

Paltani, S.; Dwelly, T.; Walter, R.; McHardy, I. M.; Courvoisier, T. J.-L.

2009-05-01

We present some results of the deepest extragalactic survey performed by the INTEGRAL satellite. The fraction of very absorbed AGN is quite large. The sharp decrease in the absorption fraction with X-ray luminosity observed at lower-energy X-rays is not observed. The current lack of truly Compton-thick objects, with an upper limit of 14% to the size of this population, is just compatible with recent modeling of the cosmic X-ray background. We also study the prospects for a future hard X-ray serendipitous survey with Simbol-X. We show that Simbol-X will easily detect a large number of serendipitous AGN, allowing us to study the evolution of AGN up to redshifts about 2, opening the door to the cosmological study of hard X-ray selected AGN, which is barely possible with existing satellites like Swift and INTEGRAL.

Evidence of high inbreeding in a population of the endangered giant anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Myrmecophagidae), from Emas National Park, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Collevatti, Rosane G.; Leite, Kelly C.E.; Miranda, Guilherme H.B. de; Rodrigues, Flavio H.G.

2007-01-01

We report the genetic structure, relatedness and mating structure of a population of the endangered giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 in the Emas National Park, Brazil, based on variability at five microsatellite loci. Additionally, we addressed the hypothesis that the M. tridactyla population studied has low levels of polymorphism and high levels of inbreeding and relatedness and that animals with overlapping home range are highly related. All five microsatellite loci dis...

SHOCKS AND A GIANT PLANET IN THE DISK ORBITING BP PISCIUM?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melis, C.; Zuckerman, B.; Gielen, C.; Chen, C. H.; Rhee, Joseph H.; Song, Inseok

2010-01-01

Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph data support the interpretation that BP Piscium, a gas and dust enshrouded star residing at high Galactic latitude, is a first-ascent giant rather than a classical T Tauri star. Our analysis suggests that BP Piscium's spectral energy distribution can be modeled as a disk with a gap that is opened by a giant planet. Modeling the rich mid-infrared emission line spectrum indicates that the solid-state emitting grains orbiting BP Piscium are primarily composed of ∼75 K crystalline, magnesium-rich olivine; ∼75 K crystalline, magnesium-rich pyroxene; ∼200 K amorphous, magnesium-rich pyroxene; and ∼200 K annealed silica (cristobalite). These dust grains are all sub-micron sized. The giant planet and gap model also naturally explains the location and mineralogy of the small dust grains in the disk. Disk shocks that result from disk-planet interaction generate the highly crystalline dust which is subsequently blown out of the disk mid-plane and into the disk atmosphere.

Shedding light on the eccentricity valley: Gap heating and eccentricity excitation of giant planets in protoplanetary disks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, David; Cumming, Andrew; Turner, Neal J.

2014-01-01

We show that the first order (non-co-orbital) corotation torques are significantly modified by entropy gradients in a non-barotropic protoplanetary disk. Such non-barotropic torques can dramatically alter the balance that, for barotropic cases, results in the net eccentricity damping for giant gap-clearing planets embedded in the disk. We demonstrate that stellar illumination can heat the gap enough for the planet's orbital eccentricity to instead be excited. We also discuss the 'Eccentricity Valley' noted in the known exoplanet population, where low-metallicity stars have a deficit of eccentric planets between ∼0.1 and ∼1 AU compared to metal-rich systems. We show that this feature in the planet distribution may be due to the self-shadowing of the disk by a rim located at the dust sublimation radius ∼0.1 AU, which is known to exist for several T Tauri systems. In the shadowed region between ∼0.1 and ∼1 AU, lack of gap insolation allows disk interactions to damp eccentricity. Outside such shadowed regions stellar illumination can heat the planetary gaps and drive eccentricity growth for giant planets. We suggest that the self-shadowing does not arise at higher metallicity due to the increased optical depth of the gas interior to the dust sublimation radius.

Shedding light on the eccentricity valley: Gap heating and eccentricity excitation of giant planets in protoplanetary disks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsang, David; Cumming, Andrew [Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2T8 (Canada); Turner, Neal J., E-mail: dtsang@physics.mcgill.ca [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

2014-02-20

We show that the first order (non-co-orbital) corotation torques are significantly modified by entropy gradients in a non-barotropic protoplanetary disk. Such non-barotropic torques can dramatically alter the balance that, for barotropic cases, results in the net eccentricity damping for giant gap-clearing planets embedded in the disk. We demonstrate that stellar illumination can heat the gap enough for the planet's orbital eccentricity to instead be excited. We also discuss the 'Eccentricity Valley' noted in the known exoplanet population, where low-metallicity stars have a deficit of eccentric planets between ∼0.1 and ∼1 AU compared to metal-rich systems. We show that this feature in the planet distribution may be due to the self-shadowing of the disk by a rim located at the dust sublimation radius ∼0.1 AU, which is known to exist for several T Tauri systems. In the shadowed region between ∼0.1 and ∼1 AU, lack of gap insolation allows disk interactions to damp eccentricity. Outside such shadowed regions stellar illumination can heat the planetary gaps and drive eccentricity growth for giant planets. We suggest that the self-shadowing does not arise at higher metallicity due to the increased optical depth of the gas interior to the dust sublimation radius.

Determination of giant resonance strengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serr, F.E.

1983-01-01

Using theoretical strength functions to describe the different giant resonances expected at excitation energies of the order of (60-85)/Asup(1/3) MeV, we calculate the double differential cross sections d 2 sigma/dΩ dE associated with the reactions 208 Pb(α, α') and 90 Zr(α, α') (Esub(α) = 152 MeV). The angular distributions for the giant quadrupole and giant monopole resonances obtained from fits to these spectra, making simple, commonly used assumptions for the peak shapes and background, are compared to the original angular distributions. The differences between them are an indication of some of the uncertainties affecting the giant resonance strengths extracted from hadron inelastic scattering data. Fits to limited angular regions lead to errors of up to 50% in the value of the energy-weighted sum rule, depending on the angles examined. While it seems possible to extract the correct EWSR for the GMR by carrying out the analyses at 0 0 , no single privileged angle seems to exist in the case of the GQR. (orig.)

CMB lensing and giant rings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rathaus, Ben; Itzhaki, Nissan, E-mail: nitzhaki@post.tau.ac.il, E-mail: ben.rathaus@gmail.com [Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, 69978 (Israel)

2012-05-01

We study the CMB lensing signature of a pre-inationary particle (PIP), assuming it is responsible for the giant rings anomaly that was found recently in the WMAP data. Simulating Planck-like data we find that generically the CMB lensing signal to noise ratio associated with such a PIP is quite small and it would be difficult to cross correlate the temperature giant rings with the CMB lensing signal. However, if the pre-inationary particle is also responsible for the bulk flow measured from the local large scale structure, which happens to point roughly at the same direction as the giant rings, then the CMB lensing signal to noise ratio is fairly significant.

Efficient spin injection and giant magnetoresistance in Fe / MoS 2 / Fe junctions

KAUST Repository

Dolui, Kapildeb

2014-07-02

We demonstrate giant magnetoresistance in Fe/MoS2/Fe junctions by means of ab initio transport calculations. We show that junctions incorporating either a monolayer or a bilayer of MoS2 are metallic and that Fe acts as an efficient spin injector into MoS2 with an efficiency of about 45%. This is the result of the strong coupling between the Fe and S atoms at the interface. For junctions of greater thickness, a maximum magnetoresistance of ∼300% is obtained, which remains robust with the applied bias as long as transport is in the tunneling limit. A general recipe for improving the magnetoresistance in spin valves incorporating layered transition metal dichalcogenides is proposed. © 2014 American Physical Society.

Growth-mechanism of giant intracranial aneurysms; demonstration by CT and MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schubiger, O.; Valavanis, A.; Wichmann, W.

1987-05-01

In four cases of giant intracranial aneurysm, CT demonstrated a hyperdense open-, or closed-ring structure at the periphery of the aneurysm. Surgery in two of the cases demonstrated that this peripheral hyperdensity represents fresh clot inside the wall of the thrombosed mass. An analogy is established between giant intracranial aneurysms, chronic subdural hematomas and growing encapsulated intracerebral hematomas. The common feature of the three entities is slow growth by recurrent hemorrhages into the lesion. It is proven that growth of chronic subdural hematomas and of growing encapsulated hematomas is related to recurrent hemorrhage from capillaries sprouting within the membrane of the lesion. The highly vascularized membranous wall of a giant intracranial aneurysm seems to behave like the membrane of a chronic subdural hematoma. It is suggested that the giant intracranial aneurysm grows by recurrent hemorrhage into its wall and behaves like growing encapsulated hematomas.

Planets around the evolved stars 24 Boötis and γ Libra: A 30 d-period planet and a double giant-planet system in possible 7:3 MMR

Science.gov (United States)

Takarada, Takuya; Sato, Bun'ei; Omiya, Masashi; Harakawa, Hiroki; Nagasawa, Makiko; Izumiura, Hideyuki; Kambe, Eiji; Takeda, Yoichi; Yoshida, Michitoshi; Itoh, Yoichi; Ando, Hiroyasu; Kokubo, Eiichiro; Ida, Shigeru

2018-05-01

We report the detection of planets around two evolved giant stars from radial velocity measurements at Okayama Astrophysical observatory. 24 Boo (G3 IV) has a mass of 0.99 M_{⊙}, a radius of 10.64 R_{⊙}, and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.77. The star hosts one planet with a minimum mass of 0.91 MJup and an orbital period of 30.35 d. The planet has one of the shortest orbital periods among those ever found around evolved stars using radial-velocity methods. The stellar radial velocities show additional periodicity with 150 d, which can probably be attributed to stellar activity. The star is one of the lowest-metallicity stars orbited by planets currently known. γ Lib (K0 III) is also a metal-poor giant with a mass of 1.47 M_{⊙}, a radius of 11.1 R_{⊙}, and [Fe/H] = -0.30. The star hosts two planets with minimum masses of 1.02 MJup and 4.58 MJup, and periods of 415 d and 964 d, respectively. The star has the second-lowest metallicity among the giant stars hosting more than two planets. Dynamical stability analysis for the γ Lib system sets the minimum orbital inclination angle to be about 70° and suggests that the planets are in 7:3 mean-motion resonance, though the current best-fitting orbits for the radial-velocity data are not totally regular.

Study of the giant dipole resonance built on highly excited states in Sn and Dy nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stolk, A.

1988-01-01

A study is presented of the giant dipole resonance built on highly excited states. The aim is to get more detailed information on the properties of the GDR and to use it as a tool for the investigation of nuclear structure at high excitation energy. The high energy γ-rays seen from the decay of excited state GDRs in heavy ion fusion reactions reflect the average properties of the states populated by the γ-emission. The measurements at different initial excitation energies of 114 Sn provide information on the nuclear level density near the particle separation energy at an average angular momentum of 10ℎ. The study of shape changes at very high spin in 152-156 Dy nuclei is presented. A theoretical model developed to describe fusion-evaporation reactions is presented. 149 refs.; 63 figs.; 13 tabs

Role of nature reserves in giant panda protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Dongwei; Li, Junqing

2018-02-01

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a flagship species in nature conservation of the world; to protect this species, 67 nature reserves have been established in China. To evaluate the protection effect of giant panda nature reserves, we analyzed the variation of giant panda number and habitat area of 23 giant panda nature reserves of Sichuan province based on the national survey data released by State Forestry Administration and Sichuan Forestry Department. Results showed that from the third national survey to the fourth, giant panda number and habitat area of 23 giant panda nature reserves of Sichuan province failed to realize the significant increase. Furthermore, we found that the total population growth rate of 23 nature reserves in the last 12 years was lower than those of the province total of Sichuan and the national total of China, and the total habitat area of the 23 nature reserves was decreasing in the last 12 years, but the province total and national total were all increasing. We propose that giant panda protection should pay more attention to how to improve the protective effects of nature reserves.

Microactuator production via high aspect ratio, high edge acuity metal fabrication technology

Science.gov (United States)

Guckel, H.; Christenson, T. R.

1993-01-01

LIGA is a procession sequence which uses x-ray lithography on photoresist layers of several hundred micrometers to produce very high edge acuity photopolymer molds. These plastic molds can be converted to metal molds via electroplating of many different metals and alloys. The end results are high edge acuity metal parts with large structural heights. The LIGA process as originally described by W. Ehrfeld can be extended by adding a surface micromachining phase to produce precision metal parts which can be assembled to form three-dimensional micromechanisms. This process, SLIGA, has been used to fabricate a dynamometer on a chip. The instrument has been fully implemented and will be applied to tribology issues, speed-torque characterization of planar magnetic micromotors and a new family of sensors.

Modeling Impacts of Climate Change on Giant Panda Habitat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa Songer

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca are one of the most widely recognized endangered species globally. Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats, and climate change could significantly impact giant panda survival. We integrated giant panda habitat information with general climate models (GCMs to predict future geographic distribution and fragmentation of giant panda habitat. Results support a major general prediction of climate change—a shift of habitats towards higher elevation and higher latitudes. Our models predict climate change could reduce giant panda habitat by nearly 60% over 70 years. New areas may become suitable outside the current geographic range but much of these areas is far from the current giant panda range and only 15% fall within the current protected area system. Long-term survival of giant pandas will require the creation of new protected areas that are likely to support suitable habitat even if the climate changes.

High-resolution spectra of stars in globular clusters. VI - Oxygen-deficient red giant stars in M13

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, J.A.; Wallerstein, G.; Oke, J.B.

1991-01-01

From high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra, abundances of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen and the C-12/C-13 ratio for five red giants in M13, including star II-67, which has previously been reported to be deficient in oxygen have been determined. Three of the five stars exhibit substantial oxygen deficiencies; O/Fe values range from +0.5 to less than about 0.3. The sum of the CNO nuclides is the same for all stars, which is interpreted as evidence that mixing of CNO-cycled material into the envelope is the cause of the variations in oxygen abundance. 41 refs

High temperature reactions between molybdenum and metal halides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boeroeczki, A.; Dobos, G.; Josepovits, V.K.; Hars, Gy.

2006-01-01

Good colour rendering properties, high intensity and efficacy are of vital importance for high-end lighting applications. These requirements can be achieved by high intensity discharge lamps doped with different metal halide additives (metal halide lamps). To improve their reliability, it is very important to understand the different failure processes of the lamps. In this paper, the corrosion reactions between different metal halides and the molybdenum electrical feed-through electrode are discussed. The reactions were studied in the feed-through of real lamps and on model samples too. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to establish the chemical states. In case of the model samples we have also used atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to measure the reaction product amounts. Based on the measurement results we were able to determine the most corrosive metal halide components and to understand the mechanism of the reactions

The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martineau-Huynh, Olivier; Bustamante, Mauricio; Carvalho, Washington

2017-01-01

The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND) is a planned array of ~200 000 radio antennas deployed over ~200 000 km2 in a mountainous site. It aims primarly at detecting high-energy neutrinos via the observation of extensive air showers induced by the decay in the atmosphere of taus...

Thermal escape from extrasolar giant planets.

Science.gov (United States)

Koskinen, Tommi T; Lavvas, Panayotis; Harris, Matthew J; Yelle, Roger V

2014-04-28

The detection of hot atomic hydrogen and heavy atoms and ions at high altitudes around close-in extrasolar giant planets (EGPs) such as HD209458b implies that these planets have hot and rapidly escaping atmospheres that extend to several planetary radii. These characteristics, however, cannot be generalized to all close-in EGPs. The thermal escape mechanism and mass loss rate from EGPs depend on a complex interplay between photochemistry and radiative transfer driven by the stellar UV radiation. In this study, we explore how these processes change under different levels of irradiation on giant planets with different characteristics. We confirm that there are two distinct regimes of thermal escape from EGPs, and that the transition between these regimes is relatively sharp. Our results have implications for thermal mass loss rates from different EGPs that we discuss in the context of currently known planets and the detectability of their upper atmospheres.

Stability of the giant dipole resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espino, J.M.; Gallardo, M.

1987-01-01

The Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR), because of its stability and its typical period of vibration, can be used as a test for compound nucleus reactions at high temperatures. This stability is studied in a simple model up to 6 MeV of temperature. The experimental methods for getting the properties of the GDR at T ≠ 0 are also commented. (author)

Giant prolactinoma: case report and review of literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rahmanian Masoud

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract “Invasive giant prolactinoma” is a large prolactinoma (>4 cm in dimension presenting with serum prolactin levels of >1000 ng/dL and mass related clinical symptoms. Here we report a patient with a giant prolactinoma presented with central hypogonadism, suppressed adrenal and thyroid function, supra sellar extension, visual field impairment and high prolactin level. The patient was treated with cabergoline, levothyroxin and prednisolone. After 18 months, tumor size markedly reduced, associated with adrenal function and visual field improvement, but central hypogonadism and secondary hypothyroidism persisted. Previous studies showed normalization of thyrotropin secretion after treatment but it remained low in our patient even after 18 months follow up.

High performance high-κ/metal gate complementary metal oxide semiconductor circuit element on flexible silicon

KAUST Repository

Sevilla, Galo T.

2016-02-29

Thinned silicon based complementary metal oxide semiconductor(CMOS)electronics can be physically flexible. To overcome challenges of limited thinning and damaging of devices originated from back grinding process, we show sequential reactive ion etching of silicon with the assistance from soft polymeric materials to efficiently achieve thinned (40 μm) and flexible (1.5 cm bending radius) silicon based functional CMOSinverters with high-κ/metal gate transistors. Notable advances through this study shows large area of silicon thinning with pre-fabricated high performance elements with ultra-large-scale-integration density (using 90 nm node technology) and then dicing of such large and thinned (seemingly fragile) pieces into smaller pieces using excimer laser. The impact of various mechanical bending and bending cycles show undeterred high performance of flexible siliconCMOSinverters. Future work will include transfer of diced silicon chips to destination site, interconnects, and packaging to obtain fully flexible electronic systems in CMOS compatible way.

Red giants: then and now

Science.gov (United States)

Faulkner, John

�sh·ρolinec prove to be important self-consistently derived quantities. I present some striking, explicit, asymptotic analytical theorems and results involving these quantities. Perhaps the most astonishingly unexpected and gratifying single result is this: for the very value Nature gives us for the relevant temperature exponent (η=15; CNO cycle) for nuclear-energy generation, ρsh and ρolinec behave in a well defined, precisely inverse manner for a given value of core-mass, Mc. This emphasizes that the internal behaviour of such stars is definitely anti-homologous rather than homologous: dense cores physically promote diffuse surrounding envelopes. I also extend the ideas yet further in a way which (I) links the structural and evolutionary behaviour of stars from the main sequence through horizontal-branch phases of evolution, and (II) also has implications for post-main-sequence developments in more massive stars. The end results is that the post-main-sequence developments of all stars - low-mass, intermediate-mass, and high-mass - as they expand to become giants, are finally seen to be examples of one underpinning fact: that dense cores with this surrounding shells naturally follow hydrogen exhaustion. While "this has been know all along" from oft-repeated computer calculations, we now know why analytically. That matters to true theorists. What follows is a requested, much expanded version of my Cambridge talk.

Giant cemento-ossifying fibroma of the maxilla.

Science.gov (United States)

Unal, Adnan; Yurtsever Kum, Nurcan; Kum, Rauf Oguzhan; Erdogan, Aysun; Ciliz, Deniz Sozmen; Guresci, Servet; Ozcan, Muge

2015-11-14

Fibro-osseous lesions of the skull and facial bones are benign tumors, but they can be mistaken for malignant tumors due to their clinically aggressive behavior. Cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF) is a benign fibro-osseous lesion characterized by slow growth and fibrous and calcified tissue content. COFs are locally destructive lesions causing deformities in the bones. The recurrence risk is high if they are not completely removed. In this case report we describe a giant COF mimicking chondrosarcoma in the oral cavity of a 55-year-old woman causing significant facial deformity and feeding problems. Giant COF occurs rarely in the jaws and given that this lesion has similar imaging and clinical features to several other tumors, the diagnosis is always a challenge for clinicians, radiologists and pathologists.

Gravity modes as a way to distinguish between hydrogen- and helium-burning red giant stars

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bedding, Timothy R.; Mosser, Benoit; Huber, Daniel

2011-01-01

Red giants are evolved stars that have exhausted the supply of hydrogen in their cores and instead burn hydrogen in a surrounding shell. Once a red giant is sufficiently evolved, the helium in the core also undergoes fusion. Outstanding issues in our understanding of red giants include...... uncertainties in the amount of mass lost at the surface before helium ignition and the amount of internal mixing from rotation and other processes. Progress is hampered by our inability to distinguish between red giants burning helium in the core and those still only burning hydrogen in a shell....... Asteroseismology offers a way forward, being a powerful tool for probing the internal structures of stars using their natural oscillation frequencies. Here we report observations of gravity-mode period spacings in red giants that permit a distinction between evolutionary stages to be made. We use high...

The Carnegie-Chicago Hubble Program. I. An Independent Approach to the Extragalactic Distance Scale Using Only Population II Distance Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Beaton, Rachael L.; Freedman, Wendy L.; Madore, Barry F.; Bono, Giuseppe; Carlson, Erika K.; Clementini, Gisella; Durbin, Meredith J.; Garofalo, Alessia; Hatt, Dylan; Jang, In Sung; Kollmeier, Juna A.; Lee, Myung Gyoon; Monson, Andrew J.; Rich, Jeffrey A.; Scowcroft, Victoria; Seibert, Mark; Sturch, Laura; Yang, Soung-Chul

2016-12-01

We present an overview of the Carnegie-Chicago Hubble Program, an ongoing program to obtain a 3% measurement of the Hubble constant (H 0) using alternative methods to the traditional Cepheid distance scale. We aim to establish a completely independent route to H 0 using RR Lyrae variables, the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB), and Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). This alternative distance ladder can be applied to galaxies of any Hubble type, of any inclination, and, using old stars in low-density environments, is robust to the degenerate effects of metallicity and interstellar extinction. Given the relatively small number of SNe Ia host galaxies with independently measured distances, these properties provide a great systematic advantage in the measurement of H 0 via the distance ladder. Initially, the accuracy of our value of H 0 will be set by the five Galactic RR Lyrae calibrators with Hubble Space Telescope Fine-Guidance Sensor parallaxes. With Gaia, both the RR Lyrae zero-point and TRGB method will be independently calibrated, the former with at least an order of magnitude more calibrators and the latter directly through parallax measurement of tip red giants. As the first end-to-end “distance ladder” completely independent of both Cepheid variables and the Large Magellanic Cloud, this path to H 0 will allow for the high-precision comparison at each rung of the traditional distance ladder that is necessary to understand tensions between this and other routes to H 0. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs #13472 and #13691.

The JWST Extragalactic Mock Catalog: Modeling Galaxy Populations from the UV through the Near-IR over 13 Billion Years of Cosmic History

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Christina C.; Curtis-Lake, Emma; Hainline, Kevin N.; Chevallard, Jacopo; Robertson, Brant E.; Charlot, Stephane; Endsley, Ryan; Stark, Daniel P.; Willmer, Christopher N. A.; Alberts, Stacey; Amorin, Ricardo; Arribas, Santiago; Baum, Stefi; Bunker, Andrew; Carniani, Stefano; Crandall, Sara; Egami, Eiichi; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Ferruit, Pierre; Husemann, Bernd; Maseda, Michael V.; Maiolino, Roberto; Rawle, Timothy D.; Rieke, Marcia; Smit, Renske; Tacchella, Sandro; Willott, Chris J.

2018-06-01

We present an original phenomenological model to describe the evolution of galaxy number counts, morphologies, and spectral energy distributions across a wide range of redshifts (0.2colors, sizes, star formation, and chemical properties of the observed galaxy population. Unlike other existing approaches, our model includes a self-consistent treatment of stellar and photoionized gas emission and dust attenuation based on the BEAGLE tool. The mock galaxy catalogs generated with our new model can be used to simulate and optimize extragalactic surveys with future facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and to enable critical assessments of analysis procedures, interpretation tools, and measurement systematics for both photometric and spectroscopic data. As a first application of this work, we make predictions for the upcoming JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), a joint program of the JWST/NIRCam and NIRSpec Guaranteed Time Observations teams. We show that JADES will detect, with NIRCam imaging, 1000s of galaxies at z ≳ 6, and 10s at z ≳ 10 at {m}{AB}≲ 30 (5σ) within the 236 arcmin2 of the survey. The JADES data will enable accurate constraints on the evolution of the UV luminosity function at z > 8, and resolve the current debate about the rate of evolution of galaxies at z ≳ 8. Ready-to-use mock catalogs and software to generate new realizations are publicly available as the JAdes extraGalactic Ultradeep Artificial Realizations (JAGUAR) package.

CANDELS : THE COSMIC ASSEMBLY NEAR-INFRARED DEEP EXTRAGALACTIC LEGACY SURVEY-THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS, IMAGING DATA PRODUCTS, AND MOSAICS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koekemoer, Anton M.; Faber, S. M.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Grogin, Norman A.; Kocevski, Dale D.; Koo, David C.; Lai, Kamson; Lotz, Jennifer M.; Lucas, Ray A.; McGrath, Elizabeth J.; Ogaz, Sara; Rajan, Abhijith; Riess, Adam G.; Rodney, Steve A.; Strolger, Louis; Casertano, Stefano; Castellano, Marco; Dahlen, Tomas; Dickinson, Mark; Dolch, Timothy; Fontana, Adriano; Giavalisco, Mauro; Grazian, Andrea; Guo, Yicheng; Hathi, Nimish P.; Huang, Kuang-Han; van der Wel, Arjen; Yan, Hao-Jing; Acquaviva, Viviana; Alexander, David M.; Almaini, Omar; Ashby, Matthew L. N.; Barden, Marco; Bell, Eric F.; Bournaud, Frederic; Brown, Thomas M.; Caputi, Karina I.; Cassata, Paolo; Challis, Peter J.; Chary, Ranga-Ram; Cheung, Edmond; Cirasuolo, Michele; Conselice, Christopher J.; Cooray, Asantha Roshan; Croton, Darren J.; Daddi, Emanuele; Dave, Romeel; de Mello, Duilia F.; de Ravel, Loic; Dekel, Avishai; Donley, Jennifer L.; Dunlop, James S.; Dutton, Aaron A.; Elbaz, David; Fazio, Giovanni G.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Finkelstein, Steven L.; Frazer, Chris; Gardner, Jonathan P.; Garnavich, Peter M.; Gawiser, Eric; Gruetzbauch, Ruth; Hartley, Will G.; Haeussler, Boris; Herrington, Jessica; Hopkins, Philip F.; Huang, Jia-Sheng; Jha, Saurabh W.; Johnson, Andrew; Kartaltepe, Jeyhan S.; Khostovan, Ali A.; Kirshner, Robert P.; Lani, Caterina; Lee, Kyoung-Soo; Li, Weidong; Madau, Piero; McCarthy, Patrick J.; McIntosh, Daniel H.; McLure, Ross J.; McPartland, Conor; Mobasher, Bahram; Moreira, Heidi; Mortlock, Alice; Moustakas, Leonidas A.; Mozena, Mark; Nandra, Kirpal; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Nielsen, Jennifer L.; Niemi, Sami; Noeske, Kai G.; Papovich, Casey J.; Pentericci, Laura; Pope, Alexandra; Primack, Joel R.; Ravindranath, Swara; Reddy, Naveen A.; Renzini, Alvio; Rix, Hans-Walter; Robaina, Aday R.; Rosario, David J.; Rosati, Piero; Salimbeni, Sara; Scarlata, Claudia; Siana, Brian; Simard, Luc; Smidt, Joseph; Snyder, Diana; Somerville, Rachel S.; Spinrad, Hyron; Straughn, Amber N.; Telford, Olivia; Teplitz, Harry I.; Trump, Jonathan R.; Vargas, Carlos; Villforth, Carolin; Wagner, Cory R.; Wandro, Pat; Wechsler, Risa H.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Wiklind, Tommy; Wild, Vivienne; Wilson, Grant; Wuyts, Stijn; Yun, Min S.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the Hubble Space Telescope imaging data products and data reduction procedures for the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS). This survey is designed to document the evolution of galaxies and black holes at z approximate to 1.5-8, and to study

Age-resolved chemistry of red giants in the solar neighbourhood

Science.gov (United States)

Feuillet, Diane K.; Bovy, Jo; Holtzman, Jon; Weinberg, David H.; García-Hernández, D.; Hearty, Fred R.; Majewski, Steven R.; Roman-Lopes, Alexandre; Rybizki, Jan; Zamora, Olga

2018-06-01

In the age of high-resolution spectroscopic stellar surveys of the Milky Way, the number of stars with detailed abundances of multiple elements is rapidly increasing. These elemental abundances are directly influenced by the evolutionary history of the Galaxy, but this can be difficult to interpret without an absolute timeline of the abundance enrichment. We present age-abundance trends for [M/H], [α/M], and 17 individual elements using a sample of 721 solar neighbourhood Hipparcos red giant stars observed by Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment. These age trends are determined through a Bayesian hierarchical modelling method presented by Feuillet et al. We confirm that the [α/M]-age relation in the solar neighbourhood is steep and relatively narrow (0.20 dex age dispersion), as are the [O/M]-age and [Mg/M]-age relations. The age trend of [C/N] is steep and smooth, consistent with stellar evolution. The [M/H]-age relation has a mean age dispersion of 0.28 dex and a complex overall structure. The oldest stars in our sample are those with the lowest and highest metallicities, while the youngest stars are those with solar metallicity. These results provide strong constraints on theoretical models of Galactic chemical evolution (GCE). We compare them to the predictions of one-zone GCE models and multizone mixtures, both analytic and numerical. These comparisons support the hypothesis that the solar neighbourhood is composed of stars born at a range of Galactocentric radii, and that the most metal-rich stars likely migrated from a region with earlier and more rapid star formation such as the inner Galaxy.

Static electromagnetic properties of giant resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, W.K.

1986-03-01

Static electric monopole and quadrupole matrix elements, which are related to the mean square radius and quadrupole moment respectively, are derived for giant resonances of arbitrary multipolarity. The results furnish information on the size and shape of the nucleus in the excited giant states. (author)

Spectral discrimination of giant reed (Arundo donax L.): A seasonal study in riparian areas

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Maria Rosário; Aguiar, Francisca C.; Silva, João M. N.; Ferreira, Maria Teresa; Pereira, José M. C.

2013-06-01

The giant reed (Arundo donax L.) is amongst the one hundred worst invasive alien species of the world, and it is responsible for biodiversity loss and failure of ecosystem functions in riparian habitats. In this work, field spectroradiometry was used to assess the spectral separability of the giant reed from the adjacent vegetation and from the common reed, a native similar species. The study was conducted at different phenological periods and also for the giant reed stands regenerated after mechanical cutting (giant reed_RAC). A hierarchical procedure using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Classification and Regression Trees (CART) was used to select the minimum number of optimal bands that discriminate the giant reed from the adjacent vegetation. A new approach was used to identify sets of wavelengths - wavezones - that maximize the spectral separability beyond the minimum number of optimal bands. Jeffries Matusita and Bhattacharya distance were used to evaluate the spectral separability using the minimum optimal bands and in three simulated satellite images, namely Landsat, IKONOS and SPOT. Giant reed was spectrally separable from the adjacent vegetation, both at the vegetative and the senescent period, exception made to the common reed at the vegetative period. The red edge region was repeatedly selected, although the visible region was also important to separate the giant reed from the herbaceous vegetation and the mid infrared region to the discrimination from the woody vegetation. The highest separability was obtained for the giant reed_RAC stands, due to its highly homogeneous, dense and dark-green stands. Results are discussed by relating the phenological, morphological and structural features of the giant reed stands and the adjacent vegetation with their optical traits. Weaknesses and strengths of the giant reed spectral discrimination are highlighted and implications of imagery selection for mapping purposes are argued based on present results.

Generalized vibrating potential model for collective excitations in spherical, deformed and superdeformed systems: (1) atomic nuclei, (2) metal clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesterenko, V.O.; Kleinig, W.

1995-01-01

The self-consistent vibrating potential model (VPM) is extended for description of Eλ collective excitations in atomic nuclei and metal clusters with practically any kind of static deformation. The model is convenient for a qualitative analysis and provides the RPA accuracy of numerical calculations. The VPM is applied to study Eλ giant resonances in spherical metal clusters and deformed and superdeformed nuclei. It is shown that the deformation splitting of superdeformed nuclei results in a very complicated (''jungle-like'') structure of the resonances, which makes the experimental observation of E2 and E3 giant resonances in superdeformed nuclei quite problematic. Calculations of E1 giant resonance in spherical sodium clusters Na 8 , Na 20 and Na 40 are presented, as a test of the VPM in this field. The results are in qualitative agreement with the experimental data. (orig.)

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Extragalactic sources in cosmic microwave background maps

Science.gov (United States)

De Zotti, G.; González-Nuevo, J.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Negrello, M.; Greenslade, J.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Delabrouille, J.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Bonato, M.; Achúcarro, A.; Ade, P.; Allison, R.; Ashdown, M.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Bartlett, J. G.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Bersanelli, M.; Biesiada, M.; Bilicki, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Calvo, M.; Carvalho, C. S.; Castellano, M. G.; Challinor, A.; Chluba, J.; Clements, D. L.; Clesse, S.; Colafrancesco, S.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; de Bernardis, P.; de Gasperis, G.; Diego, J. M.; Di Valentino, E.; Errard, J.; Feeney, S. M.; Fernández-Cobos, R.; Ferraro, S.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Gerbino, M.; Grandis, S.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Hervias-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Hivon, E.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamagna, L.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Le Brun, A.; Lesgourgues, J.; Lewis, A.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Mandolesi, N.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; Massardi, M.; Matarrese, S.; McCarthy, D.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Natoli, P.; Notari, A.; Paiella, A.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, R. B.; Patanchon, G.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Poulin, V.; Quartin, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Roman, M.; Rossi, G.; Roukema, B. F.; Rubiño-Martín, J.-A.; Salvati, L.; Scott, D.; Serjeant, S.; Tartari, A.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Trappe, N.; Triqueneaux, S.; Trombetti, T.; Tucci, M.; Tucker, C.; Väliviita, J.; van de Weygaert, R.; Van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Vielva, P.; Vittorio, N.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiment for studies of extragalactic sources. Our analysis has particular bearing on the definition of the future space project, CORE, that has been submitted in response to ESA's call for a Medium-size mission opportunity as the successor of the Planck satellite. Even though the effective telescope size will be somewhat smaller than that of Planck, CORE will have a considerably better angular resolution at its highest frequencies, since, in contrast with Planck, it will be diffraction limited at all frequencies. The improved resolution implies a considerable decrease of the source confusion, i.e. substantially fainter detection limits. In particular, CORE will detect thousands of strongly lensed high-z galaxies distributed over the full sky. The extreme brightness of these galaxies will make it possible to study them, via follow-up observations, in extraordinary detail. Also, the CORE resolution matches the typical sizes of high-z galaxy proto-clusters much better than the Planck resolution, resulting in a much higher detection efficiency; these objects will be caught in an evolutionary phase beyond the reach of surveys in other wavebands. Furthermore, CORE will provide unique information on the evolution of the star formation in virialized groups and clusters of galaxies up to the highest possible redshifts. Finally, thanks to its very high sensitivity, CORE will detect the polarized emission of thousands of radio sources and, for the first time, of dusty galaxies, at mm and sub-mm wavelengths, respectively.

Isolation and Preliminary Screening of a Weissella confusa Strain from Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Lvchen; Ni, Xueqin; Niu, Lili; Zhou, Yi; Wang, Qiang; Khalique, Abdul; Liu, Qian; Zeng, Yan; Shu, Gang; Pan, Kangcheng; Jing, Bo; Zeng, Dong

2018-04-13

Weissella confusa has recently received attention for its probiotic potential. Some W. confusa and Weissella cibaria strains isolated from fermented foods show favorable probiotic effects. However, the probiotic properties of W. confusa isolated from giant panda remain unreported to date. Thus, this study isolated a W. confusa strain from giant panda feces and then investigated its characteristics and probiotic properties. A lactic acid bacteria strain was isolated from giant panda fecal samples. The isolated strain was screened by in vitro probiotic property tests, including in vitro antimicrobial test, antioxidant test, surface hydrophobicity, and stress resistance. On the basis of biochemical identification and 16S rDNA sequencing, the W. confusa strain was identified as BSP201703. This Weissella confusa strain can survive at pH 2 and 0.3% (w/v) concentration of bile salt environment and inhibit common intestinal pathogens. It also possesses an in vitro antioxidant capacity, a high auto-aggregation ability, and a high surface hydrophobicity. BSP201703 might serve as a probiotic to giant pandas.

Nuclear elasticity applied to giant resonances of fast rotating nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, S.; Bouyssy, A.

1987-06-01

Isoscalar giant resonances in fast rotating nuclei are investigated within the framework of nuclear elasticity by solving the equation of motion of elastic nuclear medium in a rotating frame of reference. Both Coriolis and centrifugal forces are taken into account. The nuclear rotation removes completely the azimuthal degeneracy of the giant resonance energies. Realistic large values of the angular velocity, which are still small as compared to the giant resonance frequencies, are briefly reviewed in relation to allowed high angular momenta. It is shown that for the A=150 region, the Coriolis force is dominating for small values (< ∼ 0.05) of the ratio of angular velocity to resonance frequency, whereas the centrifugal force plays a prominent part in the shift of the split resonance energies for larger values of the ratio. Typical examples of the resonance energies and their fragmentation due to both rotation and deformation are given

Metal recovery from high-grade WEEE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bigum, Marianne; Brogaard, Line Kai-Sørensen; Christensen, Thomas Højlund

2012-01-01

. The modeled metallurgical treatment facility included a Kaldo plant, a converter aisle, an anode refinery and a precious metal refinery. The metallurgic treatment showed significant environmental savings when credited the environmental load from avoided production of the same amount of metals by mining...... and refining of ore. The resource recovery per tonne of high-grade WEEE ranged from 2 g of palladium to 386 kg of iron. Quantified in terms of person-equivalents the recovery of palladium, gold, silver, nickel and copper constituted the major environmental benefit of the recovery of metals from WEEE....... These benefits are most likely underestimated in the model, since we did not find adequate data to include all the burdens from mining and refining of ore; burdens that are avoided when metals are recovered from WEEE. The processes connected to the pre-treatment of WEEE were found to have little environmental...

High-resolution Spectroscopic Abundances of Red Giant Branch Stars in NGC 6681

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O’Malley, Erin M.; Chaboyer, Brian [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03784 (United States); Knaizev, Alexei [South African Astronomical Observatory, Cape Town (South Africa); McWilliam, Andrew [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States)

2017-09-01

We obtain high-resolution spectra of nine red giant branch stars in NGC 6681 and perform the first detailed abundance analysis of stars in this cluster. We confirm cluster membership for these stars based on consistent radial velocities of 214.5 ± 3.7 km s{sup −1} and find a mean [Fe/H] = −1.63 ± 0.07 dex and [ α /Fe] = 0.42 ± 0.11 dex. Additionally, we confirm the existence of a Na–O anti-correlation in NGC 6681 and identify two populations of stars with unique abundance trends. With the use of HST photometry from Sarajedini et al. and Piotto et al. we are able to identify these two populations as discrete sequences in the cluster CMD. Although we cannot confirm the nature of the polluter stars responsible for the abundance differences in these populations, these results do help put constraints on possible polluter candidates.

THE COSMIC INFRARED BACKGROUND EXPERIMENT (CIBER): A SOUNDING ROCKET PAYLOAD TO STUDY THE NEAR INFRARED EXTRAGALACTIC BACKGROUND LIGHT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zemcov, M.; Bock, J.; Hristov, V.; Levenson, L. R.; Mason, P. [Department of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Arai, T.; Matsumoto, T.; Matsuura, S.; Tsumura, K.; Wada, T. [Department of Space Astronomy and Astrophysics, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Battle, J. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Cooray, A. [Center for Cosmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697 (United States); Keating, B.; Renbarger, T. [Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093 (United States); Kim, M. G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, D. H.; Nam, U. W. [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), Daejeon 305-348 (Korea, Republic of); Sullivan, I. [Department of Physics, The University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Suzuki, K., E-mail: zemcov@caltech.edu [Instrument Development Group of Technical Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 (Japan)

2013-08-15

The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER) is a suite of four instruments designed to study the near infrared (IR) background light from above the Earth's atmosphere. The instrument package comprises two imaging telescopes designed to characterize spatial anisotropy in the extragalactic IR background caused by cosmological structure during the epoch of reionization, a low resolution spectrometer to measure the absolute spectrum of the extragalactic IR background, and a narrow band spectrometer optimized to measure the absolute brightness of the zodiacal light foreground. In this paper we describe the design and characterization of the CIBER payload. The detailed mechanical, cryogenic, and electrical design of the system are presented, including all system components common to the four instruments. We present the methods and equipment used to characterize the instruments before and after flight, and give a detailed description of CIBER's flight profile and configurations. CIBER is designed to be recoverable and has flown four times, with modifications to the payload having been informed by analysis of the first flight data. All four instruments performed to specifications during the subsequent flights, and the scientific data from these flights are currently being analyzed.

'Anomalous electron transport' with 'Giant Current Density' at room temperature observed with nanogranular materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koops, Hans W.P.

2013-01-01

Focused electron beam induced deposition is a novel bottom up nano-structurization technology. An electron beam of high power density is used to generate nano- structures with dimensions > 20 nm, but being composed from amorphous or nanogranular materials with crystals of 2 to 5 nm diameter embedded in a Fullerene matrix. Those compounds are generated in general by secondary or low energy electrons in layers of inorganic, organic, organometallic compounds absorbed to the sample. Those are converted into nanogranular materials by the electron beam following chemical and physical laws, as given by 'Mother Nature'. Metals and amorphous mixtures of chemical compounds from metals are normal resistors, which can carry a current density J 2 . Nanogranular composites like Au/C or Pt/C with metal nanocrystals embedded in a Fullerene matrix have hopping conduction with 0-dimensional Eigen-value characteristics and show 'anomalous electron transport' and can carry 'Giant Current Densities' with values from > 1 MA/cm 2 to 0.1 GA/cm 2 without destruction of the materials. However the area connecting the nanogranular material with a metal with a 3-dimensional electron gas needs to be designed, that the flowing current is reduced to the current density values which the 3-D metal can support without segregation. The basis for a theoretical explanation of the phenomenon can be geometry quantization for Coulomb blockade, of electron surface orbitals around the nanocrystals, hopping conduction, and the limitation of the density of states for phonons in geometry confined non percolated granular materials with strong difference in mass and orientation. Several applications in electronics, signal generators, light sources, detectors, and solar energy harvesting are suggested. (author)

Excitation of giant resonances through inelastic scattering of 170 at 84 MeV/u. Fission decay of giant resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabot, C.; Barrette, J.; Mark, S.K.; Turcotte, R.; Xing, J.; Van der Woude, A.; Van Den Berg, A. M.

1991-01-01

Inelastic scattering of 84 MeV/u 17 0 projectiles have been used to excite the giant resonances (GR) in various nuclei ranging from A=60 to A=232. For the isoscalar giant quadrupole resonance (ISGQR), the energy and width of the resonance, as well as the EWSR obtained from the measured cross sections, are in agreement with the known systematics for A>40. The observed GMR strengths are close to 100% EWRS and are consistent with other recent experimental results using heavy ion projectiles. These results lead to a somewhat different picture than that provided by previous studies using light projectiles. Strength is also observed at high excitation energy. The analysis of these resonances is in progress. Our study of the fission decay of GR in 232 Th leads to a somewhat different conclusion than previously deduced from data obtained with light ion projectiles, where no evidence for the fission decay of the ISGQR has been found. In the present work, due to the very good peak-to-continuum ratio, a structure is observed in the fission coincidence spectrum around 10 MeV which can be attributed to the fission decay of giant resonances. The measured fission probability is consistent with a statistical decay of the ISGQR. 10 figs

PLANET ENGULFMENT BY ∼1.5-3 Msun RED GIANTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunitomo, M.; Ikoma, M.; Sato, B.; Ida, S.; Katsuta, Y.

2011-01-01

Recent radial-velocity surveys for GK clump giants have revealed that planets also exist around ∼1.5-3 M sun stars. However, no planets have been found inside 0.6 AU around clump giants, in contrast to solar-type main-sequence stars, many of which harbor short-period planets such as hot Jupiters. In this study, we examine the possibility that planets were engulfed by host stars evolving on the red-giant branch (RGB). We integrate the orbital evolution of planets in the RGB and helium-burning phases of host stars, including the effects of stellar tide and stellar mass loss. Then we derive the critical semimajor axis (or the survival limit) inside which planets are eventually engulfed by their host stars after tidal decay of their orbits. Specifically, we investigate the impact of stellar mass and other stellar parameters on the survival limit in more detail than previous studies. In addition, we make detailed comparisons with measured semimajor axes of planets detected so far, which no previous study has done. We find that the critical semimajor axis is quite sensitive to stellar mass in the range between 1.7 and 2.1 M sun , which suggests a need for careful comparison between theoretical and observational limits of the existence of planets. Our comparison demonstrates that all planets orbiting GK clump giants that have been detected are beyond the survival limit, which is consistent with the planet-engulfment hypothesis. However, on the high-mass side (>2.1M sun ), the detected planets are orbiting significantly far from the survival limit, which suggests that engulfment by host stars may not be the main reason for the observed lack of short-period giant planets. To confirm our conclusion, the detection of more planets around clump giants, especially with masses ∼> 2.5M sun , is required.

Giant cell arteritis: a multicenter observational study in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Wagner Silva de Souza

2013-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To describe demographic features, disease manifestations and therapy in patients with giant cell arteritis from referral centers in Brazil. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 45 giant cell arteritis patients from three university hospitals in Brazil. Diagnoses were based on the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for giant cell arteritis or temporal artery biopsy findings. RESULTS: Most patients were Caucasian, and females were slightly more predominant. The frequencies of disease manifestations were as follows: temporal headache in 82.2%, neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations in 68.9%, jaw claudication in 48.9%, systemic symptoms in 44.4%, polymyalgia rheumatica in 35.6% and extra-cranial vessel involvement in 17.8% of cases. Aortic aneurysms were observed in 6.6% of patients. A comparison between patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis and those without temporal artery biopsies did not yield significant differences in disease manifestations. All patients were treated with oral prednisone, and intravenous methylprednisolone was administered to nearly half of the patients. Methotrexate was the most commonly used immunosuppressive agent, and low-dose aspirin was prescribed to the majority of patients. Relapses occurred in 28.9% of patients, and aspirin had a protective effect against relapses. Females had higher prevalences of polymyalgia rheumatica, systemic manifestations and jaw claudication, while permanent visual loss was more prevalent in men. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the clinical features of Brazilian giant cell arteritis patients were similar to those found in other studies, except for the high prevalence of neuro-ophthalmic manifestations and permanent blindness in the Brazilian patients. Aspirin had a protective effect on relapses.

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars in SDSS/Segue. II. Comparison of CEMP-star frequencies with binary population-synthesis models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young Sun [Department of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States); Suda, Takuma [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Beers, Timothy C. [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Stancliffe, Richard J., E-mail: yslee@nmsu.edu [Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Auf dem Hügel 71, D-53121 Bonn (Germany)

2014-06-20

We present a comparison of the frequencies of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) giant and main-sequence turnoff (MSTO) stars with predictions from binary population-synthesis models involving asymptotic giant-branch (AGB) mass transfer. The giant and MSTO stars are selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration. We consider two initial mass functions (IMFs)—a Salpeter IMF, and a mass function with a characteristic mass of 10 M {sub ☉}. For giant stars, the comparison indicates a good agreement between the observed CEMP frequencies and the AGB binary model using a Salpeter IMF for [Fe/H] > – 1.5, and a characteristic mass of 10 M {sub ☉} for [Fe/H] < – 2.5. This result suggests that the IMF shifted from high- to low-mass dominated in the early history of the Milky Way, which appears to have occurred at a 'chemical time' between [Fe/H] =–2.5 and [Fe/H] =–1.5. The CEMP frequency for the turnoff stars with [Fe/H] < – 3.0 is much higher than the AGB model prediction from the high-mass IMF, supporting the previous assertion that one or more additional mechanisms, not associated with AGB stars, are required for the production of carbon-rich material below [Fe/H] =–3.0. We also discuss possible effects of first dredge-up and extra mixing in red giants and internal mixing in turnoff stars on the derived CEMP frequencies.

Fluorine and Sodium in C-rich Low-metallicity Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Lucatello, Sara; Masseron, Thomas; Johnson, Jennifer A.; Pignatari, Marco; Herwig, Falk

2011-03-01

We present the N, O, F, and Na abundance and 12C/13C isotopic ratio measurements or upper limits for a sample of 10 C-rich, metal-poor giant stars: 8 enhanced in s-process (CEMP-s) elements and 2 poor in n-capture elements (CEMP-no). The abundances are derived from IR, K-band, high-resolution CRIRES@VLT obtained spectra. The metallicity of our sample ranges from [Fe/H] = -3.4 to -1.3. F abundance could be measured only in two CEMP-s stars. With [F/Fe] = 0.64, one is mildly F-overabundant, while the other is F-rich, at [F/Fe] = 1.44. For the remaining eight objects, including both CEMP-no stars in our sample, only upper limits on F abundance could be placed. Our measurements and upper limits show that there is a spread in the [F/C+N] ratio in CEMP-s stars as predicted by theory. Predictions from nucleosynthetic models for low-mass, low-metallicity asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars account for the derived F abundances, while the upper limits on F content derived for most of the stars are lower than the predicted values. The measured Na content is accounted for by AGB models in the 1.25-1.75 M sun range, confirming that the stars responsible for the peculiar abundance pattern observed in CEMP-s stars are low-mass, low-metallicity AGB stars in agreement with the most accepted astrophysical scenario. We conclude that the mechanism of F production in current state-of-the-art low-metallicity low-mass AGB models needs further scrutiny and that F measurements in a larger number of metal-poor stars are needed to better constrain the models. Based on observations made with ESO Telescopes at Paranal Observatories under program ID 080.D-0606A. This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, which is a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation.

A Giant Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma

Science.gov (United States)

Yüce, Salim; Uysal, İsmail Önder; Doğan, Mansur; Polat, Kerem; Şalk, İsmail; Müderris, Suphi

2012-01-01

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) are locally growing highly vascular tumours. They are treated primarily by surgical excision ranging from open approach to endoscopic approach. We presented a 20-year-old male with a giant nasopharyngeal juvenile angiofibroma obliterating the pterygopalatine fossa bilaterally, invasing the sphenoid bone and extending to the left nasal passage. His complaints were epistaxis and nasal obstruction. After embolization, the patient was treated surgically with endoscopic approach and discharged as cured without any complication. PMID:23714961

Galactic planetary nebulae with precise nebular abundances as a tool to understand the evolution of asymptotic giant branch stars

Science.gov (United States)

García-Hernández, D. A.; Ventura, P.; Delgado-Inglada, G.; Dell'Agli, F.; Di Criscienzo, M.; Yagüe, A.

2016-09-01

We present nucleosynthesis predictions (HeCNOCl) from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) models, with diffusive overshooting from all the convective borders, in the metallicity range Z⊙/4 nebular abundances in a sample of Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) that is divided among double-dust chemistry (DC) and oxygen-dust chemistry (OC) according to the infrared dust features. Unlike the similar subsample of Galactic carbon-dust chemistry PNe recently analysed by us, here the individual abundance errors, the higher metallicity spread, and the uncertain dust types/subtypes in some PNe do not allow a clear determination of the AGB progenitor masses (and formation epochs) for both PNe samples; the comparison is thus more focused on a object-by-object basis. The lowest metallicity OC PNe evolve from low-mass (˜1 M⊙) O-rich AGBs, while the higher metallicity ones (all with uncertain dust classifications) display a chemical pattern similar to the DC PNe. In agreement with recent literature, the DC PNe mostly descend from high-mass (M ≥ 3.5 M⊙) solar/supersolar metallicity AGBs that experience hot bottom burning (HBB), but other formation channels in low-mass AGBs like extra mixing, stellar rotation, binary interaction, or He pre-enrichment cannot be disregarded until more accurate C/O ratios would be obtained. Two objects among the DC PNe show the imprint of advanced CNO processing and deep second dredge-up, suggesting progenitors masses close to the limit to evolve as core collapse supernovae (above 6M⊙). Their actual C/O ratio, if confirmed, indicate contamination from the third dredge-up, rejecting the hypothesis that the chemical composition of such high-metallicity massive AGBs is modified exclusively by HBB.

EXCESS OPTICAL ENHANCEMENT OBSERVED WITH ARCONS FOR EARLY CRAB GIANT PULSES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strader, M. J.; Mazin, B. A.; Spiro Jaeger, G. V.; Gwinn, C. R.; Meeker, S. R.; Szypryt, P.; Van Eyken, J. C.; Marsden, D.; Walter, A. B.; Ulbricht, G. [Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Johnson, M. D. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); O' Brien, K. [Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Stoughton, C. [Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics, Batavia, IL 60510 (United States); Bumble, B. [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2013-12-10

We observe an extraordinary link in the Crab pulsar between the enhancement of an optical pulse and the timing of the corresponding giant radio pulse. At optical through infrared wavelengths, our observations use the high time resolution of ARray Camera for Optical to Near-IR Spectrophotometry, a unique superconducting energy-resolving photon-counting array at the Palomar 200 inch telescope. At radio wavelengths, we observe with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope and the Green Bank Ultimate Pulsar Processing Instrument backend. We see an 11.3% ± 2.5% increase in peak optical flux for pulses that have an accompanying giant radio pulse arriving near the peak of the optical main pulse, in contrast to a 3.2% ± 0.5% increase when an accompanying giant radio pulse arrives soon after the optical peak. We also observe that the peak of the optical main pulse is 2.8% ± 0.8% enhanced when there is a giant radio pulse accompanying the optical interpulse. We observe no statistically significant spectral differences between optical pulses accompanied by and not accompanied by giant radio pulses. Our results extend previous observations of optical-radio correlation to the time and spectral domains. Our refined temporal correlation suggests that optical and radio emission are indeed causally linked, and the lack of spectral differences suggests that the same mechanism is responsible for all optical emission.

EXCESS OPTICAL ENHANCEMENT OBSERVED WITH ARCONS FOR EARLY CRAB GIANT PULSES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strader, M. J.; Mazin, B. A.; Spiro Jaeger, G. V.; Gwinn, C. R.; Meeker, S. R.; Szypryt, P.; Van Eyken, J. C.; Marsden, D.; Walter, A. B.; Ulbricht, G.; Johnson, M. D.; O'Brien, K.; Stoughton, C.; Bumble, B.

2013-01-01

We observe an extraordinary link in the Crab pulsar between the enhancement of an optical pulse and the timing of the corresponding giant radio pulse. At optical through infrared wavelengths, our observations use the high time resolution of ARray Camera for Optical to Near-IR Spectrophotometry, a unique superconducting energy-resolving photon-counting array at the Palomar 200 inch telescope. At radio wavelengths, we observe with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope and the Green Bank Ultimate Pulsar Processing Instrument backend. We see an 11.3% ± 2.5% increase in peak optical flux for pulses that have an accompanying giant radio pulse arriving near the peak of the optical main pulse, in contrast to a 3.2% ± 0.5% increase when an accompanying giant radio pulse arrives soon after the optical peak. We also observe that the peak of the optical main pulse is 2.8% ± 0.8% enhanced when there is a giant radio pulse accompanying the optical interpulse. We observe no statistically significant spectral differences between optical pulses accompanied by and not accompanied by giant radio pulses. Our results extend previous observations of optical-radio correlation to the time and spectral domains. Our refined temporal correlation suggests that optical and radio emission are indeed causally linked, and the lack of spectral differences suggests that the same mechanism is responsible for all optical emission

LITHIUM-RICH GIANTS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirby, Evan N.; Cohen, Judith G. [California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Boulevard, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Guhathakurta, Puragra [UCO/Lick Observatory and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Zhang, Andrew J. [The Harker School, 500 Saratoga Avenue, San Jose, CA 95129 (United States); Hong, Jerry [Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94301 (United States); Guo, Michelle [Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Guo, Rachel [Irvington High School, 41800 Blacow Road, Fremont, CA 94538 (United States); Cunha, Katia [Observatório Nacional, São Cristóvão Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

2016-03-10

Although red giants deplete lithium on their surfaces, some giants are Li-rich. Intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars can generate Li through the Cameron–Fowler conveyor, but the existence of Li-rich, low-mass red giant branch (RGB) stars is puzzling. Globular clusters are the best sites to examine this phenomenon because it is straightforward to determine membership in the cluster and to identify the evolutionary state of each star. In 72 hours of Keck/DEIMOS exposures in 25 clusters, we found four Li-rich RGB and two Li-rich AGB stars. There were 1696 RGB and 125 AGB stars with measurements or upper limits consistent with normal abundances of Li. Hence, the frequency of Li-richness in globular clusters is (0.2 ± 0.1)% for the RGB, (1.6 ± 1.1)% for the AGB, and (0.3 ± 0.1)% for all giants. Because the Li-rich RGB stars are on the lower RGB, Li self-generation mechanisms proposed to occur at the luminosity function bump or He core flash cannot explain these four lower RGB stars. We propose the following origin for Li enrichment: (1) All luminous giants experience a brief phase of Li enrichment at the He core flash. (2) All post-RGB stars with binary companions on the lower RGB will engage in mass transfer. This scenario predicts that 0.1% of lower RGB stars will appear Li-rich due to mass transfer from a recently Li-enhanced companion. This frequency is at the lower end of our confidence interval.

The VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS). Star formation history of passive red galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Siudek, M.; Małek, K.; Scodeggio, M.; Garilli, B.; Pollo, A.; Haines, C. P.; Fritz, A.; Bolzonella, M.; de la Torre, S.; Granett, B. R.; Guzzo, L.; Abbas, U.; Adami, C.; Bottini, D.; Cappi, A.; Cucciati, O.; De Lucia, G.; Davidzon, I.; Franzetti, P.; Iovino, A.; Krywult, J.; Le Brun, V.; Le Fèvre, O.; Maccagni, D.; Marchetti, A.; Marulli, F.; Polletta, M.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Tojeiro, R.; Vergani, D.; Zanichelli, A.; Arnouts, S.; Bel, J.; Branchini, E.; Ilbert, O.; Gargiulo, A.; Moscardini, L.; Takeuchi, T. T.; Zamorani, G.

2017-01-01

Aims: We trace the evolution and the star formation history of passive red galaxies, using a subset of the VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS). The detailed spectral analysis of stellar populations of intermediate-redshift passive red galaxies allows the build up of their stellar content to be followed over the last 8 billion years. Methods: We extracted a sample of passive red galaxies in the redshift range 0.4 quality. The spectra of passive red galaxies were stacked in narrow bins of stellar mass and redshift. We use the stacked spectra to measure the 4000 Å break (D4000) and the Hδ Lick index (HδA) with high precision. These spectral features are used as indicators of the star formation history of passive red galaxies. We compare the results with a grid of synthetic spectra to constrain the star formation epochs of these galaxies. We characterize the formation redshift-stellar mass relation for intermediate-redshift passive red galaxies. Results: We find that at z 1 stellar populations in low-mass passive red galaxies are younger than in high-mass passive red galaxies, similar to what is observed at the present epoch. Over the full analyzed redshift range 0.4 web site is http://www.vipers.inaf.it/

Giant Urinary Bladder and Bilateral Giant Hydronephrosis due to Bladder Neck Obstruction: One Case Report and Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Fadl Tazi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Bilateral hydronephrosis secondary to urinary obstruction leads to a buildup of back pressure in the urinary tract and may lead to impairment of renal function. Cases of giant hydronephrosis are rare and usually contain no more than 1-2 litres of fluid in the collecting system. Here, we report a rarely seen case with giant urinary bladder and bilateral giant hydronephrosis due to bladder neck obstruction which contains 4000 mL fluid in the collecting system of the kidney mimicking an ascites in an adult male.

The metallicities of stars with and without transiting planets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buchhave, Lars A.; Latham, David W.

2015-01-01

Host star metallicities have been used to infer observational constraints on planet formation throughout the history of the exoplanet field. The giant planet metallicity correlation has now been widely accepted, but questions remain as to whether the metallicity correlation extends to the small...... terrestrial-sized planets. Here, we report metallicities for a sample of 518 stars in the Kepler field that have no detected transiting planets and compare their metallicity distribution to a sample of stars that hosts small planets (). Importantly, both samples have been analyzed in a homogeneous manner...... using the same set of tools (Stellar Parameters Classification tool). We find the average metallicity of the sample of stars without detected transiting planets to be and the sample of stars hosting small planets to be . The average metallicities of the two samples are indistinguishable within...

Giant cell arteritis of fallopian tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Azzena, A; Altavilla, G; Salmaso, R; Vasoin, F; Pellizzari, P; Doria, A

1994-01-01

One case of giant cells arteritis involving tubaric arteries in a postmenopausal woman is described. The patient was 59 years old and presented with asthenia, anemia, fever, weight loss, an abdominal palpable mass and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a large ovarian cyst of 14 cm in diameter. Extensive giant cell arteritis, Horton's type, of the small-sizes arteries was found unexpectedly in the fallopian tube of the patient who had had a prior ovariectomy. Giant cell arteritis of the female genital tract is a rare finding in elderly women and may occur as an isolated finding or as part of generalised arteritis.

DISCOVERY OF LOW-METALLICITY STARS IN THE CENTRAL PARSEC OF THE MILKY WAY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Do, Tuan [Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Kerzendorf, Wolfgang; Støstad, Morten [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Winsor, Nathan [Grenfell Campus—Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9 (Canada); Morris, Mark R.; Ghez, Andrea M. [UCLA Galactic Center Group, Physics and Astronomy Department, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States); Lu, Jessica R., E-mail: tdo@astro.ucla.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States)

2015-08-20

We present a metallicity analysis of 83 late-type giants within the central 1 pc of the Milky Way. K-band spectroscopy of these stars was obtained with the medium spectral resolution integral-field spectrograph NIFS on Gemini North using laser-guided star adaptive optics. Using spectral template fitting with the MARCS synthetic spectral grid, we find that there is a large variation in the metallicity, with stars ranging from [M/H] < −1.0 to above solar metallicity. About 6% of the stars have [M/H] < −0.5. This result is in contrast to previous observations with smaller samples that show stars at the Galactic center having approximately solar metallicity with only small variations. Our current measurement uncertainties are dominated by systematics in the model, especially at [M/H] > 0, where there are stellar lines not represented in the model. However, the conclusion that there are low-metallicity stars, as well as large variations in metallicity, is robust. The metallicity may be an indicator of the origin of these stars. The low-metallicity population is consistent with that of globular clusters in the Milky Way, but their small fraction likely means that globular cluster infall is not the dominant mechanism for forming the Milky Way nuclear star cluster. The majority of stars are at or above solar metallicity, which suggests they were formed closer to the Galactic center or from the disk. In addition, our results indicate that it will be important for star formation history analyses using red giants at the Galactic center to consider the effect of varying metallicity.

Unusual Metals in Galactic Center Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Hensley, Kerry

2018-03-01

Far from the galactic suburbs where the Sun resides, a cluster of stars in the nucleus of the Milky Way orbits a supermassive black hole. Can chemical abundance measurements help us understand the formation history of the galactic center nuclear star cluster?Studying Stellar PopulationsMetallicity distributions for stars in the inner two degrees of the Milky Way (blue) and the central parsec (orange). [Do et al. 2018]While many galaxies host nuclear star clusters, most are too distant for us to study in detail; only in the Milky Way can we resolve individual stars within one parsec of a supermassive black hole. The nucleus of our galaxy is an exotic and dangerous place, and its not yet clear how these stars came to be where they are were they siphoned off from other parts of the galaxy, or did they form in place, in an environment rocked by tidal forces?Studying the chemical abundances of stars provides a way to separate distinct stellar populations and discern when and where these stars formed. Previous studies using medium-resolution spectroscopy have revealed that many stars within the central parsec of our galaxy have very high metallicities possibly higher than any other region of the Milky Way. Can high-resolution spectroscopy tell us more about this unusual population of stars?Spectral Lines on DisplayTuan Do (University of California, Los Angeles, Galactic Center Group) and collaborators performed high-resolution spectroscopic observations of two late-type giant starslocated half a parsec from the Milky Ways supermassive black hole.Comparison of the observed spectra of the two galactic center stars (black) with synthetic spectra with low (blue) and high (orange) [Sc/Fe] values. Click to enlarge. [Do et al. 2018]In order to constrain the metallicities of these stars, Do and collaborators compared the observed spectra to a grid of synthetic spectra and used a spectral synthesis technique to determine the abundances of individual elements. They found that

Staged Closure of Giant Omphalocele using Synthetic Mesh

OpenAIRE

Parida, Lalit; Pal, Kamalesh; Al Buainain, Hussah; Elshafei, Hossam

2014-01-01

Giant omphalocele is difficult to manage and is associated with a poor outcome. A male newborn presented to our hospital with a giant omphalocele. We performed a staged closure of giant omphalocele using synthetic mesh to construct a silo and then mesh abdominoplasty in the neonatal period that led to a successful outcome within a reasonable period of hospital stay.

Passive wireless strain measurement based upon the Villari effect and giant magnetoresistance

Science.gov (United States)

Windl, Roman; Bruckner, Florian; Abert, Claas; Huber, Christian; Vogler, Christoph; Huber, Thomas; Oezelt, Harald; Suess, Dieter

2016-12-01

A passive wireless radio frequency-identification (RFID) stress/strain sensor is presented. Stress is transformed into a change of magnetic field by utilizing an amorphous metal ribbon. This magnetic field change is measured by a giant magnetoresistance magnetic field sensor and converted into a digital value with a RFID chip for wireless access. Standard metal foil strain gauges have a gauge factor GF from around 2 to 5 and suffer from the disadvantage of a physically connected power supply and measurement equipment. For the presented sensor, a strain range of -10 μm/m to 190 μm/m results in a linear sensor response, a gauge factor of GF ≈ 245, and a detectivity of 4.10 nm/m 1/√{Hz } . The detectivity of the presented sensor is similar to the detectivity of a reference metal foil strain gauge. Due to low power consumption and easy signal analysis, this sensor is well suited for long term strain measurement inside closed spaces. RFID adds features like multiple tag detection, wireless passive operation and a user data storage.

Giant microelectronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Della Sala, D.; Privato, C.; Di Lazzaro, P.; Fortunato, G.

1999-01-01

Giant microelectronics, on which the technology of flat liquid-crystal screens is based, is an example of fruitful interaction among independently-developed technologies, in this case thin film micro devices and laser applications. It typifies the interdisciplinary approach needed to produce innovations in microelectronics [it

Giant prolactinomas in women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delgrange, Etienne; Raverot, Gerald; Bex, Marie

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To characterise distinctive clinical features of giant prolactinomas in women. DESIGN: A multicentre, retrospective case series and literature review. METHODS: We collected data from 15 female patients with a pituitary tumour larger than 4 cm and prolactin levels above 1000 μg/l and id......OBJECTIVE: To characterise distinctive clinical features of giant prolactinomas in women. DESIGN: A multicentre, retrospective case series and literature review. METHODS: We collected data from 15 female patients with a pituitary tumour larger than 4 cm and prolactin levels above 1000 μg....../l and identified 19 similar cases from the literature; a gender-based comparison of the frequency and age distribution was obtained from a literature review. RESULTS: The initial PubMed search using the term 'giant prolactinomas' identified 125 patients (13 women) responding to the inclusion criteria. The female......:male ratio was 1:9. Another six female patients were found by extending the literature search, while our own series added 15 patients. The median age at diagnosis was 44 years in women compared with 35 years in men (Pwomen (n=34), we...

ELEMENTAL ABUNDANCE DIFFERENCES IN THE 16 CYGNI BINARY SYSTEM: A SIGNATURE OF GAS GIANT PLANET FORMATION?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RamIrez, I.; Roederer, I. U.; Fish, J. R.; Melendez, J.; Cornejo, D.

2011-01-01

The atmospheric parameters of the components of the 16 Cygni binary system, in which the secondary has a gas giant planet detected, are measured accurately using high-quality observational data. Abundances relative to solar are obtained for 25 elements with a mean error of σ([X/H]) = 0.023 dex. The fact that 16 Cyg A has about four times more lithium than 16 Cyg B is normal considering the slightly different masses of the stars. The abundance patterns of 16 Cyg A and B, relative to iron, are typical of that observed in most of the so-called solar twin stars, with the exception of the heavy elements (Z > 30), which can, however, be explained by Galactic chemical evolution. Differential (A-B) abundances are measured with even higher precision (σ(Δ[X/H]) = 0.018 dex, on average). We find that 16 Cyg A is more metal-rich than 16 Cyg B by Δ[M/H] = +0.041 ± 0.007 dex. On an element-to-element basis, no correlation between the A-B abundance differences and dust condensation temperature (T C ) is detected. Based on these results, we conclude that if the process of planet formation around 16 Cyg B is responsible for the observed abundance pattern, the formation of gas giants produces a constant downward shift in the photospheric abundance of metals, without a T C correlation. The latter would be produced by the formation of terrestrial planets instead, as suggested by other recent works on precise elemental abundances. Nevertheless, a scenario consistent with these observations requires the convective envelopes of ≅ 1 M sun stars to reach their present-day sizes about three times quicker than predicted by standard stellar evolution models.

Search for a diffuse flux of extragalactic neutrinos with the IceCube neutrino observatory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schukraft, Anne

2013-01-01

Since the discovery of cosmic rays it has been one of the major research goals to identify the sources and acceleration mechanisms behind these high-energy particles observed from space, with energies up to several EeV. The study of high-energy charged particles and photons has advantages and disadvantages: the detection techniques for charged cosmic rays are very advanced though high-energy charged nuclei are not able to reveal their sources due to magnetic deflection. In the last years, there have been discoveries of many gamma-ray sources, where photon fluxes up to energies of 100 TeV have been observed. However, the universe is opaque to photons with energies larger than 100 TeV since gamma rays interact with the cosmic microwave background. Neutrinos suffer from neither of these limitations. They are ideal messenger particles in order to investigate the sources of cosmic rays since they propagate unaffected, but their detection is difficult and no extraterrestrial neutrino sources at high energies have yet been found. The IceCube experiment, located at the geographic South Pole, was built in order to detect high-energy neutrinos from the universe. It was completed in December 2010 and is the largest neutrino observatory on Earth. It detects neutrinos via their interaction with the Antarctic ice inside and around the detection volume. In these interactions, high-energy leptons are produced, which follow the direction of the initial neutrino and produce a cone of Cherenkov light along their path. This light is detected by optical sensors deployed in the instrumented volume. The search for a diffuse neutrino flux is a very promising approach to look for an extragalactic flux of astrophysical neutrinos. Its sensitivity is mainly based on neutrino energies since astrophysical neutrinos are expected to be more energetic than atmospheric neutrinos. It searches for an astrophysical flux from the sum of all sources in the universe. These sources can be individually

Search for a diffuse flux of extragalactic neutrinos with the IceCube neutrino observatory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schukraft, Anne

2013-06-07

Since the discovery of cosmic rays it has been one of the major research goals to identify the sources and acceleration mechanisms behind these high-energy particles observed from space, with energies up to several EeV. The study of high-energy charged particles and photons has advantages and disadvantages: the detection techniques for charged cosmic rays are very advanced though high-energy charged nuclei are not able to reveal their sources due to magnetic deflection. In the last years, there have been discoveries of many gamma-ray sources, where photon fluxes up to energies of 100 TeV have been observed. However, the universe is opaque to photons with energies larger than 100 TeV since gamma rays interact with the cosmic microwave background. Neutrinos suffer from neither of these limitations. They are ideal messenger particles in order to investigate the sources of cosmic rays since they propagate unaffected, but their detection is difficult and no extraterrestrial neutrino sources at high energies have yet been found. The IceCube experiment, located at the geographic South Pole, was built in order to detect high-energy neutrinos from the universe. It was completed in December 2010 and is the largest neutrino observatory on Earth. It detects neutrinos via their interaction with the Antarctic ice inside and around the detection volume. In these interactions, high-energy leptons are produced, which follow the direction of the initial neutrino and produce a cone of Cherenkov light along their path. This light is detected by optical sensors deployed in the instrumented volume. The search for a diffuse neutrino flux is a very promising approach to look for an extragalactic flux of astrophysical neutrinos. Its sensitivity is mainly based on neutrino energies since astrophysical neutrinos are expected to be more energetic than atmospheric neutrinos. It searches for an astrophysical flux from the sum of all sources in the universe. These sources can be individually

AN IN-DEPTH VIEW OF THE MID-INFRARED PROPERTIES OF POINT SOURCES AND THE DIFFUSE ISM IN THE SMC GIANT H II REGION, N66

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whelan, David G.; Johnson, Kelsey E.; Indebetouw, Rémy; Lebouteiller, Vianney; Galliano, Frédéric; Peeters, Els; Bernard-Salas, Jeronimo; Brandl, Bernhard R.

2013-01-01

The focus of this work is to study mid-infrared point sources and the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) in the low-metallicity (∼0.2 Z ☉ ) giant H II region N66 in order to determine properties that may shed light on star formation in these conditions. Using the Spitzer Space Telescope's Infrared Spectrograph, we study polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), dust continuum, silicate, and ionic line emission from 14 targeted infrared point sources as well as spectra of the diffuse ISM that is representative of both the photodissociation regions (PDRs) and the H II regions. Among the point source spectra, we spectroscopically confirm that the brightest mid-infrared point source is a massive embedded young stellar object, we detect silicates in emission associated with two young stellar clusters, and we see spectral features of a known B[e] star that are commonly associated with Herbig Be stars. In the diffuse ISM, we provide additional evidence that the very small grain population is being photodestroyed in the hard radiation field. The 11.3 μm PAH complex emission exhibits an unexplained centroid shift in both the point source and ISM spectra that should be investigated at higher signal-to-noise and resolution. Unlike studies of other regions, the 6.2 μm and 7.7 μm band fluxes are decoupled; the data points cover a large range of I 7.7 /I 11.3 PAH ratio values within a narrow band of I 6.2 /I 11.3 ratio values. Furthermore, there is a spread in PAH ionization, being more neutral in the dense PDR where the radiation field is relatively soft, but ionized in the diffuse ISM/PDR. By contrast, the PAH size distribution appears to be independent of local ionization state. Important to unresolved studies of extragalactic low-metallicity star-forming regions, we find that emission from the infrared-bright point sources accounts for only 20%-35% of the PAH emission from the entire region. These results make a comparative data set to other star-forming regions with

Observing giant panda habitat and forage abundance from space

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, T.

2009-01-01

Giant pandas are obligate bamboo grazers. The bamboos favoured by giant
pandas are typical forest understorey plants. Therefore, the availability and
abundance of understorey bamboo is a key factor in determining the quantity
and quality of giant panda food resources. However,

Metastatic giant basal cell carcinoma: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellahammou, Khadija; Lakhdissi, Asmaa; Akkar, Othman; Rais, Fadoua; Naoual, Benhmidou; Elghissassi, Ibrahim; M'rabti, Hind; Errihani, Hassan

2016-01-01

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer, characterised by a slow growing behavior, metastasis are extremely rare, and it occurs in less than 0, 1% of all cases. Giant basal cell carcinoma is a rare form of basal cell carcinoma, more aggressive and defined as a tumor measuring more than 5 cm at its largest diameter. Only 1% of all basal cell carcinoma develops to a giant basal cell carcinoma, resulting of patient's negligence. Giant basal cell carcinoma is associated with higher potential of metastasis and even death, compared to ordinary basal cell carcinoma. We report a case of giant basal cell carcinoma metastaticin lung occurring in a 79 years old male patient, with a fatal evolution after one course of systemic chemotherapy. Giant basal cell carcinoma is a very rare entity, early detection of these tumors could prevent metastasis occurrence and improve the prognosis of this malignancy.

Presence of mixed modes in red giants in binary systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Themeßl Nathalie

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The frequencies of oscillation modes in stars contain valueable information about the stellar properties. In red giants the frequency spectrum also contains mixed modes, with both pressure (p and gravity (g as restoring force, which are key to understanding the physical conditions in the stellar core. We observe a high fraction of red giants in binary systems, for which g-dominated mixed modes are not pronounced. This trend leads us to investigate whether this is specific for binary systems or a more general feature. We do so by comparing the fraction of stars with only p-dominated mixed modes in binaries and in a larger set of stars from the APOKASC sample. We find only p-dominated mixed modes in about 50% of red giants in detached eclipsing binaries compared to about 4% in the large sample. This could indicate that this phenomenon is tightly related to binarity and that the binary fraction in the APOKASC sample is about 8%.

Evolution of viscous discs. 3. Giant discs in symbiotic stars

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Bath, G T [Oxford Univ. (UK). Dept. of Astrophysics; Pringle, J E [Cambridge Univ. (UK). Inst. of Astronomy

1982-10-01

The structure of time-dependent accretion discs in giant binaries with separation of the order of 10/sup 13/ cm is examined. Radiative ..cap alpha..-viscosity discs with ..cap alpha.. of order unity accreting on to main-sequence stars at accretion rates which generate luminosities greater than a giant companion decay on time-scales of the same order as the binary period, unlike those in dwarf nova binaries which decay on time-scales 100 times longer than the binary period. This results from the lower gravitational potential and consequent larger disc thickness (relative to the radius) of luminous 'giant' discs accreting at high accretion rates. The eruptions of the symbiotic binary C I Cygni are modelled by an ..cap alpha.. = 1 disc with outer radius 8.5 x 10/sup 12/ cm and a sequence of five mass-transfer bursts at rates between 1.5 x 10/sup 21/ and 4 x 10/sup 22/g s/sup -1/.

Giant Chancroid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhushan Kumar

1980-01-01

Full Text Available A case of giant chancroid following rupture of inguinal bubo and having systemic symptoms is described. Response with sulfa and streptomycin combination was excellent and the lesion healed completely in 3 weeks. Early diagnosis and treatment of chancroid will prevent this debilitating complication.

Giant cystic craniopharyngiomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, S.C.; Zimmerman, R.A.; Nowell, M.A.; Bilaniuk, L.T.; Hackney, D.B.; Grossman, R.I.; Goldberg, H.I.

1987-01-01

Three cases of giant cystic craniopharyngiomas with large areas of extension beyond the suprasellar area are presented. The magnetic resonance (MR) appearance in one case is described. These giant tumors had large, multilobulated cysts that comprised the bulk of the tumors. In one case, there was an unusual extension of the large tumor cyst into the lateral ventricle. In two cases, the tumors extended to the level of the foramen magnum. On CT, the cyst contents of these two tumors were hyperdense and became hypodense postoperatively. All three tumors harbored calcifications in the form of clumps in the suprasellar region and rim calcifications around the cysts. None of the tumors exhibited contrast enhancement. A literature review of the radiographic features of craniopharyngiomas is discussed. (orig.)

Primary peritoneal anaplastic giant cell carcinoma: case report of an unusual and highly malignant müllerian neoplasm.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xian; Zhang, Cunxian; Liu, Fang; Sung, C James; Steinhoff, Margaret M; Lawrence, W Dwayne

2008-01-01

Virtually all primary peritoneal carcinomas (PPCs) are of serous papillary type. We report an unusual histologic type of PPC composed of anaplastic giant cells, which exhibited an aggressive clinical course. A 72-year-old woman presented with lower abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed a diffuse omental thickening. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy with omentectomy, total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and appendectomy. Pathologic examination revealed extensive omental replacement by tumor but only superficial surface cortical involvement of both ovaries, a disease distribution consistent with a typical müllerian-derived PPC. However, this neoplasm was composed of diffuse anaplastic tumor giant cells, rather than serous carcinoma, which is the usual histologic type encountered in PPC. The patient died within 1 month after surgery. We report this unusual histologic variant of PPC to raise awareness that anaplastic giant cell carcinoma may arise in the pelvic peritoneum as a primary tumor.

SPECTROSCOPIC AND INTERFEROMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF NINE K GIANT STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baines, Ellyn K. [Remote Sensing Division, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Döllinger, Michaela P. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Guenther, Eike W.; Hatzes, Artie P. [Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, Sternwarte 5, D-07778 Tautenburg (Germany); Hrudkovu, Marie [Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, Apartado de Correos 321, E-387 00 Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands (Spain); Belle, Gerard T. van, E-mail: ellyn.baines@nrl.navy.mil [Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States)

2016-09-01

We present spectroscopic and interferometric measurements for a sample of nine K giant stars. These targets are of particular interest because they are slated for stellar oscillation observations. Our improved parameters will directly translate into reduced errors in the final masses for these stars when interferometric radii and asteroseismic densities are combined. Here, we determine each star’s limb-darkened angular diameter, physical radius, luminosity, bolometric flux, effective temperature, surface gravity, metallicity, and mass. When we compare our interferometric and spectroscopic results, we find no systematic offsets in the diameters and the values generally agree within the errors. Our interferometric temperatures for seven of the nine stars are hotter than those determined from spectroscopy with an average difference of about 380 K.

Chromospheres in metal deficient field stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupree, A.K.; Hartmann, L.; Smith, G.

1984-01-01

The chromospheric structure of red giant stars with metal deficient atmospheres presents a fundamental observational and theoretical problem for atmospheric theory. Moreover, the occurrence and rate of mass loss from these stars have consequences for the theory of stellar evolution of low mass stars in globular clusters. This paper reports some results from a systematic program to assess the presence and character of chromospheric line profiles and their variations, and to obtain quantitative measurements of radiative losses from chromospheres. Such data are needed to constrain semi-empirical models of these atmospheres. Three metal deficient field stars have been observed both in the ultraviolet and optical spectral regions: HD 165195, HD 110281, and HD 232078. High dispersion spectra near the Hα transition were obtained with the echelle spectrograph and reticon detector at the F.L. Whipple Observatory of SAO. These stars were observed twice in 1983, separated by a two month interval. IUE spectra were also obtained using the long wavelength cameras in low dispersion mode. Observations of the three stars are discussed

On Landau Vlasov simulations of giant resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pi, M.; Schuck, P.; Suraud, E.; Gregoire, C.; Remaud, B.; Sebille, F.

1987-05-01

We present VUU calculations of giant resonances obtained in energetic heavy ion collisions. Also is considered the case of the giant dipole in 40 Ca and the possibility of studying the effects of rotation on such collective modes

Methods for the determination of lunisolar precession from observations of extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elsmore, B.

1976-01-01

Although it is not practicable at present to determine the position or motion of the equinox using radio techniques, lunisolar precession may be determined from measurements at two epochs of differences of (i) Right Ascension -RA, and (ii) Declinations - Dec., of extragalactic radio sources. The determinations are largely free from systematic errors, and the magnitudes of random errors, arising principally from tropospheric irregularities, are given for observations with the Cambridge 5-km telescope. Some first epoch measure-ments have been made with this instrument and it is estimated that by carrying out second epoch measurements after an interval of 5 yr, the centennial value of lunisolar precession will be determined with a standard error of +- 0''.25. (author)

Globally intertwined evolutionary history of giant barrel sponges