MAMA: An Algebraic Map for the Secular Dynamics of Planetesimals in Tight Binary Systems

We present an algebraic map (MAMA) for the dynamical and collisional evolution of a planetesimal swarm orbiting the main star of a tight binary system (TBS). The orbital evolution of each planetesimal is dictated by the secular perturbations of the secondary star and gas drag due to interactions with a protoplanetary disk. The gas disk is assumed eccentric with a constant precession rate. Gravitational interactions between the planetesimals are ignored. All bodies are assumed coplanar. A comparison with full N-body simulations shows that the map is of the order of 100 times faster, while preserving all the main characteristics of the full system. In a second part of the work, we apply MAMA to the \gamma-Cephei, searching for friendly scenarios that may explain the formation of the giant planet detected in this system. For low-mass protoplanetary disks, we find that a low-eccentricity static disk aligned with the binary yields impact velocities between planetesimals below the disruption threshold. All other scenarios appear hostile to planetary formation

Evidence for grain growth in T Tauri disks

In this article we present the results from mid-infrared spectroscopy of a sample of 14 T Tauri stars with silicate emission. The qualitative analysis of the spectra reveals a correlation between the strength of the silicate feature and its shape similar to the one which was found recently for the more massive Herbig Ae/Be stars by van Boekel et al. (2003). The comparison with theoretical spectra of amorphous olivine with different grain sizes suggests that this correlation is indicating grain growth in the disks of T Tauri stars. Similar mechanisms of grain processing appear to be effective in both groups of young stars.Comment: 4 pages A&A lette

Star formation in the central 0.5 pc of the Milky Way

The supermassive black hole candidate at the Galactic Center is surrounded by a parsec-scale star cluster, which contains a number of early type stars. The presence of such stars has been called a "paradox of youth" as star formation in the immediate vicinity of a supermassive black hole seemed difficult, as well as the transport of stars from far out in a massive-star lifetime. I will recall 30 years of technological developments which led to the current understanding of the nuclear cluster stellar population. The number of early type stars known at present is sufficient to access the 3D structure of this population and its dynamics, which in turn allows discriminating between the various possible origins proposed along the years.Comment: 8 pages, invited review for the conference "The Universe under the Microscope" (AHAR 2008), to be published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series by Institute of Physics Publishin

Art and psychiatry in the 21st century: here's to more messy – and magical – entanglements

Summary In a volatile world, during a time of multiple crises and amid a projected upsurge in mental illnesses as an aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is a critical time to consider how art and psychiatry can entangle with each other. Submissions like that of Lily Aston can create new spaces for conversation, reflection and constructive collisions. This can help disrupt and extend the state of psychiatry, management of psychiatric services, and education and training in mental healthcare, and advance how we understand other bodies and minds around us, and how knowledge can be created

Investigating the Role of Space Factors in Promoting Vitality for Designing Sports Complex

The quality of urban public space has been one of the focal points of recent design research, with the efforts to create such a public space that could satisfy citizens in different terms has been proposed as one of the main strategies for the urban design projects. As one of the factors affecting the quality of public spaces and urban environments, vitality plays an important role in such settings. On the other hand, the environmental designers are always faced with different aspects of designing public spaces and the important fact is that, among the various factors influencing the vitality, which one has the most important role. In this regard, this study intends to focus on the designing of sports complex in Bandar Anzali in order to enhance the vitality. In terms of research kind, the research is a descriptive-analytical one, in terms of methodology, it uses a survey method and it is functional based on objective. According to the data, it is a quantitative research and it is a field study in terms of implementation. In this regard, among the human-based and environmental variables related to the vitality that were extracted from the documentary and desk research, five cases were selected  as the basis of the research according to the prioritization of environmental psychology developed by the  experts from the faculty of members from the prestigious Iranian  universities. Additionally, the research tools were developed based on this prioritization. The statistical community of the present study involved two cases of the sports complexes representing Bandar Anzali. Therefore, with the determination of the community, sample size and research tools, the selected variables were tested to accept or reject the hypotheses. After analyzing the data by SPSS software, visual beauty, security, sociability, readability and user interaction and 24 hour activity were prioritized respectively. As a result, the analytical model of the research, which in fact includes the main factors affecting the vitality of sports spaces has been formulated as a public space in Anzali.  Finally, the most effective spatial strategies have been presented to promote vitality and to achieve the research goals

A Spitzer MIPS Study of 2.5-2.0 M\odot Stars in Scorpius-Centaurus

We have obtained Spitzer Space Telescope Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) 24 {\mu}m and 70 {\mu}m observations of 215 nearby, Hipparcos B- and A-type common proper motion single and binary systems in the nearest OB association, Scorpius-Centaurus. Combining our MIPS observations with those of other ScoCen stars in the literature, we estimate 24 {\mu}m B+A-type disk fractions of 17/67 (25+6%), 36/131 (27+4%), and 23/95 (24+5%) for Upper Scorpius (\sim11 Myr), Upper Centaurus Lupus (\sim15 Myr), and Lower Centaurus Crux (\sim17 Myr), respectively, somewhat smaller disk fractions than previously obtained for F- and G-type members. We confirm previous IRAS excess detections and present new discoveries of 51 protoplanetary and debris disk systems, with fractional infrared luminosities ranging from LIR/L\ast = 1e-6 to 1e-2 and grain temperatures ranging from Tgr = 40 - 300 K. In addition, we confirm that the 24 {\mu}m and 70 {\mu}m excesses (or fractional infrared luminosities) around B+A type stars are smaller than those measured toward F+G type stars and hypothesize that the observed disk property dependence on stellar mass may be the result of a higher stellar companion fraction around B- and A-type stars at 10 - 200 AU and/or the presence of Jupiter-mass companions in the disks around F- and G- type stars. Finally, we note that the majority of the ScoCen 24 {\mu}m excess sources also possess 12 {\mu}m excess, indicating that Earth-like planets may be forming via collisions in the terrestrial planet zone at \sim10 - 100 Myr.Comment: 62 pages, 17 figures including 6 colo

Mineral snowflakes on exoplanets and brown dwarfs

The diversity of exoplanets and brown dwarfs provides ideal atmospheric laboratories to investigate novel physico-chemical regimes. Furthermore, the atmospheres of exoplanets act as the history books of planetary system. However, as observational data improves, the contributions of cloud particles in exoplanet and brown dwarf atmospheres must be adequately accounted for. Microphysical modelling of cloud formation provides the best method to investigate the potentially observable properties of clouds in these atmospheres. Most observed gas-giant exoplanets have been suggested to host mineral clouds which could form `snowflake-like' structures through condensation and constructive collisions. Cloud particle porosity, size and number density are influenced by constructive and destructive collisions. In this thesis, we expand our kinetic non-equilibrium cloud formation model to explore the effects of non-compact, non-spherical cloud particles on cloud structure and their spectroscopic properties. Additionally, we investigate the effects on clouds of collisional growth and fragmentation. The impact of these affects is assessed on prescribed 1D (Tgas-Pgas) profiles in DRIFT-PHOENIX model atmospheres of brown dwarfs and exoplanets. We utilise Mie theory and effective medium theory to study cloud optical depths, where we additionally represent non-spherical cloud particles with a statistical distribution of hollow spheres. We find that micro-porosity can affect the distribution of cloud particles in an exoplanet atmosphere, and that irregular particle shape impacts the optical depth in the near- and mid-infrared. However, we also find that cloud particle collisions driven by turbulence result in fragmentation of cloud particles for exoplanet atmospheres, which also impacts optical depths in the optical and mid-infrared regions. The global distribution and properties of clouds is also important as observations begin to allow for treating exoplanets in their full 3D nature. We therefore apply a hierarchical approach to global cloud formation modelling. We also apply our 1D cloud formation model to profiles extracted from results of 3D General Circulation Models (GCM) for the gas-giant exoplanet WASP-43b and the ultra-hot Jupiter HAT-P-7b, revealing a dramatic difference in the distribution of clouds between these types of exoplanets as a result of stellar radiation heating the day-side of the ultra-hot planets. This results in an asymmetry in cloud structures for the terminators of WASP-43b and more significantly for HAT-P-7b, observable in the optical depth of the clouds at these points, further complicating retrieval of cloud properties from spectra."This work was supported by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), UK [grant number 2093954]; and the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften."--Fundin