4,881 research outputs found
ArgoNeuT, a liquid argon time projection chamber in a low energy neutrino beam
ArgoNeuT (Argon Neutrino Test), a NSF/DOE project at Fermilab, is the first
LArTPC to go in a low energy neutrino beam and just the second LArTPC to go in
a neutrino beam ever. ArgoNeuT sits just upstream of the on-axis MINOS near
detector in the NuMI beamline, about 1 km from the target station and 100 m
underground. The detector features a 47X40X90 cm (169 L) active volume TPC with
a fully contained recirculation and purification system. Among other physics,
ArgoNeuT will measure the charged-current quasi-elastic (anti-) neutrino cross
section on argon at an energy of ~3 GeV.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 11th
International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics
(TAUP 2009), Rome, Italy, 1-5 July 200
Viscoelastic response of sonic band-gap materials
A brief report is presented on the effect of viscoelastic losses in a high
density contrast sonic band-gap material of close-packed rubber spheres in air.
The scattering properties of such a material are computed with an on-shell
multiple scattering method, properties which are compared with the lossless
case. The existence of an appreciable omnidirectional gap in the transmission
spectrum, when losses are present, is also reported.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR
Structure of the outer layers of cool standard stars
Context: Among late-type red giants, an interesting change occurs in the
structure of the outer atmospheric layers as one moves to later spectral types
in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram: a chromosphere is always present, but the
coronal emission diminishes and a cool massive wind steps in.
Aims: Where most studies have focussed on short-wavelength observations, this
article explores the influence of the chromosphere and the wind on
long-wavelength photometric measurements.
Methods: The observational spectral energy distributions are compared with
the theoretical predictions of the MARCS atmosphere models for a sample of 9 K-
and M-giants. The discrepancies found are explained using basic models for flux
emission originating from a chromosphere or an ionized wind.
Results: For 7 out of 9 sample stars, a clear flux excess is detected at
(sub)millimeter and/or centimeter wavelengths. The precise start of the excess
depends upon the star under consideration. The flux at wavelengths shorter than
about 1 mm is most likely dominated by an optically thick chromosphere, where
an optically thick ionized wind is the main flux contributor at longer
wavelengths.
Conclusions: Although the optical to mid-infrared spectrum of the studied K-
and M-giants is well represented by a radiative equilibrium atmospheric model,
the presence of a chromosphere and/or ionized stellar wind at higher altitudes
dominates the spectrum in the (sub)millimeter and centimeter wavelength ranges.
The presence of a flux excess also has implications on the role of these stars
as fiducial spectrophotometric calibrators in the (sub)millimeter and
centimeter wavelength range.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, 7 pages of online material, submitted to A&
A far-UV survey of three hot, metal-polluted white dwarf stars: WD0455-282, WD0621-376, and WD2211-495
Using newly obtained high-resolution data () from the
\textit{Hubble Space Telescope}, and archival UV data from the \textit{Far
Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer} we have conducted a detailed UV survey of
the three hot, metal-polluted white dwarfs WD0455-282, WD0621-376, and
WD2211-495. Using bespoke model atmospheres we measured , log
, and photospheric abundances for these stars. In conjunction with data from
Gaia we measured masses, radii, and gravitational redshift velocities for our
sample of objects. We compared the measured photospheric abundances with those
predicted by radiative levitation theory, and found that the observed Si
abundances in all three white dwarfs, and the observed Fe abundances in
WD0621-376 and WD2211-495, were larger than those predicted by an order of
magnitude. These findings imply not only an external origin for the metals, but
also ongoing accretion, as the metals not supported by radiative levitation
would sink on extremely short timescales. We measured the radial velocities of
several absorption features along the line of sight to the three objects in our
sample, allowing us to determine the velocities of the photospheric and
interstellar components along the line of sight for each star. Interestingly,
we made detections of circumstellar absorption along the line of sight to
WD0455-282 with three velocity components. To our knowledge, this is the first
such detection of multi-component circumstellar absorption along the line of
sight to a white dwarf.Comment: 19 pages, 23 figures, 8 tables. Accepted for publication in the
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ
Search for the disappearance of muon antineutrinos in the NuMI neutrino beam
We report constraints on muon antineutrino oscillation parameters that were obtained by using the two MINOS detectors to measure the 7% antineutrino component of the NuMI neutrino beam. In the Far Detector, we select 130 events in the charged-current muon antineutrino sample, compared to a prediction of 136.4 +/- 11.7(stat) ^{+10.2}_{-8.9}(syst) events under the assumption |dm2bar|=2.32x10^-3 eV^2, snthetabar=1.0. A fit to the two-flavor oscillation approximation constrains |dm2bar|<3.37x10^-3 eV^2 at the 90% confidence level with snthetabar=1.0
ArgoNeuT and the Neutrino-Argon Charged Current Quasi-Elastic Cross Section
ArgoNeuT, a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber in the NuMI beamline at
Fermilab, has recently collected thousands of neutrino and anti-neutrino events
between 0.1 and 10 GeV. The experiment will, among other things, measure the
cross section of the neutrino and anti-neutrino Charged Current Quasi-Elastic
interaction and analyze the vertex activity associated with such events. These
topics are discussed along with ArgoNeuT's automated reconstruction software,
currently capable of fully reconstructing the muon and finding the event vertex
in neutrino interactions.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, presented at the International Nuclear Physics
Conference, Vancouver, Canada, July 4-9, 2010, to be published in Journal of
Physics: Conference Series (JPCS
NLTE modeling of Stokes vector center-to-limb variations in the CN violet system
The solar surface magnetic field is connected with and even controls most of
the solar activity phenomena. Zeeman effect diagnostics allow for measuring
only a small fraction of the fractal-like structured magnetic field. The
remaining hidden magnetic fields can only be accessed with the Hanle effect.
Molecular lines are very convenient for applying the Hanle effect diagnostics
thanks to the broad range of magnetic sensitivities in a narrow spectral
region. With the UV version of the Zurich Imaging Polarimeter ZIMPOL II
installed at the 45 cm telescope of the Istituto Ricerche Solari Locarno
(IRSOL), we simultaneously observed intensity and linear polarization
center-to-limb variations in two spectral regions containing the (0,0) and
(1,1) bandheads of the CN B 2 {\Sigma} - X 2 {\Sigma} system. Here we present
an analysis of these observations. We have implemented coherent scattering in
molecular lines into a NLTE radiative transfer code. A two-step approach was
used. First, we separately solved the statistical equilibrium equations and
compute opacities and intensity while neglecting polariza- tion. Then we used
these quantities as input for calculating scattering polarization and the Hanle
effect. We have found that it is impossible to fit the intensity and
polarization simultaneously at different limb angles in the frame- work of
standard 1D modeling. The atmosphere models that provide correct intensity
center-to-limb variations fail to fit linear polar- ization center-to-limb
variations due to lacking radiation field anisotropy. We had to increase the
anisotropy by means of a specially introduced free parameter. This allows us to
successfully interpret our observations. We discuss possible reasons for
underestimating the anisotropy in the 1D modeling.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in
Astronomy&Astrophysic
Systematic detection of magnetic fields in massive, late-type supergiants
We report the systematic detection of magnetic fields in massive (M > 5
M) late-type supergiants, using spectropolarimetric observations
obtained with ESPaDOnS at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Our observations
reveal detectable Stokes V Zeeman signatures in Least-Squares Deconvolved mean
line profiles in one-third of the observed sample of more than 30 stars. The
signatures are sometimes complex, revealing multiple reversals across the line.
The corresponding longitudinal magnetic field is seldom detected, although our
longitudinal field error bars are typically 0.3 G (). These
characteristics suggest topologically complex magnetic fields, presumably
generated by dynamo action. The Stokes V signatures of some targets show clear
time variability, indicating either rotational modulation or intrinsic
evolution of the magnetic field. We also observe a weak correlation between the
unsigned longitudinal magnetic field and the CaII K core emission equivalent
width of the active G2Iab supergiant ~Dra and the G8Ib supergiant
~Gem.Comment: 8 pages, 1 table, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Cyprus' image—a sun and sea destination—as a detrimental factor to seasonal fluctuations. Exploration into motivational factors for holidaying in Cyprus
Cyprus is established as a summer destination. To aid the destination in developing its winter season as well, this research uses a qualitative inductive approach to explore the tourists’ current image of the island and their motivations of visiting it. The research indicates that the current image, which essentially portrays Cyprus as a sun-and-sea destination is thought to dissuade tourists from perceiving the island as a year-round destination. Nonetheless, increasing the pull factors of the destination through the development of unique special interest products can help in extending the tourism season as well as broaden its narrow image
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