5,721 research outputs found
Spitzer Mapping of PAHs and H2 in Photodissociation Regions
The mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of dense photodissociation regions (PDRs) are
typically dominated by emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
and the lowest pure rotational states of molecular hydrogen (H2); two species
which are probes of the physical properties of gas and dust in intense UV
radiation fields. We utilize the high angular resolution of the Infrared
Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope to construct spectral maps of the
PAH and H2 features for three of the best studied PDRs in the galaxy, NGC 7023,
NGC 2023 and IC 63. We present spatially resolved maps of the physical
properties, including the H2 ortho-to-para ratio, temperature, and G_o/n_H. We
also present evidence for PAH dehydrogenation, which may support theories of H2
formation on PAH surfaces, and a detection of preferential self-shielding of
ortho-H2. All PDRs studied exhibit average temperatures of ~500 - 800K, warm H2
column densities of ~10^20 cm^-2, G_o/n_H ~ 0.1 - 0.8, and ortho-to-para ratios
of ~ 1.8. We find that while the average of each of these properties is
consistent with previous single value measurements of these PDRs, when
available, the addition of spatial resolution yields a diversity of values with
gas temperatures as high as 1500 K, column densities spanning ~ 2 orders of
magnitude, and extreme ortho-to-para ratios of 3.Comment: 14 figure
Parallel Implementation of the PHOENIX Generalized Stellar Atmosphere Program
We describe the parallel implementation of our generalized stellar atmosphere
and NLTE radiative transfer computer program PHOENIX. We discuss the parallel
algorithms we have developed for radiative transfer, spectral line opacity, and
NLTE opacity and rate calculations. Our implementation uses a MIMD design based
on a relatively small number of MPI library calls. We report the results of
test calculations on a number of different parallel computers and discuss the
results of scalability tests.Comment: To appear in ApJ, 1997, vol 483. LaTeX, 34 pages, 3 Figures, uses
AASTeX macros and styles natbib.sty, and psfig.st
Probing the Inner Regions of Protoplanetary Disks with CO Absorption Line Spectroscopy
Carbon monoxide (CO) is the most commonly used tracer of molecular gas in the
inner regions of protoplanetary disks. CO can be used to constrain the
excitation and structure of the circumstellar environment. Absorption line
spectroscopy provides an accurate assessment of a single line-of-sight through
the protoplanetary disk system, giving more straightforward estimates of column
densities and temperatures than CO and molecular hydrogen emission line
studies. We analyze new observations of ultraviolet CO absorption from the
Hubble Space Telescope along the sightlines to six classical T Tauri stars. Gas
velocities consistent with the stellar velocities, combined with the
moderate-to-high disk inclinations, argue against the absorbing CO gas
originating in a fast-moving disk wind. We conclude that the far-ultraviolet
observations provide a direct measure of the disk atmosphere or possibly a slow
disk wind. The CO absorption lines are reproduced by model spectra with column
densities in the range N(^{12}CO) ~ 10^{16} - 10^{18} cm^{-2} and N(^{13}CO) ~
10^{15} - 10^{17} cm^{-2}, rotational temperatures T_{rot}(CO) ~ 300 - 700 K,
and Doppler b-values, b ~ 0.5 - 1.5 km s^{-1}. We use these results to
constrain the line-of-sight density of the warm molecular gas (n_{CO} ~ 70 -
4000 cm^{-3}) and put these observations in context with protoplanetary disk
models.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, ApJ - accepte
Phase-Dependent Properties of Extrasolar Planet Atmospheres
Recently the Spitzer Space Telescope observed the transiting extrasolar
planets, TrES-1 and HD209458b. These observations have provided the first
estimates of the day side thermal flux from two extrasolar planets orbiting
Sun-like stars. In this paper, synthetic spectra from atmospheric models are
compared to these observations. The day-night temperature difference is
explored and phase-dependent flux densities are predicted for both planets. For
HD209458b and TrES-1, models with significant day-to-night energy
redistribution are required to reproduce the observations. However, the
observational error bars are large and a range of models remains viable.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
The NextGen Model Atmosphere grid: II. Spherically symmetric model atmospheres for giant stars with effective temperatures between 3000 and 6800~K
We present the extension of our NextGen model atmosphere grid to the regime
of giant stars. The input physics of the models presented here is nearly
identical to the NextGen dwarf atmosphere models, however spherical geometry is
used self-consistently in the model calculations (including the radiative
transfer). We re-visit the discussion of the effects of spherical geometry on
the structure of the atmospheres and the emitted spectra and discuss the
results of NLTE calculations for a few selected models.Comment: ApJ, in press (November 1999), 13 pages, also available at
http://dilbert.physast.uga.edu/~yeti/PAPERS and at
ftp://calvin.physast.uga.edu/pub/preprints/NG-giants.ps.g
Jumping into the 20th century before it is too late: is laboratory robotics still in its infancy?
Successful management of laboratory robotic automation programmes
in the environment of research and drug discovery within
the pharmaceutical industry may perhaps be best compared to a chef
preparing the perfect hollandaise sauce. All the ingredients must be
available at the same time and be of highest quality for the right
price. However, if components are not added in the right quantities
and in the proper order, no amount of whipping together by the
product champion will create the best product. In the past,
managerial scepticism surrounding useful implementation of cost-effective,
high-throughput robotic systems often placed these
âmodern toysâ at low priorities for research development laboratories.
Management now recognizes the unique contributions of
robotics in the research environment. Although the scientific director
must still play the role of product champion, new questions are
being proposed and new commitments are being made to bring the
potential of robotic automation to every laboratory where repetitive
functions can benefit from new applications. Research laboratory
directors have become both the key ingredient, as well as the rate-limiting
determinant in the development of new applications.
Having fulfilled the promise of robotic automation to release
talented personnel, the challenge now is for the âend usersâ, the bench
scientists, to be provided with opportunities to invest the time and
effort required for future applications and new career functions
- âŠ