1,576 research outputs found
Magnetoroton scattering by phonons in the fractional quantum Hall regime
Motivated by recent phonon spectroscopy experiments in the fractional quantum
Hall regime we consider processes in which thermally excited magnetoroton
excitations are scattered by low energy phonons. We show that such scattering
processes can never give rise to dissociation of magnetorotons into unbound
charged quasiparticles as had been proposed previously. In addition we show
that scattering of magnetorotons to longer wavelengths by phonon absorption is
possible because of the shape of the magnetoroton dispersion curve and it is
shown that there is a characteristic cross-over temperature above which the
rate of energy transfer to the electron gas changes from an exponential
(activated) to a power law dependence on the effective phonon temperature.Comment: LaTex document, 3 eps figures. submitted to Phys Rev
High-Velocity Line Forming Regions in the Type Ia Supernova 2009ig
We report measurements and analysis of high-velocity (> 20,000 km/s) and
photospheric absorption features in a series of spectra of the Type Ia
supernova (SN) 2009ig obtained between -14d and +13d with respect to the time
of maximum B-band luminosity. We identify lines of Si II, Si III, S II, Ca II
and Fe II that produce both high-velocity (HVF) and photospheric-velocity (PVF)
absorption features. SN 2009ig is unusual for the large number of lines with
detectable HVF in the spectra, but the light-curve parameters correspond to a
slightly overluminous but unexceptional SN Ia (M_B = -19.46 mag and Delta_m15
(B) = 0.90 mag). Similarly, the Si II lambda_6355 velocity at the time of B-max
is greater than "normal" for a SN Ia, but it is not extreme (v_Si = 13,400
km/s). The -14d and -13d spectra clearly resolve HVF from Si II lambda_6355 as
separate absorptions from a detached line forming region. At these very early
phases, detached HVF are prevalent in all lines. From -12d to -6d, HVF and PVF
are detected simultaneously, and the two line forming regions maintain a
constant separation of about 8,000 km/s. After -6d all absorption features are
PVF. The observations of SN 2009ig provide a complete picture of the transition
from HVF to PVF. Most SN Ia show evidence for HVF from multiple lines in
spectra obtained before -10d, and we compare the spectra of SN 2009ig to
observations of other SN. We show that each of the unusual line profiles for Si
II lambda_6355 found in early-time spectra of SN Ia correlate to a specific
phase in a common development sequence from HVF to PVF.Comment: 19 pages, 11figures, 4 tables, submitted to Ap
Three-dimensional distribution of ejecta in Supernova 1987A at 10 000 days
Due to its proximity, SN 1987A offers a unique opportunity to directly
observe the geometry of a stellar explosion as it unfolds. Here we present
spectral and imaging observations of SN 1987A obtained ~10,000 days after the
explosion with HST/STIS and VLT/SINFONI at optical and near-infrared
wavelengths. These observations allow us to produce the most detailed 3D map of
H-alpha to date, the first 3D maps for [Ca II] \lambda \lambda 7292, 7324, [O
I] \lambda \lambda 6300, 6364 and Mg II \lambda \lambda 9218, 9244, as well as
new maps for [Si I]+[Fe II] 1.644 \mu m and He I 2.058 \mu m. A comparison with
previous observations shows that the [Si I]+[Fe II] flux and morphology have
not changed significantly during the past ten years, providing evidence that it
is powered by 44Ti. The time-evolution of H-alpha shows that it is
predominantly powered by X-rays from the ring, in agreement with previous
findings. All lines that have sufficient signal show a similar large-scale 3D
structure, with a north-south asymmetry that resembles a broken dipole. This
structure correlates with early observations of asymmetries, showing that there
is a global asymmetry that extends from the inner core to the outer envelope.
On smaller scales, the two brightest lines, H-alpha and [Si I]+[Fe II] 1.644
\mu m, show substructures at the level of ~ 200 - 1000 km/s and clear
differences in their 3D geometries. We discuss these results in the context of
explosion models and the properties of dust in the ejecta.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
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A study protocol for a randomised crossover study evaluating the effect of diets differing in carbohydrate quality on ileal content and appetite regulation in healthy humans
A major component of the digesta reaching the colon from the distal ileum is carbohydrate. This carbohydrate is subject to microbial fermentation and can radically change bacterial populations in the colon and the metabolites they produce, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). However, very little is currently known about the forms and levels of carbohydrate in the ileum and the composition of the ileal microbiota in humans. Most of our current understanding of carbohydrate that is not absorbed by the small intestine comes from ileostomy models, which may not reflect the physiology of an intact gastrointestinal tract. We will investigate how ileal content changes depending on diet using a randomised crossover study in healthy humans. Participants will be inpatients at the research facility for three separate 4-day visits. During each visit, participants will consume one of three diets, which differ in carbohydrate quality: 1) low-fibre refined diet; 2) high-fibre diet with intact cellular structures; 3) high-fibre diet where the cellular structures have been disrupted (e.g. milling, blending). On day 1, a nasoenteric tube will be placed into the distal ileum and its position confirmed under fluoroscopy. Ileal samples will be collected via the nasoenteric tube and metabolically profiled, which will determine the amount and type of carbohydrate present, and the composition of the ileal microbiota will be measured. Blood samples will be collected to assess circulating hormones and metabolites. Stool samples will be collected to assess faecal microbiota composition. Subjective appetite measures will be collected using visual analogue scales. Breath hydrogen will be measured in real-time as a marker of intestinal fermentation. Finally, an continuous fermentation model will be inoculated with ileal fluid in order to understand the shift in microbial composition and SCFA produced in the colon following the different diets. ISRCTN11327221. [Abstract copyright: Copyright: © 2019 Byrne CS et al.
Direct Confirmation of the Asymmetry of the Cas A Supernova with Light Echoes
We report the first detection of asymmetry in a supernova (SN) photosphere
based on SN light echo (LE) spectra of Cas A from the different perspectives of
dust concentrations on its LE ellipsoid. New LEs are reported based on
difference images, and optical spectra of these LEs are analyzed and compared.
After properly accounting for the effects of finite dust-filament extent and
inclination, we find one field where the He I and H alpha features are
blueshifted by an additional ~4000 km/s relative to other spectra and to the
spectra of the Type IIb SN 1993J. That same direction does not show any shift
relative to other Cas A LE spectra in the Ca II near-infrared triplet feature.
We compare the perspectives of the Cas A LE dust concentrations with recent
three-dimensional modeling of the SN remnant (SNR) and note that the location
having the blueshifted He I and H alpha features is roughly in the direction of
an Fe-rich outflow and in the opposite direction of the motion of the compact
object at the center of the SNR. We conclude that Cas A was an intrinsically
asymmetric SN. Future LE spectroscopy of this object, and of other historical
SNe, will provide additional insight into the connection of explosion mechanism
to SN to SNR, as well as give crucial observational evidence regarding how
stars explode.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Deep Photometry of GRB 041006 Afterglow: Hypernova Bump at Redshift z=0.716
We present deep optical photometry of the afterglow of gamma-ray burst (GRB)
041006 and its associated hypernova obtained over 65 days after detection (55
R-band epochs on 10 different nights). Our early data (t<4 days) joined with
published GCN data indicates a steepening decay, approaching F_nu ~t^{-0.6} at
early times (<<1 day) and F_nu ~t^{-1.3} at late times. The break at
t_b=0.16+-0.04 days is the earliest reported jet break among all GRB
afterglows. During our first night, we obtained 39 exposures spanning 2.15
hours from 0.62 to 0.71 days after the burst that reveal a smooth afterglow,
with an rms deviation of 0.024 mag from the local power-law fit, consistent
with photometric errors. After t~4 days, the decay slows considerably, and the
light curve remains approximately flat at R~24 mag for a month before decaying
by another magnitude to reach R~25 mag two months after the burst. This
``bump'' is well-fitted by a k-corrected light curve of SN1998bw, but only if
stretched by a factor of 1.38 in time. In comparison with the other GRB-related
SNe bumps, GRB 041006 stakes out new parameter space for GRB/SNe, with a very
bright and significantly stretched late-time SN light curve. Within a small
sample of fairly well observed GRB/SN bumps, we see a hint of a possible
correlation between their peak luminosity and their ``stretch factor'', broadly
similar to the well-studied Phillips relation for the type Ia supernovae.Comment: ApJ Letters, accepted. Additional material available at
ftp://cfa-ftp.harvard.edu/pub/kstanek/GRB041006
The Fast and Furious Decay of the Peculiar Type Ic Supernova 2005ek
We present extensive multi-wavelength observations of the extremely rapidly
declining Type Ic supernova, SN 2005ek. Reaching a peak magnitude of M_R =
-17.3 and decaying by ~3 mag in the first 15 days post-maximum, SN 2005ek is
among the fastest Type I supernovae observed to date. The spectra of SN 2005ek
closely resemble those of normal SN Ic, but with an accelerated evolution.
There is evidence for the onset of nebular features at only nine days
post-maximum. Spectroscopic modeling reveals an ejecta mass of ~0.3 Msun that
is dominated by oxygen (~80%), while the pseudo-bolometric light curve is
consistent with an explosion powered by ~0.03 Msun of radioactive Ni-56.
Although previous rapidly evolving events (e.g., SN 1885A, SN 1939B, SN 2002bj,
SN 2010X) were hypothesized to be produced by the detonation of a helium shell
on a white dwarf, oxygen-dominated ejecta are difficult to reconcile with this
proposed mechanism. We find that the properties of SN 2005ek are consistent
with either the edge-lit double detonation of a low-mass white dwarf or the
iron-core collapse of a massive star, stripped by binary interaction. However,
if we assume that the strong spectroscopic similarity of SN 2005ek to other SN
Ic is an indication of a similar progenitor channel, then a white-dwarf
progenitor becomes very improbable. SN 2005ek may be one of the lowest mass
stripped-envelope core-collapse explosions ever observed. We find that the rate
of such rapidly declining Type I events is at least 1-3% of the normal SN Ia
rate.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Please visit
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~mdrout to hear a sonification of SN2005e
Preliminary Spectral Analysis of the Type II Supernova 1999em
We have calculated fast direct spectral model fits to two early-time spectra
of the Type-II plateau SN 1999em, using the SYNOW synthetic spectrum code. The
first is an extremely early blue optical spectrum and the second a combined HST
and optical spectrum obtained one week later. Spectroscopically this supernova
appears to be a normal Type II and these fits are in excellent agreement with
the observed spectra. Our direct analysis suggests the presence of enhanced
nitrogen. We have further studied these spectra with the full NLTE general
model atmosphere code PHOENIX. While we do not find confirmation for enhanced
nitrogen (nor do we rule it out), we do require enhanced helium. An even more
intriguing possible line identification is complicated Balmer and He I lines,
which we show falls naturally out of the detailed calculations with a shallow
density gradient. We also show that very early spectra such as those presented
here combined with sophisticated spectral modeling allows an independent
estimate of the total reddening to the supernova, since when the spectrum is
very blue, dereddening leads to changes in the blue flux that cannot be
reproduced by altering the ``temperature'' of the emitted radiation. These
results are extremely encouraging since they imply that detailed modeling of
early spectra can shed light on both the abundances and total extinction of SNe
II, the latter improving their utility and reliability as distance indicators.Comment: to appear in ApJ, 2000, 54
The transcriptional repressor protein NsrR senses nitric oxide directly via a [2Fe-2S] cluster
The regulatory protein NsrR, a member of the Rrf2 family of transcription repressors, is specifically dedicated to sensing nitric oxide (NO) in a variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. It has been proposed that NO directly modulates NsrR activity by interacting with a predicted [Fe-S] cluster in the NsrR protein, but no experimental evidence has been published to support this hypothesis. Here we report the purification of NsrR from the obligate aerobe Streptomyces coelicolor. We demonstrate using UV-visible, near UV CD and EPR spectroscopy that the protein contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster when purified from E. coli. Upon exposure of NsrR to NO, the cluster is nitrosylated, which results in the loss of DNA binding activity as detected by bandshift assays. Removal of the [2Fe-2S] cluster to generate apo-NsrR also resulted in loss of DNA binding activity. This is the first demonstration that NsrR contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster that is required for DNA binding activity
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