930 research outputs found
Evidence of a massive planet candidate orbiting the young active K5V star BD+20 1790
Original article can be found at: http://www.aanda.org/ Copyright The European Southern Observatory (ESO). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/200811000Context. BD+20 1790 is a young active, metal-rich, late-type K5Ve star. We have undertaken a study of stellar activity and kinematics for this star over the past few years. Previous results show a high level of stellar activity, with the presence of prominence-like structures, spots on the surface, and strong flare events, despite the moderate rotational velocity of the star. In addition, radial velocity variations with a semi-amplitude of up to 1 km s-1 were detected. Aims. We investigate the nature of these radial velocity variations, in order to determine whether they are due to stellar activity or the reflex motion of the star induced by a companion. Methods. We have analysed high-resolution echelle spectra by measuring stellar activity indicators and computing radial velocity (RV) and bisector velocity spans. Two-band photometry was also obtained to produce the light curve and determine the photometric period. Results. Based upon the analysis of the bisector velocity span, as well as spectroscopic indices of chromospheric indicators, Ca ii H & K, Hα, and taking the photometric analysis into account, we report that the best explanation for the RV variation is the presence of a substellar companion. The Keplerian fit of the RV data yields a solution for a close-in massive planet with an orbital period of 7.78 days. The presence of the close-in massive planet could also be an interpretation for the high level of stellar activity detected. Since the RV data are not part of a planet search programme, we can consider our results as a serendipitous evidence of a planetary companion. To date, this is the youngest main sequence star for which a planetary candidate has been reported.Peer reviewe
Towards a novel carbon device for the treatment of sepsis
Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to infection in which the balance of pro- andanti-inflammatory mediators, which normally isolate and eliminate infection, is disrupted[1]. Gram negative sepsis is initiated by bacterial endotoxin release which activatesmacrophages and circulating monocytes to release TNF and IL-1β followed by IL-6 andother inflammatory cytokines [2]. As the disease progresses, an unregulatedinflammatory response results in, tissue injury, haematological dysfunction and organdysfunction. Severe sepsis, involving organ hypoperfusion may be further complicatedby hypotension that is unresponsive to adequate fluid replacement, resulting in septicshock and finally death [3].Despite improvements in anti-microbial and supportive therapies, sepsis remains asignificant cause of morbidity and mortality in ICUs worldwide [4]. The complexity ofprocesses mediating the progression of sepsis suggests that an extracorporeal devicecombining blood filtration with adsorption of a wide range of toxins, and inflammatorymediators offers the most comprehensive treatment strategy. However, no such deviceexists at present. A novel, uncoated, polymer pyrolysed synthetic carbon device isproposed which combines the superior adsorption properties of uncoated activatedcarbons with the capacity to manipulate porous structure for controlled adsorption oftarget plasma proteins and polypeptides [5]. Preliminary haemocompatibility andadsorptive capacity was assessed using a carbon matrix prototype
DMRG Study of Critical Behavior of the Spin-1/2 Alternating Heisenberg Chain
We investigate the critical behavior of the S=1/2 alternating Heisenberg
chain using the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG). The ground-state
energy per spin and singlet-triplet energy gap are determined for a range of
alternations. Our results for the approach of the ground-state energy to the
uniform chain limit are well described by a power law with exponent p=1.45. The
singlet-triplet gap is also well described by a power law, with a critical
exponent of p=0.73, half of the ground-state energy exponent. The
renormalization group predictions of power laws with logarithmic corrections
can also accurately describe our data provided that a surprisingly large scale
parameter is present in the logarithm.Comment: 6 pages, 4 eps-figure
Entanglement in SU(2)-invariant quantum spin systems
We analyze the entanglement of SU(2)-invariant density matrices of two spins
, using the Peres-Horodecki criterion. Such density
matrices arise from thermal equilibrium states of isotropic spin systems. The
partial transpose of such a state has the same multiplet structure and
degeneracies as the original matrix with eigenvalue of largest multiplicity
being non-negative. The case , can be solved completely
and is discussed in detail with respect to isotropic Heisenberg spin models.
Moreover, in this case the Peres-Horodecki ciriterion turns out to be a
sufficient condition for non-separability. We also characterize SU(2)-invariant
states of two spins of length 1.Comment: 5 page
Benchmark low-mass objects in Moving Groups
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.In order to compile a sample of ultracool dwarfs that will serve as benchmarks for testing theoretical formation and evolutionary models, we selected low-mass cool (>M7) objects that are potentially members of five known young Moving Groups in the solar neighbourhood. We have studied the kinematics of the sample, finding that 49 targets belong to the young disk area, from which 36 are kinematic member of one of the five moving groups under study. Some of the identified low-mass members have been spectroscopically characterised (T-eff, log g) and confirmed as young members through a detailed study of age indicators
The Swinburne Intermediate Latitude Pulsar Survey
We have conducted a survey of intermediate Galactic latitudes using the
13-beam 21-cm multibeam receiver of the Parkes 64-m radio telescope. The survey
covered the region enclosed by 5 deg < |b| < 15 deg and -100 deg < l < 50 deg
with 4,702 processed pointings of 265 s each, for a total of 14.5 days of
integration time. Thirteen
2x96-channel filterbanks provided 288 MHz of bandwidth at a centre frequency
of 1374 MHz, one-bit sampled every 125 microsec and incurring ~DM/13.4 cm^-3 pc
samples of dispersion smearing. The system was sensitive to slow and most
millisecond pulsars in the region with flux densities greater than
approximately
0.3--1.1 mJy. Offline analysis on the 64-node Swinburne workstation cluster
resulted in the detection of 170 pulsars of which 69 were new discoveries.
Eight of the new pulsars, by virtue of their small spin periods and period
derivatives, may be recycled and have been reported elsewhere. The slow pulsars
discovered are typical of those already known in the volume searched, being of
intermediate to old age. Several pulsars experience pulse nulling and two
display very regular drifting sub-pulses. We discuss the new discoveries and
provide timing parameters for the 48 slow pulsars for which we have a
phase-connnected solution.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, accepted to MNRA
Quark exchange model for charmonium dissociation in hot hadronic matter
A diagrammatic approach to quark exchange processes in meson-meson scattering
is applied to the case of inelastic reactions of the type
(Q\barQ)+(q\barq)\rightarrow (Q\barq) + (q\barQ), where and refer to
heavy and light quarks, respectively. This string-flip process is discussed as
a microscopic mechanism for charmonium dissociation (absorption) in hadronic
matter. The cross section for the reaction is
calculated using a potential model, which is fitted to the meson mass spectrum.
The temperature dependence of the relaxation time for the \J/Psi distribution
in a homogeneous thermal pion gas is obtained. The use of charmonium for the
diagnostics of the state of hot hadronic matter produced in ultrarelativistic
nucleus-nucleus collisions is discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 3 tables, 7 figure
Elementary Excitations in Dimerized and Frustrated Heisenberg Chains
We present a detailed numerical analysis of the low energy excitation
spectrum of a frustrated and dimerized spin Heisenberg chain. In
particular, we show that in the commensurate spin--Peierls phase the ratio of
the singlet and triplet excitation gap is a universal function which depends on
the frustration parameter only. We identify the conditions for which a second
elementary triplet branch in the excitation spectrum splits from the continuum.
We compare our results with predictions from the continuum limit field theory .
We discuss the relevance of our data in connection with recent experiments on
, , and .Comment: Corrections to the text + 1 new figure, will appear in PRB (august
98
A Study of the S=1/2 Alternating Chain using Multiprecision Methods
In this paper we present results for the ground state and low-lying
excitations of the alternating Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain. Our
more conventional techniques include perturbation theory about the dimer limit
and numerical diagonalization of systems of up to 28 spins. A novel application
of multiple precision numerical diagonalization allows us to determine
analytical perturbation series to high order; the results found using this
approach include ninth-order perturbation series for the ground state energy
and one magnon gap, which were previously known only to third order. We also
give the fifth-order dispersion relation and third-order exclusive neutron
scattering structure factor for one-magnon modes and numerical and analytical
binding energies of S=0 and S=1 two-magnon bound states.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. for submission to Phys.Rev.B. PICT files of figs
available at http://csep2.phy.ornl.gov/theory_group/people/barnes/barnes.htm
Parallelization, Special Hardware and Post-Newtonian Dynamics in Direct N - Body Simulations
The formation and evolution of supermassive black hole (SMBH) binaries during and after galaxy mergers is an important ingredient for our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution in a cosmological context, e.g. for predictions of cosmic star formation histories or of SMBH demographics (to predict events that emit gravitational waves). If galaxies merge in the course of their evolution, there should be either many binary or even multiple black holes, or we have to find out what happens to black hole multiples in galactic nuclei, e.g. whether they come sufficiently close to merge resulting from emission of gravitational waves, or whether they eject each other in gravitational slingshot interactions
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