296 research outputs found
A large Wolf-Rayet population in NGC300 uncovered by VLT-FORS2
We have detected 58 Wolf-Rayet candidates in the central region of the nearby
spiral galaxy NGC 300, based on deep VLT-FORS2 narrow-band imaging. Our survey
is close to complete except for heavily reddened WR stars. Of the objects in
our list, 16 stars were already spectroscopically confirmed as WR stars by
Schild & Testor and Breysacher et al., to which 4 stars are added using low
resolution FORS2 datasets. The WR population of NGC300 now totals 60,a
threefold increase over previous surveys, with WC/WN>1/3, in reasonable
agreement with Local Group galaxies for a moderately sub-solar metallicity. We
also discuss the WR surface density in the central region of NGC 300. Finally,
analyses are presented for two apparently single WC stars - #29 (alias WR3,
WC5) and #48 (alias WR13, WC4) located close to the nucleus, and at a
deprojected radius of 2.5 kpc, respectively. These are among the first models
of WR stars in galaxies beyond the Local Group, and are compared with early WC
stars in our Galaxy and LMC.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, submitted to A&A (includes aa.cls) - version
with higher resolution finding charts available from
ftp://ftp.star.ucl.ac.uk/pub/pac/ngc300.ps.g
On the Relationship of Anthropology to Multicultural Teaching and Learning
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68884/2/10.1177_002248717702800302.pd
Testing the predicted mass-loss bi-stability jump at radio wavelengths
In this study, we test the theoretically predicted mass-loss behaviour as a
function of stellar effective temperature across the so-called `bi-stability'
jump (BSJ). We gathered radio observations of 30 OB supergiants (O8-B3). We
derived the radio mass-loss rates and wind efficiencies, and compared our
results with Halpha mass-loss rates and predictions based on radiation-driven
wind models. he wind efficiency shows the possible presence of a local maximum
around an effective temperature of 21~000 K -- in qualitative agreement with
predictions. We also find that the radio mass-loss rates show good agreement
with empirical Halpha rates. However, the empirical mass-loss rates are larger
than the predicted rates from radiation-driven wind theory for objects above
the BSJ temperature, whilst they are smaller for the rest. A new wind
momenta-luminosity relation for O8-B0 stars has been derived.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, A&
A comparison of taxon co-occurrence patterns for macro- and microorganisms
We examine co-occurrence patterns of microorganisms to evaluate community assembly “rules.” We use methods previously applied to macroorganisms, both to evaluate their applicability to microorganisms and to allow comparison of co-occurrence patterns observed in microorganisms to those found in macroorganisms. We use a null model analysis of 124 incidence matrices from microbial communities, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and algae, and we compare these results to previously published findings from a meta-analysis of almost 100 macroorganism data sets. We show that assemblages of microorganisms demonstrate nonrandom patterns of co-occurrence that are broadly similar to those found in assemblages of macroorganisms. These results suggest that some taxon co-occurrence patterns may be general characteristics of communities of organisms from all domains of life. We also find that co-occurrence in microbial communities does not vary among taxonomic groups or habitat types. However, we find that the degree of co-occurrence does vary among studies that use different methods to survey microbial communities. Finally, we discuss the potential effects of the undersampling of microbial communities on our results, as well as processes that may contribute to nonrandom patterns of co-occurrence in both macrobial and microbial communities such as competition, habitat filtering, historical effects, and neutral processes
Stellar winds from Massive Stars
We review the various techniques through which wind properties of massive
stars - O stars, AB supergiants, Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), Wolf-Rayet
(WR) stars and cool supergiants - are derived. The wind momentum-luminosity
relation (e.g. Kudritzki et al. 1999) provides a method of predicting mass-loss
rates of O stars and blue supergiants which is superior to previous
parameterizations. Assuming the theoretical sqrt(Z) metallicity dependence,
Magellanic Cloud O star mass-loss rates are typically matched to within a
factor of two for various calibrations. Stellar winds from LBVs are typically
denser and slower than equivalent B supergiants, with exceptional mass-loss
rates during giant eruptions Mdot=10^-3 .. 10^-1 Mo/yr (Drissen et al. 2001).
Recent mass-loss rates for Galactic WR stars indicate a downward revision of
2-4 relative to previous calibrations due to clumping (e.g. Schmutz 1997),
although evidence for a metallicity dependence remains inconclusive (Crowther
2000). Mass-loss properties of luminous (> 10^5 Lo) yellow and red supergiants
from alternative techniques remain highly contradictory. Recent Galactic and
LMC results for RSG reveal a large scatter such that typical mass-loss rates
lie in the range 10^-6 .. 10^-4 Mo/yr, with a few cases exhibiting 10^-3 Mo/yr.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, Review paper to appear in Proc `The influence of
binaries on stellar population studies', Brussels, Aug 2000 (D. Vanbeveren
ed.), Kluwe
Possible effect of medically administered antibiotics on the mutans streptococci: implications for reduction in decay
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74585/1/j.1399-302X.1989.tb00103.x.pd
Robust estimation of microbial diversity in theory and in practice
Quantifying diversity is of central importance for the study of structure,
function and evolution of microbial communities. The estimation of microbial
diversity has received renewed attention with the advent of large-scale
metagenomic studies. Here, we consider what the diversity observed in a sample
tells us about the diversity of the community being sampled. First, we argue
that one cannot reliably estimate the absolute and relative number of microbial
species present in a community without making unsupported assumptions about
species abundance distributions. The reason for this is that sample data do not
contain information about the number of rare species in the tail of species
abundance distributions. We illustrate the difficulty in comparing species
richness estimates by applying Chao's estimator of species richness to a set of
in silico communities: they are ranked incorrectly in the presence of large
numbers of rare species. Next, we extend our analysis to a general family of
diversity metrics ("Hill diversities"), and construct lower and upper estimates
of diversity values consistent with the sample data. The theory generalizes
Chao's estimator, which we retrieve as the lower estimate of species richness.
We show that Shannon and Simpson diversity can be robustly estimated for the in
silico communities. We analyze nine metagenomic data sets from a wide range of
environments, and show that our findings are relevant for empirically-sampled
communities. Hence, we recommend the use of Shannon and Simpson diversity
rather than species richness in efforts to quantify and compare microbial
diversity.Comment: To be published in The ISME Journal. Main text: 16 pages, 5 figures.
Supplement: 16 pages, 4 figure
The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey XVIII. Classifications and radial velocities of the B-type stars
We present spectral classifications for 438 B-type stars observed as part of the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS) in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Radial velocities are provided for 307 apparently single stars, and for 99 targets with radial-velocity variations which are consistent with them being spectroscopic binaries. We investigate the spatial distribution of the radial velocities across the 30 Dor region, and use the results to identify candidate runaway stars. Excluding potential runaways and members of two older clusters in the survey region (SL 639 and Hodge 301), we determine a systemic velocity for 30 Dor of 271.6 ± 12.2 kms-1 from 273 presumed single stars. Employing a 3σ criterion we identify nine candidate runaway stars (2.9% of the single stars with radial-velocity estimates). The projected rotational velocities of the candidate runaways appear to be significantly different to those of the full B-type sample, with a strong preference for either large (≥345 kms-1) or small (≤65 kms-1) rotational velocities. Of the candidate runaways, VFTS 358 (classified B0.5: V) has the largest differential radial velocity (−106.9 ± 16.2 kms-1), and a preliminary atmospheric analysis finds a significantly enriched nitrogen abundance of 12 + log (N/H) ≳ 8.5. Combined with a large rotational velocity (ve sin i = 345 ± 22 kms-1), this is suggestive of past binary interaction for this star
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