304 research outputs found
Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Uranus from the Spitzer Infrared Spectrometer: 2. Determination of the Mean Composition of the Upper Troposphere and Stratosphere
Mid-infrared spectral observations Uranus acquired with the Infrared
Spectrometer (IRS) on the Spitzer Space Telescope are used to determine the
abundances of C2H2, C2H6, CH3C2H, C4H2, CO2, and tentatively CH3 on Uranus at
the time of the 2007 equinox. For vertically uniform eddy diffusion
coefficients in the range 2200-2600 cm2 s-1, photochemical models that
reproduce the observed methane emission also predict C2H6 profiles that compare
well with emission in the 11.6-12.5 micron wavelength region, where the nu9
band of C2H6 is prominent. Our nominal model with a uniform eddy diffusion
coefficient Kzz = 2430 cm2 sec-1 and a CH4 tropopause mole fraction of 1.6x10-5
provides a good fit to other hydrocarbon emission features, such as those of
C2H2 and C4H2, but the model profile for CH3C2H must be scaled by a factor of
0.43, suggesting that improvements are needed in the chemical reaction
mechanism for C3Hx species. The nominal model is consistent with a CH3D/CH4
ratio of 3.0+-0.2x10-4. From the best-fit scaling of these photochemical-model
profiles, we derive column abundances above the 10-mbar level of 4.5+01.1/-0.8
x 10+19 molecule-cm-2 for CH4, 6.2 +- 1.0 x 10+16 molecule-cm-2 for C2H2 (with
a value 24% higher from a different longitudinal sampling), 3.1 +- 0.3 x 10+16
molecule-cm-2 for C2H6, 8.6 +- 2.6 x 10+13 molecule-cm-2 for CH3C2H, 1.8 +- 0.3
x 10+13 molecule-cm-2 for C4H2, and 1.7 +- 0.4 x 10+13 molecule-cm-2 for CO2 on
Uranus. Our results have implications with respect to the influx rate of
exogenic oxygen species and the production rate of stratospheric hazes on
Uranus, as well as the C4H2 vapor pressure over C4H2 ice at low temperatures
Dopaminergic modulation of affective and social deficits induced by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure
Prenatal stress or exposure to elevated levels of glucocorticoids (GCs) can impair specific neurobehavioral circuits leading to alterations in emotional processes later in life. In turn, emotional deficits may interfere with the quality and degree of social interaction. Here, by using a comprehensive behavioral approach in combination with the measurement of ultrasonic vocalizations, we show that in utero GC (iuGC)-exposed animals present increased immobility in the forced swimming test, pronounced anhedonic behavior (both anticipatory and consummatory), and an impairment in social interaction at different life stages. Importantly, we also found that social behavioral expression is highly dependent on the affective status of the partner. A profound reduction in mesolimbic dopaminergic transmission was found in iuGC animals, suggesting a key role for dopamine (DA) in the etiology of the observed behavioral deficits. Confirming this idea, we present evidence that a simple pharmacological approach—acute L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (L-DOPA) oral administration, is able to normalize DA levels in iuGC animals, with a concomitant amelioration of several dimensions of the emotional and social behaviors. Interestingly, L-DOPA effects in control individuals were not so straightforward; suggesting that both hypo- and hyperdopaminergia are detrimental in the context of such complex behaviors.This work was supported by a grant of Institute for the Study of Affective Neuroscience (ISAN) and Janssen Neurosciences Prize. SB and AJR have Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) fellowships (SFRH/BD/89936/2012; SFRH/BPD/33611/2009)
The galactic first-look survey with the Spitzer space telescope
The galactic first look survey (GFLS) of the Spitzer space telescope was executed during 1–11 December 2003 as one of the first science observations during nominal operations. The aim of the FLS is to provide a characteristic “first-look” at the mid-and far-infrared sky at sensitivities that allow the detection of point sources ≈100 times fainter than those in previous systematic large-area surveys. The whole program took 35.5 h to complete and consisted of the following elements:
•Galactic longitudinal strips of size 15′ × 1° with IRAC and MIPS at l = 105.6° and 254.4° and various galactic latitudes.
•10′ × 10′ IRAC maps at l = 97.5° and b = 0°, ±4°, and +16°.
•Coverage of L1228 with 2° scan maps.
Even at these large distances from the galactic center, confusion sets a limit to the detection of point sources in the galactic plane for IRAC channel 1 (3.6 μm) at 100 μJy ≈ 16.1^m. As positive galactic latitudes were mainly sampled at l = 97.5° and 105.6° and negative latitudes at 254.4° galactic longitude, the observations are well suited to derive information on the warp of the galactic disk. In order to reproduce the source counts from the GFLS we had to assume an amplitude of the warp within 20% of that derived from 2MASS. The whole survey is included in the Spitzer science archive which opened in April 2004
An HST/ACS investigation of the spatial and chemical structure and sub-structure of NGC 891, a Milky Way analogue
We present a structural analysis of NGC891, an edge-on galaxy that has long
been considered to be an analogue of the Milky Way. Using starcounts derived
from deep HST/ACS images, we detect the presence of a thick disk component in
this galaxy with vertical scale height 1.44+/-0.03 kpc and radial scale length
4.8+/-0.1 kpc, only slightly longer than that of the thin disk. A stellar
spheroid with a de Vaucouleurs-like profile is detected from a radial distance
of 0.5 kpc to the edge of the survey at 25 kpc; the structure appears to become
more flattened with distance, reaching q = 0.50 in the outermost halo region
probed. The halo inside of 15 kpc is moderately metal-rich (median [Fe/H] ~
-1.1) and approximately uniform in median metallicity. Beyond that distance a
modest chemical gradient is detected, with the median reaching [Fe/H] ~ -1.3 at
20 kpc. We find evidence for subtle, but very significant, small-scale
variations in the median colour and density over the halo survey area. We argue
that the colour variations are unlikely to be due to internal extinction or
foreground extinction, and reflect instead variations in the stellar
metallicity. Their presence suggests a startling conclusion: that the halo of
this galaxy is composed of a large number of incompletely-mixed
sub-populations, testifying to its origin in a deluge of small accretions.Comment: 21 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Physical properties of near-Earth asteroid (2102) Tantalus from multiwavelength observations
Between 2010 and 2017 we have collected new optical and radar observations of the potentially hazardous asteroid (2102) Tantalus from the ESO NTT and Danish telescopes at the La Silla Observatory and from the Arecibo planetary radar. The object appears to be nearly spherical, showing a low amplitude light-curve variation and limited large-scale features in the radar images. The spin-state is difficult to constrain with the available data; including a certain light-curve subset significantly changes the spin-state estimates, and the uncertainties on period determination are significant. Constraining any change in rotation rate was not possible, despite decades of observations. The convex lightcurve-inversion model, with rotational pole at λ = 210 ± 41○ and β = −30 ± 35○, is more flattened than the two models reconstructed by including radar observations: with prograde (λ = 36 ± 23○, β = 30 ± 15○), and with retrograde rotation mode (λ = 180 ± 24○, β = −30 ± 16○). Using data from WISE we were able to determine that the prograde model produces the best agreement in size determination between radar and thermophysical modelling. Radar measurements indicate possible variation in surface properties, suggesting one side might have lower radar albedo and be rougher at centimetre-to-decimetre scale than the other. However, further observations are needed to confirm this. Thermophysical analysis indicates a surface covered in fine-grained regolith, consistent with radar albedo and polarisation ratio measurements. Finally, geophysical investigation of the spin-stability of Tantalus shows that it could be exceeding its critical spin-rate via cohesive forces
Limits on additional planetary companions to OGLE-2005-BLG-390L
We investigate constraints on additional planets orbiting the distant M-dwarf
star OGLE-2005-BLG-390L, around which photometric microlensing data has
revealed the existence of the sub-Neptune-mass planet OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb. We
specifically aim to study potential Jovian companions and compare our findings
with predictions from core-accretion and disc-instability models of planet
formation. We also obtain an estimate of the detection probability for
sub-Neptune mass planets similar to OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb using a simplified
simulation of a microlensing experiment. We compute the efficiency of our
photometric data for detecting additional planets around OGLE-2005-BLG-390L, as
a function of the microlensing model parameters and convert it into a function
of the orbital axis and planet mass by means of an adopted model of the Milky
Way. We find that more than 50 % of potential planets with a mass in excess of
1 M_J between 1.1 and 2.3 AU around OGLE-2005-BLG-390L would have revealed
their existence, whereas for gas giants above 3 M_J in orbits between 1.5 and
2.2 AU, the detection efficiency reaches 70 %; however, no such companion was
observed. Our photometric microlensing data therefore do not contradict the
existence of gas giant planets at any separation orbiting OGLE-2005-BLG-390L.
Furthermore we find a detection probability for an OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb-like
planet of around 2-5 %. In agreement with current planet formation theories,
this quantitatively supports the prediction that sub-Neptune mass planets are
common around low-mass stars.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted by A&
A systematic fitting scheme for caustic-crossing microlensing events
We outline a method for fitting binary-lens caustic-crossing microlensing
events based on the alternative model parameterisation proposed and detailed in
Cassan (2008). As an illustration of our methodology, we present an analysis of
OGLE-2007-BLG-472, a double-peaked Galactic microlensing event with a source
crossing the whole caustic structure in less than three days. In order to
identify all possible models we conduct an extensive search of the parameter
space, followed by a refinement of the parameters with a Markov Chain-Monte
Carlo algorithm. We find a number of low-chi2 regions in the parameter space,
which lead to several distinct competitive best models. We examine the
parameters for each of them, and estimate their physical properties. We find
that our fitting strategy locates several minima that are difficult to find
with other modelling strategies and is therefore a more appropriate method to
fit this type of events.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure
OGLE-2005-BLG-018: Characterization of Full Physical and Orbital Parameters of a Gravitational Binary Lens
We present the analysis result of a gravitational binary-lensing event
OGLE-2005-BLG-018. The light curve of the event is characterized by 2 adjacent
strong features and a single weak feature separated from the strong features.
The light curve exhibits noticeable deviations from the best-fit model based on
standard binary parameters. To explain the deviation, we test models including
various higher-order effects of the motions of the observer, source, and lens.
From this, we find that it is necessary to account for the orbital motion of
the lens in describing the light curve. From modeling of the light curve
considering the parallax effect and Keplerian orbital motion, we are able to
measure not only the physical parameters but also a complete orbital solution
of the lens system. It is found that the event was produced by a binary lens
located in the Galactic bulge with a distance kpc from the Earth.
The individual lens components with masses and are separated with a semi-major axis of AU and
orbiting each other with a period yr. The event demonstrates
that it is possible to extract detailed information about binary lens systems
from well-resolved lensing light curves.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure
OGLE-2008-BLG-510: first automated real-time detection of a weak microlensing anomaly - brown dwarf or stellar binary?
The microlensing event OGLE-2008-BLG-510 is characterised by an evident
asymmetric shape of the peak, promptly detected by the ARTEMiS system in real
time. The skewness of the light curve appears to be compatible both with
binary-lens and binary-source models, including the possibility that the lens
system consists of an M dwarf orbited by a brown dwarf. The detection of this
microlensing anomaly and our analysis demonstrates that: 1) automated real-time
detection of weak microlensing anomalies with immediate feedback is feasible,
efficient, and sensitive, 2) rather common weak features intrinsically come
with ambiguities that are not easily resolved from photometric light curves, 3)
a modelling approach that finds all features of parameter space rather than
just the `favourite model' is required, and 4) the data quality is most
crucial, where systematics can be confused with real features, in particular
small higher-order effects such as orbital motion signatures. It moreover
becomes apparent that events with weak signatures are a silver mine for
statistical studies, although not easy to exploit. Clues about the apparent
paucity of both brown-dwarf companions and binary-source microlensing events
might hide here.Comment: 17 pages with 8 figures, MNRAS submitte
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