Perspectives on the Missiological Legacy of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

Upon the occasion of the 500th anniversary Martin Luther’s publication of his 95 theses, this composite article brings together five perspectives on the missiological legacy of the reformer and the subsequent Protestant Reformation. The blend of voices makes clear that Luther and the subsequent Protestant Reformation do not have a simple missiological legacy but rather various legacies: theological, ecclesiological, political, and practical; some of which co-exist, and even collide, in the same ecclesiastical community. The scandalous legacy of a splintered and splintering church remains. Yet, demonstrations of mutual recognition, reciprocal respect, and genuine fellowship can be found in certain missiological circles

X-ray Evolution of SNR 1987A: The Radial Expansion

We present the evolution of the radial expansion of SNR 1987A as measured using Chandra X-ray observations taken over the last 10 years. To characterize the complex structure of the remnant and isolate the expansion measurement, we fit the images to several empirical models including: a simple circular torus, a torus with bilateral lobes, and a torus with four tangentially extended lobes. We discuss the results of this measure in the context of the overall evolution of the supernova remnant, for which we believe we have measured the end of the free expansion phase and its transition to the adiabatic phase (at least along the equatorial ring). The timing of this event is in agreement with early predictions of the remnant evolution.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 21 pages, 4 figures, 3 table

Continuous Casting of Multi-Alloy Metal Products and Related Methods

Described are multi-alloy metal products formed by a continuous casting system, as well as methods of continuously casting multi-alloy metal products. The disclosed multi-alloy metal product includes a plurality of layers of metallurgically bonded together metal alloys. The layers can be distributed along the thickness of the metal product or along the width of the metal product. The disclosed continuous casting system includes a plurality of injectors configured to simultaneously inject a plurality of metal alloys into a casting cavity to form the multi-alloy metal product

Evolutionary Status of SNR 1987A at the Age of Eighteen

$\sim$18 yr after the supernova explosion, the blast wave of SNR 1987A is entering the main body of the equatorial circumstellar material, which is causing a dramatic brightening of the remnant. We recently reported the observational evidence for this event from our {\it Chandra} data (Park et al. 2005b; P05 hereafter). We present here the temporal evolution of the X-ray emitting shock parameters and the detailed description of the spectral and image analysis of SNR 1987A, on which P05 was based. While the remnant becomes brighter, the softening of the overall X-ray spectrum continues and is enhanced on around day $\sim$6200 (since the explosion). The two-component shock model indicates that the electron temperatures have been changing for the last $\sim$6 yr. The X-ray spectrum is now described by $kT$ $\sim$ 0.3 keV and 2.3 keV thermal plasmas which are believed to characteristically represent the shock-heated density gradient along the boundary between the H{\small II} region and the dense inner ring. As the blast wave sweeps through the inner circumstellar ring shining in X-rays, we expect that the shock parameters continue to change, revealing the density and abundance structure of the inner ring. Follow-up {\it Chandra} observations will thus uncover the past history of the progenitor's stellar evolution. The origin of the relatively faint hard X-ray emission ($E$ $>$ 3 keV) from SNR 1987A is still unclear (thermal vs. nonthermal). Considering the continuous brightening of the hard band intensity, as well as the soft band flux, follow-up monitoring observations will also be essential to reveal the origin of the hard X-ray emission of SNR 1987A.Comment: 21 pages including 9 figures, Accepted by Ap

Evolution of the Chandra CCD Spectra of SNR 1987A: Probing the Reflected-Shock Picture

We continue to explore the validity of the reflected shock structure (RSS) picture in SNR 1987A that was proposed in our previous analyses of the X-ray emission from this object. We used an improved version of our RSS model in a global analysis of 14 CCD spectra from the monitoring program with Chandra. In the framework of the RSS picture, we are able to match both the expansion velocity curve deduced from the analysis of the X-ray images and light curve. Using a simplified analysis, we also show that the X-rays and the non-thermal radio emission may originate from the same shock structure (the blast wave). We believe that using the RSS model in the analysis of grating data from the Chandra monitoring program of SNR 1987A that cover a long enough time interval, will allow us to build a more realistic physical picture and model of SNR 1987A.Comment: 14 pages, 1 Table, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

An L Band Spectrum of the Coldest Brown Dwarf

The coldest brown dwarf, WISE 0855, is the closest known planetary-mass, free-floating object and has a temperature nearly as cold as the solar system gas giants. Like Jupiter, it is predicted to have an atmosphere rich in methane, water, and ammonia, with clouds of volatile ices. WISE 0855 is faint at near-infrared wavelengths and emits almost all its energy in the mid-infrared. Skemer et al. 2016 presented a spectrum of WISE 0855 from 4.5-5.1 micron (M band), revealing water vapor features. Here, we present a spectrum of WISE 0855 in L band, from 3.4-4.14 micron. We present a set of atmosphere models that include a range of compositions (metallicities and C/O ratios) and water ice clouds. Methane absorption is clearly present in the spectrum. The mid-infrared color can be better matched with a methane abundance that is depleted relative to solar abundance. We find that there is evidence for water ice clouds in the M band spectrum, and we find a lack of phosphine spectral features in both the L and M band spectra. We suggest that a deep continuum opacity source may be obscuring the near-infrared flux, possibly a deep phosphorous-bearing cloud, ammonium dihyrogen phosphate. Observations of WISE 0855 provide critical constraints for cold planetary atmospheres, bridging the temperature range between the long-studied solar system planets and accessible exoplanets. JWST will soon revolutionize our understanding of cold brown dwarfs with high-precision spectroscopy across the infrared, allowing us to study their compositions and cloud properties, and to infer their atmospheric dynamics and formation processes.Comment: 19 pages, 21 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap