28,471 research outputs found
The influence of dust properties on the mass loss in pulsating AGB stars
We are currently studying carbon based dust types of relevance for
carbon-rich AGB stars, to obtain a better understanding of the influence of the
optical and chemical properties of the grains on the mass loss of the star. An
investigation of the complex interplay between hydrodynamics,radiative transfer
and chemistry has to be based on a better knowledge of the micro-physics of the
relevant dust species.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Proceedings for IAU Colloquium 185 "Radial and
Nonradial Pulsations as Probes of Stellar Physics
Uni-directional polymerization leading to homochirality in the RNA world
The differences between uni-directional and bi-directional polymerization are
considered. The uni-directional case is discussed in the framework of the RNA
world. Similar to earlier models of this type, where polymerization was assumed
to proceed in a bi-directional fashion (presumed to be relevant to peptide
nucleic acids), left-handed and right-handed monomers are produced via an
autocatalysis from an achiral substrate. The details of the bifurcation from a
racemic solution to a homochiral state of either handedness is shown to be
remarkably independent of whether the polymerization in uni-directional or
bi-directional. Slightly larger differences are seen when dissociation is
allowed and the dissociation fragments are being recycled into the achiral
substrate.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Astrobiolog
Observation of Microlensing towards the Galactic Spiral Arms. EROS II 2 year survey
We present the analysis of the light curves of 8.5 million stars observed
during two seasons by EROS (Experience de Recherche d'Objets Sombres), in the
galactic plane away from the bulge. Three stars have been found that exhibit
luminosity variations compatible with gravitational microlensing effects due to
unseen objects. The corresponding optical depth, averaged over four directions,
is 0.38 (+0.53, -0.15) 10^{-6}. All three candidates have long Einstein radius
crossing times ( 70 to 100 days). For one of them, the lack of evidence
for a parallax or a source size effect enabled us to constrain the lens-source
% geometric configuration. Another candidate displays a modulation of the
magnification, which is compatible with the lensing of a binary source.
The interpretation of the optical depths inferred from these observations is
hindered by the imperfect knowledge of the distance to the target stars. Our
measurements are compatible with expectations from simple galactic models under
reasonable assumptions on the target distances.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, accepted by A&A in Aug 9
Coreshine in L1506C - Evidence for a primitive big-grain component or indication for a turbulent core history?
The recently discovered coreshine effect can aid in exploring the core
properties and in probing the large grain population of the ISM. We discuss the
implications of the coreshine detected from the molecular cloud core L1506C in
the Taurus filament for the history of the core and the existence of a
primitive ISM component of large grains becoming visible in cores. The
coreshine surface brightness of L1506C is determined from IRAC Spitzer images
at 3.6 micron. We perform grain growth calculations to estimate the grain size
distribution in model cores similar in gas density, radius, and turbulent
velocity to L1506C. Scattered light intensities at 3.6 micron are calculated
for a variety of MRN and grain growth distributions to compare with the
observed coreshine. For a core with the overall physical properties of L1506C,
no detectable coreshine is predicted for an MRN size distribution. Extending
the distribution to grain radii of about 0.65 m allows to reproduce the
observed surface brightness level in scattered light. Assuming the properties
of L1506C to be preserved, models for the growth of grains in cores do not
yield sufficient scattered light to account for the coreshine within the
lifetime of the Taurus complex. Only increasing the core density and the
turbulence amplifies the scattered light intensity to a level consistent with
the observed coreshine brightness. The grains could be part of primitive
omni-present large grain population becoming visible in the densest part of the
ISM, could grow under the turbulent dense conditions of former cores, or in
L1506C itself. In the later case, L1506C must have passed through a period of
larger density and stronger turbulence. This would be consistent with the
surprisingly strong depletion usually attributed to high column densities, and
with the large-scale outward motion of the core envelope observed today.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Electrolysis-based diaphragm actuators
This work presents a new electrolysis-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) diaphragm actuator. Electrolysis is a technique for converting electrical energy to pneumatic energy. Theoretically electrolysis can achieve a strain of 136 000% and is capable of generating a pressure above 200 MPa. Electrolysis actuators require modest electrical power and produce minimal heat. Due to the large volume expansion obtained via electrolysis, small actuators can create a large force. Up to 100 µm of movement was achieved by a 3 mm diaphragm. The actuator operates at room temperature and has a latching and reversing capability
Three-loop HTLpt thermodynamics at finite temperature and chemical potential
In this proceedings we present a state-of-the-art method of calculating
thermodynamic potential at finite temperature and finite chemical potential,
using Hard Thermal Loop perturbation theory (HTLpt) up to
next-to-next-leading-order (NNLO). The resulting thermodynamic potential
enables us to evaluate different thermodynamic quantities including pressure
and various quark number susceptibilities (QNS). Comparison between our
analytic results for those thermodynamic quantities with the available lattice
data shows a good agreement.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, conference proceedings of XXI DAE-BRNS HEP
Symposium, IIT Guwahati, December 2014; to appear in 'Springer Proceedings in
Physics Series
Infrared Spectra of Meteoritic SiC Grains
We present here the first infrared spectra of meteoritic SiC grains. The
mid-infrared transmission spectra of meteoritic SiC grains isolated from the
Murchison meteorite were measured in the wavelength range 2.5--16.5 micron, in
order to make available the optical properties of presolar SiC grains. These
grains are most likely stellar condensates with an origin predominately in
carbon stars. Measurements were performed on two different extractions of
presolar SiC from the Murchison meteorite. The two samples show very different
spectral appearance due to different grain size distributions. The spectral
feature of the smaller meteoritic SiC grains is a relatively broad absorption
band found between the longitudinal and transverse lattice vibration modes
around 11.3 micron, supporting the current interpretation about the presence of
SiC grains in carbon stars. In contrast to this, the spectral feature of the
large (> 5 micron) grains has an extinction minimum around 10 micron. The
obtained spectra are compared with commercially available SiC grains and the
differences are discussed. This comparison shows that the crystal structure
(e.g., beta-SiC versus alpha-SiC) of SiC grains plays a minor role on the
optical signature of SiC grains compared to e.g. grain size.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures. To appear in A&
Infrared properties of SiC particles
We present basic laboratory infrared data on a large number of SiC
particulate samples, which should be of great value for the interpretation of
the 11.3 micron feature observed in the spectra of carbon-rich stars. The
laboratory spectra show a wide variety of the SiC phonon features in the 10-13
micron wavelength range, both in peak wavelength and band shape. The main
parameters determining the band profile are morphological factors as grain size
and shape and, in many cases, impurities in the material. We discovered the
interesting fact that free charge carriers, generated e.g. by nitrogen doping,
are a very common characteristics of many SiC particle samples. These free
charge carriers produce very strong plasmon absorption in the near and middle
infrared, which may also heavily influence the 10-13 micron feature profile via
plasmon-phonon coupling.
We also found that there is no systematic dependence of the band profile on
the crystal type (alpha- vs. beta-SiC). This is proven both experimentally and
by theoretical calculations based on a study of the SiC phonon frequencies.
Further, we give optical constants of amorphous SiC. We discuss the
implications of the new laboratory results for the interpretation of the
spectra of carbon stars.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures. To appear in A&
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