4,087 research outputs found
Physiology of the visual control system
Neurophysiological aspects of eye movement in visual control system with differentiation of version and vergenc
Quantitative spectroscopy of extreme helium stars - Model atmospheres and a non-LTE abundance analysis of BD+102179?
Extreme helium stars (EHe stars) are hydrogen-deficient supergiants of
spectral type A and B. They are believed to result from mergers in double
degenerate systems. In this paper we present a detailed quantitative non-LTE
spectral analysis for BD+102179, a prototype of this rare class of
stars, using UVES and FEROS spectra covering the range from 3100 to 10
000 {\AA}. Atmosphere model computations were improved in two ways. First,
since the UV metal line blanketing has a strong impact on the
temperature-density stratification, we used the Atlas12 code. Additionally, We
tested Atlas12 against the benchmark code Sterne3, and found only small
differences in the temperature and density stratifications, and good agreement
with the spectral energy distributions. Second, 12 chemical species were
treated in non-LTE. Pronounced non-LTE effects occur in individual spectral
lines but, for the majority, the effects are moderate to small. The
spectroscopic parameters give = 17 300300 K and
= 2.800.10, and an evolutionary mass of 0.550.05 . The star
is thus slightly hotter, more compact and less massive than found in previous
studies. The kinematic properties imply a thick-disk membership, which is
consistent with the metallicity Fe/H and -enhancement.
The refined light-element abundances are consistent with the white dwarf merger
scenario. We further discuss the observed helium spectrum in an appendix,
detecting dipole-allowed transitions from about 150 multiplets plus the most
comprehensive set of known/predicted isolated forbidden components to date.
Moreover, a so far unreported series of pronounced forbidden He I components is
detected in the optical-UV.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 26 pages, 19 Figure
Personality traits, depression and itch in patients with atopic dermatitis in an experimental setting : A regression analysis
It is known that itch is associated with psychological variables, but it is not known whether personality characteristics, depression or anxiety are predictors of experimentally induced itch in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). In this study itch was induced in 27 patients with AD and 28 healthy controls by the presentation of an experimental video on crawling insects and skin diseases. Itch intensity was measured by self-ratings and by observing the number of scratch movements. Itch increase was determined by subtracting itch intensity induced by the experimental video from itch intensity induced by a control video. Psychological variables were assessed using validated questionnaires. In patients with AD, depression was a significant predictor of self-rated induced itch (corrected R2 = 0.175); while agreeableness and public self-consciousness were significant predictors of induced scratching (corrected R2 = 0.534). In healthy controls no associations were found. These results imply that a special group of patients with AD might benefit from certain psychological interventions
KIC7668647: a 14 day beaming sdB+WD binary with a pulsating subdwarf
The recently discovered subdwarf B (sdB) pulsator KIC7668647 is one of the 18
pulsating sdB stars detected in the Kepler field. It features a rich g-mode
frequency spectrum, with a few low-amplitude p-modes at short periods.
We use new ground-based low-resolution spectroscopy, and the near-continuous
2.88 year Kepler lightcurve, to reveal that KIC7668647 consists of a subdwarf B
star with an unseen white-dwarf companion with an orbital period of 14.2d. An
orbit with a radial-velocity amplitude of 39km/s is consistently determined
from the spectra, from the orbital Doppler beaming seen by Kepler at 163ppm,
and from measuring the orbital light-travel delay of 27 by timing of the many
pulsations seen in the Kepler lightcurve. The white dwarf has a minimum mass of
0.40 M_sun.
We use our high signal-to-noise average spectra to study the atmospheric
parameters of the sdB star, and find that nitrogen and iron have abundances
close to solar values, while helium, carbon, oxygen and silicon are
underabundant relative to the solar mixture.
We use the full Kepler Q06--Q17 lightcurve to extract 132 significant
pulsation frequencies. Period-spacing relations and multiplet splittings allow
us to identify the modal degree L for the majority of the modes. Using the
g-mode multiplet splittings we constrain the internal rotation period at the
base of the envelope to 46-48d as a first seismic result for this star. The few
p-mode splittings may point at a slightly longer rotation period further out in
the envelope of the star.
From mode-visibility considerations we derive that the inclination of the
rotation axis of the sdB in KIC7668647 must be around ~60 degrees.
Furthermore, we find strong evidence for a few multiplets indicative of
degree 3 <= L <= 8, which is another novelty in sdB-star observations made
possible by Kepler.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1206.387
The population of white dwarf binaries with hot subdwarf companions
Hot subdwarfs (sdBs) are core helium-burning stars, which lost almost their
entire hydrogen envelope in the red-giant phase. Since a high fraction of those
stars are in close binary systems, common envelope ejection is an important
formation channel. We identified a total population of 51 close sdB+WD binaries
based on time-resolved spectroscopy and multi-band photometry, derive the WD
mass distribution and constrain the future evolution of these systems. Most WDs
in those binaries have masses significantly below the average mass of single
WDs and a high fraction of them might therefore have helium cores. We found 12
systems that will merge in less than a Hubble time and evolve to become either
massive C/O WDs, AM\,CVn systems, RCrB stars or even explode as supernovae type
Ia.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 19th European
White Dwarf Workshop, ASP Conf. Se
Birth Cohort Colorectal Cancer (Crc): Implications For Research and Practice
Colorectal cancer (CRC) epidemiology is changing due to a birth cohort effect, first recognized by increasing incidence of early onset CRC (EOCRC, age \u3c50 \u3eyears). In this paper, we define birth cohort CRC as the observed phenomenon, among individuals born 1960 and later, of increasing CRC risk across successive birth cohorts, rising EOCRC incidence, increasing incidence among individuals aged 50 to 54 years, and flattening of prior decreasing incidence among individuals aged 55 to 74 years. We demonstrate birth cohort CRC is associated with unique features, including increasing rectal cancer (greater than colon) and distant (greater than local) stage CRC diagnosis, and increasing EOCRC across all racial/ethnic groups. We review potential risk factors, etiologies, and mechanisms for birth cohort CRC, using EOCRC as a starting point and describing importance of viewing these through the lens of birth cohort. We also outline implications of birth cohort CRC for epidemiologic and translational research, as well as current clinical practice. We postulate that recognition of birth cohort CRC as an entity-including and extending beyond rising EOCRC-can advance understanding of risk factors, etiologies, and mechanisms, and address the public health consequences of changing CRC epidemiology
The physical properties of AM CVn stars: new insights from Gaia DR2
AM CVn binaries are hydrogen deficient compact binaries with an orbital
period in the 5-65 min range and are predicted to be strong sources of
persistent gravitational wave radiation. Using Gaia Data Release 2, we present
the parallaxes and proper motions of 41 out of the 56 known systems. Compared
to the parallax determined using the HST Fine Guidance Sensor we find that the
archetype star, AM CVn, is significantly closer than previously thought. This
resolves the high luminosity and mass accretion rate which models had
difficulty in explaining. Using Pan-STARRS1 data we determine the absolute
magnitude of the AM CVn stars. There is some evidence that donor stars have a
higher mass and radius than expected for white dwarfs or that the donors are
not white dwarfs. Using the distances to the known AM CVn stars we find strong
evidence that a large population of AM CVn stars have still to be discovered.
As this value sets the background to the gravitational wave signal of LISA,
this is of wide interest. We determine the mass transfer rate for 15 AM CVn
stars and find that the majority have a rate significantly greater than
expected from standard models. This is further evidence that the donor star has
a greater size than expected.Comment: Accepted by A&A in main journa
The Zwicky Transient Facility: Surveys and Scheduler
We present a novel algorithm for scheduling the observations of time-domain
imaging surveys. Our Integer Linear Programming approach optimizes an observing
plan for an entire night by assigning targets to temporal blocks, enabling
strict control of the number of exposures obtained per field and minimizing
filter changes. A subsequent optimization step minimizes slew times between
each observation. Our optimization metric self-consistently weights
contributions from time-varying airmass, seeing, and sky brightness to maximize
the transient discovery rate. We describe the implementation of this algorithm
on the surveys of the Zwicky Transient Facility and present its on-sky
performance.Comment: Published in PASP Focus Issue on the Zwicky Transient Facility
(https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/ab0c2a). 13 Pages, 11 Figure
The AM Canum Venaticorum binary SDSS J173047.59+554518.5
The AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) binaries are a rare group of hydrogen-deficient, ultrashort period, mass-transferring white dwarf binaries and are possible progenitors of Type Ia supernovae. We present time-resolved spectroscopy of the recently discovered AM CVn binary SDSS J173047.59+554518.5. The average spectrum shows strong double-peaked helium emission lines, as well as a variety of metal lines, including neon; this is the second detection of neon in an AM CVn binary, after the much brighter system GP Com. We detect no calcium in the accretion disc, a puzzling feature that has been noted in many of the longer period AM CVn binaries. We measure an orbital period, from the radial velocities of the emission lines, of 35.2 ± 0.2 min, confirming the ultracompact binary nature of the system. The emission lines seen in SDSS J1730 are very narrow, although double-peaked, implying a low-inclination, face-on accretion disc; using the measured velocities of the line peaks, we estimate i ≤ 11°. This low inclination makes SDSS J1730 an excellent system for the identification of emission lines
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