Distributions of Long-Lived Radioactive Nuclei Provided by Star Forming Environments

Radioactive nuclei play an important role in planetary evolution by providing an internal heat source, which affects planetary structure and helps facilitate plate tectonics. A minimum level of nuclear activity is thought to be necessary --- but not sufficient --- for planets to be habitable. Extending previous work that focused on short-lived nuclei, this paper considers the delivery of long-lived radioactive nuclei to circumstellar disks in star forming regions. Although the long-lived nuclear species are always present, their abundances can be enhanced through multiple mechanisms. Most stars form in embedded cluster environments, so that disks can be enriched directly by intercepting ejecta from supernovae within the birth clusters. In addition, molecular clouds often provide multiple episodes of star formation, so that nuclear abundances can accumulate within the cloud; subsequent generations of stars can thus receive elevated levels of radioactive nuclei through this distributed enrichment scenario. This paper calculates the distribution of additional enrichment for $^{40}$K, the most abundant of the long-lived radioactive nuclei. We find that distributed enrichment is more effective than direct enrichment. For the latter mechanism, ideal conditions lead to about 1 in 200 solar systems being directly enriched in $^{40}$K at the level inferred for the early solar nebula (thereby doubling the abundance). For distributed enrichment from adjacent clusters, about 1 in 80 solar systems are enriched at the same level. Distributed enrichment over the entire molecular cloud is more uncertain, but can be even more effective.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Pretreatment method for anti-wettable materials

Anti-wettable materials brazing processes using titanium and zirconium for surface pretreatmen

Narrative Analysis of Sexual Etiquette in Teenage Magazines

Expanding on existing research on women\u27s magazines, this essay examines the sexual etiquette developed in advice columns in magazines popular among teenage women. Over a span of 20 years, the advice has changed very little. Serving the rhetorical function of field guides and training manuals, teen magazines limit women\u27s sociality and sexuality within narrowly defined heterosexual norms and practices. The rhetoric of sexual etiquette encourages young women to be sex objects and teachers of interpersonal communication rather than lovers, friends, and partners. Young women are being taught to subordinate self for others and to be contained

Growth, age and size of the Jurassic pachycormid Leedsichthys problematicus (Osteichthyes: Actinopterygii)

The Jurassic pachycormid osteichthyan Leedsichthys problematicus is renowned for having been able to achieve prodigious size for a bony fish. Building on work of MARTILL (1986a), a thorough examination of all known material was conducted in order to constrain estimates of the size of this animal and examine its rate of growth. Important specimens of Leedsichthys are described for the first time. The histology of Leedsichthys is reviewed, and the presence of growth annuli is used to establish ages for five specimens. Age and growth data were obtained from gill rakers (n = 4) and lepidotrichia (n = 2). Lepidotrichia show upward curvilinear growth profiles and ages ranging from 21 to 40 annuli, which are assumed to represent years. Both growth profiles start at a small size (0.26 and 0.33 mm radial distance), which is assumed to represent age 1. However, annuli can be lost near the margins of the elements. Gill rakers exhibit a sigmoidal growth profile. Age of gill rakers was estimated by adjusting the alignment of the inflection points of the growth profiles thereby giving adjusted ages. Gill rakers ranged in age from 19–38 annuli, but all show evidence of reabsorption of annuli near the focal points and at the margins of most elements. Sizes for the five individuals range from 8.0-16.5 m for ages of 19-40 years. Growth rate (0.01-0.05 K) was relatively slow as expected for a large, long-lived fish. At age 1, individuals were 1.6 m in length. Estimates for the length of L. problematicus compare well with published lengths of other large suspension feeders such as those for basking and whale sharks

Sport is king: an investigation into local media coverage of women's sport in the UK East Midlands

There has been a recent interest in research into national media coverage of female sport, particularly single events, but on-going sporting activities by women are rarely reported. This paper attempts to examine this subject at the local level, looking in general at women’s sport and in particular at women’s football in the East Midlands region of the UK. Quantitative methods were used to survey local newspapers and radio stations and interviews were carried out with a range of people relevant to the field of study. The topic of sports media is framed here with reference to research into masculinities and a socialist feminist approach is used to address problems. The data showed there was a significant and on-going imbalance in the amount of coverage and even some signs of a decline in women’s football reporting, in spite of a national resurgence of the sport itself. The authors try to account for this and suggest further areas of future study