5,944 research outputs found
Reversibility of Red blood Cell deformation
The ability of cells to undergo reversible shape changes is often crucial to
their survival. For Red Blood Cells (RBCs), irreversible alteration of the cell
shape and flexibility often causes anemia. Here we show theoretically that RBCs
may react irreversibly to mechanical perturbations because of tensile stress in
their cytoskeleton. The transient polymerization of protein fibers inside the
cell seen in sickle cell anemia or a transient external force can trigger the
formation of a cytoskeleton-free membrane protrusion of micrometer dimensions.
The complex relaxation kinetics of the cell shape is shown to be responsible
for selecting the final state once the perturbation is removed, thereby
controlling the reversibility of the deformation. In some case, tubular
protrusion are expected to relax via a peculiar "pearling instability".Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Dynamic Modes of Microcapsules in Steady Shear Flow: Effects of Bending and Shear Elasticities
The dynamics of microcapsules in steady shear flow was studied using a
theoretical approach based on three variables: The Taylor deformation parameter
, the inclination angle , and the phase angle of
the membrane rotation. It is found that the dynamic phase diagram shows a
remarkable change with an increase in the ratio of the membrane shear and
bending elasticities. A fluid vesicle (no shear elasticity) exhibits three
dynamic modes: (i) Tank-treading (TT) at low viscosity of
internal fluid ( and relaxes to constant values), (ii)
Tumbling (TB) at high ( rotates), and (iii) Swinging
(SW) at middle and high shear rate (
oscillates). All of three modes are accompanied by a membrane ()
rotation. For microcapsules with low shear elasticity, the TB phase with no
rotation and the coexistence phase of SW and TB motions are induced by
the energy barrier of rotation. Synchronization of rotation with
TB rotation or SW oscillation occurs with integer ratios of rotational
frequencies. At high shear elasticity, where a saddle point in the energy
potential disappears, intermediate phases vanish, and either or
rotation occurs. This phase behavior agrees with recent simulation results of
microcapsules with low bending elasticity.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figure
Irradiation-energy Dependence on the Spectral Changes of Hydrous C-Type Asteroids Based on 4kev and 20kev He Exposure Experiments of Murchison Cm Chondrite
C-type asteroid 162173 Ryugu was observed by remote sensing apparatus onboard Hayabusa2 spacecraft and found to be very dark object whose reflectance is (1.60 0.15) % at 0.55m and showed a small 2.7m absorption band indicative of phyllosilicates. The optical navigation camera detected color variations of Ryugus surface in the wavelength range from 0.4 to 0.95m: Bluer spectra are ob-served at both poles and on the equatorial ridge, both of which are topographic highs and thus may be fresh material exposed by gradual erosion. On the other hand, many locations at middle-latitude areas exhibit redder and darker colors. Similar color variations are also detected in the near-infrared wavelength range. These observations suggest that a surface-correlated process is responsible for the color variation, most prob-ably from blue to red, but the mechanism for the change is not yet identified. Space weathering is one possible mechanism responsible for the color variation, but the spectral changes of C-type asteroids from space weathering are far from being fully understood. Past experimental studies using hydrous carbonaceous chondrites such as Murchison and Tagish Lake show that He exposure (simulating solar wind irradiation) changes spectra to bluer and brighter. Recently our He exposure experiments indicate that spectral changes depend on physical properties such as porosity of exposed material. In this study, we per-formed further He exposure experiments using Murchison CM chondrite in order to understand energy dependence on the spectral changes. We found that He energy is a critical parameter, as well as physical properties of the samples, that affects spectral changes of space weathering of hydrated C-type asteroids
Evidence for a companion to BM Gem, a silicate carbon star
Balmer and Paschen continuum emission as well as Balmer series lines of P
Cygni-type profile from H_gamma through H_23 are revealed in the violet spectra
of BM Gem, a carbon star associated with an oxygen-rich circumstellar shell
(`silicate carbon star') observed with the high dispersion spectrograph (HDS)
on the Subaru telescope. The blue-shifted absorption in the Balmer lines
indicates the presence of an outflow, the line of sight velocity of which is at
least 400 km s^-1, which is the highest outflow velocity observed to date in a
carbon star. We argue that the observed unusual features in BM Gem are strong
evidence for the presence of a companion, which should form an accretion disk
that gives rise to both an ionized gas region and a high velocity, variable
outflow. The estimated luminosity of ~0.2 (0.03-0.6) L_sun for the ionized gas
can be maintained by a mass accretion rate to a dwarf companion of ~10^-8 M_sun
yr^-1, while ~10^-10 M_sun yr^-1 is sufficient for accretion to a white dwarf
companion. These accretion rates are feasible for some detached binary
configurations on the basis of the Bond-Hoyle type accretion process. We
concluded that the carbon star BM Gem is in a detached binary system with a
companion of low mass and low luminosity. However, we are unable to determine
whether this companion object is a dwarf or a white dwarf. The upper limits for
binary separation are 210 AU and 930 AU for a dwarf and a white dwarf,
respectively. We also note that the observed features of BM Gem mimic those of
Mira (omi Cet), which may suggest actual similarities in their binary
configurations and circumstellar structures.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Ap
Dynamics of Fluid Vesicles in Oscillatory Shear Flow
The dynamics of fluid vesicles in oscillatory shear flow was studied using
differential equations of two variables: the Taylor deformation parameter and
inclination angle . In a steady shear flow with a low viscosity
of internal fluid, the vesicles exhibit steady tank-treading
motion with a constant inclination angle . In the oscillatory flow
with a low shear frequency, oscillates between or
around for zero or finite mean shear rate ,
respectively. As shear frequency increases, the vesicle
oscillation becomes delayed with respect to the shear oscillation, and the
oscillation amplitude decreases. At high with , another limit-cycle oscillation between and
is found to appear. In the steady flow, periodically rotates
(tumbling) at high , and and the vesicle shape
oscillate (swinging) at middle and high shear rate. In the
oscillatory flow, the coexistence of two or more limit-cycle oscillations can
occur for low in these phases. For the vesicle with a fixed shape,
the angle rotates back to the original position after an oscillation
period. However, it is found that a preferred angle can be induced by small
thermal fluctuations.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figure
Atomic Carbon and CO Isotope Emission in the Vicinity of DR15
We present observations of the 3P1-3P0 fine structure transition of atomic
carbon [CI], the J=3-2 transition of CO, as well as of the J=1-0 transitions of
13CO and C18O toward DR15, an HII region associated with two mid-infrared dark
clouds (IRDCs). The 13CO and C18O J=1-0 emissions closely follow the dark
patches seen in optical wavelength, showing two self-gravitating molecular
cores with masses of 2000 Msun and 900 Msun, respectively, at the positions of
the catalogued IRDCs.
Our data show a rough spatial correlation between [CI] and 13CO J=1-0. Bright
[CI] emission occurs in relatively cold gas behind the molecular cores, neither
in highly excited gas traced by CO J=3-2 emission nor in HII region/molecular
cloud interface. These results are inconsistent with those predicted by
standard photodissociation region (PDR) models, suggesting an origin for
interstellar atomic carbon unrelated to photodissociation processes.Comment: 11 pages Latex, 6 figures, Accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journa
The Star Clusters in the Irregular Galaxy NGC 4449
We examine the star clusters in the irregular galaxy NGC 4449. We use a
near-infrared spectrum and broad-band images taken with the HST to place a
limit of 8--15 Myrs on the age of the bright central ojbect in NGC 4449. Its
luminosity and size suggest that it is comparable to young super star clusters.
However, there is a peculiar nucleated-bar structure at the center of this star
cluster, and we suggest that this structure is debris from the interaction that
has produced the counter-rotating gas systems and extended gas streamers in the
galaxy.
From the images we identify 60 other candidate compact star clusters in NGC
4449. Fourteen of these could be background elliptical galaxies or old globular
star clusters. Of the star clusters, three, in addition to the central object,
are potentially super star clusters, and many others are comparable to the
populous clusters found in the LMC. The star clusters span a large range in
ages with no obvious peak in cluster formation that might be attributed to the
interaction that the galaxy has experienced.Comment: To be published in PASP, Feb. 2001; also attainable from
ftp.lowell.edu, cd pub/dah/n4449pape
Collapse of a semiflexible polymer in poor solvent
We investigate the dynamics and the pathways of the collapse of a single,
semiflexible polymer in a poor solvent via 3-D Brownian Dynamics simulations.
Earlier work indicates that the condensation of semiflexible polymers
generically proceeds via a cascade through metastable racquet-shaped,
long-lived intermediates towards the stable torus state. We investigate the
rate of decay of uncollapsed states, analyze the preferential pathways of
condensation, and describe likelihood and lifespan of the different metastable
states. The simulation are performed with a bead-stiff spring model with
excluded volume interaction and exponentially decaying attractive potential.
The semiflexible chain collapse is studied as functions of the three relevant
length scales of the phenomenon, i.e., the total chain length , the
persistence length and the condensation length , where is a measure of the attractive potential per unit
length. Two dimensionless ratios, and , suffice to describe
the decay rate of uncollapsed states, which appears to scale as . The condensation sequence is described in terms of the time series
of the well separated energy levels associated with each metastable collapsed
state. The collapsed states are described quantitatively through the spatial
correlation of tangent vectors along the chain. We also compare the results
obtained with a locally inextensible bead-rod chain and with a phantom
bead-spring model. Finally, we show preliminary results on the effects of
steady shear flow on the kinetics of collapse.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure
The Formation Rate, Mass and Luminosity Functions of DA White Dwarfs from the Palomar Green Survey
Spectrophotometric observations at high signal-to-noise ratio were obtained
of a complete sample of 347 DA white dwarfs from the Palomar Green (PG) Survey.
Fits of observed Balmer lines to synthetic spectra calculated from
pure-hydrogen model atmospheres were used to obtain robust values of Teff, log
g, masses, radii, and cooling ages. The luminosity function of the sample,
weighted by 1/Vmax, was obtained and compared with other determinations. The
mass distribution of the white dwarfs is derived, after important corrections
for the radii of the white dwarfs in this magnitude-limited survey and for the
cooling time scales. The formation rate of DA white dwarfs from the PG is
estimated to be 0.6x10^(-12) pc^(-3) yr^(-1). Comparison with predictions from
a theoretical study of the white dwarf formation rate for single stars
indicates that >80% of the high mass component requires a different origin,
presumably mergers of lower mass double degenerate stars. In order to estimate
the recent formation rate of all white dwarfs in the local Galactic disk,
corrections for incompleteness of the PG, addition of the DB-DO white dwarfs,
and allowance for stars hidden by luminous binary companions had to be applied
to enhance the rate. An overall formation rate of white dwarfs recently in the
local Galactic disk of 1.15+/-0.25x10^(-12) pc^(-3) yr^(-1) is obtained. Two
recent studies of samples of nearby Galactic planetary nebulae lead to
estimates around twice as high. Difficulties in reconciling these
determinations are discussed.Comment: 73 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ Supplemen
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