Near-Infrared Photometric Variability of Stars Toward the Chamaeleon I Molecular Cloud

We present the results of a J, H, and K_s photometric monitoring campaign of a 0.72 x 6 sq deg. area centered on the Chamaeleon I star forming region. Data were obtained on 15 separate nights over a 4 month time interval using the 2MASS South telescope. Out of a total of 34,539 sources brighter than the photometric completeness limits (J=16.0, H=15.2, K_s=14.8), 95 exhibit near-infrared variability in one or more bands. The variables can be grouped into a population of bright, red objects that are associated with the Chamaeleon I association, and a population of faint, blue variables that are dispersed over the full 6 deg of the survey and are likely field stars or older pre-main-sequence stars unrelated to the present-day Chamaeleon I molecular cloud. Ten new candidate members of Chamaeleon I, including 8 brown dwarf candidates, have been identified based on variability and/or near-infrared excess emission in the J-H vs. H-K_s color-color-diagram. We also provide a compendium of astrometry and J, H, and K_s photometry for previously identified members and candidate members of Chamaeleon I.Comment: To appear in AJ; see http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~jmc/variables/cham1

Evidence for Mass-dependent Circumstellar Disk Evolution in the 5 Myr Old Upper Scorpius OB Association

We present 4.5, 8, and 16 µm photometry from the Spitzer Space Telescope for 204 stars in the Upper Scorpius OB association. The data are used to investigate the frequency and properties of circumstellar disks around stars with masses between ~0.1 and 20 M_☉ at an age of ~5 Myr. We identify 35 stars that have emission at 8 or 16 µm in excess of the, stellar photosphere. The lower mass stars (~0.1–1.2M_☉) appear surrounded by primordial optically thick disks based on, the excess emission characteristics. Starsmoremassive than ~1.8M_☉ have lower fractional excess luminosities suggesting, that the inner ~10 AU of the disk has been largely depleted of primordial material. None of the G and F stars (~1.2–1.8 M_☉) in our sample have an infrared excess at wavelengths ≤16 µm. These results indicate that the mechanisms for, dispersing primordial optically thick disks operate less efficiently, on average, for low-mass stars, and that longer timescales are available for the buildup of planetary systems in the terrestrial zone for stars with masses ≾1 M_☉

Elastic and anelastic relaxations accompanying relaxor ferroelectric behaviour of Ba6GaNb9O30 tetragonal tungsten bronze from resonant ultrasound spectroscopy

Tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) structures offer some promise as lead-free ferroelectrics and have an advantage of great flexibility in terms of accessible composition ranges due to the number of crystallographic sites available for chemical substitution. The ferroic properties of interest are coupled with strain, which will be important in the context of stability, switching dynamics and thin film properties. Coupling of strain with the ferroelectric order parameter gives rise to changes in elastic properties, and these have been investigated for a ceramic sample of Ba6GaNb9O30 (BGNO) by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Room temperature values of the shear and bulk moduli for BGNO are rather higher than for TTBs with related composition which are orthorhombic at room temperature, consistent with suppression of the ferroelectric transition. Instead, a broad, rounded minimum in the shear modulus measured at ~1 MHz is accompanied by a broad rounded maximum in acoustic loss near 115 K and signifies relaxor freezing behaviour. Elastic softening with falling temperature from room temperature, ahead of the freezing interval, is attributed to the development of dynamical polar nanoregions (PNRs), whilst the nonlinear stiffening below ~115 K is consistent with a spectrum of relaxation times for freezing of the PNR microstructure

Influence of local strain heterogeneity on high piezoelectricity in 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3−0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 ceramics

Dielectric and mechanical spectroscopies have been used to investigate ferroelectric transitions and twin wall dynamics in the lead-free ceramic 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3−0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (abbreviated as BZT-50BCT), which is known to have a high piezoelectric coefficient (d33>545pC/N). Results from dynamical mechanical analysis in the frequency range 0.2–20 Hz and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy in the frequency range ∼0.1–1.2MHz confirm the existence of three phase transitions with falling temperature, at ∼360K (cubic-tetragonal), ∼304K (tetragonal-orthorhombic), and ∼273K (orthorhombic-rhombohedral). In comparison with BaTiO3, however, the transitions are marked by rounded rather than sharp minima in the shear modulus. The pattern of acoustic loss is also quite different from that shown by BaTiO3 in having a broad interval of high loss at low temperatures, consistent with a spectrum of relaxation times for interactions of ferroelastic twin walls. Differences in the dielectric properties also suggest more relaxor like characteristics for BZT-50BCT. It is proposed that the overall pattern of behavior is significantly influenced by strain heterogeneity at a local length scale in the perovskite structure due to the substitution of cations with different ionic radii. The existence of this strain heterogeneity and its influence on the elastic behavior near the transition points could be contributory factors to the development of adaptive nanoscale microstructures and enhanced piezoelectric properties

Feasibility of a Stack Integrated SOFC Optical Chemical Sensor

The DOE-NETL Innovative Concepts (IC) phase II program investigated the feasibility of harsh environment compatible chemical sensors based on monitoring the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands of metal nanoparticle doped YSZ nano-cermets, as a function of fuel concentrations, impurities e.g. CO and temperature(500-900 C). In particular, Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit a strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band whose shape and spectral position is not only highly dependent on the refractive index of the host medium but also on chemical reactions at the interface between the metal and the surrounding environment. Studies have been completed on the oxygen and temperature dependence of the SPR band of the AuNPs, CO sensing studies, oxygen/hydrogen titration experiments, ethanol sensing studies and finally NO{sub 2} sensing studies. Reversible changes in the SPR band are observed for all chemical exposure studies with the sensing mechanism being determined by the oxidative or reductive properties of the exposure gases. Reactions which remove charge from the AuNPs was observed to cause a redshift in the SPR band, while charge donation to the AuNPs causes a blue shift in the SPR band. CO, hydrogen and ethanol in air mixtures were all reductive in nature as they reacted with the YSZ bound oxygen anions forming CO{sub 2} or H{sub 2}O thus ultimately inducing charge donation to the AuNPs and a blue shift in the SPR band. While NO{sub 2} and oxygen were oxidative and induced the production of YSZ bound oxygen anions, charge removal from the AuNPs and a redshift in the SPR band

Low-temperature behavior of natural kalsilite with P31c symmetry: An in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction study

The low-temperature behavior of a natural kalsilite (ideal formula KAlSiO4) with P31c symmetry has been investigated by in situ single-crystal diffraction. A series of intensity data collections and structural refinements have been performed at 298, 250, 200, 150, and 100 K on decreasing temperature, and 175, 225, and 275 K on increasing T. The variations of the unit-cell parameters of kalsilite as a function of T are continuous, and show no evidence of any phase transitions or thermo-elastic anomalies in this temperature range. An expansion is observed along [0001] with decreasing temperature. The axial and volume thermal expansion coefficients ({alpha}j = lj-1{middle dot}{partial}lj/{partial}T, {alpha}V = V-1{middle dot}{partial}V/{partial}T) between 298 and 100 K, calculated by weighted linear regression through the data points, are {alpha}a = {alpha}b = 1.30(6){middle dot}10-5, {alpha}c = -1.5(1){middle dot}10-5, {alpha}V = 1.1(2){middle dot}10-5 K-1. The main structural change on decreasing temperature is a cooperative anti-rotation of tetrahedra forming the six-membered rings lying parallel to (0001). This tetrahedral rotation is coupled with a change in the distances between the extra-framework cations and the framework O atoms. A small decrease in the tetrahedral tilts perpendicular to [0001] is responsible for the negative thermal expansion along [0001]; the implications of these mechanisms for thermal expansion in nephelines and kalsilites are discussed

Multi-wavelength modeling of the spatially resolved debris disk of HD 107146

(abridged) We aim to constrain the location, composition, and dynamical state of planetesimal populations and dust around the young, sun-like (G2V) star HD 107146}. We consider coronagraphic observations obtained with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS) onboard the HST in broad V and broad I filters, a resolved 1.3mm map obtained with the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (CARMA), Spitzer/IRS low resolution spectra, and the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the object at wavelengths ranging from 3.5micron to 3.1mm. We complement these data with new coronagraphic high resolution observations of the debris disk using the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (HST/NICMOS) aboard the HST in the F110W filter. The SED and images of the disk in scattered light as well as in thermal reemission are combined in our modeling using a parameterized model for the disk density distribution and optical properties of the dust. A detailed analytical model of the debris disk around HD 107146 is presented that allows us to reproduce the almost entire set of spatially resolved and unresolved multi-wavelength observations. Considering the variety of complementary observational data, we are able to break the degeneracies produced by modeling SED data alone. We find the disk to be an extended ring with a peak surface density at 131AU. Furthermore, we find evidence for an additional, inner disk probably composed of small grains released at the inner edge of the outer disk and moving inwards due to Poynting-Robertson drag. A birth ring scenario (i.e., a more or less broad ring of planetesimals creating the dust disk trough collisions) is found to be the most likely explanation of the ringlike shape of the disk.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Cuatro Vientos- A Reconsideration Of Seven Prehistoric Sites In The Lower Rio Grande Plains Of South Texas Webb County

On behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted testing investigations on seven prehistoric sites located within the Cuatro Vientos roadway project right-of-way in Webb County, Texas. The test excavations, conducted in June 2005, were performed in compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and the Texas Antiquities Code. The work was designed to assess each site’s potential for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and for designation as State Archeological Landmarks (SAL). The work was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 3755 with Kevin A. Miller serving as Principal Investigator. Field investigations were performed under TxDOT Work Authorization No. 573 26 SA007 of the SWCA/ TxDOT General Services Contract 573 XX SA007. The seven tested sites are distributed primarily within the drainage basin of San Idelfonso Creek, a tributary of the Rio Grande in south Texas. The sites, including 41WB441, 41WB572, 41WB577, 41WB578, 41WB621, 41WB622, and 41WB623, are all prehistoric open sites situated in both buried and surficial contexts on terraces and adjacent uplands. The sites principally consist of various prehistoric features and artifacts associated with lithic procurement locales and open occupations. According to the temporal data, the sites contain occupational components from the Middle Archaic through Late Prehistoric, though Late Archaic components are the most prevalent throughout the project area. Because of poor preservation and the lack of integrity, SWCA did not recommend any of the sites as eligible for the NRHP or as SALs. TxDOT, however, did not concur and recommended three as eligible, though all were effectively mitigated by the testing investigations. This difference of opinion formed the basis for developing a different approach to the assessment of the south Texas archaeological record. In essence, this project is a reconsideration of evaluations of significance and research potential of seven sites, specifically addressing the well-known problems with the regional archaeological record, namely erosional or stable settings that create mixed or incomplete assemblages. The proposed solution is the development of a contextual frame of reference, utilization of specific point-plotted data in addition to the site construct, and variable temporal scales