473 research outputs found
Affecting surface chirality via multicomponent adsorption of chiral and achiral molecules
Here we report on the apparent reduction in surface chirality upon co-assembling a chiral and achiral molecule into a physisorbed self-assembled monolayer at the liquid/solid interface as revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Chiral OPV with achiral thymine gives rise to surface-confined supramolecular diastereomers
An asteroseismic study of the beta Cephei star 12 Lacertae: multisite spectroscopic observations, mode identification and seismic modelling
We present the results of a spectroscopic multisite campaign for the beta
Cephei star 12 (DD) Lacertae. Our study is based on more than thousand
high-resolution high S/N spectra gathered with 8 different telescopes in a time
span of 11 months. In addition we make use of numerous archival spectroscopic
measurements. We confirm 10 independent frequencies recently discovered from
photometry, as well as harmonics and combination frequencies. In particular,
the SPB-like g-mode with frequency 0.3428 1/d reported before is detected in
our spectroscopy. We identify the four main modes as (l1,m1) = (1, 1), (l2,m2)
= (0, 0), (l3,m3) = (1, 0) and (l4,m4) = (2, 1) for f1 = 5.178964 1/d, f2 =
5.334224 1/d, f3 = 5.066316 1/d and f4 = 5.490133 1/d, respectively. Our
seismic modelling shows that f2 is likely the radial first overtone and that
the core overshooting parameter alpha_ov is lower than 0.4 local pressure scale
heights.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted in MNRA
Unresolved Rossby and gravity modes in 214 A and F stars showing rotational modulation
Here we report an ensemble study of 214 A- and F-type stars observed by
\textit{Kepler}, exhibiting the so-called \textit{hump and spike} periodic
signal, explained by Rossby modes (r~modes) -- the \textit{hump} -- and
magnetic stellar spots or overstable convective (OsC) modes -- the
\textit{spike} -- respectively. We determine the power confined in the
non-resolved hump features and find additional gravity~modes (g~modes) humps
always occurring at higher frequencies than the spike. Furthermore, we derive
projected rotational velocities from FIES, SONG and HERMES spectra for 28 stars
and the stellar inclination angle for 89 stars. We find a strong correlation
between the spike amplitude and the power in the r and g~modes, which suggests
that both types of oscillations are mechanically excited by either stellar
spots or OsC modes. Our analysis suggests that stars with a higher power in
r~modes humps are more likely to also exhibit humps at higher azimuthal
orders ( = 2, 3, or 4). Interestingly, all stars that show g~modes humps are
hotter and more luminous than the observed red edge of the Scuti
instability strip, suggesting that either magnetic fields or convection in the
outer layers could play an important role.Comment: 18 pages, 19 figure
CoRoT's view of newly discovered B-star pulsators: results for 358 candidate B pulsators from the initial run's exoplanet field data
We search for new variable B-type pulsators in the CoRoT data assembled
primarily for planet detection, as part of CoRoT's Additional Programme. We aim
to explore the properties of newly discovered B-type pulsators from the
uninterrupted CoRoT space-based photometry and to compare them with known
members of the Beta Cep and slowly pulsating B star (SPB) classes. We developed
automated data analysis tools that include algorithms for jump correction,
light-curve detrending, frequency detection, frequency combination search, and
for frequency and period spacing searches. Besides numerous new, classical,
slowly pulsating B stars, we find evidence for a new class of low-amplitude
B-type pulsators between the SPB and Delta Sct instability strips, with a very
broad range of frequencies and low amplitudes, as well as several slowly
pulsating B stars with residual excess power at frequencies typically a factor
three above their expected g-mode frequencies. The frequency data we obtained
for numerous new B-type pulsators represent an appropriate starting point for
further theoretical analyses of these stars, once their effective temperature,
gravity, rotation velocity, and abundances will be derived spectroscopically in
the framework of an ongoing FLAMES survey at the VLT.Comment: 22 pages, 30 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Kepler observations of variability in B-type stars
The analysis of the light curves of 48 B-type stars observed by Kepler is
presented. Among these are 15 pulsating stars, all of which show low
frequencies characteristic of SPB stars. Seven of these stars also show a few
weak, isolated high frequencies and they could be considered as SPB/beta Cep
hybrids. In all cases the frequency spectra are quite different from what is
seen from ground-based observations. We suggest that this is because most of
the low frequencies are modes of high degree which are predicted to be unstable
in models of mid-B stars. We find that there are non-pulsating stars within the
beta Cep and SPB instability strips. Apart from the pulsating stars, we can
identify stars with frequency groupings similar to what is seen in Be stars but
which are not Be stars. The origin of the groupings is not clear, but may be
related to rotation. We find periodic variations in other stars which we
attribute to proximity effects in binary systems or possibly rotational
modulation. We find no evidence for pulsating stars between the cool edge of
the SPB and the hot edge of the delta Sct instability strips. None of the stars
show the broad features which can be attributed to stochastically-excited modes
as recently proposed. Among our sample of B stars are two chemically peculiar
stars, one of which is a HgMn star showing rotational modulation in the light
curve.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, 4 table
Random forest automated supervised classification of Hipparcos periodic variable stars
We present an evaluation of the performance of an automated classification of the Hipparcos periodic variable stars into 26 types. The sub-sample with the most reliable variability types available in the literature is used to train supervised algorithms to characterize the type dependencies on a number of attributes. The most useful attributes evaluated with the random forest methodology include, in decreasing order of importance, the period, the amplitude, the V−I colour index, the absolute magnitude, the residual around the folded light-curve model, the magnitude distribution skewness and the amplitude of the second harmonic of the Fourier series model relative to that of the fundamental frequency. Random forests and a multi-stage scheme involving Bayesian network and Gaussian mixture methods lead to statistically equivalent results. In standard 10-fold cross-validation (CV) experiments, the rate of correct classification is between 90 and 100 per cent, depending on the variability type. The main mis-classification cases, up to a rate of about 10 per cent, arise due to confusion between SPB and ACV blue variables and between eclipsing binaries, ellipsoidal variables and other variability types. Our training set and the predicted types for the other Hipparcos periodic stars are available onlin
Effects of Etching on Zircon Grains and Its Implications for the Fission Track Method
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Studies of zircon grains using optical microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been carried out to characterize the surface of natural zircon as a function of etching time. According to the surface characteristics observed using an optical microscope after etching, the zircon grains were classified as: (i) homogeneous; (ii) anomalous, and (iii) hybrid. Micro-Raman results showed that, as etching time increases, the crystal lattice is slightly altered for homogeneous grains, it is completely damaged for anomalous grains, and it is altered in some areas for hybrid grains. The SEM (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, EDS) results indicated that, independent of the grain types, where the crystallinity remains after etching, the chemical composition of zircon is approximately 33% SiO2:65% ZrO2 (standard natural zircon), and for areas where the grain does not have a crystalline structure, there are variations of ZrO2 and, mainly, SiO2. In addition, it is possible to observe a uniform surface density of fission tracks in grain areas where the determined crystal lattice and chemical composition are those of zircon. Regarding hybrid grains, we discuss whether the areas slightly altered by the chemical etching can be analyzed by the fission track method (FM) or not. Results of zircon fission track and U-Ph dating show that hybrid and homogeneous grains can be used for dating, and not only homogeneous grains. More than 50 sedimentary samples from the Bauru Basin (southeast Brazil) were analyzed and show that only a small amount of grains are homogeneous (10%), questioning the validity of the rest of the grains for thermo-chronological evolution studies using zircon FTM dating.665545551Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq
Close binary stars in the solar-age Galactic open cluster M67
We present multi-colour time-series CCD photometry of the solar-age galactic
open cluster M67 (NGC 2682). About 3600 frames spread over 28 nights were
obtained with the 1.5 m Russian-Turkish and 1.2 m Mercator telescopes.
High-precision observations of the close binary stars AH Cnc, EV Cnc, ES Cnc,
the Scuti type systems EX Cnc and EW Cnc, and some long-period
variables belonging to M67 are presented. Three full multi-colour light curves
of the overcontact binary AH Cnc were obtained during three observing seasons.
Likewise we gathered three light curves of EV Cnc, an EB-type binary, and two
light curves of ES Cnc, a blue straggler binary. Parts of the light change of
long-term variables S1024, S1040, S1045, S1063, S1242, and S1264 are obtained.
Period variation analysis of AH Cnc, EV Cnc, and ES Cnc were done using all
times of mid-eclipse available in the literature and those obtained in this
study. In addition, we analyzed multi-colour light curves of the close binaries
and also determined new frequencies for the Scuti systems. The
physical parameters of the close binary stars were determined with simultaneous
solutions of multi-colour light and radial velocity curves. Finally we
determined the distance of M67 as 857(33) pc via binary star parameters, which
is consistent with an independent method from earlier studies.Comment: 12 pages, 9 Figures, 13 Table
- …