Broad Absorption Line Variability in Radio-Loud Quasars

We investigate C IV broad absorption line (BAL) variability within a sample of 46 radio-loud quasars (RLQs), selected from SDSS/FIRST data to include both core-dominated (39) and lobe-dominated (7) objects. The sample consists primarily of high-ionization BAL quasars, and a substantial fraction have large BAL velocities or equivalent widths; their radio luminosities and radio-loudness values span ~2.5 orders of magnitude. We have obtained 34 new Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) spectra of 28 BAL RLQs to compare to earlier SDSS data, and we also incorporate archival coverage (primarily dual-epoch SDSS) for a total set of 78 pairs of equivalent width measurements for 46 BAL RLQs, probing rest-frame timescales of ~80-6000 d (median 500 d). In general, only modest changes in the depths of segments of absorption troughs are observed, akin to those seen in prior studies of BAL RQQs. Also similar to previous findings for RQQs, the RLQs studied here are more likely to display BAL variability on longer rest-frame timescales. However, typical values of |Delta_EW| and |Delta_EW|/ are about 40+/-20% lower for BAL RLQs when compared with those of a timescale-matched sample of BAL RQQs. Optical continuum variability is of similar amplitude in BAL RLQs and BAL RQQs; for both RLQs and RQQs, continuum variability tends to be stronger on longer timescales. BAL variability in RLQs does not obviously depend upon their radio luminosities or radio-loudness values, but we do find tentative evidence for greater fractional BAL variability within lobe-dominated RLQs. Enhanced BAL variability within more edge-on (lobe-dominated) RLQs supports some geometrical dependence to the outflow structure.Comment: 27 pages, 16 figures, 6 tables, accepted to MNRAS, full Appendix A at http://www.macalester.edu/~bmille13/balrlqs.htm

Lifetimes of antiferromagnetic magnons in two and three dimensions: experiment, theory, and numerics

A high-resolution neutron spectroscopic technique is used to measure momentum-resolved magnon lifetimes in the prototypical two- and three-dimensional antiferromagnets Rb2MnF4 and MnF2, over the full Brillouin zone and a wide range of temperatures. We rederived theories of the lifetime resulting from magnon-magnon scattering, thereby broadening their applicability beyond asymptotically small regions of wavevector and temperature. Corresponding computations, combined with a small contribution reflecting collisions with domain boundaries, yield excellent quantitative agreement with the data.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Beagle to the Moon: nn experiment package to measure polar ice and volatiles in permanently shadowed areas or beneath the lunar surface

The Beagle Science Package is a flight qualified set of instruments which should be deployed to the lunar surface to answer the questions about water and volatiles present in permanently shadowed regions and/or beneath the surface

Tight constraints on the existence of additional planets around HD 189733

We report a transit timing study of the transiting exoplanetary system HD 189733. In total we observed ten transits in 2006 and 2008 with the 2.6-m Nordic Optical Telescope, and two transits in 2007 with the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. We used Markov-Chain Monte Carlo simulations to derive the system parameters and their uncertainties, and our results are in a good agreement with previously published values. We performed two independent analyses of transit timing residuals to place upper mass limits on putative perturbing planets. The results show no evidence for the presence of planets down to 1 Earth mass near the 1:2 and 2:1 resonance orbits, and planets down to 2.2 Earth masses near the 3:5 and 5:3 resonance orbits with HD 189733b. These are the strongest limits to date on the presence of other planets in this system.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted by MNRA

Gapped Surface States in a Strong-Topological-Semimetal

A three-dimensional strong-topological-insulator or -semimetal hosts topological surface states which are often said to be gapless so long as time-reversal symmetry is preserved. This narrative can be mistaken when surface state degeneracies occur away from time-reversal-invariant momenta. The mirror-invariance of the system then becomes essential in protecting the existence of a surface Fermi surface. Here we show that such a case exists in the strong-topological-semimetal Bi$_4$Se$_3$. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and \textit{ab initio} calculations reveal partial gapping of surface bands on the Bi$_2$Se$_3$-termination of Bi$_4$Se$_3$(111), where an 85 meV gap along $\bar{\Gamma}\bar{K}$ closes to zero toward the mirror-invariant $\bar{\Gamma}\bar{M}$ azimuth. The gap opening is attributed to an interband spin-orbit interaction that mixes states of opposite spin-helicity.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

A multi-object spectral imaging instrument

We have developed a snapshot spectral imaging system which fits onto the side camera port of a commercial inverted microscope. The system provides spectra, in real time, from multiple points randomly selected on the microscope image. Light from the selected points in the sample is directed from the side port imaging arm using a digital micromirror device to a spectrometer arm based on a dispersing prism and CCD camera. A multi-line laser source is used to calibrate the pixel positions on the CCD for wavelength. A CMOS camera on the front port of the microscope allows the full image of the sample to be displayed and can also be used for particle tracking, providing spectra of multiple particles moving in the sample. We demonstrate the system by recording the spectra of multiple fluorescent beads in aqueous solution and from multiple points along a microscope sample channel containing a mixture of red and blue dye

756-1 Non Surgical Septum Reduction: A New Treatment for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM)

In patients with HOCM and marked intraventricular gradients resistant to conventional drug treatment with beta blockers and/or Verapamil surgical resection of the muscular septal bulge has been advocated. We have investigated a new catheter treatment in 5 patients with HOCM and significant LV ouflow tract gradients. All patients were in class 3 NYHA with angina and shortness of breath. Intraventricular gradients were measured with transeptally introduced Brockenbrough catheters in the LV inflow tract and arterial catheters in the aortic root. All patients were studied at rest, during the Valsalva manoeuvre, after nitrates and after Isoproterenol infusion. The measurements were repeated during balloon occlusion of the first major septal branch of the left anterior descending coronary artery. — In all patients the resting intraventricular gradient was reduced to less than 20mm/Hg and provocative testing (nitrates and post extrasystolic potentation) failed to create typical increments. The longest inflation time was 30 minutes. Three patients had Verapamil 0.5mg injected through the angioplasty balloon which resulted in a longer lasting gradient/reduction after deflation of the balloon.–After informed consent, 2 patient had 3–5ml of desiccated alcohol infused through the inflated balloon catheter in order to devitalise the offending myocardium. This resulted in a CK elevation up to 2,500 units and permanent abolition of the intraventricular gradient accompanied by marked clinical improvement.From these preliminary observations we conclude that non surgical septum ablation maybe a promising new technique for the treatment of HOCM. Further studies are warranted

On Dwarf Galaxies as the Source of Intracluster Gas

Recent observational evidence for steep dwarf galaxy luminosity functions in several rich clusters has led to speculation that their precursors may be the source of the majority of gas and metals inferred from intracluster medium (ICM) x-ray observations. Their deposition into the ICM is presumed to occur through early supernovae-driven winds, the resultant systems reflecting the photometric and chemical properties of the low luminosity dwarf spheroidals and ellipticals we observe locally. We consider this scenario, utilising a self-consistent model for spheroidal photo-chemical evolution and gas ejection via galactic superwinds. Insisting that post-wind dwarfs obey the observed colour-luminosity-metallicity relations, we conclude that the bulk of the ICM gas and metals does not originate within their precursors.Comment: 43 pages, 8 figures, LaTeX, also available at http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~gibson/publications.html, to appear in ApJ, Vol 473, 1997, in pres

Galactic Wind Signatures around High Redshift Galaxies

We carry out cosmological chemodynamical simulations with different strengths of supernova (SN) feedback and study how galactic winds from star-forming galaxies affect the features of hydrogen (HI) and metal (CIV and OVI) absorption systems in the intergalactic medium at high redshift. We find that the outflows tend to escape to low density regions, and hardly affect the dense filaments visible in HI absorption. As a result, the strength of HI absorption near galaxies is not reduced by galactic winds, but even slightly increases. We also find that a lack of HI absorption for lines of sight (LOS) close to galaxies, as found by Adelberger et al., can be created by hot gas around the galaxies induced by accretion shock heating. In contrast to HI, metal absorption systems are sensitive to the presence of winds. The models without feedback can produce the strong CIV and OVI absorption lines in LOS within 50 kpc from galaxies, while strong SN feedback is capable of creating strong CIV and OVI lines out to about twice that distance. We also analyze the mean transmissivity of HI, CIV, and OVI within 1 h$^{-1}$ Mpc from star-forming galaxies. The probability distribution of the transmissivity of HI is independent of the strength of SN feedback, but strong feedback produces LOS with lower transmissivity of metal lines. Additionally, strong feedback can produce strong OVI lines even in cases where HI absorption is weak. We conclude that OVI is probably the best tracer for galactic winds at high redshift.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures, ApJ in press. Higher resolution version available at http://www.ociw.edu/~dkawata/research/papers.htm