1,070 research outputs found
Analysis of a Very Massive DA White Dwarf via the Trigonometric Parallax and Spectroscopic Methods
By two different methods, we show that LHS 4033 is an extremely massive white
dwarf near its likely upper mass limit for destruction by unstable electron
captures. From the accurate trigonometric parallax reported herein, the
effective temperature (T=10,900 K) and the stellar radius (R=0.00368 R_sun) are
directly determined from the broad-band spectral energy distribution -- the
parallax method. The effective temperature and surface gravity are also
estimated independently from the simultaneous fitting of the observed Balmer
line profiles with those predicted from pure-hydrogen model atmospheres -- the
spectroscopic method (T=10,760 K, log g=9.46). The mass of LHS 4033 is then
inferred from theoretical mass-radius relations appropriate for white dwarfs.
The parallax method yields a mass estimate of 1.310--1.330 M_sun, for interior
compositions ranging from pure magnesium to pure carbon, respectively, while
the spectroscopic method yields an estimate of 1.318--1.335 M_sun for the same
core compositions. This star is the most massive white dwarf for which a robust
comparison of the two techniques has been made.Comment: 17 pages, including 4 figures, Accepted for Ap.
Spectral Energy Distributions for Disk and Halo M--Dwarfs
We have obtained infrared (1 to 2.5 micron) spectroscopy for 42 halo and disk
dwarfs with spectral type M1 to M6.5. These data are compared to synthetic
spectra generated by the latest model atmospheres of Allard & Hauschildt.
Photospheric parameters metallicity, effective temperature and radius are
determined for the sample. We find good agreement between observation and
theory except for known problems due to incomplete molecular data for metal
hydrides and water. The metal-poor M subdwarfs are well matched by the models
as oxide opacity sources are less important in this case. The derived effective
temperatures for the sample range from 3600K to 2600K; at these temperatures
grain formation and extinction are not significant in the photosphere. The
derived metallicities range from solar to one-tenth solar. The radii and
effective temperatures derived agree well with recent models of low mass stars.Comment: 24 pages including 13 figures, 4 Tables; accepted by Ap
SDSS J125637-022452: a high proper motion L subdwarf
We report the discovery of a high proper motion L subdwarf (
=0.617arcsec/yr) in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectral database. The optical
spectrum from the star SDSS J125637-022452 has mixed spectral features of both
late-M spectral subtype (strong TiO and CaH at 7000A) and mid-L spectral
subtype (strong wings of KI at 7700A, CrH and FeH), which is interpreted as the
signature of a very low-mass, metal-poor star (ultra-cool subdwarf) of spectral
type sdL. The near infrared (NIR) (J-Ks) colors from 2MASS shows the object to
be significantly bluer compared to normal L dwarfs, which is probably due a
strong collision induced absorption (CIA) due to H2 molecule. This is
consistent with the idea that CIA from H2 is more pronounced at low
metallicities. Proper motion and radial velocity measurements also indicate
that the star is kinematically "hot" and probably associated with the Galactic
halo population.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for ApJ
Cyanamide Potentiates the Ethanol-Induced Impairment of Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis in a Recombinant Hepatic Cell Line Expressing Alcohol Dehydrogenase Activity
Ethanol administration has been shown to alter receptor-mediated endocytosis in the liver. We have developed a recombinant hepatic cell line stably transfected with murine alcohol dehydrogenase cDNA to serve as an in vitro model to investigate these ethanol-induced impairments. In the present study, transfected cells were maintained in the absence or presence of 25âmM ethanol for 7 days, and alterations in endocytosis by the asialoglycoprotein receptor were determined. The role of acetaldehyde in this dysfunction was also examined by inclusion of the aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor, cyanamide. Our results showed that ethanol metabolism impaired internalization of asialoorosomucoid, a ligand for the asialoglycoprotein receptor. The addition of cyanamide potentiated the ethanol-induced defect in internalization and also impaired degradation of the ligand in the presence of ethanol. These results indicate that the ethanol-induced impairment in endocytosis is exacerbated by the inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase, suggesting the involvement of acetaldehyde in this dysfunction
Studying Algebraic Structures Using Prover9 and Mace4
In this chapter we present a case study, drawn from our research work, on the
application of a fully automated theorem prover together with an automatic
counter-example generator in the investigation of a class of algebraic
structures. We will see that these tools, when combined with human insight and
traditional algebraic methods, help us to explore the problem space quickly and
effectively. The counter-example generator rapidly rules out many false
conjectures, while the theorem prover is often much more efficient than a human
being at verifying algebraic identities. The specific tools in our case study
are Prover9 and Mace4; the algebraic structures are generalisations of Heyting
algebras known as hoops. We will see how this approach helped us to discover
new theorems and to find new or improved proofs of known results. We also make
some suggestions for how one might deploy these tools to supplement a more
conventional approach to teaching algebra.Comment: 21 pages, to appear as Chapter 5 in "Proof Technology in Mathematics
Research and Teaching", Mathematics Education in the Digital Era 14, edited
by G. Hanna et al. (eds.), published by Springe
The Solar Neighborhood. XXXIX. Parallax Results from the CTIOPI and NOFS Programs: 50 New Members of the 25 Parsec White Dwarf Sample
We present 114 trigonometric parallaxes for 107 nearby white dwarf (WD)
systems from both the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Parallax
Investigation (CTIOPI) and the U. S. Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS)
parallax programs. Of these, 76 parallaxes for 69 systems were measured by the
CTIOPI program and 38 parallaxes for as many systems were measured by the NOFS
program. A total of 50 systems are confirmed to be within the 25 pc horizon of
interest. Coupled with a spectroscopic confirmation of a common proper motion
companion to a Hipparcos star within 25 pc as well as confirmation parallax
determinations for two WD systems included in the recently released Tycho Gaia
Astrometric Solution (TGAS) catalog, we add 53 new systems to the 25 pc WD
sample a 42% increase. Our sample presented here includes four strong
candidate halo systems, a new metal-rich DAZ WD, a confirmation of a recently
discovered nearby short-period (P = 2.85 hr) double degenerate, a WD with a new
astrometric pertubation (long period, unconstrained with our data), and a new
triple system where the WD companion main-sequence star has an astrometric
perturbation (P 1.6 yr).Comment: 32 pages, 12 figures. Figure 4 in the manuscript is a representative
set of plots - plots for all WDs presented here are available
(allfits_photo.pdf, allfits_photo_DQ.pdf, and allfits_photo_DZ.pdf). Accepted
for publication in The Astronomical Journa
Four nearby L dwarfs
We present spectroscopic, photometric and astrometric observations of four
bright L dwarfs identified in the course of the 2MASS near-infrared survey. Our
spectroscopic data extend to wavelengths shortward of 5000\AA in the L0 dwarf
2MASSJ0746+2000 and the L4 dwarf 2MASSJ0036+1840, allowing the identification
of absorption bands due to MgH and CaOH. The atomic resonance lines Ca I
4227\AA and Na I 5890/5896\AA are extremely strong, with the latter having an
equivalent width of 240\AA in the L4 dwarf. By spectral type L5, the D lines
extend over \AA and absorb a substantial fraction of the flux emitted
in the V band, with a corresponding effect on the (V-I) broadband colour. The
KI resonance doublet at 7665/7699\AA increases in equivalent width from
spectral type M3 to M7, but decreases in strength from M7 to L0 before
broadening substantially at later types. These variations are likely driven by
dust formation in these cool atmospheres.Comment: to appear in AJ, January 2000; 27 pages, including 3 tables and 7
figures embedded in the tex
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