Cno Abundances Of Hydrogen-Deficient Carbon And R Coronae Borealis Stars: A View Of The Nucleosynthesis In A White Dwarf Merger

We present high-resolution (R similar to 50,000) observations of near-IR transitions of CO and CN of the five known hydrogen-deficient carbon (HdC) stars and four R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. We perform an abundance analysis of these stars by using spectrum synthesis and state-of-the-art MARCS model atmospheres for cool hydrogen-deficient stars. Our analysis confirms reports by Clayton and colleagues that those HdC stars exhibiting CO lines in their spectrum and the cool RCB star SAps are strongly enriched in (18)O(with (16)O/(18)Oratios ranging from 0.3 to 16). Nitrogen and carbon are in the form of (14)N and (12)C, respectively. Elemental abundances for CNO are obtained from C I, Ci2, CN, and CO lines. Difficulties in deriving the carbon abundance are discussed. Abundances of Na from Na I lines and S from S I lines are obtained. Elemental and isotopic CNO abundances suggest that HdC and RCB stars may be related objects, and that they probably formed from a merger of an He white dwarf with a C-O white dwarf.Robert A. Welch Foundation of Houston, TexasSwedish Research CouncilGS-2006A-C-13GS-2007A-DD-1McDonald Observator

Searching for Dust around Hyper Metal-Poor Stars

We examine the mid-infrared fluxes and spectral energy distributions for metal-poor stars with iron abundances [Fe/H] $\lesssim-5$, as well as two CEMP-no stars, to eliminate the possibility that their low metallicities are related to the depletion of elements onto dust grains in the formation of a debris disk. Six out of seven stars examined here show no mid-IR excess. These non-detections rule out many types of circumstellar disks, e.g. a warm debris disk ($T\!\le\!290$ K), or debris disks with inner radii $\le1$ AU, such as those associated with the chemically peculiar post-AGB spectroscopic binaries and RV Tau variables. However, we cannot rule out cooler debris disks, nor those with lower flux ratios to their host stars due to, e.g. a smaller disk mass, a larger inner disk radius, an absence of small grains, or even a multicomponent structure, as often found with the chemically peculiar Lambda Bootis stars. The only exception is HE0107-5240, for which a small mid-IR excess near 10 microns is detected at the 2-$\sigma$ level; if the excess is real and associated with this star, it may indicate the presence of (recent) dust-gas winnowing or a binary system.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Development of a New Lewis Acid-Catalyzed [3,3]-Sigmatropic Rearrangement: The Allenoate-Claisen Rearrangement

A new Lewis acid-catalyzed Claisen rearrangement has been developed that allows the stereoselective construction of β-amino-α,β,ε,ζ-unsaturated-γ,δ-disubstituted esters from simple allylic amines and allenoate esters. This reaction, which is contingent upon the use of Lewis acid, can be conducted with a range of metal salts (Yb(OTf)_3, AlCl_3, Sn(OTf)_2, Cu(OTf)_2, MgBr_2·Et_2O, FeCl_3, Zn(OTf)2) with catalyst loadings as low as 5 mol %. This catalytic process provides access to a diverse range of β-amino-α,β,ε,ζ-unsaturated-γ,δ-disubstituted esters in high yield and with excellent levels of diastereoselectivity for a series of allyl pyrrolidines (R_1 = H, Me, i-Pr, Ph, NR_2 = pyrrolidine, piperidine, Nme_2; ≥81% yield, ≥94:6 syn:anti) and allenoate esters (R_2 = H, Me, i-Pr, Ph, allyl, NPht, Cl; ≥75% yield, ≥91:9 syn:anti). The capacity of this new Claisen rearrangement to provide catalytic access to elusive structural motifs has also been demonstrated in the stereospecific formation of quaternary carbon bearing frameworks arising from geranyl- and neryl pyrrolidine (≥93% yield, >98:2 dr)

Space Station Freedom automation and robotics: An assessment of the potential for increased productivity

This report presents the results of a study performed in support of the Space Station Freedom Advanced Development Program, under the sponsorship of the Space Station Engineering (Code MT), Office of Space Flight. The study consisted of the collection, compilation, and analysis of lessons learned, crew time requirements, and other factors influencing the application of advanced automation and robotics, with emphasis on potential improvements in productivity. The lessons learned data collected were based primarily on Skylab, Spacelab, and other Space Shuttle experiences, consisting principally of interviews with current and former crew members and other NASA personnel with relevant experience. The objectives of this report are to present a summary of this data and its analysis, and to present conclusions regarding promising areas for the application of advanced automation and robotics technology to the Space Station Freedom and the potential benefits in terms of increased productivity. In this study, primary emphasis was placed on advanced automation technology because of its fairly extensive utilization within private industry including the aerospace sector. In contrast, other than the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), there has been relatively limited experience with advanced robotics technology applicable to the Space Station. This report should be used as a guide and is not intended to be used as a substitute for official Astronaut Office crew positions on specific issues

Experimental investigation of wing installation effects on a two-dimensional mixer/ejector nozzle for supersonic transport aircraft

Experimental results from a wind tunnel test conducted to investigate propulsion/airframe integration (PAI) effects are presented. The objectives of the test were to examine rough order-of-magnitude changes in the acoustic characteristics of a mixer/ejector nozzle due to the presence of a wing and to obtain limited wing and nozzle flow-field measurements. A simple representative supersonic transport wing planform, with deflecting flaps, was installed above a two-dimensional mixer/ejector nozzle that was supplied with high-pressure heated air. Various configurations and wing positions with respect to the nozzle were studied. Because of hardware problems, no acoustics and only a limited set of flow-field data were obtained. For most hardware configurations tested, no significant propulsion/airframe integration effects were identified. Significant effects were seen for extreme flap deflections. The combination of the exploratory nature of the test and the limited flow-field instrumentation made it impossible to identify definitive propulsion/airframe integration effects

Could the Ultra Metal-poor Stars be Chemically Peculiar and Not Related to the First Stars?

Chemically peculiar stars define a class of stars that show unusual elemental abundances due to stellar photospheric effects and not due to natal variations. In this paper, we compare the elemental abundance patterns of the ultra metal-poor stars with metallicities [Fe/H] $\sim -5$ to those of a subclass of chemically peculiar stars. These include post-AGB stars, RV Tauri variable stars, and the Lambda Bootis stars, which range in mass, age, binarity, and evolutionary status, yet can have iron abundance determinations as low as [Fe/H] $\sim -5$. These chemical peculiarities are interpreted as due to the separation of gas and dust beyond the stellar surface, followed by the accretion of dust depleted-gas. Contrary to this, the elemental abundances in the ultra metal-poor stars are thought to represent yields of the most metal-poor supernova and, therefore, observationally constrain the earliest stages of chemical evolution in the Universe. The abundance of the elements in the photospheres of the ultra metal-poor stars appear to be related to the condensation temperature of that element; if so, then their CNO abundances suggest true metallicities of [X/H]~ -2 to -4, rather than their present metallicities of [Fe/H] < -5.Comment: Accepted for ApJ. 17 pages, 10 figure

Oxygen isotopic ratios in cool R Coronae Borealis stars

We investigate the relationship between R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars and hydrogen-deficient carbon (HdC) stars by measuring precise 16O/18O ratios for five cool RCB stars. The 16O/18O ratios are derived by spectrum synthesis from high-resolution (R=50,000) K-band spectra. Lower limits to the 16O/17O and 14N/15}N ratios as well as Na and S abundances (when possible) are also given. RCB stars in our sample generally display less 18O than HdC stars - the derived 16O/18O ratios range from 3 to 20. The only exception is the RCB star WX CrA, which seems to be a HdC-like star with 16O/18O=0.3. Our result of a higher 16O/18O ratio for the RCB stars must be accounted for by a theory of the formation and evolution of HdC and RCB stars. We speculate that a late dredge-up of products of He-burning, principally 12C and 16O, may convert a 18O-rich HdC star into a 18O-poor RCB star as the H-deficient star begins its final evolution from a cool supergiant to the top of the white dwarf cooling track.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal; 21 pages, 3 Tables, 11 Figure

Intersecting D5-brane models with massive vector-like leptons

We construct eight-stack intersecting D5-brane models, with an orbifold transverse space, that yield the (non-supersymmetric) standard model up to vector-like leptons. The matter includes right-chiral neutrinos and the models have the renormalisable Yukawa couplings to tachyonic Higgs doublets needed to generate mass terms for {\it all} matter, including the vector-like leptons. The models are constrained by the requirement that twisted tadpoles cancel, that the gauge boson coupled to the weak hypercharge $U(1)_Y$ does not get a string-scale mass via a generalised Green-Schwarz mechanism, and that there are no surviving, unwanted gauged U(1) symmetries coupled to matter. Gauge coupling constant ratios close to those measured are easily obtained for reasonable values of the parameters, consistently with having the string scale close to the electroweak scale, as required to avoid the hierarchy problem. Unwanted (colour-triplet, charged-singlet, and neutral-singlet) scalar tachyons can be removed by a suitable choice of the parameters.Comment: 15 pages, LaTeX fil

Effect of Target Thickness on Cratering and Penetration of Projectiles Impacting at Velocities to 13,000 Feet Per Second

In order to determine the effects of target thickness on the penetration and cratering of a target resulting from impacts by high-velocity projectiles, a series of experimental tests have been run. The projectile-target material combinations investigated were aluminum projectiles impacting aluminum targets and steel projectiles impacting aluminum and copper targets. The velocity spectrum ranged from 4,000 ft/sec to 13,000 ft/sec. It has been found that the penetration is a function of target thickness provided that the penetration is greater than 20 percent of the target thickness. Targets of a thickness such that the penetration amounts to less than 20 percent of the thickness may be regarded as quasi-infinite. An empirical formula has been established relating the penetration to the target thickness and to the penetration of a projectile of the same mass, configuration, and velocity into a quasi- infinite target. In particular, it has been found that a projectile can completely penetrate a target whose thickness is approximately one and one-half times as great as the penetration of a similar projectile into a quasi-infinite target. The diameter of a crater has also been found to be a function of the target thickness provided that the target thickness is not greater than the projectile length in the case of cylindrical projectiles and not greater than two to three times the projectile diameter in the case of spherical projectiles