12,873 research outputs found
On the Spin History of the X-ray Pulsar in Kes 73: Further Evidence For an Utramagnetized Neutron Star
In previous papers, we presented the discovery of a 12-s X-ray pulsar in the
supernova remnant Kes 73, providing the first direct evidence for an
ultramagnetized neutron star, a magnetar, with an equivalent dipole field of
nearly twenty times the quantum critical magnetic field. Our conclusions were
based on two epochs of measurement of the spin, along with an age estimate of
the host supernova remnant. Herein, we present a spin chronology of the pulsar
using additional GINGA, ASCA, XTE, & SAX datasets spanning over a decade.
Timing and spectral analysis confirms our initial results and severely limit an
accretion origin for the observed flux. Over the 10 year baseline, the pulsar
is found to undergo a rapid, constant spindown, while maintaining a steady flux
and an invariant pulse profile. Within the measurement uncertainties, no
systematic departures from a linear spin-down are found - departures as in the
case of glitches or simply stochastic fluctuations in the pulse
times-of-arrival (e.g. red timing noise). We suggest that this pulsar is akin
to the soft gamma-ray repeaters, however, it is remarkably stable and has yet
to display similar outbursts; future gamma-ray activity from this object is
likely.Comment: 6 pages with 3 embedded figures, LaTex, emulateapj.sty. Submitted to
the ApJ Letter
The HCO2 potential energy surface: Stationary point energetics and the HOCO heat of formation
Heat transport in Bi_{2+x}Sr_{2-x}CuO_{6+\delta}: departure from the Wiedemann-Franz law in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition
We present a study of heat transport in the cuprate superconductor
Bi_{2+x}Sr_{2-x}CuO_{6+\delta} at subkelvin temperatures and in magnetic fields
as high as 25T. In several samples with different doping levels close to
optimal, the linear-temperature term of thermal conductivity was measured both
at zero-field and in presence of a magnetic field strong enough to quench
superconductivity. The zero-field data yields a superconducting gap of
reasonable magnitude displaying a doping dependence similar to the one reported
in other families of cuprate. The normal-state data together with the results
of the resistivity measurements allows us to test the Wiedemann-Franz(WF) law,
the validity of which was confirmed in an overdoped sample in agreement with
previous studies. In contrast, a systematic deviation from the WF law was
resolved for samples displaying either a lower doping content or a higher
disorder. Thus, in the vicinity of the metal-insulator cross-over, heat
conduction in the zero-temperature limit appears to become significantly larger
than predicted by the WF law. Possible origins of this observation are
discussed.Comment: 9 pages including 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Dynamical evolution of globular cluster systems in clusters of galaxies I. The case of NGC 1404 in the Fornax cluster
We investigate, via numerical simulations, the tidal stripping and accretion
of globular clusters (GCs). In particular, we focus on creating models that
simulate the situation for the GC systems of NGC 1404 and NGC 1399 in the
Fornax cluster, which have poor (specific frequency 2) and
rich ( 10) GC systems respectively. We initially assign NGC
1404 in our simulation a typical ( 5) for cluster
ellipticals, and find that its GC system can only be reduced through stripping
to the presently observed value, if its orbit is highly eccentric (with orbital
eccentricity of 0.5) and if the initial scale length of the GCs system is
about twice as large as the effective radius of NGC 1404 itself. These stripped
GCs can be said to have formed a `tidal stream' of intracluster globular
clusters (ICGCs) orbiting the centre of Fornax cluster (many of which would be
assigned to NGC 1399 in an imaging study). The physical properties of these GCs
(e.g., number, radial distribution) depend on the orbit and initial
distribution of GCs in NGC 1404. Our simulations also predict a trend for
to rise with increasing clustercentric distance - a trend for which
there is some observational support in the Fornax cluster.Comment: 12 pages 12 figures, MNRAS in pres
A preliminary study into the use of tree-ring and foliar geochemistry as bio-indicators for vehicular NOx pollution in Malta
Duncan V. Mifsud is the grateful recipient of an Endeavour Scholarship (Republic of Malta). The Endeavour Scholarship Scheme is part-financed by the European Union – European Social Fund (ESF): Operational Programme II – Cohesion Policy 2014-20.Emissions from traffic over the past few decades have become a significant source of air pollution. Among the pollutants emitted are nitrogen oxides (NOx), exposure to which can be detrimental to public health. Recent studies have shown that nitrogen (N) stable isotope ratios in tree-rings and foliage express a fingerprint of their major N source, making them appropriate for bio-monitoring purposes. In this study, we have applied this proxy to Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) at three distances from one of the busiest roads in Malta, a country known to suffer from intense traffic pollution. Our results showed that N and organic carbon (C) stable isotope ratios in tree-rings do not vary over the period 1980–2018 at any of the investigated sites; however, statistically significant spatial trends were apparent in both tree-rings and foliage. The roadside and transitional sites exhibited more positive δ15N and more negative δ13C values compared to those at a rural control site. This is likely due to the incorporation of 15N-enriched NOx and 13C-depleted CO2 from traffic pollution. Sampled top-soil also exhibited the δ15N trend. Our results constitute the first known application of dendrogeochemistry to atmospheric pollution monitoring in Malta.PostprintPeer reviewe
Influence of the photon - neutrino processes on magnetar cooling
The photon-neutrino processes ,
and are investigated
in the presence of a strongly magnetized and dense electron-positron plasma.
The amplitudes of the reactions and
are obtained. In the case of a cold degenerate
plasma contributions of the considering processes to neutrino emissivity are
calculated. It is shown that contribution of the process to neutrino emissivity is supressed in comparision with the
contributions of the processes and
. The constraint on the magnetic field strength in the
magnetar outer crust is obtained.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX, 2 PS figures, based on the talk presented by D.A.
Rumyantsev at the XV International Seminar Quarks'2008, Sergiev Posad, Moscow
Region, May 23-29, 2008, to appear in the Proceeding
Convergence of the Optimized Delta Expansion for the Connected Vacuum Amplitude: Zero Dimensions
Recent proofs of the convergence of the linear delta expansion in zero and in
one dimensions have been limited to the analogue of the vacuum generating
functional in field theory. In zero dimensions it was shown that with an
appropriate, -dependent, choice of an optimizing parameter \l, which is an
important feature of the method, the sequence of approximants tends to
with an error proportional to . In the present paper we
establish the convergence of the linear delta expansion for the connected
vacuum function . We show that with the same choice of \l the
corresponding sequence tends to with an error proportional to . The rate of convergence of the latter sequence is governed by
the positions of the zeros of .Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX, Imperial/TP/92-93/5
Temperature-doping phase diagram of layered superconductors
The superconducting properties of a layered system are analyzed for the cases
of zero- and non-zero angular momentum of the pairs. The effective
thermodynamic potential for the quasi-2D XY-model for the gradients of the
phase of the order parameter is derived from the microscopic superconducting
Hamiltonian. The dependence of the superconducting critical temperature T_c on
doping, or carrier density, is studied at different values of coupling and
inter-layer hopping. It is shown that the critical temperature T_c of the
layered system can be lower than the critical temperature of the
two-dimensional Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition T_BKT at some values
of the model parameters, contrary to the case when the parameters of the
XY-model do not depend on the microscopic Hamiltonian parameters.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev.
Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 cation channel kinase new player in angiotensin II–induced hypertension
Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) is a bifunctional protein comprising a magnesium (Mg2+)/cation channel and a kinase domain. We previously demonstrated that vasoactive agents regulate vascular TRPM7. Whether TRPM7 plays a role in the pathophysiology of hypertension and associated cardiovascular dysfunction is unknown. We studied TRPM7 kinase–deficient mice (TRPM7Δkinase; heterozygous for TRPM7 kinase) and wild-type (WT) mice infused with angiotensin II (Ang II; 400 ng/kg per minute, 4 weeks). TRPM7 kinase expression was lower in heart and aorta from TRPM7Δkinase versus WT mice, effects that were further reduced by Ang II infusion. Plasma Mg2+ was lower in TRPM7Δkinase versus WT mice in basal and stimulated conditions. Ang II increased blood pressure in both strains with exaggerated responses in TRPM7Δkinase versus WT groups (P<0.05). Acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation was reduced in Ang II–infused TRPM7Δkinase mice, an effect associated with Akt and endothelial nitric oxide synthase downregulation. Vascular cell adhesion molecule–1 expression was increased in Ang II–infused TRPM7 kinase–deficient mice. TRPM7 kinase targets, calpain, and annexin-1, were activated by Ang II in WT but not in TRPM7Δkinase mice. Echocardiographic and histopathologic analysis demonstrated cardiac hypertrophy and left ventricular dysfunction in Ang II–treated groups. In TRPM7 kinase–deficient mice, Ang II–induced cardiac functional and structural effects were amplified compared with WT counterparts. Our data demonstrate that in TRPM7Δkinase mice, Ang II–induced hypertension is exaggerated, cardiac remodeling and left ventricular dysfunction are amplified, and endothelial function is impaired. These processes are associated with hypomagnesemia, blunted TRPM7 kinase expression/signaling, endothelial nitric oxide synthase downregulation, and proinflammatory vascular responses. Our findings identify TRPM7 kinase as a novel player in Ang II–induced hypertension and associated vascular and target organ damage
Organization and Management of the International Space Station (ISS) Multilateral Medical Operations
The goal of this work is to review the principles, design, and function of the ISS multilateral medical authority and the medical support system of the ISS Program. Multilateral boards and panels provide operational framework, direct, and supervise the ISS joint medical operational activities. The Integrated Medical Group (IMG) provides front-line medical support of the crews. Results of ongoing activities are reviewed weekly by physician managers. A broader status review is conducted monthly to project the state of crew health and medical support for the following month. All boards, panels, and groups function effectively and without interruptions. Consensus prevails as the primary nature of decisions made by all ISS medical groups, including the ISS medical certification board. The sustained efforts of all partners have resulted in favorable medical outcomes of the initial fourteen long-duration expeditions. The medical support system appears to be mature and ready for further expansion of the roles of all Partners, and for the anticipated increase in the size of ISS crews
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