The metallicity extremes of the Sagittarius dSph using SALT spectroscopy of PNe

In this work we present the first spectroscopic results obtained with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) telescope during its perfomance-verification phase. We find that the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Sgr) Sgr contains a youngest stellar population with [O/H] -0.2 and age t>1 Gyr, and an oldest population with [O/H]=-2.0. The values are based on spectra of two planetary nebulae (PNe), using empirical abundance determinations. We calculated abundances for O, N, Ne, Ar, S, Cl, Fe, C and He. We confirm the high abundances of PN StWr2-21 with 12+log(O/H) = 8.57+/-0.02 dex. The other PN studied, BoBn1, is an extraordinary object in that the neon abundance exceeds that of oxygen. The abundances of S, Ar and Cl in BoBn1 yield the original stellar metallicity, corresponding to 12+log(O/H) = 6.72+/-0.16 dex which is 1/110 of the solar value. The actual [O/H] is much higher: third dredge-up enriched the material by a factor of ~12 in oxygen, ~240 in nitrogen and ~70 in neon. Neon as well as nitrogen and oxygen content may have been produced in the intershell of low-mass AGB stars. Well defined broad WR lines are present in the spectrum of StWr2-21 and absent in the spectrum of BoBn1. This puts the fraction of [WR]-type central PNe stars to 67% for dSph galaxies.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, accepted to MNRA

Submillimeter polarisation and magnetic field properties in the envelopes of proto-planetary nebulae CRL 618 and OH 231.8+4.2

We have carried out continuum and line polarisation observations of two Proto-planetary nebulae (PPNe), CRL 618 and OH 231.8+4.2, using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) in its compact configuration. The frequency range of observations, 330-345 GHz, includes the CO(J=3-2) line emission. CRL 618 and OH 231.8+4.2 show quadrupolar and bipolar optical lobes, respectively, surrounded by a dusty envelope reminiscent of their AGB phase. We report a detection of dust continuum polarised emission in both PPNe above 4 sigma but no molecular line polarisation detection above a 3 sigma limit. OH 231.8+4.2 is slightly more polarised on average than CRL 618 with a mean fractional polarisation of 4.3 and 0.3 per cent, respectively. This agrees with the previous finding that silicate dust shows higher polarisation than carbonaceous dust. In both objects, an anti-correlation between the fractional polarisation and the intensity is observed. Neither PPNe show a well defined toroidal equatorial field, rather the field is generally well aligned and organised along the polar direction. This is clearly seen in CRL 618 while in the case of OH 231.8+4.2, the geometry indicates an X-shaped structure coinciding overall with a dipole/polar configuration. However in the later case, the presence of a fragmented and weak toroidal field should not be discarded. Finally, in both PPNe, we observed that the well organised magnetic field is parallel with the major axis of the 12CO outflow. This alignment could indicate the presence of a magnetic outflow launching mechanism. Based on our new high resolution data we propose two scenarios to explain the evolution of the magnetic field in evolved stars.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures and 1 table. Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Exclusive processes in position space and the pion distribution amplitude

We suggest to carry out lattice calculations of current correlators in position space, sandwiched between the vacuum and a hadron state (e.g. pion), in order to access hadronic light-cone distribution amplitudes (DAs). In this way the renormalization problem for composite lattice operators is avoided altogether, and the connection to the DA is done using perturbation theory in the continuum. As an example, the correlation function of two electromagnetic currents is calculated to the next-to-next-to-leading order accuracy in perturbation theory and including the twist-4 corrections. We argue that this strategy is fully competitive with direct lattice measurements of the moments of the DA, defined as matrix elements of local operators, and offers new insight in the space-time picture of hard exclusive reactions.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure

Scale Dependence of Polarized DIS Asymmetries

We compare the $Q^{2}$ dependence of the polarized deep inelastic scattering proton asymmetry, driven by the leading order Altarelli Parisi evolution equations, to those arising from fixed order $\alpha_{s}$ and $\alpha_{s}^{2}$ approximations. It is shown that the evolution effects associated with gluons, which are not properly taken into account by the leading order approximation, cannot be neglected in the analysis of the most recent experimental data.Comment: Latex file, (9 figures in postcript available from [email protected]

It's a wonderful tail: the mass loss history of Mira

Recent observations of the Mira AB binary system have revealed a surrounding arc-like structure and a stream of material stretching 2 degrees away in opposition to the arc. The alignment of the proper motion vector and the arc-like structure shows the structures to be a bow shock and accompanying tail. We have successfully hydrodynamically modelled the bow shock and tail as the interaction between the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) wind launched from Mira A and the surrounding interstellar medium. Our simulations show that the wake behind the bow shock is turbulent: this forms periodic density variations in the tail similar to those observed. We investigate the possiblity of mass-loss variations, but find that these have limited effect on the tail structure. The tail is estimated to be approximately 450,000 years old, and is moving with a velocity close to that of Mira itself. We suggest that the duration of the high mass-loss phase on the AGB may have been underestimated. Finally, both the tail curvature and the rebrightening at large distance can be qualitatively understood if Mira recently entered the Local Bubble. This is estimated to have occured 17 pc downstream from its current location.Comment: 12 pages, 3 colour figures, accepted by ApJ Part II (Letters

Double logarithms, ln2(1/x)ln^2(1/x), and the NLO DGLAP evolution for the non-singlet component of the nucleon spin structure function, g1g_1

Theoretical predictions show that at low values of Bjorken $x$ the spin structure function, $g_1$ is influenced by large logarithmic corrections, $ln^2(1/x)$, which may be predominant in this region. These corrections are also partially contained in the NLO part of the standard DGLAP evolution. Here we calculate the non-singlet component of the nucleon structure function, $g_1^{NS}=g_1^p-g_1^n$, and its first moment, using a unified evolution equation. This equation incorporates the terms describing the NLO DGLAP evolution and the terms contributing to the $ln^2(1/x)$ resummation. In order to avoid double counting in the overlapping regions of the phase-space, a unique way of including the NLO terms into the unified evolution equation is proposed. The scheme-independent results obtained from this unified evolution are compared to the NLO fit to experimental data, GRSV'2000. Analysis of the first moments of $g_1^{NS}$ shows that the unified evolution including the $ln^2(1/x)$ resummation goes beyond the NLO DGLAP analysis. Corrections generated by double logarithms at low $x$ influence the $Q^2$-dependence of the first moments strongly.Comment: 13 pages, latex, 2 figures; Appendix adde

On the metallicity dependence of crystalline silicates in oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars and red supergiants

We investigate the occurrence of crystalline silicates in oxygen-rich evolved stars across a range of metallicities and mass-loss rates. It has been suggested that the crystalline silicate feature strength increases with increasing mass-loss rate, implying a correlation between lattice structure and wind density. To test this, we analyse Spitzer IRS and Infrared Space Observatory SWS spectra of 217 oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars and 98 red supergiants in the Milky Way, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and Galactic globular clusters. These encompass a range of spectral morphologies from the spectrally-rich which exhibit a wealth of crystalline and amorphous silicate features to 'naked' (dust-free) stars. We combine spectroscopic and photometric observations with the GRAMS grid of radiative transfer models to derive (dust) mass-loss rates and temperature. We then measure the strength of the crystalline silicate bands at 23, 28 and 33 microns. We detect crystalline silicates in stars with dust mass-loss rates which span over 3 dex, down to rates of ~10^-9 solar masses/year. Detections of crystalline silicates are more prevalent in higher mass-loss rate objects, though the highest mass-loss rate objects do not show the 23-micron feature, possibly due to the low temperature of the forsterite grains or it may indicate that the 23-micron band is going into absorption due to high column density. Furthermore, we detect a change in the crystalline silicate mineralogy with metallicity, with enstatite seen increasingly at low metallicity.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 24 pages, 16 figure

The Evolved Red Stellar Contents of the Sculptor Group Galaxies NGC55, NGC300, and NGC7793

Deep J, H, and K images are used to probe the evolved stellar contents in the central regions of the Sculptor group galaxies NGC55, NGC300, and NGC7793. The brightest stars are massive red supergiants (RSGs) with K ~ 15 - 15.5. The peak RSG brightness is constant to within ~0.5 mag in K, suggesting that NGC55, NGC300, and NGC7793 are at comparable distances. Comparisons with bright RSGs in the Magellanic Clouds indicate that the difference in distance modulus with respect to the LMC is = 7.5. A rich population of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, which isochrones indicate have ages between 0.1 and 10 Gyr, dominates the (K, J-K) color-magnitude diagram (CMD) of each galaxy. The detection of significant numbers of AGB stars with ages near 10 Gyr indicates that the disks of these galaxies contain an underlying old population. The CMDs and luminosity functions reveal significant galaxy-to-galaxy variations in stellar content. Star-forming activity in the central arcmin of NGC300 has been suppressed for the past Gyr with respect to disk fields at larger radii. Nevertheless, comparisons between fields within each galaxy indicate that star-forming activity during intermediate epochs was coherent on spatial scales of a kpc or more. A large cluster of stars, which isochrones suggest has an age near 100 Myr, is seen in one of the NGC55 fields. The luminosity function of the brightest stars in this cluster is flat, as expected if a linear luminosity-core mass relation is present.Comment: 30 pages, including 13 figure

Chemical Abundances of Planetary Nebulae in the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy

Spectrophotometry and imaging of the two planetary nebulae He2-436 and Wray16-423, recently discovered to be in the Sagittarius dwarf elliptical galaxy, are presented. Wray16-423 is a high excitation planetary nebula (PN) with a hot central star. In contrast He2-436 is a high density PN with a cooler central star and evidence of local dust, the extinction exceeding that for Wray16-423 by E(B-V)=0.28. The extinction to Wray16-423, (E(B-V)=0.14), is consistent with the extinction to the Sagittarius (Sgr) Dwarf. Both PN show Wolf-Rayet features in their spectra, although the lines are weak in Wray16-423. Images in [O III] and H-alpha+[N II], although affected by poor seeing, yield a diameter of 1.2'' for Wray16-423 after deconvolution; He~2-436 was unresolved. He2-436 has a luminosity about twice that of Wray16-423 and its size and high density suggest a younger PN. In order to reconcile the differing luminosity and nebular properties of the two PN with similar age progenitor stars, it is suggested that they are on He burning tracks The abundance pattern is very similar in both nebulae and shows an oxygen depletion of -0.4 dex with respect to the mean O abundance of Galactic PN and [O/H] = -0.6. The Sgr PN progenitor stars are representative of the higher metallicity tail of the Sgr population. The pattern of abundance depletion is similar to that in the only other PN in a dwarf galaxy companion of the Milky Way, that in Fornax, for which new spectra are presented. However the abundances are larger than for Galactic halo PN suggesting a later formation age. The O abundance of the Sgr galaxy deduced from its PN, shows similarities with that of dwarf ellipticals around M31, suggesting that this galaxy was a dwarf elliptical before its interaction with the Milky Way.Comment: 24 pages, Latex (aas2pp4.sty) including 5 postscript figures. To appear in Ap

HIV infected adults do not have an excess of colonising bacteria in their large airways

BACKGROUND: HIV infected adults have increased susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia but the underlying immune defect is poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that HIV infection might be associated with increased bacterial colonisation of distal airways by nasal flora, which would then predispose patients to bacterial pneumonia. METHODS: Healthy volunteer adults with normal chest radiographs were recruited. Bronchoscopy was carried out and uncontaminated mucosal samples were collected from proximal and distal sites in the large airways using a protected specimen brush. Samples were cultured to detect typical respiratory tract colonising organisms, and the proportion of samples found to contain colonising bacteria compared between HIV infected and uninfected subjects using non-parametric tests. RESULTS: Forty-nine subjects were studied of whom 27 were HIV infected. Colonising bacteria were identified in the nasopharynx of all subjects including Streptococcus pneumoniae in 6/49 subjects (5 HIV uninfected). Colonising bacteria were found in the distal airway of 6 subjects (3/27 HIV infected vs 3/22 HIV uninfected ; χ(2 )= 0.07, p = 0.8). Streptococcus pneumoniae was identified in the trachea of all subjects with nasal colonisation but in the distal airway of only 1 subject. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence to support a hypothesis of increased airway bacterial colonisation in healthy HIV infected subjects