Matrix deformation of marls in a foreland fold-and-thrust belt: The example of the eastern Jaca basin, southern Pyrenees

In this study, we used the Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) to investigate the matrix strain record of two calcareous shale formations, the Eocene Larrès and Pamplona Marls, along the eastern Jaca foreland fold-and-thrust belt (Southern Pyrenees). More than 1000 unoriented fragments, collected from 62 sites along 4 sub-parallel sections in the footwall of the regional Oturia thrust and through local Yebra anticline, were measured. The analysis of the degree of anisotropy (P’) and shape parameter (T) allowed to identify four types of magnetic fabrics. Type II fabrics associated with poorly deformed rocks are characterized by a relatively high anisotropy and an oblate shape. In contrast, type III fabrics, associated with strongly fractured rocks are characterized by the lowest anisotropy and a triaxial shape. Type IV and type V fabrics are characterized by increasing anisotropy and shape parameters, and are associated with the development of a weak to a slaty cleavage in rocks. The distribution of the magnetic fabric is roughly similar along the four studied sections. In the footwall of the Oturia thrust, magnetic fabrics evolve from the type V to type II over a 1000 m-long interval. By contrast, the distribution of magnetic fabric is roughly symmetric across the Yebra anticline, evolving from a dominating type II fabric in both limbs to mixed type III-type V fabrics within the 1 km-large hinge zone. The succession of the magnetic fabrics is interpreted as recording various degrees of matrix strain in response to thrusting and folding. The correlation of magnetic fabrics between the four sections highlights some along-strike variations in the extension of fabric domains that are interpreted as reflecting the local influence of 2nd-order factors, such as the syn-tectonic sedimentation. Results are integrated within the tectono-sedimentary framework of the studied area to propose a model of matrix strain related to the tectonic and sedimentary evolution of a foreland fold and thrust belt

On the fraction of intermediate-mass close binaries that explode as type-Ia supernovae

Type-Ia supernovae (SNe-Ia) are thought to result from a thermonuclear runaway in white dwarfs (WDs) that approach the Chandrasekhar limit, either through accretion from a companion or a merger with another WD. I compile observational estimates of the fraction eta of intermediate-mass stars that eventually explode as SNe-Ia, supplement them with several new estimates, and compare them self-consistently. The estimates are based on five different methods, each utilising some observable related to the SN-Ia rate, combined with assumptions regarding the IMF: the ratio of SN-Ia to core-collapse rates in star-forming galaxies; the SN-Ia rate per unit star-formation rate; the SN-Ia rate per unit stellar mass; the iron to stellar mass ratio in galaxy clusters; and the abundance ratios in galaxy clusters. The five methods indicate that a fraction in the range eta~2-40% of all stars with initial masses of 3-8 M_sun (the generally assumed SN-Ia progenitors) explode as SNe-Ia. A fraction of eta~15% is consistent with all five methods for a range of plausible IMFs. Considering also the binarity fraction among such stars, the mass ratio distribution, the separation distribution, and duplicity (every binary can produce only one SN-Ia explosion), this implies that nearly every intermediate mass close binary ends up as a SN-Ia, or possibly more SNe-Ia than progenitor systems. Theoretically expected fractions are generally one to two orders of magnitude lower. The problem could be solved: if all the observational estimates are in error; or with a ``middle-heavy'' IMF; or by some mechanism that strongly enhances the efficiency of binary evolution toward SN-Ia explosion; or by a non-binary origin for SNe-Ia.Comment: MNRAS, accepted versio

Long-term outcomes of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult cerebral X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy

The adult cerebral inflammatory form of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease, as devastating as childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been demonstrated to provide long-term neurological benefits for boys with the childhood cerebral form, but results in adults are sparse and inconclusive. We analysed data from 14 adult males with adult cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy treated with allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation on a compassionate basis in four European centres. All presented with cerebral demyelinating lesions and gadolinium enhancement. Median age at diagnosis of adult cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy was 33 years (range 21–48 years). In addition to cerebral inflammation, five patients had established severe motor disability from adrenomyeloneuropathy affecting only the spinal cord and peripheral nerves (Expanded Disability Status Scale score ≥ 6). Eight patients survived (estimated survival 57 ± 13%) with a median follow-up of 65 months (minimum 38 months). Death was directly transplant-/infection-related (n = 3), due to primary disease progression in advanced adult cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (n = 1), or secondary disease progression (n = 2) after transient multi-organ failure or non-engraftment. Specific complications during stem cell transplantation included deterioration of motor and bladder functions (n = 12) as well as behavioural changes (n = 8). Arrest of progressive cerebral demyelination and prevention of severe loss of neurocognition was achieved in all eight survivors, but deterioration of motor function occurred in the majority (n = 5). Limited motor dysfunction (Expanded Disability Status Scale score < 6) prior to transplantation was associated with significantly improved survival [78 ± 14% (n = 9) versus 20 ± 18%(n = 5); P < 0.05] and maintenance of ambulation (Expanded Disability Status Scale score < 7) post-transplant (78% versus 0%; P = 0.021). In contrast, bilateral involvement of the internal capsule on brain MRI was associated with poorer survival [20 ± 18% (n = 5) versus 78 ± 14% (n = 9); P < 0.05]. This study is the first to support the feasibility, complications and potential long-term neurological benefit of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adult cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. Further studies are warranted to attempt to improve outcomes through patient selection and optimization of transplantation protocols

The effect of metallicity on the Cepheid distance scale and its implications for the Hubble constant (H0H_0) determination

Recent HST determinations of the expansion's rate of the Universe (the Hubble constant, H_0) assumed that the Cepheid Period-Luminosity relation at V and I are independent of metallicity (Freedman, et al., 1996, Saha et al., 1996, Tanvir et al., 1995). The three groups obtain different vales for H_0. We note that most of this discrepancy stems from the asumption (by both groups) that the Period-Luminosity relation is independent of metallicity. We come to this conclusion as a result of our study of the Period-Luminosity relation of 481 Cepheids with 3 millions two colour measurements in the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Small Magellanic Cloud obtained as a by-product of the EROS microlensing survey. We find that the derived interstellar absorption corrections are particularly sensitive to the metallicity and when our result is applied to recent estimates based on HST Cepheids observations it makes the low-H_0 values higher and the high-H_0 value lower, bringing those discrepant estimates into agrement around $H_0 \approx 70 km/s Mpc^{-1}$.Comment: 4 pages, Latex, with 2 .ps accepted for publication astronomy and astrophysics Letter

Observational Limits on Machos in the Galactic Halo

We present final results from the first phase of the EROS search for gravitational microlensing of stars in the Magellanic Clouds by unseen deflectors (machos: MAssive Compact Halo Objects). The search is sensitive to events with time scales between 15 minutes and 200 days corresponding to deflector masses in the range 1.e-7 to a few solar masses. Two events were observed that are compatible with microlensing by objects of mass of about 0.1 Mo. By comparing the results with the expected number of events for various models of the Galaxy, we conclude that machos in the mass range [1.e-7, 0.02] Mo make up less than 20% (95% C.L.) of the Halo dark matter.Comment: 4 pages, 3 Postscript figures, to be published in Astronomy & Astrophysic

EROS Variable Stars : Discovery of Beat Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud and the effect of metallicity on pulsation

We report the discovery of eleven beat Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud, using data obtained by the EROS microlensing survey. Four stars are beating in the fundamental and first overtone mode (F/1OT), seven are beating in the first and second overtone (1OT/2OT). The SMC F/1OT ratio is systematically higher than the LMC F/1OT, while the 1OT/2OT period ratio in the SMC Cepheids is the same as the LMC one.Comment: 4 pages, Latex file with 4 .ps figures. accepted for publication in A A Letter

Probing the mass function of halo dark matter via microlensing

The simplest interpretation of the microlensing events observed towards the Large Magellanic Clouds is that approximately half of the mass of the Milky Way halo is in the form of MAssive Compact Halo Objects with $M \sim 0.5 M_{\odot}$. It is not possible, due to limits from star counts and chemical abundance arguments, for faint stars or white dwarves to comprise such a large fraction of the halo mass. This leads to the consideration of more exotic lens candidates, such as primordial black holes, or alternative lens locations. If the lenses are located in the halo of the Milky Way, then constraining their mass function will shed light on their nature. Using the current microlensing data we find, for four halo models, the best fit parameters for delta-function, primordial black hole and various power law mass functions. The best fit primordial black hole mass functions, despite having significant finite width, have likelihoods which are similar to, and for one particular halo model greater than, those of the best fit delta functions . We then use Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the number of microlensing events necessary to determine whether the MACHO mass function has significant finite width. If the correct halo model is known, then $\sim$ 500 microlensing events will be sufficient, and will also allow determination of the mass function parameters to $\sim 5$.Comment: 28 pages including 14 figures, version to appear in ApJ, minor changes to discussio

Birthrates and delay times of Type Ia supernovae

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play an important role in diverse areas of astrophysics, from the chemical evolution of galaxies to observational cosmology. However, the nature of the progenitors of SNe Ia is still unclear. In this paper, according to a detailed binary population synthesis study, we obtained SN Ia birthrates and delay times from different progenitor models, and compared them with observations. We find that the Galactic SN Ia birthrate from the double-degenerate (DD) model is close to those inferred from observations, while the birthrate from the single-degenerate (SD) model accounts for only about 1/2-2/3 of the observations. If a single starburst is assumed, the distribution of the delay times of SNe Ia from the SD model is a weak bimodality, where the WD + He channel contributes to the SNe Ia with delay times shorter than 100Myr, and the WD + MS and WD + RG channels to those with age longer than 1Gyr.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, accepted by Science in China Series G (Dec.30, 2009

The Eleventh and Twelfth Data Releases of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Final Data from SDSS-III

The third generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) took data from 2008 to 2014 using the original SDSS wide-field imager, the original and an upgraded multi-object fiber-fed optical spectrograph, a new near-infrared high-resolution spectrograph, and a novel optical interferometer. All of the data from SDSS-III are now made public. In particular, this paper describes Data Release 11 (DR11) including all data acquired through 2013 July, and Data Release 12 (DR12) adding data acquired through 2014 July (including all data included in previous data releases), marking the end of SDSS-III observing. Relative to our previous public release (DR10), DR12 adds one million new spectra of galaxies and quasars from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) over an additional 3000 deg2 of sky, more than triples the number of H-band spectra of stars as part of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), and includes repeated accurate radial velocity measurements of 5500 stars from the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS). The APOGEE outputs now include the measured abundances of 15 different elements for each star. In total, SDSS-III added 5200 deg2 of ugriz imaging; 155,520 spectra of 138,099 stars as part of the Sloan Exploration of Galactic Understanding and Evolution 2 (SEGUE-2) survey; 2,497,484 BOSS spectra of 1,372,737 galaxies, 294,512 quasars, and 247,216 stars over 9376 deg2; 618,080 APOGEE spectra of 156,593 stars; and 197,040 MARVELS spectra of 5513 stars. Since its first light in 1998, SDSS has imaged over 1/3 of the Celestial sphere in five bands and obtained over five million astronomical spectra

THE ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH DATA RELEASES OF THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY: FINAL DATA FROM SDSS-III

Citation: Alam, S., Albareti, F. D., Prieto, C. A., Anders, F., Anderson, S. F., Anderton, T., . . . Zhu, G. T. (2015). THE ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH DATA RELEASES OF THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY: FINAL DATA FROM SDSS-III. Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 219(1), 27. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/219/1/12The third generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) took data from 2008 to 2014 using the original SDSS wide-field imager, the original and an upgraded multi-object fiber-fed optical spectrograph, a new near-infrared high-resolution spectrograph, and a novel optical interferometer. All of the data from SDSS-III are now made public. In particular, this paper describes Data Release 11 (DR11) including all data acquired through 2013 July, and Data Release 12 (DR12) adding data acquired through 2014 July (including all data included in previous data releases), marking the end of SDSS-III observing. Relative to our previous public release (DR10), DR12 adds one million new spectra of galaxies and quasars from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) over an additional 3000 deg(2) of sky, more than triples the number of H-band spectra of stars as part of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), and includes repeated accurate radial velocity measurements of 5500 stars from the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS). The APOGEE outputs now include the measured abundances of 15 different elements for each star. In total, SDSS-III added 5200 deg(2) of ugriz imaging; 155,520 spectra of 138,099 stars as part of the Sloan Exploration of Galactic Understanding and Evolution 2 (SEGUE-2) survey; 2,497,484 BOSS spectra of 1,372,737 galaxies, 294,512 quasars, and 247,216 stars over 9376 deg(2); 618,080 APOGEE spectra of 156,593 stars; and 197,040 MARVELS spectra of 5513 stars. Since its first light in 1998, SDSS has imaged over 1/3 of the Celestial sphere in five bands and obtained over five million astronomical spectra.Additional Authors: Berlind, A. A.;Beutler, F.;Bhardwaj, V.;Bird, J. C.;Bizyaev, D.;Blake, C. H.;Blanton, M. R.;Blomqvist, M.;Bochanski, J. J.;Bolton, A. S.;Bovy, J.;Bradley, A. S.;Brandt, W. N.;Brauer, D. E.;Brinkmann, J.;Brown, P. J.;Brownstein, J. R.;Burden, A.;Burtin, E.;Busca, N. G.;Cai, Z.;Capozzi, D.;Rosell, A. C.;Carr, M. A.;Carrera, R.;Chambers, K. C.;Chaplin, W. J.;Chen, Y. C.;Chiappini, C.;Chojnowski, S. D.;Chuang, C. H.;Clerc, N.;Comparat, J.;Covey, K.;Croft, R. A. C.;Cuesta, A. J.;Cunha, K.;da Costa, L. N.;Da Rio, N.;Davenport, J. R. A.;Dawson, K. S.;De Lee, N.;Delubac, T.;Deshpande, R.;Dhital, S.;Dutra-Ferreira, L.;Dwelly, T.;Ealet, A.;Ebelke, G. L.;Edmondson, E. M.;Eisenstein, D. J.;Ellsworth, T.;Elsworth, Y.;Epstein, C. R.;Eracleous, M.;Escoffier, S.;Esposito, M.;Evans, M. L.;Fan, X. H.;Fernandez-Alvar, E.;Feuillet, D.;Ak, N. F.;Finley, H.;Finoguenov, A.;Flaherty, K.;Fleming, S. W.;Font-Ribera, A.;Foster, J.;Frinchaboy, P. M.;Galbraith-Frew, J. G.;Garcia, R. A.;Garcia-Hernandez, D. A.;Perez, A. E. G.;Gaulme, P.;Ge, J.;Genova-Santos, R.;Georgakakis, A.;Ghezzi, L.;Gillespie, B. A.;Girardi, L.;Goddard, D.;Gontcho, S. G. A.;Hernandez, J. I. G.;Grebel, E. K.;Green, P. J.;Grieb, J. N.;Grieves, N.;Gunn, J. E.;Guo, H.;Harding, P.;Hasselquist, S.;Hawley, S. L.;Hayden, M.;Hearty, F. R.;Hekker, S.;Ho, S.;Hogg, D. W.;Holley-Bockelmann, K.;Holtzman, J. A.;Honscheid, K.;Huber, D.;Huehnerhoff, J.;Ivans, II;Jiang, L. H.;Johnson, J. A.;Kinemuchi, K.;Kirkby, D.;Kitaura, F.;Klaene, M. A.;Knapp, G. R.;Kneib, J. P.;Koenig, X. P.;Lam, C. R.;Lan, T. W.;Lang, D. T.;Laurent, P.;Le Goff, J. M.;Leauthaud, A.;Lee, K. G.;Lee, Y. S.;Licquia, T. C.;Liu, J.;Long, D. C.;Lopez-Corredoira, M.;Lorenzo-Oliveira, D.;Lucatello, S.;Lundgren, B.;Lupton, R. H.;Mack, C. E.;Mahadevan, S.;Maia, M. A. G.;Majewski, S. R.;Malanushenko, E.;Malanushenko, V.;Manchado, A.;Manera, M.;Mao, Q. Q.;Maraston, C.;Marchwinski, R. C.;Margala, D.;Martell, S. L.;Martig, M.;Masters, K. L.;Mathur, S.;McBride, C. K.;McGehee, P. M.;McGreer, I. D.;McMahon, R. G.;Menard, B.;Menzel, M. L.;Merloni, A.;Meszaros, S.;Miller, A. A.;Miralda-Escude, J.;Miyatake, H.;Montero-Dorta, A. D.;More, S.;Morganson, E.;Morice-Atkinson, X.;Morrison, H. L.;Mosser, B.;Muna, D.;Myers, A. D.;Nandra, K.;Newman, J. A.;Neyrinck, M.;Nguyen, D. C.;Nichol, R. C.;Nidever, D. L.;Noterdaeme, P.;Nuza, S. E.;O'Connell, J. E.;O'Connell, R. W.;O'Connell, R.;Ogando, R. L. C.;Olmstead, M. D.;Oravetz, A. E.;Oravetz, D. J.;Osumi, K.;Owen, R.;Padgett, D. L.;Padmanabhan, N.;Paegert, M.;Palanque-Delabrouille, N.;Pan, K. K.;Parejko, J. K.;Paris, I.;Park, C.;Pattarakijwanich, P.;Pellejero-Ibanez, M.;Pepper, J.;Percival, W. J.;Perez-Fournon, I.;Perez-Rafols, I.;Petitjean, P.;Pieri, M. M.;Pinsonneault, M. H.;de Mello, G. F. P.;Prada, F.;Prakash, A.;Price-Whelan, A. M.;Protopapas, P.;Raddick, M. J.;Rahman, M.;Reid, B. A.;Rich, J.;Rix, H. W.;Robin, A. C.;Rockosi, C. M.;Rodrigues, T. S.;Rodriguez-Torres, S.;Roe, N. A.;Ross, A. J.;Ross, N. P.;Rossi, G.;Ruan, J. J.;Rubino-Martin, J. A.;Rykoff, E. S.;Salazar-Albornoz, S.;Salvato, M.;Samushia, L.;Sanchez, A. G.;Santiago, B.;Sayres, C.;Schiavon, R. P.;Schlegel, D. J.;Schmidt, S. J.;Schneider, D. P.;Schultheis, M.;Schwope, A. D.;Scoccola, C. G.;Scott, C.;Sellgren, K.;Seo, H. J.;Serenelli, A.;Shane, N.;Shen, Y.;Shetrone, M.;Shu, Y. P.;Aguirre, V. S.;Sivarani, T.;Skrutskie, M. F.;Slosar, A.;Smith, V. V.;Sobreira, F.;Souto, D.;Stassun, K. G.;Steinmetz, M.;Stello, D.;Strauss, M. A.;Streblyanska, A.;Suzuki, N.;Swanson, M. E. C.;Tan, J. C.;Tayar, J.;Terrien, R. C.;Thakar, A. R.;Thomas, D.;Thomas, N.;Thompson, B. A.;Tinker, J. L.;Tojeiro, R.;Troup, N. W.;Vargas-Magana, M.;Vazquez, J. A.;Verde, L.;Viel, M.;Vogt, N. P.;Wake, D. A.;Wang, J.;Weaver, B. A.;Weinberg, D. H.;Weiner, B. J.;White, M.;Wilson, J. C.;Wisniewski, J. P.;Wood-Vasey, W. M.;Yeche, C.;York, D. G.;Zakamska, N. L.;Zamora, O.;Zasowski, G.;Zehavi, I.;Zhao, G. B.;Zheng, Z.;Zhou, X.;Zhou, Z. M.;Zou, H.;Zhu, G. T