4,974 research outputs found
Mapping Low-Density Intergalactic Gas: a Third Helium Lyman-alpha Forest
We present a new HST/STIS spectrum of the z=3.18 quasar PKS 1935-692 and
summarize the spectral features shortwards of 304A in the rest frame likely to
be caused by foreground HeII Lyman-alpha absorption. In accord with previous
results on two other quasars at similar redshifts, we demonstrate a correlation
with the HI Lyman-alpha forest absorption, and show that much of the helium
absorption is caused by a comparable quantity of more diffuse gas with
Omega~0.01, that is not detected in HI. The helium ionization zone around the
quasar is detected as well as a void seen in both HI and HeII. The properties
of the absorption are in broad agreement with those of the other quasars and
with models of the protogalactic gas distribution and ionization at this
redshift.Comment: 17 pages including 5 figures. As accepted for publication in The
Astronomical Journal (minor revisions
A New Version of Reimers' law of Mass Loss Based on a Physical Approach
We present a new semi-empirical relation for the mass loss of cool stellar
winds, which so far has frequently been described by "Reimers' law".
Originally, this relation was based solely on dimensional scaling arguments
without any physical interpretation. In our approach, the wind is assumed to
result from the spill-over of the extended chromosphere, possibly associated
with the action of waves, especially Alfven waves, which are used as guidance
in the derivation of the new formula. We obtain a relation akin to the original
Reimers law, but which includes two new factors. They reflect how the
chromospheric height depends on gravity and how the mechanical energy flux
depends, mainly, on effective temperature. The new relation is tested and
sensitively calibrated by modelling the blue end of the Horizontal Branch of
globular clusters. The most significant difference from mass loss rates
predicted by the Reimers relation is an increase by up to a factor of 3 for
luminous late-type (super-)giants, in good agreement with observations.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, accepted by ApJ Letter
Pulsation Period Changes as a Tool to Identify Pre-Zero Age Horizontal Branch Stars
One of the most dramatic events in the life of a low-mass star is the He
flash, which takes place at the tip of the red giant branch (RGB) and is
followed by a series of secondary flashes before the star settles into the
zero-age horizontal branch (ZAHB). Yet, no stars have been positively
identified in this key evolutionary phase, mainly for two reasons: first, this
pre-ZAHB phase is very short compared to other major evolutionary phases in the
life of a star; and second, these pre-ZAHB stars are expected to overlap the
loci occupied by asymptotic giant branch (AGB), HB and RGB stars observed in
the color-magnitude diagram (CMD). We investigate the possibility of detecting
these stars through stellar pulsations, since some of them are expected to
rapidly cross the Cepheid/RR Lyrae instability strip in their route from the
RGB tip to the ZAHB, thus becoming pulsating stars along the way. As a
consequence of their very high evolutionary speed, some of these stars may
present anomalously large period change rates. We constructed an extensive grid
of stellar models and produced pre-ZAHB Monte Carlo simulations appropriate for
the case of the Galactic globular cluster M3 (NGC 5272), where a number of RR
Lyrae stars with high period change rates are found. Our results suggest that
some -- but certainly not all -- of the RR Lyrae stars in M3 with large period
change rates are in fact pre-ZAHB pulsators.Comment: Conference Proceedings HELAS Workshop on 'Synergies between solar and
stellar modelling', Rome, June 2009, Astrophys. Space Sci., in the pres
Interpretation of a low-lying excited state of the reaction center of Rb.sphaeroides as a double triplet
The recently observed transient absorption of the lowest excited state of the
special pair P* at 2710 cm-1 is assigned as a singlet which arises from the
coupling of the two lowest triplets from the two dimer halves. INDO
calculations are used to predict its intensity. The analogy of the coupling
mechanism to the trip-doublet spectrum from P+ is shown and the influence of
the double triplet on the Stark effect of P* is investigated.Comment: 10 pages Latex, 1 figure, to be published in Chemical Physics Letters
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Is mass loss along the red giant branch of globular clusters sharply peaked? The case of M3
There is a growing evidence that several globular clusters must contain
multiple stellar generations, differing in helium content. This hypothesis has
helped to interpret peculiar unexplained features in their horizontal branches.
In this framework we model the peaked distribution of the RR Lyr periods in M3,
that has defied explanation until now. At the same time, we try to reproduce
the colour distribution of M3 horizontal branch stars. We find that only a very
small dispersion in mass loss along the red giant branch reproduces with good
accuracy the observational data. The enhanced and variable helium content among
cluster stars is at the origin of the extension in colour of the horizontal
branch, while the sharply peaked mass loss is necessary to reproduce the
sharply peaked period distribution of RR Lyr variables. The dispersion in mass
loss has to be <~ 0.003 Msun, to be compared with the usually assumed values of
~0.02 Msun. This requirement represents a substantial change in the
interpretation of the physical mechanisms regulating the evolution of globular
cluster stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa
Fatal anaphylactic sting reaction in a patient with mastocytosis
We report on a 33-year-old female patient with indolent systemic mastocytosis and urticaria pigmentosa who died of an anaphylactic reaction after a yellow jacket sting. As she had no history of previous anaphylactic sting reaction, there was no testing performed in order to detect hymenoptera venom sensitization. But even if a sensitization had been diagnosed, no venom immunotherapy (VIT) would have been recommended. It is almost certain that VIT would have saved her life and it is most likely that VIT is indicated in some patients with mastocytosis with no history of anaphylactic sting reaction. However, no criteria have been established in order to allow a selection of mastocytosis patients eligible for such a `prophylactic' VIT. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
Zeeman tomography of magnetic white dwarfs. II, The quadrupole-dominated magnetic field of HE 1045-0908
We report time-resolved optical flux and circular polarization spectroscopy of the magnetic DA white dwarf HE 1045−0908 obtained with FORS1 at the ESO VLT. Considering published results, we estimate a likely rotational period of P rot 2.7 h, but cannot exclude values as high as about 9 h. Our detailed Zeeman tomographic analysis reveals a field structure which is dominated by a quadrupole and contains additional dipole and octupole contributions, and which does not depend strongly on the assumed value of the period. A good fit to the Zeeman flux and polarization spectra is obtained if all field components are centred and inclinations of their magnetic axes with respect to each other are allowed for. The fit can be slightly improved if an offset from the centre of the star is included. The prevailing surface field strength is 16 MG, but values between 10 and ∼ 75 MG do occur. We derive an effective photospheric temperature of HE 1045−0908 of T eff = 10 000 ± 1000 K. The tomographic code makes use of an extensive database of pre-computed Zeeman spectra (Paper I)
Fuel-Supply-Limited Stellar Relaxation Oscillations: Application to Multiple Rings around AGB Stars and Planetary Nebulae
We describe a new mechanism for pulsations in evolved stars: relaxation
oscillations driven by a coupling between the luminosity-dependent mass-loss
rate and the H fuel abundance in a nuclear-burning shell. When mass loss is
included, the outward flow of matter can modulate the flow of fuel into the
shell when the stellar luminosity is close to the Eddington luminosity . When the luminosity drops below , the mass outflow declines
and the shell is re-supplied with fuel. This process can be repetitive. We
demonstrate the existence of such oscillations and discuss the dependence of
the results on the stellar parameters. In particular, we show that the
oscillation period scales specifically with the mass of the H-burning
relaxation shell (HBRS), defined as the part of the H-burning shell above the
minimum radius at which the luminosity from below first exceeds the Eddington
threshold at the onset of the mass loss phase. For a stellar mass M_*\sim
0.7\Msun, luminosity L_*\sim 10^4\Lsun, and mass loss rate |\dot M|\sim
10^{-5}\Msun yr, the oscillations have a recurrence time
years , where is the timescale for
modulation of the fuel supply in the HBRS by the varying mass-loss rate. This
period agrees with the 1400-year period inferred for the spacings
between the shells surrounding some planetary nebulae, and the the predictied
shell thickness, of order 0.4 times the spacing, also agrees reasonably well.Comment: 15 pages TeX, 1 ps figure submitted to Ap
Life Products of Stars
We attempt to document complete energetic transactions of stars in their
life. We calculate photon and neutrino energies that are produced from stars in
their each phase of evolution from 1 to 8 M_sun, using the state-of-the-art
stellar evolution code, tracing the evolution continuously from pre-main
sequence gravitational contraction to white dwarfs. We also catalogue
gravitational and thermal energies and helium, and heavier elements that are
stored in stars and those ejected into interstellar space in each evolutionary
phase.Comment: 26 pages, including 8 figures and 3 tables. Submitted to ApJ
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