569 research outputs found
Odin observations of ammonia in the Sgr A +50 km/s Cloud and Circumnuclear Disk
Context. The Odin satellite is now into its sixteenth year of operation, much
surpassing its design life of two years. One of the sources which Odin has
observed in great detail is the Sgr A Complex in the centre of the Milky Way.
Aims. To study the presence of NH3 in the Galactic Centre and spiral arms.
Methods. Recently, Odin has made complementary observations of the 572 GHz NH3
line towards the Sgr A +50 km/s Cloud and Circumnuclear Disk (CND). Results.
Significant NH3 emission has been observed in both the +50 km/s Cloud and the
CND. Clear NH3 absorption has also been detected in many of the spiral arm
features along the line of sight from the Sun to the core of our Galaxy.
Conclusions. The very large velocity width (80 km/s) of the NH3 emission
associated with the shock region in the southwestern part of the CND may
suggest a formation/desorption scenario similar to that of gas-phase H2O in
shocks/outflows.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 3 table
BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FASTBALL THROWN FROM THE WIND-UP AND THE STRETCH
This study assessed the biomechanics associated with the fastball thrown in two conditions. Fifteen men pitched from the wind-up and stretch beginning and landing on force platforms. Doppler radar was used to assess ball velocity. A paired samples t-test was used to determine differences in ball velocity, propulsive and landing phase kinetics, as well as time, distance, and subject velocity from the propulsive to landing phase. The stretch produced 5.55% more horizontal ground reaction force, a higher horizontal to vertical force ratio, 35.05% greater vertical rate of force development (RFD) in the propulsive phase, and 8.85% higher horizontal and 24.65% vertical RFD upon landing (p ≤ 0.05). The wind-up produced 39.49% greater horizontal RFD in the propulsive phase (p ≤ 0.05). These variations of the fastball use different mechanisms to achieve similar (p = 0.77) ball velocities
SEX-BASED ANALYSIS OF THE BIOMECHANICS OF PITCHING
This study assessed sex-based differences in the lower extremity kinetics and ball velocity during pitching. Fifteen men baseball players and fifteen women softball players threw fastballs on two force platforms, to assess propulsive and landing biomechanics. Doppler radar was used to assess ball velocity. Kinetic and kinematic data comparing men and women were analyzed with independent samples t-test. Paired samples t-test were used to assess difference between the propulsive and landing phases. Pearson’s bivariate correlations were used to assess the relationship between study variables and ball velocity. Few sex-based difference in the magnitude and rate of propulsive force development exist. Sex based differences (p \u3c 0.05) were found for all but one landing phase variable. None of the biomechanical variables assessed were related to ball velocity
Searching for O in the SMC:Constraints on Oxygen Chemistry at Low Metallicities
We present a 39 h integration with the Odin satellite on the ground-state
118.75 GHz line of O2 towards the region of strongest molecular emission in the
Small Magellanic Cloud. Our 3sigma upper limit to the O2 integrated intensity
of <0.049 K km/s in a 9'(160 pc) diameter beam corresponds to an upper limit on
the O2/H2 abundance ratio of <1.3E-6. Although a factor of 20 above the best
limit on the O2 abundance obtained for a Galactic source, our result has
interesting implications for understanding oxygen chemistry at sub-solar metal
abundances. We compare our abundance limit to a variety of astrochemical models
and find that, at low metallicities, the low O2 abundance is most likely
produced by the effects of photo-dissociation on molecular cloud structure.
Freeze-out of molecules onto dust grains may also be consistent with the
observed abundance limit, although such models have not yet been run at
sub-solar initial metallicities.Comment: 4 pages, accepted to A&A Letter
Semiclassical Time Evolution and Trace Formula for Relativistic Spin-1/2 Particles
We investigate the Dirac equation in the semiclassical limit \hbar --> 0. A
semiclassical propagator and a trace formula are derived and are shown to be
determined by the classical orbits of a relativistic point particle. In
addition, two phase factors enter, one of which can be calculated from the
Thomas precession of a classical spin transported along the particle orbits.
For the second factor we provide an interpretation in terms of dynamical and
geometric phases.Comment: 8 pages, no figure
Does wearing a non-medical face mask cause changes in cerebral hemodynamics?
We present a study investigating the effect of non-medical face masks (FFP2 and surgical) on cerebral hemodynamics measured by transcranial hybrid diffuse optics, and on systemic physiology in 13 healthy adults (age: 23-33 years)
Submillimeter Emission from Water in the W3 Region
We have mapped the submillimeter emission from the 1(10)-1(01) transition of
ortho-water in the W3 star-forming region. A 5'x5' map of the W3 IRS4 and W3
IRS5 region reveals strong water lines at half the positions in the map. The
relative strength of the Odin lines compared to previous observations by SWAS
suggests that we are seeing water emission from an extended region. Across much
of the map the lines are double-peaked, with an absorption feature at -39 km/s;
however, some positions in the map show a single strong line at -43 km/s. We
interpret the double-peaked lines as arising from optically thick,
self-absorbed water emission near the W3 IRS5, while the narrower blue-shifted
lines originate in emission near W3 IRS4. In this model, the unusual appearance
of the spectral lines across the map results from a coincidental agreement in
velocity between the emission near W3 IRS4 and the blue peak of the more
complex lines near W3 IRS5. The strength of the water lines near W3 IRS4
suggests we may be seeing water emission enhanced in a photon-dominated region.Comment: Accepted to A&A Letters as part of the special Odin issue; 4 page
Semiclassical theory of surface plasmons in spheroidal clusters
A microscopic theory of linear response based on the Vlasov equation is
extended to systems having spheroidal equilibrium shape. The solution of the
linearized Vlasov equation, which gives a semiclassical version of the random
phase approximation, is studied for electrons moving in a deformed equilibrium
mean field. The deformed field has been approximated by a cavity of spheroidal
shape, both prolate and oblate. Contrary to spherical systems, there is now a
coupling among excitations of different multipolarity induced by the
interaction among constituents. Explicit calculations are performed for the
dipole response of deformed clusters of different size. In all cases studied
here the photoabsorption strength for prolate clusters always displays a
typical double-peaked structure. For oblate clusters we find that the
high--frequency component of the plasmon doublet can get fragmented in the
medium size region (). This fragmentation is related to the
presence of two kinds of three-dimensional electron orbits in oblate cavities.
The possible scaling of our semiclassical equations with the valence electron
number and density is investigated.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, revised version, includes discussion of scalin
Dissecting and modeling photic and melanopsin effects to predict sleep disturbances induced by irregular light exposure in mice.
Artificial lighting, day-length changes, shift work, and transmeridian travel all lead to sleep-wake disturbances. The nychthemeral sleep-wake cycle (SWc) is known to be controlled by output from the central circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), which is entrained to the light-dark cycle. Additionally, via intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells containing the photopigment melanopsin (Opn4), short-term light-dark alternations exert direct and acute influences on sleep and waking. However, the extent to which longer exposures typically experienced across the 24-h day exert such an effect has never been clarified or quantified, as disentangling sustained direct light effects (SDLE) from circadian effects is difficult. Recording sleep in mice lacking a circadian pacemaker, either through transgenesis (Syt10 <sup>cre/cre</sup> Bmal1 <sup>fl/-</sup> ) or SCN lesioning and/or melanopsin-based phototransduction (Opn4 <sup>-/-</sup> ), we uncovered, contrary to prevailing assumptions, that the contribution of SDLE is as important as circadian-driven input in determining SWc amplitude. Specifically, SDLE were primarily mediated (>80%) through melanopsin, of which half were then relayed through the SCN, revealing an ancillary purpose for this structure, independent of its clock function in organizing SWc. Based on these findings, we designed a model to estimate the effect of atypical light-dark cycles on SWc. This model predicted SWc amplitude in mice exposed to simulated transequatorial or transmeridian paradigms. Taken together, we demonstrate this SDLE is a crucial mechanism influencing behavior on par with the circadian system. In a broader context, these findings mandate considering SDLE, in addition to circadian drive, for coping with health consequences of atypical light exposure in our society
Odin observations of the Galactic centre in the 118-GHz band. Upper limit to the O2 abundance
The Odin satellite has been used to search for the 118.75-GHz line of
molecular oxygen (O2)in the Galactic centre. Odin observations were performed
towards the Sgr A* circumnuclear disk (CND), and the Sgr A +20 km/s and +50
km/s molecular clouds using the position-switching mode. Supplementary
ground-based observations were carried out in the 2-mm band using the ARO Kitt
Peak 12-m telescope to examine suspected SiC features. A strong emission line
was found at 118.27 GHz, attributable to the J=13-12 HC3N line. Upper limits
are presented for the 118.75-GHz O2 (1,1-1,0) ground transition line and for
the 118.11-GHz 3Pi2, J=3-2 ground state SiC line at the Galactic centre. Upper
limits are also presented for the 487-GHz O2 line in the Sgr A +50 km/s cloud
and for the 157-GHz, J=4-3, SiC line in the Sgr A +20 and +50 km/s clouds, as
well as the CND. The CH3OH line complex at 157.2 - 157.3 GHz has been detected
in the +20 and +50 km/s clouds but not towards Sgr A*/CND. A 3-sigma upper
limit for the fractional abundance ratio of [O2]/[H2] is found to be X(O2) <
1.2 x 10exp(-7) towards the Sgr A molecular belt region.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 6 journal pages, 5 figure
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