1,393 research outputs found
A relativistic helical jet in the gamma-ray AGN 1156+295
We present the results of a number of high resolution radio observations of
the AGN 1156+295. These include multi-epoch and multi-frequency VLBI, VSOP,
MERLIN and VLA observations made over a period of 50 months. The 5 GHz MERLIN
images trace a straight jet extending to 2 arcsec at P.A. -18 degrees. Extended
low brightness emission was detected in the MERLIN observation at 1.6 GHz and
the VLA observation at 8.5 GHz with a bend of about 90 degrees at the end of
the 2 arcsecond jet. A region of similar diffuse emission is also seen about 2
arcseconds south of the radio core. The VLBI images of the blazar reveal a
core-jet structure with an oscillating jet on a milli-arcsecond (mas) scale
which aligns with the arcsecond jet at a distance of several tens of
milli-arcseconds from the core. This probably indicates that the orientation of
the jet structure is close to the line of sight, with the northern jet being
relativistically beamed toward us. In this scenario the diffuse emission to the
north and south is not beamed and appears symmetrical. For the northern jet at
the mas scale, proper motions of 13.7 +/-3.5, 10.6 +/- 2.8, and 11.8 +/- 2.8 c
are measured in three distinct components of the jet (q_0=0.5, H_0=65 km /s
/Mpc are used through out this paper). Highly polarised emission is detected on
VLBI scales in the region in which the jet bends sharply to the north-west. The
spectral index distribution of the source shows that the strongest compact
component has a flat spectrum, and the extended jet has a steep spectrum. A
helical trajectory along the surface of a cone was proposed based on the
conservation laws for kinetic energy and momentum to explain the observed
phenomena, which is in a good agreement with the observed results on scales of
1 mas to 1 arcsec.Comment: 19 pages with 18 figures. Accepted for publication in the A&
A return to strong radio flaring by Circinus X-1 observed with the Karoo Array Telescope test array KAT-7
Circinus X-1 is a bright and highly variable X-ray binary which displays
strong and rapid evolution in all wavebands. Radio flaring, associated with the
production of a relativistic jet, occurs periodically on a ~17-day timescale. A
longer-term envelope modulates the peak radio fluxes in flares, ranging from
peaks in excess of a Jansky in the 1970s to an historic low of milliJanskys
during the years 1994 to 2007. Here we report first observations of this source
with the MeerKAT test array, KAT-7, part of the pathfinder development for the
African dish component of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), demonstrating
successful scientific operation for variable and transient sources with the
test array. The KAT-7 observations at 1.9 GHz during the period 13 December
2011 to 16 January 2012 reveal in temporal detail the return to the
Jansky-level events observed in the 1970s. We compare these data to
contemporaneous single-dish measurements at 4.8 and 8.5 GHz with the HartRAO
26-m telescope and X-ray monitoring from MAXI. We discuss whether the overall
modulation and recent dramatic brightening is likely to be due to an increase
in the power of the jet due to changes in accretion rate or changing Doppler
boosting associated with a varying angle to the line of sight.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS 14 May 201
Creating patches of native flowers facilitates crop pollination in large agricultural fields : mango as a case study
1. As cropland increases, fields become progressively isolated from pollinators, leading to
declines in pollinator-dependent crop productivity. With the rise in demand for pollinatordependent
foods, such productivity losses may accelerate conversion of natural areas to cropland.
Pollination–compensation measures involving managed pollinators or hand pollination
are not always optimal or are too costly. Introducing areas of native vegetation within cropland
has been proposed as a way to supplement crop pollinators, but this measure is
perceived by farmers to carry costs outweighing benefits to agricultural production. Studies
quantifying benefits of small patches of native flowers to crop pollination are therefore necessary
to encourage such practices.
2. To ascertain whether provision of floral resources within farmlands can facilitate pollination,
and hence, crop yields, small experimental patches of perennial native plants (native
flower compensation areas, NFCAs) were created in nonproductive areas of large commercial
fields of several cultivars of mango Mangifera indica.
3. Pesticide use and isolation from natural habitat were associated with declines in flying visitors
and in mango production (kg of marketable fresh fruit), but presence of NFCAs ameliorated
these declines, and NFCAs did not harbour any mango pests. In areas far from natural
vegetation, orchards near NFCAs had significantly higher diversity and abundance of mango
flying visitors, as well as mango production, than orchards far from NFCAs, although these
measures were still lower than in orchards close to natural areas.
4. Neither the most abundant flower visitors to mango (ants) nor initial fruit set was significantly
affected by distance, pesticides or NFCAs, suggesting that although fertilization is
associated with factors unaffected by isolation from natural habitat and pesticide use (i.e. selfand
ant-pollination), viable fruit set (and ultimately, production) requires cross-pollination,
for which flying visitors are essential.
5. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that the presence of small patches of native
flowers within large farms can increase pollinator-dependent crop production if combined with
preservation of remaining fragments of natural habitat and judicious use of pesticides. Native
flower compensation areas represent a profitable management measure for farmers, increasing
cost-effectiveness of cropland while indirectly contributing to preservation of natural habitat.South African National Biodiversity Institute,The University of Pretoria and STEP (Status and Trends of European Pollinators, grant no244090).http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2664hb2013ab201
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