33,472 research outputs found
Volatiles in interplanetary dust particles and aerogels
Volatiles measured in 25 interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) are a mixture of both indigenous materials and contaminants associated with the collection and processing of the ODPs prior to analysis. Most IDPs have been collected in the stratosphere using a silicone oil/freon mixture (20:1 ratio) coated on collector plates. Studies have shown that silicone oil, freon and hexane residues remain with the ODPs, despite attempts to clean the IDPs. Analysis of the IDPs with the LMMS-technique produces spectra with a mixture of indigeneous and contaminants components. The contamination signal can be identified and removed; however, the contamination signal may obscure some of the indigeneous component's signal. Employing spectra stripping techniques, the indigenous volatile constituents associated with the IDPs can be identified. Volatiles are similar to those measured in CI or CM carbonaceous chondrites. Collection of IDPs in low-Earth orbit utilizing a Cosmic Dust Collection Facility attached to Space Station Freedom has been proposed. The low-density material aerogel has been proposed as a collection substrate for IDPs. Our studies have concentrated on identifying volatile contaminants that are associated with aerogel. We have found that solvents used for the preparation of aerogel remain in aerogel and methods must be developed for removing the entrapped solvents before aerogels can be used for an IDP collection substrate
Tetrahydrobiopterin analogues with NO-dependent pulmonary vasodilator properties
Reduced NO levels due to the deficiency of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) contribute to impaired vasodilation in pulmonary hypertension Due to the chemically unstable nature of BH4 it was hypothesised that oxidatively stable analogues of BR, would be able to support NO synthesis to improve Endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary hypertension Two analogues of BH4 namely 6-hydroxymethyl pterin (HMP) and 6-acetyl 7 7-dimethyl 7 8-dihydropterin (ADDP) were evaluated for vasodilator activity on precontracted rat pulmonary artery rings ADDP was administered to pulmonary hypertensive rats followed by measurement of pulmonary vascular resistance in perfused lungs and eNOS expression by immunohistochemistry ADDP and HMP caused significant relaxation in vitro in rat pulmonary arteries depleted of BH4 with a maximum relaxation at 0 3 mu M (both P<005) Vasodilator activity of ADDP and HMP was completely abolished following preincubation with the NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME ADDP and HMP did not alter relaxation induced by carbachol or spermine NONOate BH4 Itself did not produce relaxation In rats receiving ADDP 141 mg/kg/day pulmonary vasodilation induced by calcium ionophore A23187 was augmented and eNOS immunoreactivity was increased In conclusion ADDP and HMP are two analogues of BH4 which can act as oxidatively stable alternatives to BH4 in causing NO-mediated vasorelaxation Chronic treatment with ADDP resulted in Improvement of NO-mediated pulmonary artery dilation and enhanced expression of eNOS in the pulmonary vascular endothelium Chemically stable analogue, of BH4 may be able to limit endothelial dysfunction in the pulmonary vasculatur
X-raying the Winds of Luminous Active Galaxies
We briefly describe some recent observational results, mainly at X-ray
wavelengths, on the winds of luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs). These
winds likely play a significant role in galaxy feedback. Topics covered include
(1) Relations between X-ray and UV absorption in Broad Absorption Line (BAL)
and mini-BAL quasars; (2) X-ray absorption in radio-loud BAL quasars; and (3)
Evidence for relativistic iron K BALs in the X-ray spectra of a few bright
quasars. We also mention some key outstanding problems and prospects for future
advances; e.g., with the International X-ray Observatory (IXO).Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, to appear in proceedings of the conference "The
Monster's Fiery Breath: Feedback in Galaxies, Groups, and Clusters", June
2009, Madison, Wisconsi
The Evolution of Quasar CIV and SiIV Broad Absorption Lines Over Multi-Year Time Scales
We investigate the variability of CIV 1549A broad absorption line (BAL)
troughs over rest-frame time scales of up to ~7 yr in 14 quasars at redshifts
z>2.1. For 9 sources at sufficiently high redshift, we also compare CIV and
SiIV 1400A absorption variation. We compare shorter- and longer-term
variability using spectra from up to four different epochs per source and find
complex patterns of variation in the sample overall. The scatter in the change
of absorption equivalent width (EW), Delta EW, increases with the time between
observations. BALs do not, in general, strengthen or weaken monotonically, and
variation observed over shorter (<months) time scales is not predictive of
multi-year variation. We find no evidence for asymmetry in the distribution of
Delta EW that would indicate that BALs form and decay on different time scales,
and we constrain the typical BAL lifetime to be >~30 yr. The BAL absorption for
one source, LBQS 0022+0150, has weakened and may now be classified as a
mini-BAL. Another source, 1235+1453, shows evidence of variable, blue continuum
emission that is relatively unabsorbed by the BAL outflow. CIV and SiIV BAL
shape changes are related in at least some sources. Given their high
velocities, BAL outflows apparently traverse large spatial regions and may
interact with parsec-scale structures such as an obscuring torus. Assuming BAL
outflows are launched from a rotating accretion disk, notable azimuthal
symmetry is required in the outflow to explain the relatively small changes
observed in velocity structure over times up to 7 yr
Portable dynamic fundus instrument
A portable diagnostic image analysis instrument is disclosed for retinal funduscopy in which an eye fundus image is optically processed by a lens system to a charge coupled device (CCD) which produces recordable and viewable output data and is simultaneously viewable on an electronic view finder. The fundus image is processed to develop a representation of the vessel or vessels from the output data
Broad Absorption Line Variability in Radio-Loud Quasars
We investigate C IV broad absorption line (BAL) variability within a sample
of 46 radio-loud quasars (RLQs), selected from SDSS/FIRST data to include both
core-dominated (39) and lobe-dominated (7) objects. The sample consists
primarily of high-ionization BAL quasars, and a substantial fraction have large
BAL velocities or equivalent widths; their radio luminosities and
radio-loudness values span ~2.5 orders of magnitude. We have obtained 34 new
Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) spectra of 28 BAL RLQs to compare to earlier SDSS
data, and we also incorporate archival coverage (primarily dual-epoch SDSS) for
a total set of 78 pairs of equivalent width measurements for 46 BAL RLQs,
probing rest-frame timescales of ~80-6000 d (median 500 d). In general, only
modest changes in the depths of segments of absorption troughs are observed,
akin to those seen in prior studies of BAL RQQs. Also similar to previous
findings for RQQs, the RLQs studied here are more likely to display BAL
variability on longer rest-frame timescales. However, typical values of
|Delta_EW| and |Delta_EW|/ are about 40+/-20% lower for BAL RLQs when
compared with those of a timescale-matched sample of BAL RQQs. Optical
continuum variability is of similar amplitude in BAL RLQs and BAL RQQs; for
both RLQs and RQQs, continuum variability tends to be stronger on longer
timescales. BAL variability in RLQs does not obviously depend upon their radio
luminosities or radio-loudness values, but we do find tentative evidence for
greater fractional BAL variability within lobe-dominated RLQs. Enhanced BAL
variability within more edge-on (lobe-dominated) RLQs supports some geometrical
dependence to the outflow structure.Comment: 27 pages, 16 figures, 6 tables, accepted to MNRAS, full Appendix A at
http://www.macalester.edu/~bmille13/balrlqs.htm
Identification of minimum phase preserving operators on the half line
Minimum phase functions are fundamental in a range of applications, including
control theory, communication theory and signal processing. A basic
mathematical challenge that arises in the context of geophysical imaging is to
understand the structure of linear operators preserving the class of minimum
phase functions. The heart of the matter is an inverse problem: to reconstruct
an unknown minimum phase preserving operator from its value on a limited set of
test functions. This entails, as a preliminary step, ascertaining sets of test
functions that determine the operator, as well as the derivation of a
corresponding reconstruction scheme. In the present paper we exploit a recent
breakthrough in the theory of stable polynomials to solve the stated inverse
problem completely. We prove that a minimum phase preserving operator on the
half line can be reconstructed from data consisting of its value on precisely
two test functions. And we derive an explicit integral representation of the
unknown operator in terms of this data. A remarkable corollary of the solution
is that if a linear minimum phase preserving operator has rank at least two,
then it is necessarily injective.Comment: 17 page
The role of stellar radial motions in shaping galaxy surface brightness profiles
Aims. The physics driving features such as breaks observed in galaxy surface brightness (SB) profiles remains contentious. Here, we assess the importance of stellar radial motions in shaping their characteristics. Methods. We use the simulated Milky Way-mass cosmological discs from the Ramses Disc Environment Study (RaDES) to characterise the radial redistribution of stars in galaxies displaying type-I (pure exponentials), II (downbending), and III (upbending) SB profiles. We compare radial profiles of the mass fractions and the velocity dispersions of different sub-populations of stars according to their birth and current location. Results. Radial redistribution of stars is important in all galaxies regardless of their light profiles. Type-II breaks seem to be a consequence of the combined effects of outward-moving and accreted stars. The former produce shallower inner profiles (lack of stars in the inner disc) and accumulate material around the break radius and beyond, strengthening the break; the latter can weaken or even convert the break into a pure exponential. Further accretion from satellites can concentrate material in the outermost parts, leading to type-III breaks that can coexist with type-II breaks, but situated further out. Type-III galaxies would be the result of an important radial redistribution of material throughout the entire disc, as well as a concentration of accreted material in the outskirts. In addition, type-III galaxies display the most efficient radial redistribution and the largest number of accreted stars, followed by type-I and II systems, suggesting that type-I galaxies may be an intermediate case between types-II and III. In general, the velocity dispersion profiles of all galaxies tend to flatten or even increase around the locations where the breaks are found. The age and metallicity profiles are also affected, exhibiting different inner gradients depending on their SB profile, being steeper in the case of type-II systems (as found observationally). The steep type-II profiles might be inherent to their formation rather than acquired via radial redistribution
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