412 research outputs found
Emission Line Galaxies in the STIS Parallel Survey I: Observations and Data Analysis
In the first three years of operation STIS obtained slitless spectra of
approximately 2500 fields in parallel to prime HST observations as part of the
STIS Parallel Survey (SPS). The archive contains almost 300 fields at high
galactic latitude (|b|>30) with spectroscopic exposure times greater than 3000
seconds. This sample contains 220 fields (excluding special regions and
requiring a consistent grating angle) observed between 6 June 1997 and 21
September 2000, with a total survey area of about 160 square arcminutes. At
this depth, the SPS detects an average of one emission line galaxy per three
fields. We present the analysis of these data, and the identification of 131
low to intermediate redshift galaxies detected by optical emission lines. The
sample contains 78 objects with emission lines that we infer to be redshifted
[OII]3727 emission at 0.43<z<1.7. The comoving number density of these objects
is comparable to that of H-alpha emitting galaxies in the NICMOS parallel
observations. One quasar and three probable Seyfert galaxies are detected. Many
of the emission-line objects show morphologies suggestive of mergers or
interactions. The reduced data are available upon request from the authors.Comment: 58 preprint pages, including 26 figures; accepted for publication in
ApJ
Magnetic field diagnostics and spatio-temporal variability of the solar transition region
Magnetic field diagnostics of the transition region from the chromosphere to
the corona faces us with the problem that one has to apply extreme UV
spectro-polarimetry. While for coronal diagnostic techniques already exist
through infrared coronagraphy above the limb and radio observations on the
disk, for the transition region one has to investigate extreme UV observations.
However, so far the success of such observations has been limited, but there
are various projects to get spectro-polarimetric data in the extreme UV in the
near future. Therefore it is timely to study the polarimetric signals we can
expect for such observations through realistic forward modeling.
We employ a 3D MHD forward model of the solar corona and synthesize the
Stokes I and Stokes V profiles of C IV 1548 A. A signal well above 0.001 in
Stokes V can be expected, even when integrating for several minutes in order to
reach the required signal-to-noise ratio, despite the fact that the intensity
in the model is rapidly changing (just as in observations). Often this
variability of the intensity is used as an argument against transition region
magnetic diagnostics which requires exposure times of minutes. However, the
magnetic field is evolving much slower than the intensity, and thus when
integrating in time the degree of (circular) polarization remains rather
constant. Our study shows the feasibility to measure the transition region
magnetic field, if a polarimetric accuracy on the order of 0.001 can be
reached, which we can expect from planned instrumentation.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physics (4.Mar.2013), 19 pages, 9
figure
The Diagnostic Potential of Transition Region Lines under-going Transient Ionization in Dynamic Events
We discuss the diagnostic potential of high cadence ultraviolet spectral data
when transient ionization is considered. For this we use high cadence UV
spectra taken during the impulsive phase of a solar flares (observed with
instruments on-board the Solar Maximum Mission) which showed excellent
correspondence with hard X-ray pulses. The ionization fraction of the
transition region ion O V and in particular the contribution function for the O
V 1371A line are computed within the Atomic Data and Analysis Structure, which
is a collection of fundamental and derived atomic data and codes which
manipulate them. Due to transient ionization, the O V 1371A line is enhanced in
the first fraction of a second with the peak in the line contribution function
occurring initially at a higher electron temperature than in ionization
equilibrium. The rise time and enhancement factor depend mostly on the electron
density. The fractional increase in the O V 1371A emissivity due to transient
ionization can reach a factor of 2--4 and can explain the fast response in the
line flux of transition regions ions during the impulsive phase of flares
solely as a result of transient ionization. This technique can be used to
diagnostic the electron temperature and density of solar flares observed with
the forth-coming Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure
Better long-term speech outcomes in stroke survivors who received early clinical speech and language therapy: What's driving recovery?
Establishing whether speech and language therapy after stroke has beneficial effects on speaking ability is challenging because of the need to control for multiple non-therapy factors known to influence recovery. We investigated how speaking ability at three time points post-stroke differed in patients who received varying amounts of clinical therapy in the first month post-stroke. In contrast to prior studies, we factored out variance from: initial severity of speaking impairment, amount of later therapy, and left and right hemisphere lesion size and site. We found that speaking ability at one month post-stroke was significantly better in patients who received early therapy (n = 79), versus those who did not (n = 64), and the number of hours of early therapy was positively related to recovery at one year post-stroke. We offer two non-mutually exclusive interpretations of these data: (1) patients may benefit from the early provision of self-management strategies; (2) therapy is more likely to be provided to patients who have a better chance of recovery (e.g., poor physical and/or mental health may impact suitability for therapy and chance of recovery). Both interpretations have implications for future studies aiming to predict individual patients' speech outcomes after stroke, and their response to therapy
The Heavy Element Enrichment of Lyman alpha Clouds in the Virgo Supercluster
Using high S/N STIS echelle spectra (FWHM=7 km/s) of 3C 273, we constrain the
metallicities of two Lya clouds in the vicinity of the Virgo cluster. We detect
C II, Si II, and Si III absorption lines in the Lya absorber at z = 0.00530.
Previous observations with FUSE have revealed Ly beta - Ly theta lines at this
redshift, thereby accurately constraining N(H I). We model the ionization of
the gas and derive [C/H] = -1.2^{+0.3}_{-0.2}, [Si/C] = 0.2+/-0.1, and log
n_{H} = -2.8+/-0.3. The model implies a small absorber thickness, ~70 pc, and
thermal pressure p/k ~ 40 cm^{-3} K. It is most likely that the absorber is
pressure confined by an external medium because gravitational confinement would
require a very high ratio of dark matter to baryonic matter. Based on Milky Way
sight lines in which carbon and silicon abundances have been reliably measured
in the same interstellar cloud (including new measurements presented herein),
we argue that the overabundance of Si relative to C is not due to dust
depletion. Instead, this probably indicates that the gas has been predominately
enriched by Type II supernovae. Such enrichment is most plausibly provided by
an unbound galactic wind, given the absence of galaxies within a projected
distance of 100 kpc and the presence of galaxies capable of driving a wind at
larger distances. We also constrain the metallicity and physical conditions of
the Virgo absorber at z = 0.00337 based on detections of O VI and H I and an
upper limit on C IV. If this absorber is collisionally ionized, the O VI/C IV
limit requires T > 10^{5.3} K. For either collisional ionization or
photoionization, we find that [O/H] > -2.0 at z = 0.00337.Comment: Final Ap.J. versio
The Equivalence Principle in the Non-baryonic Regime
We consider the empirical validity of the equivalence principle for
non-baryonic matter. Working in the context of the TH\epsilon\mu formalism, we
evaluate the constraints experiments place on parameters associated with
violation of the equivalence principle (EVPs) over as wide a sector of the
standard model as possible. Specific examples include new parameter constraints
which arise from torsion balance experiments, gravitational red shift,
variation of the fine structure constant, time-dilation measurements, and
matter/antimatter experiments. We find several new bounds on EVPs in the
leptonic and kaon sectors.Comment: 22 pages, late
Growing up with cancer: Accommodating the effects of cancer into young people’s social lives.
Adolescence and young adulthood are transitional periods of rapid and dramatic personal change. Few events can cause as unpredictable and challenging alterations to this process as the onset of a serious illness, such as cancer. Although we know much about the physical and psychological consequences of having cancer at this time, we know little about the effect of cancer on young people’s relationships. We conducted interviews with 15 women and 12 men aged between 16 and 29 years, who had survived cancer. Our findings demonstrate that the experience of cancer and how it affects relationships is complex. It arrests young people’s development by increasing their dependence on parents, giving them life experiences unavailable to peers, and complicating the process of establishing new relationships. However, it also accelerates development by facilitating closer and more mature relationships with parents and giving young people wisdom and insight not shared by peers. Cancer profoundly shapes how young people conduct their relationships. These changes require ongoing accommodation by young people with cancer, their parents, peers, and new acquaintances
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