The eclipse of Epsilon Aurigae visible spectroscopy and ultraviolet activity

The preliminary results of the study of several high resolution spectrograms (lambda 3500 - lambda 7000 A), obtained at the Haute Provence Observatory (OHP) in France, at different epochs before, during and after the eclipse are reported. Some of these spectrograms are compared with corresponding IUE high resolution observations, in order to study the effects of the intrinsic UV activity, towards the longer wavelengths

Women who argue in front of the US Supreme Court win just as often as men – but it’s harder for them to get there.

Over the past 70 years, lawyers have argued cases before the US Supreme Court more than 10,000 times, but just under seven percent of these appearances have been by women. In new research, Jonathan S. Hack and Clinton M. Jenkins find that while over time, women have been no less likely to win a Supreme Court case than men, women have had to be, on average, more qualified and experienced compared to their male counterparts in order to be able to appear there in the first place

Emission of gamma rays shifted from resonant absorption by electron-nuclear double transitions in ^{151}Eu^{2+}:CaF_2

We show that the emission of a gamma-ray photon by a nucleus can be influenced by a microwave magnetic field acting on the atomic electrons. We study theoretically these electron-nuclear double transitions (ENDTs) for ^{151}Eu nuclei in a CaF_2 lattice at low temperature, in the presence of a static magnetic field and of a microwave magnetic field. The ENDTs acquire a significant intensity for certain resonance frequencies. The ENDTs are of interest for the identification of the position of the lines in complex M\"{o}ssbauer spectra.Comment: 8 pages; 3 Postscript figures: Fig. 1, Fig. 2(a), Fig. 2(b

Solar electric propulsion for Mars transport vehicles

Solar electric propulsion (SEP) is an alternative to chemical and nuclear powered propulsion systems for both piloted and unpiloted Mars transport vehicles. Photovoltaic solar cell and array technologies were evaluated as components of SEP power systems. Of the systems considered, the SEP power system composed of multijunction solar cells in an ENTECH domed fresnel concentrator array had the least array mass and area. Trip times to Mars optimized for minimum propellant mass were calculated. Additionally, a preliminary vehicle concept was designed

Deepening inside the homonyms of 'Wildbacher' by means of SSR markers

Sixteen accessions of the grapevine cultivar 'Wildbacher' coming from different European repositories and from Styrian and Italian private vineyards were analysed by genetic fingerprinting with SSR markers. Five different molecular profiles were found, confirming that the name 'Wildbacher' is commonly used as a homonym. Several new genotypes could be linked to the previous list of the 'Wildbacher' family. In particular, in Italian commercial vineyards two main 'Wildbacher' varieties defined by A and B genetic profiles were found. They correspond to the two reference genotypes from Styria, 'Wildbacher Blau' ('Blauer Wildbacher)' and 'Wildbacher Spätblau'. In both countries 'Wildbacher Blau' represents the most spread and better performing type and it is earlier ripening compared to 'Wildbacher Spätblau'. They were morphologically and genetically very similar to each other and they shared at least one allele at each of the 11 SSR loci analyzed for cultivar identification. Three different other 'Wildbacher' genotypes from a German collection were identified as individual cultivars. While 'Rotblättriger' (genotype C) and 'Frühblau' from Germany (genotype D) showed some genetic similarity with A and B genotypes, E 'Wildbacher', coming from Hungary, proved to have a distinct genetic profile. Close relationship to the key variety (for the development of European diversity) 'Heunisch' is indicated by sharing one allele at all loci investigated so far. There exist some indications that the second parent is an extinct wild vine. Evaluation of morphological parameters resulted in some differences among all five genotypes.

The landscape of distress in the terminally ill

Understanding the complexities of distress and knowing who is most vulnerable isfoundational to the provision of quality, palliative end-of-life care. Although prior studieshave examined the prevalence of symptom distress among patients nearing death, thesestudies have tended to largely focus on physical and to a lesser extent, psychologicalchallenges. The aim of this study was to use the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI), a novel,reliable, and validated measure of end-of-life distress, to describe a broad landscape of distressin patients who are terminally ill. The PDI, a 25-item self-report, was administered to 253patients receiving palliative care. Each PDI item is rated by patients to indicate the degree towhich they experience various kinds of end-of-life distress. Palliative care patients reported anaverage of 5.74 problems (standard deviation, 5.49; range, 0e24), including physical,psychological, existential, and spiritual challenges. Being an inpatient, being educated, andhaving a partner were associated with certain kinds of end-of-life problems, particularlyexistential distress. Spirituality, especially its existential or ??sense of meaning and purpose??dimension was associated with less distress for terminally ill patients. A better appreciationfor the nature of distress is a critical step toward a fuller understanding of the challengesfacing the terminally ill. A clear articulation of the landscape of distress, including insightregarding those who are most at risk, should pave the way toward more effective, dignityconservingend-of-life care

Printing wet-on-wet: attraction and repulsion of drops on a viscous film

Wet-on-wet printing is frequently used in inkjet printing for graphical and industrial applications, where substrates can be coated with a thin liquid film prior to ink drop deposition. Two drops placed close together are expected to interact via deformations of the thin viscous film, but the nature of these capillary interactions is unknown. Here we show that the interaction can be attractive or repulsive depending on the distance separating the two drops. The distance at which the interaction changes from attraction to repulsion is found to depend on the thickness of the film, and increases over time. We reveal the origin of the non-monotonic interactions, which lies in the appearance of a visco-capillary wave on the thin film induced by the drops. Using the thin-film equation we identify the scaling law for the spreading of the waves, and demonstrate that this governs the range over which interaction is observed.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

The Intrinsic Absorber in QSO 2359-1241: Keck and HST Observations

We present detailed analyses of the absorption spectrum seen in QSO 2359-1241 (NVSS J235953-124148). Keck HIRES data reveal absorption from twenty transitions arising from: He I, Mg I, Mg II, Ca II, and Fe II. HST data show broad absorption lines (BALs) from Al III 1857, C IV 1549, Si IV 1397, and N V 1240. Absorption from excited Fe II states constrains the temperature of the absorber to 2000K < T < 10,000K and puts a lower limit of 10^5 cm^{-3} on the electron number density. Saturation diagnostics show that the real column densities of He I and Fe II can be determined, allowing to derive meaningful constraints on the ionization equilibrium and abundances in the flow. The ionization parameter is constrained by the iron, helium and magnesium data to -3.0 < log(U) < -2.5 and the observed column densities can be reproduced without assuming departure from solar abundances. From comparison of the He I and Fe II absorption features we infer that the outflow seen in QSO 2359-1241 is not shielded by a hydrogen ionization front and therefore that the existence of low-ionization species in the outflow (e.g., Mg II, Al III, Fe II) does not necessitate the existence of such a front. We find that the velocity width of the absorption systematically increases as a function of ionization and to a lesser extent with abundance. Complementary analyses of the radio and polarization properties of the object are discussed in a companion paper (Brotherton et al. 2000).Comment: 30 pages, 9 figures, in press with the Ap

HV 11423: The Coolest Supergiant in the SMC

We call attention to the fact that one of the brightest red supergiants in the SMC has recently changed its spectral type from K0-1 I (December 2004) to M4 I (December 2005) and back to K0-1 I (September 2006). An archival spectrum from the Very Large Telescope reveals that the star was even cooler (M4.5-M5 I) in December 2001. By contrast, the star was observed to be an M0 I in both October 1978 and October 1979. The M4-5 I spectral types is by far the latest type seen for an SMC supergiant, and its temperature in that state places it well beyond the Hayashi limit into a region of the H-R diagram where the star should not be in hydrostatic equilibrium. The star is variable by nearly 2 mag in V, but essentially constant in K. Our modeling of its spectral energy distribution shows that the visual extinction has varied during this time, but that the star has remained essentially constant in bolometric luminosity. We suggest that the star is currently undergoing a period of intense instability, with its effective temperature changing from 4300 K to 3300 K on the time-scale of months. It has one of the highest 12-micron fluxes of any RSG in the SMC, and we suggest that the variability at V is due primarily to changes in effective temperature, and secondly, due to changes in the local extinction due to creation and dissipation of circumstellar dust. We speculate that the star may be nearing the end of its life.Comment: Accepted by the Astrophysical Journa

Towards Visual Feedback Loops for Robot-Controlled Additive Manufacturing

Robotic additive manufacturing methods have enabled the design and fabrication of novel forms and material systems that represent an important step forward for architectural fabrication. However, a common problem in additive manufacturing is to predict and incorporate the dynamic behavior of the material that is the result of the complex confluence of forces and material properties that occur during fabrication. While there have been some approaches towards verification systems, to date most robotic additive manufacturing processes lack verification to ensure deposition accuracy. Inaccuracies, or in some instances critical errors, can occur due to robot dynamics, material self-deflection, material coiling, or timing shifts in the case of multi-material prints. This paper addresses that gap by presenting an approach that uses vision-based sensing systems to assist robotic additive manufacturing processes. Using online image analysis techniques, occupancy maps can be created and updated during the fabrication process to document the actual position of the previously deposited material. This development is an intermediary step towards closed-loop robotic control systems that combine workspace sensing capabilities with decision-making algorithms to adjust toolpaths to correct for errors or inaccuracies if necessary. The occupancy grid map provides a complete representation of the print that can be analyzed to determine various key aspects, such as, print quality, extrusion diameter, adhesion between printed parts, and intersections within the meshes. This valuable quantitative information regarding system robustness can be used to influence the system’s future actions. This approach will help ensure consistent print quality and sound tectonics in robotic additive manufacturing processes, improving on current techniques and extending the possibilities of robotic fabrication in architecture