An Unbiased Survey of 500 Nearby Stars for Debris Disks: A JCMT Legacy Program

We present the scientific motivation and observing plan for an upcoming detection survey for debris disks using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The SCUBA-2 Unbiased Nearby Stars (SUNS) Survey will observe 500 nearby main sequence and sub-giant stars (100 of each of the A, F, G, K and M spectral classes) to the 850 micron extragalactic confusion limit to search for evidence of submillimeter excess, an indication of circumstellar material. The survey distance boundaries are 8.6, 16.5, 22, 25 and 45 pc for M, K, G, F and A stars, respectively, and all targets lie between the declinations of -40 deg to 80 deg. In this survey, no star will be rejected based on its inherent properties: binarity, presence of planetary companions, spectral type or age. This will be the first unbiased survey for debris disks since IRAS. We expect to detect ~125 debris disks, including ~50 cold disks not detectable in current shorter wavelength surveys. A substantial amount of complementary data will be required to constrain the temperatures and masses of discovered disks. High resolution studies will likely be required to resolve many of the disks. Therefore, these systems will be the focus of future observational studies using a variety of observatories to characterize their physical properties. For non-detected systems, this survey will set constraints (upper limits) on the amount of circumstellar dust, of typically 200 times the Kuiper Belt mass, but as low as 10 times the Kuiper Belt mass for the nearest stars in the sample (approximately 2 pc).Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures (3 color), accepted by the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacifi

Thromboxane mediates renal hemodynamic response to infused angiotensin II

Thromboxane mediates renal hemodynamic response to infused angiotensin II. Since we had found that angiotensin II (Ang II), but not phenylephrine (PE), increased the excretion of thromboxane (Tx) and raised mean arterial pressure (MAP) by a Tx-dependent mechanism, we tested the role of TxA2 in mediating Ang II-induced changes in renal hemodynamics. For series 1, groups of anesthetized rats received an i.v. infusion of Ang II (50 ng . kg-1 · min-1). When infused with a vehicle, Ang II increased MAP, renal vascular resistance (RVR) and the excretion of TxB2 factored by GFR. A PGH2-TxA2 receptor antagonist, SQ-29,548, or three days of pretreatment with a TxA2 synthase inhibitor UK-38,485, which reduced excretion of TxB2 by 80%, blunted the rise in MAP and RVR induced by Ang II. In contrast, three days of pretreatment with indomethacin did not alter the renal Vascular response to Ang II. For series 2, groups of rats received Ang II at a higher rate (500 ng · kg-1 · min-1) while the RPP was stabilized at +11 to +15 mm Hg with a suprarenal aortic clamp. SQ-29,548 and UK-38,485 both prevented Ang II-induced reductions in GFR and blocked 80% of the increase in RVR. For series 3, infusions of phenylephrine at an equipressor dose to series 2 of 30 µg · kg-1 min-1 with control of RPP at +14 mm Hg also increased RVR but this was not blunted by SQ-29,548. In conclusion: 1.) infusion of Ang II increases excretion of filtered TxB2, causes dose-dependent increases in RVR and, at high doses, reduces GFR. 2.) Inhibition of TxA2 synthesis or blockade of PGH2-TxA2 receptors prevents the fall in GFR and blunts 70 to 90% of the increase in RVR. 3.) These effects are independent of RPP, appear to be specific for Ang II, and are counteracted by release of vasodilator cyclooxygenase products

An unbiased survey of 500 nearby stars for debris disks: A JCMT legacy program

We present the scientific motivation and observing plan for an upcoming detection survey for debris disks using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The SCUBA-2 Unbiased Nearby Stars (SUNS) survey will observe 500 nearby main-sequence and subgiant stars (100 of each of the A, F, G, K, and M spectral classes) to the 850 mm extragalactic confusion limit to search for evidence of submillimeter excess, an indication of circumstellar material. The survey distance boundaries are 8.6, 16.5, 22, 25, and 45 pc for M, K, G, F, and A stars, respectively, and all targets lie between the declinations of -40 degrees to 80 degrees. In this survey, no star will be rejected based on its inherent properties: binarity, presence of planetary companions, spectral type, or age. The survey will commence in late 2007 and will be executed over 390 hr, reaching 90% completion within 2 years. This will be the first unbiased survey for debris disks since the Infrared Astronomical Satellite. We expect to detect similar to 125 debris disks, including similar to 50 cold disks not detectable in current shorter wavelength surveys. To fully exploit the order of magnitude increase in debris disks detected in the submillimeter, a substantial amount of complementary data will be required, especially at shorter wavelengths, to constrain the temperatures and masses of discovered disks. High-resolution studies will likely be required to resolve many of the disks. Therefore, these systems will be the focus of future observational studies using a variety of observatories, including Herschel, ALMA, and JWST, to characterize their physical properties. For nondetected systems, this survey will set constraints (upper limits) on the amount of circumstellar dust, of typically 200 times the Kuiper Belt mass, but as low as 10 times the Kuiper Belt mass for the nearest stars in the sample (approximate to 2 pc).</p