2,857 research outputs found
The Angular Diameter and Fundamental Parameters of Sirius A
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) has been used to make a
new determination of the angular diameter of Sirius A. The observations were
made at an effective wavelength of 694.1 nm and the new value for the
limb-darkened angular diameter is 6.048 +/- 0.040mas (+/-0.66%). This new
result is compared with previous measurements and is found to be in excellent
agreement with a conventionally calibrated measurement made with the European
Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at 2.176
microns (but not with a second globally calibrated VLTI measurement). A
weighted mean of the SUSI and first VLTI results gives the limb-darkened
angular diameter of Sirius A as 6.041 +/- 0.017mas (+/-0.28%). Combination with
the Hipparcos parallax gives the radius equal to 1.713 +/- 0.009R_sun. The
bolometric flux has been determined from published photometry and
spectrophotometry and, combined with the angular diameter, yields the emergent
flux at the stellar surface equal to (5.32+/- 0.14)x10^8 Wm^-2 and the
effective temperature equal to 9845 +/- 64 K. The luminosity is 24.7 +/- 0.7
L_sun.Comment: Accepted for publication in PAS
Dust Scattering in Miras R Car and RR Sco resolved by optical interferometric polarimetry
We present optical interferometric polarimetry measurements of the Mira-like
variables R Car and RR Sco, using the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer.
By making visibility measurements in two perpendicular polarisations, the
relatively low-surface brightness light scattered by atmospheric dust could be
spatially separated from the bright Mira photospheric flux. This is the first
reported successful use of long-baseline optical interferometric polarimetry.
Observations were able to place constraints on the distribution of
circumstellar material in R Car and RR Sco. The inner radius of dust formation
for both stars was found to be less than 3 stellar radii: much closer than the
expected innermost stable location for commonly-assumed astrophysical ``dirty
silicate'' dust in these systems (silicate dust with a significant iron
content). A model with the dust distributed over a shell which is geometrically
thin compared to the stellar radius was preferred over an outflow. We propose
dust components whose chemistry and opacity properties enable survival at these
extreme inner radii.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for MNRA
The Keck Aperture Masking Experiment: spectro-interferometry of 3 Mira Variables from 1.1 to 3.8 microns
We present results from a spectro-interferometric study of the Miras o Cet, R
Leo and W Hya obtained with the Keck Aperture Masking Experiment from 1998 Sep
to 2002 Jul. The spectrally dispersed visibility data permit fitting with
circularly symmetric brightness profiles such as a simple uniform disk. The
stellar angular diameter obtained over up to ~ 450 spectral channels spaning
the region 1.1-3.8 microns is presented. Use of a simple uniform disk
brightness model facilitates comparison between epochs and with existing data
and theoretical models. Strong size variations with wavelength were recorded
for all stars, probing zones of H2O, CO, OH, and dust formation. Comparison
with contemporaneous spectra extracted from our data show a strong
anti-correlation between the observed angular diameter and flux. These
variations consolidate the notion of a complex stellar atmosphere consisting of
molecular shells with time-dependent densities and temperatures. Our findings
are compared with existing data and pulsation models. The models were found to
reproduce the functional form of the wavelength vs. angular diameter curve
well, although some departures are noted in the 2.8-3.5 micron range.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures Accepted to Ap
Secondary Metabolic Gene Cluster Silencing in Aspergillus Nidulans
In contrast to most primary metabolism genes, the genes involved in secondary metabolism and certain nutrient utilization pathways are clustered in fungi. Recently a nuclear protein, LaeA, was found to be required for the transcription of several secondary metabolite gene clusters in Aspergillus nidulans. Here we show that LaeA regulation does not extend to nutrient utilization or the spoC1 sporulation clusters. One of the secondary metabolite clusters regulated by LaeA contains the positive regulatory (i.e. aflR) and biosynthetic genes required for biosynthesis of sterigmatocystin (ST), a carcinogenic toxin. Analysis of ST gene cluster expression indicates LaeA regulation of the cluster is location specific as transcription of genes bordering the ST cluster are unaffected in a ΔlaeA mutant and placement of a primary metabolic gene, argB, in the ST cluster resulted in argB silencing in the ΔlaeA background. ST cluster gene expression was remediated when an additional copy of aflR was placed outside of the cluster but not when placed in the cluster. Site-specific mutation of an s-adenosyl methionine (AdoMet) binding site in LaeA generated a ΔlaeA phenotype suggesting the protein to be a methyltransferase
The radius and mass of the subgiant star bet Hyi from interferometry and asteroseismology
We have used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) to measure
the angular diameter of beta Hydri. This star is a nearby G2 subgiant whose
mean density was recently measured with high precision using asteroseismology.
We determine the radius and effective temperature of the star to be
1.814+/-0.017 R_sun (0.9%) and 5872+/-44 K (0.7%) respectively. By combining
this value with the mean density, as estimated from asteroseismology, we make a
direct estimate of the stellar mass. We find a value of 1.07+/-0.03 M_sun
(2.8%), which agrees with published estimates based on fitting in the H-R
diagram, but has much higher precision. These results place valuable
constraints on theoretical models of beta Hyi and its oscillation frequencies.Comment: 3 figures, 3 tables, to appear in MNRAS Letter
Discovery of spatial periodicities in a coronal loop using automated edge-tracking algorithms
A new method for automated coronal loop tracking, in both spatial and temporal domains, is presented. Applying this technique to TRACE data, obtained using the 171 Ă… filter on 1998 July 14, we detect a coronal loop undergoing a 270 s kink-mode oscillation, as previously found by Aschwanden et al. However, we also detect flare-induced, and previously unnoticed, spatial periodicities on a scale of 3500 km, which occur along the coronal loop edge. Furthermore, we establish a reduction in oscillatory power for these spatial periodicities of 45% over a 222 s interval. We relate the reduction in detected oscillatory power to the physical damping of these loop-top oscillations
Developmental changes in the expression of creatine synthesizing enzymes and creatine transporter in a precocial rodent, the spiny mouse
Background : Creatine synthesis takes place predominately in the kidney and liver via a two-step process involving AGAT (L-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase) and GAMT (guanidinoacetate methyltransferase). Creatine is taken into cells via the creatine transporter (CrT), where it plays an essential role in energy homeostasis, particularly for tissues with high and fluctuating energy demands. Very little is known of the fetal requirement for creatine and how this may change with advancing pregnancy and into the early neonatal period. Using the spiny mouse as a model of human perinatal development, the purpose of the present study was to comprehensively examine the development of the creatine synthesis and transport systems.Results : The estimated amount of total creatine in the placenta and brain significantly increased in the second half of pregnancy, coinciding with a significant increase in expression of CrT mRNA. In the fetal brain, mRNA expression of AGAT increased steadily across the second half of pregnancy, although GAMT mRNA expression was relatively low until 34 days gestation (term is 38–39 days). In the fetal kidney and liver, AGAT and GAMT mRNA and protein expression were also relatively low until 34–37 days gestation. Between mid-gestation and term, neither AGAT or GAMT mRNA or protein could be detected in the placenta.Conclusion : Our results suggest that in the spiny mouse, a species where, like the human, considerable organogenesis occurs before birth, there appears to be a limited capacity for endogenous creatine synthesis until approximately 0.9 of pregnancy. This implies that a maternal source of creatine, transferred across the placenta, may be essential until the creatine synthesis and transport system matures in preparation for birth. If these results also apply to the human, premature birth may increase the risk of creatine deficiency.<br /
Quantum Theory and Galois Fields
We discuss the motivation and main results of a quantum theory over a Galois
field (GFQT). The goal of the paper is to describe main ideas of GFQT in a
simplest possible way and to give clear and simple arguments that GFQT is a
more natural quantum theory than the standard one. The paper has been prepared
as a presentation to the ICSSUR' 2005 conference (Besancon, France, May 2-6,
2005).Comment: Latex, 24 pages, 1 figur
Johnston Press and the Crisis in Ireland's Local Newspaper Industry, 2005-2014
Reflecting international trends, Ireland’s local newspaper industry has suffered steep circulation and advertising revenue falls since the late-2000s, and has struggled to reshape traditional business models for the digital era. In harsh trading conditions, local titles are operating on reduced editorial resources and are weakened in their capacity to fulfil their traditional watchdog and informed-citizenry functions. Perhaps no company better encapsulates the industry’s recent difficulties than UK media group Johnston Press. In 2005, it paid more than €200m to acquire fourteen local titles in Ireland, but nine years later sold them for just €8.5m. The article draws on this case-study to consider wider issues related to the corporatisation of local news provision, the sustainability of local news industries in small media markets such as Ireland’s, and the increasing disconnect between local journalism’s commodity value and its public good value
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