ISM composition through X-ray spectroscopy of LMXBs

The diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) is an integral part of the evolution of the entire Galaxy. Metals are produced by stars and their abundances are the direct testimony of the history of stellar evolution. However, the interstellar dust composition is not well known and the total abundances are yet to be accurately determined. We probe ISM dust composition, total abundances, and abundance gradients through the study of interstellar absorption features in the high-resolution X-ray spectra of Galactic low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). We use high-quality grating spectra of nine LMXBs taken with XMM-Newton. We measure the column densities of O, Ne, Mg, and Fe with an empirical model and estimate the Galactic abundance gradients. The column densities of the neutral gas species are in agreement with those found in the literature. Solids are a significant reservoir of metals like oxygen and iron. Respectively, 15-25 % and 65-90 % of the total amount of O I and Fe I is found in dust. The dust amount and mixture seem to be consistent along all the lines-of-sight (LOS). Our estimates of abundance gradients and predictions of local interstellar abundances are in agreement with those measured at longer wavelengths. Our work shows that X-ray spectroscopy is a very powerful method to probe the ISM. For instance, on a large scale the ISM appears to be chemically homogeneous showing similar gas ionization ratios and dust mixtures. The agreement between the abundances of the ISM and the stellar objects suggests that the local Galaxy is also chemically homogeneous.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, accepted to A&

Measuring Baryon Acoustic Oscillations with Millions of Supernovae

Since type Ia Supernovae (SNe) explode in galaxies, they can, in principle, be used as the same tracer of the large-scale structure as their hosts to measure baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs). To realize this, one must obtain a dense integrated sampling of SNe over a large fraction of the sky, which may only be achievable photometrically with future projects such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. The advantage of SN BAOs is that SNe have more uniform luminosities and more accurate photometric redshifts than galaxies, but the disadvantage is that they are transitory and hard to obtain in large number at high redshift. We find that a half-sky photometric SN survey to redshift z = 0.8 is able to measure the baryon signature in the SN spatial power spectrum. Although dark energy constraints from SN BAOs are weak, they can significantly improve the results from SN luminosity distances of the same data, and the combination of the two is no longer sensitive to cosmic microwave background priors.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, ApJL accepte

Developing a site-conditions map for seismic hazard Assessment in Portugal

The evaluation of site effects on a broad scale is a critical issue for seismic hazard and risk assessment, land use planning and emergency planning. As characterization of site conditions based on the shear-wave velocity has become increasingly important, several methods have been proposed in the literature to estimate its average over the first thirty meters (Vs30) from more extensively available data. These methods include correlations with geologic-geographic defined units and topographic slope. In this paper we present the first steps towards the development of a site–conditions map for Portugal, based on a regional database of shear-wave velocity data, together with geological, geographic, and lithological information. We computed Vs30 for each database site and classified it according to the corresponding geological-lithological information using maps at the smallest scale available (usually 1:50000). We evaluated the consistency of Vs30 values within generalized-geological classes, and assessed the performance of expedient methodologies proposed in the literature

Chemical Evolution of the Galaxy Based on the Oscillatory Star Formation History

We model the star formation history (SFH) and the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk by combining an infall model and a limit-cycle model of the interstellar medium (ISM). Recent observations have shown that the SFH of the Galactic disk violently variates or oscillates. We model the oscillatory SFH based on the limit-cycle behavior of the fractional masses of three components of the ISM. The observed period of the oscillation ($\sim 1$ Gyr) is reproduced within the natural parameter range. This means that we can interpret the oscillatory SFH as the limit-cycle behavior of the ISM. We then test the chemical evolution of stars and gas in the framework of the limit-cycle model, since the oscillatory behavior of the SFH may cause an oscillatory evolution of the metallicity. We find however that the oscillatory behavior of metallicity is not prominent because the metallicity reflects the past integrated SFH. This indicates that the metallicity cannot be used to distinguish an oscillatory SFH from one without oscillations.Comment: 21 pages LaTeX, to appear in Ap

The distance to the LMC cluster NGC 1866 and the surrounding field

We use the Main Sequence stars in the LMC cluster NGC 1866 and of Red Clump stars in the local field to obtain two independent estimates of the LMC distance. We apply an empirical Main Sequence-fitting technique based on a large sample of subdwarfs with accurate {\sl Hipparcos} parallaxes in order to estimate the cluster distance modulus, and the multicolor Red Clump method to derive distance and reddening of the LMC field. We find that the Main Sequence-fitting and the Red Clump distance moduli are in significant disagreement; NGC 1866 distance is equal to $\rm (m-M)_{0,NGC 1866}=18.33\pm$0.08 (consistent with a previous estimate using the same data and theoretical Main Sequence isochrones), while the field stars provide $\rm (m-M)_{0,field}=18.53\pm$0.07. This difference reflects the more general dichotomy in the LMC distance estimates found in the literature. Various possible causes for this disagreement are explored, with particular attention paid to the still uncertain metallicity of the cluster and the star formation history of the field stars.Comment: 5 pages, incl. 1 figure, uses emulateapj.sty, ApJ accepte

Schwinger's Method for the Massive Casimir Effect

We apply to the massive scalar field a method recently proposed by Schwinger to calculate the Casimir effect. The method is applied with two different regularization schemes: the Schwinger original one by means of Poisson formula and another one by means of analytical continuation.Comment: plain TeX, 6 pages, DFTUZ-93-2

Disfuncionalidades en la regulación de los recursos hídricos en Mendoza (Argentina)

Mendoza es una provincia con un intenso aprovechamiento de las aguas mediante un modelo productivo estructurado mediante sistemas de oasis irrigados. El agua subterránea ha jugado un rol vital para expandir la frontera agrícola y mitigar los efectos nocivos en períodos de escasez. El aprovechamiento de las aguas en diversos usos está caracterizado por conflictos de intereses y disfuncionalidades que producen consecuencias contrarias al funcionamiento de un determinado sistema social. A partir de un análisis centrado en el acceso al recurso hídrico frente a los recientes balances hídricos aprobados por la Autoridad Hídrica Provincial, el trabajo problematiza sobre cómo los instrumentos de orden regulatorios en ocasiones se disocian entre sí, generando tensiones en la eficacia y eficiencia normativa. Las conclusiones brindan elementos de juicios para compatibilizar y adecuar los instrumentos de regulación vigentes, y así evitar graves distorsiones de difícil solución en la gestión hídrica.Mendoza is a province with an intense use of water through a productive model structured by irrigated oasis systems. Groundwater has played a vital role in expanding the agricultural frontier and alleviating harmful effects in times of scarcity. The use of water in various uses is characterized by conflicts of interest and dysfunctionalities that produce consequences contrary to the functioning of a given social system. Based on an analysis focused on access to water resources in the face of recent water balances approved by the Provincial Water Authority, the paper analyzes how the regulatory instruments sometimes dissociate from each other, creating tensions in efficiency and normative efficiency . The conclusions provide elements of judgments to reconcile and adapt the existing regulatory instruments, and thus avoid serious distortions that are difficult to solve in water management.Fil: Pinto, Mauricio E.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias.Fil: Buccheri, Mauricio J.. Instituto Nacional del Agua. Centro de Economía, Legislación y Administración del Agua