218 research outputs found
The effects of variations in nuclear interactions on nucleosynthesis in thermonuclear supernovae
Type Ia supernova explosions are violent stellar events important for their contribution to the cosmic abundance of iron peak elements and for their role as cosmological distance indicators
Symmetry energy of dilute warm nuclear matter
The symmetry energy of nuclear matter is a fundamental ingredient in the
investigation of exotic nuclei, heavy-ion collisions and astrophysical
phenomena. New data from heavy-ion collisions can be used to extract the free
symmetry energy and the internal symmetry energy at subsaturation densities and
temperatures below 10 MeV. Conventional theoretical calculations of the
symmetry energy based on mean-field approaches fail to give the correct
low-temperature, low-density limit that is governed by correlations, in
particular by the appearance of bound states. A recently developed quantum
statistical (QS) approach that takes the formation of clusters into account
predicts symmetry energies that are in very good agreement with the
experimental data. A consistent description of the symmetry energy is given
that joins the correct low-density limit with quasiparticle approaches valid
near the saturation density.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl
On the small-scale stability of thermonuclear flames in Type Ia supernovae
We present a numerical model which allows us to investigate thermonuclear
flames in Type Ia supernova explosions. The model is based on a finite-volume
explicit hydrodynamics solver employing PPM. Using the level-set technique
combined with in-cell reconstruction and flux-splitting schemes we are able to
describe the flame in the discontinuity approximation. We apply our
implementation to flame propagation in Chandrasekhar-mass Type Ia supernova
models. In particular we concentrate on intermediate scales between the flame
width and the Gibson-scale, where the burning front is subject to the
Landau-Darrieus instability. We are able to reproduce the theoretical
prediction on the growth rates of perturbations in the linear regime and
observe the stabilization of the flame in a cellular shape. The increase of the
mean burning velocity due to the enlarged flame surface is measured. Results of
our simulation are in agreement with semianalytical studies.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, Uses AASTEX, emulateapj5.sty, onecolfloat.sty.
Replaced with accepted version (ApJ), Figures 1 and 3 are ne
Constraints on the high-density nuclear equation of state from the phenomenology of compact stars and heavy-ion collisions
A new scheme for testing nuclear matter equations of state (EsoS) at high
densities using constraints from neutron star phenomenology and a flow data
analysis of heavy-ion collisions is suggested. An acceptable EoS shall not
allow the direct Urca process to occur in neutron stars with masses below
, and also shall not contradict flow and kaon production data of
heavy-ion collisions. Compact star constraints include the mass measurements of
2.1 +/- 0.2 M_sun (1 sigma level) for PSR J0751+1807, of 2.0 +/- 0.1 M_sun from
the innermost stable circular orbit for 4U 1636-536, the baryon mass -
gravitational mass relationships from Pulsar B in J0737-3039 and the
mass-radius relationships from quasiperiodic brightness oscillations in 4U
0614+09 and from the thermal emission of RX J1856-3754. This scheme is applied
to a set of relativistic EsoS constrained otherwise from nuclear matter
saturation properties with the result that no EoS can satisfy all constraints
simultaneously, but those with density-dependent masses and coupling constants
appear most promising.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, 5 table
500 Days of SN 2013dy: spectra and photometry from the ultraviolet to the infrared
SN 2013dy is a Type Ia supernova for which we have compiled an extraordinary
dataset spanning from 0.1 to ~ 500 days after explosion. We present 10 epochs
of ultraviolet (UV) through near-infrared (NIR) spectra with HST/STIS, 47
epochs of optical spectra (15 of them having high resolution), and more than
500 photometric observations in the BVrRiIZYJH bands. SN 2013dy has a broad and
slowly declining light curve (delta m(B) = 0.92 mag), shallow Si II 6355
absorption, and a low velocity gradient. We detect strong C II in our earliest
spectra, probing unburned progenitor material in the outermost layers of the SN
ejecta, but this feature fades within a few days. The UV continuum of SN
2013dy, which is strongly affected by the metal abundance of the progenitor
star, suggests that SN 2013dy had a relatively high-metallicity progenitor.
Examining one of the largest single set of high-resolution spectra for a SN Ia,
we find no evidence of variable absorption from circumstellar material.
Combining our UV spectra, NIR photometry, and high-cadence optical photometry,
we construct a bolometric light curve, showing that SN 2013dy had a maximum
luminosity of 10.0^{+4.8}_{-3.8} * 10^{42} erg/s. We compare the synthetic
light curves and spectra of several models to SN 2013dy, finding that SN 2013dy
is in good agreement with a solar-metallicity W7 model.Comment: 22 pages, 18 figures, replaced with version accecpted for publication
in MNRA
Equation of State of Nuclear Matter at high baryon density
A central issue in the theory of astrophysical compact objects and heavy ion
reactions at intermediate and relativistic energies is the Nuclear Equation of
State (EoS). On one hand, the large and expanding set of experimental and
observational data is expected to constrain the behaviour of the nuclear EoS,
especially at density above saturation, where it is directly linked to
fundamental processes which can occur in dense matter. On the other hand,
theoretical predictions for the EoS at high density can be challenged by the
phenomenological findings. In this topical review paper we present the
many-body theory of nuclear matter as developed along different years and with
different methods. Only nucleonic degrees of freedom are considered. We compare
the different methods at formal level, as well as the final EoS calculated
within each one of the considered many-body schemes. The outcome of this
analysis should help in restricting the uncertainty of the theoretical
predictions for the nuclear EoS.Comment: 51 pages, to appear in J. Phys. G as Topical Revie
Staggering behavior of the low lying excited states of even-even nuclei in a Sp(4,R) classification scheme
We implement a high order discrete derivative analysis of the low lying
collective energies of even-even nuclei with respect to the total number of
valence nucleon pairs N in the framework of F- spin multiplets appearing in a
symplectic sp(4,R) classification scheme. We find that for the nuclei of any
given F- multiplet the respective experimental energies exhibit a Delta N=2
staggering behavior and for the nuclei of two united neighboring F- multiplets
well pronounced Delta N=1 staggering patterns are observed. Those effects have
been reproduced successfully through a generalized sp(4,R) model energy
expression and explained in terms of the step-like changes in collective modes
within the F- multiplets and the alternation of the F-spin projection in the
united neighboring multiplets. On this basis we suggest that the observed Delta
N=2 and Delta N=1 staggering effects carry detailed information about the
respective systematic manifestation of both high order alpha - particle like
quartetting of nucleons and proton (neutron) pairing interaction in nuclei.PACS
number(s):21.10.Re, 21.60.FwComment: 22 pages and 6 figures changes in the figure caption
5.9-keV Mn K-shell X-ray luminosity from the decay of Fe-55 in Type Ia supernova models
We show that the X-ray line flux of the Mn Kα line at 5.9 keV from the decay of 55Fe is
a promising diagnostic to distinguish between Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) explosion models.
Using radiation transport calculations, we compute the line flux for two three-dimensional
explosion models: a near-Chandrasekhar mass delayed detonation and a violent merger of
two (1.1 and 0.9 M⊙) white dwarfs. Both models are based on solar metallicity zero-age
main-sequence progenitors. Due to explosive nuclear burning at higher density, the delayeddetonation
model synthesizes ∼3.5 times more radioactive 55Fe than the merger model. As
a result, we find that the peak Mn Kα line flux of the delayed-detonation model exceeds
that of the merger model by a factor of ∼4.5. Since in both models the 5.9-keV X-ray flux
peaks five to six years after the explosion, a single measurement of the X-ray line emission
at this time can place a constraint on the explosion physics that is complementary to those
derived from earlier phase optical spectra or light curves. We perform detector simulations
of current and future X-ray telescopes to investigate the possibilities of detecting the X-ray
line at 5.9 keV. Of the currently existing telescopes, XMM–Newton/pn is the best instrument
for close (!1–2 Mpc), non-background limited SNe Ia because of its large effective area. Due
to its low instrumental background, Chandra/ACIS is currently the best choice for SNe Ia
at distances above ∼2 Mpc. For the delayed-detonation scenario, a line detection is feasible
with Chandra up to ∼3 Mpc for an exposure time of 106 s. We find that it should be possible
with currently existing X-ray instruments (with exposure times !5 × 105 s) to detect both
of our models at sufficiently high S/N to distinguish between them for hypothetical events
within the Local Group. The prospects for detection will be better with future missions. For
example, the proposed Athena/X-IFU instrument could detect our delayed-detonation model
out to a distance of ∼5 Mpc. This would make it possible to study future events occurring
during its operational life at distances comparable to those of the recent supernovae SN 2011fe
(∼6.4 Mpc) and SN 2014J (∼3.5 Mpc)
Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma with leukocytosis and elevation of serum G-CSF. A case report
BACKGROUND: G-CSF is known to function as a hematopoietic growth factor and it is known to be responsible for leukocytosis. G-CSF-producing tumors associated with leukocytosis include various types of malignancies. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 72-year-old man with dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma characterized by dedifferentiated components of malignant fibrous histiocytoma- or osteosarcoma-like features in addition to conventional chondrosarcoma, arising from his pelvic bone. After hemipelvectomy, when local recurrence and metastasis were identified, leukocytosis appeared and an elevated level of serum granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was also recognized. The patient died of multiple organ failure 2 months after surgery. Autopsy specimens showed that the histological specimens of the recurrence and metastasis were dedifferentiated components, without any conventional chondrosarcoma components. G-CSF was expressed only in the dedifferentiated components, not in the chondrosarcoma components, immunohistochemically. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of chondrosarcoma, or any other primary bone tumor, with leukocytosis, probably stimulated by tumor-produced G-CSF from the dedifferentiated components
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