2,142 research outputs found
Detecting Water In the atmosphere of HR 8799 c with L-band High Dispersion Spectroscopy Aided By Adaptive Optics
High dispersion spectroscopy of brown dwarfs and exoplanets enables exciting
science cases, e.g., mapping surface inhomogeneity and measuring spin rate.
Here, we present band observations of HR 8799 c using Keck NIRSPEC
(R=15,000) in adaptive optics (AO) mode (NIRSPAO). We search for molecular
species (HO and CH) in the atmosphere of HR 8799 c with a template
matching method, which involves cross correlation between reduced spectrum and
a template spectrum. We detect HO but not CH, which suggests
disequilibrium chemistry in the atmosphere of HR 8799 c, and this is consistent
with previous findings. We conduct planet signal injection simulations to
estimate the sensitivity of our AO-aided high dispersion spectroscopy
observations. We conclude that contrast can be reached in band.
The sensitivity is mainly limited by the accuracy of line list used in modeling
spectra and detector noise. The latter will be alleviated by the NIRSPEC
upgrade.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication on AJ,
references update
Road traffic noise is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and all-cause mortality in London.
AIMS: Road traffic noise has been associated with hypertension but evidence for the long-term effects on hospital admissions and mortality is limited. We examined the effects of long-term exposure to road traffic noise on hospital admissions and mortality in the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study population consisted of 8.6 million inhabitants of London, one of Europe's largest cities. We assessed small-area-level associations of day- (7:00-22:59) and nighttime (23:00-06:59) road traffic noise with cardiovascular hospital admissions and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in all adults (≥25 years) and elderly (≥75 years) through Poisson regression models. We adjusted models for age, sex, area-level socioeconomic deprivation, ethnicity, smoking, air pollution, and neighbourhood spatial structure. Median daytime exposure to road traffic noise was 55.6 dB. Daytime road traffic noise increased the risk of hospital admission for stroke with relative risk (RR) 1.05 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.09] in adults, and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.04-1.14) in the elderly in areas >60 vs. 60 vs. <55 dB]. Positive but non-significant associations were seen with mortality for cardiovascular and ischaemic heart disease, and stroke. Results were similar for the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to road traffic noise was associated with small increased risks of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in the general population, particularly for stroke in the elderly
The Effect Of Breastfeeding On Child Development At 5 Years: A Cohort Study
Objective It is uncertain to what degree the relationship between breastfeeding and later cognitive development is a true biological effect, or is confounded by psychosocial factors. The study aim was to further investigate this relationship and the effect of duration of breast feeding on cognitive development. Methods A total of 3880 children were followed from birth. Breastfeeding duration was measured by questionnaire at 6 months of age and a Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Revised (PPVT-R) was administered at 5 years. PPVT-R scores were adjusted for the effects of a large array of biological and psychosocial confounders. The relationship between breastfeeding and the mean PPVT-R scores were examined using analysis of variance and multiple linear regression. Results A strong positive relationship was demonstrated between breastfeeding and the PPVT-R scores with increasing scores with increased duration of breastfeeding. After adjusting for a wide range of biological and social factors, the adjusted mean for those breastfed for 6 months or more was 8.2 points higher for females and 5.8 points for males when compared to those never breastfed. Conclusion These findings suggest a significant benefit to child development is conferred by breastfeeding and is related independently to longer periods of breastfeeding
New Frontiers for Terrestrial-sized to Neptune-sized Exoplanets In the Era of Extremely Large Telescopes
Surveys reveal that terrestrial- to Neptune-sized planets (1 4
R) are the most common type of planets in our galaxy. Detecting
and characterizing such small planets around nearby stars holds the key to
understanding the diversity of exoplanets and will ultimately address the
ubiquitousness of life in the universe. The following fundamental questions
will drive research in the next decade and beyond: (1) how common are
terrestrial to Neptune-sized planets within a few AU of their host star, as a
function of stellar mass? (2) How does planet composition depend on planet
mass, orbital radius, and host star properties? (3) What are the energy
budgets, atmospheric dynamics, and climates of the nearest worlds? Addressing
these questions requires: a) diffraction-limited spatial resolution; b)
stability and achievable contrast delivered by adaptive optics; and c) the
light-gathering power of extremely large telescopes (ELTs), as well as
multi-wavelength observations and all-sky coverage enabled by a comprehensive
US ELT Program. Here we provide an overview of the challenge, and promise of
success, in detecting and comprehensively characterizing small worlds around
the very nearest stars to the Sun with ELTs. This white paper extends and
complements the material presented in the findings and recommendations
published in the National Academy reports on Exoplanet Science Strategy and
Astrobiology Strategy for the Search for Life in the Universe.Comment: Astro2020 Science White Pape
Parity violation in hot QCD: why it can happen, and how to look for it
The arguments for the possibility of violation of P and CP symmetries of
strong interactions at finite temperature are presented. A new way of observing
these effects in heavy ion collisions is proposed -- it is shown that parity
violation should manifest itself in the asymmetry between positive and negative
pions with respect to the reaction plane. Basing on topological considerations,
we derive a {\it lower} bound on the magnitude of the expected asymmetry, which
may appear within the reach of the current and/or future heavy ion experiments.Comment: 5 pages, revtex; a slightly extended version to appear in Physics
Letters
Detecting Water In the atmosphere of HR 8799 c with L-band High Dispersion Spectroscopy Aided By Adaptive Optics
High-dispersion spectroscopy of brown dwarfs and exoplanets enables exciting science cases, e.g., mapping surface inhomogeneity and measuring spin rate. Here, we present L-band observations of HR 8799 c using Keck NIRSPEC (R = 15,000) in adaptive optics (AO) mode (NIRSPAO). We search for molecular species (H_2O and CH_4) in the atmosphere of HR 8799 c with a template-matching method, which involves cross-correlation between reduced spectra and a template spectrum. We detect H_2O but not CH_4, which suggests disequilibrium chemistry in the atmosphere of HR 8799 c, and this is consistent with previous findings. We conduct planet signal injection simulations to estimate the sensitivity of our AO-aided high-dispersion spectroscopy observations. We conclude that 10^(−4) contrast can be reached in the L band. The sensitivity is mainly limited by the accuracy of line list used in modeling spectra and detector noise. The latter will be alleviated by the NIRSPEC upgrade
Exoplanet Atmosphere Measurements from Transmission Spectroscopy and other Planet-Star Combined Light Observations
It is possible to learn a great deal about exoplanet atmospheres even when we
cannot spatially resolve the planets from their host stars. In this chapter, we
overview the basic techniques used to characterize transiting exoplanets -
transmission spectroscopy, emission and reflection spectroscopy, and full-orbit
phase curve observations. We discuss practical considerations, including
current and future observing facilities and best practices for measuring
precise spectra. We also highlight major observational results on the
chemistry, climate, and cloud properties of exoplanets.Comment: Accepted review chapter; Handbook of Exoplanets, eds. Hans J. Deeg
and Juan Antonio Belmonte (Springer-Verlag). 22 pages, 6 figure
Stability of quasi-Keplerian shear flow in a laboratory experiment
Context: Subcritical transition to turbulence has been proposed as a source
of turbulent viscosity required for the associated angular momentum transport
for fast accretion in Keplerian disks. Previously cited laboratory experiments
in supporting this hypothesis were performed either in a different type of flow
than Keplerian or without quantitative measurements of angular momentum
transport and mean flow profile, and all of them appear to suffer from Ekman
effects, secondary flows induced by nonoptimal axial boundary conditions. Such
Ekman effects are expected to be absent from astronomical disks, which probably
have stress-free vertical boundaries unless strongly magnetized. Aims: To
quantify angular momentum transport due to subcritical hydrodynamic turbulence,
if exists, in a quasi-Keplerian flow with minimized Ekman effects. Methods: We
perform a local measurement of the azimuthal--radial component of the Reynolds
stress tensor in a novel laboratory apparatus where Ekman effects are minimized
by flexible control of axial boundary conditions. Results: We find significant
Ekman effects on angular momentum transport due to nonoptimal axial boundary
conditions in quasi-Keplerian flows. With the optimal control of Ekman effects,
no statistically meaningful angular momentum transport is detected in such
flows at Reynolds number up to two millions. Conclusions: Either a subcritical
transition does not occur, or, if a subcritical transition does occur, the
associated radial transport of angular momentum in optimized quasi-Keplerian
laboratory flows is too small to directly support the hypothesis that
subcritical hydrodynamic turbulence is responsible for accretion in
astrophysical disks. Possible limitations in applying laboratory results to
astrophysical disks due to experimental geometry are discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 13 figures, published in Astron. Astrophy
The consequences of niche and physiological differentiation of archaeal and bacterial ammonia oxidisers for nitrous oxide emissions
The authors are members of the Nitrous Oxide Research Alliance (NORA), a Marie Skłodowska-Curie ITN and research project under the EU's seventh framework program (FP7). GN is funded by the AXA Research Fund and CGR by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UF150571) and a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Standard Grant (NE/K016342/1). The authors would like to thank Dr Robin Walker and the SRUC Craibstone Estate (Aberdeen) for access to the agricultural plots, Dr Alex Douglas for statistical advice and Philipp Schleusner for assisting microcosm construction and sampling.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
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