482 research outputs found
Vacuum Energy: Cosmological Constant or Quintessence?
For a flat universe presently dominated by smooth energy, either cosmological
constant (LCDM) or quintessence (QCDM), we calculate the asymptotic collapsed
mass fraction as function of the present ratio of smooth energy to matter
energy . Identifying the normalized collapsed fraction as a
conditional probability for habitable galaxies, we observe that the observed
present ratio is likely in LCDM, but more likely in QCDM.
Inverse application of Bayes' Theorem makes the Anthropic Principle a
predictive scientific principle: the data implies that the prior probability
for must be essentially flat over the anthropically allowed
range. Interpreting this prior as a distribution over {\em theories} lets us
predict that any future theory of initial conditions must be indifferent to
. This application of the Anthropic Principle does not demand the
existence of other universes.Comment: 17 pages AAS LATEX, including 2 tables, 3 figures (Postscript
Detection of a Third Planet in the HD 74156 System Using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope
We report the discovery of a third planetary mass companion to the G0 star HD
74156. High precision radial velocity measurements made with the Hobby-Eberly
Telescope aided the detection of this object. The best fit triple Keplerian
model to all the available velocity data yields an orbital period of 347 days
and minimum mass of 0.4 M_Jup for the new planet. We determine revised orbital
periods of 51.7 and 2477 days, and minimum masses of 1.9 and 8.0 M_Jup
respectively for the previously known planets. Preliminary calculations
indicate that the derived orbits are stable, although all three planets have
significant orbital eccentricities (e = 0.64, 0.43, and 0.25). With our
detection, HD 74156 becomes the eighth normal star known to host three or more
planets. Further study of this system's dynamical characteristics will likely
give important insight to planet formation and evolutionary processes.Comment: 24 pages, 4 tables, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ. V2
fixed table 4 page overrun. V3 added reference
Photometry of Proxima Centauri and Barnard's Star Using HST Fine Guidance Sensor 3: A Search for Periodic Variations
We have observed Proxima Centauri and Barnard's Star with Hubble Space
Telescope Fine Guidance Sensor 3. Proxima Centauri exhibits small-amplitude,
periodic photometric variations. Once several sources of systematic photometric
error are corrected, we obtain 2 milli-magnitude internal photometric
precision. We identify two distinct behavior modes over the past four years:
higher amplitude, longer period; smaller amplitude, shorter period. Within the
errors one period (P ~ 83d) is twice the other. Barnard's Star shows very weak
evidence for periodicity on a timescale of approximately 130 days. If we
interpret these periodic phenomena as rotational modulation of star spots, we
identify three discrete spots on Proxima Cen and possibly one spot on Barnard's
Star. We find that the disturbances change significantly on time scales as
short as one rotation period.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figure
A variable star survey of the open cluster M37
A CCD photometric study of the dense galactic open cluster M37 is presented
and discussed. The majority of the analysed data are time-series measurements
obtained through an R_C filter. The observations were carried out on seven
nights between December 1999 and February 2000, and have led to the discovery
of 7 new variable stars in the field. Three of them have been unambiguously
identified as W UMa-type eclipsing binaries, while two more are monoperiodic
pulsating stars, most probably high-amplitude delta Scuti-type variables. The
remaining two stars seem to be long-period eclipsing binaries without firm
period determination. Johnson B and V frames have been used to construct a new
colour-magnitude (CM) diagram of the cluster, and to find the locations of the
new variable stars. The pulsating variables are most likely background objects.
The CM diagram is fitted with recent isochrones yielding the main parameters of
the cluster.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Interferometric Astrometry of Proxima Centauri and Barnard's Star Using Hubble Space Telescope Fine Guidance Sensor 3: Detection Limits for sub-Stellar Companions
We report on a sub-stellar companion search utilizing interferometric
fringe-tracking astrometry acquired with Fine Guidance Sensor 3 (FGS 3) on the
Hubble Space Telescope. Our targets were Proxima Centauri and Barnard's Star.
We obtain absolute parallax values for Proxima Cen pi_{abs} = 0.7687 arcsecond
and for Barnard's Star pi_{abs} = 0.5454 arcsecond.
Once low-amplitude instrumental systematic errors are identified and removed,
our companion detection sensitivity is less than or equal to one Jupiter mass
for periods longer than 60 days for Proxima Cen. Between the astrometry and the
radial velocity results we exclude all companions with M > 0.8M_{Jup} for the
range of periods 1 < P < 1000 days. For Barnard's Star our companion detection
sensitivity is less than or equal to one Jupiter mass for periods long er than
150 days. Our null results for Barnard's Star are consistent with those of
Gatewood (1995).Comment: 35 pages, 13 figures, to appear in August 1999 A
Childrenâs evaluations of deviant peers in the context of science and technology: The role of gender group norms and status
This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordWomen are drastically under-represented within computer science, which is in
part informed by societal ideas of who can and should belong in the sciences. Less is
known about how children evaluate their peers who challenge gendered expectations
of who can and should take part in computer science. The present study asked
children (n = 213; female n = 110) from middle (Mage = 8.71, n = 108) and late
childhood (Mage = 10.56, n = 105) to evaluate a gender-matched peer who challenged
a group norm related to either computer science (male-gendered domain) or biology
(less male-gendered domain). Male participants most negatively evaluated a peer who
wanted to take part in a biology activity when the rest of the group wanted to do a
programming activity. Further, male participants expected their group to negatively
evaluate this deviant peer in the programming condition. Mediation analysis revealed
that for boys in the computer science condition, perceived group evaluation predicted
individual evaluation. Female participants, in contrast, did not negatively evaluate
someone who challenged a STEM peer group norm. This study demonstrates that
male peer groups may perpetuate the idea that computer science is for men through
negative evaluation of in-group members who challenge those ideas, and in turn
maintain their dominant position as the high-status group. Achieving equity in the
computer science field will require a greater understanding of these peer group norms.Wellcome Trus
Recommended from our members
The Distance To The Hyades Cluster Based On Hubble Space Telescope Fine Guidance Sensor Parallaxes
Trigonometric parallax observations made with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) 3 of seven Hyades members in six fields of view have been analyzed along with their proper motions to determine the distance to the cluster. Knowledge of the convergent point and mean proper motion of the Hyades is critical to the derivation of the distance to the center of the cluster. Depending on the choice of the proper-motion system, the derived cluster center distance varies by 9%. Adopting a reference distance of 46.1 pc or m - M = 3.32, which is derived from the ground-based parallaxes in the General Catalogue of Trigonometric Stellar Parallaxes (1995 edition), the FK5/PPM proper-motion system yields a distance 4% larger, while the Hanson system yields a distance 2% smaller. The HST FGS parallaxes reported here yield either a 14% or 5% larger distance, depending on the choice of the proper-motion system. Orbital parallaxes (Torres et al.) yield an average distance 4% larger than the reference distance. The variation in the distance derived from the HST data illustrates the importance of the proper-motion system and the individual proper motions to the derivation of the distance to the Hyades center; therefore, a full utilization of the HST FGS parallaxes awaits the establishment of an accurate and consistent proper-motion system.NASA HST GTO, HF-1042.01-93A, HF-1046.01-93A, NAS526555Astronom
The Extrasolar Planet epsilon Eridani b - Orbit and Mass
Hubble Space Telescope observations of the nearby (3.22 pc), K2 V star
epsilon Eridani have been combined with ground-based astrometric and radial
velocity data to determine the mass of its known companion. We model the
astrometric and radial velocity measurements simultaneously to obtain the
parallax, proper motion, perturbation period, perturbation inclination, and
perturbation size. Because of the long period of the companion, \eps b, we
extend our astrometric coverage to a total of 14.94 years (including the three
year span of the \HST data) by including lower-precision ground-based
astrometry from the Allegheny Multichannel Astrometric Photometer. Radial
velocities now span 1980.8 -- 2006.3. We obtain a perturbation period, P = 6.85
+/- 0.03 yr, semi-major axis, alpha =1.88 +/- 0.20 mas, and inclination i =
30.1 +/- 3.8 degrees. This inclination is consistent with a previously measured
dust disk inclination, suggesting coplanarity. Assuming a primary mass M_* =
0.83 M_{\sun}, we obtain a companion mass M = 1.55 +/- 0.24 M_{Jup}. Given the
relatively young age of epsilon Eri (~800 Myr), this accurate exoplanet mass
and orbit can usefully inform future direct imaging attempts. We predict the
next periastron at 2007.3 with a total separation, rho = 0.3 arcsec at position
angle, p.a. = -27 degrees. Orbit orientation and geometry dictate that epsilon
Eri b will appear brightest in reflected light very nearly at periastron.
Radial velocities spanning over 25 years indicate an acceleration consistent
with a Jupiter-mass object with a period in excess of 50 years, possibly
responsible for one feature of the dust morphology, the inner cavity
Central Masses and Broad-Line Region Sizes of Active Galactic Nuclei. II. A Homogeneous Analysis of a Large Reverberation-Mapping Database
We present improved black hole masses for 35 active galactic nuclei (AGNs)
based on a complete and consistent reanalysis of broad emission-line
reverberation-mapping data. From objects with multiple line measurements, we
find that the highest precision measure of the virial product is obtained by
using the cross-correlation function centroid (as opposed to the
cross-correlation function peak) for the time delay and the line dispersion (as
opposed to full width half maximum) for the line width and by measuring the
line width in the variable part of the spectrum. Accurate line-width
measurement depends critically on avoiding contaminating features, in
particular the narrow components of the emission lines. We find that the
precision (or random component of the error) of reverberation-based black hole
mass measurements is typically around 30%, comparable to the precision attained
in measurement of black hole masses in quiescent galaxies by gas or stellar
dynamical methods. Based on results presented in a companion paper by Onken et
al., we provide a zero-point calibration for the reverberation-based black hole
mass scale by using the relationship between black hole mass and host-galaxy
bulge velocity dispersion. The scatter around this relationship implies that
the typical systematic uncertainties in reverberation-based black hole masses
are smaller than a factor of three. We present a preliminary version of a
mass-luminosity relationship that is much better defined than any previous
attempt. Scatter about the mass-luminosity relationship for these AGNs appears
to be real and could be correlated with either Eddington ratio or object
inclination.Comment: 61 pages, including 8 Tables and 16 Figures. Accepted for publication
in The Astrophysical Journa
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