1,283 research outputs found
NGC 300: an extremely faint, outer stellar disk observed to 10 scale lengths
We have used the Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini South
8m telescope in exceptional conditions (0.6" FWHM seeing) to observe the outer
stellar disk of the Sculptor group galaxy NGC 300 at two locations. At our
point source detection threshold of r' = 27.0 (3-sigma) mag, we trace the
stellar disk out to a radius of 24', or 2.2 R_25 where R_25 is the 25
mag/arcsec**2 isophotal radius. This corresponds to about 10 scale lengths in
this low-luminosity spiral (M_B = -18.6), or about 14.4 kpc at a cepheid
distance of 2.0 +/- 0.07 Mpc. The background galaxy counts are derived in the
outermost field, and these are within 10% of the mean survey counts from both
Hubble Deep Fields. The luminosity profile is well described by a nucleus plus
a simple exponential profile out to 10 optical scale lengths. We reach an
effective surface brightness of 30.5 mag/arcsec**2 (2-sigma) at 55%
completeness which doubles the known radial extent of the optical disk. These
levels are exceedingly faint in the sense that the equivalent surface
brightness in B or V is about 32 mag/arcsec**2. We find no evidence for
truncation of the stellar disk. Only star counts can be used to reliably trace
the disk to such faint levels, since surface photometry is ultimately limited
by nonstellar sources of radiation. In the Appendix, we derive the expected
surface brightness of one such source: dust scattering of starlight in the
outer disk.Comment: ApJ accepted -- 30 pages, 13 figures -- see
ftp://www.aao.gov.au/pub/local/jbh/astro-ph/N300 for full resolution figures
and preprin
Outlying HII Regions in HI-Selected Galaxies
We present results from the first systematic search for outlying HII regions,
as part of a sample of 96 emission-line point sources (referred to as ELdots -
emission-line dots) derived from the NOAO Survey for Ionization in Neutral Gas
Galaxies (SINGG). Our automated ELdot-finder searches SINGG narrow-band and
continuum images for high equivalent width point sources outside the optical
radius of the target galaxy (> 2 X r25 in the R-band). Follow-up longslit
spectroscopy and deep GALEX images (exposure time > 1000 s) distinguish
outlying HII regions from background galaxies whose strong emission lines
([OIII], Hbeta or [OII]) have been redshifted into the SINGG bandpass. We find
that these deep GALEX images can serve as a substitute for spectroscopic
follow-up because outlying HII regions separate cleanly from background
galaxies in color-color space. We identify seven SINGG systems with outlying
massive star formation that span a large range in Halpha luminosities
corresponding to a few O stars in the most nearby cases, and unresolved dwarf
satellite companion galaxies in the most distant cases. Six of these seven
systems feature galaxies with nearby companions or interacting galaxies.
Furthermore, our results indicate that some outlying HII regions are linked to
the extended-UV disks discovered by GALEX, representing emission from the most
massive O stars among a more abundant population of lower mass (or older) star
clusters. The overall frequency of outlying HII regions in this sample of
gas-rich galaxies is 8 - 11% when we correct for background emission-line
galaxy contamination (~75% of ELdots).Comment: 20 pages, 14 Figures, Accepted by A
Delta excitation in K^+-nucleus collisions
We present calculations for \Delta excitation in the (K^+,K^+) reaction in
nuclei. The background from quasielastic K^+ scattering in the \Delta region is
also evaluated and shown to be quite small in some kinematical regions, so as
to allow for a clean identification of the \Delta excitation strength. Nuclear
effects tied to the \Delta renormalization in the nucleus are considered and
the reaction is shown to provide new elements to enrich our knowledge of the
\Delta properties in a nuclear medium.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, LaTe
Measuring the health impact of human rights violations related to Australian asylum policies and practices: A mixed methods study
This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund - Copyright @ 2009 Johnston et al.BACKGROUND: Human rights violations have adverse consequences for health. However, to date, there remains little empirical evidence documenting this association, beyond the obvious physical and psychological effects of torture. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether Australian asylum policies and practices, which arguably violate human rights, are associated with adverse health outcomes. METHODS: We designed a mixed methods study to address the study aim. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 71 Iraqi Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) refugees and 60 Iraqi Permanent Humanitarian Visa (PHV) refugees, residing in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to a recent policy amendment, TPV refugees were only given temporary residency status and had restricted access to a range of government funded benefits and services that permanent refugees are automatically entitled to. The quantitative results were triangulated with semi-structured interviews with TPV refugees and service providers. The main outcome measures were self-reported physical and psychological health. Standardised self-report instruments, validated in an Arabic population, were used to measure health and wellbeing outcomes. RESULTS: Forty-six percent of TPV refugees compared with 25% of PHV refugees reported symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of clinical depression (p = 0.003). After controlling for the effects of age, gender and marital status, TPV status made a statistically significant contribution to psychological distress (B = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.71, p </= 0.001) amongst Iraqi refugees. Qualitative data revealed that TPV refugees generally felt socially isolated and lacking in control over their life circumstances, because of their experiences in detention and on a temporary visa. This sense of powerlessness and, for some, an implicit awareness they were being denied basic human rights, culminated in a strong sense of injustice. CONCLUSION: Government asylum policies and practices violating human rights norms are associated with demonstrable psychological health impacts. This link between policy, rights violations and health outcomes offers a framework for addressing the impact of socio-political structures on health.This research was supported by an Australian National and Medical Research Council PhD Scholarship (N. 251782) and a Victorian Health Promotion Foundation research grant (No. 2002-0280)
Quasiparticle dynamics in ferromagnetic compounds of the Co-Fe and Ni-Fe systems
We report a theoretical study of the quasiparticle lifetime and the
quasiparticle mean free path caused by inelastic electron-electron scattering
in ferromagnetic compounds of the Co-Fe and Ni-Fe systems. The study is based
on spin-polarized calculations, which are performed within the
approximation for equiatomic and Co- and Ni-rich compounds, as well as for
their constituents. We mainly focus on the spin asymmetry of the quasiparticle
properties, which leads to the spin-filtering effect experimentally observed in
spin-dependent transport of hot electrons and holes in the systems under study.
By comparing with available experimental data on the attenuation length, we
estimate the contribution of the inelastic mean free path to the latter.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure
R-process enrichment from a single event in an ancient dwarf galaxy
Elements heavier than zinc are synthesized through the (r)apid and (s)low
neutron-capture processes. The main site of production of the r-process
elements (such as europium) has been debated for nearly 60 years. Initial
studies of chemical abundance trends in old Milky Way halo stars suggested
continual r-process production, in sites like core-collapse supernovae. But
evidence from the local Universe favors r-process production mainly during rare
events, such as neutron star mergers. The appearance of a europium abundance
plateau in some dwarf spheroidal galaxies has been suggested as evidence for
rare r-process enrichment in the early Universe, but only under the assumption
of no gas accretion into the dwarf galaxies. Cosmologically motivated gas
accretion favors continual r-process enrichment in these systems. Furthermore,
the universal r-process pattern has not been cleanly identified in dwarf
spheroidals. The smaller, chemically simpler, and more ancient ultra-faint
dwarf galaxies assembled shortly after the first stars formed, and are ideal
systems with which to study nucleosynthesis events such as the r-process.
Reticulum II is one such galaxy. The abundances of non-neutron-capture elements
in this galaxy (and others like it) are similar to those of other old stars.
Here, we report that seven of nine stars in Reticulum II observed with
high-resolution spectroscopy show strong enhancements in heavy neutron-capture
elements, with abundances that follow the universal r-process pattern above
barium. The enhancement in this "r-process galaxy" is 2-3 orders of magnitude
higher than that detected in any other ultra-faint dwarf galaxy. This implies
that a single rare event produced the r-process material in Reticulum II. The
r-process yield and event rate are incompatible with ordinary core-collapse
supernovae, but consistent with other possible sites, such as neutron star
mergers.Comment: Published in Nature, 21 Mar 2016:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature1742
Tracing PAHs and Warm Dust Emission in the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 1068
We present a study of the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068 using mid- and far-
infrared data acquired with the IRAC, IRS, and MIPS instruments aboard the
Spitzer Space Telescope. The images show extensive 8 um and 24 um emission
coinciding with star formation in the inner spiral approximately 15" (1 kpc)
from the nucleus, and a bright complex of star formation 47" (3 kpc) SW of the
nucleus. The brightest 8 um PAH emission regions coincide remarkably well with
knots observed in an Halpha image. Strong PAH features at 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and
11.3 um are detected in IRS spectra measured at numerous locations inside,
within, and outside the inner spiral. The IRAC colors and IRS spectra of these
regions rule out dust heated by the AGN as the primary emission source; the
SEDs are dominated by starlight and PAH emission. The equivalent widths and
flux ratios of the PAH features in the inner spiral are generally consistent
with conditions in a typical spiral galaxy ISM. Interior to the inner spiral,
the influence of the AGN on the ISM is evident via PAH flux ratios indicative
of a higher ionization parameter and a significantly smaller mean equivalent
width than observed in the inner spiral. The brightest 8 and 24 um emission
peaks in the disk of the galaxy, even at distances beyond the inner spiral, are
located within the ionization cones traced by [O III]/Hbeta, and they are also
remarkably well aligned with the axis of the radio jets. Although it is
possible that radiation from the AGN may directly enhance PAH excitation or
trigger the formation of OB stars that subsequently excite PAH emission at
these locations in the inner spiral, the orientation of collimated radiation
from the AGN and star formation knots in the inner spiral could be
coincidental. (abridged)Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures; AJ, accepted; full resolution version available
at http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/jhhowell/astro/howelln1068.pd
An automated in vitro model for the evaluation of ultrasound modalities measuring myocardial deformation
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Echocardiography is the method of choice when one wishes to examine myocardial function. Qualitative assessment of the 2D grey scale images obtained is subjective, and objective methods are required. Speckle Tracking Ultrasound is an emerging technology, offering an objective mean of quantifying left ventricular wall motion. However, before a new ultrasound technology can be adopted in the clinic, accuracy and reproducibility needs to be investigated.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>It was hypothesized that the collection of ultrasound sample data from an in vitro model could be automated. The aim was to optimize an in vitro model to allow for efficient collection of sample data.</p> <p>Material & Methods</p> <p>A tissue-mimicking phantom was made from water, gelatin powder, psyllium fibers and a preservative. Sonomicrometry crystals were molded into the phantom. The solid phantom was mounted in a stable stand and cyclically compressed. Peak strain was then measured by Speckle Tracking Ultrasound and sonomicrometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We succeeded in automating the acquisition and analysis of sample data. Sample data was collected at a rate of 200 measurement pairs in 30 minutes. We found good agreement between Speckle Tracking Ultrasound and sonomicrometry in the in vitro model. Best agreement was 0.83 ± 0.70%. Worst agreement was -1.13 ± 6.46%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It has been shown possible to automate a model that can be used for evaluating the in vitro accuracy and precision of ultrasound modalities measuring deformation. Sonomicrometry and Speckle Tracking Ultrasound had acceptable agreement.</p
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