Search for supernova-produced 60Fe in a marine sediment

An 60Fe peak in a deep-sea FeMn crust has been interpreted as due to the signature left by the ejecta of a supernova explosion close to the solar system 2.8 +/- 0.4 Myr ago [Knie et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 171103 (2004)]. To confirm this interpretation with better time resolution and obtain a more direct flux estimate, we measured 60Fe concentrations along a dated marine sediment. We find no 60Fe peak at the expected level from 1.7 to 3.2 Myr ago. However, applying the same chemistry used for the sediment, we confirm the 60Fe signal in the FeMn crust. The cause of the discrepancy is discussed.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR

41Ca in tooth enamel. part I: A biological signature of neutron exposure in atomic bomb survivors

The detection of 41Ca atoms in tooth enamel using accelerator mass spectrometry is suggested as a method capable of reconstructing thermal neutron exposures from atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In general, 41Ca atoms are produced via thermal neutron capture by stable 40Ca. Thus any 41Ca atoms present in the tooth enamel of the survivors would be due to neutron exposure from both natural sources and radiation from the bomb. Tooth samples from five survivors in a control group with negligible neutron exposure were used to investigate the natural 41Ca content in tooth enamel, and 16 tooth samples from 13 survivors were used to estimate bomb-related neutron exposure. The results showed that the mean 41Ca/Ca isotope ratio was (0.17 ± 0.05) × 10-14 in the control samples and increased to 2 × 10-14 for survivors who were proximally exposed to the bomb. The 41Ca/Ca ratios showed an inverse correlation with distance from the hypocenter at the time of the bombing, similar to values that have been derived from theoretical free-in-air thermal-neutron transport calculations. Given that γ-ray doses were determined earlier for the same tooth samples by means of electron spin resonance (ESR, or electron paramagnetic resonance, EPR), these results can serve to validate neutron exposures that were calculated individually for the survivors but that had to incorporate a number of assumptions (e.g. shielding conditions for the survivors).Fil: Wallner, A.. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; Alemania. Universitat Technical Zu Munich; Alemania. Universidad de Viena; AustriaFil: Ruhm, W.. Helmholtz Center Munich German Research Center For Environmental Health; Alemania. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Rugel, G.. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; Alemania. Universitat Technical Zu Munich; AlemaniaFil: Nakamura, N.. Radiation Effects Research Foundation; JapónFil: Arazi, Andres. Universitat Technical Zu Munich; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Faestermann, T.. Universitat Technical Zu Munich; AlemaniaFil: Knie, K.. Universitat Technical Zu Munich; Alemania. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Maier, H. J.. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Korschinek, G.. Universitat Technical Zu Munich; Alemani

On identifying the neutron star that was born in the supernova that placed 60Fe onto the Earth

Recently, 60Fe was found in the Earth crust formed in a nearby recent supernova (SN). If the distance to the SN and mass of the progenitor of that SN was known, then one could constrain SN models. Knowing the positions, proper motions, and distances of dozens of young nearby neutron stars, we can determine their past flight paths and possible kinematic origin. Once the birth place of a neutron star in a SN is found, we would have determined the distance of the SN and the mass of the SN progenitor star.Comment: refereed NPA5 conference proceedings, in pres

Emitter-site selective photoelectron circular dichroism of trifluoromethyloxirane

The angle-resolved inner-shell photoionization of R-trifluoromethyloxirane, C3H3F3O, is studied experimentally and theoretically. Thereby, we investigate the photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD) for nearly-symmetric O 1s and F 1s electronic orbitals, which are localized on different molecular sites. The respective dichroic $\beta_{1}$ and angular distribution $\beta_{2}$ parameters are measured at the photoelectron kinetic energies from 1 to 16 eV by using variably polarized synchrotron radiation and velocity map imaging spectroscopy. The present experimental results are in good agreement with the outcome of ab initio electronic structure calculations. We report a sizable chiral asymmetry $\beta_{1}$ of up to about 9% for the K-shell photoionization of oxygen atom. For the individual fluorine atoms, the present calculations predict asymmetries of similar size. However, being averaged over all fluorine atoms, it drops down to about 2%, as also observed in the present experiment. Our study demonstrates a strong emitter- and site-sensitivity of PECD in the one-photon inner-shell ionization of this chiral molecule

Evidence for anisotropic final state interactions in the two-photon ionization of rare gases

Synopsis Anisotropic final state interactions are exhibited most clearly in the angular momentum dependent position of Cooper minima in the photoionization partial cross section and angular distribution asymmetry parameter. We show first indication of this effect in two-photon ionization of rare gases

The origin of the young stellar population in the solar neighborhood - a link to the formation of the Local Bubble?

We have analyzed the trajectories of moving stellar groups in the solar neighborhood in an attempt to estimate the number of supernova explosions in our local environment during the past 20 million years. Using Hipparcos stellar distances and the results of kinematical analyses by Asiain et al. (1999a) on the Pleiades moving groups, we are able to show that subgroup B1, consisting of early type B stars up to 10 Msun, but lacking more massive objects, has passed through the local interstellar medium within less than 100 pc. Comparing the stellar content of B1 with the initial mass function derived from the analysis of galactic OB associations, we estimate the number of supernova explosions and find that about 20 supernovae must have occurred during the past ~ 10 - 20 million years, which is suggested to be the age of the Local Bubble; the age of the star cluster is about ~ 20 - 30 million years. For the first time, this provides strong evidence that the Local Bubble must have been created and shaped by multi-supernova explosions and presumably been reheated more than 1 million years ago, consistent with recent findings of an excess of 60Fe in a deep ocean ferromanganese crust. Calculating similarity solutions of an expanding superbubble for time-dependent energy input, we show that the number of explosions is sufficient to explain the size of the Local Bubble. The present energy input rate is about $\dot E_{SN}$ ~ 5 x 10^36 erg/s, in good agreement with the estimated local soft X-ray photon output rate. It seems plausible that the origin of the Local Bubble is also linked to the formation of the Gould Belt, which originated about 30-60 Myrs ago.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Comparison of established and emerging biodosimetry assays

Rapid biodosimetry tools are required to assist with triage in the case of a large-scale radiation incident. Here, we aimed to determine the dose-assessment accuracy of the well-established dicentric chromosome assay (DCA) and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN) in comparison to the emerging γ-H2AX foci and gene expression assays for triage mode biodosimetry and radiation injury assessment. Coded blood samples exposed to 10 X-ray doses (240 kVp, 1 Gy/min) of up to 6.4 Gy were sent to participants for dose estimation. Report times were documented for each laboratory and assay. The mean absolute difference (MAD) of estimated doses relative to the true doses was calculated. We also merged doses into binary dose categories of clinical relevance and examined accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the assays. Dose estimates were reported by the first laboratories within 0.3-0.4 days of receipt of samples for the γ-H2AX and gene expression assays compared to 2.4 and 4 days for the DCA and CBMN assays, respectively. Irrespective of the assay we found a 2.5-4-fold variation of interlaboratory accuracy per assay and lowest MAD values for the DCA assay (0.16 Gy) followed by CBMN (0.34 Gy), gene expression (0.34 Gy) and γ-H2AX (0.45 Gy) foci assay. Binary categories of dose estimates could be discriminated with equal efficiency for all assays, but at doses ≥1.5 Gy a 10% decrease in efficiency was observed for the foci assay, which was still comparable to the CBMN assay. In conclusion, the DCA has been confirmed as the gold standard biodosimetry method, but in situations where speed and throughput are more important than ultimate accuracy, the emerging rapid molecular assays have the potential to become useful triage tools

Fourfold Differential Photoelectron Circular Dichroism

We report on a joint experimental and theoretical study of photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD) in methyloxirane. By detecting O 1s photoelectrons in coincidence with fragment ions, we deduce the molecule’s orientation and photoelectron emission direction in the laboratory frame. Thereby, we retrieve a fourfold differential PECD clearly beyond 50%. This strong chiral asymmetry is reproduced by ab initio electronic structure calculations. Providing such a pronounced contrast makes PECD of fixed-in-space chiral molecules an even more sensitive tool for chiral recognition in the gas phase