1,018 research outputs found
Current Star Formation in the Outer Rings among Early-Type Disk Galaxies
By using the ARRAKIS, the atlas of stellar rings in galaxies (Comeron et al.
2014) based on data of the S4G survey, we have compiled a list of early-type,
S0-Sb, disk galaxies with outer stellar ring-like features (`pure' rings, R, or
pseudorings, R'). Current star formation signatures within these features were
searched for through the NUV-maps of the galaxies provided by the ultraviolet
space telescope GALEX. We have found that current star formation, with the mean
age of the young stellar population less than 200 Myr, is present in about a
half of all `pure' rings; and within the pseudorings it is observed almost
always.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Submitted to the Baltic Astronomy as a
contribution to the proceedings of the conference "Modern Stellar
Astronomy-2015" (Moscow, May 25-30
Models of the SL9 Impacts II. Radiative-hydrodynamic Modeling of the Plume Splashback
We model the plume "splashback" phase of the SL9 collisions with Jupiter
using the ZEUS-3D hydrodynamic code. We modified the Zeus code to include gray
radiative transport, and we present validation tests. We couple the infalling
mass and momentum fluxes of SL9 plume material (from paper I) to a jovian
atmospheric model. A strong and complex shock structure results. The modeled
shock temperatures agree well with observations, and the structure and
evolution of the modeled shocks account for the appearance of high excitation
molecular line emission after the peak of the continuum light curve. The
splashback region cools by radial expansion as well as by radiation. The
morphology of our synthetic continuum light curves agree with observations over
a broad wavelength range (0.9 to 12 microns). A feature of our ballistic plume
is a shell of mass at the highest velocities, which we term the "vanguard".
Portions of the vanguard ejected on shallow trajectories produce a lateral
shock front, whose initial expansion accounts for the "third precursors" seen
in the 2-micron light curves of the larger impacts, and for hot methane
emission at early times. Continued propagation of this lateral shock
approximately reproduces the radii, propagation speed, and centroid positions
of the large rings observed at 3-4 microns by McGregor et al. The portion of
the vanguard ejected closer to the vertical falls back with high z-component
velocities just after maximum light, producing CO emission and the "flare" seen
at 0.9 microns. The model also produces secondary maxima ("bounces") whose
amplitudes and periods are in agreement with observations.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures (figs 3 and 4 in color), accepted for Ap.J.
latex, version including full figures at:
http://oobleck.tn.cornell.edu/jh/ast/papers/slplume2-20.ps.g
Observation of an Excited Bc+ State
Using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.5 fb-1 recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of s=7, 8, and 13 TeV, the observation of an excited Bc+ state in the Bc+π+π- invariant-mass spectrum is reported. The observed peak has a mass of 6841.2±0.6(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, where the last uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the Bc+ mass. It is consistent with expectations of the Bc∗(2S31)+ state reconstructed without the low-energy photon from the Bc∗(1S31)+→Bc+γ decay following Bc∗(2S31)+→Bc∗(1S31)+π+π-. A second state is seen with a global (local) statistical significance of 2.2σ (3.2σ) and a mass of 6872.1±1.3(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, and is consistent with the Bc(2S10)+ state. These mass measurements are the most precise to date
Scientific Rationale of Saturn's In Situ Exploration
Remote sensing observations meet some limitations when used to study the bulk atmospheric composition of the giant planets of our solar system. A remarkable example of the superiority of in situ probe measurements is illustratedby the exploration of Jupiter, where key measurements such as the determination of the noble gases abundances and the precise measurement of the helium mixing ratio have only been made available through in situ measurements by the Galileo probe. This paper describes the main scienti-c goals to be addressed by the future in situ exploration of Saturn placing the Galileo probe exploration of Jupiter in a broader context and before the future probe exploration of the more remote ice giants. In situ exploration of Saturn's atmosphere addresses two broad themes that are discussedthroughout this paper : rst, the formation history of our solar system and second, the processes at play in planetary atmospheres. In this context, we detail the reasons why measurements of Saturn's bulk elemental and isotopiccomposition would place important constraints on the volatile reservoirs in the protosolar nebula. We also show that the in situ measurement of CO (or any other disequilibrium species that is depleted by reaction with water) in Saturn's upper troposphere may help constraining its bulk OH ratio. We compare predictions of Jupiter and Saturn's bulk compositions from different formation scenarios, and highlight the key measurements required to distinguish competing theories to shed light on giant planet formation as a common process in planetary systems with potential applications to mostextrasolar systems. In situ measurements of Saturn's stratospheric and tropospheric dynamics, chemistry and cloud-forming processes will provide access to phenomena unreachable to remote sensing studies. Dierent mission architectures are envisaged, which would benet from strong international collaborations, all based on an entry probe that would descend through Saturn's stratosphere and troposphere under parachute down to a minimum of 10 bars of atmospheric pressure. We rally discuss the science payload required on a Saturn probe to match the measurement requirements
Observation of the Decay Λ0b→Λ+cτ−¯ν
The first observation of the semileptonic b-baryon decay Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ, with a significance of 6.1σ, is reported using a data sample corresponding to 3 fb-1 of integrated luminosity, collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV at the LHC. The τ- lepton is reconstructed in the hadronic decay to three charged pions. The ratio K=B(Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ)/B(Λb0→Λc+π-π+π-) is measured to be 2.46±0.27±0.40, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The branching fraction B(Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ)=(1.50±0.16±0.25±0.23)% is obtained, where the third uncertainty is from the external branching fraction of the normalization channel Λb0→Λc+π-π+π-. The ratio of semileptonic branching fractions R(Λc+)B(Λb0→Λc+τ-ν¯τ)/B(Λb0→Λc+μ-ν¯μ) is derived to be 0.242±0.026±0.040±0.059, where the external branching fraction uncertainty from the channel Λb0→Λc+μ-ν¯μ contributes to the last term. This result is in agreement with the standard model prediction
Measurement of antiproton production from antihyperon decays in pHe collisions at √sNN=110GeV
The interpretation of cosmic antiproton flux measurements from space-borne experiments is currently limited by the knowledge of the antiproton production cross-section in collisions between primary cosmic rays and the interstellar medium. Using collisions of protons with an energy of 6.5 TeV incident on helium nuclei at rest in the proximity of the interaction region of the LHCb experiment, the ratio of antiprotons originating from antihyperon decays to prompt production is measured for antiproton momenta between 12 and 110GeV\!/c . The dominant antihyperon contribution, namely Λ¯ → p¯ π+ decays from promptly produced Λ¯ particles, is also exclusively measured. The results complement the measurement of prompt antiproton production obtained from the same data sample. At the energy scale of this measurement, the antihyperon contributions to antiproton production are observed to be significantly larger than predictions of commonly used hadronic production models
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