2,617 research outputs found
Chemical abundances of the metal-poor horizontal-branch stars CS 22186-005 and CS 30344-033
We report on a chemical-abundance analysis of two very metal-poor
horizontal-branch stars in the Milky Way halo: CS 22186-005 ([Fe/H]=-2.70) and
CS 30344-033 ([Fe/H]=-2.90). The analysis is based on high-resolution spectra
obtained at ESO, with the spectrographs HARPS at the 3.6 m telescope, and UVES
at the VLT. We adopted one-dimensional, plane-parallel model atmospheres
assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium. We derived elemental abundances for
13 elements for CS 22186-005 and 14 elements for CS 30344-033. This study is
the first abundance analysis of CS 30344-033. CS 22186-005 has been analyzed
previously, but we report here the first measurement of nickel (Ni; Z = 28) for
this star, based on twenty-two NiI lines ([Ni/Fe]=-0.210.02); the
measurement is significantly below the mean found for most metal-poor stars.
Differences of up to 0.5 dex in [Ni/Fe] ratios were determined by different
authors for the same type of stars in the literature, which means that it is
not yet possible to conclude that there is a real intrinsic scatter in the
[Ni/Fe] ratios. For the other elements for which we obtained estimates, the
abundance patterns in these two stars match the Galactic trends defined by
giant and turnoff stars well. This confirms the value of horizontal-branch
stars as tracers of the chemical properties of stellar populations in the
Galaxy. Our radial velocities measurements for CS 22186-005 differ from
previously published measurements by more than the expected statistical errors.
More measurements of the radial velocity of this star are encouraged to confirm
or refute its radial velocity variability
Observations of Lick Standard Stars Using the SCORPIO Multi-Slit Unit at the SAO 6-m Telescope
We present Lick line-index measurements of standard stars from the list of
Worthey. The spectra were taken with the multi-slit unit of the SCORPIO
spectrograph at the 6-m Special Astrophysical observatory telescope. We
describe in detail our method of analysis and explain the importance of using
the Lick index system for studying extragalactic globular clusters. Our results
show that the calibration of our instrumental system to the standard Lick
system can be performed with high confidence.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure
Estimation and Bias Correction of Aerosol Abundance using Data-driven Machine Learning and Remote Sensing
Air quality information is increasingly becoming a public health concern, since some of the aerosol particles pose harmful effects to peoples health. One widely available metric of aerosol abundance is the aerosol optical depth (AOD). The AOD is the integrated light extinction coefficient over a vertical atmospheric column of unit cross section, which represents the extent to which the aerosols in that vertical profile prevent the transmission of light by absorption or scattering. The comparison between the AOD measured from the ground-based Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) system and the satellite MODIS instruments at 550 nm shows that there is a bias between the two data products. We performed a comprehensive analysis exploring possible factors which may be contributing to the inter-instrumental bias between MODIS and AERONET. The analysis used several measured variables, including the MODIS AOD, as input in order to train a neural network in regression mode to predict the AERONET AOD values. This not only allowed us to obtain an estimate, but also allowed us to infer the optimal sets of variables that played an important role in the prediction. In addition, we applied machine learning to infer the global abundance of ground level PM2.5 from the AOD data and other ancillary satellite and meteorology products. This research is part of our goal to provide air quality information, which can also be useful for global epidemiology studies
Marked overlap of four genetic syndromes with dyskeratosis congenita confounds clinical diagnosis
Financial support provided by The Medical Research Council-MR/K000292/1, Children with Cancer- 2013/144 and Blood Wise-14032 (AJW, LC, SC, AE, TV, HT and ID). KMG is supported by the National Institute for Health Research through the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre
Microtesla MRI of the human brain combined with MEG
One of the challenges in functional brain imaging is integration of
complementary imaging modalities, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG) and
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MEG, which uses highly sensitive
superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) to directly measure
magnetic fields of neuronal currents, cannot be combined with conventional
high-field MRI in a single instrument. Indirect matching of MEG and MRI data
leads to significant co-registration errors. A recently proposed imaging method
- SQUID-based microtesla MRI - can be naturally combined with MEG in the same
system to directly provide structural maps for MEG-localized sources. It
enables easy and accurate integration of MEG and MRI/fMRI, because microtesla
MR images can be precisely matched to structural images provided by high-field
MRI and other techniques. Here we report the first images of the human brain by
microtesla MRI, together with auditory MEG (functional) data, recorded using
the same seven-channel SQUID system during the same imaging session. The images
were acquired at 46 microtesla measurement field with pre-polarization at 30
mT. We also estimated transverse relaxation times for different tissues at
microtesla fields. Our results demonstrate feasibility and potential of human
brain imaging by microtesla MRI. They also show that two new types of imaging
equipment - low-cost systems for anatomical MRI of the human brain at
microtesla fields, and more advanced instruments for combined functional (MEG)
and structural (microtesla MRI) brain imaging - are practical.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures - accepted by JM
A detailed spectropolarimetric analysis of the planet hosting star WASP-12
The knowledge of accurate stellar parameters is paramount in several fields
of stellar astrophysics, particularly in the study of extrasolar planets, where
often the star is the only visible component and therefore used to infer the
planet's fundamental parameters. Another important aspect of the analysis of
planetary systems is the stellar activity and the possible star-planet
interaction. Here we present a self-consistent abundance analysis of the planet
hosting star WASP-12 and a high-precision search for a structured stellar
magnetic field on the basis of spectropolarimetric observations obtained with
the ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter. Our results show that the star does not have a
structured magnetic field, and that the obtained fundamental parameters are in
good agreement with what was previously published. In addition we derive
improved constraints on the stellar age (1.0-2.65 Gyr), mass (1.23-1.49 M/M0),
and distance (295-465 pc). WASP-12 is an ideal object to look for pollution
signatures in the stellar atmosphere. We analyse the WASP-12 abundances as a
function of the condensation temperature and compare them with those published
by several other authors on planet hosting and non-planet hosting stars. We
find hints of atmospheric pollution in WASP-12's photosphere, but are unable to
reach firm conclusions with our present data. We conclude that a differential
analysis based on WASP-12 twins will probably clarify if an atmospheric
pollution is present, the nature of this pollution and its implications in the
planet formation and evolution. We attempt also the direct detection of the
circumstellar disk through infrared excess, but without success.Comment: 49 pages, 11 figures, Accepted for publication on Ap
Influence of steps on the tilting and adsorption dynamics of ordered Pn films on vicinal Ag(111) surfaces
Here we present a structural study of pentacene (Pn) thin films on vicinal
Ag(111) surfaces by He atom diffraction measurements and density functional
theory (DFT) calculations supplemented with van der Waals (vdW) interactions.
Our He atom diffraction results suggest initial adsorption at the step edges
evidenced by initial slow specular reflection intensity decay rate as a
function of Pn deposition time. In parallel with the experimental findings, our
DFT+vdW calculations predict the step edges as the most stable adsorption site
on the surface. An isolated molecule adsorbs as tilted on the step edge with a
binding energy of 1.4 eV. In addition, a complete monolayer (ML) with
pentacenes flat on the terraces and tilted only at the step edges is found to
be more stable than one with all lying flat or tilted molecules, which in turn
influences multilayers. Hence our results suggest that step edges can trap Pn
molecules and act as nucleation sites for the growth of ordered thin films with
a crystal structure similar to that of bulk Pn.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
A precise extraction of the induced polarization in the 4He(e,e'p)3H reaction
We measured with unprecedented precision the induced polarization Py in
4He(e,e'p)3H at Q^2 = 0.8 (GeV/c)^2 and 1.3 (GeV/c)^2. The induced polarization
is indicative of reaction-mechanism effects beyond the impulse approximation.
Our results are in agreement with a relativistic distorted-wave impulse
approximation calculation but are over-estimated by a calculation with strong
charge-exchange effects. Our data are used to constrain the strength of the
spin independent charge-exchange term in the latter calculation.Comment: submitted to Physical Review Letter
Polarization Transfer in the 4He(e,e'p)3H Reaction at Q^2 = 0.8 and 1.3 (GeV/c)^2
Proton recoil polarization was measured in the quasielastic 4He(e,e'p)3H
reaction at Q^2 = 0.8 (GeV/c)^2 and 1.3 (GeV/c)^2 with unprecedented precision.
The polarization-transfer coefficients are found to differ from those of the
1H(e,e' p) reaction, contradicting a relativistic distorted-wave approximation,
and favoring either the inclusion of medium-modified proton form factors
predicted by the quark-meson coupling model or a spin-dependent charge-exchange
final-state interaction. For the first time, the polarization-transfer ratio is
studied as a function of the virtuality of the proton
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