Static and dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in the alkali metal fulleride salts A4C60 (A = K, Rb, Cs)

We report the temperature dependent mid- and near-infrared spectra of K4C60, Rb4C60 and Cs4C60. The splitting of the vibrational and electronic transitions indicates a molecular symmetry change of C604- which brings the fulleride anion from D2h to either a D3d or a D5d distortion. In contrast to Cs4C60, low temperature neutron diffraction measurements did not reveal a structural phase transition in either K4C60 and Rb4C60. This proves that the molecular transition is driven by the molecular Jahn-Teller effect, which overrides the distorting potential field of the surrounding cations at high temperature. In K4C60 and Rb4C60 we suggest a transition from a static to a dynamic Jahn-Teller state without changing the average structure. We studied the librations of these two fullerides by temperature dependent inelastic neutron scattering and conclude that both pseudorotation and jump reorientation are present in the dynamic Jahn-Teller state.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

The WFCAM Multi-wavelength Variable Star Catalog

Stellar variability in the near-infrared (NIR) remains largely unexplored. The exploitation of public science archives with data-mining methods offers a perspective for the time-domain exploration of the NIR sky. We perform a comprehensive search for stellar variability using the optical-NIR multi-band photometric data in the public Calibration Database of the WFCAM Science Archive (WSA), with the aim of contributing to the general census of variable stars, and to extend the current scarce inventory of accurate NIR light curves for a number of variable star classes. We introduce new variability indices designed for multi-band data with correlated sampling, and apply them for pre-selecting variable star candidates, i.e., light curves that are dominated by correlated variations, from noise-dominated ones. Pre-selection criteria are established by robust numerical tests for evaluating the response of variability indices to colored noise characteristic to the data. We find 275 periodic variable stars and an additional 44 objects with suspected variability with uncertain periods or apparently aperiodic variation. Only 44 of these objects had been previously known, including 11 RR~Lyrae stars in the outskirts of the globular cluster M3 (NGC~5272). We provide a preliminary classification of the new variable stars that have well-measured light curves, but the variability types of a large number of objects remain ambiguous. We classify most of the new variables as contact binary stars, but we also find several pulsating stars, among which 34 are probably new field RR~Lyrae and 3 are likely Cepheids. We also identify 32 highly reddened variable objects close to previously known dark nebulae, suggesting that these are embedded young stellar objects. We publish our results and all light-curve data as the WFCAM Variable Star Catalog.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figure

COMPARATIVE ANALYSES OF THE THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF REFRIGERANTS R134A, R245fa, R407C AND R600a DURING FLOW BOILING IN A MICROCHANNELS HEAT SINK

A comparative study of the performance of of refrigerants R134a, R407C, R245fa and R600a during flow boiling was performed for a 123x494 µm2 heat sink composed of 50 parallel rectangular microchannels. Heat transfer experimental results for heat fluxes up to 310 kW/m2, mass velocities from 300 to 800 kg/(m2 s), liquid subcoolings of 5 and 10 °C and saturation temperature close to 30 ºC were obtained. Global heat transfer coefficients (footprint) up to 10 kW/(m2 °C) were found. The liquid superheating necessary for the onset of nucleate boiling (ONB) was also characterized, and the fluids R245fa and R407C presented the highest and lowest, respectively, superheating to trigger the boiling process. Moreover, for a fixed averaged vapor quality, the average effective heat transfer coefficient increases with increasing mass velocity and liquid subcooling. The refrigerants R600a and R407C presented the highest and the lowest heat transfer coefficients, respectively. Five heat transfer predictive methods from literature provided accurate predictions of the data for R134a, R245fa and R600a, capturing most of the data trends. No one method provided accurate predictions of the heat transfer coefficient data of R407C

MHD turbulence-Star Formation Connection: from pc to kpc scales

The transport of magnetic flux to outside of collapsing molecular clouds is a required step to allow the formation of stars. Although ambipolar diffusion is often regarded as a key mechanism for that, it has been recently argued that it may not be efficient enough. In this review, we discuss the role that MHD turbulence plays in the transport of magnetic flux in star forming flows. In particular, based on recent advances in the theory of fast magnetic reconnection in turbulent flows, we will show results of three-dimensional numerical simulations that indicate that the diffusion of magnetic field induced by turbulent reconnection can be a very efficient mechanism, especially in the early stages of cloud collapse and star formation. To conclude, we will also briefly discuss the turbulence-star formation connection and feedback in different astrophysical environments: from galactic to cluster of galaxy scales.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 274 IAU Symposium: Advances in Plasma Astrophysic

Gapped Excitations in the High-Pressure Antiferromagnetic Phase of URu2_2Si2_2

We report a neutron scattering study of the magnetic excitation spectrum in each of the three temperature and pressure driven phases of URu$_2$Si$_2$. We find qualitatively similar excitations throughout the (H0L) scattering plane in the hidden order and large moment phases, with no changes in the $\hbar\omega$-widths of the excitations at the $\Sigma$ = (1.407,0,0) and $Z$ = (1,0,0) points, within our experimental resolution. There is, however, an increase in the gap at the $\Sigma$ point from 4.2(2) meV to 5.5(3) meV, consistent with other indicators of enhanced antiferromagnetism under pressure.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

O uso de episódio dos simpsons para o ensino de radioatividade em uma estratégia flexquest

A FlexQuest apresenta em sua estrutura a incorporação da Teoria da Flexibilidade Cognitiva que é uma teoria de ensino, aprendizagem e representação do conhecimento, objetivando a proposição de estratégias para aquisição de níveis avançados do conhecimento. A estratégia FlexQuest 'Radiaotividade' tem com eixo norteador, a análise das travessias de paisagem que os alunos conseguem realizar na execução das tarefas presentes na estratégia. Neste trabalho, apresenta-se os resultados da 'Tarefa 2', que utiliza o episódio dos Simpsons, como recurso para o desenvolvimento do olhar crítico nos alunos, na qual foi possível realizar conexões do conhecimento científico sobre a radioatividade

Stellar parameters for stars of the CoRoT exoplanet field

Aims:To support the computation and evolutionary interpretation of periods associated with the rotational modulation, oscillations, and variability of stars located in the CoRoT fields, we are conducting a spectroscopic survey for stars located in the fields already observed by the satellite. These observations allow us to compute physical and chemical parameters for our stellar sample. Method: Using spectroscopic observations obtained with UVES/VLT and Hydra/Blanco, and based on standard analysis techniques, we computed physical and chemical parameters ($T_{\rm{eff}}$, $\log \,(g)$, $\rm{[Fe/H]}$, $v_{\rm{mic}}$, $v_{\rm{rad}}$, $v \sin \,(i)$, and $A(\rm{Li})$) for a large sample of CoRoT targets. Results: We provide physical and chemical parameters for a sample comprised of 138 CoRoT targets. Our analysis shows the stars in our sample are located in different evolutionary stages, ranging from the main sequence to the red giant branch, and range in spectral type from F to K. The physical and chemical properties for the stellar sample are in agreement with typical values reported for FGK stars. However, we report three stars presenting abnormal lithium behavior in the CoRoT fields. These parameters allow us to properly characterize the intrinsic properties of the stars in these fields. Our results reveal important differences in the distributions of metallicity, $T_{\rm eff}$, and evolutionary status for stars belonging to different CoRoT fields, in agreement with results obtained independently from ground-based photometric surveys. Conclusions: Our spectroscopic catalog, by providing much-needed spectroscopic information for a large sample of CoRoT targets, will be of key importance for the successful accomplishment of several different programs related to the CoRoT mission, thus it will help further boost the scientific return associated with this space mission.Comment: 43 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Bovine embryos cultured in vitro in the presence of antioxidants: implications for blastocysts development, quality and cryotolerance.

(ISABR 2012)

Fungos associados às sementes de tento e maranhoto.

A utilização de sementes sadias é fundamental para o sucesso de um empreendimento florestal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e quantificar os fungos associados às sementes de tento (Ormosia sp.) e maranhoto (Phyllanthus nobilis (L. f.) Müll. Arg). Os experimentos foram realizados no Laboratório de Fitopatologia da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, em Belém, Pará. As sementes testadas foram cedidas pelo Laboratório de Sementes Florestais da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental. Foram analisadas 50 sementes de tento e 50 de maranhoto, originárias de Belterra e Bonito, estado do Pará. As amostras foram divididas em sub-amostras de 25 sementes, com e sem assepsia, para realização dos testes de sanidade em meio de cultura de Batata-Dextrose-Agar (BDA). As sementes contaminadas foram analisadas e lâminas das culturas fúngicas foram avaliadas sob microscópio óptico. Aspergillus sp. foi o único fungo detectado nas duas espécies. A infestação nas sementes de maranhoto e tento, com assepsia, foi de 8% e 36%, enquanto que, nas sem assepsia, foi de 80% e 44%, respectivamente. A assepsia utilizada nos ensaios (hipoclorito de sódio a 1%, por cinco minutos) mostrou maior eficiência nas sementes de maranhoto do que de nas de tento, visto que nestas últimas o índice de infestação por Aspergillus foi considerado alto quando comparado com o tratamento sem assepsia