The tidally disturbed luminous compact blue galaxy Mkn 1087 and its surroundings

We present new broad-band optical and near-infrared CCD imaging together with deep optical intermediate-resolution spectroscopy of Mkn 1087 and its surrounding objects. We analyze the morphology and colors of the stellar populations of the brightest objects, some of them star-formation areas, as well as the kinematics, physical conditions and chemical composition of the ionized gas associated with them. Mkn 1087 does not host an Active Galactic Nucleus, but it could be a Luminous Compact Blue Galaxy. Although it was classified as a suspected Wolf-Rayet galaxy, we do not detect the spectral features of these sort of massive stars. Mkn 1087 shows morphological and kinematical features that can be explained assuming that it is in interaction with two nearby galaxies: the bright KPG 103a and a dwarf ($M_B\sim-18$) star-forming companion. We argue that this dwarf companion is not a tidal object but an external galaxy because of its low metallicity [12+log(O/H) = 8.24] with respect to the one derived for Mkn 1087 [12+log(O/H) = 8.57] and its kinematics. Some of the non-stellar objects surrounding Mkn 1087 are connected by bridges of matter with the main body, host star-formation events and show similar abundances despite their different angular distances. These facts, together their kinematics, suggest that they are tidal dwarf galaxies formed from material stripped from Mkn 1087. A bright star-forming region at the south of Mkn 1087 (knot #7) does not show indications of being a tidal galaxy or the product of a merging process as suggested in previous works. We argue that Mkn 1087 and its surroundings should be considered a group of galaxies.Comment: Accepted by A&A, 21 pages, 13 figures, 8 table

Material Dependence of the Wire-Particle Casimir Interaction

We study the Casimir interaction between a metallic cylindrical wire and a metallic spherical particle by employing the scattering formalism. At large separations, we derive the asymptotic form of the interaction. In addition, we find the interaction between a metallic wire and an isotropic atom, both in the non-retarded and retarded limits. We identify the conditions under which the asymptotic Casimir interaction does not depend on the material properties of the metallic wire and the particle. Moreover, we compute the exact Casimir interaction between the particle and the wire numerically. We show that there is a complete agreement between the numerics and the asymptotic energies at large separations. For short separations, our numerical results show good agreement with the proximity force approximation

High Resolution Imaging of the Magnetic Field in the central parsec of the Galaxy

We discuss a high resolution (FWHM~ 0.45 arcsec) image of the emissive polarization from warm dust in the minispiral in the Galactic Centre and discuss the implications for the magnetic field in the dusty filaments. The image was obtained at a wavelength of 12.5 microns with the CanariCam multimode mid-infrared imager on the Gran Telescopio Canarias. It confirms the results obtained from previous observations but also reveals new details of the polarization structures. In particular, we identify regions of coherent magnetic field emission at position angles of ~45 deg to the predominantly north--south run of field lines in the Northern Arm which may be related to orbital motions inclined to the general flow of the Northern Arm. The luminous stars that have been identified as bow-shock sources in the Northern Arm do not disrupt or dilute the field but are linked by a coherent field structure, implying that the winds from these objects may push and compress the field but do not overwhelm it. The magnetic field in the the low surface brightness regions in the East-West Bar to the south of SgrA* lies along the Bar, but the brighter regions generally have different polarization position angles, suggesting that they are distinct structures. In the region of the Northern Arm sampled here, there is only a weak correlation between the intensity of the emission and the degree of polarization. This is consistent with saturated grain alignment where the degree of polarization depends on geometric effects, including the angle of inclination of the field to the line of sight and superposition of filaments with different field directions, rather than the alignment efficiency.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of Cosmic Dust X, held in Mitaka, Japan in August 201

Evaluation of a Local Fault Detection Algorithm for HVDC Systems

A great increase in the amount of energy generated from clean and renewable sources integrated in the electric power system is expected worldwide in the coming years. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems are seen as a promising alternative to the traditional Alternating Current (AC) systems for the expansion of the electric power system. However, to achieve this vision, there are some remaining challenges regarding HVDC systems which need to be solved. One of the main challenges is related to fault detection and location in HVDC grids. This paper reviews the main protection algorithms available and presents the evaluation of a local fault detection algorithm for DC faults in a multi-terminal Voltage Source Conversion (VSC) based HVDC grid. The paper analyses the influence of the DC voltage sampling frequency and the cable length in the performance of the algorithm. © 2019, European Association for the Development of Renewable Energy, Environment and Power Quality (EA4EPQ).The authors thank the support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (project ENE2016-79145-R AEI/FEDER, UE) and GISEL research group IT1083-16), as well as from the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (research group funding PPG17/23)

Polish pupils in London schools: opportunities and challenges.

The study, Polish Pupils in London Schools: opportunities and challenges, highlighted how Polish children share many challenges faced by other new arrivals but also bring specific issues related to the migration strategies of their parents. The nature of their migration also means that Polish children often have little preparation for English education and this can mean that their transition into British schools may be difficult and they may need considerable support over an extended period. Many interviews with both teachers and parents reinforced the stereotype of Polish children as clever, hard working and diligent. The research suggests that this image simplifies a far more complex reality and not all Polish pupils were able to achieve as highly as the parents expected. A particularly striking finding was the mismatch in expectation between parents and teachers, especially about the information provided about the children's progress. Parents were often uncertain about how the British system worked and this caused confusion and some anxiety. Our findings identified examples of good practice but also concerns about lack of information and resources. They also highlighted the need for better parental engagement and information and training opportunities for teacher

Library Preparation for Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing of Plant Genomes

Epigenetic mechanisms are a key interface between the environment and the genotype. These mechanisms regulate gene expression in response to plant development and environmental stimuli, which ultimately affects the plant’s phenotype. DNA methylation, in particular cytosine methylation, is probably the best studied epigenetic modification in eukaryotes. It has been associated to the regulation of gene expression in response to cell/tissue differentiation, organism development and adaptation to changing environments. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) is considered the gold standard to study DNA methylation at a genome level. Here we present a protocol for the preparation of whole genome bisulfite sequencing libraries from plant samples (grapevine leaves) which includes detailed instructions for sample collection and DNA extraction, sequencing library preparation and bisulfite treatment

Radiative heat transfer in 2D Dirac materials

We compute the radiative heat transfer between two sheets of 2D Dirac materials, including topological Chern insulators and graphene, within the framework of the local approximation for the optical response of these materials. In this approximation, which neglects spatial dispersion, we derive both numerically and analytically the short-distance asymptotic of the near-field heat transfer in these systems, and show that it scales as the inverse of the distance between the two sheets. Finally, we discuss the limitations to the validity of this scaling law imposed by spatial dispersion in 2D Dirac materials.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. Updated version including corrected analysis of the far-field regim