Central Stars of Planetary Nebulae in Galactic Open Clusters: Providing additional data for the White Dwarf Initial-to-Final-Mass Relation

Accurate (<10%) distances of Galactic star clusters allow precise estimation of the physical parameters of any physically associated Planetary Nebula (PN) and also that of its central star (CSPN) and its progenitor. The progenitor's mass can be related to the PN's chemical characteristics and furthermore, provides additional data for the widely used white dwarf (WD) initial-to-final mass relation (IFMR) that is crucial for tracing the development of both carbon and nitrogen in entire galaxies. To date there is only one PN (PHR1315- 6555) confirmed to be physically associated with a Galactic open cluster (ESO 96 -SC04) that has a turn-off mass $\sim$2 M$_{\odot}$. Our deep HST photometry was used for the search of the CSPN of this currently unique PN. In this work, we present our results.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, IAU343 Synposiu

A disk inside the bipolar planetary nebula M2-9

Bipolarity in proto-planetary and planetary nebulae is associated with events occurring in or around their cores. Past infrared observations have revealed the presence of dusty structures around the cores, many in the form of disks. Characterising those dusty disks provides invaluable constraints on the physical processes that govern the final mass expulsion of intermediate-mass stars. We focus this study on the famous M2-9 bipolar nebula, where the moving lighthouse beam pattern indicates the presence of a wide binary. The compact and dense dusty core in the center of the nebula can be studied by means of optical interferometry. M2-9 was observed with VLTI/MIDI at 39-47 m baselines with the UT2-UT3 and UT3-UT4 baseline configurations. These observations are interpreted using a dust radiative transfer Monte Carlo code. A disk-like structure is detected perpendicular to the lobes and a good fit is found with a stratified disk model composed of amorphous silicates. The disk is compact, 25$\times$35 mas at 8$\rm \mu m$, and 37$\times$46 mas at 13$\rm \mu m$. For the adopted distance of 1.2 kpc, the inner rim of the disk is $\sim$15 AU. The mass represents a few percent of the mass found in the lobes. The compactness of the disk puts strong constraints on the binary content of the system, given an estimated orbital period 90-120yr. We derive masses of the binary components between 0.6--1.0M_{\sun} for a white dwarf and 0.6--1.4M_{\sun} for an evolved star. We present different scenarios on the geometric structure of the disk accounting for the interactions of the binary system, which includes an accretion disk as well.Comment: 9 figures, A&A accepte

Autobiographies: psychoanalysis and the graphic novel

This thesis explores the conjunction of the graphic novel with life-writing using psychoanalytic concepts, primarily Freudian and post-Freudian psychoanalysis, to show how the graphic medium is used to produce a narrative which reconstructs the function of the unconscious through language. The visual language is rich in meaning, with high representational potential which results in a vivid representation of the unconscious, a more or less raw depiction of the function of the psychoanalytic principles. In this project I research how life-writing utilises the unique representational features of the medium to uncover dimensions of the internal-self, the unconscious and the psyche. I use the tools and principles of psychoanalysis as this has been formed from Freud on and through the modern era, to propose that the visual language of the graphic medium renders the unconscious more accessible presenting the unconscious functionality in a uniquely transparent way, so that to some extent we can see parts of the process of the construction of self identity. The key texts comprise a sample of internationally published, contemporary autobiographical and biographical accounts presented in the form of the graphic novel. The major criterion for including each of the novels in my thesis is that they all are, in one way or another, stories of growing up stigmatised by a significant trauma, caused by the immediate familial and/or social environment. Thus they all are examples of individuals incorporating the trauma in order to overcome it, and all are narrations of constructing a personal identity through and because of this procedure. The presentation of the characters’ childhood is a (re)construction of their family history and an emergence of their own sense of the self, as this sense has been defined in the late modernity

Aprendizagem Digital: Modelos diferenciados de ensino utilizando TICs para alunos com problemas de visão – Boas práticas: Jogando entre 1 a 10

The idea of inclusion encourages an inclusive, open-door school. By adapting formal instruction to standard instruction that is acceptable for everyone while taking into account the requirements, quirks, skills, interests, and experiences of each student, the use of ICTs aids in this direction. One such group is the visually challenged, whose inclusion in general education classes is made possible with the use of ICTs. In the current study, a method of individualized education in the field of mathematics is developed and put into practice, allowing all students-visually impaired or not-to master the mathematical operation of adding to the first ten at their own speed and time. Results show that differentiated instruction improves students' ability to understand mathematical operations: ADDITION from 1 to 10.La idea de inclusión fomenta una escuela inclusiva y de puertas abiertas. Al adaptar la instrucción formal a la instrucción estándar aceptable para todos, teniendo en cuenta los requisitos, peculiaridades, habilidades, intereses y experiencias de cada estudiante, el uso de las TIC ayuda en esta dirección. Uno de estos grupos es el de los discapacitados visuales, cuya inclusión en las clases de educación general es posible con el uso de las TIC. En el presente estudio se desarrolla y pone en práctica un método de enseñanza individualizado en el área de matemáticas, que permite a todos los alumnos -con discapacidad visual o no- dominar la operación matemática de sumar al top ten a su propio ritmo y tiempo. Los resultados muestran que la enseñanza diferenciada mejora la capacidad de los estudiantes para comprender las operaciones matemáticas: SUMA del 1 al 10.A ideia de inclusão incentiva uma escola inclusiva e de portas abertas. Ao adaptar a instrução formal à instrução padrão aceitável para todos, levando em conta os requisitos, peculiaridades, habilidades, interesses e experiências de cada aluno, o uso das TICs auxilia nessa direção. Um desses grupos é o dos deficientes visuais, cuja inclusão nas classes de educação geral é possível com o uso das TICs. No presente estudo, é desenvolvido e colocado em prática um método de ensino individualizado na área da matemática, permitindo que todos os alunos-deficientes visuais ou não-dominem a operação matemática de somar aos dez primeiros no seu próprio ritmo e tempo. Os resultados mostram que o ensino diferenciado melhora a capacidade dos alunos de entender as operações matemáticas: ADIÇÃO de 1 a 10

Η ευθανασία και η υποβοηθούμενη αυτοκτονία στις αποφάσεις του Ευρωπαϊκού Δικαστηρίου Δικαιωμάτων του Ανθρώπου μέχρι σήμερα

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας αποτελεί η διερεύνηση και η παρουσίαση των ζητημάτων της ευθανασίας και της υποβοηθούμενης αυτοκτονίας υπό το πρίσμα των αποφάσεων του Ευρωπαϊκού Δικαστηρίου Δικαιωμάτων του Ανθρώπου. Σκοπός είναι η προσέγγιση ενός ευαίσθητου και προκλητικού θέματος από νομική σκοπιά, με γνώμονα το σκεπτικό του Δικαστηρίου και την Ευρωπαϊκή Σύμβαση Δικαιωμάτων του Ανθρώπου. Στο πρώτο μέρος της εργασίας, γίνεται αναφορά στους επίσημους ορισμούς των εννοιών που θα μας απασχολήσουν παρακάτω και στο δεύτερο μέρος, παρατίθενται και αναλύονται σημαντικά κείμενα του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης για την προστασία του ασθενή και τις καταστάσεις τέλους ζωής. Έπειτα, παρουσιάζεται η ισχύουσα νομοθεσία και πρακτική κρατών μελών του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης, που έχουν απασχολήσει την παγκόσμια γνώμη και το Δικαστήριο την τελευταία εικοσαετία, λόγω του ρυθμιστικού τους πλαισίου σχετικά με την ευθανασία και την υποβοηθούμενη αυτοκτονία και των προσφυγών των πολιτών τους ενώπιον του. Στο τρίτο μέρος της εργασίας, αναλύονται και σχολιάζονται οι σχετικές με τις καταστάσεις τέλους ζωής υποθέσεις που έχουν εκδικαστεί από το Δικαστήριο, και οι αποφάσεις του. Οι υποθέσεις χωρίζονται σε δύο κατηγορίες, σε αυτές που σχετίζονται με την υποβοηθούμενη αυτοκτονία, που προηγούνται και χρονικώς, και σε αυτές που σχετίζονται με την παθητική ευθανασία. Στο τέταρτο τμήμα της εργασίας, εξετάζονται ορισμένα ζητήματα που ανακύπτουν από την μελέτη του συνόλου των εν λόγω αποφάσεων του Δικαστηρίου, όπως ο σεβασμός του δικαιώματος στην ζωή, όπως κατοχυρώνεται στην ΕΣΔΑ, και η διακριτική ευχέρεια των κρατών μελών (margin of appreciation) στην διαχείριση των καταστάσεων τέλους ζωής.The purpose of this thesis is to present the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide in the light of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. The aim is to approach a sensitive and challenging issue from a legal point of view, based on the reasoning of the Court and the European Convention of Human Rights. Firstly, the formal definitions of the relevant concepts are listed and secondly, important texts of the Council of Europe on the protection of the patient and end-of-life situations are presented and analyzed. Then, the thesis focuses on the legislation and practice of the member states of the Council of Europe, which have occupied the global opinion and the Court, due to their regulatory framework about euthanasia and assisted suicide and the applications of their citizens before it, during the last twenty years. In the third part, the cases related to end-of-life situations and the decisions of the Court are analyzed and commented. They are divided into two categories, those related to assisted suicide, which precede chronologically, and those related to passive euthanasia. The fourth section examines a number of issues arising from the study of all the relevant Court decisions, such as the right to life, as enshrined in the ECHR and the margin of appreciation of the member states in the management of the end-of-life situations

The evolution of M 2-9 from 2000 to 2010

M 2-9, the Butterfly nebula, is an outstanding representative of extreme aspherical flows. It presents unique features such as a pair of high-velocity dusty polar blobs and a mirror-symmetric rotating pattern in the inner lobes. Imaging monitoring of the evolution of the nebula in the past decade is presented. We determine the proper motions of the dusty blobs, which infer a new distance estimate of 1.3+-0.2 kpc, a total nebular size of 0.8 pc, a speed of 147 km/s, and a kinematical age of 2500 yr. The corkscrew geometry of the inner rotating pattern is quantified. Different recombination timescales for different ions explain the observed surface brightness distribution. According to the images taken after 1999, the pattern rotates with a period of 92+-4 yr. On the other hand, the analysis of images taken between 1952 and 1977 measures a faster angular velocity. If the phenomenon were related to orbital motion, this would correspond to a modest orbital eccentricity (e=0.10+-0.05), and a slightly shorter period (86+-5 yr). New features have appeared after 2005 on the west side of the lobes and at the base of the pattern. The geometry and travelling times of the rotating pattern support our previous proposal that the phenomenon is produced by a collimated spray of high velocity particles (jet) from the central source, which excites the walls of the inner cavity of M 2-9, rather than by a ionizing photon beam. The speed of such a jet would be remarkable: between 11000 and 16000 km/s. The rotating-jet scenario may explain the formation and excitation of most of the features observed in the inner nebula, with no need for additional mechanisms, winds, or ionization sources. All properties point to a symbiotic-like interacting binary as the central source of M 2-9.Comment: Accepted for publication on Astronomy and Astrophysics (10 pages, 8 figures

Mid-Infrared Imaging of the Bipolar Planetary Nebula M2-9 from SOFIA

We have imaged the bipolar planetary nebula M2-9 using SOFIA's FORCAST instrument in six wavelength bands between 6.6 and 37.1 $\mu m$. A bright central point source, unresolved with SOFIA's $\sim$ 4${''}$-to-5${''}$ beam, is seen at each wavelength, and the extended bipolar lobes are clearly seen at 19.7 $\mu m$ and beyond. The photometry between 10 and 25 $\mu m$ is well fit by the emission predicted from a stratified disk seen at large inclination, as has been proposed for this source by Lykou et al and by Smith and Gehrz. The principal new results in this paper relate to the distribution and properties of the dust that emits the infrared radiation. In particular, a considerable fraction of this material is spread uniformly through the lobes, although the dust density does increase at the sharp outer edge seen in higher resolution optical images of M2-9. The dust grain population in the lobes shows that small ($$ 1 $\mu m$) particles appear to be present in roughly equal amounts by mass. We suggest that collisional processing within the bipolar outflow plays an important role in establishing the particle size distribution.Comment: 40 pages, 9 figures, 2 table

Human-Centered Specification Exemplars for Critical Infrastructure Environments

Specification models of critical infrastructure focus on parts of a larger environment. However, to consider the security of critical infrastructure systems, we need approaches for modelling the sum of these parts; these include people and activities, as well as technology. This paper present human-centered specification exemplars that capture the nuances associated with interactions between people, technology, and critical infrastructure environments. We describe requirements each exemplar needs to satisfy, and present preliminary results developing and evaluating them

The stellar remnant of SN 1181

We report observations and modelling of the stellar remnant and presumed double-degenerate merger of Type~Iax supernova SN 1181 AD. It is the only known bound stellar SN remnant and the only star with Wolf-Rayet features that is neither a planetary nebula central star nor a massive Pop I progenitor. We model the unique emission-line spectrum with broad, strong O VI and O VIII lines as a fast stellar wind and shocked, hot gas. Non-LTE wind modeling indicates a mass-loss rate of $\sim 10^{-6}\,\rm M_\odot yr^{-1}$ and a terminal velocity of $\sim$15,000 km s$^{-1}$, consistent with earlier results. O VIII lines indicate shocked gas temperatures of $T \simeq 4$ MK. We derive a magnetic field upper limit of $B<2.5$ MG, below earlier suggestions. The luminosity indicates a remnant mass of $1.2\pm0.2$ $\rm M_\odot$ with ejecta mass $0.15\pm0.05$ $\rm M_\odot$. Archival photometry suggests the stellar remnant has dimmed by $\sim$0.5 magnitudes over 100 years. A low Ne/O $<0.15$ argues against a O-Ne white dwarf in the merger. A cold dust shell is only the second detection of dust in a SN Iax and the first of cold dust. Our ejecta mass and kinetic energy estimates of the remnant are consistent with Type Iax extragalactic sources.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables. Submitte