2,038 research outputs found
Hydrogen column density evaluations toward Capella: consequences on the interstellar deuterium abundance
The deuterium abundance evaluation in the direction of Capella has for a long
time been used as a reference for the local interstellar medium (ISM) within
our Galaxy. We show here that broad and weak HI components could be present on
the Capella line of sight, leading to a large new additional systematic
uncertainty on the N(HI) evaluation.
The D/H ratio toward Capella is found to be equal to 1.67 (+/-0.3)x10^-5 with
almost identical chi^2 for all the fits (this range includes only the
systematic error; the 2 sigma statistical one is almost negligible in
comparison). It is concluded that D/H evaluations over HI column densities
below 10^19 cm^-2 (even perhaps below 10^20 cm^-2 if demonstrated by additional
observations) may present larger uncertainties than previously anticipated. It
is mentionned that the D/O ratio might be a better tracer for DI variations in
the ISM as recently measured by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer
(FUSE).Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter
The role of goal structures and peer climate in trajectories of social achievement goals during high school
Studentsā social goalsāreasons for engaging in interpersonal relationships with peersāare consequential for studentsā interactions with their peers at school and for their well-being. Despite the salience of peer relationships during adolescence, research on social goals is generally lacking compared with academic goals, and it is unknown how these social goals develop over time, especially among high school students. The aim of the study was to assess trajectories of studentsā social goals and to determine how relevant individual and contextual variables predicted initial levels and trajectories of studentsā social goals. Participants were 9th through 12th grade students (N = 526) attending a U.S. high school. Students filled out surveys of their social goals (social development, social demonstration-approach, and social demonstration-avoidance) 6 times across 2 school years. Nonlinear growth curve analyses and piecewise growth curve analyses were used to assess trajectories of social goals across time. Studentsā initial levels of social goals differed based on their gender, grade level, prior achievement, and perceptions of classroom goals structures and peer climate. Furthermore, despite substantial stability over time, the shapes of these goal trajectories were predicted by studentsā gender, grade level, and perceptions of classroom goal structures and peer climate. In particular, students who perceived an increase in performance-avoidance classroom goals maintained higher demonstration social goals and decreased in developmental social goals over time, and students who perceived an increase in positive peer climate decreased in demonstration-avoidance social goals. Implications and directions for future research on social goals are discussed
The orbit of Beta Pic b as a transiting planet
In 1981, Beta Pictoris showed strong and rapid photometric variations
possibly due to a transiting giant planet. Later, a planetary mass companion to
the star, Beta Pic b, was identified using imagery. Observations at different
epochs (2003 and 2009-2015) detected the planet at a projected distance of 6 to
9 AU from the star and showed that the planet is on an edge-on orbit. The
observed motion is consistent with an inferior conjunction in 1981, and Beta
Pic b can be the transiting planet proposed to explain the photometric event
observed at that time. Assuming that the 1981 event is related to the transit
or the inferior conjunction of Beta Pic b on an edge-on orbit, we search for
the planetary orbit in agreement with all the measurements of the planet
position published so far. We find two different orbits that are compatible
with all these constraints: (i) an orbit with a period of 17.970.08 years
along with an eccentricity of around 0.12 and (ii) an orbit with a period of
36.380.13 years and a larger eccentricity of about 0.32. In the near
future, new imaging observations should allow us to discriminate between these
two different orbits. We also estimate the possible dates for the next
transits, which could take place as early as 2017 or 2018, even for a
long-period orbit.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Non-performance of the Severance Pay Program in Slovenia
Combining information from the Firm Survey of Labor Costs with the information about claims filed with the Guarantee Fund by workers whose employers defaulted on their severance pay obligations, the paper analyzes the so-called non-performance problem of severance pay ā the fact that coverage, and thus legal entitlement, does not guarantee the actual receipt of the benefit ā as experienced in Slovenia in 2000. The findings are threefold: (i) one-third of total obligations incurred by firms failed to be honored and only a small portion of defaulted severance pay claims was reimbursed by the Guarantee Fund; (ii) while both men and women seem to be equally affected, workers older than 40 were disproportionally represented among those whose severance pay claims failed to be honored; and, (iii) among firms that incurred severance pay liabilities, larger and more productive firms were more likely to observe their fiduciary obligations and pay them out. These findings corroborate the weaknesses of severance pay as an income protection program, pointing to the large scale of the non-performance problem and the inequities created by it.severance pay; severance pay non-performance; Guarantee Fund; Slovenia
Empirical Analysis of the Severance Pay Non-Performance in Slovenia
Combining information from the Firm Survey of Labor Costs with the information about claims filed with the Guarantee Fund by workers whose employers defaulted on their severance pay obligations, the paper analyzes the so-called non-performance problem of severance pay ā the fact that coverage, and thus legal entitlement, does not guarantee the actual receipt of the benefit ā as experienced in Slovenia in 2000. The findings are threefold: (i) one-third of total obligations incurred by firms failed to be honored and only a small portion of defaulted severance pay claims was reimbursed by the Guarantee Fund; (ii) while both men and women seem to be equally affected, workers older than 40 were disproportionally represented among those whose severance pay claims failed to be honored; and, (iii) among firms that incurred severance pay liabilities, larger and more productive firms were more likely to observe their fiduciary obligations and pay them out. These findings corroborate the weaknesses of severance pay as an income protection program, pointing to the large scale of the non-performance problem and the inequities created by it.severance pay, severance pay non-performance, Guarantee Fund, Slovenia
Modeling magnesium escape from HD209458b atmosphere
Transit observations in the MgI line of HD209458b revealed signatures of
neutral magnesium escaping the upper atmosphere of the planet, while no
atmospheric absorption was found in the MgII doublet. Here we present a 3D
particle model of the dynamics of neutral and ionized magnesium populations,
coupled with an analytical modeling of the atmosphere below the exobase.
Theoretical MgI absorption line profiles are directly compared with the
absorption observed in the blue wing of the line during the planet transit.
Observations are well-fitted with an escape rate of neutral magnesium in the
range 2x10^7-3.4x10^7 g/s, an exobase close to the Roche lobe (Rexo in the
range 2.1-4.3 Rp, where Rp is the planet radius) and a planetary wind velocity
at the exobase vpl=25km/s. The observed velocities of the planet-escaping
magnesium up to -60km/s are well explained by radiation pressure acceleration,
provided that UV-photoionization is compensated for by electron recombination
up to about 13Rp. If the exobase properties are constrained to values given by
theoretical models of the deeper atmosphere (Rexo=2Rp and vpl=10km/s), the best
fit to the observations is found at a similar electron density and escape rate
within 2 sigma. In all cases, the mean temperature of the atmosphere below the
exobase must be higher than about 6100 K. Simulations predict a redward
expansion of the absorption profile from the beginning to the end of the
transit. The spatial and spectral structure of the extended atmosphere is the
result of complex interactions between radiation pressure, planetary gravity,
and self-shielding, and can be probed through the analysis of transit
absorption profiles in the MgI line.Comment: 16 pages, 24 figure
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