2,786 research outputs found
Semiclassical Theory of Elastic Perturbation
Transition probabilities formulation to explain perturbation effects in elastic differential scattering cross section measurement
WIYN Open Cluster Study 1: Deep Photometry of NGC 188
We have employed precise V and I photometry of NGC 188 at WIYN to explore the
cluster luminosity function (LF) and study the cluster white dwarfs (WDs). Our
photometry is offset by V = 0.052 (fainter) from Sandage (1962) and Eggen &
Sandage (1969). All published photometry for the past three decades have been
based on these two calibrations, which are in error by 0.05 +- 0.01. We employ
the Pinsonneault etal (1998) fiducial main sequence to derive a cluster
distance modulus of 11.43 +- 0.08. We report observations that are >= 50%
complete to V = 24.6 and find that the cluster central-field LF peaks at M_I ~
3 to 4. This is unlike the solar neighborhood LF and unlike the LFs of
dynamically unevolved portions of open and globular clusters, which rise
continuously until M_I ~ 9.5. Although we find that >= 50% of the unresolved
cluster objects are multiple systems, their presence cannot account for the
shape of the NGC 188 LF. For theoretical reasons (Terlevich 1987; Vesperini &
Heggie 1997) having to do with the survivability of NGC 188 we believe the
cluster is highly dynamically evolved and that the missing low luminosity stars
are either in the cluster outskirts or have left the cluster altogether. We
identify nine candidate WDs, of which we expect three to six are bona fide
cluster WDs. The luminosities of the faintest likely WD indicates an age
(Bergeron, Wesemael, & Beauchamp 1995) of 1.14 +- 0.09 Gyrs. This is a lower
limit to the cluster age and observations probing to V = 27 or 28 will be
necessary to find the faintest cluster WDs and independently determine the
cluster age. While our age limit is not surprising for this ~6 Gyr old cluster,
our result demonstrates the value of the WD age technique with its very low
internal errors. (abridged)Comment: 26 pages, uuencoded gunzip'ed latex + 16 postscrip figures, to be
published in A
Variable stars in the open cluster NGC 6791 and its surrounding field
Aims: This work presents a high--precision variability survey in the field of
the old, super metal-rich open cluster NGC 6791.
Methods: The data sample consists of more than 75,000 high-precision CCD time
series measurements in the V band obtained mainly at the Canada-France-Hawaii
Telescope, with additional data from S. Pedro Martir and Loiano observatories,
over a time span of ten nights. The field covers an area of 42x28 arcmin^2.
Results: We have discovered 260 new variables and re-determined periods and
amplitudes of 70 known variable stars. By means of a photometric evaluation of
the membership in NGC 6791, and a preliminary membership based on the proper
motions, we give a full description of the variable content of the cluster and
surrounding field in the range 16<V<23.5. Accurate periods can be given for the
variables with P<4.0 d, while for ones with longer periods the limited
time-baseline hampered precise determinations. We categorized the entire sample
as follows: 6 pulsating, 3 irregular, 3 cataclysmic, 89 rotational variables
and 61 eclipsing systems; moreover, we detected 168 candidate variables for
which we cannot give a variability class since their periods are much longer
than our time baseline.
Conclusions: On the basis of photometric considerations, and of the positions
of the stars with respect to the center of the cluster, we inferred that 11 new
variable stars are likely members of the cluster, for 22 stars the membership
is doubtful and 137 are likely non-members. We also detected an outburst of
about 3 mag in the light curve of a very faint blue star belonging to the
cluster and we suggest that this star could be a new U Gem (dwarf nova)
cataclysmic variable.Comment: 24 pages, 19 Figures, A&A accepte
Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project: Unraveling Tarantula's Web. II. Optical and Near Infrared Star Formation History of the Starburst Cluster NGC 2070 in 30 Doradus
We present a study of the recent star formation of 30 Doradus in the Large
Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using the panchromatic imaging survey Hubble Tarantula
Treasury Project (HTTP). In this paper we focus on the stars within 20 pc of
the center of the massive ionizing cluster of 30 Doradus, NGC 2070. We
recovered the star formation history by comparing deep optical and NIR
color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) with state-of-the-art synthetic CMDs generated
with the latest PARSEC models, which include all stellar phases from pre-main
sequence to post- main sequence. For the first time in this region we are able
to measure the star formation using intermediate and low mass stars
simultaneously. Our results suggest that NGC2070 experienced a prolonged
activity. In particular, we find that the star formation in the region: i)
exceeded the average LMC rate ~ 20 Myr ago; ii) accelerated dramatically ~ 7
Myr ago; and iii) reached a peak value 1-3 Myr ago. We did not find significant
deviations from a Kroupa initial mass function down to 0.5 Msun. The average
internal reddening E(B-V) is found to be between 0.3 and 0.4 mag.Comment: Submitted to Ap
Characterization of sputtered W–Si–N thin films by a monoenergetic positron beam
A monoenergetic positron beam was employed to characterize the uniformity and the microstructural variation of thermally treated W–Si–N thin film. As the annealing temperature is increased, positrons are found to be progressively trapped in sites rich in silicon. This behavior is explained by the formation of W clusters from which positrons are favorably trapped into the Si–N amorphous matrix. Positron results are discussed together with information obtained on similar samples by Rutheford backscattering, infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy measurements
Optimizing the Earth-LISA "rendez-vous"
We present a general survey of heliocentric LISA orbits, hoping it might help
in the exercise of rescoping the mission. We try to semi-analytically optimize
the orbital parameters in order to minimize the disturbances coming from the
Earth-LISA interaction. In a set of numerical simulations we include
nonautonomous perturbations and provide an estimate of Doppler shift and
breathing as a function of the trailing angle.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures. Submitted on CQ
Mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex modulation in cancerogenesis
Aberrations in mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis have been associated with different pathological conditions, including neurological defects, cardiovascular diseases, and, in the last years, cancer. With the recent molecular identification of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) complex, the channel that allows Ca2+ accumulation into the mitochondrial matrix, alterations in the expression levels or functioning in one or more MCU complex members have been linked to different cancers and cancer-related phenotypes. In this review, we will analyze the role of the uniporter and mitochondrial Ca2+ derangements in modulating cancer cell sensitivity to death, invasiveness, and migratory capacity, as well as cancer progression in vivo. We will also discuss some critical points and contradictory results to highlight the consequence of MCU complex modulation in tumor development
DDO Photometry of M71: Carbon and Nitrogen Patterns Among Evolving Giants
We present V, B-V, and DDO C(41-42) and C(42-45) photometry for a sample of
75 red giants down to M_V = +2 in the relatively metal-rich Galactic globular
cluster M71. The C(41-42) colors reveal a bimodal distribution of CN band
strengths generally anticorrelated with CH band strength as measured by the
C(42-45) color. Both DDO colors agree well with those found in 47 Tucanae -- a
nearby globular cluster of similar metallicity -- and suggest nearly identical
C and N abundance patterns among the giants of both clusters. A comparison with
synthetic DDO colors demonstrates that little change in surface C or N
abundance is required to match the colors of the M71 giants over the entire
luminosity range observed. Apparently like 47 Tuc (a cluster of much greater
mass and central concentration), M71 exhibits an abundance pattern which cannot
be solely the result of internal mixing.Comment: To appear in the Astronomical Journal, November 2001. 17 Pages, 5
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