Close encounters of a rotating star with planets in parabolic orbits of varying inclination and the formation of Hot Jupiters

(abbreviated) We extend the theory of close encounters of a planet on a parabolic orbit with a star to include the effects of tides induced on the central rotating star. Orbits with arbitrary inclination to the stellar rotation axis are considered. We obtain results both from an analytic treatment and numerical one that are in satisfactory agreement. These results are applied to the initial phase of the tidal circularisation problem. We find that both tides induced in the star and planet can lead to a significant decrease of the orbital semi-major axis for orbits having periastron distances smaller than 5-6 stellar radii (corresponding to periods $\sim 4-5$ days after the circularisation has been completed) with tides in the star being much stronger for retrograde orbits compared to prograde orbits. We use the simple Skumanich law for the stellar rotation with its rotational period equal to one month at the age of 5Gyr. The strength of tidal interactions is characterised by circularisation time scale, $t_{ev}$ defined as a time scale of evolution of the planet's semi-major axis due to tides considered as a function of orbital period $P_{obs}$ after the process of tidal circularisation has been completed. We find that the ratio of the initial circularisation time scales corresponding to prograde and retrograde orbits is of order 1.5-2 for a planet of one Jupiter mass and $P_{obs}\sim$ four days. It grows with the mass of the planet, being of order five for a five Jupiter mass planet with the same $P_{orb}$. Thus, the effect of stellar rotation may provide a bias in the formation of planetary systems having planets on close orbits around their host stars, as a consequence of planet-planet scattering, favouring systems with retrograde orbits. The results may also be applied to the problem of tidal capture of stars in young stellar clusters.Comment: to be published in Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronom

Características químicas de um latossolo adubado com uréia e cloreto de potássio em ambiente protegido

A produção de vegetais mais sadios e de boa qualidade e o fornecimento contínuo no mercado são fatores que têm determinado a adoção do sistema de cultivo protegido por um número maior de produtores. Porém, devido ao pouco conhecimento sobre o manejo do solo nessas condições, tem-se aplicado altas doses de fertilizantes, ocasionando problemas de salinidade e desequilíbrio nutricional. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da aplicação da uréia e do cloreto de potássio nas características químicas de um LATOSSOLO VERMELHO Destrófico, principalmente nos índices de acidez e saturação em potássio. O N e o K foram aplicados em cobertura, nas doses equivalentes de 13,3 e 39,9 g m-2 de N e 5,5 e 16,6 g m-2 de K, em esquema fatorial (2x2+1), com tratamento adicional, sem a aplicação dos nutrientes. Cultivou-se pimentão, cultivar Mayata, em condições de ambiente protegido, durante 34 semanas. Após o pegamento das mudas, foi aplicado 1/6 dos nutrientes a cada dez dias. Ao final do ciclo, as formas de N nítrico e N amoniacal representaram melhor as doses do nutriente aplicados ao solo e não houve acidificação. As raízes tiveram significativo crescimento após a aplicação de N, enquanto que o aumento da dose de K, aplicado como KCl, prejudicou o crescimento radicular, provavelmente associado à alta concentração de K no solo e possíveis efeitos salinos, correspondendo a mais de 5,0 mmol c dm-3 e mais que 5,3% de saturação do K no complexo de troca, na camada superficial do solo

Star clusters near and far; tracing star formation across cosmic time

© 2020 Springer-Verlag. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-020-00690-x.Star clusters are fundamental units of stellar feedback and unique tracers of their host galactic properties. In this review, we will first focus on their constituents, i.e.\ detailed insight into their stellar populations and their surrounding ionised, warm, neutral, and molecular gas. We, then, move beyond the Local Group to review star cluster populations at various evolutionary stages, and in diverse galactic environmental conditions accessible in the local Universe. At high redshift, where conditions for cluster formation and evolution are more extreme, we are only able to observe the integrated light of a handful of objects that we believe will become globular clusters. We therefore discuss how numerical and analytical methods, informed by the observed properties of cluster populations in the local Universe, are used to develop sophisticated simulations potentially capable of disentangling the genetic map of galaxy formation and assembly that is carried by globular cluster populations.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Genome-wide Analyses Identify KIF5A as a Novel ALS Gene

To identify novel genes associated with ALS, we undertook two lines of investigation. We carried out a genome-wide association study comparing 20,806 ALS cases and 59,804 controls. Independently, we performed a rare variant burden analysis comparing 1,138 index familial ALS cases and 19,494 controls. Through both approaches, we identified kinesin family member 5A (KIF5A) as a novel gene associated with ALS. Interestingly, mutations predominantly in the N-terminal motor domain of KIF5A are causative for two neurodegenerative diseases: hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG10) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 (CMT2). In contrast, ALS-associated mutations are primarily located at the C-terminal cargo-binding tail domain and patients harboring loss-of-function mutations displayed an extended survival relative to typical ALS cases. Taken together, these results broaden the phenotype spectrum resulting from mutations in KIF5A and strengthen the role of cytoskeletal defects in the pathogenesis of ALS.Peer reviewe