194 research outputs found
The Gas Properties of the W3 GMC: A HARP study
We present 12CO, 13CO and C18O J=3-2 maps of the W3 GMC made at the James
Clerk Maxwell Telescope. We combine these observations with Five Colleges Radio
Astronomy Observatory CO J=1-0 data to produce the first map of molecular-gas
temperatures across a GMC and the most accurate determination of the mass
distribution in W3 yet obtained. We measure excitation temperatures in the part
of the cloud dominated by triggered star formation (the High Density Layer,
HDL) of 15-30 K, while in the rest of the cloud, which is relatively unaffected
by triggering (Low Density Layer, LDL), the excitation temperature is generally
less than 12 K. We identify a temperature gradient in the HDL which we
associate with an age sequence in the embedded massive star-forming regions. We
measure the mass of the cloud to be 4.4+/-0.4 x 10^5 solar masses, in agreement
with previous estimates. Existing sub-mm continuum data are used to derive the
fraction of gas mass in dense clumps as a function of position in the cloud.
This fraction, which we interpret as a Clump Formation Efficiency (CFE), is
significantly enhanced across the HDL, probably due to the triggering. Finally,
we measure the 3D rms Mach Number as a function of position and find a
correlation between the Mach number and the CFE within the HDL only. This
correlation is interpreted as due to feedback from the newly-formed stars and a
change in its slope between the three main star-forming regions is construed as
another evolutionary effect. We conclude that triggering has affected the
star-formation process in the W3 GMC primarily by creating additional dense
structures that can collapse into stars. Any traces of changes in CFE due to
additional turbulence have since been overruled by the feedback effects of the
star-forming process itself.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in MNRA
An Unbiased Survey for Outflows in the W3 and W5 Star-Formation Regions
During their birth all stars undergo periods of copious mass loss, frequently
characterized by the occurrence of bipolar outflows. These outflows are
believed to play a fundamental role in the star formation process. However the
exact outflow generating method is obscure at present. To elucidate this
problem we are investigating whether the flow properties are correlated over
the entire protostellar mass spectrum. Progress in this area requires that we
assemble a statistically valid sample of high-mass outflow systems. This is
necessary since existing catalogues of such objects are heterogeneous and
statistically incomplete.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, uses newpasp.sty. To appear in "Hot Star Workshop
III: The Earliest Phases of Massive Star Birth" (ed. P.A. Crowther
Solenoidal turbulent modes and star formation efficiency in Galactic-plane molecular clouds
It is speculated that the high star-formation efficiency observed in
spiral-arm molecular clouds is linked to the prevalence of compressive
(curl-free) turbulent modes, while the shear-driven solenoidal
(divergence-free) modes appear to be the main cause of the low star-formation
efficiency that characterises clouds in the Central Molecular Zone. Similarly,
analysis of the Orion B molecular cloud has confirmed that, although turbulent
modes vary locally and at different scales within the cloud, the dominant
solenoidal turbulence is compatible with its low star formation rate. This
evidence points to inter-and intra-cloud fluctuations of the solenoidal modes
being an agent for the variability of star formation efficiency. We present a
quantitative estimation of the relative fractions of momentum density in the
solenoidal modes of turbulence in a large sample of plane molecular clouds in
the \ce{^{13}CO}/\ce{C^{18}O} () Heterodyne Inner Milky Way
Plane Survey (CHIMPS). We find a negative correlation between the solenoidal
fraction and star-formation efficiency. This feature is consistent with the
hypothesis that solenoidal modes prevent or slow down the collapse of dense
cores. In addition, the relative power in the solenoidal modes of turbulence
(solenoidal fraction) appears to be higher in the Inner Galaxy declining with a
shallow gradient with increasing Galactocentric distance. Outside the Inner
Galaxy, the slowly, monotonically declining values suggest that the solenoidal
fraction is unaffected by the spiral arms.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figure
Mammalian behavior and physiology converge to confirm sharper cochlear tuning in humans
Frequency analysis of sound by the cochlea is the most fundamental property of the auditory system. Despite its importance, the resolution of this frequency analysis in humans remains controversial. The controversy persists because the methods used to estimate tuning in humans are indirect and have not all been independently validated in other species. Some data suggest that human cochlear tuning is considerably sharper than that of laboratory animals, while others suggest little or no difference between species. We show here in a single species (ferret) that behavioral estimates of tuning bandwidths obtained using perceptual masking methods, and objective estimates obtained using otoacoustic emissions, both also employed in humans, agree closely with direct physiological measurements from single auditory-nerve fibers. Combined with human behavioral data, this outcome indicates that the frequency analysis performed by the human cochlea is of significantly higher resolution than found in common laboratory animals. This finding raises important questions about the evolutionary origins of human cochlear tuning, its role in the emergence of speech communication, and the mechanisms underlying our ability to separate and process natural sounds in complex acoustic environments
12 co (3–2) high-resolution survey (cohrs) of the galactic plane: complete data release
We present the full data release of the 12CO (3–2) High-Resolution Survey (COHRS), which has mapped the inner Galactic plane over the range of 9.°5 ≤ l ≤ 62.°3 and ∣b∣ ≤ 0.°5. COHRS has been carried out using the Heterodyne Array Receiver Program on the 15 m James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii. The released data are smoothed to have a spatial resolution of 16.″6 and a velocity resolution of 0.635 km s−1, achieving a mean rms of ∼0.6 K on TA* . The COHRS data are useful for investigating detailed three-dimensional structures of individual molecular clouds and large-scale structures such as spiral arms in the Galactic plane. Furthermore, data from other available public surveys of different CO isotopologues and transitions with similar angular resolutions to this survey, such as FUGIN, SEDIGISM, and CHIMPS/CHIMPS2, allow studies of the physical properties of molecular clouds and comparison of their states. In this paper, we report further observations on the second release and improved data reduction since the original COHRS release. We discuss the characteristics of the COHRS data and present integrated-emission images and a position–velocity (PV) map of the region covered. The PV map shows a good match with spiral-arm traces from existing CO and H i surveys. We also obtain and compare integrated one-dimensional distributions of 12CO (1–0) and (3–2) and those of star-forming populations
Satellite-detected fluorescence reveals global physiology of ocean phytoplankton
© 2009 The Authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. The definitive version was published in Biogeosciences 6 (2009): 779-794, doi: 10.5194/bg-6-779-2009Phytoplankton photosynthesis links global ocean biology and climate-driven fluctuations in the physical environment. These interactions are largely expressed through changes in phytoplankton physiology, but physiological status has proven extremely challenging to characterize globally. Phytoplankton fluorescence does provide a rich source of physiological information long exploited in laboratory and field studies, and is now observed from space. Here we evaluate the physiological underpinnings of global variations in satellite-based phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence. The three dominant factors influencing fluorescence distributions are chlorophyll concentration, pigment packaging effects on light absorption, and light-dependent energy-quenching processes. After accounting for these three factors, resultant global distributions of quenching-corrected fluorescence quantum yields reveal a striking consistency with anticipated patterns of iron availability. High fluorescence quantum yields are typically found in low iron waters, while low quantum yields dominate regions where other environmental factors are most limiting to phytoplankton growth. Specific properties of photosynthetic membranes are discussed that provide a mechanistic view linking iron stress to satellite-detected fluorescence. Our results present satellite-based fluorescence as a valuable tool for evaluating nutrient stress predictions in ocean ecosystem models and give the first synoptic observational evidence that iron plays an important role in seasonal phytoplankton dynamics of the Indian Ocean. Satellite fluorescence may also provide a path for monitoring climate-phytoplankton physiology interactions and improving descriptions of phytoplankton light use efficiencies in ocean productivity models.This work was supported by grants from the
NASA Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program and the NSF
Biological Oceanography Program
The Radio Ammonia Mid-plane Survey (RAMPS) Pilot Survey
The Radio Ammonia Mid-Plane Survey (RAMPS) is a molecular line survey that aims to map a portion of the Galactic midplane in the first quadrant of the Galaxy (l = 10°–40°, | b| \leqslant 0\buildrel{\circ}\over{.} 4) using the Green Bank Telescope. We present results from the pilot survey, which has mapped approximately 6.5 square degrees in fields centered at l = 10°, 23°, 24°, 28°, 29°, 30°, 31°, 38°, 45°, and 47°. RAMPS observes the NH3 inversion transitions NH3(1,1)–(5,5), the H2O 61,6–52,3 maser line at 22.235 GHz, and several other molecular lines. We present a representative portion of the data from the pilot survey, including NH3(1,1) and NH3(2,2) integrated intensity maps, H2O maser positions, maps of NH3 velocity, NH3 line width, total NH3 column density, and NH3 rotational temperature. These data and the data cubes from which they were produced are publicly available on the RAMPS website (http://sites.bu.edu/ramps/)
METIS - the Mid-infrared E-ELT Imager and Spectrograph
METIS, the Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (formerly called MIDIR),
is a proposed instrument for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT),
currently undergoing a phase-A study. The study is carried out within the
framework of the ESO-sponsored E-ELT instrumentation studies. METIS will be
designed to cover the E-ELT science needs at wavelengths longward of 3um, where
the thermal background requires different operating schemes. In this paper we
discuss the main science drivers from which the instrument baseline has been
derived. Specific emphasis has been given to observations that require very
high spatial and spectral resolution, which can only be achieved with a
ground-based ELT. We also discuss the challenging aspects of background
suppression techniques, adaptive optics in the mid-IR, and telescope site
considerations. The METIS instrument baseline includes imaging and spectroscopy
at the atmospheric L, M, and N bands with a possible extension to Q band
imaging. Both coronagraphy and polarimetry are also being considered. However,
we note that the concept is still not yet fully consolidated. The METIS studies
are being performed by an international consortium with institutes from the
Netherlands, Germany, France, United Kingdom, and Belgium.Comment: 15 pages, to be published in Proc SPIE 7014: Ground-based & Airborne
Instrumentation for Astronomy I
Assessing the uncertainties of model estimates of primary productivity in the tropical Pacific Ocean
Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Marine Systems 76 (2009): 113-133, doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2008.05.010.Depth-integrated primary productivity (PP) estimates obtained from satellite
ocean color based models (SatPPMs) and those generated from biogeochemical ocean
general circulation models (BOGCMs) represent a key resource for biogeochemical and
ecological studies at global as well as regional scales. Calibration and validation of these
PP models are not straightforward, however, and comparative studies show large
differences between model estimates. The goal of this paper is to compare PP estimates
obtained from 30 different models (21 SatPPMs and 9 BOGCMs) to a tropical Pacific PP
database consisting of ~1000 14C measurements spanning more than a decade (1983-
1996). Primary findings include: skill varied significantly between models, but
performance was not a function of model complexity or type (i.e. SatPPM vs. BOGCM);
nearly all models underestimated the observed variance of PP, specifically yielding too
few low PP (< 0.2 gC m-2d-2) values; more than half of the total root-mean-squared
model-data differences associated with the satellite-based PP models might be accounted
for by uncertainties in the input variables and/or the PP data; and the tropical Pacific
database captures a broad scale shift from low biomass-normalized productivity in the
1980s to higher biomass-normalized productivity in the 1990s, which was not
successfully captured by any of the models. This latter result suggests that interdecadal
and global changes will be a significant challenge for both SatPPMs and BOGCMs.
Finally, average root-mean-squared differences between in situ PP data on the equator at
140°W and PP estimates from the satellite-based productivity models were 58% lower
than analogous values computed in a previous PP model comparison six years ago. The
success of these types of comparison exercises is illustrated by the continual modification
and improvement of the participating models and the resulting increase in model skill.This research was supported by a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Agency
Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry program (NNG06GA03G), as well as by numerous
other grants to the various participating investigator
- …