Chemical composition of 90 F and G disk dwarfs

High resolution, high S/N spectra have been obtained for a sample of 90 F and G main-sequence disk stars covering the metallicity range -1.0 < [Fe/H] < +0.1, and have been analysed in a parallel way to the work of Edvardsson et al. (1993). Effective temperatures are based on the Alonso et al. (1996) calibration of color indices and surface gravities are calculated from Hipparcos parallaxes, which also allow more accurate ages to be calculated. In addition, more reliable kinematical parameters are derived from Hipparcos distances and proper motions. Finally, a larger spectral coverage, 5600 - 8800 A, makes it possible to improve the abundance accuracy by studying more lines and to discuss several elements not included in the work of Edvardsson et al. The present paper provides the data and discusses some general results of the abundance survey. A group of stars in the metallicity range of -1.0 < [Fe/H] < -0.6 having a small mean Galactocentric distance in the stellar orbits, Rm < 7 kpc, are shown to be older than the other disk stars and probably belong to the thick disk. Excluding these stars, a slight decreasing trend of [Fe/H] with increasing Rm and age is found, but a large scatter in [Fe/H] (up to 0.5 dex) is present at a given age and Rm. The derived trends of O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Ni and Ba as a function of [Fe/H] agree rather well with those of Edvardsson et al., but the overabundance of Na and Al for metal-poor stars found in their work is not confirmed. Furthermore, the Galactic evolution of elements not included in Edvardsson et al., K, V and Cr, is studied.Comment: 16 pages with 10 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

Determination of audit activity in modern conditions

The task of compulsory audit of financial statements is the provision of reasonable assurance that is accepted and performed by the entity in accordance with the requirements of this Law and international standards of audit by checking the financial statements or consolidated financial statements in order to express an independent opinion of the auditor on its compliance with all significant aspects and compliance with the requirements of international financial reporting standards or national accounting (statutory) standards and laws of Ukraine

s/alpha/Fe Abundance Ratios in Halo Field Stars: Is there a Globular Cluster Connection?

We try to understand the s- and r-process elements vs Ti/Fe plots derived by Jehin et al. (1999) for mildly metal-poor stars within the framework of the analytical semi-empirical models for these elements by Pagel & Tautvaisiene (1995, 1997). Jehin et al. distinguished two Pop II subgroups: IIa with alpha/Fe and s-elements/Fe increasing together, which they attribute to pure SNII activity, and IIb with constant alpha/Fe and a range in s/Fe which they attribute to a prolonged accretion phase in parent globular clusters. However, their sample consists mainly of thick-disk stars with only 4 clear halo members, of which two are `anomalous' in the sense defined by Nissen & Schuster (1997). Only the remaining two halo stars (and one in Nissen & Schuster's sample) depart significantly from Y/Ti (or s/alpha) ratios predicted by our model.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures To appear in: Roma-Trieste Workshop 1999: `The Chemical Evolution of the Milky Way: Stars vs Clusters', Vulcano Sept. 1999. F. Giovanelli & F. Matteucci (eds), Kluwer, Dordrech

Si and Mn Abundances in Damped Lya Systems with Low Dust Content

We have measured the abundances of Zn, Si, Mn, Cr, Fe, and Ni in three damped Lyman alpha systems at redshifts z < 1 from high resolution echelle spectra of QSOs recorded with the Keck I telescope. In all three cases the abundances of Cr, Fe, and Ni relative to Zn indicate low levels of dust depletions. We propose that when the proportion of refractory elements locked up in dust grains is less than about 50 percent, it is plausible to assume an approximately uniform level of depletion for all grain constituents and, by applying a small dust correction, recover the intrisic abundances of Si and Mn. We use this approach on a small sample of damped systems for which it is appropriate, with the aim of comparing the metallicity dependence of the ratios [Si/Fe] and [Mn/Fe] with analogous measurements in Milky Way stars. The main conclusion is that the relative abundances of both elements in distant galaxies are broadly in line with expectations based on Galactic data. Si displays a mild enhancement at low metallicities, as expected for an alpha-capture element, but there are also examples of near-solar [Si/Fe] at [Fe/H] < -1. The underabundance of Mn at low metallicities is possibly even more pronounced than that in metal-poor stars, and no absorption system has yet been found where [Mn/Fe] is solar. The heterogeneous chemical properties of damped Lyman alpha systems, evident even from this limited set of measurements, provide further support for the conclusion from imaging studies that a varied population of galaxies gives rise to this class of QSO absorbers.Comment: 29 pages, LaTex, 7 Postscript Figures. Accepted for Publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Chemical Compositions of Four Metal-poor Giants

We present the chemical compositions of four K giants CS 22877-1, CS 22166-16, CS22169-35 and BS 16085 - 0050 that have [Fe/H] in the range -2.4 to -3.1. Metal-poor stars with [Fe/H] < -2.5 are known to exhibit considerable star - to - star variations of many elements. This quartet confirms this conclusion. CS 22877-1 and CS 22166-16 are carbon-rich. There is significant spread for [$\alpha$/Fe] within our sample where [$\alpha$/Fe] is computed from the mean of the [Mg/Fe], and [Ca/Fe] ratios. BS 16085 - 0050 is remarkably $\alpha$ enriched with a mean [$\alpha$/Fe] of $+$0.7 but CS 22169-35 is $\alpha$-poor. The aluminium abundance also shows a significant variation over the sample. A parallel and unsuccessful search among high-velocity late-type stars for metal-poor stars is described.Comment: 14 pages (text), 4 tables, 3 figures, Accepted for publication in PAS

Triplicated P-wave measurements for waveform tomography of the mantle transition zone

Triplicated body waves sample the mantle transition zone more extensively than any other wave type, and interact strongly with the discontinuities at 410 km and 660 km. Since the seismograms bear a strong imprint of these geodynamically interesting features, it is highly desirable to invert them for structure of the transition zone. This has rarely been attempted, due to a mismatch between the complex and band-limited data and the (ray-theoretical) modelling methods. Here we present a data processing and modelling strategy to harness such broadband seismograms for finite-frequency tomography. We include triplicated P-waves (epicentral distance range between 14 and 30&amp;deg;) across their entire broadband frequency range, for both deep and shallow sources. We show that is it possible to predict the complex sequence of arrivals in these seismograms, but only after a careful effort to estimate source time functions and other source parameters from data, variables that strongly influence the waveforms. Modelled and observed waveforms then yield decent cross-correlation fits, from which we measure finite-frequency traveltime anomalies. We discuss two such data sets, for North America and Europe, and conclude that their signal quality and azimuthal coverage should be adequate for tomographic inversion. In order to compute sensitivity kernels at the pertinent high body wave frequencies, we use fully numerical forward modelling of the seismic wavefield through a spherically symmetric Earth

Light Scattering and Electron Microscopy Study of the Surface Morphology of GaAs Films Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The surface morphology of thermally quenched GaAs films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs substrates has been studied by elastic light scattering, by scanning electron microscopy and by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in air. STM shows that the oxide-desorbed surface of GaAs is pitted, but smooths after deposition of a few hundred nanometers of material. Light scattering shows that, after the surface has smoothed, the power spectral density of the surface approaches a q-2 dependence on spatial frequency over the spatial frequency range 0.2 μm-1 \u3c q \u3c 20 μm-1 that is accessible to the light scattering measurements at 488 nm. This result is in agreement with the predictions of dynamical scaling theory in the case where the time evolution of the surface morphology is described by an Edwards-Wilkinson type equation

IVUS-based imaging modalities for tissue characterization: similarities and differences

Gray-scale intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is the modality that has been established as the golden standard for in vivo imaging of the vessel wall of the coronary arteries. The use of IVUS in clinical practice is an important diagnostic tool used for quantitative assessment of coronary artery disease. This has made IVUS the de-facto invasive imaging method to evaluate new interventional therapies such as new stent designs and for atherosclerosis progression-regression studies. However, the gray-scale representation of the coronary vessel wall and plaque morphology in combination with the limited resolution of the current IVUS catheters makes it difficult, if not impossible, to identify qualitatively (e.g. visually) the plaque morphology similar as that of histopathology, the golden standard to characterize and quantify coronary plaque tissue components. Meanwhile, this limitation has been partially overcome by new innovative IVUS-based post-processing methods such as: virtual histology IVUS (VH-IVUS, Volcano Therapeutics, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA), iMAP-IVUS (Bostoc Scientific, Santa Clara, CA, USA), Integrated Backscatter IVUS (IB-IVUS) and Automated Differential Echogenicity (ADE)

Galactic Cosmic Rays from Superbubbles and the Abundances of Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron

In this article we study the galactic evolution of the LiBeB elements within the framework of a detailed model of the chemical evolution of the Galaxy that includes galactic cosmic ray nucleosynthesis by particles accelerated in superbubbles. The chemical composition of the superbubble consists of varying proportions of ISM and freshly supernova synthesized material. The observational trends of 6 LiBeB evolution are nicely reproduced by models in which GCR come from a mixture of 25% of supernova material with 75% of ISM, except for 6 Li, for which maybe an extra source is required at low metallicities. To account for 7 Li evolution several additional sources have been considered (neutrino-induced nucleosynthesis, nova outbursts, C-stars). The model fulfills the energetic requirements for GCR acceleration.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa