474 research outputs found
Thermodynamics of C incorporation on Si(100) from ab initio calculations
We study the thermodynamics of C incorporation on Si(100), a system where
strain and chemical effects are both important. Our analysis is based on
first-principles atomistic calculations to obtain the important lowest energy
structures, and a classical effective Hamiltonian which is employed to
represent the long-range strain effects and incorporate the thermodynamic
aspects. We determine the equilibrium phase diagram in temperature and C
chemical potential, which allows us to predict the mesoscopic structure of the
system that should be observed under experimentally relevant conditions.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Contribution of commercial fish species to human mercury exposure: an evaluation near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Fish consumption is frequently associated with the prevention of some human diseases, being simultaneously a major pathway of mercury (Hg) exposure. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the contribution of 28 commercial fish species to the human Hg exposure in the Azores archipelago (Portuguese region with highest fish consumption per capita). These species potentially contributed on average to 7.47 mg of Hg per capita, although low Hg levels had been detected in fish. Mora moro and Zeus faber exceeded the maximum permitted for fish consumption (> 0.5 μg g−1 ww) even though they were not the species contributing the most to human Hg exposure. On the other hand, Katsuwonus pelamis was the main contributor due to increased fish landings. Furthermore, an increase in Hg content with trophic level has been suggested, as carnivore fish exhibited higher Hg levels than omnivores. In addition, demersal fish generally presented higher Hg concentration (although non-significant) than pelagic ones, possibly related with increased Hg values of their prey at this depth. Notwithstanding, THQ (Target Hazard Quotient) being < 1 for all species indicates that the daily human exposure to Hg via fish consumption is not likely to cause any negative health risks.publishe
A 16th century shipwreck mercury legacy and present mercury bioaccumulation in intertidal species
publishe
Multiwavelength observations of a giant flare on CN Leonis I. The chromosphere as seen in the optical spectra
Flares on dM stars contain plasmas at very different temperatures and thus
affect a wide wavelength range in the electromagnetic spectrum. While the
coronal properties of flares are studied best in X-rays, the chromosphere of
the star is observed best in the optical and ultraviolet ranges. Therefore,
multiwavelength observations are essential to study flare properties throughout
the atmosphere of a star. We analysed simultaneous observations with UVES/VLT
and XMM-Newton of the active M5.5 dwarf CN Leo (Gl 406) exhibiting a major
flare. The optical data cover the wavelength range from 3000 to 10000 Angstrom.
From our optical data, we find an enormous wealth of chromospheric emission
lines occurring throughout the spectrum. We identify a total of 1143 emission
lines, out of which 154 are located in the red arm, increasing the number of
observed emission lines in this red wavelength range by about a factor of 10.
Here we present an emission line list and a spectral atlas. We also find line
asymmetries for H I, He I, and Ca II lines. For the last, this is the first
observation of asymmetries due to a stellar flare. During the flare onset,
there is additional flux found in the blue wing, while in the decay phase,
additional flux is found in the red wing. We interpret both features as caused
by mass motions. In addition to the lines, the flare manifests itself in the
enhancement of the continuum throughout the whole spectrum, inverting the
normal slope for the net flare spectrum.Comment: 15 pages, accepted by A&
Variable Radio Sources in the Galactic Plane
Using three epochs of VLA observations of the Galactic Plane in the first
quadrant taken ~15 years apart, we have conducted a search for a population of
variable Galactic radio emitters in the flux density range 1-100 mJy at 6 cm.
We find 39 variable sources in a total survey area of 23.2 sq deg. Correcting
for various selection effects and for the extragalactic variable population of
active galactic nuclei, we conclude there are ~1.6 Galactic sources per sq deg
which vary by more than 50% on a time scale of years (or shorter). We show that
these sources are much more highly variable than extragalactic objects; more
than 50% show variability by a factor >2 compared to <10% for extragalactic
objects in the same flux density range. We also show that the fraction of
variable sources increases toward the Galactic center (another indication that
this is a Galactic population), and that the spectral indices of many of these
sources are flat or inverted. A small number of the variables are coincident
with mid-IR sources and two are coincident with X-ray emitters, but most have
no known counterparts at other wavelengths. Intriguingly, one lies at the
center of a supernova remnant, while another appears to be a very compact
planetary nebula; several are likely to represent activity associated with star
formation regions. We discuss the possible source classes which could
contribute to the variable cohort and followup observations which could clarify
the nature of these sources.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures; to be published in the Astronomical Journal;
data available on MAGPIS website at http://third.ucllnl.org/gps
Molecular beam epitaxy and defect structure of Ge (111)/epi-Gd2O3 (111) /Si (111) heterostructures
Molecular beam epitaxy of Ge (111) thin films on epitaxial-Gd2O3/Si(111)
substrates is reported, along with a systematic investigation of the evolution
of Ge growth, and structural defects in the grown epilayer. While Ge growth
begins in the Volmer-Weber growth mode, the resultant islands coalesce within
the first 10 nm of growth, beyond which a smooth two-dimensional surface
evolves. Coalescence of the initially formed islands results in formation of
rotation and reflection microtwins, which constitute a volume fraction of less
than 1 %. It is also observed that while the stacking sequence of the (111)
planes in the Ge epilayer is similar to that of the Si substrate, the (111)
planes of the Gd2O3 epilayer are rotated by 180 degree about the [111]
direction. In metal-semiconductor-metal schottky photodiodes fabricated with
these all-epitaxial Ge-on-insulator (GeOI) samples, significant suppression of
dark current is observed due to the presence of the Gd2O3 epilayer. These
results are promising for application of these GeOI structures as virtual
substrates, or for realization of high-speed group-IV photonic components.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure
A developmental cell-type switch in cortical interneurons leads to a selective defect in cortical oscillations
The cellular diversity of interneurons in the neocortex is thought to reflect subtype-specific roles of cortical inhibition. Here we ask whether perturbations to two subtypes-parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and somatostatin-positive (SST+) interneurons-can be compensated for with respect to their contributions to cortical development. We use a genetic cell fate switch to delete both PV+ and SST+ interneurons selectively in cortical layers 2-4 without numerically changing the total interneuron population. This manipulation is compensated for at the level of synaptic currents and receptive fields (RFs) in the somatosensory cortex. By contrast, we identify a deficit in inhibitory synchronization in vitro and a large reduction in cortical gamma oscillations in vivo. This reveals that, while the roles of inhibition in establishing cortical inhibitory/excitatory balance and RFs can be subserved by multiple interneuron subtypes, gamma oscillations depend on cellular properties that cannot be compensated for-likely, the fast signalling properties of PV+ interneurons
Multi-wavelength observations of Proxima Centauri
We report simultaneous observations of the nearby flare star Proxima Centauri
with VLT/UVES and XMM-Newton over three nights in March 2009. Our optical and
X-ray observations cover the star's quiescent state, as well as its flaring
activity and allow us to probe the stellar atmospheric conditions from the
photosphere into the chromosphere, and then the corona during its different
activity stages. Using the X-ray data, we investigate variations in coronal
densities and abundances and infer loop properties for an intermediate-sized
flare. The optical data are used to investigate the magnetic field and its
possible variability, to construct an emission line list for the chromosphere,
and use certain emission lines to construct physical models of Proxima
Centauri's chromosphere.
We report the discovery of a weak optical forbidden Fe xiii line at 3388 AA
during the more active states of Proxima Centauri. For the intermediate flare,
we find two secondary flare events that may originate in neighbouring loops,
and discuss the line asymmetries observed during this flare in H i, He i, and
Ca ii lines. The high time-resolution in the H alpha line highlights strong
temporal variations in the observed line asymmetries, which re-appear during a
secondary flare event. We also present theoretical modelling with the stellar
atmosphere code PHOENIX to construct flaring chromospheric models.Comment: 19 pages, 22 figures, accepted by A&
Estimating the frequency of extremely energetic solar events, based on solar, stellar, lunar, and terrestrial records
The most powerful explosions on the Sun [...] drive the most severe
space-weather storms. Proxy records of flare energies based on SEPs in
principle may offer the longest time base to study infrequent large events. We
conclude that one suggested proxy, nitrate concentrations in polar ice cores,
does not map reliably to SEP events. Concentrations of select radionuclides
measured in natural archives may prove useful in extending the time interval of
direct observations up to ten millennia, but as their calibration to solar
flare fluences depends on multiple poorly known properties and processes, these
proxies cannot presently be used to help determine the flare energy frequency
distribution. Being thus limited to the use of direct flare observations, we
evaluate the probabilities of large-energy solar explosions by combining solar
flare observations with an ensemble of stellar flare observations. We conclude
that solar flare energies form a relatively smooth distribution from small
events to large flares, while flares on magnetically-active, young Sun-like
stars have energies and frequencies markedly in excess of strong solar flares,
even after an empirical scaling with the mean activity level of these stars. In
order to empirically quantify the frequency of uncommonly large solar flares
extensive surveys of stars of near-solar age need to be obtained, such as is
feasible with the Kepler satellite. Because the likelihood of flares larger
than approximately X30 remains empirically unconstrained, we present indirect
arguments, based on records of sunspots and on statistical arguments, that
solar flares in the past four centuries have likely not substantially exceeded
the level of the largest flares observed in the space era, and that there is at
most about a 10% chance of a flare larger than about X30 in the next 30 years.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures (in press as of 2012/06/18); Journal of
Geophysical Research (Space Physics), 201
- …