ISM composition through X-ray spectroscopy of LMXBs

The diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) is an integral part of the evolution of the entire Galaxy. Metals are produced by stars and their abundances are the direct testimony of the history of stellar evolution. However, the interstellar dust composition is not well known and the total abundances are yet to be accurately determined. We probe ISM dust composition, total abundances, and abundance gradients through the study of interstellar absorption features in the high-resolution X-ray spectra of Galactic low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). We use high-quality grating spectra of nine LMXBs taken with XMM-Newton. We measure the column densities of O, Ne, Mg, and Fe with an empirical model and estimate the Galactic abundance gradients. The column densities of the neutral gas species are in agreement with those found in the literature. Solids are a significant reservoir of metals like oxygen and iron. Respectively, 15-25 % and 65-90 % of the total amount of O I and Fe I is found in dust. The dust amount and mixture seem to be consistent along all the lines-of-sight (LOS). Our estimates of abundance gradients and predictions of local interstellar abundances are in agreement with those measured at longer wavelengths. Our work shows that X-ray spectroscopy is a very powerful method to probe the ISM. For instance, on a large scale the ISM appears to be chemically homogeneous showing similar gas ionization ratios and dust mixtures. The agreement between the abundances of the ISM and the stellar objects suggests that the local Galaxy is also chemically homogeneous.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, accepted to A&

Integração pecuária-floresta: um ambiente mais favorável para criação de gado na região do pampa gaúcho.

Resumo

Influence of the external pressure on the quantum correlations of molecular magnets

The study of quantum correlations in solid state systems is a large avenue for research and their detection and manipulation are an actual challenge to overcome. In this context, we show by using first-principles calculations on the prototype material KNaCuSi$_{4}$O$_{10}$ that the degree of quantum correlations in this spin cluster system can be managed by external hydrostatic pressure. Our results open the doors for research in detection and manipulation of quantum correlations in magnetic systems with promising applications in quantum information science

Substrate induced proximity effect in superconducting niobium nanofilms

Structural and superconducting properties of high quality Niobium nanofilms with different thicknesses are investigated on silicon oxide and sapphire substrates. The role played by the different substrates and the superconducting properties of the Nb films are discussed based on the defectivity of the films and on the presence of an interfacial oxide layer between the Nb film and the substrate. The X-ray absorption spectroscopy is employed to uncover the structure of the interfacial layer. We show that this interfacial layer leads to a strong proximity effect, specially in films deposited on a SiO$_2$ substrate, altering the superconducting properties of the Nb films. Our results establish that the critical temperature is determined by an interplay between quantum-size effects, due to the reduction of the Nb film thicknesses, and proximity effects

Quantificação de sais e nutrientes aplicados via água em meloeiro no Vale do Salitre.

Realizou-se no Vale do Salitre, Juazeiro, BA, em área de produtor, um estudo com objetivo de avaliar efeito do manejo de água e fertilizantes no cultivo de melão amarelo, AF-682, com irrigação localizada e superfície. Os métodos de irrigação foram: gotejamento e sulco. Avaliaram-se produtividades, teor de sólidos solúveis totais, acidez total e pH. A maior produtividade de frutos comerciais foi obtida com irrigação por gotejamento, 30 t ha-1. Os métodos de irrigação não influenciaram as características químicas dos frutos do melão, como pH, acidez total e teor de sólidos solúveis. Com irrigação por gotejamento verificou-se aumento na produtividade de aproximadamente 120 %, redução de 141%, 233%, 66% e 155,84 % nas doses de nitrogênio, fósforo, potássio e sais, respectivamente. A economia de água foi da ordem de 44,66 %. Com a água de irrigação, com condutividade elétrica de 0,56 dS.m-1, aplicou-se 1,27 e 1,83 tonelada de sal na com irrigação por gotejamento e sulco, respectivamente

Manejo de água e nutrientes em meloeiro irrigado por gotejamento e sulco no Vale do Salitre.

Realizou-se no Vale do Salitre, Juazeiro, BA, em área de produtor, um estudo com objetivo de avaliar efeito do manejo de água e fertilizantes no cultivo do melão amarelo, cv. AF-682, com irrigação localizada e superfície. Os tratamentos foram os métodos de irrigação: gotejamento e sulco. Avaliaram-se produtividades, teor de sólidos solúveis totais, acidez total, pH, economia de fertilizantes e água. A maior produtividade de frutos comerciais foi obtida com irrigação por gotejamento, 30 t/ha-¹. Não houve efeitos significativos para métodos de irrigação nas características químicas dos frutos do melão, como pH, acidez total e teor de sólidos solúveis. Com irrigação por gotejamento verificou-se aumento na produtividade de aproximadamente 120%, redução de 141%, 66% nas doses de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio, respectivamente e economia de água da ordem de 44,66%

Origin of central abundances in the hot intra-cluster medium - I. Individual and average abundance ratios from XMM-Newton EPIC

The hot intra-cluster medium (ICM) is rich in metals, which are synthesized by supernovae (SNe) explosions and accumulate over time into the deep gravitational potential well of clusters of galaxies. Since most of the elements visible in X-rays are formed by type Ia (SNIa) and/or core-collapse (SNcc) supernovae, measuring their abundances gives us direct information on the nucleosynthesis products of billions of SNe since the epoch of the star formation peak (z ~ 2-3). In this study, we use the EPIC and RGS instruments onboard XMM-Newton to measure the abundances of 9 elements (O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe and Ni) from a sample of 44 nearby cool-core galaxy clusters, groups, and elliptical galaxies. We find that the Fe abundance shows a large scatter (~20-40%) over the sample, within 0.2$r_{500}$ and, especially, 0.05$r_{500}$. Unlike the absolute Fe abundance, the abundance ratios (X/Fe) are quite uniform over the considered temperature range (~0.6-8 keV), and with a limited scatter. In addition to a unprecedented treatment of systematic uncertainties, we provide the most accurate abundance ratios measured so far in the ICM, including Cr/Fe and Mn/Fe that we firmly detect (>4{\sigma} with MOS and pn independently). We find that Cr/Fe, Mn/Fe and Ni/Fe, differ significantly from the proto-solar values. However, the large uncertainties in the proto-solar abundances prevent us from making a robust comparison between the local and the intra-cluster chemical enrichments. We also note that, interestingly, and despite the large net exposure time (~4.5 Ms) of our dataset, no line emission feature is seen around ~3.5 keV.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&