3,108 research outputs found
VLBI imaging of the gravitational lens MGJ0414+0534
We observed the quadruple gravitationally lensed image of MGJ0414+0534 on 23
November 1997 with a global VLBI array at 8.4 GHz. We report wide-field imaging
results of its four components at submilliarcsecond resolution, displaying
complex core-like and jet-like extended structures. A simple model combining a
singular isothermal ellipsoid to represent the main lens galaxy, external
shear, and a singular isothermal sphere to represent an additional, nearby
object accounts well for the core positions and flux densities of the VLBI
images. This model predicts delays between the different lensed images of
several weeks.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Charge dependent azimuthal correlations in Pb--Pb collisions at TeV
Separation of charges along the extreme magnetic field created in non-central
relativistic heavy--ion collisions is predicted to be a signature of local
parity violation in strong interactions. We report on results for charge
dependent two particle azimuthal correlations with respect to the reaction
plane for Pb--Pb collisions at TeV recorded in 2010 with
ALICE at the LHC. The results are compared with measurements at RHIC energies
and against currently available model predictions for LHC. Systematic studies
of possible background effects including comparison with conventional
(parity-even) correlations simulated with Monte Carlo event generators of
heavy--ion collisions are also presented.Comment: Published in the proceedings of "Quark Matter 2011", Annecy-Franc
Rocking ratchet induced by pure magnetic potentials with broken reflection symmetry
A ratchet effect (the rectification of an ac injected current) which is
purely magnetic in origin has been observed in a superconducting-magnetic
nanostructure hybrid. The hybrid consists of a superconducting Nb film in
contact with an array of nanoscale magnetic triangles, circular rings or
elliptical rings. The arrays were placed into well-defined remanent magnetic
states by application of different magnetic field cycles. The stray fields from
these remanent states provide a magnetic landscape which influences the motion
of superconducting vortices. We examined both randomly varying landscapes from
demagnetized samples, and ordered landscapes from samples at remanence after
saturation in which the magnetic rings form parallel onion states containing
two domain walls. The ratchet effect is absent if the rings are in the
demagnetized state or if the vortices propagate parallel to the magnetic
reflection symmetry axis (perpendicular to the magnetic domain walls) in the
ordered onion state. On the other hand, when the vortices move perpendicular to
the magnetic reflection symmetry axis in the ordered onion state (parallel to
the domain walls) a clear ratchet effect is observed. This behavior differs
qualitatively from that observed in samples containing arrays of triangular Ni
nanostructures, which show a ratchet of structural origin.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures and 1 tabl
CALIFA, the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area survey: I. Survey presentation
We present here the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) survey,
which has been designed to provide a first step in this direction.We summarize
the survey goals and design, including sample selection and observational
strategy.We also showcase the data taken during the first observing runs
(June/July 2010) and outline the reduction pipeline, quality control schemes
and general characteristics of the reduced data. This survey is obtaining
spatially resolved spectroscopic information of a diameter selected sample of
galaxies in the Local Universe (0.005< z <0.03). CALIFA has been
designed to allow the building of two-dimensional maps of the following
quantities: (a) stellar populations: ages and metallicities; (b) ionized gas:
distribution, excitation mechanism and chemical abundances; and (c) kinematic
properties: both from stellar and ionized gas components. CALIFA uses the PPAK
Integral Field Unit (IFU), with a hexagonal field-of-view of
\sim1.3\sq\arcmin', with a 100% covering factor by adopting a three-pointing
dithering scheme. The optical wavelength range is covered from 3700 to 7000
{\AA}, using two overlapping setups (V500 and V1200), with different
resolutions: R\sim850 and R\sim1650, respectively. CALIFA is a legacy survey,
intended for the community. The reduced data will be released, once the quality
has been guaranteed. The analyzed data fulfill the expectations of the original
observing proposal, on the basis of a set of quality checks and exploratory
analysis.
We conclude from this first look at the data that CALIFA will be an important
resource for archaeological studies of galaxies in the Local Universe.Comment: 32 pages, 29 figures, Accepted for publishing in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Insulin-like growth factor II prevents oxidative and neuronal damage in cellular and mice models of Parkinson's disease
Oxidative distress and mitochondrial dysfunction, are key factors involved in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). The pleiotropic hormone insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) has shown neuroprotective and antioxidant effects in some neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, we demonstrate the protective effect of IGF-II against the damage induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) in neuronal dopaminergic cell cultures and a mouse model of progressive PD. In the neuronal model, IGF-II counteracts the oxidative distress produced by MPP + protecting dopaminergic neurons. Improved mitochondrial function, increased nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like2 (NRF2) nuclear translocation along with NRF2-dependent upregulation of antioxidative enzymes, and modulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway were identified as mechanisms leading to neuroprotection and the survival of dopaminergic cells. The neuroprotective effect of IGF-II against MPP + -neurotoxicity on dopaminergic neurons depends on the specific IGF-II receptor (IGF-IIr). In the mouse model, IGF-II prevents behavioural dysfunction and dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway degeneration and mitigates neuroinflammation induced by MPP+. Our work demonstrates that hampering oxidative stress and normalising mitochondrial function through the interaction of IGF-II with its specific IGF-IIr are neuroprotective in both neuronal and mouse models. Thus, the modulation of the IGF-II/IGF-IIr signalling pathway may be a useful therapeutic approach for the prevention and treatment of PD
How is really decelerating the expansion of SN1993J?
SN1993J is to date the radio supernova whose evolution has been monitored in
greatest detail and the one which holds best promise for a comprehensive
theoretical-observational analysis. The shell-like radio structure of SN1993J
has expanded in general accord with models of shock excited emission, showing
almost circular symmetry for over 8 years, except for a bright feature at the
south-eastern region of the shell that has been observed at every epoch. The
spectrum of SN1993J has flattened from alpha =-1 to alpha =-0.67 (S_(\nu)
propto nu**(alpha)). The decelerated expansion can be modeled well with a
single slope but apparently better with two slopes. There are also intriguing
hints of structure in the expansion curve. The results by the two VLBI groups
carrying out this research show general agreement, but also some differences. A
comparison of the optical and VLBI results about the details of the
deceleration show some discrepancies.Comment: Proceedings of the 6th European VLBI Network Symposium, Ros E.,
Porcas R.W., Lobanov A.P., Zensus J.A. (eds.), MPIfR, Bonn, Germany, pp.
239-242 (2002). 4 pages, 6 figures, needs evn2002.cl
MINERvA neutrino detector response measured with test beam data
The MINERvA collaboration operated a scaled-down replica of the solid
scintillator tracking and sampling calorimeter regions of the MINERvA detector
in a hadron test beam at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility. This article reports
measurements with samples of protons, pions, and electrons from 0.35 to 2.0
GeV/c momentum. The calorimetric response to protons, pions, and electrons are
obtained from these data. A measurement of the parameter in Birks' law and an
estimate of the tracking efficiency are extracted from the proton sample.
Overall the data are well described by a Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulation of
the detector and particle interactions with agreements better than 4%, though
some features of the data are not precisely modeled. These measurements are
used to tune the MINERvA detector simulation and evaluate systematic
uncertainties in support of the MINERvA neutrino cross section measurement
program.Comment: as accepted by NIM
The Mass-Metallicity relation explored with CALIFA: I. Is there a dependence on the star formation rate?
We present the results on the study of the global and local M-Z relation
based on the first data available from the CALIFA survey (150 galaxies). This
survey provides integral field spectroscopy of the complete optical extent of
each galaxy (up to 2-3 effective radii), with enough resolution to separate
individual HII regions and/or aggregations. Nearly 3000 individual HII
regions have been detected. The spectra cover the wavelength range between
[OII]3727 and [SII]6731, with a sufficient signal-to-noise to derive the oxygen
abundance and star-formation rate associated with each region. In addition, we
have computed the integrated and spatially resolved stellar masses (and surface
densities), based on SDSS photometric data. We explore the relations between
the stellar mass, oxygen abundance and star-formation rate using this dataset.
We derive a tight relation between the integrated stellar mass and the
gas-phase abundance, with a dispersion smaller than the one already reported in
the literature (0.07 dex). Indeed, this
dispersion is only slightly larger than the typical error derived for our
oxygen abundances. However, we do not find any secondary relation with the
star-formation rate, other than the one induced due to the primary relation of
this quantity with the stellar mass. We confirm the result using the 3000
individual HII regions, for the corresponding local relations.
Our results agree with the scenario in which gas recycling in galaxies, both
locally and globally, is much faster than other typical timescales, like that
of gas accretion by inflow and/or metal loss due to outflows. In essence,
late-type/disk dominated galaxies seem to be in a quasi-steady situation, with
a behavior similar to the one expected from an instantaneous
recycling/closed-box model.Comment: 19 Pages, 8 figures, Accepted for Publishing in Astronomy and
Astrophysics (A&A
- …