2,738 research outputs found
How Observations of Circumstellar Disk Asymmetries Can Reveal Hidden Planets: Pericenter Glow and its Application to the HR 4796 Disk
Recent images of the disks of dust around the young stars HR 4796A and
Fomalhaut show, in each case, a double-lobed feature that may be asymmetric
(one lobe may be brighter than the other). A symmetric double-lobed structure
is that expected from a disk of dust with a central hole that is observed
nearly edge-on (i.e., close to the plane of the disk). This paper shows how the
gravitational influence of a second body in the system with an eccentric orbit
would cause a brightness asymmetry in such a disk by imposing a "forced
eccentricity" on the orbits of the constituent dust particles, thus shifting
the center of symmetry of the disk away from the star and causing the dust near
the forced pericenter of the perturbed disk to glow. Dynamic modeling of the HR
4796 disk shows that its 5% brightness asymmetry could be the result of a
forced eccentricity as small as 0.02 imposed on the disk by either the binary
companion HR 4796B, or by an unseen planet close to the inner edge of the disk.
Since it is likely that a forced eccentricity of 0.01 or higher would be
imposed on a disk in a system in which there are planets, but no binary
companion, the corresponding asymmetry in the disk's structure could serve as a
sensitive indicator of these planets that might otherwise remain undetected.Comment: 61 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journal (scheduled for January 10, 2000
Beyond maximum entropy: Fractal Pixon-based image reconstruction
We have developed a new Bayesian image reconstruction method that has been shown to be superior to the best implementations of other competing methods, including Goodness-of-Fit methods such as Least-Squares fitting and Lucy-Richardson reconstruction, as well as Maximum Entropy (ME) methods such as those embodied in the MEMSYS algorithms. Our new method is based on the concept of the pixon, the fundamental, indivisible unit of picture information. Use of the pixon concept provides an improved image model, resulting in an image prior which is superior to that of standard ME. Our past work has shown how uniform information content pixons can be used to develop a 'Super-ME' method in which entropy is maximized exactly. Recently, however, we have developed a superior pixon basis for the image, the Fractal Pixon Basis (FPB). Unlike the Uniform Pixon Basis (UPB) of our 'Super-ME' method, the FPB basis is selected by employing fractal dimensional concepts to assess the inherent structure in the image. The Fractal Pixon Basis results in the best image reconstructions to date, superior to both UPB and the best ME reconstructions. In this paper, we review the theory of the UPB and FPB pixon and apply our methodology to the reconstruction of far-infrared imaging of the galaxy M51. The results of our reconstruction are compared to published reconstructions of the same data using the Lucy-Richardson algorithm, the Maximum Correlation Method developed at IPAC, and the MEMSYS ME algorithms. The results show that our reconstructed image has a spatial resolution a factor of two better than best previous methods (and a factor of 20 finer than the width of the point response function), and detects sources two orders of magnitude fainter than other methods
Deep 10 and 18 micron Imaging of the HR 4796A Circumstellar Disk: Transient Dust Particles & Tentative Evidence for a Brightness Asymmetry
We present new 10.8 and 18.2 micron images of HR 4796A, a young A0V star that
was recently discovered to have a spectacular, nearly edge-on, circumstellar
disk prominent at ~20 microns (Jayawardhana et al. 1998; Koerner et al. 1998).
These new images, obtained with OSCIR at Keck II, show that the disk's size at
10 microns is comparable to its size at 18 microns. Therefore, the 18
micron-emitting dust may also emit some, or all, of the 10 micron radiation.
Using these multi-wavelength images, we determine a "characteristic" diameter
of 2-3 microns for the mid-infrared-emitting dust particles if they are
spherical and composed of astronomical silicates. Particles this small are
expected to be blown out of the system by radiation pressure in a few hundred
years, and therefore these particles are unlikely to be primordial. Dynamical
modeling of the disk (Wyatt et al. 2000) indicates that the disk surface
density is relatively sharply peaked near 70 AU, which agrees with the mean
annular radius deduced by Schneider et al. (1999) from their NICMOS images. We
present evidence (~1.8 sigma significance) for a brightness asymmetry that may
result from the presence of the hole and the gravitational perturbation of the
disk particle orbits by the low-mass stellar companion or a planet. This
"pericenter glow," which must still be confirmed, results from a very small (a
few AU) shift of the disk's center of symmetry relative to the central star HR
4796A; one side of the inner boundary of the annulus is shifted towards HR
4796A, thereby becoming warmer and more infrared-emitting. The possible
detection of pericenter glow implies that the detection of even complex
dynamical effects of planets on disks is within reach.Comment: 18 pages. 9 GIF images. Total size ~800 kB. High resolution images
available upon request. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal
(scheduled for January 10, 2000
High-Resolution Mid-Infrared Morphology of Cygnus A
We present subarcsecond resolution mid-infrared images at 10.8 and 18.2
microns of Cygnus A. These images were obtained with the University of Florida
mid-IR camera/spectrometer OSCIR at the Keck II 10-m telescope. Our data show
extended mid-IR emission primarily to the east of the nucleus with a possible
western extension detected after image deconvolution. This extended emission is
closely aligned with the bi-conical structure observed at optical and near-IR
wavelengths by the HST. This emission is consistent with dust heated from the
central engine of Cygnus A. We also marginally detect large-scale low level
emission extending > 1.5 kpc from the nucleus which may be caused by in-situ
star formation, line emission, and/or PAH contamination within the bandpass of
our wide N-band filter.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Product assurance technology for procuring reliable, radiation-hard, custom LSI/VLSI electronics
Advanced measurement methods using microelectronic test chips are described. These chips are intended to be used in acquiring the data needed to qualify Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC's) for space use. Efforts were focused on developing the technology for obtaining custom IC's from CMOS/bulk silicon foundries. A series of test chips were developed: a parametric test strip, a fault chip, a set of reliability chips, and the CRRES (Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite) chip, a test circuit for monitoring space radiation effects. The technical accomplishments of the effort include: (1) development of a fault chip that contains a set of test structures used to evaluate the density of various process-induced defects; (2) development of new test structures and testing techniques for measuring gate-oxide capacitance, gate-overlap capacitance, and propagation delay; (3) development of a set of reliability chips that are used to evaluate failure mechanisms in CMOS/bulk: interconnect and contact electromigration and time-dependent dielectric breakdown; (4) development of MOSFET parameter extraction procedures for evaluating subthreshold characteristics; (5) evaluation of test chips and test strips on the second CRRES wafer run; (6) two dedicated fabrication runs for the CRRES chip flight parts; and (7) publication of two papers: one on the split-cross bridge resistor and another on asymmetrical SRAM (static random access memory) cells for single-event upset analysis
Mid-Infrared Imaging of NGC 6334 I
We present high-resolution (<0.5") mid-infrared Keck II images of individual
sources in the central region of NGC 6334 I. We compare these images to images
at a variety of other wavelengths from the near infrared to cm radio continuum
and speculate on the nature of the NGC 6334 I sources. We assert that the
cometary shape of the UCHII region here, NGC 6334 F, is due to a champagne-like
flow from a source on the edge of a molecular clump and not a due to a bow
shock caused by the supersonic motion of the UCHII region through the
interstellar medium. The mid-infrared emission in concentrated into an arc of
dust that define the boundary between the UCHII region and the molecular clump.
This dust arc contains a majority of the masers in the region. We discuss the
nature of the four near-infrared sources associated with IRS-I 1, and suggest
that one of the sources, IRS1E, is responsible for the heating and ionizing of
the UCHII region and the mid-infrared dust arc. Infrared source IRS-I 2, which
has been thought to be a circumstellar disk associated with a linear
distribution of methanol masers, is found not to be directly coincident with
the masers and elongated at a much different position angle. IRS-I 3 is found
to be a extended source of mid-infrared emission coming from a cluster of young
dusty sources seen in the near-infrared.Comment: Accepted for publication by the Astrophysical Journal, 27 pages, 9
figure
Ion-doped brushite cements for bone regeneration
Decades of research in orthopaedics has culminated in the quest for formidable yet resorbable biomaterials using bioactive materials. Brushite cements most salient features embrace high biocompatibility,
bioresorbability, osteoconductivity, self-setting characteristics, handling, and injectability properties. Such
type of materials is also effectively applied as drug delivery systems. However, brushite cements possess limited mechanical strength and fast setting times. By means of incorporating bioactive ions, which
are incredibly promising in directing cell fate when incorporated within biomaterials, it can yield biomaterials with superior mechanical properties. Therefore, it is a key to develop fine-tuned regenerative
medicine therapeutics. A comprehensive overview of the current accomplishments of ion-doped brushite
cements for bone tissue repair and regeneration is provided herein. The role of ionic substitution on
the cements physicochemical properties, such as structural, setting time, hydration products, injectability,
mechanical behaviour and ion release is discussed. Cell-material interactions, osteogenesis, angiogenesis,
and antibacterial activity of the ion-doped cements, as well as its potential use as drug delivery carriers
are also presented.This study was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the German Academic Exchange
Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD) for the
transnational cooperation FCT/DAAD 2018-2019. The authors also
thank the funds provided under the distinctions attributed to JMO
(IF/01285/2015) and SP (CEECIND/03673/2017). Furthermore, funding by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG), Grant Nr. HU 2498/1-1; GB 1/22-1, and the
Emerging Talents Initiative of the FAU is acknowledged
Unonopsis guatterioides: morphological and chemical characteristics of its fruits and seeds, and germination processes under experimental conditions
Abstract The Unonopsis guatterioides (Annonaceae) species provides wood which is used in rural construction projects, has leaves which are used in traditional medicine and its fruit is important in bird diets. This study aimed to evaluate the morphometry of seeds and fruits, their chemical composition, and the germination at different temperatures using seeds subjected to tegumentary dormancy break from fruits collected in a semi-deciduous seasonal forests in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The fruits under ripening showed a higher number of secondary metabolites and higher phenolic compounds. Morphometry results indicated that most seeds have length between 3.5 and 5.6 (81.3%), width between 8.1 and 9.0 mm (85.0%) and average weight of 0.28 g. The results indicate that there is a greater number of fruits with length ranging between 9.0 and 16.5 mm (74.8%), width between 9.0 and 12.0 mm (60.0%) and average weight of 1.33 g. Germination was strongly affected by temperature, reaching 58.0% and 62.0% of germinability at 30 °C and 25-35 °C, respectively, with seeds showing integumentary dormancy, requiring scarification
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