3,086 research outputs found
XMM-Newton First Observation in the Pleiades
We present the first results from a 40 ks Guaranteed Time XMM-Newton pointing
in the Pleiades. We detect almost all early-mid dM members in the field and
several very low mass (VLM) stars - including the brown dwarf (BD) candidate
Roque 9 - and investigate the variation of X-ray activity levels, hardness
ratios and flare frequency with spectral type down to the BD regime.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, to be published in proceedings of `Stellar
Coronae in the Chandra and XMM-Newton Era
A global perspective on aerosol from low-volatility organic compounds
Global production of organic aerosol from primary emissions of semivolatile (SVOCs) and intermediate (IVOCs) volatility organic compounds is estimated using the global chemical transport model, GEOS-Chem. SVOC oxidation is predicted to be a larger global source of net aerosol production than oxidation of traditional parent hydrocarbons (terpenes, isoprene, and aromatics). Using a prescribed rate constant and reduction in volatility for atmospheric oxidation, the yield of aerosol from SVOCs is predicted to be about 75% on a global, annually-averaged basis. For IVOCs, the use of a naphthalene-like surrogate with different high-NOx and low-NOx parameterizations produces a global aerosol yield of about 30%, or roughly 5 Tg/yr of aerosol. Estimates of the total global organic aerosol source presented here range between 60 and 100 Tg/yr. This range reflects uncertainty in the parameters for SVOC volatility, SVOC oxidation, SVOC emissions, and IVOC emissions, as well as wet deposition. The highest estimates result if SVOC emissions are significantly underestimated (by more than a factor of 2) or if wet deposition of the gas-phase semivolatile species is less effective than previous estimates. A significant increase in SVOC emissions, a reduction of the volatility of the SVOC emissions, or an increase in the enthalpy of vaporization of the organic aerosol all lead to an appreciable reduction of prediction/measurement discrepancy. In addition, if current primary organic aerosol (POA) inventories capture only about one-half of the SVOC emission and the Henrys Law coefficient for oxidized semivolatiles is on the order of 10^3 M/atm, a global estimate of OA production is not inconsistent with the top-down estimate of 140 Tg/yr by (Goldstein and Galbally, 2007). Additional information is needed to constrain the emissions and treatment of SVOCs and IVOCs, which have traditionally not been included in models
Cornish Place-Names in the Landscape
Please refer to the supplementary Excel file entitled "New_Names_test_medieval_settlements.xls" to access the Appendix data.This thesis aims to investigate a sample of the place-names of medieval Cornwall within their landscape contexts, and thereby gain a better understanding of the relationship of the Cornish landscape to how its places were designated during the medieval period. To explore this issue, I have identified six research questions which relate to aspects of the landscape and selected seventeen Cornish place-name elements to analyse in depth. These include eleven lower and higher status commonly used habitative elements, as well as six widespread topographical elements denoting high points, waterways and woodland features throughout Cornwall. Selection criteria brought together categories used in time-depth landscape classification of landscape with types of place-name element considered important by scholars. A case study for each element has been developed to give further detail of typical landscape contexts. The analysis of place-name elements has looked at their respective landscape positions, relative elevation, proximity to watercourses, distribution and intensity, Historic Landscape Characterisation types, dates of first recording, and usual combinations with other types of place-name elements. These aspects of landscape have been drawn together through the medium of layers of a Geographic Information System (GIS) reflecting the interdisciplinary research of landscape archaeologists, place-name experts, historians, geographers, and local studies experts. The GIS is based on an extract from the Cornwall Historic Environment Record dataset covering early medieval and medieval settlements, enhanced with additional fields covering details of placenames, and has been used as an illustrative tool for the analysis. This study demonstrates how place-names reflected the medieval landscape in Cornwall and its dynamic settlement patterns. The distribution of Cornish placenames gives insights into the naming practices used during the medieval period in Brittonic-speaking regions in relation to their landscape contexts
Constraints on Off-Axis X-Ray Emission from Beamed GRBs
We calculate the prompt x-ray emission as a function of viewing angle for
beamed Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) sources. Prompt x-rays are inevitable due to the
less highly blueshifted photons emitted at angles greater than 1/gamma relative
to the beam symmetry axis, where gamma is the expansion Lorentz factor. The
observed flux depends on the combinations (gamma Delta theta) and (gamma
theta_v), where (Delta theta) is the beaming angle and theta_v is the viewing
angle. We use the observed source counts of gamma-ray-selected GRBs to predict
the minimum detection rate of prompt x-ray bursts as a function of limiting
sensitivity. We compare our predictions with the results from the Ariel V
catalog of fast x-ray transients, and find that Ariel's sensitivity is not
great enough to place significant constraints on gamma and (Delta theta). We
estimate that a detector with fluence limit ~10^{-7} erg/cm^2 in the 2-10 keV
channel will be necessary to distinguish between geometries. Because the x-ray
emission is simultaneous with the GRB emission, our predicted constraints do
not involve any model assumptions about the emission physics but simply follow
from special-relativistic considerations.Comment: Submitted to Ap
A survey of stellar X-ray flares from the XMM-Newton serendipitous source catalogue: Hipparcos-Tycho cool stars
The X-ray emission from flares on cool (i.e. spectral-type F-M) stars is
indicative of very energetic, transient phenomena, associated with energy
release via magnetic reconnection. We present a uniform, large-scale survey of
X-ray flare emission. The XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue and its
associated data products provide an excellent basis for a comprehensive and
sensitive survey of stellar flares - both from targeted active stars and from
those observed serendipitously in the half-degree diameter field-of-view of
each observation. The 2XMM Catalogue and the associated time-series
(`light-curve') data products have been used as the basis for a survey of X-ray
flares from cool stars in the Hipparcos Tycho-2 catalogue. In addition, we have
generated and analysed spectrally-resolved (i.e. hardness-ratio), X-ray
light-curves. Where available, we have compared XMM OM UV/optical data with the
X-ray light-curves. Our sample contains ~130 flares with well-observed
profiles; they originate from ~70 stars. The flares range in duration from ~1e3
to ~1e4 s, have peak X-ray fluxes from ~1e-13 to ~1e-11 erg/cm2/s, peak X-ray
luminosities from ~1e29 to ~1e32 erg/s, and X-ray energy output from ~1e32 to
~1e35 erg. Most of the ~30 serendipitously-observed stars have little
previously reported information. The hardness-ratio plots clearly illustrate
the spectral (and hence inferred temperature) variations characteristic of many
flares, and provide an easily accessible overview of the data. We present flare
frequency distributions from both target and serendipitous observations. The
latter provide an unbiased (with respect to stellar activity) study of flare
energetics; in addition, they allow us to predict numbers of stellar flares
that may be detected in future X-ray wide-field surveys. The serendipitous
sample demonstrates the need for care when calculating flaring rates.Comment: 26 pages, 24 figures. Additional tables and figures available as 4
ancillary files. To be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Long ischaemic stricture of the interposed colon
A case is reported of a long segment stricture in a colonic oesophageal replacement with radiographic evidence to support the diagnosis of ischaemia. Ischaemia of the substitute organ following oesophageal resection is a well recognised, serious complication that usually results in anastomotic leakage. If the anastomosis heals primarily, late manifestations of ischaemia are rare.published_or_final_versio
A Survey of Health and Safety Practice in the Agricultural Sector of New Zealand
Available OA via ResearchGate and Academi
An XMM-Newton observation of the young open cluster NGC 2547: coronal activity at 30 Myr
We report XMM-Newton observations of the young open cluster NGC 2547 which
allow us to characterise coronal activity in solar-type stars at an age of 30
Myr. X-ray emission peaks among G-stars at luminosities (0.3-3keV) of
Lx~10^{30.5} erg/s and declines to Lx<=10^{29.0} erg/s among M-stars. Coronal
spectra show evidence for multi-temperature differential emission measures and
low coronal metal abundances (Z~0.3). The G- and K-type stars follow the same
relationship between X-ray activity and Rossby number established in older
clusters and field stars, although most solar-type stars in NGC 2547 exhibit
saturated/super-saturated X-ray activity levels. Median levels of Lx and
Lx/Lbol in the solar-type stars of NGC 2547 are similar to T-Tauri stars of the
Orion Nebula cluster (ONC), but an order of magnitude higher than in the older
Pleiades. The spread in X-ray activity levels among solar-type stars in NGC
2547 is much smaller than in older or younger clusters. Coronal temperatures
increase with Lx, Lx/Lbol and surface X-ray flux. Active solar-type stars in
NGC 2547 have coronal temperatures between those in the ONC and the most active
older ZAMS stars. A flaring rate (for total flare energies [0.3-3keV] >10^{34}
erg) of 1 every 350^{+350}_{-120} ks was found for solar-type stars, similar to
rates found in the ONC and Pleiades. Comparison with ROSAT HRI data taken 7
years previously reveals that only 10-15 percent of solar-type stars or stars
with Lx>3x10^{29} erg/s exhibit X-ray variability by more than a factor of two.
The similar levels of X-ray activity and rate of occurrence for large flares in
NGC 2547 and the ONC demonstrate that the X-ray radiation environment around
young solar-type stars remains relatively constant over their first 30 Myr
(abridged).Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Electronic tables available from
the autho
The Ultramassive White Dwarf EUVE J1746-706
We have obtained new optical and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscopy of
the ultramassive white dwarf EUVE J1746-706. We revise Vennes et al.'s (1996a,
ApJ, 467, 784) original estimates of the atmospheric parameters and we measure
an effective temperature of 46,500 +/- 700 K and a surface gravity log g = 9.05
+/- 0.15 (~1.2 M_o), in agreement with Balmer line profiles and the EUV
continuum. We derive an upper limit on the atmospheric abundance of helium of
He/H = 1.3 x 10^{-4} and a neutral hydrogen column density in the local
interstellar medium N_HI = 1.8 +/- 0.4 x 10^{19} cm^{-2} from the EUV spectrum.
Our upper limit corresponds to half the helium abundance observed in the
atmosphere of the ultramassive white dwarf GD 50. We discuss the possibility
that EUVE J1746-706 represents an earlier phase of evolution relative to GD 50
and may, therefore, help us understand the origin and evolution of massive
white dwarfs.Comment: 6 pages, 4 postscript figures, uses aastex, to be published in ApJ
Letter
XMM-Newton and the Pleiades - I. Bright coronal sources and the X-ray emission from intermediate-type stars
We present results of X-ray spectral and timing analyses of solar-like (spectral types F5-K8) and intermediate-type (B4-F4) Pleiads observed in a 40-ks XMM-Newton EPIC exposure, probing X-ray luminosities (LX) up to a factor 10 fainter than previous studies using the ROSAT PSPC. All eight solar-like members have ‘quasi-steady'LX≳ 1029erg s−1, consistent with the known rotation-activity relation and four exhibit flares. Using a hydrodynamic modelling technique, we derive loop half-lengths for the two strongest flares, on H ii 1032 and H ii 1100. Near the beginning of its flare, the light curve of H ii 1100 shows a feature with a profile suggestive of a total occultation of the flaring loop. Eclipse by a substellar companion in a close orbit is possible but would seem an extraordinarily fortuitous event; absorption by a fast-moving cloud of cool material requires NH at least two orders of magnitude greater than any solar or stellar prominence. An occultation may have been mimicked by the coincidence of two flares, though the first, with its decay time being shorter than its rise time and suggestive of , would be unusual. Spectral modelling of the quasi-steady emission shows a rising trend in coronal temperature from F and slowly rotating G stars to K stars to fast-rotating G stars, and a preference for low coronal metallicity. These features are consistent with those of nearby solar-like stars, although none of the three stars showing ‘saturated' emission bears the significant component at 2 keV seen in the saturated coronae of AB Dor and 47 Cas. Of five intermediate-type stars, two are undetected (LX < 4 × 1027erg s−1) and three show X-ray emission with a spectrum and LX consistent with origin from an active solar-like companio
- …