961 research outputs found
Ionized gas at the edge of the Central Molecular Zone
To determine the properties of the ionized gas at the edge of the CMZ near
Sgr E we observed a small portion of the edge of the CMZ near Sgr E with
spectrally resolved [C II] 158 micron and [N II] 205 micron fine structure
lines at six positions with the GREAT instrument on SOFIA and in [C II] using
Herschel HIFI on-the-fly strip maps. We use the [N II] spectra along with a
radiative transfer model to calculate the electron density of the gas and the
[C II] maps to illuminate the morphology of the ionized gas and model the
column density of CO-dark H2. We detect two [C II] and [N II] velocity
components, one along the line of sight to a CO molecular cloud at -207 km/s
associated with Sgr E and the other at -174 km/s outside the edge of another CO
cloud. From the [N II] emission we find that the average electron density is in
the range of about 5 to 25 cm{-3} for these features. This electron density is
much higher than that of the warm ionized medium in the disk. The column
density of the CO-dark H layer in the -207 km/s cloud is about 1-2X10{21}
cm{-2} in agreement with theoretical models. The CMZ extends further out in
Galactic radius by 7 to 14 pc in ionized gas than it does in molecular gas
traced by CO. The edge of the CMZ likely contains dense hot ionized gas
surrounding the neutral molecular material. The high fractional abundance of N+
and high electron density require an intense EUV field with a photon flux of
order 1e6 to 1e7 photons cm{-2} s{-1}, and/or efficient proton charge exchange
with nitrogen, at temperatures of order 1e4 K, and/or a large flux of X-rays.
Sgr E is a region of massive star formation which are a potential sources of
the EUV radiation that can ionize the gas. In addition X-ray sources and the
diffuse X-ray emission in the CMZ are candidates for ionizing nitrogen.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure
The thermal state of molecular clouds in the Galactic Center: evidence for non-photon-driven heating
We used the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m telescope to observe
the J_KaKc=3_03-2_02, 3_22-2_21, and 3_21-2_20 transitions of para-H_2CO at 218
GHz simultaneously to determine kinetic temperatures of the dense gas in the
central molecular zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy. The map extends over approximately
40 arcmin x 8 arcmin (~100x20 pc^2) along the Galactic plane with a linear
resolution of 1.2 pc. The strongest of the three lines, the H_2CO (3_03-2_02)
transition, is found to be widespread, and its emission shows a spatial
distribution similar to ammonia. The relative abundance of para-H_2CO is
0.5-1.2 10^{-9}, which is consistent with results from lower frequency H_2CO
absorption lines. Derived gas kinetic temperatures for individual molecular
clouds range from 50 K to values in excess of 100 K. While a systematic trend
toward (decreasing) kinetic temperature versus (increasing) angular distance
from the Galactic center (GC) is not found, the clouds with highest temperature
(T_kin > 100 K) are all located near the nucleus. For the molecular gas outside
the dense clouds, the average kinetic temperature is 65+/-10 K. The high
temperatures of molecular clouds on large scales in the GC region may be driven
by turbulent energy dissipation and/or cosmic-rays instead of photons. Such a
non-photon-driven thermal state of the molecular gas provides an excellent
template for the more distant vigorous starbursts found in ultraluminous
infrared galaxies (ULIRGs).Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures, A&A in pres
Comparing Dynamic Hand Rehabilitation Gestures in Leap Motion Using Multi dimensional Dynamic Time Warping
We propose and evaluate the use of Multi-dimensional Dynamic Time Warping (MDTW) for comparing dynamic hand rehabilitation gestures that would be performed by a patient (query) relative to hand gestures prepared by a physiotherapist (reference). MDTW enables us to determine how similar or different a query dynamic hand gesture is to a reference one whilst filtering out unwanted sources of error resulting from positional, rotational or speed differences between the query and the reference actions. It produces a minimum-distance value of a warp path after aligning a query dynamic hand gesture with a reference one. A low minimum-distance value implies the two gestures being compared are similar and high minimum-distance value implies the two gestures vary to a greater extent. When we deliberately compare a specific hand gesture with itself, we obtain a minimum-distance value of 0° indicating the similarity is 100%. Furthermore, when we compare two closely similar hand gestures i.e. gesture 1 and gesture 4, a minimum-distance value of 35.9° is obtained. However, when we compare two quite different gestures i.e. gesture 2 and gesture 3, a minimum-distance value of 248.5° is obtained. Therefore, a physiotherapist can establish whether a patient performs hand rehabilitation gestures satisfactorily or an adjustment is required based on the minimum-distance values of the warp paths
A Drosophila model for Meniere’s Disease: Dystrobrevin is required for support cell function in hearing and proprioception
Meniere’s disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder characterised by recurrent vertigo attacks associated with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus. Evidence from epidemiology and Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) suggests a genetic susceptibility involving multiple genes, including α-Dystrobrevin (DTNA). Here we investigate a Drosophila model. We show that mutation, or knockdown, of the DTNA orthologue in Drosophila, Dystrobrevin (Dyb), results in defective proprioception and impaired function of Johnston’s Organ (JO), the fly’s equivalent of the inner ear. Dyb and another component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC), Dystrophin (Dys), are expressed in support cells within JO. Their specific locations suggest that they form part of support cell contacts, thereby helping to maintain the integrity of the hemolymph-neuron diffusion barrier, which is equivalent to a blood-brain barrier. These results have important implications for the human condition, and notably, we note that DTNA is expressed in equivalent cells of the mammalian inner ear
Comparing [CII], HI, and CO dynamics of nearby galaxies
The HI and CO components of the interstellar medium (ISM) are usually used to
derive the dynamical mass M_dyn of nearby galaxies. Both components become too
faint to be used as a tracer in observations of high-redshift galaxies. In
those cases, the 158 m line of atomic carbon [CII] may be the only way to
derive M_dyn. As the distribution and kinematics of the ISM tracer affects the
determination of M_dyn, it is important to quantify the relative distributions
of HI, CO and [CII]. HI and CO are well-characterised observationally, however,
for [CII] only very few measurements exist. Here we compare observations of CO,
HI, and [CII] emission of a sample of nearby galaxies, drawn from the HERACLES,
THINGS and KINGFISH surveys. We find that within R_25, the average [CII]
exponential radial profile is slightly shallower than that of the CO, but much
steeper than the HI distribution. This is also reflected in the integrated
spectrum ("global profile"), where the [CII] spectrum looks more like that of
the CO than that of the HI. For one galaxy, a spectrally resolved comparison of
integrated spectra was possible; other comparisons were limited by the
intrinsic line-widths of the galaxies and the coarse velocity resolution of the
[CII] data. Using high-spectral-resolution SOFIA [CII] data of a number of star
forming regions in two nearby galaxies, we find that their [CII] linewidths
agree better with those of the CO than the HI. As the radial extent of a given
ISM tracer is a key input in deriving M_dyn from spatially unresolved data, we
conclude that the relevant length-scale to use in determining M_dyn based on
[CII] data, is that of the well-characterised CO distribution. This length
scale is similar to that of the optical disk.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journa
Tracing shocks and photodissociation in the Galactic center region
We present a systematic study of the HNCO, C18O, 13CS, and C34S emission
towards 13 selected molecular clouds in the Galactic center region. The
molecular emission in these positions are used as templates of the different
physical and chemical processes claimed to be dominant in the circumnuclear
molecular gas of galaxies. The relative abundance of HNCO shows a variation of
more than a factor of 20 amo ng the observed sources. The HNCO/13CS abundance
ratio is highly contrasted (up to a factor of 30) between the shielded
molecular clouds mostly affected by shocks, where HNCO is released to gas-phase
from grain mantles, and those pervaded by an intense UV radiation field, where
HNCO is photo-dissociated and CS production favored via ion reactions. We
propose the relative HNCO to CS abundance ratio as a highly contrasted
diagnostic tool to distinguish between the influence of shocks and/or the
radiation field in the nuclear regions of galaxies and their relation to the
evolutionary state of their nuclear star formation bursts.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap
Parametrization of C-shocks. Evolution of the Sputtering of Grains
Context: The detection of narrow SiO lines toward the young shocks of the
L1448-mm outflow has been interpreted as a signature of the magnetic precursor
of C-shocks. In contrast with the low SiO abundances (<10E-12) in the ambient
gas, the narrow SiO emission at almost ambient velocities reveals enhanced SiO
abundances of 10E-11. This enhancement has been proposed to be produced by the
sputtering of the grain mantles at the first stages of C-shocks. However,
modelling of the sputtering of grains has usually averaged the SiO abundances
over the dissipation region of C-shocks, which cannot explain the recent
observations. Aims: To model the evolution of the gas phase abundances of SiO,
CH3OH and H2O, produced by the sputtering of grains as the shock propagates
through the ambient gas. Methods: We propose a parametric model to describe the
physical structure of C-shocks as a function of time. Using the known
sputtering yields for water mantles (with minor constituents like silicon and
CH3OH) and olivine cores by collisions with H2, He, C, O, Si, Fe and CO, we
follow the evolution of the abundances of silicon, CH3OH and H2O ejected from
grains. Results: The evolution of these abundances shows that CO seems to be
the most efficient sputtering agent in low velocity shocks. The velocity
threshold for the sputtering of silicon from the grain mantles is reduced by
5-10 km s-1 by CO compared to other models. The sputtering by CO can generate
SiO abundances of 10E-11 at the early stages of low velocity shocks, consistent
with those observed in the magnetic precursor of L1448-mm. Our model also
satisfactorily reproduce the progressive enhancement of SiO, CH3OH and H2O
observed in this outflow by the coexistence of two shocks with vs=30 and
60kms-1 within the same region.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&
A complex storm system in Saturn’s north polar atmosphere in 2018
Producción CientíficaSaturn’s convective storms usually fall in two categories. One consists of mid-sized storms ∼2,000 km wide, appearing as irregular bright cloud systems that evolve rapidly, on scales of a few days. The other includes the Great White Spots, planetary-scale giant storms ten times larger than the mid-sized ones, which disturb a full latitude band, enduring several months, and have been observed only seven times since 1876. Here we report a new intermediate type, observed in 2018 in the north polar region. Four large storms with east–west lengths ∼4,000–8,000 km (the first one lasting longer than 200 days) formed sequentially in close latitudes, experiencing mutual encounters and leading to zonal disturbances affecting a full latitude band ∼8,000 km wide, during at least eight months. Dynamical simulations indicate that each storm required energies around ten times larger than mid-sized storms but ∼100 times smaller than those necessary for a Great White Spot. This event occurred at about the same latitude and season as the Great White Spot in 1960, in close correspondence with the cycle of approximately 60 years hypothesized for equatorial Great White Spots.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AYA2015-65041-P)Gobierno Vasco (project IT-366-19
SOFIA observations of far-infrared hydroxyl emission toward classical ultracompact HII/OH maser regions
The hydroxyl radical (OH) is found in various environments within the
interstellar medium (ISM) of the Milky Way and external galaxies, mostly either
in diffuse interstellar clouds or in the warm, dense environments of newly
formed low-mass and high-mass stars, i.e, in the dense shells of compact and
ultracompact HII regions (UCHIIRs). Until today, most studies of interstellar
OH involved the molecule's radio wavelength hyperfine structure (hfs)
transitions. These lines are generally not in LTE and either masing or
over-cooling complicates their interpretation. In the past, observations of
transitions between different rotational levels of OH, which are at
far-infrared wavelengths, have suffered from limited spectral and angular
resolution. Since these lines have critical densities many orders of magnitude
higher than the radio wavelength ground state hfs lines and are emitted from
levels with more than 100 K above the ground state, when observed in emission,
they probe very dense and warm material. We probe the warm and dense molecular
material surrounding the UCHIIR/OH maser sources W3(OH), G10.62-0.39 and NGC
7538 IRS1 by studying the rotational
transition of OH in emission and, toward the last source also the molecule's
ground-state transition in absorption. We used the
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) to observe these OH
lines, which are near 1.84 THz (m) and 2.51 THz (m). We
clearly detect the OH lines, some of which are blended with each other.
Employing non-LTE radiative transfer calculations we predict line intensities
using models of a low OH abundance envelope versus a compact, high-abundance
source corresponding to the origin of the radio OH lines.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A (SOFIA/GREAT special issue
Globules and pillars seen in the [CII] 158 micron line with SOFIA
Molecular globules and pillars are spectacular features, found only in the
interface region between a molecular cloud and an HII-region. Impacting
Far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation creates photon dominated regions (PDRs) on
their surfaces that can be traced by typical cooling lines. With the GREAT
receiver onboard SOFIA we mapped and spectrally resolved the [CII] 158 micron
atomic fine-structure line and the highly excited 12CO J=11-10 molecular line
from three objects in Cygnus X (a pillar, a globule, and a strong IRAS source).
We focus here on the globule and compare our data with existing Spitzer data
and recent Herschel Open-Time PACS data. Extended [CII] emission and more
compact CO-emission was found in the globule. We ascribe this emission mainly
to an internal PDR, created by a possibly embedded star-cluster with at least
one early B-star. However, external PDR emission caused by the excitation by
the Cyg OB2 association cannot be fully excluded. The velocity-resolved [CII]
emission traces the emission of PDR surfaces, possible rotation of the globule,
and high-velocity outflowing gas. The globule shows a velocity shift of ~2 km/s
with respect to the expanding HII-region, which can be understood as the
residual turbulence of the molecular cloud from which the globule arose. This
scenario is compatible with recent numerical simulations that emphazise the
effect of turbulence. It is remarkable that an isolated globule shows these
strong dynamical features traced by the [CII]-line, but it demands more
observational studies to verify if there is indeed an embedded cluster of
B-stars.Comment: Letter accepted by A&A (SOFIA special issue
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