Emil Staiger und Thomas Mann

Im Folgenden geht es um Emil Staigers Sicht auf Thomas Mann, um die oft fehl eingeschätzte, zutiefst ambivalente Haltung, die der berühmte Germanist gegenüber dem noch berühmteren Schriftsteller zeitlebens einnahm. Anregende Anmerkungen finden sich bereits in Thomas Sprechers Buch „Thomas Mann und Zürich“ von 1992. Diese sind aber ganz der Sicht Thomas Manns verpflichtet. Dagegen gibt es bislang keine Darstellung der Staiger’schen Beurteilung Thomas Manns. Nachfolgend werden vier Staiger-Texte aus unterschiedlichen Lebensphasen heraus gegriffen. Neben dem umstrittenen Jugendaufsatz „Dichtung und Nation“ von 1933 und der „Doktor Faustus“-Rezension von 1947 handelt es sich um zwei wenig bekannte Manuskripte aus dem Staiger-Nachlass in der Zentralbibliothek Zürich: einen Text, der vermutlich 1935 im Umkreis von Manns sechzigstem Geburtstag entstanden ist sowie die Vorlesung „Erzähler des 20. Jahrhunderts“, die Staiger im Sommersemester 1965 an der Universität Zürich gehalten hat

Gerhart Hauptmann und Thomas Mann gehen sich aus dem Weg : (Vortrag bei einer Veranstaltung zum 150. Geburtstag von Gerhart Hauptmann im November 2012 an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

Zürich, 22. März 1937 - im ersten Stock des renommierten Herrenausstatters "London House" probiert Thomas Mann gerade einen neuen Anzug an, als ihn ein Verkäufer informiert, dass im Erdgeschoss Gerhart Hauptmann eingetroffen sei. "Möchten Sie ihn sehen?" Nach kurzem Zögern lehnt Thomas Mann ab - mit den Worten: "Ach, da wollen wir vielleicht doch andere Zeiten abwarten." Replik des Verkäufers: "Genau das hat Herr Hauptmann auch gesagt." Die Zürcher Nicht-Begegnung der beiden Nobelpreisträger ist in verschiedener Hinsicht bemerkenswert. Schließlich handelte es sich nicht nur um die international bekanntesten deutschen Schriftsteller, sondern auch um alte Bekannte. Und jeder von beiden hatte dem anderen manches zu verdanken. Warum also wollten die beiden einander nicht begegnen? Um die literaturgeschichtliche Bedeutung der Situation im Zürcher Herrengeschäft einschätzen zu können, muss man die gesamte Beziehung zwischen beiden in den Blick fassen. Sie könnte wechselvoller kaum sein. Nach dreißig Jahren kollegialer, phasenweise nahezu freundschaftlicher Verbundenheit brach der Kontakt abrupt ab und wurde bis zu Hauptmanns Tod 1946 nicht mehr aufgenommen. Nach dem Ableben des älteren Kollegen ändert sich Thomas Manns Sicht auf Gerhart Hauptmann jedoch wieder. Und – soviel vorweg – dabei spielten Jubiläumsgeburtstage stets eine wichtige Rolle. Ich gehe zunächst auf die Phase der engen Bekanntschaft ein; im zweiten Teil dann auf die Umstände des Abbruchs der Beziehungen. Dabei soll vor allem der letzte Kontaktversuch genauer analysiert werden. Ein resümierender Blick auf die dritte Phase steht am Ende dieser Überlegungen. ..

Stellar population analysis of two ellipticals

The spatial distributions of the mean luminosity-weighted stellar age, metallicity, and alpha/Fe ratio along both photometric axes of two nearby elliptical galaxies have been obtained using Lick index measurements on long slit spectra in order to reconstruct the star formation history in their kinematically distinct subsystems. Lick indexes were compared with those of single-aged stellar population (SSP) models. A population synthesis method was also applied in order to help disentangling the age-metallicity degeneracy. The stars characteristics are associated with their kinematics: they are older and alpha-enhanced in the not rotating bulge of NGC 1052 and counter rotating core of NGC 7796, while they show a strong spread of alpha/Fe and age along the rotating disk of NGC 1052 and an outwards radial decreasing of them outside the core of NGC 7796.Comment: 2 pages, to appear in the Proceedings of IAU Symposium 241 "Stellar populations as building blocks of galaxies", A. Vazdekis & R. Peletier, ed

The lenticular galaxy NGC3607: stellar population, metallicity and ionised gas

In this work we derive clues to the formation scenario and ionisation source of the lenticular galaxy NGC 3607 by means of metallicity gradients, stellar population and emission lines properties. We work with long-slit spectroscopy from which we (i) study the radial distribution of the equivalent widths of conspicuous metallic absorption features, (ii) infer on the star-formation history (with a stellar population synthesis algorithm), and (iii) investigate the ionisation source responsible for a few strong emission lines. Negative radial gradients are observed for most of the absorption features of NGC 3607. Compared to the external parts, the central region has a deficiency of alpha elements and higher metallicity, which implies different star-formation histories in both regions. At least three star formation episodes are detected, with ages within 1-13 Gyr. The dynamical mass and the $Mg_2$ gradient slope are consistent with mergers being important contributors to the formation mechanism of NGC 3607. Emission-line ratios indicate the presence of a LINER at the centre of NGC 3607. Contribution of hot, old stars to the gas ionisation outside the central region is detected. Evidence drawn from this work suggest small mergers as important contributors to the formation of NGC 3607, a scenario consistent with the star-formation episodes.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figs; accepted for publication in A&

The South American fruit fly : an important pest insect with RNAi-sensitive larval stages

RNA interference (RNAi) technology has been used in the development of approaches for pest control. The presence of some essential genes, the so-called "core genes," in the RNAi machinery is crucial for its efficiency and robust response in gene silencing. Thus, our study was designed to examine whether the RNAi machinery is functional in the South American (SA) fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) and whether the sensitivity to the uptake of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) could generate an RNAi response in this fruit fly species. To prepare a transcriptome database of the SA fruit fly, total RNA was extracted from all the life stages for later cDNA synthesis and Illumine sequencing. After the de novo transcriptome assembly and gene annotation, the transcriptome was screened for RNAi pathway genes, as well as the duplication or loss of genes and novel target genes to dsRNA delivery bioassays. The dsRNA delivery assay by soaking was performed in larvae to evaluate the gene-silencing of V-ATPase, and the upregulation of Dicer-2 and Argonaute-2 after dsRNA delivery was analyzed to verify the activation of siRNAi machinery. We tested the stability of dsRNA using dsGFP with an in vitro incubation of larvae body fluid (hemolymph). We identified 55 genes related to the RNAi machinery with duplication and loss for some genes and selected 143 different target genes related to biological processes involved in postembryonic growth/development and reproduction of A. fraterculus. Larvae soaked in dsRNA (dsV-ATPase) solution showed a strong knockdown of V-ATPase after 48 h, and the expression of Dicer-2 and Argonaute-2 responded with an increase upon the exposure to dsRNA. Our data demonstrated the existence of a functional RNAi machinery in the SA fruit fly, and we present an easy and robust physiological bioassay with the larval stages that can further be used for screening of target genes at in vivo organisms' level for RNAi-based control of fruit fly pests. This is the first study that provides evidence of a functional siRNA machinery in the SA fruit fly

Panchromatic Averaged Stellar Populations: PaasP

We study how the spectral fitting of galaxies, in terms of light fractions derived in one spectral region translates into another region, by using results from evolutionary synthesis models. In particular, we examine propagation dependencies on Evolutionary Population Synthesis (EPS, {\sc grasil}, {\sc galev}, Maraston and {\sc galaxev}) models, age, metallicity, and stellar evolution tracks over the near-UV---near infrared (NUV---NIR, 3500\AA\ to 2.5\mc) spectral region. Our main results are: as expected, young ($t \lesssim$ 400 Myr) stellar population fractions derived in the optical cannot be directly compared to those derived in the NIR, and vice versa. In contrast, intermediate to old age ($t \gtrsim$ 500 Myr) fractions are similar over the whole spectral region studied. The metallicity has a negligible effect on the propagation of the stellar population fractions derived from NUV --- NIR. The same applies to the different EPS models, but restricted to the range between 3800 \AA\ and 9000 \AA. However, a discrepancy between {\sc galev}/Maraston and {\sc grasil}/{\sc galaxev} models occurs in the NIR. Also, the initial mass function (IMF) is not important for the synthesis propagation. Compared to {\sc starlight} synthesis results, our propagation predictions agree at $\sim$95% confidence level in the optical, and $\sim$85% in the NIR. {\bf In summary, spectral fitting} performed in a restricted spectral range should not be directly propagated from the NIR to the UV/Optical, or vice versa. We provide equations and an on-line form ({\bf Pa}nchromatic {\bf A}veraged {\bf S}tellar {\bf P}opulation - \paasp) to be used for this purpose.Comment: 13 pages and 10 figures. Accepted by MNRA

Adiabatic creation of entangled states by a bichromatic field designed from the topology of the dressed eigenenergies

Preparation of entangled pairs of coupled two-state systems driven by a bichromatic external field is studied. We use a system of two coupled spin-1/2 that can be translated into a three-state ladder model whose intermediate state represents the entangled state. We show that this entangled state can be prepared in a robust way with appropriate fields. Their frequencies and envelopes are derived from the topological properties of the model.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure

On the topology of adiabatic passage

We examine the topology of eigenenergy surfaces characterizing the population transfer processes based on adiabatic passage. We show that this topology is the essential feature for the analysis of the population transfers and the prediction of its final result. We reinterpret diverse known processes, such as stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP), frequency-chirped adiabatic passage and Stark-chirped rapid adiabatic passage (SCRAP). Moreover, using this picture, we display new related possibilities of transfer. In particular, we show that we can selectively control the level which will be populated in STIRAP process in Lambda or V systems by the choice of the peak amplitudes or the pulse sequence

PACCE: Perl Algorithm to Compute Continuum and Equivalent Widths

We present Perl Algorithm to Compute continuum and Equivalent Widths (pacce). We describe the methods used in the computations and the requirements for its usage. We compare the measurements made with pacce and "manual" ones made using iraf splot task. These tests show that for SSP models the equivalent widths strengths are very similar (differences <0.2A) for both measurements. In real stellar spectra, the correlation between both values is still very good, but with differences of up to 0.5A. pacce is also able to determine mean continuum and continuum at line center values, which are helpful in stellar population studies. In addition, it is also able to compute the uncertainties in the equivalent widths using photon statistics. The code is made available for the community through the web at http://www.if.ufrgs.br/~riffel/software.html.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted by Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Counterintuitive transitions between crossing energy levels

We calculate analytically the probabilities for intuitive and counterintuitive transitions in a three-state system, in which two parallel energies are crossed by a third, tilted energy. The state with the tilted energy is coupled to the other two states in a chainwise linkage pattern with constant couplings of finite duration. The probability for a counterintuitive transition is found to increase with the square of the coupling and decrease with the squares of the interaction duration, the energy splitting between the parallel energies, and the tilt (chirp) rate. Physical examples of this model can be found in coherent atomic excitation and optical shielding in cold atomic collisions