297 research outputs found
The risk linked to ionizing radiation: an alternative epidemiologic approach.
Radioprotection norms have been based on risk models that have evolved over time. These models show relationships between exposure and observed effects. There is a high level of uncertainty regarding lower doses. Recommendations have been based on the conservative hypothesis of a linear relationship without threshold value. This relationship is still debated, and the diverse observations do not allow any definitive conclusion. Available data are contradictory, and various interpretations can be made. Here we review an alternative approach for defining causation and reconciling apparently contradictory conclusions. This alternative epidemiologic approach is based on causal groups: Each component of a causal group is necessary but not sufficient for causality. Many groups may be involved in causality. Thus, ionizing radiation may be a component of one or several causal groups. This formalization reconciles heterogeneous observations but implies searching for the interactions between components, mostly between critical components of a causal profile, and, for instance, the reasons why specific human groups would not show any effect despite exposure, when an effect would be expected
The GJ1214 Super-Earth System: Stellar Variability, New Transits, and a Search for Additional Planets
The super-Earth GJ1214b transits a nearby M dwarf that exhibits 1% intrinsic
variability in the near-infrared. Here, we analyze new observations to refine
the physical properties of both the star and planet. We present three years of
out-of-transit photometric monitoring of the stellar host GJ1214 from the
MEarth Observatory and find the rotation period to be long, mostly likely an
integer multiple of 53 days, suggesting low levels of magnetic activity and an
old age for the system. We show such variability will not pose significant
problems to ongoing studies of the planet's atmosphere with transmission
spectroscopy. We analyze 2 high-precision transit light curves from ESO's Very
Large Telescope along with 7 others from the MEarth and FLWO 1.2 meter
telescopes, finding physical parameters for the planet that are consistent with
previous work. The VLT light curves show tentative evidence for spot
occultations during transit. Using two years of MEarth light curves, we place
limits on additional transiting planets around GJ1214 with periods out to the
habitable zone of the system. We also improve upon the previous photographic V
-band estimate for the star, finding V = 14.71 \pm 0.03.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables, in emulateapj format. Published in
ApJ. Replaced a missing reference in section 6.
COSMOGRAIL XVI: Time delays for the quadruply imaged quasar DES J0408-5354 with high-cadence photometric monitoring
We present time-delay measurements for the new quadruply imaged quasar DES
J0408-5354, the first quadruply imaged quasar found in the Dark Energy Survey
(DES). Our result is made possible by implementing a new observational strategy
using almost daily observations with the MPIA 2.2m telescope at La Silla
observatory and deep exposures reaching a signal-to-noise ratio of about 1000
per quasar image. This data quality allows us to catch small photometric
variations (a few mmag rms) of the quasar, acting on temporal scales much
shorter than microlensing, hence making the time delay measurement very robust
against microlensing. In only 7 months we measure very accurately one of the
time delays in DES J0408-5354: Dt(AB) = -112.1 +- 2.1 days (1.8%) using only
the MPIA 2.2m data. In combination with data taken with the 1.2m Euler Swiss
telescope, we also measure two delays involving the D component of the system
Dt(AD) = -155.5 +- 12.8 days (8.2%) and Dt(BD) = -42.4 +- 17.6 days (41%),
where all the error bars include systematics. Turning these time delays into
cosmological constraints will require deep HST imaging or ground-based Adaptive
Optics (AO), and information on the velocity field of the lensing galaxy.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Modeled microbial dynamics explain the apparent temperature sensitivity of wetland methane emissions
Multi-Messenger Astronomy with Extremely Large Telescopes
The field of time-domain astrophysics has entered the era of Multi-messenger
Astronomy (MMA). One key science goal for the next decade (and beyond) will be
to characterize gravitational wave (GW) and neutrino sources using the next
generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs). These studies will have a
broad impact across astrophysics, informing our knowledge of the production and
enrichment history of the heaviest chemical elements, constrain the dense
matter equation of state, provide independent constraints on cosmology,
increase our understanding of particle acceleration in shocks and jets, and
study the lives of black holes in the universe. Future GW detectors will
greatly improve their sensitivity during the coming decade, as will
near-infrared telescopes capable of independently finding kilonovae from
neutron star mergers. However, the electromagnetic counterparts to
high-frequency (LIGO/Virgo band) GW sources will be distant and faint and thus
demand ELT capabilities for characterization. ELTs will be important and
necessary contributors to an advanced and complete multi-messenger network.Comment: White paper submitted to the Astro2020 Decadal Surve
SN 2022joj: A Potential Double Detonation with a Thin Helium shell
We present photometric and spectroscopic data for SN 2022joj, a nearby
peculiar Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) with a fast decline rate ( mag). SN 2022joj shows exceedingly red colors, with a value of
approximately mag during its initial stages, beginning from
days before maximum brightness. As it evolves the flux shifts towards the
blue end of the spectrum, approaching mag around maximum
light. Furthermore, at maximum light and beyond, the photometry is consistent
with that of typical SNe Ia. This unusual behavior extends to its spectral
characteristics, which initially displayed a red spectrum and later evolved to
exhibit greater consistency with typical SNe Ia. We consider two potential
explanations for this behavior: double detonation from a helium shell on a
sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf and Chandrasekhar-mass models with a shallow
distribution of . The shallow nickel models could not reproduce
the red colors in the early light curves. Spectroscopically, we find strong
agreement between SN 2022joj and double-detonation models with white dwarf
masses around 1 and thin He-shell between 0.01 and 0.02
. Moreover, the early red colors are explained by
line-blanketing absorption from iron-peak elements created by the double
detonation scenario in similar mass ranges. However, the nebular spectra
composition in SN 2022joj deviates from expectations for double detonation, as
we observe strong [Fe III] emission instead of [Ca II] lines as anticipated
from double detonation models. More detailed modeling, e.g., including viewing
angle effects, is required to test if double detonation models can explain the
nebular spectra
Planet Populations as a Function of Stellar Properties
Exoplanets around different types of stars provide a window into the diverse
environments in which planets form. This chapter describes the observed
relations between exoplanet populations and stellar properties and how they
connect to planet formation in protoplanetary disks. Giant planets occur more
frequently around more metal-rich and more massive stars. These findings
support the core accretion theory of planet formation, in which the cores of
giant planets form more rapidly in more metal-rich and more massive
protoplanetary disks. Smaller planets, those with sizes roughly between Earth
and Neptune, exhibit different scaling relations with stellar properties. These
planets are found around stars with a wide range of metallicities and occur
more frequently around lower mass stars. This indicates that planet formation
takes place in a wide range of environments, yet it is not clear why planets
form more efficiently around low mass stars. Going forward, exoplanet surveys
targeting M dwarfs will characterize the exoplanet population around the lowest
mass stars. In combination with ongoing stellar characterization, this will
help us understand the formation of planets in a large range of environments.Comment: Accepted for Publication in the Handbook of Exoplanet
Cytoneme-Mediated Delivery of Hedgehog Regulates the Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins to Maintain Germline Stem Cells in Drosophila
Genetic manipulation of the germline stem cell niche in Drosophila ovaries reveals that support cells ensure the maintenance of stem cells by modulating the spread of Hedgehog within the niche
Direct measurement of astrophysically important resonances in ^(38)K(p,γ)^(39)Ca
Background: Classical novae are cataclysmic nuclear explosions occurring when a white dwarf in a binary system accretes hydrogen-rich material from its companion star. Novae are partially responsible for the galactic synthesis of a variety of nuclides up to the calcium (A∼40) region of the nuclear chart. Although the structure and dynamics of novae are thought to be relatively well understood, the predicted abundances of elements near the nucleosynthesis endpoint, in particular Ar and Ca, appear to sometimes be in disagreement with astronomical observations of the spectra of nova ejecta.
Purpose: One possible source of the discrepancies between model predictions and astronomical observations is nuclear reaction data. Most reaction rates near the nova endpoint are estimated only from statistical model calculations, which carry large uncertainties. For certain key reactions, these rate uncertainties translate into large uncertainties in nucleosynthesis predictions. In particular, the ^(38)K(p,γ)^(39)Ca reaction has been identified as having a significant influence on Ar, K, and Ca production. In order to constrain the rate of this reaction, we have performed a direct measurement of the strengths of three candidate ℓ=0 resonances within the Gamow window for nova burning, at 386±10 keV, 515±10 keV, and 689±10 keV.
Method: The experiment was performed in inverse kinematics using a beam of unstable ^(38)K impinged on a windowless hydrogen gas target. The ^(39)Ca recoils and prompt γ rays from ^(38)K(p,γ)^(39)Ca reactions were detected in coincidence using a recoil mass separator and a bismuth-germanate scintillator array, respectively.
Results: For the 689 keV resonance, we observed a clear recoil-γ coincidence signal and extracted resonance strength and energy values of 120^(+50)_(−30)(stat.)^(+20)_(−60)(sys.)meV and 679^(+2)_(−1)(stat.)±1(sys.)keV, respectively. We also performed a singles analysis of the recoil data alone, extracting a resonance strength of 120±20(stat.)±15(sys.) meV, consistent with the coincidence result. For the 386 keV and 515 keV resonances, we extract 90% confidence level upper limits of 2.54 meV and 18.4 meV, respectively.
Conclusions: We have established a new recommended ^(38)K(p,γ)^(39)Ca rate based on experimental information, which reduces overall uncertainties near the peak temperatures of nova burning by a factor of ∼250. Using the rate obtained in this work in model calculations of the hottest oxygen-neon novae reduces overall uncertainties on Ar, K, and Ca synthesis to factors of 15 or less in all cases
A long-period transiting substellar companion in the super-Jupiters to brown dwarfs mass regime and a prototypical warm-Jupiter detected by TESS
We report on the confirmation and follow-up characterization of two long-period transiting substellar companions on low-eccentricity orbits around TIC 4672985 and TOI-2529, whose transit events were detected by the TESS space mission. Ground-based photometric and spectroscopic follow up from different facilities, confirmed the substellar nature of TIC 4672985 b, a massive gas giant, in the transition between the super-Jupiters and brown-dwarfs mass regime. From the joint analysis we derived the following orbital parameters: P = 69.0480+0.0004−0.0005 d, Mp = 12.74+1.01−1.01 MJ, Rp =1.026+0.065−0.067 RJ and e = 0.018+0.004−0.004 . In addition, the RV time series revealed a significant trend at the ∼ 350 m s−1 yr−1level, which is indicative of the presence of a massive outer companion in the system. TIC 4672985 b is a unique example of a transiting substellar companion with a mass above the deuterium-burning limit, located beyond 0.1 AU and in a nearly circular orbit. These planetary properties are difficult to reproduce from canonical planet formation and evolution models. For TOI-2529 b, we obtained the following orbital parameters: P = 64.5949+0.0003−0.0003 d, Mp =2.340+0.197−0.195 MJ, Rp = 1.030+0.050−0.050 RJ and e = 0.021+0.024−0.015 , making this object a new example of a growing population of transiting warm giant planets
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