2,507 research outputs found
Binarity in Cool Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars: A Galex Search for Ultraviolet Excesse
The search for binarity in AGB stars is of critical importance for our
understanding of how planetary nebulae acquire the dazzling variety of
aspherical shapes which characterises this class. However, detecting binary
companions in such stars has been severely hampered due to their extreme
luminosities and pulsations. We have carried out a small imaging survey of AGB
stars in ultraviolet light (using GALEX) where these cool objects are very
faint, in order to search for hotter companions. We report the discovery of
significant far-ultraviolet excesses towards nine of these stars. The
far-ultraviolet excess most likely results either directly from the presence of
a hot binary companion, or indirectly from a hot accretion disk around the
companion.Comment: revised for Astrophysical Journa
THROES: a caTalogue of HeRschel Observations of Evolved Stars. I. PACS range spectroscopy
This is the first of a series of papers presenting the THROES (A caTalogue of
HeRschel Observations of Evolved Stars) project, intended to provide a
comprehensive overview of the spectroscopic results obtained in the
far-infrared (55-670 microns) with the Her- schel space observatory on
low-to-intermediate mass evolved stars in our Galaxy. Here we introduce the
catalogue of interactively reprocessed PACS (Photoconductor Array Camera and
Spectrometer) spectra covering the 55-200 microns range for 114 stars in this
category for which PACS range spectroscopic data is available in the Herschel
Science Archive (HSA). Our sample includes objects spanning a range of
evolutionary stages, from the asymptotic giant branch to the planetary nebula
phase, displaying a wide variety of chemical and physical properties. The
THROES/PACS catalogue is accessible via a dedicated web-based inter- face
(https://throes.cab.inta-csic.es/) and includes not only the science-ready
Herschel spectroscopic data for each source, but also complementary photometric
and spectroscopic data from other infrared observatories, namely IRAS (Infrared
Astronomical Satellite), ISO (Infrared Space Observatory) or AKARI, at
overlapping wavelengths. Our goal is to create a legacy-value Herschel dataset
that can be used by the scientific community in the future to deepen our
knowledge and understanding of these latest stages of the evolution of
low-to-intermediate mass stars.Comment: 38 page
Pegmatitas en materiales metamórficos del norte de la provincia de Córdoba. MineralogÃa y posibilidades económicas
[Resumen] En relación con rocas metamórficas de edad Precámbrica y metamorfismo de grado medio-alto se han estudiado más de 60 masas de pegmatitas cuarzo-feldespáticas compuestas por cuarzo, feldespato potásico, albita, moscovita, turma1 ina, granate, biotita, menas metálicas, minerales de uranio y otros. Las masas pegmatÃticas son de formas irregulares o 1entejonares subconcordantes con la esquistosidad regional más manifiesta. Sus dimensiones oscilan entre unos decÃmetros y decenas de metros, y su continuidad lateral su pera en algunos casos los trescientos metros. Considerando sólo las masas de potencia métrica, por sus reservas, cal idad quÃmica de sus principales especies minerales, tamaño de grano, texturas, etc. es planteable la obtención industrial de cuarzo, feldespato potásico, feldespato sódico y moscovita[Abstract] More than 60 outcrops of quartz-fe1despatic pagmatites have been studied re1ated with Precambrian metamorphic rocks of medium-high grade. The pagmatites are composed of quartz, potash fe1dspar, a1bite, muscovite, turma1 ine, garnet, biotite, ores, uranium minerals and others. The pegmatite outcrops hare irregular o lenticular forms, subparallell to the main regional schistosity. They vary in size between a few decimeters to some tens of meters, whi1e su lateral continuity exceed in sorne cases 300 meterse By taking into account on1y the outcrop of metric size, their stocks, chemica1 qual ity of the main mineral species, grain size, texture, etc., it can be planned the industrial recovery of quartz, potash feldspar, sodic fe1dspar and muscovit
From pre- to young Planetary Nebulae: radio continuum variability
Searching for variability, we have observed a sample of hot post-AGB stars
and young Planetary Nebulae candidates with the Very Large Array at 4.8, 8.4,
and 22.4 GHz. The sources had been previously detected in the radio continuum,
which is a proof that the central stars have started ionising their
circumstellar envelopes and an increase in radio flux with time can be expected
as a result of the progression of the ionisation front. Such a behaviour has
been found in IRAS 18062+2410, whose radio modelling has allowed us to
determine that its ionised mass has increased from 10^{-4} to 3.3 10^{-4} M_sun
in 8 years and its envelope has become optically thin at lower frequencies.
Different temporal behaviours have been found for three other sources. IRAS
17423-1755 has shown a possibly periodic pattern and an inversion of its radio
spectral index, as expected from a varying stellar wind. We estimate that the
radio flux arises from a very compact region around the central star (10^{15}
cm) with an electron density of 2 10^6 cm^{-3}. IRAS 22568+6141 and 17516-2525
have decreased their radio flux densities of about 10% per year over 4 years.
While a linear increase of the flux density with time points out to the
progression of the ionisation front in the envelope, decreases as well as
quasi-periodic patterns may indicate the presence of unstable stellar
winds/jets or thick dusty envelopes absorbing ionising photons.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication on MNRA
Análisis de manuales a través del tratamiento didáctico dado al concepto de limite en una función: una perspectiva desde la noción de obstáculo
Este documento se basa en las ideas de Sierpinska (1991) sobre las nociones de actos de comprensión y obstáculos epistemológicos, y en otros conceptos básicos. Por lo tanto, en este estudio intentamos obtener algunas implicaciones metodológicas relacionadas con la enseñanza de la noción de lÃmite funcional, a través del análisis de algunos libros de texto. Se tienen en cuenta las siguientes variables: a) la forma en que se presenta el concepto; b) el tipo de definición; c) los ejemplos que aparecen en las secciones o encabezados anteriores; d) las concepciones de lÃmite que pueden derivarse del libro de texto; e) posibles obstáculos y dificultades en el desarrollo de los contenidos, nuestra atención se centra principalmente en concepciones y obstáculos
Through the magnifying glass: ALMA acute viewing of the intricate nebular architecture of OH231.8+4.2
We present continuum and molecular line emission ALMA observations of OH
231.8+4.2, a well studied bipolar nebula around an asymptotic giant branch
(AGB) star. The high angular resolution (~0.2-0.3 arcsec) and sensitivity of
our ALMA maps provide the most detailed and accurate description of the overall
nebular structure and kinematics of this object to date. We have identified a
number of outflow components previously unknown. Species studied in this work
include 12CO, 13CO, CS, SO, SO2, OCS, SiO, SiS, H3O+, Na37Cl, and CH3OH. The
molecules Na37Cl and CH3OH are first detections in OH 231.8+4.2, with CH3OH
being also a first detection in an AGB star. Our ALMA maps bring to light the
totally unexpected position of the mass-losing AGB star (QX Pup) relative to
the large-scale outflow. QX Pup is enshrouded within a compact (<60 AU) parcel
of dust and gas (clump S) in expansion (V~5-7 km/s) that is displaced by
0.6arcsec to the south of the dense equatorial region (or waist) where the
bipolar lobes join. Our SiO maps disclose a compact bipolar outflow that
emerges from QX Pup's vicinity. This outflow is oriented similarly to the
large-scale nebula but the expansion velocities are about ten times lower (~35
km/s). We deduce short kinematical ages for the SiO outflow, ranging from
~50-80 yr, in regions within ~150 AU, to ~400-500 yr at the lobe tips (~3500
AU). Adjacent to the SiO outflow, we identify a small-scale hourglass-shaped
structure (mini-hourglass) that is probably made of compressed ambient material
formed as the SiO outflow penetrates the dense, central regions of the nebula.
The lobes and the equatorial waist of the mini-hourglass are both radially
expanding with a constant velocity gradient. The mini-waist is characterized by
extremely low velocities, down to ~1 km/s at ~150 AU, which tentatively suggest
the presence of a stable structure. (abridged
The disrupted molecular envelope of Frosty Leo
We present maps of CO emission in the protoplanetary nebula Frosty Leo. Observations of the rotational transitions ^(12)CO J=2-1 and 1-0 have been obtained with the IRAM interferometer and the OVRO array. The molecular envelope of Frosty Leo is found to be complex and compact; most of the gas extends ≾6" and shows a structure that is very different to the extended optical nebula. It is composed of a central ring-like structure, whose symmetry axis is inclined ~-40° with respect to the sky plane and expands at speeds of up to ~30 km s^(-1), and high-velocity jets distributed along the symmetry axis of the ring, which reach expansion velocities as high as ~75 km s^(-1). The symmetry axis of the molecular jets in the plane of the sky coincides with the direction of some jet-like features seen in the optical, which are not aligned at all with the main symmetry axis of the optical nebula. The brightness distribution of the ring presents a clumpy structure. We have modeled the spatio-kinematical distribution of, and the excitation conditions in, the molecular envelope. For both transitions, the ^(12)CO emission is found to be very optically thick in the center of the nebula. From our best-fit model, we find that the nebular particle density varies between ~10^5 cm^(-3) and ~10^3 cm^(-3), and that the rotational temperature is very low, ~10 K. The kinematical lifetime of the molecular jets is ~1700 yr, long in comparison with the lifetime of the post-AGB winds of most PPNe. It is very remarkable that the bulk of the gas accelerated during the post-AGB phase of Frosty Leo is located within the central ring, reaching expansion velocities of up to ~30 km s^(-1). The central ring-like distribution of Frosty Leo is probably not the undisrupted remnant of the previous AGB envelope (as found for most PPNe), but its dynamics likely result from multiple post-AGB interactions
Warm CO in evolved stars from the THROES catalogue. II. Herschel/PACS spectroscopy of C-rich envelopes
This is the second paper of a series making use of Herschel/PACS spectroscopy
of evolved stars in the THROES catalogue to study the inner regions of their
circumstellar envelopes (CSEs). We analyze the CO emission spectra, including a
large number of high- CO lines (from =14-13 to =45-44), as a proxy for
the warm molecular gas in the CSEs of a sample of bright carbon-rich stars
spanning different evolutionary stages from the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB)
to the young planetary nebulae (PNe) phase. We use the rotational diagram (RD)
to derive rotational temperatures () and masses () of
the envelope layers where the CO transitions arise. We also obtain a first
order estimate of the mass-loss rates and assess the impact of the opacity
correction for a range of characteristic envelope radii. We use multi-epoch
spectra for the well studied C-rich envelope IRC+10216 to investigate the
impact of CO flux variability on the values of and .
PACS sensitivity allowed the study of higher rotational numbers than before,
indicating the presence of a significant amount of warmer gas (200-900 K)
not traceable with lower- CO observations at sub-mm/mm wavelengths. The
masses are in the range , anti-correlated
with temperature. For some strong CO emitters we infer a double temperature
(warm 400 K and hot 820 K) component. From
the analysis of IRC+10216, we corroborate that the effect of line variability
is perceptible on the of the hot component only, and certainly
insignificant on and, hence, the mass-loss rate. Therefore, the
parameters derived from the RD are robust even when strong line flux
variability occurs, with the major source of uncertainty in the estimate of the
mass-loss rate being the size of the CO-emitting volume.Comment: accepted in A&
- …