293 research outputs found
The Effect of Protective Materials on the Overwintering of Hardy Annuals, Candytuft and Stocks
Many hardy annual flowers will live through the winter if there is sufficient snow protection. Since snow cover is not consistent from year to year it has been suggested that hardy annuals planted in late summer and provided with some kind of protection before severe freezing begins will live through the winter successfully. Not only would this enable plants to bloom four to six weeks earlier, but would also enable gardeners to utilize flowers not commonly grown in northern Utah
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National Metal Casting Research Institute final report. Development of an automated ultrasonic inspection cell for detecting subsurface discontinuities in cast gray iron. Volume 3
This inspection cell consisted of an ultrasonic flaw detector, transducer, robot, immersion tank, computer, and software. Normal beam pulse-echo ultrasonic nondestructive testing, using the developed automated cell, was performed on 17 bosses on each rough casting. Ultrasonic transducer selection, initial inspection criteria, and ultrasonic flow detector (UFD) setup parameters were developed for the gray iron castings used in this study. The software were developed for control of the robot and UFD in real time. The software performed two main tasks: emulating the manual operation of the UFD, and evaluating the ultrasonic signatures for detecting subsurface discontinuities. A random lot of 105 castings were tested; the 100 castings that passed were returned to the manufacturer for machining into finished parts and then inspection. The other 5 castings had one boss each with ultrasonic signatures consistent with subsurface discontinuities. The cell was successful in quantifying the ultrasonic echo signatures for the existence of signature characteristics consistent with Go/NoGo criteria developed from simulated defects. Manual inspection showed that no defects in the areas inspected by the automated cell avoided detection in the 100 castings machined into finished parts. Of the 5 bosses found to have subsurface discontinuities, two were verified by manual inspection. The cell correctly classified 1782 of the 1785 bosses (99.832%) inspected
Retrieval of atmospheric properties of cloudy L dwarfs
© 2017 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.We present the first results from applying the spectral inversion technique in the cloudy L dwarf regime. Our new framework provides a flexible approach to modelling cloud opacity which can be built incrementally as the data requires, and improves upon previous retrieval experiments in the brown dwarf regime by allowing for scattering in two stream radiative transfer. Our first application of the tool to two mid-L dwarfs is able to reproduce their near-infrared spectra far more closely than grid models. Our retrieved thermal, chemical, and cloud profiles allow us to estimate K and for 2MASS J05002100+0330501 and for 2MASSW J2224438-015852 we find K and , in close agreement with previous empirical estimates. Our best model for both objects includes an optically thick cloud deck which passes (looking down) at a pressure of around 5 bar. The temperature at this pressure is too high for silicate species to condense, and we argue that corundum and/or iron clouds are responsible for this cloud opacity. Our retrieved profiles are cooler at depth, and warmer at altitude than the forward grid models that we compare, and we argue that some form of heating mechanism may be at work in the upper atmospheres of these L dwarfs. We also identify anomalously high CO abundance in both targets, which does not correlate with the warmth of our upper atmospheres or our choice of cloud model, and find similarly anomalous alkali abundance for one of our targets. These anomalies may reflect unrecognised shortcomings in our retrieval model, or inaccuracies in our gas phase opacities.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
Two-dimensional reduced-physics model to describe historic morphodynamic behaviour of an estuary inlet
Understanding medium to long term morphodynamic change is important for sustainable coastal and estuary management. This paper analyses morphodynamic change of a complex estuary inlet which is subjected to multiple environmental drivers and proposes a reduced physics model to explain the historic medium term morphodynamic change of the inlet. The analysis shows that even though the estuary inlet undergoes multiscale morphological change, the changes that take place over a timescale of several years are more significant and important. The reduced physics model suggests that this simplified modelling approach is able to recognise principal historic morphodynamic trends in the estuary. However, the length and quality of the inlet bathymetry data set limits the applicability of the models and the quality of model outputs
Discovery of a redshift 6.13 quasar in the UKIRT infrared deep sky survey
Original article can be found at: http://www.aanda.org/ Copyright The European Southern Observatory (ESO) DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/200811161Optical and near-infrared (NIR) spectra are presented for ULAS J131911.29+095051.4â(hereafter ULAS J1319+0950), a new redshift z = 6.127 0.004 quasar discovered in the Third Data Release (DR3) of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS). The source has = 19.10 0.03, corresponding to = -27.12, which is comparable to the absolute magnitudes of the z 6 quasars discovered in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). ULAS J1319+0950âwas, in fact, registered by SDSS as a faint source with = 20.13 0.12, just below the signal-to-noise ratio limit of the SDSS high-redshift quasar survey. The faint z-band magnitude is a consequence of the weak Lyâ/NâVâemission line, which has a rest-frame equivalent width of ~20Ă
âand provides only a small boost to the z-band flux. Nevertheless, there is no evidence of a significant new population of high-redshift quasars with weak emission lines from this UKIDSS-based search. The Lyââoptical depth to ULAS J1319+0950âis consistent with that measured towards similarly distant SDSS quasars, implying that results from optical- and NIR-selected quasars may be combined in studies of cosmological reionization. Also presented is a new NIR-spectrum of the previously discovered UKIDSS quasar ULAS J020332.38+001229.2, which reveals the object to be a broad absorption line quasar. The new spectrum shows that the emission line initially identified as Lyââis actually NâV, leading to a revised redshift of z = 5.72, rather than z = 5.86 as previously estimatedPeer reviewe
Contamination and exclusion in the sigma Orionis young group
We present radial velocities for 38 low-mass candidate members of the sigma
Orionis young group. We have measured their radial velocities by
cross-correlation of high resolution (R~6000) AF2/WYFFOS spectra of the gravity
sensitive NaI doublet at 8183, 8195Angstroms. The total sample contained 117
objects of which 54 have sufficient signal-to-noise to detect NaI at an
equivalent width of 3Angstroms, however we only detect NaI in 38 of these. This
implies that very low-mass members of this young group display weaker NaI
absorption than similarly aged objects in the Upper Scorpius OB association. We
develop a technique to assess membership using radial velocities with a range
of uncertainties that does not bias the selection when large uncertainties are
present. The resulting membership probabilities are used to assess the issue of
exclusion in photometric selections, and we find that very few members are
likely to be excluded by such techniques.
We also assess the level of contamination in the expected pre-main sequence
region of colour-magnitude space brighter than I = 17. We find that
contamination by non-members in the expected PMS region of the colour-magnitude
diagram is small. We conclude that although radial velocity alone is
insufficient to confirm membership, high signal-to-noise observations of the
NaI doublet provide the opportunity to use the strength of NaI absorption in
concert with radial velocities to asses membership down to the lowest masses,
where Lithium absorption no longer distinguishes youth.Comment: 11 pages, MNRAS accepted. Online data available from:
http://www.astro.ex.ac.uk/people/timn/Catalogues/service.htm
Properties of the T8.5 Dwarf Wolf 940 B
We present 7.5-14.2um low-resolution spectroscopy, obtained with the Spitzer
Infrared Spectrograph, of the T8.5 dwarf Wolf 940 B, which is a companion to an
M4 dwarf with a projected separation of 400 AU. We combine these data with
previously published near-infrared spectroscopy and mid-infrared photometry, to
produce the spectral energy distribution for the very low-temperature T dwarf.
We use atmospheric models to derive the bolometric correction and obtain a
luminosity of log L/Lsun = -6.01 +/- 0.05. Evolutionary models are used with
the luminosity to constrain the values of effective temperature (T_eff) and
surface gravity, and hence mass and age for the T dwarf. We further restrict
the allowed range of T_eff and gravity using age constraints implied by the M
dwarf primary, and refine the physical properties of the T dwarf by comparison
of the observed and modelled spectroscopy and photometry. This comparison
indicates that Wolf 940 B has a metallicity within 0.2 dex of solar, as more
extreme values give poor fits to the data - lower metallicity produces a poor
fit at lambda > 2um while higher metallicity produces a poor fit at lambda <
2um. This is consistent with the independently derived value of [m/H] = +0.24
+/- 0.09 for the primary star, using the Johnson & Apps (2008) M_K:V-K
relationship. We find that the T dwarf atmosphere is undergoing vigorous
mixing, with an eddy diffusion coefficient K_zz of 10^4 to 10^6 cm^2 s^-1. We
derive an effective temperature of 585 K to 625 K, and surface gravity log g =
4.83 to 5.22 (cm s^-2), for an age range of 3 Gyr to 10 Gyr, as implied by the
kinematic and H alpha properties of the M dwarf primary. The lower gravity
corresponds to the lower temperature and younger age for the system, and the
higher value to the higher temperature and older age. The mass of the T dwarf
is 24 M_Jupiter to 45 M_Jupiter for the younger to older age limit.Comment: 24 pages which include 5 Figures and 3 Tables. Accepted for
publication in the Astrophysical Journal July 2 201
A LOFAR mini-survey for low-frequency radio emission from the nearest brown dwarfs
We have conducted a mini-survey for low-frequency radio emission from some of the closest brown dwarfs to the Sun with rapid rotation rates: SIMP J013656.5 +093347, WISEPC 150649.97+702736.0, and WISEPA J174124.26+255319.5.We have placed robust 3s upper limits on the flux density in the 111 â 169 MHz frequency range for these targets: WISE 1506: < 0:72 mJy; WISE 1741: < 0:87 mJy; SIMP 0136: < 0:66 mJy. At 8 hours of integration per target to achieve these limits, we find that systematic and detailed study of this class of object at LOFAR frequencies will require a substantial dedication of resources
Spitzer Mid-Infrared Photometry of 500 - 750 K Brown Dwarfs
Mid-infrared data, including Spitzer warm-IRAC [3.6] and [4.5] photometry, is
critical for understanding the cold population of brown dwarfs now being found,
objects which have more in common with planets than stars. As effective
temperature (T_eff) drops from 800 K to 400 K, the fraction of flux emitted
beyond 3 microns increases rapidly, from about 40% to >75%. This rapid increase
makes a color like H-[4.5] a very sensitive temperature indicator, and it can
be combined with a gravity- and metallicity-sensitive color like H-K to
constrain all three of these fundamental properties, which in turn gives us
mass and age for these slowly cooling objects. Determination of mid-infrared
color trends also allows better exploitation of the WISE mission by the
community. We use new Spitzer Cycle 6 IRAC photometry, together with published
data, to present trends of color with type for L0 to T10 dwarfs. We also use
the atmospheric and evolutionary models of Saumon & Marley to investigate the
masses and ages of 13 very late-type T dwarfs, which have H-[4.5] > 3.2 and
T_eff ~ 500 K to 750 K.Comment: To be published in the on-line version of the Proceedings of Cool
Stars 16 (ASP Conference Series). This is an updated version of Leggett et
al. 2010 ApJ 710 1627; a photometry compilation is available at
http://www.gemini.edu/staff/slegget
ACCESS Guiding Principles V4 - March 2023
This is the final version.Navigating the Guiding Principles: The Guiding Principles are intended to act both as a guide to core ACCESS activity (in a non-prescriptive way) and as inspiration for the wider Environmental Social Science research, policy and practice communities. We anticipate the Guiding Principles will be developed over time as we receive input from others and reflect upon and learn from our own experiences within ACCESS. These pages â which are not intended to be exhaustive in terms of resources and encouraged actions â have 5 main sections: 1. An Introduction to ACCESSâs three Guiding Principles: Environmental Sustainability (ES); Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI); and Knowledge Co-Production (KCP) 2. An outline of the Core Elements of each of the three Guiding Principles 3. Principles into Practice â a guide through the process of how and when to operationalise and incorporate ES, EDI, and KCP considerations into your ACCESS activities 4. Signposts to Further Resources for each of the three Guiding Principles 5. Activity Matrices â an outline of how the Guiding Principles can be applied to key activities that colleagues and partners undertake across ACCESS, with a range of suggested considerations and encouraged actions for each principle. We have identified nine key activities or areas of work to specifically address (although the focus on these key work areas does not preclude the Guiding Principles from being applied to other activities conducted across ACCESS). These core work areas are: I. Internal meetings II. Workshops and Events III. Communication 5 IV. Working Groups V. Recruitment (employees; participants at âapplied forâ events) VI. Flex Fund Administration VII. Externally-facing training VIII. People development within ACCESS IX. Research ActivitiesEconomic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
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