Impact of stellar companions on precise radial velocities

Context: With the announced arrival of instruments such as ESPRESSO one can expect that several systematic noise sources on the measurement of precise radial velocity will become the limiting factor instead of photon noise. A stellar companion within the fiber is such a possible noise source. Aims: With this work we aim at characterizing the impact of a stellar companion within the fiber to radial velocity measurements made by fiber-fed spectrographs. We consider the contaminant star either to be part of a binary system whose primary star is the target star, or as a background/foreground star. Methods: To carry out our study, we used HARPS spectra, co-added the target with contaminant spectra, and then compared the resulting radial velocity with that obtained from the original target spectrum. We repeated this procedure and used different tunable knobs to reproduce the previously mentioned scenarios. Results: We find that the impact on the radial velocity calculation is a function of the difference between individual radial velocities, of the difference between target and contaminant magnitude, and also of their spectral types. For the worst-case scenario in which both target and contaminant star are well centered on the fiber, the maximum contamination for a G or K star may be higher than 10 cm/s, on average, if the difference between target and contaminant magnitude is $\Delta m$ < 10, and higher than 1 m/s if $\Delta m$ < 8. If the target star is of spectral type M, $\Delta m$ < 8 produces the same contamination of 10 cm/s, and a contamination may be higher than 1 m/sComment: Accepted for publication in A&A on 29/12/2019 - 14 page

Bifurcations in the theory of current transfer to cathodes of dc discharges and observations of transitions between different modes

General scenarios of transitions between different spot patterns on electrodes of dc gas discharges and their relation to bifurcations of steady-state solutions are analyzed. In the case of cathodes of arc discharges, it is shown that any transition between different modes of current transfer is related to a bifurcation of steady-state solutions. In particular, transitions between diffuse and spot modes on axially symmetric cathodes, frequently observed in the experiment, represent an indication of the presence of pitchfork or fold bifurcations of steady-state solutions. Experimental observations of transitions on cathodes of dc glow microdischarges are analyzed and those potentially related to bifurcations of steady-state solutions are identified. The relevant bifurcations are investigated numerically and the computed patterns are found to conform to those observed in the course of the corresponding transitions in the experiment

The HARPS search for southern extrasolar planets XXI. Three new giant planets orbiting the metal-poor stars HD5388, HD181720, and HD190984

We present the discovery of three new giant planets around three metal-deficient stars: HD5388b (1.96M_Jup), HD181720b (0.37M_Jup), and HD190984b (3.1M_Jup). All the planets have moderately eccentric orbits (ranging from 0.26 to 0.57) and long orbital periods (from 777 to 4885 days). Two of the stars (HD181720 and HD190984) were part of a program searching for giant planets around a sample of ~100 moderately metal-poor stars, while HD5388 was part of the volume-limited sample of the HARPS GTO program. Our discoveries suggest that giant planets in long period orbits are not uncommon around moderately metal-poor stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A (replaced by version with minor language corrections

The HARPS search for southern extrasolar planets: XXXIII. New multi-planet systems in the HARPS volume limited sample: a super-Earth and a Neptune in the habitable zone

The vast diversity of planetary systems detected to date is defying our capability of understanding their formation and evolution. Well-defined volume-limited surveys are the best tool at our disposal to tackle the problem, via the acquisition of robust statistics of the orbital elements. We are using the HARPS spectrograph to conduct our survey of ~850 nearby solar-type stars, and in the course of the past nine years we have monitored the radial velocity of HD103774, HD109271, and BD-061339. In this work we present the detection of five planets orbiting these stars, with m*sin(i) between 0.6 and 7 Neptune masses, four of which are in two multiple systems, comprising one super-Earth and one planet within the habitable zone of a late-type dwarf. Although for strategic reasons we chose efficiency over precision in this survey, we have the capability to detect planets down to the Neptune and super-Earth mass range, as well as multiple systems, provided that enough data points are made available.Comment: 7 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication by A&A, 04-01-201

Two-dimensional conical dispersion in ZrTe5 evidenced by optical spectroscopy

Zirconium pentatelluride was recently reported to be a 3D Dirac semimetal, with a single conical band, located at the center of the Brillouin zone. The cone's lack of protection by the lattice symmetry immediately sparked vast discussions about the size and topological/trivial nature of a possible gap opening. Here we report on a combined optical and transport study of ZrTe5, which reveals an alternative view of electronic bands in this material. We conclude that the dispersion is approximately linear only in the a-c plane, while remaining relatively flat and parabolic in the third direction (along the b axis). Therefore, the electronic states in ZrTe5 cannot be described using the model of 3D Dirac massless electrons, even when staying at energies well above the band gap 6 meV found in our experiments at low temperatures.Comment: Physical Review Letters 122, 217402 (2019). Corrected acknowledgment

Efeito da vernalização no teor de ácido pirúvico em famílias de meio-irmãs da cultivar de cebola ARS Alfa São Francisco.

O sabor peculiar da cebola é devido ao metabolismo do enxofre associado com a síntese de compostos organossulfurados pela planta. Um dos meios mais simples para se medir indiretamente a intensidade da pungência é pela determinação do conteúdo de ácido pirúvico. Neste trabalho, foi quantificado o teor de ácido pirúvico em nove famílias de meio-írmãs da ? BRS Alfa São Francisco? antes e após o período de vernalização em câmara fria, a 10°C. Foram avaliados dezesseis bulbos em cada família de meio-írmãs, escolhidos ao acaso, para cada um dos períodos. As medias pós vernalização foram mais elevadas do que na pré vernalização para todas as famílias. Das nove famílias de meio-írmãs avaliadas, apenas duas apresentaram diferenças significativas nos teores de ácido pirúvico entre pré e pós vernalização. Para a cultivar de cebola BRS Alfa São Francisco a quantificação do teor de acido pirúvico na pós vernalização não interferiu no desenvolvimento de uma população de cebola doceSuplemento. Edição dos resumos expandidos do 45. Congresso Brasileiro de Olericultura; 15. Congresso Brasileiro de Floricultura e Plantas Ornamentais; 2. Congresso Brasileiro de Cultura de Tecido de Plantas, Fortaleza, ago. 2005

Reprodutibilidade de teor de ácido pirúvico em bulbos de cebola quando submetidos a sucessivas quantificações em diferentes períodos.

O ácido pirúvico e os compostos relacionados à pungência são formados em concentrações equimolares pela ação da aliinase. Cebolas com menor pungência têm sido indiretamente identificadas pela quantificação do ácido pirúvico. Algumas vezes é necessário refazer as análises em um dado bulbo para selecionar ou não para o processo de melhoramento devido a duvidas na primeira quantificação. Neste trabalho, foram analisados quatorze bulbos proveniente da cultivar BRS Alfa São Francisco para determinar a influência da refrigeração durante 0, 24 e 48 h na reprodutibilidade dos resultados da análise de ácido pirúvico. A comparação de médias para um dado bulbo foi feita através do teste-t, assumindo equivalência nas variâncias. Resultados demonstraram que houve diferenças significativas apenas entre as médias da leitura do tempo 0 e 48 h depois. Desta forma, a re-análise para confirmação da leitura é recomendada por um período de 24 h após a primeira leitura num mesmo bulbo.Suplemento. Edição dos resumos expandidos do 45. Congresso Brasileiro de Olericultura; 15. Congresso Brasileiro de Floricultura e Plantas Ornamentais; 2. Congresso Brasileiro de Cultura de Tecidos de Plantas, Fortaleza, ago. 2005. 1 CD-ROM