873 research outputs found
A collimated, ionized bipolar structure and a high density torus in the young planetary nebula IRAS 17347-3139
We present observations of continuum (lambda = 0.7, 1.3, 3.6 and 18 cm) and
OH maser (lambda = 18 cm) emission toward the young planetary nebula IRAS
17347-3139, which is one of the three planetary nebulae that are known to
harbor water maser emission. From the continuum observations we show that the
ionized shell of IRAS 17347-3139 consists of two main structures: one extended
(size ~1". 5) with bipolar morphology along PA=-30 degrees, elongated in the
same direction as the lobes observed in the near-infrared images, and a central
compact structure (size ~0". 25) elongated in the direction perpendicular to
the bipolar axis, coinciding with the equatorial dark lane observed in the
near-infrared images. Our image at 1.3 cm suggests the presence of dense walls
in the ionized bipolar lobes. We estimate for the central compact structure a
value of the electron density at least ~5 times higher than in the lobes. A
high resolution image of this structure at 0.7 cm shows two peaks separated by
about 0". 13 (corresponding to 100-780 AU, using a distance range of 0.8-6
kpc). This emission is interpreted as originating in an ionized equatorial
torus-like structure, from whose edges the water maser emission might be
arising. We have detected weak OH 1612 MHz maser emission at VLSR ~ -70 km/s
associated with IRAS 17347-3139. We derive a 3 sigma upper limit of < 35% for
the percentage of circularly polarized emission. Within our primary beam, we
detected additional OH 1612 MHz maser emission in the LSR velocity ranges -5 to
-24 and -90 to -123 km/s, associated with the sources 2MASS J17380406-3138387
and OH 356.65-0.15, respectively.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
ALMA OBSERVATIONS OF THE COLDEST PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE: THE BOOMERANG NEBULA
The Boomerang Nebula is the coldest known object in the universe, and an extreme member of the class of pre-planetary nebulae, objects which represent a short-lived transitional phase between the asymptotic giant branch and planetary nebula evolutionary stages. Previous single-dish CO (J = 1-0) observations (with a 45 '' beam) showed that the high-speed outflow in this object has cooled to a temperature significantly below the temperature of the cosmic background radiation. Here we report the first observations of the Boomerang Nebula with ALMA in the CO J = 2-1 and J = 1-0 lines to resolve the structure of this ultra-cold nebula. We find a central hourglass-shaped nebula surrounded by a patchy, but roughly round, cold high-velocity outflow. We compare the ALMA data with visible-light images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope and confirm that the limb-brightened bipolar lobes seen in these data represent hollow cavities with dense walls of molecular gas and dust producing both the molecular-emission-line and scattered-light structures seen at millimeter and visible wavelengths. The large diffuse biconical shape of the nebula seen in the visible wavelength range is likely due to preferential illumination of the cold, high-velocity outflow. We find a compact source of millimeter-wave continuum in the nebular waist-these data, together with sensitive upper limits on the radio continuum using observations with ATCA, indicate the presence of a substantial mass of very large (millimeter-sized) grains in the waist of the nebula. Another unanticipated result is the detection of CO emission regions beyond the ultra-cold region which indicate the re-warming of the cold gas, most likely due to photoelectric grain heating
First detection of CO lines in a water fountain star
[Context] Water fountain stars are very young post-AGB stars with high
velocity water maser jets. They are the best objects to study the onset of
bipolar jets from evolved stars due to their young dynamical ages. [Methods] We
use the Arizona Radio Observatory 10m telescope to observe the CO J=2-1 line
and compare the line parameters with that of masers. [Results] We report the
detection of 12CO and 13COJ=2-1 lines from IRAS 16342-3814. The inferred 12CO
mass loss rate is an order of magnitude lower than the infrared and OH mass
loss rates, indicating a very cold and thick O-rich circumstellar envelope
around the star. We also find a 12CO expansion velocity of Vexp = 46 +- 1 km/s
that is too high for an AGB wind and confirm the systemic velocity of 44 +- 1
km/s. In addition we measure a very low 12CO/13CO line ratio of 1.7.
[Conclusions] The first detection of CO lines has provided a new way to
investigate the water fountain stars. Given the high expansion velocity of the
CO gas and its relation to maser velocities, we infer that the CO emission
region is co-located with the OH mainline masers in the warm base of the
optical bipolar lobes, while the high velocity OH1612MHz and H2O masers are
located in the side walls and at the farthest ends of the bipolar lobes,
respectively. Further observations are highly desired to understand the very
low 12CO/13CO line ratio.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, accepted by A&A Lette
Heterogeneity in tumor chromatin-doxorubicin binding revealed by in vivo fluorescence lifetime imaging confocal endomicroscopy
We present an approach to quantify drug-target engagement using in vivo fluorescence endomicroscopy, validated with in vitro measurements. Doxorubicin binding to chromatin changes the fluorescence lifetime of histone-GFP fusions that we measure in vivo at single-cell resolution using a confocal laparo/endomicroscope. We measure both intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity in doxorubicin chromatin engagement in a model of peritoneal metastasis of ovarian cancer, revealing striking variation in the efficacy of doxorubicin-chromatin binding depending on intra-peritoneal or intravenous delivery. Further, we observe significant variations in doxorubicin-chromatin binding between different metastases in the same mouse and between different regions of the same metastasis. The quantitative nature of fluorescence lifetime imaging enables direct comparison of drug-target engagement for different drug delivery routes and between in vitro and in vivo experiments. This uncovers different rates of cell killing for the same level of doxorubicin binding in vitro and in vivo
Herschel Planetary Nebula Survey (HerPlaNS) - First Detection of OH+ in Planetary Nebulae
We report the first detections of OH emission in planetary nebulae (PNe).
As part of an imaging and spectroscopy survey of 11 PNe in the far-IR using the
PACS and SPIRE instruments aboard the Herschel Space Observatory, we performed
a line survey in these PNe over the entire spectral range between 51 and
672m to look for new detections. OH rotational emission lines at
152.99, 290.20, 308.48, and 329.77m were detected in the spectra of three
planetary nebulae: NGC 6445, NGC 6720, and NGC 6781. Excitation temperatures
and column densities derived from these lines are in the range of 27 to 47 K
and 210 to 4 10 cm, respectively. In PNe,
the OH+ rotational line emission appears to be produced in the
photodissociation region (PDR) in these objects. The emission of OH+ is
observed only in PNe with hot central stars (T > 100000 K), suggesting
that high-energy photons may play a role in the OH+ formation and its line
excitation in these objects, as it seems to be the case for ultraluminous
galaxies.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures; accepted for publication in A&
Mid-IR period-magnitude relations for AGB stars
Asymptotic Giant Branch variables are found to obey period-luminosity
relations in the mid-IR similar to those seen at K_S (2.14 microns), even at 24
microns where emission from circumstellar dust is expected to be dominant.
Their loci in the M, logP diagrams are essentially the same for the LMC and for
NGC6522 in spite of different ages and metallicities. There is no systematic
trend of slope with wavelength. The offsets of the apparent magnitude vs. logP
relations imply a difference between the two fields of 3.8 in distance modulus.
The colours of the variables confirm that a principal period with log P > 1.75
is a necessary condition for detectable mass-loss. At the longest observed
wavelength, 24 microns, many semi-regular variables have dust shells comparable
in luminosity to those around Miras. There is a clear bifurcation in LMC
colour-magnitude diagrams involving 24 micron magnitudes.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Spatially resolved spectroscopy of monolayer graphene on SiO2
We have carried out scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements on
exfoliated monolayer graphene on SiO to probe the correlation between its
electronic and structural properties. Maps of the local density of states are
characterized by electron and hole puddles that arise due to long range
intravalley scattering from intrinsic ripples in graphene and random charged
impurities. At low energy, we observe short range intervalley scattering which
we attribute to lattice defects. Our results demonstrate that the electronic
properties of graphene are influenced by intrinsic ripples, defects and the
underlying SiO substrate.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, extended versio
Early Science with the Large Millimetre Telescope: Molecules in the Extreme Outflow of a proto-Planetary Nebula
Extremely high velocity emission likely related to jets is known to occur in
some proto-Planetary Nebulae. However, the molecular complexity of this
kinematic component is largely unknown. We observed the known extreme outflow
from the proto-Planetary Nebula IRAS 16342-3814, a prototype water fountain, in
the full frequency range from 73 to 111 GHz with the RSR receiver on the Large
Millimetre Telescope. We detected the molecules SiO, HCN, SO, and CO.
All molecular transitions, with the exception of the latter are detected for
the first time in this source, and all present emission with velocities up to a
few hundred km s. IRAS 16342-3814 is therefore the only source of this
kind presenting extreme outflow activity simultaneously in all these molecules,
with SO and SiO emission showing the highest velocities found of these species
in proto-Planetary Nebulae. To be confirmed is a tentative weak SO component
with a FWHM 700 km s. The extreme outflow gas consists of dense
gas (n 10--10 cm), with a mass larger than
0.02--0.15 M. The relatively high abundances of SiO and SO may
be an indication of an oxygen-rich extreme high velocity gas.Comment: Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical
Society Letter
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