1,397 research outputs found
New X-ray Detections of WNL Stars
Previous studies have demonstrated that putatively single nitrogen-type
Wolf-Rayet stars (WN stars) without known companions are X-ray sources.
However, almost all WN star X-ray detections so far have been of earlier WN2 -
WN6 spectral subtypes. Later WN7 - WN9 subtypes (also known as WNL stars) have
proved more difficult to detect, an important exception being WR 79a (WN9ha).
We present here new X-ray detections of the WNL stars WR 16 (WN8h) and WR 78
(WN7h). These new results, when combined with previous detections, demonstrate
that X-ray emission is present in WN stars across the full range of spectral
types, including later WNL stars. The two WN8 stars observed to date (WR 16 and
WR 40) show unusually low X-ray luminosities (Lx) compared to other WN stars,
and it is noteworthy that they also have the lowest terminal wind speeds
(v_infty). Existing X-ray detections of about a dozen WN stars reveal a trend
of increasing Lx with wind luminosity Lwind = (1/2) M_dot v_infty^2, suggesting
that wind kinetic energy may play a key role in establishing X-ray luminosity
levels in WN stars.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figure
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High Density Genetic Maps of Seashore Paspalum Using Genotyping-By-Sequencing and Their Relationship to The Sorghum Bicolor Genome.
As a step towards trait mapping in the halophyte seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Sw.), we developed an F1 mapping population from a cross between two genetically diverse and heterozygous accessions, 509022 and HI33. Progeny were genotyped using a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach and sequence reads were analyzed for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using the UGbS-Flex pipeline. More markers were identified that segregated in the maternal parent (HA maps) compared to the paternal parent (AH maps), suggesting that 509022 had overall higher levels of heterozygosity than HI33. We also generated maps that consisted of markers that were heterozygous in both parents (HH maps). The AH, HA and HH maps each comprised more than 1000 markers. Markers formed 10 linkage groups, corresponding to the ten seashore paspalum chromosomes. Comparative analyses showed that each seashore paspalum chromosome was syntenic to and highly colinear with a single sorghum chromosome. Four inversions were identified, two of which were sorghum-specific while the other two were likely specific to seashore paspalum. These high-density maps are the first available genetic maps for seashore paspalum. The maps will provide a valuable tool for plant breeders and others in the Paspalum community to identify traits of interest, including salt tolerance
Fundamental stellar parameters of zeta Pup and gamma^2 Vel from HIPPARCOS data
We report parallax measurements by the HIPPARCOS satellite of zeta Puppis and
gamma^2 Velorum. The distance of zeta Pup is d=429 (+120/ -77) pc, in agreement
with the commonly adopted value to Vela OB2. However, a significantly smaller
distance is found for the gamma^2 Vel system: d=258 (+41/-31) pc. The total
mass of gamma^2 Vel derived from its parallax, the angular size of the
semi-major axis as measured with intensity interferometry, and the period is
M(WR+O)=29.5 (+/-15.9) Msun. This result favors the orbital solution of Pike et
al. (1983) over that of Moffat et al. (1986). The stellar parameters for the O
star companion derived from line blanketed non-LTE atmosphere models are:
Teff=34000 (+/-1500) K, log L/Lsun=5.3 (+/-0.15) from which an evolutionary
mass of M=29 (+/-4) Msun and an age of 4.0 (+0.8/-0.5) Myr is obtained from
single star evolutionary models. With non-LTE model calculations including He
and C we derive a luminosity log L/Lsun~4.7 (+/-0.2) for the WR star. The
mass-luminosity relation of hydrogen-free WR stars implies a mass of M(WR)~5
(+/-1.5) Msun. From our data we favor an age of ~10 Myr for the bulk of the
Vela OB2 stars. Evolutionary scenarios for zeta Pup and gamma^2 Vel are
discussed in the light of our results.Comment: Submitted to ApJ Letters (misprints corrected
The nature of solar brightness variations
The solar brightness varies on timescales from minutes to decades.
Determining the sources of such variations, often referred to as solar noise,
is of importance for multiple reasons: a) it is the background that limits the
detection of solar oscillations, b) variability in solar brightness is one of
the drivers of the Earth's climate system, c) it is a prototype of stellar
variability which is an important limiting factor for the detection of
extra-solar planets. Here we show that recent progress in simulations and
observations of the Sun makes it finally possible to pinpoint the source of the
solar noise. We utilise high-cadence observations from the Solar Dynamic
Observatory and the SATIRE model to calculate the magnetically-driven
variations of solar brightness. The brightness variations caused by the
constantly evolving cellular granulation pattern on the solar surface are
computed with the MURAM code. We find that surface magnetic field and
granulation can together precisely explain solar noise on timescales from
minutes to decades, i.e. ranging over more than six orders of magnitude in the
period. This accounts for all timescales that have so far been resolved or
covered by irradiance measurements. We demonstrate that no other sources of
variability are required to explain the data. Recent measurements of Sun-like
stars by CoRoT and Kepler uncovered brightness variations similar to that of
the Sun but with much wider variety of patterns. Our finding that solar
brightness variations can be replicated in detail with just two well-known
sources will greatly simplify future modelling of existing CoRoT and Kepler as
well as anticipated TESS and PLATO data.Comment: This is the submitted version of the paper published in Nature
Astronom
XMM-Newton X-ray Observations of the Wolf-Rayet Binary System WR 147
We present results of a 20 ksec X-ray observation of the Wolf-Rayet (WR)
binary system WR 147 obtained with XMM-Newton. Previous studies have shown that
this system consists of a nitrogen-type WN8 star plus an OB companion whose
winds are interacting to produce a colliding wind shock. X-ray spectra from the
pn and MOS detectors confirm the high extinction reported from IR studies and
reveal hot plasma including the first detection of the Fe K-alpha line complex
at 6.67 keV. Spectral fits with a constant-temperature plane-parallel shock
model give a shock temperature kT(shock) = 2.7 keV [T(shock) ~ 31 MK], close to
but slightly hotter than the maximum temperature predicted for a colliding wind
shock. Optically thin plasma models suggest even higher temperatures, which are
not yet ruled out. The X-ray spectra are harder than can be accounted for using
2D numerical colliding wind shock models based on nominal mass-loss parameters.
Possible explanations include: (i) underestimates of the terminal wind speeds
or wind abundances, (ii) overly simplistic colliding wind models, or (iii) the
presence of other X-ray emission mechanisms besides colliding wind shocks.
Further improvement of the numerical models to include potentially important
physics such as non-equilibrium ionization will be needed to rigorously test
the colliding wind interpretation.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
A simple proof of the Markoff conjecture for prime powers
We give a simple and independent proof of the result of Jack Button and Paul
Schmutz that the Markoff conjecture on the uniqueness of the Markoff triples
(a,b,c), where a, b, and c are in increasing order, holds whenever is a
prime power.Comment: 5 pages, no figure
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