Detection of the compressed primary stellar wind in eta Carinae

A series of three HST/STIS spectroscopic mappings, spaced approximately one year apart, reveal three partial arcs in [Fe II] and [Ni II] emissions moving outward from eta Carinae. We identify these arcs with the shell-like structures, seen in the 3D hydrodynamical simulations, formed by compression of the primary wind by the secondary wind during periastron passages.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

LITTLE THINGS in 3D: robust determination of the circular velocity of dwarf irregular galaxies

Dwarf Irregular galaxies (dIrrs) are the smallest stellar systems with extended HI discs. The study of the kinematics of such discs is a powerful tool to estimate the total matter distribution at these very small scales. In this work, we study the HI kinematics of 17 galaxies extracted from the `Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes, The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey' (LITTLE THINGS). Our approach differs significantly from previous studies in that we directly fit 3D models (two spatial dimensions plus one spectral dimension) using the software $^\text{3D}$BAROLO, fully exploiting the information in the HI datacubes. For each galaxy we derive the geometric parameters of the HI disc (inclination and position angle), the radial distribution of the surface density, the velocity-dispersion ($\sigma_v$) profile and the rotation curve. The circular velocity (V$_{\text{c}}$), which traces directly the galactic potential, is then obtained by correcting the rotation curve for the asymmetric drift. As an initial application, we show that these dIrrs lie on a baryonic Tully-Fisher relation in excellent agreement with that seen on larger scales. The final products of this work are high-quality, ready-to-use kinematic data ($\textrm{V}_\textrm{c}$ and $\sigma_v$) that we make publicly available. These can be used to perform dynamical studies and improve our understanding of these low-mass galaxies.Comment: 36 pages, 28 figures, 2 tables. Submitted to MNRAS (revised version after the referee report). The final rotation curves can be downloaded from http://www.filippofraternali.com/styled-9/index.htm

Socioeconomic and territorial impact of the ski industry in the Spanish Pyrenees: mountain development and leisure induced urbanization

26 páginas, 8 figuras.[EN] This article assesses the territorial impact of the ski industry in two areas of the Spanish Pyrenees (Aragon Pyrenees and the Catalan High Pyrenees). By analyzing the changes on demographic dynamics and structure, economic portfolio, and evolution of the built structure of these areas since the construction of the ski resorts, we, firstly, identify a trend towards urbanization emerging in these areas, and secondly, that this trend unfolds in two different models: around the ski resorts at the northern end of valleys in the Aragon study site, and in regional centers at the bottom of the main valleys in the Catalan High Pyrenees. In this fashion the ski industry, which offers seasonal services to a mostly urban clientele, contributes to the redefinition of peripheral rural areas taking into account urban needs. The towns, by the ski resorts in Aragon, and in the bottom of the valleys in Catalonia, have grown to become small nodes of a large network that expands the physical, economic and cultural influence of the low lands cities over the Spanish mountains.[ES] Se evalúa el impacto territorial de la actividad del esquí en los Pirineos españoles (Pirineos Aragoneses y Alto Pirineo Catalán). A partir del análisis de los cambios registrados en la dinámica y estructura demográfica y de las prácticas económicas, desde la instalación de las estaciones de esquí, se identifica, en primer lugar, una tendencia urbanizadora emergente y, en segundo lugar, que dicha tendencia se manifiesta en dos modelos diferentes: en el Pirineo aragonés se limita a las cabeceras de los valles, mientras que en el Pirineo Catalán se expande a los fondos de valle y cabeceras comarcales. De esta manera, la actividad del esquí contribuye a redefinir las zonas rurales periféricas, teniendo en cuenta las necesidades urbanas. Los pueblos próximos a las estaciones de esquí en Aragón y de los fondos de valle en Cataluña han crecido hasta convertirse en pequeños núcleos de una gran red que expande la influencia física, económica y cultural de las ciudades de las tierras bajas hacia las montañas españolas.This work has been supported by the research projects: PROBASE (CGL2006-11619/HID), INDICA (CGL2011-27753-CO2-01 y 02) and HIDROCAES (CGL2011-27574-CO2-02), financed by Spanish Commission of Science and Technology.Peer reviewe

Creación de unidades de análisis forense en bibliotecas

Las técnicas de análisis forense digital, de aplicación en investigación criminal, también se pueden usar en las bibliotecas para acceder a información digital almacenada en soportes o formatos obsoletos. Se analizan distintos ejemplos de departamentos de análisis forense creados por bibliotecas y se describen los elementos de hardware y software mínimos con los que se podría montar una unidad de análisis forense en cualquier biblioteca. Con este fin se presentan dos posibles configuraciones de equipamiento y se dan recomendaciones sobre organización del flujo de trabajo para la recuperación de antiguos discos duros y disquetes. Forensic analysis techniques, usually applied in criminal research, could also be used in libraries to access digital information stored in obsolete formats or storage devices. This article analyses some examples of forensic research departments created by libraries, and describes the minimal hardware and software elements required to set up a library unit specialized in forensic analysis. Two possible equipment settings are introduced and recommendations are given on how to organize a workflow to recover information stored in floppy disks, diskettes and old hard drives

A highly-ionized region surrounding SN Refsdal revealed by MUSE

Supernova (SN) Refsdal is the first multiply-imaged, highly-magnified, and spatially-resolved SN ever observed. The SN exploded in a highly-magnified spiral galaxy at z=1.49 behind the Frontier Fields Cluster MACS1149, and provides a unique opportunity to study the environment of SNe at high z. We exploit the time delay between multiple images to determine the properties of the SN and its environment, before, during, and after the SN exploded. We use the integral-field spectrograph MUSE on the VLT to simultaneously target all observed and model-predicted positions of SN Refsdal. We find MgII emission at all positions of SN Refsdal, accompanied by weak FeII* emission at two positions. The measured ratios of [OII] to MgII emission of 10-20 indicate a high degree of ionization with low metallicity. Because the same high degree of ionization is found in all images, and our spatial resolution is too coarse to resolve the region of influence of SN Refsdal, we conclude that this high degree of ionization has been produced by previous SNe or a young and hot stellar population. We find no variability of the [OII] line over a period of 57 days. This suggests that there is no variation in the [OII] luminosity of the SN over this period, or that the SN has a small contribution to the integrated [OII] emission over the scale resolved by our observations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The three-dimensional structure of the Eta Carinae Homunculus

We investigate, using the modeling code SHAPE, the three-dimensional structure of the bipolar Homunculus nebula surrounding Eta Carinae, as mapped by new ESO VLT/X-Shooter observations of the H2 $\lambda=2.12125$ micron emission line. Our results reveal for the first time important deviations from the axisymmetric bipolar morphology: 1) circumpolar trenches in each lobe positioned point-symmetrically from the center and 2) off-planar protrusions in the equatorial region from each lobe at longitudinal (~55 degrees) and latitudinal (10-20 degrees) distances from the projected apastron direction of the binary orbit. The angular distance between the protrusions (~110 degrees) is similar to the angular extent of each polar trench (~130 degrees) and nearly equal to the opening angle of the wind-wind collision cavity (~110 degrees). As in previous studies, we confirm a hole near the centre of each polar lobe and no detectable near-IR H2 emission from the thin optical skirt seen prominently in visible imagery. We conclude that the interaction between the outflows and/or radiation from the central binary stars and their orientation in space has had, and possibly still has, a strong influence on the Homunculus. This implies that prevailing theoretical models of the Homunculus are incomplete as most assume a single star origin that produces an axisymmetric nebula. We discuss how the newly found features might be related to the Homunculus ejection, the central binary and the interacting stellar winds. We also include a 3D printable version of our Homunculus model.Comment: 14 pages, 7 color figures, 1 interactive 3D figure (Figure 5, requires Adobe Reader), published in MNRAS. A 3D printable version of our Homunculus model can be downloaded from http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a011500/a011568/Eta_Car_Homunuculus_3D_model.zip or from the 'Supporting Information' link in the electronic version of the MNRAS articl