5,224 research outputs found
The Interaction between the ISM and Star Formation in the Dwarf Starburst Galaxy NGC 4214
We present the first interferometric study of the molecular gas in the
metal-poor dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214. Our map of the 12CO(1-0) emission,
obtained at the OVRO millimeter array, reveals an unexpected structural wealth.
We detected three regions of molecular emission in the north-west (NW),
south-east (SE) and centre of NGC 4214 which are in very different and distinct
evolutionary stages (total molecular mass: 5.1 x 10^6 M_sun). These differences
are apparent most dramatically when the CO morphologies are compared to optical
ground based and HST imaging: massive star formation has not started yet in the
NW region; the well-known starburst in the centre is the most evolved and star
formation in the SE complex started more recently. We derive a star formation
efficiency of 8% for the SE complex. Using high--resolution VLA observations of
neutral hydrogen HI and our CO data we generated a total gas column density map
for NGC 4214 (HI + H_2). No clear correlation is seen between the peaks of HI,
CO and the sites of ongoing star formation. This emphasizes the irregular
nature of dwarf galaxies. The HI and CO velocities agree well, so do the
H-alpha velocities. In total, we cataloged 14 molecular clumps in NGC 4214. Our
results from a virial mass analysis are compatible with a Galactic CO-to-H_2
conversion factor for NGC 4214 (lower than what is usually found in metal-poor
dwarf galaxies).Comment: accepted for publication in the AJ (February 2001), full ps file at:
ftp://ftp.astro.caltech.edu/users/fw/ngc4214/walter_prep.p
Increased Androgenic Sensitivity in the Hind Limb Muscular System Marks the Evolution of a Derived Gestural Display
Physical gestures are prominent features of many speciesâ multi- modal displays, yet how evolution incorporates body and leg movements into animal signaling repertoires is unclear. Andro- genic hormones modulate the production of reproductive signals and sexual motor skills in many vertebrates; therefore, one possi- bility is that selection for physical signals drives the evolution of androgenic sensitivity in select neuromotor pathways. We exam- ined this issue in the Bornean rock frog (Staurois parvus, family: Ranidae). Males court females and compete with rivals by per- forming both vocalizations and hind limb gestural signals, called âfoot flags.â Foot flagging is a derived display that emerged in the ranids after vocal signaling. Here, we show that administration of testosterone (T) increases foot flagging behavior under seminatural conditions. Moreover, using quantitative PCR, we also find that adult male S. parvus maintain a unique androgenic phenotype, in which androgen receptor (AR) in the hind limb musculature is expressed at levels âŒ10Ă greater than in two other anuran species, which do not produce foot flags (Rana pipiens and Xenopus laevis). Finally, because males of all three of these species solicit mates with calls, we accordingly detect no differences in AR expression in the vocal apparatus (larynx) among taxa. The results show that foot flagging is an androgen-dependent gestural signal, and its emergence is associated with increased androgenic sensitivity within the hind limb musculature. Selection for this novel gestural signal may therefore drive the evolution of increased AR expres- sion in key muscles that control signal production to support adap- tive motor performance
Detection of fast radio transients with multiple stations: a case study using the Very Long Baseline Array
Recent investigations reveal an important new class of transient radio
phenomena that occur on sub-millisecond timescales. Often transient surveys'
data volumes are too large to archive exhaustively. Instead, an on-line
automatic system must excise impulsive interference and detect candidate events
in real-time. This work presents a case study using data from multiple
geographically distributed stations to perform simultaneous interference
excision and transient detection. We present several algorithms that
incorporate dedispersed data from multiple sites, and report experiments with a
commensal real-time transient detection system on the Very Long Baseline Array
(VLBA). We test the system using observations of pulsar B0329+54. The
multiple-station algorithms enhanced sensitivity for detection of individual
pulses. These strategies could improve detection performance for a future
generation of geographically distributed arrays such as the Australian Square
Kilometre Array Pathfinder and the Square Kilometre Array.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for Ap
The Broadband Afterglow of GRB980329
We present radio observations of the afterglow of the bright gamma-ray burst
GRB980329 made between one month and several years after the burst, a
re-analysis of previously published submillimeter data, and late-time optical
and near-infrared (NIR) observations of the host galaxy. From the absence of a
spectral break in the optical/NIR colors of the host galaxy, we exclude the
earlier suggestion that GRB980329 lies at a redshift of z >~5. We combine our
data with the numerous multi-wavelength observations of the early afterglow,
fit a comprehensive afterglow model to the entire broadband dataset, and derive
fundamental physical parameters of the blast-wave and its host environment.
Models for which the ejecta expand isotropically require both a high
circumburst density and extreme radiative losses from the shock. No low density
model (n << 10 cm^{-3}) fits the data. A burst with a total energy of ~ 10^{51}
erg, with the ejecta narrowly collimated to an opening angle of a few degrees,
driven into a surrounding medium with density ~ 20 cm^{-3}, provides a
satisfactory fit to the lightcurves over a range of redshifts.Comment: 27 pages, incl. 6 figures, minor revisions (e.g. added/updated
references) Accepted by Ap
In search of phylogenetic congruence between molecular and morphological data in bryozoans with extreme adult skeletal heteromorphy
peerreview_statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope. aims_and_scope_url: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tsab20© Crown Copyright 2015. This document is the author's final accepted/submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it
Molecular Gas in the Low Metallicity, Star Forming Dwarf IC 10
We present a complete survey of CO 1->0 emission in the Local Group dwarf
irregular IC 10. The survey, conducted with the BIMA interferometer, covers the
stellar disk and a large fraction of the extended HI envelope with the
sensitivity and resolution necessary to detect individual giant molecular
clouds (GMCs) at the distance of IC 10 (950 kpc). We find 16 clouds with a
total CO luminosity of 1 x 10^6 K km s^-1 pc^2, equivalent to 4 x 10^6 Msun of
molecular gas using the Galactic CO-to-H2 conversion factor. Observations with
the ARO 12m find that BIMA may resolve out as much as 50% of the CO emission,
and we estimate the total CO luminosity as 2.2 x 10^6 K km s^-1 pc^2. We
measure the properties of 14 GMCs from high resolution OVRO data. These clouds
are very similar to Galactic GMCs in their sizes, line widths, luminosities,
and CO-to-H2 conversion factors despite the low metallicity of IC 10 (Z ~ 1/5
Zsun). Comparing the BIMA survey to the atomic gas and stellar content of IC 10
we find that most of the CO emission is coincident with high surface density
HI. IC 10 displays a much higher star formation rate per unit molecular (H2) or
total (HI+H2) gas than most galaxies. This could be a real difference or may be
an evolutionary effect - the star formation rate may have been higher in the
recent past.Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures, Accepted to Ap
In vivo parasitological measures of artemisinin susceptibility
Parasite clearance data from 18,699 patients with falciparum malaria treated with an artemisinin derivative in areas of low (n=14,539), moderate (n=2077), and high (n=2083) levels of malaria transmission across the world were analyzed to determine the factors that affect clearance rates and identify a simple in vivo screening measure for artemisinin resistance. The main factor affecting parasite clearance time was parasite density on admission. Clearance rates were faster in high-transmission settings and with more effective partner drugs in artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs). The result of the malaria blood smear on day 3 (72 h) was a good predictor of subsequent treatment failure and provides a simple screening measure for artemisinin resistance. Artemisinin resistance is highly unlikely if the proportion of patients with parasite densities of <100,000 parasites/microL given the currently recommended 3-day ACT who have a positive smear result on day 3 is <3%; that is, for n patients the observed number with a positive smear result on day 3 does not exceed (n + 60)/24
Discovery of the INTEGRAL X/Gamma-ray transient IGR J00291+5934: a Comptonised accreting ms pulsar ?
We report the discovery of a high-energy transient with the IBIS/ISGRI
detector on board the INTEGRAL observatory. The source, namely IGR J00291+5934,
was first detected on 2nd December 2004 in the routine monitoring of the
IBIS/ISGRI 20--60 keV images. The observations were conducted during Galactic
Plane Scans, which are a key part of the INTEGRAL Core Programme observations.
After verifying the basic source behaviour, the discovery was announced on 3rd
December. The transient shows a hard Comptonised spectrum, with peak energy
release at about 20 keV and a total luminosity of ~ 0.9E36 erg/s in the 5--100
keV range, assuming a distance of 3 kpc. Following the INTEGRAL announcement of
the discovery of IGR J00291+5934, a number of observations were made by other
instruments. We summarise the results of those observations and, together with
the INTEGRAL data, identifiy IGR J00291+5934 as the 6th member of a class of
accreting X-ray millisecond pulsars.Comment: Accepted for publication as an A&A Letter 24/01/2005. 5 pages, 2
figure
Nucleosynthesis in ONeMg Novae: Models versus Observations to Constrain the Masses of ONeMg White Dwarfs and Their Envelopes
Nucleosynthesis in ONeMg novae has been investigated with the wide ranges of
three parameters, i.e., the white dwarf mass, the envelope mass at ignition,
and the initial composition. A quasi-analytic one-zone approach is used with an
up-to-date nuclear reaction network. The nucleosynthesis results show
correlation with the peak temperatures or the cooling timescales during
outbursts. Among the combinations of white dwarf and envelope masses which give
the same peak temperature, the explosion is more violent for a lower white
dwarf mass owing to its smaller gravitational potential. Comparison of the
nucleosynthesis results with observations implies that at least two-third of
the white dwarf masses for the observed ONeMg novae are ,
which are significantly lower than estimated by previous hydrodynamic studies
but consistent with the observations of V1974 Cyg. Moreover, the envelope
masses derived from the comparison are , which are in
good agreement with the ejecta masses estimated from observations but
significantly higher than in previous hydrodynamic studies. With such a low
mass white dwarf and a high mass envelope, the nova can produce interesting
amounts of -ray emitters Be, Na, and Al. We suggest
that V1974 Cyg has produced Na as high as the upper limit derived from
the COMPTEL survey. In addition, a non-negligible part of the Galactic
Al may originate from ONeMg novae, if not the major contributors. Both
the future INTEGRAL survey for these -ray emitters and abundance
estimates derived from ultraviolet, optical, and near infrared spectroscopies
will impose a severe constraint on the current nova models.Comment: 21 pages, 23 figures, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal, Vol.
523, No.1, September 20, 1999; preprint with embedded images can be obtained
from http://th.nao.ac.jp/~wanajo/journal/onenova.p
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