845 research outputs found
Distance to U Pegasi by the DDE Algorithm
A distance is found for the W UMa type binary U Pegasi, with a newly modified
version of the Wilson-Devinney program (W-D) that makes use of the direct
distance estimation (DDE) algorithm. The reported distance of d = 123.6pc is an
average based on solutions for B and V data and a primary star temperature of
5800K. Standardized light curves (not differential), radial velocities, and a
spectroscopic primary star temperature are input to the pro- gram. Differential
corrections were performed for each light curve band along with the velocities
for two primary temperatures that span 100K. Log10d is a model parameter like
many others that are adjustable in W-D. The eclipsing binary distance agrees
with the Hipparcos parallax distance and is more precise.Comment: 2 pages, 1 table, International Conference: Binaries - Key to
Comprehension of the Universe, Brno, Czech Republic June 8-12, 200
The V471 Tauri System: A Multi-datatype Probe
V471 Tauri, a white dwarf--red dwarf eclipsing binary in the Hyades, is well
known for stimulating development of common envelope theory, whereby novae and
other cataclysmic variables form from much wider binaries by catastrophic orbit
shrinkage. Our evaluation of a recent imaging search that reported negative
results for a much postulated third body shows that the object could have
escaped detection or may have actually been seen. The balance of evidence
continues to favor a brown dwarf companion about 12 AU from the eclipsing
binary. A recently developed algorithm finds unified solutions from three
datatypes. New radial velocities (RVs) of the red dwarf and BV RCIC light
curves are solved simultaneously along with white dwarf and red dwarf RVs from
the literature, uvby data, the MOST mission light curve, and 40 years of
eclipse timings. Precision-based weighting is the key to proper information
balance among the various datasets. Timewise variation of modeled starspots
allows unified solution of multiple data eras. Light curve amplitudes strongly
suggest decreasing spottedness from 1976 to about 1980, followed by
approximately constant spot coverage from 1981 to 2005. An explanation is
proposed for lack of noticeable variation in 1981 light curves, in terms of
competition between spot and tidal variations. Photometric spectroscopic
distance is estimated. The red dwarf mass comes out larger than normal for a
K2V star, and even larger than adopted in several structure and evolution
papers. An identified cause for this result is that much improved red dwarf RVs
curves now exist
The Interplanetary Network Supplement to the BeppoSAX Gamma-Ray Burst Catalogs
Between 1996 July and 2002 April, one or more spacecraft of the
interplanetary network detected 787 cosmic gamma-ray bursts that were also
detected by the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor and/or Wide-Field X-Ray Camera
experiments aboard the BeppoSAX spacecraft. During this period, the network
consisted of up to six spacecraft, and using triangulation, the localizations
of 475 bursts were obtained. We present the localization data for these events.Comment: 89 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to the Astrophysical Journal
Supplement Serie
V0332+53 in the outburst of 2004--2005: luminosity dependence of the cyclotron line and pulse profile
We present results of observations of the transient X-ray pulsar V0332+53
performed during a very powerful outburst in Dec, 2004 -- Feb, 2005 with the
INTEGRAL and RXTE observatories in a wide (3-100 keV) energy band. A cyclotron
resonance scattering line at an energy of ~26 keV has been detected in the
source spectrum together with its two higher harmonics at ~50 and ~73 keV,
respectively. We show that the energy of the line is not constant but linearly
changes with the source luminosity. Strong pulse profile variations, especially
near the cyclotron line, are revealed for different levels of the source
intensity. We discuss the obtained results in terms of the theoretical models
of X-ray pulsars.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 10 pages, 9 figure
Analysis of the rotation period of asteroids (1865) Cerberus, (2100) Ra-Shalom, and (3103) Eger - search for the YORP effect
The spin state of small asteroids can change on a long timescale by the
Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect, the net torque that arises
from anisotropically scattered sunlight and proper thermal radiation from an
irregularly-shaped asteroid. The secular change in the rotation period caused
by the YORP effect can be detected by analysis of asteroid photometric
lightcurves. We analyzed photometric lightcurves of near-Earth asteroids (1865)
Cerberus, (2100) Ra-Shalom, and (3103) Eger with the aim to detect possible
deviations from the constant rotation caused by the YORP effect. We carried out
new photometric observations of the three asteroids, combined the new
lightcurves with archived data, and used the lightcurve inversion method to
model the asteroid shape, pole direction, and rotation rate. The YORP effect
was modeled as a linear change in the rotation rate in time d\omega /dt. Values
of d\omega/ dt derived from observations were compared with the values
predicted by theory. We derived physical models for all three asteroids. We had
to model Eger as a nonconvex body because the convex model failed to fit the
lightcurves observed at high phase angles. We probably detected the
acceleration of the rotation rate of Eger d\omega / dt = (1.4 +/- 0.6) x
10^{-8} rad/d (3\sigma error), which corresponds to a decrease in the rotation
period by 4.2 ms/yr. The photometry of Cerberus and Ra-Shalom was consistent
with a constant-period model, and no secular change in the spin rate was
detected. We could only constrain maximum values of |d\omega / dt| < 8 x
10^{-9} rad/d for Cerberus, and |d\omega / dt| < 3 x 10^{-8} rad/d for
Ra-Shalom
APASS Landolt-Sloan BVgri photometry of RAVE stars. I. Data, effective temperatures and reddenings
We provide APASS photometry in the Landolt BV and Sloan g'r'i' bands for all
the 425,743 stars included in the latest 4th RAVE Data Release. The internal
accuracy of the APASS photometry of RAVE stars, expressed as error of the mean
of data obtained and separately calibrated over a median of 4 distinct
observing epochs and distributed between 2009 and 2013, is 0.013, 0.012, 0.012,
0.014 and 0.021 mag for B, V, g', r' and i' band, respectively. The equally
high external accuracy of APASS photometry has been verified on secondary
Landolt and Sloan photometric standard stars not involved in the APASS
calibration process, and on a large body of literature data on field and
cluster stars, confirming the absence of offsets and trends. Compared with the
Carlsberg Meridian Catalog (CMC-15), APASS astrometry of RAVE stars is accurate
to a median value of 0.098 arcsec. Brightness distribution functions for the
RAVE stars have been derived in all bands. APASS photometry of RAVE stars,
augmented by 2MASS JHK infrared data, has been chi2 fitted to a densely
populated synthetic photometric library designed to widely explore in
temperature, surface gravity, metallicity and reddening. Resulting Teff and
E(B-V), computed over a range of options, are provided and discussed, and will
be kept updated in response to future APASS and RAVE data releases. In the
process it is found that the reddening caused by an homogeneous slab of dust,
extending for 140 pc on either side of the Galactic plane and responsible for
E(B-V,poles)=0.036 +/- 0.002 at the galactic poles, is a suitable approximation
of the actual reddening encountered at Galactic latitudes |b|>=25 deg.Comment: Astronomical Journal, in press. Resolution of Figures degrated to
match arXiv file size limit
Variability in black hole accretion discs
Observations of accreting systems often show significant variability (10-20
percent of accretion luminosity) on timescales much longer than expected for
the disc regions releasing most of the luminosity. We propose an explicit
physical model for disc variability, consistent with Lyubarskii's (1997)
general scheme for solving this problem. We suggest that local dynamo processes
can affect the evolution of an accretion disc by driving angular momentum loss
in the form of an outflow (a wind or jet). We model the dynamo as a small-scale
stochastic phenomenon, operating on roughly the local dynamical timescale. We
argue that large-scale outflow can only occur when the small-scale random
processes in neighbouring disc annuli give rise by chance to a coherent
large-scale magnetic field. This occurs on much longer timescales, and causes a
bright large-amplitude flare as a wide range of disc radii evolve in a coherent
fashion. Most of the time, dynamo action instead produces small-amplitude
flickering. We reproduce power spectra similar to those observed, including a
1/f power spectrum below a break frequency given by the magnetic alignment
timescale at the inner disc edge. However the relation between the black hole
mass and the value of the break frequency is less straightforward than often
assumed in the literature. The effect of an outer disc edge is to flatten the
spectrum below the magnetic alignment frequency there. We also find a
correlation between the variability amplitude and luminosity, similar to that
found in some AGN.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures; MNRAS accepte
NKTR-102 Efficacy versus irinotecan in a mouse model of brain metastases of breast cancer
Background: Brain metastases are an increasing problem in women with invasive breast cancer. Strategies designed to treat brain metastases of breast cancer, particularly chemotherapeutics such as irinotecan, demonstrate limited efficacy. Conventional irinotecan distributes poorly to brain metastases; therefore, NKTR-102, a PEGylated irinotecan conjugate should enhance irinotecan and its active metabolite SN38 exposure in brain metastases leading to brain tumor cytotoxicity.
Methods: Female nude mice were intracranially or intracardially implanted with human brain seeking breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231Br) and dosed with irinotecan or NKTR-102 to determine plasma and tumor pharmacokinetics of irinotecan and SN38. Tumor burden and survival were evaluated in mice treated with vehicle, irinotecan (50 mg/kg), or NKTR-102 low and high doses (10 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg respectively).
Results: NKTR-102 penetrates the blood-tumor barrier and distributes to brain metastases. NKTR-102 increased and prolonged SN38 exposure (\u3e20 ng/g for 168 h) versus conventional irinotecan (\u3e1 ng/g for 4 h). Treatment with NKTR-102 extended survival time (from 35 days to 74 days) and increased overall survival for NKTR-102 low dose (30 % mice) and NKTR-102 high dose (50 % mice). Tumor burden decreased (37 % with 10 mg/kg NKTR-102 and 96 % with 50 mg/kg) and lesion sizes decreased (33 % with 10 mg/kg NKTR-102 and 83 % with 50 mg/kg NKTR-102) compared to conventional irinotecan treated animals.
Conclusions: Elevated and prolonged tumor SN38 exposure after NKTR-102 administration appears responsible for increased survival in this model of breast cancer brain metastasis. Further, SN38 concentrations observed in this study are clinically achieved with 145 mg/m2 NKTR-102, such as those used in the BEACON trial, underlining translational relevance of these results
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