691 research outputs found
Evolutionary stage of the spectral variable BD+48 1220=IRAS 05040+4820
Based on high-resolution observations (R=60000 and 75000), we have studied
the optical spectral variability of the star BD+48 1220 (IRAS05040+4820). We
have measured the equivalent widths of numerous absorption lines of neutral
atoms and ions at wavelengths from 4500 to 6760 AA, as well as the
corresponding radial velocities. We use model atmospheres to determine
Teff=7900K, log g=0.0, microturbulence velocity xi_t=6.0, and the abundances
for 16 elements. The star's metallicity differs little from the solar value:
[Fe/H]=-0.10 dex. The main peculiarity of the chemical composition of the star
is a large He-excess, derived from the HeI 5876 A absorption, [He/H]=+1.04, and
the equally large O-excess, [O/Fe]=+0.72 dex. The C-excess is small,
[C/Fe]=+0.09 dex, and the ratio [C/O] 1. We obtained a revised relation
for the light-metal abundances: [Na/Fe]=+0.87 with [Mg/Fe]=-0.31. The barium
abundance is low, [Ba/Fe]=-0.84. The radial velocity of the star measured from
photospheric absorption lines over three years of observations varies in the
interval V_sun = -(7 - 15) km/s. Time variable differential line shifts have
been revealed. The entire set of available data (the luminosity Mv~-5m,
velocity V_lsr~-20 km/s, metallicity [Fe/H]=-0.10, and peculiarities of the
optical spectrum and chemical composition) confirms the status of BD+48 1220 as
a post-AGB star with He- and O-excesses belonging to the Galactic disk.Comment: 42 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables, accepted by Astronomy Report
Oscillations and interactions of dark and dark-bright solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates
Solitons are among the most distinguishing fundamental excitations in a wide
range of non-linear systems such as water in narrow channels, high speed
optical communication, molecular biology and astrophysics. Stabilized by a
balance between spreading and focusing, solitons are wavepackets, which share
some exceptional generic features like form-stability and particle-like
properties. Ultra-cold quantum gases represent very pure and well-controlled
non-linear systems, therefore offering unique possibilities to study soliton
dynamics. Here we report on the first observation of long-lived dark and
dark-bright solitons with lifetimes of up to several seconds as well as their
dynamics in highly stable optically trapped Rb Bose-Einstein
condensates. In particular, our detailed studies of dark and dark-bright
soliton oscillations reveal the particle-like nature of these collective
excitations for the first time. In addition, we discuss the collision between
these two types of solitary excitations in Bose-Einstein condensates.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure
Spin-Momentum Correlations in Quasi-Elastic Electron Scattering from Deuterium
We report on a measurement of spin-momentum correlations in quasi-elastic
scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons with an energy of 720 MeV from
vector-polarized deuterium. The spin correlation parameter was
measured for the reaction for missing
momenta up to 350 MeV/ at a four-momentum transfer squared of 0.21
(GeV/c). The data give detailed information about the spin structure of the
deuteron, and are in good agreement with the predictions of microscopic
calculations based on realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials and including
various spin-dependent reaction mechanism effects. The experiment demonstrates
in a most direct manner the effects of the D-state in the deuteron ground-state
wave function and shows the importance of isobar configurations for this
reaction.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. for publicatio
Setting priorities for EU healthcare workforce IT skills competence improvement
A major challenge for healthcare quality improvement is the lack of IT skills and knowledge of healthcare workforce as well as their ambivalent attitudes towards IT. This paper identifies and prioritises actions needed to improve the IT skills of healthcare workforce across the EU. 46 experts, representing different fields of expertise in healthcare and geolocations systematically list and scored actions that would improve IT skills among healthcare workforce. The Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology was used for research priority-setting. The participants evaluated the actions using the following criteria: feasibility, effectiveness, deliverability, and maximum impact on IT skills improvement. The leading priority actions were related to appropriate training, integrating eHealth in curricula, involving healthcare workforce in the eHealth solution development, improving awareness of eHealth and learning arrangement. As the different professionals’ needs are prioritised, healthcare workforce should be actively and continuously included in the development of eHealth solutions
The binary progenitor of Tycho Brahe's 1572 supernova
The brightness of type Ia supernovae, and their homogeneity as a class, makes
them powerful tools in cosmology, yet little is known about the progenitor
systems of these explosions. They are thought to arise when a white dwarf
accretes matter from a companion star, is compressed and undergoes a
thermonuclear explosion Unless the companion star is another white dwarf (in
which case it should be destroyed by the mass-transfer process itself), it
should survive and show distinguishing properties. Tycho's supernova is one of
the only two type Ia supernovae observed in our Galaxy, and so provides an
opportunity to address observationally the identification of the surviving
companion. Here we report a survey of the central region of its remnant, around
the position of the explosion, which excludes red giants as the mass donor of
the exploding white dwarf. We found a type G0--G2 star, similar to our Sun in
surface temperature and luminosity (but lower surface gravity), moving at more
than three times the mean velocity of the stars at that distance, which appears
to be the surviving companion of the supernova.Comment: accepted by Natute (subject to embargo policy), 31 pages, 4 figure
The Flavor Asymmetry of the Light Quark Sea from Semi-inclusive Deep-inelastic Scattering
The flavor asymmetry of the light quark sea of the nucleon is determined in
the kinematic range 0.02<x<0.3 and 1 GeV^2<Q^2<10 GeV^2, for the first time
from semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering. The quantity
(dbar(x)-ubar(x))/(u(x)-d(x)) is derived from a relationship between the yields
of positive and negative pions from unpolarized hydrogen and deuterium targets.
The flavor asymmetry dbar-ubar is found to be non-zero and x dependent, showing
an excess of dbar over ubar quarks in the proton.Comment: 7 Pages, 2 figures, RevTeX format; slight revision in text, small
change in extraction of dbar-ubar and comparison with a high q2
parameterizatio
Beam-Induced Nuclear Depolarisation in a Gaseous Polarised Hydrogen Target
Spin-polarised atomic hydrogen is used as a gaseous polarised proton target
in high energy and nuclear physics experiments operating with internal beams in
storage rings. When such beams are intense and bunched, this type of target can
be depolarised by a resonant interaction with the transient magnetic field
generated by the beam bunches. This effect has been studied with the HERA
positron beam in the HERMES experiment at DESY. Resonances have been observed
and a simple analytic model has been used to explain their shape and position.
Operating conditions for the experiment have been found where there is no
significant target depolarisation due to this effect.Comment: REVTEX, 6 pages, 5 figure
A Millimeter Continuum Survey for Massive Protoclusters in the Outer Galaxy
Our search for the earliest stages of massive star formation turned up twelve
massive pre-protocluster candidates plus a few protoclusters. For this search,
we selected 47 FIR-bright IRAS sources in the outer Galaxy. We mapped regions
of several square arcminutes around the IRAS source in the millimeter continuum
in order to find massive cold cloud cores possibly being in a very early stage
of massive star formation. Masses and densities are derived for the 128
molecular cloud cores found in the obtained maps. We present these maps
together with near-infrared, mid-infrared, and radio data collected from the
2MASS, MSX, and NVSS catalogs. Further data from the literature on detections
of high-density tracers, outflows, and masers are added. The multi-wavelength
datasets are used to characterize each observed region. The massive cloud cores
(M>100 M_sun) are placed in a tentative evolutionary sequence depending on
their emission at the investigated wavelengths. Candidates for the youngest
stages of massive star formation are identified by the lack of detections in
the above-mentioned near-infrared, mid-infrared, and radio surveys. Twelve
massive cores prominent in the millimeter continuum fulfill this requirement.
Since neither FIR nor radio emission have been detected from these cloud cores
massive protostars must be very deeply embedded in these cores. Some of these
objects may actually Pre-Proto-cluster cores: an up to now rare object class,
where the initial conditions of massive star formation can be studied.Comment: 74 pages, 46 figures, to appear in ApJS December 2005, v161
Reconstruction of the gravitational wave signal during the Virgo science runs and independent validation with a photon calibrator
The Virgo detector is a kilometer-scale interferometer for gravitational wave
detection located near Pisa (Italy). About 13 months of data were accumulated
during four science runs (VSR1, VSR2, VSR3 and VSR4) between May 2007 and
September 2011, with increasing sensitivity.
In this paper, the method used to reconstruct, in the range 10 Hz-10 kHz, the
gravitational wave strain time series from the detector signals is
described. The standard consistency checks of the reconstruction are discussed
and used to estimate the systematic uncertainties of the signal as a
function of frequency. Finally, an independent setup, the photon calibrator, is
described and used to validate the reconstructed signal and the
associated uncertainties.
The uncertainties of the time series are estimated to be 8% in
amplitude. The uncertainty of the phase of is 50 mrad at 10 Hz with a
frequency dependence following a delay of 8 s at high frequency. A bias
lower than and depending on the sky direction of the GW is
also present.Comment: 35 pages, 16 figures. Accepted by CQ
Measurement of the Proton Spin Structure Function g1p with a Pure Hydrogen Target
A measurement of the proton spin structure function g1p(x,Q^2) in
deep-inelastic scattering is presented. The data were taken with the 27.6 GeV
longitudinally polarised positron beam at HERA incident on a longitudinally
polarised pure hydrogen gas target internal to the storage ring. The kinematic
range is 0.021<x<0.85 and 0.8 GeV^2<Q^2<20 GeV^2. The integral
Int_{0.021}^{0.85} g1p(x)dx evaluated at Q0^2 of 2.5 GeV^2 is
0.122+/-0.003(stat.)+/-0.010(syst.).Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, RevTeX late
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