394 research outputs found
Microstructure and kinematics of H2O masers in the massive star forming region IRAS 06061+2151
We have made multi-epoch VLBI observations of H2O maser emission in the
massive star forming region IRAS 06061+2151 with the Japanese VLBI network
(JVN) from 2005 May to 2007 October. The detected maser features are
distributed within an 1\arcsec1\arcsec (2000 au2000 au at the
source position) around the ultra-compact H {\small\bf II} region seen in radio
continuum emission. Their bipolar morphology and expanding motion traced
through their relative proper motions indicate that they are excited by an
energetic bipolar outflow. Our three-dimensional model fitting has shown that
the maser kinematical structure in IRAS 06061+2151 is able to be explained by a
biconical outflow with a large opening angle ( 50\degr). The position angle
of the flow major axis coincides very well with that of the large scale jet
seen in 2.1\:\mu\rmn{m} hydrogen emission. This maser geometry indicates the
existence of dual structures composed of a collimated jet and a less collimated
massive molecular flow. We have also detected a large velocity gradient in the
southern maser group. This can be explained by a very small (on a scale of
several tens of au) and clumpy (the density contrast by an order of magnitude
or more) structure of the parental cloud. Such a structure may be formed by
strong instability of shock front or splitting of high density core.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures accepted for publication in MNRA
Ecological stoichiometry beyond Redfield: An ionomic perspective on elemental homeostasis
Elemental homeostasis has been largely characterized using three important elements that were part of the Redfield ratio (i.e., carbon: nitrogen: phosphorus). These efforts have revealed substantial diversity in homeostasis among taxonomic groups and even within populations. Understanding the evolutionary basis, and ecological consequences of such diversity is a central challenge. Here, we propose that a more complete understanding of homeostasis necessitates the consideration of other elements beyond C, N, and P. Specifically, we posit that physiological complexity underlying maintenance of elemental homeostasis along a single elemental axis impacts processing of other elements, thus altering elemental homeostasis along other axes. Indeed, transcriptomic studies in a wide variety of organisms have found that individuals differentially express significant proportions of the genome in response to variability in supply stoichiometry in order to maintain varying levels of homeostasis. We review the literature from the emergent field of ionomics that has established the consequences of such physiological trade-offs on the content of the entire suite of elements in an individual. Further, we present experimental data on bacteria exhibiting divergent phosphorus homeostasis phenotypes demonstrating the fundamental interconnectedness among elemental quotas. These observations suggest that physiological adjustments can lead to unexpected patterns in biomass stoichiometry, such as correlated changes among suites of non-limiting microelements in response to limitation by macroelements. Including the entire suite of elements that comprise biomass will foster improved quantitative understanding of the links between chemical cycles and the physiology of organisms.Peer reviewedIntegrative Biolog
Evidence for Exotic J^{PC}=1^{-+} Meson Production in the Reaction pi- p --> eta pi- p at 18 GeV/c
Details of the analysis of the eta pi- system studied in the reaction pi^{-}
p --> eta pi^{-} p at 18 GeV/c are given. Separate analyses for the 2 gamma and
pi+ pi- pi0 decay modes of the eta are presented. An amplitude analysis of the
data indicates the presence of interference between the a(2)(1320)- and a
J^{PC}=1^{-+} wave between 1.2 and 1.6 GeV/c^2. The phase difference between
these waves shows phase motion not attributable solely to the a(2)(1320)-. The
data can be fitted by interference between the a(2)(1320)- and an exotic 1^{-+}
resonance with M = 1370 +-16 +50 -30} MeV/c^2 and Gamma = 385 +- 40 +65 -105
MeV/c^2. Our results are compared with those of other experiments.Comment: 50 pages of text and 34 figure
Confirmation of a pi_1^0 Exotic Meson in the \eta \pi^0 System
The exclusive reaction , at 18 GeV has been studied with a partial wave analysis on a sample
of 23~492 events from BNL experiment E852. A mass-dependent fit
is consistent with a resonant hypothesis for the wave, thus providing
evidence for a neutral exotic meson with , a mass of MeV, and a width of MeV. New
interpretations of the meson exotics in neutral system observed in
E852 and Crystal Barrel experiments are discussed.Comment: p3, rewording the paragraph (at the bottom) about the phase
variations. p4, rewording paragrath "The second method ..." . p4, at the
bottom of paragrath "The third method ..." added consistent with the results
of methods 1 and 2
Observation of exotic meson production in the reaction at 18 GeV/c
An amplitude analysis of an exclusive sample of 5765 events from the reaction
at 18 GeV/c is described. The
production is dominated by natural parity exchange and by
three partial waves: those with and . A
mass-dependent analysis of the partial-wave amplitudes indicates the production
of the meson as well as the meson, observed for the
first time decaying to . The dominant, exotic
(non- partial wave is shown to be resonant with a mass of
GeV/c^2 and a width of GeV/c^2 . This exotic state, the , is produced with a
dependence which is different from that of the meson, indicating
differences between the production mechanisms for the two states.Comment: 5 pages with 4 figure
A partial wave analysis of the system produced in charge exchange collisions
A partial wave analysis of the of the system produced in the
charge exchange reaction: at an incident momentum of
is presented as a function of invariant mass,
, and momentum transfer squared, , from the incident
to the outgoing system.Comment: 24 pages total,8 pages text, 14 figures, 1 table. Submitted to Phys
Rev
Partial-wave analysis of the eta pi+ pi- system produced in the reaction pi-p --> eta pi+ pi- n at 18 GeV/c
A partial-wave analysis of 9082 eta pi+ pi- n events produced in the reaction
pi- p --> eta pi+ pi- n at 18.3 GeV/c has been carried out using data from
experiment 852 at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The data are dominated by
J^{PC} = 0^{-+} partial waves consistent with observation of the eta(1295) and
the eta(1440). The mass and width of the eta(1295) were determined to be 1282
+- 5 MeV and 66 +- 13 Mev respectively while the eta(1440) was observed with a
mass of 1404 +- 6 MeV and width of 80 +- 21 MeV. Other partial waves of
importance include the 1++ and the 1+- waves. Results of the partial wave
analysis are combined with results of other experiments to estimate f1(1285)
branching fractions. These values are considerably different from current
values determined without the aid of amplitude analyses.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figure
The MUSCLES Treasury Survey. IV. : Scaling relations for ultraviolet, Ca II K, and energetic particle fluxes from M dwarfs
Characterizing the UV spectral energy distribution (SED) of an exoplanet host star is critically important for assessing its planet's potential habitability, particularly for M dwarfs, as they are prime targets for current and near-term exoplanet characterization efforts and atmospheric models predict that their UV radiation can produce photochemistry on habitable zone planets different from that on Earth. To derive ground-based proxies for UV emission for use when Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations are unavailable, we have assembled a sample of 15 early to mid-M dwarfs observed by HST and compared their nonsimultaneous UV and optical spectra. We find that the equivalent width of the chromospheric Ca ii K line at 3933 Å, when corrected for spectral type, can be used to estimate the stellar surface flux in ultraviolet emission lines, including H i Lyα. In addition, we address another potential driver of habitability: energetic particle fluxes associated with flares. We present a new technique for estimating soft X-ray and >10 MeV proton flux during far-UV emission line flares (Si iv and He ii) by assuming solar-like energy partitions. We analyze several flares from the M4 dwarf GJ 876 observed with HST and Chandra as part of the MUSCLES Treasury Survey and find that habitable zone planets orbiting GJ 876 are impacted by large Carrington-like flares with peak soft X-ray fluxes ≥10−3 W m−2 and possible proton fluxes ~102–103 pfu, approximately four orders of magnitude more frequently than modern-day Earth.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
Meta-analysis of gender performance gaps in undergraduate natural science courses
To investigate patterns of gender-based performance gaps, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished data collected across 169 undergraduate biology and chemistry courses. While we did not detect an overall gender gap in performance, heterogeneity analyses suggested further analysis was warranted, so we investigated whether attributes of the learning environment impacted performance disparities on the basis of gender. Several factors moderated performance differences, including class size, assessment type, and pedagogy. Specifically, we found evidence that larger classes, reliance on exams, and undisrupted, traditional lecture were associated with lower grades for women. We discuss our results in the context of natural science courses and conclude by making recommendations for instructional practices and future research to promote gender equity
Are there islands of awareness?
Ordinary human experience is embedded in a web of causal relations that link the brain to the body and the wider environment. However, there might be conditions in which brain activity supports consciousness even when that activity is fully causally isolated from the body and its environment. Such cases would involve what we call ‘islands of awareness’: conscious states that are neither shaped by sensory input nor able to be expressed by motor output. This paper considers conditions in which such islands might occur, including ex cranio brains, hemispherotomy, and in cerebral organoids. We examine possible methods for 2 detecting islands of awareness, and consider their implications for ethics and for the nature of consciousness
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