Observed and Physical Properties of Core-Collapse Supernovae

I use photometry and spectroscopy data for 24 Type II plateau supernovae to examine their observed and physical properties. This dataset shows that these objects encompass a wide range of ~5 mag in their plateau luminosities, their expansion velocities vary by x5, and the nickel masses produced in these explosions go from 0.0016 to 0.26 Mo. From a subset of 16 objects I find that the explosion energies vary between 0.6x and 5.5x10^51 ergs, the ejected masses encompass the range 14-56 Mo, and the progenitors' radii go from 80 to 600 Ro. Despite this great diversity several regularities emerge, which reveal that there is a continuum in the properties of these objects from the faint, low-energy, nickel-poor SNe 1997D and 1999br, to the bright, high-energy, nickel-rich SN 1992am. This study provides evidence that more massive progenitors produce more energetic explosions, thus suggesting that the outcome of the core collapse is somewhat determined by the envelope mass. I find also that supernovae with greater energies produce more nickel. Similar relationships appear to hold for Type Ib/c supernovae, which suggests that both Type II and Type Ib/c supernovae share the same core physics. When the whole sample of core collapse objects is considered, there is a continous distribution of energies below 8x10^51 ergs. Far above in energy scale and nickel production lies the extreme hypernova 1998bw, the only supernova firmly associated to a GRB.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures, accepted for Part 1 of Astrophysical Journa

Absolute-Magnitude Distributions and Light Curves of Stripped-Envelope Supernovae

The absolute visual magnitudes of three Type IIb, 11 Type Ib and 13 Type Ic supernovae (collectively known as stripped-envelope supernovae) are studied by collecting data on the apparent magnitude, distance, and interstellar extinction of each event. Weighted and unweighted mean absolute magnitudes of the combined sample as well as various subsets of the sample are reported. The limited sample size and the considerable uncertainties, especially those associated with extinction in the host galaxies, prevent firm conclusions regarding differences between the absolute magnitudes of supernovae of Type Ib and Ic, and regarding the existence of separate groups of overluminous and normal-luminosity stripped-envelope supernovae. The spectroscopic characteristics of the events of the sample are considered. Three of the four overluminous events are known to have had unusual spectra. Most but not all of the normal luminosity events had typical spectra. Light curves of stripped-envelope supernovae are collected and compared. Because SN 1994I in M51 was very well observed it often is regarded as the prototypical Type Ic supernova, but it has the fastest light curve in the sample. Light curves are modeled by means of a simple analytical technique that, combined with a constraint on E/M from spectroscopy, yields internally consistent values of ejected mass, kinetic energy, and nickel mass.Comment: 39 pages, 14 figures, 7 tables; Accepted to A

Spectral Modeling of SNe Ia Near Maximum Light: Probing the Characteristics of Hydro Models

We have performed detailed NLTE spectral synthesis modeling of 2 types of 1-D hydro models: the very highly parameterized deflagration model W7, and two delayed detonation models. We find that overall both models do about equally well at fitting well observed SNe Ia near to maximum light. However, the Si II 6150 feature of W7 is systematically too fast, whereas for the delayed detonation models it is also somewhat too fast, but significantly better than that of W7. We find that a parameterized mixed model does the best job of reproducing the Si II 6150 line near maximum light and we study the differences in the models that lead to better fits to normal SNe Ia. We discuss what is required of a hydro model to fit the spectra of observed SNe Ia near maximum light.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figures, ApJ, in pres

Genotyping of Bulgarian Vitis vinifera L. cultivars by microsatellite analysis

A characterization of the Bulgarian grapevine genepool (Vitis vinifera L. cultivars) was initiated through microsatellite analysis. Seventy four wine and table grapevine varieties from the National List of Cultivars, were analyzed at 9 microsatellite loci: VVS2, ssrVvUCH11, ssrVvUCH 29, ssrVrZAG21, ssrVrZAG47, ssrVrZAG62, ssrVrZAG64, ssrVrZAG79 and ssrVrZAG83. The high genetic diversity (78 %) allowed accurate identification and discrimination of the cultivars. The low PI value (1.201 x 10-8) reflects the high discriminative power of the chosen set of markers for the investigated population. Based on the microsatellite allele data, two pairs of old native varieties, Misket Cherven and Misket Vrachanski; Tamyanka and Tamyanka tvarda, were considered distinct cultivars. The synonymy ofTamyanka, Italian Moscato Bianco and Greek Moschato Kerkyras andPamid and Greek Pamidi was verified, while the putative synonymy of Mavrud and Greek Mavroudi Arachovis was rejected.Further utilization of microsatellite profiling in the management of the Bulgarian grapevine genepool is discussed.

Redox Kinetics Study of Fuel Reduced Ceria for Chemical-Looping Water Splitting

Chemical-looping water splitting is a novel and promising technology for hydrogen production with CO₂ separation. Its efficiency and performance depend critically on the reduction and oxidation (redox) properties of the oxygen carriers (OC). Ceria is recognized as one of the most promising OC candidates, because of its fast chemistry, high ionic diffusivity, and large oxygen storage capacity. The fundamental surface redox pathways, including the complex interactions of mobile ions and electrons between the bulk and the surface, along with the adsorbates and electrostatic fields, remain yet unresolved. This work presents a detailed redox kinetics study with emphasis on the surface ion-incorporation kinetics pathway, using time-resolved and systematic measurements in the temperature range 600–1000 °C. By using fine ceria nanopowder, we observe an order-of-magnitude higher hydrogen production rate compared to the state-of-the-art thermochemical or reactive chemical-looping water splitting studies. We show that the reduction is the rate-limiting step, and it determines the total amount of hydrogen produced in the following oxidation step. The redox kinetics is modeled using a two-step surface chemistry (an H2O adsorption/dissociation step and a charge-transfer step), coupled with the bulk-to-surface transport equilibrium. Kinetics and equilibrium parameters are extracted with excellent agreement with measurements. The model reveals that the surface defects are abundant during redox conditions, and charge transfer is the rate-determining step for H₂ production. The results establish a baseline for developing new materials and provide guidance for the design and the practical application of water splitting technology (e.g., the design of OC characteristics, the choice of the operating temperatures, and periods for redox steps, etc.). The method, combining well-controlled experiment and detailed kinetics modeling, enables a new and thorough approach for examining the defect thermodynamics in the bulk and at the surface, as well as redox reaction kinetics for alternative materials for water splitting

C-axis Penetration Depth and Inter-layer Conductivity in the Thallium Based Cuprate Superconductors

The c-axis Josephson plasmon in optimally doped single-layer and bi-layer high Tc cuprates Tl2201 and Tl2212 have been investigated using infrared spectroscopy. We observed the plasma frequencies for these two compounds at 27.8 and 25.6 cm-1 respectively, which we interpret as a Josephson resonance across the TlO blocking layers. No maximum in the temperature dependence of the c-axis conductivity was observed below Tc, indicating that even in the superconducting state a coherent quasi-particle contribution to the c-axis conductivity is absent or very weak, in contrast to the behaviour of the ab-plane conductivity.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Foreign Policy of Provisional Priamur Government (1921—1922): Process of Formation and Basic Ideological Attitudes

The article is devoted to the foreign policy course of the anti-Bolshevik Provisional Priamurye Government, which controled Primorye in 1921—1922. The source base of the research was the journalism of the pro-government press (the newspapers “Slovo”, “Russian Territory”, “Bulletin of the Provisional Priamurye Government”) and archival materials. Particular attention is paid to the role of the media in substantiating the foreign policy of the Far Eastern non-socialists. It is shown that the official statements of the government (appeals, proclamations, interviews of officials) published in the press contained the foundations of the foreign policy doctrine of the White movement. In addition, it is indicated that anti-Bolshevik publicists regularly responded to foreign policy events and tried to form public opinion through newspaper articles. It is noted that the cornerstone of the program of the Provisional Priamurye Government was the thesis of the antagonism of “Russia” (personified in the white Primorye) and “Sovdepia” — RSFSR (together with the buffer Far Eastern Republic). As an example, illustrating the application of Provisional Priamurye Government ideological attitudes in practice, the sending of a delegation from the white Primorye to the Washington conference at the end of 1921 is given. The preceding press campaign, designed to substantiate the importance of the presence of the anti-Bolshevik delegation in Washington, is highlighted

The Reddening-Free Decline Rate Versus Luminosity Relationship for Type Ia Supernovae

We develop a method for estimating the host galaxy dust extinction for type Ia supernovae based on an observational coincidence first noted by Lira (1995), who found that the B-V evolution during the period from 30-90 days after V maximum is remarkably similar for all events, regardless of light curve shape. This fact is used to calibrate the dependence of the B(max)-V(max) and V(max)-I(max) colors on the light curve decline rate parameter delta-m15, which can, in turn, be used to separately estimate the host galaxy extinction. Using these methods to eliminate the effects of reddening, we reexamine the functional form of the decline rate versus luminosity relationship and provide an updated estimate of the Hubble constant of Ho = 63.3 +- 2.2(internal) +- 3.5(external) km/s/Mpc.Comment: 32 pages, 10 figures, AJ 1999 in pres