2,544 research outputs found
The Sloan Lens ACS Survey. VI: Discovery and analysis of a double Einstein ring
We report the discovery of two concentric Einstein rings around the
gravitational lens SDSSJ0946+1006, as part of the Sloan Lens ACS Survey. The
main lens is at redshift zl=0.222, while the inner ring (1) is at zs1=0.609 and
Einstein radius . The wider image separation () of the outer ring (2) implies that it is at higher redshift. Its
detection in the F814W filter implies zs2<6.9. The configuration can be well
described by a total density profile with
and velocity dispersion \sigma_{SIE}=287\pm5\kms. [...] We consider whether
this configuration can be used to constrain cosmological parameters exploiting
angular distance ratios entering the lens equations. Constraints for
SDSSJ0946+1006, are uninteresting due to the sub-optimal lens and source
redshifts. We then consider the perturbing effect of the mass associated with
Ring 1 building a double lens plane compound lens model. This introduces minor
changes to the mass of the main lens and allows to estimate the mass of Ring 1
(\sigma_{SIE,s1}=94\pm30\kms). We examine the prospects of doing cosmography
with a sample of 50 double lenses, expected from future space based surveys
such as DUNE or JDEM. Taking full account of the model uncertainties, such a
sample could be used to measure and with 10% accuracy, for a
flat cosmology
SDSSJ140228.22+632133.3: A New Spectroscopically Selected Gravitational Lens
(abridged) We present Gemini integral-field unit (IFU) spectroscopy and
Hubble Space Telescope (HST) F435W- and F814W-band images of a new four-image
gravitational lens, SDSSJ140228.22+632133.3, obtained as part of an HST
Snapshot program designed to expand the sample of known gravitational lenses
amenable to detailed photometric, lensing, and dynamical studies. The lens is a
smooth elliptical galaxy at a redshift of z_l = 0.2046 +/- 0.0001 with a Sloan
r-band magnitude of 17.00 +/- 0.05 and a stellar velocity dispersion of 267 +/-
17 km s^-1, obtained from its SDSS spectrum. Multiple emission lines place the
quadruply-imaged source at a redshift of z_s = 0.4814 +/- 0.0001. The
best-fitting singular isothermal ellipsoid lens model gives an Einstein radius
b = 1.35" +/- 0.05" (or [4.9 +/- 0.2] h_65^-1 kpc), corresponding to a total
mass of (30.9 +/- 2.3) x 10^10 h_65^-1 M_sun within the critical curve. In
combination with HST photometry this gives a rest-frame B-band mass-to-light
ratio of (8.1 +/- 0.7) h_65 times solar within the same region. The lens model
predicts a luminosity-weighted stellar dispersion within the 3"-diameter SDSS
aperture of sigma_* ~= 270 km s^-1, in good agreement with the observed value.
Using the model to de-lens the four lensed images yields a source with a
smooth, monotonically-decreasing brightness distribution.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures (1 color); uses emulateapj.cls; Submitted to ApJ
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A Proposal to Sequence the Genome of a Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Here we develop an argument in support of sequencing a garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) genome, and outline a plan to accomplish this. This snake is a common, widespread, nonvenomous North American species that has served as a model for diverse studies in evolutionary biology, physiology, genomics, behavior and coevolution. The anole lizard is currently the only genome sequence available for a non-avian reptile. Thus, the garter snake at this time would be the first available snake genome sequence and as such would provide much needed comparative representation of non-avian reptilian genomes, and would also allow critical new insights for vertebrate comparative genomic studies. We outline the major areas of discovery that the availability of the garter snake genome would enable, and describe a plan for whole-genome sequencing.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog
The nature of iron-oxygen vacancy defect centers in PbTiO3
The iron(III) center in ferroelectric PbTiO3 together with an oxygen vacancy
forms a charged defect associate, oriented along the crystallographic c-axis.
Its microscopic structure has been analyzed in detail comparing results from a
semi-empirical Newman superposition model analysis based on finestructure data
and from calculations using density functional theory.
Both methods give evidence for a substitution of Fe3+ for Ti4+ as an acceptor
center. The position of the iron ion in the ferroelectric phase is found to be
similar to the B-site in the paraelectric phase. Partial charge compensation is
locally provided by a directly coordinated oxygen vacancy.
Using high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction, it was verified that
lead titanate remains tetragonal down to 12 K, exhibiting a c/a-ratio of
1.0721.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency adult surgical patients and surgical services: an international multi-center cohort study and department survey.
OBJECTIVES: The PREDICT study aimed to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected surgical services and surgical patients and to identify predictors of outcomes in this cohort. BACKGROUND: High mortality rates were reported for surgical patients with COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic. However, the indirect impact of the pandemic on this cohort is not understood, and risk predictors are yet to be identified. METHODS: PREDICT is an international longitudinal cohort study comprising surgical patients presenting to hospital between March and August 2020, conducted alongside a survey of staff redeployment and departmental restructuring. A subgroup analysis of 3176 adult emergency patients, recruited by 55 teams across 18 countries is presented. RESULTS: Among adult emergency surgical patients, all-cause in-hospital mortality (IHM) was 3 6%, compared to 15 5% for those with COVID-19. However, only 14 1% received a COVID-19 test on admission in March, increasing to 76 5% by July.Higher Clinical Frailty Scale scores (CFS >7 aOR 18 87), ASA grade above 2 (aOR 4 29), and COVID-19 infection (aOR 5 12) were independently associated with significantly increased IHM.The peak months of the first wave were independently associated with significantly higher IHM (March aOR 4 34; April aOR 4 25; May aOR 3 97), compared to non-peak months.During the study, UK operating theatre capacity decreased by a mean of 63 6% with a concomitant 27 3% reduction in surgical staffing. CONCLUSION: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted surgical patients, both directly through co-morbid infection and indirectly as shown by increasing mortality in peak months, irrespective of COVID-19 status.Higher CFS scores and ASA grades strongly predict outcomes in surgical patients and are an important risk assessment tool during the pandemic
3D kinematics through the X-shaped Milky Way bulge
Context. It has recently been discovered that the Galactic bulge is X-shaped, with the two southern arms of the X both crossing the lines of sight at l = 0 and | b| > 4, hence producing a double red clump in the bulge color magnitude diagram. Dynamical models predict the formation of X-shaped bulges as extreme cases of boxy-peanut bulges. However, since X-shaped bulges were known to be present only in external galaxies, models have never been compared to 3D kinematical data for individual stars.
Aims. We study the orbital motion of Galactic bulge stars in the two arms (overdensities) of the X in the southern hemisphere. The goal is to provide observational constraints to bulge formation models that predict the formation of X-shapes through bar dynamical instabilities.
Methods. Radial velocities have been obtained for a sample of 454 bulge giants, roughly equally distributed between the bright and the faint red clump, in a field at (l,b) = (0, −6). Proper motions were derived for all red clump stars in the same field by combining images from two epochs, which were obtained 11 years apart, with WFI at the 2.2 m at La Silla. The observed field contains the globular cluster NGC 6558, whose member stars were used to assess the accuracy of the proper motion measurement. At the same time, as a by-product, we provide the first proper motion measurement of NGC 6558. The proper motions for the spectroscopic subsample are analyzed for a subsample of 352 stars, taking into account the radial velocities and metallicities measured from near-infrared calcium triplet lines.
Results. The radial velocity distribution of stars in the bright red clump, which traces the closer overdensity of bulge stars, shows an excess of stars moving towards the Sun. Similarly, an excess of stars receding from the Sun is seen in the far overdensity, which is traced by faint red clump stars. This is explained by the presence of stars on elongated orbits, which are most likely streaming along the arms of the X-shaped bulge. Proper motions for these stars are consistent with qualitative predictions of dynamical models of peanut-shaped bulges. Surprisingly, stars on elongated orbits have preferentially metal-poor (subsolar) metallicities, while the metal rich ones, in both overdensities, are preferentially found in more axisymmetric orbits. The observed proper motion of NGC 6558 has been measured as (μlcos (b),μb) = (0.30 ± 0.14, −0.43 ± 0.13), with a velocity dispersion of (σlcos(b),σb) = (1.8,1.7) mas/yr. This is the first proper motion measurement for this cluster
Single Shot Amplitude and Phase Characterization of Optical Arbitrary Waveforms
Using a time-gated dual quadrature spectral interferometry technique, for the
first time we demonstrate single-shot characterization of both spectral
amplitude and phase of ~1THz bandwidth optical arbitrary waveforms generated
from a 10 GHz frequency comb. Our measurements provide a temporal resolution of
1ps over a record length of 100ps. Singleshot characterization becomes
particularly relevant when waveform synthesis operations are updated at the
repetition rate of the comb allowing creation of potentially infinite record
length waveforms. We first demonstrate unambiguous single shot retrieval using
rapidly updating waveforms. We then perform additional single-shot measurements
of static user-defined waveforms generated via line-by-line pulse shaping.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Added new references and minor changes to tex
Isomorphisms of Brin-Higman-Thompson groups
Let be positive integers with . Let
denote the ring that is universal with an invertible matrix. Let
denote the ring of matrices over the tensor
product of copies of . In a natural way, is a
partially ordered ring with involution. Let denote the
group of positive unitary elements. We show that is
isomorphic to the Brin-Higman-Thompson group ; the case was
found by Pardo, that is, is isomorphic to the Higman-Thompson group
. We survey arguments of Abrams, \'Anh, Bleak, Brin, Higman, Lanoue,
Pardo, and Thompson that prove that if and only
if , and (if and only if
and are isomorphic as
partially ordered rings with involution).Comment: 24 page
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