The Magellanic Bridge cluster NGC 796: Deep optical AO imaging reveals the stellar content and initial mass function of a massive open cluster

NGC 796 is a massive young cluster located 59 kpc from us in the diffuse intergalactic medium of the 1/5-1/10 $Z_{\odot}$ Magellanic Bridge, allowing to probe variations in star formation and stellar evolution processes as a function of metallicity in a resolved fashion, providing a link between resolved studies of nearby solar-metallicity and unresolved distant metal-poor clusters located in high-redshift galaxies. In this paper, we present adaptive optics $gri$H$\alpha$ imaging of NGC 796 (at 0.5", which is ~0.14 pc at the cluster distance) along with optical spectroscopy of two bright members to quantify the cluster properties. Our aim is to explore if star formation and stellar evolution varies as a function of metallicity by comparing the properties of NGC 796 to higher metallicity clusters. We find from isochronal fitting of the cluster main sequence in the colour-magnitude diagram an age of 20$^{+12}_{-5}$ Myr. Based on the cluster luminosity function, we derive a top-heavy stellar initial mass function (IMF) with a slope $\alpha$ = 1.99$\pm$0.2, hinting at an metallicity and/or environmental dependence of the IMF which may lead to a top-heavy IMF in the early Universe. Study of the H$\alpha$ emission line stars reveals that Classical Be stars constitute a higher fraction of the total B-type stars when compared with similar clusters at greater metallicity, providing some support to the chemically homogeneous theory of stellar evolution. Overall, NGC 796 has a total estimated mass of 990$\pm200$ $M_{\odot}$, and a core radius of 1.4$\pm$0.3 pc which classifies it as a massive young open cluster, unique in the diffuse interstellar medium of the Magellanic Bridge.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. Contains 14 pages, 11 figures, and 3 table

A pilot search for mm-wavelength recombination lines from emerging ionized winds in pre-planetary nebulae candidates

We report the results from a pilot search for radio recombination line (RRL) emission at millimeter wavelengths in a small sample of pre-planetary nebulae (pPNe) and young PNe (yPNe) with emerging central ionized regions. Observations of the H30\alpha, H31a, H39a, H41a, H48b, H49b, H51b, and H55g lines at 1 and 3mm have been performed with the IRAM 30 m radio telescope. These lines are excellent probes of the dense inner (<~150 au) and heavily obscured regions of these objects, where the yet unknown agents for PN-shaping originate. We detected mm-RRLs in three objects: CRL 618, MWC 922, and M 2-9. For CRL 618, the only pPN with previous published detections of H41a, H35a, and H30a emission, we find significant changes in the line profiles indicating that current observations are probing regions of the ionized wind with larger expansion velocities and mass-loss rate than ~29 years ago. In the case of MWC 922, we observe a drastic transition from single-peaked profiles at 3mm to double-peaked profiles at 1mm, which is consistent with maser amplification of the highest frequency lines; the observed line profiles are compatible with rotation and expansion of the ionized gas, probably arranged in a disk+wind system around a ~5-10 Msun central mass. In M 2-9, the mm-RRL emission appears to be tracing a recent mass outburst by one of the stars of the central binary system. We present the results from non-LTE line and continuum radiative transfer models, which enables us to constrain the structure, kinematics, and physical conditions (electron temperature and density) of the ionized cores of our sample. (abridged). We deduce mass-loss rates of ~1e-6-1e-7 Msun/yr, which are significantly higher than the values adopted by stellar evolution models currently in use and would result in a transition from the asymptotic giant branch to the PN phase faster than hitherto assumed.Comment: Accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics. 28 pages, including figure

Time-dependent density functional theory on a lattice

A time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) for a quantum many-body system on a lattice is formulated rigorously. We prove the uniqueness of the density-to-potential mapping and demonstrate that a given density is $v$-representable if the initial many-body state and the density satisfy certain well defined conditions. In particular, we show that for a system evolving from its ground state any density with a continuous second time derivative is $v$-representable and therefore the lattice TDDFT is guaranteed to exist. The TDDFT existence and uniqueness theorem is valid for any connected lattice, independently of its size, geometry and/or spatial dimensionality. The general statements of the existence theorem are illustrated on a pedagogical exactly solvable example which displays all details and subtleties of the proof in a transparent form. In conclusion we briefly discuss remaining open problems and directions for a future research.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figur

870 micron continuum observations of the bubble-shaped nebula Gum 31

We are presenting here a study of the cold dust in the infrared ring nebula Gum 31. We aim at deriving the physical properties of the molecular gas and dust associated with the nebula, and investigating its correlation with the star formation in the region, that was probably triggered by the expansion of the ionization front. We use 870 micron data obtained with LABOCA to map the dust emission. The obtained LABOCA image was compared to archival IR,radio continuum, and optical images. The 870 micron emission follows the 8 micron (Spitzer), 250 micron, and 500 micron (Herschel) emission distributions showing the classical morphology of a spherical shell. We use the 870 micron and 250 micron images to identify 60 dust clumps in the collected layers of molecular gas using the Gaussclumps algorithm. The clumps have effective deconvolved radii between 0.16 pc and 1.35 pc, masses between 70 Mo and 2800 Mo, and volume densities between 1.1x10^3 cm^-3 and 2.04x10^5 cm^-3. The total mass of the clumps is 37600 Mo. The dust temperature of the clumps is in the range from 21 K to 32 K, while inside the HII region reaches ~ 40 K. The clump mass distribution is well-fitted by a power law dN/dlog(M/Mo) proportional to M^(-alpha), with alpha=0.93+/-0.28. The slope differs from those obtained for the stellar IMF in the solar neighborhood, suggesting that the clumps are not direct progenitors of single stars/protostars. The mass-radius relationship for the 41 clumps detected in the 870 microns emission shows that only 37% of them lie in or above the high-mass star formation threshold, most of them having candidate YSOs projected inside. A comparison of the dynamical age of the HII region with the fragmentation time, allowed us to conclude that the collect and collapse mechanism may be important for the star formation at the edge of Gum 31, although other processes may also be acting.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

Molecular gas and star formation towards the IR dust bubble S24 and its environs

We present a multi-wavelength analysis of the infrared dust bubble S24, and its environs, with the aim of investigating the characteristics of the molecular gas and the interstellar dust linked to them, and analyzing the evolutionary status of the young stellar objects (YSOs) identified there. Using APEX data, we mapped the molecular emission in the CO(2-1), $^{13}$CO(2-1), C$^{18}$O(2-1), and $^{13}$CO(3-2) lines in a region of about 5'x 5' in size around the bubble. The cold dust distribution was analyzed using ATLASGAL and Herschel images. Complementary IR and radio data were also used.The molecular gas linked to the S24 bubble, G341.220-0.213, and G341.217-0.237 has velocities between -48.0 km sec$^{-1}$ and -40.0 km sec$^{-1}$. The gas distribution reveals a shell-like molecular structure of $\sim$0.8 pc in radius bordering the bubble. A cold dust counterpart of the shell is detected in the LABOCA and Herschel images.The presence of extended emission at 24 $\mu$m and radio continuum emission inside the bubble indicates that the bubble is a compact HII region. Part of the molecular gas bordering S24 coincides with the extended infrared dust cloud SDC341.194-0.221. A cold molecular clump is present at the interface between S24 and G341.217-0.237. As regards G341.220-0.213, the presence of an arc-like molecular structure at the northern and eastern sections of this IR source indicates that G341.220-0.213 is interacting with the molecular gas. Several YSO candidates are found to be linked to the IR extended sources, thus confirming their nature as active star-forming regions. The total gas mass in the region and the H$_2$ ambient density amount to 10300 M$_{\odot}$ and 5900 cm$^{-3}$, indicating that G341.220-0.213, G341.217-0.237, and the S24 HII region are evolving in a high density medium. A triggering star formation scenario is also investigated.Comment: 17 pages, 16 figures. Submitted to A&A. Revised according to the referee repor

Floquet Prethermalization in a Bose-Hubbard System

Periodic driving has emerged as a powerful tool in the quest to engineer new and exotic quantum phases. While driven many-body systems are generically expected to absorb energy indefinitely and reach an infinite-temperature state, the rate of heating can be exponentially suppressed when the drive frequency is large compared to the local energy scales of the system -- leading to long-lived 'prethermal' regimes. In this work, we experimentally study a bosonic cloud of ultracold atoms in a driven optical lattice and identify such a prethermal regime in the Bose-Hubbard model. By measuring the energy absorption of the cloud as the driving frequency is increased, we observe an exponential-in-frequency reduction of the heating rate persisting over more than 2 orders of magnitude. The tunability of the lattice potentials allows us to explore one- and two-dimensional systems in a range of different interacting regimes. Alongside the exponential decrease, the dependence of the heating rate on the frequency displays features characteristic of the phase diagram of the Bose-Hubbard model, whose understanding is additionally supported by numerical simulations in one dimension. Our results show experimental evidence of the phenomenon of Floquet prethermalization, and provide insight into the characterization of heating for driven bosonic systems

The formation and disintegration of magnetic bright points observed by Sunrise/IMaX

The evolution of the physical parameters of magnetic bright points (MBPs) located in the quiet Sun (mainly in the interwork) during their lifetime is studied. First we concentrate on the detailed description of the magnetic field evolution of three MBPs. This reveals that individual features follow different, generally complex, and rather dynamic scenarios of evolution. Next we apply statistical methods on roughly 200 observed MBP evolutionary tracks. MBPs are found to be formed by the strengthening of an equipartition field patch, which initially exhibits a moderate downflow. During the evolution, strong downdrafts with an average velocity of 2.4 km/s set in. These flows, taken together with the concurrent strengthening of the field, suggest that we are witnessing the occurrence of convective collapses in these features, although only 30% of them reach kG field strengths. This fraction might turn out to be larger when the new 4 m class solar telescopes are operational as observations of MBPs with current state of the art instrumentation could still be suffering from resolution limitations. Finally, when the bright point disappears (although the magnetic field often continues to exist) the magnetic field strength has dropped to the equipartition level and is generally somewhat weaker than at the beginning of the MBP's evolution. Noteworthy is that in about 10% of the cases we observe in the vicinity of the downflows small-scale strong (exceeding 2 km/s) intergranular upflows related spatially and temporally to these downflows.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures; final version published in "The Astrophysical Journal

Forum participation plugin for Moodle: development and discussion

At present, a large amount of software has been created to analyze social networks, such as libraries to access online social networking APIs, software to draw graphs and tools to use and analyze networks. In fact, and because of the use of Moodle as standard Learning Management System at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in 2009 was born the idea of creating a plugin for Moodle capable of analyzing forums in which students participate and of identifying the major players within the student network. This work is about the present state of such plugin, which provides useful information to teachers so that, through the use of social network analysis, allows them to make decisions to improve and promote participatory education. Here, we show the application of the plugin to three case studies, in two different universities, which allowed to evaluate its usefulness and to compare the information according to the variables that influenced each case study

Nanosized superconducting constrictions

Nanowires of lead between macroscopic electrodes are produced by means of an STM. Magnetic fields may destroy the superconductivity in the electrodes, while the wire remains in the superconducting state. The properties of the resulting microscopic Josephson junctions are investigated.Comment: 3 pages,3 eps figures include