Elevated-temperature impact toughness of Mg–(Gd, Y)–Zr alloy

The Charpy impact results for Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr and Mg–11Y–5Gd–2Zn–0.5Zr alloys at various temperatures showed that Mg–10Gd–3Y–0.5Zr was more sensitive to temperature. The increase in impact toughness with temperature was related to the blunt crack-tip at high temperatures. The delamination and local melt of matrix were responsible for the brittle-to-ductile transition of GW103 alloy. The branch and bridging of cracks resulting from ordered phases played an import role in the change in fracture mode from cleavage fracture to quasi-cleavage and dimple-fracture for WGZ1152 alloy

On the nature of the z=0 X-ray absorbers: I. Clues from an external group

Absorption lines of OVII at redshift zero are observed in high quality Chandra spectra of extragalactic sightlines. The location of the absorber producing these lines, whether from the corona of the Galaxy or from the Local Group or even larger scale structure, has been a matter of debate. Here we study another poor group like our Local Group to understand the distribution of column density from galaxy to group scales. We show that we cannot yet rule out the group origin of z=0 systems. We further argue that the debate over Galactic vs. extragalactic origin of z=0 systems is premature as they likely contain both components and predict that future higher resolution observations will resolve the z=0 systems into multiple components.Comment: Submitted to ApJ

Microspore Abortion and Abnormal Tapetal Degeneration in BNS Thermo-sensitive Male Sterile Wheat Lines

Studies of the pollen abortion mechanism in thermo-sensitive male sterile lines may provide a strong foundation for breeding hybrid wheat and establishing a theoretical basis for marker-assisted selection. To investigate the cause of pollen abortion in Bainong thermo – sensitive male sterile (BNS) lines, we analyzed the properties of pollen grains, changes in the tapetum and microspores in different anther developmental stages, and the distribution and deposition of nutrient substances in microspores. We found that tapetum degraded in the early uninucleate stage in sterile BNS (S-BNS), which was earlier than that of fertile BNS (F-BNS) tapetum. Large amounts of insoluble polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins were deposited until the trinucleate pollen stage in the nutritive cells in F-BNS. At the binucleate stage, the vacuoles disappeared and pollen inclusion increased gradually. At the trinucleate stage, these nutrients would help pollen grains mature and participate in fertilization normally. Therefore, early degradation of the tapetum, which inhibits normal microspore development, and the limited content of nutrient substances in pollen may be the main factors responsible for male sterility in BNS lines

Metal enrichment processes

There are many processes that can transport gas from the galaxies to their environment and enrich the environment in this way with metals. These metal enrichment processes have a large influence on the evolution of both the galaxies and their environment. Various processes can contribute to the gas transfer: ram-pressure stripping, galactic winds, AGN outflows, galaxy-galaxy interactions and others. We review their observational evidence, corresponding simulations, their efficiencies, and their time scales as far as they are known to date. It seems that all processes can contribute to the enrichment. There is not a single process that always dominates the enrichment, because the efficiencies of the processes vary strongly with galaxy and environmental properties.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews, special issue "Clusters of galaxies: beyond the thermal view", Editor J.S. Kaastra, Chapter 17; work done by an international team at the International Space Science Institute (ISSI), Bern, organised by J.S. Kaastra, A.M. Bykov, S. Schindler & J.A.M. Bleeke

Implications of H.E.S.S. observations of pulsar wind nebulae

In this review paper on pulsar wind nebulae (PWN) we discuss the properties of such nebulae within the context of containment against cross-field diffusion (versus normal advection), the effect of reverse shocks on the evolution of offset ``Vela-like'' PWN, constraints on maximum particle energetics, magnetic field strength estimates based on spectral and spatial properties, and the implication of such field estimates on the composition of the wind. A significant part of the discussion is based on the High Energy Stereoscopic System ({\it H.E.S.S.} or {\it HESS}) detection of the two evolved pulsar wind nebulae Vela X (cocoon) and HESS J1825-137. In the case of Vela X (cocoon) we also review evidence of a hadronic versus a leptonic interpretation, showing that a leptonic interpretation is favored for the {\it HESS} signal. The constraints discussed in this review paper sets a general framework for the interpretation of a number of offset, filled-center nebulae seen by {\it HESS}. These sources are found along the galactic plane with galactic latitudes $|b|\sim 0$, where significant amounts of molecular gas is found. In these regions, we find that the interstellar medium is inhomogeneous, which has an effect on the morphology of supernova shock expansion. One consequence of this effect is the formation of offset pulsar wind nebulae as observed.Comment: to appear in Springer Lecture Notes on Neutron Stars and Pulsars: 40 years after their discovery, eds. W. Becke

CHANG-ES XXIII: influence of a galactic wind in NGC 5775

Galaxie

FUV and X-ray absorption in the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium

The Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM) arises from shock-heated gas collapsing in large-scale filaments and probably harbours a substantial fraction of the baryons in the local Universe. Absorption-line measurements in the ultraviolet (UV) and in the X-ray band currently represent the best method to study the WHIM at low redshifts. We here describe the physical properties of the WHIM and the concepts behind WHIM absorption line measurements of H I and high ions such as O VI, O VII, and O VIII in the far-ultraviolet and X-ray band. We review results of recent WHIM absorption line studies carried out with UV and X-ray satellites such as FUSE, HST, Chandra, and XMM-Newton and discuss their implications for our knowledge of the WHIM.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews, special issue "Clusters of galaxies: beyond the thermal view", Editor J.S. Kaastra, Chapter 3; work done by an international team at the International Space Science Institute (ISSI), Bern, organised by J.S. Kaastra, A.M. Bykov, S. Schindler & J.A.M. Bleeke