The Spectral Energy Distribution of CO lines in M82

We present an analysis of the excitation conditions of the molecular gas in the streamers and the outflow of M82 based on observations obtained at the IRAM 30m telescope. Our analysis of J=1-0 and J=2-1 transitions of CO and 13CO and the CO(3-2) line in 13 regions outside the central starburst disk shows that the gas density within the streamer/outflow system is about an orderof magnitude lower (n(H2) ~ 10^3 cm^-3) than in the central molecular disk. We have used an LVG model and data from the literature to constrain the flux density in each CO transition (the `CO line SED') arising from the streamer/outflow system and the central starburst disk itself. Globally, we find that the CO flux density up to the J=3-2 line is dominated by the diffuse outer regions while lines above the J=5-4 transition are almost exclusively emitted by the central starburst disk. We compare the CO line SED of M82 to CO observations of galaxies at high redshift and suggest that small high-J/low-J CO flux density ratios (observed in some of these sources) are not necessarily caused by a different excitation of the central molecular gas concentration, but may result from an additional, more extended and diffuse gas reservoir around these systems, reminiscent of the situation in M82.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, accepted by A&

Task complexity in history textbooks: A multidisciplinary case study on triangulation in history education research

The purpose of history education in Austria has changed over at least the last decade. While the focus used to be to give students a master narrative of the national past based on positivist knowledge, the current objective of history education is to foster historical thinking processes that enable students to form transferable skills in the self-reflected handling and creation of history. A key factor in fostering historical thinking is the appropriation of learning tasks. This case study measures the complexity of learning tasks in Austrian history textbooks as one important aspect of their quality. It makes use of three different approaches to complexity to triangulate the notion: general task complexity (GTC), general linguistic complexity (GLC), and domain-specific task complexity (DTC). The question is which findings can be offered by the specific strengths and limitations of the different methodological approaches to give new insights into the study of task complexity in the domain of history education research. By pursuing multidisciplinary approaches in a triangulating way, the case study opens up new prospects for this field. Besides offering new insights on measuring the complexity of learning tasks, the study illustrates the need for further research in this field – not only related to the development of analytical frameworks, but also regarding the notion of complexity in the context of historical learning itself

ALMA Redshifts of Millimeter-selected Galaxies from the SPT Survey: The Redshift Distribution of Dusty Star-forming Galaxies

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, we have conducted a blind redshift survey in the 3 mm atmospheric transmission window for 26 strongly lensed dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) selected with the South Pole Telescope. The sources were selected to have S_(1.4mm) > 20 mJy and a dust-like spectrum and, to remove low-z sources, not have bright radio (S_843MHz) 3. We discuss the effect of gravitational lensing on the redshift distribution and compare our measured redshift distribution to that of models in the literature

Multi-Transition Study of M51's Molecular Gas Spiral Arms

Two selected regions in the molecular gas spiral arms in M51 were mapped with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) mm-interferometer in the 12CO(2-1), 13CO(1-0), C18O(1-0), HCN(1-0) and HCO+(1-0) emission lines. The CO data have been combined with the 12CO(1-0) data from Aalto et al. (1999) covering the central 3.5kpc to study the physical properties of the molecular gas. All CO data cubes were short spacing corrected using IRAM 30m (12CO(1-0): NRO 45m) single dish data. A large velocity gradient (LVG) analysis finds that the giant molecular clouds (GMCs) are similar to Galactic GMCs when studied at 180pc (120pc) resolution with an average kinetic temperature of T_kin = 20(16)K and H_2 density of n(H_2) = 120(240)cm^(-3) when assuming virialized clouds (a constant velocity gradient dv/dr. The associated conversion factor between H_2 mass and CO luminosity is close to the Galactic value for most regions analyzed. Our findings suggest that the GMC population in the spiral arms of M51 is similar to those of the Milky Way and therefore the strong star formation occurring in the spiral arms has no strong impact on the molecular gas in the spiral arms. Extinction inferred from the derived H_2 column density is very high (A_V about 15 - 30 mag), about a factor of 5-10 higher than the average value derived toward HII regions. Thus a significant fraction of the ongoing star formation could be hidden inside the dust lanes of the spiral arms. A comparison of MIPS 24um and H_alpha data, however, suggests that this is not the case and most of the GMCs studied here are not (yet) forming stars. We also present low (4.5") resolution OVRO maps of the HCN(1-0) and HCO+(1-0) emission at the location of the brightest 12CO(1-0) peak.Comment: 41 pages, 12 figures, 7 tables; accepted for publication by Ap

Generation of Continuous Variable Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Entanglement via the Kerr Nonlinearity in an Optical Fibre

We report on the generation of a continuous variable Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) entanglement using an optical fibre interferometer. The Kerr nonlinearity in the fibre is exploited for the generation of two independent squeezed beams. These interfere at a beam splitter and EPR entanglement is obtained between the output beams. The correlation of the amplitude (phase) quadratures are measured to be 4.0+-0.2 (4.0+-0.4) dB below the quantum noise limit. The sum criterion for these squeezing variances 0.80+-0.03 < 2 verifies the nonseparability of the state. The product of the inferred uncertainties for one beam 0.64+-0.08 is well below the EPR limit of unity.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. Let

Juvenile Greylag Geese (Anser anser) Discriminate between Individual Siblings

Social species that maintain individualised relationships with certain others despite continuous changes in age, reproductive status and dominance rank between group members ought to be capable of individual recognition. Tests of “true” individual recognition, where an individual recognises unique features of another, are rare, however. Often kinship and/or familiarity suffice to explain dyadic interactions. The complex relationships within a greylag goose flock suggest that they should be able to recognise individuals irrespective of familiarity or kinship. We tested whether six-week-old hand-raised greylags can discriminate between two of their siblings. We developed a new experimental protocol, in which geese were trained to associate social siblings with geometrical symbols. Subsequently, focals were presented with two geometrical symbols in the presence of a sibling associated with one of the symbols. Significant choice of the geometrical symbol associated with the target present indicated that focals were able to distinguish between individual targets. Greylag goslings successfully learned this association-discrimination task, regardless of genetic relatedness or sex of the sibling targets. Social relationships within a goose flock thus may indeed be based on recognition of unique features of individual conspecifics

Constraining the Lyα escape fraction with far-infrared observations of Lyα emitters

We study the far-infrared properties of 498 Lyα emitters (LAEs) at z = 2.8, 3.1, and 4.5 in the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South, using 250, 350, and 500μm data from the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey and 870μm data from the LABOCA ECDFS Submillimeter Survey. None of the 126, 280, or 92 LAEs at z = 2.8, 3.1, and 4.5, respectively, are individually detected in the far-infrared data. We use stacking to probe the average emission to deeper flux limits, reaching 1σ depths of ∼0.1 to 0.4 mJy. The LAEs are also undetected at ?3σ in the stacks, although a 2.5σ signal is observed at 870μm for the z = 2.8 sources. We consider a wide range of far-infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs), including an M82 and an Sd galaxy template, to determine upper limits on the far-infrared luminosities and far-infrared-derived star formation rates of the LAEs. These star formation rates are then combined with those inferred from the Lyα and UV emission to determine lower limits on the LAEs’ Lyα escape fraction (f esc (Lyα)). For the Sd SED template, the inferred LAEs f esc (Lyα) are ?30% (1σ) at z = 2.8, 3.1, and 4.5, which are all significantly higher than the global f esc (Lyα) at these redshifts. Thus, if the LAEs f esc (Lyα) follows the global evolution, then they have warmer far-infrared SEDs than the Sd galaxy template. The average and M82 SEDs produce lower limits on the LAE f esc (Lyα) of ∼10%–20% (1σ), all of which are slightly higher than the global evolution of f esc (Lyα), but consistent with it at the 2σ–3σ level

Sebacinales Everywhere: Previously Overlooked Ubiquitous Fungal Endophytes

Inconspicuous basidiomycetes from the order Sebacinales are known to be involved in a puzzling variety of mutualistic plant-fungal symbioses (mycorrhizae), which presumably involve transport of mineral nutrients. Recently a few members of this fungal order not fitting this definition and commonly referred to as ‘endophytes’ have raised considerable interest by their ability to enhance plant growth and to increase resistance of their host plants against abiotic stress factors and fungal pathogens. Using DNA-based detection and electron microscopy, we show that Sebacinales are not only extremely versatile in their mycorrhizal associations, but are also almost universally present as symptomless endophytes. They occurred in field specimens of bryophytes, pteridophytes and all families of herbaceous angiosperms we investigated, including liverworts, wheat, maize, and the non-mycorrhizal model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. They were present in all habitats we studied on four continents. We even detected these fungi in herbarium specimens originating from pioneering field trips to North Africa in the 1830s/40s. No geographical or host patterns were detected. Our data suggest that the multitude of mycorrhizal interactions in Sebacinales may have arisen from an ancestral endophytic habit by specialization. Considering their proven beneficial influence on plant growth and their ubiquity, endophytic Sebacinales may be a previously unrecognized universal hidden force in plant ecosystems