909 research outputs found
Probing discs around massive young stellar objects with CO first overtone emission
We present high resolution (R~50,000) spectroastrometry over the CO 1st
overtone bandhead of a sample of seven intermediate/massive young stellar
objects. These are primarily drawn from the red MSX source (RMS) survey, a
systematic search for young massive stars which has returned a large, well
selected sample of such objects. The mean luminosity of the sample is
approximately 5 times 10^4 L_\odot, indicating the objects typically have a
mass of ~15 solar masses. We fit the observed bandhead profiles with a model of
a circumstellar disc, and find good agreement between the models and
observations for all but one object. We compare the high angular precision
(0.2-0.8 mas) spectroastrometric data to the spatial distribution of the
emitting material in the best-fitting models. No spatial signatures of discs
are detected, which is entirely consistent with the properties of the
best-fitting models. Therefore, the observations suggest that the CO bandhead
emission of massive young stellar objects originates in small-scale disks, in
agreement with previous work. This provides further evidence that massive stars
form via disc accretion, as suggested by recent simulations.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
Noise levels and their effects on Shuttle crewmembers' performance: Operational concerns
When excessive, noise can result in sleep interference, fatigue, interference with verbal communication, and hearing damage. Shuttle crewmembers are exposed to noise throughout their mission. The contribution of noise to decrements in crew performance over these extended exposure durations was the focus of this study. On the STS-40/SLS-1, mission noise levels were evaluated through the use of a sound level meter and a crew questionnaire. Crewmembers noted that sleep, concentration, and relaxation were negatively impacted by high noise levels. Speech Interference Levels (SIL's), calculated from the sound level measurements, suggested that crewmembers were required to raise their voice in order to be heard. No difficulty detecting caution and warning alarms was noted. The higher than desirable noise levels in Spacelab were attributed to flight specific payloads for which acoustic waivers were granted. It is recommended that current noise levels be reduced in Spacelab and the Orbiter Middeck especially as longer missions are planned for the buildup of Space Station Freedom. Levels of NC 50 are recommended in areas where speech communication is required and NC 40 in sleep areas. These levels are in accordance with the NASA Man-Systems Integration Standards. Measurements proposed for subsequent orbiter missions are discussed
Development and testing of the Active Temperature, Ozone and Moisture Microwave Spectrometer (ATOMMS) cm and mm wavelength occultation instrument
We present initial results from testing a new remote sensing system called the Active Temperature, Ozone and Moisture Microwave Spectrometer (ATOMMS). ATOMMS is designed as a satellite-to-satellite occultation system for monitoring climate. We are developing the prototype instrument for an aircraft to aircraft occultation demonstration. Here we focus on field testing of the ATOMMS instrument, in particular the remote sensing of water by measuring the attenuation caused by the 22 GHz and 183 GHz water absorption lines.
Our measurements of the 183 GHz line spectrum along an 820 m path revealed that the AM 6.2 spectroscopic model provdes a much better match to the observed spectrum than the MPM93 model. These comparisons also indicate that errors in the ATOMMS amplitude measurements are about 0.3%. Pressure sensitivity bodes well for ATOMMS as a climate instrument. Comparisons with a hygrometer revealed consistency at the 0.05 mb level, which is about 1% of the absolute humidity.
Initial measurements of absorption by the 22 GHz line made along a 5.4 km path between two mountaintops captured a large increase in water vapor similar to that measured by several nearby hygrometers. A storm passage between the two instruments yielded our first measurements of extinction by rain and cloud droplets. Comparisons of ATOMMS 1.5 mm opacity measurements with measured visible opacity and backscatter from a weather radar revealed features simultaneously evident in all three datasets confirming the ATOMMS measurements. The combined ATOMMS, radar and visible information revealed the evolution of rain and cloud amounts along the signal path during the passage of the storm. The derived average cloud water content reached typical continental cloud amounts. These results demonstrated a significant portion of the information content of ATOMMS and its ability to penetrate through clouds and rain which is critical to its all-weather, climate monitoring capability
The narrow, inner CO ring around the magnetic Herbig Ae star, HD 101412
We describe and model emission lines in the first overtone band of CO in the
magnetic Herbig Ae star HD 101412. High-resolution CRIRES spectra reveal
unusually sharp features which suggest the emission is formed in a thin disk
centered at 1 AU with a width 0.32 AU or less. A wider disk will not fit the
observations. Previous observations have reached similar conclusions, but the
crispness of the new material brings the emitting region into sharp focus.Comment: Accepted as Astronomy and Astrophysics Letter; 4 pages, 5 figure
VLTI/AMBER observations of the binary B[e] supergiant HD 327083
HD 327083 is a luminous B type star which exhibits emission lines and an
infrared excess and is therefore classified as a supergiant B[e] star. In
addition, the star is the primary of a close binary system. It is not clear
whether the B[e] behaviour of HD 327083 is related to its binarity or its
evolutionary state. Here we address this issue by studying its circumstellar
environment with high spatial resolution. To this end, we have observed HD
327083 with the VLTI and AMBER in the medium resolution K-band setting. 13CO
bandhead emission is detected, confirming HD 327083 is a post-main sequence
object. The observations spatially resolve the source of the NIR continuum and
the Br-gamma and CO line emission. In addition, differential phase measurements
allow us to probe the origin of the observed Br-gamma emission with sub-mas
precision. Using geometrical models, we find that the visibilities and closure
phases suggest that the close binary system is surrounded by a circum-binary
disk. We also find that in the case of the binary HD 327083, the relative sizes
of the continuum and Br-gamma emitting regions are different to those of a
single supergiant B[e] star where the standard dual outflow scenario is thought
to apply. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the mass loss
of HD 327083 is related to its binary nature.Comment: Accepted in A&
TB42: The Mycotoxic Effects of Fungi Isolated from Poultry Feed Ingredients: The Response of Ducklings and Performance of Commercial Broiler Chickens Fed Experimentally Infected Corn Diets
The present work, planned to investigate the possibility of mycotoxins occurring in feed ingredients fed to poultry in Maine, was designed with the following objectives: (1) to isolate fungi from poultry feed ingredients; (2) to grow the m separately on corn (the carbohydrate source of poultry rations) for later mixing into the diets; (3) to test the variously infected lots of this corn substrate for mycotoxicity by feeding ducklings, a bioindicator for toxins; (4) to determine the effects of aflatoxin and other mycotoxins from feed ingredients, on the performance of commercial broiler chickens; and (5) to appraise this response as a measure of toxicity of the fungi found in feed ingredients.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_techbulletin/1159/thumbnail.jp
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Differences in change blindness to real-life scenes in adults with autism spectrum conditions
People often fail to detect large changes to visual scenes following a brief interruption, an effect known as ‘change blindness’. People with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) have superior attention to detail and better discrimination of targets, and often notice small details that are missed by others. Together these predict people with autism should show enhanced perception of changes in simple change detection paradigms, including reduced change blindness. However, change blindness studies to date have reported mixed results in ASC, which have sometimes included no differences to controls or even enhanced change blindness. Attenuated change blindness has only been reported to date in ASCin children and adolescents, with no study reporting reduced change blindness in adults with ASC. The present study used a change blindness flicker task to investigate the detection of changes in images of everyday life in adults with ASC (n=22) and controls (n=22) using a simple change detection task design and full range of original scenes as stimuli. The adults with ASC had reduced change blindness compared to adult controls for changes to items of marginal interest in scenes, with no group difference for changes to items of central interest. There were no group differences in overall response latencies to correctly detect changes nor in the overall number of missed detections in the experiment. However, the ASC group showed greater missed changes for marginal interest changes of location, showing some evidence of greater change blindness as well. These findings show both reduced change blindness to marginal interest changes in ASC, based on response latencies, as well as greater change blindness to changes of location of marginal interest items, based on detection rates. The findings of reduced change blindness are consistent with clinical reports that people with ASC often notice small changes to less salient items within their environment, and are in-line with theories of enhanced local processing and greater attention to detail in ASC. The findings of lower detection rates for one of the marginal interest conditions may be related to problems in shifting attention or an overly focused attention spotlight
Tracers of Discs and Winds around Intermediate and High Mass Young Stellar Objects
We present a study of the kinematical properties of a small sample of nearby
near-infrared bright massive and intermediate mass young stellar objects using
emission lines sensitive to discs and winds. We show for the first time that
the broad (kms) symmetric line wings on the HI Brackett series
lines are due to Stark broadening or electron scattering, rather than pure
Doppler broadening due to high speed motion. The results are consistent with
the presence of a very dense circumstellar environment. In addition, many of
these lines show evidence for weak line self-absorption, suggestive of a wind
or disc-wind origin for that part of the absorbing material. The weakness of
the self-absorption suggests a large opening angle for such an outflow. We also
study the fluorescent 1.688m FeII line, which is sensitive to dense
material. We fitted a Keplerian disc model to this line, and find reasonable
fits in all bar one case, in agreement with previous finding for classical Be
stars that fluorescent iron transitions are reasonable disc tracers. Overall
the picture is one in which these stars still have accretion discs, with a very
dense inner circumstellar environment which may be tracing either the inner
regions of a disc, or of a stellar wind, and in which ionised outflow is also
present. The similarity with lower mass stars is striking, suggesting that at
least in this mass range they form in a similar fashion.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Herschel Hi-GAL imaging of massive young stellar objects
We used Herschel Hi-GAL (Herschel infrared Galactic Plane survey) data to determine whether massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) are resolved at 70 μm and to study their envelope density distribution. Our analysis of three relatively isolated sources in the l = 30° and 59° Galactic fields show that the objects are partially resolved at 70 μm. The Herschel Hi-GAL survey data have a high scan velocity which makes unresolved and partially resolved sources appear elongated in the 70 μm images. We analysed the two scan directions separately and examine the intensity profile perpendicular to the scan direction. Spherically symmetric radiative transfer models with a power-law density distribution were used to study the circumstellar matter distribution. Single dish submm data were also included to study how different spatial information affects the fitted density distribution. The density distribution which best fits both the 70 μm intensity profile and spectral energy distribution has an average index of ∼0.5. This index is shallower than expected and is probably due to the dust emission from bipolar outflow cavity walls not accounted for in the spherical models. We conclude that 2D axisymmetric models and Herschel images at low scan speeds are needed to better constrain the matter distribution around MYSOs
Probing the properties of Be star discs with spectroastrometry and NLTE radiative transfer modelling: beta CMi
While the presence of discs around classical Be stars is well established,
their origin is still uncertain. To understand what processes result in the
creation of these discs and how angular momentum is transported within them,
their physical properties must be constrained. This requires comparing high
spatial and spectral resolution data with detailed radiative transfer
modelling. We present a high spectral resolution, R~80,000, sub milli-arcsecond
precision, spectroastrometric study of the circumstellar disc around the Be
star beta CMi. The data are confronted with three-dimensional, NLTE radiative
transfer calculations to directly constrain the properties of the disc.
Furthermore, we compare the data to disc models featuring two velocity laws;
Keperian, the prediction of the viscous disc model, and angular momentum
conserving rotation. It is shown that the observations of beta CMi can only be
reproduced using Keplerian rotation. The agreement between the model and the
observed SED, polarisation and spectroastrometric signature of beta CMi
confirms that the discs around Be stars are well modelled as viscous decretion
discs.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
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