559 research outputs found
Flexible temperature probe for biological systems
Probe is sufficiently flexible so that it can be worn comfortably for long periods of time, but relatively rigid to permit easy insertion. Body and electrical leads of small thermistor are imbedded in flexible fluorosilicone matrix contained in vinyl plastic tubing
The Shortest Period Detached Binary White Dwarf System
We identify SDSS J010657.39-100003.3 (hereafter J0106-1000) as the shortest
period detached binary white dwarf (WD) system currently known. We targeted
J0106-1000 as part of our radial velocity program to search for companions
around known extremely low-mass (ELM, ~ 0.2 Msol) WDs using the 6.5m MMT. We
detect peak-to-peak radial velocity variations of 740 km/s with an orbital
period of 39.1 min. The mass function and optical photometry rule out a
main-sequence star companion. Follow-up high-speed photometric observations
obtained at the McDonald 2.1m telescope reveal ellipsoidal variations from the
distorted primary but no eclipses. This is the first example of a tidally
distorted WD. Modeling the lightcurve, we constrain the inclination angle of
the system to be 67 +- 13 deg. J0106-1000 contains a pair of WDs (0.17 Msol
primary + 0.43 Msol invisible secondary) at a separation of 0.32 Rsol. The two
WDs will merge in 37 Myr and most likely form a core He-burning single subdwarf
star. J0106-1000 is the shortest timescale merger system currently known. The
gravitational wave strain from J0106-1000 is at the detection limit of the
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). However, accurate ephemeris and
orbital period measurements may enable LISA to detect J0106-1000 above the
Galactic background noise.Comment: MNRAS Letters, in pres
Element-by-element factorization algorithms for heat conduction
Element-by-element solution strategies are developed for transient heat conduction problems. Results of numerical tests indicate the effectiveness of the procedures proposed. The small database requirements and attractive architectural features of the algorithms suggest considerable potential for solving large scale problems
Deception in Group Contexts
Unethical behavior is often viewed as an individual-level phenomenon. However, group membership can influence individuals’ choices to behave ethically or not (Messick, 2006). This chapter discusses whether and when groups will be more likely than individuals to use deception. We focus on three areas of research. The first involves comparing individuals and groups in mixed-motive situations, and the discontinuity between individual and group responses to economic games: individuals tend to cooperate while groups tend to compete (Wildschut, Pinter, Veva, Insko, & Schopler, 2003). In terms of deception, this is interesting as both individuals and groups initially cooperate. We discuss explanations for the effect and their relation to why groups use deception. Second, we focus on general differences between individual and group deception. Deception can be beneficial when negotiating, and groups tend to use deception to their benefit (Cohen, Gunia, Kim-Jun, & Murnighan, 2009; Sutter, 2009). We discuss explanations for these effects and provide a framework for understanding when and why groups use deception
A Dark Spot on a Massive White Dwarf
We present the serendipitous discovery of eclipse-like events around the
massive white dwarf SDSS J152934.98+292801.9 (hereafter J1529+2928). We
selected J1529+2928 for time-series photometry based on its spectroscopic
temperature and surface gravity, which place it near the ZZ Ceti instability
strip. Instead of pulsations, we detect photometric dips from this white dwarf
every 38 minutes. Follow-up optical spectroscopy observations with Gemini
reveal no significant radial velocity variations, ruling out stellar and brown
dwarf companions. A disintegrating planet around this white dwarf cannot
explain the observed light curves in different filters. Given the short period,
the source of the photometric dips must be a dark spot that comes into view
every 38 min due to the rotation of the white dwarf. Our optical spectroscopy
does not show any evidence of Zeeman splitting of the Balmer lines, limiting
the magnetic field strength to B<70 kG. Since up to 15% of white dwarfs display
kG magnetic fields, such eclipse-like events should be common around white
dwarfs. We discuss the potential implications of this discovery on transient
surveys targeting white dwarfs, like the K2 mission and the Large Synoptic
Survey Telescope.Comment: ApJ Letters, in pres
Radius constraints from high-speed photometry of 20 low-mass white dwarf binaries
We carry out high-speed photometry on 20 of the shortest-period, detached
white dwarf binaries known and discover systems with eclipses, ellipsoidal
variations (due to tidal deformations of the visible white dwarf), and Doppler
beaming. All of the binaries contain low-mass white dwarfs with orbital periods
less than 4 hr. Our observations identify the first eight tidally distorted
white dwarfs, four of which are reported for the first time here, which we use
to put empirical constraints on the mass-radius relationship for extremely
low-mass (<0.30 Msun) white dwarfs. We also detect Doppler beaming in several
of these binaries, which confirms the high-amplitude radial-velocity
variability. All of these systems are strong sources of gravitational
radiation, and long-term monitoring of those that display ellipsoidal
variations can be used to detect spin-up of the tidal bulge due to orbital
decay.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journa
Pruning The ELM Survey: Characterizing Candidate Low-mass White Dwarfs through Photometric Variability
We assess the photometric variability of nine stars with spectroscopic T {sub eff} and log g values from the ELM Survey that locates them near the empirical extremely low-mass (ELM) white dwarf instability strip. We discover three new pulsating stars: SDSS J135512.34+195645.4, SDSS J173521.69+213440.6, and SDSS J213907.42+222708.9. However, these are among the few ELM Survey objects that do not show radial velocity (RV) variations that confirm the binary nature expected of helium-core white dwarfs. The dominant 4.31 hr pulsation in SDSS J135512.34+195645.4 far exceeds the theoretical cut-off for surface reflection in a white dwarf, and this target is likely a high-amplitude δ Scuti pulsator with an overestimated surface gravity. We estimate the probability to be less than 0.0008 that the lack of measured RV variations in four of eight other pulsating candidate ELM white dwarfs could be due to low orbital inclination. Two other targets exhibit variability as photometric binaries. Partial coverage of the 19.342 hr orbit of WD J030818.19+514011.5 reveals deep eclipses that imply a primary radius >0.4 R {sub ⊙}—too large to be consistent with an ELM white dwarf. The only object for which our time series photometry adds support to ELM white dwarf classification is SDSS J105435.78−212155.9,more » which has consistent signatures of Doppler beaming and ellipsoidal variations. We conclude that the ELM Survey contains multiple false positives from another stellar population at T {sub eff}≲9000 K, possibly related to the sdA stars recently reported from SDSS spectra.« les
The search for ZZ Ceti stars in the original Kepler mission
We report the discovery of 42 white dwarfs in the original Kepler mission
field, including nine new confirmed pulsating hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs
(ZZ Ceti stars). Guided by the Kepler-INT Survey (KIS), we selected white dwarf
candidates on the basis of their U-g, g-r, and r-H_alpha photometric colours.
We followed up these candidates with high-signal-to-noise optical spectroscopy
from the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. Using ground-based, time-series
photometry, we put our sample of new spectroscopically characterized white
dwarfs in the context of the empirical ZZ Ceti instability strip. Prior to our
search, only two pulsating white dwarfs had been observed by Kepler.
Ultimately, four of our new ZZ Cetis were observed from space. These rich
datasets are helping initiate a rapid advancement in the asteroseismic
investigation of pulsating white dwarfs, which continues with the extended
Kepler mission, K2.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Discovery of pulsations, including possible pressure modes, in two new extremely low mass, He-core white dwarfs
We report the discovery of the second and third pulsating extremely low mass
white dwarfs (WDs), SDSS J111215.82+111745.0 (hereafter J1112) and SDSS
J151826.68+065813.2 (hereafter J1518). Both have masses < 0.25 Msun and
effective temperatures below 10,000 K, establishing these putatively He-core
WDs as a cooler class of pulsating hydrogen-atmosphere WDs (DAVs, or ZZ Ceti
stars). The short-period pulsations evidenced in the light curve of J1112 may
also represent the first observation of acoustic (p-mode) pulsations in any WD,
which provide an exciting opportunity to probe this WD in a complimentary way
compared to the long-period g-modes also present. J1112 is a Teff = 9590 +/-
140 K and log(g) = 6.36 +/- 0.06 WD. The star displays sinusoidal variability
at five distinct periodicities between 1792-2855 s. In this star we also see
short-period variability, strongest at 134.3 s, well short of expected g-modes
for such a low-mass WD. The other new pulsating WD, J1518, is a Teff = 9900 +/-
140 K and log(g) = 6.80 +/- 0.05 WD. The light curve of J1518 is highly
non-sinusoidal, with at least seven significant periods between 1335-3848 s.
Consistent with the expectation that ELM WDs must be formed in binaries, these
two new pulsating He-core WDs, in addition to the prototype SDSS
J184037.78+642312.3, have close companions. However, the observed variability
is inconsistent with tidally induced pulsations and is so far best explained by
the same hydrogen partial-ionization driving mechanism at work in classic
C/O-core ZZ Ceti stars.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted to The Astrophysical Journa
Discovery of an ultramassive pulsating white dwarf
We announce the discovery of the most massive pulsating hydrogen-atmosphere
(DA) white dwarf (WD) ever discovered, GD 518. Model atmosphere fits to the
optical spectrum of this star show it is a 12,030 +/- 210 K WD with a log(g) =
9.08 +/- 0.06, which corresponds to a mass of 1.20 +/- 0.03 Msun. Stellar
evolution models indicate that the progenitor of such a high-mass WD endured a
stable carbon-burning phase, producing an oxygen-neon-core WD. The discovery of
pulsations in GD 518 thus offers the first opportunity to probe the interior of
a WD with a possible oxygen-neon core. Such a massive WD should also be
significantly crystallized at this temperature. The star exhibits
multi-periodic luminosity variations at timescales ranging from roughly 425-595
s and amplitudes up to 0.7%, consistent in period and amplitude with the
observed variability of typical ZZ Ceti stars, which exhibit non-radial g-mode
pulsations driven by a hydrogen partial ionization zone. Successfully
unraveling both the total mass and core composition of GD 518 provides a unique
opportunity to investigate intermediate-mass stellar evolution, and can
possibly place an upper limit to the mass of a carbon-oxygen-core WD, which in
turn constrains SNe Ia progenitor systems.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 771, L2 (2013
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