On the Formation of Multiple-Shells Around Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars

Two types of models for the formation of semi-periodic concentric multiple shells (M-shells) around asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and in planetary nebulae are compared against observations. Models that attribute the M-shells to processes in an extended wind acceleration zone around AGB stars result in an optically thick acceleration zone, which reduces the acceleration efficiency in outer parts of the extended acceleration zone. This makes such models an unlikely explanation for the formation of M-shells. Models which attribute the M-shell to semi-periodic variation in one or more stellar properties are most compatible with observations. The only stellar variation models on time scales of 50-1500 years that have been suggested are based on an assumed solar-like magnetic cycle. Although ad-hoc, the magnetic cycle assumption fits naturally into the increasingly popular view that magnetic activity plays a role in shaping the wind from upper AGB stars.Comment: 8 pages, Submitted to Ap

#ALLBlackLivesMatter: Black Politics, Society, and Intersectionality

This session will allow students to examine and discuss the portrayal of the LGBT community in society such as through media or politics compared to the real every day LGBT community experiences. In addition, the session will engage students in dialogue on reclaiming their identity and owning who they are through an interactive group activity. This session will provide an opportunity for students to hear the experiences, ideas, and feedback of individuals who have a different sexual identity than their own

Hysteresis modeling in graphene field effect transistors

Graphene field effect transistors with an Al2O3 gate dielectric are fabricated on H-intercalated bilayer graphene grown on semi-insulating 4H-SiC by chemical vapour deposition. DC measurements of the gate voltage nu(g) versus the drain current i(d) reveal a severe hysteresis of clockwise orientation. A capacitive model is used to derive the relationship between the applied gate voltage and the Fermi energy. The electron transport equations are then used to calculate the drain current for a given applied gate voltage. The hysteresis in measured data is then modeled via a modified Preisach kernel

The determination of the settling velocity of certain minerals common in ore-dressing

The object of this thesis is to determine the settling velocity of certain minerals common in ore-dressing work. The minerals used in the experiments were marcasite and chert. These two minerals were chosen because there was a convenient supply of both from which pure and uniform particles could be obtained --page 4

12CO emission from EP Aqr: Another example of an axi-symmetric AGB wind?

The CO(1-0) and (2-1) emission of the circumstellar envelope of the AGB star EP Aqr has been observed using the IRAM PdBI and the IRAM 30-m telescope. The line profiles reveal the presence of two distinct components centered on the star velocity, a broad component extending up to ~10 km/s and a narrow component indicating an expansion velocity of ~2 km/s. An early analysis of these data was performed under the assumption of isotropic winds. The present study revisits this interpretation by assuming instead a bipolar outflow nearly aligned with the line of sight. A satisfactory description of the observed flux densities is obtained with a radial expansion velocity increasing from ~2 km/s at the equator to ~10 km/s near the poles. The angular aperture of the bipolar outflow is ~45 deg with respect to the star axis, which makes an angle of ~13 deg with the line of sight. A detailed study of the CO(1-0) to CO(2-1) flux ratio reveals a significant dependence of the temperature on the star latitude, smaller and steeper at the poles than at the equator at large distances from the star. Under the hypothesis of radial expansion and of rotation invariance about the star axis, the effective density has been evaluated in space as a function of star coordinates. Evidence is found for an enhancement of the effective density in the northern hemisphere of the star at angular distances in excess of ~3" and covering the whole longitudinal range. The peak velocity of the narrow component is observed to vary slightly with position on the sky, a variation consistent with the model and understood as the effect of the inclination of the star axis with respect to the line of sight. While the phenomenological model presented here reproduces well the general features of the observations, significant differences are also revealed, which would require a better spatial resolution to be properly described.Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic