Fluorine Abundances of Galactic Low-Metallicity Giants

With abundances and 2{\sigma} upper limits of fluorine (F) in seven metal-poor field giants, nucleosynthesis of stellar F at low metallicity is discussed. The measurements are derived from the HF(1-0) R9 line at 23358{\AA} using nearinfrared K-band high-resolution spectra obtained with CRIRES at the Very Large Telescope. The sample reaches lower metallicities than previous studies on F of field giants, ranging from [Fe/H] = -1.56 down to -2.13. Effects of three-dimensional model atmospheres on the derived F and O abundances are quantitatively estimated and shown to be insignificant for the program stars. The observed F yield in the form of [F/O] is compared with two sets of Galactic chemical evolution models, which quantitatively demonstrate the contribution of Type II supernova (SN II) {\nu}-process and asymptotic giant branch/Wolf-Rayet stars. It is found that at this low-metallicity region, models cannot well predict the observed distribution of [F/O], while the observations are better fit by models considering an SN II {\nu}-process with a neutrino energy of E_{\nu} = 3 x 10^53 erg. Our sample contains HD 110281, a retrograde orbiting low-{\alpha} halo star, showing a similar F evolution as globular clusters. This supports the theory that such halo stars are possibly accreted from dwarf galaxy progenitors of globular clusters in the halo.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, published in The Astrophysical Journa

Non-LTE analysis of copper abundances for the two distinct halo populations in the solar neighborhood

Two distinct halo populations were found in the solar neighborhood by a series of works. They can be clearly separated by [alpha\Fe] and several other elemental abundance ratios including [Cu/Fe]. Very recently, a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) study revealed that relatively large departures exist between LTE and non-LTE results in copper abundance analysis. We aim to derive the copper abundances for the stars from the sample of Nissen et al (2010) with both LTE and non-LTE calculations. Based on our results, we study the non-LTE effects of copper and investigate whether the high-alpha population can still be distinguished from the low-alpha population in the non-LTE [Cu/Fe] results. Our differential abundance ratios are derived from the high-resolution spectra collected from VLT/UVES and NOT/FIES spectrographs. Applying the MAFAGS opacity sampling atmospheric models and spectrum synthesis method, we derive the non-LTE copper abundances based on the new atomic model with current atomic data obtained from both laboratory and theoretical calculations. The copper abundances determined from non-LTE calculations are increased by 0.01 to 0.2 dex depending on the stellar parameters compared with the LTE results. The non-LTE [Cu/Fe] trend is much flatter than the LTE one in the metallicity range -1.6<[Fe/H]<-0.8. Taking non-LTE effects into consideration, the high- and low-alpha stars still show distinguishable copper abundances, which appear even more clear in a diagram of non-LTE [Cu/Fe] versus [Fe/H]. The non-LTE effects are strong for copper, especially in metal-poor stars. Our results confirmed that there are two distinct halo populations in the solar neighborhood. The dichotomy in copper abundance is a peculiar feature of each population, suggesting that they formed in different environments and evolved obeying diverse scenarios.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, 2 table

A New Kind of Uniformly Accelerated Reference Frames

A new kind of uniformly accelerated reference frames with a line-element different from the M{\o}ller and Rindler ones is presented, in which every observer at $x, y, z=$consts. has the same constant acceleration. The laws of mechanics are checked in the new kind of frames. Its thermal property is studied. The comparison with the M{\o}ller and Rindler uniform accelerated reference frames is also made.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Can TeVeS avoid Dark Matter on galactic scales?

A fully relativistic analysis of gravitational lensing in TeVeS is presented. By estimating the lensing masses for a set of six lenses from the CASTLES database, and then comparing them to the stellar mass, the deficit between the two is obtained and analysed. Considering a parametrised range for the TeVeS function $mu(y)$, which controls the strength of the modification to gravity, it is found that on galactic scales TeVeS requires additional dark matter with the commonly used $mu(y)$. A soft dependence of the results on the cosmological framework and the TeVeS free parameters is discussed. For one particular form of $mu(y)$, TeVeS is found to require very little dark matter. This choice is however ruled out by rotation curve data. The inability to simultaneously fit lensing and rotation curves for a single form of $mu(y)$ is a challenge to a "no dark matter" TeVeS proposal.Comment: Four pages LaTeX, three eps figures incorporate

Neutron-Diffraction Measurements of an Antiferromagnetic Semiconducting Phase in the Vicinity of the High-Temperature Superconducting State of Kx_xFe2−y_{2-y}Se2_2

The recently discovered K-Fe-Se high temperature superconductor has caused heated debate regarding the nature of its parent compound. Transport, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and STM measurements have suggested that its parent compound could be insulating, semiconducting or even metallic [M. H. Fang, H.-D. Wang, C.-H. Dong, Z.-J. Li, C.-M. Feng, J. Chen, and H. Q. Yuan, Europhys. Lett. 94, 27009 (2011); F. Chen et al. Phys. Rev. X 1, 021020 (2011); and W. Li et al.,Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 057003 (2012)]. Because the magnetic ground states associated with these different phases have not yet been identified and the relationship between magnetism and superconductivity is not fully understood, the real parent compound of this system remains elusive. Here, we report neutron-diffraction experiments that reveal a semiconducting antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase with rhombus iron vacancy order. The magnetic order of the semiconducting phase is the same as the stripe AFM order of the iron pnictide parent compounds. Moreover, while the root5*root5 block AFM phase coexists with superconductivity, the stripe AFM order is suppressed by it. This leads us to conjecture that the new semiconducting magnetic ordered phase is the true parent phase of this superconductor.Comment: 1 table, 4 figures,5 page

Chemical composition of 90 F and G disk dwarfs

High resolution, high S/N spectra have been obtained for a sample of 90 F and G main-sequence disk stars covering the metallicity range -1.0 < [Fe/H] < +0.1, and have been analysed in a parallel way to the work of Edvardsson et al. (1993). Effective temperatures are based on the Alonso et al. (1996) calibration of color indices and surface gravities are calculated from Hipparcos parallaxes, which also allow more accurate ages to be calculated. In addition, more reliable kinematical parameters are derived from Hipparcos distances and proper motions. Finally, a larger spectral coverage, 5600 - 8800 A, makes it possible to improve the abundance accuracy by studying more lines and to discuss several elements not included in the work of Edvardsson et al. The present paper provides the data and discusses some general results of the abundance survey. A group of stars in the metallicity range of -1.0 < [Fe/H] < -0.6 having a small mean Galactocentric distance in the stellar orbits, Rm < 7 kpc, are shown to be older than the other disk stars and probably belong to the thick disk. Excluding these stars, a slight decreasing trend of [Fe/H] with increasing Rm and age is found, but a large scatter in [Fe/H] (up to 0.5 dex) is present at a given age and Rm. The derived trends of O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Ni and Ba as a function of [Fe/H] agree rather well with those of Edvardsson et al., but the overabundance of Na and Al for metal-poor stars found in their work is not confirmed. Furthermore, the Galactic evolution of elements not included in Edvardsson et al., K, V and Cr, is studied.Comment: 16 pages with 10 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

On the Proof of Dark Matter, the Law of Gravity and the Mass of Neutrinos

We develop a new method to predict the density associated with weak lensing maps of (un)relaxed clusters in a range of theories interpolating between GR and MOND (General Relativity and Modified Newtonian Dynamics). We apply it to fit the lensing map of the bullet merging cluster 1E0657-56, in order to constrain more robustly the nature and amount of collisionless matter in clusters {\it beyond} the usual assumption of spherical equilibrium (Pointecouteau & Silk 2005) and the validity of GR on cluster scales (Clowe et al. 2006). Strengthening the proposal of previous authors we show that the bullet cluster is dominated by a collisionless -- most probably non-baryonic -- component in GR as well as in MOND, a result consistent with the dynamics of many X-ray clusters. Our findings add to the number of known pathologies for a purely baryonic MOND, including its inability to fit the latest data from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. A plausible resolution of all these issues and standard issues of Cold Dark Matter with galaxy rotation curves is the "marriage" of MOND with ordinary hot neutrinos of 2eV. This prediction is just within the GR-independent maximum of neutrino mass from current $\beta$-decay experiments, and is falsifiable by the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment by 2009. Issues of consistency with strong lensing arcs and the large relative velocity of the two clusters comprising the bullet cluster are also addressed.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in ApJL. Added a simple model of the bullet cluster's high velocity in TeVeS, and discussions of sterile neutrinos and of non-uniqueness of the lensing deprojectio

Effect of physical and chemical doping on optical spectra of SWNT's

We discuss the use of far-infrared spectroscopy in the characterization of doped and functionalized nanotube derivatives

Upflows in the upper transition region of the quiet Sun

We investigate the physical meaning of the prominent blue shifts of Ne VIII, which is observed to be associated with quiet-Sun network junctions (boundary intersections), through data analyses combining force-free-field extrapolations with EUV spectroscopic observations. For a middle-latitude region, we reconstruct the magnetic funnel structure in a sub-region showing faint emission in EIT-Fe 195. This funnel appears to consist of several smaller funnels that originate from network lanes, expand with height and finally merge into a single wide open-field region. However, the large blue shifts of Ne VIII are generally not associated with open fields, but seem to be associated with the legs of closed magnetic loops. Moreover, in most cases significant upflows are found in both of the funnel-shaped loop legs. These quasi-steady upflows are regarded as signatures of mass supply to the coronal loops rather than the solar wind. Our observational result also reveals that in many cases the upflows in the upper transition region (TR) and the downflows in the middle TR are not fully cospatial. Based on these new observational results, we suggest different TR structures in coronal holes and in the quiet Sun.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, will appear in the Proceedings of the Solar wind 12 conferenc