2,200 research outputs found
Habitability of Super-Earth Planets around Main-Sequence Stars including Red Giant Branch Evolution: Models based on the Integrated System Approach
In a previous study published in Astrobiology, we focused on the evolution of
habitability of a 10 M_E super-Earth planet orbiting a star akin to the Sun.
This study was based on a concept of planetary habitability in accordance to
the integrated system approach that describes the photosynthetic biomass
production taking into account a variety of climatological, biogeochemical, and
geodynamical processes. In the present study, we pursue a significant
augmentation of our previous work by considering stars with zero-age main
sequence masses between 0.5 and 2.0 M_sun with special emphasis on models of
0.8, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5 M_sun. Our models of habitability consider again
geodynamical processes during the main-sequence stage of these stars as well as
during their red giant branch evolution. Pertaining to the different types of
stars, we identify so-called photosynthesis-sustaining habitable zones (pHZ)
determined by the limits of biological productivity on the planetary surface.
We obtain various sets of solutions consistent with the principal possibility
of life. Considering that stars of relatively high masses depart from the
main-sequence much earlier than low-mass stars, it is found that the biospheric
life-span of super-Earth planets of stars with masses above approximately 1.5
M_sun is always limited by the increase in stellar luminosity. However, for
stars with masses below 0.9 M_sun, the life-span of super-Earths is solely
determined by the geodynamic time-scale. For central star masses between 0.9
and 1.5 M_sun, the possibility of life in the framework of our models depends
on the relative continental area of the super-Earth planet.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables; submitted to: International Journal of
Astrobiolog
Habitable Zones and UV Habitable Zones around Host Stars
Ultraviolet radiation is a double-edged sword to life. If it is too strong,
the terrestrial biological systems will be damaged. And if it is too weak, the
synthesis of many biochemical compounds can not go along. We try to obtain the
continuous ultraviolet habitable zones, and compare the ultraviolet habitable
zones with the habitable zones of host stars. Using the boundary ultraviolet
radiation of ultraviolet habitable zone, we calculate the ultraviolet habitable
zones of host stars with masses from 0.08 to 4.00 \mo. For the host stars with
effective temperatures lower than 4,600 K, the ultraviolet habitable zones are
closer than the habitable zones. For the host stars with effective temperatures
higher than 7,137 K, the ultraviolet habitable zones are farther than the
habitable zones. For hot subdwarf as a host star, the distance of the
ultraviolet habitable zone is about ten times more than that of the habitable
zone, which is not suitable for life existence.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
The hyperfine transition in light muonic atoms of odd Z
The hyperfine (hf) transition rates for muonic atoms have been re-measured
for select light nuclei, using neutron detectors to evaluate the time
dependence of muon capture. For F = 5.6 (2)
s for the hf transition rate, a value which is considerably more
accurate than previous measurements. Results are also reported for Na, Al, P,
Cl, and K; that result for P is the first positive identification.Comment: 12 pages including 5 tables and 4 figures, RevTex, submitted to Phys.
Rev.
Optical creation of vibrational intrinsic localized modes in anharmonic lattices with realistic interatomic potentials
Using an efficient optimal control scheme to determine the exciting fields,
we theoretically demonstrate the optical creation of vibrational intrinsic
localized modes (ILMs) in anharmonic perfect lattices with realistic
interatomic potentials. For systems with finite size, we show that ILMs can be
excited directly by applying a sequence of femtosecond visible laser pulses at
THz repetition rates. For periodic lattices, ILMs can be created indirectly via
decay of an unstable extended lattice mode which is excited optically either by
a sequence of pulses as described above or by a single picosecond far-infrared
laser pulse with linearly chirped frequency. In light of recent advances in
experimental laser pulse shaping capabilities, the approach is experimentally
promising.Comment: 20 pages, 7 eps figures. Accepted, Phys. Rev.
Habitable Zones of Host Stars During the Post-MS Phase
A star will become brighter and brighter with stellar evolution, and the
distance of its habitable zone will become farther and farther. Some planets
outside the habitable zone of a host star during the main sequence phase may
enter the habitable zone of the host star during other evolutionary phases. A
terrestrial planet within the habitable zone of its host star is generally
thought to be suited to life existence. Furthermore, a rocky moon around a
giant planet may be also suited to life survive, provided that the planet-moon
system is within the habitable zone of its host star. Using Eggleton's code and
the boundary flux of habitable zone, we calculate the habitable zone of our
Solar after the main sequence phase. It is found that Mars' orbit and Jupiter's
orbit will enter the habitable zone of Solar during the subgiant branch phase
and the red giant branch phase, respectively. And the orbit of Saturn will
enter the habitable zone of Solar during the He-burning phase for about 137
million years. Life is unlikely at any time on Saturn, as it is a giant gaseous
planet. However, Titan, the rocky moon of Saturn, may be suitable for
biological evolution and become another Earth during that time. For low-mass
stars, there are similar habitable zones during the He-burning phase as our
Solar, because there are similar core masses and luminosities for these stars
during that phase.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures. Accepted by Ap & S
Asteroseismology of old open clusters with Kepler: direct estimate of the integrated RGB mass loss in NGC6791 and NGC6819
Mass loss of red giant branch (RGB) stars is still poorly determined, despite
its crucial role in the chemical enrichment of galaxies. Thanks to the recent
detection of solar-like oscillations in G-K giants in open clusters with
Kepler, we can now directly determine stellar masses for a statistically
significant sample of stars in the old open clusters NGC6791 and NGC6819. The
aim of this work is to constrain the integrated RGB mass loss by comparing the
average mass of stars in the red clump (RC) with that of stars in the
low-luminosity portion of the RGB (i.e. stars with L <~ L(RC)). Stellar masses
were determined by combining the available seismic parameters numax and Dnu
with additional photometric constraints and with independent distance
estimates. We measured the masses of 40 stars on the RGB and 19 in the RC of
the old metal-rich cluster NGC6791. We find that the difference between the
average mass of RGB and RC stars is small, but significant (Delta M=0.09 +-
0.03 (random) +- 0.04 (systematic) Msun). Interestingly, such a small DeltaM
does not support scenarios of an extreme mass loss for this metal-rich cluster.
If we describe the mass-loss rate with Reimers' prescription, a first
comparison with isochrones suggests that the observed DeltaM is compatible with
a mass-loss efficiency parameter in the range 0.1 <~ eta <~ 0.3. Less stringent
constraints on the RGB mass-loss rate are set by the analysis of the ~ 2
Gyr-old NGC6819, largely due to the lower mass loss expected for this cluster,
and to the lack of an independent and accurate distance determination. In the
near future, additional constraints from frequencies of individual pulsation
modes and spectroscopic effective temperatures, will allow further stringent
tests of the Dnu and numax scaling relations, which provide a novel, and
potentially very accurate, means of determining stellar radii and masses.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in the Anderson lattice
We study the interplay between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in a
generalized infinite- Anderson lattice, where both superconductivity and
antiferromagnetic order are introduced phenomenologically in mean field theory.
In a certain regime, a quantum phase transition is found which is characterized
by an abrupt expulsion of magnetic order by d-wave superconductivity, as
externally applied pressure increases. This transition takes place when the
d-wave superconducting critical temperature, , intercepts the magnetic
critical temperature, , under increasing pressure. Calculations of the
quasiparticle bands and density of states in the ordered phases are presented.
We calculate the optical conductivity in the clean limit. It
is shown that when the temperature drops below a double peak structure
develops in .Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure
Fast Photon Detection for Particle Identification with COMPASS RICH-1
Particle identification at high rates is an important challenge for many
current and future high-energy physics experiments. The upgrade of the COMPASS
RICH-1 detector requires a new technique for Cherenkov photon detection at
count rates of several per channel in the central detector region, and a
read-out system allowing for trigger rates of up to 100 kHz. To cope with these
requirements, the photon detectors in the central region have been replaced
with the detection system described in this paper. In the peripheral regions,
the existing multi-wire proportional chambers with CsI photocathode are now
read out via a new system employing APV pre-amplifiers and flash ADC chips. The
new detection system consists of multi-anode photomultiplier tubes (MAPMT) and
fast read-out electronics based on the MAD4 discriminator and the F1-TDC chip.
The RICH-1 is in operation in its upgraded version for the 2006 CERN SPS run.
We present the photon detection design, constructive aspects and the first
Cherenkov light in the detector.Comment: Proceedings of the Imaging 2006 conference, Stockholm, Sweden, 27-30
June 2006, 5 pages, 6 figures, to appear in NIM A; corrected typo in caption
of Fig.
Fast photon detection for the COMPASS RICH detector
The COMPASS experiment at the SPS accelerator at CERN uses a large scale Ring
Imaging CHerenkov detector (RICH) to identify pions, kaons and protons in a
wide momentum range. For the data taking in 2006, the COMPASS RICH has been
upgraded in the central photon detection area (25% of the surface) with a new
technology to detect Cherenkov photons at very high count rates of several 10^6
per second and channel and a new dead-time free read-out system, which allows
trigger rates up to 100 kHz. The Cherenkov photons are detected by an array of
576 visible and ultra-violet sensitive multi-anode photomultipliers with 16
channels each. The upgraded detector showed an excellent performance during the
2006 data taking.Comment: Proceeding of the IPRD06 conference (Siena, Okt. 06
The Fast Read-out System for the MAPMTs of COMPASS RICH-1
A fast readout system for the upgrade of the COMPASS RICH detector has been
developed and successfully used for data taking in 2006 and 2007. The new
readout system for the multi-anode PMTs in the central part of the photon
detector of the RICH is based on the high-sensitivity MAD4
preamplifier-discriminator and the dead-time free F1-TDC chip characterized by
high-resolution. The readout electronics has been designed taking into account
the high photon flux in the central part of the detector and the requirement to
run at high trigger rates of up to 100 kHz with negligible dead-time. The
system is designed as a very compact setup and is mounted directly behind the
multi-anode photomultipliers. The data are digitized on the frontend boards and
transferred via optical links to the readout system. The read-out electronics
system is described in detail together with its measured performances.Comment: Proceeding of RICH2007 Conference, Trieste, Oct. 2007. v2: minor
change
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