Far-IR spectroscopy towards Sagittarius B2

The far-IR is a unique wavelength range for Astrophysical studies, however, it can only be fully sampled from space platforms. The fundamental rotational transitions of light molecules, the high-J transitions of polyatomic species, the bending modes of non-polar molecules, several atomic fine structure lines and many frequencies blocked by the earth atmosphere can only be observed between 50 and 200 um (6.0 and 1.5 THz). In this contribution we present the far-IR spectrum of Sgr B2 at a resolution of ~35 km s^{-1}, the ``Rosetta stone'' of ISO's far-IR spectra. We also discuss the perspectives of the far-IR Astronomy in the context of the future telescopes under development.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of the 4th Cologne-Bonn-Zermatt-Symposium "The Dense Interstellar Medium in Galaxies" eds. S. Pfalzner, C. Kramer, C. Straubmeier, & A. Heithausen (Springer: Berlin

The far-IR view of Sgr B2 and Orion KL

We summarize the main highlights from ISO observations towards Sgr B2 and Orion KL in the far-IR domain (~43 to 197 um). Both Star-Forming Regions are among the best sources to construct a template for more distant and unresolved regions (e.g., extragalactic). We stress some peculiarities in the interpretation (excitation and radiative transfer) of far-IR spectral lines and dust continuum emission.Comment: ''Far-Infrared and Submillimeter Emission of the Interstellar Medium: Models meet extragalactic and Galactic Observations''. Proceedings of the FIR Workshop 2007. Eds. C. Kramer, R. Simon et a

Protoplanetary gas disks in the far infrared

The physical and chemical conditions in young protoplanetary disks set the boundary conditions for planet formation. Although the dust in disks is relatively easily detected as a far-IR photometric ``excess'' over the expected photospheric emission, much less is known about the gas phase. It seems clear that an abrupt transition from massive optically thick disks (gas-rich structures where only ~1% of the total mass is in the form of dust) to tenuous debris disks almost devoid of gas occurs at ~10^7 years, by which time the majority of at least the giant planets must have formed. Indeed, these planets are largely gaseous and thus they must assemble before the gas disk dissipates. Spectroscopic studies of the disk gas content at different evolutive stages are thus critical. Far-IR water vapor lines and atomic fine structure lines from abundant gas reservoirs (e.g., [OI]63um, [SI]56um, [SiII]34um) are robust tracers of the gas in disks. Spectrometers on board Herschel will detect some of these lines toward the closest, youngest and more massive protoplanetary disks. However, according to models, Herschel will not reach the required sensitivity to (1) detect the gas residual in more evolved and tenuous transational disks that are potentially forming planets and (2) detect the gas emission from less massive protoplanetary disks around the most numerous stars in the Galaxy (M-type and cooler dwarfs). Both are unique goals for SPICA/SAFARI. Besides, SAFARI will be able to detect the far-IR modes of water ice at ~44 and ~62um, and thus allow water ice to be observed in many protoplanetary systems and fully explore its impact on planetary formation and evolution.Comment: To appear in Proc. Workshop "The Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology & Astrophysics: Revealing the Origins of Planets and Galaxies". Eds. A.M. Heras, B. Swinyard, K. Isaak, and J.R. Goicoeche

How widespread were private investment and regulatory reform in infrastructure utilities during the 1990s?

This note provides a snapshot as of 2004 of the share of countries with an independent regulatory agency and with at least some private sector financing of its sectoral investment needs for electricity, water and sanitation, and telecommunications. Among other things, they show that: For respectively, electricity, water and sanitation, and telecommunications, 51 percent, 21 percent, and 66 percent of the developing countries in the sample have an independent regulator, that is, an agency separate from a ministry and from the operator. For respectively, electricity generation, electricity distribution, water and sanitation, and telecommunications, 47 percent, 36 percent, 35 percent, and 59 percent of the developing countries in the sample have at least some private sector financing. The shares of both agencies and private sector involvement tend to increase with income levels. Latin and Central America and Eastern Europe are outliers among regions as almost systematically they have among the highest shares for both indicators across sectors (except water).Health Economics&Finance,Town Water Supply and Sanitation,Earth Sciences&GIS,Environmental Economics&Policies,ICT Policy and Strategies

A"research"database on infrastructure economic performance

The authors present an infrastructure database that was assembled from multiple sources. Its main purposes are: (1) to provide a snapshot of the sector as of the end of 2004; and (2) to facilitate quantitative analytical research on infrastructure. The paper includes definitions, source information, and the most recent data available for 37 performance indicators that proxy access, affordability, and quality of service. Additionally, the database includes a snapshot of 15 reform indicators across infrastructure sectors.Health Economics&Finance,Poverty Monitoring&Analysis,Governance Indicators,ICT Policy and Strategies,Scientific Research&Science Parks

Gravitational lens system SDSS J1339+1310: microlensing factory and time delay

We spectroscopically re-observed the gravitational lens system SDSS J1339+1310 using OSIRIS on the GTC. We also monitored the $r$-band variability of the two quasar images (A and B) with the LT over 143 epochs in the period 2009$-$2016. These new data in both the wavelength and time domains have confirmed that the system is an unusual microlensing factory. The C$\scriptsize{\rm{IV}}$ emission line is remarkably microlensed, since the microlensing magnification of B relative to that for A, $\mu_{\rm{BA}}$, reaches a value of 1.4 ($\sim$ 0.4 mag) for its core. Moreover, the B image shows a red wing enhancement of C$\scriptsize{\rm{IV}}$ flux (relative to A), and $\mu_{\rm{BA}}$ = 2 (0.75 mag) for the C$\scriptsize{\rm{IV}}$ broad-line emission. Regarding the nuclear continuum, we find a chromatic behaviour of $\mu_{\rm{BA}}$, which roughly varies from $\sim$ 5 (1.75 mag) at 7000 \AA\ to $\sim$ 6 (1.95 mag) at 4000 \AA. We also detect significant microlensing variability in the $r$ band, and this includes a number of microlensing events on timescales of 50$-$100 d. Fortunately, the presence of an intrinsic 0.7 mag dip in the light curves of A and B, permitted us to measure the time delay between both quasar images. This delay is $\Delta t_{\rm{AB}}$ = 47$^{+5}_{-6}$ d (1$\sigma$ confidence interval; A is leading), in good agreement with predictions of lens models.Comment: Accepted to A&A; 19 pages, 2 appendices, 3 long tables (Tables 1-3). Tables 1-2 and an updated version of Table 3 are available at http://grupos.unican.es/glendama/q1339.ht

Stellar Feedback in the ISM Revealed by Wide-Field Far-Infrared Spectral-Imaging

The radiative and mechanical interaction of stars with their environment drives the evolution of the ISM and of galaxies as a whole. The far-IR emission (lambda ~30 to 350 microns) from atoms and molecules dominates the cooling of the warm gas in the neutral ISM, the material that ultimately forms stars. Far-IR lines are thus the most sensitive probes of stellar feedback processes, and allow us to quantify the deposition and cycling of energy in the ISM. While ALMA (in the (sub)mm) and JWST (in the IR) provide astonishing sub-arcsecond resolution images of point sources and their immediate environment, they cannot access the main interstellar gas coolants, nor are they designed to image entire star-forming regions (SFRs). Herschel far-IR photometric images of the interstellar dust thermal emission revealed the ubiquitous large-scale filamentary structure of SFRs, their mass content, and the location of thousands of prestellar cores and protostars. These images, however, provide a static view of the ISM: not only they dont constrain the cloud dynamics, moreover they cannot reveal the chemical composition and energy transfer within the cloud, thus giving little insight into the regulation process of star formation by stellar feedback. In this white paper we emphasize the need of a space telescope with wide-field spectral-imaging capabilities in the critical far-IR domain.Comment: White Paper submitted to the Astro 2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine