523 research outputs found
Feasibility study of the transonic biplane concept for transport aircraft application
Investigations were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of a transonic biplane consisting of a forward-mounted swept-back lower wing, a rear-mounted swept-forward upper wing, and a vertical fin connecting the wings at their tips. This wing arrangement results in significant reductions in induced drag relative to a monoplane designed with the same span, and it allows for a constant-section fuselage shape while closely matching an ideal area distribution curve for M = 0.95 cruise. However, no significant reductions in ramp weight were achieved for the biplane relative to a monoplane with the same mission capability. Flutter analyses of the biplane revealed both symmetric and antisymmetric instabilities that occur well below the required flutter speed. Further studies will be required to determine if acceptable flutter speeds can be achieved through the elimination of the instabilities by passive means or by active controls. Configurations designed for other missions, especially those with lower Mach numbers and lower dynamic pressures, should be examined since the geometries suitable for those design constraints might avoid the weight penalties and flutter instabilities which prevent exploitation of induced drag benefits for the configuration studied
The very flat radio - millimetre spectrum of Cygnus X-1
We present almost-simultaneous detections of Cygnus X-1 in the radio and mm
regimes, obtained during the low/hard X-ray state. The source displays a flat
spectrum between 2 and 220 GHz, with a spectral index flatter than 0.15
(3sigma). There is no evidence for either a low- or high-frequency cut-off, but
in the mid-infrared (~30 microns) thermal emission from the OB-type companion
star becomes dominant. The integrated luminosity of this flat-spectrum emission
in quiescence is > 2 x 10^{31} erg/s (2 x 10^{24} W). Assuming the emission
originates in a jet for which non-radiative (e.g. adiabatic expansion) losses
dominate, this is a very conservative lower limit on the power required to
maintain the jet. A comparison with Cyg X-3 and GRS 1915+105, the other X-ray
binaries for which a flat spectrum at shorter than cm wavelengths has been
observed, shows that the jet in Cyg X-1 is significantly less luminous and less
variable, and is probably our best example to date of a continuous, steady,
outflow from an X-ray binary. The emissive mechanism reponsible for such a flat
spectral component remains uncertain. Specifically, we note that the radio-mm
spectra observed from these X-ray binaries are much flatter than those of the
`flat-spectrum' AGN, and that existing models of synchrotron emission from
partially self-absorbed radio cores, which predict a high-frequency cut-off in
the mm regime, are not directly applicable.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
Multi-Generational Star Formation in L1551
The L1551 molecular cloud contains two small clusters of Class 0 and I
protostars, as well as a halo of more evolved Class II and III YSOs, indicating
a current and at least one past burst of star formation. We present here new,
sensitive maps of 850 and 450 um dust emission covering most of the L1551
cloud, new CO J=2-1 data of the molecular cloud, and a new, deep, optical image
of [SII] emission. No new Class 0/I YSOs were detected. Compact sub-millimetre
emitters are concentrated in two sub-clusters: IRS5 and L1551NE, and the
HL~Tauri group. Both stellar groups show significant extended emission and
outflow/jet activity. A jet, terminating at HH 265 and with a very weak
associated molecular outflow, may originate from LkHa 358, or from a binary
companion to another member of the HL Tauri group. Several Herbig Haro objects
associated with IRS5/NE were clearly detected in the sub-mm, as were faint
ridges of emission tracing outflow cavity walls. We confirm a large-scale
molecular outflow originating from NE parallel to that from IRS5, and suggest
that the "hollow shell" morphology is more likely due to two interacting
outflows. We confirm the presence of a prestellar core (L1551-MC) of mass 2-3
Mo north-west of IRS5. The next generation cluster may be forming in this core.
The L1551 cloud appears cometary in morphology, and appears to be illuminated
and eroded from the direction of Orion, perhaps explaining the multiple
episodes of star formation in this cloud. The full paper (including figures)
can be downloaded at http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/~gms/l1551/l1551-apj641.pdf, or
viewed at http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/~gms/l1551/.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, April 2006
(vol. 641). 27 pages, 17 figure
Resolving the Submillimeter Background: the 850-micron Galaxy Counts
Recent deep blank field submillimeter surveys have revealed a population of
luminous high redshift galaxies that emit most of their energy in the
submillimeter. The results suggest that much of the star formation at high
redshift may be hidden to optical observations. In this paper we present
wide-area 850-micron SCUBA data on the Hawaii Survey Fields SSA13, SSA17, and
SSA22. Combining these new data with our previous deep field data, we establish
the 850-micron galaxy counts from 2 mJy to 10 mJy with a >3-sigma detection
limit. The area coverage is 104 square arcmin to 8 mJy and 7.7 square arcmin to
2.3 mJy. The differential 850-micron counts are well described by the function
n(S)=N_0/(a+S^3.2), where S is the flux in mJy, N_0=3.0 x 10^4 per square
degree per mJy, and a=0.4-1.0 is chosen to match the 850-micron extragalactic
background light. Between 20 to 30 per cent of the 850-micron background
resides in sources brighter than 2 mJy. Using an empirical fit to our >2 mJy
data constrained by the EBL at lower fluxes, we argue that the bulk of the
850-micron extragalactic background light resides in sources with fluxes near 1
mJy. The submillimeter sources are plausible progenitors of the present-day
spheroidal population.Comment: 5 pages, accepted by The Astrophysical Journal Letter
A deep submillimetre survey of the Galactic Centre
We present first results from a submillimetre continuum survey of the
Galactic Centre `Central Molecular Zone' (CMZ), made with SCUBA on the James
Clerk Maxwell Telescope. SCUBA's scan-map mode has allowed us to make extremely
wide-field maps of thermal dust emission with unprecedented speed and
sensitivity. We also discuss some issues related to the elimination of
artefacts in scan-map data. Our simultaneous 850/450 micron maps have a total
size of approximately 2.8 x 0.5 degrees (400 x 75 pc) elongated along the
galactic plane. They cover the Sgr A region-including Sgr A*, the circumnuclear
disc, and the +20 km/s and +50 km/s clouds; the area around the Pistol; Sgr
B2-the brightest feature on the map; and at their Galactic Western and Eastern
edges the Sgr C and Sgr D regions. There are many striking features such as
filaments and shell-like structures, as well as point sources such as Sgr A*
itself. The total mass in the Central Molecular Zone is greater than that
revealed in previous optically-thin molecular line maps by a factor of ~3, and
new details are revealed on scales down to 0.33 pc across this 400 pc wide
region.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, (figures now smaller, in paper body), accepted
by ApJ
A Submillimeter Study of the Star-Forming Region NGC7129
New molecular (13CO J=3-2) and dust continuum (450 and 850 micron) SCUBA maps
of the NGC7129 star forming region are presented, complemented by C18O J=3-2
spectra at several positions within the mapped region. The maps include the
Herbig Ae/Be star LkHalpha 234, the far-infrared source NGC 7129 FIRS2 and
several other pre-stellar sources embedded within the molecular ridge.
The SCUBA maps help us understand the nature of the pre-main sequence stars
in this actively star forming region. A deeply embedded submillimeter source,
SMM2, not clearly seen in any earlier data set, is shown to be a pre-stellar
core or possibly a protostar. The highest continuum peak emission is identified
with the deeply embedded source IRS6, a few arcseconds away from LkHalpha 234,
and also responsible for both the optical jet and the molecular outflow. The
gas and dust masses are found to be consistent, suggesting little or no CO
depletion onto grains. The dust emissivity index is lower towards the dense
compact sources, beta ~1 - 1.6, and higher, beta ~ 2.0, in the surrounding
cloud, implying small size grains in the PDR ridge, whose mantles have been
evaporated by the intense UV radiation.Comment: Accepted by Ap
Increased accuracy of ligand sensing by receptor internalization
Many types of cells can sense external ligand concentrations with
cell-surface receptors at extremely high accuracy. Interestingly, ligand-bound
receptors are often internalized, a process also known as receptor-mediated
endocytosis. While internalization is involved in a vast number of important
functions for the life of a cell, it was recently also suggested to increase
the accuracy of sensing ligand as the overcounting of the same ligand molecules
is reduced. Here we show, by extending simple ligand-receptor models to
out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics, that internalization increases the accuracy
with which cells can measure ligand concentrations in the external environment.
Comparison with experimental rates of real receptors demonstrates that our
model has indeed biological significance.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
The Canada-UK Deep Submillimeter Survey VI: The 3-Hour Field
We present the complete submillimeter data for the Canada-UK Deep
Submillimeter Survey (CUDSS) 3-hour field. The obeservations were taken with
the Submillimeter Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) on the James Clerk
Maxwell Telescope on Mauna Kea. The 3-hour field is one of two main fields in
our survey and covers 60 square arcminutes to a 3-sigma depth of 3 mJy. In this
field we have detected 27 sources above 3-sigma and 15 above 3.5-sigma. We
assume the source counts follow the form and
measure = 3.3. This is in good agreement with previous
studies and further supports our claim (Eales et al., 2000) that SCUBA sources
brighter than 3 mJy produce ~20% of the 850m background energy. Using
preliminary ISO 15 m maps and VLA 1.4 GHz data we have identified
counterparts for six objects and have marginal detections at 450m for two
additional sources. With this information we estimate a median redshift for the
sample of 2.00.5, with 10% lying at 1. We have measured the
angular clustering of S850 > 3 mJy sources using the source catalogues from the
CUDSS two main fields, the 3-hour and 14-hour fields, and find a marginal
detection of clustering, primarily from the 14-hour field, of
. This is consistent with clustering at
least as strong as that seen for the Lyman-break galaxy population and the
Extremely Red Objects. Since SCUBA sources are selected over a broader range in
redshifts than these two populations the strength of the true spatial
clustering is expected to be correspondingly stronger.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Ap
CHIMPS: the <sup>13</sup>CO/C<sup>18</sup>O (<i>J</i> = 3 â 2) Heterodyne Inner Milky Way Plane Survey
We present the 13CO/C18O (J = 3 â 2) Heterodyne Inner Milky Way Plane Survey (CHIMPS) which has been carried out using the Heterodyne Array Receiver Program on the 15 m James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) in Hawaii. The high-resolution spectral survey currently covers |b| †0.5° and 28° âČ l âČ 46°, with an angular resolution of 15 arcsec in 0.5 km s-1 velocity channels. The spectra have a median rms of Ë0.6 K at this resolution, and for optically thin gas at an excitation temperature of 10 K, this sensitivity corresponds to column densities of NH2 Ë 3 Ă 1020 cm-2 and NH2 Ë 4 Ă 1021 cm-2 for 13CO and C18O, respectively. The molecular gas that CHIMPS traces is at higher column densities and is also more optically thin than in other publicly available CO surveys due to its rarer isotopologues, and thus more representative of the three-dimensional structure of the clouds. The critical density of the J = 3 â 2 transition of CO is âł104 cm-3 at temperatures of â€20 K, and so the higher density gas associated with star formation is well traced. These data complement other existing Galactic plane surveys, especially the JCMT Galactic Plane Survey which has similar spatial resolution and column density sensitivity, and the Herschel infrared Galactic Plane Survey. In this paper, we discuss the observations, data reduction and characteristics of the survey, presenting integrated-emission maps for the region covered. Position-velocity diagrams allow comparison with Galactic structure models of the Milky Way, and while we find good agreement with a particular four-arm model, there are some significant deviations
A new era of wide-field submillimetre imaging: on-sky performance of SCUBA-2
SCUBA-2 is the largest submillimetre wide-field bolometric camera ever built.
This 43 square arc-minute field-of-view instrument operates at two wavelengths
(850 and 450 microns) and has been installed on the James Clerk Maxwell
Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. SCUBA-2 has been successfully commissioned and
operational for general science since October 2011. This paper presents an
overview of the on-sky performance of the instrument during and since
commissioning in mid-2011. The on-sky noise characteristics and NEPs of the 450
and 850 micron arrays, with average yields of approximately 3400 bolometers at
each wavelength, will be shown. The observing modes of the instrument and the
on-sky calibration techniques are described. The culmination of these efforts
has resulted in a scientifically powerful mapping camera with sensitivities
that allow a square degree of sky to be mapped to 10 mJy/beam rms at 850 micron
in 2 hours and 60 mJy/beam rms at 450 micron in 5 hours in the best weather.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures.SPIE Conference series 8452, Millimetre,
Submillimetre and Far-infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VI
201
- âŠ