A dynamical and kinematical model of the Galactic stellar halo and possible implications for galaxy formation scenarios

We re-analyse the kinematics of the system of blue horizontal branch field (BHBF) stars in the Galactic halo (in particular the outer halo), fitting the kinematics with the model of radial and tangential velocity dispersions in the halo as a function of galactocentric distance r proposed by Sommer-Larsen, Flynn & Christensen (1994), using a much larger sample (almost 700) of BHBF stars. The basic result is that the character of the stellar halo velocity ellipsoid changes markedly from radial anisotropy at the sun to tangential anisotropy in the outer parts of the Galactic halo (r greater than approx 20 kpc). Specifically, the radial component of the stellar halo's velocity ellipsoid decreases fairly rapidly beyond the solar circle, from approx 140 +/- 10 km/s at the sun, to an asymptotic value of 89 +/- 19 km/s at large r. The rapid decrease in the radial velocity dispersion is matched by an increase in the tangential velocity dispersion, with increasing r. Our results may indicate that the Galaxy formed hierarchically (partly or fully) through merging of smaller subsystems - the 'bottom-up' galaxy formation scenario, which for quite a while has been favoured by most theorists and recently also has been given some observational credibility by HST observations of a potential group of small galaxies, at high redshift, possibly in the process of merging to a larger galaxy (Pascarelle et al 1996).Comment: Latex, 16 pages. 2 postscript figures. Submitted to the Astrophysical Journal. also available at http://astro.utu.fi/~cflynn/outerhalo.htm

Observations of mesoscale vertical velocities around frontal zones

Vertical velocity and reflectivity data obtained with a VHF Doppler radar over a 15-day period in October and November of 1981 are analyzed. Standard radiosonde data and surface observations were used to locate two occluded fronts, two warm fronts, and a cold front that passed the radar site. These fronts are also evident in the radar reflectivity data. Most studies of the vertical circulation patterns associated with mososcale systems have used precipitation and cloud formations as tracers. Unlike other observational techniques, the VHF radar permits the continuous measurement of the three-dimensional air velocity vector in time and height from a fixed location. With the beam in a vertically pointing position, signals are scattered from turbulent variations in the refractive index with half the scale of the radar wavelength and by regions with sudden changes in the refractive index associated with horizontally stratified layers. Generally, the strongest echoes occur at the maximum in the vertical gradient of refractivity, usually at the base of a temperature inversion, such as the tropopause. VHF radars can also be used to locate atmospheric fronts, which are characterized by static stability, large horizontal temperature gradients, large vorticities, and vertical wind shears. These radars can provide the velocity field data needed to study wave motions associated with fronts and compare the actual vertical circulation to theoretical predictions

Comparison of vertical velocities analyzed by a numerical model and measured by a VHF wind profiler

The use of wind profilers for measuring vertical velocities in the troposphere and lower stratosphere is potentially of great interest for verification of forecasts, diagnosis of mesoscale circulations, and studies of wave motions. The studies of profiler vertical velocities to date have shown that the observed patterns of ascent and subsidence are reasonable when compared to the synoptic conditions. However, difficulties arise when a direct verification of the profiler vertical winds is sought. Since no other technique can measure the vertical velocities over the same height range and with the same claimed accuracy as the profilers, direct comparisons are impossible. The only alternative is to compare the measurements to analyzed vertical velocity fields. Here, researchers compare vertical measurements made with the SOUSY VHF radar over a period of 11 days at the beginning of November 1981 to the analyzed vertical velocities produced by the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) model for grid points near the radar site

Need for a subtropical wind profiling system

The purpose is to point out the need for, and the benefit that can be derived from, a national wind profiling facility located in the subtropics. At present no such facility exists. There are several advantages associated with a low-latitude location. The first is that wave motions and large-scale circulations unique to the tropics can be studied. The second is that the relatively steady mean flows in the subtropical belt may provide a cleaner environment for studies of waves common at all latitudes. Researchers suggest the Arecibo Observatory as an ideal site for a wind profiling facility since the land and much of the computing, technical, and scientific support is already available

Low-background temperature sensors fabricated on parylene substrates

Temperature sensors fabricated from ultra-low radioactivity materials have been developed for low-background experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay and the interactions of WIMP dark matter. The sensors consist of electrical traces photolithographically-patterned onto substrates of vapor-deposited parylene. They are demonstrated to function as expected, to do so reliably and robustly, and to be highly radio-pure. This work is a proof-of-concept study of a technology that can be applied to broad class of electronic circuits used in low-background experiments

A Semiconductor Nanowire-Based Superconducting Qubit

We introduce a hybrid qubit based on a semiconductor nanowire with an epitaxially grown superconductor layer. Josephson energy of the transmon-like device ("gatemon") is controlled by an electrostatic gate that depletes carriers in a semiconducting weak link region. Strong coupling to an on-chip microwave cavity and coherent qubit control via gate voltage pulses is demonstrated, yielding reasonably long relaxation times (0.8 {\mu}s) and dephasing times (1 {\mu}s), exceeding gate operation times by two orders of magnitude, in these first-generation devices. Because qubit control relies on voltages rather than fluxes, dissipation in resistive control lines is reduced, screening reduces crosstalk, and the absence of flux control allows operation in a magnetic field, relevant for topological quantum information

Primary production during nutrient-induced blooms at elevated CO2 concentrations

Mesocosms experiments (PeECE II and PeECE III) were carried out in 9 transparent mesocosms. Prior to the experimental period, the seawater carbonate system was manipulated to achieve three different levels of CO2. At the onset of the experimental period, nutrients were added to all mesocosms in order to initiate phytoplankton blooms. Rates of primary production were measured by in-situ incubations using 14C-incorporation and oxygen production/consumption. Particulate primary production by 14C was also size fractionated and compared with phytoplankton species composition. Nutrient supply increased the primary production rates, and a net autotrophic phase with 14C-fixation rates up to 4 times higher than initial was observed midway through the 24 days experiment before net community production returned to near-zero and 14C-fixation rates relaxed back to lower than initial. We found a trend in the 14C-based measurements towards higher cumulative primary production at higher pCO2, consistent with recently published results for DIC removal (Riebesell et al., 2007). There where found differences to the size fractionated primary production response to CO2 treatments. The plankton composition changes throughout the bloom, however, resulted in no significant response until the final phase of the experiment where phytoplankton growth became nutrient limited, and phytoplankton community changed from diatom to flagellate dominance. This opens for the two alternative hypotheses that such an effect is associated with mineral nutrient limited growth, and/or with phytoplankton species composition. The lack of a clear net heterotrophic phase in the last part of the experiment supports the idea that a substantial part of production in the upper layer was not degraded locally, but either accumulated there or was exported vertically

Dihydropteroate synthase gene mutations in Pneumocystis and sulfa resistance

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) remains a major cause of illness and death in HIV-infected persons. Sulfa drugs, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) and dapsone are mainstays of PCP treatment and prophylaxis. While prophylaxis has reduced the incidence of PCP, its use has raised concerns about development of resistant organisms. The inability to culture human Pneumocystis, Pneumocystis jirovecii, in a standardized culture system prevents routine susceptibility testing and detection of drug resistance. In other microorganisms, sulfa drug resistance has resulted from specific point mutations in the dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) gene. Similar mutations have been observed in P. jirovecii. Studies have consistently demonstrated a significant association between the use of sulfa drugs for PCP prophylaxis and DHPS gene mutations. Whether these mutations confer resistance to TMP-SMX or dapsone plus trimethoprim for PCP treatment remains unclear. We review studies of DHPS mutations in P. jirovecii and summarize the evidence for resistance to sulfamethoxazole and dapsone

Surveying the Inner Halo of the Galaxy with 2MASS-Selected Horizontal Branch Candidates

We use 2MASS photometry to select blue horizontal branch (BHB) candidates covering the sky |b|>15 deg. A 12.5<J<15.5 sample of BHB stars traces the thick disk and inner halo to d<9 kpc, with a density comparable to that of M giant stars. We base our sample selection strategy on the Century Survey Galactic Halo Project, a survey that provides a complete, spectroscopically-identified sample of blue stars to a similar depth as the 2MASS catalog. We show that a -0.20<(J-H)_0<0.10, -0.10<(H-K)_0<0.10 color-selected sample of stars is 65% complete for BHB stars, and is composed of 47% BHB stars. We apply this photometric selection to the full 2MASS catalog, and see no spatial overdensities of BHB candidates at high Galactic latitude |b|>50 deg. We insert simulated star streams into the data and conclude that the high Galactic latitude BHB candidates are consistent with having no ~5 deg wide star stream with density greater than 0.33 objects deg^-2 at the 95% confidence level. The absence of structure suggests there have been no major accretion events in the inner halo in the last few Gyr. However, at low Galactic latitudes a two-point angular correlation analysis reveals structure on angular scales <1 deg. This structure is apparently associated with stars in the thick disk, and has a physical scale of 10-100 pc. Interestingly, such structures are expected by cosmological simulations that predict the majority of the thick disk may arise from accretion and disruption of satellite mergers.Comment: 11 pages, including figures. Accepted by AJ with minor revision