2,317 research outputs found
Minimum-fuel Attitude Control of a Rigid Body in Orbit by an Extended Method of Steepest-descent
Minimum fuel control of spacecraft in orbit using extended method of steepest descen
Empirically modelled Pc3 activity based on solar wind parameters
It is known that under certain solar wind (SW)/interplanetary magnetic
field (IMF) conditions (e.g. high SW speed, low cone angle) the occurrence of
ground-level Pc3–4 pulsations is more likely. In this paper we demonstrate
that in the event of anomalously low SW particle density, Pc3 activity is
extremely low regardless of otherwise favourable SW speed and cone angle. We
re-investigate the SW control of Pc3 pulsation activity through a statistical
analysis and two empirical models with emphasis on the influence of SW
density on Pc3 activity. We utilise SW and IMF measurements from the OMNI
project and ground-based magnetometer measurements from the MM100 array to
relate SW and IMF measurements to the occurrence of Pc3 activity. Multiple
linear regression and artificial neural network models are used in iterative
processes in order to identify sets of SW-based input parameters, which
optimally reproduce a set of Pc3 activity data. The inclusion of SW density
in the parameter set significantly improves the models. Not only the density
itself, but other density related parameters, such as the dynamic pressure of
the SW, or the standoff distance of the magnetopause work equally well in the
model. The disappearance of Pc3s during low-density events can have at least
four reasons according to the existing upstream wave theory: 1. Pausing the
ion-cyclotron resonance that generates the upstream ultra low frequency waves
in the absence of protons, 2. Weakening of the bow shock that implies less
efficient reflection, 3. The SW becomes sub-Alfvénic and hence it is not
able to sweep back the waves propagating upstream with the Alfvén-speed,
and 4. The increase of the standoff distance of the magnetopause (and of the
bow shock). Although the models cannot account for the lack of Pc3s during
intervals when the SW density is extremely low, the resulting sets of optimal
model inputs support the generation of mid latitude Pc3 activity
predominantly through upstream waves
Fine-Structure FeII* Emission and Resonant MgII Emission in z = 1 Star-Forming Galaxies
We present a study of the prevalence, strength, and kinematics of ultraviolet
FeII and MgII emission lines in 212 star-forming galaxies at z = 1 selected
from the DEEP2 survey. We find FeII* emission in composite spectra assembled on
the basis of different galaxy properties, indicating that FeII* emission is
prevalent at z = 1. In these composites, FeII* emission is observed at roughly
the systemic velocity. At z = 1, we find that the strength of FeII* emission is
most strongly modulated by dust attenuation, and is additionally correlated
with redshift, star-formation rate, and [OII] equivalent width, such that
systems at higher redshifts with lower dust levels, lower star-formation rates,
and larger [OII] equivalent widths show stronger FeII* emission. We detect MgII
emission in at least 15% of the individual spectra and we find that objects
showing stronger MgII emission have higher specific star-formation rates,
smaller [OII] linewidths, larger [OII] equivalent widths, lower dust
attenuations, and lower stellar masses than the sample as a whole. MgII
emission strength exhibits the strongest correlation with specific
star-formation rate, although we find evidence that dust attenuation and
stellar mass also play roles in the regulation of MgII emission. Future
integral field unit observations of the spatial extent of FeII* and MgII
emission in galaxies with high specific star-formation rates, low dust
attenuations, and low stellar masses will be important for probing the
morphology of circumgalactic gas.Comment: 29 pages, 22 figures, 2 tables; accepted to Ap
Recommended from our members
ELAV links paused Pol II to alternative polyadenylation in the Drosophila nervious system
Alternative polyadenylation (APA) has been implicated in a variety of developmental and disease processes. A particularly dramatic form of APA occurs in the developing nervous system of flies and mammals, whereby various developmental genes undergo coordinate 3' UTR extension. In Drosophila, the RNA-binding protein ELAV inhibits RNA processing at proximal polyadenylation sites, thereby fostering the formation of exceptionally long 3' UTRs. Here, we present evidence that paused Pol II promotes recruitment of ELAV to extended genes. Replacing promoters of extended genes with heterologous promoters blocks normal 3' extension in the nervous system, while extension-associated promoters can induce 3' extension in ectopic tissues expressing ELAV. Computational analyses suggest that promoter regions of extended genes tend to contain paused Pol II and associated cis-regulatory elements such as GAGA. ChIP-seq assays identify ELAV in the promoter regions of extended genes. Our study provides evidence for a regulatory link between promoter-proximal pausing and APA
Empirically modelled Pc3 activity based on solar wind parameters
It is known that under certain solar wind (SW)/interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions (e.g. high SW speed, low cone angle) the occurrence of ground-level Pc3–4 pulsations is more likely. In this paper we demonstrate that in the event of anomalously low SW particle density, Pc3 activity is extremely low regardless of otherwise favourable SW speed and cone angle. We re-investigate the SW control of Pc3 pulsation activity through a statistical analysis and two empirical models with emphasis on the influence of SW density on Pc3 activity. We utilise SW and IMF measurements from the OMNI project and ground-based magnetometer measurements from the MM100 array to relate SW and IMF measurements to the occurrence of Pc3 activity. Multiple linear regression and artificial neural network models are used in iterative processes in order to identify sets of SW-based input parameters, which optimally reproduce a set of Pc3 activity data. The inclusion of SW density in the parameter set significantly improves the models. Not only the density itself, but other density related parameters, such as the dynamic pressure of the SW, or the standoff distance of the magnetopause work equally well in the model. The disappearance of Pc3s during low-density events can have at least four reasons according to the existing upstream wave theory: 1. Pausing the ion-cyclotron resonance that generates the upstream ultra low frequency waves in the absence of protons, 2. Weakening of the bow shock that implies less efficient reflection, 3. The SW becomes sub-Alfvénic and hence it is not able to sweep back the waves propagating upstream with the Alfvén-speed, and 4. The increase of the standoff distance of the magnetopause (and of the bow shock). Although the models cannot account for the lack of Pc3s during intervals when the SW density is extremely low, the resulting sets of optimal model inputs support the generation of mid latitude Pc3 activity predominantly through upstream waves
Quantified HI Morphology III: Merger Visibility Times from HI in Galaxy Simulations
Major mergers of disk galaxies are thought to be a substantial driver in
galaxy evolution. To trace the fraction and the rate galaxies are in mergers
over cosmic times, several observational techniques, including morphological
selection criteria, have been developed over the last decade. We apply this
morphological selection of mergers to 21 cm radio emission line (HI) column
density images of spiral galaxies in nearby surveys. In this paper, we
investigate how long a 1:1 merger is visible in HI from N-body simulations. We
evaluate the merger visibility times for selection criteria based on four
parameters: Concentration, Asymmetry, M20, and the Gini parameter of second
order moment of the flux distribution (GM). Of three selection criteria used in
the literature, one based on Concentration and M20 works well for the HI
perspective with a merger time scale of 0.4 Gyr. Of the three selection
criteria defined in our previous paper, the GM performs well and cleanly
selects mergers for 0.69 Gyr. The other two criteria (A-M20 and C-M20), select
isolated disks as well, but perform best for face-on, gas-rich disks (T(merger)
~ 1 Gyr). The different visibility scales can be combined with the selected
fractions of galaxies in any large HI survey to obtain merger rates in the
nearby Universe. All-sky surveys such as WALLABY with ASKAP and the Medium Deep
Survey with the APETIF instrument on Westerbork are set to revolutionize our
perspective on neutral hydrogen and will provide an accurate measure of the
merger fraction and rate of the present epoch.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables, accepted by MNRAS, appendix not
include
Subchondral bone of the human knee joint in aging and osteoarthritis
AbstractObjective Although most research investigating the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) has focused on cartilage, it has been suggested that the subchondral bone (SCB) plays an important role in the development of OA. The relationships between aging, severity of OA change and the SCB thickness and density in the human knee joint specimens from a wide range of ages were examined.Methods One hundred forty knee joints from 72 individuals (25 females, 45 males and 2 unknowns; average age 54.8 years, range 17 to 91 years) were obtained. The surface of the articular cartilage of both the femur and tibia was evaluated for gross morphological changes with a 4-point grading scale. The lateral and medial femoral condyles were cut along a sagittal plane and the tibia along a coronal plane to make bone and cartilage strip specimens. The strips were X-rayed onto mammography film and then scanned into a computer for assessment of SCB thickness and density using image analysis software.Results Medial tibial SCB thickness was significantly lower among the elderly (age>69 years) than among the young (age<40) or the middle-aged (40 to 69) (P< 0.001 via ANOVA). Lateral tibial SCB thickness also showed the same trend of decreasing thickness with increasing age, but differences between age groups were not statistically significant. Tibial SCB thicknesses were significantly lower in arthritic grades compared to normal grades (P=0.008 in lateral and 0.017 in medial via ANOVA); in contrast, no significant differences between normal and arthritic were found in femoral SCB thicknesses. The arthritic group tended to have lower SCB densities than the normal group, but this was statistically significant in only the lateral femoral condyle.Conclusions The results obtained in the present study are not consistent with generally accepted notions of the relationship between subchondral bone thickness or density and OA. Subchondral bone changes are not etiologic for OA but, more likely, are secondary to loss of articular cartilage which precedes the appearance of subchondral sclerosis. Copyright 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of OsteoArthritis Research Society International
The Star-Forming Dwarf Galaxy Populations of two z ~ 0.4 Clusters: MS1512.4+3647 and Abell 851
We present the results of a deep narrow-band [OII] 3727 \AA emission-line
search for faint ( 27), star-forming galaxies in the field of the
MS1512.4+3647 cluster. We find no evidence for an over-density of emission-line
sources relative to the field at 0.4 (Hogg et al. 1998), and therefore
conclude that the MS1512.4+3647 sample is dominated by field [OII]
emission-line galaxies which lie along the 180 Mpc line of sight
immediately in front and behind the cluster. This is surprising, given that the
previously surveyed cluster Abell 851 has 3-4 times the field
emission-line galaxy density (Martin et al. 2000). We find that the
MS1512.4+3647 sample is deficient in galaxies with intermediate colors (1.0 2.0) and implied star-formation exponential decay timescales
100 Myr - 1 Gyr that dominate the Abell 851 emission-line galaxy population.
Instead, the majority of [OII] emission-line galaxies surrounding the
MS1512.4+3647 cluster are blue () and forming stars in bursts
with 100 Myr. In both samples, galaxies with the shortest
star-formation timescales are preferentially among the faintest star-forming
objects. Their i luminosities are consistent with young stellar populations
\sim 10^8 - 10^9 \Msun, although an additional factor of ten in stellar mass
could be hiding in underlying old stellar populations. We discuss the
implications for the star-formation histories of dwarf galaxies in the field
and rich clusters.Comment: 26 pages, including 5 tables and 13 figures; accepted for publication
in the Astrophysical Journa
Quantified HI Morphology I: Multi-Wavelengths Analysis of the THINGS Galaxies
Galaxy evolution is driven to a large extent by interactions and mergers with
other galaxies and the gas in galaxies is extremely sensitive to the
interactions. One method to measure such interactions uses the quantified
morphology of galaxy images. Well-established parameters are Concentration,
Asymmetry, Smoothness, Gini, and M20 of a galaxy image. Thus far, the
application of this technique has mostly been restricted to restframe
ultra-violet and optical images. However, with the new radio observatories
being commissioned (MeerKAT, ASKAP, EVLA, WSRT/APERTIF, and ultimately SKA), a
new window on the neutral atomic hydrogen gas (HI) morphology of a large
numbers of galaxies will open up. The quantified morphology of gas disks of
spirals can be an alternative indicator of the level and frequency of
interaction. The HI in galaxies is typically spatially more extended and more
sensitive to low-mass or weak interactions. In this paper, we explore six
morphological parameters calculated over the extent of the stellar (optical)
disk and the extent of the gas disk for a range of wavelengths spanning UV,
Optical, Near- and Far-Infrared and 21 cm (HI) of 28 galaxies from The HI
Nearby Galaxy Survey (THINGS). Though the THINGS sample is small and contains
only a single ongoing interaction, it spans both non-interacting and
post-interacting galaxies with a wealth of multi-wavelength data. We find that
the choice of area for the computation of the morphological parameters is less
of an issue than the wavelength at which they are measured. The signal of
interaction is as good in the HI as in any of the other wavelengths in which
morphology has been used to trace the interaction rate to date, mostly
star-formation dominated ones (near- and far-ultraviolet). The Asymmetry and
M20 parameters are the ones which show the most promise as tracers of
interaction in 21 cm line observations.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figure, table 1, accepted by MNRAS, appendix not
include
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