Modern microwave methods in solid state inorganic materials chemistry: from fundamentals to manufacturing

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WASP-186 and WASP-187: two hot Jupiters discovered by SuperWASP and SOPHIE with additional observations by <i>TESS</i>

We present the discovery of two new hot Jupiters identified from the WASP survey, WASP-186b and WASP-187b (TOI-1494.01 and TOI-1493.01). Their planetary nature was established from SOPHIE spectroscopic observations, and additional photometry was obtained from TESS. Stellar parameters for the host stars are derived from spectral line, IRFM, and isochrone placement analyses. These parameters are combined with the photometric and radial velocity data in an MCMC method to determine the planetary properties. WASP-186b is a massive Jupiter (4.22±0.18 MJ, 1.11 ±0.03 RJ) orbiting a mid-F star on a 5.03 day eccentric (e=0.327±0.008) orbit. WASP-187b is a low density (0.80 ±0.09 MJ, 1.64 ±0.05RJ) planet in a 5.15 day circular orbit around a slightly evolved early F-type star

How one experiences and embodies compassionate mind training influences its effectiveness.

This paper explores indicators of practice quality of a brief compassion mind training (CMT) intervention and their impact on the development of an inner sense of one’s compassionate self (CS) and a range of self-report measures. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: compassionate mind training (CMT; n = 77) and wait-list control. Participants in the CMT condition practiced a range of CMT practices during 2 weeks. Each week, participants completed a feedback questionnaire, measuring practice frequency, helpfulness and embodiment of the practices in everyday life. Self-report measures of compassion, positive affect, shame, self-criticism, fears of compassion and psychopathological symptoms were also completed at pre and post. Practice frequency was associated with the frequency and easiness of embodiment of the CS. Perceived helpfulness of the practices was related to greater embodiment of the CS and to increases in compassion, reassured self, relaxed and safe affect and decreases in self-criticism. The embodiment variables of the CS were associated with higher compassion for the self, for others and from others and with improvements in reassured self, safe affect and compassionate goals. Embodiment of the CS and perceived helpfulness of the practices predicted compassion for the self and experience of compassion from others at post-intervention. Perceiving compassion cultivation practices as helpful and being able to embody the CS in everyday life is key to foster self-compassion and the experience of receiving compassion from others, as well as to promote feelings of safeness, contentment and calmness.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) Compassionate Mind Foundation charit

Development of the SPECULOOS exoplanet search project

SPECULOOS (Search for habitable Planets EClipsing ULtra-cOOl Stars) aims to perform a transit search on the nearest ($<40$pc) ultracool ($<3000$K) dwarf stars. The project's main motivation is to discover potentially habitable planets well-suited for detailed atmospheric characterisation with upcoming giant telescopes, like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and European Large Telescope (ELT). The project is based on a network of 1m robotic telescopes, namely the four ones of the SPECULOOS-Southern Observatory (SSO) in Cerro Paranal, Chile, one telescope of the SPECULOOS-Northern Observatory (SNO) in Tenerife, and the SAINT-Ex telescope in San Pedro M\'artir, Mexico. The prototype survey of the SPECULOOS project on the 60~cm TRAPPIST telescope (Chile) discovered the TRAPPIST-1 system, composed of seven temperate Earth-sized planets orbiting a nearby (12~pc) Jupiter-sized star. In this paper, we review the current status of SPECULOOS, its first results, the plans for its development, and its connection to the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and JWST

Instrument calibration of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) mission

This work is supported by NASA contract NNG09FA40C (IRIS).The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) is a NASA small explorer mission that provides high-resolution spectra and images of the Sun in the 133 – 141 nm and 278 – 283 nm wavelength bands. The IRIS data are archived in calibrated form and made available to the public within seven days of observing. The calibrations applied to the data include dark correction, scattered light and background correction, flat fielding, geometric distortion correction, and wavelength calibration. In addition, the IRIS team has calibrated the IRIS absolute throughput as a function of wavelength and has been tracking throughput changes over the course of the mission. As a resource for the IRIS data user, this article describes the details of these calibrations as they have evolved over the first few years of the mission. References to online documentation provide access to additional information and future updates.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

SuperWASP dispositions and false positive catalogue

SuperWASP, the Northern hemisphere WASP observatory, has been observing the skies from La Palma since 2004. In that time, more than 50 planets have been discovered with data contributions from SuperWASP. In the process of validating planets, many false-positive candidates have also been identified. The TESS telescope is set to begin observations of the northern sky in 2019. Similar to the WASP survey, the TESS pixel size is relatively large (13 arcsec for WASP and 21 arcsec for TESS), making it susceptible to many blended signals and false detections caused principally by grazing and blended stellar eclipsing binary systems. In order to reduce duplication of effort on targets, we present a catalogue of 1 041 Northern hemisphere SuperWASP targets that have been rejected as planetary transits through follow-up observation

TOI-2084 b and TOI-4184 b: two new sub-Neptunes around M dwarf stars

We present the discovery and validation of two TESS exoplanets orbiting nearby M dwarfs: TOI-2084b, and TOI-4184b. We characterized the host stars by combining spectra from Shane/Kast and Magellan/FIRE, SED (Spectral Energy Distribution) analysis, and stellar evolutionary models. In addition, we used Gemini-South/Zorro & -North/Alopeke high-resolution imaging, archival science images, and statistical validation packages to support the planetary interpretation. We performed a global analysis of multi-colour photometric data from TESS and ground-based facilities in order to derive the stellar and planetary physical parameters for each system. We find that TOI-2084b and TOI-4184b are sub-Neptune-sized planets with radii of Rp = 2.47 +/- 0.13R_Earth and Rp = 2.43 +/- 0.21R_Earth, respectively. TOI-2084b completes an orbit around its host star every 6.08 days, has an equilibrium temperature of T_eq = 527 +/- 8K and an irradiation of S_p = 12.8 +/- 0.8 S_Earth. Its host star is a dwarf of spectral M2.0 +/- 0.5 at a distance of 114pc with an effective temperature of T_eff = 3550 +/- 50 K, and has a wide, co-moving M8 companion at a projected separation of 1400 au. TOI-4184b orbits around an M5.0 +/- 0.5 type dwarf star (Kmag = 11.87) each 4.9 days, and has an equilibrium temperature of T_eq = 412 +/- 8 K and an irradiation of S_p = 4.8 +/- 0.4 S_Earth. TOI-4184 is a metal poor star ([Fe/H] = -0.27 +/- 0.09 dex) at a distance of 69 pc with an effective temperature of T_eff = 3225 +/- 75 K. Both planets are located at the edge of the sub-Jovian desert in the radius-period plane. The combination of the small size and the large infrared brightness of their host stars make these new planets promising targets for future atmospheric exploration with JWST.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

TOI-2084 b and TOI-4184 b:two new sub-Neptunes around M dwarf stars

Funding: The research leading to these results has received funding from the ARC grant for Concerted Research Actions, financed by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. This research is in part funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grants agreements n◦ 803193/BEBOP), and from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC; grant n◦ ST/S00193X/1). U.G.J. gratefully acknowledges support from tthe European Union H2020-MSCA-ITN-2019 under grant No. 860470 (CHAMELEON). We acknowledge funding from the European Research Council under the ERC Grant Agreement n. 337591-ExTrA.We present the discovery and validation of two TESS exoplanets orbiting nearby M dwarfs: TOI-2084 b, and TOI-4184b. We characterized the host stars by combining spectra from Shane/Kast and Magellan/FIRE, spectral energy distribution analysis, and stellar evolutionary models. In addition, we used Gemini-South/Zorro & -North/Alopeke high-resolution imaging, archival science images, and statistical validation packages to support the planetary interpretation. We performed a global analysis of multi-colour photometric data from TESS and ground-based facilities in order to derive the stellar and planetary physical parameters for each system. We find that TOI-2084 band TOI-4184 bare sub-Neptune-sized planets with radii of Rp = 2.47 ± 0.13R⊕ and Rp = 2.43 ± 0.21 R⊕, respectively. TOI-2084 b completes an orbit around its host star every 6.08 days, has an equilibrium temperature of Teq = 527 ± 8 K and an irradiation of Sp = 12.8 ± 0.8 S⊕. Its host star is a dwarf of spectral M2.0 ± 0.5 at a distance of 114 pc with an effective temperature of Teff = 3550 ± 50 K, and has a wide, co-moving M8 companion at a projected separation of 1400 au. TOI-4184 b orbits around an M5.0 ± 0.5 type dwarf star (Kmag = 11.87) each 4.9 days, and has an equilibrium temperature of Teq = 412 ± 8 K and an irradiation of Sp = 4.8 ± 0.4 S⊕. TOI-4184 is a metal poor star ([Fe/H] = −0.27 ± 0.09 dex) at a distance of 69 pc with an effective temperature of Teff = 3225 ± 75 K. Both planets are located at the edge of the sub-Jovian desert in the radius-period plane. The combination of the small size and the large infrared brightness of their host stars make these new planets promising targets for future atmospheric exploration with JWST.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Psychological and physiological effects of compassionate mind training: A pilot randomised controlled study

The development of the compassionate self, associated with practices such as slow and deeper breathing, compassionate voice tones and facial expressions and compassionate focusing is central to Compassion Focused Therapy. This study explores the impact of a two-week Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) program on emotional, self-evaluative and psychopathology measures and on heart rate variability (HRV). Participants (general population and college students) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: CMT (n=56) and Wait-List Control (n=37). Participants in the CMTcondition were instructed to practice CMT exercises during two weeks. Self-report measures of compassion, positive affect, fears of compassion, self-criticism, shame, depression, anxiety and stress, and HRV were collected at pre and post intervention in both conditions. Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed significant increases in positive emotions, associated with feeling relaxed and also safe and content, but not activated; and in self-compassion, compassion for others and compassion from others. There were significant reductions in shame, self-criticism, fears of compassion, and stress. Only the experimental group reported significant improvement in HRV. Developing awareness of the evolved nature and inherent difficulties of our minds allied with practicing CMT exercises has beneficial effects on participants' psychological and physiological well-being.N/

A resonant sextuplet of sub-Neptunes transiting the bright star HD 110067

Funding: A.C.Ca. and T.G.Wi. acknowledge support from STFC consolidated grant numbers ST/R000824/1 and ST/V000861/1, and UKSA grant number ST/R003203/1. O.Ba. acknowledges that has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 865624). M.La. acknowledges funding from a UKRI Future Leader Fellowship, grant number MR/S035214/1. A.Br. was supported by the SNSA. Contributions at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory by E.M.Br. were supported by STFC through the consolidated grant ST/W001136/1. A.Br. was supported by the SNSA. Contributions at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory by E.M.Br. were supported by STFC through the consolidated grant ST/W001136/1. Ch.He. acknowledges support from the European Union H2020-MSCA-ITN-2019 under Grant Agreement no. 860470 (CHAMELEON).Planets with radii between that of the Earth and Neptune (hereafter referred to as 'sub-Neptunes') are found in close-in orbits around more than half of all Sun-like stars . However, their composition, formation and evolution remain poorly understood . The study of multiplanetary systems offers an opportunity to investigate the outcomes of planet formation and evolution while controlling for initial conditions and environment. Those in resonance (with their orbital periods related by a ratio of small integers) are particularly valuable because they imply a system architecture practically unchanged since its birth. Here we present the observations of six transiting planets around the bright nearby star HD 110067. We find that the planets follow a chain of resonant orbits. A dynamical study of the innermost planet triplet allowed the prediction and later confirmation of the orbits of the rest of the planets in the system. The six planets are found to be sub-Neptunes with radii ranging from 1.94R to 2.85R . Three of the planets have measured masses, yielding low bulk densities that suggest the presence of large hydrogen-dominated atmospheres.PostprintPeer reviewe