2,942 research outputs found
Color and texture associations in voice-induced synesthesia
Voice-induced synesthesia, a form of synesthesia in which synesthetic perceptions are induced by the sounds of people's voices, appears to be relatively rare and has not been systematically studied. In this study we investigated the synesthetic color and visual texture perceptions experienced in response to different types of âvoice qualityâ (e.g., nasal, whisper, falsetto). Experiences of three different groupsâself-reported voice synesthetes, phoneticians, and controlsâwere compared using both qualitative and quantitative analysis in a study conducted online. Whilst, in the qualitative analysis, synesthetes used more color and texture terms to describe voices than either phoneticians or controls, only weak differences, and many similarities, between groups were found in the quantitative analysis. Notable consistent results between groups were the matching of higher speech fundamental frequencies with lighter and redder colors, the matching of âwhisperyâ voices with smoke-like textures, and the matching of âharshâ and âcreakyâ voices with textures resembling dry cracked soil. These data are discussed in the light of current thinking about definitions and categorizations of synesthesia, especially in cases where individuals apparently have a range of different synesthetic inducers
Io: IUE observations of its atmosphere and the plasma torus
Two of the main components of the atmosphere of Io, neutral oxygen and sulfur, were detected with the IUE. Four observations yield brightnesses that are similar, regardless of whether the upstream or the downstream sides of the torus plasma flow around Io is observed. A simple model requires the emissions to be produced by the interaction of O and S columns in the exospheric range with 2 eV electrons. Cooling of the 5 eV torus electrons is required prior to their interaction with the atmosphere of Io. Inconsistencies in the characteristics of the spectra that cannot be accounted for in this model require further analysis with improved atomic data. The Io plasma torus was monitored with the IUE. The long-term stability of the warm torus is established. The observed brightnesses were analyzed using a model of the torus, and variations of less than 30 percent in the composition are observed, the quantitative results being model dependent
Evidence for deuterium astration in the planetary nebula Sh2-216?
We present FUSE observations of the line of sight to WD0439+466 (LS V +46
21), the central star of the old planetary nebula Sh2-216. The FUSE data shows
absorption by many interstellar and stellar lines, in particular D I, H2 (J = 0
- 9), HD (J = 0 - 1), and CO. Many other stellar and ISM lines are detected in
the STIS E140M HST spectra of this sightline, which we use to determine N(HI).
We derive, for the neutral gas, D/H=(0.76 +0.12 -0.11)E-5, O/H = (0.89 +0.15
-0.11)E-4 and N/H = (3.24 +0.61-0.55)E-5. We argue that most of the gas along
this sightline is associated with the planetary nebula. The low D/H ratio is
likely the result of this gas being processed through the star (astrated) but
not mixed with the ISM. This would be the first time that the D/H ratio has
been measured in predominantly astrated gas. The O/H and N/H ratios derived
here are lower than typical values measured in other planetary nebulae likely
due to unaccounted for ionization corrections.Comment: Accepted for publication is ApJ
A Study of the Reionization History of Intergalactic Helium with FUSE and VLT
We obtained high-resolution VLT and FUSE spectra of the quasar HE2347-4342 to
study the properties of the intergalactic medium between redshifts z=2.0-2.9.
The high-quality optical spectrum allows us to identify approximately 850 HeII
absorption components with column densities between N~5X10^11 and $ 10^18
cm^-2. The reprocessed FUSE spectrum extends the wavelength coverage of the
HeII absorption down to an observed wavelength of 920 A. Approximately 1400
HeII absorption components are identified, including 917 HeII Ly-alpha systems
and some of their HeII Ly-beta, Ly-gamma, and Ly-delta counterparts. The
ionization structure of HeII is complex, with approximately 90 components that
are not detected in the hydrogen spectrum. These components may represent the
effect of soft ionizing sources. The ratio Eta=N(HeII)/N(HI) varies
approximately from unity to more than a thousand, with a median value of 62 and
a distribution consistent with the intrinsic spectral indices of quasars. This
suggests that the dominant ionizing field is from the accumulated quasar
radiation, with contributions from other soft sources such as star-forming
regions and obscured AGN, which do not ionize helium. We find an evolution in
Eta toward smaller values at lower redshift, with the gradual disappearance of
soft components. At redshifts z>2.7, the large but finite increase in the HeII
opacity, Tau=5+/-1, suggests that we are viewing the end stages of a
reionization process that began at an earlier epoch. Fits of the absorption
profiles of unblended lines indicate comparable velocities between hydrogen and
He^+ ions. At hydrogen column densities N<3X10^12 cm^-2 the number of forest
lines shows a significant deficit relative to a power law, and becomes
negligible below N=10^11 cm^-2.Comment: 40 pages, 10 Postscript figures, uses Aastex.sty The Astrophysical
Journal, in pres
Microwave cavity perturbation studies on H-form and Cu ion-exchanged SCR catalyst materials: correlation of ammonia storage and dielectric properties
Ammonia-based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) has become the major control strategy for NOx emissions from light and heavy duty diesel engines. Before reducing NOx on the SCR active material, ammonia storage on the active sites of the catalyst is crucial. The in operando measurement of the dielectric properties of the catalyst material using microwave cavity perturbation is a promising indicator of ammonia loading. In this work, the influence of copper ion-exchange of the zeolite-based SCR material ZSM-5 on the NH3 storage and the dielectric properties is highlighted. The catalyst powder samples were monitored by microwave cavity perturbation as a function of the stored ammonia content at a frequency of approximately 1.2 GHz in a temperature range between 200 and 350 °C. Due to ion exchange, the NH3 storage behavior changes, what could be monitored in the sensitivity of the dielectric permittivity to NH3. The dependence of the complex dielectric permittivity on ammonia loading is decreased by ion exchange, hinting that mostly ammonia storage on BrÞnsted sites affects the dielectric permittivity. This finding adds new knowledge to the electrical conduction and polarization mechanisms occurring in these zeolite materials
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