The ACS Survey of Galactic Globular Clusters. Vii. Relative Ages

The ACS Survey of Galactic globular clusters is a Hubble Space Telescope Treasury program designed to provide a new large, deep, and homogeneous photometric database. Based on observations from this program, we have measured precise relative ages for a sample of 64 Galactic globular clusters by comparing the relative position of the clusters\u27 main-sequence (MS) turnoffs, using MS fitting to cross-compare clusters within the sample. This method provides relative ages to a formal precision of 2%-7%. We demonstrate that the calculated relative ages are independent of the choice of theoretical model. We find that the Galactic globular cluster sample can be divided into two groups—a population of old clusters with an age dispersion of ~5% and no age-metallicity relation, and a group of younger clusters with an age-metallicity relation similar to that of the globular clusters associated with the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy. These results are consistent with the Milky Way halo having formed in two phases or processes. The first one would be compatible with a rapid (\u3c0.8 Gyr) assembling process of the halo, in which the clusters in the old group were formed. Also these clusters could have been formed before re-ionization in dwarf galaxies that would later merge to build the Milky Way halo as predicted by ΛCDM cosmology. However, the galactocentric metallicity gradient shown by these clusters seems difficult to reconcile with the latter. As for the younger clusters, it is very tempting to argue that their origin is related to their formation within Milky Way satellite galaxies that were later accreted, but the origin of the age-metallicity relation remains unclear

A Directly-Written Monolithic Waveguide-Laser Incorporating a DFB Waveguide-Bragg Grating

We report the fabrication and performance of the first C-band directly-written monolithic waveguide-laser. The waveguide-laser device was created in an Erbium and Ytterbium doped phosphate glass host and consisted of an optical waveguide that included a distributed feedback Bragg grating structure. The femtosecond laser direct-write technique was used to create both the waveguide and the waveguide-Bragg grating simultaneously and in a single processing step. The waveguide-laser was optically pumped at approximately 980 nm and lased at 1537nm with a bandwidth of less than 4 pm.Comment: 6 pages, 13 references, 4 figure

The yeast genome undergoes significant topological reorganization in quiescence

We have examined the three-dimensional organization of the yeast genome during quiescence by a chromosome capture technique as a means of understanding how genome organization changes during development. For exponentially growing cells we observe high levels of inter-centromeric interaction but otherwise a predominance of intrachromosomal interactions over interchromosomal interactions, consistent with aggregation of centromeres at the spindle pole body and compartmentalization of individual chromosomes within the nucleoplasm. Three major changes occur in the organization of the quiescent cell genome. First, intrachromosomal associations increase at longer distances in quiescence as compared to growing cells. This suggests that chromosomes undergo condensation in quiescence, which we confirmed by microscopy by measurement of the intrachromosomal distances between two sites on one chromosome. This compaction in quiescence requires the condensin complex. Second, inter-centromeric interactions decrease, consistent with prior data indicating that centromeres disperse along an array of microtubules during quiescence. Third, inter-telomeric interactions significantly increase in quiescence, an observation also confirmed by direct measurement. Thus, survival during quiescence is associated with substantial topological reorganization of the genome

A review of ocean color remote sensing methods and statistical techniques for the detection, mapping and analysis of phytoplankton blooms in coastal and open oceans

The need for more effective environmental monitoring of the open and coastal ocean has recently led to notable advances in satellite ocean color technology and algorithm research. Satellite ocean color sensors' data are widely used for the detection, mapping and monitoring of phytoplankton blooms because earth observation provides a synoptic view of the ocean, both spatially and temporally. Algal blooms are indicators of marine ecosystem health; thus, their monitoring is a key component of effective management of coastal and oceanic resources. Since the late 1970s, a wide variety of operational ocean color satellite sensors and algorithms have been developed. The comprehensive review presented in this article captures the details of the progress and discusses the advantages and limitations of the algorithms used with the multi-spectral ocean color sensors CZCS, SeaWiFS, MODIS and MERIS. Present challenges include overcoming the severe limitation of these algorithms in coastal waters and refining detection limits in various oceanic and coastal environments. To understand the spatio-temporal patterns of algal blooms and their triggering factors, it is essential to consider the possible effects of environmental parameters, such as water temperature, turbidity, solar radiation and bathymetry. Hence, this review will also discuss the use of statistical techniques and additional datasets derived from ecosystem models or other satellite sensors to characterize further the factors triggering or limiting the development of algal blooms in coastal and open ocean waters

High-fidelity patterning of AlN and ScAlN thin films with wet chemicaletching

We report on the anisotropic wet etching of sputtered AlN and Sc0.2Al0.8 N thin films. With tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide at 80 degrees C, the etch rates along the c-axis were 330 and 30 nm/s for AlN and Sc0.2Al0.8N, respectively. Although the etching was anisotropic, significant lateral etching below the mask occurred, perpendicular to the c-axis. With a 1 mu m Sc0.2Al0.8 N film, it could be up to 1800 nm. We studied the lateral etching with molybdenum, SiO2, SiNx and TiO2 masks, and found the leading cause for the lateral etching to be modification of the AlN or Sc0.2Al0.8 N surface caused by ion bombardment and surface oxidation by ambient air. The lateral etching was reduced by optimizing the mask deposition and with thermal annealing. With Sc0.2Al0.8 N, the lateral etching was reduced down to 35-220 nm depending on the mask, while with AlN, it was reduced to negligible. These results can be used for developing optimised mask deposition processes for better etch characteristics and for microfabrication of AlN and ScxAl1-xN thin-film structures.Peer reviewe

Large domains of heterochromatin direct the formation of short mitotic chromosome loops

During mitosis chromosomes reorganise into highly compact, rod-shaped forms, thought to consist of consecutive chromatin loops around a central protein scaffold. Condensin complexes are involved in chromatin compaction, but the contribution of other chromatin proteins, DNA sequence and histone modifications is less understood. A large region of fission yeast DNA inserted into a mouse chromosome was previously observed to adopt a mitotic organisation distinct from that of surrounding mouse DNA. Here, we show that a similar distinct structure is common to a large subset of insertion events in both mouse and human cells and is coincident with the presence of high levels of heterochromatic H3 lysine nine trimethylation (H3K9me3). Hi-C and microscopy indicate that the heterochromatinised fission yeast DNA is organised into smaller chromatin loops than flanking euchromatic mouse chromatin. We conclude that heterochromatin alters chromatin loop size, thus contributing to the distinct appearance of heterochromatin on mitotic chromosomes