868 research outputs found
Differential transformation efficiency of Japonicarice varieties developed in northern China
X-ray flares in Orion young stars. I. Flare characteristics
Pre-main sequence (PMS) stars are known to produce powerful X-ray flares
which resemble magnetic reconnection solar flares scaled by factors up to 10^4.
However, numerous puzzles are present including the structure of X-ray emitting
coronae and magnetospheres, effects of protoplanetary disks, and effects of
stellar rotation. To investigate these issues in detail, we examine 216 of the
brightest flares from 161 PMS stars observed in the Chandra Orion Ultradeep
Project (COUP). These constitute the largest homogeneous dataset of PMS, or
indeed stellar flares at any stellar age, ever acquired. Our effort is based on
a new flare spectral analysis technique that avoids nonlinear parametric
modeling. It can be applied to much weaker flares and is more sensitive than
standard methods. We provide a catalog with >30 derived flare properties and an
electronic atlas for this unique collection of stellar X-ray flares. The
current study (Paper I) examines the flare morphologies, and provides general
comparison of COUP flare characteristics with those of other active X-ray stars
and the Sun. Paper II will concentrate on relationships between flare behavior,
protoplanetary disks, and other stellar properties. Several results are
obtained. First, the COUP flares studied here are among the most powerful,
longest, and hottest stellar X-ray flares ever studied. Second, no significant
statistical differences in peak flare luminosity or temperature distributions
are found among different morphological flare classes, suggesting a common
underlying mechanism for all flares. Third, comparison with the general
solar-scaling laws indicates that COUP flares may not fit adequately proposed
power-temperature and duration-temperature solar-stellar fits. Fourth, COUP
super-hot flares are found to be brighter but shorter than ... ABRIDGEDComment: Accepted for publication in ApJ (07/11/08); 63 pages, 16 figures, 4
table
Self-Consistent MHD Modeling of a Coronal Mass Ejection, Coronal Dimming, and a Giant Cusp-Shaped Arcade Formation
We performed magnetohydrodynamic simulation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs)
and associated giant arcade formations, and the results suggested new
interpretations of observations of CMEs. We performed two cases of the
simulation: with and without heat conduction. Comparing between the results of
the two cases, we found that reconnection rate in the conductive case is a
little higher than that in the adiabatic case and the temperature of the loop
top is consistent with the theoretical value predicted by the Yokoyama-Shibata
scaling law. The dynamical properties such as velocity and magnetic fields are
similar in the two cases, whereas thermal properties such as temperature and
density are very different.In both cases, slow shocks associated with magnetic
reconnectionpropagate from the reconnection region along the magnetic field
lines around the flux rope, and the shock fronts form spiral patterns. Just
outside the slow shocks, the plasma density decreased a great deal. The soft
X-ray images synthesized from the numerical results are compared with the soft
X-ray images of a giant arcade observed with the Soft X-ray Telescope aboard
{\it Yohkoh}, it is confirmed that the effect of heat conduction is significant
for the detailed comparison between simulation and observation. The comparison
between synthesized and observed soft X-ray images provides new interpretations
of various features associated with CMEs and giant arcades.Comment: 39 pages, 18 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journal. The PDF file with high resplution figures can be downloaded from
http://www.kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~shiota/study/ApJ62426.preprint.pdf
Can Streamer Blobs prevent the Buildup of the Interplanetetary Magnetic Field?
Coronal Mass Ejections continuously drag closed magnetic field lines away
from the Sun, adding new flux to the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We
propose that the outward-moving blobs that have been observed in helmet
streamers are evidence of ongoing, small-scale reconnection in streamer current
sheets, which may play an important role in the prevention of an indefinite
buildup of the IMF. Reconnection between two open field lines from both sides
of a streamer current sheet creates a new closed field line, which becomes part
of the helmet, and a disconnected field line, which moves outward. The blobs
are formed by plasma from the streamer that is swept up in the trough of the
outward moving field line. We show that this mechanism is supported by
observations from SOHO/LASCO. Additionally, we propose a thorough statistical
study to quantify the contribution of blob formation to the reduction of the
IMF, and indicate how this mechanism may be verified by observations with
SOHO/UVCS and the proposed NASA STEREO and ESA Polar Orbiter missions.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures; accepted by The Astrophysical Journal Letters;
uses AASTe
X-Ray flares in Orion Young Stars. II. Flares, Magnetospheres, and Protoplanetary Disks
We study the properties of powerful X-ray flares from 161 pre-main sequence
(PMS) stars observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory in the Orion Nebula
region. Relationships between flare properties, protoplanetary disks and
accretion are examined in detail to test models of star-disk interactions at
the inner edge of the accretion disks. Previous studies had found no
differences in flaring between diskfree and accreting systems other than a
small overall diminution of X-ray luminosity in accreting systems. The most
important finding is that X-ray coronal extents in fast-rotating diskfree stars
can significantly exceed the Keplerian corotation radius, whereas X-ray loop
sizes in disky and accreting systems do not exceed the corotation radius. This
is consistent with models of star-disk magnetic interaction where the inner
disk truncates and confines the PMS stellar magnetosphere. We also find two
differences between flares in accreting and diskfree PMS stars. First, a
subclass of super-hot flares with peak plasma temperatures exceeding 100 MK are
preferentially present in accreting systems. Second, we tentatively find that
accreting stars produce flares with shorter durations. Both results may be
consequences of the distortion and destabilization of the stellar magnetosphere
by the interacting disk. Finally, we find no evidence that any flare types,
even slow-rise flat-top flares are produced in star-disk magnetic loops. All
are consistent with enhanced solar long-duration events with both footprints
anchored in the stellar surface.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ (07/17/08); 46 pages, 14 figures, 2
table
Acquisition of aluminium tolerance by modification of a single gene in barley
Originating from the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, barley has now been cultivated widely on different soil types including acid soils, where aluminium toxicity is a major limiting factor. Here we show that the adaptation of barley to acid soils is achieved by the modification of a single gene (HvAACT1) encoding a citrate transporter. We find that the primary function of this protein is to release citrate from the root pericycle cells to the xylem to facilitate the translocation of iron from roots to shoots. However, a 1-kb insertion in the upstream of the HvAACT1 coding region occurring only in the Al-tolerant accessions, enhances its expression and alters the location of expression to the root tips. The altered HvAACT1 has an important role in detoxifying aluminium by secreting citrate to the rhizosphere. Thus, the insertion of a 1-kb sequence in the HvAACT1 upstream enables barley to adapt to acidic soils
Highly ionized Fe X-ray lines at energies 7.7-8.6 keV
Fe XXV lines at 1.85 A (6.70 keV) and nearby Fe XXIV satellites have been
widely used for determining the temperature of the hottest parts of solar flare
and tokamak plasmas, though the spectral region is crowded and the lines are
blended during flare impulsive stages. The aim of this work is to show that
similarly excited Fe lines in the 7.7--8.6 keV (1.44--1.61 A) region have the
same diagnostic capability with the advantage of not being so crowded. Spectra
in the 7.7--8.6 keV range are synthesized using the CHIANTI spectral package
for conditions (temperature, turbulent velocities) appropriate to solar flares.
The calculated spectra show that the Fe lines in the 7.7--8.6 keV are well
separated even when turbulent velocities are present, and Fe XXIV/Fe XXV line
ratios should therefore provide valuable tools for diagnosing flares and
tokamak plasmas. It is concluded that Fe lines in the 7.7--8.6 keV range are
ideal for the measurement of flare temperature and for detecting the presence
of low-energy nonthermal electrons present at flare impulsive stages. An
indication of what type of instruments to observe this region is given.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Tobacco OPBP1 Enhances Salt Tolerance and Disease Resistance of Transgenic Rice
Osmotin promoter binding protein 1 (OPBP1), an AP2/ERF transcription factor of tobacco, has been demonstrated to function in disease resistance and salt tolerance in tobacco. To increase stress tolerant capability of rice, we generated rice plants with an OPBP1 overexpressing construct. Salinity shock treatment with 250 mM NaCl indicated that most of the OPBP1 transgenic plants can survive, whereas the control seedlings cannot. Similar recovery was found by using the seedlings grown in 200 mM NaCl for two weeks. The OPBP1 transgenic and control plants were also studied for oxidative stress tolerance by treatment with paraquat, showing the transgenic lines were damaged less in comparison with the control plants. Further, the OPBP1 overexpression lines exhibited enhanced resistance to infections of Magnaporthe oryzae and Rhizoctonia solani pathogens. Gene expressing analysis showed increase in mRNA accumulation of several stress related genes. These results suggest that expression of OPBP1 gene increase the detoxification capability of rice
Phytochrome-regulated EBL1 contributes to ACO1 upregulation in rice
The 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase gene (ACO1) was upregulated in rice (Oryza sativa L.) phyAphyBphyC mutants lacking any phytochrome and containing the GCC box element, a binding site for rice ethylene-responsive element binding protein 1 (OsEREBP1), in its promoter region. Since the OsEREBP1-like gene EBL1 (OsEREBP1-LIKE 1) was significantly downregulated in phyAphyBphyC mutants, EBL1 was suspected to repress ACO1 expression in wild-type plants. However, ACO1 was downregulated in EBL1 RNA interference plants, and the total length of these plants was slightly shorter than that of wild-type plants. This study shows that EBL1 is positively regulated by phytochrome B and associated with ACO1 upregulation
Svestka's Research: Then and Now
Zdenek Svestka's research work influenced many fields of solar physics,
especially in the area of flare research. In this article I take five of the
areas that particularly interested him and assess them in a "then and now"
style. His insights in each case were quite sound, although of course in the
modern era we have learned things that he could not readily have envisioned.
His own views about his research life have been published recently in this
journal, to which he contributed so much, and his memoir contains much
additional scientific and personal information (Svestka, 2010).Comment: Invited review for "Solar and Stellar Flares," a conference in honour
of Prof. Zden\v{e}k \v{S}vestka, Prague, June 23-27, 2014. This is a
contribution to a Topical Issue in Solar Physics, based on the presentations
at this meeting (Editors Lyndsay Fletcher and Petr Heinzel
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