Translucent molecular clouds: Theory and observations

Few suitable stars behind molecular clouds have been identified. A limited survey was performed of interstellar lines toward highly reddened stars in the southern sky, using the ESO 1.4 m CAT telescope with a Reticon detector, and the Cerro Tololo 4 m telescope equipped with a GEC charge coupled device (CCD) detector. Because of the reduced extinction at longer wavelengths, molecules were searched for with transitions in the red part of the spectrum such as C2 and CN. For some lines-of-sight for which C2 was detected, the 4300 A line of CH was also observed. Absorption lines of interstellar C2 around 8750 A were detected in the spectra of about 1/4 of the 36 observed stars. The inferred C2 column densities range between 10 to the 13th power and 10 to the 14th power sq. cm., and are up to an order of magnitude larger than those found for diffuse clouds. The observed column densities of CH correlate very well with those of C2 over this range. In contrast, the measured column densities of CN vary by orders of magnitude between the various regions, and they do not correlate with those of C2 and CH. The observed rotational population distribution of C2 also provides information about the physical conditions in the clouds. Models of translucent molecular clouds have been constructed along the lines described by van Dishoeck and Black (1986) for diffuse clouds. The models compute accurately the fractions of atomic and molecular hydrogen as functions of depth into the clouds, as well as the excitation of H2 by ultraviolet pumping. They also incorporate a detailed treatment of the photodissociation processes of the molecules (cf. van Dishoeck 1986), which play an important role in the chemistry up to depths of about 3 mag

Classifying the secondary component of the binary star W Aquilae

AIMS: The object W Aql is an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star with a faint companion. By determining more carefully the properties of the companion, we hope to better constrain the properties of the AGB star. METHODS: We present new spectral observations of the binary star W Aql at minimum and maximum brightness and new photometric observations of W Aql at minimum brightness. RESULTS: The composite spectrum near minimum light is predominantly from the companion at wavelengths $\lambda$ < 6000 $\AA$. This spectrum can be classified as F8 to G0, and the brightness of the companion is that of a dwarf star. Therefore, it can be concluded that the companion is a main sequence star. From this, we are able to constrain the mass of the AGB component to 1.04 - 3 $M_\odot$ and the mass of the W Aql system to 2.1 - 4.1 $M_\odot$ . Our photometric results are broadly consistent with this classification and suggest that the main sequence component suffers from approximately 2 mag of extinction in the V band primarily due to the dust surrounding the AGB component.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, research not

Complementary Ansatz for the neutrino mass matrix

We propose a simple Ansatz for the three generation neutrino mass matrix $M_\nu$ which is motivated from an SO(10) grand unified theory. The Ansatz can be combined with information from neutrino oscillation experiments and bounds on neutrinoless double beta decay to determine the neutrino masses themselves and to reconstruct, with some assumptions, the matrix $M_\nu$ .Comment: 15 pages, RevteX, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Sulphur molecules in the circumstellar envelopes of M-type AGB stars

The sulphur compounds SO and SO$_2$ have not been widely studied in the circumstellar envelopes of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. By presenting and modelling a large number of SO and SO$_2$ lines in the low mass-loss rate M-type AGB star R Dor, and modelling the available lines of those molecules in a further four M-type AGB stars, we aim to determine their circumstellar abundances and distributions. We use a detailed radiative transfer analysis based on the accelerated lambda iteration method to model circumstellar SO and SO$_2$ line emission and molecular data files for both SO and SO$_2$ that are more extensive than those previously available. Using 17 SO lines and 98 SO2 lines to constrain our models for R Dor, we find an SO abundance of 6.7x10$^{-6}$ and an SO$_2$ abundance of 5x10$^{-6}$ with both species having high abundances close to the star. We also modelled $^{34}$SO and found an abundance of 3.1x10$^{-7}$, giving an $^{32}$SO/$^{34}$SO ratio of 21.6. We derive similar results for the circumstellar SO and SO$_2$ abundances and their distributions for the low mass-loss rate object W Hya. For these stars, the circumstellar SO and SO$_2$ abundances are much higher than predicted by chemical models and these two species may account for all available sulphur. For the higher mass-loss rate stars, we find shell-like SO distributions with peak abundances that decrease and peak abundance radii that increase with increasing mass-loss rate. The positions of the peak SO abundance agree very well with the photodissociation radii of H$_2$O. We find evidence that SO is most likely through the photodissociation of H$_2$O and the subsequent reaction between S and OH. The S-bearing parent molecule appears not to be H$_2$S. The SO$_2$ models suggest an origin close to the star for this species, also disagreeing with current chemical models.Comment: 25 page

The Scalar Sector and the Eta -> 3 Pi Problem

First, recent work on light scalar mesons, which is of possible interest in connection with the strong coupling region of QCD is briefly discussed. Then a very short highlighting of a paper concerned with an application to the eta -> 3 pi problem is presented.Comment: 7 pages LaTeX, 4 eps figures, talk at SCGT02 conference at Nagoy

ALERT: FARMERS NEED TO SIGN UP FOR ACRE!

Corn, soybean and wheat producers are facing serious financial challenges. And it is even worse for livestock producers, most of who are also crop producers and are therefore eligible for ACRE. Crops are behind in maturity, some areas of the state need rain, product prices have fallen substantially, and USDA Counter Cyclical payments do not start until $2.35 on corn,$5.36 soybeans and $3.40 on wheat. Chances of prices that low are around 10-15%, but at that point ACRE payments would be much, much bigger. Many producers do not understand ACRE and the benefits available; most of the reasons given for not participating are invalid.Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management,

Investigating the Light Scalar Mesons

We first briefly review a treatment of the scalars in meson meson scattering based on a non-linear chiral Lagrangian, with unitarity implemented by a "local" modification of the scalar propagators. It is shown that the main results are confirmed by a treatment in the SU(3) linear sigma model in which unitarity is implemented "globally". Some remarks are made on the speculative subject of the scalars' quark structure.Comment: 9 pages,3 figures,talk at hadron2001, Protvin

An analytical method to predict efficiency of aircraft gearboxes

A spur gear efficiency prediction method previously developed by the authors was extended to include power loss of planetary gearsets. A friction coefficient model was developed for MIL-L-7808 oil based on disc machine data. This combined with the recent capability of predicting losses in spur gears of nonstandard proportions allows the calculation of power loss for complete aircraft gearboxes that utilize spur gears. The method was applied to the T56/501 turboprop gearbox and compared with measured test data. Bearing losses were calculated with large scale computer programs. Breakdowns of the gearbox losses point out areas for possible improvement

Detection of Interstellar C_2 and C_3 in the Small Magellanic Cloud

We report the detection of absorption from interstellar C_2 and C_3 toward the moderately reddened star Sk 143, located in the near 'wing' region of the SMC, in optical spectra obtained with the ESO VLT/UVES. These detections of C_2 (rotational levels J=0-8) and C_3 (J=0-12) absorption in the SMC are the first beyond our Galaxy. The total abundances of C_2 and C_3 (relative to H_2) are similar to those found in diffuse Galactic molecular clouds -- as previously found for CH and CN -- despite the significantly lower average metallicity of the SMC. Analysis of the rotational excitation of C_2 yields an estimated kinetic temperature T_k ~ 25 K and a moderately high total hydrogen density n_H ~ 870 cm^-3 -- compared to the T_01 ~ 45 K and n_H ~ 85-300 cm^-3 obtained from H_2. The populations of the lower rotational levels of C_3 are consistent with an excitation temperature of about 34 K.Comment: accepted to MNRAS; 10 pages, 6 figure

Efficiency Costs of Subsidy Rules for Crop Insurance

Participation in federal crop insurance programs has been encouraged through premium subsidies. The current subsidy depends on contract features as well as coverage levels. This type of subsidy rule causes farmers to choose contract designs and coverages that are not efficient for managing risk, in order to capture subsidy. Farmers are found to be as well off with a flat subsidy that is up to 25% less than the value of the current regressive proportional subsidy.crop insurance, futures, risk management, subsidy, Risk and Uncertainty,