4,724 research outputs found
A Search for Planetary Nebulae With the SDSS: the outer regions of M31
We have developed a method to identify planetary nebula (PN) candidates in
imaging data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). This method exploits the
SDSS' five-band sampling of emission lines in PN spectra, which results in a
color signature distinct from that of other sources. Selection criteria based
on this signature can be applied to nearby galaxies in which PNe appear as
point sources. We applied these criteria to the whole area of M31 as scanned by
the SDSS, selecting 167 PN candidates that are located in the outer regions of
M31. The spectra of 80 selected candidates were then observed with the 2.2m
telescope at Calar Alto Observatory. These observations and cross-checks with
literature data show that our method has a selection rate efficiency of about
90%, but the efficiency is different for the different groups of PNe
candidates.
In the outer regions of M31, PNe trace different well-known morphological
features like the Northern Spur, the NGC205 Loop, the G1 Clump, etc. In
general, the distribution of PNe in the outer region 8<R<20 kpc along the minor
axis shows the "extended disk" - a rotationally supported low surface
brightness structure with an exponential scale length of 3.21+/-0.14 kpc and a
total mass of ~10^10 M_{\sun}, which is equivalent to the mass of M33. We
report the discovery of three PN candidates with projected locations in the
center of Andromeda NE, a very low surface brightness giant stellar structure
in the outer halo of M31. Two of the PNe were spectroscopically confirmed as
genuine PNe. These two PNe are located at projected distances along the major
axis of ~48 Kpc and ~41 Kpc from the center of M31 and are the most distant PNe
in M31 found up to now.Comment: 58 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables, Accepted to Astronomical Journa
Physics of Eclipsing Binaries: Modelling in the new era of ultra-high precision photometry
Recent ultra-high precision observations of eclipsing binaries, especially data acquired by the Kepler satellite, have made accurate light curve modelling increasingly challenging but also more rewarding. In this contribution, we discuss low-amplitude signals in light curves that can now be used to derive physical information about eclipsing binaries but that were unaccessible before the Kepler era. A notable example is the detection of Doppler beaming, which leads to an increase in flux when a star moves towards the satellite and a decrease in flux when it moves away. Similarly, Rømer delays, or light travel time effects, also have to taken into account when modelling the supreme quality data that is now available. The detection of offsets between primary and secondary eclipse phases in binaries with extreme mass ratios, and the observation of Rømer delays in the signals of pulsators in binary stars, have allowed us to determine the orbits of several binaries without the need for spectroscopy. A third example of a small-scale effect that has to be taken into account when modelling specific binary systems, are lensing effects. A new binary light curve modelling code, PHOEBE 2.0, that takes all these effect into account is currently being developed
Planetary Nebulae as a Probe of the Local Group Galaxies Evolution
We present the latest results from our study of PNe and HII regions in two Local Group dwarf irregular galaxies IC 10 and NGC 682
Universal contributions to scalar masses from five dimensional supergravity
We compute the effective Kahler potential for matter fields in warped
compactifications, starting from five dimensional gauged supergravity, as a
function of the matter fields localization. We show that truncation to zero
modes is inconsistent and the tree-level exchange of the massive gravitational
multiplet is needed for consistency of the four-dimensional theory. In addition
to the standard Kahler coming from dimensional reduction, we find the quartic
correction coming from integrating out the gravity multiplet. We apply our
result to the computation of scalar masses, by assuming that the SUSY breaking
field is a bulk hypermultiplet. In the limit of extreme opposite localization
of the matter and the spurion fields, we find zero scalar masses, consistent
with sequestering arguments. Surprisingly enough, for all the other cases the
scalar masses are tachyonic. This suggests the holographic interpretation that
a CFT sector always generates operators contributing in a tachyonic way to
scalar masses. Viability of warped su- persymmetric compactifications
necessarily asks then for additional contributions. We discuss the case of
additional bulk vector multiplets with mixed boundary conditions, which is a
partic- ularly simple and attractive way to generate large positive scalar
masses. We show that in this case successful fermion mass matrices implies
highly degenerate scalar masses for the first two generations of squarks and
sleptons.Comment: 23 pages. v2: References added, new section on effect of additional
bulk vector multiplets and phenomenolog
Non-universal Soft Parameters in Brane World and the Flavor Problem in Supergravity
We consider gravity mediated supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking in 5D spacetime
with two 4D branes B1 and B2 separated in the extra dimension. Using an
off-shell 5D supergravity (SUGRA) formalism, we argue that the SUSY breaking
scales could be non-universal even at the fundamental scale in a brane world
setting, since SUSY breaking effects could be effectively localized. As an
application, we suggest a model in which the two light chiral MSSM generations
reside on B1, while the third generation is located on B2, and the Higgs
multiplets as well as gravity and gauge multiplets reside in the bulk. For SUSY
breaking of the order of 10--20 TeV caused by a hidden sector localized at B1,
the scalars belonging to the first two generations can become sufficiently
heavy to overcome the SUSY flavor problem. SUSY breaking on B2 from a different
localized hidden sector gives rise to the third generation soft scalar masses
of the order of 1 TeV. Gaugino masses are also of the order of 1 TeV if the
size of the extra dimension is . As in 4D
effective supersymmetric theory, an adjustment of TeV scale parameters is
needed to realize the 100 GeV electroweak symmetry breaking scale.Comment: 1+22 pages, Version to appear in PRD with additional comments and
reference
Adaptive thermal compensation of test masses in advanced LIGO
As the first generation of laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors
near operation, research and development has begun on increasing the
instrument's sensitivity while utilizing the existing infrastructure. In the
Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), significant
improvements are being planned for installation in ~2007, increasing strain
sensitivity through improved suspensions and test mass substrates, active
seismic isolation, and higher input laser power. Even with the highest quality
optics available today, however, finite absorption of laser power within
transmissive optics, coupled with the tremendous amount of optical power
circulating in various parts of the interferometer, result in critical
wavefront deformations which would cripple the performance of the instrument.
Discussed is a method of active wavefront correction via direct thermal
actuation on optical elements of the interferometer. A simple nichrome heating
element suspended off the face of an affected optic will, through radiative
heating, remove the gross axisymmetric part of the original thermal distortion.
A scanning heating laser will then be used to remove any remaining
non-axisymmetric wavefront distortion, generated by inhomogeneities in the
substrate's absorption, thermal conductivity, etc. A proof-of-principle
experiment has been constructed at MIT, selected data of which are presented.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravit
Frequency-Dependent Squeezing for Advanced LIGO
The first detection of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer
Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in 2015 launched the era of gravitational
wave astronomy. The quest for gravitational wave signals from objects that are
fainter or farther away impels technological advances to realize ever more
sensitive detectors. Since 2019, one advanced technique, the injection of
squeezed states of light is being used to improve the shot noise limit to the
sensitivity of the Advanced LIGO detectors, at frequencies above Hz.
Below this frequency, quantum back action, in the form of radiation pressure
induced motion of the mirrors, degrades the sensitivity. To simultaneously
reduce shot noise at high frequencies and quantum radiation pressure noise at
low frequencies requires a quantum noise filter cavity with low optical losses
to rotate the squeezed quadrature as a function of frequency. We report on the
observation of frequency-dependent squeezed quadrature rotation with rotation
frequency of 30Hz, using a 16m long filter cavity. A novel control scheme is
developed for this frequency-dependent squeezed vacuum source, and the results
presented here demonstrate that a low-loss filter cavity can achieve the
squeezed quadrature rotation necessary for the next planned upgrade to Advanced
LIGO, known as "A+."Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. Let
What Patients Want to Know about Imaging Examinations: A Multiinstitutional U.S. Survey in Adult and Pediatric Teaching Hospitals on Patient Preferences for Receiving Information before Radiologic Examinations
Purpose
To identify what information patients and parents or caregivers found useful before an imaging examination, from whom they preferred to receive information, and how those preferences related to patient-specific variables including demographics and prior radiologic examinations.
Materials and Methods
A 24-item survey was distributed at three pediatric and three adult hospitals between January and May 2015. The χ2 or Fisher exact test (categorical variables) and one-way analysis of variance or two-sample t test (continuous variables) were used for comparisons. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine associations between responses and demographics.
Results
Of 1742 surveys, 1542 (89%) were returned (381 partial, 1161 completed). Mean respondent age was 46.2 years ± 16.8 (standard deviation), with respondents more frequently female (1025 of 1506, 68%) and Caucasian (1132 of 1504, 75%). Overall, 78% (1117 of 1438) reported receiving information about their examination most commonly from the ordering provider (824 of 1292, 64%), who was also the most preferred source (1005 of 1388, 72%). Scheduled magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or nuclear medicine examinations (P < .001 vs other examination types) and increasing education (P = .008) were associated with higher rates of receiving information. Half of respondents (757 of 1452, 52%) sought information themselves. The highest importance scores for pre-examination information (Likert scale ≥4) was most frequently assigned to information on examination preparation and least frequently assigned to whether an alternative radiation-free examination could be used (74% vs 54%; P < .001).
Conclusion
Delivery of pre-examination information for radiologic examinations is suboptimal, with half of all patients and caregivers seeking information on their own. Ordering providers are the predominant and preferred source of examination-related information, with respondents placing highest importance on information related to examination preparation
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