310 research outputs found
Dissolved iron distribution in the tropical and sub tropical south eastern Pacific
International audienceDissolved iron (DFe) distributions (Fe:P (PO43-) we show that DFe was in deficit compared to PO43- resulting from the remineralisation of organic matter. This suggests that the Marquesas islands and the surrounding plateau are not a significant source of DFe. In the gyre, DFe concentrations in the upper 350 m water column were around 0.1 nM and the ferricline was located well below the nitracline. These low concentrations reflect the low input of DFe from the atmosphere, from the ventilation of the upper thermocline with water containing low DFe, and from the low biological activity within in this ultra oligotrophic gyre
The large-scale disk fraction of brown dwarfs in the Taurus cloud as measured with Spitzer
Aims. The brown dwarf (BD) formation process has not yet been completely
understood. To shed more light on the differences and similarities between star
and BD formation processes, we study and compare the disk fraction among both
kinds of objects over a large angular region in the Taurus cloud. In addition,
we examine the spatial distribution of stars and BD relative to the underlying
molecular gas Methods. In this paper, we present new and updated photometry
data from the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope
on 43 BDs in the Taurus cloud, and recalculate of the BD disk fraction in this
region. We also useed recently available CO mm data to study the spatial
distribution of stars and BDs relative to the cloud's molecular gas. Results.
We find that the disk fraction among BDs in the Taurus cloud is 41 \pm 12%, a
value statistically consistent with the one among TTS (58 \pm 9%). We find that
BDs in transition from a state where they have a disk to a diskless state are
rare, and we study one isolated example of a transitional disk with an inner
radius of \approx 0.1 AU (CFHT BD Tau 12, found via its relatively small mid-IR
excess compared to most members of Taurus that have disks. We find that BDs are
statistically found in regions of similar molecular gas surface density to
those associated with stars. Furthermore, we find that the gas column density
distribution is almost identical for stellar and substellar objects with and
without disks.Comment: 8 page, 6 figures, Accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Contrasted Saharan dust events in LNLC environments: impact on nutrient dynamics and primary production
The response of the phytoplanktonic community (primary production and algal biomass) to contrasted Saharan dust events (wet and dry deposition) was studied in the framework of the DUNE ("a DUst experiment in a low-Nutrient, low-chlorophyll Ecosystem") project. We simulated realistic dust deposition events (10 gm(-2)) into large mesocosms (52m(3)). Three distinct dust addition experiments were conducted in June 2008 (DUNE-1-P: simulation of a wet deposition; DUNE-1-Q: simulation of a dry deposition) and 2010 (DUNE-2-R1 and DUNE-2-R2: simulation of two successive wet depositions) in the northwestern oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea. No changes in primary production (PP) and chlorophyll a concentrations (Chl a) were observed after a dry deposition event, while a wet deposition event resulted in a rapid (24 h after dust addition), strong (up to 2.4-fold) and long (at least a week in duration) increase in PP and Chl a. We show that, in addition to being a source of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), simulated wet deposition events were also a significant source of nitrate (NO3-) (net increases up to +9.8 mu M NO3- at 0.1m in depth) to the nutrient-depleted surface waters, due to cloud processes and mixing with anthropogenic species such as HNO3. The dry deposition event was shown to be a negligible source of NO3-. By transiently increasing DIP and NO3- concentrations in N-P starved surface waters, wet deposition of Saharan dust was able to relieve the potential N or NP co-limitation of the phytoplanktonic activity. Due to the higher input of NO3- relative to DIP, and taking into account the stimulation of the biological activity, a wet deposition event resulted in a strong increase in the NO3-/DIP ratio, from initially less than 6, to over 150 at the end of the DUNE-2-R1 experiment, suggesting a switch from an initial N or NP co-limitation towards a severe P limitation. We also show that the contribution of new production to PP strongly increased after wet dust deposition events, from initially 15% to 60-70% 24 h after seeding, indicating a switch from a regenerated-production based system to a new-production based system. DUNE experiments show that wet and dry dust deposition events induce contrasting responses of the phytoplanktonic community due to differences in the atmospheric supply of bioavailable new nutrients. Our results from original mesocosm experiments demonstrate that atmospheric dust wet deposition greatly influences primary productivity and algal biomass in LNLC environments through changes in the nutrient stocks, and alters the NO3-/DIP ratio, leading to a switch in the nutrient limitation of the phytoplanktonic activity
On the circum(sub)stellar environment of brown dwarfs in Taurus
Aims : We want to investigate whether brown dwarfs (BDs) form like stars or
are ejected embryos. We study the presence of disks around BDs in the Taurus
cloud, and discuss implications for substellar formation models. Methods : We
use photometric measurements from the visible to the far infrared to determine
the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of Taurus BDs. Results: We use Spitzer
color indices, Halpha as an accretion indicator, and models fit to the SEDs in
order to estimate physical parameters of the disks around these BDs. We study
the spatial distribution of BDs with and without disks across the Taurus
aggregates, and we find that BDs with and without disks are not distributed
regularly across the Taurus cloud. Conclusions: We find that 48%+/- 14% of
Taurus BDs have a circumstellar disk signature, a ratio similar to recent
results from previous authors in other regions. We fit the SEDs and find that
none of the disks around BDs in Taurus can be fitted convincingly with a
flaring index beta = 0, indicating that heating by the central object is
efficient and that the disks we observe retain a significant amount of gas. We
find that BDs with disks are proportionally more numerous in the northern
Taurus filament, possibly the youngest filament. We do not find such a clear
segregation for classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) and weak-lined T Tauri stars
(WTTS), suggesting that, in addition to the effects of evolution, any
segregation effects could be related to the mass of the object. A by-product of
our study is to propose a recalibration of the Barrado y Navascues & Martin
(2003) accretion limit in the substellar domain. The global shape of the limit
fits our data points if it is raised by a factor 1.25-1.30.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, A&A accepte
Spitzer Observations of IC 2118
IC 2118, also known as the Witch Head Nebula, is a wispy, roughly cometary,
~5 degree long reflection nebula, and is thought to be a site of triggered star
formation. In order to search for new young stellar objects (YSOs), we have
observed this region in 7 mid- and far-infrared bands using the Spitzer Space
Telescope and in 4 bands in the optical using the U. S. Naval Observatory
40-inch telescope. We find infrared excesses in 4 of the 6 previously-known T
Tauri stars in our combined infrared maps, and we find 6 entirely new candidate
YSOs, one of which may be an edge-on disk. Most of the YSOs seen in the
infrared are Class II objects, and they are all in the "head" of the nebula,
within the most massive molecular cloud of the region.Comment: Accepted to Ap
Young Stellar Objects and Triggered Star Formation in the Vulpecula OB Association
The Vulpecula OB association, VulOB1, is a region of active star formation
located in the Galactic plane at 2.3 kpc from the Sun. Previous studies suggest
that sequential star formation is propagating along this 100 pc long molecular
complex. In this paper, we use Spitzer MIPSGAL and GLIMPSE data to reconstruct
the star formation history of VulOB1, and search for signatures of past
triggering events. We make a census of Young Stellar Objects (YSO) in VulOB1
based on IR color and magnitude criteria, and we rely on the properties and
nature of these YSOs to trace recent episodes of massive star formation. We
find 856 YSO candidates, and show that the evolutionary stage of the YSO
population in VulOB1 is rather homogeneous - ruling out the scenario of
propagating star formation. We estimate the current star formation efficiency
to be ~8 %. We also report the discovery of a dozen pillar-like structures,
which are confirmed to be sites of small scale triggered star formation.Comment: 30 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Methylenebisphenol Derivatives
A simple and efficient route towards unsymmetrical methylenebisphenol derivatives is reported. This straightforward strategy avoids the use of harmful or dangerous chemicals, allowing the synthesis of highly functionalized bisphenyls with no need of protecting groups. The alkylation of the phenyl ring is selective for the para position of the hydroxyl substituent. All methylenebisphenols were obtained in a completely regioselective manner and isolated in high yields
Direct evidence of dust growth in L183 from MIR light scattering
Theoretical arguments suggest that dust grains should grow in the dense cold
parts of molecular clouds. Evidence of larger grains has so far been gathered
in near/mid infrared extinction and millimeter observations. Interpreting the
data is, however, aggravated by the complex interplay of density and dust
properties (as well as temperature for thermal emission). We present new
Spitzer data of L183 in bands that are sensitive and insensitive to PAHs. The
visual extinction AV map derived in a former paper was fitted by a series of 3D
Gaussian distributions. For different dust models, we calculate the scattered
MIR radiation images of structures that agree agree with the AV map and compare
them to the Spitzer data. The Spitzer data of L183 show emission in the 3.6 and
4.5 micron bands, while the 5.8 micron band shows slight absorption. The
emission layer of stochastically heated particles should coincide with the
layer of strongest scattering of optical interstellar radiation, which is seen
as an outer surface on I band images different from the emission region seen in
the Spitzer images. Moreover, PAH emission is expected to strongly increase
from 4.5 to 5.8 micron, which is not seen. Hence, we interpret this emission to
be MIR cloudshine. Scattered light modeling when assuming interstellar medium
dust grains without growth does not reproduce flux measurable by Spitzer. In
contrast, models with grains growing with density yield images with a flux and
pattern comparable to the Spitzer images in the bands 3.6, 4.5, and 8.0 micron.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Masses of the components of SB2 binaries observed with Gaia. II. Masses derived from PIONIER interferometric observations for Gaia validation
In anticipation of the Gaia astrometric mission, a sample of spectroscopic
binaries is being observed since 2010 with the Sophie spectrograph at the
Haute--Provence Observatory. Our aim is to derive the orbital elements of
double-lined spectroscopic binaries (SB2s) with an accuracy sufficient to
finally obtain the masses of the components with relative errors as small as 1
% when combined with Gaia astrometric measurements. In order to validate the
masses derived from Gaia, interferometric observations are obtained for three
SB2s in our sample with F-K components: HIP 14157, HIP 20601 and HIP 117186.
The masses of the six stellar components are derived. Due to its edge-on
orientation, HIP 14157 is probably an eclipsing binary. We note that almost all
the derived masses are a few percent larger than the expectations from the
standard spectral-type-mass calibration and mass-luminosity relation. Our
calculation also leads to accurate parallaxes for the three binaries, and the
Hipparcos parallaxes are confirmed.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted by MNRA
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