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Complete Genomic Sequence of Maize Rough Dwarf Virus, a Fijivirus Transmitted by the Small Brown Planthopper.
Lv, Mingfang; Xie, Li; Yang, Jian; Chen, Jianping; Zhang, Heng-Mu
The nucleotide sequences of the 10 genomic segments of an Italian isolate of maize rough dwarf virus (MRDV) were determined. This first complete genomic sequence of MRDV will help understand the phylogenetic relationships among group 2 fijiviruses and especially the closely related rice black-streaked dwarf virus, which is also found to naturally infect maize. PMID:26847903
Complete Nucleotide Sequence of a French Isolate of Maize rough dwarf virus, a Fijivirus Member in the Family Reoviridae
Svanella-Dumas, L.; Marais, A.; Faure, C.; Theil, S.; Thibord, J. B.
The complete nucleotide sequence of a French isolate of Maize rough dwarf virus (MRDV) was determined by next-generation sequencing and compared with the single available complete sequence and with the partial sequences of two additional isolates available in online databases. PMID:27445367
[Development of transgenic maize with anti-rough dwarf virus artificial miRNA vector and their disease resistance].
Xuan, Ning; Zhao, Chuanzhi; Peng, Zhenying; Chen, Gao; Bian, Fei; Lian, Mingzheng; Liu, Guoxia; Wang, Xingjun; Bi, Yuping
Maize is one of the most important food crops. Rice black-streaked dwarf virus is a maize rough dwarf disease pathogen. The occurrence and transmission of maize rough dwarf disease brings great damage to maize production. The technology of using artificial miRNA to build antiviral plant has been proven effective in a variety of plants. However, such trials in maize have not been reported. We designed primers based on the sequence of maize zea-miR159a precursor and sequence of function protein genes and silencing RBSDV coding genes in RBSDV genome. We constructed amiRNA (artificial miRNA) gene for silencing RBSDV coding gene and gene silencing suppressor. We constructed pCAMBIA3301-121-amiRNA plant expression vector for transforming maize inbred lines Z31 by using agrobacterium mediated method. After molecular analysis of transgenic maize, homozygous lines with high miRNA expression were selected by molecular detection for a subsequent natural infection experiment. We studied the severity of maize rough dwarf disease according to a grading standard (grade 0 to 4). The experiment results showed that the disease resistance of transgenic homozygous maize with the anti-rough dwarf virus amiRNA vector was better than that of wild type. Among the transgenic maize, S6-miR159 transgenic maize had high disease resistance. It is feasible to create new maize variety by the use of artificial miRNA. PMID:26955715
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Barley yellow dwarf (BYD) is the most widespread and economically important virus disease of cereals. The viruses causing BYD were initially grouped based on common biological properties, including persistent and often strain-specific transmission by aphids and induction of yellowing symptoms. The...
Miller, W A; Rasochová, L
Barley yellow dwarf viruses represent one of the most economically important and ubiquitous groups of plant viruses. This review focuses primarily on four research areas in which progress has been most rapid. These include (a) evidence supporting reclassification of BYDVs into two genera; (b) elucidation of gene function and novel mechanisms controlling gene expression; (c) initial forays into understanding the complex interactions between BYDV virions and their aphid vectors; and (d) replication of a BYDV satellite RNA. Economic losses, symptomatology, and means of control of BYD are also discussed. PMID:15012520
Efficient inoculation of rice black-streaked dwarf virus to maize using Laodelphax striatellus Fallen
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD) caused by Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) is the most important viral disease of maize in China. Although deploying disease resistant hybrids would be the most effective way to control the disease, development of resistant hybrids has been limited by virus t...
Pollen Transmitted Diseases, Raspberry bushy dwarf virus
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) occurs naturally worldwide in many Rubus species and cultivars. In North America, it naturally infects many red raspberry, black raspberry, blackberry and blackberry-raspberry hybrid cultivars. RBDV also occurs in wild R. idaeus L. var. strigosus, R. occidentali., ...
The complete nucleotide sequence of the Barley yellow dwarf virus-RMV genome reveals it to be a new Polerovirus distantly related to other yellow dwarf viruses
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
The yellow dwarf viruses (YDVs) of the Luteoviridae family represent the most widespread group of cereal viruses worldwide. They include the Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) of genus Luteovirus, the Cereal yellow dwarf viruses (CYDVs) and Wheat yellow dwarf virus (WYDV) of genus Polerovirus. All ...
Co-infection and disease severity of Ohio Maize dwarf mosaic virus and Maize chlorotic dwarf virus strains
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Two major maize viruses have been reported in the United States: Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) and Maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV). These viruses co-occur in regions where maize is grown such that co-infections are likely. Co-infection of different strains of MCDV is also observed frequently...
Star Formation in Dwarf Galaxies: Life in a Rough Neighborhood
Murray, S
Star formation within dwarf galaxies is governed by several factors. Many of these factors are external, including ram-pressure stripping, tidal stripping, and heating by external UV radiation. The latter, in particular, may prevent star formation in the smallest systems. Internal factors include negative feedback in the form of UV radiation, winds and supernovae from massive stars. These act to reduce the star formation efficiency within dwarf systems, which may, in turn, solve several theoretical and observational problems associated with galaxy formation. In this contribution, we discuss our recent work being done to examine the importance of the many factors in the evolution of dwarf galaxies.
Genetic mechanisms of Maize dwarf mosaic virus resistance in maize
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Maize resistance to viruses has been well-characterized at the genetic level, and loci responsible for resistance to potyviruses including Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV), Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), Sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV), and Johnsongrass mosaic virus (JGMV), have been mapped in several ge...
Development of a rapid detection method for Yellow Dwarf Viruses
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Barley and Cereal yellow dwarf viruses (B/CYDVs), constitute the most economically important group of oat viruses. A multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method was developed for the simultaneous detection and discrimination of five B/CYDVs viruses. The protocol uses specific pr...
Coat protein expression strategy of oat blue dwarf virus
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Oat blue dwarf virus (OBDV) was the first marafivirus (family Tymoviridae) to be sequenced and for which an infectious clone has been reported. Sequence data are now available for multiple marafiviruses, yet the expression strategy of these viruses remains uncharacterized. Translation experiments ...
Maize as a New Host for Oat Blue Dwarf Virus
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Oat blue dwarf virus (OBDV) is distributed throughout the North American Great Plains and is found at low incidence levels in barley, oats, and flax in the upper Midwestern U.S. Cropping patterns in this region have changed considerably in recent years, with much greater acreages devoted to maize i...
Identification and fine-mapping of a QTL, qMrdd1, that confers recessive resistance to maize rough dwarf disease
Background Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD) is a devastating viral disease that results in considerable yield losses worldwide. Three major strains of virus cause MRDD, including maize rough dwarf virus in Europe, Mal de Río Cuarto virus in South America, and rice black-streaked dwarf virus in East Asia. These viral pathogens belong to the genus fijivirus in the family Reoviridae. Resistance against MRDD is a complex trait that involves a number of quantitative trait loci (QTL). The primary approach used to minimize yield losses from these viruses is to breed and deploy resistant maize hybrids. Results Of the 50 heterogeneous inbred families (HIFs), 24 showed consistent responses to MRDD across different years and locations, in which 9 were resistant and 15 were susceptible. We performed trait-marker association analysis on the 24 HIFs and found six chromosomal regions which were putatively associated with MRDD resistance. We then conducted QTL analysis and detected a major resistance QTL, qMrdd1, on chromosome 8. By applying recombinant-derived progeny testing to self-pollinated backcrossed families, we fine-mapped the qMrdd1 locus into a 1.2-Mb region flanked by markers M103-4 and M105-3. The qMrdd1 locus acted in a recessive manner to reduce the disease-severity index (DSI) by 24.2–39.3%. The genetic effect of qMrdd1 was validated using another F6 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population in which MRDD resistance was segregating and two genotypes at the qMrdd1 locus differed significantly in DSI values. Conclusions The qMrdd1 locus is a major resistance QTL, acting in a recessive manner to increase maize resistance to MRDD. We mapped qMrdd1 to a 1.2-Mb region, which will enable the introgression of qMrdd1-based resistance into elite maize hybrids and reduce MRDD-related crop losses. PMID:24079304
Cross-protection among strains of barley yellow dwarf virus.
Wen, F; Lister, R M; Fattouh, F A
ELISA, cDNA dot blot hybridization and transmission by vector aphids were used to investigate the occurrence and degree of cross-protection produced in oat plants by virus isolates representing five strains or serotypes of barley yellow dwarf virus, namely PAV, MAV, SGV, RPV and RMV. Generally, the degree of cross-protection was positively correlated with the serological relatedness between the isolates. A high degree of cross-protection occurred between NY-MAV and MAV-PS1, two isolates of the MAV serotype; cross-protection was moderate between MAV-PS1 and either P-PAV (a Purdue isolate of the PAV serotype) or NY-SGV; cross-protection between P-PAV and NY-SGV was low. Cross-protection did not occur in other paired inoculations and did not persist in some plants, the challenge virus eventually becoming detectable. The persistence of cross-protection depended on the interval between inoculations with protecting and challenge viruses; longer inoculation intervals enhanced the persistence of cross-protection. Results obtained by ELISA and dot blot hybridization were usually consistent, indicating that cross-protection affected both viral capsid and RNA synthesis. PMID:2016594
Cleavage of Maize chlorotic dwarf virus R78 protein by the viral 3C protease
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV) is a member of the genus Waikavirus and encodes a 389 kDa polyprotein from its 11784 nt genomic RNA. Like many polyprotein-encoding viruses, MCDV contains a 3C-like virus protease that is presumably responsible for maturation cleavages of the polyprotein. However,...
Genome activation by raspberry bushy dwarf virus coat protein.
Macfarlane, Stuart A; McGavin, Wendy J
Two sets of infectious cDNA clones of raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) have been constructed, enabling either the synthesis of infectious RNA transcripts or the delivery of infectious binary plasmid DNA by infiltration of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. In whole plants and in protoplasts, inoculation of RBDV RNA1 and RNA2 transcripts led to a low level of infection, which was greatly increased by the addition of RNA3, a subgenomic RNA coding for the RBDV coat protein (CP). Agroinfiltration of RNA1 and RNA2 constructs did not produce a detectable infection but, again, inclusion of a construct encoding the CP led to high levels of infection. Thus, RBDV replication is greatly stimulated by the presence of the CP, a mechanism that also operates with ilarviruses and alfalfa mosaic virus, where it is referred to as genome activation. Mutation to remove amino acids from the N terminus of the CP showed that the first 15 RBDV CP residues are not required for genome activation. Other experiments, in which overlapping regions at the CP N terminus were fused to the monomeric red fluorescent protein, showed that sequences downstream of the first 48 aa are not absolutely required for genome activation. PMID:19218221
Using Maize chlorotic dwarf virus to explore future frontiers in plant virology
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV) causes a chlorosis and stunting disease of corn throughout the Midwest United States. It is a waikavirus transmitted by the leafhopper Graminella nigrifrons. Although waikaviruses are economically important viruses in corn and rice, little is known about the viru...
Barley yellow dwarf virus effects on cereal plant growth and transpiration
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Little is known about how changes in root system biomass caused by barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) infection impact water relations in cereal plants. Objectives of these greenhouse studies were to elucidate virus infection effects on plant growth and apparent transpiration rate in oats (Avena sati...
Resistance to the Poerovirus Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus in Wheat: A Two-component system
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
The mechanism of resistance to Cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV), introgressed into wheat from Thinopyrum intermedium, is unclear as previous data demonstrated that it was not due to a block in virus replication. Through cellular analysis we have examined the movement of CYDV within inoculated and u...
Evaluation of oat cultivars and lines under infection with barley yellow dwarf virus.
Mozhaeva, K A; Domier, L; Kastalyeva, T B; Magurov, P F; Yakovleva, I N
Thirteen domestic and foreign oat cultivars and eight breeding lines bred from the University of Illinois were evaluated for resistance to barley yellow dwarf (BYD) using artificial inoculation with Rhopalosiphum padi viruliferous for an isolate of Barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV endemic to Moscow region origin. Cultivar Blaze and six Illinois lines showed the best grain yields under disease pressure that resembled a BYD epidemic. PMID:15756843
Genomic and proteomic analysis of Schizaphis graminum reveals cyclophilin proteins are involved in the transmission of Cereal yellow dwarf virus
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Yellow dwarf viruses cause the most economically important virus diseases of cereal crops worldwide and are transmitted by aphid vectors. The identification of aphid genes and proteins mediating virus transmission is critical to develop agriculturally sustainable virus management practices and to u...
[Transgenic wheat expressing virus-derived hairpin RNA is resistant to Barley yellow dwarf virus].
Yan, Fei; Zhang, Wen-Wei; Xiao, Hong; Li, Shi-Fang; Cheng, Zhuo-Min
An expression vector expected to induce RNA interference against Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), which expressed a composite hpRNA with the dsRNA stem homologous of BYDV GPV replicase gene and the antisense RNA loop homologous of coat protein gene, was designed without marker gene. The vector was transferred into callus cells from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) immature embryos by particle bombardment. To select the positive transformants as early as possible, a rapid PCR, which does not need extract wheat DNA instead of few leaves, was used at regeneration stage of plantlets. Totally 21 plants proved to contain alien sequence. Antivirus test with high dose infected virus revealed that, 9 plants showed low level of resistance to BVDV, 6 plants showed moderate resistance and 6 plants showed high level of resistance. Interestingly, both low and moderate levels of resistance plants were no symptoms when infected by viruses at low dose. It suggests the dose- dependent effect of the resistance mediated by hpRNA to BYDV-GPV. PMID:17284432
Effect of Raspberry bushy dwarf virus, Raspberry leaf mottle virus, and Raspberry latent virus on plant growth and fruit crumbliness in 'Meeker' red Raspberry
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Raspberry crumbly fruit in red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), widespread in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and British Columbia, Canada, is most commonly caused by a virus infection. Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) has long been attributed as the causal agent of the disease. Recently, t...
Sequence Diversity of Readthrough Proteins of Soybean Dwarf Virus Isolates from the Midwestern United States
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV), a member of the family Luteoviridae, is phloem limited and persistently transmitted by colonizing aphids in a circulative and nonpropagative manner. The readthrough protein (RTP), a minor component of viral capsids, is composed of the coat protein (CP) with a C-terminal e...
First report of Soybean dwarf virus in soybean in Northern Illinois
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV) is transmitted persistently by colonizing aphids and causes significant yield losses in soybean in Japan. In the United States, SbDV is endemic in red and white clover, but has been detected in soybean only in Virginia and Wisconsin. During August 2006, two surveys for vir...
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Seven spring oat (Avena sativa L.) germplasm lines (Reg. no. GP-87 to GP-93, PI 641965 to PI 641971) with very high levels of Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) tolerance were developed and released by the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Illinois and the USDA-ARS. BYDVs c...
Mapping of QTL for tolerance to cereal yellow dwarf virus in two-rowed spring barley
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV-RPV) causes a serious viral disease affecting small grain crops around the world. In the US, it frequently is present in California where it causes significant yield losses, and when infections start early in development, plant death. CYDV is transmitted by aphids, an...
Acquistion and transmissibility of United States Soybean dwarf virus isolates by the soybean aphid Aphis glycines
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV) exists as several distinct strains based on symptomatology, vectors, and host range. Original Japanese isolates of SbDV were specifically transmitted by Aulacorthum solani. More recently Japanese isolates, other exotic isolates, and endemic U.S. isolates have been shown ...
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
The effects of temperature, light intensity, day length, atmospheric pressure, and leafhopper gender on the frequency of transmission of Maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV) by Graminella nigrifrons were evaluated. Transmission rates for both male and female leafhoppers progressively increased from 2...
Development of a multiplexed PCR detection method for Barley and Cereal Yellow Dwarf Viruses, Wheat Spindle Streak Virus, Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus and Soil-Borne Wheat Mosaic Virus
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Barley and Cereal Yellow Dwarf Viruses (B/CYDVs), Wheat Spindle Streak Mosaic (WSSMV), Soil-Borne Wheat Mosaic (SBWMV) Mosaic Virus and Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV) constitute the most economically important group of wheat viruses. In this paper, a multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chai...
Genome-wide association mapping of barley yellow dwarf virus tolerance in spring oat (Avena sativa L.)
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Barley yellow dwarf (BYD) is one of the most destructive diseases of cereal crops worldwide. Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) are responsible for BYD and affect many cereals including oat (Avena sativa L.). Until recently, the molecular marker technology in oat has not allowed for many marker-t...
NAC transcription factor family genes are differentially expressed in rice during infections with Rice dwarf virus, Rice black-streaked dwarf virus, Rice grassy stunt virus, Rice ragged stunt virus, and Rice transitory yellowing virus
Nuruzzaman, Mohammed; Sharoni, Akhter M.; Satoh, Kouji; Karim, Mohammad Rezaul; Harikrishna, Jennifer A.; Shimizu, Takumi; Sasaya, Takahide; Omura, Toshihiro; Haque, Mohammad A.; Hasan, Sayed M. Z.; Ahmad, Aziz; Kikuchi, Shoshi
Expression levels of the NAC gene family were studied in rice infected with Rice dwarf virus (RDV), Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), Rice grassy stunt virus (RGSV), Rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV), and Rice transitory yellowing virus (RTYV). Microarray analysis showed that 75 (68%) OsNAC genes were differentially regulated during infection with RDV, RBSDV, RGSV, and RRSV compared with the control. The number of OsNAC genes up-regulated was highest during RGSV infection, while the lowest number was found during RTYV infection. These phenomena correlate with the severity of the syndromes induced by the virus infections. Most of the genes in the NAC subgroups NAC22, SND, ONAC2, ANAC34, and ONAC3 were down-regulated for all virus infections. These OsNAC genes might be related to the health stage maintenance of the host plants. Interestingly, most of the genes in the subgroups TIP and SNAC were more highly expressed during RBSDV and RGSV infections. These results suggested that OsNAC genes might be related to the responses induced by the virus infection. All of the genes assigned to the TIP subgroups were highly expressed during RGSV infection when compared with the control. For RDV infection, the number of activated genes was greatest during infection with the S-strain, followed by the D84-strain and the O-strain, with seven OsNAC genes up-regulated during infection by all three strains. The Os12g03050 and Os11g05614 genes showed higher expression during infection with four of the five viruses, and Os11g03310, Os11g03370, and Os07g37920 genes showed high expression during at least three viral infections. We identified some duplicate genes that are classified as neofunctional and subfunctional according to their expression levels in different viral infections. A number of putative cis-elements were identified, which may help to clarify the function of these key genes in network pathways. PMID:26442000
Real-time RT-PCR for detection of Raspberry bushy dwarf virus, Raspberry leaf mottle virus and characterizing synergistic interactions in mixed infections
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Two TaqMan-based real-time One-Step RT-PCR assays were developed for the rapid and efficient detection of Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) and Raspberry leaf mottle virus (RLMV), two of the most common raspberry viruses in North America and Europe. The primers and probes were designed from conser...
Quantification of southern rice black streaked dwarf virus and rice black streaked dwarf virus in the organs of their vector and nonvector insect over time.
Hajano, Jamal-U-Ddin; Wang, Biao; Ren, Yingdang; Lu, Chuantao; Wang, Xifeng
Southern rice black streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) and rice black streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) are serious rice-infecting reoviruses, which are transmitted by different planthoppers in a persistent propagative manner. In this study, we quantitatively compared the spatial distribution of SRBSDV and RBSDV contents over time in their vector and nonvector insects using real time-PCR. Genome equivalent copies (GEC) were assessed every 2 days from 0 to 14 days after a 3-days acquisition access period (AAP) on infected plants. Results revealed 293.2±21.6 to 404.1±46.4 SRBSDV GEC/ng total RNA in whole body of white-backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera) at day 0 and 12 and 513.5±88.4 to 816.8±110.7 RBSDV GEC/ng total RNA in the whole body of small brown planthopper (SBPH, Laodelphax striatellus) at day 0 and 14, respectively, after 3-days AAP. Highest GEC of both viruses were found in the gut of their respective vectors. Although SRBSDV was detected in the gut of SBPH, it did not spread into the hemolymph or other organs. After an 8-day latent period, the transmission efficiency of SRBSDV and RBSDV by their respective vectors was significantly positively correlated with GEC in the salivary gland (r(2)=0.7808, P=0.0036 and r(2)=0.9351, P<0.0001, respectively, at α=0.05). Together, these results confirm that accumulation of >200 SRBSDV or RBSDV GEC/ng total RNA in the gut of vector, indicated threshold for further spread and the virus content in the salivary gland was significantly correlated with transmission efficiency by their respective vectors. PMID:26116274
Recombination analysis of Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) in the Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) subgroup of potyviruses.
Gell, Gyöngyvér; Sebestyén, Endre; Balázs, Ervin
Recombination among RNA viruses is a natural phenomenon that appears to have played a significant role in the species development and the evolution of many strains. It also has particular significance for the risk assessment of plants which have been genetically modified for disease resistance by incorporating viral sequences into their genomes. However, the exact recombination events taking place in viral genomes are not investigated in detail for many virus groups. In this analysis, different single-stranded positive-sense RNA potyviruses were compared using various in silico recombination detection methods and new recombination events in the Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) subgroup were detected. For an extended in silico recombination analysis, two of the analyzed Maize dwarf mosaic virus full-length genomes were sequenced additionally during this work. These results strengthen the evidence that recombination is a major driving force in virus evolution, and the emergence of new virus variants in the SCMV subgroup, paired with mutations, could generate viruses with altered biological properties. The intra- and interspecific homolog recombinations seem to be a general trait in this virus group, causing little or no changes to the amino acid of the progenies. However, we found a few breakpoints between the members of SCMV subgroup and the weed-infecting distant relatives, but only a few methods of the RDP3 package predicted these events with low significance level. PMID:25392089
Cryo-electron tomography: moving towards revealing the viral life cycle of Rice dwarf virus
Miyazaki, Naoyuki; Akita, Fusamichi; Nakagawa, Atsushi; Murata, Kazuyoshi; Omura, Toshihiro; Iwasaki, Kenji
It is well known that viruses utilize the host cellular systems for their infection and replication processes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are poorly understood for most viruses. To understand these molecular mechanisms, it is essential to observe the viral and virus-related structures and analyse their molecular interactions within a cellular context. Cryo-electron microscopy and tomography offer the potential to observe macromolecular structures and to analyse their molecular interactions within the cell. Here, using cryo-electron microscopy and tomography, the structures of Rice dwarf virus are reported within fully hydrated insect vector cells grown on electron microscopy grids towards revealing the viral infection and replication mechanisms. PMID:24121321
Brachypodium distachyon is a suitable host plant for study of Barley yellow dwarf virus.
Tao, Ye; Nadege, Soumou Wansim; Huang, Caiping; Zhang, Penghui; Song, Shuang; Sun, Liying; Wu, Yunfeng
Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) belong to the family Luteoviridae and cause disease in cereals. Because of the large and complex genome of cereal plants, it is difficult to study host-virus interactions. In order to establish a model host system for the studies on BYDVs, we examined the susceptibility of a monocot model plant, Brachypodium distachyon, to BYDV-GAV infection. Fourteen days after BYDV-GAV inoculation by aphid transmission, B. distachyon plants (inbred line Bd21-3) showed conspicuous disease symptoms such as leaf reddening, dwarfness and root stunting. Virus accumulation was detected in both shoots and roots using reverse transcription PCR and triple antibody sandwich ELISA. Compared with infected wheat plants, B. distachyon plants developed more severe disease symptoms and accumulated a higher level of BYDV-GAV. Under transmission electron microscope, we observed that virus particles accumulated in companion cells and BYDV-GAV infection was associated with the deformation of chloroplasts in the infected leaves of B. distachyon plants. Our results suggest that B. distachyon is a suitable and promising experimental model plant for the host-BYDV-GAV pathosystem and possibly for other BYDVs. PMID:26814813
Fungal transmission of a potyvirus: uredospores of Puccinia sorghi transmit maize dwarf mosaic virus.
von Wechmar, M B; Chauhan, R; Knox, E
Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) and maize rust, Puccinia sorghi Schw., occur as natural infections on cultivated maize in South Africa. P. sorghi often occurs as a secondary late infection on maize plants which have already been infected with MDMV earlier in the season, either seed or aphid transmitted. When MDMV isolates from maize plants naturally infected by both virus and fungus were propagated by sap inoculation in plant growth rooms, residual uredospores in the sap gave rise to the development of uredia under conditions of high humidity. When uredospores developing on MDMV-B-infected plants were germinated on virus free maize seedlings, these plants became infected with MDMV-B. Similarly, when uredospores, originating from maize plants infected with MDMV-A, were scattered onto virus free maize seedlings, these plants became infected with MDMV-A. The presence of virus on uredospores in infected plant tissue was visualized by indirect immunofluorescence. Identification of virus infection was by DAS-ELISA and immunoelectro-blotting utilizing strain-specific antisera. Virus transmission occurred between closely situated plants which had no actual contact (unaided transmission). MDMV-B transmission by uredospores, to new maize seedlings, has been maintained for three successive years (1988-1991) in a plant growth room. The MDMV-B isolate remained sap and non-persistently aphid transmissible. PMID:1450745
Simultaneous detection and differentiation of Rice black streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) and Southern rice black streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) by duplex real time RT-PCR
Background The diseases caused by Rice black streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) and Southern rice black streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) have been occurring epidemically in China and southeastern Asia in recent years. A sensitive, reliable and quantitative method is required to detect and distinguish for RBSDV and SRBSDV in rice and vector insects. Results We developed a sensitive and lineage-specific duplex real time RT-qPCR for detection of RBSDV and SRBSDV in a single or/and double infection in rice samples. The duplex RT-qPCR was optimized using standard samples transcribed by T7 Large Scale RNA Production System in vitro. We developed a reliable system for duplex RT-qPCR, in which its co-efficiency of RBSDV and SRBSDV, were 91.6% and 90.7%, respectively. The coefficient of determination was more than 0.990; the slope of linear equation was −3.542, and −3.567, respectively. Out of 30 samples collected in North and Central China, which were suspected to be infected with these two viruses, 10 samples were detected RBSDV positive by RT-PCR and 12 samples by RT-qPCR. No mixed infections were found. Simultaneously, out of total 60 samples collected from Southern China, which were also suspected to be infected with these two viruses, 41 samples were determined SRBSDV positive by RT-PCR and 47 samples by RT-qPCR. Also in this case no mixed infections were found. The rice genes eEF-1a and UBQ5 were selected as internal controls for quantification assay also performed as good expression stability. Conclusion The duplex RT-qPCR assay provided as a sufficiently sensitive, specific, accurate, reproducible and rapid tool for the detection and differentiation of RBSDV and SRBSDV. The RT-qPCR assay can be used in routine diagnostic of these two viruses in order to study the disease epidemiology in rice crops. PMID:23331990
Dual transcriptome analysis reveals insights into the response to Rice black-streaked dwarf virus in maize.
Zhou, Yu; Xu, Zhennan; Duan, Canxing; Chen, Yanping; Meng, Qingchang; Wu, Jirong; Hao, Zhuanfang; Wang, Zhenhua; Li, Mingshun; Yong, Hongjun; Zhang, Degui; Zhang, Shihuang; Weng, Jianfeng; Li, Xinhai
Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD) is a viral infection that results in heavy yield losses in maize worldwide, particularly in the summer maize-growing regions of China. MRDD is caused by the Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV). In the present study, analyses of microRNAs (miRNAs), the degradome, and transcriptome sequences were used to elucidate the RBSDV-responsive pathway(s) in maize. Genomic analysis indicated that the expression of three non-conserved and 28 conserved miRNAs, representing 17 known miRNA families and 14 novel miRNAs, were significantly altered in response to RBSDV when maize was inoculated at the V3 (third leaf) stage. A total of 99 target transcripts from 48 genes of 10 known miRNAs were found to be responsive to RBSDV infection. The annotations of these target genes include a SQUAMOSA promoter binding (SPB) protein, a P450 reductase, an oxidoreductase, and a ubiquitin-related gene, among others. Characterization of the entire transcriptome suggested that a total of 28 and 1085 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at 1.5 and 3.0 d, respectively, after artificial inoculation with RBSDV. The expression patterns of cell wall- and chloroplast-related genes, and disease resistance- and stress-related genes changed significantly in response to RBSDV infection. The negatively regulated genes GRMZM2G069316 and GRMZM2G031169, which are the target genes for miR169i-p5 and miR8155, were identified as a nucleolin and a NAD(P)-binding Rossmann-fold superfamily protein in maize, respectively. The gene ontology term GO:0003824, including GRMZM2G031169 and other 51 DEGs, was designated as responsive to RBSDV. PMID:27493226
Dual transcriptome analysis reveals insights into the response to Rice black-streaked dwarf virus in maize
Zhou, Yu; Xu, Zhennan; Duan, Canxing; Chen, Yanping; Meng, Qingchang; Wu, Jirong; Hao, Zhuanfang; Wang, Zhenhua; Li, Mingshun; Yong, Hongjun; Zhang, Degui; Zhang, Shihuang; Weng, Jianfeng; Li, Xinhai
Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD) is a viral infection that results in heavy yield losses in maize worldwide, particularly in the summer maize-growing regions of China. MRDD is caused by the Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV). In the present study, analyses of microRNAs (miRNAs), the degradome, and transcriptome sequences were used to elucidate the RBSDV-responsive pathway(s) in maize. Genomic analysis indicated that the expression of three non-conserved and 28 conserved miRNAs, representing 17 known miRNA families and 14 novel miRNAs, were significantly altered in response to RBSDV when maize was inoculated at the V3 (third leaf) stage. A total of 99 target transcripts from 48 genes of 10 known miRNAs were found to be responsive to RBSDV infection. The annotations of these target genes include a SQUAMOSA promoter binding (SPB) protein, a P450 reductase, an oxidoreductase, and a ubiquitin-related gene, among others. Characterization of the entire transcriptome suggested that a total of 28 and 1085 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at 1.5 and 3.0 d, respectively, after artificial inoculation with RBSDV. The expression patterns of cell wall- and chloroplast-related genes, and disease resistance- and stress-related genes changed significantly in response to RBSDV infection. The negatively regulated genes GRMZM2G069316 and GRMZM2G031169, which are the target genes for miR169i-p5 and miR8155, were identified as a nucleolin and a NAD(P)-binding Rossmann-fold superfamily protein in maize, respectively. The gene ontology term GO:0003824, including GRMZM2G031169 and other 51 DEGs, was designated as responsive to RBSDV. PMID:27493226
Computer analysis between nucleotide and amino acid sequences of bean golden mosaic virus and those of maize streak, wheat dwarf, chloris striate mosaic, and beet curly top viruses.
Ikegami, M
Bean golden mosaic virus (BGMV) DNA 1 and 2 have little sequence homology with maize streak virus (MSV), wheat dwarf virus (WDV), and chloris striate mosaic virus (CSMV) DNAs. BGMV DNA 1 and beet curly top virus (BCTV) DNA are closely related, whereas BGMV DNA 2 and BCTV DNA are not related. Direct amino acid homologies of predicted proteins between BGMV ORFs and MSV ORFs, WDV ORFs or CSMV ORFs were 40-50%. BGMV 1L1 and BCTV L1, and BGMV IL3 and BCTV L4 were highly conserved. The sequence TAATATTAC was detected in the loops of hairpin structures of 5 gemini-viruses. PMID:2615677
Molecular Genetic Analysis and Evolution of Segment 7 in Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus in China
Chen, Yanping; Wu, Jirong; Meng, Qingchang; Han, Xiaohua; Hao, Zhuanfang; Li, Mingshun; Yong, Hongjun; Zhang, Degui; Zhang, Shihuang; Li, Xinhai
Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) causes maize rough dwarf disease or rice black-streaked dwarf disease and can lead to severe yield losses in maize and rice. To analyse RBSDV evolution, codon usage bias and genetic structure were investigated in 111 maize and rice RBSDV isolates from eight geographic locations in 2013 and 2014. The linear dsRNA S7 is A+U rich, with overall codon usage biased toward codons ending with A (A3s, S7-1: 32.64%, S7-2: 29.95%) or U (U3s, S7-1: 44.18%, S7-2: 46.06%). Effective number of codons (Nc) values of 45.63 in S7-1 (the first open reading frame of S7) and 39.96 in S7-2 (the second open reading frame of S7) indicate low degrees of RBSDV-S7 codon usage bias, likely driven by mutational bias regardless of year, host, or geographical origin. Twelve optimal codons were detected in S7. The nucleotide diversity (π) of S7 sequences in 2013 isolates (0.0307) was significantly higher than in 2014 isolates (0.0244, P = 0.0226). The nucleotide diversity (π) of S7 sequences in isolates from Jinan (0.0391) was higher than that from the other seven locations (P < 0.01). Only one S7 recombinant was detected in Baoding. RBSDV isolates could be phylogenetically classified into two groups according to S7 sequences, and further classified into two subgroups. S7-1 and S7-2 were under negative and purifying selection, with respective Ka/Ks ratios of 0.0179 and 0.0537. These RBSDV populations were expanding (P < 0.01) as indicated by negative values for Tajima's D, Fu and Li's D, and Fu and Li's F. Genetic differentiation was detected in six RBSDV subpopulations (P < 0.05). Absolute Fst (0.0790) and Nm (65.12) between 2013 and 2014, absolute Fst (0.1720) and Nm (38.49) between maize and rice, and absolute Fst values of 0.0085-0.3069 and Nm values of 0.56-29.61 among these eight geographic locations revealed frequent gene flow between subpopulations. Gene flow between 2013 and 2014 was the most frequent. PMID:26121638
Virus-viroid interactions: Citrus Tristeza Virus enhances the accumulation of Citrus Dwarfing Viroid in Mexican lime via virus-encoded silencing suppressors.
Serra, Pedro; Bani Hashemian, Seyed M; Fagoaga, Carmen; Romero, Juan; Ruiz-Ruiz, Susana; Gorris, Maria T; Bertolini, Edson; Duran-Vila, Núria
An assay to identify interactions between Citrus Dwarfing Viroid (CDVd) and Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) showed that viroid titer was enhanced by the coinfecting CTV in Mexican lime but not in etrog citron. Since CTV encodes three RNA silencing suppressors (RSSs), p23, p20 and p25, an assay using transgenic Mexican limes expressing each RSS revealed that p23 and, to a lesser extent, p25 recapitulated the effect observed with coinfections of CTV and CDVd. PMID:24227850
Association of Satellites with a Mastrevirus in Natural Infection: Complexity of Wheat Dwarf India Virus Disease
Kumar, Jitendra; Kumar, Jitesh; Singh, Sudhir P.
ABSTRACT In contrast to begomoviruses, mastreviruses have not previously been shown to interact with satellites. This study reports the first identification of the association of satellites with a mastrevirus in field-grown plants. Two alphasatellite species were detected in different field samples of wheat infected with Wheat Dwarf India Virus (WDIV), a Cotton leaf curl Multan alphasatellite (CLCuMA) and a Guar leaf curl alphasatellite (GLCuA). In addition to the alphasatellites, a betasatellite, Ageratum yellow leaf curl betasatellite (AYLCB), was also identified in the wheat samples. No begomovirus was detected in the wheat samples, thus establishing association of the above-named satellites with WDIV. Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation of WDIV in wheat, in the presence of either of the alphasatellites or the betasatellite, resulted in infections inducing more severe symptoms. WDIV efficiently maintained each of the alphasatellites and the betasatellite in wheat. The satellites enhanced the level of WDIV DNA in wheat. Inoculation of the satellites isolated from wheat with various begomoviruses into Nicotiana tabacum demonstrated that these remain capable of interacting with the viruses with which they were first identified. Virus-specific small RNAs accumulated in wheat upon infection with WDIV but were lower in abundance in plants coinfected with the satellites, suggesting that both the alphasatellites and the betasatellite suppress RNA silencing. These results suggest that the selective advantage for the maintenance of the alphasatellites and the betasatellite by WDIV in the field is in overcoming RNA silencing-mediated host defense. IMPORTANCE Wheat is the most widely cultivated cereal crop in the world. A number of viruses are important pathogens of wheat, including the viruses of the genus Mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae. This study reports the association of subgenomic components, called satellites (alpha- and betasatellites), with a mastrevirus, Wheat
Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of wheat dwarf virus (WDV) isolates from Hungary and Ukraine.
Tóbiás, Istvan; Shevchenko, Oleksiy; Kiss, Balázs; Bysov, Andriy; Snihur, Halina; Polischuk, Valery; Salánki, Katalin; Palkovics, László
Wheat dwarf virus (WDV) is the most ubiquitous virus in cereals causing huge losses in both Hungary and Ukraine. The presence of barley-and wheat-adapted strains has been confirmed, suggesting that the barley strain is restricted to barley, while the wheat strain is present in both wheat and barley plants. Five WDV isolates from wheat plants sampled in Hungary and Ukraine were sequenced and compared with known WDV isolates from GenBank. Four WDV isolates belonged to the wheat strain. Our results indicate that WDV-Odessa is an isolate of special interest since it has originated from wheat, but belongs to the barley-adapted strain, providing novel data on WDV biology and raising issues of pathogen epidemiology. PMID:21905629
Hairpin RNA Targeting Multiple Viral Genes Confers Strong Resistance to Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus
Wang, Fangquan; Li, Wenqi; Zhu, Jinyan; Fan, Fangjun; Wang, Jun; Zhong, Weigong; Wang, Ming-Bo; Liu, Qing; Zhu, Qian-Hao; Zhou, Tong; Lan, Ying; Zhou, Yijun; Yang, Jie
Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) belongs to the genus Fijivirus in the family of Reoviridae and causes severe yield loss in rice-producing areas in Asia. RNA silencing, as a natural defence mechanism against plant viruses, has been successfully exploited for engineering virus resistance in plants, including rice. In this study, we generated transgenic rice lines harbouring a hairpin RNA (hpRNA) construct targeting four RBSDV genes, S1, S2, S6 and S10, encoding the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, the putative core protein, the RNA silencing suppressor and the outer capsid protein, respectively. Both field nursery and artificial inoculation assays of three generations of the transgenic lines showed that they had strong resistance to RBSDV infection. The RBSDV resistance in the segregating transgenic populations correlated perfectly with the presence of the hpRNA transgene. Furthermore, the hpRNA transgene was expressed in the highly resistant transgenic lines, giving rise to abundant levels of 21–24 nt small interfering RNA (siRNA). By small RNA deep sequencing, the RBSDV-resistant transgenic lines detected siRNAs from all four viral gene sequences in the hpRNA transgene, indicating that the whole chimeric fusion sequence can be efficiently processed by Dicer into siRNAs. Taken together, our results suggest that long hpRNA targeting multiple viral genes can be used to generate stable and durable virus resistance in rice, as well as other plant species. PMID:27187354
Hairpin RNA Targeting Multiple Viral Genes Confers Strong Resistance to Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus.
Wang, Fangquan; Li, Wenqi; Zhu, Jinyan; Fan, Fangjun; Wang, Jun; Zhong, Weigong; Wang, Ming-Bo; Liu, Qing; Zhu, Qian-Hao; Zhou, Tong; Lan, Ying; Zhou, Yijun; Yang, Jie
Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) belongs to the genus Fijivirus in the family of Reoviridae and causes severe yield loss in rice-producing areas in Asia. RNA silencing, as a natural defence mechanism against plant viruses, has been successfully exploited for engineering virus resistance in plants, including rice. In this study, we generated transgenic rice lines harbouring a hairpin RNA (hpRNA) construct targeting four RBSDV genes, S1, S2, S6 and S10, encoding the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, the putative core protein, the RNA silencing suppressor and the outer capsid protein, respectively. Both field nursery and artificial inoculation assays of three generations of the transgenic lines showed that they had strong resistance to RBSDV infection. The RBSDV resistance in the segregating transgenic populations correlated perfectly with the presence of the hpRNA transgene. Furthermore, the hpRNA transgene was expressed in the highly resistant transgenic lines, giving rise to abundant levels of 21-24 nt small interfering RNA (siRNA). By small RNA deep sequencing, the RBSDV-resistant transgenic lines detected siRNAs from all four viral gene sequences in the hpRNA transgene, indicating that the whole chimeric fusion sequence can be efficiently processed by Dicer into siRNAs. Taken together, our results suggest that long hpRNA targeting multiple viral genes can be used to generate stable and durable virus resistance in rice, as well as other plant species. PMID:27187354
Effect of Growing Environments on Sugars and Acid Developmet in transgenic Raspberry bushy dwarf virus resistant 'Meeker' red raspberry
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus (RBDV) causes significant reduction in yield and crumbly fruit in raspberries as well as raspberry-blackberry hybrids (such as Marion). There is currently no effective treatment once a plant is infected and the only effective prevention is using resistant varieties. Gen...
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Six sets of spring oat (Avena sativa L.) germplasm lines (Reg. No GP-94 to GP-121, PI 641972 to PI 641999) with lines within a set differing for tolerance to Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) were developed and released by the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Illinois and...
First report of Alfalfa mosaic virus and Soybean dwarf virus on soybean in North Dakota
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) is the major oilseed crop in North Dakota with production concentrated in the eastern half of the state. Only one virus, Soybean mosaic virus, has been reported from soybean in North Dakota. In 2010, 200 soybean fields from 25 counties that have the majority of soybe...
Plant cell-directed control of virion sense gene expression in wheat dwarf virus.
Gooding, P S; Batty, N P; Goldsbrough, A P; Mullineaux, P M
We have used particle bombardment (biolistics) to deliver replication-competent wheat dwarf virus (WDV)-based constructs, carrying reporter gene sequences fused to the virion sense promoter (Pv) or the CaMV 35S promoter, to suspension culture cells and immature zygotic embryos of wheat. While the replication of WDV double-stranded DNA forms (replicons) was equivalent between wheat suspension culture cells and embryos, GUS reporter gene activity was 20-40 times higher in the embryo cultures. Maximum expression of WDV replicons occurred in the embryonic axis tissue of wheat embryos but their expression in suspension cells was compromised, compared with transiently maintained input plasmid DNA containing the same sequences. From these studies, we propose that WDV replicons are subject to a host cell-controlled competency for virion sense transcription. The term competency is used to distinguish between the phenomenon described here and control of gene expression by specific transcription factors. Control of competency is independent of Pv, the replacement 35S promoter and of the complementary sense control of virion sense expression involving specific sequences in Pv. We propose that factors controlling the competency for replicon expression may be present in cells which, as well as maintaining high rates of DNA synthesis, are totipotent. Cell type control of active chromatin, methylation of specific sequences in WDV minichromosomes and/or interaction of virus-encoded proteins with specific host factors are considered as possible mechanisms. PMID:10076003
Asymmetric patterns of reassortment and concerted evolution in Cardamom bushy dwarf virus.
Savory, F R; Ramakrishnan, U
Nanoviruses are single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) plant viruses which have multipartite genomes consisting of discrete, individually encapsidated components. This multipartite strategy may lead to high rates of reassortment, whereby entire genome components are exchanged among different strains. However, few studies have explored the extent to which reassortment shapes the genetic diversity of nanovirus populations. Here we present an extensive analysis of reassortment among 163 Cardamom bushy dwarf virus (CBDV; Nanoviridae family, Babuvirus genus) isolates collected in Northeast India. We also examined evidence of recombination, which is known to play a role in the evolutionary dynamics of nanovirus populations. By sequencing six discrete genome components for each isolate, we demonstrate that over 40% of the isolates display evidence of at least one reassortment event during their evolutionary histories. Nevertheless, a bias in the frequencies at which different genome components reassort was observed, with the DNA-M and DNA-N components being the most predisposed to reassortment. This may reflect variation in the ability of different genome components to function efficiently in a foreign genomic background. Comparisons of the common regions of different genome components revealed signatures of concerted evolution mediated by frequent inter-component homologous recombination. This process, which has previously been reported in nanoviruses and other multipartite ssDNA viruses, may allow proteins which initiate replication to maintain control over distinct genome components. Notably, DNA-N, one of the genome components most prone to reassortment, also exhibited the most frequent inter-component homologous recombination. This supports the idea that inter-component homologous recombination may promote the efficient replication of novel components which are introduced into a genome via reassortment. PMID:24613431
Tripartite Interactions of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus, Sitobion avenae and Wheat Varieties
Liu, Xiao-Feng; Hu, Xiang-Shun; Keller, Mike A.; Zhao, Hui-Yan; Wu, Yun-Feng; Liu, Tong-Xian
The tripartite interactions in a pathosystem involving wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), the Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), and the BYDV vector aphid Sitobion avenae were studied under field conditions to determine the impact of these interactions on aphid populations, virus pathology and grain yield. Wheat varietal resistance to BYDV and aphids varied among the three wheat varieties studied over two consecutive years. The results demonstrated that (1) aphid peak number (APN) in the aphid + BYDV (viruliferous aphid) treatment was greater and occurred earlier than that in the non-viruliferous aphid treatment. The APN and the area under the curve of population dynamics (AUC) on a S. avenae-resistant variety 98-10-30 was significantly lower than on two aphid-susceptible varieties Tam200(13)G and Xiaoyan6. (2) The production of alatae (PA) was greater on the variety 98-10-30 than on the other varieties, and PA was greater in the aphid + BYDV treatment on 98-10-30 than in the non-viruliferous aphid treatment, but this trend was reversed on Tam200(13)G and Xiaoyan6. (3) The BYDV disease incidence (DIC) on the variety 98-10-30 was greater than that on the other two varieties in 2012, and the disease index (DID) on Tam200(13)G was lower than on the other varieties in the aphid + BYDV and BYDV treatments in 2012, but not in 2011 when aphid vector numbers were generally lower. (4) Yield loss in the aphid + BYDV treatment tended to be greater than that in the aphid or BYDV alone treatments across varieties and years. We suggested that aphid population development and BYDV transmission tend to promote each other under field conditions. The aphids + BYDV treatment caused greater yield reductions than non-viruliferous aphids or virus treatment. Wheat varietal resistance in 98-10-30 affects the aphid dispersal, virus transmission and wheat yield loss though inhibits aphid populations from increasing. PMID:25184214
Complete sequence and development of a full-length infectious clone of an Ohio isolate of Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV)
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) is an important and widespread aphid-transmitted virus of corn. It is a member of the genus Potyvirus in the family Potyviridae. Here we report the complete genome sequence of, and construction of an infectious clone of an Ohio isolate of MDMV-A. MDMV sequences from i...
In vitro interactions of the aphid endosymbiotic SymL chaperonin with barley yellow dwarf virus.
Filichkin, S A; Brumfield, S; Filichkin, T P; Young, M J
Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)-vector relationships suggest that there are specific interactions between BYDV virions and the aphid's cellular components. However, little is known about vector factors that mediate virion recognition, cellular trafficking, and accumulation within the aphid. Symbionins are molecular chaperonins produced by intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria and are the most abundant proteins found in aphids. To elucidate the potential role of symbionins in BYDV transmission, we have isolated and characterized two new symbionin symL genes encoded by the endosymbionts which are harbored by the BYDV aphid vectors Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae. Endosymbiont symL-encoded proteins have extensive homology with the pea aphid SymL and Escherichia coli GroEL chaperonin. Recombinant and native SymL proteins can be assembled into oligomeric complexes which are similar to the GroEL oligomer. R. padi SymL protein demonstrates an in vitro binding affinity for BYDV and its recombinant readthrough polypeptide. In contrast to the R. padi SymL, the closely related GroEL does not exhibit a significant binding affinity either for BYDV or for its recombinant readthrough polypeptide. Comparative sequence analysis between SymL and GroEL was used to identify potential SymL-BYDV binding sites. Affinity binding of SymL to BYDV in vitro suggests a potential involvement of endosymbiotic chaperonins in interactions with virions during their trafficking through the aphid. PMID:8985385
Genetic variation of eggplant mottled dwarf virus from annual and perennial plant hosts.
Pappi, Polyxeni G; Maliogka, Varvara I; Amoutzias, Gregory D; Katis, Nikolaos I
The genetic diversity of eggplant mottled dwarf virus (EMDV), a member of the family Rhabdoviridae, was studied using isolates collected from different herbaceous and woody plant species and remote geographic areas. Sequences corresponding to the N, X, P, Y, M and G ORFs as well as the untranslated regions (UTRs) between ORFs were determined from all isolates. Low genetic diversity was found in almost all genomic regions studied except for the X ORF and the UTRs, which were more variable, while interestingly, an EMDV isolate from caper possessed a truncated G gene sequence. Furthermore, low d N /d S ratios, indicative of purifying selection, were calculated for all genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the EMDV isolates clustered in three distinct subgroups based on their geographical origin, with the exception of one subgroup that consisted of isolates from northern Greece and Cyprus. Overall, the level of genetic diversity of EMDV differed between seed- and asexually propagated plants in our collection, and this could be related to the mode of transmission. PMID:26660163
Interactions between Metopolophium festucae cerealium (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-PAV).
Sadeghi, S E; Bjur, J; Ingwell, L; Unger, L; Bosque-Pérez, N A; Eigenbrode, S D
Interactions between an invasive aphid, Metopolophium festucae (Theobald) subsp. cerealium, and Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-PAV) were studied under laboratory conditions. M. festucae cerealium is an economic pest of wheat and barley that has recently been found in high population densities in wheat in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. BYDV-PAV is the most prevalent and injurious species of BYDV worldwide and in the Pacific Northwest. Although M. festucae sensu stricto (Theobald 1917) has been reported previously as a vector of some BYDV isolates, there is no confirmed transmission of BYDV by M. festucae cerealium. Two experiments examined the ability of M. festucae cerealium to transmit BYDV-PAV. The first used single aphids caged to indicator plants of a BYDV-susceptible winter wheat cultivar and the second used multiple aphids on each test plant. M. festucae cerealium did not transmit BYDV-PAV in either experiment, whereas transmission by a known BYDV vector, Rhopalosiphum padi L., was consistently high (≥ 93%). A third experiment compared the intrinsic growth rate, days until first reproduction and daily reproduction by M. festucae cerealium on sham-inoculated and BYDV-PAV-infected wheat, but detected no differences. The findings are reviewed in light published data on M. festucae species, BYDV transmission, and the potential pest status of this new invading aphid. PMID:26896673
Response of oats infected with barley yellow dwarf virus to elevated carbon dioxide
Malmstroem, C.M.; Field, C.B. |
We examined the effects of elevated carbon dioxide on Avena sativa, cv. California Red, infected with barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) (PAV serotype). BYDV is a luteovirus that infects many genera of grasses, including Triticum, Hordeum, and Avena. Viral activity disrupts phloem transport, causing carbohydrate accumulation in leaves and reduction in root fraction. We measured tillering and biomass accumulation in individual Avena grown in large (2.5L) pots in temperature-controlled phytocells at two levels of carbon dioxide (ambient & ambient + 350 ppm). As expected, BYDV infection reduced plant growth and CO{sub 2} enrichment increased it. Notably, however, the percentage increase in biomass with enrichment was greatest for infected plants. The percentage change for infected plants was +33% at Day 42 and +32% at Day 60, but -2% and +10% for uninfected controls. Thus, enhanced carbohydrate production under enrichment may allow infected plants to partially overcome viral-induced restrictions in carbohydrate transport. This result raises an important issue, namely that diseased plants may respond differently than healthy ones to CO{sub 2} enrichment, with potential ecological consequences.
Interactions between Metopolophium festucae cerealium (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-PAV)
Sadeghi, S. E.; Bjur, J.; Ingwell, L.; Unger, L.; Bosque-Pérez, N. A.; Eigenbrode, S. D.
Interactions between an invasive aphid, Metopolophium festucae (Theobald) subsp. cerealium, and Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-PAV) were studied under laboratory conditions. M. festucae cerealium is an economic pest of wheat and barley that has recently been found in high population densities in wheat in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. BYDV-PAV is the most prevalent and injurious species of BYDV worldwide and in the Pacific Northwest. Although M. festucae sensu stricto (Theobald 1917) has been reported previously as a vector of some BYDV isolates, there is no confirmed transmission of BYDV by M. festucae cerealium. Two experiments examined the ability of M. festucae cerealium to transmit BYDV-PAV. The first used single aphids caged to indicator plants of a BYDV-susceptible winter wheat cultivar and the second used multiple aphids on each test plant. M. festucae cerealium did not transmit BYDV-PAV in either experiment, whereas transmission by a known BYDV vector, Rhopalosiphum padi L., was consistently high (≥93%). A third experiment compared the intrinsic growth rate, days until first reproduction and daily reproduction by M. festucae cerealium on sham-inoculated and BYDV-PAV-infected wheat, but detected no differences. The findings are reviewed in light published data on M. festucae species, BYDV transmission, and the potential pest status of this new invading aphid. PMID:26896673
Mapping of QTL for Tolerance to Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus in Two-rowed Spring Barley
Gallagher, L.; Falk, B. W.; Brown-Guedira, G.; Pellerin, E.; Dubcovsky, J.
Cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV-RPV) causes a serious viral disease affecting small grain crops around the world. In the United States, it frequently is present in California where it causes significant yield losses, and when infections start early in development, plant death. CYDV is transmitted by aphids, and it has been a major impediment to developing malting barley in California. To identify chromosome locations associated with tolerance/resistance to CYDV, a segregating population of 184 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) from a cross of the California adapted malting barley line Butta 12 with the CYDV tolerant Madre Selva was used to construct a genetic map including 180 polymorphic markers mapping to 163 unique loci. Tolerance to CYDV was evaluated in replicated experiments where plants were challenged by aphid mediated inoculation with the isolate CYDV-RPV in a controlled environment. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis revealed the presence of two major QTL for CYDV tolerance from Madre Selva on chromosomes 2H (Qcyd.MaBu-1) and 7H (Qcyd.MaBu-2), and 4 minor QTL from Butta 12 on chromosomes 3H, 4H, and 2H. This paper discusses the contribution of each QTL and their potential value to improve barley tolerance to CYDV. PMID:27212713
Introgression and characterization of barley yellow dwarf virus resistance from Thinopyrum intermedium into wheat.
Sharma, H; Ohm, H; Goulart, L; Lister, R; Appels, R; Benlhabib, O
Wheatgrasses (species of Agropyron complex) have previously been reported to be resistant to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). To introgress this resistance into wheat, Triticum aestivum x Thinopyrum (Agropyron) intermedium hybrids were advanced through a backcrossing program and reaction to BYDV, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), is reported for the first time in backcross populations of wide hybrids between wheat and wheatgrasses. ELISA values revealed highly resistant to highly susceptible segregants in backcrosses. BYDV resistance was expressed in some backcross derivatives. Continued selection, based on cytology and ELISA in each generation, eliminated most of the unwanted wheatgrass chromosomes and produced self-fertile BYDV resistant wheat lines. The BYDV resistant lines with 2n = 42 had normal chromosome pairing similar to wheat, and their F1 hybrids with wheat had two univalents. DNA analyses showed that the source of alien chromatin in these BYDV resistant wheat lines is distinguishable from that in other Th. intermedium derived BYDV resistant wheat lines. Chromosome pairing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses indicated that the 42 chromosome resistant Purdue wheat lines are substitution lines in which chromosome 7D was replaced by a chromosome from Th. intermedium that was carrying gene(s) for BYDV resistance. PMID:18470179
Low Temperature Storage of Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus-Infected Rice Plants Cannot Sustain Virus Transmission by the Vector.
Liu, Danfeng; Li, Pei; Han, Yongqiang; Lei, Wenbin; Hou, Maolin
Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) is a novel virus transmitted by white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Hováth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Due to low virus transmission efficiency by the planthopper, researchers are frequently confronted with shortage of viruliferous vectors or infected rice plants, especially in winter and the following spring. To find new ways to maintain virus-infected materials, viral rice plants were stored at -80°C for 45 or 140 d and evaluated as virus sources in virus transmission by the vector. SRBSDV virions were not degraded during storage at -80°C as indicated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and reverse transcription real-time PCR detection. The planthopper nymphs fed on the infected thawed plants for 48 h survived at about 40% and showed positive detection of SRBSDV, but they lost the virus after feeding for another 20 d (the circulative transmission period) on noninfected plants. Transmission electron microscope images indicated broken capsid of virions in infected thawed leaves in contrast to integrity capsid of virions in infected fresh leaves. These results show that low temperature storage of SRBSDV-infected rice plants cannot sustain virus transmission by white-backed planthopper. PMID:26405060
Variation in susceptibility to Wheat dwarf virus among wild and domesticated wheat.
Nygren, Jim; Shad, Nadeem; Kvarnheden, Anders; Westerbergh, Anna
We investigated the variation in plant response in host-pathogen interactions between wild (Aegilops spp., Triticum spp.) and domesticated wheat (Triticum spp.) and Wheat dwarf virus (WDV). The distribution of WDV and its wild host species overlaps in Western Asia in the Fertile Crescent, suggesting a coevolutionary relationship. Bread wheat originates from a natural hybridization between wild emmer wheat (carrying the A and B genomes) and the wild D genome donor Aegilops tauschii, followed by polyploidization and domestication. We studied whether the strong selection during these evolutionary processes, leading to genetic bottlenecks, may have resulted in a loss of resistance in domesticated wheat. In addition, we investigated whether putative fluctuations in intensity of selection imposed on the host-pathogen interactions have resulted in a variation in susceptibility to WDV. To test our hypotheses we evaluated eighteen wild and domesticated wheat taxa, directly or indirectly involved in wheat evolution, for traits associated with WDV disease such as leaf chlorosis, different growth traits and WDV content. The plants were exposed to viruliferous leafhoppers (Psammotettix alienus) in a greenhouse trial and evaluated at two time points. We found three different plant response patterns: i) continuous reduction in growth over time, ii) weak response at an early stage of plant development but a much stronger response at a later stage, and iii) remission of symptoms over time. Variation in susceptibility may be explained by differences in the intensity of natural selection, shaping the coevolutionary interaction between WDV and the wild relatives. However, genetic bottlenecks during wheat evolution have not had a strong impact on WDV resistance. Further, this study indicates that the variation in susceptibility may be associated with the genome type and that the ancestor Ae. tauschii may be useful as genetic resource for the improvement of WDV resistance in wheat. PMID
Variation in Susceptibility to Wheat dwarf virus among Wild and Domesticated Wheat
Nygren, Jim; Shad, Nadeem; Kvarnheden, Anders; Westerbergh, Anna
We investigated the variation in plant response in host-pathogen interactions between wild (Aegilops spp., Triticum spp.) and domesticated wheat (Triticum spp.) and Wheat dwarf virus (WDV). The distribution of WDV and its wild host species overlaps in Western Asia in the Fertile Crescent, suggesting a coevolutionary relationship. Bread wheat originates from a natural hybridization between wild emmer wheat (carrying the A and B genomes) and the wild D genome donor Aegilops tauschii, followed by polyploidization and domestication. We studied whether the strong selection during these evolutionary processes, leading to genetic bottlenecks, may have resulted in a loss of resistance in domesticated wheat. In addition, we investigated whether putative fluctuations in intensity of selection imposed on the host-pathogen interactions have resulted in a variation in susceptibility to WDV. To test our hypotheses we evaluated eighteen wild and domesticated wheat taxa, directly or indirectly involved in wheat evolution, for traits associated with WDV disease such as leaf chlorosis, different growth traits and WDV content. The plants were exposed to viruliferous leafhoppers (Psammotettix alienus) in a greenhouse trial and evaluated at two time points. We found three different plant response patterns: i) continuous reduction in growth over time, ii) weak response at an early stage of plant development but a much stronger response at a later stage, and iii) remission of symptoms over time. Variation in susceptibility may be explained by differences in the intensity of natural selection, shaping the coevolutionary interaction between WDV and the wild relatives. However, genetic bottlenecks during wheat evolution have not had a strong impact on WDV resistance. Further, this study indicates that the variation in susceptibility may be associated with the genome type and that the ancestor Ae. tauschii may be useful as genetic resource for the improvement of WDV resistance in wheat. PMID
Coherent diffraction of single Rice Dwarf virus particles using hard X-rays at the Linac Coherent Light Source.
Munke, Anna; Andreasson, Jakob; Aquila, Andrew; Awel, Salah; Ayyer, Kartik; Barty, Anton; Bean, Richard J; Berntsen, Peter; Bielecki, Johan; Boutet, Sébastien; Bucher, Maximilian; Chapman, Henry N; Daurer, Benedikt J; DeMirci, Hasan; Elser, Veit; Fromme, Petra; Hajdu, Janos; Hantke, Max F; Higashiura, Akifumi; Hogue, Brenda G; Hosseinizadeh, Ahmad; Kim, Yoonhee; Kirian, Richard A; Reddy, Hemanth K N; Lan, Ti-Yen; Larsson, Daniel S D; Liu, Haiguang; Loh, N Duane; Maia, Filipe R N C; Mancuso, Adrian P; Mühlig, Kerstin; Nakagawa, Atsushi; Nam, Daewoong; Nelson, Garrett; Nettelblad, Carl; Okamoto, Kenta; Ourmazd, Abbas; Rose, Max; van der Schot, Gijs; Schwander, Peter; Seibert, M Marvin; Sellberg, Jonas A; Sierra, Raymond G; Song, Changyong; Svenda, Martin; Timneanu, Nicusor; Vartanyants, Ivan A; Westphal, Daniel; Wiedorn, Max O; Williams, Garth J; Xavier, Paulraj Lourdu; Yoon, Chun Hong; Zook, James
Single particle diffractive imaging data from Rice Dwarf Virus (RDV) were recorded using the Coherent X-ray Imaging (CXI) instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). RDV was chosen as it is a well-characterized model system, useful for proof-of-principle experiments, system optimization and algorithm development. RDV, an icosahedral virus of about 70 nm in diameter, was aerosolized and injected into the approximately 0.1 μm diameter focused hard X-ray beam at the CXI instrument of LCLS. Diffraction patterns from RDV with signal to 5.9 Ångström were recorded. The diffraction data are available through the Coherent X-ray Imaging Data Bank (CXIDB) as a resource for algorithm development, the contents of which are described here. PMID:27478984
Coherent diffraction of single Rice Dwarf virus particles using hard X-rays at the Linac Coherent Light Source
Munke, Anna; Andreasson, Jakob; Aquila, Andrew; Awel, Salah; Ayyer, Kartik; Barty, Anton; Bean, Richard J.; Berntsen, Peter; Bielecki, Johan; Boutet, Sébastien; Bucher, Maximilian; Chapman, Henry N.; Daurer, Benedikt J.; DeMirci, Hasan; Elser, Veit; Fromme, Petra; Hajdu, Janos; Hantke, Max F.; Higashiura, Akifumi; Hogue, Brenda G.; Hosseinizadeh, Ahmad; Kim, Yoonhee; Kirian, Richard A.; Reddy, Hemanth K.N.; Lan, Ti-Yen; Larsson, Daniel S.D.; Liu, Haiguang; Loh, N. Duane; Maia, Filipe R.N.C.; Mancuso, Adrian P.; Mühlig, Kerstin; Nakagawa, Atsushi; Nam, Daewoong; Nelson, Garrett; Nettelblad, Carl; Okamoto, Kenta; Ourmazd, Abbas; Rose, Max; van der Schot, Gijs; Schwander, Peter; Seibert, M. Marvin; Sellberg, Jonas A.; Sierra, Raymond G.; Song, Changyong; Svenda, Martin; Timneanu, Nicusor; Vartanyants, Ivan A.; Westphal, Daniel; Wiedorn, Max O.; Williams, Garth J.; Xavier, Paulraj Lourdu; Yoon, Chun Hong; Zook, James
Single particle diffractive imaging data from Rice Dwarf Virus (RDV) were recorded using the Coherent X-ray Imaging (CXI) instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). RDV was chosen as it is a well-characterized model system, useful for proof-of-principle experiments, system optimization and algorithm development. RDV, an icosahedral virus of about 70 nm in diameter, was aerosolized and injected into the approximately 0.1 μm diameter focused hard X-ray beam at the CXI instrument of LCLS. Diffraction patterns from RDV with signal to 5.9 Ångström were recorded. The diffraction data are available through the Coherent X-ray Imaging Data Bank (CXIDB) as a resource for algorithm development, the contents of which are described here. PMID:27478984
Polycistronic artificial miRNA-mediated resistance to Wheat dwarf virus in barley is highly efficient at low temperature.
Kis, András; Tholt, Gergely; Ivanics, Milán; Várallyay, Éva; Jenes, Barnabás; Havelda, Zoltán
Infection of Wheat dwarf virus (WDV) strains on barley results in dwarf disease, imposing severe economic losses on crop production. As the natural resistance resources against this virus are limited, it is imperative to elaborate a biotechnological approach that will provide effective and safe immunity to a wide range of WDV strains. Because vector insect-mediated WDV infection occurs during cool periods in nature, it is important to identify a technology which is effective at lower temperature. In this study, we designed artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) using a barley miRNA precursor backbone, which target different conservative sequence elements of the WDV strains. Potential amiRNA sequences were selected to minimize the off-target effects and were tested in a transient sensor system in order to select the most effective constructs at low temperature. On the basis of the data obtained, a polycistronic amiRNA precursor construct (VirusBuster171) was built expressing three amiRNAs simultaneously. The construct was transformed into barley under the control of a constitutive promoter. The transgenic lines were kept at 12-15 °C to mimic autumn and spring conditions in which major WDV infection and accumulation take place. We were able to establish a stable barley transgenic line displaying resistance to insect-mediated WDV infection. Our study demonstrates that amiRNA technology can be an efficient tool for the introduction of highly efficient resistance in barley against a DNA virus belonging to the Geminiviridae family, and this resistance is effective at low temperature where the natural insect vector mediates the infection process. PMID:26136043
A Raspberry bushy dwarf virus isolate from Ecuadorean Rubus glaucus contains an additional RNA that is a rearrangement of RNA 2
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
A new Raspberry bushy dwarf virus isolate was found in commercial blackberry (Rubus glaucus) in Azuay, province of Ecuador and named RBDV-Ec-Az. The complete bipartite genome was sequenced using dsRNA as initial template. RNA 1 was 5449 nucleotides (nt) long and the normal RBDV RNA 2 was 2231 nt lon...
Dispensability of the major coat protein of oat blue dwarf virus in genome replication: Substitution of the open reading frame with the enhanced green fluorescent protein gene
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Oat blue dwarf virus (OBDV) is a representative marafivirus that infects monocots and a limited number of dicot species and is vectored propagatively by the leafhopper Macrosteles fascifrons.Recently, we reported the generation of clone pOBDV-2r, the first clone of a marafivirus from which infectiou...
Comparison of Aroma-active Compounds in Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus-Resistant Transgenic 'Meeker' Red Raspberries Using Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) causes significant reduction in yield and quality in raspberry and raspberry-blackberry hybrid. Genetic modifications were made to 'Meeker' red raspberries to impart RBDV resistance. The RBDV-resistant transgenic and wild type 'Meeker' plants were grown in Oregon ...
Genetic Diversity in the Coat Protein Genes of Prune dwarf virus Isolates from Sweet Cherry Growing in Turkey
Öztürk, Yusuf; Çevik, Bayram
Sweet cherry is an important fruit crop with increasing economical value in Turkey and the world. A number of viruses cause diseases and economical losses in sweet cherry. Prune dwarf virus (PDV), is one of the most common viruses of stone fruits including sweet cherry in the world. In this study, PDV was detected from 316 of 521 sweet cherry samples collected from 142 orchards in 10 districts of Isparta province of Turkey by double antibody sandwich-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). The presence of PDV in ELISA positive samples was confirmed in 37 isolates by reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. A genomic region of 862 bp containing the coat protein (CP) gene of PDV was re-amplified from 21 selected isolates by RT-PCR. Amplified DNA fragments of these isolates were purified and sequenced for molecular characterization and determining genetic diversity of PDV. Sequence comparisons showed 84–99% to 81–100% sequence identity at nucleotide and amino acid level, respectively, of the CP genes of PDV isolates from Isparta and other parts of the world. Phylogenetic analyses of the CP genes of PDV isolates from different geographical origins and diverse hosts revealed that PDV isolates formed different phylogenetic groups. While isolates were not grouped solely based on their geographical origins or hosts, some association between phylogenetic groups and geographical origins or hosts were observed. PMID:25774109
OsRDR6 plays role in host defense against double-stranded RNA virus, Rice Dwarf Phytoreovirus
Hong, Wei; Qian, Dan; Sun, Runhong; Jiang, Lin; Wang, Yu; Wei, Chunhong; Zhang, Zhongkai; Li, Yi
RNAi is a major antiviral defense response in plant and animal model systems. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 6 (RDR6) is an essential component of RNAi, which plays an important role in the resistance against viruses in the model plants. We found previously that rice RDR6 (OsRDR6) functioned in the defense against Rice stripe virus (RSV), and Rice Dwarf Phytoreovirus (RDV) infection resulted in down-regulation of expression of RDR6. Here we report our new findings on the function of OsRDR6 against RDV. Our result showed that down-regulation of OsRDR6 through the antisense (OsRDR6AS) strategy increased rice susceptibility to RDV infection while over-expression of OsRDR6 had no effect on RDV infection. The accumulation of RDV vsiRNAs was reduced in the OsRDR6AS plants. In the OsRDR6 over-expressed plants, the levels of OsRDR6 RNA transcript and protein were much higher than that in the control plants. Interestingly, the accumulation level of OsRDR6 protein became undetectable after RDV infection. This finding indicated that the translation and/or stability of OsRDR6 protein were negatively impacted upon RDV infection. This new finding provides a new light on the function of RDR6 in plant defense response and the cross-talking between factors encoded by host plant and double-stranded RNA viruses. PMID:26165755
Development and Practical Use of RT-PCR for Seed-transmitted Prune dwarf virus in Quarantine
Lee, Siwon; Shin, Yong-Gil
Among imported plants, seeds are the items that have many latent pathogens and are difficult to inspect. Also, they are the import and export items whose market is expected to expand. The biggest problem with seeds is viruses. Prune dwarf virus (PDV) is the virus that is commonly inspected in Prunus cerasifera, P. persica, P. armeniaca, P. mandshurica, P. cerasus, P. avium or P. serotina seeds. In this study, two RT-PCR primer sets, which can promptly and specifically diagnose plant quarantine seed-transmitted PDV, were developed; and nested PCR primers, where products amplify 739 and 673 nucleotides (nt), and an nested PCR-product, 305 nt, can be obtained as these products are amplified again, were developed. Also, a modified-positive control plasmid was developed, where the restriction enzyme XhoI, which can identify the contamination of samples from the control, was inserted. The method developed in this study has detected PDV in 18 cases since 2007, and is expected to continuously contribute to the plant quarantine in Korea. PMID:25289000
Development and Practical Use of RT-PCR for Seed-transmitted Prune dwarf virus in Quarantine.
Lee, Siwon; Shin, Yong-Gil
Among imported plants, seeds are the items that have many latent pathogens and are difficult to inspect. Also, they are the import and export items whose market is expected to expand. The biggest problem with seeds is viruses. Prune dwarf virus (PDV) is the virus that is commonly inspected in Prunus cerasifera, P. persica, P. armeniaca, P. mandshurica, P. cerasus, P. avium or P. serotina seeds. In this study, two RT-PCR primer sets, which can promptly and specifically diagnose plant quarantine seed-transmitted PDV, were developed; and nested PCR primers, where products amplify 739 and 673 nucleotides (nt), and an nested PCR-product, 305 nt, can be obtained as these products are amplified again, were developed. Also, a modified-positive control plasmid was developed, where the restriction enzyme XhoI, which can identify the contamination of samples from the control, was inserted. The method developed in this study has detected PDV in 18 cases since 2007, and is expected to continuously contribute to the plant quarantine in Korea. PMID:25289000
Genome-Wide Association Mapping of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus Tolerance in Spring Oat (Avena sativa L.).
Foresman, Bradley J; Oliver, Rebekah E; Jackson, Eric W; Chao, Shiaoman; Arruda, Marcio P; Kolb, Frederic L
Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) are responsible for the disease barley yellow dwarf (BYD) and affect many cereals including oat (Avena sativa L.). Until recently, the molecular marker technology in oat has not allowed for many marker-trait association studies to determine the genetic mechanisms for tolerance. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on 428 spring oat lines using a recently developed high-density oat single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array as well as a SNP-based consensus map. Marker-trait associations were performed using a Q-K mixed model approach to control for population structure and relatedness. Six significant SNP-trait associations representing two QTL were found on chromosomes 3C (Mrg17) and 18D (Mrg04). This is the first report of BYDV tolerance QTL on chromosome 3C (Mrg17) and 18D (Mrg04). Haplotypes using the two QTL were evaluated and distinct classes for tolerance were identified based on the number of favorable alleles. A large number of lines carrying both favorable alleles were observed in the panel. PMID:27175781
Genome-Wide Association Mapping of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus Tolerance in Spring Oat (Avena sativa L.)
Foresman, Bradley J.; Oliver, Rebekah E.; Jackson, Eric W.; Chao, Shiaoman; Arruda, Marcio P.; Kolb, Frederic L.
Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) are responsible for the disease barley yellow dwarf (BYD) and affect many cereals including oat (Avena sativa L.). Until recently, the molecular marker technology in oat has not allowed for many marker-trait association studies to determine the genetic mechanisms for tolerance. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on 428 spring oat lines using a recently developed high-density oat single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array as well as a SNP-based consensus map. Marker-trait associations were performed using a Q-K mixed model approach to control for population structure and relatedness. Six significant SNP-trait associations representing two QTL were found on chromosomes 3C (Mrg17) and 18D (Mrg04). This is the first report of BYDV tolerance QTL on chromosome 3C (Mrg17) and 18D (Mrg04). Haplotypes using the two QTL were evaluated and distinct classes for tolerance were identified based on the number of favorable alleles. A large number of lines carrying both favorable alleles were observed in the panel. PMID:27175781
A Spatial Model of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus in Competing Plant Species with Seasonality and Age Structure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Manore, C. A.; Moore, S.; Bokil, V. A.; Borer, E.; Hosseini, P.
Barley yellow dwarf virus infects over 100 grass species in agricultural and natural systems, mitigating success of invasive species. We model BYDV transmission within a spatial framework incorporating the movement of aphid vectors between discrete host patches. We examine BYDV persistence and alteration of pathogen-mediated interactions between perennial and annual competitors across a range of host community and spatial configurations. A sensitivity analysis of the disease basic reproduction number identifies how key parameters influence the ability of the pathogen to invade a heterogeneous host community. Although high perennial abundance slows the initial spread of BYDV, numerical simulations of many patches demonstrate that increasing connectivity between patches tends to increase prevalence. The ability of competitively inferior annual grasses to coexistence with perennials depends on patch configuration, with annuals in patches further away from the source of infection going extinct before BYDV spreads to the patch.
Whole-genome expression analysis of Rice black-streaked dwarf virus in different plant hosts and small brown planthopper.
Xu, Qiufang; Ni, Haiping; Zhang, Jinfeng; Lan, Ying; Ren, Chunmei; Zhou, Yijun
Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) can infect a number of gramineous plants and cause severe crop yield losses in southeast Asian countries. The virus is transmitted by small brown planthopper (SBPH) in a persistent circulative manner. The interactions between RBSDV and its different hosts remain unknown. Besides, how the virus adjusts itself to infect different hosts is unclear. In the present study, the relative RNA levels of the thirteen RBSDV genes in rice, maize, wheat, and SBPH were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. P7-1 and P10 genes were predominantly expressed whereas P8 and P7-2 genes were expressed at low levels in plant hosts. Similar to the expression in rice, P7-1 was the most abundantly expressed gene and P8 was expressed at the lowest level in SBPH, indicating that RBSDV adopts the same strategy to infect distinct hosts. The high expression levels of the P7-1 gene in both plants and insect suggest that it can be used as the target gene for disease diagnostics. However, the expression levels of some genes varied from host to host. P5-1, P6 and P9-1, the components of the RBSDV viroplasm, are differentially expressed in different hosts. Moreover, western blot analysis showed that the quantity of the P9-1 protein was more abundant in SBPH than in plant hosts. These data indicate that the virus may adjust its own gene expression to replicate in different hosts. Analysis of time course of gene expression revealed that P7-1 stands out as the only gene highly expressed at the earliest time point and its expression precedes all others throughout infection from 8 to 24days post-inoculation. The high expression levels of the P7-1 gene suggest that it plays a significant role in RBSDV-host interactions. PMID:26149652
Pollen tubes introduce Raspberry bushy dwarf virus into embryo sacs during fertilization processes.
Isogai, Masamichi; Yoshida, Tetu; Shimura, Takuya; Yoshikawa, Nobuyuki
We developed a fertilization method in which pollen tubes entered into embryo sacs without any need to contact surrounding female sporophytic cells by using Torenia fournieri (Torenia) plants under the condition of hindering movement of the virus from a stigma, which is the first infection site leading to systemic infection. When RBDV-infected Torenia pollen grains were used for the developed fertilization method, the virus was transmitted to the seeds by pollen tubes germinating from them. On the other hand, no seeds were infected with the virus when Torenia plants were pollinated with healthy Torenia pollen grains in combination with RBDV-infected raspberry pollen grains, which caused the virus infection in the stigma by penetration of their pollen tubes arrested in its style. Our results indicate that vertical transmission of RBDV by pollen occurs in the transport of the virus into embryo sacs by pollen tubes reaching the embryo sacs. PMID:26176979
Clinostating effects on biochemical characteristics and productivity of healthy and virus-infected wheat plants of dwarf apogee variety
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mishchenko, L. T.; Silayeva, A. M.; Mishchenko, I. A.; Boyko, A. L.
The effects of clinostating on physiological processes and biochemical characteristics of wheat plants ( Triticum aestivum L.) both healthy and infected by the wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) were studied. In six experiments, each lasting over 30 days, healthy and infected plants of the dwarf Apogee variety were grown under conditions of continuous horizontal and vertical clinostating with 2 rpm at 21 ± 2 °C and 6000 lx (the optimal moisture of a substrate being maintained). The control variants (healthy and infected) were simultaneously grown under the same conditions of temperature and illumination in stationary containers and in open pots. During the experiment, visual observations were carried out over the state of tested plants. After completing the experiment, biometric indices, pigment, carbohydrate and dry matter contents were determined in all the plants. It was shown that clinostating sharply reduced the reproductive function of healthy plants and considerably affected their biomass (productivity) and concentration of chlorophylls and sugars. The viral infection resulted in further reduction of these characteristics. In control variants the viral effect was more significant. We speculate that clinostating reduced the rate of reproduction and spread of the virus.
Characterization of a new curtovirus, pepper yellow dwarf virus, from chile pepper and distribution in weed hosts in New Mexico.
Lam, Nhan; Creamer, Rebecca; Rascon, Jaime; Belfon, Robert
member of a new curtovirus species. Chile peppers infected with this virus in the field express chlorotic stunting symptoms, so we propose the name pepper yellow dwarf virus (PeYDV). This new curtovirus species may be the result of mutations in the genome and recombination between BMCTV-W4 and BSCTV. PMID:19198754
First report of Raspberry bushy dwarf virus in blackberry in Ecuador
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
During the past two decades, several viruses have been identified from Rubus (blackberry and raspberry) in wild and commercial plantings around the world (1) In Ecuador; approximately 14 tons of blackberries (Rubus glaucus) are produced each year in an estimated area of 5,500 hectares. This crop pro...
Integrative proteomics to understand the transmission mechanism of Barley yellow dwarf virus-GPV by its insect vector Rhopalosiphum padi
Wang, Hui; Wu, Keke; Liu, Yan; Wu, Yunfeng; Wang, Xifeng
Barley yellow dwarf virus-GPV (BYDV-GPV) is transmitted by Rhopalosiphum padi and Schizaphis graminum in a persistent nonpropagative manner. To improve our understanding of its transmission mechanism by aphid vectors, we used two approaches, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) and yeast two-hybrid (YTH) system, to identify proteins in R. padi that may interact with or direct the spread of BYDV-GPV along the circulative transmission pathway. Thirty-three differential aphid proteins in viruliferous and nonviruliferous insects were identified using iTRAQ coupled to 2DLC-MS/MS. With the yeast two-hybrid system, 25 prey proteins were identified as interacting with the readthrough protein (RTP) and eight with the coat protein (CP), which are encoded by BYDV-GPV. Among the aphid proteins identified, most were involved in primary energy metabolism, synaptic vesicle cycle, the proteasome pathway and the cell cytoskeleton organization pathway. In a systematic comparison of the two methods, we found that the information generated by the two methods was complementary. Taken together, our findings provide useful information on the interactions between BYDV-GPV and its vector R. padi to further our understanding of the mechanisms regulating circulative transmission in aphid vectors. PMID:26161807
An integrated protein localization and interaction map for Potato yellow dwarf virus, type species of the genus Nucleorhabdovirus
Bandyopadhyay, Anindya; Kopperud, Kristin; Anderson, Gavin; Martin, Kathleen; Goodin, Michael
The genome of Potato yellow dwarf virus (PYDV; Nucleorhabdovirus type species) was determined to be 12,875 nucleotides (nt). The antigenome is organized into seven open reading frames (ORFs) ordered 3'-N-X-P-Y-M-G-L-5', which likely encode the nucleocapsid, phospho, movement, matrix, glyco and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase proteins, respectively, except for X, which is of unknown function. The ORFs are flanked by a 3' leader RNA of 149 nt and a 5' trailer RNA of 97 nt, and are separated by conserved intergenic junctions. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that PYDV is closely related to other leafhopper-transmitted rhabdoviruses. Functional protein assays were used to determine the subcellular localization of PYDV proteins. Surprisingly, the M protein was able to induce the intranuclear accumulation of the inner nuclear membrane in the absence of any other viral protein. Finally, bimolecular fluorescence complementation was used to generate the most comprehensive protein interaction map for a plant-adapted rhabdovirus to date.
Complete genome sequence and integrated protein localization and interaction map for alfalfa dwarf virus, which combines properties of both cytoplasmic and nuclear plant rhabdoviruses
Bejerman, Nicolás; Giolitti, Fabián; Breuil, Soledad de; Trucco, Verónica; Nome, Claudia; Lenardon, Sergio; Dietzgen, Ralf G.
Summary: We have determined the full-length 14,491-nucleotide genome sequence of a new plant rhabdovirus, alfalfa dwarf virus (ADV). Seven open reading frames (ORFs) were identified in the antigenomic orientation of the negative-sense, single-stranded viral RNA, in the order 3′-N-P-P3-M-G-P6-L-5′. The ORFs are separated by conserved intergenic regions and the genome coding region is flanked by complementary 3′ leader and 5′ trailer sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleoprotein amino acid sequence indicated that this alfalfa-infecting rhabdovirus is related to viruses in the genus Cytorhabdovirus. When transiently expressed as GFP fusions in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, most ADV proteins accumulated in the cell periphery, but unexpectedly P protein was localized exclusively in the nucleus. ADV P protein was shown to have a homotypic, and heterotypic nuclear interactions with N, P3 and M proteins by bimolecular fluorescence complementation. ADV appears unique in that it combines properties of both cytoplasmic and nuclear plant rhabdoviruses. - Highlights: • The complete genome of alfalfa dwarf virus is obtained. • An integrated localization and interaction map for ADV is determined. • ADV has a genome sequence similarity and evolutionary links with cytorhabdoviruses. • ADV protein localization and interaction data show an association with the nucleus. • ADV combines properties of both cytoplasmic and nuclear plant rhabdoviruses.
Seasonal abundance of aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) in wheat and their role as barley yellow dwarf virus vectors in the South Carolina coastal plain.
Chapin, J W; Thomas, J S; Gray, S M; Smith, D M; Halbert, S E
Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) seasonal flight activity and abundance in wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and the significance of aphid species as vectors of barley yellow dwarf virus were studied over a nine-year period in the South Carolina coastal plain. Four aphid species colonized wheat in a consistent seasonal pattern. Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and rice root aphid, Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominalis (Sasaki), colonized seedlingwheat immediately after crop emergence, with apterous colonies usually peaking in December or January and then declining for the remainder of the season. These two aphid species are unlikely to cause economic loss on wheat in South Carolina, thus crop managers should not have to sample for the subterranean R. rufiabdominalis colonies. Bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), was the second most abundant species and the most economically important. Rhopalosiphum padi colonies usually remained below 10/row-meter until peaking in February or March. Barley yellow dwarf incidence and wheat yield loss were significantly correlated with R. padi peak abundance and aphid-day accumulation on the crop. Based on transmission assays, R. padi was primarily responsible for vectoring the predominant virus serotype (PAV) we found in wheat. Pest management efforts should focus on sampling for and suppressing this aphid species. December planting reduced aphid-day accumulation and barley yellow dwarf incidence, but delayed planting is not a practical management option. English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.), was the last species to colonize wheat each season, and the most abundant. Sitobion avenae was responsible for late-season virus transmission and caused direct yield loss by feeding on heads and flag leaves during an outbreak year. PMID:11332833
Sequence analysis demonstrates that Onion yellow dwarf virus isolates from China contain a P3 region much larger than other potyviruses.
Chen, J; Adams, M J; Zheng, H-Y; Chen, J-P
The complete sequence of an isolate of Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) from Yuhang, Zhejiang province, China, was determined. It was 10538 nts in length and was predicted to encode a polyprotein 3403 amino acids (aa) long with a calculated M(r) of 385.1 kDa. The predicted P3 protein (530 aa) was larger than that of any of the potyviruses sequenced to date (344-378 aa). The additional sequence occurs at the N-terminus of the protein, does not represent a duplication from elsewhere in the OYDV genome and could not be matched to any other sequences in the databases. Similar sequences were found in 4 other Chinese OYDV isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequences of the polyprotein showed that OYDV is distantly related to Pea seed-borne mosaic virus and the potyviruses of grasses and cereals. PMID:12756621
Agroinoculation of a full-length cDNA clone of cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) results in systemic infection in cotton and the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana.
Delfosse, Verónica C; Casse, María F; Agrofoglio, Yamila C; Kresic, Iván Bonacic; Hopp, Horacio E; Ziegler-Graff, Véronique; Distéfano, Ana J
Cotton blue disease is the most important viral disease of cotton in the southern part of South America. Its etiological agent, cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV), is specifically transmitted to host plants by the aphid vector (Aphis gossypii) and any attempt to perform mechanical inoculations of this virus into its host has failed. This limitation has held back the study of this virus and the disease it causes. In this study, a full-length cDNA of CLRDV was constructed and expressed in vivo under the control of cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. An agrobacterium-mediated inoculation system for the cloned cDNA construct of CLRDV was developed. Northern and immunoblot analyses showed that after several weeks the replicon of CLRDV delivered by Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Gossypium hirsutum plants gave rise to a systemic infection and typical blue disease symptoms correlated to the presence of viral RNA and P3 capsid protein. We also demonstrated that the virus that accumulated in the agroinfected plants was transmissible by the vector A. gossypii. This result confirms the production of biologically active transmissible virions. In addition, the clone was infectious in Nicotiana benthamiana plants which developed interveinal chlorosis three weeks postinoculation and CLRDV was detected both in the inoculated and systemic leaves. Attempts to agroinfect Arabidopsis thaliana plants were irregularly successful. Although no symptoms were observed, the P3 capsid protein as well as the genomic and subgenomic RNAs were irregularly detected in systemic leaves of some agroinfiltrated plants. The inefficient infection rate infers that A. thaliana is a poor host for CLRDV. This is the first report on the construction of a biologically-active infectious full-length clone of a cotton RNA virus showing successful agroinfection of host and non-host plants. The system herein developed will be useful to study CLRDV viral functions and plant-virus interactions using a reverse
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Barley yellow dwarf is the most economically important virus disease affecting most cereal crops world wide. This manuscript summarizes the current knowledge of the disease etiology, epidemiology and management. This information is incorporated into the latest revision of the American Phytopathologi...
Development and validation of DNA markers linked to Sdvy-1, a common bean gene conferring resistance to the yellowing strain of Soybean dwarf virus.
Yamashita, Yoko; Takeuchi, Toru; Okuyama, Masataka; Sasaki, Jun; Onodera, Kakumasa; Sato, Mikako; Souma, Chihiro; Ebe, Shigehiko
The yellowing strain of Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV-YS) causes yellowing and yield loss in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The most effective control is achieved through breeding for resistance. An indeterminate climbing cultivar with a white seed coat, 'Oofuku', is resistant to SbDV-YS in inoculation tests. We crossed 'Oofuku' with an elite cultivar, 'Taisho-Kintoki', which is SbDV-YS-susceptible, determinate dwarf with a red-purple seed coat, and performed amplified-fragment-length polymorphism analysis of F3 lines. From nucleotide sequences of the resistant-specific fragments and their flanking regions, we developed five DNA markers, of which DV86, DV386, and DV398 were closely linked to Sdvy-1, a resistance gene. Using the markers, we developed 'Toiku-B79' and 'Toiku-B80', the near-isogenic lines (NILs) incorporating Sdvy-1 in the background of 'Taisho-Kintoki'. The NILs had similar growth habit, maturity date and seed shape to those of 'Taisho-Kintoki'. The quality of boiled beans was also similar, except that the NILs had more seed coat cracking than 'Taisho-Kintoki'. The NILs showed no SbDV-YS infection in inoculation tests. We suggest that Sdvy-1 is a useful source of SbDV-YS resistance in common bean. PMID:25914596
Rice Dwarf Virus P2 Protein Hijacks Auxin Signaling by Directly Targeting the Rice OsIAA10 Protein, Enhancing Viral Infection and Disease Development.
Jin, Lian; Qin, Qingqing; Wang, Yu; Pu, Yingying; Liu, Lifang; Wen, Xing; Ji, Shaoyi; Wu, Jianguo; Wei, Chunhong; Ding, Biao; Li, Yi
The phytohormone auxin plays critical roles in regulating myriads of plant growth and developmental processes. Microbe infection can disturb auxin signaling resulting in defects in these processes, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Auxin signaling begins with perception of auxin by a transient co-receptor complex consisting of an F-box transport inhibitor response 1/auxin signaling F-box (TIR1/AFB) protein and an auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) protein. Auxin binding to the co-receptor triggers ubiquitination and 26S proteasome degradation of the Aux/IAA proteins, leading to subsequent events, including expression of auxin-responsive genes. Here we report that Rice dwarf virus (RDV), a devastating pathogen of rice, causes disease symptoms including dwarfing, increased tiller number and short crown roots in infected rice as a result of reduced sensitivity to auxin signaling. The RDV capsid protein P2 binds OsIAA10, blocking the interaction between OsIAA10 and OsTIR1 and inhibiting 26S proteasome-mediated OsIAA10 degradation. Transgenic rice plants overexpressing wild-type or a dominant-negative (degradation-resistant) mutant of OsIAA10 phenocopy RDV symptoms are more susceptible to RDV infection; however, knockdown of OsIAA10 enhances the resistance of rice to RDV infection. Our findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism of viral protein reprogramming of a key step in auxin signaling initiation that enhances viral infection and pathogenesis. PMID:27606959
Sequence variation of block III segment identifies three distinct lineages within Eggplant mottled dwarf virus isolates from Italy, Spain and Greece.
Parrella, G; Greco, B
Partial polymerase (L) gene sequences of 919 nts, including the conserved segments pre-motif A and motif A of block III, of 20 Eggplant mottled dwarf virus (EMDV) isolates were generated, and trimmed sequences of 889 nts, based on the length of available sequences of other isolates, were used to determine phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic reconstructions revealed two divergent lineages, designated as genetic group A (Italian isolates) and group B, with the latter further divided into subgroups BI (Greek isolates) and BII (Spanish isolates). No evidence of recombination signals among sequences was detected, whereas analysis of the nonsynonymous/synonymous ratio indicated strong purifying selection, with codons under negative selection uniformly distributed along the sequences. An RT-PCR-RFLP method able to discriminate EMDV isolates of the two main genetic groups was proposed. PMID:26982474
Transcriptome and Comparative Gene Expression Analysis of Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) in Response to Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus
Xu, Yi; Zhou, Wenwu; Zhou, Yijun; Wu, Jianxiang; Zhou, Xueping
Background The white backed planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera (Horváth), causes great damage to many crops by direct feeding or transmitting plant viruses. Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV), transmitted by WBPH, has become a great threat to rice production in East Asia. Methodology/Principal Findings By de novo transcriptome assembling and massive parallel pyrosequencing, we constructed two transcriptomes of WBPH and profiled the alternation of gene expression in response to SRBSDV infection in transcriptional level. Over 25 million reads of high-quality DNA sequences and 81388 different unigenes were generated using Illumina technology from both viruliferous and non-viruliferous WBPH. WBPH has a very similar gene ontological distribution to other two closely related rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens and Laodelphax striatellus. 7291 microsatellite loci were also predicted which could be useful for further evolutionary analysis. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the two transcriptomes generated from viruliferous and non-viruliferous WBPH provided a list of candidate transcripts that potentially were elicited as a response to viral infection. Pathway analyses of a subset of these transcripts indicated that SRBSDV infection may perturb primary metabolism and the ubiquitin-proteasome pathways. In addition, 5.5% (181 out of 3315) of the genes in cell cytoskeleton organization pathway showed obvious changes. Our data also demonstrated that SRBSDV infection activated the immunity regulatory systems of WBPH, such as RNA interference, autophagy and antimicrobial peptide production. Conclusions/Significance We employed massively parallel pyrosequencing to collect ESTs from viruliferous and non-viruliferous samples of WBPH. 81388 different unigenes have been obtained. We for the first time described the direct effects of a Reoviridae family plant virus on global gene expression profiles of its insect vector using high-throughput sequencing. Our
Identification and profiling of conserved and novel microRNAs in Laodelphax striatellus in response to rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) infection
Li, Jun-Min; Zhou, Yan-Ru; Sun, Zong-Tao; Wang, Xu; Xie, Li; Chen, Jian-Ping
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding endogenous RNA molecules that play important roles in various biological processes. This study examined microRNA profiles of Laodelphax striatellus using the small RNA libraries derived from virus free (VF) and rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) infected (RB) insects. A total of 59 mature miRNAs (46 miRNA families) were identified as conserved insect miRNAs in both VF and RB libraries. Among these conserved miRNAs, 24 were derived from the two arms of 12 miRNA precursors. Nine conserved L. striatellus miRNAs were up-regulated and 12 were down-regulated in response to RBSDV infection. In addition, a total of 20 potential novel miRNA candidates were predicted in the VF and RB libraries. The miRNA transcriptome profiles and the identification of L. striatellus miRNAs differentially expressed in response to RBSDV infection will contribute to future studies to elucidate the complex miRNA-mediated regulatory network activated by pathogen challenge in insect vectors. PMID:26484150
The movement protein of barley yellow dwarf virus-GAV self-interacts and forms homodimers in vitro and in vivo.
Xia, Zongliang; Cao, Rufei; Sun, Kaile; Zhang, Hua
The 17-kDa movement protein (MP) of the GAV strain of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-GAV) can bind the viral RNA and target to the nucleus. However, much less is known about the active form of the MP in planta. In this study, the ability of the MP to self-interact was analyzed by yeast two-hybrid assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation. The BYDV-GAV MP has a strong potential to self-interact in vitro and in vivo, and self-interaction was mediated by the N-terminal domain spanning the second α-helix (residues 17-39). Chemical cross-linking and heterologous MP expression from a pea early browning virus (PEBV) vector further showed that MP self-interacts to form homodimers in vitro and in planta. Interestingly, the N-terminal domain necessary for MP self-interaction has previously been identified as important for nuclear targeting. Based on these findings, a functional link between MP self-interaction and nuclear targeting is discussed. PMID:22437255
Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) directly affects the feeding and reproduction behavior of its vector, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)
Background Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) is a recently discovered member of the genus Fijivirus and it is transmitted by the rice whitebacked planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera (Horváth). It was found that SRBSDV infected vectors might contribute negatively to the WBPH population, although the longer nymphal period might benefit viral acquisition, transmission and increase infection rate. The interaction between SRBSDV and its vector need to be further explored to gain better understanding of the dispersal of WBPH and the spread of virus disease, in particular the feeding and reproduction behavior of viruliferous WBPH. Methods Newly hatched nymphs of WBPH were fed on healthy rice plant after feeding on SRBSDV-infected rice plants for 2 h, and newly emerged adults were numbered and tested. Feeding behaviors of WBPH adults were monitored electronically within a Faraday cage using a Giga-4 DC EPG amplifier. The newly emerged adults were paired, and the fecundity and egg hatchability were investigated. WBPH was molecularly identified for SRBSDV when they dead. According to the identification results, data on viruliferous and non-viruliferous WBPH were collected and analyzed. Results Feeding behavior of viruliferous WBPH was different from those of non-viruliferous WBPH. Frequency of phloem sap ingestion of viruliferous WBPH increased significantly, however the total feeding duration did not increase markedly. When both WBPH parents were infected with SRBSDV, their fecundity and hatchability of the eggs produced were significant lower than those of normal WBPH parents. However, if only one of the parents was viruliferous, fecundity and egg hatchability were only slightly affected. Conclusions Viruliferous WBPH fed on the phloem more frequently than non-viruliferous WBPH and can thus contribute to virus transmission. When both vector parents are viruliferous fecundity and hatchability of the eggs were significantly reduced. However when only
THE Bct-1 LOCUS FOR RESISTANCE TO BEET CURLY TOP VIRUS IS ASSOCIATED WITH QUANTITATIVE RESISTANCE TO BEAN DWARF MOSAIC VIRUS IN COMMON BEAN
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Host resistance provides effective control of some diseases induced by geminiviruses in common bean. A recessive gene bgm-1 conditions resistance to Bean golden yellow mosaic virus (BGYMV) and is located on linkage group B3 near the bc-12 gene for resistance to Bean common mosaic virus. The dominan...
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ladous, Constanze
Dwarf novae are defined on grounds of their semi-regular brightness variations of some two to five magnitudes on time scales of typically 10 to 100 days. Historically several different classification schemes have been used. Today, dwarf novae are divided into three sub-classes: the U Geminorum stars, the SU Ursae Majoris stars, and the Z Camelopardalis stars. Outbursts of dwarf novae occur at semi-periodic intervals of time, typically every 10 to 100 days; amplitudes range from typically 2 to 5 mag. Within certain limits values are characteristic for each object. Relations between the outburst amplitude, or the total energy released during outburst, and the recurrence time have been found, as well as relations between the orbital period and the outburst decay time, the absolute magnitude during outburst maximum, and the widths of long and short outbursts, respectively. Some dwarf novae are known to have suspended their normal outburst activity altogether for a while. They later resumed it without having undergone any observable changes. The optical colors of dwarf novae all are quite similar during outburst, considerably bluer than during the quiescent state. During the outburst cycle, characteristic loops in the two color diagram are performed. At a time resolution on the order of minutes, strictly periodic photometric changes due to orbital motion become visible in the light curves of dwarf novae. These are characteristic for each system. Remarkably little is known about orbital variations during the course of an outburst. On time-scales of minutes and seconds, further more or less periodic types of variability are seen in dwarf novae. Appreciable flux is emitted by dwarf novae at all wavelengths from the X-rays to the longest IR wavelengths, and in some cases even in the radio. Most dwarf novae exhibit strong emission line spectra in the optical and UV during quiescence, although some have only very weak emissions in the optical and/or weak absorptions at UV
Cardamom Bushy Dwarf Virus Infection in Large Cardamom Alters Plant Selection Preference, Life Stages, and Fecundity of Aphid Vector, Micromyzus kalimpongensis (Hemiptera: Aphididae).
Ghosh, Amalendu; Das, Amrita; Vijayanandraj, S; Mandal, Bikash
Cardamom bushy dwarf virus (CBDV) causes foorkey disease of large cardamom (Ammomum subulatum Roxburgh) in the eastern sub-Himalayan mountains. Although the aphid Micromyzus kalimpongensis Basu (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is known as a vector of CBDV, its behavior in dissemination of CBDV has not been investigated. In the present study, M. kalimpongensis was observed to colonize in higher number on CBDV-infected large cardamom plants compared with the healthy plants in the several plantations in Sikkim and Darjeeling hills. The affinity of M. kalimpongensis to the diseased large cardamom plants was further confirmed in a contained field experiment with intact plant as well as in a laboratory bioassay with the plant extract, where significantly higher number of aphids settled on the diseased plants or extracts compared with the healthy counterparts. Aphids grown on CBDV-infected large cardamom plants had shortened nymphal period and increased longevity and fecundity compared with those grown on the healthy plants. In the contained field experiment, M. kalimpongensis migrated to the CBDV-infected plants, colonized there, acquired CBDV, and once the diseased plants withered, migrated to healthy plants, which eventually became diseased. Our results suggest a general pattern of spread of CBDV by M. kalimpongensis where CBDV-infected plants attract or arrest and stimulate emergence and migration of viruliferous aphids that otherwise are sedentary in the underground plant parts of large cardamom. To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows the influence of a plant virus from the family Nanoviridae in altering behavior of its insect vector that favors its dissemination. PMID:26518036
Electron microscopic imaging revealed the flexible filamentous structure of the cell attachment protein P2 of Rice dwarf virus located around the icosahedral 5-fold axes.
Miyazaki, Naoyuki; Higashiura, Akifumi; Higashiura, Tomoko; Akita, Fusamichi; Hibino, Hiroyuki; Omura, Toshihiro; Nakagawa, Atsushi; Iwasaki, Kenji
The minor outer capsid protein P2 of Rice dwarf virus (RDV), a member of the genus Phytoreovirus in the family Reoviridae, is essential for viral cell entry. Here, we clarified the structure of P2 and the interactions to host insect cells. Negative stain electron microscopy (EM) showed that P2 proteins are monomeric and flexible L-shaped filamentous structures of ∼20 nm in length. Cryo-EM structure revealed the spatial arrangement of P2 in the capsid, which was prescribed by the characteristic virion structure. The P2 proteins were visualized as partial rod-shaped structures of ∼10 nm in length in the cryo-EM map and accommodated in crevasses on the viral surface around icosahedral 5-fold axes with hydrophobic interactions. The remaining disordered region of P2 assumed to be extended to the radial direction towards exterior. Electron tomography clearly showed that RDV particles were away from the cellular membrane at a uniform distance and several spike-like densities, probably corresponding to P2, connecting a viral particle to the host cellular membrane during cell entry. By combining the in vitro and in vivo structural information, we could gain new insights into the detailed mechanism of the cell entry of RDV. PMID:26374901
Molecular diversity of Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus in Sudan: high rates of intra-species recombination - a driving force in the emergence of new strains.
Kraberger, Simona; Kumari, Safaa G; Hamed, Abdelmagid A; Gronenborn, Bruno; Thomas, John E; Sharman, Murray; Harkins, Gordon W; Muhire, Brejnev M; Martin, Darren P; Varsani, Arvind
In Sudan Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus (CpCDV, genus Mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae) is an important pathogen of pulses that are grown both for local consumption, and for export. Although a few studies have characterised CpCDV genomes from countries in the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent, little is known about CpCDV diversity in any of the major chickpea production areas in these regions. Here we analyse the diversity of 146 CpCDV isolates characterised from pulses collected across the chickpea growing regions of Sudan. Although we find that seven of the twelve known CpCDV strains are present within the country, strain CpCDV-H alone accounted for ∼73% of the infections analysed. Additionally we identified four new strains (CpCDV-M, -N, -O and -P) and show that recombination has played a significant role in the diversification of CpCDV, at least in this region. Accounting for observed recombination events, we use the large amounts of data generated here to compare patterns of natural selection within protein coding regions of CpCDV and other dicot-infecting mastrevirus species. PMID:25444941
Interaction Research on the Antiviral Molecule Dufulin Targeting on Southern Rice Black Streaked Dwarf Virus P9-1 Nonstructural Protein
Wang, Zhenchao; Li, Xiangyang; Wang, Wenli; Zhang, Weiying; Yu, Lu; Hu, Deyu; Song, Baoan
Southern rice black streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) causes severe harm to rice production. Unfortunately, studies on effective antiviral drugs against SRBSDV and interaction mechanism of antiviral molecule targeting on SRBSDV have not been reported. This study found dufulin (DFL), an ideal anti-SRBSDV molecule, and investigated the interactions of DFL targeting on the nonstructural protein P9-1. The biological sequence information and bonding characterization of DFL to four kinds of P9-1 protein were described with fluorescence titration (FT) and microscale thermophoresis (MST) assays. The sequence analysis indicated that P9-1 had highly-conserved C- and N-terminal amino acid residues and a hypervariable region that differed from 131 aa to 160 aa. Consequently, wild-type (WT-His-P9-1), 23 C-terminal residues truncated (TR-ΔC23-His-P9-1), 6 N-terminal residues truncated (TR-ΔN6-His-P9-1), and Ser138 site-directed (MU-138-His-P9-1) mutant proteins were expressed. The FT and MST assay results indicated that DFL bounded to WT-His-P9-1 with micromole affinity and the 23 C-terminal amino acids were the potential targeting site. This system, which combines a complete sequence analysis, mutant protein expression, and binding action evaluating system, could further advance the understanding of the interaction abilities between antiviral drugs and their targets. PMID:25807053
Quantitative Resistance to Bean dwarf mosaic virus in Common Bean is Associated with the Bct gene for Resistance to Beet curly top virus
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
The dominant resistance gene, Bct, confers qualitative resistance to Beet curly top virus, a leafhopper-transmitted geminivirus in the genus Curtovirus. To determine whether this gene confers resistance to other geminiviruses, plants of a recombinant inbred population were sap-inoculated with BDMV, ...
Distribution of Barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV in the Sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands and Characterization of Two New Luteovirus Species
Svanella-Dumas, Laurence; Candresse, Thierry; Hullé, Maurice; Marais, Armelle
A systematic search for viral infection was performed in the isolated Kerguelen Islands, using a range of polyvalent genus-specific PCR assays. Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) was detected in both introduced and native grasses such as Poa cookii. The geographical distribution of BYDV and its prevalence in P. cookii were analyzed using samples collected from various sites of the archipelago. We estimate the average prevalence of BYDV to be 24.9% in P. cookii, with significant variability between sites. BYDV genetic diversity was assessed using sequence information from two genomic regions: the P3 open reading frame (ORF) (encoding the coat protein) and the hypervariable P6 ORF region. The phylogenetic analysis in the P3 region showed that BYDV sequences segregate into three major lineages, the most frequent of which (Ker-I cluster) showed close homology with BYDV-PAV-I isolates and had very low intra-lineage diversity (0.6%). A similarly low diversity was also recorded in the hypervariable P6 region, suggesting that Ker-I isolates derive from the recent introduction of BYDV-PAV-I. Divergence time estimation suggests that BYDV-PAV-I was likely introduced in the Kerguelen environment at the same time frame as its aphid vector, Rhopalosiphum padi, whose distribution shows good overlap with that of BYDV-Ker-I. The two other lineages show more than 22% amino acid divergence in the P3 region with other known species in the BYDV species complex, indicating that they represent distinct BYDV species. Using species-specific amplification primers, the distribution of these novel species was analyzed. The high prevalence of BYDV on native Poaceae and the presence of the vector R. padi, raises the question of its impact on the vulnerable plant communities of this remote ecosystem. PMID:23825645
Comparison of sugar, acids, and volatile composition in raspberry bushy dwarf virus-resistant transgenic raspberries and the wild type 'meeker' (rubus idaeus L.).
Malowicki, Sarah M M; Martin, Robert; Qian, Michael C
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) causes a significant reduction in yield and quality in raspberry and raspberry-blackberry hybrid. Genetic modifications were made to 'Meeker' red raspberries to impart RBDV resistance. The RBDV-resistant transgenic and wild type 'Meeker' plants were grown in Oregon and Washington, and the fruits were harvested in the 2004 and 2005 growing seasons. Year-to-year and site-to-site variations were observed for the degrees Brix and titratable acidity, with Oregon raspberries having slightly higher degrees Brix and lower titratable acidity than Washington raspberries. Twenty-nine volatile compounds were quantified using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) paired with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). There were very few differences in volatile concentrations between the transgenic varieties and the wild type 'Meeker'. Much larger variations were observed between sites and harvest seasons. Raspberries grown in Oregon appeared to have higher concentrations of delta-octalactone, delta-decalactone, geraniol, and linalool. Chiral analysis of alpha-ionone, alpha-pinene, linalool, terpinen-4-ol, delta-octalactone, and delta-decalactone demonstrated a much higher percentage of one isomer over the other, particularly alpha-ionone, alpha-pinene, delta-octalactone, and delta-decalactone, with more than 90% of one isomer, while a racemic mixture was observed for linalool. The isomeric analysis revealed very little variation between varieties, locations, or years. The flavor compounds tested in this study did not show any difference between the transgenic lines and the wild type 'Meeker' raspberry. PMID:18598047
Quantitative detection of relative expression levels of the whole genome of Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus and its replication in different hosts
Background In recent years, a disease caused by Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) has resulted in significant loss in rice production in Southern China and has spread quickly throughout East and Southeast Asia. This virus is transmitted by an insect vector, white-backed planthopper (WBPH) Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), in a persistent propagative manner. Aside from rice, SRBSDV can also infect numerous Poaceae plants. However, the molecular mechanism of interaction between SRBSDV and its plant or insect vector remains unclear. In order to address this, we investigated the whole viral genome relative mRNA expression level in distinct hosts and monitored their expression level in real-time in rice plants. Methods In this study, a reliable, rapid, and sensitive method for detecting viral gene expression transcripts is reported. A SYBR Green I based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was adopted for the quantitative detection of SRBSDV gene expression in different hosts and real-time changes in gene expression in rice. Results Compared to the relative mRNA expression level of the whole genome of SRBSDV, P3, P7-1, and P9-2 were dominantly expressed in rice and WBPH. Similarly, these genes also exhibited high expression levels in corn, suggesting that they have more important functions than other viral genes in the interaction between SRBSDV and hosts, and that they could be used as molecular detection target genes of SRBSDV. In contrast, the levels of P6 and P10 were relative low. Western blotting analysis partially was also verified our qPCR results at the level of protein expression. Analysis of the real-time changes in SRBSDV-infected rice plants revealed four distinct temporal expression patterns of the thirteen genes. Moreover, expression levels of P1 and other genes were significantly down-regulated on days 14 and 20, respectively. Conclusion SRBSDV genes showed similar expression patterns in distinct hosts (rice, corn
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Driver, Simon
We request 24 orbits to obtain a deep mosaic {6 * 4-orbit pointings} of the central region of A868, a rich Abell cluster which we have imaged comprehensively from the ground. The objective is to identify and characterise the morphological nature of the dwarf galaxy population{s} responsible for the steep upturn seen in this cluster's luminosity function. While similar upturns have been reported in many clusters, the specifics of the dwarf population remain unknown as these objects cannot be resolved from the ground. What type of dwarf galaxies are they ? Is there more than one population contributing ? How are they clustered ? By obtaining deep high-resolution HST WFPC2 imaging over a central field roughly 7.5' * 3.75' we will be able to measure morphologies, light- profiles and the clustering properties of the dwarf population{s} down to M_I = -16 mags {H_o=75kms^-1Mpc^-1}. Although we shall primarily concentrate on the dwarf galaxies, we will also recover the cluster's morphological luminosity distributions for elliptical, spirals and irregulars over a broad absolute magnitude range {-24 < M_I < -16 mags} as well as the more quantitative bivariate brightness distribution {- 24 < M_I < -16 mags, 17.0 < mu_e^I < 25 mags per sq arcsec}. Comparing these results to those recently derived for the general field will provide an insight into the environmental influences on morphology and surface brightness.
Raspberry (Rubus spp.)-Viruses
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
There are several important virus diseases of raspberry and black raspberry in the Pacific Northwest. Pollen-borne viruses include Raspberry bushy dwarf virus and Strawberry necrotic shock virus (aka Tobacco streak virus –Rubus isolate or Black raspberry latent virus). Strawberry necrotic shock viru...
The Extraordinary Cataclysmic Binary RU Pegasi: The Hottest White Dwarf in a Dwarf Nova?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sion, Edward M.; Urban, Joel
We present the results of the first multicomponent synthetic spectral analysis of International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) archival spectra of the long-period dwarf nova RU Peg during quiescence. The best-fit, high-gravity, solar composition photosphere models yield Teff=50,000-53,000 K with scale factor distances of 250 pc. Optically thick accretion disk models imply accretion rates between 1×10-9 and 1×10-10Msolar yr-1 in order to match the steeply sloping far-UV continuum. However, the best-fit accretion disk models yield distances from 600 to 1300 pc, well beyond the estimated distance range of 130-300 pc. Using rough theoretical flux arguments and the distance estimates, we find better agreement between the observed far-UV luminosity and the predicted far-UV luminosity of a hot, massive, white dwarf model than with an accretion disk model. RU Peg appears to contain the hottest white dwarf yet found in a dwarf nova. We cannot rule out that the far-UV energy distribution is due to a multitemperature white dwarf with cooler, more slowly rotating higher latitudes and a rapidly spinning, hotter equatorial belt. We discuss implications of our analysis for theoretical predictions of the disk instability theory of dwarf nova outbursts. We discuss a comparison between RU Peg's white dwarf and the observed properties of other analyzed white dwarfs in dwarf novae.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sidwell, Robert T.
Discusses Disney's version of the folkloric dwarfs in his production of "Snow White" and weighs the Disney rendition of the dwarf figure against the corpus of traits and behaviors pertaining to dwarfs in traditional folklore. Concludes that Disney's dwarfs are "anthropologically true." (HOD)
A Search for Fine Wines: Discovering Close Red Dwarf-White Dwarf Binaries
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Boyd, Mark; Finch, C. T.; Hambly, N. C.; Henry, T. J.; Jao, W.; Riedel, A. R.; Subasavage, J. P.; Winters, J. G.; RECONS
Like fine wines, stars come in both red and white varieties. Here we present initial results of the Fine Wines Project that targets red dwarf-white dwarf pairs. The two scientific goals of Fine Wines are (1) to develop methods to estimate ages for red dwarfs based on the cooling ages of the white dwarfs, and (2) to identify suitable pairs for dynamical mass determinations of white dwarfs to probe their interior structures. Here we focus on the search for Fine Wines, including sample selection, elimination of false positives, and initial reconnaissance. The sample was extracted via color-color plots from a pool of more than 30,000 proper motion systems examined during the SuperCOSMOS-RECONS (SCR) and UCAC3 Proper Motion (UPM) surveys. The initial sample of 75 best candidates is being observed for BVRI photometry and 3500-9500 A spectroscopy to confirm whether or not the systems are red dwarf-white dwarf pairs. Early results indicate that roughly 50% of the candidates selected are indeed Fine Wine systems. This effort is supported by the NSF through grant AST 09-08402 and via observations made possible by the SMARTS Consortium.
Stellar feedback in dwarf galaxy formation.
Mashchenko, Sergey; Wadsley, James; Couchman, H M P
Dwarf galaxies pose substantial challenges for cosmological models. In particular, current models predict a dark-matter density that is divergent at the center, which is in sharp contrast with observations that indicate a core of roughly constant density. Energy feedback, from supernova explosions and stellar winds, has been proposed as a major factor shaping the evolution of dwarf galaxies. We present detailed cosmological simulations with sufficient resolution both to model the relevant physical processes and to directly assess the impact of stellar feedback on observable properties of dwarf galaxies. We show that feedback drives large-scale, bulk motions of the interstellar gas, resulting in substantial gravitational potential fluctuations and a consequent reduction in the central matter density, bringing the theoretical predictions in agreement with observations. PMID:18048653
The Hunt for Dwarf Galaxies' Ancestors
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kohler, Susanna
formation had already occurred by this time.Finally, the authors compared the properties of these 73 scaled-back dwarfs to those of high-redshift galaxies that we have already detected with the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes, as well as to the detection limits of the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission launching in 2018.Patej and Loeb find that, when scaled back to redshifts of z = 6 or 7, the dwarf galaxies would be too faint to detect with current telescopes despite being roughly the same size as high-redshift galaxies weve already detected. But the capabilities of JWST will push into this regime: according to Patej and Loebs calculations, JWST would be able to detect 13 of the 73 galaxies in the sample at a redshift of z = 6, and 9/73 at a redshift of z = 7.Furthermore, the fraction of detectable galaxies would increase if these ancient dwarfs contained large numbers of Population-III-like, massive, bright stars. But even without such a boost, the hunt for the ancestors of local dwarf galaxies appears to be well within JWSTs capabilities!CitationAnna Patej and Abraham Loeb 2015 ApJ 815 L28. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/815/2/L28
Response of maize (Zea mays L.) lines carrying Wsm1, Wsm2 and Wsm3 to the potyviruses Johnsongrass mosaic virus and Sorghum mosaic virus
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Maize dwarf mosaic disease is one of the most important viral diseases of maize throughout the world. It is caused by a set of related viruses in the family Potyviridae, genus Potyvirus, including Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV), Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), Johnsongrass mosaic virus (JGMV), and S...
Detection of dwarf gourami iridovirus (Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus) in populations of ornamental fish prior to and after importation into Australia, with the first evidence of infection in domestically farmed Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus).
Rimmer, Anneke E; Becker, Joy A; Tweedie, Alison; Lintermans, Mark; Landos, Matthew; Stephens, Fran; Whittington, Richard J
The movement of ornamental fish through international trade is a major factor for the transboundary spread of pathogens. In Australia, ornamental fish which may carry dwarf gourami iridovirus (DGIV), a strain of Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), have been identified as a biosecurity risk despite relatively stringent import quarantine measures being applied. In order to gain knowledge of the potential for DGIV to enter Australia, imported ornamental fish were sampled prior to entering quarantine, during quarantine, and post quarantine from wholesalers and aquatic retail outlets in Australia. Samples were tested by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for the presence of megalocytivirus. Farmed and wild ornamental fish were also tested. Megalocytivirus was detected in ten of fourteen species or varieties of ornamental fish. Out of the 2086 imported gourami tested prior to entering quarantine, megalocytivirus was detected in 18.7% of fish and out of the 51 moribund/dead ornamental fish tested during the quarantine period, 68.6% were positive for megalocytivirus. Of fish from Australian wholesalers and aquatic retail outlets 14.5% and 21.9%, respectively, were positive. Out of 365 farmed ornamental fish, ISKNV-like megalocytivirus was detected in 1.1%; these were Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus). Megalocytivirus was not detected in free-living breeding populations of Blue gourami (Trichopodus trichopterus) caught in Queensland. This study showed that imported ornamental fish are vectors for DGIV and it was used to support an import risk analysis completed by the Australian Department of Agriculture. Subsequently, the national biosecurity policy was revised and from 1 March 2016, a health certification is required for susceptible families of fish to be free of this virus prior to importation. PMID:26452601
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Thomas, T. R.
A function map is used to locate applications of roughness in separation-velocity space. The importance of roughness in contact mechanics is demonstrated and versions of the plasticity index are introduced and compared. Case studies of roughness and function are presented from tribology and the life sciences. Tribological examples are taken from the automotive industry and include the manufacture of vehicle bodies, and drive train tribology, particularly cylinder liner, cam and gearbox friction and wear. From the life sciences, problems of prosthetic fixation and tribology are shown to depend on roughness. The interaction of haptics and surface finish is described and illustrated. A number of other areas of application are listed. Finally the likely future importance of structured surfaces is discussed.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; WISE Team
The search for the nearest and coolest brown dwarfs will use WISE's two short-wavelength channels (W1 and W2), which are optimized for brown dwarf detection. W1 samples the methane fundamental absorption band at 3.3 microns, and W2 measures the relatively opacity-free portion of the brown dwarf atmosphere near 4.7 microns. Cool brown dwarfs will thus have very red [W1]-[W2] colors, maximizing our chances of identifying them. Extrapolating preferred mass functions to very low masses and assuming that the star formation rate has been constant over the last 10 Gyr, we can predict the number of brown dwarfs WISE is expected to image. At spectral types later than T7 (Teff > 850K), WISE is expected to find 500 brown dwarfs, which makes WISE uniquely suited among future surveys to measure the low-mass limit of star formation for the first time. This sample will also show whether a new spectral class beyond T, dubbed "Y", is needed at the lowest temperatures. Although the primary six-month WISE mission will cover the entire sky once, WISE should have sufficient cryogen to perform a second, complete pass of the sky. In this case, the identification of nearby brown dwarfs need not rely solely on color selection. Kinematics (proper motion) and geometry (parallax) can also be used to distinguish our closest brown dwarf neighbors, one of which may lie less distant than Proxima Centauri or even fall within our own Oort Cloud.
Astrophysics: Illuminating brown dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Showman, Adam P.
Objects known as brown dwarfs are midway between stars and planets in mass. Observations of a hot brown dwarf irradiated by a nearby star will help to fill a gap in our knowledge of the atmospheres of fluid planetary objects. See Letter p.366
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Lytic bacteriophages, viruses which infect and lyse bacterial cells, can provide a natural method to reduce bacterial pathogens on produce commodities. The use of multi-phage cocktails is most likely to be effective against bacterial pathogens on produce commodities, and minimize the development of...
Blue compact dwarfs - Extreme dwarf irregular galaxies
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Thuan, Trinh X.
Observational data on the most extreme members of the irregular dwarf (dI) galaxy class, the blue compact dwarfs (BCDs), are characterized, reviewing the results of recent investigations. The properties of the young stellar population, the ionized gas, the older star population, and the gas and dust of BCDs are contrasted with those of other dIs; BCD morphology is illustrated with sample images; and the value of BCDs (as nearby 'young' chemically unevolved galaxies) for studies of galaxy formation, galactic evolution, and starburst triggering mechanisms is indicated.
Fault Roughness Records Strength
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brodsky, E. E.; Candela, T.; Kirkpatrick, J. D.
Fault roughness is commonly ~0.1-1% at the outcrop exposure scale. More mature faults are smoother than less mature ones, but the overall range of roughness is surprisingly limited which suggests dynamic control. In addition, the power spectra of many exposed fault surfaces follow a single power law over scales from millimeters to 10's of meters. This is another surprising observation as distinct structures such as slickenlines and mullions are clearly visible on the same surfaces at well-defined scales. We can reconcile both observations by suggesting that the roughness of fault surfaces is controlled by the maximum strain that can be supported elastically in the wallrock. If the fault surface topography requires more than 0.1-1% strain, it fails. Invoking wallrock strength explains two additional observations on the Corona Heights fault for which we have extensive roughness data. Firstly, the surface is isotropic below a scale of 30 microns and has grooves at larger scales. Samples from at least three other faults (Dixie Valley, Mount St. Helens and San Andreas) also are isotropic at scales below 10's of microns. If grooves can only persist when the walls of the grooves have a sufficiently low slope to maintain the shape, this scale of isotropy can be predicted based on the measured slip perpendicular roughness data. The observed 30 micron scale at Corona Heights is consistent with an elastic strain of 0.01 estimated from the observed slip perpendicular roughness with a Hurst exponent of 0.8. The second observation at Corona Heights is that slickenlines are not deflected around meter-scale mullions. Yielding of these mullions at centimeter to meter scale is predicted from the slip parallel roughness as measured here. The success of the strain criterion for Corona Heights supports it as the appropriate control on fault roughness. Micromechanically, the criterion implies that failure of the fault surface is a continual process during slip. Macroscopically, the
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Garvin, J. B.; Frawley, James J.
The global distribution of multi-kilometer (approx. 9 km) length scale 'roughness' (hereafter mesoscale roughness or MR) on Venus can be estimated from the Magellan global altimetry dataset (GxDR) and then compared with MR data derived for Earth from 5' ETOP5 data and for Mars (from USGS Mars DTM dataset). The mesoscale roughness parameter (MR) represents the RMS variance in meters of the actual planetary surface topography relative to the best fitting tangent plane defined on the basis of a 3x3 pixel sliding window. The best-fit plane was computed using a least-squares solution which minimizes delta H, the sum of the squares of the differences between the 9 local elevation values (H(sub i)), and the elevation of best-fit plane at the same grid location. Using the best-fit plane and delta H, we have computed the RMS 'roughness' var(delta R), where this parameter is always minimized on the basis of its calculation using least squares. We have called this 'ruggedness' parameter the Mesoscale Roughness (MR) because it is directly related to the high-frequency variance of topography after mesoscale slopes and tilts (i.e., for Venus, the baseline over which MR is computed (dx) is approx. 8.8 km and dx for Earth is approx. 9.3 km) are removed. As such, MR represents the degree to which a planetary surface is more rugged than approximately 10 km scale facets or tilts. It should not be confused with the radar 'RMS Roughness' parameter computed at 0.1 to 10 m length scales on the basis of the Magellan radar altimeter echo. We will use our MR parameter to investigate the global ruggedness properties of Venus as they relate to geological provinces and in comparison with the spatial pattern of MR for Earth and Mars.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mullan, Dermott J.
Theoretical work on the atmospheres of M dwarfs has progressed along lines parallel to those followed in the study of other classes of stars. Such models have become increasingly sophisticated as improvements in opacities, in the equation of state, and in the treatment of convection were incorporated during the last 15 to 20 years. As a result, spectrophotometric data on M dwarfs can now be fitted rather well by current models. The various attempts at modeling M dwarf photospheres in purely thermal terms are summarized. Some extensions of these models to include the effects of microturbulence and magnetic inhomogeneities are presented.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hawley, Wendy Phyllis
3D models of white dwarf collisions are used to assess the likelihood of double-degenerate mergers as progenitors for Type Ia supernovae (henceforth SNIa) and to identify observational signatures of double-degenerate collisions. Observations of individual SNIa, SNIa rates in different galaxy types, and double white dwarf binary systems suggest that mergers or collisions between two white dwarfs play a role in the overall SNIa population. Given the possibility of two progenitor systems (single-degenerate and double-degenerate), the sample of SNIa used in cosmological calcula- tions needs to be carefully examined. To improve calculations of cosmological parameters, the development of calibrated diagnostics for double-degenerate progenitor SNIa is essential. Head-on white dwarf collision simulations are used to provide an upper limit on the 56Ni production in white dwarf collisions. In chapter II, I explore zero impact parameter collisions of white dwarfs using the Eulerian grid code FLASH. The initial 1D white dwarf profiles are created assuming hydrostatic equilibrium and a uniform composition of 50% 12C and 50% 16O. The masses range from 0.64 to 0.81 solar masses and have an isothermal temperature of 107 K. I map these 1D models onto a 3D grid, where the dimensions of the grid are each eight times the white dwarf radius, and the dwarfs are initially placed four white dwarf radii apart (center to center). To provide insight into a larger range of physical possibilities, I also model non-zero impact parameter white dwarf collisions (Chapter III). Although head-on white dwarf collisions provide an upper limit on 56Ni production, non-zero impact parameter collisions provide insight into a wider range of physical scenarios. The initial conditions (box size, initial separation, composition, and initial temperature) are identical to those used for the head-on collisions (Chapter II) for the same range of masses. For each mass pair- ing, collision simulations are carried
Kozma, Chahira
Ancient Egypt was one of the most advanced and productive civilizations in antiquity, spanning 3000 years before the "Christian" era. Ancient Egyptians built colossal temples and magnificent tombs to honor their gods and religious leaders. Their hieroglyphic language, system of organization, and recording of events give contemporary researchers insights into their daily activities. Based on the record left by their art, the ancient Egyptians documented the presence of dwarfs in almost every facet of life. Due to the hot dry climate and natural and artificial mummification, Egypt is a major source of information on achondroplasia in the old world. The remains of dwarfs are abundant and include complete and partial skeletons. Dwarfs were employed as personal attendants, animal tenders, jewelers, and entertainers. Several high-ranking dwarfs especially from the Old Kingdom (2700-2190 BCE) achieved important status and had lavish burial places close to the pyramids. Their costly tombs in the royal cemeteries and the inscriptions on their statutes indicate their high-ranking position in Egyptian society and their close relation to the king. Some of them were Seneb, Pereniankh, Khnumhotpe, and Djeder. There were at least two dwarf gods, Ptah and Bes. The god Ptah was associated with regeneration and rejuvenation. The god Bes was a protector of sexuality, childbirth, women, and children. He was a favored deity particularly during the Greco-Roman period. His temple was recently excavated in the Baharia oasis in the middle of Egypt. The burial sites and artistic sources provide glimpses of the positions of dwarfs in daily life in ancient Egypt. Dwarfs were accepted in ancient Egypt; their recorded daily activities suggest assimilation into daily life, and their disorder was not shown as a physical handicap. Wisdom writings and moral teachings in ancient Egypt commanded respect for dwarfs and other individuals with disabilities. PMID:16380966
From tidal dwarf galaxies to satellite galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bournaud, F.; Duc, P.-A.
, with an orbital plane inclined up to 40 degrees to the disk plane - and estimating their fraction as a function of redshift, we roughly estimate their contribution to the overall population of dwarfs. We conclude that a small but significant fraction of them - a few percent - could be of tidal origin. This number may be underestimated in particular environments such as the vicinity of early-type galaxies or in groups.
Random rough surface photofabrication
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brissonneau, Vincent; Escoubas, Ludovic; Flory, François; Berginc, Gérard
Random rough surfaces are of primary interest for their optical properties: reducing reflection at the interface or obtaining specific scattering diagram for example. Thus controlling surface statistics during the fabrication process paves the way to original and specific behaviors of reflected optical waves. We detail an experimental method allowing the fabrication of random rough surfaces showing tuned statistical properties. A two-step photoresist exposure process was developed. In order to initiate photoresist polymerization, an energy threshold needs to be reached by light exposure. This energy is brought by a uniform exposure equipment comprising UV-LEDs. This pre-exposure is studied by varying parameters such as optical power and exposure time. The second step consists in an exposure based on the Gray method.1 The speckle pattern of an enlarged scattered laser beam is used to insolate the photoresist. A specific photofabrication bench using an argon ion laser was implemented. Parameters such as exposure time and distances between optical components are discussed. Then, we describe how we modify the speckle-based exposure bench to include a spatial light modulator (SLM). The SLM used is a micromirror matrix known as Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) which allows spatial modulation by displaying binary images. Thus, the spatial beam shape can be tuned and so the speckle pattern on the photoresist is modified. As the photoresist photofabricated surface is correlated to the speckle pattern used to insolate, the roughness parameters can be adjusted.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Marley, Mark
At least three explanations have been proposed to explain the rapidity of the L to T dwarf transition. These ideas have included a continuously sinking, thin cloud layer, horizontally patchy cloudiness, and a rapid increase in the cloud sedimentation efficiency at a given effective temperature. With the advent of measured parallaxes for a large number of late L through early T dwarfs we now know that the transition takes place at roughly constant effective temperature, which places severe constraints on all of the proposed mechanisms. In addition high quality spectral datasets from Spitzer Space Telescope/IRS and IRTF/SpeX, now provide a wealth of new information about objects at the L to T transition and substantially increase the wavelength range over which the effects of clouds can be modeled. After comparing our model spectra with these datasets I will discuss how well the various mechanisms can account for the observed spectra of L and T dwarfs and other observables. In addition I will consider how gravity signatures among the L/T transition objects can further constrain the transition mechanism. I will argue that the preponderance of evidence favors models in which the cloud behavior undergoes fundamental changes at the transition. Mass or gravity selection effects do not adequately account for all of the available data.
Disintegrating Planetary Bodies Around a White Dwarf
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kohler, Susanna
Several months ago, the discovery of WD 1145+017 was announced. This white dwarf appears to be orbited by planetary bodies that are actively disintegrating due to the strong gravitational pull of their host. A follow-up study now reveals that this system has dramatically evolved since its discovery.Signs of DisruptionPotential planetary bodies orbiting a white dwarf would be exposed to a particular risk: if their orbits were perturbed and they passed inside the white dwarfs tidal radius, they would be torn apart. Their material could then form a debris disk around the white dwarf and eventually be accreted.Interestingly, we have two pieces of evidence that this actually happens:Weve observed warm, dusty debris disks around ~4% of white dwarfs, andThe atmospheres of ~25-50% of white dwarfs are polluted by heavy elements that have likely accreted recently.But in spite of this indirect evidence of planet disintegration, wed never observed planetary bodies actively being disrupted around white dwarfs until recently.Unusual TransitsIn April 2015, observations by Keplers K2 mission revealed a strange transit signal around WD 1145+017, a white dwarf 570 light-years from Earth that has both a dusty debris disk and a polluted atmosphere. This signal was interpreted as the transit of at least one, and possibly several, disintegrating planetesimals.In a recent follow-up, a team of scientists led by Boris Gnsicke (University of Warwick) obtained high-speed photometry of WD 1145+017 using the ULTRASPEC camera on the 2.4m Thai National Telescope. These observations were taken in November and December of 2015 roughly seven months after the initial photometric observations of the system. They reveal that dramatic changes have occurred in this short time.Rapid EvolutionA sample light curve from TNT/ULTRASPEC, obtained in December 2015 over 3.9 hours. Many varied transits are evident (click for a better view!). Transits labeled in color appear across multiple nights. [Gnsicke et al
Virus Detection and Field Management
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
There are two primary pathogens of Oat – Crown Rust and the Luteoviruses Barley and Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV and CYDV). These viruses can only be transmitted by aphids, are limited to the vascular system in infected plants and can lead to severe stunting and a concomitant yield loss. In 200...
Asteroseismology of White Dwarf Stars
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hansen, Carl J.
The primary purpose of this investigation has been to study various aspects of multimode pulsations in variable white dwarfs. In particular, nonlinear interactions among pulsation modes in white dwarfs (and, to some extent, in other variable stars), analysis of recent observations where such interactions are important, and preliminary work on the effects of crystallization in cool white dwarfs are reported.
A Second Case of Outbursts in a Pulsating White Dwarf Observed by Kepler
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hermes, J. J.; Montgomery, M. H.; Bell, Keaton J.; Chote, P.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Kawaler, Steven D.; Clemens, J. C.; Dunlap, Bart H.; Winget, D. E.; Armstrong, D. J.
We present observations of a new phenomenon in pulsating white dwarf stars: large-amplitude outbursts at timescales much longer than the pulsation periods. The cool ({T}{eff} = 11,060 K), hydrogen-atmosphere pulsating white dwarf PG 1149+057 was observed nearly continuously for more than 78.8 day by the extended Kepler mission in K2 Campaign 1. The target showed 10 outburst events, recurring roughly every 8 day and lasting roughly 15 hr, with maximum flux excursions up to 45% in the Kepler bandpass. We demonstrate that the outbursts affect the pulsations and therefore must come from the white dwarf. Additionally, we argue that these events are not magnetic reconnection flares, and are most likely connected to the stellar pulsations and the relatively deep surface convection zone. PG 1149+057 is now the second cool pulsating white dwarf to show this outburst phenomenon, after the first variable white dwarf observed in the Kepler mission, KIC 4552982. Both stars have the same effective temperature, within the uncertainties, and are among the coolest known pulsating white dwarfs of typical mass. These outbursts provide fresh observational insight into the red edge of the DAV instability strip and the eventual cessation of pulsations in cool white dwarfs.
Determination of Joint Roughness Coefficients Using Roughness Parameters
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jang, Hyun-Sic; Kang, Seong-Seung; Jang, Bo-An
This study used precisely digitized standard roughness profiles to determine roughness parameters such as statistical and 2D discontinuity roughness, and fractal dimensions. Our methods were based on the relationship between the joint roughness coefficient (JRC) values and roughness parameters calculated using power law equations. Statistical and 2D roughness parameters, and fractal dimensions correlated well with JRC values, and had correlation coefficients of over 0.96. However, all of these relationships have a 4th profile (JRC 6-8) that deviates by more than ±5 % from the JRC values given in the standard roughness profiles. This indicates that this profile is statistically different than the others. We suggest that fractal dimensions should be measured within the entire range of the divider, instead of merely measuring values within a suitable range. Normalized intercept values also correlated with the JRC values, similarly to the fractal dimension values discussed above. The root mean square first derivative values, roughness profile indexes, 2D roughness parameter, and fractal dimension values decreased as the sampling interval increased. However, the structure function values increased very rapidly with increasing sampling intervals. This indicates that the roughness parameters are not independent of the sampling interval, and that the different relationships between the JRC values and these roughness parameters are dependent on the sampling interval.
The Gobbling Dwarf that Exploded
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
supernova has ever been observed at this level of detail for more than four months after the explosion," says Ferdinando Patat, lead author of the paper reporting the results in this week's issue of Science Express, the online version of the Science research journal. "Our data set is really unique." The most remarkable findings are clear changes in the absorption of material, which has been ejected from the companion giant star. Such changes of interstellar material have never been observed before and demonstrate the effects a supernova explosion can have on its immediate environment. The astronomers deduce from the observations the existence of several gaseous shells (or clumps) which are material ejected as stellar wind from the giant star in the recent past. "The material we have uncovered probably lies in a series of shells having a radius of the order of 0.05 light-years, or roughly 3 000 times the distance between Earth and the Sun", explains Patat. "The material is moving with a velocity of 50 km/s, implying that the material would have been ejected some 50 years before the explosion." Such a velocity is typical for the winds of red giants. The system that exploded was thus most likely composed of a white dwarf that acted as a giant 'vacuum cleaner', drawing gas off its red giant companion. In this case however, the cannibal act proved fatal for the white dwarf. This is the first time that clear and direct evidence for material surrounding the explosion has been found. "One crucial issue is whether what we have seen in SN 2006X represents the rule or is rather an exceptional case," wonders Patat. "But given that this supernova has shown no optical, UV and radio peculiarity whatsoever, we conclude that what we have witnessed for this object is a common feature among normal SN Ia. Nevertheless, only future observations will give us answers to the many new questions these observations have posed to us." A high resolution image of SN 2006X in the spiral galaxy Messier
This paper presents measurements of roughness length performed in a wind tunnel for low roughness density. The experiments were performed with both compact and porous obstacles (clusters), in order to simulate the behavior of sparsely vegetated surfaces.
Parsons, S. G.; Marsh, T. R.; Gaensicke, B. T.; Drake, A. J.; Koester, D.
Using Liverpool Telescope+RISE photometry we identify the 2.78 hr period binary star CSS 41177 as a detached eclipsing double white dwarf binary with a 21,100 K primary star and a 10,500 K secondary star. This makes CSS 41177 only the second known eclipsing double white dwarf binary after NLTT 11748. The 2 minute long primary eclipse is 40% deep and the secondary eclipse 10% deep. From Gemini+GMOS spectroscopy, we measure the radial velocities of both components of the binary from the H{alpha} absorption line cores. These measurements, combined with the light curve information, yield white dwarf masses of M{sub 1} = 0.283 {+-} 0.064 M{sub sun} and M{sub 2} = 0.274 {+-} 0.034 M{sub sun}, making them both helium core white dwarfs. As an eclipsing, double-lined spectroscopic binary, CSS 41177 is ideally suited to measuring precise, model-independent masses and radii. The two white dwarfs will merge in roughly 1.1 Gyr to form a single sdB star.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Science Teacher, 2005
Johns Hopkins researchers at the Wilmer Eye Institute have discovered what appears to be the first human gene mutation that causes extreme farsightedness. The researchers report that nanophthalmos, Greek for "dwarf eye," is a rare, potentially blinding disorder caused by an alteration in a gene called MFRP that helps control eye growth and…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kepler, S. O.
White dwarfs are the evolutionary endpoint for nearly 95% of all stars born in our Galaxy, the final stages of evolution of all low- and intermediate mass stars, i.e., main sequence stars with masses below (8.5± 1.5) M_{odot}, depending on metallicity of the progenitor, mass loss and core overshoot. Massive white dwarfs are intrinsically rare objects, tand produce a gap in the determination of the initial vs. final mass relation at the high mass end (e.g. Weidemann 2000 A&A, 363, 647; Kalirai et al. 2008, ApJ, 676, 594; Williams, Bolte & Koester 2009, ApJ, 693, 355). Main sequences stars with higher masses will explode as SNII (Smartt S. 2009 ARA&A, 47, 63), but the limit does depend on the metallicity of the progenitor. Massive white dwarfs are probably SNIa progenitors through accretion or merger. They are rare, being the final product of massive stars (less common) and have smaller radius (less luminous). Kepler et al. 2007 (MNRAS, 375, 1315), Kleinman et al. 2013 (ApJS, 204, 5) estimate only 1-2% white dwarfs have masses above 1 M_{odot}. The final stages of evolution after helium burning are a race between core growth and loss of the H-rich envelope in a stellar wind. When the burning shell is exposed, the star rapidly cools and burning ceases, leaving a white dwarf. As they cool down, the magnetic field freezes in, ranging from a few kilogauss to a gigagauss. Peculiar type Ia SN 2006gz, SN 2007if, SN 2009dc, SN 2003fg suggest progenitors in the range 2.4-2.8 M_{odot}, and Das U. & Mukhopadhyay B. (2012, Phys. Rev. D, 86, 042001) estimate that the Chandrasekhar limit increases to 2.3-2.6 M_{odot} for extremely high magnetic field stars, but differential rotation induced by accretion could also increase it, according to Hachisu I. et al. 2012 (ApJ, 744, 69). García-Berro et al. 2012, ApJ, 749, 25, for example, proposes double degenerate mergers are the progenitors of high-field magnetic white dwarfs. We propose magnetic fields enhance the line broadening in
Optical roughness measurements on specially designed roughness standards
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Danzl, R.; Helmli, F.; Rubert, P.; Prantl, M.
The measurement of surface texture is one of the most common and important ways to judge the quality of a technical surface. In order to verify whether a metrology device is able to measure certain types of roughness accurately, various roughness standards with calibrated roughness values are available. While almost all roughness standards produced so far have been designed for tactile systems we demonstrate how the optical metrology device InfiniteFocus can be applied to special roughness standards that have been artificially roughened. Experiments are performed on standards with periodic structure and the results of the optical system are compared to the calibrated values obtained by tactile systems with different tip radius. Additionally the profile-based measurements are compared to area-based measurements conform to a recently developed ISO standard draft. Finally roughness measurements on real surfaces are presented.
X-ray sources in dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster and the nearby field
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Papadopoulou, Marina; Phillipps, S.; Young, A. J.
The extent to which dwarf galaxies represent essentially scaled down versions of giant galaxies is an important question with regards the formation and evolution of the galaxy population as a whole. Here, we address the specific question of whether dwarf galaxies behave like smaller versions of giants in terms of their X-ray properties. We discuss two samples of around 100 objects each, dwarfs in the Virgo cluster and dwarfs in a large Northern hemisphere area. We find nine dwarfs in each sample with Chandra detections. For the Virgo sample, these are in dwarf elliptical (or dwarf lenticular) galaxies and we assume that these are (mostly) low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXB) [some may be nuclear sources]. We find a detection rate entirely consistent with scaling down from massive ellipticals, viz. about one bright (i.e. LX > 1038 erg s-1) LMXB per 5 × 109 M⊙ of stars. For the field sample, we find one (known) Seyfert nucleus, in a galaxy which appears to be the lowest mass dwarf with a confirmed X-ray emitting nucleus. The other detections are in star-forming dwarf irregular or blue compact dwarf galaxies and are presumably high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXB). This time, we find a very similar detection rate to that in large late-type galaxies if we scale down by star formation rate, roughly one HMXB for a rate of 0.3 M⊙ per year. Nevertheless, there does seem to be one clear difference, in that the dwarf late-type galaxies with X-ray sources appear strongly biased to very low metallicity systems.
Molecular analysis of Soybean dwarf virus isolates in the eastern United States confirms the presence of both D and Y strains and provides evidence of mixed infections and recombination
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Soybean dwarf luteovirus (SbDV) has been identified in both Japan and the United States. Previous efforts determined that isolates representing both D-like and Y-like isolates exist in the eastern United States. These SbDV isolates tend to have host range limitations similar to their Japanese count...
Calibrating brown dwarf ages using white dwarfs in wide binaries
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Catalán, S.
Even though age is a critical parameter for all objects, it can also be one of the most difficult to measure, in particular for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. Brown dwarf models suffer from degeneracy and are not useful to infer ages without well constrained atmospheric parameters \\citep{pin06}. However, there is a way to overcome this problem by studying brown dwarfs for which some external constraints are available, for example brown dwarfs in wide binary systems. Wide binary members share proper motion and are supposed to have been born simultaneously and with the same chemical composition. Since they are well separated (⪆ 1000 AU) we can assume that no interaction has occurred between them in the past and they have evolved as isolated objects. If the companion of the brown dwarfs is a white dwarf, we can use it to calibrate the age of the system. White dwarf evolution can be described as a cooling process which is relatively well understood \\citep[e.g.][]{sal00}. Thus, they yield robust age constraints from the use of cooling sequences \\citep{gar11}. White dwarf cooling ages will uniformally give age lower limits (despite some uncertainty on progenitor life-time), and in some cases yield ages to better than 10% accuracy. Hence, wide binary systems containing a white dwarf can have system age constraints inferred from the white dwarf component. There are not many white dwarf-brown dwarf systems known so far, but with the combination of optical and IR surveys, SDSS+UKIDSS and Gaia + UKIDSS/VHS, new systems will be detected.
Roughness characteristics of natural channels
Barnes, Harry Hawthorne
Color photographs and descriptive data are presented for 50 stream channels for which roughness coefficients have been determined. All hydraulic computations involving flow in open channels require an evaluation of the roughness characteristics of the channel. In the absence of a satisfactory quantitative procedure this evaluation remains chiefly an art. The ability to evaluate roughness coefficients must be developed through experience. One means of gaining this experience is by examining and becoming acquainted with the appearance of some typical channels whose roughness coefficients are known. The photographs and data contained in this report represent a wide range of channel conditions. Familiarity with the appearance, geometry, and roughness characteristics of these channels will improve the engineer's ability to select roughness coefficients for other channels .
Solvation forces between rough surfaces
Frink, L.J.; van Swol, F.
We investigate the role of surface roughness on solvation forces and solvation free energies. Roughness is introduced by dividing a surface into an array of square tiles that are then randomly displaced in the direction perpendicular to the wall. The integrated wall strength of these tiled surfaces is independent of the surface roughness and hence this class of rough walls is ideally suited for isolating roughness effects. We use grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of a Lennard-Jones fluid confined in a slit pore with rough walls to generate the solvation interactions as a function of roughness, tile size, and surface area. The simulation data are compared to a simple superposition approximation of smooth wall solvation interactions (obtained from simulation or density functional theory), based on a distribution of wall separations. We find that this approximation provides a surprisingly accurate route to the solvation interaction of rough surfaces. In general, increased roughness leads to a reduction of oscillations in the solvation forces and surface free energies. However, nonmonotonic behavior of the oscillation amplitude with roughness can be observed for finite surfaces. The washing out of the oscillations found for large surface roughness produces a solvation force that exhibits a broad repulsive peak with separation. The broad repulsion is a consequence of the resistance to squeezing out fluid from the smallest gaps between two opposing rough surfaces. It is as much a reflection of packing effects as are the solvation oscillations for perfectly smooth pores. In addition, we present results for patterned and undulating surfaces produced by an analogous modification of the one-body external field for smooth walls. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results for a number of experimental systems including self-assembled monolayers, microporous materials, protein solutions, and DNA crystals. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}
Roughness Measurement of Dental Materials
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shulev, Assen; Roussev, Ilia; Karpuzov, Simeon; Stoilov, Georgi; Ignatova, Detelina; See, Constantin von; Mitov, Gergo
This paper presents a roughness measurement of zirconia ceramics, widely used for dental applications. Surface roughness variations caused by the most commonly used dental instruments for intraoral grinding and polishing are estimated. The applied technique is simple and utilizes the speckle properties of the scattered laser light. It could be easily implemented even in dental clinic environment. The main criteria for roughness estimation is the average speckle size, which varies with the roughness of zirconia. The algorithm used for the speckle size estimation is based on the normalized autocorrelation approach.
Solidification of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Schatzman, E.
The internal structure of white dwarfs is discussed. Highly correlated plasmas are reviewed. Implications for phase separation in the core of cooling white dwarfs are considered. The consequences for evolution of white dwarfs are addressed.
Surface Brightness Profiles of Dwarf Galaxies. II. Color Trends and Mass Profiles
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Herrmann, Kimberly A.; Hunter, Deidre A.; Elmegreen, Bruce G.
In this second paper of a series, we explore the B ‑ V, U ‑ B, and FUV‑NUV radial color trends from a multi-wavelength sample of 141 dwarf disk galaxies. Like spirals, dwarf galaxies have three types of radial surface brightness profiles: (I) single exponential throughout the observed extent (the minority), (II) down-bending (the majority), and (III) up-bending. We find that the colors of (1) Type I dwarfs generally become redder with increasing radius, unlike spirals which have a blueing trend that flattens beyond ∼1.5 disk scale lengths, (2) Type II dwarfs come in six different "flavors," one of which mimics the "U" shape of spirals, and (3) Type III dwarfs have a stretched "S" shape where the central colors are flattish, become steeply redder toward the surface brightness break, then remain roughly constant beyond, which is similar to spiral Type III color profiles, but without the central outward bluing. Faint (‑9 > MB > ‑14) Type II dwarfs tend to have continuously red or "U" shaped colors and steeper color slopes than bright (‑14 > MB > ‑19) Type II dwarfs, which additionally have colors that become bluer or remain constant with increasing radius. Sm dwarfs and BCDs tend to have at least some blue and red radial color trend, respectively. Additionally, we determine stellar surface mass density (Σ) profiles and use them to show that the break in Σ generally remains in Type II dwarfs (unlike Type II spirals) but generally disappears in Type III dwarfs (unlike Type III spirals). Moreover, the break in Σ is strong, intermediate, and weak in faint dwarfs, bright dwarfs, and spirals, respectively, indicating that Σ may straighten with increasing galaxy mass. Finally, the average stellar surface mass density at the surface brightness break is roughly 1‑2 M⊙ pc‑2 for Type II dwarfs but higher at 5.9 M⊙ pc‑2 or 27 M⊙ pc‑2 for Type III BCDs and dIms, respectively.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Carignan, Claude
One of the outstanding problems in cosmology is addressing the "small-scale crisis" and understanding structure formation at the smallest scales. Standard Lambda Cold Dark Matter cosmological simulations of Milky Way-size DM halos predict many more DM sub-halos than the number of dwarf galaxies observed. This is the so-called Missing Satellites Problem. The most popular interpretation of the Missing Satellites Problem is that the smallest dark matter halos in the universe are extremely inefficient at forming stars. The virialized extent of the Milky Way's halo should contain ~500 satellites, while only ˜100 satellites and dwarfs are observed in the whole Local Group. Despite the large amount of theoretical work and new optical observations, the discrepancy, even if reduced, still persists between observations and hierarchical models, regardless of the model parameters. It may be possible to find those isolated ultra-faint missing dwarf galaxies via their neutral gas component, which is one of the goals we are pursuing with the SKA precursor KAT-7 in South Africa, and soon with the SKA pathfinder MeerKAT.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Beichman; A., C.; Gelino; R., C.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy
The WISE satellite has detected some of the coldest, lowest mass objects in the solar neighborhood. These late T and early Y dwarfs have effective temperatures in the range 250-800 K and inferred masses in the range 5-25 MJup. A critical piece of information for determining the physical properties of a brown dwarf is its distance, which greatly improves the comparison with evolutionary models. We discuss the importance of Y dwarfs in the context of star and planet formation. We also update our recent paper on Y dwarf parallaxes with improved values for four objects based on recent observations.
The Origin of Prolate Rotation in Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies Formed by Mergers of Disky Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ebrová, Ivana; Łokas, Ewa L.
Motivated by the discovery of prolate rotation of stars in Andromeda II (And II), a dwarf spheroidal companion of M31, we study its origin via mergers of disky dwarf galaxies. We simulate merger events between two identical dwarfs changing the initial inclination of their disks with respect to the orbit and the amount of orbital angular momentum. On radial orbits, the amount of prolate rotation in the merger remnants correlates strongly with the inclination of the disks and is well understood as due to the conservation of the angular momentum component of the disks along the merger axis. For non-radial orbits, prolate rotation may still be produced if the orbital angular momentum is initially not much larger than the intrinsic angular momentum of the disks. The orbital structure of the remnants with significant rotation is dominated by box orbits in the center and long-axis tubes in the outer parts. The frequency analysis of stellar orbits in the plane perpendicular to the major axis reveals the presence of two families roughly corresponding to inner and outer long-axis tubes. The fraction of inner tubes is largest in the remnant forming from disks that are initially oriented most vertically, and is responsible for the boxy shape of the galaxy. We conclude that prolate rotation results from mergers with a variety of initial conditions and no fine tuning is necessary to reproduce this feature. We compare the properties of our merger remnants to those of dwarfs resulting from the tidal stirring scenario and the data for And II.
Satellite dwarf galaxies in a hierarchical universe: the prevalence of dwarf-dwarf major mergers
Deason, Alis; Wetzel, Andrew; Garrison-Kimmel, Shea
Mergers are a common phenomenon in hierarchical structure formation, especially for massive galaxies and clusters, but their importance for dwarf galaxies in the Local Group remains poorly understood. We investigate the frequency of major mergers between dwarf galaxies in the Local Group using the ELVIS suite of cosmological zoom-in dissipationless simulations of Milky Way- and M31-like host halos. We find that ∼10% of satellite dwarf galaxies with M {sub star} > 10{sup 6} M {sub ☉} that are within the host virial radius experienced a major merger of stellar mass ratio closer than 0.1 since z = 1, with a lower fraction for lower mass dwarf galaxies. Recent merger remnants are biased toward larger radial distance and more recent virial infall times, because most recent mergers occurred shortly before crossing within the virial radius of the host halo. Satellite-satellite mergers also occur within the host halo after virial infall, catalyzed by the large fraction of dwarf galaxies that fell in as part of a group. The merger fraction doubles for dwarf galaxies outside of the host virial radius, so the most distant dwarf galaxies in the Local Group are the most likely to have experienced a recent major merger. We discuss the implications of these results on observable dwarf merger remnants, their star formation histories, the gas content of mergers, and massive black holes in dwarf galaxies.
The Evolution of Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dunn, Jacqueline M.
Dwarf galaxies are the most numerous galaxies in the Universe, yet the driving forces in their evolution remain elusive. The proposed evolutionary link between dwarf irregular and dwarf elliptical/spheroidal galaxies is investigated using broad-band UBVR photometry obtained for a sample of 29 dwarf galaxies. The galaxies span a range of absolute B-band magnitude from -13.67 to -19.86 mag. Broad-band colors and Sérsic surface brightness profile fits are compared for the two morphological types. All optical parameters are statistically different between the two subsamples, as evidenced by the significance level of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic.Others have noted that dwarf ellipticals might have looked much like the currently observed dwarf irregulars in the past based on optical colors. An overlap between in the range of colors observed is noted for these targets, implying the possibility of an evolutionary link. A difference is noted between the two samples in the value of n (the power-law exponent determined from the Sérsic profile fitting), suggesting that the two main types of dwarf galaxy are structurally distinct. The differences in the structure of the stellar components would imply that dwarf irregulars do not evolve to become dwarf ellipticals in isolation, meaning that some sort of external interaction is required if the transformation is to occur. However, when the brightest dwarf elliptical targets are eliminated from the comparison, the two dwarf samples are much more similar in their values and range for the power-law exponent, which again suggests a possible evolutionary link. The environments of the galaxies are initially classified as either field or group/cluster, though no definitive environmental comparison is presented here.
Melis, C.; Jura, M.; Klein, B.; Zuckerman, B.; Albert, L.
We have performed a comprehensive ground-based observational program aimed at characterizing the circumstellar material orbiting three single white dwarf stars previously known to possess gaseous disks. Near-infrared imaging unambiguously detects excess infrared emission toward Ton 345 and allows us to refine models for the circumstellar dust around two of the three white dwarf stars. We find that each white dwarf hosts gaseous and dusty disks that are roughly spatially coincident, a result that is consistent with a scenario in which dusty and gaseous material has its origin in remnant parent bodies of the white dwarfs' planetary systems. We briefly describe a new model for the gas disk heating mechanism in which the gaseous material behaves like a 'Z II' region. In this Z II region, gas primarily composed of metals is photoionized by ultraviolet light and cools through optically thick allowed Ca II-line emission.
Generalizing roughness: experiments with flow-oriented roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Trevisani, Sebastiano
Surface texture analysis applied to High Resolution Digital Terrain Models (HRDTMs) improves the capability to characterize fine-scale morphology and permits the derivation of useful morphometric indexes. An important indicator to be taken into account in surface texture analysis is surface roughness, which can have a discriminant role in the detection of different geomorphic processes and factors. The evaluation of surface roughness is generally performed considering it as an isotropic surface parameter (e.g., Cavalli, 2008; Grohmann, 2011). However, surface texture has often an anisotropic character, which means that surface roughness could change according to the considered direction. In some applications, for example involving surface flow processes, the anisotropy of roughness should be taken into account (e.g., Trevisani, 2012; Smith, 2014). Accordingly, we test the application of a flow-oriented directional measure of roughness, computed considering surface gravity-driven flow. For the calculation of flow-oriented roughness we use both classical variogram-based roughness (e.g., Herzfeld,1996; Atkinson, 2000) as well as an ad-hoc developed robust modification of variogram (i.e. MAD, Trevisani, 2014). The presented approach, based on a D8 algorithm, shows the potential impact of considering directionality in the calculation of roughness indexes. The use of flow-oriented roughness could improve the definition of effective proxies of impedance to flow. Preliminary results on the integration of directional roughness operators with morphometric-based models, are promising and can be extended to more complex approaches. Atkinson, P.M., Lewis, P., 2000. Geostatistical classification for remote sensing: an introduction. Computers & Geosciences 26, 361-371. Cavalli, M. & Marchi, L. 2008, "Characterization of the surface morphology of an alpine alluvial fan using airborne LiDAR", Natural Hazards and Earth System Science, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 323-333. Grohmann, C
Kinematics of faint white dwarfs.
Luyten, W J
An analysis has been made for solar motion for 128 very faint white dwarfs of color class b or a. While about 40% of these stars may be high-velocity objects, it seems definitely indicated that the luminosity of all of them is considerably lower than that for the "normal" white dwarf of the same color. PMID:16592566
A New Milky Way dwarf galaxy in Ursa Major
Willman, Beth; Dalcanton, Julianne J.; Martinez-Delgado, David; West, Andrew A.; Blanton, Michael R.; Hogg, David W.; Barentine, J.C.; Brewington, Howard J.; Harvanek, Michael; Kleinman, S.J.; Krzesinski, Jurek; Long, Dan; Neilsen, Eric H., Jr.; Nitta, Atsuko; Snedden, Stephanie A.; /CCPP, New York /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept. /IAA, Granada /Heidelberg, Max Planck Inst. Astron. /Apache Point Observ. /Mt. Suhora Observ., Cracow /Fermilab
In this Letter, we report the discovery of a new dwarf satellite to the Milky Way, located at ({alpha}{sub 2000}, {delta}{sub 2000}) = (158.72,51.92) in the constellation of Ursa Major. This object was detected as an overdensity of red, resolved stars in Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. The color-magnitude diagram of the Ursa Major dwarf looks remarkably similar to that of Sextans, the lowest surface brightness Milky Way companion known, but with approximately an order of magnitude fewer stars. Deeper follow-up imaging confirms this object has an old and metal-poor stellar population and is {approx} 100 kpc away. We roughly estimate M{sub V} = -6.75 and r{sub 1/2} = 250 pc for this dwarf. Its luminosity is several times fainter than the faintest known Milky Way dwarfs. However, its physical size is typical for dSphs. Even though its absolute magnitude and size are presently quite uncertain, Ursa Major is likely the lowest luminosity and lowest surface brightness galaxy yet known.
Testing gravity using dwarf stars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sakstein, Jeremy
Generic scalar-tensor theories of gravity predict deviations from Newtonian physics inside astrophysical bodies. In this paper, we point out that low mass stellar objects, red and brown dwarf stars, are excellent probes of these theories. We calculate two important and potentially observable quantities: the radius of brown dwarfs and the minimum mass for hydrogen burning in red dwarfs. The brown dwarf radius can differ significantly from the general relativity prediction, and upcoming surveys that probe the mass-radius relation for stars with masses
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2007-01-01[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on image for larger poster version This false-color mosaic of the central region of the Coma cluster combines infrared and visible-light images to reveal thousands of faint objects (green). Follow-up observations showed that many of these objects, which appear here as faint green smudges, are dwarf galaxies belonging to the cluster. Two large elliptical galaxies, NGC 4889 and NGC 4874, dominate the cluster's center. The mosaic combines visible-light data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (color coded blue) with long- and short-wavelength infrared views (red and green, respectively) from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2009-01-01[figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Visible/DSS Click on image for larger version Ultraviolet/GALEX Click on image for larger version Poster Version Click on image for larger version The unique ultraviolet vision of NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer reveals, for the first time, dwarf galaxies forming out of nothing more than pristine gas likely leftover from the early universe. Dwarf galaxies are relatively small collections of stars that often orbit around larger galaxies like our Milky Way. The forming dwarf galaxies shine in the far ultraviolet spectrum, rendered as blue in the call-out on the right hand side of this image. Near ultraviolet light, also obtained by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer, is displayed in green, and visible light from the blue part of the spectrum here is represented by red. The clumps (in circles) are distinctively blue, indicating they are primarily detected in far ultraviolet light. The faint blue overlay traces the outline of the Leo Ring, a huge cloud of hydrogen and helium that orbits around two massive galaxies in the constellation Leo (left panel). The cloud is thought likely to be a primordial object, an ancient remnant of material that has remained relatively unchanged since the very earliest days of the universe. Identified about 25 years ago by radio waves, the ring cannot be seen in visible light. Only a portion of the Leo Ring has been imaged in the ultraviolet, but this section contains the telltale ultraviolet signature of recent massive star formation within this ring of pristine gas. Astronomers have previously only seen dwarf galaxies form out of gas that has already been cycled through a galaxy and enriched with metals elements heavier than helium produced as stars evolve. The visible data come from the Digitized Sky Survey of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. The
Does surface roughness amplify wetting?
Malijevský, Alexandr
Any solid surface is intrinsically rough on the microscopic scale. In this paper, we study the effect of this roughness on the wetting properties of hydrophilic substrates. Macroscopic arguments, such as those leading to the well-known Wenzel's law, predict that surface roughness should amplify the wetting properties of such adsorbents. We use a fundamental measure density functional theory to demonstrate the opposite effect from roughness for microscopically corrugated surfaces, i.e., wetting is hindered. Based on three independent analyses we show that microscopic surface corrugation increases the wetting temperature or even makes the surface hydrophobic. Since for macroscopically corrugated surfaces the solid texture does indeed amplify wetting there must exist a crossover between two length-scale regimes that are distinguished by opposite response on surface roughening. This demonstrates how deceptive can be efforts to extend the thermodynamical laws beyond their macroscopic territory.
Measuring Roughnesses Of Optical Surfaces
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Coulter, Daniel R.; Al-Jumaily, Gahnim A.; Raouf, Nasrat A.; Anderson, Mark S.
Report discusses use of scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy to measure roughnesses of optical surfaces. These techniques offer greater spatial resolution than other techniques. Report notes scanning tunneling microscopes and atomic force microscopes resolve down to 1 nm.
Radar-aeolian roughness project
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Greeley, Ronald; Dobrovolskis, A.; Gaddis, L.; Iversen, J. D.; Lancaster, N.; Leach, Rodman N.; Rasnussen, K.; Saunders, S.; Vanzyl, J.; Wall, S.
The objective is to establish an empirical relationship between measurements of radar, aeolian, and surface roughness on a variety of natural surfaces and to understand the underlying physical causes. This relationship will form the basis for developing a predictive equation to derive aeolian roughness from radar backscatter. Results are given from investigations carried out in 1989 on the principal elements of the project, with separate sections on field studies, radar data analysis, laboratory simulations, and development of theory for planetary applications.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Peering deep inside a cluster of several hundred thousand stars, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, giving astronomers a fresh reading on the age of the universe.Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, burned-out stars -- called white dwarfs -- are about 12 to 13 billion years old. By adding the one billion years it took the cluster to form after the Big Bang, astronomers found that the age of the white dwarfs agrees with previous estimates that the universe is 13 to 14 billion years old. The images, including some taken by Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, are available online at http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2002/10/ or http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/wfpc . The camera was designed and built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. In the top panel, a ground-based observatory snapped a panoramic view of the entire cluster, which contains several hundred thousand stars within a volume of 10 to 30 light-years across. The Kitt Peak National Observatory's .9-meter telescope took this picture in March 1995. The box at left indicates the region observed by the Hubble telescope. The Hubble telescope studied a small region of the cluster. A section of that region is seen in the picture at bottom left. A sampling of an even smaller region is shown at bottom right. This region is only about one light-year across. In this smaller region, Hubble pinpointed a number of faint white dwarfs. The blue circles indicate the dwarfs. It took nearly eight days of exposure time over a 67-day period to find these extremely faint stars. Globular clusters are among the oldest clusters of stars in the universe. The faintest and coolest white dwarfs within globular clusters can yield a globular cluster's age. Earlier Hubble observations showed that the first stars formed less than 1 billion years after the universe's birth in the big bang. So, finding the
Audiotactile interactions in roughness perception.
Guest, Steve; Catmur, Caroline; Lloyd, Donna; Spence, Charles
The sounds produced when we touch textured surfaces frequently provide information regarding the structure of those surfaces. It has recently been demonstrated that the perception of the texture of the hands can be modified simply by manipulating the frequency content of such touch-related sounds. We investigated whether similar auditory manipulations change people's perception of the roughness of abrasive surfaces (experiment 1). Participants were required to make speeded, forced-choice discrimination responses regarding the roughness of a series of abrasive samples which they touched briefly. Analysis of discrimination errors verified that tactile roughness perception was modulated by the frequency content of the auditory feedback. Specifically, attenuating high frequencies led to a bias towards an increased perception of tactile smoothness. In experiment 2, we replicated the rubbing-hands manipulation of previous experimenters while participants rated either the perceived roughness or wetness of their hands. The wetness scale data replicated the results in the literature, while the roughness scale data replicated the result from experiment 1. A final experiment showed that delaying the auditory feedback from the hand-rubbing reduced the magnitude of this parchment-skin illusion. These experiments demonstrate the dramatic effect that auditory frequency manipulations can have on the perceived tactile roughness and moistness of surfaces, and are consistent with the proposal that different auditory perceptual dimensions may have varying salience for different surfaces. PMID:12195518
Roughness reduction on aspheric surfaces
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kiontke, S.; Kokot, Sebastian
For a lot of applications like spectrometer and high power laser roughness as an important parameter has been discussed over and over again. Especially for high power systems the surface quality is crucial for determining the damage threshold and therefore the field of application. Above that, it has often been difficult to compare roughness measurements because of different measurement methods and the usage of filters and surface fits. Measurement results differ significantly depending on filters and especially on the measured surface size. Insights will be given how values behave depending on the quality of surface and the size of measured area. Many applications require a high quality of roughness in order to reduce scattering. Some of them in order to prevent from damage like high power laser applications. Others like spectrometers seek to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Most of them have already been built with spherical surfaces. With higher demands on efficiency and more sophisticated versions aspherical surfaces need to be employed. Therefore, the high requirement in roughness known from spherical surfaces is also needed on aspherical surfaces. For one thing, the constant change of curvature of an aspherical surface accounts for the superior performance, for another thing, it prevents from using classical polishing technics, which guarantied this low roughness. New methods need to be qualified. In addition, also results of a new manufacturing process will be shown allowing low roughness on aspheric even with remarkable departure from the best fit sphere.
Brown Dwarfs: A New Class of Stellar Lighthouse
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brown dwarfs, thought just a few years ago to be incapable of emitting any significant amounts of radio waves, have been discovered putting out extremely bright "lighthouse beams" of radio waves, much like pulsars. A team of astronomers made the discovery using the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope. Artist's Conception of Brown Dwarf Artist's conception of "mini-aurorae" at poles of brown dwarf, producing beams of strong radio emission. CREDIT: Hallinan et al., NRAO/AUI/NSF Click on image for page of graphics and full information "These beams rotate with the brown dwarf, and we see them when the beam passes over the Earth. This is the same way we see pulses from pulsars," said Gregg Hallinan of the National University of Ireland Galway. "We now think brown dwarfs may be a missing link between pulsars and planets in our own Solar System, which also emit, but more weakly," he added. Brown dwarfs are enigmatic objects that are too small to be stars but too large to be planets. They are sometimes called "failed stars" because they have too little mass to trigger hydrogen fusion reactions at their cores, the source of the energy output in larger stars. With roughly 15 to 80 times the mass of Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, brown dwarfs were long thought to exist. However, it was not until 1995 that astronomers were able to actually find one. A few dozen now are known. In 2001, a group of summer students at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory used the VLA to observe a brown dwarf, even though they had been told by seasoned astronomers that brown dwarfs are not observable at radio wavelengths. Their discovery of a strong flare of radio emission from the object surprised astronomers and the students' scientific paper on the discovery was published in the prestigous scientific journal Nature. Hallinan and his team observed a set of brown dwarfs with the VLA last year, and found that three of the objects emit extremely
Eleven years after the discovery of the first T dwarf, we have a population of ultracool L and T dwarfs that is large enough to show a range of atmospheric properties, as well as model atmospheres advanced enough to study these properties in detail. Since the last Cool Stars meeting, there have been observational developments which aid in these studies. they present recent mid-infrared photometry and spectroscopy from the Spitzer Space Telescope which confirms the prevalence of vertical mixing in the atmospheres of L and T dwarfs. Hence, the 700 K to 2200 K L and t dwarf photspheres require a large number of parameters for successful modeling: effective temperature, gravity, metallicity, grain sedimentation and vertical mixing efficiency. They also describe initial results of a search for ultracool dwarfs in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey, and present the latest T dwarf found to date. They conclude with a discussion of the definition of the later-than-T spectral type, the Y dwarf.
Magnetic Field of Strange Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Baghdasaryan, D. S.
The generation of a magnetic field in a strange quark star owing to differential rotation of the superfluid and superconducting quark core relative to the normal electron-nuclear crust of the star is examined. The maximum possible magnetic field on the surface is estimated for various models of strange dwarfs. Depending on the configuration parameters, i.e., the mass M and radius R of the star, a range of 103-105 G is found. These values of the magnetic field may be an additional condition for identification of strange dwarfs among the extensive class of observed white dwarfs.
Measuring M Dwarf Winds with DAZ White Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Debes, John H.
Hydrogen atmosphere white dwarfs with metal lines, so-called DAZs, show evidence for ongoing accretion of material onto their surfaces. Some DAZs are known to have unresolved M dwarf companions, which could account for the observed accretion through a stellar wind. I combine observed Ca abundances of the DAZs with information on the orbital separation of their M dwarf companions to infer the mass-loss rate of the M dwarfs. I find that for three of the six known DAZs with M dwarf companions, a stellar wind can plausibly explain the observed accretion on the white dwarfs assuming Bondi-Hoyle accretion of solar abundance stellar winds on the order of 10-14 to 10-16 Msolar yr-1. The rest of the sample have companions with orbits >~1 AU and require companion mass-loss rates of >10-11 Msolar yr-1. I conclude that there must be an alternative explanation for accretion of material onto DAZs with widely separated companions. The inferred winds for two of the close binaries are orders of magnitude smaller than typically assumed for the angular momentum loss of red dwarf-white dwarf pairs due to magnetic braking from a stellar wind and may seriously affect predictions for the formation rate of CVs with low-mass companions. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the Data Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. These observations are associated with program 10255.
Gray, R. O.; McGahee, C. E.; Griffin, R. E. M.; Corbally, C. J. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com E-mail: email@example.com
Barium II (Ba) stars are chemically peculiar F-, G-, and K-type objects that show enhanced abundances of s-process elements. Since s-process nucleosynthesis is unlikely to take place in stars prior to the advanced asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stage, the prevailing hypothesis is that each present Ba star was contaminated by an AGB companion which is now a white dwarf (WD). Unless the initial mass ratio of such a binary was fairly close to unity, the receiving star is thus at least as likely to be a dwarf as a giant. So although most known Ba stars appear to be giants, the hypothesis requires that Ba dwarfs be comparably plentiful and moreover that they should all have WD companions. However, despite dedicated searches with the IUE satellite, no WD companions have been directly detected to date among the classical Ba dwarfs, even though some 90% of those stars are spectroscopic binaries, so the contamination hypothesis is therefore presently in some jeopardy. In this paper, we analyze recent deep, near-UV and far-UV Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) exposures of four of the brightest of the class (HD 2454, 15360, 26367, and 221531), together with archived GALEX data for two newly recognized Ba dwarfs: HD 34654 and HD 114520 (which also prove to be spectroscopic binaries). The GALEX observations of the Ba dwarfs as a group show a significant far-UV excess compared to a control sample of normal F-type dwarfs. We suggest that this ensemble far-UV excess constitutes the first direct evidence that Ba dwarfs have WD companions.
Roughness effects in uncompensated antiferromagnets
Charilaou, M.; Hellman, F.
Monte Carlo simulations show that roughness in uncompensated antiferromagnets decreases not just the surface magnetization but also the net magnetization and particularly strongly affects the temperature dependence. In films with step-type roughness, each step creates a new compensation front that decreases the global net magnetization. The saturation magnetization decreases non-monotonically with increasing roughness and does not scale with the surface area. Roughness in the form of surface vacancies changes the temperature-dependence of the magnetization; when only one surface has vacancies, the saturation magnetization will decrease linearly with surface occupancy, whereas when both surfaces have vacancies, the magnetization is negative and exhibits a compensation point at finite temperature, which can be tuned by controlling the occupancy. Roughness also affects the spin-texture of the surfaces due to long-range dipolar interactions and generates non-collinear spin configurations that could be used in devices to produce locally modified exchange bias. These results explain the strongly reduced magnetization found in magnetometry experiments and furthers our understanding of the temperature-dependence of exchange bias.
Smaller Fleas: Viruses of Microorganisms
Hyman, Paul; Abedon, Stephen T.
Life forms can be roughly differentiated into those that are microscopic versus those that are not as well as those that are multicellular and those that, instead, are unicellular. Cellular organisms seem generally able to host viruses, and this propensity carries over to those that are both microscopic and less than truly multicellular. These viruses of microorganisms, or VoMs, in fact exist as the world's most abundant somewhat autonomous genetic entities and include the viruses of domain Bacteria (bacteriophages), the viruses of domain Archaea (archaeal viruses), the viruses of protists, the viruses of microscopic fungi such as yeasts (mycoviruses), and even the viruses of other viruses (satellite viruses). In this paper we provide an introduction to the concept of viruses of microorganisms, a.k.a., viruses of microbes. We provide broad discussion particularly of VoM diversity. VoM diversity currently spans, in total, at least three-dozen virus families. This is roughly ten families per category—bacterial, archaeal, fungal, and protist—with some virus families infecting more than one of these microorganism major taxa. Such estimations, however, will vary with further discovery and taxon assignment and also are dependent upon what forms of life one includes among microorganisms. PMID:24278736
Recent Studies of Runway Roughness
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Morris, Garland; Hall, Albert W.
Recent studies of NASA research related to aircraft operating problems on rough runways are presented. Some of these investigations were conducted cooperatively with the airport operators, with the Federal Aviation Agency, and with the U.S. Air Force. The studies show that criteria based on power spectral levels of runway-profile data are not sufficient to define acceptable levels of runway roughness from the piloting viewpoint. Because of the large variation in response characteristics between various types of aircraft, a runway may be acceptable for some aircraft and unacceptable for others. A criterion for roughness, therefore, should be expressed in terms of aircraft response - preferably, cockpit acceleration. A criterion suggested is that the maximum vertical acceleration in the cockpit should not exceed +/- 0.4 g for sections of the runway where precise aircraft control is required.
Wetting phenomena on rough substrates
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Hao; Kardar, Mehran
We consider wetting phenomena in the vicinity of rough substrates. The quenched random geometry of the substrate is assumed to be a self-affine fractal with a roughness exponent of ζS. Asymptotic critical properties on approaching complete and critical wetting transitions are studied by combining the replica method with scaling and renormalization-group arguments. We find new critical behavior, controlled by a zero-temperature fixed point, when ζS exceeds the thermal roughness exponent of the emerging wetting layer. The possibility of an effective dimensional reduction due to randomness is considered. In two dimensions a number of exact results are obtained by using a many-body transfer-matrix technique.
Chemical Signatures in Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Venn, Kim A.; Hill, Vanessa M.
Chemical signatures in dwarf galaxies describe the examination of specific elemental abundance ratios to investigate the formation and evolution of dwarf galaxies, particularly when compared with the variety of stellar populations in the Galaxy. Abundance ratios can come from HII region emission lines, planetary nebulae, or supernova remnants, but mostly they come from stars. Since stars can live a very long time, for example, a 0.8 MSun star born at the time of the Big Bang would only now be ascending the red giant branch, and, if, for the most part, its quiescent main sequence lifetime had been uneventful, then it is possible that the surface chemistry of stars actually still resembles their natal chemistry. Detailed abundances of stars in dwarf galaxies can be used to reconstruct their chemical evolution, which we now find to be distinct from any other component of the Galaxy, questioning the assertion that dwarf galaxies like these built up the Galaxy. Potential solutions to reconciling dwarf galaxy abundances and Galaxy formation models include the timescale for significant merging and the possibility for uncovering different stellar populations in the new ultra-faint dwarfs.
Spectral and Timing Investigations of Dwarf Novae Selected in Hard X-Rays
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Thorstensen, John; Remillard, Ronald A.
There are 9 dwarf novae (DN) among the 43 cataclysmic variables (accreting white dwarfs in close binary systems) that were detected during the HEAO-1 all-sky X-ray survey (1977-1979). On the other hand, there are roughly one hundred dwarf novae that are closer and/or optically brighter and yet they were not detected as hard X-ray sources. Two of the HEAO-1 DN show evidence for X-ray pulsations that imply strong magnetic fields on the white dwarf surface, and magnetic CVs are known to be strong X-ray sources. However, substantial flux in hard X-rays may be caused by non-magnetic effects, such as an optically thin boundary layer near a massive white dwarf. We proposed RXTE observations to measure plasma temperatures and to search for X-ray pulsations. The observations would distinguish whether these DN belong to one of (rare) magnetic subclasses. For those that do not show pulsations, the observations support efforts to define empirical relations between X-ray temperature, the accretion rate, and the mass of the white dwarf. The latter is determined via optical studies of the dynamics of the binary constituents.
Earth-Sized Planets Around Nearby Dwarf
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kohler, Susanna
Despite having lost two of its reaction wheels, the Kepler mission has proven itself still capable of making discoveries. Now in a mission extension called K2, in which radiation pressure from the Sun stabilizes the spacecraft, Kepler has continued to detect planets in distant solar systems. And one of its latest discoveries is an especially intriguing pair of Earth-sized planets transiting a small, cool star only ~200 light-years away Transiting Discoveries: Earth-sized planets that orbit close to their host stars are thought to be remarkably common. Theyre predicted to exist around more than a quarter of Sun-like stars, and to be nearly ubiquitous around the smaller, cooler M dwarfs. Unfortunately, systems with M-dwarf hosts are hard to find, since theyre often very faint; a large survey is needed to spot the few M dwarfs near enough to be easily detectable. Luckily, Kepler has risen to the occasion Calibrated photometry for the K2-21 system, with the planet transits marked by red and teal ticks. Best-fit light curves for the transits are shown in the lower panels. Click for a closer look [Petigura et al. 2015] In a recent paper, a team of scientists led by Erik Petigura (Hubble Fellow at the California Institute of Technology) reports the discovery of two new transiting, Earth-sized planets around nearby M dwarf K2-21. The team followed up with spectroscopy of the host star, which allowed them to estimate that the two planets, K2-21b and K2-21c, have radii roughly 1.6 and 1.9 times the radius of Earth. These sizes mean that they straddle the boundary between high-density, rocky planets and low-density planets with thick gaseous envelopes.Unique PlanetsOne unanswered question about close-in, small planets common around dwarfs is whether they form in situ, or form far from their host and migrate inward. K2-21b and c have orbital periods of approximately 9.3 and 15.5 days, which means they are very nearly in a 5:3 resonance. This may be evidence that they formed
Nanowetting of rough superhydrophobic surfaces
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, H.; Lamb, R. N.; Cookson, D. J.
Small angle x-ray scattering has been used to investigate the in situ immersive wetting of ultrarough surfaces which exhibit superhydrophobicity with extreme water contact angle (θA=169°). Reduced scattering contrast observed from rough surfaces when partially or totally wetted reveals significant physical differences between superhydrophobic surfaces not otherwise apparent from conventional contact angle measurements.
Plant Communities of Rough Rock.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jacobs, Linda
A unit of study on plants grown in the Navajo community of Rough Rock, Arizona, is presented in sketches providing the common Navajo name for the plant, a literal English translation, the English name of the plant, and the Latin name. A brief description of each plant includes where the plant grows, how the Navajos use the plant, and the color and…
Estimating surface roughness using stereophotogrammetry
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
David, V.; Krasa, J.
At the Department of Drainage, Irrigation and Landscape Engineering (CTU Prague) we use several mathematical models for soil erosion, sediment transport and surface runoff assessment. Here we continuously struggle for successful models parameterizations. One of the typical coefficients usually taken from literature instead of measurements is surface roughness, eg. Manning roughness (Maidment, 1993). Roughness is a key to surface runoff velocity and surface runoff depth estimation but often it is very roughly estimated. Within the COST 22 Action research we focused on estimating actual surface roughness using stereophotogrammetry. Our aim was to set up a simple low cost system useful for roughness measurements in nature conditions - mainly on agricultural fields. Our system consists of Canon EOS 400 digital camera with angle viewfinder, two robust tripods and a horizontal bar with sliding 3D tripod head. We tested different camera heights and focal distances as well as various parallaxes to obtain reasonable results. Finally we shot the surfaces from 1600 millimeters with 24 and 35 mm lens and parallaxes close to 100 mm. For 3D scene development we use Geomatica 10 GIS and its OrthoEngine module. Testing the proper system and many variables of the 3D scene modelling was an important part of the first year of the project. For these purposes we first prepared a calibrated and known 3D surface consisting of 70 by 70 cm grid and several geometrical objects of different sizes and shapes. Preparing the correct lighting conditions, finding the resolving power of the system and solving the problems with low contrast areas of measured surfaces was a time consuming but interesting task. After the system calibration we started with the actual terrain measurements. Our setup, system testing and preliminary results of the roughness computations are presented on the poster. Acknowledgement This research was acomplished within national COST project OC189 "Flood risk and its
31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn,...
31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn,...
31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn,...
31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn,...
31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply...
Roughness of stable, armored gravel beds
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gomez, Basil
The grain roughness of stable armored beds that formed in a laboratory flume under a range of steady flow conditions on rounded, flat and angular gravel is analyzed. Gravel roughness geometry is determined from bed surface profiles and vertical photographs. These techniques have been employed in field situations. Thus the methodology is potentially applicable to the analysis of grain roughness in natural gravel bed channels. The description of representative roughness geometry is also analogous to that used to characterize artificial roughness arrays. Armor roughness increases with increasing flow. Armored surfaces composed of angular gravel are roughest, and surfaces formed of flat gravel offer least resistance to the flow. Stable armored beds may exhibit a tendency to maximize the ratio of the shear due to drag on representative roughness elements to total shear. Roughness concentration is strongly correlated with the energy slope, and there is a linear increase in equivalent roughness height with increasing roughness concentration. The friction factor for an armored surface varies in a linear manner with representative roughness geometry. The equation defining this relation is probably similar to that used to characterize variations in the friction factor with artificial roughness geometry at low roughness concentrations. However, to reconcile the relations for artificial and natural roughness completely, it may be necessary to explicitly consider the contribution to flow resistance made by roughness shape, background roughness, and blocking in shallow flows.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patterson, Joseph
This proposal was designed to study pulse and orbital modulations in candidate DQ Herculis stars. Data on 5 stars were obtained. The best results were obtained on YY Draconis, which exhibited a strongly pulsed hard X-ray flux, and even suggested a transition between one-pole and two-pole emission during the course of the observation. This result is being readied for inclusion in a comprehensive study of YY Draconis. A strong pulsation appeared to be present also in H0857-242, but with a period of about 50 minutes, confusion with the first harmonic of the satellite's orbital frequency is possible. So that result is uncertain. A negative result was obtained on 4UO608-49 (V347 Pup), suggesting either that the X-ray identification is incorrect, or that the source is very transient. Finally, data was obtained on V1432 Aql and WZ Sge, respectively the slowest and fastest of these stars. Combined with the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA) data, the high-energy data demonstrates the latter to contain a white dwarf rotating with P = 27.87 s. Optical photometry contemporaneous with the X-ray data was obtained of V1432 Aql, in order to study the variations in the eclipse waveform. As anticipated, the width and centroid of the eclipse appeared to vary with the 50-day "supercycle". A paper reporting this study is now in preparation.
Brown dwarfs as close companions to white dwarfs
Stringfellow, G.S.; Bodenheimer, P.; Black, D.C. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX )
The influence of the radiation flux emitted by a white dwarf primary on the evolution of a closely orbiting brown dwarf (BD) companion is investigated. Full stellar evolutionary calculations are presented for both isolated and thermal bath cases, including effects of large variations in the atmospheric grain opacities. High grain opacities significantly increase the radii of the BDs, but the thermal bath does not. The major influence of the thermal bath is to increase substantially the surface temperature and luminosity of the BD at a given age. These results are compared with the observational properties of the possible BD companion of the white dwarf G29-38. Inclusion of both physical effects, high grain opacities and thermal bath, increases the mass range (0.034-0.063 solar masses) of viable models significantly, yet the final determination of whether the object is indeed a BD requires improvements in the observations of the system's properties. 37 refs.
Brown dwarfs as close companions to white dwarfs
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stringfellow, Guy S.; Bodenheimer, Peter; Black, David C.
The influence of the radiation flux emitted by a white dwarf primary on the evolution of a closely orbiting brown dwarf (BD) companion is investigated. Full stellar evolutionary calculations are presented for both isolated and thermal bath cases, including effects of large variations in the atmospheric grain opacities. High grain opacities significantly increase the radii of the BDs, but the thermal bath does not. The major influence of the thermal bath is to increase substantially the surface temperature and luminosity of the BD at a given age. These results are compared with the observational properties of the possible BD companion of the white dwarf G29-38. Inclusion of both physical effects, high grain opacities and thermal bath, increases the mass range (0.034-0.063 solar masses) of viable models significantly, yet the final determination of whether the object is indeed a BD requires improvements in the observations of the system's properties.
Polymer Transport Near Rough Surfaces
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bloom, Moses; Whitmer, Jonathan; Luijten, Erik
The rheology of dilute polymer solutions under confinement is important in biology, medicine, microfluidic device design, synthetic polymer processing, and even geologic porous media. However, the solution's specific interactions with the confining surface are poorly understood. This situation is exacerbated for composite nanoparticles, such as polymer/metallic hybrids. Using multi-particle collision dynamics, we find a rich array of transport regimes depending on small-scale surface roughness and the specific surface/solute interactions. These factors couple to hydrodynamic conditions, including flow strength and confinement geometry in unexpected ways. Our findings may be relevant to transport phenomena in certain rough-walled capillaries, such as the distribution of various nanoconjugates in vivo.
The identification of protein biomarkers distinguishing virus transmission competent and refractive insect populations by coupling genetics with quantitative intact proteomics
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Yellow dwarf viruses cause the most economically important virus diseases of cereal crops worldwide and are vectored by aphids. The identification of vector proteins mediating virus transmission is critical to develop agriculturally-sustainable virus management practices and to understand viral str...
Sensing roughness and polish direction
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jakobsen, M. L.; Olesen, A. S.; Larsen, H. E.; Stubager, J.; Hanson, S. G.; Pedersen, T. F.; Pedersen, H. C.
As a part of the work carried out on a project supported by the Danish council for technology and innovation, we have investigated the option of smoothing standard CNC machined surfaces. In the process of constructing optical prototypes, involving custom-designed optics, the development cost and time consumption can become relatively large numbers in a research budget. Machining the optical surfaces directly is expensive and time consuming. Alternatively, a more standardized and cheaper machining method can be used, but then the object needs to be manually polished. During the polishing process the operator needs information about the RMS-value of the surface roughness and the current direction of the scratches introduces by the polishing process. The RMS-value indicates to the operator how far he is from the final finish, and the scratch orientation is often specified by the customer in order to avoid complications during the casting process. In this work we present a method for measuring the RMS-values of the surface roughness while simultaneously determining the polishing direction. We are mainly interested in the RMS-values in the range from 0 - 100 nm, which corresponds to the finish categories of A1, A2 and A3. Based on simple intensity measurements we estimates the RMS-value of the surface roughness, and by using a sectioned annual photo-detector to collect the scattered light we can determine the direction of polishing and distinguish light scattered from random structures and light scattered from scratches.
Davy Kirkpatrick, J.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Griffith, Roger L.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; Cushing, Michael C.; Mace, Gregory N.; Wright, Edward L.; McLean, Ian S.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Eisenhardt, Peter R.; Mainzer, Amanda K.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Tinney, C. G.; Parker, Stephen; Salter, Graeme
We present the discovery of another seven Y dwarfs from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Using these objects, as well as the first six WISE Y dwarf discoveries from Cushing et al., we further explore the transition between spectral types T and Y. We find that the T/Y boundary roughly coincides with the spot where the J - H colors of brown dwarfs, as predicted by models, turn back to the red. Moreover, we use preliminary trigonometric parallax measurements to show that the T/Y boundary may also correspond to the point at which the absolute H (1.6 {mu}m) and W2 (4.6 {mu}m) magnitudes plummet. We use these discoveries and their preliminary distances to place them in the larger context of the solar neighborhood. We present a table that updates the entire stellar and substellar constituency within 8 pc of the Sun, and we show that the current census has hydrogen-burning stars outnumbering brown dwarfs by roughly a factor of six. This factor will decrease with time as more brown dwarfs are identified within this volume, but unless there is a vast reservoir of cold brown dwarfs invisible to WISE, the final space density of brown dwarfs is still expected to fall well below that of stars. We also use these new Y dwarf discoveries, along with newly discovered T dwarfs from WISE, to investigate the field substellar mass function. We find that the overall space density of late-T and early-Y dwarfs matches that from simulations describing the mass function as a power law with slope -0.5 < {alpha} < 0.0; however, a power law may provide a poor fit to the observed object counts as a function of spectral type because there are tantalizing hints that the number of brown dwarfs continues to rise from late-T to early-Y. More detailed monitoring and characterization of these Y dwarfs, along with dedicated searches aimed at identifying more examples, are certainly required.
Branes constrictions with White Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
García-Aspeitia, Miguel A.
We consider here a robust study of stellar dynamics for white dwarf stars with polytropic matter in the weak-field approximation using the Lane-Emden equation from the brane-world scenario. We also derive an analytical solution to the nonlocal energy density and show the behavior and sensitivity of these stars to the presence of extra dimensions. Similarly, we analyze stability and compactness, in order to show whether it is possible to agree with the conventional wisdom of white dwarfs dynamics. Our results predict an average value of the brane tension of < λ rangle ≳ 84.818MeV^4, with a standard deviation σ ˜eq 82.021MeV^4, which comes from a sample of dwarf stars, being weaker than other astrophysical observations but remaining higher than cosmological results provided by nucleosynthesis among others.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ksanfomality, L. V.
In recent decades, investigations of Pluto with up-to-date astronomical instruments yielded results that have been generally confirmed by the New Horizons mission. In 2006, in Prague, the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) reclassified Pluto as a member of the dwarf planet category according to the criteria defined by the IAU for the term "planet". At the same time, interest in studies of Pluto was increasing, while the space investigations of Pluto were delayed. In 2006, the New Horizons Pluto spacecraft started its journey to Pluto. On July 14, 2015, the spacecraft, being in fly-by mode, made its closest approach to Pluto. The heterogeneities and properties of the surface and rarified atmosphere were investigated thoroughly. Due to the extreme remoteness of the spacecraft and the energy limitations, it will take 18 months to transmit the whole data volume. Along with the preliminary results of the New Horizons Pluto mission, this paper reviews the basics on Pluto and its moons acquired from the ground-based observations and with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). There are only a few meteorite craters on the surfaces of Pluto and Charon, which distinctly marks them apart from such satellites of the giant planets as Ganymede and Callisto. The explanation is that the surface of Pluto is young: its age is estimated at less than 100 Myr. Ice glaciers of apparently a nitrogen nature were found. Nitrogen is also the main component of the atmosphere of Pluto. The planet demonstrates the signs of strong geologic activity, though the energy sources of these processes are unknown.
Eclipse Observations of a Temperate Transiting Brown Dwarf
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Beatty, Thomas; Curtis, Jason; Montet, Benjamin; Vanderberg, Andrew
We wish to use 15.7 hours of Spitzer time to observe two eclipses, one each at 3.6 um and 4.5 um of a newly discovered transiting brown dwarf, which we refer to as R147-BD. R147-BD is a 36 MJ object on a 5.3 day orbit about a K=10.666, 5800K solar analog. Uniquely, R147-BD and its host star are both members of the 3.0 Gyr old open cluster Ruprecht 147. R147-BD is thus one of the only transiting brown dwarfs for which we have a robust isochronal age that is not dependent upon brown dwarf evolutionary models. These models predict that a field object with the mass and age of R147-BD should have an effective temperature of about 800K due to internal heat. The zero-albedo blackbody equilibrium temperature for R147-BD, based only on its host star's insolation, is 1125K. This makes R147-BD the first observationally accessible sub-stellar object for which the internal and external energy fluxes are approximately equal, and it can serve as a unique laboratory to test the effect of stellar irradiation on the vertical pressure-temperature structure and clouds of giant planets. Specifically, we wish to investigate three different questions with these observations. First, how does the measured mass, radius, age and emission of R147-BD compare to brown dwarf evolution models, and how have these been altered by stellar irradiation? Second, does R147-BD's dayside atmosphere resemble its isolated field equivalent, or is it closer to hot Jupiters at similar temperatures? Third, can we constrain the cloud properties of R147-BD's dayside? Besides these particular science questions, observations of R147-BD allow us to scout-out future JWST observations of temperate giant planets, which also will have roughly equal amounts of stellar irradiation and internal heat.
Age determination for Ultracool Dwarfs .
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Faherty, Jacqueline K.
Brown dwarfs are notoriously difficult to age date as they lack stable hydrogen burning hence main-sequence star age-dating techniques are inapplicable for their masses. However precise and accurate ages for individual sources are required to determine masses and disentangle how secondary parameters such as differing metallicity, cloud structure and gravity impact observables. In this contribution, I review age-dating techniques for brown dwarfs as well as ``piggy-back" techniques that rely on co-moving, higher mass, main-sequence stars for which Gaia may substantially increase the sample.
Hermes, J. J.; Castanheira, Barbara G.; Winget, D. E.; Montgomery, M. H.; Harrold, Samuel T.; Kepler, S. O.; Gianninas, A.; Brown, Warren R.
We announce the discovery of the most massive pulsating hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarf (WD) ever discovered, GD 518. Model atmosphere fits to the optical spectrum of this star show it is a 12, 030 {+-} 210 K WD with a log g =9.08 {+-} 0.06, which corresponds to a mass of 1.20 {+-} 0.03 M{sub Sun }. Stellar evolution models indicate that the progenitor of such a high-mass WD endured a stable carbon-burning phase, producing an oxygen-neon-core WD. The discovery of pulsations in GD 518 thus offers the first opportunity to probe the interior of a WD with a possible oxygen-neon core. Such a massive WD should also be significantly crystallized at this temperature. The star exhibits multi-periodic luminosity variations at timescales ranging from roughly 425 to 595 s and amplitudes up to 0.7%, consistent in period and amplitude with the observed variability of typical ZZ Ceti stars, which exhibit non-radial g-mode pulsations driven by a hydrogen partial ionization zone. Successfully unraveling both the total mass and core composition of GD 518 provides a unique opportunity to investigate intermediate-mass stellar evolution, and can possibly place an upper limit to the mass of a carbon-oxygen-core WD, which in turn constrains Type Ia supernovae progenitor systems.
Using Optimisation Techniques to Granulise Rough Set Partitions
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Crossingham, Bodie; Marwala, Tshilidzi
This paper presents an approach to optimise rough set partition sizes using various optimisation techniques. Three optimisation techniques are implemented to perform the granularisation process, namely, genetic algorithm (GA), hill climbing (HC) and simulated annealing (SA). These optimisation methods maximise the classification accuracy of the rough sets. The proposed rough set partition method is tested on a set of demographic properties of individuals obtained from the South African antenatal survey. The three techniques are compared in terms of their computational time, accuracy and number of rules produced when applied to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) data set. The optimised methods results are compared to a well known non-optimised discretisation method, equal-width-bin partitioning (EWB). The accuracies achieved after optimising the partitions using GA, HC and SA are 66.89%, 65.84% and 65.48% respectively, compared to the accuracy of EWB of 59.86%. In addition to rough sets providing the plausabilities of the estimated HIV status, they also provide the linguistic rules describing how the demographic parameters drive the risk of HIV.
Kazantzidis, Stelios; Lokas, Ewa L.; Klimentowski, Jaroslaw; Mayer, Lucio; Knebe, Alexander
We perform collisionless N-body simulations to investigate whether binary mergers between rotationally supported dwarfs can lead to the formation of dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). Our simulation campaign is based on a hybrid approach combining cosmological simulations and controlled numerical experiments. We select merger events from a Constrained Local Universe simulation of the Local Group (LG) and record the properties of the interacting dwarf-sized halos. This information is subsequently used to seed controlled experiments of binary encounters between dwarf galaxies consisting of exponential stellar disks embedded in cosmologically motivated dark matter halos. These simulations are designed to reproduce eight cosmological merger events, with initial masses of the interacting systems in the range {approx}(5-60) x 10{sup 7} M{sub sun}, occurring quite early in the history of the LG, more than 10 Gyr ago. We compute the properties of the merger remnants as a distant observer would and demonstrate that at least three of the simulated encounters produce systems with kinematic and structural properties akin to those of the classic dSphs in the LG. Tracing the history of the remnants in the cosmological simulation to z = 0, we find that two dSph-like objects remain isolated at distances {approx}> 800 kpc from either the Milky Way or M31. These systems constitute plausible counterparts of the remote dSphs Cetus and Tucana which reside in the LG outskirts, far from the tidal influence of the primary galaxies. We conclude that merging of rotationally supported dwarfs represents a viable mechanism for the formation of dSphs in the LG and similar environments.
New light on dark stars. Red dwarfs, low-mass stars, brown dwarfs.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Reid, I. N.; Hawley, S. L.
This book presents a comprehensive discussion of both the astrophysical structure of individual M dwarf and brown dwarf star, and their collective statistical properties as a Galactic stellar population. The first section of the book discusses M dwarfs and brown dwarfs as individual objects - their observational properties, formation, internal structure and atmospheres. The second section deals with M dwarfs from the Galactic perspective - the number of stars, their possible contribution to dark matter and the missing mass and their use as probes of the stellar populations that make up our Galaxy. Contents: (1) Astronomical concepts. (2) Basic observational properties of low-mass dwarfs. (3) The structure, formation and evolution of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. (4) The photosphere. (5) Stellar activity. (6) A Galactic structure primer. (7) The stellar luminosity function. (8) The mass function. (9) Brown dwarfs: new light on dark stars. (10) Extrasolar planets. (11) M dwarfs in the Galactic halo. Appendix: The 8 parsec sample.
Optical receivers using rough reflectors
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Vilnrotter, V. A.
This report examines the possible use of rough, or nondiffraction-limited, reflectors for collecting optical signals. It is shown that in the absence of background radiation, the reflector's surface quality has little effect on the performance of a properly designed receiver, but that the presence of even small amounts of background radiation can lead to severe performance degradation. Techniques are suggested for improving receiver performance in high-background environments, and bounds and approximations to the exact error-probability expressions are derived.
Andromeda and the Seven Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brasseur, C.; Rix, H.-W.; Martin, N.
With the new generation of wide-field surveys, our understanding of the Andromeda satellite system has dramatically improved in recent years. Since 2004, 12 new dwarf galaxies have been discovered around Andromeda, doubling the number of previously known companions. What are the properties of these newly discovered dwarfs and what do they tell us about galaxy formation? Are these systems bound? Do they show evidence of multiple star formation epochs? To better understand the stellar populations of the faintest dwarfs around M 31, we have used the Large Binocular Camera (LBT) and Suprime-Cam (Subaru) to obtain photometric observations of And X, And XVII, And XVIII, And XIX, And XX, And XXI and And XXII. Reaching below the horizontal branch, these observations have allowed for accurate distance determinations to be made, together with metallicity estimates based on the red giant branch stars. Our analysis shows our 7 dwarfs to be metal poor and with large spreads in [Fe/H], it strongly suggests multiple generations of stars are present in And X, And XVII, And XVIII, and And XIX, And XXI.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Van Horn, Hugh M.
Describes the current understanding of the structure and evolution of the white dwarf stars that was gained as a result of the increasingly sensitive and detailed astronomical observations coupled with calculations of the properties of matter under extreme conditions. (Author/GA)
Irregular Dwarf Galaxy IC 1613
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2005-01-01Ultraviolet image (left) and visual image (right) of the irregular dwarf galaxy IC 1613. Low surface brightness galaxies, such as IC 1613, are more easily detected in the ultraviolet because of the low background levels compared to visual wavelengths.
Pulsating Helium Atmosphere White Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Provencal, Judith; Montgomery, Michael H.; Bischoff-Kim, Agnes; Shipman, Harry; Nitta, Atsuko; Whole Earth Telescope Collaboration
The overwhelming majority of all stars currently on the main sequence as well as those from earlier generations will or have ended their stellar lives as white dwarf stars. White dwarfs are rich forensic laboratories linking the history and future evolution of our Galaxy. Their structure and atmospheric composition provide evidence of how the progenitors lived, how they evolved, and how they died. This information reveals details of processes governing the behavior of contemporary main sequence stars. Combined with their distribution in luminosity/temperature, white dwarfs strongly constrain models of galactic and cosmological evolution.GD358 is among the brightest (mv =13.7) and best studied of the pulsating white dwarfs. This helium atmoshere pulsator (DBV) has an extensive photometric database spanning 30 years, including nine multisite Whole Earth Telescope campaigns. GD358 exhibits a range of behaviors, from drastic changes in excited pulsation modes to variable multiplet splittings. We use GD358 as a template for an examination of the DBV class, combining photometric results with recent COS spectroscopy. The results present new questions concerning DB formation and evolution.
White Dwarfs in Intermediate Polars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Belle, Kunegunda E.; Sion, E. M.
Intermediate polars (IPs), magnetic cataclysmic variables (CVs) in which the white dwarf (WD) has an intermediate strength magnetic field (B< 5 MG), present an interesting laboratory for the study of the evolution of CVs as they contain elements of both non-magnetic and magnetic systems. Do magnetic CVs and IPs evolve in the same manner as non-magnetic systems? One answer in this puzzle may come from understanding the nature of the white dwarf in a magnetic CV. Standard CV evolution theory predicts a white dwarf temperature for a given CV orbital period and accretion rate. By investigating the temperature of white dwarfs in IPs and comparing the temperatures to those predicted from theory, we can learn where IPs fit into the model of CV evolution. Here we present the results of our continued study of the nature of WDs in IPs. We compare temperatures derived from model fits to UV spectra with temperatures calculated based on the accretion rate and binary orbital period. Our preliminary results indicate that IPs follow the general trend of magnetic CVs containing cooler WDs than non-magnetic CVs.
Top 10 plant viruses in molecular plant pathology.
Scholthof, Karen-Beth G; Adkins, Scott; Czosnek, Henryk; Palukaitis, Peter; Jacquot, Emmanuel; Hohn, Thomas; Hohn, Barbara; Saunders, Keith; Candresse, Thierry; Ahlquist, Paul; Hemenway, Cynthia; Foster, Gary D
Many scientists, if not all, feel that their particular plant virus should appear in any list of the most important plant viruses. However, to our knowledge, no such list exists. The aim of this review was to survey all plant virologists with an association with Molecular Plant Pathology and ask them to nominate which plant viruses they would place in a 'Top 10' based on scientific/economic importance. The survey generated more than 250 votes from the international community, and allowed the generation of a Top 10 plant virus list for Molecular Plant Pathology. The Top 10 list includes, in rank order, (1) Tobacco mosaic virus, (2) Tomato spotted wilt virus, (3) Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, (4) Cucumber mosaic virus, (5) Potato virus Y, (6) Cauliflower mosaic virus, (7) African cassava mosaic virus, (8) Plum pox virus, (9) Brome mosaic virus and (10) Potato virus X, with honourable mentions for viruses just missing out on the Top 10, including Citrus tristeza virus, Barley yellow dwarf virus, Potato leafroll virus and Tomato bushy stunt virus. This review article presents a short review on each virus of the Top 10 list and its importance, with the intent of initiating discussion and debate amongst the plant virology community, as well as laying down a benchmark, as it will be interesting to see in future years how perceptions change and which viruses enter and leave the Top 10. PMID:22017770
Law, Nicholas M.; Kraus, Adam L.; Street, Rachel; Fulton, Benjamin J.; Shporer, Avi; Lister, Tim; Hillenbrand, Lynne A.; Baranec, Christoph; Bui, Khanh; Davis, Jack T. C.; Dekany, Richard G.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Ofek, Eran O.; Bloom, Joshua S.; Cenko, S. Bradley; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Burse, Mahesh P.; Das, H. K.; Kasliwal, Mansi M.; Nugent, Peter; and others
We present three new eclipsing white-dwarf/M-dwarf binary systems discovered during a search for transiting planets around M-dwarfs. Unlike most known eclipsing systems of this type, the optical and infrared emission is dominated by the M-dwarf components, and the systems have optical colors and discovery light curves consistent with being Jupiter-radius transiting planets around early M-dwarfs. We detail the PTF/M-dwarf transiting planet survey, part of the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF). We present a graphics processing unit (GPU)-based box-least-squares search for transits that runs approximately 8 Multiplication-Sign faster than similar algorithms implemented on general purpose systems. For the discovered systems, we decompose low-resolution spectra of the systems into white-dwarf and M-dwarf components, and use radial velocity measurements and cooling models to estimate masses and radii for the white dwarfs. The systems are compact, with periods between 0.35 and 0.45 days and semimajor axes of approximately 2 R{sub Sun} (0.01 AU). The M-dwarfs have masses of approximately 0.35 M{sub Sun }, and the white dwarfs have hydrogen-rich atmospheres with temperatures of around 8000 K and have masses of approximately 0.5 M{sub Sun }. We use the Robo-AO laser guide star adaptive optics system to tentatively identify one of the objects as a triple system. We also use high-cadence photometry to put an upper limit on the white-dwarf radius of 0.025 R{sub Sun} (95% confidence) in one of the systems. Accounting for our detection efficiency and geometric factors, we estimate that 0.08%{sub -0.05%}{sup +0.10%} (90% confidence) of M-dwarfs are in these short-period, post-common-envelope white-dwarf/M-dwarf binaries where the optical light is dominated by the M-dwarf. The lack of detections at shorter periods, despite near-100% detection efficiency for such systems, suggests that binaries including these relatively low-temperature white dwarfs are preferentially found at
Diffusion-induced line-edge roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stewart, Michael D.; Schmid, Gerard M.; Goldfarb, Dario L.; Angelopoulos, Marie; Willson, C. Grant
As feature dimensions shrink, line edge roughness has become an increasing concern in semiconductor fabrication. There are numerous potential contributors to line edge roughness throughout the lithographic process and any measured roughness value on a printed device feature is, like the feature itself, a convolved function of every processing step. When the full lithographic process is used to study line edge roughness, it can be difficult to isolate the contribution to final roughness from any individual processing step or factor. To gain a more fundamental understanding of roughness generation that is specifically related to photoresist chemistry and formulation it is necessary to design experiments that separate out exposure related issues like mask dimension variation or local dose variation ("shot noise"). This can be accomplished using previously reported experimental protocols for bilayer film stack creation. The bilayer experimental approach has been used to study the effect of variations in such factors as post exposure bake time, photoacid generator loading, and developer concentration on roughness generation. Surface roughness of the developed film stacks is measured via atomic force microscopy. Surface roughness of developed bilayer film stacks may be considered analogous to sidewall roughness of printed features. An acrylate-based 193nm photoresist resin and an APEX-type resin are used in these experiments. In addition to experimental results, results from mesoscale lithographic simulations are used to gain further insight into diffusion induced roughness and how roughness in the latent image is modified during the development step.
Intelligent Information Retrieval Using Rough Set Approximations.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Srinivasan, Padmini
Describes rough sets theory and discusses the advantages it offers for information retrieval, including the implicit inclusion of Boolean logic, term weighting, ranked retrieval output, and relevance feedback. Rough set formalism is compared to Boolean, vector, and fuzzy models of information retrieval and a small scale evaluation of rough sets is…
Electrokinetic transport in microchannels with random roughness
Wang, Moran; Kang, Qinjun
We present a numerical framework to model the electrokinetic transport in microchannels with random roughness. The three-dimensional microstructure of the rough channel is generated by a random generation-growth method with three statistical parameters to control the number density, the total volume fraction, and the anisotropy characteristics of roughness elements. The governing equations for the electrokinetic transport are solved by a high-efficiency lattice Poisson?Boltzmann method in complex geometries. The effects from the geometric characteristics of roughness on the electrokinetic transport in microchannels are therefore modeled and analyzed. For a given total roughness volume fraction, a higher number density leads to a lower fluctuation because of the random factors. The electroosmotic flow rate increases with the roughness number density nearly logarithmically for a given volume fraction of roughness but decreases with the volume fraction for a given roughness number density. When both the volume fraction and the number density of roughness are given, the electroosmotic flow rate is enhanced by the increase of the characteristic length along the external electric field direction but is reduced by that in the direction across the channel. For a given microstructure of the rough microchannel, the electroosmotic flow rate decreases with the Debye length. It is found that the shape resistance of roughness is responsible for the flow rate reduction in the rough channel compared to the smooth channel even for very thin double layers, and hence plays an important role in microchannel electroosmotic flows.
Calibration of surface roughness standards
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Thalmann, R.; Nicolet, A.; Meli, F.; Picotto, G. B.; Matus, M.; Carcedo, L.; Hemming, B.; Ganioglu, O.; De Chiffre, L.; Saraiva, F.; Bergstrand, S.; Zelenika, S.; Tonmueanwai, A.; Tsai, C.-L.; Shihua, W.; Kruger, O.; de Souza, M. M.; Salgado, J. A.; Ramotowski, Z.
The key comparison EURAMET.L-K8.2013 on roughness was carried out in the framework of a EURAMET project starting in 2013 and ending in 2015. It involved the participation of 17 National Metrology Institutes from Europe, Asia, South America and Africa representing four regional metrology organisations. Five surface texture standards of different type were circulated and on each of the standards several roughness parameters according to the standard ISO 4287 had to be determined. 32 out of 395 individual results were not consistent with the reference value. After some corrective actions the number of inconsistent results could be reduced to 20, which correspond to about 5% of the total and can statistically be expected. In addition to the material standards, two softgauges were circulated, which allow to test the software of the instruments used in the comparison. The comparison results help to support the calibraton and measurement capabilities (CMCs) of the laboratories involved in the CIPM MRA. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCL, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Extensive wetting due to roughness
Yost, F.G.; Michael, J.R.; Eisenmann, E.T. . Center for Solder Science and Technology)
Typically, a small mass of eutectic Sn-Pb solder wets a copper surface and flows radially outward to form a hemispherical shape with a contact angle of approx. 15--20 deg. When a similar mass of solder wets and thick electroless copper coated substrate, rapid radial flow commences and surprising new effects occur. Thick coats of electroless copper have a nodular surface structure and spreading on it does not subside until all solder is consumed. When the nodular structure is wetted by solder a coastline'' with many nearby islands'' are defined. Photos of regions at the wetting front were taken in the backscatter imaging mode of an SEM. These images show that solder wets the valleys between the surface nodules forming a delicate, lacy arrangement. The geometry of this coastal'' solder structure is described as fractal-like having a dimension D = 1.38 making it similar to drying fronts and cloud configurations. The importance of surface roughness in wetting phenomena is discussed in the light of an extensive history on the subject. It is shown that for spontaneous flow, assisted by roughness, the surface geometry must consist of local angles that are larger than the equilibrium contact angle. Kinetics of the wetting process are demonstrated by image analysis of wetted area taken from videotaped experiments. These experimental kinetics are shown to be similar in form to flow in open channel capillaries.
Speller, Ryan; Taylor, James E. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
The number and distribution of dwarf satellite galaxies remain a critical test of cold dark matter-dominated structure formation on small scales. Until recently, observational information about galaxy formation on these scales has been limited mainly to the Local Group. We have searched for faint analogues of Local Group dwarfs around nearby bright galaxies, using a spatial clustering analysis of the photometric catalog of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 8. Several other recent searches of SDSS have detected clustered satellite populations down to Δm{sub r} ≡ (m{sub r,} {sub sat} – m{sub r,} {sub main}) ∼ 6-8, using photometric redshifts to reduce background contamination. SDSS photometric redshifts are relatively imprecise, however, for faint and nearby galaxies. Instead, we use angular size to select potential nearby dwarfs and consider only the nearest isolated bright galaxies as primaries. As a result, we are able to detect an excess clustering signal from companions down to Δm{sub r} = 12, 4 mag fainter than most recent studies. We detect an overdensity of objects at separations <400 kpc, corresponding to about 4.6 ± 0.5 satellites per central galaxy, consistent with the satellite abundance expected from the Local Group, given our selection function. Although the sample of satellites detected is incomplete by construction, since it excludes the least and most compact dwarfs, this detection provides a lower bound on the average satellite luminosity function, down to luminosities corresponding to the faintest ''classical'' dwarfs of the Local Group.
Raspberry latent virus, a New Reovirus Isolated from Crumbly Fruited Red Raspberry Plants
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
A virus induced crumbly fruit disease in 'Meeker' and other red raspberry cultivars has been observed in northern Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada. Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) and Raspberry leaf mottle virus (RLMV) were detected in raspberries with severe crumbly fruit. In additi...
Davy Kirkpatrick, J.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Griffith, Roger L.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; Tsai, Chao-Wei; Beichman, Charles A.; Cushing, Michael C.; Mainzer, A.; Eisenhardt, Peter R.; Bauer, James M.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Wright, Edward L.; McLean, Ian S.; Lake, Sean E.; Petty, Sara M.; Thompson, Maggie A.; Benford, Dominic J.; Bridge, Carrie R.; Stanford, S. A.; Bailey, Vanessa; and others
We present ground-based spectroscopic verification of 6 Y dwarfs (see also Cushing et al.), 89 T dwarfs, 8 L dwarfs, and 1 M dwarf identified by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Eighty of these are cold brown dwarfs with spectral types {>=}T6, six of which have been announced earlier by Mainzer et al. and Burgasser et al. We present color-color and color-type diagrams showing the locus of M, L, T, and Y dwarfs in WISE color space. Near-infrared and, in a few cases, optical spectra are presented for these discoveries. Near-infrared classifications as late as early Y are presented and objects with peculiar spectra are discussed. Using these new discoveries, we are also able to extend the optical T dwarf classification scheme from T8 to T9. After deriving an absolute WISE 4.6 {mu}m (W2) magnitude versus spectral type relation, we estimate spectrophotometric distances to our discoveries. We also use available astrometric measurements to provide preliminary trigonometric parallaxes to four of our discoveries, which have types of L9 pec (red), T8, T9, and Y0; all of these lie within 10 pc of the Sun. The Y0 dwarf, WISE 1541-2250, is the closest at 2.8{sup +1.3}{sub -0.6} pc; if this 2.8 pc value persists after continued monitoring, WISE 1541-2250 will become the seventh closest stellar system to the Sun. Another 10 objects, with types between T6 and >Y0, have spectrophotometric distance estimates also placing them within 10 pc. The closest of these, the T6 dwarf WISE 1506+7027, is believed to fall at a distance of {approx}4.9 pc. WISE multi-epoch positions supplemented with positional info primarily from the Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera allow us to calculate proper motions and tangential velocities for roughly one-half of the new discoveries. This work represents the first step by WISE to complete a full-sky, volume-limited census of late-T and Y dwarfs. Using early results from this census, we present preliminary, lower limits to the space density of
The First Hundred Brown Dwarfs Discovered by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Cushing, Michael C.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Griffith, Roger L.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; Wright, Edward L.; Mainzer, A.; Eisenhardt, Peter R.; McLean, Ian S.; Thompson, Maggie A.; Bauer, James M.; Benford, Dominic J.; Bridge, Carrie R.; Lake, Sean E.; Petty, Sara M.; Stanford, S. A.; Tsai, Chao-Wei; Bailey, Vanessa; Beichman, Charles A.; Bloom, Joshua S.; Bochanski, John J.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Capak, Peter L.; Cruz, Kelle L.; Hinz, Philip M.; Kartaltepe, Jeyhan S.; Knox, Russell P.; Manohar, Swarnima; Masters, Daniel; Morales-Calderón, Maria; Prato, Lisa A.; Rodigas, Timothy J.; Salvato, Mara; Schurr, Steven D.; Scoville, Nicholas Z.; Simcoe, Robert A.; Stapelfeldt, Karl R.; Stern, Daniel; Stock, Nathan D.; Vacca, William D.
We present ground-based spectroscopic verification of 6 Y dwarfs (see also Cushing et al.), 89 T dwarfs, 8 L dwarfs, and 1 M dwarf identified by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Eighty of these are cold brown dwarfs with spectral types >=T6, six of which have been announced earlier by Mainzer et al. and Burgasser et al. We present color-color and color-type diagrams showing the locus of M, L, T, and Y dwarfs in WISE color space. Near-infrared and, in a few cases, optical spectra are presented for these discoveries. Near-infrared classifications as late as early Y are presented and objects with peculiar spectra are discussed. Using these new discoveries, we are also able to extend the optical T dwarf classification scheme from T8 to T9. After deriving an absolute WISE 4.6 μm (W2) magnitude versus spectral type relation, we estimate spectrophotometric distances to our discoveries. We also use available astrometric measurements to provide preliminary trigonometric parallaxes to four of our discoveries, which have types of L9 pec (red), T8, T9, and Y0; all of these lie within 10 pc of the Sun. The Y0 dwarf, WISE 1541-2250, is the closest at 2.8+1.3 -0.6 pc if this 2.8 pc value persists after continued monitoring, WISE 1541-2250 will become the seventh closest stellar system to the Sun. Another 10 objects, with types between T6 and >Y0, have spectrophotometric distance estimates also placing them within 10 pc. The closest of these, the T6 dwarf WISE 1506+7027, is believed to fall at a distance of ~4.9 pc. WISE multi-epoch positions supplemented with positional info primarily from the Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera allow us to calculate proper motions and tangential velocities for roughly one-half of the new discoveries. This work represents the first step by WISE to complete a full-sky, volume-limited census of late-T and Y dwarfs. Using early results from this census, we present preliminary, lower limits to the space density of these objects and discuss
Burgasser, Adam J.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Cushing, Michael C.
We report resolved near-infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of the T8.5 binary WISEP J045853.90+643452.6AB obtained with Keck/NIRC2, Keck/OSIRIS, and the Keck Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics system. These data confirm common proper and radial motion for the two components, and we see the first indications of orbital motion (mostly radial) for this system. H-band spectroscopy identifies both components as very late type brown dwarfs with strong H{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4} absorption. The spectrum of WISE J0458+6434B also exhibits a compelling signature of NH{sub 3} absorption over 1.52-1.54 {mu}m when compared to the T9 dwarf UGPS J072227.51-054031.2. Comparison to T8-Y0 spectral standards and H-band spectral indices indicate classifications of T8.5 and T9.5 for these two components, approaching the boundary between the T dwarf and Y dwarf spectral classes.
Discovery of Nearest Known Brown Dwarf
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Surveys (SSS) optical photographic plates (I-band, centred at wavelength 0.7 µm) on which this very high proper motion object was discovered. The lower image is the 'Quicklook atlas' infrared image (Ks-band, 2.1 µm) from the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). Epsilon Indi B is much brighter in the near-infrared than at optical wavelengths, indicating that it is a very cool object. Both images cover roughly 7 x 5 arcmin. Imagine you are a professional ornithologist, recently returned home from an expedition to the jungles of South America, where you spent long weeks using your high-powered telephoto lenses searching for rare species of birds. Relaxing, you take a couple of wide-angle snapshots of the blooming flowers in your back garden, undistracted by the common blackbird flying across your viewfinder. Only later, when carefully comparing those snaps, you notice something tiny and unusually coloured, flittering close behind the blackbird: you've discovered an exotic, rare bird, right there at home. In much the same way, a team of astronomers [2] has just found one of the closest neighbours to the Sun, an exotic 'failed star' known as a 'brown dwarf', moving rapidly across the sky in the southern constellation Indus (The Indian). Interestingly, at a time when telescopes are growing larger and are equipped with ever more sophisticated electronic detectors, there is still much to be learned by combining old photographic plates with this modern technology. Photographic plates taken by wide-field ("Schmidt") telescopes over the past decades have been given a new lease on life through being digitised by automated measuring machines, allowing computers to trawl effectively through huge and invaluable data archives that are by far not yet fully exploited [3]. For the Southern Sky, the Institute for Astronomy in Edinburgh (Scotland, UK) has recently released scans made by the SuperCOSMOS machine of plates spanning several decades in three optical passbands. These data are
The Pulsating White Dwarf Stars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fontaine, G.; Brassard, P.
We present a summary of what is currently known about the three distinct families of isolated pulsating white dwarfs. These are the GW Vir stars (He/C/O-atmosphere stars with Teff sime 120,000 K), the V777 Her stars (He-atmosphere, Teff sime 25,000 K), and the ZZ Ceti stars (H-atmosphere, Teff sime 12,000 K), all showing multiperiodic luminosity variations caused by low-order and low-degree g-mode instabilities. We also provide, in an Appendix, a very brief overview of the newly found evidence in favor of the existence of a fourth category of oscillating white dwarfs bearing strong similarities with these families of pulsators. We begin our survey with a short historical introduction, followed by a general discussion of pulsating white dwarfs as compact pulsators. We then discuss the class properties of these objects, including an updated census. We next focus on the instability domains for each family of pulsators in the log g - Teff diagram, and present their time-averaged properties in more detail. This is followed by a section on excitation physics, i.e., the causes of the pulsational instabilities, with emphasis on the common properties of the different types of pulsator. We then discuss the time-dependent properties of the pulsating white dwarfs featuring, among other things, a brief "picture tour" across the ZZ Ceti instability strip. We next review the methods used to infer or constrain the angular geometry of a pulsation mode in a white dwarf. These include multicolor photometry and time-resolved spectroscopy, the exploitation of the nonlinear features in the observed light curves, and rotational splitting. We also consider basic adiabatic asteroseismology starting with a discussion of the reaction of the period spectrum to variations of model parameters. We next review the various asteroseismological inferences that have so far been claimed for white dwarfs. We also discuss the potential of exploiting the rates of period change. We finally provide some
A Search for Close Red Dwarf-White Dwarf Binaries
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Boyd, Mark R.; Henry, Todd J.; Subasavage, John P.
We propose to observe 59 objects suspected to be red dwarf-white dwarf (RD-WD) binaries with separations < 3 arcsec using the CTIO 1.0m. Our goals are to use images of these objects to both resolve the systems and to obtain accurate BVRI photometry. The systems have been selected based on positions in three different color-color plots using SuperCOSMOS BRI plate photometry and 2MASS JHK photometry in accordance with the positions of known RD-WD binaries. This effort will identify candidates for detailed observations as part of the RECONS astrometric program on the CTIO 0.9m to yield accurate parallaxes and photocentric orbits. The parallaxes will then be used to determine the ages of the systems from WD cooling curves, and the orbits will eventually be used to measure dynamical masses. Ultimately, we aim to increase significantly the number of dynamical masses for white dwarfs because currently only three have been determined to 5% accuracy. The first observational step outlined here will allow us to identify appropriate systems for long-term work. This 1.0m project is likely to become the undergraduate senior thesis work of the PI.
Biomarker discovery from the top down: protein biomarkers for efficient virus transmission by insects (Homoptera: Aphididae) discovered by coupling genetics and 2-D DIGE
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Yellow dwarf viruses cause the most economically important virus diseases of cereal crops worldwide and are vectored by aphids. The identification of vector proteins mediating virus transmission is critical to develop sustainable virus management practices and to understand viral strategies for cir...
Discovery and targeted LC-MS/MS of purified polerovirus reveals differences in the virus-host interactome associated with altered aphid transmission
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
The transmission of viruses in the Luteoviridae, such as Cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV), requires a series of precisely orchestrated interactions between virus proteins, plant proteins, and aphid proteins. These viruses are retained in the phloem for aphid acquisition and are transmitted by aphids...
Simulations of isolated dwarf galaxies formed in dark matter halos with different mass assembly histories
González-Samaniego, A.; Avila-Reese, V.; Rodríguez-Puebla, A.; Valenzuela, O.; Colín, P.
We present zoom-in N-body/hydrodynamics resimulations of dwarf galaxies formed in isolated cold dark matter (CDM) halos with the same virial mass (M{sub v} ≈ 2.5 × 10{sup 10} M {sub ☉}) at redshift z = 0. Our goals are to (1) study the mass assembly histories (MAHs) of the halo, stellar, and gaseous components; and (2) explore the effects of the halo MAHs on the stellar/baryonic assembly of simulated dwarfs. Overall, the dwarfs are roughly consistent with observations. More specific results include: (1) the stellar-to-halo mass ratio remains roughly constant since z ∼ 1, i.e., the stellar MAHs closely follow halo MAHs. (2) The evolution of the galaxy gas fractions, f{sub g} , are episodic, showing that the supernova-driven outflows play an important role in regulating f{sub g} —and hence, the star formation rate (SFR)—however, in most cases, a large fraction of the gas is ejected from the halo. (3) The star formation histories are episodic with changes in the SFRs, measured every 100 Myr, of factors of 2-10 on average. (4) Although the dwarfs formed in late assembled halos show more extended SF histories, their z = 0 specific SFRs are still below observations. (5) The inclusion of baryons most of the time reduces the virial mass by 10%-20% with respect to pure N-body simulations. Our results suggest that rather than increasing the strength of the supernova-driven outflows, processes that reduce the star formation efficiency could help to solve the potential issues faced by CDM-based simulations of dwarfs, such as low values of the specific SFR and high stellar masses.
Mass Modelling of dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Klimentowski, Jarosław; Łokas, Ewa L.; Kazantzidis, Stelios; Prada, Francisco; Mayer, Lucio; Mamon, Gary A.
We study the origin and properties of unbound stars in the kinematic samples of dwarf spheroidal galaxies. For this purpose we have run a high resolution N-body simulation of a two-component dwarf galaxy orbiting in a Milky Way potential. We create mock kinematic data sets by observing the dwarf in different directions. When the dwarf is observed along the tidal tails the kinematic samples are strongly contaminated by unbound stars from the tails. However, most of the unbound stars can be removed by the method of interloper rejection proposed by den Hartog & Katgert. We model the velocity dispersion profiles of the cleaned-up kinematic samples using solutions of the Jeans equation. We show that even for such a strongly stripped dwarf the Jeans analysis, when applied to cleaned samples, allows us to reproduce the mass and mass-to-light ratio of the dwarf with accuracy typically better than 25%.
[The study of M dwarf spectral classification].
Yi, Zhen-Ping; Pan, Jing-Chang; Luo, A-Li
As the most common stars in the galaxy, M dwarfs can be used to trace the structure and evolution of the Milky Way. Besides, investigating M dwarfs is important for searching for habitability of extrasolar planets orbiting M dwarfs. Spectral classification of M dwarfs is a fundamental work. The authors used DR7 M dwarf sample of SLOAN to extract important features from the range of 600-900 nm by random forest method. Compared to the features used in Hammer Code, the authors added three new indices. Our test showed that the improved Hammer with new indices is more accurate. Our method has been applied to classify M dwarf spectra of LAMOST. PMID:24159887
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Isern, Jordi; García-Berro, Enrique; Hernanz, Margarida; Mochkovitch, Robert
White dwarfs are the final remnants of low- and intermediate-mass stars. Their evolution is essentially a cooling process that lasts for 0953-8984/10/49/015/img6 and allows one to obtain information about the age of the Galaxy as well as about the past stellar formation rate in the solar neighbourhood. Therefore, it is important to identify all of the relevant sources of energy as well as the mechanisms that control its flow to the space. We show in this paper that the inclusion of a detailed treatment of phase transitions in Coulomb plasmas made up of a mixture of different chemical species is crucial, since their redistribution can keep the white dwarf warm for 0.5 to 9 Ga depending on the chemical composition and physical assumptions adopted.
NTT Observations Indicate that Brown Dwarfs Form Like Stars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
" . Indeed, since they have no sustained energy generation by thermal nuclear reactions, many of their properties are more similar to those of giant gas planets in our own solar system such as Jupiter, than to stars like the Sun. For example, even though their masses range between 10-70 times that of Jupiter (the largest and most massive planet in our solar system), the sizes of Brown Dwarfs are still comparable to that of Jupiter, approximately 140,000 km, or roughly 10 times smaller than the Sun. Are Brown Dwarfs giant planets or failed stars? Among the most fundamental issues raised by the existence of Brown Dwarfs is the question of their origin and genetic relationship to planets and stars. Are Brown Dwarfs giant planets or small, failed stars, or perhaps something completely different? The critical test needed to resolve this very basic question is to learn whether Brown Dwarfs form by a process similar to what produces stars or rather to one which produces planets. Stars are thought to form when gravity causes a cold, dusty and rarefied cloud of gas to contract. Such clouds are inevitably rotating so the gas naturally collapses into a rotating disk before it falls onto the forming star. These disks are called circumstellar or protoplanetary disks . They have been found around virtually all young stars and are considered to be sites of planet formation. Gravity helps planets form too, but this occurs by condensation and agglomeration of material contained in the circumstellar disk around a young star. Thus, stars form with a disk around them while planets form within disks around young stars . The planets in our own solar system were formed in such a circumstellar disk around the young Sun about 4.6 billion years ago. To date, the most important observations bearing on the question of Brown Dwarf origin have been: * the observed lack of Brown Dwarf companions to normal stars (something astronomers have called the "Brown Dwarf desert"), and * the existence of free
Enhanced Virus Resistance in Transgenic Maize Expressing a dsRNA-Specific Endoribonuclease Gene from E. coli
Liu, He; Tian, Lanzhi; Zhang, Aihong; Zhang, Yanjing; Shi, Lindan; Guo, Bihong; Xu, Jin; Duan, Xifei; Wang, Xianbing; Han, Chenggui; Miao, Hongqin; Yu, Jialin; Li, Dawei
Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD), caused by several Fijiviruses in the family Reoviridae, is a global disease that is responsible for substantial yield losses in maize. Although some maize germplasm have low levels of polygenic resistance to MRDD, highly resistant cultivated varieties are not available for agronomic field production in China. In this work, we have generated transgenic maize lines that constitutively express rnc70, a mutant E. coli dsRNA-specific endoribonuclease gene. Transgenic lines were propagated and screened under field conditions for 12 generations. During three years of evaluations, two transgenic lines and their progeny were challenged with Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), the causal agent of MRDD in China, and these plants exhibited reduced levels of disease severity. In two normal years of MRDD abundance, both lines were more resistant than non-transgenic plants. Even in the most serious MRDD year, six out of seven progeny from one line were resistant, whereas non-transgenic plants were highly susceptible. Molecular approaches in the T12 generation revealed that the rnc70 transgene was integrated and expressed stably in transgenic lines. Under artificial conditions permitting heavy virus inoculation, the T12 progeny of two highly resistant lines had a reduced incidence of MRDD and accumulation of RBSDV in infected plants. In addition, we confirmed that the RNC70 protein could bind directly to RBSDV dsRNA in vitro. Overall, our data show that RNC70-mediated resistance in transgenic maize can provide efficient protection against dsRNA virus infection. PMID:23593318
Students Use VLA to Make Startling Brown-Dwarf Discovery
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
the hour and a half's worth of data up into smaller slices of time. This showed that the brown dwarf's radio emission had risen to a strong peak, then weakened. That meant that the star had undergone a flare. "Then we got real excited," Berger said. They immediately sought and received more observing time, ultimately capturing two more flares. "They got very lucky," Frail said. "The thing flared during their observation. Other astronomers had looked for radio emission from brown dwarfs and not found any. This one flared at just the right time," Frail added. "It was just an incredible fluke that we found it," said Becker. Brown dwarfs are too big to be planets but too small to be true stars, as they have too little mass to trigger hydrogen fusion reactions at their cores, the source of the energy output in larger stars. With roughly 15 to 80 times the mass of Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, brown dwarfs had long been thought to exist. Actually finding them, however, proved difficult. After decades of searching, astronomers found the first brown dwarf in 1995, and a few dozen now are known. The strong radio emission was unexpected because brown dwarfs, according to conventional theories, are not supposed to have magnetic fields strong enough to generate the radio emission. "The presumed internal structure of a brown dwarf will not permit a strong enough magnetic field," said Frail. "It looks like we're going to have to re-examine how we believe brown dwarfs work," he said. "The mere fact that they detected radio emission is remarkable," said Tim Bastian, an astronomer at the NRAO in Charlottesville, Virginia, who added that this object "will likely have something to teach us." "We're going to have to study this and other brown dwarfs more extensively with the VLA to answer the questions raised by our summer students' discovery," Frail said. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under
Abundances in dwarf irregular galaxies
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dufour, Reginald J.
The results of abundance studies of dwarf irregular galaxies and similar objects are reviewed with special attention to variations in the CNO element group. Observations of the forbidden N II and semiforbidden C III lines in the most metal-poor galaxy known, IZw 18, are presented for the first time and CNO abundances are derived via a photoionization model and discussed in the context of the abundances found in other metal-poor H II regions and galaxies.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ma, Bin; Hu, Yi; Shang, Zhaohui; Wang, Lifan
AST3#2 OT J024453.11-580940.1 discovery - new dwarf nova outburst with ampl > 5.8 The 2nd Antarctic Survey Telescope (AST3#2) discovered OT source at (RA, Dec) = 02:44:53.11 -58:09:40.1 on 2016-05-06.071 UT with Sloan-g magnitude of 15.5m (limit 18.6m).
SIMULTANEOUS MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF MAGNETIC ACTIVITY IN ULTRACOOL DWARFS. III. X-RAY, RADIO, AND Halpha ACTIVITY TRENDS IN M AND L DWARFS
Berger, E.; Basri, G.; Fleming, T. A.; Liebert, J.; Giampapa, M. S.; Gizis, J. E.; MartIn, E.; Rutledge, R. E.
As part of our on-going investigation into the magnetic field properties of ultracool dwarfs, we present simultaneous radio, X-ray, and Halpha observations of three M9.5-L2.5 dwarfs (BRI 0021-0214, LSR 060230.4+391059, and 2MASS J052338.2-140302). We do not detect X-ray or radio emission from any of the three sources, despite previous detections of radio emission from BRI 0021 and 2M0523-14. Steady and variable Halpha emission are detected from 2M0523-14 and BRI 0021, respectively, while no Halpha emission is detected from LSR 0602+39. Overall, our survey of nine M8-L5 dwarfs doubles the number of ultracool dwarfs observed in X-rays, and triples the number of L dwarfs, providing in addition the deepest limits to date, log(L{sub X}/L{sub bol}) approx< -5. With this larger sample we find the first clear evidence for a substantial reduction in X-ray activity, by about two orders of magnitude, from mid-M to mid-L dwarfs. We find that the decline in Halpha roughly follows L{sub Ha}lpha/L{sub bol} propor to 10{sup -0.4x(SP-6)} for SP >= 6, where SP = 0 for spectral type M0. In the radio band, however, the luminosity remains relatively unchanged from M0 to L4, leading to a substantial increase in L{sub rad}/L{sub bol}. Our survey also provides the first comprehensive set of simultaneous radio/X-ray/Halpha observations of ultracool dwarfs, and reveals a clear breakdown of the radio/X-ray correlation beyond spectral type M7, evolving smoothly from L{sub n}u{sub ,rad}/L{sub X} approx 10{sup -15.5} to approx10{sup -11.5} Hz{sup -1} over the narrow spectral-type range M7-M9. This breakdown reflects the substantial reduction in X-ray activity beyond M7, but its physical origin remains unclear since, as evidenced by the uniform radio emission, there is no drop in the field dissipation and particle acceleration efficiency. Based on the results of our survey, we conclude that a further investigation of magnetic activity in ultracool dwarfs will benefit from a two-pronged approach
Dwarf spheroidal galaxies and resonant orbital coupling
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kuhn, J. R.; Miller, R. H.
The structural properties of the dwarf spheroidal satellite galaxies of the Milky Way may be strongly affected by their time-dependent interactions with the 'tidal' field of the Milky Way. A low Q resonance of the tidal driving force with collective oscillation modes of the dwarf system can produce many of the observed properties of the Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies, including large velocity dispersions that would normally be interpreted as indicating large dynamical masses.
Characterizing Accreting White Dwarf Pulsators
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Szkody, Paula; Mukadam, Anjum
Understanding the population, mass distribution, and evolution of accreting white dwarfs impacts the entire realm of binary interaction, including the creation of Type Ia supernovae. We are concentrating on accreting white dwarf pulsators, as the pulsation properties allow us a view of how the accretion affects the interior of the star. Our ground- based photometry on 11 accreting pulsators with corresponding temperatures from HST UV spectra suggest a broad instability strip in the range of 10500 to 16000K. Additionally, tracking a post-outburst heated white dwarf as it cools and crosses the blue edge and resumes pulsation provides an independent method to locate the empirical instability strip. Determining a post-outburst cooling curve yields an estimate of the amount of heating and the accreted mass during the outburst. We request additional photometry of 2 objects that present unique properties: GW Lib which has not yet returned to its pre-outburst pulsation spectrum after 6 yrs, and EQ Lyn which returned to its pre- outburst pulsation after 3 yrs but is now turning on and off without ongoing outbursts. Following the pulsation spectrum changes over stretches of several nights in a row will provide specific knowledge of the stability of the observed modes.
Uncovering Blue Diffuse Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
James, Bethan; Koposov, Sergey; Stark, Daniel; Belokurov, Vasily; Pettini, Max; Olszewski, Edward W.
Extremely metal-poor galaxies (XMPs) and the star-formation within their chemically pristine environments are fundamental to our understanding of the galaxy formation process at early times. However, traditional emission-line surveys detect only the brightest metal-poor galaxies where star-formation occurs in compact, starbursting environments, and thereby give us only a partial view of the dwarf galaxy population. To avoid such biases, we have developed a new search algorithm based on the morphological, rather then spectral, properties of XMPs and have applied to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database of images. Using this novel approach, we have discovered ~100 previously undetected, faint blue galaxies, each with isolated HII regions embedded in a diffuse continuum. In this talk I will present the first results from follow-up optical spectroscopy of this sample, which reveals these blue diffuse dwarfs (BDDs) to be young, very metal-poor and actively forming stars despite their intrinsically low luminosities. I will present evidence showing that BDDs appear to bridge the gap between quiescent dwarf irregular (dIrr) galaxies and blue compact galaxies (BCDs) and as such offer an ideal opportunity to assess how star-formation occurs in more `normal' metal-poor systems.
Auroral Phenomena in Brown Dwarf Atmospheres
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pineda, J. Sebastian; Hallinan, Gregg
Since the unexpected discovery of radio emission from brown dwarfs some 15 years ago, investigations into the nature of this emission have revealed that, despite their cool and neutral atmospheres, brown dwarfs harbor strong kG magnetic fields, but unlike the warmer stellar objects, they generate highly circularly polarized auroral radio emission, like the giant planets of the Solar System. Our recent results from Keck LRIS monitoring of the brown dwarf LSR1835+32 definitively confirm this picture by connecting the auroral radio emission to spectroscopic variability at optical wavelengths as coherent manifestations of strong large-scale magnetospheric auroral current systems. I present some of the results of my dissertation work to understand the nature brown dwarf auroral phenomena. My efforts include a survey of Late L dwarfs and T dwarfs, looking for auroral Hα emission and a concurrent survey looking for the auroral emission of H3+ from brown dwarfs with radio pulse detections. I discuss the potential connection of this auroral activity to brown dwarf weather phenomena and how brown dwarf aurorae may differ from the analogous emission of the magnetized giant planets in the Solar System.
Stellar Rotation Curves of Starbursting Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
van Zee, Liese; Skillman, Evan D.; Salzer, John J.
A year ago, we successfully completed a pilot project to obtain stellar rotation curves of starbursting dwarf galaxies. These observations provided the first spatially resolved stellar rotation curves of gas-rich dwarf galaxies. We now propose to expand our sample (by a factor of 2) by observing 4 additional dwarf galaxies with the CTIO 4m. The fundamental question to be addressed is whether the gas and stars are kinematically coupled in these small galaxies. These observations will place the first kinematic constraints on evolutionary models for dwarf galaxies.
White Dwarf Critical Tests for Modified Gravity.
Jain, Rajeev Kumar; Kouvaris, Chris; Nielsen, Niklas Grønlund
Scalar-tensor theories of gravity can lead to modifications of the gravitational force inside astrophysical objects. We exhibit that compact stars such as white dwarfs provide a unique setup to test beyond Horndeski theories of G^{3} type. We obtain stringent and independent constraints on the parameter ϒ characterizing the deviations from Newtonian gravity using the mass-radius relation, the Chandrasekhar mass limit, and the maximal rotational frequency of white dwarfs. We find that white dwarfs impose stronger constraints on ϒ than red and brown dwarfs. PMID:27127952
White Dwarf Critical Tests for Modified Gravity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jain, Rajeev Kumar; Kouvaris, Chris; Nielsen, Niklas Grønlund
Scalar-tensor theories of gravity can lead to modifications of the gravitational force inside astrophysical objects. We exhibit that compact stars such as white dwarfs provide a unique setup to test beyond Horndeski theories of G3 type. We obtain stringent and independent constraints on the parameter ϒ characterizing the deviations from Newtonian gravity using the mass-radius relation, the Chandrasekhar mass limit, and the maximal rotational frequency of white dwarfs. We find that white dwarfs impose stronger constraints on ϒ than red and brown dwarfs.
Martian surface roughness and stratigraphy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Beyer, Ross Alan
Orbital datasets can be combined and manipulated to learn about the three- dimensional structure of planetary surfaces, and the processes that have acted on them. The Mars Orbital Camera (MOC) is providing high-resolution images. These images allow qualitative inspection of features, and contain quantitative information about the shape of the surface. Using a photoclinometry technique derived from a lunar-Lambert photometric function, I am able to obtain estimates of the down-sun slope of each pixel in an image. This technique was calibrated against synthetic topography, compared to an area photoclinometry technique, and applied to the Viking and Pathfinder landing sites. It is a robust technique for obtaining the roughness and slope characteristics of large areas. It was applied to the potential landing sites for the Mars Exploration Rovers to evaluate site safety. The slopes from this point photoclinometry technique can be used to obtain a rough estimate of topography, which I used in a number of studies where topographic information was crucial. MOC images have shown that layering is pervasive on the martian surface. Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data can be registered to MOC images to provide elevation constraints on layer outcrops. Such layers are observed in eastern Coprates Chasma both in the chasma rim and in a flat-topped massif. Observations indicate that the chasma stratigraphy consists of thin sequences of resistant layers and intervening thicker sequences of relatively less resistant layers. More resistant units cap the massif against erosion and result in steeper slopes than the weaker units would otherwise allow. These resistant layers can be used as stratigraphic markers which have allowed me to measure the subsidence and tilting of the massif relative to the chasma walls, providing evidence for tectonic motion in this portion of the Valles Marineris. These outcrops indicate that some of these layers may be analogus to terristrial flood
A spatial characterization of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy tidal tails
Newby, Matthew; Cole, Nathan; Newberg, Heidi Jo; Willett, Benjamin; Desell, Travis; Magdon-Ismail, Malik; Szymanski, Boleslaw; Varela, Carlos; Yanny, Brian E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
We measure the spatial density of F turnoff stars in the Sagittarius dwarf tidal stream, from Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, using statistical photometric parallax. We find a set of continuous, consistent parameters that describe the leading Sgr stream's position, direction, and width for 15 stripes in the north Galactic cap, and three stripes in the south Galactic cap. We produce a catalog of stars that has the density characteristics of the dominant leading Sgr tidal stream that can be compared with simulations. We find that the width of the leading (north) tidal tail is consistent with recent triaxial and axisymmetric halo model simulations. The density along the stream is roughly consistent with common disruption models in the north, but possibly not in the south. We explore the possibility that one or more of the dominant Sgr streams has been misidentified, and that one or more of the ''bifurcated'' pieces is the real Sgr tidal tail, but we do not reach definite conclusions. If two dwarf progenitors are assumed, fits to the planes of the dominant and ''bifurcated'' tidal tails favor an association of the Sgr dwarf spheroidal galaxy with the dominant southern stream and the ''bifurcated'' stream in the north. In the north Galactic cap, the best fit Hernquist density profile for the smooth component of the stellar halo is oblate, with a flattening parameter q = 0.53, and a scale length of r {sub 0} = 6.73. The southern data for both the tidal debris and the smooth component of the stellar halo do not match the model fits to the north, although the stellar halo is still overwhelmingly oblate. Finally, we verify that we can reproduce the parameter fits on the asynchronous MilkyWay@home volunteer computing platform.
A Spatial Characterization of the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy Tidal Tails
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Newby, Matthew; Cole, Nathan; Newberg, Heidi Jo; Desell, Travis; Magdon-Ismail, Malik; Szymanski, Boleslaw; Varela, Carlos; Willett, Benjamin; Yanny, Brian
We measure the spatial density of F turnoff stars in the Sagittarius dwarf tidal stream, from Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, using statistical photometric parallax. We find a set of continuous, consistent parameters that describe the leading Sgr stream's position, direction, and width for 15 stripes in the north Galactic cap, and three stripes in the south Galactic cap. We produce a catalog of stars that has the density characteristics of the dominant leading Sgr tidal stream that can be compared with simulations. We find that the width of the leading (north) tidal tail is consistent with recent triaxial and axisymmetric halo model simulations. The density along the stream is roughly consistent with common disruption models in the north, but possibly not in the south. We explore the possibility that one or more of the dominant Sgr streams has been misidentified, and that one or more of the "bifurcated" pieces is the real Sgr tidal tail, but we do not reach definite conclusions. If two dwarf progenitors are assumed, fits to the planes of the dominant and "bifurcated" tidal tails favor an association of the Sgr dwarf spheroidal galaxy with the dominant southern stream and the "bifurcated" stream in the north. In the north Galactic cap, the best fit Hernquist density profile for the smooth component of the stellar halo is oblate, with a flattening parameter q = 0.53, and a scale length of r 0 = 6.73. The southern data for both the tidal debris and the smooth component of the stellar halo do not match the model fits to the north, although the stellar halo is still overwhelmingly oblate. Finally, we verify that we can reproduce the parameter fits on the asynchronous MilkyWay@home volunteer computing platform.
Equivalent impedance of a rough interface
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhuk, N. P.; Tret'iakov, O. A.
An equivalent-impedance (EI) dyad is constructed for a rough and plane (on the average) interface dividing two plane-stratified magnetodielectric media. Its characteristics are related to those of a smooth surface and to the scattering properties of the roughnesses. It is shown that the Hermitian part of an EI dyad is formed through field scattering by roughnesses into the propagating natural modes of the regular medium.
Searching for Treasure in the South: Red Dwarfs within 25 Parsecs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hosey, Altonio D.; Winters, J. G.; Boyd, M. R.; Dieterich, S. B.; Finch, C. T.; Hambly, N. C.; Henry, T. J.; Ianna, P. A.; Jao, W.; Riedel, A. R.; Subasavage, J. P.
We describe the RECONS (REsearch Consortium On Nearby Stars) effort to find the missing red dwarf star systems in the solar neighborhood, defined here to be those closer than 25 parsecs. Knowing that there are currently 37 red dwarf systems known within 5 parsecs, and assuming a constant density of star systems in the solar neighborhood, we predict there to be roughly 4600 red dwarf star systems within 25 parsecs. But how many have been identified? Here we present results of our comprehensive reconnaissance of the southern sky, focused on red dwarf systems having proper motions in excess of 0.18"/yr. Using BRI plate magnitudes from the SuperCOSMOS Sky Survey and photometry from 2MASS, we have found 1711 star systems estimated to be within 25 parsecs, or 74% of the anticipated 2300 systems in the southern sky. However, 1041 of the star systems do not have the trigonometric parallaxes required to verify their proximity. Since 1999, we have been obtaining accurate VRI photometry at the CTIO 0.9m to improve distance estimates (also in concert with 2MASS photometry), and measuring trigonometric parallaxes for the closest systems. Here we provide a census of the southern red dwarf systems, which span V magnitudes of 7.3 to 20.4. At present, the 25 parsec census includes 750 systems with plate distance estimates, 270 systems with CCD distance estimates, and 660 systems with trigonometric parallaxes, for a total of 1700 systems. These nearby red dwarfs will be the fundamental sample to inform us about the stellar content of the Milky Way, and provide the benchmark luminosity and mass functions against which star formation scenarios must be reconciled. This effort is supported by the NSF through grants AST-0908402 and AST-1109445, and via observations made possible by the SMARTS Consortium.
The Unexpected Past of a Dwarf Galaxy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
New Light on Cannibalism in the Local Group of Galaxies The Local Group of Galaxies consists of a few large spiral galaxies - for instance the Milky Way galaxy in which we live, and the Andromeda galaxy that is visible to the unaided eye in the northern constellation of the same name - as well as two dozen much smaller galaxies of mostly irregular shape. Whereas the larger galaxies have extended halos of very old stars, no such halos have ever been seen around the smaller ones. Now, however, Dante Minniti and Albert Zijlstra [1], working at the ESO 3.5-metre New Technology Telescope (NTT), have found a large halo of old and metal-poor stars around one of the dwarf galaxies in the Local Group. This finding is quite unexpected. It revises our understanding of star formation in these galaxies and provides important information about the past evolution of galaxies [2]. Galaxy halos The Milky Way galaxy is surrounded by a large, roughly spherical halo of old stars. The diameter is about 100,000 light years and the stars therein, known as Population II stars, are among the oldest known, with ages of 10 billion years or even more. They also differ from the younger stars nearer to the main plane of the Milky Way (in which our 4.7 billion year old Sun is located) by being very metal-poor. Many of the halo stars consist almost solely of hydrogen and helium, reflecting the composition of matter in the young Universe. This halo is important for our understanding of the processes that led to the formation of the Milky Way galaxy. It is believed that many of the halo stars and those of the same type found in globular clusters existed already before the Milky Way had fully formed. Galaxy cannibalism Many astronomers suspect that galaxies evolve and gradually grow larger and heavier by practising cannibalism on their own kind. In this picture, when two galaxies collide in space, the stars and nebulae in the smaller one will disperse and soon be taken over by the larger one, which
Simplified Approach to Predicting Rough Surface Transition
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Boyle, R. J.; Stripf, M.
Turbine vane heat transfer predictions are given for smooth and rough vanes where the experimental data show transition moving forward on the vane as the surface roughness physical height increases. Consistent with smooth vane heat transfer, the transition moves forward for a fixed roughness height as the Reynolds number increases. Comparisons are presented with published experimental data. Some of the data are for a regular roughness geometry with a range of roughness heights, Reynolds numbers, and inlet turbulence intensities. The approach taken in this analysis is to treat the roughness in a statistical sense, consistent with what would be obtained from blades measured after exposure to actual engine environments. An approach is given to determine the equivalent sand grain roughness from the statistics of the regular geometry. This approach is guided by the experimental data. A roughness transition criterion is developed, and comparisons are made with experimental data over the entire range of experimental test conditions. Additional comparisons are made with experimental heat transfer data, where the roughness geometries are both regular and statistical. Using the developed analysis, heat transfer calculations are presented for the second stage vane of a high pressure turbine at hypothetical engine conditions.
Simplified Approach to Predicting Rough Surface Transition
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Boyle, Robert J.; Stripf, Matthias
Turbine vane heat transfer predictions are given for smooth and rough vanes where the experimental data show transition moving forward on the vane as the surface roughness physical height increases. Consiste nt with smooth vane heat transfer, the transition moves forward for a fixed roughness height as the Reynolds number increases. Comparison s are presented with published experimental data. Some of the data ar e for a regular roughness geometry with a range of roughness heights, Reynolds numbers, and inlet turbulence intensities. The approach ta ken in this analysis is to treat the roughness in a statistical sense , consistent with what would be obtained from blades measured after e xposure to actual engine environments. An approach is given to determ ine the equivalent sand grain roughness from the statistics of the re gular geometry. This approach is guided by the experimental data. A roughness transition criterion is developed, and comparisons are made with experimental data over the entire range of experimental test co nditions. Additional comparisons are made with experimental heat tran sfer data, where the roughness geometries are both regular as well a s statistical. Using the developed analysis, heat transfer calculatio ns are presented for the second stage vane of a high pressure turbine at hypothetical engine conditions.
Rough set models of Physarum machines
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pancerz, Krzysztof; Schumann, Andrew
In this paper, we consider transition system models of behaviour of Physarum machines in terms of rough set theory. A Physarum machine, a biological computing device implemented in the plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum (true slime mould), is a natural transition system. In the behaviour of Physarum machines, one can notice some ambiguity in Physarum motions that influences exact anticipation of states of machines in time. To model this ambiguity, we propose to use rough set models created over transition systems. Rough sets are an appropriate tool to deal with rough (ambiguous, imprecise) concepts in the universe of discourse.
An unsuccessful search for brown dwarf companions to white dwarf stars
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Shipman, Harry L.
The results of a survey to detect excess infrared emission from white dwarf stars which would be attributable to a low mass companion are reviewed. Neither a simple comparison of spectroscopically identified white dwarf stars with the IRAS Point Source Catalog nor the coadding of IRAS survey data resulted in a detection of a brown dwarf. The seven nearest stars where the most stringent limits to the presence of a brown dwarf were obtained are listed, and an effort to detect brown dwarfs in the solar neighborhood is discussed.
Identification and molecular characterization of a novel monopartite geminivirus associated with mulberry mosaic dwarf disease.
Ma, Yuxin; Navarro, Beatriz; Zhang, Zhixiang; Lu, Meiguang; Zhou, Xueping; Chi, Shengqi; Di Serio, Francesco; Li, Shifang
High-throughput sequencing of small RNAs allowed the identification of a novel DNA virus in a Chinese mulberry tree affected by a disease showing mosaic and dwarfing symptoms. Rolling-circle amplification and PCR with specific primers, followed by sequencing of eleven independent full-length clones, showed that this virus has a monopartite circular DNA genome (∼ 2.95 kb) containing ORFs in both polarity strands, as reported previously for geminiviruses. A field survey showed the close association of the virus with diseased mulberries, so we tentatively named the virus mulberry mosaic dwarf-associated virus (MMDaV). The MMDaV genome codes for five and two putative proteins in the virion-sense and in the complementary-sense strands, respectively. Although three MMDaV virion-sense putative proteins did not share sequence homology with any protein in the databases, functional domains [coiled-coil and transmembrane (TM) domains] were identified in two of them. In addition, the protein containing a TM domain was encoded by an ORF located in a similar genomic position in MMDaV and in several other geminiviruses. As reported for members of the genera Mastrevirus and Becurtovirus, MMDaV replication-associated proteins are expressed through the alternative splicing of an intron, which was shown to be functional in vivo. A similar intron was found in the genome of citrus chlorotic dwarf-associated virus (CCDaV), a divergent geminivirus found recently in citrus. On the basis of pairwise comparisons and phylogenetic analyses, CCDaV and MMDaV appear to be closely related to each other, thus supporting their inclusion in a putative novel genus in the family Geminiviridae. PMID:25953916
Yozin, C.; Bekki, K.
We present results from the first numerical analysis to support the hypothesis, first proposed in Coleman et al., that the Fornax dwarf galaxy was formed from the minor merging of two dwarfs about 2 Gyr ago. Using orbits for the Fornax dwarf that are consistent with the latest proper motion measurements, our dynamical evolution models show that the observed asymmetric shell-like substructures can be formed from the remnant of a smaller dwarf during minor merging. These models also predict the formation of diffuse stellar streams. We discuss how these stellar substructures depend on model parameters of dwarf-dwarf merging, and how the intermediate-age subpopulations found in the vicinity of these substructures may be formed from gas accretion in past merger events. We also suggest that one of Fornax's globular clusters originates from a merged dwarf companion, and demonstrate where as yet undetected tidal streams or H I gas formed from the dwarf merging may be found in the outer halo of the Galaxy.
Local Group dwarf galaxies: nature and nurture
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sawala, Till; Scannapieco, Cecilia; White, Simon
We investigate the formation and evolution of dwarf galaxies in a high-resolution, hydrodynamical cosmological simulation of a Milky Way sized halo and its environment. Our simulation includes gas cooling, star formation, supernova feedback, metal enrichment and ultraviolet heating. In total, 90 satellites and more than 400 isolated dwarf galaxies are formed in the simulation, allowing a systematic study of the internal and environmental processes that determine their evolution. We find that 95 per cent of satellite galaxies are gas free at z= 0, and identify three mechanisms for gas loss: supernova feedback, tidal stripping and photoevaporation due to re-ionization. Gas-rich satellite galaxies are only found with total masses above ˜5 × 109 M⊙. In contrast, for isolated dwarf galaxies, a total mass of ˜109 M⊙ constitutes a sharp transition; less massive galaxies are predominantly gas free at z= 0, more massive, isolated dwarf galaxies are often able to retain their gas. In general, we find that the total mass of a dwarf galaxy is the main factor which determines its star formation, metal enrichment and its gas content, but that stripping may explain the observed difference in gas content between field dwarf galaxies and satellites with total masses close to 109 M⊙. We also find that a morphological transformation via tidal stripping of infalling, luminous dwarf galaxies whose dark matter is less concentrated than their stars cannot explain the high total mass-to-light ratios of the faint dwarf spheroidal galaxies.
Gaia --- A White Dwarf Discovery Machine
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jordan, S.
Gaia is a satellite mission of the ESA, aiming at absolute astrometric measurements of about one billion stars (V<20) with unprecedented accuracy. Additionally, magnitudes and colors will be obtained for all these stars, while radial-velocities will be determined only for bright objects (V<17.5). However, the wavelength range for the radial-velocity instrument is rather unsuitable for most white dwarfs. Gaia will probably discover about 400,000 white dwarfs; up to 100 pc the detection probability for white dwarfs is almost 100 %. This survey of white dwarfs will have very clear, easy to understand selection criteria, and will therefore be very suitable for statistical investigations. The Gaia data will help to improve the construction of a luminosity function for the disk and the halo and will provide a more accurate determination of the age of our solar neighborhood. Moreover, reliable stellar dynamical investigations of the disk and halo components will be possible. For the first time it will be possible to test the mass-radius relation of white dwarfs in great detail. Moreover, more accurate masses of magnetic and cool white dwarfs can be expected. Gaia is also expected to discover many new pulsating white dwarfs. The Gaia measurements can also complement the measurements of gravitational waves from close white dwarf binaries with Lisa.
TWO LOCAL VOLUME DWARF GALAXIES DISCOVERED IN 21 cm EMISSION: PISCES A AND B
Tollerud, Erik J.; Geha, Marla C.; Grcevich, Jana; Putman, Mary E.; Stern, Daniel E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
We report the discovery of two dwarf galaxies, Pisces A and B, from a blind 21 cm H I search. These were the only two galaxies found via optical imaging and spectroscopy of 22 H I clouds identified in the GALFA-H I survey as dwarf galaxy candidates. They have properties consistent with being in the Local Volume (<10 Mpc), and one has resolved stellar populations such that it may be on the outer edge of the Local Group (∼1 Mpc from M31). While the distance uncertainty makes interpretation ambiguous, these may be among the faintest star-forming galaxies known. Additionally, rough estimates comparing these galaxies to ΛCDM dark matter simulations suggest consistency in number density, implying that the dark matter halos likely to host these galaxies are primarily H I-rich. The galaxies may thus be indicative of a large population of dwarfs at the limit of detectability that are comparable to the faint satellites of the Local Group. Because they are outside the influence of a large dark matter halo to alter their evolution, these galaxies can provide critical anchors to dwarf galaxy formation models.
Searching for Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies with DES and the Fermi-LAT
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Drlica-Wagner, Alex; DES Collaboration, Fermi-LAT Collaboration
The population of Milky Way satellite galaxies includes the least luminous, least chemically evolved, and most dark matter dominated galaxies in the known universe. Due to their proximity, high dark matter content, and lack of astrophysical backgrounds, dwarf spheroidal galaxies are promising targets for the indirect detection of dark matter via gamma rays. Prior to 2015, roughly two dozen dwarf spheroidal galaxies were known to surround the Milky Way. From combined observations of these objects, the dark matter annihilation cross section has been constrained to be less than the generic thermal relic cross section for dark matter particles with mass < 100 GeV. Since the beginning of 2015, new optical imaging surveys have discovered over twenty new dwarf galaxy candidates, potentially doubling the population of Milky Way satellite galaxies in a single year. I will discuss recent optical searches for dwarf galaxies, focusing specifically on results from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the implications for gamma-ray searches for dark matter annihilation with the Fermi Large Area Telescope.
Wetting properties of molecularly rough surfaces
Svoboda, Martin; Lísal, Martin; Malijevský, Alexandr
We employ molecular dynamics simulations to study the wettability of nanoscale rough surfaces in systems governed by Lennard-Jones (LJ) interactions. We consider both smooth and molecularly rough planar surfaces. Solid substrates are modeled as a static collection of LJ particles arranged in a face-centered cubic lattice with the (100) surface exposed to the LJ fluid. Molecularly rough solid surfaces are prepared by removing several strips of LJ atoms from the external layers of the substrate, i.e., forming parallel nanogrooves on the surface. We vary the solid-fluid interactions to investigate strongly and weakly wettable surfaces. We determine the wetting properties by measuring the equilibrium droplet profiles that are in turn used to evaluate the contact angles. Macroscopic arguments, such as those leading to Wenzel's law, suggest that surface roughness always amplifies the wetting properties of a lyophilic surface. However, our results indicate the opposite effect from roughness for microscopically corrugated surfaces, i.e., surface roughness deteriorates the substrate wettability. Adding the roughness to a strongly wettable surface shrinks the surface area wet with the liquid, and it either increases or only marginally affects the contact angle, depending on the degree of liquid adsorption into the nanogrooves. For a weakly wettable surface, the roughness changes the surface character from lyophilic to lyophobic due to a weakening of the solid-fluid interactions by the presence of the nanogrooves and the weaker adsorption of the liquid into the nanogrooves.
Optical methods for cylindrical rough surface testing
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Perez Quintian, F.; Rebollo, Maria A.; Gaggioli, Nestor G.; Raffo, C. A.
This work studies theoretically the scattering of light from cylindrical rough surfaces. It is shown, for the conical diffraction configuration, that the mean intensity on an observation plane perpendicular to the cylinder longitudinal axis, is related to the statistical parameters that characterize the surface: the roughness (sigma) and the correlation length T.
Roughness configuration matters for aeolian sediment flux
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
The parameterisation of surface roughness effects on aeolian sediment transport is a key source of uncertainty in wind erosion models. Roughness effects are typically represented by bulk drag-partitioning schemes that scale the threshold friction velocity (u*t) for soil entrainment by the ratio of s...
Wetting properties of molecularly rough surfaces.
Svoboda, Martin; Malijevský, Alexandr; Lísal, Martin
We employ molecular dynamics simulations to study the wettability of nanoscale rough surfaces in systems governed by Lennard-Jones (LJ) interactions. We consider both smooth and molecularly rough planar surfaces. Solid substrates are modeled as a static collection of LJ particles arranged in a face-centered cubic lattice with the (100) surface exposed to the LJ fluid. Molecularly rough solid surfaces are prepared by removing several strips of LJ atoms from the external layers of the substrate, i.e., forming parallel nanogrooves on the surface. We vary the solid-fluid interactions to investigate strongly and weakly wettable surfaces. We determine the wetting properties by measuring the equilibrium droplet profiles that are in turn used to evaluate the contact angles. Macroscopic arguments, such as those leading to Wenzel's law, suggest that surface roughness always amplifies the wetting properties of a lyophilic surface. However, our results indicate the opposite effect from roughness for microscopically corrugated surfaces, i.e., surface roughness deteriorates the substrate wettability. Adding the roughness to a strongly wettable surface shrinks the surface area wet with the liquid, and it either increases or only marginally affects the contact angle, depending on the degree of liquid adsorption into the nanogrooves. For a weakly wettable surface, the roughness changes the surface character from lyophilic to lyophobic due to a weakening of the solid-fluid interactions by the presence of the nanogrooves and the weaker adsorption of the liquid into the nanogrooves. PMID:26374050
Computational Methods for Rough Classification and Discovery.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bell, D. A.; Guan, J. W.
Rough set theory is a new mathematical tool to deal with vagueness and uncertainty. Computational methods are presented for using rough sets to identify classes in datasets, finding dependencies in relations, and discovering rules which are hidden in databases. The methods are illustrated with a running example from a database of car test results.…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Savanov, I. S.
We have determined activity cycles for coolest M dwarfs using photometry from the ASAS survey. The time scales of brightness variations were determined for the program stars using calculated amplitude power spectra and wavelet spectra. Most of ther program stars display periodicities in their light-curve variations, with periods from hundreds of days to years. Analysis of diagrams plotting P cyc/ P rot versus 1/ P rot in logarithmic coordinates shows that the data for all our program objects fit the general relation quite well. No differences in the activity cycles are found for our sample stars, which have different masses and thus internal structures, some having convective envelopes and others being totally convective. Our analysis indicates that the slope i of this relation is close to unity, regardless of whether it is determined from all data, from data for the shortest cycles, or from data for the longest cycles. This value of i differs from values in the literature for stars of other spectral types. Our analysis of the P cyc- P rot relation indicates that the activity cycles for the studied sample of M dwarfs do not depend on the rotation periods of these objects. The data for the studied objects do not agree with any of the relations for relatively young (active) stars or older (less active) stars. The studied M dwarfs probably form another branch of low-mass stars that display more random, irregular magnetic activity on their surfaces, which is generated and supported by the distributed dynamo mechanism or a small-scale dynamo mechanism.
A white dwarf with an oxygen atmosphere.
Kepler, S O; Koester, Detlev; Ourique, Gustavo
Stars born with masses below around 10 solar masses end their lives as white dwarf stars. Their atmospheres are dominated by the lightest elements because gravitational diffusion brings the lightest element to the surface. We report the discovery of a white dwarf with an atmosphere completely dominated by oxygen, SDSS J124043.01+671034.68. After oxygen, the next most abundant elements in its atmosphere are neon and magnesium, but these are lower by a factor of ≥25 by number. The fact that no hydrogen or helium are observed is surprising. Oxygen, neon, and magnesium are the products of carbon burning, which occurs in stars at the high-mass end of pre-white dwarf formation. This star, a possible oxygen-neon white dwarf, will provide a rare observational test of the evolutionary paths toward white dwarfs. PMID:27034367
A white dwarf with an oxygen atmosphere
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kepler, S. O.; Koester, Detlev; Ourique, Gustavo
Stars born with masses below around 10 solar masses end their lives as white dwarf stars. Their atmospheres are dominated by the lightest elements because gravitational diffusion brings the lightest element to the surface. We report the discovery of a white dwarf with an atmosphere completely dominated by oxygen, SDSS J124043.01+671034.68. After oxygen, the next most abundant elements in its atmosphere are neon and magnesium, but these are lower by a factor of ≥25 by number. The fact that no hydrogen or helium are observed is surprising. Oxygen, neon, and magnesium are the products of carbon burning, which occurs in stars at the high-mass end of pre-white dwarf formation. This star, a possible oxygen-neon white dwarf, will provide a rare observational test of the evolutionary paths toward white dwarfs.
Theories of white dwarf oscillations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Vanhorn, H. M.
The current status of theoretical understanding of the oscillations observed in the ZZ Ceti stars and cataclysmic variables is briefly reviewed. Nonradial g-mode oscillations appear to provide a satisfactory explanation for the low amplitude variables such as R548, with periods in the range of approximately 200 to 300 seconds, but for the longer period (800 to 1000 seconds) oscillators, the situation is still unclear. Rotation may play an important role in this problem, and the effects of both slow and fast rotation upon the mode structure are discussed. In the cataclysmic variables, both accretion and thermonuclear burning may act to excite oscillations of the white dwarf.
Double White Dwarf Merger Rates
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Toonen, Silvia; Nelemans, Gijs; Portegies Zwart, Simon
Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are very successfully used as standard candles on cosmological distance scales, but so far the nature of the progenitor(s) is unclear. A possible scenario for SNe Ia are merging carbon/oxygen white dwarfs with a combined mass exceeding the Chandrasekhar mass. We determine the theoretical rates and delay time distribution of these mergers for two different common envelope prescriptions and metallicities. The shape of the delay time distributions is rather insensitive to the assumptions. The normalization is a factor ~3-13 too low compared to observations.
Casimir effect with rough metallic mirrors
Neto, Paulo A. Maia; Lambrecht, Astrid; Reynaud, Serge
We calculate the second-order roughness correction to the Casimir energy for two parallel metallic mirrors. Our results may also be applied to the plane-sphere geometry used in most experiments. The metallic mirrors are described by the plasma model, with arbitrary values for the plasma wavelength, the mirror separation, and the roughness correlation length, with the roughness amplitude remaining the smallest length scale for perturbation theory to hold. From the analysis of the intracavity field fluctuations, we obtain the Casimir energy correction in terms of generalized reflection operators, which account for diffraction and polarization coupling in the scattering by the rough surfaces. We present simple analytical expressions for several limiting cases, as well as numerical results that allow for a reliable calculation of the roughness correction in real experiments. The correction is larger than the result of the proximity force approximation, which is obtained from our theory as a limiting case (very smooth surfaces)
Modeling surface roughness scattering in metallic nanowires
Moors, Kristof; Sorée, Bart; Magnus, Wim
Ando's model provides a rigorous quantum-mechanical framework for electron-surface roughness scattering, based on the detailed roughness structure. We apply this method to metallic nanowires and improve the model introducing surface roughness distribution functions on a finite domain with analytical expressions for the average surface roughness matrix elements. This approach is valid for any roughness size and extends beyond the commonly used Prange-Nee approximation. The resistivity scaling is obtained from the self-consistent relaxation time solution of the Boltzmann transport equation and is compared to Prange-Nee's approach and other known methods. The results show that a substantial drop in resistivity can be obtained for certain diameters by achieving a large momentum gap between Fermi level states with positive and negative momentum in the transport direction.
The Luminosities of the Coldest Brown Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tinney, C. G.; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Cushing, Mike; Morley, Caroline V.; Wright, Edward L.
In recent years, brown dwarfs have been extended to a new Y-dwarf class with effective temperatures colder than 500 K and masses in the range of 5-30 Jupiter masses. They fill a crucial gap in observable atmospheric properties between the much colder gas-giant planets of our own solar system (at around 130 K) and both hotter T-type brown dwarfs and the hotter planets that can be imaged orbiting young nearby stars (both with effective temperatures in the range of 1500-1000 K). Distance measurements for these objects deliver absolute magnitudes that make critical tests of our understanding of very cool atmospheres. Here we report new distances for nine Y dwarfs and seven very late T dwarfs. These reveal that Y dwarfs do indeed represent a continuation of the T-dwarf sequence to both fainter luminosities and cooler temperatures. They also show that the coolest objects display a large range in absolute magnitude for a given photometric color. The latest atmospheric models show good agreement with the majority of these Y-dwarf absolute magnitudes. This is also the case for WISE0855-0714, the coldest and closest brown dwarf to the Sun, which shows evidence for water ice clouds. However, there are also some outstanding exceptions, which suggest either binarity or the presence of condensate clouds. The former is readily testable with current adaptive optics facilities. The latter would mean that the range of cloudiness in Y dwarfs is substantial with most hosting almost no clouds—while others have dense clouds, making them prime targets for future variability observations to study cloud dynamics. This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.
The luminosities of the coldest brown dwarfs
Tinney, C. G.; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Cushing, Mike; Morley, Caroline V.; Wright, Edward L.
In recent years, brown dwarfs have been extended to a new Y-dwarf class with effective temperatures colder than 500 K and masses in the range of 5-30 Jupiter masses. They fill a crucial gap in observable atmospheric properties between the much colder gas-giant planets of our own solar system (at around 130 K) and both hotter T-type brown dwarfs and the hotter planets that can be imaged orbiting young nearby stars (both with effective temperatures in the range of 1500-1000 K). Distance measurements for these objects deliver absolute magnitudes that make critical tests of our understanding of very cool atmospheres. Here we report new distances for nine Y dwarfs and seven very late T dwarfs. These reveal that Y dwarfs do indeed represent a continuation of the T-dwarf sequence to both fainter luminosities and cooler temperatures. They also show that the coolest objects display a large range in absolute magnitude for a given photometric color. The latest atmospheric models show good agreement with the majority of these Y-dwarf absolute magnitudes. This is also the case for WISE0855-0714, the coldest and closest brown dwarf to the Sun, which shows evidence for water ice clouds. However, there are also some outstanding exceptions, which suggest either binarity or the presence of condensate clouds. The former is readily testable with current adaptive optics facilities. The latter would mean that the range of cloudiness in Y dwarfs is substantial with most hosting almost no clouds—while others have dense clouds, making them prime targets for future variability observations to study cloud dynamics.
NGC 5291: Implications for the Formation of Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Malphrus, Benjamin K.; Simpson, Caroline E.; Gottesman, S. T.; Hawarden, Timothy G.
The possible formation and evolution of dwarf irregular galaxies from material derived from perturbed evolved galaxies is addressed via an H I study of a likely example, the peculiar system NGC 5291. This system, located in the western outskirts of the cluster Abell 3574, contains the lenticular galaxy NGC 5291 which is in close proximity to a disturbed companion and is flanked by an extensive complex of numerous knots extending roughly 4 min north and 4 min south of the galaxy. In an initial optical and radio study, Longmore et al. (1979, MNRAS, 188, 285) showed that these knots have the spectra of vigorous star-forming regions, and suggested that some may in fact be young dwarf irregular galaxies. High resolution 21-cm line observations taken with the VLA are presented here and reveal that the H I distribution associated with this system encompasses not only the entire N-S complex of optical knots, but also forms an incomplete ring or tail that extends approximately 3 min to the west. The H I associated with NGC 5291 itself shows a high velocity range; the Seashell is not detected. The formation mechanism for this unusual system is unclear and two models - a large, low-luminosity ram-swept disk, and a ram-swept interaction-are discussed. The H I in the system contains numerous concentrations, mostly along the N-S arc of the star-forming complexes, which generally coincide with one or more optical knots; the larger H I features contain several x 10(exp 9) solar mass of gas. Each of the knots is compared to a set of criteria designed to determine if these objects are bound against their own internal kinetic energy and are tidally stable relative to the host galaxy. An analysis of the properties of the H I concentrations surrounding the optical star-forming complexes indicates that at least the largest of these is a bound system; it also possesses a stellar component. It is suggested that this object is a genuinely young dwarf irregular galaxy that has evolved from
The first complete genome sequence of iris severe mosaic virus.
Li, Yongqiang; Deng, Congliang; Shang, Qiaoxia; Zhao, Xiaoli; Liu, Xingliang; Zhou, Qi
The first complete genome sequence of ISMV was determined by deep sequencing of a small RNA library constructed from ISMV-infected samples and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) PCR. The ISMV genome consists of 10,403 nucleotides excluding the poly(A) tail and contains a large open reading frame encoding a polyprotein of 3316 amino acids. Putative proteolytic cleavage sites were identified by BLAST analysis. The ISMV polyprotein showed highest amino acid sequence identity to that encoded by onion yellow dwarf virus. Phylogenetic analysis of the polyprotein amino acid sequence confirmed that ISMV forms a cluster with shallot yellow stripe virus, Cyrtanthus elatus virus A, narcissus degeneration virus and onion yellow dwarf virus. These results confirm that ISMV is a distinct member of the genus Potyvirus. PMID:26729478
PREFACE: 16th European White Dwarfs Workshop
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Garcia-Berro, Enrique; Hernanz, Margarita; Isern, Jordi; Torres, Santiago
The 16th European Workshop on White Dwarfs was held in Barcelona, Spain, from 30 June to 4 July 2008 at the premises of the UPC. Almost 120 participants from Europe (France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, and several others), America (USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile), and other continents (Australia, South Africa, . . . ) attended the workshop. Among these participants were the most relevant specialists in the field. The topics covered by the conference were: White dwarf structure and evolution Progenitors and Planetary Nebulae White dwarfs in binaries: cataclysmic variables, double degenerates and other binaries White dwarfs, dust disks and planetary systems Atmospheres, chemical composition, magnetic fields Variable white dwarfs White dwarfs in stellar clusters and the halo White Dwarfs as SNIa progenitors The programme included 54 talks, and 45 posters. The oral presentations were distributed into the following sessions: Luminosity function, mass function and populations White dwarf structure and evolution White dwarf ages White dwarf catalogs and surveys Central stars of planetary nebulae Supernovae progenitors White dwarfs in novae and CVs Physical processes in white dwarfs and magnetic white dwarfs Disks, dust and planets around white dwarfs Pulsating white dwarfs Additionally we had a special open session about Spitzer and white dwarfs. The Proceedings of the 16th European Workshop on White Dwarfs are representative of the current state-of-the-art of the research field and include new and exciting results. We acknowledge the very positive attitude of the attendants to the workshop, which stimulated very fruitful discussions that took place in all the sessions and after the official schedule. Also, the meeting allowed new collaborations tp start that will undoubtedly result in significant advances in the research field. We also acknowledge the willingness of the participants to deliver their contributions before the final deadline. We sincerely
Ricci, L.; Isella, A.; Testi, L.; De Gregorio-Monsalvo, I.; Natta, A.; Scholz, A.
We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array continuum and spectral line data at 0.89 mm and 3.2 mm for three disks surrounding young brown dwarfs and very low mass stars in the Taurus star forming region. Dust thermal emission is detected and spatially resolved for all the three disks, while CO(J = 3-2) emission is seen in two disks. We analyze the continuum visibilities and constrain the disks' physical structure in dust. The results of our analysis show that the disks are relatively large; the smallest one has an outer radius of about 70 AU. The inferred disk radii, radial profiles of the dust surface density, and disk to central object mass ratios lie within the ranges found for disks around more massive young stars. We derive from our observations the wavelength dependence of the millimeter dust opacity. In all the three disks, data are consistent with the presence of grains with at least millimeter sizes, as also found for disks around young stars, and confirm that the early stages of the solid growth toward planetesimals occur also around very low-mass objects. We discuss the implications of our findings on models of solids evolution in protoplanetary disks, the main mechanisms proposed for the formation of brown dwarfs and very low-mass stars, as well as the potential of finding rocky and giant planets around very low-mass objects.
On the roughness measurement on knee prostheses.
Jaber, Sami Abdel; Ruggiero, Alessandro; Battaglia, Santina; Affatato, Saverio
The majority of total knee replacements currently implanted present an articulation composed of two metal parts, femoral and tibial components, between which there is a polyethylene insert serving as a bearing surface. The finishing surface of the metal components is a very important factor in minimizing the polyethylene wear rate and, later, the gradual production of metal and plastic debris. Considering the role of surface roughness on volumetric wear rates, the purpose of this study is to develop a protocol for the roughness characterization of total knee prosthesis (TKP) metal components, taking into consideration a limited number of points on each surface. Six mobile TKP of different sizes (three size 2 and three size 6) were tested on a knee joint simulator to compare the wear behavior of each group. After 2 million cycles the weight loss by the polyethylene inserts was measured with gravimetric method and the surface roughness of the metallic components was assessed in terms of average surface roughness, Ra, skewness, Rsk, and total roughness, Rt. Roughness measurement involved 29 points on each femoral condyle and 26 points on each metal tibial plate. The data collected has shown an increased roughness upon wear testing for both the investigated TKP sizes. No statistical differences were observed between the two groups for both the parameters Ra, Rsk, and Rt. The surface of all metallic components became more negatively skewed, indicating diminishing peaks. The various parameters were correlated to the volumetric loss using a linear regression analysis. PMID:25588764
Thermal contact conductance of spherical, rough metals
Lambert, M.A.; Fletcher, L.S.
Junction thermal conductance is an important consideration in such applications as thermally induced stresses in supersonic and hypersonic flight vehicles, nuclear reactor cooling, electronics packaging, spacecraft thermal control, gas turbine and internal combustion engine cooling, and cryogenic liquid storage. A fundamental problem in analyzing and predicting junction thermal conductance is thermal contact conductance of non-flat, rough metals. Workable models have been previously derived for the limiting idealized cases of flat, rough and spherical, smooth surfaces. However, until now, no tractable models have been advanced for non-flat, rough surfaces (so called engineering surfaces) which are much more commonly dealt with in practice. The present investigation details the synthesis of previously derived models for macroscopically non-uniform thermal contact conductance and contact of non-flat, rough spheres, into a thermo-mechanical model, its refinement, and its presentation in an easily applied format. The present model is compared to representative experimental conductance results form the literature for stainless steel 304 with widely varying flatness deviation and roughness. Also included in the comparisons is a previous, often cited model for flat, rough metals to which the present model reduces in the limit of flat surfaces. The present model agrees well with the experimental results over the wide ranges of flatness deviation and roughness for which data was available. Conversely, the previous, well known model becomes increasingly overpredictive with increasing flatness deviation.
Turbulent flow in smooth and rough pipes.
Allen, J J; Shockling, M A; Kunkel, G J; Smits, A J
Recent experiments at Princeton University have revealed aspects of smooth pipe flow behaviour that suggest a more complex scaling than previously noted. In particular, the pressure gradient results yield a new friction factor relationship for smooth pipes, and the velocity profiles indicate the presence of a power-law region near the wall and, for Reynolds numbers greater than about 400x103 (R+>9x103), a logarithmic region further out. New experiments on a rough pipe with a honed surface finish with krms/D=19.4x10-6, over a Reynolds number range of 57x103-21x106, show that in the transitionally rough regime this surface follows an inflectional friction factor relationship rather than the monotonic relationship given in the Moody diagram. Outer-layer scaling of the mean velocity data and streamwise turbulence intensities for the rough pipe show excellent collapse and provide strong support for Townsend's outer-layer similarity hypothesis for rough-walled flows. The streamwise rough-wall spectra also agree well with the corresponding smooth-wall data. The pipe exhibited smooth behaviour for ks+ < or =3.5, which supports the suggestion that the original smooth pipe was indeed hydraulically smooth for ReD< or =24x106. The relationship between the velocity shift, DeltaU/utau, and the roughness Reynolds number, ks+, has been used to generalize the form of the transition from smooth to fully rough flow for an arbitrary relative roughness krms/D. These predictions apply for honed pipes when the separation of pipe diameter to roughness height is large, and they differ significantly from the traditional Moody curves. PMID:17244585
Layering of ionic liquids on rough surfaces
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sheehan, Alexis; Jurado, L. Andres; Ramakrishna, Shivaprakash N.; Arcifa, Andrea; Rossi, Antonella; Spencer, Nicholas D.; Espinosa-Marzal, Rosa M.
Understanding the behavior of ionic liquids (ILs) either confined between rough surfaces or in rough nanoscale pores is of great relevance to extend studies performed on ideally flat surfaces to real applications. In this work we have performed an extensive investigation of the structural forces between two surfaces with well-defined roughness (<9 nm RMS) in 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide by atomic force microscopy. Statistical studies of the measured layer thicknesses, layering force, and layering frequency reveal the ordered structure of the rough IL-solid interface. Our work shows that the equilibrium structure of the interfacial IL strongly depends on the topography of the contact.Understanding the behavior of ionic liquids (ILs) either confined between rough surfaces or in rough nanoscale pores is of great relevance to extend studies performed on ideally flat surfaces to real applications. In this work we have performed an extensive investigation of the structural forces between two surfaces with well-defined roughness (<9 nm RMS) in 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide by atomic force microscopy. Statistical studies of the measured layer thicknesses, layering force, and layering frequency reveal the ordered structure of the rough IL-solid interface. Our work shows that the equilibrium structure of the interfacial IL strongly depends on the topography of the contact. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Optimized geometries and sizes for [HMIM] Ntf2, SEM images of the smooth and rough colloids, frequency of occurrence of layering in the resolved force-distance curves for all investigated systems with [HMIM] Ntf2, layer size and layering force measured with a sharp tip on mica for the same IL, and results of the kinetics experiments. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr07805a
Understanding EUV mask blank surface roughness induced LWR and associated roughness requirement
Yan, Pei-Yang; Zhang, Guojing; Gullickson, Eric M.; Goldberg, Kenneth A.; Benk, Markus P.
Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask multi-layer (ML) blank surface roughness specification historically comes from blank defect inspection tool requirement. Later, new concerns on ML surface roughness induced wafer pattern line width roughness (LWR) arise. In this paper, we have studied wafer level pattern LWR as a function of EUVL mask surface roughness via High-NA Actinic Reticle Review Tool. We found that the blank surface roughness induced LWR at current blank roughness level is in the order of 0.5nm 3σ for NA=0.42 at the best focus. At defocus of ±40nm, the corresponding LWR will be 0.2nm higher. Further reducing EUVL mask blank surface roughness will increase the blank cost with limited benefit in improving the pattern LWR, provided that the intrinsic resist LWR is in the order of 1nm and above.
Numerical Schemes for Rough Parabolic Equations
Deya, Aurelien
This paper is devoted to the study of numerical approximation schemes for a class of parabolic equations on (0,1) perturbed by a non-linear rough signal. It is the continuation of Deya (Electron. J. Probab. 16:1489-1518, 2011) and Deya et al. (Probab. Theory Relat. Fields, to appear), where the existence and uniqueness of a solution has been established. The approach combines rough paths methods with standard considerations on discretizing stochastic PDEs. The results apply to a geometric 2-rough path, which covers the case of the multidimensional fractional Brownian motion with Hurst index H>1/3.
Giant persistent photoconductivity in rough silicon nanomembranes.
Feng, Ping; Mönch, Ingolf; Harazim, Stefan; Huang, Gaoshan; Mei, Yongfeng; Schmidt, Oliver G
This paper reports the observation of giant persistent photoconductivity from rough Si nanomembranes. When exposed to light, the current in p-type Si nanomembranes is enhanced by roughly 3 orders of magnitude in comparison with that in the dark and can persist for days at a high conductive state after the light is switched off. An applied gate voltage can tune the persistent photocurrent and accelerate the response to light. By analyzing the band structure of the devices and the surfaces through various coatings, we attribute the observed effect to hole-localized regions in Si nanomembranes due to the rough surfaces, where light can activate the confined holes. PMID:19637888
Nanoscale roughness micromilled silica evanescent refractometer.
Carpenter, Lewis G; Cooper, Peter A; Holmes, Christopher; Gawith, Corin B E; Gates, James C; Smith, Peter G R
We demonstrate machining of precision slots in silica with nanoscale roughness for applications in photonics. Using our in-house developed milling system we have achieved machined slots with surface roughness of 3.0 nm (Sa) and 17 µm depth of cut. This result represents eight times improvement in surface roughness and forty times increase in depth of cut than previously reported. We also demonstrate integration of these milled slots with UV-written waveguides and Bragg gratings to create optical refractometers, based on monitoring Fabry-Pérot spectral fringe changes. PMID:25835860
Viruses in maize and johnsongrass in southern ohio.
Stewart, L R; Teplier, R; Todd, J C; Jones, M W; Cassone, B J; Wijeratne, S; Wijeratne, A; Redinbaugh, M G
ABSTRACT The two major U.S. maize viruses, Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) and Maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV), emerged in southern Ohio and surrounding regions in the 1960s and caused significant losses. Planting resistant varieties and changing cultural practices has dramatically reduced virus impact in subsequent decades. Current information on the distribution, diversity, and impact of known and potential U.S. maize disease-causing viruses is lacking. To assess the current reservoir of viruses present at the sites of past disease emergence, we used a combination of serological testing and next-generation RNA sequencing approaches. Here, we report enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and RNA-Seq data from samples collected over 2 years to assess the presence of viruses in cultivated maize and an important weedy reservoir, Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense). Results revealed a persistent reservoir of MDMV and two strains of MCDV in Ohio Johnsongrass. We identified sequences of several other grass-infecting viruses and confirmed the presence of Wheat mosaic virus in Ohio maize. Together, these results provide important data for managing virus disease in field corn and sweet corn maize crops, and identifying potential future virus threats. PMID:24918609
Kreckel, K.; Groves, B.; Croxall, K.; Pogge, R. W.; Van de Weygaert, R.
The current ΛCDM cosmological model predicts that galaxy evolution proceeds more slowly in lower density environments, suggesting that voids are a prime location to search for relatively pristine galaxies that are representative of the building blocks of early massive galaxies. To test the assumption that void galaxies are more pristine, we compare the evolutionary properties of a sample of dwarf galaxies selected specifically to lie in voids with a sample of similar isolated dwarf galaxies in average density environments. We measure gas-phase oxygen abundances and gas fractions for eight dwarf galaxies (M{sub r} > –16.2), carefully selected to reside within the lowest density environments of seven voids, and apply the same calibrations to existing samples of isolated dwarf galaxies. We find no significant difference between these void dwarf galaxies and the isolated dwarf galaxies, suggesting that dwarf galaxy chemical evolution proceeds independent of the large-scale environment. While this sample is too small to draw strong conclusions, it suggests that external gas accretion is playing a limited role in the chemical evolution of these systems, and that this evolution is instead dominated mainly by the internal secular processes that are linking the simultaneous growth and enrichment of these galaxies.
Kleinman, S. J.; Nitta, A.; Kepler, S. O.; Pelisoli, Ingrid; Pecanha, Viviane; Costa, J. E. S.; Koester, D.; Krzesinski, J.; Dufour, P.; Lachapelle, F.-R.; Bergeron, P.; Yip, Ching-Wa; Harris, Hugh C.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Althaus, L.; Corsico, A.
We present a new catalog of spectroscopically confirmed white dwarf stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 spectroscopic catalog. We find 20,407 white dwarf spectra, representing 19,712 stars, and provide atmospheric model fits to 14,120 DA and 1011 DB white dwarf spectra from 12,843 and 923 stars, respectively. These numbers represent more than a factor of two increase in the total number of white dwarf stars from the previous SDSS white dwarf catalogs based on DR4 data. Our distribution of subtypes varies from previous catalogs due to our more conservative, manual classifications of each star in our catalog, supplementing our automatic fits. In particular, we find a large number of magnetic white dwarf stars whose small Zeeman splittings mimic increased Stark broadening that would otherwise result in an overestimated log g if fit as a non-magnetic white dwarf. We calculate mean DA and DB masses for our clean, non-magnetic sample and find the DB mean mass is statistically larger than that for the DAs.
The origin of low-mass white dwarfs
Rebassa-Mansergas, A.; Schreiber, M. R.; Gaensicke, B. T.; Girven, J.; Gomez-Moran, A. Nebot
We present white dwarf mass distributions of a large sample of post common-envelope binaries and wide white dwarf main sequence binaries and demonstrate that these distributions are statistically independent. While the former contains a much larger fraction of low-mass white dwarfs, the latter is similar to single white dwarf mass distributions. Taking into account observational biases we also show that the majority of low-mass white dwarfs are formed in close binaries.
Brown Dwarfs at the Exoplanet Mass Boundary
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Faherty, J. K.; Cruz, K. L.; Rice, E. L.; Riedel, A.
Young brown dwarfs and directly-imaged exoplanets have enticingly similar photometric and spectroscopic characteristics, indicating that their cool, low gravity atmospheres should be studied in concert. Similarities between the peculiar shaped H band, near and mid-IR photometry as well as location on color magnitude diagrams provide important clues about how to extract physical properties of planets from current brown dwarf observations. Our team has assigned >30 brown dwarfs to 10-150 Myr nearby moving groups. In so doing, we have discovered important diversity among this extremely low-mass (10 - 30 M_{Jup}) age-calibrated sample indicating that cloud properties play a critical role in their observables.
Simulations of Double White Dwarf Mergers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Motl, Patick; Staff, Jan; Marcello, Dominic; Clayton, Geoffrey; Frank, Juhan
We present numerical simulations of double white dwarf mergers initiated by mass transfer instability. In particular, we are interested in the possible connection between such double degenerate mergers and the peculiar irregular variable R Corona Borealis stars. For the merger of a Carbon-Oxygen white dwarf with a Helium white dwarf, the degree to which Carbon from the accreting star is dredged up plays a crucial role in the appearance of the rejuvenated, merged object. We explore the amount of dredge up in the accreting star and its influence in stellar evolution models initialized from the merged object resulting from dynamical evolutions.
Dwarf spheroidal galaxies: Keystones of galaxy evolution
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Gallagher, John S., III; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.
Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are the most insignificant extragalactic stellar systems in terms of their visibility, but potentially very significant in terms of their role in the formation and evolution of much more luminous galaxies. We discuss the present observational data and their implications for theories of the formation and evolution of both dwarf and giant galaxies. The putative dark-matter content of these low-surface-brightness systems is of particular interest, as is their chemical evolution. Surveys for new dwarf spheroidals hidden behind the stars of our Galaxy and those which are not bound to giant galaxies may give new clues as to the origins of this unique class of galaxy.
WHITE DWARF/M DWARF BINARIES AS SINGLE DEGENERATE PROGENITORS OF TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE
Wheeler, J. Craig
Limits on the companions of white dwarfs in the single-degenerate scenario for the origin of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have gotten increasingly tight, yet igniting a nearly Chandrasekhar mass C/O white dwarf from a condition of near hydrostatic equilibrium provides compelling agreement with observed spectral evolution. The only type of non-degenerate stars that survive the tight limits, M{sub V} {approx}> 8.4 on the SN Ia in SNR 0509-67.5 and M{sub V} {approx}> 9.5 in the remnant of SN 1572, are M dwarfs. While M dwarfs are observed in cataclysmic variables, they have special properties that have not been considered in most work on the progenitors of SNe Ia: they have small but finite magnetic fields and they flare frequently. These properties are explored in the context of SN Ia progenitors. White dwarf/M dwarf pairs may be sufficiently plentiful to provide, in principle, an adequate rate of explosions even with slow orbital evolution due to magnetic braking or gravitational radiation. Even modest magnetic fields on the white dwarf and M dwarf will yield adequate torques to lock the two stars together, resulting in a slowly rotating white dwarf, with the magnetic poles pointing at one another in the orbital plane. The mass loss will be channeled by a 'magnetic bottle' connecting the two stars, landing on a concentrated polar area on the white dwarf. This enhances the effective rate of accretion compared to spherical accretion. Luminosity from accretion and hydrogen burning on the surface of the white dwarf may induce self-excited mass transfer. The combined effects of self-excited mass loss, polar accretion, and magnetic inhibition of mixing of accretion layers give possible means to beat the 'nova limit' and grow the white dwarf to the Chandrasekhar mass even at rather moderate mass accretion rates.
White Dwarf/M Dwarf Binaries as Single Degenerate Progenitors of Type Ia Supernovae
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wheeler, J. Craig
Limits on the companions of white dwarfs in the single-degenerate scenario for the origin of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have gotten increasingly tight, yet igniting a nearly Chandrasekhar mass C/O white dwarf from a condition of near hydrostatic equilibrium provides compelling agreement with observed spectral evolution. The only type of non-degenerate stars that survive the tight limits, MV >~ 8.4 on the SN Ia in SNR 0509-67.5 and MV >~ 9.5 in the remnant of SN 1572, are M dwarfs. While M dwarfs are observed in cataclysmic variables, they have special properties that have not been considered in most work on the progenitors of SNe Ia: they have small but finite magnetic fields and they flare frequently. These properties are explored in the context of SN Ia progenitors. White dwarf/M dwarf pairs may be sufficiently plentiful to provide, in principle, an adequate rate of explosions even with slow orbital evolution due to magnetic braking or gravitational radiation. Even modest magnetic fields on the white dwarf and M dwarf will yield adequate torques to lock the two stars together, resulting in a slowly rotating white dwarf, with the magnetic poles pointing at one another in the orbital plane. The mass loss will be channeled by a "magnetic bottle" connecting the two stars, landing on a concentrated polar area on the white dwarf. This enhances the effective rate of accretion compared to spherical accretion. Luminosity from accretion and hydrogen burning on the surface of the white dwarf may induce self-excited mass transfer. The combined effects of self-excited mass loss, polar accretion, and magnetic inhibition of mixing of accretion layers give possible means to beat the "nova limit" and grow the white dwarf to the Chandrasekhar mass even at rather moderate mass accretion rates.
Effect of Surface Roughness on Hydrodynamic Bearings
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Majumdar, B. C.; Hamrock, B. J.
A theoretical analysis on the performance of hydrodynamic oil bearings is made considering surface roughness effect. The hydrodynamic as well as asperity contact load is found. The contact pressure was calculated with the assumption that the surface height distribution was Gaussian. The average Reynolds equation of partially lubricated surface was used to calculate hydrodynamic load. An analytical expression for average gap was found and was introduced to modify the average Reynolds equation. The resulting boundary value problem was then solved numerically by finite difference methods using the method of successive over relaxation. The pressure distribution and hydrodynamic load capacity of plane slider and journal bearings were calculated for various design data. The effects of attitude and roughness of surface on the bearing performance were shown. The results are compared with similar available solution of rough surface bearings. It is shown that: (1) the contribution of contact load is not significant; and (2) the hydrodynamic and contact load increase with surface roughness.
Simplified models for mask roughness induced LER
McClinton, Brittany; Naulleau, Patrick
The ITRS requires < 1.2nm line-edge roughness (LER) for the 22nm half-pitch node. Currently, we can consistently achieve only about 3nm LER. Further progress requires understanding the principle causes of LER. Much work has already been done on how both the resist and LER on the mask effect the final printed LER. What is poorly understood, however, is the extent to which system-level effects such as mask surface roughness, illumination conditions, and defocus couple to speckle at the image plane, and factor into LER limits. Presently, mask-roughness induced LER is studied via full 2D aerial image modeling and subsequent analysis of the resulting image. This method is time consuming and cumbersome. It is, therefore, the goal of this research to develop a useful 'rule-of-thumb' analytic model for mask roughness induced LER to expedite learning and understanding.
Surface roughness effects on bidirectional reflectance
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Smith, T. F.; Hering, R. G.
An experimental study of surface roughness effects on bidirectional reflectance of metallic surfaces is presented. A facility capable of irradiating a sample from normal to grazing incidence and recording plane of incidence bidirectional reflectance measurements was developed. Samples consisting of glass, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel materials were selected for examination. Samples were roughened using standard grinding techniques and coated with a radiatively opaque layer of pure aluminum. Mechanical surface roughness parameters, rms heights and rms slopes, evaluated from digitized surface profile measurements are less than 1.0 micrometers and 0.28, respectively. Rough surface specular, bidirectional, and directional reflectance measurements for selected values of polar angle of incidence and wavelength of incident energy within the spectral range of 1 to 14 micrometers are reported. The Beckmann bidirectional reflectance model is compared with reflectance measurements to establish its usefulness in describing the magnitude and spatial distribution of energy reflected from rough surfaces.
Magnetic fields in Local Group dwarf irregulars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chyży, K. T.; Weżgowiec, M.; Beck, R.; Bomans, D. J.
Aims: We wish to clarify whether strong magnetic fields can be effectively generated in typically low-mass dwarf galaxies and to assess the role of dwarf galaxies in the magnetization of the Universe. Methods: We performed a search for radio emission and magnetic fields in an unbiased sample of 12 Local Group (LG) irregular and dwarf irregular galaxies with the 100-m Effelsberg telescope at 2.64 GHz. Three galaxies were detected. A higher frequency (4.85 GHz) was used to search for polarized emission in five dwarfs that are the most luminous ones in the infrared domain, of which three were detected. Results: Magnetic fields in LG dwarfs are weak, with a mean value of the total field strength of <4.2 ± 1.8 μG, three times lower than in the normal spirals. The strongest field among all LG dwarfs of 10 μG (at 2.64 GHz) is observed in the starburst dwarf IC 10. The production of total magnetic fields in dwarf systems appears to be regulated mainly by the star-formation surface density (with the power-law exponent of 0.30 ± 0.04) or by the gas surface density (with the exponent 0.47 ± 0.09). In addition, we find systematically stronger fields in objects of higher global star-formation rate. The dwarf galaxies follow a similar far-infrared relationship (with a slope of 0.91 ± 0.08) to that determined for high surface brightness spiral galaxies. The magnetic field strength in dwarf galaxies does not correlate with their maximum rotational velocity, indicating that a small-scale rather than a large-scale dynamo process is responsible for producting magnetic fields in dwarfs. If magnetization of the Universe by galactic outflows is coeval with its metal enrichment, we show that more massive objects (such as Lyman break galaxies) can efficiently magnetize the intergalactic medium with a magnetic field strength of about 0.8 nG out to a distance of 160-530 kpc at redshifts 5-3, respectively. Magnetic fields that are several times weaker and shorter magnetization
How supercontinents and superoceans affect seafloor roughness.
Whittaker, Joanne M; Müller, R Dietmar; Roest, Walter R; Wessel, Paul; Smith, Walter H F
Seafloor roughness varies considerably across the world's ocean basins and is fundamental to controlling the circulation and mixing of heat in the ocean and dissipating eddy kinetic energy. Models derived from analyses of active mid-ocean ridges suggest that ocean floor roughness depends on seafloor spreading rates, with rougher basement forming below a half-spreading rate threshold of 30-35 mm yr(-1) (refs 4, 5), as well as on the local interaction of mid-ocean ridges with mantle plumes or cold-spots. Here we present a global analysis of marine gravity-derived roughness, sediment thickness, seafloor isochrons and palaeo-spreading rates of Cretaceous to Cenozoic ridge flanks. Our analysis reveals that, after eliminating effects related to spreading rate and sediment thickness, residual roughness anomalies of 5-20 mGal remain over large swaths of ocean floor. We found that the roughness as a function of palaeo-spreading directions and isochron orientations indicates that most of the observed excess roughness is not related to spreading obliquity, as this effect is restricted to relatively rare occurrences of very high obliquity angles (>45 degrees ). Cretaceous Atlantic ocean floor, formed over mantle previously overlain by the Pangaea supercontinent, displays anomalously low roughness away from mantle plumes and is independent of spreading rates. We attribute this observation to a sub-Pangaean supercontinental mantle temperature anomaly leading to slightly thicker than normal Late Jurassic and Cretaceous Atlantic crust, reduced brittle fracturing and smoother basement relief. In contrast, ocean crust formed above Pacific superswells, probably reflecting metasomatized lithosphere underlain by mantle at only slightly elevated temperatures, is not associated with basement roughness anomalies. These results highlight a fundamental difference in the nature of large-scale mantle upwellings below supercontinents and superoceans, and their impact on oceanic crustal
Initiative learning algorithm based on rough set
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Guoyin; He, Xiao
Rough set theory is emerging as a new tool for dealing with fuzzy and uncertain data. In this paper, a theory is developed to express, measure and process uncertain information and uncertain knowledge based on our result about the uncertainty measure of decision tables and decision rule systems. Based on Skowron"s propositional default rule generation algorithm, we develop an initiative learning model with rough set based initiative rule generation algorithm. Simulation results illustrate its efficiency.
Excitation and Saturation of White Dwarf Pulsations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wu, Yanqin
Variable hydrogen white dwarfs (DAV) pulsate in a number of low-order gravity-modes with periods from 100 s to 1200 s and amplitudes no larger than a few percent. We answer two questions in this thesis: the driving for these pulsations, and the saturation of their amplitudes. The surface convection zone in these stars, which adjusts its entropy level instantaneously during the pulsation, can drive the observed modes. This mechanism (called 'convective driving') was discovered by Brickhill but has been largely neglected so far. We find that modes with periods shorter than the thermal adjustment time of the convection zone can become overstable, but those with very short periods are hardly visible at the surface. As the star cools and the convection zone deepens, longer period modes can be excited. The driving rates increase sharply with period. We relate these to the time-scale of mode variability. We include complications arising from nonadiabaticity in the radiative interior and turbulent damping at the convective-radiative boundary. The former limits the driving and damping rates for strongly nonadiabatic modes, and relates the phase and amplitude of surface horizontal velocity in a gravity-mode to those of its flux variation. The turbulent damping results from the horizontal velocity shear below the convection zone, inside which there is little velocity shear and negligible damping. This suppresses the amplitudes of long period modes to below detection. The width of the theoretical DAV instability strip is about 1000 K. The growth of an overstable mode can be saturated by parametric instability, where energy transfers resonantly into two damped modes of roughly half its frequency. This occurs above a critical amplitude which depends on the 3-mode coupling coefficient and the nonadiabatic damping rates. The critical amplitudes all fall below a few percent, with longer period modes having larger surface amplitudes. Combined with the amplitude limits due to
Rough surface reconstruction for ultrasonic NDE simulation
Choi, Wonjae; Shi, Fan; Lowe, Michael J. S.; Skelton, Elizabeth A.; Craster, Richard V.
The reflection of ultrasound from rough surfaces is an important topic for the NDE of safety-critical components, such as pressure-containing components in power stations. The specular reflection from a rough surface of a defect is normally lower than it would be from a flat surface, so it is typical to apply a safety factor in order that justification cases for inspection planning are conservative. The study of the statistics of the rough surfaces that might be expected in candidate defects according to materials and loading, and the reflections from them, can be useful to develop arguments for realistic safety factors. This paper presents a study of real rough crack surfaces that are representative of the potential defects in pressure-containing power plant. Two-dimensional (area) values of the height of the roughness have been measured and their statistics analysed. Then a means to reconstruct model cases with similar statistics, so as to enable the creation of multiple realistic realizations of the surfaces, has been investigated, using random field theory. Rough surfaces are reconstructed, based on a real surface, and results for these two-dimensional descriptions of the original surface have been compared with those from the conventional model based on a one-dimensional correlation coefficient function. In addition, ultrasonic reflections from them are simulated using a finite element method.
Magnetars and white dwarf pulsars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lobato, Ronaldo V.; Malheiro, Manuel; Coelho, Jaziel G.
The anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) are a class of pulsars understood as neutron stars (NSs) with super strong surface magnetic fields, namely B ≳ 1014G, and for that reason are known as magnetars. However, in the last years, some SGRs/AXPs with low surface magnetic fields B ˜ (1012-1013)G have been detected, challenging the magnetar description. Moreover, some fast and very magnetic white dwarfs (WDs) have also been observed, and at least one showed X-ray energy emission as an ordinary pulsar. Following this fact, an alternative model based on WDs pulsars has been proposed to explain this special class of pulsars. In this model, AXPs and SGRs as dense and magnetized WDs can have surface magnetic field B ˜ 107-1010 G and rotate very fast with frequencies Ω ˜ 1rad/s, consistent with the observed rotation periods P ˜ (2-12)s.
Pluto: Planet or "Dwarf Planet"?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Voelzke, M. R.; de Araújo, M. S. T.
In August 2006 during the XXVI General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), taken place in Prague, Czech Republic, new parameters to define a planet were established. According to this new definition Pluto will be no more the ninth planet of the Solar System but it will be changed to be a "dwarf planet". This reclassification of Pluto by the academic community clearly illustrates how dynamic science is and how knowledge of different areas can be changed and evolves through the time, allowing to perceive Science as a human construction in a constant transformation, subject to political, social and historical contexts. These epistemological characteristics of Science and, in this case, of Astronomy, constitute important elements to be discussed in the lessons, so that this work contributes to enable Science and Physics teachers who perform a basic education to be always up to date on this important astronomical fact and, thereby, carry useful information to their teaching.
Uncovering blue diffuse dwarf galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
James, Bethan L.; Koposov, Sergey; Stark, Daniel P.; Belokurov, Vasily; Pettini, Max; Olszewski, Edward W.
Extremely metal poor (XMP) galaxies are known to be very rare, despite the large numbers of low-mass galaxies predicted by the local galaxy luminosity function. This paper presents a subsample of galaxies that were selected via a morphology-based search on Sloan Digital Sky Survey images with the aim of finding these elusive XMP galaxies. By using the recently discovered XMP galaxy, Leo P, as a guide, we obtained a collection of faint, blue systems, each with isolated H II regions embedded in a diffuse continuum, that have remained optically undetected until now. Here we show the first results from optical spectroscopic follow-up observations of 12 of ˜100 of these blue diffuse dwarf (BDD) galaxies yielded by our search algorithm. Oxygen abundances were obtained via the direct method for eight galaxies, and found to be in the range 7.45 < 12 + log (O/H) < 8.0, with two galaxies being classified as XMPs. All BDDs were found to currently have a young star-forming population (<10 Myr) and relatively high ionization parameters of their H II regions. Despite their low luminosities (-11 ≲ MB ≲ -18) and low surface brightnesses (˜23-25 mag arcsec-2), the galaxies were found to be actively star forming, with current star formation rates between 0.0003 and 0.078 M⊙ yr-1. From our current subsample, BDD galaxies appear to be a population of non-quiescent dwarf irregular galaxies, or the diffuse counterparts to blue compact galaxies and as such may bridge the gap between these two populations. Our search algorithm demonstrates that morphology-based searches are successful in uncovering more diffuse metal-poor star-forming galaxies, which traditional emission-line-based searches overlook.
Merging white dwarfs and thermonuclear supernovae.
van Kerkwijk, M H
Thermonuclear supernovae result when interaction with a companion reignites nuclear fusion in a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, causing a thermonuclear runaway, a catastrophic gain in pressure and the disintegration of the whole white dwarf. It is usually thought that fusion is reignited in near-pycnonuclear conditions when the white dwarf approaches the Chandrasekhar mass. I briefly describe two long-standing problems faced by this scenario, and the suggestion that these supernovae instead result from mergers of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs, including those that produce sub-Chandrasekhar-mass remnants. I then turn to possible observational tests, in particular, those that test the absence or presence of electron captures during the burning. PMID:23630372
White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars and Black Holes
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Szekeres, P.
The three possible fates of burned-out stars: white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes, are described in elementary terms. Characteristics of these celestial bodies, as provided by Einstein's work, are described. (CP)
The Missing Baryons Around Nearby Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bregman, Joel
Dwarf galaxies are missing nearly all of their baryons, which have presumably flowed away as a wind. This mass loss accounts for a significant fraction of all baryons lost from galaxies, so there is great interest in determining the size and scope of the gas lost. This gas is not visible in emission but is detectable through absorption features toward background AGNs. Here we propose to observe the absorbing material around three isolated dwarfs on the periphery of the Local Group: Sextans A, Sextans B, and NGC 3109. Unlike more distant dwarfs, the star formation history and cold gaseous content of these galaxies are well-studied. The isolation of these dwarfs, far from large galaxies, means that they have not yet interacted with other systems so their mass loss history is well-preserved, making them ideal targets for study.
Towards understanding dynamo action in M dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shulyak, D.; Sokoloff, D.; Kitchatinov, L.; Moss, D.
Recent progress in observational studies of magnetic activity in M dwarfs urgently requires support from ideas of stellar dynamo theory. We propose a strategy to connect observational and theoretical studies. In particular, we suggest four magnetic configurations that appear relevant to dwarfs from the viewpoint of the most conservative version of dynamo theory, and discuss observational tests to identify the configurations observationally. As expected, any such identification contains substantial uncertainties. However, the situation in general looks less pessimistic than might be expected. Several identifications between the phenomenology of individual stars and dynamo models are suggested. Remarkably, all models discussed predict substantial surface magnetic activity at rather high stellar latitudes. This prediction looks unexpected from the viewpoint of our experience observing the Sun (which of course differs in some fundamental ways from these late-type dwarfs). We stress that a fuller understanding of the topic requires a long-term (at least 15 years) monitoring of M dwarfs by Zeeman-Doppler imaging.
Neutral Hydrogen in Local Group Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Grcevich, Jana
The gas content of the faintest and lowest mass dwarf galaxies provide means to study the evolution of these unique objects. The evolutionary histories of low mass dwarf galaxies are interesting in their own right, but may also provide insight into fundamental cosmological problems. These include the nature of dark matter, the disagreement between the number of observed Local Group dwarf galaxies and that predicted by lambda cold dark matter models, and the discrepancy between the observed census of baryonic matter in the Milky Way's environment and theoretical predictions. This thesis explores these questions by studying the neutral hydrogen (HI) component of dwarf galaxies. First, limits on the HI mass of the ultra-faint dwarfs are presented, and the HI content of all Local Group dwarf galaxies is examined from an environmental standpoint. We find that those Local Group dwarfs within 270 kpc of a massive host galaxy are deficient in HI as compared to those at larger galactocentric distances. Ram-pressure arguments are invoked, which suggest halo densities greater than 2-3 x 10-4 cm-3 out to distances of at least 70 kpc, values which are consistent with theoretical models and suggest the halo may harbor a large fraction of the host galaxy's baryons. We also find that accounting for the incompleteness of the dwarf galaxy count, known dwarf galaxies whose gas has been removed could have provided at most 2.1 x 108 M⊙ of HI gas to the Milky Way. Second, we examine the possibility of discovering unknown gas-rich ultra-faint galaxies in the Local Group using HI. The GALFA-HI Survey catalog is searched for compact, isolated HI clouds which are most similar to the expected HI characteristics of low mass dwarf galaxies. Fifty-one Local Group dwarf galaxy candidates are identified through column density, brightness temperature, and kinematic selection criteria, and their properties are explored. Third, we present hydrodynamic simulations of dwarf galaxies experiencing a
Accretion Flows in Magnetic White Dwarf Systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Imamura, James N.
We received Type A and B funding under the NASA Astrophysics Data Program for the analysis and interpretation of hard x-ray data obtained by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and other NASA sponsored missions for Intermediate Polars (IPS) and Polars. For some targets, optical data was available. We reduced and analyzed the X-ray spectra and the X-ray and optical (obtained at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory) timing data using detailed shock models (which we constructed) to place constraints on the properties of the accreting white dwarfs, the high energy emission mechanisms of white dwarfs, and the large-scale accretion flows of Polars and IPS. IPS and Polars are white dwarf mass-transfer binaries, members of the larger class of cata,clysmic variables. They differ from the bulk of the cataclysmic variables in that they contain strongly magnetic white dwarfs; the white dwarfs in Polars have B, = 7 to 230 MG and those in IPS have B, less than 10 MG. The IPS and Polars are both examples of funneled accretion flows in strong magnetic field systems. The IPS are similar to x-ray pulsars in that accretion disks form in the systems which are disrupted by the strong stellar magnetic fields of the white dwarfs near the stellar surface from where the plasma is funneled to the surface of the white dwarf. The localized hot spots formed at the footpoints of the funnels coupled with the rotation of the white dwarf leads to coherent pulsed x-ray emission. The Polars offer an example of a different accretion topology; the magnetic field of the white dwarf controls the accretion flow from near the inner Lagrangian point of the system directly to the stellar surface. Accretion disks do not form. The strong magnetic coupling generally leads to synchronous orbital/rotational motion in the Polars. The physical system in this sense resembles the Io/Jupiter system. In both IPS and Polars, pulsed emission from the infrared to x-rays is produced as the funneled flows merge onto the
L' AND M' Photometry Of Ultracool Dwarfs
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Marley, M. S.; Tsvetanov, Z. I.; Vrba, F. J.; Henden, A. A.; Luginbuhl, C. B.
We have compiled L' (3.4-4.1 microns) and M' (4.6- 4.8 microns) photometry of 63 single and binary M, L, and T dwarfs obtained at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope using the Mauna Kea Observatory filter set. This compilation includes new L' measurements of eight L dwarfs and 13 T dwarfs and new M' measurements of seven L dwarfs, five T dwarfs, and the M1 dwarf Gl 229A. These new data increase by factors of 0. 6 and 1.6, respectively, the numbers of ultracool dwarfs T (sub eff) = 2400 K for which L' and M' measurements have been reported. We compute L(sub bol), BC(sub K), and T(sub eff) for 42 dwarfs whose flux-calibrated JHK spectra, L' photometry, and trigonometric parallaxes are available, and we estimate these quantities for nine other dwarfs whose parallaxes and flux-calibrated spectra have been obtained. BC(SUB K) is a well-behaved function of near-infrared spectral type with a dispersion of approx. 0.1 mag for types M6-T5 it is significantly more scattered for types T5-T9. T (sub eff) declines steeply and monotonically for types M6-L7 and T4-T9, but it is nearly constant at approx. 1450 K for types L7-T4 with assumed ages of approx. 3 Gyr. This constant T(sub eff) is evidenced by nearly unchanging values of L'-M' between types L6 and T3. It also supports recent models that attribute the changing near-infrared luminosities and spectral features across the L-T transition to the rapid migration, disruption, and/or thinning of condensate clouds over a narrow range of T(sub eff). The L' and M' luminosities of early-T dwarfs do not exhibit the pronounced humps or inflections previously noted in l through K bands, but insufficient data exist for types L6-T5 to assert that M(Sub L') and M(sub M') are strictly monotonic within this range of typew. We compare the observed K, L', and M' luminosities of L and T dwarfs in our sample with those predicted by precipitation-cloud-free models for varying surface gravities and sedimentation efficiencies.
The Metamorphosis of Tidally Stirred Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mayer, Lucio; Governato, Fabio; Colpi, Monica; Moore, Ben; Quinn, Thomas; Wadsley, James; Stadel, Joachim; Lake, George
We present results from high-resolution N-body/SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamic) simulations of rotationally supported dwarf irregular galaxies moving on bound orbits in the massive dark matter halo of the Milky Way. The dwarf models span a range in disk surface density and the masses and sizes of their dark halos are consistent with the predictions of cold dark matter cosmogonies. We show that the strong tidal field of the Milky Way determines severe mass loss in their halos and disks and induces bar and bending instabilities that transform low surface brightness dwarfs (LSBs) into dwarf spheroidals (dSphs) and high surface brightness dwarfs (HSBs) into dwarf ellipticals (dEs) in less than 10 Gyr. The final central velocity dispersions of the remnants are in the range 8-30 km s-1 and their final v/σ falls to values less than 0.5, matching well the kinematics of early-type dwarfs. The transformation requires the orbital time of the dwarf to be <~3-4 Gyr, which implies a halo as massive and extended as predicted by hierarchical models of galaxy formation to explain the origin of even the farthest dSph satellites of the Milky Way, Leo I, and Leo II. We show that only dwarfs with central dark matter densities as high as those of Draco and Ursa Minor can survive for 10 Gyr in the proximity of the Milky Way. A correlation between the central density and the distance of the dwarfs from the primary galaxy is indeed expected in hierarchical models, in which the densest objects should have small orbital times because of their early formation epochs. Part of the gas is stripped and part is funneled to the center because of the bar, generating one strong burst of star formation in HSBs and smaller, multiple bursts in LSBs. Therefore, the large variety of star formation histories observed in Local Group dSphs arises because different types of dIrr progenitors respond differently to the external perturbation of the Milky Way. Our evolutionary model naturally explains the
ANS ultraviolet observations of dwarf Cepheids
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sturch, C. R.; Wu, C.-C.
Ultraviolet observations of three dwarf Cepheids (VZ Cnc, SX Phe, and AI Vel) are presented. The UV light curves are consistent with those in the visual region. When compared to standard stars, all three dwarf Cepheids exhibit flux deficiencies at the shortest observed wavelengths. The most extreme deficiencies appear for SX Phe; these may be related to the other properties previously noted for this star, including low metallicity, high space motion, and low luminosity.
New White Dwarfs in the SDSS DR10
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kepler, S. O.; Pelisoli, I.; Koester, D.; Ourique, G.; Kleinman, S. J.; Romero, A. D.; Nitta, A.; Eisenstein, D. J.; Costa, J. E. S.; Külebi, B.; Jordan, S.; Dufour, P.; Giommi, P.; Rebassa-Mansergas, A.
We report the discovery of 8 991 new spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs and subdwarfs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 10. We obtain Teff, log g and mass for hydrogen atmosphere white dwarf stars (DAs) and helium atmosphere white dwarf stars (DBs), and estimate the calcium/helium abundances for the white dwarf stars with metallic lines (DZs) and carbon/helium for cool carbon dominated spectra DQs. We found 2 new oxygen dominated spectra white dwarfs, 69 DQs, 42 hot DO/PG1159s, 175 white dwarf+main sequence star binaries, 206 magnetic DAHs, 325 continuum dominated DCs, 397 metal polluted white dwarfs, 450 helium dominated white dwarfs, 636 subdwarfs and 6796 new hydrogen dominated white dwarf stars.
Fault slip distribution and fault roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Candela, Thibault; Renard, François; Schmittbuhl, Jean; Bouchon, Michel; Brodsky, Emily E.
We present analysis of the spatial correlations of seismological slip maps and fault topography roughness, illuminating their identical self-affine exponent. Though the complexity of the coseismic spatial slip distribution can be intuitively associated with geometrical or stress heterogeneities along the fault surface, this has never been demonstrated. Based on new measurements of fault surface topography and on statistical analyses of kinematic inversions of slip maps, we propose a model, which quantitatively characterizes the link between slip distribution and fault surface roughness. Our approach can be divided into two complementary steps: (i) Using a numerical computation, we estimate the influence of fault roughness on the frictional strength (pre-stress). We model a fault as a rough interface where elastic asperities are squeezed. The Hurst exponent ?, characterizing the self-affinity of the frictional strength field, approaches ?, where ? is the roughness exponent of the fault surface in the direction of slip. (ii) Using a quasi-static model of fault propagation, which includes the effect of long-range elastic interactions and spatial correlations in the frictional strength, the spatial slip correlation is observed to scale as ?, where ? represents the Hurst exponent of the slip distribution. Under the assumption that the origin of the spatial fluctuations in frictional strength along faults is the elastic squeeze of fault asperities, we show that self-affine geometrical properties of fault surface roughness control slip correlations and that ?. Given that ? for a wide range of faults (various accumulated displacement, host rock and slip movement), we predict that ?. Even if our quasi-static fault model is more relevant for creeping faults, the spatial slip correlations observed are consistent with those of seismological slip maps. A consequence is that the self-affinity property of slip roughness may be explained by fault geometry without considering
The work budget of rough faults
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Newman, Patrick J.; Ashley Griffith, W.
Faults in nature have measurable roughness at many scales and are not planar as generally idealized. We utilize the boundary element method to model the geomechanical response of synthetic rough faults in an isotropic, linear elastic continuum to external tectonic loading in terms of the work budget. Faults are generated with known fractal roughness parameters, including the root mean square slope (β), a measure of roughness amplitude, and the Hurst exponent (H), a measure of geometric self-similarity. Energy within the fault models is partitioned into external work (Wext), internal elastic strain energy (Wint), gravitational work (Wgrav), frictional work (Wfric), and seismic energy (Wseis). Results confirm that Wext, or work done on the external model boundaries, is smallest for a perfectly planar fault, and steadily increases with increasing β. This pattern is also observed in Wint, the energy expended in deforming the host rock. The opposite is true for gravitational work, or work done against gravity in uplifting host rock, as well as with frictional work, or energy dissipated with frictional slip on the fault, and Wseis, or seismic energy released during slip events. Effects of variation in H are not as large as for β, but Wgrav, Wfric, and Wseis increase with increasing H, with Wint and Wext decreasing across the same range. Remarkably, however, for a narrow range of roughness amplitudes which are commonly observed along natural faults, the total work of the system remains approximately constant, while slightly larger than the total work of a planar fault. Faults evolve toward the most mechanically efficient configuration; therefore we argue that this range of roughness amplitudes may represent an energy barrier, preventing faults from removing asperities and evolving to smooth, planar discontinuities. A similar conclusion is drawn from simulations at relatively shallow depths, with results showing that shallower faults have larger energy barriers, and can
Nonlinear Analysis of Pulsating White Dwarf Lightcurves
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Provencal, J. L.; Montgomery, M. H.; Shipman, H.; WET TEam
Convection remains one of the largest sources of theoretical uncertainty in our understanding of stellar physics. For example, Bergeron (1995) show that basic parameters such as flux, line profiles, energy distribution, color indices, and equivalent widths are extremely sensitive to the assumed convective parameterization. This is compelling, since we use our knowledge of these basic parameters to calibrate white dwarf cooling sequences, provide detailed estimates for the ages of individual white dwarfs, and determine the age of the Galactic disk. The Whole Earth Telescope (WET) is engaged in a long term project to empirically calibrate the physical properties of convection in pulsating white dwarfs by combining asteroseismology and analysis of nonlinear light curves. Nonsinusoidal distortions, in the form of narrow peaks and wider valleys, are observed in many pulsating white dwarf light curves. These are a reflection of the local depth of the convection zone, a value which varies during a pulsation cycle. Applying asteroseismology and convective light curve fitting to a wide sample of pulsating white dwarfs provides an empirical map of how the convective response time (the convection zone "depth") varies as a function of effective temperature, and this can be compared with theoretical models, both MLT and hydrodynamic. This project has resulted in a large database of white dwarf lightcurves and pulsation frequencies. We present current results for DA and DB pulsators, and provide a few examples of interesting pulsation behavior seen along the way.
Morphology and Structures of Nearby Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Seo, Mira; Ann, HongBae
We performed an analysis of the structure of nearby dwarf galaxies based on a 2-dimensional decomposition of galaxy images using GALFIT. The present sample consists of ~1,100 dwarf galaxies with redshift less than z = 0.01, which is is derived from the morphology catalog of the Visually classified galaxies in the local universe (Ann, Seo, and Ha 2015). In this catalog, dwarf galaxies are divided into 5 subtypes: dS0, dE, dSph, dEbc, dEblue with distinction of the presence of nucleation in dE, dSph, and dS0. We found that dSph and dEblue galaxies are fainter than other subtypes of dwarf galaxies. In most cases, single component, represented by the Sersic profile with n=1~1.5, well describes the luminosity distribution of dwarf galaxies in the present sample. However, a significant fraction of dS0, dEbc, and dEbue galaxies show sub-structures such as spiral arms and rings. We will discuss the morphology dependent evolutionary history of the local dwarf galaxies.
Shin, I.-G.; Han, C.; Gould, A.; Skowron, J.; Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M. K.; Kubiak, M.; Soszynski, I.; Pietrzynski, G.; Poleski, R.; Ulaczyk, K.; Pietrukowicz, P.; Kozlowski, S.; Wyrzykowski, L.; Sumi, T.; Dominik, M.; Beaulieu, J.-P.; Tsapras, Y.; Bozza, V.; Abe, F.; Collaboration: OGLE Collaboration; MOA Collaboration; muFUN Collaboration; and others
Brown dwarfs are important objects because they may provide a missing link between stars and planets, two populations that have dramatically different formation histories. In this paper, we present the candidate binaries with brown dwarf companions that are found by analyzing binary microlensing events discovered during the 2004-2011 observation seasons. Based on the low mass ratio criterion of q < 0.2, we found seven candidate events: OGLE-2004-BLG-035, OGLE-2004-BLG-039, OGLE-2007-BLG-006, OGLE-2007-BLG-399/MOA-2007-BLG-334, MOA-2011-BLG-104/OGLE-2011-BLG-0172, MOA-2011-BLG-149, and MOA-201-BLG-278/OGLE-2011-BLG-012N. Among them, we are able to confirm that the companions of the lenses of MOA-2011-BLG-104/OGLE-2011-BLG-0172 and MOA-2011-BLG-149 are brown dwarfs by determining the mass of the lens based on the simultaneous measurement of the Einstein radius and the lens parallax. The measured masses of the brown dwarf companions are 0.02 {+-} 0.01 M {sub Sun} and 0.019 {+-} 0.002 M {sub Sun} for MOA-2011-BLG-104/OGLE-2011-BLG-0172 and MOA-2011-BLG-149, respectively, and both companions are orbiting low-mass M dwarf host stars. More microlensing brown dwarfs are expected to be detected as the number of lensing events with well-covered light curves increases with new-generation searches.
The Hunt for Missing Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kohler, Susanna
Theories of galaxy formation and evolution predict that there should be significantly more dwarf galaxies than have been observed. Are our theories wrong? Or are dwarf galaxies just difficult to detect? Recent results from a survey of a galaxy cluster 62 million light-years away suggest there may be lots of undiscovered dwarf galaxies hiding throughout the universe!Hiding in FaintnessThe missing dwarf problem has had hints of a resolution with the recent discovery of Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies (UDGs) in the Coma and Virgo galaxy clusters. UDGs have low masses and large radii, resulting in a very low surface brightness that makes them extremely difficult to detect. If many dwarfs are UDGs, this could well explain why weve been missing them!But the Coma and Virgo galaxy clusters are similar in that theyre both very massive. Are there UDGs in other galaxy clusters as well? To answer this question, an international team of scientists is running the Next Generation Fornax Survey (NGFS), a survey searching for faint dwarf galaxies in the central 30 square degrees of the Fornax galaxy cluster.The NGFS uses near-UV and optical observations from the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the 4m Blanco Telescope in Chile. The survey is still underway, but in a recent publication led by Roberto P. Muoz (Institute of Astrophysics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile), the team has released an overview of the first results from only the central 3 square degrees of the NGFS field.Surprising DetectionGalaxy radii vs. their absolute i-band magnitudes, for the dwarfs found in NGFS as well as other stellar systems in the nearby universe. The NGFS dwarfs are similar to the ultra-diffuse dwarfs found in the Virgo and Coma clusters, but are several orders of magnitude fainter. [Muoz et al. 2015]In just this small central field, the team has found an astounding 284 low-surface-brightness dwarf galaxy candidates 158 of them previously undetected. At the bright end of this sample are dwarf
Our Southern Neighbors - 2000 Nearby Red Dwarf Systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Winters, Jennifer G.; Hosey, A. D.; Lurie, J. C.; Hambly, N.; Henry, T. J.; Jao, W.; Riedel, A. R.; Subasavage, J.
Distance determinations to nearby objects are vitally important, as our solar neighbors set the standards for the primary rung in the cosmic distance ladder. The optimal tool for accomplishing this seemingly simple task is trigonometric parallax. Measuring parallaxes is very time-intensive, however. Photometric distance estimates can be useful in deciding which are the best targets for the limited slots available in traditional parallax programs. Photometry also reveals stars that do not fall neatly onto the main sequence, such as young stars, unresolved multiples, and subdwarfs, once an accurate trigonometric parallax has been measured. We present photometry and distances for more than 2000 southern M dwarf systems thought to be near the Sun, broken into three distinct samples. The first includes ~500 systems with accurate trigonometric parallaxes placing them within 25 pc --- ~150 have been published as a result of the RECONS astrometry program at the CTIO 0.9m telescope, which we now operate for NOAO. For an additional ~700 systems, we use VRI measurements from our photometry program (also at the 0.9m) with 2MASS JHK photometry to estimate distances accurate to 15%. Roughly one third of these systems are on our parallax program. The third sample includes ~1000 more systems for which plate BRI photometry from SuperCOSMOS is combined with JHK to provide distances accurate to 26%. Together, these three sets of stars comprise a list of ~2100 red dwarf systems within 25 pc in the southern sky. These stars are crucial to our understanding of the stellar luminosity and mass functions in the Milky Way and beyond, and provide ideal targets for planets searches using a variety of techniques. This effort is supported by the NSF through grants AST-0908402 and AST-1109445, and via observations made possible by the SMARTS Consortium.
Type Ia supernovae from merging white dwarfs. I. Prompt detonations
Moll, R.; Woosley, S. E.; Raskin, C.; Kasen, D.
Merging white dwarfs are a possible progenitor of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Numerical models suggest that a detonation might be initiated before the stars have coalesced to form a single compact object. Here we study such prompt detonations by means of numerical simulations, modeling the disruption and nucleosynthesis of the stars until the ejecta reach the coasting phase, and generating synthetic light curves and spectra. Three models are considered with primary masses 0.96 M {sub ☉}, 1.06 M {sub ☉}, and 1.20 M {sub ☉}. Of these, the 0.96 M {sub ☉} dwarf merging with a 0.81 M {sub ☉} companion, with an {sup 56}Ni yield of 0.58 M {sub ☉}, is the most promising candidate for reproducing common SNe Ia. The more massive mergers produce unusually luminous SNe Ia with peak luminosities approaching those attributed to 'super-Chandrasekhar' mass SNe Ia. While the synthetic light curves and spectra of some of the models resemble observed SNe Ia, the significant asymmetry of the ejecta leads to large orientation effects. The peak bolometric luminosity varies by more than a factor of two with the viewing angle, and the velocities of the spectral absorption features are lower when observed from angles where the light curve is brightest. The largest orientation effects are seen in the ultraviolet, where the flux varies by more than an order of magnitude. The set of three models roughly obeys a width-luminosity relation, with the brighter light curves declining more slowly in the B band. Spectral features due to unburned carbon from the secondary star are also seen in some cases.
Hypersonic Viscous Flow Over Large Roughness Elements
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chang, Chau-Lyan; Choudhari, Meelan M.
Viscous flow over discrete or distributed surface roughness has great implications for hypersonic flight due to aerothermodynamic considerations related to laminar-turbulent transition. Current prediction capability is greatly hampered by the limited knowledge base for such flows. To help fill that gap, numerical computations are used to investigate the intricate flow physics involved. An unstructured mesh, compressible Navier-Stokes code based on the space-time conservation element, solution element (CESE) method is used to perform time-accurate Navier-Stokes calculations for two roughness shapes investigated in wind tunnel experiments at NASA Langley Research Center. It was found through 2D parametric study that at subcritical Reynolds numbers, spontaneous absolute instability accompanying by sustained vortex shedding downstream of the roughness is likely to take place at subsonic free-stream conditions. On the other hand, convective instability may be the dominant mechanism for supersonic boundary layers. Three-dimensional calculations for both a rectangular and a cylindrical roughness element at post-shock Mach numbers of 4.1 and 6.5 also confirm that no self-sustained vortex generation from the top face of the roughness is observed, despite the presence of flow unsteadiness for the smaller post-shock Mach number case.
Correlation of Windspeed and Antarctic Surface Roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stockham, Mark; Anita Collaboration
When electromagnetic waves interact with a media interface the transmitted and reflected portions of the incoming wave depend on the incident angle of the wave and wavelength (as well as the material properties of the media). The roughness of the surface of Antarctica affects the radio frequency signals received by airborne experiments, such as the balloon-borne experiment ANITA (ANtarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna) which observes the reflected radio waves from cosmic ray-induced extensive air showers (EAS). Roughness of a given scale can cause decoherence of the reflected signal and is an important effect to understand when estimating the amplitude of the incoming wave based on the reflected wave. It is challenging to get a survey of surface roughness over many of the areas that these experiments are likely to pass over. Correlating historical wind speed records with statistical roughness as observed by the backscatter of satellite [Rémy F, Parouty S. Remote Sensing. 2009] and airborne experiments operating at different frequencies can possibly be used to predict time-dependent surface roughness with surface wind speed as the input. These correlations will be presented for a variety of areas on the Antarctic ice shelf. NASA Grant NNX11AC47G.
Interfacial roughness in ceramic matrix composites
Jero, P.D.; Parthasarathy, T.A.; Kerans, R.J.
Recent work using push-out and push-back tests has shown that interfacial roughness contributes substantially to the sliding friction in at least some ceramic matrix composites (CMC's). Other work examining frictional heating of CMC's during cyclic fatigue has shown the important role that interfacial friction plays, and further that the interface is degraded upon extended cycling. From this it is apparent that interfacial roughness may play a key role in determining composite behavior. Although the observation of a seating drop during fiber push-back gives some information about the amplitude and spatial extent of the interfacial roughness, actual measurement of the roughness has proven difficult due to its extremely fine scale. In the present work, a laser interferometer has been used to examine the roughness of composite interfaces (both fiber and matrix) as well as virgin fibers. In addition, long range (mm scale) push-out tests have been followed by interferometric characterization to examine the severity and rate of interfacial degradation associated with fiber sliding. 4 refs.
Kinematics and luminosities of brown dwarfs with the BDNYC group .
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Riedel, A. R.
Due to magnitude limits, the Gaia survey will not delve as deeply into the local population of brown dwarfs as it will other stellar populations. While hundreds or thousands of brown dwarfs will be measured by Gaia, we propose a different, indirect method wherein studies using Gaia data will help teach us about brown dwarfs: Identifying moving groups that contain brown dwarfs. This use of Gaia data will directly help attempts to disentangle the effects of age and mass on brown dwarf spectra, which opens the possibilities for determining empirical constraints on brown dwarf evolution.
Pulsating white dwarfs in cataclysmic variables: The marriage of ZZ Cet and dwarf nova
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Warner, Brian; Woudt, Patrick A.
There are now four dwarf novae known with white dwarf primaries that show large amplitude non-radial oscillations of the kind seen in ZZ Cet stars. We compare the properties of these stars and point out that by the end of Sloan Digital Sky Survey more than 30 should be known.
On roughness-induced transition - Facts, views, and speculations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Morkovin, Mark V.
Roughness is considered as a steady passive device, and it is shown that roughness-induced separation is specifically sensitive to unsteady environmental forcing. The two-dimensional isolated roughness causing local upstream and downstream separations is considered, along with flows associated with the two-dimensional roughness and their relevance to the problem of distributed roughness. The difference between the two-dimensional isolated roughness and a three-dimensional isolated roughness at all Reynolds numbers is underlined, and the mechanisms and parameter conditions of a sudden breakdown of hairpin eddies are discussed, as well as flows over distributed roughness.
Exploring the Extended Structure of the Sculptor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Westfall, K. B.; Ostheimer, J. C.; Frinchaboy, P. M.; Patterson, R. J.; Majewski, S. R.; Kunkel, W. E.
We have undertaken a large area (>3 deg2) survey of the Sculptor dSph using the 1-m Swope telescope. The region surveyed includes roughly 1 deg2 centered on the Sculptor core, with the remaining survey area extending to the east and stretching to almost twice the tidal radius (rt=76.5m) to the northeast and southeast. We have imaged in the Washington M,T2 and DDO51 filters, a combination that allows us to discriminate dwarf and giant stars based on the gravity sensitivity of DDO51. The extended structure of Sculptor can be mapped via those stars selected both as giant stars and as having a combination of M and M-T2 consistent with the red giant branch of Sculptor. We also make use of the areal distribution of blue horizontal branch stars, which delineate the extended structure of Sculptor relatively well in this field at high Galactic latitude. Using the HYDRA spectrograph on the Blanco 4-m, we have obtained more than a dozen radial velocities for candidate Sculptor stars that we have identified well outside (1) the core radius, and (2) the radii explored by previous surveys. A preliminary conclusion from our work so far is that Sculptor does not show as extensive a population of extratidal stars as we have identified in similar work we have conducted around the Carina (Majewski et al. 2000, AJ, 119, 760) and Ursa Minor (Palma et al. 2000, BAAS) dwarf galaxies. Indeed, if a lack of significant extended material around Sculptor is borne out by further study over more area and other position angles, then an interesting correlation begins to emerge: Among four galaxies we have surveyed in this way (Car, UMi, Leo II, and Scl), the relative fraction of the dSph's found outside the nominal tidal radius appears to correlate with the published values of M/L. This may suggest that the derived masses for the dwarf spheroidals may be systematically overestimated to a degree set by the amount of dynamical non-equilibrium in the system. This work was supported by NSF, NASA, the
Oh, Se-Heon; De Blok, W. J. G.; Brinks, Elias; Walter, Fabian; Kennicutt, Robert C. Jr. E-mail: email@example.com E-mail: email@example.com
We present mass models for the dark matter component of seven dwarf galaxies taken from 'The H I Nearby Galaxy Survey' (THINGS) and compare these with those taken from numerical {Lambda} cold dark matter ({Lambda}CDM) simulations. The THINGS high-resolution data significantly reduce observational uncertainties and thus allow us to derive accurate dark matter distributions in these systems. We here use the bulk velocity fields when deriving the rotation curves of the galaxies. Compared to other types of velocity fields, the bulk velocity field minimizes the effect of small-scale random motions more effectively and traces the underlying kinematics of a galaxy more properly. The 'Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey' 3.6 {mu}m and ancillary optical data are used for separating the baryons from their total matter content in the galaxies. The sample dwarf galaxies are found to be dark matter dominated over most radii. The relation between total baryonic (stars + gas) mass and maximum rotation velocity of the galaxies is roughly consistent with the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation calibrated from a larger sample of gas-dominated low-mass galaxies. We find discrepancies between the derived dark matter distributions of the galaxies and those of {Lambda}CDM simulations, even after corrections for non-circular motions have been applied. The observed solid body-like rotation curves of the galaxies rise too slowly to reflect the cusp-like dark matter distribution in cold dark matter halos. Instead, they are better described by core-like models such as pseudo-isothermal halo models dominated by a central constant-density core. The mean value of the logarithmic inner slopes of the mass density profiles is {alpha} = -0.29 {+-} 0.07. They are significantly different from the steep slope of {approx} - 1.0 inferred from previous dark-matter-only simulations, and are more consistent with shallower slopes found in recent {Lambda}CDM simulations of dwarf galaxies in which the effects
Cold Brown Dwarfs with WISE: Y Dwarfs and the Field Mass Function
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kirkpatrick, J. Davy
Why study Brown Dwarf stars? They re the lowest mass byproducts of star formation.. They provide time capsules across the age of the Galaxy.. They show what low-T(sub eff) atmospheres look like.. They may be some of our closest neighbors in space..WISE is a 40cm Earth-orbiting telescope. There are 211 stars and only 33 brown dwarfs in this volume.. This means that stars outnumber brown dwarfs by a factor of 6:1 currently.. The number of brown dwarfs will continue to increase if:: (a) more nearby Y dwarf candidates are confirmed, or (b) our distances to known Y s are overestimated, or (c) there are colder BDs invisible to WISE..
The geological interpretation of photometric surface roughness
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Helfenstein, Paul
A computer-generated km-scale relief map, whose topographic facets on scales of less than a few m are assumed to have smooth particulate surfaces, is the basis of the present investigation of the relationship between photometrically-derived values of Hapke's (1984) roughness parameter theta and topographic scale. The addition of m-km scale-range relief to the otherwise smooth surface alters integral photometric behavior in a way that is consistent with Hapke's equation; the roughness characterized by theta is an integral property over all scales up to the resolution limit of the photometric data used in its determination. With sufficient phase angle coverage, theta can distinguish terrains with very different integral roughnesses.
Surface roughness effects on equilibrium temperature.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Houchens, A. F.; Hering, R. G.
An analysis is presented for evaluation of equilibrium temperature distribution on radiatively adiabatic, adjoint planes which are uniformly irradiated by a collimated solar flux. The analysis employs a semigrey spectral model. Radiation properties for surface emitted radiation are obtained from the expressions of electromagnetic theory for smooth surfaces. Rough surface properties for solar radiation are given by the Beckmann bidirectional reflectance model. Numerical solutions to the governing equations yield equilibrium temperature distributions for a range of the influencing parameters. Surface roughness has little influence on equilibrium temperature for materials with high values for solar absorptance. However, for low or intermediate values of solar absorptance, roughness effects on the spatial distribution of reflected solar radiation can significantly alter equilibrium temperature particularly at surface elements where radiant interaction is small.
Discrete Roughness Transition for Hypersonic Flight Vehicles
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Berry, Scott A.; Horvath, Thomas J.
The importance of discrete roughness and the correlations developed to predict the onset of boundary layer transition on hypersonic flight vehicles are discussed. The paper is organized by hypersonic vehicle applications characterized in a general sense by the boundary layer: slender with hypersonic conditions at the edge of the boundary layer, moderately blunt with supersonic, and blunt with subsonic. This paper is intended to be a review of recent discrete roughness transition work completed at NASA Langley Research Center in support of agency flight test programs. First, a review is provided of discrete roughness wind tunnel data and the resulting correlations that were developed. Then, results obtained from flight vehicles, in particular the recently flown Hyper-X and Shuttle missions, are discussed and compared to the ground-based correlations.
Wetting on rough self-affine surfaces
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Palasantzas, George
In this paper, we present a general investigation of the effective potential for complete wetting on self-affine rough surfaces. The roughness effect is investigated by means of the height-height correlation model in Fourier space ~(1+aξ2q2)-1-H. The parameters H and ξ are, respectively, the roughness exponent and the substrate in-plane correlation length. It is observed that the effect of H on the free interface profile is significant for ξ
RE 0044+09: A new K dwarf rapid rotator with a white dwarf companion
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kellett, Barry J.; Bromage, Gordon E.; Brown, Alexander; Jeffries, Robin D.; James, David J.; Kilkenny, David; Robb, Russell M.; Wonnacott, David; Lloyd, Christopher; Clayton, C.
We report the discovery of a new K dwarf rapid rotator with a potential white dwarf companion. The white dwarf accounts for over 90% of the observed extreme ultraviolet flux detected from this system. Analysis of ROSAT Wide Field Camera (WFC) and IUE data both suggest a white dwarf temperature of approximately 28,700 K. Optical photometry and the IUE long wavelength prime (LWP) spectrum (with the white dwarf contribution removed) imply that the late-type star has a spectral type of K1-3 V, and a distance of 55 +/- 5 pc. Using this distance, the observed IUE SWP flux, and the best-fit temperature results in a white dwarf radius of 0.0088 solar radius. The estimated white dwarf mass is then approximately 0.91 solar mass; somewhat over-massive compared to field white dwarfs. Optical photometry of the K star reveals a 'spot' modulation period of approximately 10 hr (now observed over 3 yr). However, radial velocity observations have revealed no significant variations. Spectroscopic observations place a low limit on the lithium abundance, but do show rapid rotation with a v sin i of 90 +/- 10 km/s. The K star was detected as a radio source at 3.6 cm (on two occasions) and 6 cm by the Very Large Array (VLA). The most likely evolutionary scenario is that the K star and hot white dwarf from either a wide binary or common proper motion pair with an age of 0.1-0.1 Gyr-consistent with the evolutionary timescale of the white dwarf and the rapid rotation of the K star. However, from the proper motion of the K star, this system does not seem to be associated with any of the known young stellar groups.
Water clouds in Y dwarfs and exoplanets
Morley, Caroline V.; Fortney, Jonathan J.; Marley, Mark S.; Lupu, Roxana; Greene, Tom; Saumon, Didier; Lodders, Katharina
The formation of clouds affects brown dwarf and planetary atmospheres of nearly all effective temperatures. Iron and silicate condense in L dwarf atmospheres and dissipate at the L/T transition. Minor species such as sulfides and salts condense in mid- to late T dwarfs. For brown dwarfs below T {sub eff} ∼ 450 K, water condenses in the upper atmosphere to form ice clouds. Currently, over a dozen objects in this temperature range have been discovered, and few previous theoretical studies have addressed the effect of water clouds on brown dwarf or exoplanetary spectra. Here we present a new grid of models that include the effect of water cloud opacity. We find that they become optically thick in objects below T {sub eff} ∼ 350-375 K. Unlike refractory cloud materials, water-ice particles are significantly nongray absorbers; they predominantly scatter at optical wavelengths through the J band and absorb in the infrared with prominent features, the strongest of which is at 2.8 μm. H{sub 2}O, NH{sub 3}, CH{sub 4}, and H{sub 2} CIA are dominant opacity sources; less abundant species may also be detectable, including the alkalis, H{sub 2}S, and PH{sub 3}. PH{sub 3}, which has been detected in Jupiter, is expected to have a strong signature in the mid-infrared at 4.3 μm in Y dwarfs around T {sub eff} = 450 K; if disequilibrium chemistry increases the abundance of PH{sub 3}, it may be detectable over a wider effective temperature range than models predict. We show results incorporating disequilibrium nitrogen and carbon chemistry and predict signatures of low gravity in planetary mass objects. Finally, we make predictions for the observability of Y dwarfs and planets with existing and future instruments, including the James Webb Space Telescope and Gemini Planet Imager.
Water Clouds in Y Dwarfs and Exoplanets
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Morley, Caroline V.; Marley, Mark S.; Fortney, Jonathan J.; Lupu, Roxana; Saumon, Didier; Greene, Tom; Lodders, Katharina
The formation of clouds affects brown dwarf and planetary atmospheres of nearly all effective temperatures. Iron and silicate condense in L dwarf atmospheres and dissipate at the L/T transition. Minor species such as sulfides and salts condense in mid- to late T dwarfs. For brown dwarfs below T eff ~ 450 K, water condenses in the upper atmosphere to form ice clouds. Currently, over a dozen objects in this temperature range have been discovered, and few previous theoretical studies have addressed the effect of water clouds on brown dwarf or exoplanetary spectra. Here we present a new grid of models that include the effect of water cloud opacity. We find that they become optically thick in objects below T eff ~ 350-375 K. Unlike refractory cloud materials, water-ice particles are significantly nongray absorbers; they predominantly scatter at optical wavelengths through the J band and absorb in the infrared with prominent features, the strongest of which is at 2.8 μm. H2O, NH3, CH4, and H2 CIA are dominant opacity sources; less abundant species may also be detectable, including the alkalis, H2S, and PH3. PH3, which has been detected in Jupiter, is expected to have a strong signature in the mid-infrared at 4.3 μm in Y dwarfs around T eff = 450 K if disequilibrium chemistry increases the abundance of PH3, it may be detectable over a wider effective temperature range than models predict. We show results incorporating disequilibrium nitrogen and carbon chemistry and predict signatures of low gravity in planetary mass objects. Finally, we make predictions for the observability of Y dwarfs and planets with existing and future instruments, including the James Webb Space Telescope and Gemini Planet Imager.
Tracking star formation in dwarf cluster galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rude, Cody Millard
The evolution of galaxies in dense environments can be affected by close encounters with neighboring galaxies and interactions with the intracluster medium (ICM). Dwarf galaxies may be especially susceptible to these effects due to their low mass. The goal of my dissertation research is to look for signs of star formation in cluster dwarf galaxies by measuring and comparing the r- and u-band luminosity functions of 15 low redshift Abell galaxy clusters using archival data from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). Luminosity functions, dwarf-to-giant ratios, and blue fractions are measured in four cluster-centric annuli from stacked cluster data. To account for differences in cluster optical richness, each cluster is scaled according to r200, where r200 is the radius of a sphere, centered on the cluster, whose average density is 200 times the critical density of the universe. The outer region of the cluster sample shows an increase in the faint-end slope of the u-band luminosity function relative to the r-band, indicating star formation in dwarf galaxies. The blue fraction for dwarf galaxies steadily rises with increasing cluster-centric radii. The change in the blue fraction of giant galaxies also increases, but at a lower rate. Additionally, the inner regions of clusters ranging from 0.185 < z < 0.7 from the "Cluster Lensing and Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH)" are used to generate blue- and red-band luminosity functions, dwarf-to-giant ratios, and blue fractions. Comparisons of the inner region of the CLASH and CFHT clusters show an increase in the blue fraction of dwarf galaxies with redshift that is not present in giant galaxies.
Hunter, C.
Surface roughness values for the areas surrounding the H, D and N-Area meteorological towers were computed from archived 2010 meteorological data. These 15-minute-averaged data were measured with cup anemometers and bidirectional wind vanes (bivanes) 61 m above the surface. The results of the roughness calculation using the standard deviation of elevation angle {sigma}{sub E}, and applying the simple formula based on tree canopy height, gave consistent estimates for roughness around the H-Area tower in the range of 1.76 to 1.86 m (95% confidence interval) with a mean value of 1.81 m. Application of the {sigma}{sub E} method for the 61-m level at D and N-Areas gave mean values of 1.71 and 1.81 with confidence ranges of 1.62-1.81 and 1.73-1.88 meters, respectively. Roughness results are azimuth dependent, and thus are presented as averages over compass sectors spanning 22.5 degrees. Calculated values were compared to other methods of determining roughness, including the standard deviation of the azimuth direction, {sigma}{sub A}, and standard deviation of the wind speed, {sigma}{sub U}. Additional data was obtained from a sonic anemometer at 61-m on the H-Area tower during a period of a few weeks in 2010. Results from the sonic anemometer support our use of {sigma}{sub E} to calculate roughness. Based on the H-Area tower results, a surface roughness of 1.8 m using is recommended for use in dispersion modeling applications that consider the impacts of a contaminant release to individuals along the Site boundary. The canopy surrounding the H-Area tower is relatively uniform (i.e., little variance in roughness by upwind direction), and data supplied by the U.S. Forest Service at Savannah River show that the canopy height and composition surrounding the H-Area tower is reasonably representative of forested areas throughout the SRS reservation. For dispersion modeling analyses requiring assessments of a co-located worker within the respective operations area, recommended
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nikuradse, J
An experimental investigation is made of the turbulent flow of water in pipes with various degrees of relative roughness. The pipes range in size from 25 to 100 millimeters in diameter and from 1800 to 7050 millimeters in length. Flow velocities permitted Reynolds numbers from about 10 (sup. 4) to 10 (sup. 6). The laws of resistance and velocity distributions were obtained as a function of relative roughness and Reynolds number. Mixing length, as described by Prandtl's mixing-length formula, is discussed in relation to the experimental results.
Rough and Steep Terrain Lunar Surface Mobility
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wilcox, Brian
In the summer of 2004, the NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate conducted an open call for projects relevant to human and robotic exploration of the Earth-Moon and Mars systems. A project entitled 'Rough and Steep Terrain Lunar Surface Mobility' was submitted by JPL and accepted by NASA. The principal investigator of this project describes the robotic vehicle being developed for this effort, which includes six 'wheels-on-legs' so that it can roll efficiently on relatively smooth terrain but walk (using locked wheels as footpads) when "the going gets rough".
Roughness Perception of Haptically Displayed Fractal Surfaces
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Costa, Michael A.; Cutkosky, Mark R.; Lau, Sonie (Technical Monitor)
Surface profiles were generated by a fractal algorithm and haptically rendered on a force feedback joystick, Subjects were asked to use the joystick to explore pairs of surfaces and report to the experimenter which of the surfaces they felt was rougher. Surfaces were characterized by their root mean square (RMS) amplitude and their fractal dimension. The most important factor affecting the perceived roughness of the fractal surfaces was the RMS amplitude of the surface. When comparing surfaces of fractal dimension 1.2-1.35 it was found that the fractal dimension was negatively correlated with perceived roughness.
Rough Fresnel zone plates over metallic surfaces.
Salgado-Remacha, Francisco Javier; Sanchez-Brea, Luis Miguel; Alvarez-Rios, Francisco Javier; Bernabeu, Eusebio
We analyze the focusing properties of Fresnel zone plates fabricated over steel tapes using laser ablation. Our intention is to implement the use of micro-optical elements when the use of conventional chrome-glass elements is not indicated. Because of the manufacture process, the surface presents a certain anisotropic roughness, which reduces the focusing properties. First, we develop numerical simulations by means of the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld approach, showing how roughness in both levels of the Fresnel zone plate affects the focalization of the lens. We also manufacture Fresnel zone plates over steel tape, and perform experimental verification that corroborates the numerical results. PMID:20357856
Evaluation of Dry, Rough Vacuum Pumps
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hunter, Brian
This document provides information on the testing and evaluation of thirteen dry rough vacuum pumps of various designs and from various manufacturers. Several types of rough vacuum pumps were evaluated, including scroll, roots, and diaphragm pumps. Tests included long term testing, speed curve generation, voltage variance, vibrations emissions and susceptibility, electromagnetic interference emissions and susceptibility, static leak rate, exhaust restriction, response/recovery time tests, and a contamination analysis for scroll pumps. Parameters were found for operation with helium, which often is not provided from the manufacturer
Surface roughness effects in elastohydrodynamic contacts
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tripp, J. H.; Hamrock, B. J.
Surface roughness effects in full-film EHL contacts were studied. A flow factor modification to the Reynolds equation was applied to piezoviscous-elastic line contacts. Results for ensemble-averaged film shape, pressure distribution, and other mechanical quantities were obtained. Asperities elongated in the flow direction by a factor exceeding two decreased both film shape and pressure extrema at constant load; isotropic or transverse asperities increased these extrema. The largest effects are displayed by traction, which increased by over 5% for isotropic or transverse asperities and by slightly less for longitudinal roughness.
Fused silica fine grinding with low roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dai, Lei; Gu, Yongqiang; Wu, Di
Lithography-optics is one of the most complex optical systems. The fine grinding process is the most important step before polishing. Roughness and sub-surface damage (SSD) are essential outputs of fine grinding. We demonstrate the method that use fix abrasive cup tool with CNC grinding machine to complete the fine grinding process, even instead of lapping process. And experiment sample roughness can reach 23.40nm rms and Ra 18.554nm. The SSD estimate is about 2 μm which is also smaller than commercial lapping process. The fine grinding output can satisfy the lithography optic fabrication demands and efficiently reduce the polishing time.
Elastoplastic deformation of a roughness element
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Murashov, M. V.; Kornev, Yu. V.
The problem of using the mechanical properties determined in a macroexperiment in contact models for micron-sized roughness elements is considered. For a sample of commercial-purity AD1 aluminum, the penetration depths of an indenter into a rough surface element that are determined in a physical experiment and in a three-dimensional finite element simulation are compared. It is found that, with allowance for certain assumptions, the application of the properties determined in a macroexperiment requires their correction to take into account the cold work hardening of the surface layer in the sample material and the size effect.
Surface roughness evolution of nanocomposite thin films
Turkin, A. A.; Pei, Y. T.; Shaha, K. P.; Chen, C. Q.; Vainshtein, D. I.; Hosson, J. Th. M. de
An analysis of dynamic roughening and smoothening mechanisms of thin films grown with pulsed-dc magnetron sputtering is presented. The roughness evolution has been described by a linear stochastic equation, which contains the second- and fourth-order gradient terms. Dynamic smoothening of the growing interface is explained by ballistic effects resulting from impingements of ions to the growing thin film. These ballistic effects are sensitive to the flux and energy of impinging ions. The predictions of the model are compared with experimental data, and it is concluded that the thin film roughness can be further controlled by adjusting waveform, frequency, and width of dc pulses.
Venus surface roughness and Magellan stereo data
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Maurice, Kelly E.; Leberl, Franz W.; Norikane, L.; Hensley, Scott
Presented are results of some studies to develop tools useful for the analysis of Venus surface shape and its roughness. Actual work was focused on Maxwell Montes. The analyses employ data acquired by means of NASA's Magellan satellite. The work is primarily concerned with deriving measurements of the Venusian surface using Magellan stereo SAR. Roughness was considered by means of a theoretical analyses based on digital elevation models (DEM's), on single Magellan radar images combined with radiometer data, and on the use of multiple overlapping Magellan radar images from cycles 1, 2, and 3, again combined with collateral radiometer data.
Exploring Links Between Orbital Dynamics and Atmospheres in Kepler M Dwarf Planetary Systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ballard, Sarah
The Solar System furnishes the most familiar planetary architecture: many planets, orbiting nearly coplanar to one another. However, the most common planetary systems in the Milky Way orbit much smaller M dwarf stars, and these may present a very different blueprint. The Kepler data set has furnished more than 100 exoplanets orbiting stars half the mass of the sun and smaller. Half of these planets reside in systems with at least one additional planet. The data much prefer a model with two distinct modes of planet formation around M dwarfs, which occur in roughly equal measure. One mode is one very similar to the Solar System in terms of multiplicity and coplanarity, and the other is very dissimilar. Given this so-called "Kepler Dichotomy," we examine the broadband transmission spectra (with data from Kepler and hundreds of hours of Spitzer observations) of dozens of M dwarf planets: half of which reside in one type of planetary system, and half in the other. Although the data set is too small and the observational uncertainty too large to characterize any one system alone, we examine ensemble trends between planetary dynamics and atmospheric content.
Emission-line mapping of the dwarf nova IP Pegasi in outburst and quiescence
Marsh, T.R.; Horne, K. )
Time-resolved spectroscopy covering half an orbit and one eclipse during an outburst of the dwarf nova IP Peg are presented and compared with quiescent data. The outburst spectra show strong Balmer and He II 4686 A emission lines that are atypical of outbursting dwarf novae. Double-peaked velocity profiles and rotational distortions during eclipse show that the lines arise primarily in a Keplerian accretional disk. The He II line profile is filled in between the two disk peaks by non-Keplerian emission from close to the white dwarf, possibly indicative of a compact outflowing wind or inflowing magnetic accretion column. During outburst, an accretion rate of roughly 10 to the 17th g/s is needed to acccount for the continuum emission of the disk. The associated boundary layer generates soft X-ray and Lyman continuum fluxes sufficient to photoionize the disk's He II and Balmer emission-line regions. The disk appears to shield the red star totally from the soft X-rays, and in the equatorial region, from the Lyman continuum. 46 refs.
Amplitude Variability as Evidence of Crystallization in GD 518 and Other Massive Pulsating White Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hermes, J. J.; Kepler, S. O.; Montgomery, M. H.; Gianninas, A.; Castanheira, Barbara G.; Winget, D. E.
In 2013 March we discovered pulsations in the most massive pulsating hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarf to date, GD 518. Model atmosphere fits to the optical spectrum of this star show it is a Teff = 12,030±210 K, log g = 9.08±0.06 white dwarf, which corresponds to a mass of 1.20±0.03 M⊙. Such a massive WD should also be significantly crystallized at this temperature, and may possibly contain an oxygen-neon core. The star exhibits multi-periodic luminosity variations at timescales ranging from roughly 425 to 595 s and amplitudes up to 0.7% in a given night, consistent in period and amplitude with the observed variability of typical ZZ Ceti stars, although the pulsation amplitudes change drastically over the 33 days of our discovery observations. We investigate the possibility that these amplitude variations are a consequence of the pulsation modes sampling only the non-crystallized outer mass fraction of the white dwarf (perhaps <0.05 M⊙ of material), and thus have very low mode inertia. Amplitude variability could be an observational consequence of a significantly crystallized stellar interior.
The universal stellar mass-stellar metallicity relation for dwarf galaxies
Kirby, Evan N.; Bullock, James S.; Cohen, Judith G.; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Gallazzi, Anna
We present spectroscopic metallicities of individual stars in seven gas-rich dwarf irregular galaxies (dIrrs), and we show that dIrrs obey the same mass-metallicity relation as the dwarf spheroidal (dSph) satellites of both the Milky Way and M31: Z{sub ∗}∝M{sub ∗}{sup 0.30±0.02}. The uniformity of the relation is in contradiction to previous estimates of metallicity based on photometry. This relationship is roughly continuous with the stellar mass-stellar metallicity relation for galaxies as massive as M {sub *} = 10{sup 12} M {sub ☉}. Although the average metallicities of dwarf galaxies depend only on stellar mass, the shapes of their metallicity distributions depend on galaxy type. The metallicity distributions of dIrrs resemble simple, leaky box chemical evolution models, whereas dSphs require an additional parameter, such as gas accretion, to explain the shapes of their metallicity distributions. Furthermore, the metallicity distributions of the more luminous dSphs have sharp, metal-rich cut-offs that are consistent with the sudden truncation of star formation due to ram pressure stripping.
Freeland, E.; Wilcots, E. E-mail: email@example.com
Radio galaxies with bent jets are predominantly located in groups and clusters of galaxies. We use bent-double radio sources, under the assumption that their jets are bent by ram pressure, to probe intragroup medium (IGM) gas densities in galaxy groups. This method provides a direct measurement of the intergalactic gas density and allows us to probe intergalactic gas at large radii and in systems whose IGM is too cool to be detected by the current generation of X-ray telescopes. We find gas with densities of 10{sup -3} to 10{sup -4} cm{sup -3} at group radii from 15 to 700 kpc. A rough estimate of the total baryonic mass in intergalactic gas is consistent with the missing baryons being located in the IGM of galaxy groups. The neutral gas will be easily stripped from dwarf galaxies with total masses of 10{sup 6}-10{sup 7} M{sub sun} in the groups studied here. Indications are that intragroup gas densities in less-massive systems like the Local Group should be high enough to strip gas from dwarfs like Leo T and, in combination with tides, produce dwarf spheroidals.
The Universal Stellar Mass-Stellar Metallicity Relation for Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kirby, Evan N.; Cohen, Judith G.; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Cheng, Lucy; Bullock, James S.; Gallazzi, Anna
We present spectroscopic metallicities of individual stars in seven gas-rich dwarf irregular galaxies (dIrrs), and we show that dIrrs obey the same mass-metallicity relation as the dwarf spheroidal (dSph) satellites of both the Milky Way and M31: Z_* \\propto M_*^{0.30+/- 0.02}. The uniformity of the relation is in contradiction to previous estimates of metallicity based on photometry. This relationship is roughly continuous with the stellar mass-stellar metallicity relation for galaxies as massive as M * = 1012 M ⊙. Although the average metallicities of dwarf galaxies depend only on stellar mass, the shapes of their metallicity distributions depend on galaxy type. The metallicity distributions of dIrrs resemble simple, leaky box chemical evolution models, whereas dSphs require an additional parameter, such as gas accretion, to explain the shapes of their metallicity distributions. Furthermore, the metallicity distributions of the more luminous dSphs have sharp, metal-rich cut-offs that are consistent with the sudden truncation of star formation due to ram pressure stripping. The data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.
Machine Learning Identification of Dwarf Galaxy Satellites around Milky Way Analogs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sandford, Emily; Geha, M. C.; Wechsler, R. H.; Tollerud, E. J.; Marshall, P. J.; Cunha, C. E.
The Milky Way galaxy (MW) hosts approximately two dozen known dwarf galaxy satellites, ranging from the bright Magellanic Clouds, to the fainter dwarf spheroidal galaxies, including Leo I and Fornax, to ultra-faint dwarfs. Galaxy formation simulations predict that, down to the luminosity of Fornax, roughly three times more satellites should exist than we observe. However, the MW is a small and possibly biased sample. No MW analog satellite populations have yet been studied to these luminosities, because identifying the satellites around a MW analog requires spectroscopic observations of all objects within the virial radius to distinguish the satellites from the significantly more numerous background galaxies. Here, we apply machine learning techniques, specifically the use of an artificial neural network (ANN), to the problem of identifying satellites around MW analogs based on photometric observables, which are more easily obtained than spectroscopy. The ANN is trained on a set of labeled satellites and background galaxies around ~100 MW-like hosts, then applied to a validation data set to evaluate its performance. This work is carried out in parallel with a long-term spectroscopic observing program of several MW analogs, which will increase the training set size and improve the ANN's performance.
Search for radio emission from the nearby binary brown dwarf system ɛ Indi Bab
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Blank, D. L.
We have observed the nearest known brown dwarfs, the binary system ɛ Indi Bab (d= 3.626 pc), for 8.6- and 4.8-GHz radio emission with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. If either brown dwarf emits radio flares, then they are respectively at least 5.5 and 1.2 times weaker than LP 944-20, the nearest brown dwarf with detected radio emission. We associate the ROSAT source 1WGA J2203.9 - 5647 with ɛ Indi Bab since the separation was about 30 arcsec at the time of the ROSAT observation. Assuming the association, then ɛ Indi Bab has an L0.4-2.4keV X-ray luminosity of 5.6 × 1025 erg s-1 which makes it roughly a factor of 2 less luminous than LP 944-20. The radio non-detections imply that ɛ Indi Bab does not violate, or at least does not violate as strongly as LP 944-20, the Güdel-Benz relationship of X-ray and radio emission.
Solar Abundances of Rock Forming Elements, Extreme Oxygen and Hydrogen in a Young Polluted White Dwarf
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Farihi, J.; Koester, D.; Zuckerman, B.; Vican, L.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Smith, N.; Walth, G.; Breedt, E.
The Teff = 20 800 K white dwarf WD 1536+520 is shown to have broadly solar abundances of the major rock forming elements O, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, and Fe, together with a strong relative depletion in the volatile elements C and S. In addition to the highest metal abundances observed to date, including log (O/He) =-3.4, the helium-dominated atmosphere has an exceptional hydrogen abundance at log (H/He) =-1.7. Within the uncertainties, the metal-to-metal ratios are consistent with the accretion of an H2O-rich and rocky parent body, an interpretation supported by the anomalously high trace hydrogen. The mixed atmosphere yields unusually short diffusion timescales for a helium atmosphere white dwarf, of no more than a few hundred yr, and equivalent to those in a much cooler, hydrogen-rich star. The overall heavy element abundances of the disrupted parent body deviate modestly from a bulk Earth pattern, and suggest the deposition of some core-like material. The total inferred accretion rate is 4.2 × 109 g s-1, and at least 4 times higher than any white dwarf with a comparable diffusion timescale. Notably, when accretion is exhausted in this system, both metals and hydrogen will become undetectable within roughly 300 Myr, thus supporting a scenario where the trace hydrogen is related to the ongoing accretion of planetary debris.
White Dwarfs in the GALEX Survey
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kawka, Adela; Vennes, Stephane
We have cross-correlated the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) white dwarf catalog with the GALEX 2nd Data Release and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data release 5 to obtain ultraviolet photometry (FUV, NUV) for approximately 700 objects and optical photometry (ugriz) for approximately 800 objects. We have compared the optical-ultraviolet colors to synthetic white dwarf colors to obtain temperature estimates for approximately 250 of these objects. These white dwarfs have effective temperatures ranging from 10 000 K (cooling age of about 1Gyr) up to about 40000 K (cooling age of about 3 Myrs), with a few that have even higher temperatures. We found that to distinguish white dwarfs from other stellar luminosity classes both optical and ultraviolet colors are necessary, in particular for the hotter objects where there is contamination from B and 0 main-sequence stars. Using this sample we build a luminosity function for the DA white dwarfs with Mv < 12 mag.
White dwarf stars with carbon atmospheres.
Dufour, P; Liebert, J; Fontaine, G; Behara, N
White dwarfs represent the endpoint of stellar evolution for stars with initial masses between approximately 0.07 and 8-10, where is the mass of the Sun (more massive stars end their life as either black holes or neutron stars). The theory of stellar evolution predicts that the majority of white dwarfs have a core made of carbon and oxygen, which itself is surrounded by a helium layer and, for approximately 80 per cent of known white dwarfs, by an additional hydrogen layer. All white dwarfs therefore have been traditionally found to belong to one of two categories: those with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere (the DA spectral type) and those with a helium-rich atmosphere (the non-DAs). Here we report the discovery of several white dwarfs with atmospheres primarily composed of carbon, with little or no trace of hydrogen or helium. Our analysis shows that the atmospheric parameters found for these stars do not fit satisfactorily in any of the currently known theories of post-asymptotic giant branch evolution, although these objects might be the cooler counterpart of the unique and extensively studied PG 1159 star H1504+65 (refs 4-7). These stars, together with H1504+65, might accordingly form a new evolutionary sequence that follows the asymptotic giant branch. PMID:18033290
Observing Dwarf Galaxies in the Local Universe
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Simon, Joshua
Dwarf galaxies in the Local Group are key probes of both dark matter and galaxy formation. They are the smallest, oldest, most dark matter-dominated, and least chemically enriched stellar systems currently known. However, despite two decades of major computational, theoretical, and observational advances in this field, we are still working toward a complete understanding of star and galaxy formation at the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function. In the last year, large sky surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey and Pan-STARRS have made an unprecedented series of discoveries, nearly doubling the population of Milky Way satellite galaxies that was known at the start of 2015. This increase in the number of nearby dwarfs may significantly improve the sensitivity of searches for dark matter annihilation radiation. Many of these new dwarfs are likely to have originated as satellites of the Magellanic Clouds, providing a unique opportunity to study the effect of galactic environment on the formation of the faintest dwarfs. I will provide an overview of recent discoveries and how they fit in to the previously known population of nearby dwarf galaxies, highlighting a few of the most interesting objects from the perspective of dark matter and stellar nucleosynthesis.
Gravitational Interactions of White Dwarf Double Stars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McKeough, James; Robinson, Chloe; Ortiz, Bridget; Hira, Ajit
In the light of the possible role of White Dwarf stars as progenitors of Type Ia supernovas, we present computational simulations of some astrophysical phenomena associated with a study of gravitationally-bound binary stars, composed of at least one white dwarf star. Of particular interest to astrophysicists are the conditions inside a white dwarf star in the time frame leading up to its explosive end as a Type Ia supernova, for an understanding of the massive stellar explosions. In addition, the studies of the evolution of white dwarfs could serve as promising probes of theories of gravitation. We developed FORTRAN computer programs to implement our models for white dwarfs and other stars. These codes allow for different sizes and masses of stars. Simulations were done in the mass interval from 0.1 to 2.5 solar masses. Our goal was to obtain both atmospheric and orbital parameters. The computational results thus obtained are compared with relevant observational data. The data are further analyzed to identify trends in terms of sizes and masses of stars. We will extend our computational studies to blue giant and red giant stars in the future. Funding from National Science Foundation.
Discovery of a cool brown dwarf
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nakajima, T.; Oppenheimer, B. R.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Golimowski, D. A.; Matthews, K.; Durrance, S. T.
BROWN dwarfs are starlike objects with masses less than 0.08 times that of the Sun, which are unable to sustain hydrogen fusion in their interiors1-4. They are very hard to detect, as most of the energy of gravitational contraction is radiated away within ~108 yr, leaving only a very low residual luminosity. Accordingly, almost all searches for brown dwarfs have been directed towards clusters of young stars-a strategy that has recently proved successful5,6. But there are only modest observable differences between young brown dwarfs and very lowmass stars, making it difficult to identify the former without appealing to sophisticated models7. Older brown dwarfs should have a more distinctive appearance, and if they are companions to nearby stars, their luminosity can be determined unambiguously. Here we report the discovery of a probable companion to the nearby star G1229, with no more than onetenth the luminosity of the least luminous hydro-gen-burning star. We conclude that the companion, G1229B, is a brown dwarf with a temperature of less than 1,200 K, and a mass ~20-50 times that of Jupiter.
T Dwarfs and the Substellar Mass Function
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Burgasser, A. J.; 2MASS Rare Objects Team
The recent sky surveys 2MASS, SDSS, and DENIS have unveiled a vast population of substellar objects in the Solar Neighborhood, and have appended two new spectral classes onto the familiar MK system: L and T dwarfs. With hundreds of these objects now known, we can address one of the fundamental questions that initiated the search for brown dwarfs in the first place - what is their contribution to the Galactic mass budget? I present results on the field substellar mass function, based on a sample of T dwarfs identified in the 2MASS survey. Using the evolutionary models of Burrows et al. and a Monte Carlo simulation of the Solar Neighborhood, I show that the number of T dwarfs identified in this sample is consistent with a shallow power-law mass function, 0.5 < α < 1.0, similar to values derived from young clusters but inconsistent with previous estimates in the field. I discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy, and ways in which we may improve our census of nearby brown dwarfs. Support for this work was provided by NASA through a Hubble Fellowship grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Incoporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555.
The Potential of White Dwarf Cosmochronology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fontaine, G.; Brassard, P.; Bergeron, P.
In the light of recent significant progress on both the observational and theoretical fronts, we review the status of white dwarf stars as cosmochronometers. These objects represent the end products of stellar evolution for the vast majority of stars and, as such, can be used to constrain the ages of various populations of evolved stars in the Galaxy. For example, the oldest white dwarfs in the solar neighborhood (the remnants of the very first generation of intermediate-mass stars in the Galactic disk) are still visible and can be used, in conjunction with cooling theory, to estimate the age of the disk. More recent observations suggest the tantalizing possibility that a population of very old white dwarfs inhabits the Galactic halo. Such a population may contribute significantly to baryonic ``dark'' matter in the Milky Way and may be used to obtain an independent estimate of the age of the halo. In addition, white dwarf cosmochronology is likely to play a very significant role in the coming era of giant 8-10 m telescopes when faint white dwarf populations should be routinely discovered and studied in open and globular clusters. Based, in part, on the C. S. Beals Lecture presented by G. Fontaine at the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Astronomical Society held in Vancouver (2000 May).
Kalirai, Jason S.; Davis, D. Saul; Richer, Harvey B.; Bergeron, P.; Catelan, Marcio; Hansen, Brad M. S.; Michael Rich, R. E-mail: email@example.com E-mail: email@example.com E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Globular star clusters are among the first stellar populations to have formed in the Milky Way, and thus only a small sliver of their initial spectrum of stellar types are still burning hydrogen on the main sequence today. Almost all of the stars born with more mass than 0.8 M{sub sun} have evolved to form the white dwarf cooling sequence of these systems, and the distribution and properties of these remnants uniquely holds clues related to the nature of the now evolved progenitor stars. With ultra-deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging observations, rich white dwarf populations of four nearby Milky Way globular clusters have recently been uncovered, and are found to extend impressive 5-8 mag in the faint-blue region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. In this paper, we characterize the properties of these population II remnants by presenting the first direct mass measurements of individual white dwarfs near the tip of the cooling sequence in the nearest of the Milky Way globulars, M4. Based on Gemini/GMOS and Keck/LRIS multiobject spectroscopic observations, our results indicate that 0.8 M{sub sun} population II main-sequence stars evolving today form 0.53 +- 0.01 M{sub sun} white dwarfs. We discuss the implications of this result as it relates to our understanding of stellar structure and evolution of population II stars and for the age of the Galactic halo, as measured with white dwarf cooling theory.
Are All Dwarf Carbon Stars Binary?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Farihi, Jay; Harris, Hugh; Subasavage, John; Bergfors, Carolina; Green, Paul; Gansicke, Boris
The origin of dwarf carbon stars is a persistent astrophysical curiosity dating back to 1977. Only giant stars dredge up interior carbon, and hence the discovery of an unevolved dwarf star with C/O >1 was a big surprise. Astronomers are no closer to understanding these rare and spectrally peculiar stars 37 years later(!). The bulk of dwarf carbon stars show no sign of an evolved companion necessary to account for their externally polluted atmospheres. These stars are sensitive tracers of Galactic chemical evolution and star formation, and provide strong constraints on the potential for carbon-dominated (single star) planetary systems. We propose to conclusively validate or refute the hypothetical binary nature of dwarf carbon stars, and hence their chemical and physical formation channel(s). For all binaries, we will initially constrain and eventually measure orbital periods. By determining their physical separation during the previous epoch of mass transfer, we will distinguish between the Roche lobe overflow and wind capture models for the creation of carbon dwarfs.
Keck Imaging of Binary L Dwarfs.
Koerner; Kirkpatrick; McElwain; Bonaventura
We present Keck near-infrared imaging of three binary L dwarf systems, all of which are likely to be substellar. Two are lithium dwarfs, and a third exhibits an L7 spectral type, making it the coolest binary known to date. All have component flux ratios near 1 and projected physical separations between 5 and 10 AU, assuming distances of 18-26 pc from recent measurements of trigonometric parallax. These surprisingly similar binaries represent the sole detections of companions in 10 L dwarf systems that were analyzed in the preliminary phase of a much larger dual-epoch imaging survey. The detection rate prompts us to speculate that binary companions to L dwarfs are common, that similar-mass systems predominate, and that their distribution peaks at radial distances in accord both with M dwarf binaries and with the radial location of Jovian planets in our own solar system. To fully establish these conjectures against doubts raised by biases inherent in this small preliminary survey, however, will require quantitative analysis of a larger volume-limited sample that has been observed with high resolution and dynamic range. PMID:10534453
Rice Responses and Resistance to Planthopper-Borne Viruses at Transcriptomic and Proteomic Levels.
Cui, Feng; Zhao, Wan; Luo, Lan; Kang, Le
Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world, especially in Asian areas. Rice virus diseases are considered as the most serious threat to rice yields. Most rice viruses are transmitted by hemipteran insects such as planthoppers and leafhoppers. In Asia five rice viruses are transmitted mainly by three planthopper species in a persistent manner: Rice stripe virus, Rice black-streaked dwarf virus, Rice ragged stunt virus, Rice grassy stunt virus, and Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus. In rice antivirus studies, several individual genes have been shown to function in rice resistance to viruses. Since plant responses to viral infection are complex, system-level omic studies are required to fully understand the responses. Recently more and more omic studies have appeared in the literatures on relationships between planthoppers and viruses, employing microarray, RNA-Seq, small RNA deep sequencing, degradome sequencing, and proteomic analysis. In this paper, we review the current knowledge and progress of omic studies in rice plant responses and resistance to four planthopper-borned viruses. We also discuss progress in the omic study of the interactions of planthoppers and rice viruses. Future research directions and translational applications of fundamental knowledge of virus-vector-rice interactions are proposed. PMID:26363817
Surface roughness scattering in multisubband accumulation layers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fu, Han; Reich, K. V.; Shklovskii, B. I.
Accumulation layers with very large concentrations of electrons where many subbands are filled became recently available due to ionic liquid and other new methods of gating. The low-temperature mobility in such layers is limited by the surface roughness scattering. However, theories of roughness scattering so far dealt only with the small-density single subband two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). Here we develop a theory of roughness-scattering limited mobility for the multisubband large concentration case. We show that with growing 2D electron concentration n the surface dimensionless conductivity σ /(2 e2/h ) first decreases as ∝n-6 /5 and then saturates as ˜(d aB/Δ2)≫1 , where d and Δ are the characteristic length and height of the surface roughness and aB is the effective Bohr radius. This means that in spite of the shrinkage of the 2DEG thickness and the related increase of the scattering rate the 2DEG remains a good metal.
Surface roughness modulations by submesoscale currents
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rascle, Nicolas; Chapron, Bertrand; Nouguier, Frederic; Ponte, Aurelien; Mouche, Alexis; Molemaker, Jeroen
At times, high resolution images of sea surface roughness can provide stunning details of submesoscale upper ocean dynamics. As interpreted, transformations of short scale wind waves by horizontal current gradients are responsible for those spectacular observations. Here we present two major advances towards the quantitative interpretation of those observations. First, we show that surface roughness variations mainly trace two particular characteristics of the current gradient tensor, the divergence and the strain in the wind direction. Local vorticity and shear in the wind direction should not affect short scale roughness distribution and would not be detectable. Second, we discuss the effect of the viewing direction using sets of quasi-simultaneous sun glitter images, taken from different satellites to provide different viewing configurations. We show that upwind and crosswind viewing observations can be markedly different. As further confirmed with idealized numerical simulations, this anisotropy well traces surface current strain area, while more isotropic contrasts likely trace areas dominated by surface divergence conditions. These findings suggest the potential to directly observe surface currents at submesoscale by using surface roughness observations at multiple azimuth viewing angles. They also pave the way towards a better understanding of the coupling between ocean, waves and atmosphere at high resolution.
Thermal smoothing of rough surfaces in vacuo
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wahl, G.
The derivation of equations governing the smoothing of rough surfaces, based on Mullins' (1957, 1960, and 1963) theories of thermal grooving and of capillarity-governed solid surface morphology is presented. As an example, the smoothing of a one-dimensional sine-shaped surface is discussed.
Particle Sliding on a Rough Incline
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Zurcher, Ulrich
We study a particle sliding on a rough inclined plane as an example of a mechanical problem with nonholonomic constraint. The particle is launched in an arbitrary direction so that its motion has both a horizontal and a "vertical" (i.e., up- and downhill) direction. The friction force acts along the instantaneous velocity, so that the horizontal…
Three-tier rough superhydrophobic surfaces.
Cao, Yuanzhi; Yuan, Longyan; Hu, Bin; Zhou, Jun
A three-tier rough superhydrophobic surface was fabricated by growing hydrophobic modified (fluorinated silane) zinc oxide (ZnO)/copper oxide (CuO) hetero-hierarchical structures on silicon (Si) micro-pillar arrays. Compared with the other three control samples with a less rough tier, the three-tier surface exhibits the best water repellency with the largest contact angle 161° and the lowest sliding angle 0.5°. It also shows a robust Cassie state which enables the water to flow with a speed over 2 m s(-1). In addition, it could prevent itself from being wetted by the droplet with low surface tension (mixed water and ethanol 1:1 in volume) which reveals a flow speed of 0.6 m s(-1) (dropped from the height of 2 cm). All these features prove that adding another rough tier on a two-tier rough surface could futher improve its water-repellent properties. PMID:26184512
Measurement and Correlation of Ice Accretion Roughness
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Anderson, David N.; Hentschel, Daniel B.; Ruff, Gary A.
Measurements were taken of the roughness characteristics of ice accreted on NACA 0012 airfoils in the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). Tests were conducted with size scaled, using models with chords of 26.7, 53.3, and 80.0 cm, and with liquid-water content scaled, both according to previously-tested scaling methods. The width of the smooth zone which forms on either side of the leading edge of the airfoil and the diameter of the roughness elements are presented in non-dimensional form as functions of the accumulation parameter. The smooth-zone width was found to decrease with increasing accumulation parameter. The roughness-element diameter increased with accumulation parameter until a plateau was reached. This maximum diameter was about 0.06 times twice the model leading-edge radius. Neither smooth-zone width nor element diameter were affected by a change in freezing fraction from 0.2 to 0.4. Both roughness characteristics appeared to scale with model size and with liquid-water content.
International Ultraviolet Explorer observations of the white dwarf nucleus of the very old, diffuse planetary nebula, IW-2
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bruhweiler, F. C.; Feibelman, Walter A.
UV low-dispersion spectra of the central star of the faint planetary nebula, IW-2, were obtained with the IUE. The apparent large diameter of the very diffuse nebula, about half that of the moon, as seen on the Palomar Sky Survey plates by Ishida and Weinberger (1987), indicates this object to be potentially quite evolved, and nearby. The IUE spectra clearly reveal a hot stellar continuum extending over the entire wavelength range of the short-wavelength prime camera (1200-2000 A). This object with V = 17.7 +/- 0.4 is definitely one of the faintest stars ever successfully observed with the IUE. Comparisons of the IUE observed fluxes with those from white dwarf model atmospheres suggest extinction near E(B - V) = 0.45 for a white dwarf of T(eff) roughly 100,000 K. Constraints from estimates of the nebular emission measure and observed visual magnitude also argue for a white dwarf of T(eff) roughly 100,000 K at a distance of 300 to 350 pc. The nucleus of IW-2 is one of the most evolved stars to be identified with a planetary nebula.
Red Dwarfs and the End of the Main Sequence
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Adams, F. C.; Graves, G. J. M.; Laughlin, G.
This paper celebrates the contributions of Peter Bodenheimer to our understanding of stellar evolution by focusing on the long term development of red dwarf stars. We show that these diminutive stellar objects remain convective over most of their lives, they continue to burn hydrogen for trillions of years, and they do not experience red giant phases in their old age. Instead, red dwarfs turn into blue dwarfs and finally white dwarfs. This work shows (in part) why larger stars do become red giants.
14 CFR 25.1517 - Rough air speed, VRA.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Rough air speed, VRA. 25.1517 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1517 Rough air speed, VRA. A rough air speed, VRA, for use as the recommended turbulence... rough air encounters will not cause the overspeed warning to operate too frequently. In the absence of...
14 CFR 25.1517 - Rough air speed, VRA.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Rough air speed, VRA. 25.1517 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1517 Rough air speed, VRA. A rough air speed, VRA, for use as the recommended turbulence... rough air encounters will not cause the overspeed warning to operate too frequently. In the absence of...
7 CFR 51.707 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... Other Than Florida, California, and Arizona) Definitions § 51.707 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.707 Section...
7 CFR 51.707 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... Other Than Florida, California, and Arizona) Definitions § 51.707 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.707 Section...
7 CFR 51.645 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
..., and Arizona) Definitions § 51.645 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively thick, or materially... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.645 Section...
7 CFR 51.707 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
..., and Arizona) Definitions § 51.707 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively thick, or materially... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.707 Section...
7 CFR 51.707 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
..., and Arizona) Definitions § 51.707 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively thick, or materially... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.707 Section...
7 CFR 51.645 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
..., and Arizona) Definitions § 51.645 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively thick, or materially... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.645 Section...
7 CFR 51.645 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... Other Than Florida, California, and Arizona) Definitions § 51.645 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.645 Section...
7 CFR 51.645 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... Other Than Florida, California, and Arizona) Definitions § 51.645 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.645 Section...
7 CFR 51.645 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
..., and Arizona) Definitions § 51.645 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively thick, or materially... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.645 Section...
7 CFR 51.707 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
..., and Arizona) Definitions § 51.707 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin is not smooth or fairly smooth but is not excessively rough or excessively thick, or materially... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Slightly rough texture. 51.707 Section...
Debes, John H.; Walsh, Kevin J.; Stark, Christopher
It has long been suspected that metal-polluted white dwarfs (types DAZ, DBZ, and DZ) and white dwarfs with dusty disks possess planetary systems, but a specific physical mechanism by which planetesimals are perturbed close to a white dwarf has not yet been fully posited. In this paper, we demonstrate that mass loss from a central star during post-main-sequence evolution can sweep planetesimals into interior mean motion resonances with a single giant planet. These planetesimals are slowly removed through chaotic excursions of eccentricity that in time create radial orbits capable of tidally disrupting the planetesimal. Numerical N-body simulations of the solar system show that a sufficient number of planetesimals are perturbed to explain white dwarfs with both dust and metal pollution, provided other white dwarfs have more massive relic asteroid belts. Our scenario requires only one Jupiter-sized planet and a sufficient number of asteroids near its 2:1 interior mean motion resonance. Finally, we show that once a planetesimal is perturbed into a tidal crossing orbit, it will become disrupted after the first pass of the white dwarf, where a highly eccentric stream of debris forms the main reservoir for dust-producing collisions. These simulations, in concert with observations of white dwarfs, place interesting limits on the frequency of planetary systems around main-sequence stars, the frequency of planetesimal belts, and the probability that dust may obscure future terrestrial planet finding missions.
The White Dwarf Binary Pathways Survey I: A sample of FGK stars with white dwarf companions
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Parsons, S. G.; Rebassa-Mansergas, A.; Schreiber, M. R.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Zorotovic, M.; Ren, J. J.
The number of spatially unresolved white dwarf plus main-sequence star binaries has increased rapidly in the last decade, jumping from only ˜30 in 2003 to over 3000. However, in the majority of known systems the companion to the white dwarf is a low mass M dwarf, since these are relatively easy to identify from optical colours and spectra. White dwarfs with more massive FGK type companions have remained elusive due to the large difference in optical brightness between the two stars. In this paper we identify 934 main-sequence FGK stars from the Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey in the southern hemisphere and the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) survey in the northern hemisphere, that show excess flux at ultraviolet wavelengths which we interpret as the likely presence of a white dwarf companion. We obtained Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet spectra for nine systems which confirmed that the excess is indeed caused, in all cases, by a hot compact companion, eight being white dwarfs and one a hot subdwarf or pre-helium white dwarf, demonstrating that this sample is very clean. We also address the potential of this sample to test binary evolution models and type Ia supernovae formation channels.
Kakazu, Yuko; Capak, Peter L.; Hu, Esther M.; Liu, Michael C.; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Wang Weihao
The Hawaii Quasar and T dwarf survey (HQT Survey) is a wide-field, red optical survey carried out with the Suprime-Cam mosaic CCD camera on the 8.2 m Subaru telescope. The HQT survey is designed to search for low-luminosity (M{sub AB1450} < -23) quasars at high redshift (z>5.7) as well as T dwarfs, both of which are selected by their very red I - z' colors. We use an optical narrowband filter NB816 to break a well-known I - z' color degeneracy between high-z quasars and foreground M and L dwarfs, which are more numerous than quasars. This paper is the first in a series of papers from the HQT survey and we report on the discovery of six faint (19 {<=} J {<=} 20) ultracool dwarfs found over a {approx}9.3 deg{sup 2} area with a limiting magnitude of z'{sub AB} {<=} 23.3. These dwarfs were confirmed by near-IR imaging and/or spectroscopy conducted at various facilities on Mauna Kea. With estimated distances of 60-170 pc, these are among the most distant spectroscopically confirmed field brown dwarfs to date. Limits on the proper motions of these ultracool dwarfs suggest that they are old members of the Galactic disk, though future follow-up observations are necessary to minimize errors. Our finding rate of ultracool dwarfs is within model predictions of Liu et al. However, the large brightening amplitude ({approx}1 mag) previously reported for the L/T transition objects appears to overpredict the numbers. We also examine how the survey field latitude affects the survey sensitivity to the vertical scale height of ultracool dwarfs.
Prospecting in ultracool dwarfs: measuring the metallicities of mid- and late-M dwarfs
Mann, Andrew W.; Deacon, Niall R.; Gaidos, Eric; Ansdell, Megan; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Aller, Kimberly M.; Brewer, John M.
Metallicity is a fundamental parameter that contributes to the physical characteristics of a star. The low temperatures and complex molecules present in M dwarf atmospheres make it difficult to measure their metallicities using techniques that have been commonly used for Sun-like stars. Although there has been significant progress in developing empirical methods to measure M dwarf metallicities over the last few years, these techniques have been developed primarily for early- to mid-M dwarfs. We present a method to measure the metallicity of mid- to late-M dwarfs from moderate resolution (R ∼ 2000) K-band (≅ 2.2 μm) spectra. We calibrate our formula using 44 wide binaries containing an F, G, K, or early-M primary of known metallicity and a mid- to late-M dwarf companion. We show that similar features and techniques used for early-M dwarfs are still effective for late-M dwarfs. Our revised calibration is accurate to ∼0.07 dex for M4.5-M9.5 dwarfs with –0.58 < [Fe/H] < +0.56 and shows no systematic trends with spectral type, metallicity, or the method used to determine the primary star metallicity. We show that our method gives consistent metallicities for the components of M+M wide binaries. We verify that our new formula works for unresolved binaries by combining spectra of single stars. Lastly, we show that our calibration gives consistent metallicities with the Mann et al. study for overlapping (M4-M5) stars, establishing that the two calibrations can be used in combination to determine metallicities across the entire M dwarf sequence.
Experimental Investigation of the Problem of Surface Roughness
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Schlichting, H
Based on the universal laws of turbulent velocity distribution at rough and smooth walls, there is in the present work presented a method that allows surface roughness tests and in particular, measurements on the roughness of ship surfaces to be carried out in a much simpler manner. The types of roughness investigated were in the form of flat, rough plates installed in a square-section rectangular channel, the other three walls always being smooth. Twenty-one plates of various roughness were investigated, the roughness elements being the following: spheres of diameter 0.41 and 0.21, respectively, spherical segments, cones, and "short" and "long" angles.
The benefit of amateur observations for research in dwarf novae
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
La Dous, Constanze
Contributions of amateur astronomers to research on dwarf novae, which are based on carefully monitoring the outburst behavior of these objects, are reviewed. These contributions range from scheduling of observations to the observational basis for research on the dwarf nova outburst mechanism. It is suggested, that, with better equipment, observations of orbital light variations in dwarf novae might be performed by amateur astronomers.
Rough-wall turbulent boundary layers in the transition regime
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bandyopadhyay, Promode R.
An experimental investigation of turbulent boundary layers over two-dimensional spanwise groove and three-dimensional sandgrain roughnesses in the transition regime between hydraulically smooth and fully rough conditions is presented. It is found that a self-preserving state can be reached in boundary layers developing over both d-type groove and sandgrain roughnesses, and that the drag of a k-type rough wall can be reduced by lowering the spanwise aspect ratio of the roughness elements. The two roughness Reynolds numbers defining the boundaries of the transition regime of the k-type roughnesses are shown to decrease with increasing roughness-element spanwise aspect ratio, and the upper critical transition Reynolds number is shown to determine the roughness behavior in both the transition and fully rough regime.
White dwarfs as tracers of galactic evolution
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Isern, J.; Hernanz, M.; García-Berro, E.; Salaris, M.
White dwarfs are the final remnants of low and intermediate mass stars. Their evolution is essentially a cooling process that lasts for ~ 10 Gyr and allows to obtain information about the age of the Galaxy as well as about the past stellar formation rate in the solar neighborhood. We show in this paper the state of the art of the white dwarf cooling theory and the uncertainties still remaining. We also provide some applications of the theory of cooling white dwarfs to escrutiny the past history of the Milky Way. These applications range from an independent derivation of the past history of the local star formation rate to a determination of the properties of the halo.
Youth Indicators of Late-M Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Feldman, Daniel; Cruz, K.; Lépine, S.; Alpert, N.
We present a study in which we searched for a correlation between weak Na absorption doublet (8183Å, 8194Å) and strong H-Alpha emission (6563Å) in late-M dwarf stars (M6-M9), as both are indicative of youth. Our sample consists of late-M Dwarfs from the LSPM Survey (Lépine and Shara, 2005), which contain stars with measured proper motions of mu > 40 mas/yr. Measurements for emission and absorption strength were made using spectral indices. Our preliminary results are presented; future work will include a similar analysis of early type M Dwarfs, as well as kinematics. This work was funded by the CUNY Summer Undergraduate Research Program, as well as the CUNY Macaulay Honors College, and we acknowledge the hospitality of the American Museum of Natural History.
Be stars with white dwarf companions
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Orio, Marina; Luna, Gerardo; Zemko, Polina; Kotulla, Ralf; Gallagher, Jay; Harbeck, Daniel
A handful of supersoft X-ray sources in the Magellanic Clouds that could not be identified with transient nova outbursts turned out to be mainly massive close binaries. Recently, we have clearly identified a Be binary in M31, and are currently collecting data for another candidate in that galaxy. Work is in progress to assess whether the compact object companion really is a hydrogen burning white dwarf (the alternative being a massive stellar-mass black hole). If we can prove that Be+white dwarf interacting close binaries are common, and that hydrogen is often ignited on the white dwarf in these systems, we have discovered a new promising channel towards the explosion of supernovae of type Ia in star forming regions, without invoking double degenerate systems
Recombination energy in double white dwarf formation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nandez, J. L. A.; Ivanova, N.; Lombardi, J. C.
In this Letter, we investigate the role of recombination energy during a common envelope event. We confirm that taking this energy into account helps to avoid the formation of the circumbinary envelope commonly found in previous studies. For the first time, we can model a complete common envelope event, with a clean compact double white dwarf binary system formed at the end. The resulting binary orbit is almost perfectly circular. In addition to considering recombination energy, we also show that between 1/4 and 1/2 of the released orbital energy is taken away by the ejected material. We apply this new method to the case of the double white dwarf system WD 1101+364, and we find that the progenitor system at the start of the common envelope event consisted of an ˜1.5 M⊙ red giant star in an ˜30 d orbit with a white dwarf companion.
Charged condensate and helium dwarf stars
Gabadadze, Gregory; Rosen, Rachel A E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
White dwarf stars composed of carbon, oxygen and heavier elements are expected to crystallize as they cool down below certain temperatures. Yet, simple arguments suggest that the helium white dwarf cores may not solidify, mostly because of zero-point oscillations of the helium ions that would dissolve the crystalline structure. We argue that the interior of the helium dwarfs may instead form a macroscopic quantum state in which the charged helium-4 nuclei are in a Bose-Einstein condensate, while the relativistic electrons form a neutralizing degenerate Fermi liquid. We discuss the electric charge screening, and the spectrum of this substance, showing that the bosonic long-wavelength fluctuations exhibit a mass gap. Hence, there is a suppression at low temperatures of the boson contribution to the specific heat-the latter being dominated by the specific heat of the electrons near the Fermi surface. This state of matter may have observational signatures.
White dwarfs, the Galaxy and Dirac's cosmology
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stothers, R.
The additive and multiplicative versions of Dirac's cosmological hypothesis relating the gravitational constant variation with elapsed time and number of particles populating the universe is invoked to account for the deficiency or absence of white dwarfs fainter than about 0.0001 solar luminosity. An estimate is made of white dwarf luminosity in accordance with the two evolutionary models, and it is conjectured that some old white dwarfs with high space velocities may be on the verge of gravitational collapse. Lack of a special mechanism to produce the vast numbers of black holes or other dead stars accounting for 'missing matter' in the vicinity of the sun and in the galactic halo is noted in Dirac's multiplicative model. Results indicate that either Dirac's theory is untenable, or that radiation and heating are of some unknown nature, or that the process of creation of new matter requires a corresponding input of energy.
Meru, Farzana; Galvagni, Marina; Olczak, Christoph
We perform coagulation and fragmentation simulations using the new physically motivated model by Garaud et al. to determine growth locally in brown dwarf disks. We show that large grains can grow and that if brown dwarf disks are scaled-down versions of T Tauri disks (in terms of stellar mass, disk mass, and disk radius) growth at an equivalent location with respect to the disk truncation radius can occur to the same size in both disks. We show that similar growth occurs because the collisional timescales in the two disks are comparable. Our model may therefore potentially explain the recent observations of grain growth to millimeter sizes in brown dwarf disks, as seen in T Tauri disks.
Massive Star Clusters in Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Larsen, Soeren
Dwarf galaxies are often characterized by very high globular cluster specific frequencies, in some cases exceeding that of the Milky Way by a factor of 100 or more. Moreover, the GCs are typically much more metal-poor than the bulk of the field stars, so that a substantial fraction (up to 20-25% or more) of all metal-poor stars in some dwarf galaxies are associated with GCs. The metal-poor components of these galaxies thus represent an extreme case of the "specific frequency problem". In this talk I will review the current status of our understanding of GC systems in dwarf galaxies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the implications of the high GC specific frequencies for the amount of mass loss the clusters could have experienced and the constraints this provides on theories for the origin of multiple populations in globular clusters.
Clouds in brown dwarfs and giant planets
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Metchev, S.; Apai, D.; Radigan, J.; Artigau, É.; Heinze, A.; Helling, C.; Homeier, D.; Littlefair, S.; Morley, C.; Skemer, A.; Stark, C.
A growing body of observational and theoretical evidence points toward the importance of clouds in the atmospheres of ultra-cool brown dwarfs and giant planets. Empirically, the presence of clouds is inferred from the red, likely dusty atmospheres of young substellar objects, and from detections of periodic variability in a fraction of brown dwarfs - as expected from rotation and a patchy cloud cover. Theoretical models have progressed alongside by including ever more comprehensive atomic and molecular opacity tables, incorporating the treatment of non-equilibrium chemistry and clouds through vertical mixing and grain size/sedimentation parameters, and employing 3-D hydrodynamical simulations. In this proceeding we summarize the key issues raised during the first gathering of observers and theorists to discuss clouds and atmospheric circulation in non-irradiated ultra-cool dwarfs and giant planets.
Mystery of a Dimming White Dwarf
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kohler, Susanna
In the wake of the recent media attention over an enigmatic, dimming star, another intriguing object has been discovered: J1529+2928, a white dwarf that periodically dims. This mystery, however, may have a simple solution with interesting consequences for future surveys of white dwarfs.Unexpected VariabilityJ1529+2928 is an isolated white dwarf that appears to have a mass of slightly more than the Sun. But rather than radiating steadily, J1529+2928 dims once every 38 minutes almost as though it were being eclipsed.The team that discovered these variations, led by Mukremin Kilic (University of Oklahoma), used telescopes at the Apache Point Observatory and the McDonald Observatory to obtain follow-up photometric data of J1529+2928 spread across 66 days. The team also took spectra of the white dwarf with the Gemini North telescope.Kilic and collaborators then began, one by one, to rule out possible causes of this objects variability.Eliminating OptionsThe period of the variability is too long for J1529+2928 to be a pulsating white dwarf with luminosity variation caused by gravity-wave pulsations.The variability cant be due to an eclipse by a stellar or brown-dwarf companion, because there isnt any variation in J1529+2928s radial velocity.Its not due to the orbit of a solid-body planetary object; such a transit would be too short to explain observations.It cant be due to the orbit of a disintegrated planet; this wouldnt explain the light curves observed in different filters plus the light curve doesnt change over the 66-day span.Spotty SurfaceTop and middle two panels: light curves from three different nights observing J1529+2928s periodic dimming. Bottom panel: The Fourier transform shows a peak at 37.7 cycles/day (and another, smaller peak at its first harmonic). [Kilic et al. 2015]So what explanation is left? The authors suggest that J1529+2928s variability is likely caused by a starspot on the white dwarfs surface that rotates into and out of our view. Estimates
Shell nuclear explosions in degenerate dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kuznetsov, O. A.; Tutukov, A. V.; Chechetkin, V. M.
Numerical gas dynamics simulations are used to study shell nuclear explosions of degenerate carbon-oxygen dwarfs with masses of 1.17, 1.36, and 1.42 solar masses. It is assumed that the calorific capacity of the burning shell matter is between 5 X 10 to the 17th and 5 X 10 to the 18th erg/g. It is shown that, at a low calorific capacity, a remnant may form if the mass of the shell is less than 90 percent of the mass of the degenerate dwarf. In the case of high calorific capacity, a remnant may form only if the mass of the shell is less than half of the dwarf's mass.
Dwarf Galaxies with Active Massive Black Holes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Reines, Amy E.; Greene, J. E.; Geha, M. C.
Supermassive black holes (BHs) live at the heart of essentially all massive galaxies with bulges, power AGN, and are thought to be important agents in the evolution of their hosts. However, the birth and growth of the first supermassive BH "seeds" is far from understood. While direct observations of these distant BHs in the infant Universe are unobtainable with current capabilities, massive BHs in present-day dwarf galaxies can place valuable constraints on the masses, formation path, and hosts of supermassive BH seeds. Using optical spectroscopy from the SDSS, we have systematically assembled the largest sample of dwarf galaxies hosting active massive BHs to date. These dwarf galaxies have stellar masses comparable to the Magellanic Clouds and contain some of the least-massive supermassive BHs known.
Physically-based Ice Thickness and Surface Roughness Retrievals over Rough Deformed Sea Ice
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Li; Gaiser, Peter; Allard, Richard; Posey, Pamela; Hebert, David; Richter-Menge, Jacqueline; Polashenski, Christopher; Claffey, Keran
The observations of sea ice thickness and ice surface roughness are critical for our understanding of the state of the changing Arctic. Currently, the Radar and/or LiDAR data of sea ice freeboard are used to infer sea ice thickness via isostasy. The underlying assumption is that the LiDAR signal returns at the air/snow interface and radar signal at the snow/ice interface. The elevations of these interfaces are determined based on LiDAR/Radar return waveforms. However, the commonly used threshold-based surface detection techniques are empirical in nature and work well only over level/smooth sea ice. Rough sea ice surfaces can modify the return waveforms, resulting in significant Electromagnetic (EM) bias in the estimated surface elevations, and thus large errors in the ice thickness retrievals. To understand and quantify such sea ice surface roughness effects, a combined EM rough surface and volume scattering model was developed to simulate radar returns from the rough sea ice 'layer cake' structure. A waveform matching technique was also developed to fit observed waveforms to a physically-based waveform model and subsequently correct the roughness induced EM bias in the estimated freeboard. This new EM Bias Corrected (EMBC) algorithm was able to better retrieve surface elevations and estimate the surface roughness parameter simultaneously. Both the ice thickness and surface roughness retrievals are validated using in-situ data. For the surface roughness retrievals, we applied this EMBC algorithm to co-incident LiDAR/Radar measurements collected during a Cryosat-2 under-flight by the NASA IceBridge missions. Results show that not only does the waveform model fit very well to the measured radar waveform, but also the roughness parameters derived independently from the LiDAR and radar data agree very well for both level and deformed sea ice. For sea ice thickness retrievals, validation based on in-situ data from the coordinated CRREL/NRL field campaign demonstrates
Photosynthetic capacity and dry mass partitioning in dwarf and semi-dwarf wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bishop, D. L.; Bugbee, B. G.
Efficient use of space and high yields are critical for long-term food production aboard the International Space Station. The selection of a full dwarf wheat (less than 30 cm tall) with high photosynthetic and yield potential is a necessary prerequisite for growing wheat in the controlled, volume-limited environments available aboard long-term spaceflight missions. This study evaluated the photosynthetic capacity and carbon partitioning of a full-dwarf wheat cultivar, Super Dwarf, which is routinely used in spaceflight studies aboard U.S. space shuttle and NASA/Mir missions and made comparisons with other dwarf and semi-dwarf wheat cultivars utilized in other ground-based studies in plant space biology. Photosynthetic capacity of the flag leaf in two dwarf (Super Dwarf, BB-19), and three semi-dwarf (Veery-10, Yecora Rojo, IBWSN 199) wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) was assessed by measuring: net maximum photosynthetic rate, RuBP carboxylation efficiency, chlorophyll concentration and flag leaf area. Dry mass partitioning of carbohydrates to the leaves, sheaths, stems and ear was also assessed. Plants were grown under controlled environmental conditions in three replicate studies: slightly enriched CO2 (370 micromoles mol-1), high photosynthetic photon flux (1000 micromoles m-2 s-1; 58 mol m-2 d-1) for a 16 h photoperiod, 22/15 degrees C day/night temperatures, ample nutrients and water provided by one-half strength Hoagland's nutrient solution (Hoagland and Arnon, 1950). Photosynthetic capacity of the flag leaf was determined at anthesis using net CO2 exchange rate versus internal CO2 concentration curves measured under saturating light (2000 micromoles m-2 s-1) and CO2 (1000 micromoles mol-1). Dwarf wheat cultivars had greater photosynthetic capacities than the taller semi-dwarfs, they averaged 20% higher maximum net photosynthetic rates compared to the taller semi-dwarfs, but these higher rates occurred only at anthesis, had slightly greater carboxylation
Evolution of Dwarf Spheroidal Satellites in the Common Surface-density Dark Halos
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Okayasu, Yusuke; Chiba, Masashi
We investigate the growth histories of dark matter halos associated with dwarf satellites in Local Group galaxies and the resultant evolution of the baryonic component. Our model is based on the recently proposed property that the mean surface density of a dark halo inside a radius at maximum circular velocity {V}{{\\max }} is universal over a large range of {V}{{\\max }}. Given that a surface density of 20 M ⊙ pc‑2 well explains dwarf satellites in the Milky Way and Andromeda, we find that the evolution of the dark halo in this common surface-density scale is characterized by the rapid increase of the halo mass assembled by the redshift {z}{{TT}} of the tidal truncation by its host halo, at early epochs of {z}{{TT}}≳ 6 or {V}{{\\max }}≲ 22 km s‑1. This mass growth of the halo is slow at lower {z}{{TT}} or larger {V}{{\\max }}. Taking into account the baryon content in this dark halo evolution, under the influence of the ionizing background radiation, we find that the dwarf satellites are divided into roughly two families: those with {V}{{\\max }}≲ 22 km s‑1 having high star formation efficiency and those with larger {V}{{\\max }} having less efficient star formation. This semianalytical model is in agreement with the high-resolution numerical simulation for galaxy formation and with the observed star formation histories for Fornax and Leo II. This suggests that the evolution of a dark halo may play a key role in understanding star formation histories in dwarf satellites.
Hubble Space Telescope observations of the dwarf Nova Z Chamaeleontis through two eruption cycles
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Robinson, E. L.; Wood, Janet H.; Bless, R. C.; Clemens, J. C.; Dolan, J. F.; Elliot, J. L.; Nelson, M. J.; Percival, J. W.; Taylor, M. J.; Van Citters, G. W.
We have obtained the first high-speed photometry of the eclipsing dwarf nova Z Cha at ultraviolet wavelengths with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We observed the eclipse roughly every 4 days over two cycles of the normal eruptions of Z Cha, giving a uniquely complete coverage of its outburst cycle. The accretion disk dominated the ultraviolet light curve of Z Cha at the peak of an eruption; the white dwarf, the bright spot on the edge of the disk, and the boundary layer were all invisible. We were able to obtain an axisymmetric map of the accretion disk at this time only by adopting a flared disk with an opening angle of approximately 8 deg. The run of brightness temperature with radius in the disk at the peak of the eruption was too flat to be consistent with a steady state, optically thick accretion disk. The local rate of mass flow through the disk was approximately 5 x 10(exp -10) solar masses/yr near the center of the disk and approximately 5 x 10(exp -9) solar masses/yr near the outer edge. The white dwarf, the accretion disk, and the boundary layer were all significant contributors to the ultraviolet flux on the descending branches of the eruptions. The temperature of the white dwarf during decline was 18,300 K less than T(sub wd) less than 21,800 K, which is significantly greater than at minimum light. Six days after the maximum of an eruption Z Cha has faded to near minimum light at ultraviolet wavelenghts, but was still approximately 70% brighter at minimum light in the B band. About one-quarter of the excess flux in the B band came from the accretion disk. Thus, the accretion disk faded and became invisible at ultraviolet wavelengths before it faded at optical wavelenghts. The disk did, however, remain optically thick and obscured the lower half of the white dwarf at ultraviolet and possibly at optical wavelenghts for 2 weeks after the eruption ended. By the third week after eruptiuons the eclipse looked like a simple occultation of an unobscured
Discerning Spectral Features in L Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nunez, Alejandro; Cruz, K.; Burgasser, A. J.; Kirkpatrick, J. D.; Reid, I. N.
Brown dwarfs are star-like objects that, due to their very low masses (less than 75 Jupiter masses,) never reach the main sequence, and instead cool with time. This cooling leads to a breakdown of the relationship between temperature and mass that exists for stars. Therefore, brown dwarfs with similar temperatures (as indicated by spectral type) could have very different masses and ages. We are investigating the near-infrared spectra of L dwarfs with the same optically derived spectral types (implying similar effective temperatures) with the goal of distinguishing subtle differences, patterns, and/or correlations among absorption features that could reveal information about their ages and masses. Our sample consists of 43 L0-L8 dwarfs with both optical and near-infrared spectra, thus covering the 0.65 to 2.4-micron range. Our analysis included objects with either "typical" or peculiar spectra. Some of the objects with peculiar spectra are suspected low-gravity/young and blue/low-metallicity dwarfs. For each optical type, we normalized and overplotted the spectra in four bands separately: Optical, J, H, and K band. Each resulting plot was examined by eye to look for subtle differences in spectral absorption features, likely due to age and mass. We present the preliminary results from this detailed spectral analysis. In particular, our analysis reveals the major spectral differences in the near infrared of both "red" and "blue" L dwarfs. This work was funded by the RISE Grant GM R25 6066, and we acknowledge the hospitality of the American Museum of Natural History.
The identification of protein biomarkers distinguishing virus transmission competent and refractive insect populations by coupling genetics with quantitative intact proteomics
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Control of insects that vector pathogens is a massive challenge to human health and agriculture. Yellow dwarf viruses (YDV) cause economically significant disease in cereal crops (barley, wheat, rye, maize) worldwide and are vectored by aphids. The identification of vector proteins mediating virus ...
A new potato virus in a new lineage of picorna-like viruses.
Thompson, J R; Perry, K L; De Jong, W
On constructing a cDNA library for potato, 'contaminating' sequences with a significant identity to Apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) were found. Determination of the remaining genome sequence indicated the presence of a bipartite virus with an RNA1 and 2 of 7034 and 3315 nucleotides, respectively, excluding a poly(A)tail. RNA1 encodes a single polyprotein (233 kDa) and shares highest amino acid identity with ALSV at 65%. Conserved amino acid motifs typical for helicase, protease and RNA-dependent polymerase (RdRp) functions are present. RNA2 encodes a single polyprotein (106 kDa) with amino acid identities to the flat apple isolate of Cherry rasp leaf virus (CRLV-FA) (97%) and ALSV (70%), suggesting this is a potato strain of CRLV (CRLV-pot). Phylogenetic analysis using the RdRp region shows that this virus falls within a group separate from the Comoviridae that includes members of the Sequiviridae and the taxonomically unassigned viruses ALSV, Strawberry mottle virus, Satsuma dwarf virus and Navel orange infectious mottling virus. Other regions of the genome have highest identities with both plant and animal infecting members of the picorna-like virus superfamily. The evolutionary context of CRLV-pot and related viruses is discussed. Similar viral sequences from an EST library of peppermint are also analysed. PMID:15503203
The Boundary Layer-White Dwarf Connection: CV White Dwarf Rotation and Line Formation Regions in the Prototype Dwarf Nova U Geminorum
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sion, Edward
The central accreting object in compact binaries and other accreting systems is usually hidden from direct observation, enshrouded by optically thick accretion disks which are opaque to the radiation emitted by the central object as it accretes matter. In the dwarf nova U Gem the underlying white dwarf accreter is clearly exposed in the far UV during dwarf nova quiescence. By probing the white dwarf with the sensitivity and velocity resolution of GHRS, just after the deposition of mass, energy and angular momentum into its envelope by the dwarf nova outburst event and also later in quiescence, we will obtain fundamental information such as: (1) the first rate of rotation of a CV white dwarf and hence the expected temperature and extent of the boundary layer during the high accretion (dwarf nova outburst) episode; (2) the delineation of the lower temperature line formation regions associated with the rotating, average (30-40,000K), photosphere of the white dwarf from the line formation region(s) of higher temperature ion species (e.g. NV 1238,1242) (boundary layer/accretion belt or putative hot corona?) surrounding the white dwarf; (3) the velocity amplitude and hence mass and gravitational redshift of the U Gem white dwarf; (4) the possible presence of persisting (but weaker in quiescence) radiation- driven selective ion wind (5) line profile variations to test physical mech- anisms that control the flow of accreted elements and hence abundance changes (diffusion, mixing, dilution, dredgeup and ongoing
Ultracool Objects: L, T, and Y Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cushing, Michael C.
The discovery of the first bona fide brown dwarfs in 1995 ushered in a new era in both stellar and planetary astrophysics. The emergent spectra of brown dwarfs are distinct from those of the lowest-mass stars and thus the creation of three new spectral classes, L, T, and Y, were required in order to classify them. In this chapter, I provide a historical review of the creation of these spectral classes and briefly discuss the physical conditions that give rise to the variations in spectral morphology used for classification.
White dwarf stars with chemically stratified atmospheres
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Muchmore, D.
Recent observations and theory suggest that some white dwarfs may have chemically stratified atmospheres - thin layers of hydrogen lying above helium-rich envelopes. Models of such atmospheres show that a discontinuous temperature inversion can occur at the boundary between the layers. Model spectra for layered atmospheres at 30,000 K and 50,000 K tend to have smaller decrements at 912 A, 504 A, and 228 A than uniform atmospheres would have. On the basis of their continuous extreme ultraviolet spectra, it is possible to distinguish observationally between uniform and layered atmospheres for hot white dwarfs.
The dwarf spheroidal galaxy Andromeda I
Mould, J.; Kristian, J. Mount Wilson and Las Campanas Observatories, Pasadena, CA )
Images of Andromeda I in the visual and near-infrared show a giant branch characteristic of galactic globular clusters of intermediate metallicity. The distance of the galaxy is estimated from the tip of the giant branch to be 790 + or - 60 kpc. The physical dimensions and luminosity are similar to those of the dwarf spheroidal in Sculptor. There is no evidence for an intermediate age population in Andromeda I, and appropriate upper limits are specified. There is marginal evidence for a color gradient in the galaxy, a phenomenon not previously noted in a dwarf spheroidal. 21 refs.
Blake, Cullen H.; Charbonneau, David; White, Russel J.
We report the results of an infrared Doppler survey designed to detect brown dwarf and giant planetary companions to a magnitude-limited sample of ultracool dwarfs. Using the NIRSPEC spectrograph on the Keck II telescope, we obtained approximately 600 radial velocity (RV) measurements over a period of six years of a sample of 59 late-M and L dwarfs spanning spectral types M8/L0 to L6. A subsample of 46 of our targets has been observed on three or more epochs. We rely on telluric CH{sub 4} absorption features in Earth's atmosphere as a simultaneous wavelength reference and exploit the rich set of CO absorption features found in the K-band spectra of cool stars and brown dwarfs to measure RVs and projected rotational velocities. For a bright, slowly rotating M dwarf standard we demonstrate an RV precision of 50 m s{sup -1} and for slowly rotating L dwarfs we achieve a typical RV precision of approximately 200 m s{sup -1}. This precision is sufficient for the detection of close-in giant planetary companions to mid-L dwarfs as well as more equal mass spectroscopic binary systems with small separations (a < 2 AU). We present an orbital solution for the subdwarf binary LSR1610 - 0040 as well as an improved solution for the M/T binary 2M0320 - 04. We compare the distribution of our observed values for the projected rotational velocities, Vsin i, to those in the literature and find that our sample contains examples of slowly rotating mid-L dwarfs, which have not been seen in other surveys. We also combine our RV measurements with distance estimates and proper motions from the literature and estimate the dispersion of the space velocities of the objects in our sample. Using a kinematic age estimate, we conclude that our UCDs have an age of 5.0{sup +0.7}{sub -0.6} Gyr, similar to that of nearby sun-like stars. We simulate the efficiency with which we detect spectroscopic binaries and find that the rate of tight (a < 1 AU) binaries in our sample is 2.5{sup +8.6}{sub -1
The empirical white dwarf cooling sequence
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Richer, H.; Goldsbury, R.; Heyl, J.; Bergeron, P.; Dotter, A.; Kalirai, J. S.; MacDonald, J.; Rich, R. M.; Stetson, P. B.; Tremblay, P.-E.; Woodley, K. A.
White dwarf stars cool as they age, hence they can be used as chronometers for various stellar systems. Their value as clocks depends critically on how well we understand the physics of cooling. In this contribution we outline how to derive an empirical cooling sequence and then compare it with a standard white dwarf cooling model. Some differences are noted suggesting that there is still missing physics in the models. A more detailed version of this communication can be found in Goldsbury et al. (2012).
"Missing Mass" Found in Recycled Dwarf Galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Astronomers studying dwarf galaxies formed from the debris of a collision of larger galaxies found the dwarfs much more massive than expected, and think the additional material is "missing mass" that theorists said should not be present in this kind of dwarf galaxy. Multiwavelength Image of NGC 5291 Multiwavelength image of NGC 5291 and dwarf galaxies around it. CREDIT: P-A Duc, CEA-CNRS/NRAO/AUI/NSF/NASA. Click on image for page of more graphics and full information The scientists used the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope to study a galaxy called NGC 5291, 200 million light-years from Earth. This galaxy collided with another 360 million years ago, and the collision shot streams of gas and stars outward. Later, the dwarf galaxies formed from the ejected debris. "Our detailed studies of three 'recycled' dwarf galaxies in this system showed that the dwarfs have twice as much unseen matter as visible matter. This was surprising, because they were expected to have very little unseen matter," said Frederic Bournaud, of the French astrophysics laboratory AIM of the French CEA and CNRS. Bournaud and his colleagues announced their discovery in the May 10 online issue of the journal Science. "Dark matter," which astronomers can detect only by its gravitational effects, comes, they believe, in two basic forms. One form is the familiar kind of matter seen in stars, planets, and humans -- called baryonic matter -- that does not emit much light or other type of radiation. The other form, called non-baryonic dark matter, comprises nearly a third of the Universe but its nature is unknown. The visible portion of spiral galaxies, like our own Milky Way, lies mostly in a flattened disk, usually with a bulge in the center. This visible portion, however, is surrounded by a much larger halo of dark matter. When spiral galaxies collide, the material expelled outward by the interaction comes from the galaxies' disks. For this reason, astronomers did
Metal Lines in DA White Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zuckerman, B.; Koester, D.; Reid, I. N.; Hünsch, M.
We report Keck telescope HIRES echelle observations of DA white dwarfs in a continuation of an extensive search for metals. These spectra are supplemented with new JHK magnitudes that are used to determine improved atmospheric parameters. Of the DA white dwarfs not in binary or common proper motion systems, about 25% show Ca II lines. For these, Ca abundances are determined from comparison with theoretical equivalent widths from model atmosphere calculations; in a few cases we also obtain Mg, Fe, Si, and Al abundances. If Ca is not observed, we generally determine very stringent upper limits. We compare the data to predictions of previously published models involving the accretion/diffusion of interstellar matter and of comets. The derived abundances are not obviously compatible with the predictions of either model, which up to now could only be tested with traces of metals in helium-rich white dwarfs. By modifying certain assumptions in the published interstellar accretion model we are able to match the distribution of the elements in the white dwarf atmospheres, but, even so, tests of other expectations from this scenario are less successful. Because comet accretion appears unlikely to be the primary cause of the DAZ phenomenon, the data suggest that no more than about 20% of F-type main-sequence stars are accompanied by Oort-like comet clouds. This represents the first observational estimate of this fraction. A plausible alternative to the accretion of cometary or interstellar matter is disruption and accretion of asteroidal material, a model first suggested in 1990 to explain excess near-infrared emission from the DAZ G29-38. An asteroidal debris model to account for the general DAZ phenomenon does not presently disagree with the HIRES data, but neither is there any compelling evidence in support of such a model. The HIRES data indicate that in close red dwarf/white dwarf binaries not known to be cataclysmic variables there is, nonetheless, significant mass
Combinatorial Block Copolymer Ordering on Tunable Rough
Kulkarni M. M.; Yager K.; Sharma, A.; Karim, A.
Morphology control of block copolymer (BCP) thin films through substrate interaction via controlled roughness parameters is of significant interest for numerous high-tech applications ranging from solar cells to high-density storage media. While effects of substrate surface energy (SE) and roughness (R) on BCP morphology have been individually investigated, their synergistic effects have not been explored in any systematic manner. Interestingly, orientation response of BCP to changes in SE can be similar to what can be accomplished with variations in R. Here we present a novel approach for orienting lamellar BCP films of poly(styrene)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-PMMA) on spin-coated xerogel (a dried gel of silica nanoparticle network) substrate with simultaneously tunable surface energy, {gamma}{sub s} {approx} 29-53 mJ/m{sup 2}, by UVO exposure and roughness, R{sub rms} {approx} 0.5-30 nm, by sol-gel processing steps of regulating the catalyst concentration and sol aging time. As in previous BCP orientation studies on 20 nm diameter monodisperse silica nanoparticle coated surface, we find a similar but broadened oscillatory BCP orientation behavior with film thickness due to the random rather than periodic rough surfaces. We also find that higher random roughness amplitude is not the necessary criteria for obtaining a vertical orientation of BCP lamellae. Rather, a high surface fractal dimension (D{sub f} > 2.4) of the rough substrate in conjunction with an optimal substrate surface energy {gamma}{sub s} 29 mJ/m{sup 2} results in 100% vertically oriented lamellar microdomains. The AFM measured film surface microstructure correlates well with the internal 3D BCP film structure probed by grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and rotational small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). In contrast to tunable self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-coated substrates, the xerogel films are very durable and retain their chemical properties over period of
Evolution of dwarf galaxies simulated in the cosmological LCDM scenario
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gonzalez, Alejandro; Colin, Pedro; Avila-Reese, Vladimir; Rodriguez-Puebla, Aldo; Valenzuela, Octavio
We present results from numerical simulations of low-mass galaxies with the aim to explore the way their stellar masses are assembled. We analyze how the mass assembly histories of the parent halo determine the growth of their host galaxy and its implications on the current paradigm of formation and evolution of low-mass structures in the LCDM scenario. We have found that low-mass galaxies simulated in this scenario assemble their stellar masses following roughly the dark matter halo assembly, which seems to be in tension with the downsizing trend suggested by current observational inferences. We show that there is no more room to increase the strength of feedback from astrophysical processes in order to deviate strongly the stellar mass assembly from the dark halo one, as has been recently invoked to solve some of the potential issues faced by CDM-based simulations of dwarf galaxies. Alejandro González acknowledges finacial support from UNAM, Fundacion UNAM, and the APS to attend this meeting.
White dwarf evolution - Cradle-to-grave constraints via pulsation
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kawaler, Steven D.
White dwarf evolution, particularly in the early phases, is not very strongly constrained by observation. Fortunately, white dwarfs undergo nonradial pulsation in three distinct regions of the H-R diagram. These pulsations provide accurate masses, surface compositional structure and rotation velocities, and help constrain other important physical properties. We demonstrate the application of the tools of stellar seismology to white dwarf evolution using the hot white dwarf star PG 1159-035 and the cool DAV (or ZZ Ceti) stars as examples. From pulsation studies, significant challenges to the theory of white dwarf evolution emerge.
Chemical substructure and inhomogeneous mixing in Local Group dwarf galaxies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Venn, K. A.
Evidence for inhomogeneous mixing in the Carina, Draco, and Sculptor dwarf galaxies is examined from chemical abundance patterns. Inhomogeneous mixing at early times is indicated in the classical dwarf galaxies, though cannot be ascertained in ultra faint dwarfs. Mixing efficiencies can affect the early metallicity distribution function, the pre-enrichment levels in globular clusters, and also have an impact on the structure of dwarf systems at early times. Numerical models that include chemical evolution explicitly do a better job in reproducing the observations, and make interesting predictions for the nature of dwarf galaxies and their first stars at the earliest times.
Viruses occurring in onion crop in amasya province, the major onion producing region in Turkey.
Sevik, Mehmet Ali; Akcura, Cemile
Amasya is the greatest onion producing area in Turkey. Onion fields from Amasya region were surveyed for virus diseases in 2009-2011 and tested for the presence of the most important onion viruses such as Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV), Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV), Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV), Shallot latent virus (SLV) and Garlic common latent virus (GCLV). The presence of virus diseases and their identification was ascertained through symptom observation in the fields, sap transmission to hosts, and DAS-ELISA. Based on the ELSA results, 57 out of 332 samples (17.16 %) were infected with viruses. The results showed that the highest infection was caused by OYDV (12.33 %) followed by LYSV (3.60 %). Only 1.19 % of the samples were infected with SLV, but none of the samples were found to be infected for GCLV and IYSV. PMID:24426263
Fresnel diffraction of aperture with rough edge
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cui, Yuwei; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Junhong; Zhang, Meina; Teng, Shuyun
The Fresnel diffraction of an aperture with a rough edge is studied in this paper. Circular and elliptical apertures with sinusoidal and random edges are chosen as examples to investigate the influence of the aperture edge on the diffraction. The numerical calculation results indicate intuitively the variations of the transverse and longitude diffraction intensity distributions with the edge parameters of the aperture. The data files of aperture models are obtained through the numerical calculations, and the aperture samples are obtained with the help of a liquid crystal light modulator (LCLM). Thus, the practical experiments of the diffractions of apertures with rough edges are carried out. The measured results are consistent with the calculated ones. The approximate analytic expressions of the diffraction by the modified aperture are deduced on the basis of the Fresnel diffraction theory and the statistic optics, and the reasonable explanations for the influence of edge parameters on the diffraction are given through the theoretical analysis.
Simulating photomask edge roughness and corner rounding
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Adam, Konstantinos; Socha, Robert J.; Pistor, Thomas V.; Neureuther, Andrew R.
Corner rounding and edge roughness of a rectangular opening at a glass-chrome mask are simulated with TEMPEST. The intensity patterns on the image plane are extracted and compared for these defects at several degrees of fabrication-induced imperfection. A 4X - DUV lithography printing system is assumed with NA equals 0.6 and (sigma) equals 0.5. The prototypical geometry simulate was a 4 micrometers X 1 micrometers line on the mask. The results indicate that the rounding of the corners does not decrease the printed area by more than 2 percent for a 0.4 micrometers radius corner rounding and that roughness should not be a concern, at least in DUV, since it does not crucially affect the linewidth of the printed area.
Surface Roughness Reduction on Divinylbenzene Foam Shells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Streit, Jon; Karnes, John; Motta, Brian; Petta, Nicole
Inertial fusion energy targets for the Naval Research Laboratory's High Average Power Laser Program require millimeter-scale, low density foam capsules with a gas permeation barrier and an outer surface roughness less than 50 nm RMS. Divinylbenzene (DVB) foam is a candidate for the capsule wall material, but its porous, open celled surface has been both too rough and difficult to seal. To overcome this difficulty we have repurposed a previously reported dual stage initiator emulsion microencapsulation method, adding an additional step that enhances the surface of the foam capsules. Using both low and high temperature initiators allows the DVB foam to gel in the low temperature stage and a water soluble monomer to be added and polymerized during the high temperature stage without breaking down the emulsion. This method forms a submicron skin that covers the open celled DVB foam surface, resulting in a superior substrate for gas permeation barrier deposition.
Boltzmann active walkers and rough surfaces
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pochy, R. D.; Kayser, D. R.; Aberle, L. K.; Lam, L.
An active walker model (AWM) was recently proposed by Freimuth and Lam for the generation of various filamentary patterns. In an AWM, the walker changes the landscape as it walks, and its steps are in turn influenced by the changing landscape. The landscape so obtained is a rough surface. In this paper, the properties of such a rough surface (with average height conserved) generated by a Boltzmann active walker in 1 + 1 dimensions is investigated in detail. The scaling properties of the surface thickness σ T is found to belong to a new class quite different from other types of fractal surfaces. For example, σ T is independent of the system size L, but is a function of the "temperature" T. Soliton propagation is found when T = 0.
Replicated mask surface roughness effects on EUV lithographic patterning and line edge roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
George, Simi A.; Naulleau, Patrick P.; Gullikson, Eric M.; Mochi, Iacopo; Salmassi, Farhad; Goldberg, Kenneth A.; Anderson, Erik H.
To quantify the roughness contributions to speckle, a programmed roughness substrate was fabricated with a number of areas having different roughness magnitudes. The substrate was then multilayer coated. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) surface maps were collected before and after multilayer deposition. At-wavelength reflectance and total integrated scattering measurements were also completed. Angle resolved scattering based power spectral densities are directly compared to the AFM based power spectra. We show that AFM overpredicts the roughness in the picometer measurements range. The mask was then imaged at-wavelength for the direct characterization of the aerial image speckle using the SEMATECH Berkeley Actinic Inspection Tool (AIT). Modeling was used to test the effectiveness of the different metrologies in predicting the measured aerial-image speckle. AIT measured contrast values are 25% or more than the calculated image contrast values obtained using the measured rms roughness input. The extent to which the various metrologies can be utilized for specifying tolerable roughness limits on EUV masks is still to be determined. Further modeling and measurements are being planned.
Replicated mask surface roughness effects on EUV lithographic pattering and line edge roughness
George, Simi A.; Naulleau, Patrick P.; Gullikson, Eric M.; Mochi, Iacopo; Salmassi, Farhad; Goldberg, Kenneth A.; Anderson, Erik H.
To quantify the roughness contributions to speckle, a programmed roughness substrate was fabricated with a number of areas having different roughness magnitudes. The substrate was then multilayer coated. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) surface maps were collected before and after multilayer deposition. At-wavelength reflectance and total integrated scattering measurements were also completed. Angle resolved scattering based power spectral densities are directly compared to the AFM based power spectra. We show that AFM overpredicts the roughness in the picometer measurements range. The mask was then imaged at-wavelength for the direct characterization of the aerial image speckle using the SEMATECH Berkeley Actinic Inspection Tool (AIT). Modeling was used to test the effectiveness of the different metrologies in predicting the measured aerial-image speckle. AIT measured contrast values are 25% or more than the calculated image contrast values obtained using the measured rms roughness input. The extent to which the various metrologies can be utilized for specifying tolerable roughness limits on EUV masks is still to be determined. Further modeling and measurements are being planned.
Recovery of ribophorins and ribosomes in "inverted rough" vesicles derived from rat liver rough microsomes
Treatment of rat liver rough microsomes (3.5 mg of protein/ml) with sublytical concentrations (0.08%) of the neutral detergent Triton X-100 caused a lateral displacement of bound ribosomes and the formation of ribosomal aggregates on the microsomal surface. At slightly higher detergent concentrations (0.12-0.16%) membrane areas bearing ribosomal aggregates invaginated into the microsomal lumen and separated from the rest of the membrane. Two distinct classes of vesicles could be isolated by density gradient centrifugation from microsomes treated with 0.16% Triton X-100: one with ribosomes bound to the inner membrane surfaces ("inverted rough" vesicles) and another with no ribosomes attached to the membranes. Analysis of the fractions showed that approximately 30% of the phospholipids and 20-30% of the total membrane protein were released from the membranes by this treatment. Labeling with avidin-ferritin conjugates demonstrated that concanavalin A binding sites, which in native rough microsomes are found in the luminal face of the membranes, were present on the outer surface of the inverted rough vesicles. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed that both fracture faces had similar concentrations of intramembrane particles. SDS PAGE analysis of the two vesicle subfractions demonstrated that, of all the integral microsomal membrane proteins, only ribophorins I and II were found exclusively in the inverted rough vesicles bearing ribosomes. These observations are consistent with the proposal that ribophorins are associated with the ribosomal binding sites characteristic of rough microsomal membranes. PMID:7068749
Rough primes and rough conversations: evidence for a modality-specific basis to mental metaphors
Denke, Claudia; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Rotte, Michael
How does our brain organize knowledge? Traditional theories assume that our knowledge is represented abstractly in an amodal conceptual network of formal logic symbols. The theory of embodied cognition challenges this view and argues that conceptual representations that constitute our knowledge are grounded in sensory and motor experiences. We tested this hypothesis by examining how the concept of social coordination is grounded metaphorically in the tactile sensation of roughness. Participants experienced rough or smooth touch before being asked to judge an ambiguous social interaction. Results revealed that rough touch made social interactions appear more difficult and adversarial, consistent with the rough metaphor. This impact of tactile cues on social impressions was accompanied by a network including primary and secondary somatosensory cortices, amygdala, hippocampus and inferior prefrontal cortex. Thus, the roughness of tactile stimulation affected metaphor-relevant (but not metaphor-irrelevant) behavioral and neural responses. Receiving touch from a rough object seems to trigger the application of associated ontological concepts (or scaffolds) even for unrelated people and situations (but not to unrelated or more general feelings). Since this priming was based on somatosensory brain areas, our results provide support for the theory that sensorimotor grounding is intrinsic to cognitive processes. PMID:24097375
Mimas - Photometric roughness and albedo map
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Verbiscer, Anne J.; Veverka, Joseph
The backscattering phase function asssociated with bright icy satellites may render Hapke's (1986) isotropic approximation to multiple scattering inadequate. A reanalysis is accordingly conducted here of the Voyager observations of Mimas, using a modification to Hapke's equation that accommodates anisotropic multiple scattering, in order to characterize the physical and photometric properties of the heavily cratered icy surface. The roughness parameter of Mimas is in this way redefined, and an accurate albedo map is obtained which deminstrates small latitudinal and longitudinal albedo variations.
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Testing for human pathogenic viruses in foods represents a formidable task requiring the extraction, concentration, and assay of a host of viruses from a wide range of food matrices. The enteric viruses, particularly genogroup I and II (GI and GII) noroviruses and hepatitis A virus, are the princip...
The Brown Dwarf Kinematics Project (BDKP). III. Parallaxes for 70 Ultracool Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Walter, Frederick M.; Van der Bliek, Nicole; Shara, Michael M.; Cruz, Kelle L.; West, Andrew A.; Vrba, Frederick J.; Anglada-Escudé, Guillem
We report parallax measurements for 70 ultracool dwarfs (UCDs) including 11 late-M, 32 L, and 27 T dwarfs. In this sample, 14 M and L dwarfs exhibit low surface gravity features, 6 are close binary systems, and 2 are metal-poor subdwarfs. We combined our new measurements with 114 previously published UCD parallaxes and optical-mid-IR photometry to examine trends in spectral-type/absolute magnitude, and color-color diagrams. We report new polynomial relations between spectral type and MJHK . Including resolved L/T transition binaries in the relations, we find no reason to differentiate between a "bright" (unresolved binary) and a "faint" (single source) sample across the L/T boundary. Isolating early T dwarfs, we find that the brightening of T0-T4 sources is prominent in MJ where there is a [1.2-1.4] mag difference. A similar yet dampened brightening of [0.3-0.5] mag happens at MH and a plateau or dimming of [-0.2 to -0.3] mag is seen in MK . Comparison with evolutionary models that vary gravity, metallicity, and cloud thickness verifies that for L into T dwarfs, decreasing cloud thickness reproduces brown dwarf near-IR color-magnitude diagrams. However we find that a near constant temperature of 1200 ±100 K along a narrow spectral subtype of T0-T4 is required to account for the brightening and color-magnitude diagram of the L-dwarf/T-dwarf transition. There is a significant population of both L and T dwarfs which are red or potentially "ultra-cloudy" compared to the models, many of which are known to be young indicating a correlation between enhanced photospheric dust and youth. For the low surface gravity or young companion L dwarfs we find that 8 out of 10 are at least [0.2-1.0] mag underluminous in MJH and/or MK compared to equivalent spectral type objects. We speculate that this is a consequence of increased dust opacity and conclude that low surface gravity L dwarfs require a completely new spectral-type/absolute magnitude polynomial for analysis.
Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Shara, Michael M.; Cruz, Kelle L.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Walter, Frederick M.; Van der Bliek, Nicole; Vrba, Frederick J.; Anglada-Escude, Guillem
We report parallax measurements for 70 ultracool dwarfs (UCDs) including 11 late-M, 32 L, and 27 T dwarfs. In this sample, 14 M and L dwarfs exhibit low surface gravity features, 6 are close binary systems, and 2 are metal-poor subdwarfs. We combined our new measurements with 114 previously published UCD parallaxes and optical-mid-IR photometry to examine trends in spectral-type/absolute magnitude, and color-color diagrams. We report new polynomial relations between spectral type and M{sub JHK}. Including resolved L/T transition binaries in the relations, we find no reason to differentiate between a 'bright' (unresolved binary) and a 'faint' (single source) sample across the L/T boundary. Isolating early T dwarfs, we find that the brightening of T0-T4 sources is prominent in M{sub J} where there is a [1.2-1.4] mag difference. A similar yet dampened brightening of [0.3-0.5] mag happens at M{sub H} and a plateau or dimming of [-0.2 to -0.3] mag is seen in M{sub K} . Comparison with evolutionary models that vary gravity, metallicity, and cloud thickness verifies that for L into T dwarfs, decreasing cloud thickness reproduces brown dwarf near-IR color-magnitude diagrams. However we find that a near constant temperature of 1200 {+-}100 K along a narrow spectral subtype of T0-T4 is required to account for the brightening and color-magnitude diagram of the L-dwarf/T-dwarf transition. There is a significant population of both L and T dwarfs which are red or potentially 'ultra-cloudy' compared to the models, many of which are known to be young indicating a correlation between enhanced photospheric dust and youth. For the low surface gravity or young companion L dwarfs we find that 8 out of 10 are at least [0.2-1.0] mag underluminous in M{sub JH} and/or M{sub K} compared to equivalent spectral type objects. We speculate that this is a consequence of increased dust opacity and conclude that low surface gravity L dwarfs require a completely new spectral-type/absolute magnitude
Radiative transfer model for contaminated rough slabs.
Andrieu, François; Douté, Sylvain; Schmidt, Frédéric; Schmitt, Bernard
We present a semi-analytical model to simulate the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of a rough slab layer containing impurities. This model has been optimized for fast computation in order to analyze massive hyperspectral data by a Bayesian approach. We designed it for planetary surface ice studies but it could be used for other purposes. It estimates the bidirectional reflectance of a rough slab of material containing inclusions, overlaying an optically thick media (semi-infinite media or stratified media, for instance granular material). The inclusions are assumed to be close to spherical and constituted of any type of material other than the ice matrix. It can be any other type of ice, mineral, or even bubbles defined by their optical constants. We assume a low roughness and we consider the geometrical optics conditions. This model is thus applicable for inclusions larger than the considered wavelength. The scattering on the inclusions is assumed to be isotropic. This model has a fast computation implementation and thus is suitable for high-resolution hyperspectral data analysis. PMID:26560577
Wenzel Wetting on Slippery Rough Surfaces
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stogin, Birgitt; Dai, Xianming; Wong, Tak-Sing
Liquid repellency is an important surface property used in a wide range of applications including self-cleaning, anti-icing, anti-biofouling, and condensation heat transfer, and is characterized by apparent contact angle (θ*) and contact angle hysteresis (Δθ*). The Wenzel equation (1936) predicts θ* of liquids in the Wenzel state, and is one of the most fundamental equations in the wetting field. However, droplets in the Wenzel state on conventional rough surfaces exhibit large Δθ* , making it difficult to experimentally verify the model with precision. As a result, precise verification of the Wenzel wetting model has remained an open scientific question for the past 79 years. Here we introduce a new class of liquid-infused surfaces called slippery rough surfaces -- surfaces with significantly reduced Δθ* compared to conventional rough surfaces--and use them to experimentally assess the Wenzel equation with the highest precision to date. We acknowledge the funding support by National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award #: 1351462 and Office of Navy Research MURI Award #: N00014-12-1-0875. Stogin acknowledges the support from the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (Grant No. DGE1255832).
Hypersonic Viscous Flow Over Large Roughness Elements
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chang, Chau-Lyan; Choudhari, Meelan M.
Viscous flow over discrete or distributed surface roughness has great implications for hypersonic flight due to aerothermodynamic considerations related to laminar-turbulent transition. Current prediction capability is greatly hampered by the limited knowledge base for such flows. To help fill that gap, numerical computations are used to investigate the intricate flow physics involved. An unstructured mesh, compressible Navier-Stokes code based on the space-time conservation element, solution element (CESE) method is used to perform time-accurate Navier-Stokes calculations for two roughness shapes investigated in wind tunnel experiments at NASA Langley Research Center. It was found through 2D parametric study that at subcritical Reynolds numbers of the boundary layers, absolute instability resulting in vortex shedding downstream, is likely to weaken at supersonic free-stream conditions. On the other hand, convective instability may be the dominant mechanism for supersonic boundary layers. Three-dimensional calculations for a rectangular or cylindrical roughness element at post-shock Mach numbers of 4.1 and 6.5 also confirm that no self-sustained vortex generation is present.
Soil Surface Roughness through Image Analysis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tarquis, A. M.; Saa-Requejo, A.; Valencia, J. L.; Moratiel, R.; Paz-Gonzalez, A.; Agro-Environmental Modeling
Soil erosion is a complex phenomenon involving the detachment and transport of soil particles, storage and runoff of rainwater, and infiltration. The relative magnitude and importance of these processes depends on several factors being one of them surface micro-topography, usually quantified trough soil surface roughness (SSR). SSR greatly affects surface sealing and runoff generation, yet little information is available about the effect of roughness on the spatial distribution of runoff and on flow concentration. The methods commonly used to measure SSR involve measuring point elevation using a pin roughness meter or laser, both of which are labor intensive and expensive. Lately a simple and inexpensive technique based on percentage of shadow in soil surface image has been developed to determine SSR in the field in order to obtain measurement for wide spread application. One of the first steps in this technique is image de-noising and thresholding to estimate the percentage of black pixels in the studied area. In this work, a series of soil surface images have been analyzed applying several de-noising wavelet analysis and thresholding algorithms to study the variation in percentage of shadows and the shadows size distribution. Funding provided by Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) through project no. AGL2010- 21501/AGR and by Xunta de Galicia through project no INCITE08PXIB1621 are greatly appreciated.
Modeling superhydrophobic surfaces comprised of random roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Samaha, M. A.; Vahedi Tafreshi, H.; Gad-El-Hak, M.
We model the performance of superhydrophobic surfaces comprised of randomly distributed roughness that resembles natural surfaces, or those produced via random deposition of hydrophobic particles. Such a fabrication method is far less expensive than ordered-microstructured fabrication. The present numerical simulations are aimed at improving our understanding of the drag reduction effect and the stability of the air-water interface in terms of the microstructure parameters. For comparison and validation, we have also simulated the flow over superhydrophobic surfaces made up of aligned or staggered microposts for channel flows as well as streamwise or spanwise ridge configurations for pipe flows. The present results are compared with other theoretical and experimental studies. The numerical simulations indicate that the random distribution of surface roughness has a favorable effect on drag reduction, as long as the gas fraction is kept the same. The stability of the meniscus, however, is strongly influenced by the average spacing between the roughness peaks, which needs to be carefully examined before a surface can be recommended for fabrication. Financial support from DARPA, contract number W91CRB-10-1-0003, is acknowledged.
Flow over a Biomimetic Surface Roughness Microgeometry
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Warncke Lang, Amy; Hidalgo, Pablo; Westcott, Matthew
Certain species of sharks (e.g. shortfin mako and common hammerhead) have a skin structure that could result in a bristling of their denticles (scales) during increased swimming speeds (Bechert, D. W., Bruse, M., Hage, W. and Meyer, R. 2000, Fluid mechanics of biological surfaces and their technological application. Naturwissenschaften 80:157-171). This unique surface geometry results in a three-dimensional array of cavities* (d-type roughness geometry) forming within the surface and has been given the acronym MAKO (Micro-roughness Array for Kinematic Optimization). Possible mechanisms leading to drag reduction over the shark's body by this unique roughness geometry include separation control thereby reducing pressure drag, skin friction reduction (via the `micro-air bearing' effect first proposed by Bushnell (AIAA 83-0227)), as well as possible transition delay in the boundary layer. Initial work is confined to scaling up the geometry from 0.2 mm on the shark skin to 2 cm, with a scaling down in characteristic velocity from 10 - 20 m/s to 10 - 20 cm/s for laminar flow boundary layer water tunnel studies. Support for this research by NSF SGER grant CTS-0630489 and a University of Alabama RAC grant is gratefully acknowledged. * Patent pending.
Kazantzidis, Stelios; Lokas, Ewa L.; Mayer, Lucio
According to the tidal stirring model, late type, rotationally supported dwarfs resembling present day dwarf irregular (dIrr) galaxies can transform into dwarf spheroidals (dSphs) via interactions with Milky-Way-sized hosts. We perform collisionless N-body simulations to investigate for the first time how tidal stirring depends on the dark matter (DM) density distribution in the central stellar region of the progenitor disky dwarf. Specifically, we explore various asymptotic inner slopes {gamma} of the dwarf DM density profiles ({rho}{proportional_to}r {sup -{gamma}}). For a given orbit inside the primary galaxy, rotationally supported dwarfs embedded in DM halos with core-like distributions ({gamma} = 0.2) and mild density cusps ({gamma} = 0.6) demonstrate a substantially enhanced likelihood and efficiency of transformation into dSphs compared to their counterparts with steeper DM density profiles ({gamma} = 1). Such shallow DM distributions are akin to those of observed dIrrs highlighting tidal stirring as a plausible model for the Local Group (LG) morphology-density relation. When {gamma} < 1, a single pericentric passage can induce dSph formation and disky dwarfs on low-eccentricity or large-pericenter orbits are able to transform; these new results allow tidal stirring to explain virtually all known dSphs across a wide range of distances from their hosts. A subset of disky dwarfs initially embedded in DM halos with shallow density profiles are eventually disrupted by the primary; those that survive as dSphs are generally on orbits with lower eccentricities and/or larger pericenters compared to those of typical cold dark matter satellites. The latter could explain the peculiar orbits of several LG dSphs such as Fornax, Leo I, Tucana, and Cetus.
Ludwig, Johannes; Pasquali, Anna; Grebel, Eva K.; Gallagher, John S. III
The Giant GAlaxies, Dwarfs, and Debris Survey (GGADDS) concentrates on the nearby universe to study how galaxies have interacted in groups of different morphology, density, and richness. In these groups, we select the dominant spiral galaxy and search its surroundings for dwarf galaxies and tidal interactions. This paper presents the first results from deep wide-field imaging of NGC 7331, where we detect only four low-luminosity candidate dwarf companions and a stellar stream that may be evidence of a past tidal interaction. The dwarf galaxy candidates have surface brightnesses of {mu}{sub r} Almost-Equal-To 23-25 mag arcsec{sup -2} with (g - r){sub 0} colors of 0.57-0.75 mag in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey filter system, consistent with their being dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies. A faint stellar stream structure on the western edge of NGC 7331 has {mu}{sub g} Almost-Equal-To 27 mag arcsec{sup -2} and a relatively blue color of (g - r){sub 0} = 0.15 mag. If it is tidal debris, then this stream could have formed from a rare type of interaction between NGC 7331 and a dwarf irregular or transition-type dwarf galaxy. We compare the structure and local environments of NGC 7331 to those of other nearby giant spirals in small galaxy groups. NGC 7331 has a much lower ({approx}2%) stellar mass in the form of early-type satellites than found for M31 and lacks the presence of nearby companions like luminous dwarf elliptical galaxies or the Magellanic Clouds. However, our detection of a few dSph candidates suggests that it is not deficient in low-luminosity satellites.
Local Volume TiNy Titans: gaseous dwarf-dwarf interactions in the Local Universe
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pearson, Sarah; Besla, Gurtina; Putman, Mary E.; Lutz, Katharina A.; Fernández, Ximena; Stierwalt, Sabrina; Patton, David R.; Kim, Jinhyub; Kallivayalil, Nitya; Johnson, Kelsey; Sung, Eon-Chang
In this paper, we introduce the Local Volume TiNy Titans sample (LV-TNT), which is a part of a larger body of work on interacting dwarf galaxies: TNT . This LV-TNT sample consists of 10 dwarf galaxy pairs in the Local Universe (<30 Mpc from Milky Way), which span mass ratios of M*, 1/M*, 2 < 20, projected separations <100 kpc, and pair member masses of log(M*/M⊙) < 9.9. All 10 LV-TNT pairs have resolved synthesis maps of their neutral hydrogen, are located in a range of environments and captured at various interaction stages. This enables us to do a comparative study of the diffuse gas in dwarf-dwarf interactions and disentangle the gas lost due to interactions with haloes of massive galaxies, from the gas lost due to mutual interaction between the dwarfs. We find that the neutral gas is extended in the interacting pairs when compared to non-paired analogues, indicating that gas is tidally pre-processed. Additionally, we find that the environment can shape the H I distributions in the form of trailing tails and that the gas is not unbound and lost to the surroundings unless the dwarf pair is residing near a massive galaxy. We conclude that a nearby, massive host galaxy is what ultimately prevents the gas from being re-accreted. Dwarf-dwarf interactions thus represent an important part of the baryon cycle of low-mass galaxies, enabling the `parking' of gas at large distances to serve as a continual gas supply channel until accretion by a more massive host.
Marsh, T. R.; Gaensicke, B. T.; Steeghs, D.; Southworth, J.; Koester, D.; Harris, V.; Merry, L.
SDSSJ125733.63+542850.5 (hereafter SDSSJ1257+5428) is a compact white dwarf binary from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that exhibits high-amplitude radial velocity variations on a period of 4.56 hr. While an initial analysis suggested the presence of a neutron star or black hole binary companion, a follow-up study concluded that the spectrum was better understood as a combination of two white dwarfs. Here we present optical spectroscopy and ultraviolet fluxes which directly reveal the presence of the second white dwarf in the system. SDSSJ1257+5428's spectrum is a composite, dominated by the narrow-lined spectrum from a cool, low-gravity white dwarf (T{sub eff} {approx_equal} 6300 K, log g = 5-6.6) with broad wings from a hotter, high-mass white dwarf companion (11, 000-14, 000 K; {approx}1 M{sub sun}). The high-mass white dwarf has unusual line profiles which lack the narrow central core to H{alpha} that is usually seen in white dwarfs. This is consistent with rapid rotation with vsin i = 500-1750 km s{sup -1}, although other broadening mechanisms such as magnetic fields, pulsations, or a helium-rich atmosphere could also be contributory factors. The cool component is a puzzle since no evolutionary model matches its combination of low gravity and temperature. Within the constraints set by our data, SDSSJ1257+5428 could have a total mass greater than the Chandrasekhar limit and thus be a potential Type Ia supernova progenitor. However, SDSSJ1257+5428's unusually low-mass ratio q {approx} 0.2 suggests that it is more likely that it will evolve into an accreting double white dwarf (AM CVn star).
Interaction between the IGM and a dwarf galaxy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lora, V.; Raga, A. C.; Grebel, E. K.
Dwarf Galaxies are the most common objects in the Universe and are believed to contain large amounts of dark matter. There are mainly three morphologic types of dwarf galaxies: dwarf ellipticals, dwarf spheroidals and dwarf irregulars. Dwarf irregular galaxies are particularly interesting in dwarf galaxy evolution, since dwarf spheroidal predecessors could have been very similar to them. Therefore, a mechanism linked to gas-loss in dwarf irregulars should be observed, i.e. ram pressure stripping. In this paper, we study the interaction between the ISM of a dwarf galaxy and a flowing IGM. We derive the weak-shock, plasmon solution corresponding to the balance between the post-bow shock pressure and the pressure of the stratified ISM (which we assume follows the fixed stratification of a gravitationally dominant dark matter halo). We compare our model with previously published numerical simulations and with the observed shape of the HI cloud around the Ho II and Pegasus dwarf irregular galaxies. We show that such a comparison provides a straightforward way for estimating the Mach number of the impinging flow.
A wide binary trigger for white dwarf pollution
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bonsor, Amy; Veras, Dimitri
Metal pollution in white dwarf atmospheres is commonly assumed to be a signature of remnant planetary systems. Most explanations for this pollution predict a sharp decrease in the number of polluted systems with white dwarf cooling age. Observations do not confirm this trend, and metal pollution in old (1-5 Gyr) white dwarfs is difficult to explain. We propose an alternative, time-independent mechanism to produce the white dwarf pollution. The orbit of a wide binary companion can be perturbed by Galactic tides, approaching close to the primary star for the first time after billions of years of evolution on the white dwarf branch. We show that such a close approach perturbs a planetary system orbiting the white dwarf, scattering planetesimals on to star-grazing orbits, in a manner that could pollute the white dwarf's atmosphere. Our estimates find that this mechanism is likely to contribute to metal pollution, alongside other mechanisms, in up to a few per cent of an observed sample of white dwarfs with wide binary companions, independent of white dwarf age. This age independence is the key difference between this wide binary mechanism and others mechanisms suggested in the literature to explain white dwarf pollution. Current observational samples are not large enough to assess whether this mechanism makes a significant contribution to the population of polluted white dwarfs, for which better constraints on the wide binary population are required, such as those that will be obtained in the near future with Gaia.
Summers, William C
In the nineteenth century, "virus" commonly meant an agent (usually unknown) that caused disease in inoculation experiments. By the 1890s, however, some disease-causing agents were found to pass through filters that retained the common bacteria. Such an agent was called "filterable virus," the best known being the virus that caused tobacco mosaic disease. By the 1920s there were many examples of filterable viruses, but no clear understanding of their nature. However, by the 1930s, the term "filterable virus" was being abandoned in favor of simply "virus," meaning an agent other than bacteria. Visualization of viruses by the electron microscope in the late 1930s finally settled their particulate nature. This article describes the ever-changing concept of "virus" and how virologists talked about viruses. These changes reflected their invention and reinvention of the concept of a virus as it was revised in light of new knowledge, new scientific values and interests, and new hegemonic technologies. PMID:26958713
Effects of the d 2 dwarfing gene in pearl millet.
Bidinger, F R; Raju, D S
Dwarf varieties have had virtually no impact on the production of pearl millet, in contrast to the case of wheat, rice, and sorghum. This research compared tall and dwarf near-isogenic F1 hybrids to attempt to determine if there were deleterious effects of the d 2 dwarfing gene that might account for the lack of release/cultivation of dwarf pearl millet cultivars. Dwarf isohybrids on average yielded less than the tails, because of a smaller average seed size combined with a similar grain number per unit area. There was, however, a larger contribution of background genetic variation (pollinator, male-sterile, and interaction effects) to hybrid variation for nearly all characters measured, including seed size, than there was of the dwarfing gene. Selection of dwarf parents capable of producing hybrids with equal seed size and yield to that of tall parents should not be difficult. PMID:24226457
Activity-Induced Radial Velocity Variation of M Dwarf Stars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Andersen, Jan Marie; Korhonen, Heidi
Stellar magnetic activity manifests itself in a variety of ways including starspots-cool, dark regions on the stellar surface. Starspots can cause variations (`jitter') in spectral line-profiles which can mimic the radial velocity (RV) variations caused by an orbiting planet, or create RV noise that can drown out a planetary signature. Cool, low-mass M dwarf stars can be highly active, which can make detection of potentially habitable planets around these stars difficult. We investigate radial velocity variations caused by different activity (spot) patterns on M dwarf stars in order to determine the limits of detectability for small planets orbiting active M dwarfs. We report on our progress toward the aim of answering the following questions: What types of spot patterns are realistic for M dwarf stars? What effect will spots have on M dwarf RV measurements? Can jitter from M dwarf spots mimic planetary signals? What is the ideal observing wavelength to reduce M dwarf jitter?
Fault zone roughness controls slip stability
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Harbord, Christopher; Nielsen, Stefan; De Paola, Nicola
Fault roughness is an important control factor in the mechanical behaviour of fault zones, in particular the frictional slip stability and subsequent earthquake nucleation. Despite this, there is little experimental quantification as to the effects of varying roughness upon rate- and state-dependant friction (RSF). Utilising a triaxial deformation apparatus and a novel adaptation of the direct shear methodology to simulate initially bare faults in Westerly Granite, we performed a series of velocity step frictional sliding experiments. Initial root mean square roughnesses (Sq) was varied in the range 6x10‑7 ‑ 2.4x10‑5 m. We also investigated the effects upon slip stability of normal stress variation in the range σn = 30 ‑ 200 MPa, and slip velocity between 0.1 ‑ 10 μm s‑1. A transition from stable sliding to unstable slip (manifested by stick-slip and slow slip events) was observed, depending on the parameter combination, thus covering the full spectrum of fault slip behaviours. At low normal stress (σn = 30MPa) smooth faults (Sq< 1x10‑6 m) are conditional unstable (stress drops on slow slip events upon velocity increase), with strongly velocity weakening friction. When normal stress is increased to intermediate values (σn = 100 ‑ 150 MPa), smooth faults (Sq< 1x10‑6 m) are fully unstable and generate seismic stick-slip behaviour. However at higher normal stress (σn = 200 MPa) a transition from unstable to stable sliding is observed for smooth faults, which is not expected using RSF stability criteria. At all conditions sliding is stable for rough faults (Sq> 1x10‑6 m). We find that instability can develop when the ratio of fault to critical stiffness kf kc > 10, or, alternatively, even when a ‑ b > 0 at σn = 150MPa, suggesting that bare surfaces may not strictly obey the R+S stability condition. Additionally we present white light interferometry and SEM analysis of experimentally deformed samples which provide information about the
Different Effects of Roughness (Granularity) and Hydrophobicity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shirtcliffe, Neil; McHale, Glen; Hamlett, Christopher; Newton, Michael
With thanks to Stefan Doerr and Jorge Mataix-Solera for their invitation Superhydrophobicity is an interesting effect that appears to be simple on the outset; increased surface area from roughness increases interfacial area and therefore energy loss or gain. More extreme roughness prevents total wetting, resulting in gas pockets present at the surface and a drastic change in the properties of the system. Increases in complexity of the system, by adding porosity (granularity), allowing the structures to move, varying the shape of the roughness or the composition of the liquid used often has unexpected effects. Here we will consider a few of these related to complex topography. Overhanging features are commonly used in test samples as they perform better in some tests than simple roughness. It has been shown to be a prerequisite for superoleophobic surfaces as it allows liquids to be suspended for contact angles considerably below 90°. It also allows trapping of gas in lower layers even if the first layer is flooded. This is important in soils as a fixed bed of granules behaves just like a surface with overhanging roughness. Using simple geometry it is possible to predict at what contact angle penetration will occur. Plants have some structured superhydrophobic surfaces and we have shown that some use them in conjunction with other structured surfaces to control water flows. This allows some plants to survive in difficult environments and shows us how subtly different structures interact completely differently with water. Long fibres can either cause water droplets to roll over a plant surface or halt it in its tracks. Implications of this in soils include predicting when particles will adhere more strongly to water drops and why organic fibrous material may play a greater role in the behaviour of water in soils than may be expected from the amount present. The garden snail uses a biosurfactant that is very effective at wetting surfaces and can crawl over most
Clandestine Companions of Nearby Red Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Henry, Todd J.; Koerner, D. W.; Jao, W. C.; Subasavage, J. P.; Ianna, P. A.; RECONS
During the RECONS parallax program at the CTIO 0.9m, we have accumulated more than six years of astrometric data on red dwarfs in the southern sky. Eighty red dwarfs within 10 pc, including more than two dozen new discoveries by our team, are being followed to reveal the telltale perturbations caused by unseen companions. The advent of modern CCD technology yields substantial improvement in the detection of low mass companions over the classic studies done using photographic plates. The current ASPENS (Astrometric Search for Planets Encircling Nearby Stars) program is capable of finding hidden companions with masses as low as 10 Jupiters. Here we report the first results of the ASPENS effort, including a few intriguing systems with orbital periods of several years. Nearby red dwarfs are prime candidates for NASA's Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) because the astrometric perturbations are largest for planets orbiting nearby stars of low mass. In addition, new multiple red dwarf systems can be targeted for mass determinations, thereby providing points on a comprehensive mass-luminosity relation for the most populous members of the Galaxy. These long-term observations began in 1999 as an NOAO Surveys program, and are continuing via the SMARTS Consortium. This work has been supported by the National Science Foundation (AST 98-20711 and 05-07711), NASA's Space Interferometry Mission, Georgia State University, and Northern Arizona University.
Bedaque, Paulo F.; Berkowitz, Evan; Cherman, Aleksey E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
We consider a high-density region of the helium phase diagram, where the nuclei form a Bose-Einstein condensate rather than a classical plasma or a crystal. Helium in this phase may be present in helium-core white dwarfs. We show that in this regime there is a new gapless quasiparticle not previously noticed, arising when the constraints imposed by gauge symmetry are taken into account. The contribution of this quasiparticle to the specific heat of a white dwarf core turns out to be comparable in a range of temperatures to the contribution from the particle-hole excitations of the degenerate electrons. The specific heat in the condensed phase is two orders of magnitude smaller than in the uncondensed plasma phase, which is the ground state at higher temperatures, and four orders of magnitude smaller than the specific heat that an ion lattice would provide, if formed. Since the specific heat of the core is an important input for setting the rate of cooling of a white dwarf star, it may turn out that such a change in the thermal properties of the cores of helium white dwarfs has observable implications.
Theoretical Study of White Dwarf Double Stars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hira, Ajit; Koetter, Ted; Rivera, Ruben; Diaz, Juan
We continue our interest in the computational simulation of the astrophysical phenomena with a study of gravitationally-bound binary stars, composed of at least one white dwarf star. Of particular interest to astrophysicists are the conditions inside a white dwarf star in the time frame leading up to its explosive end as a Type Ia supernova, for an understanding of the massive stellar explosions. In addition, the studies of the evolution of white dwarfs could serve as promising probes of theories of gravitation. We developed FORTRAN computer programs to implement our models for white dwarfs and other stars. These codes allow for different sizes and masses of stars. Simulations were done in the mass interval from 0.1 to 2.0 solar masses. Our goal was to obtain both atmospheric and orbital parameters. The computational results thus obtained are compared with relevant observational data. The data are further analyzed to identify trends in terms of sizes and masses of stars. We hope to extend our computational studies to blue giant stars in the future. Research Supported by National Science Foundation.
Radio detections of southern ultracool dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lynch, C.; Murphy, T.; Ravi, V.; Hobbs, G.; Lo, K.; Ward, C.
We report the results of a volume-limited survey using the Australia Telescope Compact Array to search for transient and quiescent radio emission from 15 Southern hemisphere ultracool dwarfs. We detect radio emission from 2MASSW J0004348-404405 increasing the number of radio loud ultracool dwarfs to 22. We also observe radio emission from 2MASS J10481463-3956062 and 2MASSI J0339352-352544, two sources with previous radio detections. The radio emission from the three detected sources shows no variability or flare emission. Modelling this quiescent emission we find that it is consistent with optically thin gyrosynchrotron emission from a magnetosphere with an emitting region radius of (1-2)R*, magnetic field inclination 20°-80°, field strength ˜10-200 G, and power-law electron density ˜104-108 cm-3. Additionally, we place upper limits on four ultracool dwarfs with no previous radio observations. This increases the number of ultracool dwarfs studied at radio frequencies to 222. Analysing general trends of the radio emission for this sample of 15 sources, we find that the radio activity increases for later spectral types and more rapidly rotating objects. Furthermore, comparing the ratio of the radio to X-ray luminosities for these sources, we find 2MASS J10481463-3956062 and 2MASSI J0339352-352544 violate the Güdel-Benz relation by more than two orders of magnitude.
White dwarfs identified in LAMOST DR 2
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Guo, Jincheng; Zhao, Jingkun; Tziamtzis, Anestis; Liu, Jifeng; Li, Lifang; Zhang, Yong; Hou, Yonghui; Wang, Yuefei
Here we present a catalogue of 1056 spectroscopically identified hydrogen-dominated white dwarfs (DAWDs), 34 helium-dominated white dwarfs (DBWDs) and 276 white dwarf main sequence (WDMS) binaries from the Large sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) survey data release 2 (DR2). 383 DAWDs, 4 DBWDs and 138 WDMSs are new identifications after cross-match with literature. There are ˜4100 k spectra in total from DR 2. The low ratio of white dwarfs found in LAMOST is attributed to biased selection of LAMOST input catalogue and much brighter targets relative to stars observed in Sloan Digital Sky Survey. In this paper, a new DAWD selection method is adopted as a new attempt and supplement to the traditional methods. The effective temperature, surface gravity, mass, cooling age and distance of high signal-to-noise DAWDs are estimated. The peak of the mass distribution is found to be ˜0.6 M⊙, which is consistent with previous work. The parameters of WDMS binaries are also provided in this paper. As the foundation of our future work, which is to identify more WDs with debris disc, WDs found in LAMOST showed a lot of potential. Interesting infrared-excess WDs will be reported in our forthcoming paper.
The atmospheres of M dwarfs: Observations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Rodono, Marcello
After presenting global properties of M dwarfs, the principal diagnostic of activity phenomena occurring in their atmosphere from the geometrical, energetic, and temporal points of view is stressed. Observations of sunspots, plages, flares, and activity cycles are presented. The major sources of activity are discussed with particular emphasis on the generation, intensification, and measurements of stellar magnetic fields.
Spectrophotometric Evolutionary Models for Tidal Dwarfs (Poster)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Weilbacher, P. M.; Fritze-v. Alvensleben, U.
We describe our procedure to model Tidal Dwarf Galaxies in the context of our evolutionary synthesis code. Our analysis shows strong contributions of gaseous emission lines to optical colors and of continuum emission to NIR colors during the burst phase. This underlines the importance of including both types of emission when modeling any type of star-bursting galaxies.
Wood, Brian E.; Laming, J. Martin; Karovska, Margarita
We analyze Chandra X-ray spectra of the M0 V+M0 V binary GJ 338. As quantified by X-ray surface flux, these are the most inactive M dwarfs ever observed with X-ray grating spectroscopy. We focus on measuring coronal abundances, in particular searching for evidence of abundance anomalies related to first ionization potential (FIP). In the solar corona and wind, low-FIP elements are overabundant, which is the so-called FIP effect. For other stars, particularly very active ones, an 'inverse FIP effect' is often observed, with low-FIP elements being underabundant. For both members of the GJ 338 binary, we find evidence for a modest inverse FIP effect, consistent with expectations from a previously reported correlation between spectral type and FIP bias. This amounts to strong evidence that all M dwarfs should exhibit the inverse FIP effect phenomenon, not just the active ones. We take the first step toward modeling the inverse FIP phenomenon in M dwarfs, building on past work that has demonstrated that MHD waves coursing through coronal loops can lead to a ponderomotive force that fractionates elements in a manner consistent with the FIP effect. We demonstrate that in certain circumstances this model can also lead to an inverse FIP effect, pointing the way to more detailed modeling of M dwarf coronal abundances in the future.
The Coronal Abundance Anomalies of M Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wood, Brian E.; Laming, J. Martin; Karovska, Margarita
We analyze Chandra X-ray spectra of the M0 V+M0 V binary GJ 338. As quantified by X-ray surface flux, these are the most inactive M dwarfs ever observed with X-ray grating spectroscopy. We focus on measuring coronal abundances, in particular searching for evidence of abundance anomalies related to first ionization potential (FIP). In the solar corona and wind, low-FIP elements are overabundant, which is the so-called FIP effect. For other stars, particularly very active ones, an "inverse FIP effect" is often observed, with low-FIP elements being underabundant. For both members of the GJ 338 binary, we find evidence for a modest inverse FIP effect, consistent with expectations from a previously reported correlation between spectral type and FIP bias. This amounts to strong evidence that all M dwarfs should exhibit the inverse FIP effect phenomenon, not just the active ones. We take the first step toward modeling the inverse FIP phenomenon in M dwarfs, building on past work that has demonstrated that MHD waves coursing through coronal loops can lead to a ponderomotive force that fractionates elements in a manner consistent with the FIP effect. We demonstrate that in certain circumstances this model can also lead to an inverse FIP effect, pointing the way to more detailed modeling of M dwarf coronal abundances in the future.
M Dwarf Flares: Exoplanet Detection Implications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tofflemire, B. M.; Wisniewski, J. P.; Hilton, E. J.; Kowalski, A. F.; Kundurthy, P.; Schmidt, S. J.; Hawley, S. L.; Holtzman, J. A.
Low mass stars such as M dwarfs have become prime targets for exoplanet transit searches as their low luminosities and small stellar radii could enable the detection of super-Earths residing in their habitable zones. While promising transit targets, M dwarfs are also inherently variable and can exhibit up to ˜6 magnitude flux enhancements in the optical U-band. This is significantly higher than the predicted transit depths of habitable zone super-Earths (0.005 magnitude flux decrease). The behavior of flares at infrared (IR) wavelengths, particularly those likely to be used to study and characterize M dwarf exoplanets using facilities such as the James Web Space Telescope (JWST), remains largely unknown. To address these uncertainties, we are executing a coordinated, contemporaneous monitoring program of the optical and IR flux of M dwarfs known to regularly flare. A suite of telescopes located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Apache Point Observatory are used for the observations. We present the initial results of this program.
MCAL: M dwarf metallicity and temperature calculator
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Neves, Vasco
MCAL calculates high precision metallicities and effective temperatures for M dwarfs; the method behaves properly down to R = 40 000 and S/N = 25, and results were validated against a sample of stars in common with SOPHIE high resolution spectra.
Brown Dwarfs: Discovery and Detailed Studies
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.
We obtained the optical and IR spectra of Gliese 229B and identified Cs, I, and CO features - as expected in theoretical models. Our optical IR spectrum showed that most of the refractory metals have condensed out of the atmosphere and the presence of Cs, I and CO shows evidence for disequilibrium chemistry. We reported orbital evidence for Gliese 229B. The HST measured optical magnitudes provide additional evidence for the absence of dust in the atmosphere of this cool object. The luminosity of brown dwarfs depend on their masses and ages and in order to interpret the results of the survey we have carried out an extensive Monte Carlo analysis. Our conclusion is that warm brown dwarfs are rare, as companions in the orbital period range beyond approximately 30 - 50 AU. The Palomer survey poses no constraint for brown dwarfs in planetary orbits similar to those of the outer planets. We have just started a program of imaging nearby stars with the newly commissioned AO system at Palomar and Keck and have already found a brown dwarf candidate.
Infrared Photometry of Late-M, L, and T Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Leggett, S. K.; Golimowski, David A.; Fan, Xiaohui; Geballe, T. R.; Knapp, G. R.; Brinkmann, J.; Csabai, István; Gunn, James E.; Hawley, Suzanne L.; Henry, Todd J.; Hindsley, Robert; Ivezić, Željko; Lupton, Robert H.; Pier, Jeffrey R.; Schneider, Donald P.; Smith, J. Allyn; Strauss, Michael A.; Uomoto, Alan; York, D. G.
We present ZJHKL'M' photometry of a sample of 58 late M, L, and T dwarfs, most of which are identified from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Two Micron All-Sky Survey. Near-infrared spectra and spectral classifications for most of this sample are presented in a companion paper by Geballe et al. We derive the luminosities of 18 dwarfs in the sample with known parallaxes, and the results imply that the effective temperature range for the L dwarfs in our sample is approximately 2200-1300 K and for the T dwarfs 1300-800 K. We obtained new photometric data at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope for: 42 dwarfs at Z, 34 dwarfs at JHK, 21 dwarfs at L', as well as M' data for two L dwarfs and two T dwarfs. The M' data provide the first accurate photometry for L and T dwarfs in this bandpass-for a T2 and a T5 dwarf, we find K-M'=1.2 and 1.6, respectively. These colors are much bluer than predicted by published models, suggesting that CO may be more abundant in these objects than expected, as has been found for the T6 dwarf Gl 229B. We also find that K-L' increases monotonically through most of the M, L, and T subclasses, but it is approximately constant between types L6 and T5, restricting its usefulness as a temperature indicator. The degeneracy is probably due to the onset of CH4 absorption at the blue edge of the L' bandpass. The JHK colors of L dwarfs show significant scatter, suggesting that the fluxes in these bandpasses are sensitive to variations in photospheric dust properties. The H-K colors of the later T dwarfs also show some scatter, which we suggest is due to variations in pressure-induced H2 opacity, which is sensitive to gravity and metallicity.
Formation of Brown Dwarfs LTSA 2001
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Luhman, Kevin L.; Oliversen, Ronald J. (Technical Monitor)
The goals of the work funded by this grant are: 1) The measurement of the mass function and minimum mass of free-floating brown dwarfs down to the mass of Jupiter; 2) The measurement of the frequency of wide brown dwarf and planetary companions down to the mass of Jupiter as function of primary mass (0.02-2 Msun), age (1-10 Myr), and environment (clusters vs. dispersed regions). For the first objective, we have completed the design of guaranteed SIRTF observations of nearby star-forming regions. With the successful launch of the SIRTF mission in August of 2003, we now await the execution of these observations, which should begin in early 2004. In support of these upcoming observations, in the fall of 2002 and spring of 2003 we obtained optical spectroscopy at the MMT, the 1.5 meter telescope at Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, and Magellan Observatory for several hundred candidate young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the IC348, Taurus, and Chamaeleon star-forming regions. All of these data have been published in three papers in The Astrophysical Journal. We also recently used the MMT to obtain deep near-IR images of IC348 to accompany the SIRTF images and have time in the next month at the IRTF and Keck for spectroscopy of candidate brown dwarfs in IC348 and Taurus. We have submitted proposals for deep optical and near-IR imaging of the SIRTF fields in Chamaeleon and Ophiuchus for spring 2004 with Magellan and the AAT. Results from this research have been presented in invited talks at UU Symposium 221 (July 2003) and at the SIRTF Galactic Science Workshop (August 2003). For the second objective, we have used deep HST WFPC2 images to search for young giant planets and brown dwarfs around approx. 100 low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the nearby cluster IC348. We have completed all data reduction and have checked these data for candidate companions. We expect to submit the paper describing these observations to The Astrophysical Journal by the end of the year
Modeling Transport of Viruses in Fractured Rock
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sleep, B. E.; Mondal, P. K.
Fractured rock aquifers are frequently used for water supply for human consumption. In many instances the fractured rock aquifers are vulnerable to contamination by pathogens, including viruses, due to co-location of on-site septic systems, wastewater discharges, biosolids and agricultural activities. Approximately half of the illnesses associated with groundwater consumption in the Unites States have been attributed to viral contamination. A number of these cases have been related to transport of viruses from septic systems to drinking water wells. Despite the potential for rapid transport of viruses through rock fractures to drinking water wells, the understanding of virus transport in fractured rock is limited. In particular, the impacts of virus size, fracture aperture variability and roughness, matrix porosity, groundwater velocity, and geochemical conditions have not been well studied. In this study, a multidimensional model for virus transport in variable aperture fractures is presented. The model is applied to laboratory experiments on transport of virus-sized latex microspheres (0.02 and 0.2 microns) and bacteriophages (MS2 and PR772) in artificially fractured dolomite rocks. In these experiments significant impacts of particle size, fracture characteristics, groundwater velocity, and geochemistry were observed. Given the variability in aperture distribution and associated spatial variation in groundwater flow field, one-dimensional models were not suitable for a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanisms governing the microsphere and bacteriophage transport. Various relationships for virus retention (attachment and detachment) are evaluated to provide insight into the governing processes in virus transport in fractured rock. In addition, the role of virus size, fracture aperture variability, fracture roughness, fracture surface charge, matrix porosity, groundwater velocity, and ionic strength in virus transport are evaluated. Scale-up to the field is
The effective temperature scale of M dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rajpurohit, A. S.; Reylé, C.; Allard, F.; Homeier, D.; Schultheis, M.; Bessell, M. S.; Robin, A. C.
Context. Despite their large number in the Galaxy, M dwarfs remain elusive objects and the modeling of their photosphere has long remained a challenge (molecular opacities, dust cloud formation). Aims: Our objectives are to validate the BT-Settl model atmospheres, update the M dwarf Teff-spectral type relation, and find the atmospheric parameters of the stars in our sample. Methods: We compare two samples of optical spectra covering the whole M dwarf sequence with the most recent BT-Settl synthetic spectra and use a χ2 minimization technique to determine Teff. The first sample consists of 97 low-resolution spectra obtained with New Technology Telescope (NTT) at La Silla Observatory. The second sample contains 55 medium-resolution spectra obtained at the Siding Spring Observatory (SSO). The spectral typing is realized by comparison with already classified M dwarfs. Results: We show that the BT-Settl synthetic spectra reproduce the slope of the spectral energy distribution and most of its features. Only the CaOH band at 5570 Å and AlH and NaH hydrides in the blue part of the spectra are still missing in the models. The Teff scale obtained with the higher resolved SSO 2.3 m spectra is consistent with that obtained with the NTT spectra. We compare our Teff scale with those of other authors and with published isochrones using the BT-Settl colors. We also present relations between effective temperature, spectral type, and colors of the M dwarfs. Tables 1 and 2 are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org
Parallaxes for the Coldest Brown Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dupuy, Trent; Kraus, Adam; Liu, Michael
Understanding extremely cool atmospheres is a major goal of both brown dwarf and exoplanet studies. The WISE all-sky survey has uncovered the coolest brown dwarfs to date including the first unambiguous Y dwarfs. These discoveries are spectroscopically estimated to have temperatures of ~300-500 K and masses of ~5-20 Mjup, overlapping discoveries from radial velocity exoplanet surveys. However, direct distances are needed to determine model-independent temperatures and to test the observed properties against theoretical models in this new physical frontier. From our Cycle 8 program, we have successfully measured the first robust parallaxes for these extremely low-luminosity objects using Spitzer [3.6]-band astrometry, made possible with our improved distortion solution for IRAC. Our results, comprising less than half the currently known late-T/Y census, have uncovered a number of puzzles. Perhaps the most intriguing is the possibility that the observed near-IR spectral types and spectral energy distributions do not follow a simple correspondence with temperature, in contrast to all other (hotter) substellar and stellar objects. We propose here to obtain definitive parallaxes and temperatures to the ~2 dozen known coldest brown dwarfs. For our Cycle 8 sample, these new data will double the time baseline, leading to major improvements over our preliminary results. We will also double the total sample with parallaxes for more recent discoveries. Altogether, our work will establish the temperature scale as a function of spectral type, delineate the cooling (and intrinsic scatter) through the T/Y transition, and enable strong test of theoretical models for these coldest brown dwarfs, which are ~100x fainter than previously known objects at near-IR wavelengths.
Linear polarization of rapidly rotating ultracool dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Miles-Páez, P. A.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.; Pallé, E.; Peña Ramírez, K.
Aims: We aim to study the near-infrared linear polarization signal of rapidly rotating ultracool dwarfs with spectral types ranging from M7 through T2 and projected rotational velocities of v sin i ≳ 30 km s-1. These dwarfs are believed to have dusty atmospheres and oblate shapes, which is an appropriate scenario to produce measurable linear polarization of the continuum light. Methods: Linear polarimetric images were collected in the J-band for a sample of 18 fast-rotating ultracool dwarfs, of which five were also observed in the Z-band using the Long-slit Intermediate Resolution Infrared Spectrograph (LIRIS) on the Cassegrain focus of the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. The measured median uncertainty in the linear polarization degree is ±0.13% for our sample, which allowed us to detect polarization signatures above ~0.39% with a confidence interval of ≥3σ. Results: About 40 ± 15% of the sample is linearly polarized in the Z- and J-bands. All positive detections have linear polarization degrees ranging from 0.4% to 0.8% in both filters independent of spectral type and spectroscopic rotational velocity. However, simple statistics point at the fastest rotators (v sin i ≳ 60 km s-1) having a larger fraction of positive detections and a larger averaged linear polarization degree than the moderately rotating dwarfs (v sin i = 30-60 km s-1). Our data suggest little linear polarimetric variability on short timescales (i.e., observations separated by a few ten rotation periods), and significant variability on long timescales (i.e., hundred to thousand rotation cycles), supporting the presence of long-term weather in ultracool dwarf atmospheres.
Radiative Levitation in Hot White Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chayer, P.; Fontaine, G.; Wesemael, F.
We present the results of detailed calculations of radiative levitation in hot white dwarfs using the extensive and homogeneous atomic data given in TOPBASE. Radiative accelerations and equilibrium abundances have been computed for C, N, O, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, Ca, and Fe on grids of pure hydrogen and pure helium stellar envelope models. The DA model grid has log g = 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, and 8.5, and spans the range of effective temperature 100,000 >= Teff >= 20,000 K in steps of 2,500 K. The DO/DB grid is similar but extends to Teff = 130,000 K. We discuss at some length the input physics used in order to provide a good physical understanding of radiative levitation under white dwarf conditions. We also discuss the depth dependence and the morphology of the reservoirs of levitating elements created by an equilibrium between the radiative acceleration and the local effective gravity in various stellar envelopes. The important role played in the morphology of the reservoirs by dominant ionization states in closed-shell electronic configurations is emphasized. Our central results are presented in the form of figures showing the behavior of the expected photospheric abundance of each element as a function of effective temperature and surface gravity. While only a handful of abundances are available from the few analyses of observations that have been carried out, we are nevertheless able to infer through a detailed comparison that equilibrium radiative levitation theory fails to explain the observed abundance patterns of heavy elements in hot white dwarfs. At least one other mechanism must be competing with radiative levitation and gravitational settling in the atmospheres/envelopes of hot white dwarfs. Finally, we indicate promising avenues for further progress in spectral evolution theory for white dwarfs. This work has been supported by NASA contract NAS5-30180.
Thermal Stability of Ice on Ceres with Rough Topography
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hayne, Paul O.; Aharonson, Oded
The dwarf planet Ceres may have an ice-rich crust, and subsurface ice exposed by impacts or endogenic activity would be subject to sublimation. The "bright spots" recently discovered by the Dawn mission on the illuminated surface of Ceres have prompted speculation regarding their possible icy composition and the youthful age this might imply. Furthermore, sublimation of ice at the surface or in the interior of Ceres could explain water vapor observed on more than one occasion in the exosphere. We investigated the possible distribution and lifetimes of water ice and other volatiles on Ceres using detailed thermal models, including realistic thermophysical properties and surface roughness.Topographic shadowing creates polar cold traps where a small, but non-negligible fraction (~0.4%) of Ceres' surface is perennially below the ~110 K criterion for 1 Gyr of H2O ice stability. These areas are found above 60° latitude. Other molecules (CH3OH, NH3, SO2, CO2) may be cold-trapped in smaller abundances. A model for the transport, gravitational escape and photoionization of H2O molecules suggests net accumulation in the cold traps. At latitudes 0° - 30°, ice is stable under solar illumination only briefly (~10-100 yr), unless it has high albedo and thermal inertia, in which case lifetimes of > 104 yr are possible.Buried ice is stable within a meter for > 1 Gyr at latitudes higher than ~50°. An illuminated polar cap of water ice would be stable within a few degrees of the poles only if it maintained a high albedo (> 0.5) at present obliquity. If the obliquity exceeded 5° in the geologically recent past, then a putative polar cap would have been erased. Finally, a small hemispheric asymmetry exists due to the timing of Ceres' perihelion passage, which would lead to a detectable enhancement of ice in the northern hemisphere if the orbital elements vary slowly relative to the ice accumulation rate. Our model results are potentially testable during the Dawn science
Little Stars Don't Like Big Planets: An Astrometric Search for Super-Jupiters Around Red Dwarfs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lurie, John C.; Henry, T. J.; Jao, W.; Koerner, D. W.; Riedel, A. R.; Subasavage, J.; RECONS
The astrometric detection and characterization of extrasolar planets presents considerable technical challenges, but also promises to greatly enhance our understanding of these systems. Nearly all currently confirmed exoplanets have been discovered using transit or radial velocity techniques. The former is geometrically biased towards planets with small orbits, while the latter is biased towards massive planets with short periods that exert large gravitational accelerations on their host stars. Astrometric techniques are limited by the minimum detectable perturbation of a star's position due to a planet, but allow for the determination of orbit inclination and an accurate planetary mass. Here we present astrometric solutions for five nearby stars with known planets: four M dwarfs (GJ 317, GJ 581, GJ 849, and GJ 1214) and one K dwarf (BD -10 3166). Observations have baselines of three to thirteen years, and were made using the 0.9 m telescope at CTIO as part of the RECONS long-term astrometry program. We provide improved parallaxes for the stars and find that there are no planets of several Jupiter masses or brown dwarfs orbiting these stars with periods up to twice the length of the astrometric coverage. In the broader context, these results are consistent with the paucity of super-Jupiter and brown dwarf companions we find among the roughly 200 red dwarfs searched in our astrometric program. This effort has been supported by the National Science Foundation via grant AST 09-08402 and the long-term cooperative efforts of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories and the members of the SMARTS Consortium.
Rough Evaluation Structure: Application of Rough Set Theory to Generate Simple Rules for Inconsistent Preference Relation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gehrmann, Andreas; Nagai, Yoshimitsu; Yoshida, Osamu; Ishizu, Syohei
Since management decision-making becomes complex and preferences of the decision-maker frequently becomes inconsistent, multi-attribute decision-making problems were studied. To represent inconsistent preference relation, the concept of evaluation structure was introduced. We can generate simple rules to represent inconsistent preference relation by the evaluation structures. Further rough set theory for the preference relation was studied and the concept of approximation was introduced. One of our main aims of this paper is to introduce a concept of rough evaluation structure for representing inconsistent preference relation. We apply rough set theory to the evaluation structure, and develop a method for generating simple rules for inconsistent preference relations. In this paper, we introduce concepts of totally ordered information system, similarity class of preference relation, upper and lower approximation of preference relations. We also show the properties of rough evaluation structure and provide a simple example. As an application of rough evaluation structure, we analyze questionnaire survey of customer preferences about audio players.
Effect of surface morphology on drag and roughness sublayer in flows over regular roughness elements
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Placidi, Marco; Ganapathisubramani, Bharathram
The effects of systematically varied roughness morphology on bulk drag and on the spatial structure of turbulent boundary layers are examined by performing a series of wind tunnel experiments. In this study, rough surfaces consisting of regularly and uniformly distributed LEGO™ bricks are employed. Twelve different patterns are adopted in order to methodically examine the individual effects of frontal solidity (λF, frontal area of the roughness elements per unit wall-parallel area) and plan solidity (λP, plan area of roughness elements per unit wall-parallel area), on both the bulk drag and the turbulence structure. A floating element friction balance based on Krogstad & Efros (2010) was designed and manufactured to measure the drag generated by the different surfaces. In parallel, high resolution planar and stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was applied to investigate the flow features. This talk will focus on the effects of each solidity parameter on the bulk drag and attempt to relate the observed trends to the flow structures in the roughness sublayer. Currently at City University London.
Roughness characterization of the galling of metals
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hubert, C.; Marteau, J.; Deltombe, R.; Chen, Y. M.; Bigerelle, M.
Several kinds of tests exist to characterize the galling of metals, such as that specified in ASTM Standard G98. While the testing procedure is accurate and robust, the analysis of the specimen's surfaces (area=1.2 cm) for the determination of the critical pressure of galling remains subject to operator judgment. Based on the surface's topography analyses, we propose a methodology to express the probability of galling according to the macroscopic pressure load. After performing galling tests on 304L stainless steel, a two-step segmentation of the S q parameter (root mean square of surface amplitude) computed from local roughness maps (100 μ m× 100 μ m) enables us to distinguish two tribological processes. The first step represents the abrasive wear (erosion) and the second one the adhesive wear (galling). The total areas of both regions are highly relevant to quantify galling and erosion processes. Then, a one-parameter phenomenological model is proposed to objectively determine the evolution of non-galled relative area A e versus the pressure load P, with high accuracy ({{A}e}=100/(1+a{{P}2}) with a={{0.54}+/- 0.07}× {{10}-3} M P{{a}-2} and with {{R}2}=0.98). From this model, the critical pressure of galling is found to be equal to 43MPa. The {{S}5 V} roughness parameter (the five deepest valleys in the galled region's surface) is the most relevant roughness parameter for the quantification of damages in the 'galling region'. The significant valleys' depths increase from 10 μm-250 μm when the pressure increases from 11-350 MPa, according to a power law ({{S}5 V}=4.2{{P}0.75}, with {{R}2}=0.93).
Parametric Flow Visualization of Dynamic Roughness Effects
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jakkali, Vinay
The ever growing need in the aircraft industry to enhance the performance of a flight vehicle has led to active areas of research which focus on the control of the local boundary layer by both passive and active methods. An effective flow control mechanism can improve the performance of a flight vehicle in various ways, one of which is eliminating boundary layer separation. To be effective the mechanism not only needs to control the boundary layer as desired, but also use less energy than the resulting energy savings. In this study, the effectiveness of an active flow control technique known as dynamic roughness (DR) has been explored to eliminate the laminar separation bubble near the leading edge and also to eliminate the stall on a NACA 0012 airfoil wing. As opposed to static roughness, dynamic roughness utilizes small time-dependent deforming elements or humps with displacement amplitudes that are on the order of the local boundary layer height to energize the local boundary layer. DR is primarily characterized by the maximum amplitude and operating frequency. A flow visualization study was conducted on a 2D NACA 0012 airfoil model at different angles of attack, and also varying the Reynolds number and DR actuation frequency with fixed maximum DR amplitude. The experimental results from this study suggests that DR is an effective method of reattaching a totally separated boundary layer. In addition, this study discusses some of the fundamental physics behind the working of DR and proposes some non-dimensional terms that may help to explain the driving force behind the mechanism.
Quantifying surface roughness over debris covered ice
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Quincey, Duncan; Rounce, David; Ross, Andrew
Aerodynamic roughness length (z0) remains a major uncertainty when determining turbulent heat fluxes over glacier surfaces, and can vary by an order of magnitude even within a small area and through the melt season. Defining z0 over debris-covered ice is particularly complex, because the surface may comprise clasts of greatly varying size, and the broader-scale surface relief can be similarly heterogeneous. Several recent studies have used Structure from Motion to data model debris-covered surfaces at the centimetric scale and calculate z0 based on measurements of surface microtopography. However, few have validated these measurements with independent vertical wind profile measurements, or considered how the measurements vary over a range of different surface types or scales of analysis. Here, we present the results of a field investigation conducted on the debris covered Khumbu Glacier during the post-monsoon season of 2015. We focus on two sites. The first is characterised by gravels and cobbles supported by a fine sandy matrix. The second comprises cobbles and boulders separated by voids. Vertical profiles of wind speed measured over both sites enable us to derive measurements of aerodynamic roughness that are similar in magnitude, with z0 at the second site exceeding that at the first by < 1 cm. During our observation period, snow covered the second site for three days, but the impact on z0 is small, implying that roughness is predominantly determined by major rock size obstacles rather than the general form of the surface. To complement these aerodynamic measurements we also conducted a Structure from Motion survey across each patch and calculated z0 using microtopographic methods published in a range of recent studies. We compare the outputs of each of these algorithms with each other and with the aerodynamic measurements, assess how they perform over a range of scales, and evaluate the validity of using microtopographic methods where aerodynamic measurements
Black holes at the centers of nearby dwarf galaxies
Moran, Edward C.; Shahinyan, Karlen; Sugarman, Hannah R.; Vélez, Darik O.; Eracleous, Michael
Using a distance-limited portion of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7, we have identified 28 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in nearby (d⩽80 Mpc) low-mass, low-luminosity dwarf galaxies. The accreting objects at the galaxy centers are expected to be intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) with M{sub BH}⩽10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙}. The AGNs were selected using several optical emission-line diagnostics after careful modeling of the continuum present in the spectra. We have limited our survey to objects with spectral characteristics similar to those of Seyfert nuclei, excluding emission-line galaxies with ambiguous spectra that could be powered by stellar processes. Thus, as a set, the host galaxies in our sample are the least massive objects in the very local universe certain to contain central black holes. Our sample is dominated by narrow-line (type 2) AGNs, and it appears to have a much lower fraction of broad-line objects than that observed for luminous, optically selected Seyfert galaxies. Given our focus on the nearest objects included in the SDSS, our survey is more sensitive to low-luminosity emission than previous optical searches for AGNs in low-mass galaxies. The [O iii] λ5007 luminosities of the Seyfert nuclei in our sample have a median value of L{sub 5007}=2×10{sup 5} L{sub ⊙} and extend down to ∼10{sup 4} L{sub ⊙}. Using published data for broad-line IMBH candidates, we have derived an [O iii] bolometric correction of log(L{sub bol}/L{sub 5007})=3.0±0.3, which is significantly lower than values obtained for high-luminosity AGNs. Applying this correction to our sample, we obtain minimum black hole mass estimates that fall mainly in the 10{sup 3} M{sub ⊙}–10{sup 4} M{sub ⊙} range, which is roughly where the predicted mass functions for different black hole seed formation scenarios overlap the most. In the stellar mass range that includes the bulk of the AGN host galaxies in our sample, we derive a lower limit on the AGN fraction
Effective field model of roughness in magnetic nano-structures
Lepadatu, Serban
An effective field model is introduced here within the micromagnetics formulation, to study roughness in magnetic structures, by considering sub-exchange length roughness levels as a perturbation on a smooth structure. This allows the roughness contribution to be separated, which is found to give rise to an effective configurational anisotropy for both edge and surface roughness, and accurately model its effects with fine control over the roughness depth without the explicit need to refine the computational cell size to accommodate the roughness profile. The model is validated by comparisons with directly roughened structures for a series of magnetization switching and domain wall velocity simulations and found to be in excellent agreement for roughness levels up to the exchange length. The model is further applied to vortex domain wall velocity simulations with surface roughness, which is shown to significantly modify domain wall movement and result in dynamic pinning and stochastic creep effects.
7 CFR 51.776 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... Definitions § 51.776 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin may be slightly thick but not excessively thick, materially ridged or grooved. "Slightly thick" means that the...
7 CFR 51.776 - Slightly rough texture.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... Definitions § 51.776 Slightly rough texture. Slightly rough texture means that the skin may be slightly thick but not excessively thick, materially ridged or grooved. "Slightly thick" means that the...
Correlation between roughness and porosity in rocks
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rebollo, M. A.; Hogert, E. N.; Albano, J.; Raffo, C. A.; Gaggioli, N. G.
The porosity of rocks is a very important parameter in the determination of the performance of oil wells. Optical methods allow us to study surface roughness and different materials that have surface properties with random characteristics. Therefore, we have extended these applications to porosity analysis. In our method, we have used the speckle produced by the scattered light from a porous rock, illuminated by a laser beam, and found a linear relationship between the decorrelation of the speckle intensity distribution and the porosity magnitude. In this paper we present the results for samples extracted from oil wells in Argentina.
Protein Translocation across the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
Mandon, Elisabet C.; Trueman, Steven F.; Gilmore, Reid
The rough endoplasmic reticulum is a major site of protein biosynthesis in all eukaryotic cells, serving as the entry point for the secretory pathway and as the initial integration site for the majority of cellular integral membrane proteins. The core components of the protein translocation machinery have been identified, and high-resolution structures of the targeting components and the transport channel have been obtained. Research in this area is now focused on obtaining a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of protein translocation and membrane protein integration. PMID:23251026
Polarimetric thermal emission from rough surfaces
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Johnson, J. T.; Kong, J. A.; Shin, R. T.; Staelin, D. H.; Yueh, S. H.; Nghiem, S. V.; Kwok, R.; Oneill, K.; Lohanick, A.
Recent theoretical works have suggested the potential of passive polarimetry in the remote sensing of geophysical media. It was shown that the third Stokes parameter U of the thermal emission may become larger for azimuthally asymmetric fields of observation. In order to investigate the potential applicability of passive polarimetry to the remote sensing of ocean surface, measurements of the polarimetric thermal emission from a sinusoidal water surface and a numerical study of the polarimetric thermal emission from randomly rough ocean surfaces were performed. Measurements of sinusoidal water surface thermal emission were performed using a sinusoidal water surface which was created by placing a thin sheet of fiberglass with a sinusoidal profile in two dimensions extended infinitely in the third dimension onto a water surface. The theory of thermal emission from a 'two-layer' periodic surface is derived and the exact solution is performed using both the extended boundary condition method (EBC) and the method of moments (MOM). The theoretical predictions are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results once the effects of the radiometer antenna pattern are included and the contribution of background noise to the measurements is modeled. The experimental results show that the U parameter indicates the direction of periodicity of the water surface and can approach values of up to 30 K for the surface observed. Next, a numerical study of polarimetric thermal emission from randomly rough surfaces was performed. A Monte Carlo technique utilizing an exact method for calculating thermal emission was chosen for the study to avoid any of the limitations of the commonly used approximate methods in rough surface scattering. In this Monte Carlo technique, a set of finite rough surface profiles in two dimensions with desired statistics was generated and extended periodically. The polarimetric thermal emission from each surface of the set was then calculated using
Mold Cavity Roughness vs. Flow of Polymer
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stanek, Michal; Manas, Miroslav; Manas, David
Injection molding represents such a way of polymer processing that requires injection of polymer melt into the mold cavity with very high injection rate. The fluidity of polymers is affected by many parameters (mold design, melt temperature, injection rate and pressure). The main objective of this paper is the study of influence of surface roughness of mold cavity of the polymer melts flow. Evaluation of set of data obtained by experiments where the testing conditions were widely changed shows that quality of cavity surface affects on the length of flow.
MOLA Global roughness map of Mars
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2000-01-01The median of slopes in 35-km windows indicate the typical roughness on 300-meter baselines. The rougher nature of the heavily cratered terrain in the Southern Hemisphere is apparent, as well as that of Valles Marineris (12S, 289E) canyon walls and the Olympus Mons (18N, 227E) aureole deposits. The Northern Lowlands are smooth, especially Amazonis Planitia (16N, 202E), a region to the west of Olympus Mons, were typical median slopes on these baselines are often smaller than 0.1 degree. A shaded relief map of the topography is overlaid is monochrome.
Investigations of Titan's topography and surface roughness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sharma, Priyanka
Saturn's moon, Titan is a geomorphologically active planetary object, and its surface is influenced by multiple processes like impact cratering, fluvial and aeolian erosion, lacustrine processes, tectonics, cryovolcanism and mantling. Disentangling the processes that compete to shape Titan's landscape is difficult in the absence of global topography data. In this thesis, I utilize techniques in topographic statistics, fractal theory, study of terrestrial analogs and landscape evolution modeling to characterize Titan's topography and surface roughness and investigate the relative roles of surface processes in sculpting its landscape. I mapped the shorelines of 290 North Polar Titanian lakes using the Cassini Synthetic Aperture Radar dataset. The fractal dimensions of the shorelines were calculated via the divider/ruler method and box-counting method, at length scales of (1--10) km and found to average 1.27 and 1.32, respectively. The inferred power-spectral exponent of Titan's topography was found to be ≤ 2, which is lower than the values obtained from the global topography of the Earth or Venus. In order to interpret fractal dimensions of Titan's shorelines in terms of the surficial processes at work, I repeated a similar statistical analysis with 114 terrestrial analogous lakes formed by different processes, using C-band radar backscatter data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). I found different lake generation mechanisms on Earth produce 'statistically different' shorelines; however, no specific set of processes could be identified for forming Titanian lake basins. Using the Cassini RADAR altimetry data, I investigated Titan's global surface roughness and calculated median absolute slopes, average relief and Hurst exponent (H) for the surface of Titan. I detected a clear trend with latitude in these roughness parameters. Equatorial regions had the smallest slopes, lowest values of H and smallest intra-footprint relief, compared to the mid
Impact of Endothelium Roughness on Blood Flow
Park, Sangwoo; Intaglietta, Marcos; Tartakovsky, Daniel M.
Cell free layer (CFL), a plasma layer bounded by the red blood cell (RBC) core and the endothelium, plays an important physiological role. Its width affects the effective blood viscosity as well as the scavenging and production of nitric oxide (NO). Measurements of the CFL and its spatio-temporal variability are highly uncertain, exhibiting random fluctuations. Yet traditional models of blood flow and NO scavenging treat the CFL's bounding surfaces as deterministic and smooth. We investigate the effects of the endothelium roughness and uncertain (random) spatial variability on blood flow and estimates of effective blood viscosity. PMID:22300799
Robust surface roughness indices and morphological interpretation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Trevisani, Sebastiano; Rocca, Michele
Geostatistical-based image/surface texture indices based on variogram (Atkison and Lewis, 2000; Herzfeld and Higginson, 1996; Trevisani et al., 2012) and on its robust variant MAD (median absolute differences, Trevisani and Rocca, 2015) offer powerful tools for the analysis and interpretation of surface morphology (potentially not limited to solid earth). In particular, the proposed robust index (Trevisani and Rocca, 2015) with its implementation based on local kernels permits the derivation of a wide set of robust and customizable geomorphometric indices capable to outline specific aspects of surface texture. The stability of MAD in presence of signal noise and abrupt changes in spatial variability is well suited for the analysis of high-resolution digital terrain models. Moreover, the implementation of MAD by means of a pixel-centered perspective based on local kernels, with some analogies to the local binary pattern approach (Lucieer and Stein, 2005; Ojala et al., 2002), permits to create custom roughness indices capable to outline different aspects of surface roughness (Grohmann et al., 2011; Smith, 2015). In the proposed poster, some potentialities of the new indices in the context of geomorphometry and landscape analysis will be presented. At same time, challenges and future developments related to the proposed indices will be outlined. Atkinson, P.M., Lewis, P., 2000. Geostatistical classification for remote sensing: an introduction. Computers & Geosciences 26, 361-371. Grohmann, C.H., Smith, M.J., Riccomini, C., 2011. Multiscale Analysis of Topographic Surface Roughness in the Midland Valley, Scotland. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 49, 1220-1213. Herzfeld, U.C., Higginson, C.A., 1996. Automated geostatistical seafloor classification - Principles, parameters, feature vectors, and discrimination criteria. Computers and Geosciences, 22 (1), pp. 35-52. Lucieer, A., Stein, A., 2005. Texture-based landform segmentation of LiDAR imagery
Comparison of theoretical white dwarf cooling timescales
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Salaris, M.; Althaus, L. G.; García-Berro, E.
Context. An accurate assessment of white dwarf cooling times is paramount so that white dwarf cosmochronology of Galactic populations can be put on more solid grounds. This issue is particularly relevant in view of the enhanced observational capabilities provided by the next generation of extremely large telescopes, that will offer more avenues to use white dwarfs as probes of Galactic evolution and test-beds of fundamental physics. Aims: We estimate for the first time the consistency of results obtained from independent evolutionary codes for white dwarf models with fixed mass and chemical stratification, when the same input physics is employed in the calculations. Methods: We compute and compare cooling times obtained from two independent and widely used stellar evolution codes, BaSTI and LPCODE evolutionary codes, using exactly the same input physics for 0.55 M⊙ white dwarf models with both pure carbon and uniform carbon-oxygen (50/50 mass fractions) cores, and pure hydrogen layers with mass fraction qH = 10-4MWD on top of pure helium buffers of mass qHe = 10-2MWD. Results: Using the same radiative and conductive opacities, photospheric boundary conditions, neutrino energy loss rates, and equation of state, cooling times from the two codes agree within ~2% at all luminosities, except when log (L/L⊙) > -1.5 where differences up to ~8% do appear, because of the different thermal structures of the first white dwarf converged models at the beginning of the cooling sequence. This agreement is true for both pure carbon and uniform carbon-oxygen stratification core models, and also when the release of latent heat and carbon-oxygen phase separation are considered. We have also determined quantitatively and explained the effect of varying equation of state, low-temperature radiative opacities, and electron conduction opacities in our calculations, Conclusions: We have assessed for the first time the maximum possible accuracy in the current estimates of white dwarf