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At least 1,369 records · Page 76

MODELING THE ASTEROSEISMIC SURFACE TERM ACROSS THE HR DIAGRAM

Asteroseismology is a powerful tool that can precisely characterize the mass, radius, and other properties of field stars. However, our inability to properly model the near-surface layers of stars creates a frequency-dependent frequency difference between the observed and the modeled frequencies, usually referred to as the “surface term.” This surface term can add significant errors to the derived stellar properties unless removed properly. In this paper, we simulate surface terms across a significant portion of the HR diagram, exploring four different masses (M=0.8,1.0,1.2, and 1.5 M{sub ⊙}) at five metallicities ([Fe/H]=0.5,0.0,−0.5,−1.0, and −1.5) from the main sequence to red giants for stars with T{sub eff}<6500 K and explore how well the most common ways of fitting and removing the surface term actually perform. We find that the two-term model proposed by Ball and Gizon works much better than other models across a large portion of the HR diagram, including the red giants, leading us to recommend its use for future asteroseismic analyses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Evolutionary effects of helium diffusion in population II stars

Evolutionary calculations continuing until well past turnoff are presented for models of low-mass Population II stars which take into account the effects of the diffusion of helium relative to hydrogen. Evolutionary tracks, cluster isochrones and hydrogen distributions were obtained for stellar masses in the range 0.75 to 1.01 solar masses, both in the presence and absence of diffusion. It is found that for a star of a given mass, diffusion speeds up the evolutionary process on the main sequence, although after turnoff evolution is slowed with respect to the case without diffusion. As the stars ascend the red giant branch, their outer regions are remixed so that evidence of helium diffusion is erased, and the evolutionary tracks of the models with and without diffusion converge. Thus, if the age of a globular cluster is determined from the absolute magnitude at turnoff or from fitting isochrones, diffusion results in a 25% reduction in the derived age at a turnoff magnitude of 4.23, and a 14% reduction at a turnoff magnitude of 3.45.

Stringfellow, G. S.↗

Planck 2013 results. XXX. Cosmic infrared background measurements and implications for star formation

We present new measurements of cosmic infrared background (CIB) anisotropies using Planck . Combining HFI data with IRAS, the angular auto-and cross-frequency power spectrum is measured from 143 to 3000 GHz, and the auto-bispectrum from 217 to 545 GHz. The total areas used to compute the CIB power spectrum and bispectrum are about 2240 and 4400 deg 2 , respectively. After careful removal of the contaminants (cosmic microwave background anisotropies, Galactic dust, and Sunyaev-Zeldovich emission), and a complete study of systematics, the CIB power spectrum is measured with unprecedented signal to noise ratio from angular multipoles &ell; ~ 150 to 2500. The bispectrum due to the clustering of dusty, star-forming galaxies is measured from &ell; ~ 130 to 1100, with a total signal to noise ratio of around 6, 19, and 29 at 217, 353, and 545 GHz, respectively. Two approaches are developed for modelling CIB power spectrum anisotropies. The first approach takes advantage of the unique measurements by Planck at large angular scales, and models only the linear part of the power spectrum, with a mean bias of dark matter haloes hosting dusty galaxies at a given redshift weighted by their contribution to the emissivities. The second approach is based on a model that associates star-forming galaxies with dark matter haloes and their subhaloes, using a parametrized relation between the dust-processed infrared luminosity and (sub-)halo mass. The two approaches simultaneously fit all auto-and cross-power spectra very well. We find that the star formation history is well constrained up to redshifts around 2, and agrees with recent estimates of the obscured star-formation density using Spitzer and Herschel . However, at higher redshift, the accuracy of the star formation history measurement is strongly degraded by the uncertainty in the spectral energy distribution of CIB galaxies. We also find that the mean halo mass which is most efficient at hosting star formation is log (M eff /M &odot; ) = 12.6 and that CIB galaxies have warmer temperatures as redshift increases. The CIB bispectrum is steeper than that expected from the power spectrum, although well fitted by a power law; this gives some information about the contribution of massive haloes to the CIB bispectrum. Finally, we show that the same halo occupation distribution can fit all power spectra simultaneously. The precise measurements enabled by Planck pose new challenges for the modelling of CIB anisotropies, indicating the power of using CIB anisotropies to understand the process of galaxy formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

SOFIA-EXES Mid-IR Observations of [Fe II] Emission from the Extended Atmosphere of Betelgeuse

We present a NASA-DLR SOFIA-Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (EXES) and NASA Infrared Telescope Facility-Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) mid-IR R≃50,000 spectral study of forbidden Fe ii transitions in the early-type M supergiants, Betelgeuse (α Ori: M2 Iab) and Antares (α Sco: M1 Iab + B3 V). With EXES, we spectrally resolve the ground term [Fe ii] 25.99 μm (a{sup 6}D{sub J=7/2--9/2}: E{sub up}=540 K) emission from Betelgeuse. We find a small centroid blueshift of 1.9 ± 0.4 km s{sup −1} that is a significant fraction (20%) of the current epoch wind speed, with a FWHM of 14.3 ± 0.1 km s{sup −1}. The TEXES observations of [Fe ii] 17.94 μm (a{sup 4}F{sub J=7/2−9/2}: E{sub up}=3400 K) show a broader FWHM of 19.1 ± 0.2 km s{sup −1}, consistent with previous observations, and a small redshift of 1.6 ± 0.6 km s{sup −1} with respect to the adopted stellar center-of-mass velocity of V{sub CoM}=20.9±0.3 km s{sup −1}. To produce [Fe ii] 25.99 μm blueshifts of 20% wind speed requires that the emission arises closer to the star than existing thermal models for α Ori’s circumstellar envelope predict. This implies a more rapid wind cooling to below 500 K within 10R{sub ∗} (θ{sub ∗}=44 mas, dist = 200 pc) of the star, where the wind has also reached a significant fraction of the maximum wind speed. The line width is consistent with the turbulence in the outflow being close to the hydrogen sound speed. EXES observations of [Fe ii] 22.90 μm (a{sup 4}D{sub J=5/2--7/2}: E{sub up}=11,700 K) reveal no emission from either star. These findings confirm the dominance of cool plasma in the mixed region where hot chromospheric plasma emits copiously in the UV, and they also constrain the wind heating produced by the poorly understood mechanisms that drive stellar outflows from these low variability and weak-dust signature stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Narrow Absorption Components in Be Star Winds

The stars omega Ori (B2 IIIe), 66 Oph (B2 IVe), and 59 Cyg (B1.5 IVe) are discussed. The extent to which the narrow absorption components in these Be stars differs from narrow components in the O stars and gamma Cas is explored. Any models or mechanisms for the formation of narrow absorption features in the UV resonance lines of Be star spectra must account for the presence of multiple narrow absorption features which are variable in number, radial velocity, and strength. Models predicting a high and low density structure to the stellar wind caused by instabilities in a flow driven by radiation pressure or by variable mass loss may be more successful in describing the behavior of winds in early Be stars. These models appear to be capable of producing single absorption components in the velocity range observed for O stars and very early Be stars.

Grady, C. A.↗

Determination of the light ion abundances in the strong-helium star HR 3089

Using line blanketed model stellar atmospheres and a spectrum synthesis approach, a differential abundance study of the ultraviolet spectrum of HR 3089 relative to the normal star lambda Sco was performed. Both stars were found to have the same abundances of carbon and silicon, but the helium and nitrogen are significantly enhanced in HR 3089. The atmospheric parameters and the distribution of abundances found for HR 3089 agree well with the results of Osmer and Peterson on sharp-lined helium-rich stars. The rotational velocity of 160 km/sec found for HR 3089 places a constraint on the role of diffusion in producing the abundance anomalies. Examination of the resonance lines of C II, N II, Si III and Si IV shows no evidence for mass loss in either star.

Lester, J. B.↗

Epsilon Aurigae in an evolutionary context

Basic observational data of Epsilon Aurigae are summarized and used as the basis of a discussion of possible evolutionary states of the system. Constraints posed by the presence of a cold disk surrounding the secondary star are also outlined. Possible evolutionary models of the F0 Ia supergiant range from pre-main sequence contraction through shell hydrogen burning, core helium burning, to shell helium burning, depending on the absolute luminosity of the system, for models in which no mass transfer has taken place. Models invoking binary interaction include core and shell helium burning stars, and pre-white dwarfs, again depending on the absolute luminosity of the system. A massive shell helium burning star or a pre-white dwarf mass transfer remnant would appear the most likely of these models at present. Observational tests of these models are briefly outlined.

Webbink, R. F.↗

Enhanced production of 60 Fe in massive stars

Massive stars are a major source of chemical elements in the cosmos, ejecting freshly produced nuclei through winds and core-collapse supernova explosions into the interstellar medium. Among the material ejected, long-lived radioisotopes, such as 60 Fe (iron) and 26 Al (aluminum), offer unique signs of active nucleosynthesis in our galaxy. There is a long-standing discrepancy between the observed 60 Fe/ 26 Al ratio by γ-ray telescopes and predictions from supernova models. This discrepancy has been attributed to uncertainties in the nuclear reaction networks producing 60 Fe, and one reaction in particular, the neutron-capture on 59 Fe. Here we present experimental results that provide a strong constraint on this reaction. We use these results to show that the production of 60 Fe in massive stars is higher than previously thought, further increasing the discrepancy between observed and predicted 60 Fe/ 26 Al ratios. The persisting discrepancy can therefore not be attributed to nuclear uncertainties, and points to issues in massive-star models.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Determination of the atmospheric structure of the BO star companion of SMC X-1 by analysis of Ginga observations

The x-ray phenomena of the binary system SMC X-1/Sk 160, observed with the Ginga and ROSAT x-ray observatories, are compared with computed phenomena derived from a three dimensional hydrodynamical model of the stellar wind perturbed by x-ray heating and ionization which is described in the accompanying paper. In the model the BOI primary star has a line-driven stellar wind in the region of the x-ray shadow and a thermal wind in the region heated by x-rays. We find general agreement between the observed and predicted x-ray spectra throughout the binary orbit cycle, including the extended, variable, and asymmetric eclipse transitions and the period of deep eclipse.

Clark, George W.↗

Thermonuclear processes on accreting neutron stars - A systematic study

A series of model calculations for the evolution of the surface layers of an accreting neutron star is carried out. The neutron star mass, radius, core temperature, and surface magnetic field strength are systematically varied, as are the accretion rate onto the neutron star surface and the metallicity of the accreting matter, in order to determine the effects of these parameters on the properties of thermonuclear flashes in the surface layers and the emitted X-ray bursts that result from such flashes. The core temperatures required for thermal equilibrium are found to be approximately a factor of 2 lower than estimated in earlier work. Owing to the effects of the gravitational redshift, the emitted X-ray bursts have lower peak luminosities and longer durations than those calculated in the Newtonian approximation. The entrainment of hydrogen into helium flashes can cause the flashes to exhibit a rather wide range of observable effects and can decrease by a factor of more than 2 the ratio of persistent accretion-driven luminosity to time-averaged burst luminosity emitted by the neutron star.

Ayasli, S.↗

A Runaway Yellow Supergiant Star in the Small Magellanic Cloud

We recently discovered a yellow supergiant (YSG) in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) with a heliocentric radial velocity of ∼300 km s{sup −1}, which is much larger than expected for a star at its location in the SMC. This is the first runaway YSG ever discovered and only the second evolved runaway star discovered in a galaxy other than the Milky Way. We classify the star as G5-8 I and use de-reddened broad-band colors with model atmospheres to determine an effective temperature of 4700 ± 250 K, consistent with what is expected from its spectral type. The star’s luminosity is then log L/L {sub ⊙} ∼ 4.2 ± 0.1, consistent with it being a ∼30 Myr 9 M {sub ⊙} star according to the Geneva evolution models. The star is currently located in the outer portion of the SMC’s body, but if the star’s transverse peculiar velocity is similar to its peculiar radial velocity, in 10 Myr the star would have moved 1.°6 across the disk of the SMC and could easily have been born in one of the SMC’s star-forming regions. Based on its large radial velocity, we suggest it originated in a binary system where the primary exploded as a supernovae, thus flinging the runaway star out into space. Such stars may provide an important mechanism for the dispersal of heavier elements in galaxies given the large percentage of massive stars that are runaways. In the future, we hope to look into additional evolved runaway stars that were discovered as part of our other past surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Models of four highly obscured compact H II regions

Models are constructed for three stars in order to determine their properties and elemental abundances through comparisons of model predictions and observations. By comparing predicted line fluxes with those observed, it is noted that oxygen is apparently enhanced by a factor of 2 in W3A, and of 4 in G75.84 + 0.40A and G29.9 - 0.0. The first two cases are based on the premise that the O(++)-emitting regions are as clumped as those of S(++). The H II regions all need more than one main sequence star or one unusually large star to provide the observed radio luminosity.

Simpson, J. P.↗

The Role of Data Filtering in Open Source Software Ranking and Selection

Faced with more than 100M open source projects, a more manageable small subset is needed for most empirical investigations. More than half of the research papers in leading venues investigated filtering projects by some measure of popularity with explicit or implicit arguments that unpopular projects are not of interest, may not even represent "real" software projects, or that less popular projects are not worthy of study. However, such filtering may have enormous effects on the results of the studies if and precisely because the sought-out response or prediction is in any way related to the filtering criteria.This paper exemplifies the impact of this common practice on research outcomes, specifically how filtering of software projects on GitHub based on inherent characteristics affects the assessment of their popularity. Using a dataset of over 100,000 repositories, we used multiple regression to model the number of stars -a commonly used proxy for popularity- based on factors such as the number of commits, the duration of the project, the number of authors and the number of core developers. Our control model included the entire dataset, while a second filtered model considered only projects with ten or more authors. The results indicated that while certain characteristics of the repository consistently predict popularity, the filtering process significantly alters the relationships between these characteristics and the response. We found that the number of commits exhibited a positive correlation with popularity in the control sample but showed a negative correlation in the filtered sample. These findings highlight the potential biases introduced by data filtering and emphasize the need for careful sample selection in empirical research of mining software repositories. We recommend that empirical work should either analyze complete datasets such as World of Code, or employ stratified random sampling from a complete dataset to ensure that filtering is not biasing the results.

Malviya Thakur, Addi↗

Star Formation at z = 2.481 in the Lensed Galaxy SDSS J1110 = 6459. I. Lens Modeling and Source Reconstruction

Using the combined resolving power of the Hubble Space Telescope and gravitational lensing, we resolve star-forming structures in a z∼2.5 galaxy on scales much smaller than the usual kiloparsec diffraction limit of HST. SGAS J111020.0+645950.8 is a clumpy, star-forming galaxy lensed by the galaxy cluster SDSS J1110+6459 at z=0.659, with a total magnification ∼30× across the entire arc. We use a hybrid parametric/non-parametric strong lensing mass model to compute the deflection and magnification of this giant arc, reconstruct the light distribution of the lensed galaxy in the source plane, and resolve the star formation into two dozen clumps. We develop a forward-modeling technique to model each clump in the source plane. We ray-trace the model to the image plane, convolve with the instrumental point-spread function (PSF), and compare with the GALFIT model of the clumps in the image plane, which decomposes clump structure from more extended emission. This technique has the advantage, over ray-tracing, of accounting for the asymmetric lensing shear of the galaxy in the image plane and the instrument PSF. At this resolution, we can begin to study star formation on a clump-by-clump basis, toward the goal of understanding feedback mechanisms and the buildup of exponential disks at high redshift.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The ultraviolet and visible light variability of BP Tauri - Possible clues for the origin of T Tauri star activity

BP Tau is a moderate-strength T Tauri star, which has previously been studied photometrically by Vrba et al. (1986, 1989) and shown to have a 7.6-day light cycle. Here, BP Tau was reobserved in order to monitor this star with the IUE satellite. In conjunction with the UV spectroscopy, nearly simultaneous ground-based optical photometry was also obtained. At optical wavelengths, the star was initially found to be varying with a period of 7.6 days. This variability suddenly vanished and was followed by a quiescent state that lasted about 11 days. The star then resumed its variability with a period of about 6.1 days. The UV continuum and most of the UV emission lines appeared to vary in phase with the optical flux. No variations were observed on the very short timescales ranging from several hours to half a day, expected on the basis of axisymmetric, quasi-steady-state accretion disk models of T Tauri stars. However, the nearly week-long variations that were observed may be consistent with a magnetically buffered accretion model, which has been proposed by Uchida and Shibata.

Simon, Theodore↗

The Effect of Companions on the SIM Reference Frame

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) is a 10-m Michelson space-based optical interferometer designed for precision astrometry (4 microarcseconds, 3 microarcseconds/year) with better accuracy than before over a narrow field of view. One of the primary objectives of the SIM instrument is to determine accurately the directions to a grid of stars, together with their proper motions and parallax, improving a priori knowledge by nearly three orders of magnitude over Hipparcos and one order of magnitude over FAME's planned accuracy (Johnston, 2000). The instrument does not measure directly the angular separation between stars, but rather it measures the projection of each star's direction vector onto the interferometer baseline vector by measuring the pathlength delay of starlight as it passes through the two arms of the interferometer. The accuracy and stability of SIM's celestial reference frame is subject to degradation over the 5-year mission from the reflex motion induced by massive companions of the objects used to construct the celestial reference frame. The authors present the results of simulations that show the sensitivity of reference frame accuracy to companions as a function of mass and period. They assume that pre-launch ground surveys will eliminate all objects with RMS radial velocity greater than 10 m/s. They further assume that the standard astrometric parameters of position, parallax, and proper motion plus acceleration terms in right ascension and declination will be allowed to absorb reflex motion.

ASTROMETRY↗

Bow shock models for the velocity structure of ultracompact H II regions

The velocity structure of ultracompact H II regions is modeled assuming that O stars moving supersonically through molecular clouds sweep up bow shocks to produce the observed objects. The expected radio recombination line emission is calculated for the case of an optically thin continuum and the strong effect of changing the viewing angle is shown. The kinematic information removes the degeneracy with ram pressure of a previous model, allowing measurement of stellar velocity vectors and cloud densities. A detailed model for G29.96-0.02 shows good agreement with observations by Wood and Churchwell, supporting the bow shock hypothesis. It is found that the exciting star of G29 is moving at 20 km/s relative to the gas, suggesting that O stars acquire a large velocity dispersion early in their lives.

Van Buren, Dave↗

Study of effect of PWR cold leg temperature gradient on reactor core condition

Effects of temperature and flow gradients in Westinghouse designed three-loop Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) cold legs, the piping between the main coolant pump and the reactor vessel, were evaluated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code STAR CCM+ and coupled neutronic and thermal-hydraulic (T/H) code system VERA. In the parametric study, several symmetric and asymmetric temperature gradients that were significantly larger than those observed from plant measurements were applied to the cold leg inlets for comparison with the base case without any temperature gradient. A CFD model using the STAR-CCM+ code was developed for a portion of the RCS region between the Reactor Coolant Pump (RCP) and the core inlet based on previously validated modeling approach. The CFD simulation results were processed for the temperature and flow rate distributions at the core inlet as input to the VERA calculations. The VERA code system consists of COBRA-TF (CTF) for thermal-hydraulics, MPACT for reactor physics and neutron transport, and ORIGEN for isotopic depletion. The VERA model was for depletion calculations of a high-burnup loading pattern with the reactor core in pin-by-pin and subchannel resolution. The results of the study indicate that the postulated temperature gradients within the PWR cold legs do not result in any significant changes in the core inlet temperature distributions and the core power distributions during the reactor operation. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗