Magnetic field studies of massive main sequence stars

in Astronomische Nachrichten (2011), 332

We report on the status of our spectropolarimetric observations of massive stars. During the last years, we have discovered magnetic fields in many objects of the upper main sequence, including Be stars ... [more ▼]

We report on the status of our spectropolarimetric observations of massive stars. During the last years, we have discovered magnetic fields in many objects of the upper main sequence, including Be stars, β Cephei and Slowly Pulsating B stars, and a dozen O stars. Since the effects of those magnetic fields have been found to be substantial by recent models, we are looking into their impact on stellar rotation, pulsation, stellar winds, and chemical abundances. Accurate studies of the age, environment, and kinematic characteristics of the magnetic stars are also promising to give us new insight into the origin of the magnetic fields. Furthermore, longer time series of magnetic field measurements allow us to observe the temporal variability of the magnetic field and to deduce the stellar rotation period and the magnetic field geometry. Studies of the magnetic field in massive stars are indispensable to understand the conditions controlling the presence of those fields and their implications on the stellar physical parameters and evolution. [less ▲]

COSMOGRAIL: the COSmological MOnitoring of GRAvItational Lenses. IX. Time delays, lens dynamics and baryonic fraction in HE 0435-1223

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2011), 536

We present accurate time delays for the quadruply imaged quasar HE 0435-1223. The delays were measured from 575 independent photometric points obtained in the R-band between January 2004 and March 2010 ... [more ▼]

We present accurate time delays for the quadruply imaged quasar HE 0435-1223. The delays were measured from 575 independent photometric points obtained in the R-band between January 2004 and March 2010. With seven years of data, we clearly show that quasar image A is affected by strong microlensing variations and that the time delays are best expressed relative to quasar image B. We measured ΔtBC = 7.8 ± 0.8 days, ΔtBD = -6.5 ± 0.7 days and ΔtCD = -14.3 ± 0.8 days. We spacially deconvolved HST NICMOS2 F160W images to derive accurate astrometry of the quasar images and to infer the light profile of the lensing galaxy. We combined these images with a stellar population fitting of a deep VLT spectrum of the lensing galaxy to estimate the baryonic fraction, fb, in the Einstein radius. We measured fb = 0.65-0.10+0.13 if the lensing galaxy has a Salpeter IMF and fb = 0.45-0.07+0.04 if it has a Kroupa IMF. The spectrum also allowed us to estimate the velocity dispersion of the lensing galaxy, σap = 222 ± 34 km s-1. We used fb and σap to constrain an analytical model of the lensing galaxy composed of an Hernquist plus generalized NFW profile. We solved the Jeans equations numerically for the model and explored the parameter space under the additional requirement that the model must predict the correct astrometry for the quasar images. Given the current error bars on fb and σap, we did not constrain H0 yet with high accuracy, i.e., we found a broad range of models with χ2 < 1. However, narrowing this range is possible, provided a better velocity dispersion measurement becomes available. In addition, increasing the depth of the current HST imaging data of HE 0435-1223 will allow us to combine ourconstraints with lens reconstruction techniques that make use of the full Einstein ring that is visible in this object. Based on observations made with the 1.2 m Euler Swiss Telescope, the 1.5 m telescope of Maidanak Observatory in Uzbekistan, and with the 1.2 m Mercator Telescope, operated on the island of La Palma by the Flemish Community, at the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope data was obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS-5-26555.Light curves are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/536/A53 [less ▲]

La production de biohydrogène à partir de substrats carbohydratés : état de l'art

in Récents progrès en génie des procédés (2011, December 01)

Hydrogen is being considered as an ideal and clean energy carrier. The recent advances to produce biohydrogen from renewable sources such as biomass and particularly by fermentation of carbohydrate-rich ... [more ▼]

Hydrogen is being considered as an ideal and clean energy carrier. The recent advances to produce biohydrogen from renewable sources such as biomass and particularly by fermentation of carbohydrate-rich substrates from agriculture and agro-industries appear promising. Such a process enables both organic waste treatment and renewable energy production to be coupled. The paper presents the state of the art about the different hydrogen-producing microorganisms and the parameters that have been investigated in order to improve the hydrogen production yields and rates. [less ▲]

Using seismic targets as benchmarks for spectroscopic analyses of cool stars

in Journal of Physics: Conference Series [=JPCS] (2011), 328

The frequency of maximum oscillation power measured in dwarfs and giants exhibiting solar-like pulsations provides a precise, and potentially accurate, inference of the stellar surface gravity. An ... [more ▼]

The frequency of maximum oscillation power measured in dwarfs and giants exhibiting solar-like pulsations provides a precise, and potentially accurate, inference of the stellar surface gravity. An extensive comparison for about 40 well-studied pulsating stars with gravities derived by traditional means (ionization balance, pressure-sensitive spectral features or location with respect to evolutionary tracks) supports the validity of this technique and reveals an overall remarkable agreement with mean differences not exceeding 0.05 dex (although with a dispersion of up to ~0.2 dex). It is argued that interpolation in theoretical isochrones may be the most precise way of estimating the gravity by traditional means in nearby dwarfs. The use of seismic targets as benchmarks in the context of forthcoming large-scale surveys (such as the follow up of the Gaia mission) is briefly discussed. [less ▲]

Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission - XIX. CoRoT-23b: a dense hot Jupiter on an eccentric orbit

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2011), 537

We report the detection of CoRoT-23b, a hot Jupiter transiting in front of its host star with a period of 3.6314 \pm 0.0001 days. This planet was discovered thanks to photometric data secured with the ... [more ▼]

We report the detection of CoRoT-23b, a hot Jupiter transiting in front of its host star with a period of 3.6314 \pm 0.0001 days. This planet was discovered thanks to photometric data secured with the CoRoT satellite, combined with spectroscopic radial velocity (RV) measurements. A photometric search for possible background eclipsing binaries conducted at CFHT and OGS concluded with a very low risk of false positives. The usual techniques of combining RV and transit data simultaneously were used to derive stellar and planetary parameters. The planet has a mass of Mp = 2.8 \pm 0.3 MJup, a radius of Rpl = 1.05 \pm 0.13 RJup, a density of \approx 3 g cm-3. RV data also clearly reveal a non zero eccentricity of e = 0.16 \pm 0.02. The planet orbits a mature G0 main sequence star of V =15.5 mag, with a mass M\star = 1.14 \pm 0.08 M\odot, a radius R\star = 1. 61 \pm 0.18 R\odot and quasi-solar abundances. The age of the system is evaluated to be 7 Gyr, not far from the transition to subgiant, in agreement with the rather large stellar radius. The two features of a significant eccentricity of the orbit and of a fairly high density are fairly uncommon for a hot Jupiter. The high density is, however, consistent with a model of contraction of a planet at this mass, given the age of the system. On the other hand, at such an age, circularization is expected to be completed. In fact, we show that for this planetary mass and orbital distance, any initial eccentricity should not totally vanish after 7 Gyr, as long as the tidal quality factor Qp is more than a few 105, a value that is the lower bound of the usually expected range. Even if Corot-23b features a density and an eccentricity that are atypical of a hot Jupiter, it is thus not an enigmatic object. [less ▲]

Constrained sparse estimation for improved fault isolation

in Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines & Power (2011), 133(12), 121602

Comparison of bovine and human O26 EHEC strains by the Whole Genome PCR Scanning

Conference (2011, December)

Medicine and User Involvement within European Healthcare: a typology for European comparative research

in International Journal of Clinical Practice (2011), 65(12), 1218-1220

Novel amphiphilic mikto-arm star-shaped copolymers for the preparation of PLA-based nanocarriers

in Macromolecular Symposia (2011), 309/310(1), 111-122

Three-arm (A2B) and four-arm (A2B2) star-shaped copolymers based on biocompatible and biodegradable hydrophobic poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) (A arms) and biocompatible and bioeliminable hydrophilic poly ... [more ▼]

Three-arm (A2B) and four-arm (A2B2) star-shaped copolymers based on biocompatible and biodegradable hydrophobic poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) (A arms) and biocompatible and bioeliminable hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) (B arms) were synthesized by the coupling of an ω-azide terminated PEO chains with PCL chain bearing one (A2B) or two (A2B2) alkyne functions at the middle of the chain by the copper mediated azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The amphiphilic behavior of these different stars was confirmed by micellization experiments in water followed by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy analyses. The efficiency to stabilize PLA nanoparticles was investigated in function of the stars structure. [less ▲]

Layering of Size and Type Noun Constructions in English

Book published by Mouton de Gruyter - 1st (2011)

On the basis of synchronic and diachronic data analysis, the volume takes a close look at the synchronic layers of binominal size noun and type noun uses (a bunch/a load of X; a sort of X; a Y type of X ... [more ▼]

On the basis of synchronic and diachronic data analysis, the volume takes a close look at the synchronic layers of binominal size noun and type noun uses (a bunch/a load of X; a sort of X; a Y type of X) and reconsiders the framework of grammaticalization in view of issues raised by the phrases under discussion. As a result, a construction grammar-approach to grammaticalization is developed which does justice to the syntagmatic lexical, or collocational, reclustering observed in the data within an eclectic cognitive-functional approach. Prices subject to change. Shipping costs will be added. Current pricing is based [less ▲]