Exoplanet discoveries with the CoRoT space observatory

in Solar System Research (2010), 44

The CoRoT space observatory is a project which is led by the French space agency CNES and leading space research institutes in Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Germany and Spain and also the European Space ... [more ▼]

The CoRoT space observatory is a project which is led by the French space agency CNES and leading space research institutes in Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Germany and Spain and also the European Space Agency ESA. CoRoT observed since its launch in December 27, 2006 about 100 000 stars for the exoplanet channel, during 150 days uninterrupted high-precision photometry. Since the The CoRoT-team has several exoplanet candidates which are currently analyzed under its study, we report here the discoveries of nine exoplanets which were observed by CoRoT. Discovered exoplanets such as CoRoT-3b populate the brown dwarf desert and close the gap of measured physical properties between usual gas giants and very low mass stars. CoRoT discoveries extended the known range of planet masses down to about 4.8 Earth-masses (CoRoT-7b) and up to 21 Jupiter masses (CoRoT-3b), the radii to about 1.68 × 0.09 R [SUB]Earth[/SUB] (CoRoT-7b) and up to the most inflated hot Jupiter with 1.49 × 0.09 R [SUB]Earth[/SUB] found so far (CoRoT-1b), and the transiting exoplanet with the longest period of 95.274 days (CoRoT-9b). Giant exoplanets have been detected at low metallicity, rapidly rotating and active, spotted stars. Two CoRoT planets have host stars with the lowest content of heavy elements known to show a transit hinting towards a different planethost-star-metallicity relation then the one found by radial-velocity search programs. Finally the properties of the CoRoT-7b prove that rocky planets with a density close to Earth exist outside the Solar System. Finally the detection of the secondary transit of CoRoT-1b at a sensitivity level of 10[SUP]-5[/SUP] and the very clear detection of the "super-Earth" CoRoT-7b at 3.5 × 10[SUP]-4[/SUP] relative flux are promising evidence that the space observatory is being able to detect even smaller exoplanets with the size of the Earth. [less ▲]

Exosites Mediate The Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of A Multifunctional Serpin From The Saliva Of The Tick Ixodes Ricinus

in Febs Journal (2009), 276(12),

Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are a structurally related but functionally diverse family of ubiquitous proteins. We previously described Ixodes ricinus immunosuppressor (Iris) as a serpin from the ... [more ▼]

Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are a structurally related but functionally diverse family of ubiquitous proteins. We previously described Ixodes ricinus immunosuppressor (Iris) as a serpin from the saliva of the tick I. ricinus displaying high affinity for human leukocyte elastase. Iris also displays pleotropic effects because it interferes with both the immune response and hemostasis of the host. It thus inhibits lymphocyte proliferation and the secretion of interferon-gamma or tumor necrosis factor-alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and also platelet adhesion, coagulation and fibrinolysis. Its ability to interfere with coagulation and fibrinolysis, but not platelet adhesion, depends on the integrity of its antiproteolytic reactive center loop domain. Here, we dissect the mechanisms underlying the interaction of recombinant Iris with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We show that Iris binds to monocytes/macrophages and inhibits their ability to secrete tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Recombinant Iris also has a protective role in endotoxemic shock. The anti-inflammatory ability of Iris does not depend on its antiprotease activity. Moreover, we pinpoint the exosites involved in this activity. [less ▲]

EXOTIME: searching for planets around pulsating subdwarf B stars

in Astrophysics & Space Science (2010, October), 329

In 2007, a companion with planetary mass was found around the pulsating subdwarf B star V391 Pegasi with the timing method, indicating that a previously undis- covered population of substellar companions ... [more ▼]

In 2007, a companion with planetary mass was found around the pulsating subdwarf B star V391 Pegasi with the timing method, indicating that a previously undis- covered population of substellar companions to apparently single subdwarf B stars might exist. Following this serendip- itous discovery, the EXOTIME (http://www.na.astro.it/ ~silvotti/exotime/) monitoring program has been set up to follow the pulsations of a number of selected rapidly pul- sating subdwarf B stars on time scales of several years with two immediate observational goals: (1) determine P ̇ of the pulsational periods P (2) search for signatures of substellar companions in O– C residuals due to periodic light travel time variations, which would be tracking the central star’s companion- induced wobble around the centre of mass These sets of data should therefore, at the same time, on the one hand be useful to provide extra constraints for classical asteroseismological exercises from the P ̇ (comparison with “local” evolutionary models), and on the other hand allow one to investigate the preceding evolution of a target in terms of possible “binary” evolution by extending the otherwise unsuccessful search for companions to potentially very low masses. While timing pulsations may be an observationally ex- pensive method to search for companions, it samples a dif- ferent range of orbital parameters, inaccessible through or- bital photometric effects or the radial velocity method: the latter favours massive close-in companions, whereas the timing method becomes increasingly more sensitive toward wider separations. In this paper we report on the status of the on-going ob- servations and coherence analysis for two of the currently five targets, revealing very well-behaved pulsational charac- teristics in HS 0444+0458, while showing HS 0702+6043 to be more complex than previously thought. [less ▲]

Exotisme zonder romantiek. Roel Janssen en Dorine Platenga: 'Brazilië'

Article for general public (1992)

Exozodiacal discs with ALADDIN: how faint can we detect them?

in Spinoglio, L.; Epchtein, N. (Eds.) 3rd ARENA Conference: An Astronomical Observatory at CONCORDIA (Dome C, Antarctica) (2010)

In this paper, we describe the expected performance of ALADDIN, a nulling interferometer project optimised for operation at Dome C. After reviewing the main atmospheric parameters pertaining to infrared ... [more ▼]

In this paper, we describe the expected performance of ALADDIN, a nulling interferometer project optimised for operation at Dome C. After reviewing the main atmospheric parameters pertaining to infrared interferometry on the high Antarctic plateau, we shortly describe the ALADDIN instrument and compute its estimated performance in terms of the smallest exozodiacal dust disc density that can be detected. Our estimations are based on a thorough end-to-end software simulator previously developed for the GENIE nulling interferometer project at VLTI. We then propose a possible mission scenario, where the southern target stars of future exo-Earth characterisation missions can be surveyed for the presence of bright exozodiacal discs (>50 zodi) within one winter-over at Concordia. [less ▲]

Exozodiacal Disks

in Lawson, P. R.; Traub, W. A.; Unwin, S. C. (Eds.) Exoplanet Community Report (2009)

From the viewpoint of direct imaging of exoplanets in the visible or infrared, exozodi dust disks can be both good and bad. An exozodi disk is good if it has structures (cleared regions or resonant clumps ... [more ▼]

From the viewpoint of direct imaging of exoplanets in the visible or infrared, exozodi dust disks can be both good and bad. An exozodi disk is good if it has structures (cleared regions or resonant clumps) that suggest the gravitational presence of planets, however it is bad if the dust fills the instrumental field of view with brightness that swamps the signal from a planet. Unfortunately, it takes very little dust to compete with or overwhelm the light from a planet: an Earth‐twin signal is roughly equal to a 0.1‐AU patch of Solar‐System‐twin zodi, in the visible or infrared. Thus, exozodi measurements are extremely important, but they are also difficult to make. Current limits of detection, in units of the Solar‐System brightness, are a few hundred using the Spitzer Space Telescope, about one hundred with the Keck Interferometer (KI), and about 10 expected from the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI). A small coronagraph or small interferometer in space is needed in order to reach the sensitivity required to detect the glow at the level of our own Solar System. [less ▲]

Expanding on olfactory communication in a butterfly: cuticular chemicals indicate sex and age in Bicyclus anynana

in International Society of Chemical Ecology, 28th Annual Meeting. Abstracts (2012, July)

Chemical (olfactory or gustatory) communication is fundamental to most living organisms but widely understudied compared to other channels of communication such as vision and audition, principally in ... [more ▼]

Chemical (olfactory or gustatory) communication is fundamental to most living organisms but widely understudied compared to other channels of communication such as vision and audition, principally in sexual selection . Here we present the first extensive analysis of cuticular chemical diversity in a butterfly, and investigate whether molecules inform potential mating partners about sex and age. Bicyclus anynana was chosen for its well-known potentialities as a lab model in eco-evo-devo studies , . Chemical interactions have been investigated so far in this species with focus on volatile olfactory components: male sexual pheromones composition and their roles in sexual selection , , their change in ratio with male age, inbreeding coefficient, and other factors . Here we aim completing the picture fully and focus on gustatory non-volatile cuticular chemical diversity in this model species. Indeed, as for Drosophila, the courtship of this butterfly is composed of a series of steps that include short-range interactions during which various chemicals may be involved in mate-choice, through olfactory but also gustatory channels of communication (Nieberding et al., data not published). More than hundred cuticular chemicals were identified and quantified by GC-MS analyses on different parts (abdomen, antennae, head, legs and wings) of B. anynana individuals (n=42, 210 GC-MS analyses) of each sex and at different ages (from 1 to 21 days old). The analysis of the chemical distribution was realised by multivariate statistical analyses (perMANOVA). The results led to the conclusion that some cuticular chemicals are indicative for the body parts and can inform about sex and age. [less ▲]

Expanding the value of your practice with dental implants.

Conference (2006)

L’expansion du pentecôtisme congolais (RDC) ou l’imbrication des logiques de mobilité et de sédentarité

Scientific conference (2007)

Expansion Machine and fluid selection for the Organic Rankine Cycle

in Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics (2010, July)

This paper considers a whole range of ORC applications, in terms of power (from the kW-scale to the multi-MW plants), heat source temperature (from 90°C to more than 300°C) or heat source nature (solar ... [more ▼]

This paper considers a whole range of ORC applications, in terms of power (from the kW-scale to the multi-MW plants), heat source temperature (from 90°C to more than 300°C) or heat source nature (solar, biomass, waste heat recovery, geothermy, etc.). Five typical ORC applications are considered in terms of evaporating and condensing temperature. A screening of the most used ORC working fluids is performed, and their thermodynamics performances are compared with respect to the foreseen application. A detailed analysis of the most common expansion machines is then conducted, by comparing their respective operating maps for each fluid and for each application type. The considered expansion machines are the single-stage radial-inflow turbine, the screw expander, and the scroll expander, which are widely used in commercial applications and/or in scientific literature. The limitations of these machines are listed and considered to define an operating map for each considered fluid. Finally, the allowable power range is described with respect to the application and to the selected expansion device. [less ▲]