ABSTRACT We analyze two multi-chord stellar occultations by Pluto that were observed on 2012 July 18th and 2013 May 4th, and respectively monitored from five and six sites. They provide a total of ...fifteen light curves, 12 of which were used for a simultaneous fit that uses a unique temperature profile, assuming a clear (no haze) and pure N2 atmosphere, but allowing for a possible pressure variation between the two dates. We find a solution that satisfactorily fits (i.e., within the noise level) all of the 12 light curves, providing atmospheric constraints between ∼1190 km (pressure ∼11 bar) and ∼1450 km (pressure ∼0.1 bar) from Pluto's center. Our main results are: (1) the best-fitting temperature profile shows a stratosphere with a strong positive gradient between 1190 km (at 36 K, 11 bar) and r = 1215 km (6.0 bar), where a temperature maximum of 110 K is reached; above it is a mesosphere with a negative thermal gradient of −0.2 K km−1 up to ∼1390 km (0.25 bar), where the mesosphere connects itself to a more isothermal upper branch around 81 K; (2) the pressure shows a small (6%) but significant increase (6 level) between the two dates; (3) without a troposphere, Pluto's radius is found to be 5 km. Allowing for a troposphere, RP is constrained to lie between 1168 and 1195 km; and (4) the currently measured CO abundance is too small to explain the mesospheric negative thermal gradient. Cooling by HCN is possible, but only if this species is largely saturated. Alternative explanations like zonal winds or vertical compositional variations of the atmosphere are unable to explain the observed mesospheric negative thermal gradient.
We present 1.3-mm subarcsecond SMA observations of the prototypical Class 0 protostar VLA1623. We report the detection of 1.3-mm continuum emission both from the central protostellar component ...VLA1623 and two additional sources, Knot-A and Knot-B, which have been already detected at longer wavelengths. Knot-A and Knot-B are both located along the western cavity wall opened by the protostellar outflow from VLA1623. Our SMA observations moreover show that these two continuum sources are associated with bright, high-velocity 12CO(2-1) emission, slightly shifted downstream of the outflow propagation direction with respect to the 1.3-mm continuum emission peaks. The alignment of Knot-A and Knot-B along the protostellar outflow cavity, the compactness of their 1.3-mm continuum emission and the properties of the associated CO emission suggest that these two sources trace outflow features due to shocks along the cavity wall, rather than protostellar objects. While it was considered as one of the best examples of a close protobinary system so far, the present analysis suggests that the prototypical Class 0, VLA1623, is single on the scales a>100 AU probed by our SMA observations. Moreover, we present here the second robust case of compact millimeter continuum emission produced by interactions between the protostellar jet and the envelope of a Class 0 protostar, which suggests a high occurrence of these outflow features during the embedded phase.
SPICA, the cryogenic infrared space telescope recently pre-selected for a `Phase A' concept study as one of the three remaining candidates for ESA's fifth medium class (M5) mission, is foreseen to ...include a far-infrared polarimetric imager (SPICA-POL, now called B-BOP), which would offer a unique opportunity to resolve major issues in our understanding of the nearby, cold magnetized Universe. This paper presents an overview of the main science drivers for B-BOP, including high dynamic range polarimetric imaging of the cold interstellar medium (ISM) in both our Milky Way and nearby galaxies. Thanks to a cooled telescope, B-BOP will deliver wide-field 100-350 micron images of linearly polarized dust emission in Stokes Q and U with a resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and both intensity and spatial dynamic ranges comparable to those achieved by Herschel images of the cold ISM in total intensity (Stokes I). The B-BOP 200 micron images will also have a factor ~30 higher resolution than Planck polarization data. This will make B-BOP a unique tool for characterizing the statistical properties of the magnetized interstellar medium and probing the role of magnetic fields in the formation and evolution of the interstellar web of dusty molecular filaments giving birth to most stars in our Galaxy. B-BOP will also be a powerful instrument for studying the magnetism of nearby galaxies and testing galactic dynamo models, constraining the physics of dust grain alignment, informing the problem of the interaction of cosmic rays with molecular clouds, tracing magnetic fields in the inner layers of protoplanetary disks, and monitoring accretion bursts in embedded protostars.
We present a 69 arcmin\(^2\) ALMA survey at 1.1mm, GOODS-ALMA, matching the deepest HST-WFC3 H-band part of the GOODS-South field. We taper the 0"24 original image with a homogeneous and circular ...synthesized beam of 0"60 to reduce the number of independent beams - thus reducing the number of purely statistical spurious detections - and optimize the sensitivity to point sources. We extract a catalogue of galaxies purely selected by ALMA and identify sources with and without HST counterparts down to a 5\(\sigma\) limiting depth of H=28.2 AB (HST/WFC3 F160W). ALMA detects 20 sources brighter than 0.7 mJy in the 0"60 tapered mosaic (rms sensitivity =0.18 mJy/beam) with a purity greater than 80%. Among these detections, we identify three sources with no HST nor Spitzer-IRAC counterpart, consistent with the expected number of spurious galaxies from the analysis of the inverted image; their definitive status will require additional investigation. An additional three sources with HST counterparts are detected either at high significance in the higher resolution map, or with different detection-algorithm parameters ensuring a purity greater than 80%. Hence we identify in total 20 robust detections. Our wide contiguous survey allows us to push further in redshift the blind detection of massive galaxies with ALMA with a median redshift of \(z\)=2.92 and a median stellar mass of M\(_{\star}\) = 1.1 \(\times 10^{11}\)M\(_\odot\). Our sample includes 20% HST-dark galaxies (4 out of 20), all detected in the mid-infrared with IRAC. The near-infrared based photometric redshifts of two of them \(z\sim\)4.3 and 4.8) suggest that these sources have redshifts \(z\)>4. At least 40% of the ALMA sources host an X-ray AGN, compared to 14% for other galaxies of similar mass and redshift. The wide area of our ALMA survey provides lower values at the bright end of number counts than single-dish telescopes
Strength and subjectively determined exertion limits are used widely for ergonomic evaluation. Although compilations of such data for the hand and finger exist, several important limitations include ...the use of inexperienced participants and constrained postures. In this study both strength and maximum acceptable limits (MAL, 2-hour duration) were obtained from both industrial workers and inexperienced volunteers in 10 simulated hand-intensive automotive assembly tasks. To expand the applicability of the results, the effects of hand-dominance were also determined. Results were compared with existing recommendations (by Kodak and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists threshold limit value for hand-intensive activities), and showed that across the diverse tasks the former yields values slightly below the 1st percentile of MAL, whereas the latter values are slightly higher than the 25th percentile. MALs were found to be approximately 50% of strength, consistent with earlier reports, and suggesting that acceptable limits are strongly influenced by physical capacity. Substantial differences (∼30%) in strength and MALs were found between the two participant groups, emphasizing that participants should resemble the target population. Hand-dominance effects were statistically significant though of moderate size (∼5%). Strength and MAL distributions are provided that can be used for evaluation and design of a variety of hand-intensive occupational tasks.
NIKA is a dual-band camera operating with 315 frequency multiplexed LEKIDs cooled at 100 mK. NIKA is designed to observe the sky in intensity and polarisation at 150 and 260 GHz from the IRAM 30-m ...telescope. It is a test-bench for the final NIKA2 camera. The incoming linear polarisation is modulated at four times the mechanical rotation frequency by a warm rotating multi-layer half- wave plate. Then, the signal is analyzed by a wire grid and finally absorbed by the lumped element kinetic inductance detectors (LEKIDs). The small time constant (
<
1 ms ) of the LEKIDs combined with the modulation of the HWP enables the quasi-simultaneous measurement of the three Stokes parameters
I
,
Q
,
U
, representing linear polarisation. In this paper, we present the results of recent observational campaigns demonstrating the good performance of NIKA in detecting polarisation at millimeter wavelength.
Only indirect evidence of the role of magnetic braking in regulating gravitational collapse and the formation of circumstellar disks was found from observational work, such as compact disk sizes and ...the launching of high-velocity collimated protostellar jets. More direct tests of the magnetic braking shaping the angular momentum (AM) of the gas in Class 0 protostars are crucially needed. In the present work we have used non-ideal MHD models of protostellar collapse and synthetic observations of molecular gas spectral emission that we analyze to test whether possible kinematic signatures of the magnetic braking in the gas velocity field can be captured from maps of the molecular gas emission in protostellar envelopes. By comparing the 3D Specific AM of models with varying turbulent energy and magnetization, we show that, in the numerical models of protostellar evolution explored, the increase in magnetization and its consequences on the spatial redistribution of SAM modifies the shapes of the radial profiles of SAM. We show that widely used observational methods fail to quantitatively capture the magnitude of SAM of the gas in protostellar envelopes, and that no method allows to measure the differences in radial evolution of SAM due to different magnetization at all envelope radii. This is especially true in the more magnetized cases. However, our analysis suggests that the detection of symmetric patterns and organized velocity fields, in the moment-1 maps of the molecular line emission as well as monotonous radial profiles of the SAM showing a power-law decline, should be suggestive of a less magnetized scenario. Protostellar cores where efficient magnetic braking is at work are more likely to present a highly asymmetric velocity field, and more prone to show complex radial profiles of their specific angular momentum measured in the equatorial plane.
Carriage of school items by children remains an issue of concern, mainly due to the large loads they have to bear, starting from early age when the musculoskeletal structure is still under ...development. As such, children are potentially exposed to important risks of acute or chronic injuries due to such carriage. While backpack remains the most common modality, in recent years trolley bags are increasingly considered and used. Trolleys may be of benefit, as much of the load can supported by the ground, and the muscular effort is limited to a pulling force. Nevertheless, there are situations (like stair ascent and descent, steps, and ramps) where the pulling force increases or, in some cases, has to be fully supported by a single arm. Under such conditions, the use of trolley bag might be disadvantageous versus a backpack, in that the latter allows a symmetrical distribution of the load on the body in a range of conditions. To provide more empirical evidence, which at present is very limited, this study aimed to characterize the pulling forces needed when using a school trolley bag, on a route that includes level and inclined ground surface, steps, and stairs. A sample of 195 students of primary school (age 8-11) participated, and they were asked to pull an instrumented trolley loaded with school items (total load = 62 N) from the school entrance to a classroom located one floor up in the school building. The results, expressed in terms of “pulling force vs. time” curves, show that particularly during stairs ascent and descent, one arm may exert quite large dynamic forces, and that these forces can be up to twice the mass of the carried load. Although exposure to such loads is quite limited, the methodology described here highlights the potential for concern and provides a basis for future investigations of the contribution of trolley bag carriage and disorders of the arm-shoulder complex among children.
In this article, we study the behaviour of a looped string launched in ambient air using motorised wheels. We show that the loop, once it reaches its stationary state, is either in the pulley or the ...air-lifted state. The transition between these two distinct states occurs at the so-called takeoff speed. We prove that this speed differs from one string to another based on its characteristics. However, it is independent from the loop's length and its initial launch angle. This speed indeed corresponds to the threshold where air drag starts compensating for the weight of the string.
An emended diagnosis for Metasarcinae is given. The genera Cajarnarca Roewer, 1952 (Phalangodidae Tricommatinae), Chacoikeontus Roewer, 1929 and Tschaidicancha Roewer, 1957 (both Gonyleptidae ...Prostygninae) are transferred to the subfamily. The new genus Incasarcus is described for five new species of the Peruvian Department of Cusco. The five new species Incasarcus dianae sp. nov., Incasarcus pictus sp. nov., Incasarcus argenteus sp. nov., Incasarcus viracocha sp. nov. and Incasarcus ochoai sp. nov. axe described and illustrated. A key to the species of Incasarcus is given and their distribution is illustrated on a map.
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