117895476
Stellar Imager (SI): developing and testing a predictive dynamo model for the Sun by imaging other stars
The Stellar Imager mission concept is a space-based UV/Optical interferometer designed to resolve surface magnetic activity and subsurface structure and flows of a population of Sun-like stars, in order to accelerate the development and validation of a predictive dynamo model for the Sun and enable accurate long-term forecasting of solar/stellar magnetic activity.
56232513
Search for physics beyond the standard model via a polarization-asymmetry correlation experiment on In-107
We report on a new precision measurement of the longitudinal polarization of positrons emitted by polarized 107In nuclei. Preliminary results yield a lower limit of 303 GeV/c2 for the mass of a possible, predominantly right-handed, W gauge boson, if interpreted in the framework of the manifest, left-right symmetric model. In more general left-right symmetric models our result is complementary to those from muon decay experiments and to results from searches for a similar particle in collider experiments. Our data also provide new results on possible tensor contributions to the weak interaction.
120853289
The 52,54Cr(p, n)52,54Mn and 57,58Fe(p, n)57,58Co reactions at Ep = 120 MeV
Abstract Differential cross sections for the (p, n) reaction on 52, 54 Cr and 57, 58 Fe have been measured for angles up to θ lab = 10.5° and 14.6°, respectively, using 120 MeV protons. The observed angular distributions are used to evaluate the location and strength of Gamow-Teller resonances. A shell-model calculation of this strength distribution is presented and compared with the experimental results. The M1 strength for 52 Cr is also calculated and compared with available results from (e, e') and (p, p') experiments. A comparison is made with other If 7 2 nuclei.
41679008
Proton capture to excited states of O 16 : M 1 , E 1 , and Gamow-Teller transitions and shell model calculations
We have measured excitation functions of the ..gamma..-rays resulting from the bombardment of /sup 15/N by polarized and unpolarized protons in the energy range E/sub p/ = 2.5 to 9.5 MeV with emphasis on identifying dipole decays to the first (0/sup +/) and second (3/sup -/) excited states in /sup 16/O. Resonances in ..gamma../sub 12/ are observed at E/sub x/ = 16.21, 16.45, 16.82, 17.12, 18.03, 18.98, 19.90 and 20.41 MeV. The 16.21 and 17.12 MeV resonances in ..gamma../sub 12/ are identified as M1-decays of the 1/sup +/ T = 1 states to the 6.05 MeV 0/sup +/ state in /sup 16/O. The measured ratio of reduced strengths B(m1,..gamma../sub 1/)/(B(M1,..gamma../sub 0/) is 0.48 +- 0.03 for decays from the 16.21 MeV state and 0.55 +- 0.04 for decays from the 17.12 MeV state. The 18.03 MeV resonance is due to a 3/sup -/ T = 1 state in /sup 16/O with a strength Gamma/sup p/Gamma/sub gamma 2//Gamma = (1.96 +- 0.27) eV and the 18.98 MeV resonance is due to the 4/sup -/ T = 1 stretched particle-hole state with a strength of (0.85 +- 0.10) eV. We determine absolute particle and ..gamma.. widths for these states. The M1 ..gamma../submore » 2/-width of the 18.98 MeV state, (7.1 +- 3.1) eV, is in agreement with a shell-model calculation. Resonances in ..gamma../sub 3/ are observed at 16.82 and 17.27 MeV and in ..gamma../sub 4/ at 17.88 MeV. The excitation energies and widths of these levels as well as the strengths of the ..gamma.. transitions suggest T = 1 character for all of the resonances for which capture ..gamma..-rays are observed. Correspondences of our resonances to levels in /sup 16/N are given. We compare ..gamma.. widths, including ground-state M1 decays, and allowed ..beta.. transition rate in A = 16 nuclei with shell model calculations and obtain rough agreement. Additional shell model calculations for M1 and GT (Gamow-Teller) decays in the A-14, 15, 17 and 18 nuclei are presented, which indicate that GT matrix elements are quenched by approx. 20% relative to shell model predictions and also relative to the spin part of the M1 matrix elements.« less
34139540
Shape of the beta spectra in the A=14 system.
35436961
Predicted features of the beta decay of neutron-rich sd-shell nuclei
The Gamow-Teller beta-decay transitions of sd-shell nuclei with five or more excess neutrons are calculated from complete (0d/sub 5/2/, 1s/sub 1/2/, 0d/sub 3/2/)-space shell-model wave functions. These wave functions are obtained from diagonalizations of a model Hamiltonian formulation which reproduces observed energy-level structures throughout the sd shell. The calculations are carried out with both the ''free-nucleon'' normalization for the Gamow-Teller single-nucleon matrix elements and one based on the empirical values obtained for these quantities from a comparison of corresponding theoretical and experimental Gamow-Teller magnitudes near the line of stability. The phase-space factors f which connect the reduced Gamow-Teller strengths to the total half-lives and the individual decay probabilities are calculated both from the energies obtained in the shell-model calculations and, alternatively, from hybrid energy spectra in which available experimental energies are substituted for the corresponding calculated values wherever possible. Comparisons of the beta-decay predictions to existing experimental results are presented and discussed.
118925453
High S/N Echelle spectroscopy in young stellar groups ? II. Rotational velocities of early-type stars in Sco OB2
We investigate the rotational velocities of early-type stars in the Sco OB2 association. We measure vsini for 156 established and probable members of the association. The mea- surements are performed with three different techniques, which are in increasing order of expected vsini: 1) converting the widths of spectral lines directly to vsini, 2) comparing arti- cially broadened spectra of low vsini stars to the target spec- trum, 3) comparing the Hei 4026 line prole to theoretical models. The sample is extended with literature data for 47 es- tablished members of Sco OB2. Analysis of the vsini distri- butions shows that there are no signicant differences between the subgroups of Sco OB2. We nd that members of the binary population of Sco OB2 on the whole rotate more slowly than the single stars. In addition, we nd that the B7{B9 single star members rotate signicantly faster than their B0{B6 counter- parts. We test various hypotheses for the distribution of vsini in the association. The results show that we cannot clearly ex- clude any form of random distribution of the direction and/or magnitude of the intrinsic rotational velocity vector. We also investigate the effects of rotation on colours in the Walraven photometric system. We show that positions of B7{B9 single dwarfs above the main sequence are a consequence of rota- tion. This establishes the influence of rotation on the Walraven colours, due primarily to surface gravity effects.
2025693
Evolution from ob associations and moving groups to the field population
If we want to understand the evolution from star clusters to the Galactic field star population, the Solar neighbourhood is an ideal place to start. It contains objects from dense, very young clusters to old and almost dissolved moving groups. I describe the observational evidence for the ongoing dissolution of OB associations and open clusters. Subsequently, the interpretation of the local phase space distribution of stars in terms of old moving groups is discussed, emphasising the present limitations. Finally, I discuss future observational requirements and the possibilities offered by upcoming astrometric space missions.
11339076
Learning about Galactic structure with Gaia astrometry
The Gaia mission is reviewed together with the expected contents of the final catalogue. It is then argued that the ultimate goal of Galactic structure studies with Gaia astrometry should be to build a dynamical model of our galaxy which is capable of explaining the contents of the Gaia catalogue. This will be possible only by comparing predicted catalogue data to Gaia’s actual measurements. To complement this approach the Gaia catalogue should be used to recalibrate photometric distance and abundance indicators across the HR‐diagram in order to overcome the lack of precise parallax data at the faint end of the astrometric survey. Using complementary photometric and spectroscopic data from other surveys will be essential in this respect.
119640576
Thermal derivation of the Coleman-De Luccia tunneling prescription
We derive the rate for transitions between de Sitter vacua by treating the field theory on the static patch as a thermal system. This reproduces the Coleman-De Luccia formalism for calculating the rate, but leads to a modified interpretation of the bounce solution and a different prediction for the evolution of the system after tunneling. The bounce is seen to correspond to a sequence of configurations interpolating between initial and final configurations on either side of the tunneling barrier, all of which are restricted to the static patch. The final configuration, which gives the initial data on the static patch for evolution after tunneling, is obtained from one-half of a slice through the center of the bounce, while the other half gives the configuration before tunneling. The formalism makes no statement about the fields beyond the horizon. This approach resolves several puzzling aspects and interpretational issues concerning the Coleman-De Luccia and Hawking-Moss bounces. We work in the limit where the backreaction of matter on metric can be ignored, but argue that the qualitative aspects remain in the more general case. The extension to tunneling between anti-de Sitter vacua is discussed.
13884072
Pairing mechanisms for binary stars
Knowledge of the binary population in stellar groupings provides important information about the outcome of the star forming process in different environments. Binarity is also a key ingredient in stellar population studies and is a prerequisite to calibrate the binary evolution channels. In these proceedings we present an overview of several commonly used methods to pair individual stars into binary systems, which we refer to as the pairing function.Many pairing functions are frequently used by observers and computational astronomers, either for the mathematical convenience, or because they roughly describe the expected outcome of the star forming process. We discuss the consequences of each pairing function for the interpretation of observations and numerical simulations. The binary fraction and mass ratio distribution generally depend strongly on the selection of the range in primary spectral type in a sample. These quantities, when derived from a binary survey with a mass-limited sample of target stars, are thus not representative for the population as a whole.