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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Estimation of anisotropy parameters in organic-rich shale: Rock physics forward modeling approach

Anisotropy analysis becomes an important step in processing and interpretation of seismic data. One of the most important things in anisotropy analysis is anisotropy parameter estimation which can be estimated using well data, core data or seismic data. In seismic data, anisotropy parameter calculation is generally based on velocity moveout analysis. However, the accuracy depends on data quality, available offset, and velocity moveout picking. Anisotropy estimation using seismic data is needed to obtain wide coverage of particular layer anisotropy. In anisotropic reservoir, analysis of anisotropy parameters also helps us to better understand the reservoir characteristics. Anisotropy parameters, especially ε, are related to rock property and lithology determination. Current research aims to estimate anisotropy parameter from seismic data and integrate well data with case study in potential shale gas reservoir. Due to complexity in organic-rich shale reservoir, extensive study from different disciplines is needed to understand the reservoir. Shale itself has intrinsic anisotropy caused by lamination of their formed minerals. In order to link rock physic with seismic response, it is necessary to build forward modeling in organic-rich shale. This paper focuses on studying relationship between reservoir properties such as clay content, porosity and total organic content with anisotropy. Organic content which defines prospectivity of shale gas can be considered as solid background or solid inclusion or both. From the forward modeling result, it is shown that organic matter presence increases anisotropy in shale. The relationships between total organic content and other seismic properties such as acoustic impedance and Vp/Vs are also presented.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effects of configurational disorder on the elastic properties of icosahedral boron-rich alloys based on B{sub 6}O, B{sub 13}C{sub 2}, and B{sub 4}C, and their mixing thermodynamics

The elastic properties of alloys between boron suboxide (B{sub 6}O) and boron carbide (B{sub 13}C{sub 2}), denoted by (B{sub 6}O){sub 1−x}(B{sub 13}C{sub 2}){sub x}, as well as boron carbide with variable carbon content, ranging from B{sub 13}C{sub 2} to B{sub 4}C are calculated from first-principles. Furthermore, the mixing thermodynamics of (B{sub 6}O){sub 1−x}(B{sub 13}C{sub 2}){sub x} is studied. A superatom-special quasirandom structure approach is used for modeling different atomic configurations, in which effects of configurational disorder between the carbide and suboxide structural units, as well as between boron and carbon atoms within the units, are taken into account. Elastic properties calculations demonstrate that configurational disorder in B{sub 13}C{sub 2}, where a part of the C atoms in the CBC chains substitute for B atoms in the B{sub 12} icosahedra, drastically increase the Young’s and shear modulus, as compared to an atomically ordered state, B{sub 12}(CBC). These calculated elastic moduli of the disordered state are in excellent agreement with experiments. Configurational disorder between boron and carbon can also explain the experimentally observed almost constant elastic moduli of boron carbide as the carbon content is changed from B{sub 4}C to B{sub 13}C{sub 2}. The elastic moduli of the (B{sub 6}O){sub 1−x}(B{sub 13}C{sub 2}){sub x} system are also practically unchanged with composition if boron-carbon disorder is taken into account. By investigating the mixing thermodynamics of the alloys, in which the Gibbs free energy is determined within the mean-field approximation for the configurational entropy, we outline the pseudo-binary phase diagram of (B{sub 6}O){sub 1−x}(B{sub 13}C{sub 2}){sub x}. The phase diagram reveals the existence of a miscibility gap at all temperatures up to the melting point. Also, the coexistence of B{sub 6}O-rich as well as ordered or disordered B{sub 13}C{sub 2}-rich domains in the material prepared through equilibrium routes is predicted.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Isospin effects on fragmentation in the asymmetric reactions induced by neutron-rich targets

To understand the isospin effects in terms of fragment’s yield in the asymmetric reactions induced by neutron-rich targets, we perform a theoretical study using isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics (IQMD) model. Simulations are carried out for reactions of {sup 16}O+Br{sup 80,84,92} and {sup 16}O+Ag{sup 108,113,122}. We envision that fragments’s yield in the asymmetric collisions induced by neutron-rich targets is better candidate to study isospin effects via symmetry energy and nucleon-nucleon (nn) cross-sections. Also, pronounced effects of symmetry energy and cross-sections can be found at lower and higher beam energies, respectively.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Catalytic C 2 H 2 synthesis via low temperature CO hydrogenation on defect-rich 2D-MoS 2 and 2D-MoS 2 decorated with Mo clusters

Rational design of novel catalytic materials used to synthesize storable fuels via the CO hydrogenation reaction has recently received considerable attention. In this work, defect poor and defect rich 2D-MoS 2 as well as 2D-MoS 2 decorated with Mo clusters are employed as catalysts for the generation of acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) via the CO hydrogenation reaction. Temperature programmed desorption is used to study the interaction of CO and H2 molecules with the MoS 2 surface as well as the formation of reaction products. The experiments indicate the presence of four CO adsorption sites below room temperature and a competitive adsorption between the CO and H 2 molecules. The investigations show that CO hydrogenation is not possible on defect poor MoS 2 at low temperatures. However, on defect rich 2D-MoS 2 , small amounts of C 2 H 2 are produced, which desorb from the surface at temperatures between 170 K and 250 K. A similar C 2 H 2 signal is detected from defect poor 2D-MoS 2 decorated with Mo clusters, which indicates that low coordinated Mo atoms on 2D-MoS 2 are responsible for the formation of C 2 H 2 . Density functional theory investigations are performed to explore possible adsorption sites of CO and understand the formation mechanism of C 2 H 2 on MoS 2 and Mo 7 /MoS 2 . The theoretical investigation indicates a strong binding of C 2 H 2 on the Mo sites of MoS 2 preventing the direct desorption of C 2 H 2 at low temperatures as observed experimentally. Instead, the theoretical results suggest that the experimental data are consistent with a mechanism in which CHO radical dimers lead to the formation of C 2 H 2 that presents an exothermic desorption.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Structure of the zinc-finger antiviral protein in complex with RNA reveals a mechanism for selective targeting of CG-rich viral sequences

Infection of animal cells by numerous viruses is detected and countered by a variety of means, including recognition of nonself nucleic acids. The zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) depletes cytoplasmic RNA that is recognized as foreign in mammalian cells by virtue of its elevated CG dinucleotide content compared with endogenous mRNAs. Here, we determined a crystal structure of a protein-RNA complex containing the N-terminal, 4-zinc finger human (h) ZAP RNA-binding domain (RBD) and a CG dinucleotide-containing RNA target. We report the structure reveals in molecular detail how hZAP is able to bind selectively to CG-rich RNA. Specifically, the 4 zinc fingers create a basic patch on the hZAP RBD surface. The highly basic second zinc finger contains a pocket that selectively accommodates CG dinucleotide bases. Structure guided mutagenesis, cross-linking immunoprecipitation sequencing assays, and RNA affinity assays show that the structurally defined CG-binding pocket is not required for RNA binding per se in human cells. However, the pocket is a crucial determinant of high-affinity, specific binding to CG dinucleotide-containing RNA. Moreover, variations in RNA-binding specificity among a panel of CG-binding pocket mutants quantitatively predict their selective antiviral activity against a CG-enriched HIV-1 strain. Overall, the hZAP RBD RNA structure provides an atomic-level explanation for how ZAP selectively targets foreign, CG-rich RNA.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Self-consistent dispersal puts tight constraints on the spatiotemporal organization of species-rich metacommunities

Dispersal can be critical to the maintenance of ecosystems as it allows local communities to be recolonized after extinction. However, it remains unclear whether the extinction-mitigating effect of dispersal persists when the number of competing species is large. Based on a spatially explicit mathematical description of metacommunities, we show that when many species coexist, each species operates near its extinction threshold, barely surviving due to dispersal. This has general consequences for spatiotemporal abundance patterns. For short-range dispersal, species organize into fractal spatiotemporal extinction patterns characteristic of a directed percolation phase transition. As species approach their extinction threshold, biodiversity is very sensitive to perturbation, suggesting that dispersal within a metacommunity puts tight constraints on the robustness and evolution of species-rich metacommunities. Biodiversity is often attributed to a dynamic equilibrium between the immigration and extinction of species. This equilibrium forms a common basis for studying ecosystem assembly from a static reservoir of migrants—the mainland. Yet, natural ecosystems often consist of many coupled communities (i.e., metacommunities), and migration occurs between these communities. The pool of migrants then depends on what is sustained in the ecosystem, which, in turn, depends on the dynamic migrant pool. This chicken-and-egg problem of survival and dispersal is poorly understood in communities of many competing species, except for the neutral case—the “unified neutral theory of biodiversity.” Employing spatiotemporal simulations and mean-field analyses, we show that self-consistent dispersal puts rather tight constraints on the dynamic migration–extinction equilibrium. When the number of species is large, species are pushed to the edge of their global extinction, even when competition is weak. As a consequence, the overall diversity is highly sensitive to perturbations in demographic parameters, including growth and dispersal rates. When dispersal is short range, the resulting spatiotemporal abundance patterns follow broad scale-free distributions that correspond to a directed percolation phase transition. The qualitative agreement of our results for short-range and long-range dispersal suggests that this self-organization process is a general property of species-rich metacommunities. Our study shows that self-sustaining metacommunities are highly sensitive to environmental change and provides insights into how biodiversity can be rescued and maintained.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

SLOWLY ROTATING GAS-RICH GALAXIES IN MODIFIED NEWTONIAN DYNAMICS (MOND)

We have carried out a search for gas-rich dwarf galaxies that have lower rotation velocities in their outskirts than MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) predicts, so that the amplitude of their rotation curves cannot be fitted by arbitrarily increasing the mass-to-light ratio of the stellar component or by assuming additional undetected matter. With presently available data, the gas-rich galaxies UGC 4173, Holmberg II, ESO 245-G05, NGC 4861, and ESO 364-G029 deviate most from MOND predictions and, thereby, provide a sample of promising targets in testing the MOND framework. In the case of Holmberg II and NGC 4861, we find that their rotation curves are probably inconsistent with MOND, unless their inclinations and distances differ significantly from the nominal ones. The galaxy ESO 364-G029 is a promising target because its baryonic mass and rotation curve are similar to Holmberg II but presents a higher inclination. Deeper photometric and H I observations of ESO 364-G029, together with further decreasing systematic uncertainties, may provide a strong test to MOND.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Alfalfa discovery of the nearby gas-rich dwarf galaxy Leo P. IV. Distance measurement from LBT optical imaging

Leo P is a low-luminosity dwarf galaxy discovered through the blind H I Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey. The H I and follow-up optical observations have shown that Leo P is a gas-rich dwarf galaxy with both active star formation and an underlying older population, as well as an extremely low oxygen abundance. Here, we measure the distance to Leo P by applying the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) distance method to photometry of the resolved stellar population from new Large Binocular Telescope V and I band imaging. We measure a distance modulus of 26.19{sub −0.50}{sup +0.17} mag corresponding to a distance of 1.72{sub −0.40}{sup +0.14} Mpc. Although our photometry reaches 3 mag below the TRGB, the sparseness of the red giant branch yields higher uncertainties on the lower limit of the distance. Leo P is outside the Local Group with a distance and velocity consistent with the local Hubble flow. While located in a very low-density environment, Leo P lies within ∼0.5 Mpc of a loose association of dwarf galaxies which include NGC 3109, Antlia, Sextans A, and Sextans B, and 1.1 Mpc away from its next nearest neighbor, Leo A. Leo P is one of the lowest metallicity star-forming galaxies known in the nearby universe, comparable in metallicity to I Zw 18 and DDO 68, but with stellar characteristics similar to dwarf spheriodals (dSphs) in the Local Volume such as Carina, Sextans, and Leo II. Given its physical properties and isolation, Leo P may provide an evolutionary link between gas-rich dwarf irregular galaxies and dSphs that have fallen into a Local Group environment and been stripped of their gas.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

A METAL-STRONG AND DUST-RICH DAMPED Ly{alpha} ABSORPTION SYSTEM TOWARD THE QUASAR SDSS J115705.52+615521.7

We report the discovery of an unusual, extremely dust-rich and metal-strong damped Ly{alpha} absorption system (DLA) at a redshift z{sub a} = 2.4596 toward the quasar SDSS J115705.52+615521.7 with an emission-line redshift z{sub e} = 2.5125. The quasar spectrum, taken in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, shows a very red color and a number of metal absorption lines, including C II, Al II, Si II, Fe II, and Zn II, which are confirmed and further characterized by follow-up spectroscopy made with the Multiple Mirror Telescope. Its neutral hydrogen column density N {sub HI} = 10{sup 21.8{+-}0.2} cm{sup -2} is among the highest values measured in quasar DLAs. The measured metal column density is N {sub ZnII} Almost-Equal-To 10{sup 13.8} cm{sup -2}, which is about 1.5 times larger than the largest value in any previously observed quasar DLAs. We derive the extinction curve of the dusty DLA using a new technique, which is an analog of the 'pair method' widely used to measure extinction curves in the Milky Way (MW). The best-fit curve is an MW-like law with a significant broad feature centered around 2175 A in the rest frame of the absorber. The measured extinction A{sub V} Almost-Equal-To 0.92 mag is unprecedentedly high in quasar DLAs. After applying an extinction correction, the i-band absolute magnitude of the quasar is as high as M{sub i} Almost-Equal-To -29.4 mag, placing it as one of the most luminous quasars ever known. The large gas-phase relative abundance of [Zn/Fe] Almost-Equal-To 1.0 indicates that metals are heavily depleted onto dust grains in the absorber. The dust depletion level is between that of the warm and cool clouds in the MW. This discovery is suggestive of the existence of a rare yet important population of dust-rich DLAs with both high metallicities and high column densities, which may have significant impact on the measurement of the cosmic evolution of neutral gas mass density and metallicity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

MOLECULAR LINE OBSERVATIONS OF THE CARBON-RICH CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVELOPE CIT 6 AT 7 mm WAVELENGTHS

We present a {lambda}7 mm spectral line survey of the carbon-rich circumstellar envelope (CSE) CIT 6 using the 45 m telescope at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory. A total of 25 spectral features belonging to five molecular species (HC{sub 3}N, HC{sub 5}N, HC{sub 7}N, SiO, and CS) are detected, enabling us to investigate the chemistry of cyanopolyyne chains. The line strengths are compared with those of the proto-typical carbon-rich CSE IRC+10216. The results show that the cyanopolyyne molecules are enhanced in CIT 6, suggesting that it is more evolved than IRC+10216. In order to investigate the structure of CIT 6, we have constructed a three-dimensional spatiokinematic model. By comparing the observed line profiles with the models, we conclude that this envelope is asymmetric and is composed of several incomplete shells.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

INNER EDGES OF COMPACT DEBRIS DISKS AROUND METAL-RICH WHITE DWARFS

A number of metal-rich white dwarfs (WDs) are known to host compact, dense particle disks, which are thought to be responsible for metal pollution of these stars. In many such systems, the inner radii of disks inferred from their spectra are so close to the WD that particles directly exposed to starlight must be heated above 1500 K and are expected to be unstable against sublimation. To reconcile this expectation with observations, we explore particle sublimation in H-poor debris disks around WDs. We show that because of the high metal vapor pressure the characteristic sublimation temperature in these disks is 300-400 K higher than in their protoplanetary analogs, allowing particles to survive at higher temperatures. We then look at the structure of the inner edges of debris disks and show that they should generically feature superheated inner rims directly exposed to starlight with temperatures reaching 2500-3500 K. Particles migrating through the rim toward the WD (and rapidly sublimating) shield the disk behind them from strong stellar heating, making the survival of solids possible close to the WD. Our model agrees well with observations of WD+disk systems provided that disk particles are composed of Si-rich material such as olivine, and have sizes in the range {approx}0.03-30 cm.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

DYNAMICS OF X-RAY-EMITTING EJECTA IN THE OXYGEN-RICH SUPERNOVA REMNANT PUPPIS A REVEALED BY THE XMM-NEWTON REFLECTION GRATING SPECTROMETER

Using the unprecedented spectral resolution of the reflection grating spectrometer (RGS) on board XMM-Newton, we reveal dynamics of X-ray-emitting ejecta in the oxygen-rich supernova remnant Puppis A. The RGS spectrum shows prominent K-shell lines, including O VII He{alpha} forbidden and resonance, O VIII Ly{alpha}, O VIII Ly{beta}, and Ne IX He{alpha} resonance, from an ejecta knot positionally coincident with an optical oxygen-rich filament (the so-called {Omega} filament) in the northeast of the remnant. We find that the line centroids are blueshifted by 1480 {+-} 140 {+-} 60 km s{sup -1} (the first and second term errors are measurement and calibration uncertainties, respectively), which is fully consistent with that of the optical {Omega} filament. Line broadening at 654 eV (corresponding to O VIII Ly{alpha}) is obtained to be {sigma} {approx}< 0.9 eV, indicating an oxygen temperature of {approx}< 30 keV. Analysis of XMM-Newton MOS spectra shows an electron temperature of {approx}0.8 keV and an ionization timescale of {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} cm{sup -3} s. We show that the oxygen and electron temperatures as well as the ionization timescale can be reconciled if the ejecta knot was heated by a collisionless shock whose velocity is {approx}600-1200 km s{sup -1} and was subsequently equilibrated due to Coulomb interactions. The RGS spectrum also shows relatively weak K-shell lines of another ejecta feature located near the northeastern edge of the remnant, from which we measure redward Doppler velocities of 650 {+-} 70 {+-} 60 km s{sup -1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

METAL-RICH PLANETARY NEBULAE IN THE OUTER REACHES OF M31

Spectroscopic data of two relatively [O III]-luminous planetary nebulae (PNe) have been obtained with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias. M174 and M2496 are each {approx}1 Degree-Sign from the center of M31 along opposite sides of its minor axis. The ensemble of these 2 distant PNe plus 16 similarly luminous outer-disk PNe published previously by Kwitter et al. forms a homogeneous group in luminosity, metal content, progenitor mass, age, and kinematics. The main factual findings of our work are (1) O/H (and other low-mass {alpha} elements and their ratios to O) is uniformly solar-like in all 18 PNe ((12 + log(O/H)) = 8.62 {+-} 0.14); (2) the general sky distribution and kinematics of the ensemble much more closely resemble the rotation pattern of the classical disk of M31 than its halo or bulge; (3) the O/H gradient is surprisingly flat beyond R{sub g} {approx} 20 kpc. The PNe are too metal-rich to be bona fide members of M31's disk or halo, and (4) the abundance patterns of the sample are distinct from those in the spiral galaxies M33, M81, and NGC 300. Using standard PN age diagnostic methods, we suggest that all of the PNe formed {approx}2 Gyr ago in a starburst of metal-rich interstellar medium that followed an M31-M33 encounter about 3 Gyr ago. We review supporting evidence from stellar studies. Other more prosaic explanations, such as dwarf galaxy assimilation, are unlikely.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE RICH GLOBULAR CLUSTER SYSTEM OF ABELL 1689 AND THE RADIAL DEPENDENCE OF THE GLOBULAR CLUSTER FORMATION EFFICIENCY

We study the rich globular cluster (GC) system in the center of the massive cluster of galaxies Abell 1689 (z = 0.18), one of the most powerful gravitational lenses known. With 28 Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys orbits in the F814W bandpass, we reach a magnitude I{sub 814} = 29 with ∼>90% completeness and sample the brightest ∼5% of the GC system. Assuming the well-known Gaussian form of the GC luminosity function (GCLF), we estimate a total population of N{sup total}{sub GC}= 162,850{sup +75,450}{sub -51,310} GCs within a projected radius of 400 kpc. As many as half of the GCs may comprise an intracluster component. Even with the sizable uncertainties, which mainly result from the uncertain GCLF parameters, this system is by far the largest GC population studied to date. The specific frequency S{sub N} is high, but not uncommon for central galaxies in massive clusters, rising from S{sub N} ≈ 5 near the center to ∼12 at large radii. Passive galaxy fading would increase S{sub N} by ∼20% at z = 0. We construct the radial mass profiles of the GCs, stars, intracluster gas, and lensing-derived total mass, and we compare the mass fractions as a function of radius. The estimated mass in GCs, M{sub GC}{sup total} = 3.9 × 10{sup 10} M{sub ☉}, is comparable to ∼80% of the total stellar mass of the Milky Way. The shape of the GC mass profile appears intermediate between those of the stellar light and total cluster mass. Despite the extreme nature of this system, the ratios of the GC mass to the baryonic and total masses, and thus the GC formation efficiency, are typical of those in other rich clusters when comparing at the same physical radii. The GC formation efficiency is not constant, but varies with radius, in a manner that appears similar for different clusters; we speculate on the reasons for this similarity in profile.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Water loss from terrestrial planets with CO{sub 2}-rich atmospheres

Water photolysis and hydrogen loss from the upper atmospheres of terrestrial planets is of fundamental importance to climate evolution but remains poorly understood in general. Here we present a range of calculations we performed to study the dependence of water loss rates from terrestrial planets on a range of atmospheric and external parameters. We show that CO{sub 2} can only cause significant water loss by increasing surface temperatures over a narrow range of conditions, with cooling of the middle and upper atmosphere acting as a bottleneck on escape in other circumstances. Around G-stars, efficient loss only occurs on planets with intermediate CO{sub 2} atmospheric partial pressures (0.1-1 bar) that receive a net flux close to the critical runaway greenhouse limit. Because G-star total luminosity increases with time but X-ray and ultraviolet/ultravoilet luminosity decreases, this places strong limits on water loss for planets like Earth. In contrast, for a CO{sub 2}-rich early Venus, diffusion limits on water loss are only important if clouds caused strong cooling, implying that scenarios where the planet never had surface liquid water are indeed plausible. Around M-stars, water loss is primarily a function of orbital distance, with planets that absorb less flux than ∼270 W m{sup –2} (global mean) unlikely to lose more than one Earth ocean of H{sub 2}O over their lifetimes unless they lose all their atmospheric N{sub 2}/CO{sub 2} early on. Because of the variability of H{sub 2}O delivery during accretion, our results suggest that many 'Earth-like' exoplanets in the habitable zone may have ocean-covered surfaces, stable CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}O-rich atmospheres, and high mean surface temperatures.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Characterizing the V-band light-curves of hydrogen-rich type II supernovae

We present an analysis of the diversity of V-band light-curves of hydrogen-rich type II supernovae. Analyzing a sample of 116 supernovae, several magnitude measurements are defined, together with decline rates at different epochs, and time durations of different phases. It is found that magnitudes measured at maximum light correlate more strongly with decline rates than those measured at other epochs: brighter supernovae at maximum generally have faster declining light-curves at all epochs. We find a relation between the decline rate during the 'plateau' phase and peak magnitudes, which has a dispersion of 0.56 mag, offering the prospect of using type II supernovae as purely photometric distance indicators. Our analysis suggests that the type II population spans a continuum from low-luminosity events which have flat light-curves during the 'plateau' stage, through to the brightest events which decline much faster. A large range in optically thick phase durations is observed, implying a range in progenitor envelope masses at the epoch of explosion. During the radioactive tails, we find many supernovae with faster declining light-curves than expected from full trapping of radioactive emission, implying low mass ejecta. It is suggested that the main driver of light-curve diversity is the extent of hydrogen envelopes retained before explosion. Finally, a new classification scheme is introduced where hydrogen-rich events are typed as simply 'SN II' with an 's {sub 2}' value giving the decline rate during the 'plateau' phase, indicating its morphological type.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

A continuum of H- to He-rich tidal disruption candidates with a preference for E+A galaxies

We present the results of a Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) archival search for blue transients that lie in the magnitude range between 'normal' core-collapse and superluminous supernovae (i.e., with –21 ≤ M {sub R} {sub (peak)} ≤ – 19). Of the six events found after excluding all interacting Type IIn and Ia-CSM supernovae, three (PTF09ge, 09axc, and 09djl) are coincident with the centers of their hosts, one (10iam) is offset from the center, and a precise offset cannot be determined for two (10nuj and 11glr). All the central events have similar rise times to the He-rich tidal disruption candidate PS1-10jh, and the event with the best-sampled light curve also has similar colors and power-law decay. Spectroscopically, PTF09ge is He-rich, while PTF09axc and 09djl display broad hydrogen features around peak magnitude. All three central events are in low star formation hosts, two of which are E+A galaxies. Our spectrum of the host of PS1-10jh displays similar properties. PTF10iam, the one offset event, is different photometrically and spectroscopically from the central events, and its host displays a higher star formation rate. Finding no obvious evidence for ongoing galactic nuclei activity or recent star formation, we conclude that the three central transients likely arise from the tidal disruption of a star by a supermassive black hole. We compare the spectra of these events to tidal disruption candidates from the literature and find that all of these objects can be unified on a continuous scale of spectral properties. The accumulated evidence of this expanded sample strongly supports a tidal disruption origin for this class of nuclear transients.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Maser and infrared studies of oxygen-rich late/post-asymptotic giant branch stars and water fountains: development of a new identification method

We explored an efficient method to identify evolved stars with oxygen-rich envelopes in the late asymptotic giant branch (AGB) or post-AGB phase of stellar evolution, which include a rare class of objects—the 'water fountains (WF)'. Our method considers the OH and H{sub 2}O maser spectra, the near-infrared Q-parameters (these are color indices accounting for the effect of extinction), and far-infrared AKARI colors. Here we first present the results of a new survey on OH and H{sub 2}O masers. There were 108 color-selected objects: 53 of them were observed in the three OH maser lines (1612, 1665, and 1667 MHz), with 24 detections (16 new for 1612 MHz); and 106 of them were observed in the H{sub 2}O maser line (22 GHz), with 24 detections (12 new). We identify a new potential WF source, IRAS 19356+0754, with large velocity coverages of both OH and H{sub 2}O maser emission. In addition, several objects with high-velocity OH maser emission are reported for the first time. The Q-parameters as well as the infrared [09]–[18] and [18]–[65] AKARI colors of the surveyed objects are then calculated. We suggest that these infrared properties are effective in isolating aspherical from spherical objects, but the morphology may not necessarily be related to the evolutionary status. Nonetheless, by considering altogether the maser and infrared properties, the efficiency of identifying oxygen-rich late/post-AGB stars could be improved.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗