Photoionization of Co+ and electron-impact excitation of Co2 + using the Dirac R-matrix method

Modelling of massive stars and supernovae (SNe) plays a crucial role in understanding galaxies. From this modelling we can derive fundamental constraints on stellar evolution, mass-loss processes, mixing, and the products of nucleosynthesis. Proper account must be taken of all important processes that populate and depopulate the levels (collisional excitation, de-excitation, ionization, recombination, photoionization, bound–bound processes). For the analysis of Type Ia SNe and core collapse SNe (Types Ib, Ic and II) Fe group elements are particularly important. Unfortunately little data is currently available and most noticeably absent are the photoionization cross-sections for the Fe-peaks which have high abundances in SNe. Important interactions for both photoionization and electron-impact excitation are calculated using the relativistic Dirac atomic R-matrix codes (DARC) for low-ionization stages of Cobalt. All results are calculated up to photon energies of 45 eV and electron energies up to 20 eV. The wavefunction representation of Co III has been generated using GRASP0 by including the dominant 3d⁷, 3d⁶[4s, 4p], 3p⁴3d⁹ and 3p⁶3d⁹ configurations, resulting in 292 fine structure levels. Electron-impact collision strengths and Maxwellian averaged effective collision strengths across a wide range of astrophysically relevant temperatures are computed for Co III. In addition, statistically weighted level-resolved ground and metastable photoionization cross-sections are presented for Co II and compared directly with existing work.

The microphysics of collisionless shock waves

Collisionless shocks, that is shocks mediated by electromagnetic processes, are customary in space physics and in astrophysics. They are to be found in a great variety of objects and environments: magnetospheric and heliospheric shocks, supernova remnants, pulsar winds and their nebulæ, active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts and clusters of galaxies shock waves. Collisionless shock microphysics enters at different stages of shock formation, shock dynamics and particle energization and/or acceleration. It turns out that the shock phenomenon is a multi-scale non-linear problem in time and space. It is complexified by the impact due to high-energy cosmic rays in astrophysical environments. This review adresses the physics of shock formation, shock dynamics and particle acceleration based on a close examination of available multi-wavelength or in situ observations, analytical and numerical developments. A particular emphasis is made on the different instabilities triggered during the shock formation and in association with particle acceleration processes with regards to the properties of the background upstream medium. It appears that among the most important parameters the background magnetic field through the magnetization and its obliquity is the dominant one. The shock velocity that can reach relativistic speeds has also a strong impact over the development of the micro-instabilities and the fate of particle acceleration. Recent developments of laboratory shock experiments has started to bring some new insights in the physics of space plasma and astrophysical shock waves. A special section is dedicated to new laser plasma experiments probing shock physics.

A sub-kiloparsec scale view of star formation in M31

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Pulling Back the Veil: The Characterization and Habitability of Enshrouded Worlds

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Histoire évolutive de la galaxie spirale NGC 5430

La galaxie spirale barrée NGC 5430 est particulière en ce sens qu’elle présente un noeud Wolf-Rayet très lumineux et des bras asymétriques. Des spectres longue-fente le long de la barre et dans le bras déformé ainsi que des données SpIOMM couvrant l’ensemble de la galaxie ont été analysées. L’absorption stellaire sous-jacente a été soustraite des spectres longue-fente à l’aide d’un ajustement de modèles théoriques de populations stellaires fait avec le programme GANDALF. L’absorption a un impact très important sur le calcul de l’extinction ainsi que sur les différents diagnostics propres aux régions HII et aux populations stellaires jeunes. Enfin, cette étude montre que NGC 5430 comporte une composante gazeuse ionisée diffuse sur toute son étendue et qu’il est important d’en tenir compte afin d’appliquer correctement les diagnostics. Un des scénarios évolutifs proposés au terme de cette étude est que le noeud Wolf-Rayet constitue le restant d’une petite galaxie ou d’un nuage intergalactique qui serait entré en collision avec NGC 5430. Une structure englobant le noeud Wolf-Rayet se déplace à une vitesse considérablement inférieure (50 - 70 km s-1) à celle attendue à une telle distance du centre de la galaxie (200 - 220 km s-1). De plus, le noeud Wolf-Rayet semble très massif puisque l’intensité maximale du continu stellaire de cette région est semblable à celle du noyau et est de loin supérieure à celle de l’autre côté de la barre. Le nombre d’étoiles Wolf-Rayet (2150) est aussi considérable. Il n’est toutefois pas exclu que la différence de vitesses observée témoigne d’un écoulement de gaz le long de la barre, qui alimenterait la formation stellaire du noeud Wolf-Rayet ou du noyau.

Inhomogeneous cloud coverage through the Coulomb explosion of dust in substellar atmospheres

Context. Recent observations of brown dwarf spectroscopic variability in the infrared infer the presence of patchy cloud cover. Aims. This paper proposes a mechanism for producing inhomogeneous cloud coverage due to the depletion of cloud particles through the Coulomb explosion of dust in atmospheric plasma regions. Charged dust grains Coulomb-explode when the electrostatic stress of the grain exceeds its mechanical tensile stress, which results in grains below a critical radius a < a Coul crit being broken up. Methods. This work outlines the criteria required for the Coulomb explosion of dust clouds in substellar atmospheres, the effect on the dust particle size distribution function, and the resulting radiative properties of the atmospheric regions. Results. Our results show that for an atmospheric plasma region with an electron temperature of Te = 10 eV (≈105 K), the critical grain radius varies from 10−7 to 10−4 cm, depending on the grains’ tensile strength. Higher critical radii up to 10−3 cm are attainable for higher electron temperatures. We find that the process produces a bimodal particle size distribution composed of stable nanoscale seed particles and dust particles with a ≥ a Coul crit , with the intervening particle sizes defining a region devoid of dust. As a result, the dust population is depleted, and the clouds become optically thin in the wavelength range 0.1–10 μm, with a characteristic peak that shifts to higher wavelengths as more sub-micrometer particles are destroyed. Conclusions. In an atmosphere populated with a distribution of plasma volumes, this will yield regions of contrasting radiative properties, thereby giving a source of inhomogeneous cloud coverage. The results presented here may also be relevant for dust in supernova remnants and protoplanetary disks.

Ionisation and discharge in cloud-forming atmospheres of brown dwarfs and extrasolar planets

Brown dwarfs and giant gas extrasolar planets have cold atmospheres with rich chemical compositions from which mineral cloud particles form. Their properties, like particle sizes and material composition, vary with height, and the mineral cloud particles are charged due to triboelectric processes in such dynamic atmospheres. The dynamics of the atmospheric gas is driven by the irradiating host star and/or by the rotation of the objects that changes during its lifetime. Thermal gas ionisation in these ultra-cool but dense atmospheres allows electrostatic interactions and magnetic coupling of a substantial atmosphere volume. Combined with a strong magnetic field , a chromosphere and aurorae might form as suggested by radio and x-ray observations of brown dwarfs. Non-equilibrium processes like cosmic ray ionisation and discharge processes in clouds will increase the local pool of free electrons in the gas. Cosmic rays and lighting discharges also alter the composition of the local atmospheric gas such that tracer molecules might be identified. Cosmic rays affect the atmosphere through air showers in a certain volume which was modelled with a 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code to be able to visualise their spacial extent. Given a certain degree of thermal ionisation of the atmospheric gas, we suggest that electron attachment to charge mineral cloud particles is too inefficient to cause an electrostatic disruption of the cloud particles. Cloud particles will therefore not be destroyed by Coulomb explosion for the local temperature in the collisional dominated brown dwarf and giant gas planet atmospheres. However, the cloud particles are destroyed electrostatically in regions with strong gas ionisation. The potential size of such cloud holes would, however, be too small and might occur too far inside the cloud to mimic the effect of, e.g. magnetic field induced star spots.

Virus diseases of chickpeas and pulse crops in Australia

Accurate identification of viruses is critical for resistance breeding and for development of management strategies. To this end, we are developing PCR diagnostics for the luteoviruses / poleroviruses that commonly affect chickpea and pulse crops in Australia. This is helping to overcome the shortfalls in virus identifications that often result from cross reactions of viruses to some antibodies. We compared these PCR tests with antibody based Tissue blot immune-assay (TBIA) in virus surveys of chickpea and pulse crops from eastern Australia. We used a multiplex PCR for Beet western yellows virus (BWYV), Bean leaf roll virus (BLRV), Phasey bean virus (PhBV – a new polerovirus species) and Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV) to investigate the importance of each virus and their host range from different locations. Important alternative hosts included Malva parviflora which was commonly found to be infected with BWYV from many locations and Medicago polymorpha was a host for BLRV, PhBV and SbDV. Using the virus species-specific PCR, 49 virus affected plants (mostly crop plants) from surveys in 2013 were screened, revealing the following infections; 38 SbDV, 5 PhBV, 3 BWYV, 2 BLRV and 1 mixed SbDV/BWYV. From the 45 samples that were not BWYV by PCR, 33 were false-positives in the BWYV TBIA. This demonstrates the BWYV antibody used was not useful for identifying BWYV and PCR indicated that SbDV was the dominant virus from the samples tested from the 2013 season. Preliminary results from the 2014 season indicate a significant change, with SbDV being only a minor component of the total virus population. Further work to clarify the Australian luteovirus complex through molecular techniques is in progress.

Summary study of gill ectoparasite infections and their histopathologic effects in four species of freshwater ornamental fishes

Ornamental fish are more expensive in comparison with the other fish. It especially highlights in non-breeding fish (in imported one for importation costs). But of course, with entering the new and unhealthy fishes to aquarium or ponds, they may transmit a pathogen to others (interfere with Iran ornamental fish parasitic fauna). In this study (Dec. 2008- Sep. 2009), 400 fish gill arch from 4 species of ornamental fish (within focus on imported fish); namely, i.e. Goldfish (Carassius auratus), platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus), Dwarf gourami (Colisa lalia) and Catfish (Hypostomus plecostomus) were inspected for gill ectoparasites and then pathologic effects (but in high- affected gill). In this study, seven protozoan and ten metazoan species, indeed seventeen parasite species were identified. Protozan parasites consist of: Trichodina spp. and Ichthyophthirius multifiliis were found in four fish species; Ichthyobodo necatrix (Costia necator/C. necatrix) and Cryptobia branchialis, were respectively found in Dwarf gourami and goldfish. The highest prevalence belongs to Ichthyophthirius (47%) in platyfish. Metazoan parasites consist of: Ancyrocephalus sp. (Dwarf gourami), Ancylodiscoides spp. (catfish and platyfish), Dactylogyrus vastator, D. baueri, D. formosus (only in goldfish) and Gyrodactylus spp. (in four fish species). The highest prevalence was related to Dactylogyrus vastator(82%) in goldfish. Histological effects in case with high prevalence of parasite were also observed, e.g., hypertrophy, Lamellar hyperplasia and fusion. In high-parasitized gill, there is dysfunction of gill.

EFFECT OF FARMING PRACTICES AND FARM HISTORY ON INCIDENCE OF COCONUT LETHAL YELLOWING IN MOZAMBIQUE

Management of coconut ( Cocos nucifera ) lethal yellowing disease (CLYD), which has killed about eight million coconut trees in Mozambique, has proved challenging. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of farming practices and related history, on the CLYD incidence in Mozambique. The methodology included a socioeconomic questionnaire to the households and direct observations on the palm farms. The collected data were analysed using logistic regression. Five out of 11 explanatory variables tested, namely farm age, availability of other palm species on the coconut farm, type of coconut varieties grown, root cut practices, and intercropping had a significant (P< 0.05) effect on CLYD incidence. Coconut farms <10 years had higher odds of higher disease incidence compared to the farms between 10 to 40 years old. The presence of other palm species in the coconut farms had two times higher odds of having higher disease incidence levels compared to farms without other palm species. Tall coconut varieties were likely to be more tolerant to CLYD compared to dwarf varieties. Coconut farms with some kind of intercropping had two times higher odds of having higher disease incidence levels compared to pure stands. The practice of cutting coconut roots had three times higher odds of having high disease incidence levels compared to non-practicing farms. Farm age, availability of other palm species on the coconut farm, type of coconut varieties grown, root cut practices and intercropping need to be considered for integrated CLYD management.

Exploitation du potentiel sismique des étoiles naines blanches

Le but de cette thèse est d’explorer le potentiel sismique des étoiles naines blanches pulsantes, et en particulier celles à atmosphères riches en hydrogène, les étoiles ZZ Ceti. La technique d’astérosismologie exploite l’information contenue dans les modes normaux de vibration qui peuvent être excités lors de phases particulières de l’évolution d’une étoile. Ces modes modulent le flux émergent de l’étoile pulsante et se manifestent principalement en termes de variations lumineuses multi-périodiques. L’astérosismologie consiste donc à examiner la luminosité d’étoiles pulsantes en fonction du temps, afin d’en extraire les périodes, les amplitudes apparentes, ainsi que les phases relatives des modes de pulsation détectés, en utilisant des méthodes standards de traitement de signal, telles que des techniques de Fourier. L’étape suivante consiste à comparer les périodes de pulsation observées avec des périodes générées par un modèle stellaire en cherchant l’accord optimal avec un modèle physique reconstituant le plus fidèlement possible l’étoile pulsante. Afin d’assurer une recherche optimale dans l’espace des paramètres, il est nécessaire d’avoir de bons modèles physiques, un algorithme d’optimisation de comparaison de périodes efficace, et une puissance de calcul considérable. Les périodes des modes de pulsation de modèles stellaires de naines blanches peuvent être généralement calculées de manière précise et fiable sur la base de la théorie linéaire des pulsations stellaires dans sa version adiabatique. Afin de définir dans son ensemble un modèle statique de naine blanche propre à l’analyse astérosismologique, il est nécessaire de spécifier la gravité de surface, la température effective, ainsi que différents paramètres décrivant la disposition en couche de l’enveloppe. En utilisant parallèlement les informations obtenues de manière indépendante (température effective et gravité de surface) par la méthode spectroscopique, il devient possible de vérifier la validité de la solution obtenue et de restreindre de manière remarquable l’espace des paramètres. L’exercice astérosismologique, s’il est réussi, mène donc à la détermination précise des paramètres de la structure globale de l’étoile pulsante et fournit de l’information unique sur sa structure interne et l’état de sa phase évolutive. On présente dans cette thèse l’analyse complète réussie, de l’extraction des fréquences à la solution sismique, de quatre étoiles naines blanches pulsantes. Il a été possible de déterminer les paramètres structuraux de ces étoiles et de les comparer remarquablement à toutes les contraintes indépendantes disponibles dans la littérature, mais aussi d’inférer sur la dynamique interne et de reconstruire le profil de rotation interne. Dans un premier temps, on analyse le duo d’étoiles ZZ Ceti, GD 165 et Ross 548, afin de comprendre les différences entre leurs propriétés de pulsation, malgré le fait qu’elles soient des étoiles similaires en tout point, spectroscopiquement parlant. L’analyse sismique révèle des structures internes différentes, et dévoile la sensibilité de certains modes de pulsation à la composition interne du noyau de l’étoile. Afin de palier à cette sensibilité, nouvellement découverte, et de rivaliser avec les données de qualité exceptionnelle que nous fournissent les missions spatiales Kepler et Kepler2, on développe une nouvelle paramétrisation des profils chimiques dans le coeur, et on valide la robustesse de notre technique et de nos modèles par de nombreux tests. Avec en main la nouvelle paramétrisation du noyau, on décroche enfin le ”Saint Graal” de l’astérosismologie, en étant capable de reproduire pour la première fois les périodes observées à la précision des observations, dans le cas de l’étude sismique des étoiles KIC 08626021 et de GD 1212.

Aperture effects on the oxygen abundance determinations from Califa data

This paper aims to provide aperture corrections for emission lines in a sample of spiral galaxies from the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area Survey (CALIFA) database. In particular, we explore the behavior of the log([O III] λ5007/Hβ)/([N II] λ6583/Hα) (O3N2) and log[N II] lambda 6583/Hα (N2) flux ratios since they are closely connected to different empirical calibrations of the oxygen abundances in star-forming galaxies. We compute the median growth curves of Hα, Hα/Hβ, O3N2, and N-2 up to 2.5R(50) and 1.5 disk R-eff. These distances cover most of the optical spatial extent of the CALIFA galaxies. The growth curves simulate the effect of observing galaxies through apertures of varying radii. We split these growth curves by morphological types and stellar masses to check if there is any dependence on these properties. The median growth curve of the Hα flux shows a monotonous increase with radius with no strong dependence on galaxy inclination, morphological type, and stellar mass. The median growth curve of the Hα/HβH ratio monotonically decreases from the center toward larger radii, showing for small apertures a maximum value of ≈10% larger than the integrated one. It does not show any dependence on inclination, morphological type, and stellar mass. The median growth curve of N-2 shows a similar behavior, decreasing from the center toward larger radii. No strong dependence is seen on the inclination, morphological type, and stellar mass. Finally, the median growth curve of O3N2 increases monotonically with radius, and it does not show dependence on the inclination. However, at small radii it shows systematically higher values for galaxies of earlier morphological types and for high stellar mass galaxies. Applying our aperture corrections to a sample of galaxies from the SDSS survey at 0.02 ≤ z ≤ 0.3 shows that the average difference between fiber-based and aperture-corrected oxygen abundances, for different galaxy stellar mass and redshift ranges, reaches typically to ≈11%, depending on the abundance calibration used. This average difference is found to be systematically biased, though still within the typical uncertainties of oxygen abundances derived from empirical calibrations. Caution must be exercised when using observations of galaxies for small radii (e.g., below 0.5 R_eff) given the high dispersion shown around the median growth curves. Thus, the application of these median aperture corrections to derive abundances for individual galaxies is not recommended when their fluxes come from radii much smaller than either R_50 or R_eff.

Update on the correlation of the highest energy cosmic rays with nearby extragalactic matter

Data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory through 31 August 2007 showed evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz'min energy threshold, 6 x 10(19) eV. The anisotropy was measured by the fraction of arrival directions that are less than 3.1 degrees from the position of an active galactic nucleus within 75 Mpc (using the Veron-Cetty and Veron 12th catalog). An updated measurement of this fraction is reported here using the arrival directions of cosmic rays recorded above the same energy threshold through 31 December 2009. The number of arrival directions has increased from 27 to 69, allowing a more precise measurement. The correlating fraction is (38(-6)(+7))%, compared with 21% expected for isotropic cosmic rays. This is down from the early estimate of (69-(+11)(13))%. The enlarged set of arrival directions is examined also in relation to other populations of nearby extragalactic objects: galaxies in the 2 Microns All Sky Survey and active galactic nuclei detected in hard X-rays by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. A celestial region around the position of the radiogalaxy Cen A has the largest excess of arrival directions relative to isotropic expectations. The 2-point autocorrelation function is shown for the enlarged set of arrival directions and compared to the isotropic expectation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Near-infrared Instrumentation For Rapid-response Astronomy

Ɣ-ray bursts (GRBs) are the Universe's most luminous transient events. Since the discovery of GRBs was announced in 1973, efforts have been ongoing to obtain data over a broader range of the electromagnetic spectrum at the earliest possible times following the initial detection. The discovery of the theorized ``afterglow'' emission in radio through X-ray bands in the late 1990s confirmed the cosmological nature of these events. At present, GRB afterglows are among the best probes of the early Universe (z ≳ 9). In addition to informing theories about GRBs themselves, observations of afterglows probe the circum-burst medium (CBM), properties of the host galaxies and the progress of cosmic reionization. To explore the early-time variability of afterglows, I have developed a generalized analysis framework which models near-infrared (NIR), optical, ultra-violet (UV) and X-ray light curves without assuming an underlying model. These fits are then used to construct the spectral energy distribution (SED) of afterglows at arbitrary times within the observed window. Physical models are then used to explore the evolution of the SED parameter space with time. I demonstrate that this framework produces evidence of the photodestruction of dust in the CBM of GRB 120119A, similar to the findings from a previous study of this afterglow. The framework is additionally applied to the afterglows of GRB 140419A and GRB 080607. In these cases the evolution of the SEDs appears consistent with the standard fireball model. Having introduced the scientific motivations for early-time observations, I introduce the Rapid Infrared Imager-Spectrometer (RIMAS). Once commissioned on the 4.3 meter Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT), RIMAS will be used to study the afterglows of GRBs through photometric and spectroscopic observations beginning within minutes of the initial burst. The instrument will operate in the NIR, from 0.97 μm to 2.37 μm, permitting the detection of very high redshift (z ≳ 7) afterglows which are attenuated at shorter wavelengths by Lyman-ɑ absorption in the intergalactic medium (IGM). A majority of my graduate work has been spent designing and aligning RIMAS's cryogenic (~80 K) optical systems. Design efforts have included an original camera used to image the field surrounding spectroscopic slits, tolerancing and optimizing all of the instrument's optics, thermal modeling of optomechanical systems, and modeling the diffraction efficiencies for some of the dispersive elements. To align the cryogenic optics, I developed a procedure that was successfully used for a majority of the instrument's sub-assemblies. My work on this cryogenic instrument has necessitated experimental and computational projects to design and validate designs of several subsystems. Two of these projects describe simple and effective measurements of optomechanical components in vacuum and at cryogenic temperatures using an 8-bit CCD camera. Models of heat transfer via electrical harnesses used to provide current to motors located within the cryostat are also presented.

Incidence and Pattern of Pneumonia in Goats Slaughtered at the Kumasi Abattoir, Ghana

This study aimed at determining the incidence and pattern of pneumonia, in slaughtered goats in Kumasi abattoir, Ghana. One thousand three hundred and fifty lungs of goats; (1,012 Sahelian and 338 West Africa Dwarf goats (WAD) lungs) of different ages (less than a year to above 4 years) were used in this study. The frequency of occurrence of pneumonia, the degree of consolidation as a percentage of the total lung volume and histological assessment were determined by standard techniques. Fifty five (55) lungs (39 Sahelian, 16 WAD goats) were pneumonic (4.07% prevalence). The right lungs had a significant higher average lung consolidation percentage (19.11) while the right cranial lobes were more affected (9.37). WAD goats of 1-2 years are mostly affected with an average percentage consolidation of 11.73% while Sahelian goats above 4 years of age were the most affected with 32.59% consolidation. Does of both breeds were more while Sahelian goats had higher consolidation than other breeds. Histological examination revealed the presence of giant cell, fibrinous and suppurative bronchointerstitial pneumonia suggesting complicated viral pneumonia which was observed to be the most important caprine pneumonia in slaughtered goats in Ghana. Transportation and pregnancy stress were the major contributory factor to the pneumonia observed hence effective ante-mortem examinations will help to minimize the slaughter of pregnant does and transportation stress in Ghana.