Evolution: Tracing the origins of centrioles, cilia, and flagella.

PubMed

Carvalho-Santos, Zita; Azimzadeh, Juliette; Pereira-Leal, José B; Bettencourt-Dias, Mónica

2011-07-25

Centrioles/basal bodies (CBBs) are microtubule-based cylindrical organelles that nucleate the formation of centrosomes, cilia, and flagella. CBBs, cilia, and flagella are ancestral structures; they are present in all major eukaryotic groups. Despite the conservation of their core structure, there is variability in their architecture, function, and biogenesis. Recent genomic and functional studies have provided insight into the evolution of the structure and function of these organelles.

Origin and thermal evolution of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, G.; Solomon, Sean C.; Turcotte, D. L.; Drake, M. J.; Sleep, N. H.

1993-01-01

The thermal evolution of Mars is governed by subsolidus mantle convection beneath a thick lithosphere. Models of the interior evolution are developed by parameterizing mantle convective heat transport in terms of mantle viscosity, the superadiabatic temperature rise across the mantle and mantle heat production. Geological, geophysical, and geochemical observations of the composition and structure of the interior and of the timing of major events in Martian evolution, such as global differentiation, atmospheric outgassing and the formation of the hemispherical dichotomy and Tharsis, are used to constrain the model computations. Isotope systematics of SNC meteorites suggest core formation essentially contemporaneously with the completion of accretion. Other aspects of this investigation are discussed.

Microstructural properties and evolution of nanoclusters in liquid Si during a rapid cooling process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, T.; Hu, X.; Li, Y.; Tian, Z.; Xie, Q.; Chen, Q.; Liang, Y.; Luo, X.; Ren, L.; Luo, J.

2017-11-01

The formation of amorphous structures in Si during the rapid quenching process was studied based on molecular dynamics simulation by using the Stillinger-Weber potential. The evolution characteristics of nanoclusters during the solidification were analyzed by several structural analysis methods. The amorphous Si has been formed with many tetrahedral clusters and few nanoclusters. During the solidification, tetrahedral polyhedrons affect the local structures by their different positions and connection modes. The main kinds of polyhedrons randomly linked with one another to form an amorphous network structures in the system. The structural evolution of crystal nanocluster demonstrates that the nanocluster has difficulty to growth because of the high cooling rate of 1012 K/s.

Structural framework and Mesozoic Cenozoic evolution of Ponta Grossa Arch, Paraná Basin, southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strugale, Michael; Rostirolla, Sidnei Pires; Mancini, Fernando; Portela Filho, Carlos Vieira; Ferreira, Francisco José Fonseca; de Freitas, Rafael Corrêa

2007-09-01

The integration of structural analyses of outcrops, aerial photographs, satellite images, aeromagnetometric data, and digital terrain models can establish the structural framework and paleostress trends related to the evolution of Ponta Grossa Arch, one of the most important structures of the Paraná Basin in southern Brazil. In the study area, the central-northern region of Paraná State, Brazil, the arch crosses outcropping areas of the Pirambóia, Botucatu, and Serra Geral Formations (São Bento Group, Mesozoic). The Pirambóia and Botucatu Formations are composed of quartz sandstones and subordinated siltstones. The Serra Geral Formation comprises tholeiitic basalt lava flows and associated intrusive rocks. Descriptive and kinematic structural analyses reveal the imprint of two brittle deformation phases: D1, controlled by the activation of an extensional system of regional faults that represent a progressive deformation that generated discontinuous brittle structures and dike swarm emplacement along a NW-SE trend, and D2, which was controlled by a strike-slip (transtensional) deformation system, probably of Late Cretaceous-Tertiary age, responsible for important fault reactivation along dykes and deformation bands in sandstones.

Simulating the formation of cosmic structure.

PubMed

Frenk, C S

2002-06-15

A timely combination of new theoretical ideas and observational discoveries has brought about significant advances in our understanding of cosmic evolution. Computer simulations have played a key role in these developments by providing the means to interpret astronomical data in the context of physical and cosmological theory. In the current paradigm, our Universe has a flat geometry, is undergoing accelerated expansion and is gravitationally dominated by elementary particles that make up cold dark matter. Within this framework, it is possible to simulate in a computer the emergence of galaxies and other structures from small quantum fluctuations imprinted during an epoch of inflationary expansion shortly after the Big Bang. The simulations must take into account the evolution of the dark matter as well as the gaseous processes involved in the formation of stars and other visible components. Although many unresolved questions remain, a coherent picture for the formation of cosmic structure is now beginning to emerge.

The crucial effect of early-stage gelation on the mechanical properties of cement hydrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioannidou, Katerina; Kanduč, Matej; Li, Lunna; Frenkel, Daan; Dobnikar, Jure; Del Gado, Emanuela

2016-07-01

Gelation and densification of calcium-silicate-hydrate take place during cement hydration. Both processes are crucial for the development of cement strength, and for the long-term evolution of concrete structures. However, the physicochemical environment evolves during cement formation, making it difficult to disentangle what factors are crucial for the mechanical properties. Here we use Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics simulations to study a coarse-grained model of cement formation, and investigate the equilibrium and arrested states. We can correlate the various structures with the time evolution of the interactions between the nano-hydrates during the preparation of cement. The novel emerging picture is that the changes of the physicochemical environment, which dictate the evolution of the effective interactions, specifically favour the early gel formation and its continuous densification. Our observations help us understand how cement attains its unique strength and may help in the rational design of the properties of cement and related materials.

The crucial effect of early-stage gelation on the mechanical properties of cement hydrates

PubMed Central

Ioannidou, Katerina; Kanduč, Matej; Li, Lunna; Frenkel, Daan; Dobnikar, Jure; Del Gado, Emanuela

2016-01-01

Gelation and densification of calcium–silicate–hydrate take place during cement hydration. Both processes are crucial for the development of cement strength, and for the long-term evolution of concrete structures. However, the physicochemical environment evolves during cement formation, making it difficult to disentangle what factors are crucial for the mechanical properties. Here we use Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics simulations to study a coarse-grained model of cement formation, and investigate the equilibrium and arrested states. We can correlate the various structures with the time evolution of the interactions between the nano-hydrates during the preparation of cement. The novel emerging picture is that the changes of the physicochemical environment, which dictate the evolution of the effective interactions, specifically favour the early gel formation and its continuous densification. Our observations help us understand how cement attains its unique strength and may help in the rational design of the properties of cement and related materials. PMID:27417911

Spirals, Bridges and Tails: Star Formation and the Disturbed ISM in Colliding Galaxies before Merger.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Struck, Curtis; Appleton, Philip; Charmandaris, Vassilis; Reach, William; Smith, Beverly

2004-09-01

We propose to use Spitzer's unprecedented sensitivity and wide spatial and spectral evolution to study the distribution of star formation in a sample of colliding galaxies with a wide range of tidal and splash structures. Star forming environments like those in strong tidal spirals, and in extra-disk structures like tails were probably far more common in the early stages of galaxy evolution, and important contributors to the net star formation. Using the Spitzer data and data from other wavebands, we will compare the pattern of SF to maps of gas and dust density and phase distribution. With the help of dynamical modeling, we will relate these in turn to dynamical triggers, to better understand the trigger mechanisms. We expect our observations to complement both the SINGS archive and the archives produced by other GO programs, such as those looking at merger remnants or tidal dwarf formation.

On the interplay between cosmological shock waves and their environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin-Alvarez, Sergio; Planelles, Susana; Quilis, Vicent

2017-05-01

Cosmological shock waves are tracers of the thermal history of the structures in the Universe. They play a crucial role in redistributing the energy within the cosmic structures and are also amongst the main ingredients of galaxy and galaxy cluster formation. Understanding this important function requires a proper description of the interplay between shocks and the different environments where they can be found. In this paper, an Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) Eulerian cosmological simulation is analysed by means of a shock-finding algorithm that allows to generate shock wave maps. Based on the population of dark matter halos and on the distribution of density contrast in the simulation, we classify the shocks in five different environments. These range from galaxy clusters to voids. The shock distribution function and the shocks power spectrum are studied for these environments dynamics. We find that shock waves on different environments undergo different formation and evolution processes, showing as well different characteristics. We identify three different phases of formation, evolution and dissipation of these shock waves, and an intricate migration between distinct environments and scales. Shock waves initially form at external, low density regions and are merged and amplified through the collapse of structures. Shock waves and cosmic structures follow a parallel evolution. Later on, shocks start to detach from them and dissipate. We also find that most of the power that shock waves dissipate is found at scales of k ˜0.5 Mpc^{-1}, with a secondary peak at k ˜8 Mpc^{-1}. The evolution of the shocks power spectrum confirms that shock waves evolution is coupled and conditioned by their environment.

Structure and Evolution of the Lunar Interior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews-Hanna, J. C.; Weber, R. C.; Ishihara, Y.; Kamata, S.; Keane, J.; Kiefer, W. S.; Matsuyama, I.; Siegler, M.; Warren, P.

2017-01-01

Early in its evolution, the Moon underwent a magma ocean phase leading to its differentiation into a feldspathic crust, cumulate mantle, and iron core. However, far from the simplest view of a uniform plagioclase flotation crust, the present-day crust of the Moon varies greatly in thickness, composition, and physical properties. Recent significant improvements in both data and analysis techniques have yielded fundamental advances in our understanding of the structure and evolution of the lunar interior. The structure of the crust is revealed by gravity, topography, magnetics, seismic, radar, electromagnetic, and VNIR remote sensing data. The mantle structure of the Moon is revealed primarily by seismic and laser ranging data. Together, this data paints a picture of a Moon that is heterogeneous in all directions and across all scales, whose structure is a result of its unique formation, differentiation, and subsequent evolution. This brief review highlights a small number of recent advances in our understanding of lunar structure.

Water and the Interior Structure of Terrestrial Planets and Icy Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteux, J.; Golabek, G. J.; Rubie, D. C.; Tobie, G.; Young, E. D.

2018-02-01

Water content and the internal evolution of terrestrial planets and icy bodies are closely linked. The distribution of water in planetary systems is controlled by the temperature structure in the protoplanetary disk and dynamics and migration of planetesimals and planetary embryos. This results in the formation of planetesimals and planetary embryos with a great variety of compositions, water contents and degrees of oxidation. The internal evolution and especially the formation time of planetesimals relative to the timescale of radiogenic heating by short-lived 26Al decay may govern the amount of hydrous silicates and leftover rock-ice mixtures available in the late stages of their evolution. In turn, water content may affect the early internal evolution of the planetesimals and in particular metal-silicate separation processes. Moreover, water content may contribute to an increase of oxygen fugacity and thus affect the concentrations of siderophile elements within the silicate reservoirs of Solar System objects. Finally, the water content strongly influences the differentiation rate of the icy moons, controls their internal evolution and governs the alteration processes occurring in their deep interiors.

Modeling the mesozoic-cenozoic structural evolution of east texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearson, Ofori N.; Rowan, Elisabeth L.; Miller, John J.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently assessed the undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources within Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of the onshore coastal plain and State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast. Regional 2D seismic lines for key parts of the Gulf Coast basin were interpreted in order to examine the evolution of structural traps and the burial history of petroleum source rocks. Interpretation and structural modeling of seismic lines from eastern Texas provide insights into the structural evolution of this part of the Gulf of Mexico basin. Since completing the assessment, the USGS has acquired additional regional seismic lines in east Texas; interpretation of these new lines, which extend from the Texas-Oklahoma state line to the Gulf Coast shoreline, show how some of the region's prominent structural elements (e.g., the Talco and Mount Enterprise fault zones, the East Texas salt basin, and the Houston diapir province) vary along strike. The interpretations also indicate that unexplored structures may lie beneath the current drilling floor. Structural restorations based upon interpretation of these lines illustrate the evolution of key structures and show the genetic relation between structural growth and movement of the Jurassic Louann Salt. 1D thermal models that integrate kinetics and burial histories were also created for the region's two primary petroleum source rocks, the Oxfordian Smackover Formation and the Cenomanian-Turonian Eagle Ford Shale. Integrating results from the thermal models with the structural restorations provides insights into the distribution and timing of petroleum expulsion from the Smackover Formation and Eagle Ford Shale in eastern Texas.

Collisional and dynamical processes in moon and planet formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, C. R.; Davis, D. R.; Weidenschilling, S. J.; Hartmann, W. K.; Spaute, D.

1987-01-01

Research on a variety of dynamical processes relevant to the formation of planets, satellites and ring systems is discussed. The main focus is on studies of accretionary formation of early protoplanets using a numerical model, structures and evolution of ring systems and individual bodies within planetary rings, and theories of lunar origin.

Structural evolution dynamics in fusion of sumanenes and corannulenes: defects formation and self-healing mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorkin, Anastassia; Su, Haibin

2018-06-01

The fusion processes of structures consisting of various combinations between sumanene and corannulene, leading to the formation of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) under heating are simulated by density-functional-based tight-binding molecular dynamics. Distinct stages are unraveled in the course of GNR formation. Firstly, the carbon fragments coalescence into highly strained framework. Secondly, structural reconstruction invokes breaking most strained bonds to form a GNR structure containing numerous defects. Lastly, defects are remedied by the delicate ‘edge-facilitated self-healing’ process through two synergized edge-related effects: elevated mobility of defects and promoted structure reconstructions owing to the remarkable dynamics associated with edges. Importantly, detailed dynamics in the course of forming GNRs with defects and grain boundaries simulated in this work is valuable to provide better understanding at the atomistic scale of defect formation as well as self-healing in the context of the sp2 carbon network. In particular, edges play important roles in not only generating Stone–Wales (SW), 5-8-5 types of defects, 8-5-5-8 and pentagon–heptagon grain boundaries. In addition, our simulations predict the existence of one novel defect, coined as the Inverse SW defect, which is to be confirmed in future experimental studies. This study of dynamic structural evolution reveals that edges are prone to intrinsic and extrinsic modifications such as atomic-scale defects, structural distortions and inhomogeneity.

Genesis of femtosecond-induced nanostructures on solid surfaces.

PubMed

Varlamova, Olga; Martens, Christian; Ratzke, Markus; Reif, Juergen

2014-11-01

The start and evolution of the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are investigated. The important role of irradiation dose (fluence×number of pulses) for the properties of the generated structures is demonstrated. It is shown how, with an increasing dose, the structures evolve from random surface modification to regular sub-wavelength ripples, then coalesce to broader LIPSS and finally form more complex shapes when ablation produces deep craters. First experiments are presented following this evolution in one single irradiated spot.

Unfolding the laws of star formation: the density distribution of molecular clouds.

PubMed

Kainulainen, Jouni; Federrath, Christoph; Henning, Thomas

2014-04-11

The formation of stars shapes the structure and evolution of entire galaxies. The rate and efficiency of this process are affected substantially by the density structure of the individual molecular clouds in which stars form. The most fundamental measure of this structure is the probability density function of volume densities (ρ-PDF), which determines the star formation rates predicted with analytical models. This function has remained unconstrained by observations. We have developed an approach to quantify ρ-PDFs and establish their relation to star formation. The ρ-PDFs instigate a density threshold of star formation and allow us to quantify the star formation efficiency above it. The ρ-PDFs provide new constraints for star formation theories and correctly predict several key properties of the star-forming interstellar medium.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pei, Dr. Yong; Shao, Nan; Li, Prof. Hui

Using ab initio methods, we investigate the structural evolution of a family of gold-sulfide cluster anions (Au{sub m}S{sub n}{sup -}). We show that this family of clusters exhibits simple size-evolution rules and novel hollow polyhedron structures. The highly stable Au{sub m}S{sub n}{sup -} species such as Au{sub 6}S{sub 4}{sup -}, Au{sub 9}S{sub 5}{sup -}, Au{sub 9}S{sub 6}{sup -}, Au{sub 10}S{sub 6}{sup -}, Au{sub 11}S{sub 6}{sup -}, Au{sub 12}S{sub 8}{sup -}, and Au{sub 13}S{sub 8}{sup -} detected in the recent ion mobility mass spectrometry experiment of Au{sub 25}(SCH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}Ph){sub 18} (Angel et al. ACS Nano2010, 4, 4691) are found tomore » possess either quasi-tetrahedron, pyramidal, quasi-triangular prism, or quasi-cuboctahedron structures. The formation of these polyhedron structures are attributed to the high stability of the S-Au-S structural unit. A unique 'edge-to-face' growth mechanism is proposed to understand the structural evolution of the small Au{sub m}S{sub n}{sup -} cluster. A 3:2 ratio rule of Au/S is suggested for the formation of a hollow polyhedron structure among small-sized Au{sub m}S{sub m} clusters.« less

Evolution of Hot Gas in Elliptical Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, William G.

2004-01-01

This theory grant was awarded to study the curious nature, origin and evolution of hot gas in elliptical galaxies and their surrounding groups. Understanding the properties of this X-ray emitting gas has profound implications over the broad landscape of modern astrophysics: cosmology, galaxy formation, star formation, cosmic metal enrichment, galactic structure and dynamics, and the physics of hot gases containing dust and magnetic fields. One of our principal specific objectives was to interpret the marvelous new observations from the XMM and Chandru satellite X-ray telescopes.

The Tectonics and Evolution of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaula, William M.

1997-01-01

This shift corresponded to a focusing of research on Venus. Some work included comparison with other planets. Venus research is being continued. The research can be summarized under five headings: (1) Planet formation; (2) Thermal and Compositional Evolution; (3) Tectonic structures and processes; (4) Determination and interpretation of gravity; and (5) Analyses of Ishtar Terra. Thirty-four publications were produced. References to publications supporting the summary are by year and letter: e.g., (1990 c,d) for the emphasis on the terminal phases in formation studies.

From mantle peridotites to hybrid troctolites: Textural, structural and geochemical evolution during multi-stage melt-rock interaction history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basch, V.; Rampone, E.; Crispini, L.; Ferrando, C.; Ildefonse, B.; Godard, M.

2017-12-01

Recent studies investigate the replacive formation of hybrid troctolites from mantle peridotites after multiple stages of melt-rock reactions. However, none of these studies are conducted in a field-controlled geological setting displaying the clear evolution from peridotite to dunite to troctolite. We investigated the Mt.Maggiore and Erro Tobbio ophiolitic peridotites. They both preserve structural and chemical records of two distinct melt-rock interaction stages, from a reactive melt percolation at spinel facies to plagioclase-bearing melt impregnation at shallower lithospheric depths. We performed EBSD and in situ geochemical analyses to document the textural, structural and geochemical variations of the olivine matrix during melt-rock interactions and the associated evolution from peridotite to dunite to troctolite. The olivine-saturated reactive melt percolation leads to the dissolution of mantle pyroxenes in peridotite, and to the formation of replacive dunite. At shallower level, melt impregnation leads to the crystallization of plagioclase in the dunite, and to the formation of hybrid troctolite. The latter is characterized by textural, structural and geochemical features acquired during dunitization and impregnation processes. We documented a textural evolution of the olivine matrix (decrease in grain area, tortuosity and aspect ratio) during impregnation, with a progressive corrosion of mantle olivines by a reactive melt. As a result, olivine in the hybrid troctolites occurs both as coarse deformed relicts and disrupted undeformed grains. During melt-rock interactions, the variation in olivine Crystallographic Preferred Orientation is related to the local melt/rock ratio involved in the percolation process. At high melt/rock ratio, a change from axial-[100] to axial-[010] is observed, with the disaggregation of the solid matrix. REE-enriched compositions are observed in olivine of dunites and troctolites. A geochemical modeling of melt-rock interactions (Plate Model) fits the observed evolution of modal composition with the measured trace element composition variability. The combined field, structural, and geochemical investigation of the evolution from a mantle protolith to the product of the reactions truly supports the hybrid origin of an olivine-rich troctolite.

Concept Formation and Abstraction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lunzer, Eric A.

1979-01-01

This paper examines the nature of concepts and conceptual processes and the manner of their formation. It argues that a process of successive abstraction and systematization is central to the evolution of conceptual structures. Classificatory processes are discussed and three levels of abstraction outlined. (Author/SJL)

Failures no More: The Radical Consequences of Realistic Stellar Feedback for Dwarf Galaxies, the Milky Way, and Reionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, Philip F.

2016-06-01

Many of the most fundamental unsolved questions in star and galaxy formation revolve around star formation and "feedback" from massive stars, in-extricably linking galaxy formation and stellar evolution. I'll present simulations with un-precedented resolution of Milky-Way (MW) mass galaxies, followed cosmologically to redshift zero. For the first time, these simulations resolve the internal structure of small dwarf satellites around a MW-like host, with detailed models for stellar evolution including radiation pressure, supernovae, stellar winds, and photo-heating. I'll show that, without fine-tuning, these feedback processes naturally resolve the "missing satellites," "too big to fail," and "cusp-core" problems, and produce realistic galaxy populations. At high redshifts however, the realistic ISM structure predicted, coupled to standard stellar population models, naively leads to the prediction that only ~1-2% of ionizing photons can ever escape galaxies, insufficient to ionize the Universe. But these models assume all stars are single: if we account for binary evolution, the escape fraction increases dramatically to ~20% for the small, low-metallicity galaxies believed to ionize the Universe.

Microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of friction stir welded commercial brass alloy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heidarzadeh, A., E-mail: ak.hz62@gmail.com

Microstructural evolution during friction stir welding of single-phase brass and corresponding mechanical properties were investigated. For this purpose, 2 mm thick brass plate was friction stir welded at a rotational speed of 450 rpm and traverse speed of 100 mm/min. The microstructure of the joint was studied using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with electron back scattered diffraction system, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The mechanical properties were measured using hardness and tensile tests. The formation of subgrains and their transformation into new grains in conjunction with existence of A{sub 1}{sup ⁎}, A{sub 2}{sup ⁎} and C texture componentsmore » revealed that the continuous dynamic recrystallization plays a dominant role in the microstructural evolution. However, grain boundary bulging, along with the formation of twin boundaries, and presence of the G texture component showed that the discontinues dynamic recrystallization may participate in the new grain formation. Furthermore, the different strengthening mechanisms, which caused the higher strength of the joint, were discussed. - Highlights: •Microstructural evolution during FSW of a single phase brass was investigated. •CDRX and DDRX were the main mechanisms of the grain structure formation during FSW. •GDRX and SRX were not contributed in grain structure formation. •The lamellas TBs were formed in the SZ of the joints. •Grain boundary, dislocation, and texture effects resulted in higher strength.« less

The formation of galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Efstathiou, G.; Silk, J.

1983-01-01

Current models of galaxy formation are examined in a review of recent observational and theoretical studies. Observational data on elliptical galaxies, disk galaxies, luminosity functions, clustering, and angular fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background are summarized. Theoretical aspects discussed include the origin and early evolution of small fluctuations, matter and radiation fluctuations, the formation of large-scale structure, dissipationless galaxy formation, galaxy mergers, dissipational galaxy formation, and the implications of particle physics (GUTs, massive neutrinos, and gravitinos) for cosmology.

The global evolution of the primordial solar nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruden, S. P.; Lin, D. N. C.

1986-01-01

Complete radial, time-dependent calculations of the structure and evolution of the primordial solar nebula during the viscous diffusion stage are presented. The viscous stress is derived from analytic one-zone models of the vertical nebular structure based on detailed grain opacities. Comparisons with full numerical integrations indicate that the effective viscous alpha parameter is about 0.01. The evolution time of a minimum mass nebula is one-million yr or less. The flow pattern of fluid elements in the disk is examined and the implications the results have on the theory of the formation of the solar system are discussed.

Properties of Galaxies and Groups: Nature versus Nurture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niemi, Sami-Matias

2011-09-01

Due to the inherently nonlinear nature of gravity cosmological N-body simulations have become an invaluable tool when the growth of structure is being studied and modelled closer to the present epoch. Large simulations with high dynamical range have made it possible to model the formation and growth of cosmic structure with unprecedented accuracy. Moreover, galaxies, the basic building blocks of the Universe, can also be modelled in cosmological context. However, despite all the simulations and successes in recent decades, there are still many unanswered questions in the field of galaxy formation and evolution. One of the longest standing issue being the significance of the formation place and thus initial conditions to a galaxy's evolution in respect to environment, often formulated simply as "nature versus nurture" like in human development and psychology. Unfortunately, our understanding of galaxy evolution in different environments is still limited, albeit, for example, the morphology-density relation has shown that the density of the galaxy's local environment can affect its properties. Consequently, the environment should play a role in galaxy evolution, however despite the efforts, the exact role of the galaxy's local environment to its evolution remains open. This thesis introduction discusses briefly the background cosmology, cosmological N-body simulations and semi-analytical models. The second part is reserved for groups of galaxies, whether they are gravitationally bound, and what this may imply for galaxy evolution. The third part of the thesis concentrates on describing results of a case study of isolated field elliptical galaxies. The final chapter discusses another case study of luminous infra-red galaxies.

Predictive modeling of multicellular structure formation by using Cellular Particle Dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCune, Matthew; Shafiee, Ashkan; Forgacs, Gabor; Kosztin, Ioan

2014-03-01

Cellular Particle Dynamics (CPD) is an effective computational method for describing and predicting the time evolution of biomechanical relaxation processes of multicellular systems. A typical example is the fusion of spheroidal bioink particles during post bioprinting structure formation. In CPD cells are modeled as an ensemble of cellular particles (CPs) that interact via short-range contact interactions, characterized by an attractive (adhesive interaction) and a repulsive (excluded volume interaction) component. The time evolution of the spatial conformation of the multicellular system is determined by following the trajectories of all CPs through integration of their equations of motion. CPD was successfully applied to describe and predict the fusion of 3D tissue construct involving identical spherical aggregates. Here, we demonstrate that CPD can also predict tissue formation involving uneven spherical aggregates whose volumes decrease during the fusion process. Work supported by NSF [PHY-0957914]. Computer time provided by the University of Missouri Bioinformatics Consortium.

Time evolution of coherent structures in networks of Hindmarch Rose neurons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mainieri, M. S.; Erichsen, R.; Brunnet, L. G.

2005-08-01

In the regime of partial synchronization, networks of diffusively coupled Hindmarch-Rose neurons show coherent structures developing in a region of the phase space which is wider than in the correspondent single neuron. Such structures are kept, without important changes, during several bursting periods. In this work, we study the time evolution of these structures and their dynamical stability under damage. This system may model the behavior of ensembles of neurons coupled through a bidirectional gap junction or, in a broader sense, it could also account for the molecular cascades present in the formation of flash and short time memory.

Generation of shockwave and vortex structures at the outflow of a boiling water jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseev, M. V.; Lezhnin, S. I.; Pribaturin, N. A.; Sorokin, A. L.

2014-12-01

Results of numerical simulation for shock waves and generation of vortex structures during unsteady outflow of boiling liquid jet are presented. The features of evolution of shock waves and vortex structures formation during unsteady outflow of boiling water are compared with corresponding structures during unsteady gas outflow.

Modeling of Microstructure Evolution During Alloy Solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Mingfang; Pan, Shiyan; Sun, Dongke

In recent years, considerable advances have been achieved in the numerical modeling of microstructure evolution during solidification. This paper presents the models based on the cellular automaton (CA) technique and lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), which can reproduce a wide variety of solidification microstructure features observed experimentally with an acceptable computational efficiency. The capabilities of the models are addressed by presenting representative examples encompassing a broad variety of issues, such as the evolution of dendritic structure and microsegregation in two and three dimensions, dendritic growth in the presence of convection, divorced eutectic solidification of spheroidal graphite irons, and gas porosity formation. The simulations offer insights into the underlying physics of microstructure formation during alloy solidification.

Transient features and growth behavior of artificial cracks during the initial damage period.

PubMed

Ma, Bin; Wang, Ke; Lu, Menglei; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Jinlong; Cheng, Xinbin; Wang, Zhanshan

2017-02-01

The laser damage of transmission elements contains a series of complex processes and physical phenomena. The final morphology is a crater structure with different sizes and shapes. The formation and development of the crater are also accompanied by the generation, extension, and submersion of cracks. The growth characteristics of craters and cracks are important in the thermal-mechanism damage research. By using pump-probe detection and an imaging technique with a nanosecond pulsewidth probe laser, we obtained the formation time of the crack structure in the radial and circumferential directions. We carried out statistical analysis in angle, number, and crack length. We further analyzed the relationship between cracks and stress intensity or laser irradiation energy as well as the crack evolution process and the inner link between cracks and pit growth. We used an artificial indentation defect to investigate the time-domain evolution of crack growth, growth speed, transient morphology, and the characteristics of crater expansion. The results can be used to elucidate thermal stress effects on cracks, time-domain evolution of the damage structure, and the damage growth mechanism.

Formation and evolution of Lakshmi Planum, Venus: Assessment of models using observations from geological mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, M. A.; Head, J. W.

2008-12-01

Detailed geological analysis of the Lakshmi Planum region of western Ishtar Terra results in the establishment of the sequence of major events during the formation and evolution of western Ishtar Terra, an important and somewhat unique area on Venus characterized by a raised volcanic plateau surrounded by distinctive folded mountain belts, such as Maxwell Montes. These mapping results and the stratigraphic and structural relationships provide a basis for addressing the complicated problem of Lakshmi Planum formation and for testing the suite of models previously proposed to explain this structure. We review and classify previous models of formation for western Ishtar Terra into "downwelling" models (generally involving convergence and underthrusting) and "upwelling" models (generally involving plume-like upwelling and divergence). The interpreted nature of units and the sequence of events derived from geological mapping are in contrast to the predictions of the divergent models. The major contradictions are as follows: (1) The very likely presence of an ancient (craton-like) tessera massif in the core of Lakshmi, which is inconsistent with the model of formation of Lakshmi due to rise and collapse of a mantle diapir; (2) The absence of rift zones in the interior of Lakshmi that are predicted by the divergent models; (3) The apparent migration of volcanic activity toward the center of Lakshmi, whereas divergent models predict the opposite trend; (4) The abrupt cessation of ridges of the mountain ranges at the edge of Lakshmi Planum and propagation of these ridges over hundreds of kilometers outside Lakshmi; the divergent models predict the opposite progression in the development of major contractional features. In contrast, convergent models of formation and evolution of Lakshmi Planum appear to be more consistent with the observations and explain this structure by collision and underthrusting/subduction of lower-lying plains with the elevated and rigid block of tessera. These models are capable of explaining formation of the major features of western Ishtar (for example, the mountain belts), the sequences of events, and principal volcanic and tectonic trends during the evolution of Lakshmi. To explain the pronounced north-south asymmetry of Lakshmi these models need to consider the likelihood that the major focal points of collision are at the north and north-west margins of the plateau. We note that pure downwelling models, however, face three important difficulties: (1) The possibly unrealistically long time span that appears to be required to produce the major features of Lakshmi; (2) The strong north-south asymmetry of the Planum; the pure downwelling models predict the formation of a more symmetrical structure; and (3) The absence of radial contractional structures (arches and ridges) in the interior of Lakshmi that would represent the predictions of the downwelling models.

The structure of common-envelope remnants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Philip D.

2015-05-01

We investigate the structure and evolution of the remnants of common-envelope evolution in binary star systems. In a common-envelope phase, two stars become engulfed in a gaseous envelope and, under the influence of drag forces, spiral to smaller separations. They may merge to form a single star or the envelope may be ejected to leave the stars in a shorter period orbit. This process explains the short orbital periods of many observed binary systems, such as cataclysmic variables and low-mass X-ray binary systems. Despite the importance of these systems, and of common-envelope evolution to their formation, it remains poorly understood. Specifically, we are unable to confidently predict the outcome of a common-envelope phase from the properties at its onset. After presenting a review of work on stellar evolution, binary systems, common-envelope evolution and the computer programs used, we describe the results of three computational projects on common-envelope evolution. Our work specifically relates to the methods and prescriptions which are used for predicting the outcome. We use the Cambridge stellar-evolution code STARS to produce detailed models of the structure and evolution of remnants of common-envelope evolution. We compare different assumptions about the uncertain end-of-common envelope structure and envelope mass of remnants which successfully eject their common envelopes. In the first project, we use detailed remnant models to investigate whether planetary nebulae are predicted after common-envelope phases initiated by low-mass red giants. We focus on the requirement that a remnant evolves rapidly enough to photoionize the nebula and compare the predictions for different ideas about the structure at the end of a common-envelope phase. We find that planetary nebulae are possible for some prescriptions for the end-of-common envelope structure. In our second contribution, we compute a large set of single-star models and fit new formulae to the core radii of evolved stars. These formulae can be used to better compute the outcome of common-envelope evolution with rapid evolution codes. We find that the new formulae are necessary for accurate predictions of the properties of post-common envelope systems. Finally, we use detailed remnant models of massive stars to investigate whether hydrogen may be retained after a common-envelope phase to the point of core-collapse and so be observable in supernovae. We find that this is possible and thus common-envelope evolution may contribute to the formation of Type IIb supernovae.

An 1-2-1 Cyclic Model for the Evolution of Mantle Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, S.; Zhang, N.

2006-12-01

The present-day Earth`s mantle is predominated by long-wavelength structures including circum-Pacific subducted slabs and Africa and Pacific super-plumes. These long-wavelength structures are largely controlled by the history of plate tectonic motion. Although it dictates the evolution of mantle structure, global plate tectonic history prior to 120 Ma is poorly constrained except for continental motions that can be reliably traced back to >1 Ga. An important observation of continental motions in the last 1 Ga is the two episodes of formation and breakup of super-continents Pangea and Rodinia. We formulated 3D global models of mantle convection with temperature- and depth-dependent viscosity to study the formation of mantle structure. We found that for the upper mantle with 30 times smaller viscosity than the lower mantle, in the absence of continents, mantle convection is characterized by a hemispherically asymmetric structure in which one hemisphere is largely upwellings, while the other hemisphere contains downwellings (i.e., degree-1 convection). This is the first study in which degree-1 mantle convection is observed in mobile-lid/plate-tectonic convection regime at high Rayleigh number. This result suggests that degree-1 convection is a dynamically preferred state for the Earth`s mantle. We suggest that the evolution of mantle structure is controlled by a cyclic process of formation and breakdown of degree-1 convection modulated strongly by continents. The formation and breakup of supercontinents are surface manifestation of this cyclic process. During the degree-1 convection state, the upwellings in one hemisphere push all continents into the other hemisphere with the downwellings to form a supercontinent. The non-subducting nature of continents dictates that subduction in the downwelling hemisphere occurs along the edge of the supercontinent upon its formation. The insulating effect of a supercontinent and return flow from the circum-supercontinent subduction should heat up sub-continental mantle and lead to formation of another upwelling system below the supercontinent and eventually to breakup of the supercontinent. After the breakup of a supercontinent, the mantle with two large upwellings, similar to that for the present-day Earth, is then evolved back to degree-1 convection state. We will also discuss the geological and geophysical consequences of our proposed model.

Protoplanetary Dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apai, D.´niel; Lauretta, Dante S.

2014-02-01

Preface; 1. Planet formation and protoplanetary dust Daniel Apai and Dante Lauretta; 2. The origins of protoplanetary dust and the formation of accretion disks Hans-Peter Gail and Peter Hope; 3. Evolution of protoplanetary disk structures Fred Ciesla and Cornelius P. Dullemond; 4. Chemical and isotopic evolution of the solar nebula and protoplanetary disks Dmitry Semenov, Subrata Chakraborty and Mark Thiemens; 5. Laboratory studies of simple dust analogs in astrophysical environments John R. Brucato and Joseph A. Nuth III; 6. Dust composition in protoplanetaty dust Michiel Min and George Flynn; 7. Dust particle size evolution Klaus M. Pontoppidan and Adrian J. Brearly; 8. Thermal processing in protoplanetary nebulae Daniel Apai, Harold C. Connolly Jr. and Dante S. Lauretta; 9. The clearing of protoplanetary disks and of the protosolar nebula Ilaira Pascucci and Shogo Tachibana; 10. Accretion of planetesimals and the formation of rocky planets John E. Chambers, David O'Brien and Andrew M. Davis; Appendixes; Glossary; Index.

The Tornado.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, John T.

1984-01-01

Although tornadoes have been one of the most elusive phenomena in meteorology, new observation techniques are now revealing how they are spawned by thunderstorms. Tornado structure and formation, thunderstorms, tornadic thunderstorms, and the evolution and structure of such thunderstorms are considered. Why the Midwest has frequent tornadoes is…

Understanding Stellar Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamers, Henny J. G. L. M.; Levesque, Emily M.

2017-12-01

'Understanding Stellar Evolution' is based on a series of graduate-level courses taught at the University of Washington since 2004, and is written for physics and astronomy students and for anyone with a physics background who is interested in stars. It describes the structure and evolution of stars, with emphasis on the basic physical principles and the interplay between the different processes inside stars such as nuclear reactions, energy transport, chemical mixing, pulsation, mass loss, and rotation. Based on these principles, the evolution of low- and high-mass stars is explained from their formation to their death. In addition to homework exercises for each chapter, the text contains a large number of questions that are meant to stimulate the understanding of the physical principles. An extensive set of accompanying lecture slides is available for teachers in both Keynote® and PowerPoint® formats.

Kelvin-Helmholtz evolution in subsonic cold streams feeding galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angulo, Adrianna; Coffing, S.; Kuranz, C.; Drake, R. P.; Klein, S.; Trantham, M.; Malamud, G.

2017-10-01

The most prolific star formers in cosmological history lie in a regime where dense filament structures carried substantial mass into the galaxy to sustain star formation without producing a shock. However, hydrodynamic instabilities present on the filament surface limit the ability of such structures to deliver dense matter deeply enough to sustain star formation. Simulations lack the finite resolution necessary to allow fair treatment of the instabilities present at the stream boundary. Using the Omega EP laser, we simulate this mode of galaxy formation with a cold, dense, filament structure within a hotter, subsonic flow and observe the interface evolution. Machined surface perturbations stimulate the development of the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability due to the resultant shear between the two media. A spherical crystal imaging system produces high-resolution radiographs of the KH structures along the filament surface. The results from the first experiments of this kind, using a rod with single-mode, long-wavelength modulations, will be discussed. This work is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, through the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas, Grant Number DE-NA0002956, and the National Laser User Facility Program, Grant Number DE-NA0002719, and through.

Real time analysis of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dot growth by probing reflection high-energy electron diffraction chevron image

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kudo, Takuya; Inoue, Tomoya; Kita, Takashi

2008-10-01

Self-assembling process of InAs/GaAs quantum dots has been investigated by analyzing reflection high-energy electron diffraction chevron images reflecting the crystal facet structure surrounding the island. The chevron image shows dramatic changes during the island formation. From the temporal evolution of the chevron tail structure, the self-assembling process has been found to consist of four steps. The initial islands do not show distinct facet structures. Then, the island surface is covered by high-index facets, and this is followed by the formation of stable low-index facets. Finally, the flow of In atoms from the islands occurs, which contributes to flatten the wettingmore » layer. Furthermore, we have investigated the island shape evolution during the GaAs capping layer growth by using the same real-time analysis technique.« less

Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS): The HST View of Star Formation in Nearby Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calzetti, Daniela; Lee, J. C.; Adamo, A.; Aloisi, A.; Andrews, J. E.; Brown, T. M.; Chandar, R.; Christian, C. A.; Cignoni, M.; Clayton, G. C.; Da Silva, R. L.; de Mink, S. E.; Dobbs, C.; Elmegreen, B.; Elmegreen, D. M.; Evans, A. S.; Fumagalli, M.; Gallagher, J. S.; Gouliermis, D.; Grebel, E.; Herrero-Davo`, A.; Hilbert, B.; Hunter, D. A.; Johnson, K. E.; Kennicutt, R.; Kim, H.; Krumholz, M. R.; Lennon, D. J.; Martin, C. D.; Nair, P.; Nota, A.; Pellerin, A.; Prieto, J.; Regan, M. W.; Sabbi, E.; Schaerer, D.; Schiminovich, D.; Smith, L. J.; Thilker, D. A.; Tosi, M.; Van Dyk, S. D.; Walterbos, R. A.; Whitmore, B. C.; Wofford, A.

2014-01-01

The Treasury program LEGUS (HST/GO-13364) is the first HST UV Atlas of nearby galaxies, and is aimed at the thorough investigation of star formation and its relation with galaxy environment, from the scales of individual stars to those of ~kpc clustered structures. The 154-orbits program is obtaining NUV,U,B,V,I images of 50 star-forming galaxies in the distance range 4-12 Mpc, covering the full range of morphology, star formation rate (SFR), mass, metallicity, internal structure, and interaction state found in the local Universe. The imaging survey will yield accurate recent (<50 Myr) star formation histories (SFHs) from resolved massive stars, and the extinction-corrected ages and masses of star clusters and associations. These extensive inventories of massive stars, clustered systems, and SFHs will be used to: (1) quantify how the clustering of star formation evolves both in space and in time; (2) discriminate among models of star cluster evolution; (3) investigate the effects of SFH on the UV SFR calibrations; (4) explore the impact of environment on star formation and cluster evolution across the full range of galactic and ISM properties. LEGUS observations will inform theories of star formation and galaxy evolution, and improve the understanding of the physical underpinning of the gas-star formation relation and the nature of the clumpy star formation at high redshift. LEGUS will generate the most homogeneous high-resolution, wide-field UV dataset to date, building and expanding on the GALEX legacy. Data products that will be delivered to the community include: catalogs of massive stars and star clusters, catalogs of star cluster properties (ages, masses, extinction), and a one-stop shop for all the ancillary data available for this well-studied galaxy sample. LEGUS will provide the reference survey and the foundation for future observations with JWST and with ALMA. This abstract accompanies another one from the same project, and presents the status of the project, its structure, and the data products that will be delivered to the community; the other abstract presents the science goals of LEGUS and how these will be addressed by the HST observations.

Fluffy dust forms icy planetesimals by static compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kataoka, Akimasa; Tanaka, Hidekazu; Okuzumi, Satoshi; Wada, Koji

2013-09-01

Context. Several barriers have been proposed in planetesimal formation theory: bouncing, fragmentation, and radial drift problems. Understanding the structure evolution of dust aggregates is a key in planetesimal formation. Dust grains become fluffy by coagulation in protoplanetary disks. However, once they are fluffy, they are not sufficiently compressed by collisional compression to form compact planetesimals. Aims: We aim to reveal the pathway of dust structure evolution from dust grains to compact planetesimals. Methods: Using the compressive strength formula, we analytically investigate how fluffy dust aggregates are compressed by static compression due to ram pressure of the disk gas and self-gravity of the aggregates in protoplanetary disks. Results: We reveal the pathway of the porosity evolution from dust grains via fluffy aggregates to form planetesimals, circumventing the barriers in planetesimal formation. The aggregates are compressed by the disk gas to a density of 10-3 g/cm3 in coagulation, which is more compact than is the case with collisional compression. Then, they are compressed more by self-gravity to 10-1 g/cm3 when the radius is 10 km. Although the gas compression decelerates the growth, the aggregates grow rapidly enough to avoid the radial drift barrier when the orbital radius is ≲6 AU in a typical disk. Conclusions: We propose a fluffy dust growth scenario from grains to planetesimals. It enables icy planetesimal formation in a wide range beyond the snowline in protoplanetary disks. This result proposes a concrete initial condition of planetesimals for the later stages of the planet formation.

Synergy and Self-organization in Tribosystem’s evolution. Energy Model of Friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedorov, S. V.; Assenova, E.

2018-01-01

Different approaches are known to treat self-organization in tribosystems, related to the structural adaptation in the formation of dissipative surface structures and of frictional or tribo-films, using of synergistic modifying of layers and coatings, e.g. of the selective material transfer during friction, etc. Regarding tribological processes in contact systems, self-organization is observed as spontaneous creation of higher ordered structures during the contact interaction. The proposed paper considers friction as process of transformation and dissipation of energy and process of elasto-plastic deformation localized in thin surface layers of the interacting bodies. Еnergetic interpretation of friction is proposed. Based on the energy balance equations of friction, the evolution of tribosystems is followed in its adaptive-dissipative character. It reflects the variable friction surfaces compatibility and the nonlinear dynamics of friction evolution. Structural-energy relationships in the contacting surfaces evolution are obtained. Maximum of tribosystem’s efficiency during the evolution is the stage of self-organzation of the friction surface layers, which is a state of abnormal low friction and wear.

An Update on Binary Formation by Rotational Fission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tohline, Joel E.; Durisen, Richard H.

During the 1980s, numerical simulations showed that dynamic growth of a barlike mode in initially axisymmetric, equilibrium protostars does not lead to prompt binary formation, i. e., fission. Instead, such evolutions usually produce a dynamically stable, spinning barlike configuration. In recent years, this result has been confirmed by numerous groups using a variety of different hydrodynamical tools, and stability analyses have convincingly shown that fission does not occur in such systems because gravitational torques cause nonlinear saturation of the mode amplitude. Other possible routes to fission have been much less well scrutinized because they rely upon a detailed understanding of the structure and stability of initially nonaxisymmetric structures and/or evolutions that are driven by secular, rather than dynamic processes. Efforts are underway to examine these other fission scenarios.

Evolution of volcanic and tectonic features in caldera settings and their importance in the localization of ore deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rytuba, J.J.

1994-01-01

Many calderas are located along regionally important fault zones that are intermittently active before and after the caldera cycle. In mineralized calderas, the ore deposits are controlled by structures developed during caldera formation and by regional faults which intersect and reactivate the caldera-related structures. The paper discusses the importance of the different stages of caldera formation in connection with the localization of ore deposits. -from Author

Structural Evolution of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) in Anoxic Co2+ Solution: Interactional Performance and Mechanism

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yalei; Chen, Wen; Dai, Chaomeng; Zhou, Chuanlong; Zhou, Xuefei

2015-01-01

The structures of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles evolving during reactions, and the reactions are influenced by the evolved structures. To understand the removal process in detail, it is important to investigate the relationships between the reactions and structural evolution. Using high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), typical evolved structures (sheet coprecipitation and cavity corrosion) of nZVI in anoxic Co2+ solutions were revealed. The system pH (pH measured in mixture), which controls the stability of coprecipitation and the nZVI corrosion rate, were found to be the determining factors of structural evolutions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that the formation and dissolution of sheet structure impacts on the ratio of Fe(0) on the nZVI surface and the surface Co2+ reduction. The cavity structure provides the possibility of Co migration from the surface to the bulk of nZVI, leading to continuous removal. Subacidity conditions could accelerate the evolution and improve the removal; the results of structurally controlled reactions further indicated that the removal was suspended by the sheet structure and enhanced by cavity structure. The results and discussion in this paper revealed the “structural influence” crucial for the full and dynamical understanding of nZVI reactions. PMID:26355955

Structural Evolution of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) in Anoxic Co(2+) Solution: Interactional Performance and Mechanism.

PubMed

Zhang, Yalei; Chen, Wen; Dai, Chaomeng; Zhou, Chuanlong; Zhou, Xuefei

2015-09-10

The structures of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles evolving during reactions, and the reactions are influenced by the evolved structures. To understand the removal process in detail, it is important to investigate the relationships between the reactions and structural evolution. Using high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), typical evolved structures (sheet coprecipitation and cavity corrosion) of nZVI in anoxic Co(2+) solutions were revealed. The system pH (pH measured in mixture), which controls the stability of coprecipitation and the nZVI corrosion rate, were found to be the determining factors of structural evolutions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that the formation and dissolution of sheet structure impacts on the ratio of Fe(0) on the nZVI surface and the surface Co(2+) reduction. The cavity structure provides the possibility of Co migration from the surface to the bulk of nZVI, leading to continuous removal. Subacidity conditions could accelerate the evolution and improve the removal; the results of structurally controlled reactions further indicated that the removal was suspended by the sheet structure and enhanced by cavity structure. The results and discussion in this paper revealed the "structural influence" crucial for the full and dynamical understanding of nZVI reactions.

Structural Evolution of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) in Anoxic Co2+ Solution: Interactional Performance and Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yalei; Chen, Wen; Dai, Chaomeng; Zhou, Chuanlong; Zhou, Xuefei

2015-09-01

The structures of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles evolving during reactions, and the reactions are influenced by the evolved structures. To understand the removal process in detail, it is important to investigate the relationships between the reactions and structural evolution. Using high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), typical evolved structures (sheet coprecipitation and cavity corrosion) of nZVI in anoxic Co2+ solutions were revealed. The system pH (pH measured in mixture), which controls the stability of coprecipitation and the nZVI corrosion rate, were found to be the determining factors of structural evolutions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that the formation and dissolution of sheet structure impacts on the ratio of Fe(0) on the nZVI surface and the surface Co2+ reduction. The cavity structure provides the possibility of Co migration from the surface to the bulk of nZVI, leading to continuous removal. Subacidity conditions could accelerate the evolution and improve the removal; the results of structurally controlled reactions further indicated that the removal was suspended by the sheet structure and enhanced by cavity structure. The results and discussion in this paper revealed the “structural influence” crucial for the full and dynamical understanding of nZVI reactions.

The formation mechanism and evolution of ps-laser-induced high-spatial-frequency periodic surface structures on titanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, A. F.; Wang, W. J.; Mei, X. S.; Yang, H. Z.; Sun, X. F.

2017-01-01

We report the formation and evolution mechanisms of HSFLs (high-spatial-frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures) on the commercial pure titanium under 10-ps 532-nm-wavelength laser irradiation. At a lower peak laser fluence, HSFLs in the rough zone are first formed along the surface texture. Subsequently, HSFLs in the flat zone are formed with an orientation parallel to the laser polarization direction. The formation of HSFLs can be attributed to the parallel orientation of the initial periodic modulation of the electron plasma concentration to the laser polarization direction. In particular, the formation of HSFLs along the surface texture occurs because the absorbed laser energy density is along the surface texture. At a higher peak laser fluence, two types of HSFLs appear together with LSFLs. The first type involves HSFLs that initially cover the concave part of the LSFL (low-spatial-frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures) and penetrate inward as the number of spot overlaps increases. This formation mechanism can be attributed to cavitation instability. The second type involves HSFLs that are initially in the convex part of the LSFL, and they are transformed into oxidized nanodots as the number of spot overlaps increases. The oxidized nanodots increase the absorption of laser energy in titanium, which leads to the ablation and removal of the oxidized material. Therefore, the surface of the LSFL becomes smooth.

Chromosome Evolution in Connection with Repetitive Sequences and Epigenetics in Plants.

PubMed

Li, Shu-Fen; Su, Ting; Cheng, Guang-Qian; Wang, Bing-Xiao; Li, Xu; Deng, Chuan-Liang; Gao, Wu-Jun

2017-10-24

Chromosome evolution is a fundamental aspect of evolutionary biology. The evolution of chromosome size, structure and shape, number, and the change in DNA composition suggest the high plasticity of nuclear genomes at the chromosomal level. Repetitive DNA sequences, which represent a conspicuous fraction of every eukaryotic genome, particularly in plants, are found to be tightly linked with plant chromosome evolution. Different classes of repetitive sequences have distinct distribution patterns on the chromosomes. Mounting evidence shows that repetitive sequences may play multiple generative roles in shaping the chromosome karyotypes in plants. Furthermore, recent development in our understanding of the repetitive sequences and plant chromosome evolution has elucidated the involvement of a spectrum of epigenetic modification. In this review, we focused on the recent evidence relating to the distribution pattern of repetitive sequences in plant chromosomes and highlighted their potential relevance to chromosome evolution in plants. We also discussed the possible connections between evolution and epigenetic alterations in chromosome structure and repatterning, such as heterochromatin formation, centromere function, and epigenetic-associated transposable element inactivation.

Physical experiments and analysis on the generation and evolution of tsunami-induced turbulent coherent structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalligeris, Nikos; Lynett, Patrick

2017-11-01

Numerous historical accounts describe the formation of ``whirpools'' inside ports and harbors during tsunami events, causing port operation disruptions. Videos from the Japan 2011 tsunami revealed complex nearshore flow patters, resulting from the interaction of tsunami-induced currents with the man-made coastline, and the generation of large eddies (or turbulent coherent structures) in numerous ports and harbors near the earthquake epicenter. The aim of this work is to study the generation and evolution of tsunami-induced turbulent coherent structures (TCS) in a well-controlled environment using realistic scaling. A physical configuration is created in the image of a port entrance at a scale of 1:27 and a small-amplitude, long period wave creates a transient flow through the asymmetric harbor channel. A separated region forms, which coupled with the transient flow, leads to the formation of a stable monopolar TCS. The surface flow is examined through mono- and stereo-PTV techniques to extract surface velocity vectors. Surface velocity maps and vortex flow profiles are used to study the experimental TCS generation and evolution, and characterize the TCS structure. Analytical tools are used to describe the TCS growth rate and kinetic energy decay. This work was funded by the National Science Foundation NEES Research program, with Award Number 1135026.

Star formation across cosmic time and its influence on galactic dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freundlich, Jonathan

2015-12-01

Observations show that ten billion years ago, galaxies formed their stars at rates up to twenty times higher than now. As stars are formed from cold molecular gas, a high star formation rate means a significant gas supply, and galaxies near the peak epoch of star formation are indeed much more gas-rich than nearby galaxies. Is the decline of the star formation rate mostly driven by the diminishing cold gas reservoir, or are the star formation processes also qualitatively different earlier in the history of the Universe? Ten billion years ago, young galaxies were clumpy and prone to violent gravitational instabilities, which may have contributed to their high star formation rate. Stars indeed form within giant, gravitationally-bound molecular clouds. But the earliest phases of star formation are still poorly understood. Some scenarii suggest the importance of interstellar filamentary structures as a first step towards core and star formation. How would their filamentary geometry affect pre-stellar cores? Feedback mechanisms related to stellar evolution also play an important role in regulating star formation, for example through powerful stellar winds and supernovae explosions which expel some of the gas and can even disturb the dark matter distribution in which each galaxy is assumed to be embedded. This PhD work focuses on three perspectives: (i) star formation near the peak epoch of star formation as seen from observations at sub-galactic scales; (ii) the formation of pre-stellar cores within the filamentary structures of the interstellar medium; and (iii) the effect of feedback processes resulting from star formation and evolution on the dark matter distribution.

Geology, structure and age of the Nahuel Niyeu Formation in the Aguada Cecilio area, North Patagonian Massif, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greco, Gerson A.; González, Pablo D.; González, Santiago N.; Sato, Ana M.; Basei, Miguel A. S.; Tassinari, Colombo C. G.; Sato, Kei; Varela, Ricardo; Llambías, Eduardo J.

2015-10-01

The low-grade Nahuel Niyeu Formation in the Aguada Cecilio area (40°50‧S-65°53‧W) shows ultramafic to felsic metaigneous rocks forming a sill swarm intercalated in the metasedimentary sequence and a polyphase deformation which permit an integrated study of the magmatic and tectonometamorphic evolution of this geological unit. In this paper we present a geological characterization of the Nahuel Niyeu Formation in the Aguada Cecilio area combining mapping, structural and metamorphic analysis with a SHRIMP U-Pb age and geochemical data from the metaigneous rocks. The metasedimentary sequence consists of alternating metagreywackes and phyllites, and minor metasandstones and granule metaconglomerates. The sills are pre-kinematic intrusions and yielded one SHRIMP U-Pb, zircon crystallization age of 513.6 ± 3.3 Ma. Their injection occurred after consolidation of the sedimentary sequence. A syn-sedimentary volcanic activity is interpreted by a metaandesite lava flow interlayered in the metasedimentary sequence. Sedimentary and igneous protoliths of the Nahuel Niyeu Formation would have been formed in a continental margin basin associated with active magmatic arc during the Cambrian Epoch 2. Two main low-grade tectonometamorphic events affected the Nahuel Niyeu Formation, one during the Cambrian Epoch 2-Early Ordovician and the other probably in the late Permian at ˜260 Ma. Local late folds could belong to the final stages of the late Permian deformation or be even younger. In a regional context, the Nahuel Niyeu and El Jagüelito formations and Mina Gonzalito Complex show a comparable Cambrian-Ordovician evolution related to the Terra Australis Orogen in the south Gondwana margin. This evolution is also coeval with the late and early stages of the Pampean and Famatinian orogenies of Central Argentina, respectively. The late Permian event recorded in the Nahuel Niyeu Formation in Aguada Cecilio area is identified by comparable structures affecting the Mina Gonzalito Complex and El Jagüelito Formation and resetting ages from granitoids. This event represents the Gondwanide Orogeny within the same Terra Australis Orogen.

Voids and the Cosmic Web: cosmic depression & spatial complexity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Weygaert, Rien

2016-10-01

Voids form a prominent aspect of the Megaparsec distribution of galaxies and matter. Not only do theyrepresent a key constituent of the Cosmic Web, they also are one of the cleanest probesand measures of global cosmological parameters. The shape and evolution of voids are highly sensitive tothe nature of dark energy, while their substructure and galaxy population provides a direct key to thenature of dark matter. Also, the pristine environment of void interiors is an important testing groundfor our understanding of environmental influences on galaxy formation and evolution. In this paper, we reviewthe key aspects of the structure and dynamics ofvoids, with a particular focus on the hierarchical evolution of the void population. We demonstratehow the rich structural pattern of the Cosmic Web is related to the complex evolution and buildupof voids.

Transcriptomic and macroevolutionary evidence for phenotypic uncoupling between frog life history phases

PubMed Central

Wollenberg Valero, Katharina C.; Garcia-Porta, Joan; Rodríguez, Ariel; Arias, Mónica; Shah, Abhijeet; Randrianiaina, Roger Daniel; Brown, Jason L.; Glaw, Frank; Amat, Felix; Künzel, Sven; Metzler, Dirk; Isokpehi, Raphael D.; Vences, Miguel

2017-01-01

Anuran amphibians undergo major morphological transitions during development, but the contribution of their markedly different life-history phases to macroevolution has rarely been analysed. Here we generate testable predictions for coupling versus uncoupling of phenotypic evolution of tadpole and adult life-history phases, and for the underlying expression of genes related to morphological feature formation. We test these predictions by combining evidence from gene expression in two distantly related frogs, Xenopus laevis and Mantidactylus betsileanus, with patterns of morphological evolution in the entire radiation of Madagascan mantellid frogs. Genes linked to morphological structure formation are expressed in a highly phase-specific pattern, suggesting uncoupling of phenotypic evolution across life-history phases. This gene expression pattern agrees with uncoupled rates of trait evolution among life-history phases in the mantellids, which we show to have undergone an adaptive radiation. Our results validate a prevalence of uncoupling in the evolution of tadpole and adult phenotypes of frogs. PMID:28504275

Implications of the giant planets for the formation and evolution of planetary systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, David J.

1989-01-01

The giant planet region in the solar system appears to be bounded inside by the limit of water condensation, suggesting that the most abundant astrophysical condensate plays an important role in giant planet formation. Indeed, Jupiter and Saturn exhibit evidence for rock and/or ice cores or central concentrations that probably accumulated first, acting as nuclei for subsequent gas accumulation. This is a 'planetary' accumulation process, distinct from the stellar formation process, even though most of Jupiter has a similar composition to the primordial sun. Uranus and Neptune appear to exhibit evidence of an important role for giant impacts in their structure and evolution. No simple picture emerges for the temperature structure of the solar nebula from observations alone. However, it seems likely that Jupiter is the key to the planetary system, and a similar planet could be expected for other systems. The data and inferences from these data are summarized for the entire known solar system beyond the asteroid belt.

Evolution of Pre-Main Sequence Accretion Disks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Lee W.

2002-01-01

The aim of this project is to develop a comprehensive global picture of the physical conditions in, and evolutionary timescales of, pre-main sequence accretion disks. The results of this work will help constrain the initial conditions for planet formation. To this end we plan to: (1) Develop much larger samples of 3-10 Myr-old stars to provide better empirical constraints on protoplanetary disk evolution; (2) Study the dusty emission and accretion rates in these systems, with ages closer to the expected epoch of (giant) planet formation at 3-10 Myr; and (3) Develop detailed model disk structures consistent with observations to infer physical conditions in protoplanetary disks and to constrain possible grain growth as the first stage of planetesimal formation.

Supermassive Black Holes and Galaxy Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merritt, D.

2004-01-01

Supermassive black holes appear to be generic components of galactic nuclei. The formation and growth of black holes is intimately connected with the evolution of galaxies on a wide range of scales. For instance, mergers between galaxies containing nuclear black holes would produce supermassive binaries which eventually coalesce via the emission of gravitational radiation. The formation and decay of these binaries is expected to produce a number of observable signatures in the stellar distribution. Black holes can also affect the large-scale structure of galaxies by perturbing the orbits of stars that pass through the nucleus. Large-scale N-body simulations are beginning to generate testable predictions about these processes which will allow us to draw inferences about the formation history of supermassive black holes.

Growth and structural evolution of Sn on Ag(001): Epitaxial monolayer to thick alloy film

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chakraborty, Suvankar; Menon, Krishnakumar S. R., E-mail: krishna.menon@saha.ac.in

The growth and structure of Sn on Ag(001), from submonolayer to thick film coverages at room temperature, are studied using low energy electron diffraction, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) techniques. The authors observe different growth modes for submonolayer Sn coverages and for higher Sn coverages. Systematic surface structural evolution, consistent with the substitution of surface Ag atoms by Sn atoms, is observed for submonolayer Sn coverages while an ordered Ag-Sn bulk alloy film is formed for higher Sn coverages with an Ag overlayer. For monolayer coverage of Sn, a pseudomorphic growth of a Sn layer without alloyingmore » is determined. ARPES results also confirm the presence of an ordered Ag overlayer on the bulk Ag-Sn alloy film, suggesting the formation of an Ag/Ag{sub 3}Sn/Ag(001) sandwich structure at the surface for higher Sn coverages. The present results illustrate the complex interplay of atomic mobilities, surface free-energies, and alloy formation energies in determining the growth and structural properties of the system.« less

Multi-step formation, evolution, and functionalization of new cytoplasmic male sterility genes in the plant mitochondrial genomes

PubMed Central

Tang, Huiwu; Zheng, Xingmei; Li, Chuliang; Xie, Xianrong; Chen, Yuanling; Chen, Letian; Zhao, Xiucai; Zheng, Huiqi; Zhou, Jiajian; Ye, Shan; Guo, Jingxin; Liu, Yao-Guang

2017-01-01

New gene origination is a major source of genomic innovations that confer phenotypic changes and biological diversity. Generation of new mitochondrial genes in plants may cause cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), which can promote outcrossing and increase fitness. However, how mitochondrial genes originate and evolve in structure and function remains unclear. The rice Wild Abortive type of CMS is conferred by the mitochondrial gene WA352c (previously named WA352) and has been widely exploited in hybrid rice breeding. Here, we reconstruct the evolutionary trajectory of WA352c by the identification and analyses of 11 mitochondrial genomic recombinant structures related to WA352c in wild and cultivated rice. We deduce that these structures arose through multiple rearrangements among conserved mitochondrial sequences in the mitochondrial genome of the wild rice Oryza rufipogon, coupled with substoichiometric shifting and sequence variation. We identify two expressed but nonfunctional protogenes among these structures, and show that they could evolve into functional CMS genes via sequence variations that could relieve the self-inhibitory potential of the proteins. These sequence changes would endow the proteins the ability to interact with the nucleus-encoded mitochondrial protein COX11, resulting in premature programmed cell death in the anther tapetum and male sterility. Furthermore, we show that the sequences that encode the COX11-interaction domains in these WA352c-related genes have experienced purifying selection during evolution. We propose a model for the formation and evolution of new CMS genes via a “multi-recombination/protogene formation/functionalization” mechanism involving gradual variations in the structure, sequence, copy number, and function. PMID:27725674

Stepwise Evolution of Coral Biomineralization Revealed with Genome-Wide Proteomics and Transcriptomics

PubMed Central

Sawada, Hitoshi; Satoh, Noriyuki

2016-01-01

Despite the importance of stony corals in many research fields related to global issues, such as marine ecology, climate change, paleoclimatogy, and metazoan evolution, very little is known about the evolutionary origin of coral skeleton formation. In order to investigate the evolution of coral biomineralization, we have identified skeletal organic matrix proteins (SOMPs) in the skeletal proteome of the scleractinian coral, Acropora digitifera, for which large genomic and transcriptomic datasets are available. Scrupulous gene annotation was conducted based on comparisons of functional domain structures among metazoans. We found that SOMPs include not only coral-specific proteins, but also protein families that are widely conserved among cnidarians and other metazoans. We also identified several conserved transmembrane proteins in the skeletal proteome. Gene expression analysis revealed that expression of these conserved genes continues throughout development. Therefore, these genes are involved not only skeleton formation, but also in basic cellular functions, such as cell-cell interaction and signaling. On the other hand, genes encoding coral-specific proteins, including extracellular matrix domain-containing proteins, galaxins, and acidic proteins, were prominently expressed in post-settlement stages, indicating their role in skeleton formation. Taken together, the process of coral skeleton formation is hypothesized as: 1) formation of initial extracellular matrix between epithelial cells and substrate, employing pre-existing transmembrane proteins; 2) additional extracellular matrix formation using novel proteins that have emerged by domain shuffling and rapid molecular evolution and; 3) calcification controlled by coral-specific SOMPs. PMID:27253604

Evolution of CO lines in time-dependent models of protostellar disk formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harsono, D.; Visser, R.; Bruderer, S.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Kristensen, L. E.

2013-07-01

Context. Star and planet formation theories predict an evolution in the density, temperature, and velocity structure as the envelope collapses and forms an accretion disk. While continuum emission can trace the dust evolution, spectrally resolved molecular lines are needed to determine the physical structure and collapse dynamics. Aims: The aim of this work is to model the evolution of the molecular excitation, line profiles, and related observables during low-mass star formation. Specifically, the signatures of disks during the deeply embedded stage (Menv > M⋆) are investigated. Methods: The semi-analytic 2D axisymmetric model of Visser and collaborators has been used to describe the evolution of the density, stellar mass, and luminosity from the pre-stellar to the T-Tauri phase. A full radiative transfer calculation is carried out to accurately determine the time-dependent dust temperatures. The time-dependent CO abundance is obtained from the adsorption and thermal desorption chemistry. Non-LTE near-IR (NIR), far-IR (FIR), and submm lines of CO have been simulated at a number of time steps. Results: In single dish (10-20'' beams), the dynamics during the collapse are best probed through highly excited 13CO and C18O lines, which are significantly broadened by the infall process. In contrast to the dust temperature, the CO excitation temperature derived from submm/FIR data does not vary during the protostellar evolution, consistent with C18O observations obtained with Herschel and from ground-based telescopes. The NIR spectra provide complementary information to the submm lines by probing not only the cold outer envelope but also the warm inner region. The NIR high-J (≥8) absorption lines are particularly sensitive to the physical structure of the inner few AU, which does show evolution. The models indicate that observations of 13CO and C18O low-J submm lines within a ≤1″ (at 140 pc) beam are well suited to probe embedded disks in Stage I (Menv < M⋆) sources, consistent with recent interferometric observations. High signal-to-noise ratio subarcsec resolution data with ALMA are needed to detect the presence of small rotationally supported disks during the Stage 0 phase and various diagnostics are discussed. The combination of spatially and spectrally resolved lines with ALMA and at NIR is a powerful method to probe the inner envelope and disk formation process during the embedded phase. Appendices are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

The Impact of Globalization on the Formation of a Global Political System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilyin, Ilya V.; Rozanov, Alexander Sergeevich

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of globalization on the formation of a global political system. Design/methodology/approach: Taking into account the fact of global political evolution, the authors of the paper point out that the global political structures tend to change. Findings: During the past millennium the global…

Hydrodynamical Aspects of the Formation of Spiral-Vortical Structures in Rotating Gaseous Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elizarova, T. G.; Zlotnik, A. A.; Istomina, M. A.

2018-01-01

This paper is dedicated to numerical simulations of spiral-vortical structures in rotating gaseous disks using a simple model based on two-dimensional, non-stationary, barotropic Euler equations with a body force. The results suggest the possibility of a purely hydrodynamical basis for the formation and evolution of such structures. New, axially symmetric, stationary solutions of these equations are derived that modify known approximate solutions. These solutions with added small perturbations are used as initial data in the non-stationary problem, whose solution demonstrates the formation of density arms with bifurcation. The associated redistribution of angular momentum is analyzed. The correctness of laboratory experiments using shallow water to describe the formation of large-scale vortical structures in thin gaseous disks is confirmed. The computations are based on a special quasi-gas-dynamical regularization of the Euler equations in polar coordinates.

Photosynthesis. Electronic structure of the oxygen-evolving complex in photosystem II prior to O-O bond formation.

PubMed

Cox, Nicholas; Retegan, Marius; Neese, Frank; Pantazis, Dimitrios A; Boussac, Alain; Lubitz, Wolfgang

2014-08-15

The photosynthetic protein complex photosystem II oxidizes water to molecular oxygen at an embedded tetramanganese-calcium cluster. Resolving the geometric and electronic structure of this cluster in its highest metastable catalytic state (designated S3) is a prerequisite for understanding the mechanism of O-O bond formation. Here, multifrequency, multidimensional magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that all four manganese ions of the catalyst are structurally and electronically similar immediately before the final oxygen evolution step; they all exhibit a 4+ formal oxidation state and octahedral local geometry. Only one structural model derived from quantum chemical modeling is consistent with all magnetic resonance data; its formation requires the binding of an additional water molecule. O-O bond formation would then proceed by the coupling of two proximal manganese-bound oxygens in the transition state of the cofactor. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Domain shape instabilities and dendrite domain growth in uniaxial ferroelectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shur, Vladimir Ya.; Akhmatkhanov, Andrey R.

2018-01-01

The effects of domain wall shape instabilities and the formation of nanodomains in front of moving walls obtained in various uniaxial ferroelectrics are discussed. Special attention is paid to the formation of self-assembled nanoscale and dendrite domain structures under highly non-equilibrium switching conditions. All obtained results are considered in the framework of the unified kinetic approach to domain structure evolution based on the analogy with first-order phase transformation. This article is part of the theme issue `From atomistic interfaces to dendritic patterns'.

Galaxy evolution in clusters since z~1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aragon-Salamanca, Alfonso

2010-09-01

Galaxy clusters provide some of the most extreme environments in which galaxies evolve, making them excellent laboratories to study the age old question of "nature" vs. "nurture" in galaxy evolution. Here I review some of the key observational results obtained during the last decade on the evolution of the morphology, structure, dynamics, star-formation history and stellar populations of cluster galaxies since the time when the universe was half its present age. Many of the results presented here have been obtained within the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS) and Space Telescope A901/02 Galaxy Evolution Survey (STAGES) collaborations.

Galaxy Evolution in Clusters Since z ~ 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aragón-Salamanca, A.

Galaxy clusters provide some of the most extreme environments in which galaxies evolve, making them excellent laboratories to study the age old question of "nature" vs. "nurture" in galaxy evolution. Here I review some of the key observational results obtained during the last decade on the evolution of the morphology, structure, dynamics, star-formation history and stellar populations of cluster galaxies since the time when the Universe was half its present age. Many of the results presented here have been obtained within the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS) and Space Telescope A901/02 Galaxy Evolution Survey (STAGES) collaborations.

The Star Formation Histories of Disk Galaxies: The Live, the Dead, and the Undead

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oemler, Augustus Jr; Dressler, Alan; Abramson, Louis E.

We reexamine the properties of local galaxy populations using published surveys of star formation, structure, and gas content. After recalibrating star formation measures, we are able to reliably measure specific star formation rates well below that of the so-called “main sequence” of star formation versus mass. We find an unexpectedly large population of quiescent galaxies with star formation rates intermediate between the main sequence and passive populations and with disproportionately high star formation rates. We demonstrate that a tight main sequence is a natural outcome of most histories of star formation and has little astrophysical significance but that the quiescentmore » population requires additional astrophysics to explain its properties. Using a simple model for disk evolution based on the observed dependence of star formation on gas content in local galaxies, and assuming simple histories of cold gas inflow, we show that the evolution of galaxies away from the main sequence can be attributed to the depletion of gas due to star formation after a cutoff of gas inflow. The quiescent population is composed of galaxies in which the density of disk gas has fallen below a threshold for star formation probably set by disk stability. The evolution of galaxies beyond the quiescent state to gas exhaustion and the end of star formation requires another process, probably wind-driven mass loss. The environmental dependence of the three galaxy populations is consistent with recent numerical modeling, which indicates that cold gas inflows into galaxies are truncated at earlier epochs in denser environments.« less

Structural evolution of the J-fold; a multi-scalar approach to modeling kinematic fold evolution in the Cordilleran fold-thrust belt, southwestern Montana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, James W.

The Highway 2 structural complex (HW2SC) is part of the North American western Cordilleran fold-and-thrust belt that extends from northern Wyoming into northwestern Canada. More precisely, the HW2SC is located on the southeastern margin of the Helena salient in what is known as the southwest Montana transverse zone. Based on the location of the HW2SC it appears to have formed as footwall deformation associated with displacement along the southwestern Montana transverse zone. The most prominent structural feature in the HW2SC is the Late-Cretaceous "J-fold", a east-west trending, muliti-hinged, northeast plunging anticline with an associated northeast plunging syncline. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into whether the geometries of thrust-related folds correlate to particular mechanical responses taking place within the folded sedimentary sequences. This is accomplished by conducting a multifaceted examination of the J-fold using high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning combined with detailed field measurements of kinematic indicators, and petrographic analysis of microstructures in thin section. Based on the findings of this study four specific conclusions about the kinematic and mechanical evolution of the J-fold can be made: 1) the J-fold kinematically behaves as a fault-bend fold throughout its structural evolution; 2) the J-fold enjoyed two stages of fault-bend folding deformation that produced its present day geometry; 3) the J-fold has been tectonically thinned by >50% in the Permian Phosphoria and Jurassic Ellis-Rierdon formations located in the Overturned forelimb; and finally 4) the J-fold is mechanically accommodating the thinning in the Overturned forelimb by pressure solution and dissolution of chert grains in the Permian Phosphoria formation and by faulting and shearing in the Jurassic Ellis-Rierdon formation.

Triassic structural and stratigraphic evolution of the Central German North Sea sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Marco; Jähne-Klingberg, Fabian

2017-04-01

The subsurface of the Central German North Sea sector is characterized by a complex sequence of tectonic events that span from the Permo-Carboniferous initiation of the Southern Permian Basin to the present day. The Triassic period is one of the most prominent stratigraphic intervals in this area due to alternating phases of relatively tectonic quiescence and intense tectonic activity with the development of grabens, salt-tectonics movements, various regional and local erosional events and strong local and regional changes in subsidence over time. The heterogeneous geological history led to complex structural and lithological patterns. The presented results are part of a comprehensive investigation of the Central German North Sea sector. It was carried out within the scope of the project TUNB (www.bgr.bund.de). The main goal was to enhance the understanding of the Triassic geological development in the area of interest due to detailed seismic interpretation of several hundred 2D seismic lines and as well 3D seismic data sets. A seismostratigraphic concept was used to interpret most formations of the Triassic resulting in a detailed subdivision of the Triassic unit. Depth and thickness maps for every stratigraphic unit and geological cross sections provided new insights regarding an overall basin evolution as well as the timing and mechanisms of rifting and salt-tectonics. New results concerning the evolution of the Keuper in the German North Sea and especially the Triassic evolution of the Horn Graben, as one of the major Triassic rift-structures in the North Sea, will be highlighted. We will show aspects of strong tectonic subsidence in the Horn Graben in the Lower Triassic. In parts of the study area, halotectonic movements started in the Upper Triassic, earlier than previously proposed. Besides mapping of regional seismic reflectors, distinct sedimentary features like fluvial channel systems of the Stuttgart formation (Middle Keuper) or subrosion-like structures along the major Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous unconformity, which are related to erosion of Triassic evaporitic formations, will be shown.

Modification of Ga2O3 by an Ag-Cr core-shell cocatalyst enhances photocatalytic CO evolution for the conversion of CO2 by H2O.

PubMed

Pang, Rui; Teramura, Kentaro; Tatsumi, Hiroyuki; Asakura, Hiroyuki; Hosokawa, Saburo; Tanaka, Tsunehiro

2018-01-25

A core-shell structure of Ag-Cr dual cocatalyst loaded-Ga 2 O 3 was found to significantly enhance the formation rate of CO and selectivity toward CO evolution for the photocatalytic conversion of CO 2 where H 2 O is used as an electron donor.

Galaxy evolution in extreme environments: Molecular gas content star formation and AGN in isolated void galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Mousumi; Iono, Daisuke; Saito, Toshiki; Subramanian, Smitha

Since the early redshift surveys of the large scale structure of our universe, it has become clear that galaxies cluster along walls, sheet and filaments leaving large, empty regions called voids between them. Although voids represent the most under dense parts of our universe, they do contain a sparse but significant population of isolated galaxies that are generally low luminosity, late type disk galaxies. Recent studies show that most void galaxies have ongoing star formation and are in an early stage of evolution. We present radio, optical studies of the molecular gas content and star formation in a sample of void galaxies. Using SDSS data, we find that AGN are rare in these systems and are found only in the Bootes void; their black hole masses and radio properties are similar to bright spirals galaxies. Our studies suggest that close galaxy interactions and gas accretion are the main drivers of galaxy evolution in these systems despite their location in the underdense environment of the voids.

ELLIPSOMETRIC STUDY OF a-Si:H NUCLEATION, GROWTH, AND INTERFACES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, R. W.

Recent in situ and spectroscopic ellipsometry investigations of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) nucleation behavior, microstructural evolution, and interface formation are reviewed. An outline of the commonly applied experimental techniques and data analysis is also presented. In situ ellipsometry reveals a nuclei formation and convergence sequence in the first 50Å of a-Si:H growth by rf plasma deposition from silane on c-Si and metal substrates. This sequence provides evidence of favorable growth chemistry that results in material with a low density of structural defects. The influence of deposition parameters and processes on the nucleation and subsequent microstructural evolution of a-Si:H is covered in detail. Among the other topics discussed include: nucleation of microcrystalline Si, evolution of surface roughness on a-Si:H, inert and reactive gas plasma modification of a-Si:H, and formation of a-Si:H heterostructures with SiO2, wide band gap alloys, and Bdoped a-Si:H.

Application of Dynamic Mode Decomposition: Temporal Evolution of Flow Structures in an Aneurysm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conlin, William; Yu, Paulo; Durgesh, Vibhav

2017-11-01

An aneurysm is an enlargement of a weakened arterial wall that can be fatal or debilitating on rupture. Aneurysm hemodynamics is integral to developing an understanding of aneurysm formation, growth, and rupture. The flow in an aneurysm exhibits complex fluid dynamics behavior due to an inherent unsteady inflow condition and its interactions with large-scale flow structures present in the aneurysm. The objective of this study is to identify the large-scale structures in the aneurysm, study temporal behavior, and quantify their interaction with the inflow condition. For this purpose, detailed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements were performed at the center plane of an idealized aneurysm model for a range of inflow conditions. Inflow conditions were precisely controlled using a ViVitro SuperPump system. Dynamic Modal Decomposition (DMD) of the velocity field was used to identify coherent structures and their temporal behavior. DMD was successful in capturing the large-scale flow structures and their temporal behavior. A low dimensional approximation to the flow field was obtained with the most relevant dynamic modes and was used to obtain temporal information about the coherent structures and their interaction with the inflow, formation, evolution, and growth.

The effects of short-lived radionuclides and porosity on the early thermo-mechanical evolution of planetesimals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenberg, Tim; Golabek, Gregor J.; Gerya, Taras V.; Meyer, Michael R.

2016-08-01

The thermal history and internal structure of chondritic planetesimals, assembled before the giant impact phase of chaotic growth, potentially yield important implications for the final composition and evolution of terrestrial planets. These parameters critically depend on the internal balance of heating versus cooling, which is mostly determined by the presence of short-lived radionuclides (SLRs), such as 26Al and 60Fe, as well as the heat conductivity of the material. The heating by SLRs depends on their initial abundances, the formation time of the planetesimal and its size. It has been argued that the cooling history is determined by the porosity of the granular material, which undergoes dramatic changes via compaction processes and tends to decrease with time. In this study we assess the influence of these parameters on the thermo-mechanical evolution of young planetesimals with both 2D and 3D simulations. Using the code family I2ELVIS/I3ELVIS we have run numerous 2D and 3D numerical finite-difference fluid dynamic models with varying planetesimal radius, formation time and initial porosity. Our results indicate that powdery materials lowered the threshold for melting and convection in planetesimals, depending on the amount of SLRs present. A subset of planetesimals retained a powdery surface layer which lowered the thermal conductivity and hindered cooling. The effect of initial porosity was small, however, compared to those of planetesimal size and formation time, which dominated the thermo-mechanical evolution and were the primary factors for the onset of melting and differentiation. We comment on the implications of this work concerning the structure and evolution of these planetesimals, as well as their behavior as possible building blocks of terrestrial planets.

Structural evolution of fluorinated graphene upon molten-alkali treatment probed by X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Xianqing; Pan, Deyou; Lao, Ming; Liang, Shuiying; Huang, Dan; Zhou, Wenzheng; Guo, Jin

2017-05-01

The structural evolution of fluorinated graphene (FG) nanosheets upon molten-alkali treatment has been systematically investigated utilizing X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. It is found that the hydroxyl groups can progressively displace fluorine atoms to form covalent bonds to the graphene sheets under designed molten-alkali condition. The XANES spectra also reveal the formation of epoxide groups through intramolecular dehydration of neighbouring hydroxyl groups after substitution reaction. At high alkali-FG weight ratio, the restoration of the π-conjugated structure in graphene sheets can be observed due to the gradual decomposition of epoxide groups. Our experimental results indicate that the surface chemistry and electronic structure of hydroxyl-functionalized FG (HFG) can be readily tuned by varying the ratio of reactants.

Morphology evolution in strain-compensated multiple quantum well structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ledentsov, N. N., E-mail: nikolay.ledentsov@v-i-systems.com; Shchukin, V. A.; Rouvimov, S.

2014-01-20

Morphology evolution in (In,Ga)As-Ga(As,P) strain-compensated multilayer structures is studied. The effects of nanoscale interface corrugation and phase separation are evident after the third period of the multilayer structure and become more pronounced with each new stack until the sixth period. Then, the interface stabilizes pointing to the formation of strain-balanced equilibrium interface structure. The epitaxial structure remains defect-free up to the maximum number (twenty) of periods studied. In a structure with a high lattice mismatch between the neighboring layers, In{sub 0.40}Ga{sub 0.60}As/GaAs{sub 0.85}P{sub 0.15}, clusters of dislocations are revealed already in the third period. The observed phenomena are critical formore » proper engineering of optoelectronic devices.« less

Dissipative structures, machines, and organisms: A perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondepudi, Dilip; Kay, Bruce; Dixon, James

2017-10-01

Self-organization in nonequilibrium systems resulting in the formation of dissipative structures has been studied in a variety of systems, most prominently in chemical systems. We present a study of a voltage-driven dissipative structure consisting of conducting beads immersed in a viscous medium of oil. In this simple system, we observed remarkably complex organism-like behavior. The dissipative structure consists of a tree structure that spontaneously forms and moves like a worm and exhibits many features characteristic of living organisms. The complex motion of the beads driven by the applied field, the dipole-dipole interaction between the beads, and the hydrodynamic flow of the viscous medium result in a time evolution of the tree structure towards states of lower resistance or higher dissipation and thus higher rates of entropy production. The resulting end-directed evolution manifests as the tree moving to locations seeking higher current, the current that sustains its structure and dynamics. The study of end-directed evolution in the dissipative structure gives us a means to distinguish the fundamental difference between machines and organisms and opens a path for the formulation of physics of organisms.

Influence of Magnesium Content on the Local Structure of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate (ACC): Real Time Determination by In Situ PDF Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mergelsberg, S. T.; Ulrich, R. N.; Michel, F. M.; Dove, P. M.

2016-12-01

Calcium carbonate minerals are an essential component in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and mollusks. The onset of exoskeleton mineralization includes the precipitation of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) as a reactive intermediate that later transforms to produce diverse structures. Despite the importance of ACC as a critical phase during skeleton formation, the chemical and physical properties are not well characterized at conditions that approximate biological environments. Of particular interest are the solubility of ACC, the short-range structure at the time of formation, and the evolution of ACC structure to final products. Recent advances showing the widespread occurrence of multistep pathways to mineralization in biological and geological settings (De Yoreo et al., 2015) underline the importance of understanding amorphous intermediates. Using quantitative laboratory techniques developed by our research group (Blue et al., 2013; Blue and Dove, 2015; Blue et al., in press), this experimental study quantifies the solubility of ACC in parallel with the physical characterization of the corresponding structure. We measured ACC solubility at specific time points during the precipitation and during its subsequent evolution under the mild pH conditions that approximate biological and environmental conditions. In parallel experiments, structural data were collected from in situ pair distribution function (PDF) analyses were conducted to follow the evolution of individual samples from initial precipitation to final product. The measurements are leading to a quantitative solubility function for ACC with variable Mg contents and an x-ray based understanding of ACC structure in the same particles. We are also finding temporal changes in the short-range order of ACC after precipitation and this order is dependent upon Mg content. Moreover, the data show Mg distribution through the ACC particles is dependent upon total alkalinity. Insights from this study hold promise for better understanding the nature of the initial ACC that forms and factors that influence its structural evolution to final products.

Dust evolution, a global view: II. Top-down branching, nanoparticle fragmentation and the mystery of the diffuse interstellar band carriers

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The origin of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs), one of the longest-standing mysteries of the interstellar medium (ISM), is explored within the framework of The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids (THEMIS). The likely nature of the DIB carriers and their evolution is here explored within the framework of the structures and sub-structures inherent to doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon grains in the ISM. Based on the natural aromatic-rich moieties (asphaltenes) recovered from coal and oil, the likely structure of their interstellar analogues is investigated within the context of the diffuse band problem. It is here proposed that the top-down evolution of interstellar carbonaceous grains, and, in particular, a-C(:H) nanoparticles, is at the heart of the formation and evolution of the DIB carriers and their associations with small molecules and radicals, such as C2, C3, CH and CN. It is most probable that the DIBs are carried by dehydrogenated, ionized, hetero-cyclic, olefinic and aromatic-rich moieties that form an integral part of the contiguous structure of hetero-atom-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon nanoparticles and their daughter fragmentation products. Within this framework, it is proposed that polyene structures in all their variants could be viable DIB carrier candidates. PMID:28083089

Dust evolution, a global view: II. Top-down branching, nanoparticle fragmentation and the mystery of the diffuse interstellar band carriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, A. P.

2016-12-01

The origin of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs), one of the longest-standing mysteries of the interstellar medium (ISM), is explored within the framework of The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids (THEMIS). The likely nature of the DIB carriers and their evolution is here explored within the framework of the structures and sub-structures inherent to doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon grains in the ISM. Based on the natural aromatic-rich moieties (asphaltenes) recovered from coal and oil, the likely structure of their interstellar analogues is investigated within the context of the diffuse band problem. It is here proposed that the top-down evolution of interstellar carbonaceous grains, and, in particular, a-C(:H) nanoparticles, is at the heart of the formation and evolution of the DIB carriers and their associations with small molecules and radicals, such as C2, C3, CH and CN. It is most probable that the DIBs are carried by dehydrogenated, ionized, hetero-cyclic, olefinic and aromatic-rich moieties that form an integral part of the contiguous structure of hetero-atom-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon nanoparticles and their daughter fragmentation products. Within this framework, it is proposed that polyene structures in all their variants could be viable DIB carrier candidates.

Cosmological Hydrodynamics on a Moving Mesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernquist, Lars

We propose to construct a model for the visible Universe using cosmological simulations of structure formation. Our simulations will include both dark matter and baryons, and will employ two entirely different schemes for evolving the gas: smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and a moving mesh approach as incorporated in the new code, AREPO. By performing simulations that are otherwise nearly identical, except for the hydrodynamics solver, we will isolate and understand differences in the properties of galaxies, galaxy groups and clusters, and the intergalactic medium caused by the computational approach that have plagued efforts to understand galaxy formation for nearly two decades. By performing simulations at different levels of resolution and with increasingly complex treatments of the gas physics, we will identify the results that are converged numerically and that are robust with respect to variations in unresolved physical processes, especially those related to star formation, black hole growth, and related feedback effects. In this manner, we aim to undertake a research program that will redefine the state of the art in cosmological hydrodynamics and galaxy formation. In particular, we will focus our scientific efforts on understanding: 1) the formation of galactic disks in a cosmological context; 2) the physical state of diffuse gas in galaxy clusters and groups so that they can be used as high-precision probes of cosmology; 3) the nature of gas inflows into galaxy halos and the subsequent accretion of gas by forming disks; 4) the co-evolution of galaxies and galaxy clusters with their central supermassive black holes and the implications of related feedback for galaxy evolution and the dichotomy between blue and red galaxies; 5) the physical state of the intergalactic medium (IGM) and the evolution of the metallicity of the IGM; and 6) the reaction of dark matter around galaxies to galaxy formation. Our proposed work will be of immediate significance for several NASA missions. Our simulations will allow a detailed comparison of observed CHANDRA X-ray groups and clusters with state-of-the-art theoretical models. Scaling relations and their evolution with redshift can constrain the processes occurring in cluster centers. At higher energies, data from the FERMI gamma-ray satellite combined with our simulated data set will permit us to estimate the non- thermal pressure support in clusters due to cosmic rays. Another science goal of FERMI is the search for annihilation radiation produced by dark matter. The high resolution of our proposed calculations gives us the capability of making predictions for the annihilation signature from large-scale structure. Our proposed work is also relevant to upcoming missions like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). With our scheme, we will study the morphological evolution of galaxies in a full cosmological setting for the first time. JWST is specifically designed to observe the high redshift structure of emerging galaxies and their subsequent evolution. Our simulations will thus provide an indispensable tool for understanding JWST observations. We will make our simulations available to the community, accessible through a web-based interface, including the simulation data as well as galaxy catalogs, images, and videos generated during the course of the calculations. This will be the first time that such a dataset, drawn from a hydrodynamical model of the Universe, will be made public. As we anticipate that our simulations will have numerous applications in addition to those listed above, this will ensure that our work will have the greatest possible impact by fostering research on diverse problems related to the formation of galaxies and larger-scale structures.

In-situ synchrotron micro-diffraction study of surface, interface, grain structure, and strain/stress evolution during Sn whisker/hillock formation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pei, Fei; Jadhav, Nitin; Buchovecky, Eric

2016-03-14

We have performed X-ray synchrotron micro-diffraction measurements to study the processes controlling the formation of hillocks and whiskers in Sn layers on Cu. The studies were done in real-time on Sn layers that were electro-deposited immediately before the X-ray measurements were started. This enabled a region of the sample to be monitored from the as-deposited state until after a hillock feature formed. In addition to measuring the grain orientation and deviatoric strain (via Laue diffraction), the X-ray fluorescence was monitored to quantify the evolution of the Sn surface morphology and the formation of intermetallic compound (IMC) at the Sn-Cu interface.more » The results capture the simultaneous growth of the feature and the corresponding film stress, grain orientation, and IMC formation. The observations are compared with proposed mechanisms for whisker/hillock growth and nucleation.« less

Physics of primordial star formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, Naoki

2012-09-01

The study of primordial star formation has a history of nearly sixty years. It is generally thought that primordial stars are one of the key elements in a broad range of topics in astronomy and cosmology, from Galactic chemical evolution to the formation of super-massive blackholes. We review recent progress in the theory of primordial star formation. The standard theory of cosmic structure formation posits that the present-day rich structure of the Universe developed through gravitational amplification of tiny matter density fluctuations left over from the Big Bang. It has become possible to study primordial star formation rigorously within the framework of the standard cosmological model. We first lay out the key physical processes in a primordial gas. Then, we introduce recent developments in computer simulations. Finally, we discuss prospects for future observations of the first generation of stars.

The role of disc self-gravity in circumbinary planet systems - I. Disc structure and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutter, Matthew M.; Pierens, Arnaud; Nelson, Richard P.

2017-03-01

We present the results of two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of self-gravitating circumbinary discs around binaries whose parameters match those of the circumbinary planet-hosting systems Kepler-16, Kepler-34 and Kepler-35. Previous work has shown that non-self-gravitating discs in these systems form an eccentric precessing inner cavity due to tidal truncation by the binary, and planets which form at large radii migrate until stalling at this cavity. Whilst this scenario appears to provide a natural explanation for the observed orbital locations of the circumbinary planets, previous simulations have failed to match the observed planet orbital parameters. The aim of this work is to examine the role of self-gravity in modifying circumbinary disc structure as a function of disc mass, prior to considering the evolution of embedded circumbinary planets. In agreement with previous work, we find that for disc masses between one and five times the minimum mass solar nebula (MMSN), disc self-gravity affects modest changes in the structure and evolution of circumbinary discs. Increasing the disc mass to 10 or 20 MMSN leads to two dramatic changes in disc structure. First, the scale of the inner cavity shrinks substantially, bringing its outer edge closer to the binary. Secondly, in addition to the eccentric inner cavity, additional precessing eccentric ring-like features develop in the outer regions of the discs. If planet formation starts early in the disc lifetime, these changes will have a significant impact on the formation and evolution of planets and precursor material.

ngVLA Key Science Goal 3: Charting the Assembly, Structure, and Evolution of Galaxies Over Cosmic Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riechers, Dominik A.; Bolatto, Alberto D.; Carilli, Chris; Casey, Caitlin M.; Decarli, Roberto; Murphy, Eric Joseph; Narayanan, Desika; Walter, Fabian; ngVLA Galaxy Assembly through Cosmic Time Science Working Group, ngVLA Galaxy Ecosystems Science Working Group

2018-01-01

The Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) will fundamentally advance our understanding of the formation processes that lead to the assembly of galaxies throughout cosmic history. The combination of large bandwidth with unprecedented sensitivity to the critical low-level CO lines over virtually the entire redshift range will open up the opportunity to conduct large-scale, deep cold molecular gas surveys, mapping the fuel for star formation in galaxies over substantial cosmic volumes. Imaging of the sub-kiloparsec scale distribution and kinematic structure of molecular gas in both normal main-sequence galaxies and large starbursts back to early cosmic epochs will reveal the physical processes responsible for star formation and black hole growth in galaxies over a broad range in redshifts. In the nearby universe, the ngVLA has the capability to survey the structure of the cold, star-forming interstellar medium at parsec-resolution out to the Virgo cluster. A range of molecular tracers will be accessible to map the motion, distribution, and physical and chemical state of the gas as it flows in from the outer disk, assembles into clouds, and experiences feedback due to star formation or accretion into central super-massive black holes. These investigations will crucially complement studies of the star formation and stellar mass histories with the Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor and the Origins Space Telescope, providing the means to obtain a comprehensive picture of galaxy evolution through cosmic times.

Bimodal star formation - Constraints from the solar neighborhood

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wyse, Rosemary F. G.; Silk, J.

1987-01-01

The chemical evolution resulting from a simple model of bimodal star formulation is investigated, using constraints from the solar neighborhood to set the parameters of the initial mass function and star formation rate. The two modes are an exclusively massive star mode, which forms stars at an exponentially declining rate, and a mode which contains stars of all masses and has a constant star formation rate. Satisfactory agreement with the age-metallicity relation for the thin disk and with the metallicity structure of the thin-disk and spheroid stars is possible only for a small range of parameter values. The preferred model offers a resolution to several of the long-standing problems of galactic chemical evolution, including explanations of the age-metallicity relation, the gas consumption time scale, and the stellar cumulative metallicity distributions.

Galaxy formation through hierarchical clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Simon D. M.; Frenk, Carlos S.

1991-09-01

Analytic methods for studying the formation of galaxies by gas condensation within massive dark halos are presented. The present scheme applies to cosmogonies where structure grows through hierarchical clustering of a mixture of gas and dissipationless dark matter. The simplest models consistent with the current understanding of N-body work on dissipationless clustering, and that of numerical and analytic work on gas evolution and cooling are adopted. Standard models for the evolution of the stellar population are also employed, and new models for the way star formation heats and enriches the surrounding gas are constructed. Detailed results are presented for a cold dark matter universe with Omega = 1 and H(0) = 50 km/s/Mpc, but the present methods are applicable to other models. The present luminosity functions contain significantly more faint galaxies than are observed.

Microstructure and Property Evolution in Advanced Cladding and Duct Materials Under Long-Term and Elevated Temperature Irradiation: Modeling and Experimental Investigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wirth, Brian; Morgan, Dane; Kaoumi, Djamel

2013-12-01

The in-service degradation of reactor core materials is related to underlying changes in the irradiated microstructure. During reactor operation, structural components and cladding experience displacement of atoms by collisions with neutrons at temperatures at which the radiation-induced defects are mobile, leading to microstructure evolution under irradiation that can degrade material properties. At the doses and temperatures relevant to fast reactor operation, the microstructure evolves by dislocation loop formation and growth, microchemistry changes due to radiation-induced segregation, radiation-induced precipitation, destabilization of the existing precipitate structure, and in some cases, void formation and growth. These processes do not occur independently; rather, theirmore » evolution is highly interlinked. Radiationinduced segregation of Cr and existing chromium carbide coverage in irradiated alloy T91 track each other closely. The radiation-induced precipitation of Ni-Si precipitates and RIS of Ni and Si in alloys T91 and HCM12A are likely related. Neither the evolution of these processes nor their coupling is understood under the conditions required for materials performance in fast reactors (temperature range 300-600°C and doses beyond 200 dpa). Further, predictive modeling is not yet possible as models for microstructure evolution must be developed along with experiments to characterize these key processes and provide tools for extrapolation. To extend the range of operation of nuclear fuel cladding and structural materials in advanced nuclear energy and transmutation systems to that required for the fast reactor, the irradiation-induced evolution of the microstructure, microchemistry, and the associated mechanical properties at relevant temperatures and doses must be understood. Predictive modeling relies on an understanding of the physical processes and also on the development of microstructure and microchemical models to describe their evolution under irradiation. This project will focus on modeling microstructural and microchemical evolution of irradiated alloys by performing detailed modeling of such microstructure evolution processes coupled with well-designed in situ experiments that can provide validation and benchmarking to the computer codes. The broad scientific and technical objectives of this proposal are to evaluate the microstructure and microchemical evolution in advanced ferritic/martensitic and oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys for cladding and duct reactor materials under long-term and elevated temperature irradiation, leading to improved ability to model structural materials performance and lifetime. Specifically, we propose four research thrusts, namely Thrust 1: Identify the formation mechanism and evolution for dislocation loops with Burgers vector of a<100> and determine whether the defect microstructure (predominately dislocation loop/dislocation density) saturates at high dose. Thrust 2: Identify whether a threshold irradiation temperature or dose exists for the nucleation of growing voids that mark the beginning of irradiation-induced swelling, and begin to probe the limits of thermal stability of the tempered Martensitic structure under irradiation. Thrust 3: Evaluate the stability of nanometer sized Y- Ti-O based oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) particles at high fluence/temperature. Thrust 4: Evaluate the extent to which precipitates form and/or dissolve as a function of irradiation temperature and dose, and how these changes are driven by radiation induced segregation and microchemical evolutions and determined by the initial microstructure.« less

Chromosome Evolution in Connection with Repetitive Sequences and Epigenetics in Plants

PubMed Central

Li, Shu-Fen; Su, Ting; Cheng, Guang-Qian; Wang, Bing-Xiao; Li, Xu; Deng, Chuan-Liang; Gao, Wu-Jun

2017-01-01

Chromosome evolution is a fundamental aspect of evolutionary biology. The evolution of chromosome size, structure and shape, number, and the change in DNA composition suggest the high plasticity of nuclear genomes at the chromosomal level. Repetitive DNA sequences, which represent a conspicuous fraction of every eukaryotic genome, particularly in plants, are found to be tightly linked with plant chromosome evolution. Different classes of repetitive sequences have distinct distribution patterns on the chromosomes. Mounting evidence shows that repetitive sequences may play multiple generative roles in shaping the chromosome karyotypes in plants. Furthermore, recent development in our understanding of the repetitive sequences and plant chromosome evolution has elucidated the involvement of a spectrum of epigenetic modification. In this review, we focused on the recent evidence relating to the distribution pattern of repetitive sequences in plant chromosomes and highlighted their potential relevance to chromosome evolution in plants. We also discussed the possible connections between evolution and epigenetic alterations in chromosome structure and repatterning, such as heterochromatin formation, centromere function, and epigenetic-associated transposable element inactivation. PMID:29064432

Probing Galaxy Formation and Evolution with Space Born Sub-Millimeter Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli; Arendt, Richard G.; Moseley, Harvey; Benford, Dominic; Shafer, Richard; Mather, John; Oegerle, William (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A major unresolved question in cosmology is how the complex system of galaxies we see in the present universe evolved from an almost perfectly smooth beginning. Multiwavelength observations of galaxies have revealed that a significant fraction of their UV-visible starlight is absorbed and reradiated by dust at infrared JR) and submillimeter wavelengths. The cumulative IR-submm. emission from galaxies since the epoch of recombination, the cosmic IR background, has recently been recorded by the COBE satellite. The COBE observations in combination with recent submm surveys conducted with the SCUBA on the 15 m JCMT have shown that most of the radiation from star formation that has taken place in the early stages of galaxy evolution is reradiated by dust at submm wavelengths. Therefore, submm telescopes offer a unique probe of the early stages of galaxy formation and evolution. This talk will: (1) consider the impact of telescope diameter on the depth of the survey (what redshift can be probed) at different wavelengths; (2) discuss the relative scientific merits of high-resolution narrow-field surveys versus lower resolution deep surveys; and (3) show how both strategies offer complementary information crucial to our understanding of the structure and evolution of galaxies in the universe.

Structural fingerprints and their evolution during oligomeric vs. oligomer-free amyloid fibril growth

PubMed Central

Foley, Joseph; Hill, Shannon E.; Miti, Tatiana; Mulaj, Mentor; Ciesla, Marissa; Robeel, Rhonda; Persichilli, Christopher; Raynes, Rachel; Westerheide, Sandy; Muschol, Martin

2013-01-01

Deposits of fibrils formed by disease-specific proteins are the molecular hallmark of such diverse human disorders as Alzheimer's disease, type II diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis. Amyloid fibril formation by structurally and functionally unrelated proteins exhibits many generic characteristics, most prominently the cross β-sheet structure of their mature fibrils. At the same time, amyloid formation tends to proceed along one of two separate assembly pathways yielding either stiff monomeric filaments or globular oligomers and curvilinear protofibrils. Given the focus on oligomers as major toxic species, the very existence of an oligomer-free assembly pathway is significant. Little is known, though, about the structure of the various intermediates emerging along different pathways and whether the pathways converge towards a common or distinct fibril structures. Using infrared spectroscopy we probed the structural evolution of intermediates and late-stage fibrils formed during in vitro lysozyme amyloid assembly along an oligomeric and oligomer-free pathway. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed that both pathways produced amyloid-specific β-sheet peaks, but at pathway-specific wavenumbers. We further found that the amyloid-specific dye thioflavin T responded to all intermediates along either pathway. The relative amplitudes of thioflavin T fluorescence responses displayed pathway-specific differences and could be utilized for monitoring the structural evolution of intermediates. Pathway-specific structural features obtained from infrared spectroscopy and Thioflavin T responses were identical for fibrils grown at highly acidic or at physiological pH values and showed no discernible effects of protein hydrolysis. Our results suggest that late-stage fibrils formed along either pathway are amyloidogenic in nature, but have distinguishable structural fingerprints. These pathway-specific fingerprints emerge during the earliest aggregation events and persist throughout the entire cascade of aggregation intermediates formed along each pathway. PMID:24089713

Structural fingerprints and their evolution during oligomeric vs. oligomer-free amyloid fibril growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, Joseph; Hill, Shannon E.; Miti, Tatiana; Mulaj, Mentor; Ciesla, Marissa; Robeel, Rhonda; Persichilli, Christopher; Raynes, Rachel; Westerheide, Sandy; Muschol, Martin

2013-09-01

Deposits of fibrils formed by disease-specific proteins are the molecular hallmark of such diverse human disorders as Alzheimer's disease, type II diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis. Amyloid fibril formation by structurally and functionally unrelated proteins exhibits many generic characteristics, most prominently the cross β-sheet structure of their mature fibrils. At the same time, amyloid formation tends to proceed along one of two separate assembly pathways yielding either stiff monomeric filaments or globular oligomers and curvilinear protofibrils. Given the focus on oligomers as major toxic species, the very existence of an oligomer-free assembly pathway is significant. Little is known, though, about the structure of the various intermediates emerging along different pathways and whether the pathways converge towards a common or distinct fibril structures. Using infrared spectroscopy we probed the structural evolution of intermediates and late-stage fibrils formed during in vitro lysozyme amyloid assembly along an oligomeric and oligomer-free pathway. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed that both pathways produced amyloid-specific β-sheet peaks, but at pathway-specific wavenumbers. We further found that the amyloid-specific dye thioflavin T responded to all intermediates along either pathway. The relative amplitudes of thioflavin T fluorescence responses displayed pathway-specific differences and could be utilized for monitoring the structural evolution of intermediates. Pathway-specific structural features obtained from infrared spectroscopy and Thioflavin T responses were identical for fibrils grown at highly acidic or at physiological pH values and showed no discernible effects of protein hydrolysis. Our results suggest that late-stage fibrils formed along either pathway are amyloidogenic in nature, but have distinguishable structural fingerprints. These pathway-specific fingerprints emerge during the earliest aggregation events and persist throughout the entire cascade of aggregation intermediates formed along each pathway.

Structural fingerprints and their evolution during oligomeric vs. oligomer-free amyloid fibril growth.

PubMed

Foley, Joseph; Hill, Shannon E; Miti, Tatiana; Mulaj, Mentor; Ciesla, Marissa; Robeel, Rhonda; Persichilli, Christopher; Raynes, Rachel; Westerheide, Sandy; Muschol, Martin

2013-09-28

Deposits of fibrils formed by disease-specific proteins are the molecular hallmark of such diverse human disorders as Alzheimer's disease, type II diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis. Amyloid fibril formation by structurally and functionally unrelated proteins exhibits many generic characteristics, most prominently the cross β-sheet structure of their mature fibrils. At the same time, amyloid formation tends to proceed along one of two separate assembly pathways yielding either stiff monomeric filaments or globular oligomers and curvilinear protofibrils. Given the focus on oligomers as major toxic species, the very existence of an oligomer-free assembly pathway is significant. Little is known, though, about the structure of the various intermediates emerging along different pathways and whether the pathways converge towards a common or distinct fibril structures. Using infrared spectroscopy we probed the structural evolution of intermediates and late-stage fibrils formed during in vitro lysozyme amyloid assembly along an oligomeric and oligomer-free pathway. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed that both pathways produced amyloid-specific β-sheet peaks, but at pathway-specific wavenumbers. We further found that the amyloid-specific dye thioflavin T responded to all intermediates along either pathway. The relative amplitudes of thioflavin T fluorescence responses displayed pathway-specific differences and could be utilized for monitoring the structural evolution of intermediates. Pathway-specific structural features obtained from infrared spectroscopy and Thioflavin T responses were identical for fibrils grown at highly acidic or at physiological pH values and showed no discernible effects of protein hydrolysis. Our results suggest that late-stage fibrils formed along either pathway are amyloidogenic in nature, but have distinguishable structural fingerprints. These pathway-specific fingerprints emerge during the earliest aggregation events and persist throughout the entire cascade of aggregation intermediates formed along each pathway.

Quenching of Star-formation Activity of High-redshift Galaxies in Cluster and Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seong-Kook; Im, Myungshin; Kim, Jae-Woo; Lotz, Jennifer; McPartland, Conor; Peth, Michael; Koekemoer, Anton M.

2015-08-01

How the galaxy evolution differs at different environment is one of intriguing questions in the study of structure formation. At local, galaxy properties are well known to be clearly different in different environments. However, it is still an open question how this environment-dependent trend has been shaped.In this presentation, we will present the results of our investigation about the evolution of star-formation properties of galaxies over a wide redshift range, from z~ 2 to z~0.5, focusing its dependence on their stellar mass and environment. In the UKIDSS/UDS region, covering ~2800 arcmin2, we estimated photometric redshifts and stellar population properties, such as stellar masses and star-formation rates, using the deep optical and near-infrared data available in this field. Then, we identified galaxy cluster candidates within the given redshift range.Through the analysis and comparison of star-formation (SF) properties of galaxies in clusters and in field, we found interesting results regarding the evolution of SF properties of galaxies: (1) regardless of redshifts, stellar mass is a key parameter controlling quenching of star formation in galaxies; (2) At z<1, environmental effects become important at quenching star formation regardless of stellar mass of galaxies; and (3) However, the result of the environmental quenching is prominent only for low mass galaxies (M* < 1010 M⊙) since the star formation in most of high mass galaxies are already quenched at z > 1.

A model for the evolution of the Earth's mantle structure since the Early Paleozoic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Nan; Zhong, Shijie; Leng, Wei; Li, Zheng-Xiang

2010-06-01

Seismic tomography studies indicate that the Earth's mantle structure is characterized by African and Pacific seismically slow velocity anomalies (i.e., superplumes) and circum-Pacific seismically fast anomalies (i.e., a globally spherical harmonic degree 2 structure). However, the cause for and time evolution of the African and Pacific superplumes and the degree 2 mantle structure remain poorly understood with two competing proposals. First, the African and Pacific superplumes have remained largely unchanged for at least the last 300 Myr and possibly much longer. Second, the African superplume is formed sometime after the formation of Pangea (i.e., at 330 Ma) and the mantle in the African hemisphere is predominated by cold downwelling structures before and during the assembly of Pangea, while the Pacific superplume has been stable for the Pangea supercontinent cycle (i.e., globally a degree 1 structure before the Pangea formation). Here, we construct a proxy model of plate motions for the African hemisphere for the last 450 Myr since the Early Paleozoic using the paleogeographic reconstruction of continents constrained by paleomagnetic and geological observations. Coupled with assumed oceanic plate motions for the Pacific hemisphere, this proxy model for the plate motion history is used as time-dependent surface boundary condition in three-dimensional spherical models of thermochemical mantle convection to study the evolution of mantle structure, particularly the African mantle structure, since the Early Paleozoic. Our model calculations reproduce well the present-day mantle structure including the African and Pacific superplumes and generally support the second proposal with a dynamic cause for the superplume structure. Our results suggest that while the mantle in the African hemisphere before the assembly of Pangea is predominated by the cold downwelling structure resulting from plate convergence between Gondwana and Laurussia, it is unlikely that the bulk of the African superplume structure can be formed before ˜230 Ma (i.e., ˜100 Myr after the assembly of Pangea). Particularly, the last 120 Myr plate motion plays an important role in generating the African superplume. Our models have implications for understanding the global-scale magmatism, tectonics, mantle dynamics, and thermal evolution history for the Earth since the Early Paleozoic.

Dynamics of quiescent prominences; Proceedings of the 117th Colloquium of IAU, Hvar, Yugoslavia, Sept. 25-29, 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruzdjak, Vladimir (Editor); Tandberg-Hanssen, Einar (Editor)

1990-01-01

Topics discussed include formation of a filament around a magnetic region, evolution of fine structures in a filament, the spatial distribution of prominence threads, high resolution analysis of quiescent prominences at NSO/Sacramento Peak Observatory, small-scale Doppler velocities in a quiescent prominence, Doppler velocity oscillations in quiescent prominences, oscillatory relaxation of an eruptive prominence, and matter flow velocities in an active region emission loop observed in H-alpha. Attention is also given to an automated procedure for measurement of prominence transverse velocities, the nonlinear evolution of magnetized filaments, thermal equilibrium of coronal loops and prominence formation, thermal instability in planar coronal strucutres, radiative transfer in cylindrical prominence threads, numerical simulation of a catastrophe model for prominence eruptions, and the law of evolution and destruction of solar prominences.

Effect of Interface Structure on the Microstructural Evolution of Ceramics

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-06

because almost all the material properties are de - pendent upon their internal microstructures. Therefore, the microstructural evolution during the...growing interface de - pends upon the density of kinks on that interface. It fol- lows that the atomically smooth interface, which is char- acterized by...grain, and its de - tailed coarsening process has been treated elsewhere.139 During liquid-phase sintering, the formation of grain boundaries between

A Complex Network Analysis of Granular Fabric Evolution in Three-Dimensions

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

organized pattern formation (e.g., strain localization), and co-evolution of emergent in- ternal structures (e.g., force cycles and force chains) [15...these networks, particularly recurring patterns or motifs, and understanding how these co-evolve are crucial to the robust characterization and...the lead up to and during failure. Since failure patterns and boundaries of flow in three-dimensional specimens can be quite complicated and difficult

An adaptively refined phase-space element method for cosmological simulations and collisionless dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Oliver; Angulo, Raul E.

2016-01-01

N-body simulations are essential for understanding the formation and evolution of structure in the Universe. However, the discrete nature of these simulations affects their accuracy when modelling collisionless systems. We introduce a new approach to simulate the gravitational evolution of cold collisionless fluids by solving the Vlasov-Poisson equations in terms of adaptively refineable `Lagrangian phase-space elements'. These geometrical elements are piecewise smooth maps between Lagrangian space and Eulerian phase-space and approximate the continuum structure of the distribution function. They allow for dynamical adaptive splitting to accurately follow the evolution even in regions of very strong mixing. We discuss in detail various one-, two- and three-dimensional test problems to demonstrate the performance of our method. Its advantages compared to N-body algorithms are: (I) explicit tracking of the fine-grained distribution function, (II) natural representation of caustics, (III) intrinsically smooth gravitational potential fields, thus (IV) eliminating the need for any type of ad hoc force softening. We show the potential of our method by simulating structure formation in a warm dark matter scenario. We discuss how spurious collisionality and large-scale discreteness noise of N-body methods are both strongly suppressed, which eliminates the artificial fragmentation of filaments. Therefore, we argue that our new approach improves on the N-body method when simulating self-gravitating cold and collisionless fluids, and is the first method that allows us to explicitly follow the fine-grained evolution in six-dimensional phase-space.

Imprints of feedback in young gasless clusters?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Richard J.; Dale, James E.

2013-06-01

We present the results of N-body simulations in which we take the masses, positions and velocities of sink particles from five pairs of hydrodynamical simulations of star formation by Dale et al. and evolve them for further 10 Myr. We compare the dynamical evolution of star clusters that formed under the influence of mass-loss driven by photoionization feedback to the evolution of clusters that formed without feedback. We remove any remaining gas and follow the evolution of structure in the clusters (measured by the Q-parameter), half-mass radius, central density, surface density and the fraction of bound stars. There is little discernible difference in the evolution of clusters that formed with feedback compared to those that formed without. The only clear trend is that all clusters which form without feedback in the hydrodynamical simulations lose any initial structure over 10 Myr, whereas some of the clusters which form with feedback retain structure for the duration of the subsequent N-body simulation. This is due to lower initial densities (and hence longer relaxation times) in the clusters from Dale et al. which formed with feedback, which prevents dynamical mixing from erasing substructure. However, several other conditions (such as supervirial initial velocities) also preserve substructure, so at a given epoch one would require knowledge of the initial density and virial state of the cluster in order to determine whether star formation in a cluster has been strongly influenced by feedback.

Ontology of fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Jian; Aydina, Atilla; McGuinness, Deborah L.

2009-03-01

Fractures are fundamental structures in the Earth's crust and they can impact many societal and industrial activities including oil and gas exploration and production, aquifer management, CO 2 sequestration, waste isolation, the stabilization of engineering structures, and assessing natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides). Therefore, an ontology which organizes the concepts of fractures could help facilitate a sound education within, and communication among, the highly diverse professional and academic community interested in the problems cited above. We developed a process-based ontology that makes explicit specifications about fractures, their properties, and the deformation mechanisms which lead to their formation and evolution. Our ontology emphasizes the relationships among concepts such as the factors that influence the mechanism(s) responsible for the formation and evolution of specific fracture types. Our ontology is a valuable resource with a potential to applications in a number of fields utilizing recent advances in Information Technology, specifically for digital data and information in computers, grids, and Web services.

A Fundamental Investigation into the Joining of Advanced Light Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-11-25

discontinuities), the evolution and nature of the metallurgical structure and correspondingly the joint mechanical properties must be developed. In...metallurgical phenomena associated with formation of the weld structure and its corresponding influence on mechanical properties . During the course of...temperature mechanical properties . Work by the same authors on GTA and electron-beam weld fusion zone structures in 2 090-T8 determined strengthening

Real-time ab initio KMC simulation of the self-assembly and sintering of bimetallic epitaxial nanoclusters: Au + Ag on Ag(100).

PubMed

Han, Yong; Liu, Da-Jiang; Evans, James W

2014-08-13

Far-from-equilibrium shape and structure evolution during formation and post-assembly sintering of bimetallic nanoclusters is extremely sensitive to the periphery diffusion and intermixing kinetics. Precise characterization of the many distinct local-environment-dependent diffusion barriers is achieved for epitaxial nanoclusters using density functional theory to assess interaction energies both with atoms at adsorption sites and at transition states. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation incorporating these barriers then captures structure evolution on the appropriate time scale for two-dimensional core-ring and intermixed Au-Ag nanoclusters on Ag(100).

Real-Time Ab Initio KMC Simulation of the Self-Assembly and Sintering of Bimetallic Epitaxial Nanoclusters: Au + Ag on Ag(100)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Han, Yong; Liu, Da-Jiang; Evans, James W

2014-08-13

Far-from-equilibrium shape and structure evolution during formation and post-assembly sintering of bimetallic nanoclusters is extremely sensitive to the periphery diffusion and intermixing kinetics. Precise characterization of the many distinct local-environment-dependent diffusion barriers is achieved for epitaxial nanoclusters using density functional theory to assess interaction energies both with atoms at adsorption sites and at transition states. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation incorporating these barriers then captures structure evolution on the appropriate time scale for two-dimensional core-ring and intermixed Au-Ag nanoclusters on Ag(100).

Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life: Bibliography 1975

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, Martha W. (Compiler); Koch, Rowena A. (Compiler); Chang, Sherwood (Compiler)

1977-01-01

This bibliography is the sixth annual supplement to the comprehensive bibliography on the same subject which was published in Space Life Sci.We would like to draw attention to a recently published cumulative bibliography on this same subject: Biochemical Origin of Life: Chemistry and Life. Soil and Water and Its Relationship to Origin of Life. MR - Studies of Prebiotic Polypeptides. Energy, Matter, and Life. Prospects for the Future Orientation of Scientific Research. Photochemical Formation of Self Sustaining Coacervates. Photochemical Formation of Self-Sustaining Coacervates. Comparative Study of Abiogenesis of Cysteine and Other Amino Acids Catalyzed by Various Metal Ions. Protein Structure and the Molecular Evolution of Biological Energy Conversion. Origin of Life. Clues from Relations Between Chemical Compositions of Living Organisms and Natural Environments. Shock Synthesis of Amino Acids II.', Origins of Life 6(1-2). Dynamics of the Chemical Evolution of Earth's Primitive Atmosphere. The Mechanisms of Amino Acids Synthesis by High Temperature Shock-Waves. Theory of Chemical Evolution. Physical Foundations of Probability of Biogenesis.

An Extension of the EDGES Survey: Stellar Populations in Dark Matter Halos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Zee, Liese

The formation and evolution of galactic disks is one of the key questions in extragalactic astronomy today. We plan to use archival data from GALEX, Spitzer, and WISE to investigate the growth and evolution of the stellar component in a statistical sample of nearby galaxies. Data covering a broad wavelength range are critical for measurement of current star formation activity, stellar populations, and stellar distributions in nearby galaxies. In order to investigate the timescales associated with the growth of galactic disks, we will (1) investigate the structure of the underlying stellar distribution, (2) measure the ratio of current-to-past star formation activity as a function of radius, and (3) investigate the growth of the stellar disk as a function of baryon fraction and total dynamical mass. The proposed projects leverage the existing deep wide field-of-view near infrared imaging observations obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope as part of the EDGES Survey, a Cycle 8 Exploration Science Program. The proposed analysis of multiwavelength imaging observations of a well-defined statistical sample will place strong constraints on hierarchical models of galaxy formation and evolution and will further our understanding of the stellar component of nearby galaxies.

Evolution and coevolution of developmental programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob, Christian

1999-09-01

The developmental processes of single organisms, such as growth and structure formation, can be described by parallel rewrite systems in the form of Lindenmayer systems, which also allow one to generate geometrical structures in 3D space using turtle interpretation. We present examples of L-systems for growth programs of plant-like structures. Evolution-based programming techniques are applied to design L-systems by Genetic L-system Programming (GLP), demonstrating how developmental programs for plants, exhibiting specific morphogenetic properties can be interactively bred or automatically evolved. Finally, we demonstrate coevolutionary effects among plant populations consisting of different species, interacting with each other, competing for resources like sunlight and nutrients, and evolving successful reproduction strategies in their specific environments.

Reversible adapting layer produces robust single-crystal electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution.

PubMed

Tung, Ching-Wei; Hsu, Ying-Ya; Shen, Yen-Ping; Zheng, Yixin; Chan, Ting-Shan; Sheu, Hwo-Shuenn; Cheng, Yuan-Chung; Chen, Hao Ming

2015-08-28

Electrochemically converting water into oxygen/hydrogen gas is ideal for high-density renewable energy storage in which robust electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen evolution play crucial roles. To date, however, electrocatalysts with long-term stability have remained elusive. Here we report that single-crystal Co3O4 nanocube underlay with a thin CoO layer results in a high-performance and high-stability electrocatalyst in oxygen evolution reaction. An in situ X-ray diffraction method is developed to observe a strong correlation between the initialization of the oxygen evolution and the formation of active metal oxyhydroxide phase. The lattice of skin layer adapts to the structure of the active phase, which enables a reversible facile structural change that facilitates the chemical reactions without breaking the scaffold of the electrocatalysts. The single-crystal nanocube electrode exhibits stable, continuous oxygen evolution for >1,000 h. This robust stability is attributed to the complementary nature of defect-free single-crystal electrocatalyst and the reversible adapting layer.

Evolution over time of the Milky Way's disc shape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amôres, E. B.; Robin, A. C.; Reylé, C.

2017-06-01

Context. Galactic structure studies can be used as a path to constrain the scenario of formation and evolution of our Galaxy. The dependence with the age of stellar population parameters would be linked with the history of star formation and dynamical evolution. Aims: We aim to investigate the structures of the outer Galaxy, such as the scale length, disc truncation, warp and flare of the thin disc and study their dependence with age by using 2MASS data and a population synthesis model (the so-called Besançon Galaxy Model). Methods: We have used a genetic algorithm to adjust the parameters on the observed colour-magnitude diagrams at longitudes 80° ≤ ℓ ≤ 280° for | b | ≤ 5.5°. We explored parameter degeneracies and uncertainties. Results: We identify a clear dependence of the thin disc scale length, warp and flare shapes with age. The scale length is found to vary between 3.8 kpc for the youngest to about 2 kpc for the oldest. The warp shows a complex structure, clearly asymmetrical with a node angle changing with age from approximately 165° for old stars to 195° for young stars. The outer disc is also flaring with a scale height that varies by a factor of two between the solar neighbourhood and a Galactocentric distance of 12 kpc. Conclusions: We conclude that the thin disc scale length is in good agreement with the inside-out formation scenario and that the outer disc is not in dynamical equilibrium. The warp deformation with time may provide some clues to its origin.

Imprints of the large-scale structure on AGN formation and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porqueres, Natàlia; Jasche, Jens; Enßlin, Torsten A.; Lavaux, Guilhem

2018-04-01

Black hole masses are found to correlate with several global properties of their host galaxies, suggesting that black holes and galaxies have an intertwined evolution and that active galactic nuclei (AGN) have a significant impact on galaxy evolution. Since the large-scale environment can also affect AGN, this work studies how their formation and properties depend on the environment. We have used a reconstructed three-dimensional high-resolution density field obtained from a Bayesian large-scale structure reconstruction method applied to the 2M++ galaxy sample. A web-type classification relying on the shear tensor is used to identify different structures on the cosmic web, defining voids, sheets, filaments, and clusters. We confirm that the environmental density affects the AGN formation and their properties. We found that the AGN abundance is equivalent to the galaxy abundance, indicating that active and inactive galaxies reside in similar dark matter halos. However, occurrence rates are different for each spectral type and accretion rate. These differences are consistent with the AGN evolutionary sequence suggested by previous authors, Seyferts and Transition objects transforming into low-ionization nuclear emission line regions (LINERs), the weaker counterpart of Seyferts. We conclude that AGN properties depend on the environmental density more than on the web-type. More powerful starbursts and younger stellar populations are found in high densities, where interactions and mergers are more likely. AGN hosts show smaller masses in clusters for Seyferts and Transition objects, which might be due to gas stripping. In voids, the AGN population is dominated by the most massive galaxy hosts.

The Nonbarred Double-Ringed Galaxy, PGC 1000714

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seigar, Marc; Mutlu Pakdil, Burcin; Mangedarage, Mithila; Treuthardt, Patrick M.

2017-01-01

Hoag-type galaxies are rare peculiar systems which bear strong resemblance to Hoag's Object with an elliptical-like core, a detached outer ring, and no signs of a bar or stellar disk. They represent extreme cases and help us understand the formation of galaxies in general by providing clues on formation mechanisms. The nature of outer rings in Hoag-type galaxies is still debated and may be related either to slow secular evolution, such as dissolution of a barlike structure or to environmental processes, such as galaxy-galaxy interactions or gas infall. Due to a fairly superficial resemblance to Hoag's Object, PGC 1000714 is a good target for detailed study of the peculiar structure of this type. We present the first photometric study of PGC 1000714 that has not yet been described in the literature. Our aim is to evaluate its structure and properties as well as understand the origin of outer rings in such galaxies. Surface photometry of the central body is performed using near-UV, BVRI and JHK images. Based on the photometric data, the nearly round central body follows a de Vaucouleurs profile almost all the way to the center. The detailed photometry reveals a reddish inner ring-shaped structure that shares the same center as the central body. However, no sign of a bar or stellar disk is detected. The outer ring appears as a bump in the surface brightness profile with a peak brightness of 25.8 mag/arcsec^{2} in the B-band and shows no sharp outer boundary. By reconstructing the observed SED for the central body and the rings, we recover the stellar population properties of the galaxy components. Our work suggests different formation histories for the inner and outer rings. We rule out the secular evolution model as being a formation mechanism for the outer ring. The colors of the outer ring are consistent with a feature that may have experienced a burst of star formation due to a possible recent accretion event. In addition, our work supports that the central body may be formed by a relatively dry major merger or in a single, short and highly effective star formation burst, and the inner ring may be formed as a result of intergalactic medium accretion or secular evolution of a possible gaseous disk

Deformations and Structural Evolution of Mesozoic Complexes in Western Chukotka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golionko, B. G.; Vatrushkina, E. V.; Verzhbitskii, V. E.; Sokolov, S. D.; Tuchkova, M. I.

2018-01-01

Detailed structural investigations have been carried out in the Pevek district to specify tectonic evolution of the Chukotka mesozoids. The earliest south-verging folds F1 formed in Triassic rocks at the first deformation stage DI. These structures are overlapped by the northern-verging folds F2 and overthrusts pertain to the second deformation stage DII. Folding structures F1 and F2 were deformed by shear folds F3, completing stage DII. The DI and DII structures are complicated by roughly NS-trending normal faults marking deformation stage DIII. It has been established that DI is related to the onset of opening of the Amerasian Basin in the Early Jurassic, or, alternatively, to the later accretion of the Kulpolnei ensimatic arc toward the Chukotka microcontinent. DII marks the collision of Siberia and the Chukotka microcontinent in the Late Neocomian. Normal faulting under the roughly E-W-trending extension during DIII is likely related to rift opening of the Podvodnikov and Makarov-Toll basins in the deep Amerasian Basin. Formation of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanoplutonic belt completed the structural evolution of the studied region.

Evolution of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) in water: Microscopic and spectroscopic evidence on the formation of nano- and micro-structured iron oxides.

PubMed

Liu, Airong; Liu, Jing; Han, Jinhao; Zhang, Wei-Xian

2017-01-15

Knowledge on the transformation of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) in water is essential to predict its surface chemistry including surface charge, colloidal stability and aggregation, reduction and sorption of organic contaminants, heavy metal ions and other pollutants in the environment. In this work, transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy are applied to study the compositional and structural evolution of nZVI under oxic and anoxic conditions. Under anoxic conditions, the core-shell structure of nZVI is well maintained even after 72h, and the corrosion products usually contain a mixture of wustite (FeO), goethite (α-FeOOH) and akaganeite (β-FeOOH). Under oxic conditions, the core-shell structure quickly collapses to flakes or acicular-shaped structures with crystalline lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) as the primary end product. This work provides detailed information and fills an important knowledge gap on the physicochemical characteristics and structural evolution of engineered nanomaterials in the environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BOOK REVIEW: Structures in the Universe by Exact Methods: Formation, Evolutions, Interactions (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) Structures in the Universe by Exact Methods: Formation, Evolutions, Interactions (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coley, Alan

2010-05-01

In this book the use of inhomogeneous models in cosmology, both in modelling structure formation and interpreting cosmological observations, is discussed. The authors concentrate on exact solutions, and particularly the Lemaitre-Tolman (LT) and Szekeres models (the important topic of averaging is not discussed). The book serves to demonstrate that inhomogeneous metrics can generate realistic models of cosmic structure formation and nonlinear evolution and shows that general relativity has a lot more to offer to cosmology than just the standard spatially homogeneous FLRW model. I would recommend this book to people working in theoretical cosmology. In the introduction (and in the concluding chapter and throughout the book) a reasonable discussion of the potential problems with the standard FLRW cosmology is presented, and a list of examples illustrating the limitations of standard FLRW cosmology are discussed (including potential problems with perturbation methods). In particular, the authors argue that the assumptions of isotropy and spatial homogeneity (and consequently the Copernican principle) must be properly challenged and revisited. Indeed, it is possible for `good old general relativity' to be used to explain cosmological observations without introducing speculative elements. In part I of the book the necessary background is presented (readers need a background in general relativity theory at an advanced undergraduate or graduate level). There is a good (and easy to read) review of the exact spherically symmetric dust Lemaitre-Tolman model (LT) (often denoted the LTB model) and the Lemaitre and Szekeres models. Light propogation (i.e. null geodesics, for both central and off-center observers) in exact inhomogeneous (LT) models is reviewed. In part II a number of applications of exact inhomogeneous models are presented (taken mainly from the authors' own work). In chapter 4, the evolution of exact inhomogeneous models (primarily the LT model, but also the Szekeres model) is studied regarding structure formation. I thought that the authors describe the advantages and drawbacks of the idealized exact solutions used in the physical modelling in a reasonable manner (although more concise conclusions might have been useful). The authors also address the formation of a galaxy with a central black hole, the formation and evolution of rich galactic clusters and voids and other structures, and the effects of radiation in the models. The most interesting application is presented in chapter 5; namely, the effects of inhomogeneities on observations such as the luminosity distance relation and the explanation of the observed dimming of distant SN Ia (which is usually interpreted within the standard FLRW model in terms of the existence of dark energy). The main conclusion of this work is that data can be reproduced within the LT model (via inhomogeneities in general relativity, but without introducing dark energy). In particular, a number of exact LT solutions were surveyed, and a full discussion of various models in the literature (and a critique of the various assumptions) is presented. In the next chapter the possible resolution of the horizon problem without inflation, in terms of shell crossing in a LT model, is discussed. This is perhaps the most controversial chapter of the book. In the final chapter 7, the influence of inhomogeneous structures in the path of a light ray (for both center and off-center observers in a special Szekeres Swiss cheese model) on the observed temperature distribution of the CMB is discussed. This is a very important topic, but only a heuristic and qualitative study is presented here; more work on the multipole moments of higher order would be necessary for a more comprehensive analysis.

Galaxy Zoo: Observing secular evolution through bars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheung, Edmond; Faber, S. M.; Koo, David C.

In this paper, we use the Galaxy Zoo 2 data set to study the behavior of bars in disk galaxies as a function of specific star formation rate (SSFR) and bulge prominence. Our sample consists of 13,295 disk galaxies, with an overall (strong) bar fraction of 23.6% ± 0.4%, of which 1154 barred galaxies also have bar length (BL) measurements. These samples are the largest ever used to study the role of bars in galaxy evolution. We find that the likelihood of a galaxy hosting a bar is anticorrelated with SSFR, regardless of stellar mass or bulge prominence. We findmore » that the trends of bar likelihood and BL with bulge prominence are bimodal with SSFR. We interpret these observations using state-of-the-art simulations of bar evolution that include live halos and the effects of gas and star formation. We suggest our observed trends of bar likelihood with SSFR are driven by the gas fraction of the disks, a factor demonstrated to significantly retard both bar formation and evolution in models. We interpret the bimodal relationship between bulge prominence and bar properties as being due to the complicated effects of classical bulges and central mass concentrations on bar evolution and also to the growth of disky pseudobulges by bar evolution. These results represent empirical evidence for secular evolution driven by bars in disk galaxies. This work suggests that bars are not stagnant structures within disk galaxies but are a critical evolutionary driver of their host galaxies in the local universe (z < 1).« less

Structural Evolution of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) in Anoxic Co2+Soultion : Interactional Performance and Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, C.; Zhang, Y.

2015-12-01

The nanoscale particle and low oxidation reduction potential make nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) an efficient sorbent and reductant for treating many kinds of organic contaminants and heavy metals.The structures of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles are evolving in reactions, and the reactions are influenced by the evolved structures. In order to understand the detail removal process, it is important to investigate the interactions between reactions and structural evolution. In this work, reactions between nZVI and Co2+ at different initial concentrations in anoxic aqueous solutions (to eliminate the effects of O2) were tracked for 10 days using a variety of methods including inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Continuous removal and reduction of Co2+ by nZVI caused by structural evolution were revealed in reaction processes. The system pH (pH measured in mixture), which controls the stability of coprecipitation and the corrosion rate of nZVI, was deemed as the determining factors of structural evolutions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed that the formation and dissolution of sheet structure impacts on the ratio of Fe (0) on nZVI's surface and the surface reduction of Co2+. The cavity structure provides the possibility of Co migrating from surface to inside of nZVI leading a continuous removal. A subacidity condition could accelerate the evolution to improve the removal of Co2+ and the results of structural controlled reactions further indicated that the removal was suspended by sheet structure and enhanced by cavity structure. The results in this study revealed "structural influence" for fully and dynamically understanding nZVI's reactions.

The structure and evolution of galacto-detonation waves - Some analytic results in sequential star formation models of spiral galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowie, L. L.; Rybicki, G. B.

1982-01-01

Waves of star formation in a uniform, differentially rotating disk galaxy are treated analytically as a propagating detonation wave front. It is shown, that if single solitary waves could be excited, they would evolve asymptotically to one of two stable spiral forms, each of which rotates with a fixed pattern speed. Simple numerical solutions confirm these results. However, the pattern of waves that develop naturally from an initially localized disturbance is more complex and dies out within a few rotation periods. These results suggest a conclusive observational test for deciding whether sequential star formation is an important determinant of spiral structure in some class of galaxies.

On the Generation of the Hubble Sequence Through an Internal Secular Dynamical Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

is apparently brought about by the fact that spiral galaxies still have varying reserves of baryonic dark matter to form stars, therefore as the...central baryonic dark matter supply, thus the ellipticals in more advanced stage of evolution (which also generally have larger L) will experi- ence...This view is particularly favored by the currently popular hierarchical clustering/cold dark matter (CDM) paradigm of structure formation and evolution

Evolution of Pre-Main Sequence Accretion Disks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Lee W.

2000-01-01

The aim of this project was to develop a comprehensive global picture of the physical conditions in, and evolutionary timescales of, pre-main sequence accretion disks. The results of this work will help constrain the initial conditions for planet formation. To this end we: (1) Developed detailed calculations of disk structure to study physical conditions and investigate the observational effects of grain growth in T Tauri disks; (2) Studied the dusty emission and accretion rates in older disk systems, with ages closer to the expected epoch of (giant) planet formation at 3-10 Myr, and (3) Began a project to develop much larger samples of 3-10 Myr-old stars to provide better empirical constraints on protoplanetary disk evolution.

Research on rechargeable oxygen electrodes.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giner, J.; Holleck, G.; Malachesky, P. A.

1970-01-01

A research program is described which consisted of studying the effects of electrode cycling in very pure KOH solutions, with and without controlled additions of impurities, on oxide formation, oxygen evolution kinetics, oxygen reduction kinetics (including hydrogen peroxide formation), and changes in electrode structure. Bright platinum, platinized platinum, and Teflon-bonded platinum black electrodes were studied. Three main problem areas are identified: the buildup of a refractory anodic layer on prolonged cycling, which leads to a degradation of performance; the dissolution and subsequent deposition of dendritic platinum in the separator, leading to short-circuit ing and loss of electrocatalyst; and the disruptive effect of bubbling during gas evolution on charge. Each of these problem areas is analyzed, and remedial solutions are proposed.

New Directions in Giant Planet Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youdin, Andrew

The proposed research will explore the limits of the core accretion mechanism for forming giant planets, both in terms of timescale and orbital distance. This theoretical research will be useful in interpreting the results of ongoing exoplanet searches. The effects of radiogenic heating and aerodynamic accretion of pebbles and boulders will be included in time-dependent models of atmospheric structure and growth. To investigate these issues, we will develop and publicly share a protoplanet atmospheric evolution code as an extension of the MESA stellar evolution code. By focusing on relevant processes in the early stages of giant planet formation, we can refine model predictions for exoplanet searches at a wide range of stellar ages and distances from the host star.

Structural and Depositional Evolution of the Stevenson Basin, a Gulf of Alaska Forearc Basin: Insights from Legacy Seismic and Borehole Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, R.; Liberty, L. M.; Almeida, R. V.; Hubbard, J.

2016-12-01

We explore the structural and depositional evolution of the Stevenson Basin, Gulf of Alaska from a dense network of 2-D marine seismic profiles that span the Gulf of Alaska continental margin. The grid of 71 seismic profiles was acquired as part of a 1975 Mineral Management Services (MMS) exploration project to assess basin architecture along the Alaska continental shelf. We obtained unmigrated and stacked seismic profiles in TIFF format. We converted the data to SEGY format and migrated each profile. Within the Stevenson Basin, we identify key seismic horizons, including the regional Eocene-Miocene unconformity, that provide insights into its depositional and structural history. Using these observations combined with stacking velocities, sonic logs from wells, and refraction velocities from the Edge profile of Ye et al. (1997), we develop a local 3D velocity model that we use to depth-convert the seismic reflection profiles. By using ties to >2.5 km deep exploration wells, we note the Stevenson Basin is one of many Eocene and younger depocenters that span the forearc between Kodiak and Prince William Sound. Well logs and seismic data suggest basal strata consist of Eocene sediments than are unconformably overlain by Neogene and younger strata. Faults that breach the sea floor suggest active deformation within and at the bounds of this basin, including on new faults that do not follow any pre-existing structural trends. This assessment is consistent with slip models that place tsunamigenic faults that ruptured during the 1964 Great Alaska earthquake in the vicinity of the basin. The catalog of faults, their slip history and the depositional evolution of the Stevenson Basin, all suggest that the basin evolution may be controlled by heterogeneities along the incoming plate.

Root induced changes of effective 1D hydraulic properties in a soil column.

PubMed

Scholl, P; Leitner, D; Kammerer, G; Loiskandl, W; Kaul, H-P; Bodner, G

Roots are essential drivers of soil structure and pore formation. This study aimed at quantifying root induced changes of the pore size distribution (PSD). The focus was on the extent of clogging vs. formation of pores during active root growth. Parameters of Kosugi's lognormal PSD model were determined by inverse estimation in a column experiment with two cover crops (mustard, rye) and an unplanted control. Pore dynamics were described using a convection-dispersion like pore evolution model. Rooted treatments showed a wider range of pore radii with increasing volumes of large macropores >500 μm and micropores <2.5 μm, while fine macropores, mesopores and larger micropores decreased. The non-rooted control showed narrowing of the PSD and reduced porosity over all radius classes. The pore evolution model accurately described root induced changes, while structure degradation in the non-rooted control was not captured properly. Our study demonstrated significant short term root effects with heterogenization of the pore system as dominant process of root induced structure formation. Pore clogging is suggested as a partial cause for reduced pore volume. The important change in micro- and large macropores however indicates that multiple mechanic and biochemical processes are involved in root-pore interactions.

NASA Structure and Evolution of the Universe Theme: Science Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Nicholas E.; Margon, Bruce

2001-01-01

The NASA Office of Space Science Structure and Evolution of the Universe (SEU) theme covers a wide variety of scientific investigations, from the nearest bodies to the farthest observable distances just after the time of the Big Bang. SEU supports experiments that sense radiation of all wavelengths, together with particle and gravitational wave detection. Recently completed road mapping and strategic planning exercises have identified a number of near- and medium-term space initiatives for the 2003-2023 time frame. Each of these experiments pushes the state of the art technically, but will return incredible new insights on the formation and evolution of the universe, as well as probe fundamental laws of physics in regimes never before tested. The scientific goals and technological highlights of each mission are described.

MIGHTEE: The MeerKAT International GHz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, A. Russ; Jarvis, Matt

2017-05-01

The MeerKAT telescope is the precursor of the Square Kilometre Array mid-frequency dish array to be deployed later this decade on the African continent. MIGHTEE is one of the MeerKAT large survey projects designed to pathfind SKA key science in cosmology and galaxy evolution. Through a tiered radio continuum deep imaging project including several fields totaling 20 square degrees to microJy sensitivities and an ultra-deep image of a single 1 square degree field of view, MIGHTEE will explore dark matter and large scale structure, the evolution of galaxies, including AGN activity and star formation as a function of cosmic time and environment, the emergence and evolution of magnetic fields in galaxies, and the magnetic counter part to large scale structure of the universe.

Structural evolution of fault zones in sandstone by multiple deformation mechanisms: Moab fault, southeast Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davatzes, N.C.; Eichhubl, P.; Aydin, A.

2005-01-01

Faults in sandstone are frequently composed of two classes of structures: (1) deformation bands and (2) joints and sheared joints. Whereas the former structures are associated with cataclastic deformation, the latter ones represent brittle fracturing, fragmentation, and brecciation. We investigated the distribution of these structures, their formation, and the underlying mechanical controls for their occurrence along the Moab normal fault in southeastern Utah through the use of structural mapping and numerical elastic boundary element modeling. We found that deformation bands occur everywhere along the fault, but with increased density in contractional relays. Joints and sheared joints only occur at intersections and extensional relays. In all locations , joints consistently overprint deformation bands. Localization of joints and sheared joints in extensional relays suggests that their distribution is controlled by local variations in stress state that are due to mechanical interaction between the fault segments. This interpretation is consistent with elastic boundary element models that predict a local reduction in mean stress and least compressive principal stress at intersections and extensional relays. The transition from deformation band to joint formation along these sections of the fault system likely resulted from the combined effects of changes in remote tectonic loading, burial depth, fluid pressure, and rock properties. In the case of the Moab fault, we conclude that the structural heterogeneity in the fault zone is systematically related to the geometric evolution of the fault, the local state of stress associated with fault slip , and the remote loading history. Because the type and distribution of structures affect fault permeability and strength, our results predict systematic variations in these parameters with fault evolution. ?? 2004 Geological Society of America.

Role of metal oxides in chemical evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamaluddin

2013-06-01

Steps of chemical evolution have been designated as formation of biomonomers followed by their polymerization and then to modify in an organized structure leading to the formation of first living cell. Formation of small molecules like amino acids, organic bases, sugar etc. could have occurred in the reducing atmosphere of the primitive Earth. Polymerization of these small molecules could have required some catalyst. In addition to clay, role of metal ions and metal complexes as prebiotic catalyst in the synthesis and polymerization of biomonomers cannot be ruled out. Metal oxides are important constituents of Earth crust and that of other planets. These oxides might have adsorbed organic molecules and catalyzed the condensation processes, which may have led to the formation of first living cell. Different studies were performed in order to investigate the role of metal oxides (especially oxides of iron and manganese) in chemical evolution. Iron oxides (goethite, akaganeite and hematite) as well as manganese oxides (MnO, Mn2O3, Mn3O4 and MnO2) were synthesized and their characterization was done using IR, powder XRD, FE-SEM and TEM. Role of above oxides was studied in the adsorption of ribose nucleotides, formation of nucleobases from formamide and oligomerization of amino acids. Above oxides of iron and manganese were found to have good adsorption affinity towards ribose nucleotides, high catalytic activity in the formation of several nucleobases from formamide and oligomerization of glycine and alanine. Characterization of products was performed using UV, IR, HPLC and ESI-MS techniques. Presence of hematite-water system on Mars has been suggested to be a positive indicator in the chemical evolution on Mars.

Orbital Evolution of Moons in Weakly Accreting Circumplanetary Disks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fujii, Yuri I.; Gressel, Oliver; Kobayashi, Hiroshi

We investigate the formation of hot and massive circumplanetary disks (CPDs) and the orbital evolution of satellites formed in these disks. Because of the comparatively small size-scale of the sub-disk, quick magnetic diffusion prevents the magnetorotational instability (MRI) from being well developed at ionization levels that would allow MRI in the parent protoplanetary disk. In the absence of significant angular momentum transport, continuous mass supply from the parental protoplanetary disk leads to the formation of a massive CPD. We have developed an evolutionary model for this scenario and have estimated the orbital evolution of satellites within the disk. We find,more » in a certain temperature range, that inward migration of a satellite can be stopped by a change in the structure due to the opacity transitions. Moreover, by capturing second and third migrating satellites in mean motion resonances, a compact system in Laplace resonance can be formed in our disk models.« less

MERIDIONAL TILT OF THE STELLAR VELOCITY ELLIPSOID DURING BAR BUCKLING INSTABILITY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saha, Kanak; Pfenniger, Daniel; Taam, Ronald E., E-mail: saha@mpe.mpg.de

2013-02-20

The structure and evolution of the stellar velocity ellipsoid play an important role in shaping galaxies undergoing bar-driven secular evolution and the eventual formation of a boxy/peanut bulge such as is present in the Milky Way. Using collisionless N-body simulations, we show that during the formation of such a boxy/peanut bulge, the meridional shear stress of stars, which can be measured by the meridional tilt of the velocity ellipsoid, reaches a characteristic peak in its time evolution. It is shown that the onset of a bar buckling instability is closely connected to the maximum meridional tilt of the stellar velocitymore » ellipsoid. Our findings bring a new insight to this complex gravitational instability of the bar which complements the buckling instability studies based on orbital models. We briefly discuss the observed diagnostics of the stellar velocity ellipsoid during such a phenomenon.« less

Galactic chemical evolution in hierarchical formation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrigoni, Matias

2010-10-01

The chemical properties and abundance ratios of galaxies provide important information about their formation histories. Galactic chemical evolution has been modelled in detail within the monolithic collapse scenario. These models have successfully described the abundance distributions in our Galaxy and other spiral discs, as well as the trends of metallicity and abundance ratios observed in early-type galaxies. In the last three decades, however, the paradigm of hierarchical assembly in a Cold Dark Matter (CDM) cosmology has revised the picture of how structure in the Universe forms and evolves. In this scenario, galaxies form when gas radiatively cools and condenses inside dark matter haloes, which themselves follow dissipationless gravitational collapse. The CDM picture has been successful at predicting many observed properties of galaxies (for example, the luminosity and stellar mass function of galaxies, color-magnitude or star formation rate vs. stellar mass distributions, relative numbers of early and late-type galaxies, gas fractions and size distributions of spiral galaxies, and the global star formation history), though many potential problems and open questions remain. It is therefore interesting to see whether chemical evolution models, when implemented within this modern cosmological context, are able to correctly predict the observed chemical properties of galaxies. With the advent of more powerfull telescopes and detectors, precise observations of chemical abundances and abundance ratios in various phases (stellar, ISM, ICM) offer the opportunity to obtain strong constraints on galaxy formation histories and the physics that shapes them. However, in order to take advantage of these observations, it is necessary to implement detailed modeling of chemical evolution into a modern cosmological model of hierarchical assembly.

Quantifying the thermal evolution of early passive margins formation and its consequences on the structure of passive margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bousquet, Romain; Nalpas, Thierry

2017-04-01

Many large-scale dynamic processes, from continental rifting to plate subduction, are intimately linked to metamorphic reactions. This close relation between geodynamic processes and metamorphic reactions is, in spite of appearances, yet poorly understood. For example, during extension processes, rocks will be exposed to important temperature, pressures and stress changes. Meanwhile less attention has been paid to other important aspects of the metamorphic processes. When reacting rocks expand and contract, density and volume changes will set up in the surrounding material. While several tectonic models are proposed to explain the formation of extensive basins and passive margins ( simple shear detachment mantle exhumation .... ) a single thermal model (McKenzie, 1978), as a kind of dogma, is used to understanding and modeling the formation and evolution of sedimentary basins. The study of the thermal evolution, coupled with other tectonic models, and its consequences have never been studied in detail, although the differences may be significant. And it is clear that the petrological changes associated with changes in temperature conditions, influence changes reliefs. Constrained by the new field data of north Pyrenean basins on thermal evolution of pre-rift and syn-rift sediments, we explore the petrological changes associated to different thermal evolution and the consequences on the subsidence of the basins. We will also present numerical models quantifying mineralogical and physical changes inside the whole lithosphere during rifting processes. In the light of these models, we discuss the consequences of different thermal evolution on the subsidence processes as well as on gravimetry and seismic velocities signature of passive margins. We are able to distinguish two types of margins according to their thermal evolution: - An Alpine-type basin in which the temperature rise is 50 to 100 Ma older than the tectonic extension, leading to the "cold" opening of the ocean. - A Pyrenean type basin in which temperature changes are synchronous with basin formation, leading to a crustal boudignage and to the formation of a "anomalous" geophysical layer at the OCT

Various Stone-Wales defects in phagraphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Openov, L. A.; Podlivaev, A. I.

2016-08-01

Various Stone-Wales defects in phagraphene, which is a graphene allotrope, predicted recently are studied in terms of the nonorthogonal tight-binding model. The energies of the defect formation and the heights of energy barriers preventing the formation and annealing of the defects are found. Corresponding frequency factors in the Arrhenius formula are calculated. The evolution of the defect structure is studied in the real-time mode using the molecular dynamics method.

Dynamics of Surfactant Clustering at Interfaces and Its Influence on the Interfacial Tension: Atomistic Simulation of a Sodium Hexadecane-Benzene Sulfonate-Tetradecane-Water System.

PubMed

Paredes, Ricardo; Fariñas-Sánchez, Ana Isabel; Medina-Rodrı Guez, Bryan; Samaniego, Samantha; Aray, Yosslen; Álvarez, Luis Javier

2018-03-06

The process of equilibration of the tetradecane-water interface in the presence of sodium hexadecane-benzene sulfonate is studied using intensive atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Starting as an initial point with all of the surfactants at the interface, it is obtained that the equilibration time of the interface (several microseconds) is orders of magnitude higher than previously reported simulated times. There is strong evidence that this slow equilibration process is due to the aggregation of surfactants molecules on the interface. To determine this fact, temporal evolution of interfacial tension and interfacial formation energy are studied and their temporal variations are correlated with cluster formation. To study cluster evolution, the mean cluster size and the probability that a molecule of surfactant chosen at random is free are obtained as a function of time. Cluster size distribution is estimated, and it is observed that some of the molecules remain free, whereas the rest agglomerate. Additionally, the temporal evolution of the interfacial thickness and the structure of the surfactant molecules on the interface are studied. It is observed how this structure depends on whether the molecules agglomerate or not.

Hierarchical Model for the Evolution of Cloud Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez D., Néstor M.; Parravano, Antonio

1999-01-01

The structure of cloud complexes appears to be well described by a tree structure (i.e., a simplified ``stick man'') representation when the image is partitioned into ``clouds.'' In this representation, the parent-child relationships are assigned according to containment. Based on this picture, a hierarchical model for the evolution of cloud complexes, including star formation, is constructed. The model follows the mass evolution of each substructure by computing its mass exchange with its parent and children. The parent-child mass exchange (evaporation or condensation) depends on the radiation density at the interphase. At the end of the ``lineage,'' stars may be born or die, so that there is a nonstationary mass flow in the hierarchical structure. For a variety of parameter sets the system follows the same series of steps to transform diffuse gas into stars, and the regulation of the mass flux in the tree by previously formed stars dominates the evolution of the star formation. For the set of parameters used here as a reference model, the system tends to produce initial mass functions (IMFs) that have a maximum at a mass that is too high (~2 Msolar) and the characteristic times for evolution seem too long. We show that these undesired properties can be improved by adjusting the model parameters. The model requires further physics (e.g., allowing for multiple stellar systems and clump collisions) before a definitive comparison with observations can be made. Instead, the emphasis here is to illustrate some general properties of this kind of complex nonlinear model for the star formation process. Notwithstanding the simplifications involved, the model reveals an essential feature that will likely remain if additional physical processes are included, that is, the detailed behavior of the system is very sensitive to the variations on the initial and external conditions, suggesting that a ``universal'' IMF is very unlikely. When an ensemble of IMFs corresponding to a variety of initial or external conditions is examined, the slope of the IMF at high masses shows variations comparable to the range derived from observational data. These facts suggest that the considered physical processes (phase transitions regulated by the radiation field) may play a role in the global evolution of molecular complexes.

Reversible amorphization and the catalytically active state of crystalline Co3O4 during oxygen evolution

PubMed Central

Bergmann, Arno; Martinez-Moreno, Elias; Teschner, Detre; Chernev, Petko; Gliech, Manuel; de Araújo, Jorge Ferreira; Reier, Tobias; Dau, Holger; Strasser, Peter

2015-01-01

Water splitting catalysed by earth-abundant materials is pivotal for global-scale production of non-fossil fuels, yet our understanding of the active catalyst structure and reactivity is still insufficient. Here we report on the structurally reversible evolution of crystalline Co3O4 electrocatalysts during oxygen evolution reaction identified using advanced in situ X-ray techniques. At electrode potentials facilitating oxygen evolution, a sub-nanometre shell of the Co3O4 is transformed into an X-ray amorphous CoOx(OH)y which comprises di-μ-oxo-bridged Co3+/4+ ions. Unlike irreversible amorphizations, here, the formation of the catalytically-active layer is reversed by re-crystallization upon return to non-catalytic electrode conditions. The Co3O4 material thus combines the stability advantages of a controlled, stable crystalline material with high catalytic activity, thanks to the structural flexibility of its active amorphous oxides. We propose that crystalline oxides may be tailored for generating reactive amorphous surface layers at catalytic potentials, just to return to their stable crystalline state under rest conditions. PMID:26456525

Reversible amorphization and the catalytically active state of crystalline Co3O4 during oxygen evolution.

PubMed

Bergmann, Arno; Martinez-Moreno, Elias; Teschner, Detre; Chernev, Petko; Gliech, Manuel; de Araújo, Jorge Ferreira; Reier, Tobias; Dau, Holger; Strasser, Peter

2015-10-12

Water splitting catalysed by earth-abundant materials is pivotal for global-scale production of non-fossil fuels, yet our understanding of the active catalyst structure and reactivity is still insufficient. Here we report on the structurally reversible evolution of crystalline Co3O4 electrocatalysts during oxygen evolution reaction identified using advanced in situ X-ray techniques. At electrode potentials facilitating oxygen evolution, a sub-nanometre shell of the Co3O4 is transformed into an X-ray amorphous CoOx(OH)y which comprises di-μ-oxo-bridged Co(3+/4+) ions. Unlike irreversible amorphizations, here, the formation of the catalytically-active layer is reversed by re-crystallization upon return to non-catalytic electrode conditions. The Co3O4 material thus combines the stability advantages of a controlled, stable crystalline material with high catalytic activity, thanks to the structural flexibility of its active amorphous oxides. We propose that crystalline oxides may be tailored for generating reactive amorphous surface layers at catalytic potentials, just to return to their stable crystalline state under rest conditions.

Final Report: Mechanisms of sputter ripple formation: coupling among energetic ions, surface kinetics, stress and composition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chason, Eric; Shenoy, Vivek

Self-organized pattern formation enables the creation of nanoscale surface structures over large areas based on fundamental physical processes rather than an applied template. Low energy ion bombardment is one such method that induces the spontaneous formation of a wide variety of interesting morphological features (e.g., sputter ripples and/or quantum dots). This program focused on the processes controlling sputter ripple formation and the kinetics controlling the evolution of surfaces and nanostructures in high flux environments. This was done by using systematic, quantitative experiments to measure ripple formation under a variety of processing conditions coupled with modeling to interpret the results.

A spatial analysis of hierarchical waste transport structures under growing demand.

PubMed

Tanguy, Audrey; Glaus, Mathias; Laforest, Valérie; Villot, Jonathan; Hausler, Robert

2016-10-01

The design of waste management systems rarely accounts for the spatio-temporal evolution of the demand. However, recent studies suggest that this evolution affects the planning of waste management activities like the choice and location of treatment facilities. As a result, the transport structure could also be affected by these changes. The objective of this paper is to study the influence of the spatio-temporal evolution of the demand on the strategic planning of a waste transport structure. More particularly this study aims at evaluating the effect of varying spatial parameters on the economic performance of hierarchical structures (with one transfer station). To this end, three consecutive generations of three different spatial distributions were tested for hierarchical and non-hierarchical transport structures based on costs minimization. Results showed that a hierarchical structure is economically viable for large and clustered spatial distributions. The distance parameter was decisive but the loading ratio of trucks and the formation of clusters of sources also impacted the attractiveness of the transfer station. Thus the territories' morphology should influence strategies as regards to the installation of transfer stations. The use of spatial-explicit tools such as the transport model presented in this work that take into account the territory's evolution are needed to help waste managers in the strategic planning of waste transport structures. © The Author(s) 2016.

Star-Formation Histories of MUSCEL Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Jason; Kuzio de Naray, Rachel; Xuesong Wang, Sharon

2018-01-01

The MUSCEL program (MUltiwavelength observations of the Structure, Chemistry and Evolution of LSB galaxies) uses combined ground-based/space-based data to determine the spatially resolved star-formation histories of low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies. LSB galaxies are paradoxical in that they are gas rich but have low star-formation rates. Here we present our observations and fitting technique, and the derived histories for select MUSCEL galaxies. It is our aim to use these histories in tandem with velocity fields and metallicity profiles to determine the physical mechanism(s) that give these faint galaxies low star-formation rates despite ample gas supplies.

The Taxonomy of Blue Amorphous Galaxies. II. Structure and Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marlowe, Amanda T.; Meurer, Gerhardt R.; Heckman, Timothy M.

1999-09-01

Dwarf galaxies play an important role in our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution, and starbursts are believed to affect the structure and evolution of dwarf galaxies strongly. We have therefore embarked on a systematic study of 12 of the nearest dwarf galaxies thought to be undergoing bursts of star formation. These were selected primarily by their morphological type (blue ``amorphous'' galaxies). We show that these blue amorphous galaxies are not physically distinguishable from dwarfs selected as starbursting by other methods, such as blue compact dwarfs (BCDs) and H II galaxies. All these classes exhibit surface brightness profiles that are exponential in the outer regions (r>~1.5re) but often have a predominantly central blue excess, suggesting a young burst in an older, redder galaxy. Typically, the starbursting ``cores'' are young (~107-108 yr) events compared to the older (~109-1010 yr) underlying galaxy (the ``envelope''). The ratio of the core to envelope in blue light ranges from essentially zero to about 2. These starbursts are therefore modest events involving only a few percent of the stellar mass. The envelopes have surface brightnesses that are much higher than typical dwarf irregular (dI) galaxies, so it is unlikely that there is a straightforward evolutionary relation between typical dIs and dwarf starburst galaxies. Instead we suggest that amorphous galaxies may repeatedly cycle through starburst and quiescent phases, corresponding to the galaxies with strong and weak/absent cores, respectively. Once amorphous galaxies use up the available gas (either through star formation or galactic winds) so that star formation is shut off, the faded remnants would strongly resemble dwarf elliptical galaxies. However, in the current cosmological epoch, this is evidently a slow process that is the aftermath of a series of many weak, recurring bursts. Present-day dE's must have experienced more rapid and intense evolution than this in the distant past.

Tectonosedimentary framework of Upper Cretaceous -Neogene series in the Gulf of Tunis inferred from subsurface data: implications for petroleum exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhraief, Wissem; Dhahri, Ferid; Chalwati, Imen; Boukadi, Noureddine

2017-04-01

The objective and the main contribution of this issue are dedicated to using subsurface data to delineate a basin beneath the Gulf of Tunis and its neighbouring areas, and to investigate the potential of this area in terms of hydrocarbon resources. Available well data provided information about the subsurface geology beneath the Gulf of Tunis. 2D seismic data allowed delineation of the basin shape, strata geometries, and some potential promising subsurface structures in terms of hydrocarbon accumulation. Together with lithostratigraphic data obtained from drilled wells, seismic data permitted the construction of isochron and isobath maps of Upper Cretaceous-Neogene strata. Structural and lithostratigraphic interpretations indicate that the area is tectonically complex, and they highlight the tectonic control of strata deposition during the Cretaceous and Neogene. Tectonic activity related to the geodynamic evolution of the northern African margin appears to have been responsible for several thickness and facies variations, and to have played a significant role in the establishment and evolution of petroleum systems in northeastern Tunisia. As for petroleum systems in the basin, the Cretaceous series of the Bahloul, Mouelha and Fahdene formations are acknowledged to be the main source rocks. In addition, potential reservoirs (Fractured Abiod and Bou Dabbous carbonated formations) sealed by shaly and marly formations (Haria and Souar formations respectively) show favourable geometries of trap structures (anticlines, tilted blocks, unconformities, etc.) which make this area adequate for hydrocarbon accumulations.

Intermediate surface structure between step bunching and step flow in SrRuO3 thin film growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertino, Giulia; Gura, Anna; Dawber, Matthew

We performed a systematic study of SrRuO3 thin films grown on TiO2 terminated SrTiO3 substrates using off-axis magnetron sputtering. We investigated the step bunching formation and the evolution of the SRO film morphology by varying the step size of the substrate, the growth temperature and the film thickness. The thin films were characterized using Atomic Force Microscopy and X-Ray Diffraction. We identified single and multiple step bunching and step flow growth regimes as a function of the growth parameters. Also, we clearly observe a stronger influence of the step size of the substrate on the evolution of the SRO film surface with respect to the other growth parameters. Remarkably, we observe the formation of a smooth, regular and uniform ``fish skin'' structure at the transition between one regime and another. We believe that the fish skin structure results from the merging of 2D flat islands predicted by previous models. The direct observation of this transition structure allows us to better understand how and when step bunching develops in the growth of SrRuO3 thin films.

New investigations in southwestern Guinea: consequences for the Rokelide belt (West Africa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villeneuve, Michel; Bellon, Hervé; Corsini, Michel; Le Metour, Joël; Chatelee, Sébastien

2015-07-01

The southern Guinean terranes belong to the "Rokelide belt" that is located in the southwestern part of the West African craton (Senegal to Liberia). Field investigations and K-Ar and 40Ar-39Ar radiometric analysis performed on samples collected from southern Guinea provide a new interpretation for metamorphic terranes not yet dated. A K-Ar whole-rock age of a gneiss and 40Ar-39Ar plateau ages of amphiboles separated from a mylonitic gneiss of the Ouankifondi formation and a gneiss from the Kissi-Kissi formation yield several Pan-African metamorphic ages at circa 650, 560, and 530 Ma, respectively. Field investigations show that these formations are unconformably capped by the Kolente group. The previous structural framework and the geodynamic evolution of the Rokelide belt based on the coeval evolution of the Ouankifondi and Kissi-Kissi formations and the Kolente group are reassessed. The Rokelide belt is linked to the Bassaride belt. Correlations with adjacent Sierra Leonean terranes and with northern Guinea and Senegal are considered.

Structure and Evolution of Insect Sperm: New Interpretations in the Age of Phylogenomics.

PubMed

Dallai, Romano; Gottardo, Marco; Beutel, Rolf Georg

2016-01-01

This comprehensive review of the structure of sperm in all orders of insects evaluates phylogenetic implications, with the background of a phylogeny based on transcriptomes. Sperm characters strongly support several major branches of the phylogeny of insects-for instance, Cercophora, Dicondylia, and Psocodea-and also different infraordinal groups. Some closely related taxa, such as Trichoptera and Lepidoptera (Amphiesmenoptera), differ greatly in sperm structure. Sperm characters are very conservative in some groups (Heteroptera, Odonata) but highly variable in others, including Zoraptera, a small and morphologically uniform group with a tremendously accelerated rate of sperm evolution. Unusual patterns such as sperm dimorphism, the formation of bundles, or aflagellate and immotile sperm have evolved independently in several groups.

Map showing structure contours on the top of the upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, Powder River basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crysdale, B.L.

1991-01-01

This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies (MF) maps showing computer-generated structure contours, isopachs, and cross sections of selected formations in the Powder River basin, Wyoming and Montana. The map and cross sections were constructed from information stored in a U.S. Geological Survey Evolution of Sedimentary Basins data base. This data base contains picks of geologic formation and (or) unit tops and bases determined from electric resistivity and gamma-ray logs of 8,592 wells penetrating Tertiary and older rocks in the Powder River basin. Well completion cards (scout tickets) were reviewed and compared with copies of all logs, and formation or unit contacts determined by N. M. Denson, D.L. Macke, R. R. Schumann and others. This isopach map is based on information from 2,429 of these wells that penetrate the Minnelusa Formation and equivalents.

Modification of Aspergillus niger by conducting polymer, Polypyrrole, and the evaluation of electrochemical properties of modified cells.

PubMed

Apetrei, Roxana-Mihaela; Carac, Geta; Bahrim, Gabriela; Ramanaviciene, Almira; Ramanavicius, Arunas

2018-06-01

The enhancement of bioelectrochemical properties of microorganism by in situ formation of conducting polymer within the cell structures (e.g. cell wall) was performed. The synthesis of polypyrrole (Ppy) within fungi (Aspergillus niger) cells was achieved. Two different Aspergillus niger strains were selected due to their ability to produce glucose oxidase, which initiated the Ppy formation through products of enzymatic reaction. The evolution of Ppy structural features was investigated by absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Star formation induced by cloud-cloud collisions and galactic giant molecular cloud evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Masato I. N.; Kobayashi, Hiroshi; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro; Fukui, Yasuo

2018-05-01

Recent millimeter/submillimeter observations towards nearby galaxies have started to map the whole disk and to identify giant molecular clouds (GMCs) even in the regions between galactic spiral structures. Observed variations of GMC mass functions in different galactic environments indicates that massive GMCs preferentially reside along galactic spiral structures whereas inter-arm regions have many small GMCs. Based on the phase transition dynamics from magnetized warm neutral medium to molecular clouds, Kobayashi et al. (2017, ApJ, 836, 175) proposes a semi-analytical evolutionary description for GMC mass functions including a cloud-cloud collision (CCC) process. Their results show that CCC is less dominant in shaping the mass function of GMCs than the accretion of dense H I gas driven by the propagation of supersonic shock waves. However, their formulation does not take into account the possible enhancement of star formation by CCC. Millimeter/submillimeter observations within the Milky Way indicate the importance of CCC in the formation of star clusters and massive stars. In this article, we reformulate the time-evolution equation largely modified from Kobayashi et al. (2017, ApJ, 836, 175) so that we additionally compute star formation subsequently taking place in CCC clouds. Our results suggest that, although CCC events between smaller clouds are more frequent than the ones between massive GMCs, CCC-driven star formation is mostly driven by massive GMCs ≳ 10^{5.5} M_{⊙} (where M⊙ is the solar mass). The resultant cumulative CCC-driven star formation may amount to a few 10 percent of the total star formation in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies.

The universe at moderate redshift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostriker, Jeremiah P.

1992-01-01

The Final Report on the universe at moderate redshift covering the period from 1 Mar. 1988 to 28 Feb. 1991 is presented. Areas of research included: galaxy formation and large-scale structure; intergalactic medium and background radiation fields; quasar statistics and evolution; and gravitational lenses.

Structural parameters of young star clusters: fractal analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hetem, A.

2017-07-01

A unified view of star formation in the Universe demand detailed and in-depth studies of young star clusters. This work is related to our previous study of fractal statistics estimated for a sample of young stellar clusters (Gregorio-Hetem et al. 2015, MNRAS 448, 2504). The structural properties can lead to significant conclusions about the early stages of cluster formation: 1) virial conditions can be used to distinguish warm collapsed; 2) bound or unbound behaviour can lead to conclusions about expansion; and 3) fractal statistics are correlated to the dynamical evolution and age. The technique of error bars estimation most used in the literature is to adopt inferential methods (like bootstrap) to estimate deviation and variance, which are valid only for an artificially generated cluster. In this paper, we expanded the number of studied clusters, in order to enhance the investigation of the cluster properties and dynamic evolution. The structural parameters were compared with fractal statistics and reveal that the clusters radial density profile show a tendency of the mean separation of the stars increase with the average surface density. The sample can be divided into two groups showing different dynamic behaviour, but they have the same dynamic evolution, since the entire sample was revealed as being expanding objects, for which the substructures do not seem to have been completely erased. These results are in agreement with the simulations adopting low surface densities and supervirial conditions.

Fragmentation during primordial star formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Jayanta

Understanding the physics of the very first stars in the universe, the so-called Population III (or Pop III) stars, is crucial in determining how the universe evolved into what we observe today. In the standard model of Pop III star formation, the baryonic matter, mainly atomic hydrogen, collapses gravitationally into small Dark Matter (DM) minihalos. However, so far there is little understanding on how the thermal, dynamical and chemical evolution of the primordial gas depend on the initial configuration of the minihalos (for example, rotation of the unstable clumps inside minihalos, turbulence, formation of molecular hydrogen and cosmic variance of the minihalos). We use the modified version of the Gadget-2 code, a three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations, to follow the evolution of the collapsing gas in both idealized as well as more realistic minihalos. Unlike some earlier cosmological calculations, the implementation of sink particles allows us to follow the evolution of the accretion disk that builds up in the centre of each minihalo and fragments. We find that the fragmentation behavior depends on the adopted choice of three-body H2 formation rate coefficient. The increasing cooling rate during rapid conversion of the atomic to molecular hydrogen is offset by the heating due to gas contraction. We propose that the H2 cooling, the heating due to H2 formation and compressional heating together set a density and temperature structure in the disk that favors fragmentation. We also find that the cloud's initial degree of rotation has a significant effect on the thermal and dynamical evolution of the collapsing gas. Clouds with higher rotation exhibit spiral-arm-like structures that become gravitationally unstable to fragmentation on several scales. These type of clouds tend to fragment more and have lower accretion rates compared to their slowly rotating counterparts. In addition, we find that the distribution of specific angular momentum (L) of the gas follows a power-law relation with the enclosed gas mass (M), L ∝ M1.125, which is controlled by the gravitational and pressure torque, and does not depend on the cloud's initial degree of rotation and turbulence.

Self-assembly of metal nanostructures on binary alloy surfaces

PubMed Central

Duguet, T.; Han, Yong; Yuen, Chad; Jing, Dapeng; Ünal, Barış; Evans, J. W.; Thiel, P. A.

2011-01-01

Deposition of metals on binary alloy surfaces offers new possibilities for guiding the formation of functional metal nanostructures. This idea is explored with scanning tunneling microscopy studies and atomistic-level analysis and modeling of nonequilibrium island formation. For Au/NiAl(110), complex monolayer structures are found and compared with the simple fcc(110) bilayer structure recently observed for Ag/NiAl(110). We also consider a more complex codeposition system, (Ni + Al)/NiAl(110), which offers the opportunity for fundamental studies of self-growth of alloys including deviations for equilibrium ordering. A general multisite lattice-gas model framework enables analysis of structure selection and morphological evolution in these systems. PMID:21097706

Extensional Tectonics and Sedimentary Architecture Using 3-D Seismic Data: An Example from Hydrocarbon-Bearing Mumbai Offshore Basin, West Coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, D. K.; Bhowmick, P. K.; Mishra, P.

2016-12-01

In offshore sedimentary basins, analysis of 3-D seismic data tied with well log data can be used to deduce robust isopach and structure contour maps of different stratigraphic formations. The isopach maps give depocenters whereas structure contour maps give structural relief at a specific time. Combination of these two types of data helps us decipher horst-graben structures, sedimentary basin architecture and tectono-stratigraphic relations through Tertiary time. Restoration of structural cross sections with back-stripping of successively older stratigraphic layers leads to better understand tectono-sedimentary evolution of a basin. The Mumbai (or Bombay) Offshore Basin is the largest basin off the west coast of India and includes Bombay High giant oil/gas field. Although this field was discovered in 1974 and still producing, the basin architecture vis-à-vis structural evolution are not well documented. We take the approach briefly outlined above to study in detail three large hydrocarbon-bearing structures located within the offshore basin. The Cretaceous Deccan basalt forms the basement and hosts prodigal thickness (> 8 km at some localities) of Tertiary sedimentary formations.A two stage deformation is envisaged. At the first stage horst and graben structures formed due to approximately E-W extensional tectonics. This is most spectacularly seen at the basement top level. The faults associated with this extension strike NNW. At the second stage of deformation a set of ENE-striking cross faults have developed leading to the formation of transpressional structures at places. High rate of early sedimentation obliterated horst-graben architecture to large extent. An interesting aspect emerges is that the all the large-scale structures have rather low structural relief. However, the areal extent of such structures are very large. Consequently, these structures hold commercial quantities of oil/gas.

Star formation in a hierarchical model for Cloud Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, N.; Parravano, A.

The effects of the external and initial conditions on the star formation processes in Molecular Cloud Complexes are examined in the context of a schematic model. The model considers a hierarchical system with five predefined phases: warm gas, neutral gas, low density molecular gas, high density molecular gas and protostars. The model follows the mass evolution of each substructure by computing its mass exchange with their parent and children. The parent-child mass exchange depends on the radiation density at the interphase, which is produced by the radiation coming from the stars that form at the end of the hierarchical structure, and by the external radiation field. The system is chaotic in the sense that its temporal evolution is very sensitive to small changes in the initial or external conditions. However, global features such as the star formation efficience and the Initial Mass Function are less affected by those variations.

Microstructure evolution and dislocation behaviour in high chromium, fully ferritic steels strengthened by intermetallic Laves phases.

PubMed

Lopez Barrilao, Jennifer; Kuhn, Bernd; Wessel, Egbert

2018-05-01

In the present study a stainless, high strength, ferritic (non-martensitic) steel was analysed regarding microstructure and particle evolution. The preceding hot-rolling process of the steel results in the formation of sub-grain structures, which disappear over time at high temperature. Besides that the formation of particle-free zones was observed. The pronounced formation of these zones preferentially appears close to high angle grain boundaries and is considered to be responsible for long-term material failure under creep conditions. The reasons for this are lacking particle hardening and thus a concentration and accumulation of deformation in the particle free areas close to the grain boundaries. Accordingly in-depth investigations were performed by electron microscopy to analyse dislocation behaviour and its possible effect on the mechanical response of these weak areas. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Star Formation in the Central Regions of Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Mengchun

2015-08-01

The galactic central region connects the galactic nucleus to the host galaxy. If the central black hole co-evolved with the host galaxies, there should be some evidence left in the central region. We use the environmental properties in the central regions such as star-forming activity, stellar population and molecular abundance to figure out a possible scenario of the evolution of galaxies. In this thesis at first we investigated the properties of the central regions in the host galaxies of active and normal galaxies. We used radio emission around the nuclei of the host galaxies to represent activity of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and used infrared ray (IR) emission to represent the star-forming activity and stellar population of the host galaxies. We determined that active galaxies have higher stellar masses (SMs) within the central kiloparsec radius than normal galaxies do independent of the Hubble types of the host galaxies; but both active and normal galaxies exhibit similar specific star formation rates (SSFRs). We also discovered that certain AGNs exhibit substantial inner stellar structures in the IR images; most of the AGNs with inner structures are Seyferts, whereas only a few LINERs exhibit inner structures. We note that the AGNs with inner structures show a positive correlation between the radio activity of the AGNs and the SFRs of the host galaxies, but the sources without inner structures show a negative correlation between the radio power and the SFRs. These results might be explained with a scenario of starburst-AGN evolution. In this scenario, AGN activities are triggered following a nuclear starburst; during the evolution, AGN activities are accompanied by SF activity in the inner regions of the host galaxies; at the final stage of the evolution, the AGNs might transform into LINERs, exhibiting weak SF activity in the central regions of the host galaxies. For further investigation about the inner structure, we choose the most nearby and luminous Seyfert galaxy with inner structure as an example. In this thesis, we present CO(3-2) interferometric observations of the central region of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC1068 using the Submillimeter Array, together with CO(1-0) data taken with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory Millimeter Array. Both the CO(3-2) and CO(1-0) emission lines are mainly distributed within ~5 arcsec of the nucleus and along the spiral arms, but the intensity distributions show differences; the CO(3-2) map peaks in the nucleus, while the CO(1-0) emission is mainly located along the spiral arms. The CO(3-2)/CO(1-0) ratio is about 3.1 in the nucleus, which is four times as large as the average line ratio in the spiral arms, suggesting that the molecular gas there must be affected by the radiation arising from the AGN. On the other hand, the line ratios in the spiral arms vary over a wide range from 0.24 to 2.34 with a average value around 0.75, which is similar to the line ratios of star-formation regions, indicating that the molecular gas is affected by star formation. Besides, we see a tight correlation between CO(3-2)/(1-0) ratios in the spiral arms and star formation rate surface densities derived from Spitzer 8 micron dust flux densities. We also compare the CO(3-2)/(1-0) ratio and the star formation rate at different positions within the spiral arms; both are found to decrease as the radius from the nucleus increases.

The evolution of structural and chemical heterogeneity during rapid solidification at gas atomization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golod, V. M.; Sufiiarov, V. Sh

2017-04-01

Gas atomization is a high-performance process for manufacturing superfine metal powders. Formation of the powder particles takes place primarily through the fragmentation of alloy melt flow with high-pressure inert gas, which leads to the formation of non-uniform sized micron-scale particles and subsequent their rapid solidification due to heat exchange with gas environment. The article presents results of computer modeling of crystallization process, simulation and experimental studies of the cellular-dendrite structure formation and microsegregation in different size particles. It presents results of adaptation of the approach for local nonequilibrium solidification to conditions of crystallization at gas atomization, detected border values of the particle size at which it is possible a manifestation of diffusionless crystallization.

Understanding phylogenies in biology: the influence of a Gestalt Perceptual Principle.

PubMed

Novick, Laura R; Catley, Kefyn M

2007-12-01

Cladograms, hierarchical diagrams depicting evolutionary histories among (groups of) species, are commonly drawn in 2 informationally equivalent formats--tree and ladder. The authors hypothesize that these formats are not computationally equivalent because the Gestalt principle of good continuation obscures the hierarchical structure of ladders. Experimental results confirmed that university students (N = 44) prefer to subdivide ladders in accordance with good continuation rather than with the underlying hierarchical structure. Two subsequent experiments (N = 164) investigated cladogram understanding by examining students' ability to translate between formats (e.g., from tree to ladder). As predicted, students had greater difficulty understanding ladders than trees. This effect was larger for students with weaker backgrounds in biology. These results have important implications for evolution education reform.

Report on the Workshop Herbig Ae/Be Stars: The Missing Link in Star Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Wit, W.-J.; Oudmaijer, R. D.; van den Ancker, M. E.; Calvet, N.

2014-09-01

The workshop highlighted the many recent advances within the field of Herbig Ae/Be stars and the close links to star and planet formation. Topics such as magnetospheric accretion and the evolution of dust in discs, the structure of circumstellar discs and the role of walls and gaps and their links to planet formation from many observational aspects were covered. The workshop was dedicated to the life and works of George H. Herbig, who sadly passed away at the end of last year.

Galactic cold cores. VII. Filament formation and evolution: Methods and observational constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera-Ingraham, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Juvela, M.; Montillaud, J.; Men'shchikov, A.; Malinen, J.; Pelkonen, V.-M.; Marston, A.; Martin, P. G.; Pagani, L.; Paladini, R.; Paradis, D.; Ysard, N.; Ward-Thompson, D.; Bernard, J.-P.; Marshall, D. J.; Montier, L.; Tóth, L. V.

2016-06-01

Context. The association of filaments with protostellar objects has made these structures a priority target in star formation studies. However, little is known about the link between filament properties and their local environment. Aims: The datasets from the Herschel Galactic Cold cores key programme allow for a statistical study of filaments with a wide range of intrinsic and environmental characteristics. Characterisation of this sample can therefore be used to identify key physical parameters and quantify the role of the environment in the formation of supercritical filaments. These results are necessary to constrain theoretical models of filament formation and evolution. Methods: Filaments were extracted from fields at distance D< 500 pc with the getfilaments algorithm and characterised according to their column density profiles and intrinsic properties. Each profile was fitted with a beam-convolved Plummer-like function, and the filament structure was quantified based on the relative contributions from the filament "core", represented by a Gaussian, and "wing" component, dominated by the power-law behaviour of the Plummer-like function. These filament parameters were examined for populations associated with different background levels. Results: Filaments increase their core (Mline,core) and wing (Mline,wing) contributions while increasing their total linear mass density (Mline,tot). Both components appear to be linked to the local environment, with filaments in higher backgrounds having systematically more massive Mline,core and Mline,wing. This dependence on the environment supports an accretion-based model of filament evolution in the local neighbourhood (D ≤ 500 pc). Structures located in the highest backgrounds develop the highest central AV, Mline,core, and Mline,wing as Mline,tot increases with time, favoured by the local availability of material and the enhanced gravitational potential. Our results indicate that filaments acquiring a significantly massive central region with Mline,core≳Mcrit/2 may become supercritical and form stars. This translates into a need for filaments to become at least moderately self-gravitating to undergo localised star formation or become star-forming filaments. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

Creating Prebiotic Sanctuary: Self-Assembling Supramolecular Peptide Structures Bind and Stabilize RNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carny, Ohad; Gazit, Ehud

2011-04-01

Any attempt to uncover the origins of life must tackle the known `blind watchmaker problem'. That is to demonstrate the likelihood of the emergence of a prebiotic system simple enough to be formed spontaneously and yet complex enough to allow natural selection that will lead to Darwinistic evolution. Studies of short aromatic peptides revealed their ability to self-assemble into ordered and stable structures. The unique physical and chemical characteristics of these peptide assemblies point out to their possible role in the origins of life. We have explored mechanisms by which self-assembling short peptides and RNA fragments could interact together and go through a molecular co-evolution, using diphenylalanine supramolecular assemblies as a model system. The spontaneous formation of these self-assembling peptides under prebiotic conditions, through the salt-induced peptide formation (SIPF) pathway was demonstrated. These peptide assemblies possess the ability to bind and stabilize ribonucleotides in a sequence-depended manner, thus increase their relative fitness. The formation of these peptide assemblies is dependent on the homochirality of the peptide monomers: while homochiral peptides (L-Phe-L-Phe and D-Phe-D-Phe) self-assemble rapidly in aqueous environment, heterochiral diastereoisomers (L-Phe-D-Phe and D-Phe-L-Phe) do not tend to self-assemble. This characteristic consists with the homochirality of all living matter. Finally, based on these findings, we propose a model for the role of short self-assembling peptides in the prebiotic molecular evolution and the origin of life.

Creating prebiotic sanctuary: self-assembling supramolecular Peptide structures bind and stabilize RNA.

PubMed

Carny, Ohad; Gazit, Ehud

2011-04-01

Any attempt to uncover the origins of life must tackle the known 'blind watchmaker problem'. That is to demonstrate the likelihood of the emergence of a prebiotic system simple enough to be formed spontaneously and yet complex enough to allow natural selection that will lead to Darwinistic evolution. Studies of short aromatic peptides revealed their ability to self-assemble into ordered and stable structures. The unique physical and chemical characteristics of these peptide assemblies point out to their possible role in the origins of life. We have explored mechanisms by which self-assembling short peptides and RNA fragments could interact together and go through a molecular co-evolution, using diphenylalanine supramolecular assemblies as a model system. The spontaneous formation of these self-assembling peptides under prebiotic conditions, through the salt-induced peptide formation (SIPF) pathway was demonstrated. These peptide assemblies possess the ability to bind and stabilize ribonucleotides in a sequence-depended manner, thus increase their relative fitness. The formation of these peptide assemblies is dependent on the homochirality of the peptide monomers: while homochiral peptides (L-Phe-L-Phe and D-Phe-D-Phe) self-assemble rapidly in aqueous environment, heterochiral diastereoisomers (L-Phe-D-Phe and D-Phe-L-Phe) do not tend to self-assemble. This characteristic consists with the homochirality of all living matter. Finally, based on these findings, we propose a model for the role of short self-assembling peptides in the prebiotic molecular evolution and the origin of life.

Chemical Evolution and History of Star Formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gustafsson, Bengt

1995-07-01

Large scale processes controlling star formation and nucleosynthesis are fundamental but poorly understood. This is especially true for external galaxies. A detailed study of individual main sequence stars in the LMC Bar is proposed. The LMC is close enough to allow this, has considerable spread in stellar ages and a structure permitting identification of stellar populations and their structural features. The Bar presumably plays a dominant role in the chemical and dynamical evolution of the galaxy. Our knowledge is, at best, based on educated guesses. Still, the major population of the Bar is quite old, and many member stars are relatively evolved. The Bar seems to contain stars similar to those of Intermediate to Extreme Pop II in the Galaxy. We want to study the history of star formation, chemical evolution and initial mass function of the population dominating the Bar. We will use field stars close to the turn off point in the HR diagram. From earlier studies, we know that 250-500 such stars are available for uvby photometry in the PC field. We aim at an accuracy of 0.1 -0.2 dex in Me/H and 25% or better in relative ages. This requires an accuracy of about 0.02 mag in the uvby indices, which can be reached, taking into account errors in calibration, flat fielding, guiding and problems due to crowding. For a study of the luminosity function fainter stars will be included as well. Calibration fields are available in Omega Cen and M 67.

Microstructural Evolution of Ni-Sn Transient Liquid Phase Sintering Bond during High-Temperature Aging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Hongliang; Huang, Jihua; Peng, Xianwen; Lv, Zhiwei; Wang, Yue; Yang, Jian; Chen, Shuhai; Zhao, Xingke

2018-05-01

For high-temperature-resistant packaging of new generation power chip, a chip packaging simulation structure of Ni/Ni-Sn/Ni was bonded by a transient liquid-phase sintering process. High-temperature aging experiments were carried out to investigate joint heat stability. The microstructural evolution and mechanism during aging, and mechanical properties after aging were analyzed. The results show that the 30Ni-70Sn bonding layer as-bonded at 340°C for 240 min is mainly composed of Ni3Sn4 and residual Ni particles. When aged at 350°C, because of the difficulty of nucleation for Ni3Sn and quite slow growth of Ni3Sn2, the bonding layer is stable and the strength of that doesn't change obviously with aging time. When aging temperature increased to 500°C, however, the residual Ni particles were gradually dissolved and the bonding layer formed a stable structure with dominated Ni3Sn2 after 36 h. Meanwhile, due to the volume shrinkage (4.43%) from Ni3Sn2 formation, a number of voids were formed. The shear strength shows an increase, resulting from Ni3Sn2 formation, but then it decreases slightly caused by voids. After aging at 500°C for 100 h, shear strength is still maintained at 29.6 MPa. In addition, the mechanism of void formation was analyzed and microstructural evolution model was also established.

THE ROLE OF THE INNER CORONAL NULL POINT IN THE FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF SOLAR QUIESCENT PROMINENCES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Y. Z., E-mail: yzzhangmail@sohu.com

2015-02-10

Using a 2.5-dimensional MHD simulation, we investigate the role played by the inner coronal null point in the formation and evolution of solar quiescent prominences. The flux rope is characterized by its magnetic fluxes, the toroidal magnetic flux Φ {sub p} and the poloidal flux Φ{sub ψ}. It is found that for a given Φ {sub p}, the catastrophe does not occur in the flux rope system until Φ{sub ψ} increases to a critical point. Moreover, the magnetic flux of the null point is the maximum value of the magnetic flux in the quadrupole background magnetic field, and represented bymore » ψ {sub N}. The results show that the bigger ψ {sub N} usually corresponds to the smaller catastrophic point, the lower magnetic energy of the flux rope system, and the lesser magnetic energy inside the flux rope. Our results confirm that catastrophic disruption of the prominence occurs more easily when there is a bigger ψ {sub N}. However, ψ {sub N} has little influence on the maximum speed of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with an erupted prominence. Thus we argue that a topological configuration with the inner coronal null point is a necessary structure for the formation and evolution of solar quiescent prominences. In conclusion, it is easier for the prominences to form and to erupt as a core part of the CMEs in the magnetic structure with a greater ψ {sub N}.« less

Xenia: A Probe of Cosmic Chemical Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kouveliotou, Chryssa; Piro, L.

2008-01-01

Xenia is a concept study for a medium-size astrophysical cosmology mission addressing the Cosmic Origins key objective of NASA's Science Plan. The fundamental goal of this objective is to understand the formation and evolution of structures on various scales from the early Universe to the present time (stars, galaxies and the cosmic web). Xenia will use X-and y-ray monitoring and wide field X-ray imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy to collect essential information from three major tracers of these cosmic structures: the Warm Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM), Galaxy Clusters and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Our goal is to trace the chemo-dynamical history of the ubiquitous warm hot diffuse baryon component in the Universe residing in cosmic filaments and clusters of galaxies up to its formation epoch (at z =0-2) and to map star formation and galaxy metal enrichment into the re-ionization era beyond z 6. The concept of Xenia (Greek for "hospitality") evolved in parallel with the Explorer of Diffuse Emission and GRB Explosions (EDGE), a mission proposed by a multinational collaboration to the ESA Cosmic Vision 2015. Xenia incorporates the European and Japanese collaborators into a U.S. led mission that builds on the scientific objectives and technological readiness of EDGE.

Xenia: A Probe of Cosmic Chemical Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouveliotou, Chryssa; Piro, L.; Xenia Collaboration

2008-03-01

Xenia is a concept study for a medium-size astrophysical cosmology mission addressing the Cosmic Origins key objective of NASA's Science Plan. The fundamental goal of this objective is to understand the formation and evolution of structures on various scales from the early Universe to the present time (stars, galaxies and the cosmic web). Xenia will use X-and γ-ray monitoring and wide field X-ray imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy to collect essential information from three major tracers of these cosmic structures: the Warm Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM), Galaxy Clusters and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Our goal is to trace the chemo-dynamical history of the ubiquitous warm hot diffuse baryon component in the Universe residing in cosmic filaments and clusters of galaxies up to its formation epoch (at z =0-2) and to map star formation and galaxy metal enrichment into the re-ionization era beyond z 6. The concept of Xenia (Greek for "hospitality") evolved in parallel with the Explorer of Diffuse Emission and GRB Explosions (EDGE), a mission proposed by a multinational collaboration to the ESA Cosmic Vision 2015. Xenia incorporates the European and Japanese collaborators into a U.S. led mission that builds on the scientific objectives and technological readiness of EDGE.

Structural Changes in PEO-PPO-PEO Gels Induced by Methylparaben and Dexamethasone Observed Using Time-Resolved SAXS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meznarich, Norman A.K.; Juggernauth, K Anne; Batzli, Kiersten M

2011-11-17

Aqueous solutions of polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymers (commercially available as Pluronic surfactants) micellize and structurally arrange into cubic quasicrystalline lattices as their temperature is raised. This structural evolution is seen macroscopically as a gelation, and the presence of these ordered phases can be controlled through both polymer concentration and temperature. The presence of added solutes within the dispersions can also affect the onset and kinetics of structure formation. Here we investigate the structures formed in Pluronic F127 solutions ranging from 20 to 30% with two pharmaceutical additives [methylparaben (MP) and dexamethasone (DX)] using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We observe bothmore » the progressive evolution and breakdown of these structures as the temperature is increased from 0 to 80 °C. Additionally, we conducted time-resolved SAXS measurements to elucidate the kinetics of the structural evolution. On the basis of the evolution of scattering peaks as the samples were being heated, we suggest that added MP changes the nucleation behavior of fcc phases within the sample from a heterogeneous process to a more homogeneous distribution of nucleated species. MP and DX also stabilize the micelle lattices, allowing them to persevere at higher temperatures. We observed the unusual result that the presence of DX caused the primary peaks of the structure factor to be suppressed, while preserving the higher order peaks. The primary peaks reappeared at the highest temperatures tested.« less

Intermediate states and structure evolution in the free-falling process of the dislocation in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shaofeng; Yao, Yin; Bai, Jianhui; Wang, Rui

2017-04-01

This paper investigated the intermediate states and the structure evolution of the dislocation in graphene when it falls freely from the saddle point of the energy landscape. The O-type dislocation, an unstable equilibrium structure located at the saddle point, is obtained from the lattice theory of the dislocation structure and improved by the ab initio calculation to take the buckling into account. Intermediate states along the kinetics path in the falling process are obtained from the ab initio simulation. Once the dislocation falls from the saddle point to the energy valley, this O-type dislocation transforms into the stable structure that is referred to as the B-type dislocation, and in the meantime, it moves a distance that equals half a Burgers vector. The structure evolution and the energy variation in the free-falling process are revealed explicitly. It is observed that rather than smooth change, a platform manifests itself in the energy curve. The unusual behaviour in the energy curve is mainly originated from symmetry breaking and bond formation in the dislocation core. The results can provide deep insight in the mechanism of the brittle feature of covalent materials.

A review: applications of the phase field method in predicting microstructure and property evolution of irradiated nuclear materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Yulan; Hu, Shenyang; Sun, Xin

Here, complex microstructure changes occur in nuclear fuel and structural materials due to the extreme environments of intense irradiation and high temperature. This paper evaluates the role of the phase field method in predicting the microstructure evolution of irradiated nuclear materials and the impact on their mechanical, thermal, and magnetic properties. The paper starts with an overview of the important physical mechanisms of defect evolution and the significant gaps in simulating microstructure evolution in irradiated nuclear materials. Then, the phase field method is introduced as a powerful and predictive tool and its applications to microstructure and property evolution in irradiatedmore » nuclear materials are reviewed. The review shows that (1) Phase field models can correctly describe important phenomena such as spatial-dependent generation, migration, and recombination of defects, radiation-induced dissolution, the Soret effect, strong interfacial energy anisotropy, and elastic interaction; (2) The phase field method can qualitatively and quantitatively simulate two-dimensional and three-dimensional microstructure evolution, including radiation-induced segregation, second phase nucleation, void migration, void and gas bubble superlattice formation, interstitial loop evolution, hydrate formation, and grain growth, and (3) The Phase field method correctly predicts the relationships between microstructures and properties. The final section is dedicated to a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the phase field method, as applied to irradiation effects in nuclear materials.« less

A review: applications of the phase field method in predicting microstructure and property evolution of irradiated nuclear materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Yulan; Hu, Shenyang; Sun, Xin

Complex microstructure changes occur in nuclear fuel and structural materials due to the extreme environments of intense irradiation and high temperature. This paper evaluates the role of the phase field (PF) method in predicting the microstructure evolution of irradiated nuclear materials and the impact on their mechanical, thermal, and magnetic properties. The paper starts with an overview of the important physical mechanisms of defect evolution and the significant gaps in simulating microstructure evolution in irradiated nuclear materials. Then, the PF method is introduced as a powerful and predictive tool and its applications to microstructure and property evolution in irradiated nuclearmore » materials are reviewed. The review shows that 1) FP models can correctly describe important phenomena such as spatial dependent generation, migration, and recombination of defects, radiation-induced dissolution, the Soret effect, strong interfacial energy anisotropy, and elastic interaction; 2) The PF method can qualitatively and quantitatively simulate 2-D and 3-D microstructure evolution, including radiation-induced segregation, second phase nucleation, void migration, void and gas bubble superlattice formation, interstitial loop evolution, hydrate formation, and grain growth, and 3) The FP method correctly predicts the relationships between microstructures and properties. The final section is dedicated to a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the PF method, as applied to irradiation effects in nuclear materials.« less

A review: applications of the phase field method in predicting microstructure and property evolution of irradiated nuclear materials

DOE PAGES

Li, Yulan; Hu, Shenyang; Sun, Xin; ...

2017-04-14

Here, complex microstructure changes occur in nuclear fuel and structural materials due to the extreme environments of intense irradiation and high temperature. This paper evaluates the role of the phase field method in predicting the microstructure evolution of irradiated nuclear materials and the impact on their mechanical, thermal, and magnetic properties. The paper starts with an overview of the important physical mechanisms of defect evolution and the significant gaps in simulating microstructure evolution in irradiated nuclear materials. Then, the phase field method is introduced as a powerful and predictive tool and its applications to microstructure and property evolution in irradiatedmore » nuclear materials are reviewed. The review shows that (1) Phase field models can correctly describe important phenomena such as spatial-dependent generation, migration, and recombination of defects, radiation-induced dissolution, the Soret effect, strong interfacial energy anisotropy, and elastic interaction; (2) The phase field method can qualitatively and quantitatively simulate two-dimensional and three-dimensional microstructure evolution, including radiation-induced segregation, second phase nucleation, void migration, void and gas bubble superlattice formation, interstitial loop evolution, hydrate formation, and grain growth, and (3) The Phase field method correctly predicts the relationships between microstructures and properties. The final section is dedicated to a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the phase field method, as applied to irradiation effects in nuclear materials.« less

Investigating the Environmental Properties of Galaxies in the SDSS-MaNGA Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spindler, Ashley

2018-05-01

This thesis presents a study of galaxy evolution in the local universe. I study how environments shape the structures of galaxies, and how internal and external processes affect star formation. I perform four investigations of galaxy properties: a study of the relations between size, mass and velocity dispersion of 124,524 galaxies from SDSS DR7; I estimate star formation rates using Hα and Dn4000 for galaxies in the MaNGA survey; a study of the spatial distribution of star formation in 1494 MaNGA galaxies; and finally, a study of 215 barred and 402 unbarred galaxies, to investigate how bars affect star formation. I find that environment plays a key role in the evolution of galaxies, both structurally and in terms of their star formation. Using core velocity dispersion to study the effects of minor mergers and tidal/ram pressure stripping, I find that central galaxies are up to 30% larger and more massive than satellites. I suggest that minor mergers play a crucial role in the increase in size and mass of centrals. In addition, I find that satellites have a uniform radial suppression of star formation, compared to centrals, which may be due to the strangulation of their cold gas supplies. I study the internal processes that affect star formation and find that specific star formation rate is suppressed at all radii for high mass galaxies. Massive galaxies are more likely to have suppressed star formation in their cores, which I determined is caused by a combination of morphological quenching and AGN feedback. Finally, I study the role of galaxy bars in regulating the circumnuclear and disk star formation in late-type galaxies. I find that barred galaxies have lower star formation in their disks than unbarred galaxies, and that they are more likely to have enhanced star formation in their cores.

Bacteria-directed construction of hollow TiO2 micro/nanostructures with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity.

PubMed

Zhou, Han; Fan, Tongxiang; Ding, Jian; Zhang, Di; Guo, Qixin

2012-03-12

A general method has been developed for the synthesis of various hollow TiO2 micro/nanostructures with bacteria as templates to further study the structural effect on photocatalytic hydrogen evolution properties. TiO2 hollow spheres and hollow tubes, served as prototypes, are obtained via a surface sol-gel process using cocci and bacillus as biotemplates, respectively. The formation mechanisms are based on absorption of metal-alkoxide molecules from solution onto functional cell wall surfaces and subsequent hydrolysis to give nanometer-thick oxide layers. The UV-Vis absorption spectrum shows that the porous TiO2 hollow spheres have enhanced light harvesting property compared with the corresponding solid counterpart. This could be attributed to their unique hollow porous micro/nanostructures with microsized hollow cavities and nanovoids which could bring about multiple scattering and rayleigh scattering of light, respectively. The hollow TiO2 structures exhibit superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activities under UV and visible light irradiation in the presence of sacrificial reagents. The hydrogen evolution rate of hollow structures is about 3.6 times higher than the solid counterpart and 1.5 times higher than P25-TiO2. This work demonstrates the structural effect on enhancing the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance which would pave a new pathway to tailor and improve catalytic properties over a broad range.

Interaction of N-vortex structures in a continuum, including atmosphere, hydrosphere and plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belashov, Vasily Yu.

2017-10-01

The results of analysis and numerical simulation of evolution and interaction of the N-vortex structures of various configuration and different vorticities in the continuum including atmosphere, hydrosphere and plasma are presented. It is found that in dependence on initial conditions the regimes of weak interaction with quasi-stationary evolution and active interaction with the "phase intermixing", when the evolution can lead to formation of complex forms of vorticity regions, are realized in the N-vortex systems. For the 2-vortex interaction the generalized critical parameter determining qualitative character of interaction of vortices is introduced. It is shown that for given initial conditions its value divides modes of active interaction and quasi-stationary evolution. The results of simulation of evolution and interaction of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional vortex structures, including such phenomena as dynamics of the atmospheric synoptic vortices of cyclonic types and tornado, hydrodynamic 4-vortex interaction and also interaction in the systems of a type of "hydrodynamic vortex - dust particles" are presented. The applications of undertaken approach to the problems of such plasma systems as streams of charged particles in a uniform magnetic field B and plasma clouds in the ionosphere are considered. It is shown that the results obtained have obvious applications in studies of the dynamics of the vortex structures dynamics in atmosphere, hydrosphere and plasma.

Monocrystalline platinum-nickel branched nanocages with enhanced catalytic performance towards the hydrogen evolution reaction.

PubMed

Cao, Zhenming; Li, Huiqi; Zhan, Chenyang; Zhang, Jiawei; Wang, Wei; Xu, Binbin; Lu, Fa; Jiang, Yaqi; Xie, Zhaoxiong; Zheng, Lansun

2018-03-15

Single crystalline noble metal nanocages are the most promising candidates for heterogeneous catalysis due to their large specific surface area, well-defined structure and enhanced structural stability. Herein, based on the observation of an unexpected phenomenon that the alloying of Pt and transition metals by co-reduction is more preferential than the formation of pure Pt NCs, we propose a feasible one-pot strategy to synthesize a uniformly epitaxial core-shell Pt-Ni structure with a Ni-rich alloy as the core and a Pt-rich alloy as the shell. The as-prepared Pt-Ni core-shell structures are subsequently etched into monocrystalline Pt-Ni branched nanocages with the wall thickness being 2.8 nm. This unique structure exhibits excellent catalytic performance and stability for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solution which is of great significance for the energy-intensive water-alkali and chlor-alkali industry.

Formation and evolution of anodic TiO2 nanotube embryos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Rong; Liao, Maoying; Lin, Tong; Zhang, Shaoyu; Shen, Xiaoping; Song, Ye; Zhu, Xufei

2017-06-01

Anodic TiO2 nanotubes (ATNTs) have been widely investigated for decades due to their interesting nanostructures and various applications. However, the formation mechanism of ATNTs still remains unclear. To date, most of researches focus on the tubular structure but neglect the formation process of initial nanotube embryos. Herein, polyethylene glycol (PEG) is added into the traditional electrolyte to moderate the transformation process from compact layer to porous layer. Based on ‘oxygen bubble mould’ and ‘plastic flow model’ theory, the formation and evolution process of nanotube embryo is clarified firstly. Results validate the effect of ‘oxygen bubble mould’ on the formation of nanotube embryo, which has a great effect on regulating the morphology of ATNT arrays. Besides, nanotubes prepared in electrolytes with PEG show shorter tube length with larger diameter than that prepared in traditional electrolytes. The addition of PEG can also effectively avoid the breakdown phenomenon. Highlights Transformation from compact layer into porous layer is observed in PEG electrolyte. The effect of oxygen bubble mould is first demonstrated and observed. The formation process of TiO2 nanotube embryo is described systematically. TiO2 nanotubes prepared in PEG electrolyte show short length and large diameter.

STAR FORMATION IN DISK GALAXIES. III. DOES STELLAR FEEDBACK RESULT IN CLOUD DEATH?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tasker, Elizabeth J.; Wadsley, James; Pudritz, Ralph

2015-03-01

Stellar feedback, star formation, and gravitational interactions are major controlling forces in the evolution of giant molecular clouds (GMCs). To explore their relative roles, we examine the properties and evolution of GMCs forming in an isolated galactic disk simulation that includes both localized thermal feedback and photoelectric heating. The results are compared with the three previous simulations in this series, which consists of a model with no star formation, star formation but no form of feedback, and star formation with photoelectric heating in a set with steadily increasing physical effects. We find that the addition of localized thermal feedback greatlymore » suppresses star formation but does not destroy the surrounding GMC, giving cloud properties closely resembling the run in which no stellar physics is included. The outflows from the feedback reduce the mass of the cloud but do not destroy it, allowing the cloud to survive its stellar children. This suggests that weak thermal feedback such as the lower bound expected for a supernova may play a relatively minor role in the galactic structure of quiescent Milky-Way-type galaxies, compared to gravitational interactions and disk shear.« less

Co-evolution of payoff strategy and interaction strategy in prisoner's dilemma game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Kangjie; Cheng, Hongyan

2016-11-01

Co-evolutionary dynamical models, providing a realistic paradigm for investigating complex system, have been extensively studied. In this paper, the co-evolution of payoff strategy and interaction strategy is studied. Starting with an initial Gaussian distribution of payoff strategy r with the mean u and the variance q, we focus on the final distribution of the payoff strategy. We find that final distribution of the payoff strategy may display different structures depending on parameters. In the ranges u < - 1 and u > 3, the distribution displays a single-peak structure which is symmetric about r = u. The distribution manifests itself as a double-peak structure in the range - 1 < u < 3 although a fake three-peak structure shows up in range 1 < u < 2. The explanations on the formation of different types of payoff strategy distributions are presented.

Dust evolution, a global view I. Nanoparticles, nascence, nitrogen and natural selection … joining the dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, A. P.

2016-12-01

The role and importance of nanoparticles for interstellar chemistry and beyond is explored within the framework of The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids (THEMIS), focusing on their active surface chemistry, the effects of nitrogen doping and the natural selection of interesting nanoparticle sub-structures. Nanoparticle-driven chemistry, and in particular the role of intrinsic epoxide-type structures, could provide a viable route to the observed gas phase OH in tenuous interstellar clouds en route to becoming molecular clouds. The aromatic-rich moieties present in asphaltenes probably provide a viable model for the structures present within aromatic-rich interstellar carbonaceous grains. The observed doping of such nanoparticle structures with nitrogen, if also prevalent in interstellar dust, could perhaps have important and observable consequences for surface chemistry and the formation of precursor pre-biotic species.

Structural Evolution of Q-Carbon and Nanodiamonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Siddharth; Bhaumik, Anagh; Sachan, Ritesh; Narayan, Jagdish

2018-04-01

This article provides insights pertaining to the first-order phase transformation involved in the growth of densely packed Q-carbon and nanodiamonds by nanosecond laser melting and quenching of diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films. DLC films with different sp 3 content were melted rapidly in a controlled way in super-undercooled state and quenched, leading to formation of distinct nanostructures, i.e., nanodiamonds, Q-carbon, and Q-carbon nanocomposites. This analysis provides direct evidence of the dependence of the super-undercooling on the structural evolution of Q-carbon. Finite element heat flow calculations showed that the super-undercooling varies monotonically with the sp 3 content. The phenomenon of solid-liquid interfacial instability during directional solidification from the melt state is studied in detail. The resulting lateral segregation leads to formation of cellular filamentary Q-carbon nanostructures. The dependence of the cell size and wavelength at the onset of instability on the sp 3 content of DLC thin films was modeled based on perturbation theory.

The microstructural evolution, crystallography, and thermal processing of ultrahigh carbon Fe-1.85 pct C melt-spun ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spanos, G.; Ayers, J. D.; Vold, C. L.; Locci, I. E.

1993-01-01

A study is presented to determine if fine microstructures could be achieved using rapid solidification to produce a fine-grained fully austenitic starting structure and then using thermal processing cycles to produce an even finer ferrite-cementite structure. The evolution, mechanisms of grain refinement, and crystallography of the resultant microstructures were examined by TEM. A thermal processing cycle consisted of quenching the ribbon in liquid nitrogen, tempering at 600 C for 10 sec, 'upquenching' to 750 C for 10 sec, and subsequently quenching again in liquid nitrogen. The heat-treatment resulted in martensite grains with sizes of about 1 micron or less in both length and thickness and cementite particles of 0.4 micron or less. It is concluded that these microstructures could be used for producing fine-grained ultrahigh carbon steels of very high strength without the brittleness associated with the formation of coarse carbide particles of the loss of strength due to graphite formation.

A non-ideal MHD model for structure formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karmakar, Pralay Kumar; Sarma, Pankaj

2018-02-01

The evolutionary initiation dynamics of triggered planetary structure formation is indeed a complex process yet to be well understood. We herein develop a theoretical classical model to see the gravitational fragmentation kinetics of the viscoelastic non-ideal magneto-hydro-dynamic (MHD) fabric. The inhomogeneous planetary disk is primarily composed of heavier dust grains (strongly correlated) together with relatively lighter electrons, ions and neutrals (weakly correlated) in a mean-fluidic approximation. A normal harmonic mode analysis results in a quadratic dispersion relation of a unique shape. It is demonstrated that the growth rate of the MHD fluctuations (magnetosonic) contributing to the planet formation rate, apart from the wave vector and its projection orientation, has a pure explicit dependency on the viscoelastic parameters. The analysis specifically shows that the effective generalized viscosity (χ) , viscoelastic relaxation time (τm) , and K-orientation (θ) play as destabilizing agencies against the non-local gravitational disk collapse. The relevancy is briefly indicated in the real astronomical context of bounded planetary structure formation and evolution.

Genetic control of enzyme formation. Final technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mills, S. E.

1978-07-26

Research progress is reported on work on tryptophan biosynthesis in Euglena gracilis and higher plants. The experimental data provide an outline of the general evolution of the pathway. Structural analyses of the pathway proteins by quantitative immunochemical methods have been completed; this was done with the anthranilate synthase-1 phosphoribosyl transferase complex in Escherichia coli. An examination of the evolution, in the Enterobacteriaceae, of the enzyme activities anthranilate synthase and anthranilate-5-1 phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase has been begun. (ACR)

Simple mechanisms of early life - simulation model on the origin of semi-cells.

PubMed

Klein, Adrian; Bock, Martin; Alt, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

The development of first cellular structures played an important role in the early evolution of life. Early evolution of life probably took place on a molecular level in a reactive environment. The iron-sulfur theory postulates the formation of cell-like structures on catalytic surfaces. Experiments show that H 2 S together with FeS and other metallic centers drive auto-catalytic surface reactions, in which organic molecules such as pyruvic and amino acids occur. It is questionable which mechanisms are needed to form cell-like structures under these conditions. To address this question, we implemented a model system featuring the fundamentals of molecular dynamics: heat, attraction, repulsion and formation of covalent bonds. Our basic model exhibits a series of essential processes: self-organization of lipid micelles and bilayers, formation of fluid filled cavities, flux of molecules along membranes, transport of energized groups towards sinks and whole colonies of cell-like structures on a larger scale. The results demonstrate that only a few features are sufficient for discovering hitherto non described phenomena of self-assembly and dynamics of cell-like structures as candidates for early evolving proto-cells. Significance statement The quest for a possible origin of life continues to be one of the most fascinating problems in biology. In one theoretical scenario, early life originated from a solution of reactive chemicals in the ancient deep sea, similar to conditions as to be found in thermal vents. Experiments have shown that a variety of organic molecules, the building blocks of life, form under these conditions. Based on such experiments, the iron-sulfur theory postulates the growth of cell-like structures at certain catalytic surfaces. For an explanation and proof of such a process we have developed a computer model simulating molecular assembly of lipid bilayers and formation of semi-cell cavities. The results demonstrate the possibility of cell-like self-organization under appropriate physico-chemical conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Jupiter's evolution with primordial composition gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vazan, Allona; Helled, Ravit; Guillot, Tristan

2018-02-01

Recent formation and structure models of Jupiter suggest that the planet can have composition gradients and not be fully convective (adiabatic). This possibility directly affects our understanding of Jupiter's bulk composition and origin. In this Letter we present Jupiter's evolution with a primordial structure consisting of a relatively steep heavy-element gradient of 40 M⊕. We show that for a primordial structure with composition gradients, most of the mixing occurs in the outer part of the gradient during the early evolution (several 107 yr), leading to an adiabatic outer envelope (60% of Jupiter's mass). We find that the composition gradient in the deep interior persists, suggesting that 40% of Jupiter's mass can be non-adiabatic with a higher temperature than the one derived from Jupiter's atmospheric properties. The region that can potentially develop layered convection in Jupiter today is estimated to be limited to 10% of the mass. Movies associated to Figs. 1-3 are available at http://https://www.aanda.org

The effect of plate motion history on the longevity of deep mantle heterogeneities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bull, Abigail L.; Domeier, Mathew; Torsvik, Trond H.

2014-09-01

Understanding the first-order dynamical structure and evolution of Earth's mantle is a fundamental goal in solid-earth geophysics. Tomographic observations reveal a lower mantle characterised by higher-than-average shear-wave speeds beneath Asia and encircling the Pacific, consistent with cold slabs beneath regions of ancient subduction, and lower-than-average shear-wave speeds in broad regional areas beneath Africa and the Central Pacific (termed LLSVPs). The LLSVPs are not well understood from a dynamical perspective and their origin and evolution remain enigmatic. Some numerical studies propose that the LLSVP beneath Africa is post-Pangean in origin, formed as a result of return flow in the mantle due to circum-Pangean subduction, countered by an older Pacific LLSVP, suggested to have formed during the break up of Rodinia. This propounds that, prior to the formation of Pangea, the lower mantle was dominated by a degree-1 convection pattern with a major upwelling centred close to the present-day Pacific LLSVP and subduction concentrated mainly in the antipodal hemisphere. In contrast, palaeomagnetic observations which proffer a link between the reconstructed eruption sites of Phanerozoic kimberlites and Large Igneous Provinces with regions on the margins of the present-day LLSVPs suggest that the anomalies may have remained stationary for at least the last 540 Myr and further that the anomalies were largely insensitive to the formation and subsequent break-up of Pangea. Here we investigate the evolution and long-term stability of LLSVP-like structures in Earth's mantle by integrating plate tectonics and numerical models of global thermochemical mantle dynamics. We explore the possibility that either one or both LLSVPs existed prior to the formation of Pangea and improve upon previous studies by using a new, true polar wander-corrected global plate model to impose surface velocity boundary conditions for a time interval that spans the amalgamation and subsequent break-up of the supercontinent. We find that, were only the Pacific LLSVP to exist prior to the formation of Pangea, the African LLSVP would not have been created within the lifetime of the supercontinent. We also find that, were the mantle to be dominated by two antipodal LLSVP-like structures prior to the formation of Pangea, the structures would remain relatively unchanged to the present day and would be insensitive to the formation and break-up of the supercontinent. Our results suggest that both the African and Pacific LLSVPs have remained close to their present-day positions for at least the past 410 Myr.

Model of carbon nanofiber internal structure formation and instability of catalytic growth interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merkulov, I. A.; Merkulov, V. I.; Melechko, A. V.; Klein, K. L.; Lowndes, D. H.; Simpson, M. L.

2007-07-01

It is well known that the internal structure determines the properties of carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers. However, a fundamental understanding of the processes that drive structure formation is missing, hindering the development of controlled synthesis strategies. Here we use theoretical calculations to explore the time evolution of the shape of the interface between the catalyst nanoparticle and its associated graphitic nanofiber at the initial stages of growth. This phenomenological description of the behavior of the catalyst nanoparticle-graphite interface constructed with model parameters provides new understanding of the mechanisms that control the internal structure of carbon nanofibers. We show that if the magnitude of the interface curvature exceeds a critical value κcrit , the interface loses stability and a cavity forms in the center of the nanofiber.

Measurement of turbulence decorrelation during transport barrier evolution in a high-temperature fusion plasma.

PubMed

Nazikian, R; Shinohara, K; Kramer, G J; Valeo, E; Hill, K; Hahm, T S; Rewoldt, G; Ide, S; Koide, Y; Oyama, Y; Shirai, H; Tang, W

2005-04-08

A low power polychromatic beam of microwaves is used to diagnose the behavior of turbulent fluctuations in the core of the JT-60U tokamak during the evolution of the internal transport barrier. A continuous reduction in the size of turbulent structures is observed concomitant with the reduction of the density scale length during the evolution of the internal transport barrier. The density correlation length decreases to the order of the ion gyroradius, in contrast with the much longer scale lengths observed earlier in the discharge, while the density fluctuation level remain similar to the level before transport barrier formation.

Mapping the structural order of laser-induced periodic surface structures in thin polymer films by microfocus beam grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering.

PubMed

Martín-Fabiani, Ignacio; Rebollar, Esther; García-Gutiérrez, Mari Cruz; Rueda, Daniel R; Castillejo, Marta; Ezquerra, Tiberio A

2015-02-11

In this work we present an accurate mapping of the structural order of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) in spin-coated thin polymer films, via a microfocus beam grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (μGISAXS) scan, GISAXS modeling, and atomic force microscopy imaging all along the scanned area. This combined study has allowed the evaluation of the effects on LIPSS formation due to nonhomogeneous spatial distribution of the laser pulse energy, mapping with micrometric resolution the evolution of the period and degree of structural order of LIPSS across the laser beam diameter in a direction perpendicular to the polarization vector. The experiments presented go one step further toward controlling nanostructure formation in LIPSS through a deep understanding of the parameters that influence this process.

In Situ Formation of Carbon Nanotubes Encapsulated within Boron Nitride Nanotubes via Electron Irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arenal, Raul; Lopez-Bezanilla, Alejandro

2014-07-25

We report experimental evidence of the formation by in situ electron-irradiation of single-walled carbon nanotubes (C NT) confined within boron nitride nanotubes (BN-NT). The electron radiation stemming from the microscope supplies the energy required by the amorphous carbonaceous structures to crystallize in a tubular form in a catalyst free procedure, at room temperature and high vacuum. The structural defects resulting from the interaction of the shapeless carbon with the BN nanotube are corrected in a self-healing process throughout the crystallinization. Structural changes developed during the irradiation process such as defects formation and evolution, shrinkage, and shortness of the BN-NT weremore » in situ monitored. The outer BN wall provides a protective and insulating shell against environmental Perturbations to the inner C-NT without affecting their electronic properties, as demonstrated by first principles calculations.« less

GAS PHASE SYNTHESIS OF (ISO)QUINOLINE AND ITS ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF NUCLEOBASES IN THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, Dorian S. N.; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Kostko, Oleg

Nitrogen-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) have been proposed to play a key role in the astrochemical evolution of the interstellar medium, yet the formation mechanisms of even their simplest prototypes—quinoline and isoquinoline—remain elusive. Here, we reveal a novel concept that under high temperature conditions representing circumstellar envelopes of carbon stars, (iso)quinoline can be synthesized via the reaction of pyridyl radicals with two acetylene molecules. The facile gas phase formation of (iso)quinoline in circumstellar envelopes defines a hitherto elusive reaction class synthesizing aromatic structures with embedded nitrogen atoms that are essential building blocks in contemporary biological-structural motifs. Once ejected from circumstellarmore » shells and incorporated into icy interstellar grains in cold molecular clouds, these NPAHs can be functionalized by photo processing forming nucleobase-type structures as sampled in the Murchison meteorite.« less

Modeling the fusion of cylindrical bioink particles in post bioprinting structure formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCune, Matt; Shafiee, Ashkan; Forgacs, Gabor; Kosztin, Ioan

2015-03-01

Cellular Particle Dynamics (CPD) is an effective computational method to describe the shape evolution and biomechanical relaxation processes in multicellular systems. Thus, CPD is a useful tool to predict the outcome of post-printing structure formation in bioprinting. The predictive power of CPD has been demonstrated for multicellular systems composed of spherical bioink units. Experiments and computer simulations were related through an independently developed theoretical formalism based on continuum mechanics. Here we generalize the CPD formalism to (i) include cylindrical bioink particles often used in specific bioprinting applications, (ii) describe the more realistic experimental situation in which both the length and the volume of the cylindrical bioink units decrease during post-printing structure formation, and (iii) directly connect CPD simulations to the corresponding experiments without the need of the intermediate continuum theory inherently based on simplifying assumptions. Work supported by NSF [PHY-0957914]. Computer time provided by the University of Missouri Bioinformatics Consortium.

Structural and petrographic constraints on the stratigraphy of the Lapataia Formation, with implications for the tectonic evolution of the Fuegian Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Sebastián J.; Torres Carbonell, Pablo J.; Dimieri, Luis V.

2018-07-01

The structure of the Fuegian Andes central belt is characterized by a first phase of peak metamorphism and ductile deformation, followed by a brittle-ductile thrusting phase including juxtaposition of different (first phase) structural levels; both related to the closure and inversion of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Rocas Verdes basin. The second phase involved thrust sheets of pre-Jurassic basement, as well as Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous units from the volcanic-sedimentary fill of the basin. Rock exposures in the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego reveal a diversity of metamorphic mineral assemblages, dynamic recrystallization grades and associated structures, evidencing a variety of protoliths and positions in the crust during their orogenic evolution. Among the units present in this sector, the Lapataia Formation portrays the higher metamorphic grade reported in the Argentine side of the Fuegian Andes, and since no precise radiometric ages have been established to date, its stratigraphic position remains a matter of debate: the discussion being whether it belongs to the pre-Jurassic basement, or the Upper Jurassic volcanic/volcaniclastic initial fill of the Rocas Verdes basin. The mapping and petrographic/microstructural study of the Lapataia Formation and those of undoubtedly Mesozoic age, allow to characterize the former as a group of rocks with great lithological affinity with the Upper Jurassic metamorphic rocks found elsewhere in the central belt of the Fuegian Andes. The main differences in metamorphic grade are indebted to its deformation at deeper crustal levels, but during the same stages than the Mesozoic rocks. Accordingly, we interpret the regional structure to be associated with the stacking of thrust sheets from different structural levels through the emplacement of a duplex system during the growth of the Fuegian Andes.

Real time observation of the excimer formation dynamics of a gas phase benzene dimer by picosecond pump-probe spectroscopy.

PubMed

Miyazaki, Mitsuhiko; Fujii, Masaaki

2015-10-21

We observed the real-time excimer (EXC) formation dynamics of a gas phase benzene dimer (Bz2) cluster after photo-excitation to the S1 state by applying an ionization detected picosecond transient absorption method for probing the visible EXC absorption for the first time. The time evolution of the EXC absorption from the S1 0(0) level shows a rise that is well fitted by a single exponential function with a time constant of 18 ± 2 ps. The structure of the Bz dimer has a T-shaped structure in the ground electronic state, and that in the EXC state is a parallel sandwich (SW) structure. Thus, the observed rise time corresponds to the structural change from the T to the SW structures, which directly shows the EXC formation. On the other hand, the EXC formation after excitation of the S1 6(1) vibrational level of the stem site showed a faster rise of the time constant of 10 ± 2 ps. Supposing equilibrium between the EXC and the local excited states, it followed that the intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution rate of the 6(1) level is largely enhanced and becomes faster than the EXC formation reaction.

Observations of Superwinds in Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marlowe, A. T.; Heckman, T. M.; Wyse, R.; Schommer, R.

1993-12-01

Dwarf galaxies are important in developing our understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies, and of the structure in the universe. The concept of supernova-driven mass outflows is a vital ingredient in theories of the structure and evolution of dwarfs galaxies. We have begun a detailed multi-waveband search for outflows in starbursting dwarf galaxies, and have obtained Fabry-Perot images and Echelle spectra of 20 nearby actively-star-forming dwarf galaxies. In about half the sample, the Fabry-Perot Hα images show loops and filaments with sizes of one to a few kpc. The Echelle spectra taken through the loops and filaments show kinematics consistent with expanding bubble-like structures. We describe these data, and present seven dwarfs in our sample that have the strongest evidence of outflows.

The cosmic web in CosmoGrid void regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rieder, Steven; van de Weygaert, Rien; Cautun, Marius; Beygu, Burcu; Portegies Zwart, Simon

2016-10-01

We study the formation and evolution of the cosmic web, using the high-resolution CosmoGrid ΛCDM simulation. In particular, we investigate the evolution of the large-scale structure around void halo groups, and compare this to observations of the VGS-31 galaxy group, which consists of three interacting galaxies inside a large void. The structure around such haloes shows a great deal of tenuous structure, with most of such systems being embedded in intra-void filaments and walls. We use the Nexus+} algorithm to detect walls and filaments in CosmoGrid, and find them to be present and detectable at every scale. The void regions embed tenuous walls, which in turn embed tenuous filaments. We hypothesize that the void galaxy group of VGS-31 formed in such an environment.

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: The large-scale structure of the universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shandarin, S. F.; Doroshkevich, A. G.; Zel'dovich, Ya B.

1983-01-01

A survey is given of theories for the origin of large-scale structure in the universe: clusters and superclusters of galaxies, and vast black regions practically devoid of galaxies. Special attention is paid to the theory of a neutrino-dominated universe—a cosmology in which electron neutrinos with a rest mass of a few tens of electron volts would contribute the bulk of the mean density. The evolution of small perturbations is discussed, and estimates are made for the temperature anisotropy of the microwave background radiation on various angular scales. The nonlinear stage in the evolution of smooth irrotational perturbations in a lowpressure medium is described in detail. Numerical experiments simulating large-scale structure formation processes are discussed, as well as their interpretation in the context of catastrophe theory.

Social identity and cooperation in cultural evolution.

PubMed

Smaldino, Paul E

2017-12-06

I discuss the function of social identity signaling in facilitating cooperative group formation, and how the nature of that function changes with the structure of social organization. I propose that signals of social identity facilitate assortment for successful coordination in large-scale societies, and that the multidimensional, context-dependent nature of social identity is crucial for successful coordination when individuals have to cooperate in different contexts. Furthermore, the structure of social identity is tied to the structure of society, so that as societies grow larger and more interconnected, the landscape of social identities grows more heterogeneous. This discussion bears directly on the need to articulate the dynamics of emergent, ephemeral groups as a major factor in human cultural evolution. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topical Conference on the Origin of the Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The abstracts are presented on the topic of the origin of the Earth. The subject of planetary evolution from inner solar system plantesimals through the formation and composition of the Earth's atmosphere and the physical structure of the Earth and the Moon is explored in great variety.

Structural Evolution of Sub-10 nm Octahedral Platinum$-$Nickel Bimetallic Nanocrystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Qiaowan; Xu, Yuan; Duan, Zhiyuan

Octahedral Pt alloy nanocrystals (NCs) have shown excellent activities as electrocatalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). As the activity and stability of NCs are highly dependent on their structure and the elemental distribution, it is of great importance to understand the formation mechanism of octahedral NCs and to rationally synthesize shape-controlled alloy catalysts with optimized ORR activity and stability. However, the factors controlling the structural and compositional evolution during the synthesis have not been well understood yet. Here in this paper, we systematically investigated the structure and composition evolution pathways of Pt–Ni octahedra synthesized with the assistance of W(CO) 6more » and revealed a unique core–shell structure consisting of a Pt core and a Pt–Ni alloy shell. Below 140 °C, sphere-like pure Pt NCs with the diameter of 3–4 nm first nucleated, followed by the isotropic growth of Pt–Ni alloy on the seeds at temperatures between 170 and 230 °C forming Pt@Pt–Ni core–shell octahedra with {111} facets. Owing to its unique structure, the Pt@Pt–Ni octahedra show an unparalleled stability during potential cycling, that is, no activity drop after 10 000 cycles between 0.6 and 1.0 V. This work proposes the Pt@Pt–Ni octahedra as a high profile electrocatalyst for ORR and reveals the structural and composition evolution pathways of Pt-based bimetallic NCs.« less

Structural Evolution of Sub-10 nm Octahedral Platinum$-$Nickel Bimetallic Nanocrystals

DOE PAGES

Chang, Qiaowan; Xu, Yuan; Duan, Zhiyuan; ...

2017-05-11

Octahedral Pt alloy nanocrystals (NCs) have shown excellent activities as electrocatalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). As the activity and stability of NCs are highly dependent on their structure and the elemental distribution, it is of great importance to understand the formation mechanism of octahedral NCs and to rationally synthesize shape-controlled alloy catalysts with optimized ORR activity and stability. However, the factors controlling the structural and compositional evolution during the synthesis have not been well understood yet. Here in this paper, we systematically investigated the structure and composition evolution pathways of Pt–Ni octahedra synthesized with the assistance of W(CO) 6more » and revealed a unique core–shell structure consisting of a Pt core and a Pt–Ni alloy shell. Below 140 °C, sphere-like pure Pt NCs with the diameter of 3–4 nm first nucleated, followed by the isotropic growth of Pt–Ni alloy on the seeds at temperatures between 170 and 230 °C forming Pt@Pt–Ni core–shell octahedra with {111} facets. Owing to its unique structure, the Pt@Pt–Ni octahedra show an unparalleled stability during potential cycling, that is, no activity drop after 10 000 cycles between 0.6 and 1.0 V. This work proposes the Pt@Pt–Ni octahedra as a high profile electrocatalyst for ORR and reveals the structural and composition evolution pathways of Pt-based bimetallic NCs.« less

Thermodynamic and Kinetic Properties of Intrinsic Defects and Mg Transmutants in 3C-SiC Determined by Density Functional Theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Shenyang Y.; Setyawan, Wahyu; Van Ginhoven, Renee M.

2014-02-20

Density functional theory (DFT) is used to calculate the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of transmutant Mg in 3C-SiC due to high-energy neutron irradiation associated with the fusion nuclear environment. The formation and binding energies of intrinsic defects, Mg-related defects, and clusters in 3C-SiC are systematically calculated. The minimum energy paths and activation energies during point defect migration and small cluster evolution are studied using a generalized solid-state elastic band (G-SSNEB) method with DFT energy calculations. Stable defect structures and possible defect migration mechanisms are identified. The evolution of binding energies during Mg2Si formation demonstrates that the formation of Mg2Si needsmore » to overcome a critical nucleus size and nucleation barrier. It is also found that a compressive stress field exists around the Mg2Si nucleus. These data are important inputs in meso- and macro-scale modeling and experiments to understand and predict the impact of Mg on phase stability, microstructure evolution, and performance of SiC and SiC-based materials during long-term neutron exposures.« less

Size and structure evolution of kaolin-Al(OH)3 flocs in the electroflocculation process: a study using static light scattering.

PubMed

Harif, T; Adin, A

2011-11-15

Electroflocculation (EF) is gaining recognition as an alternative process to conventional coagulation/flocculation. The electrical current applied in EF that generates the active coagulant species creates a unique chemical/physical environment in which competing redox reactions occur, primarily water electrolysis. This causes a transient rise in pH, due to cathodic formation of hydroxyl ions, which, in turn, causes a continuous shift in coagulation/flocculation mechanisms throughout the process. This highly impacts the formation of a sweep floc regime that relies on precipitation of metal hydroxide and its growth into floc. The size and structural evolution of kaolin-Al(OH)(3) flocs was examined using static light scattering techniques, in aim of elucidating kinetic aspects of the process. An EF cell was operated in batch mode and comprised of two concentric electrodes - a stainless steel cathode (inner electrode) and an aluminum anode (outer electrode). The cell was run at constant current between 0.042A and 0.22A, and analyses performed at pre-determined time intervals. The results demonstrate that EF is able to generate a range of flocs, exhibiting different growth rates and structural characteristics, depending on the conditions of operation. Growth patterns were sigmoidal and a linear correlation between growth rate and current applied was observed. The dependency of growth rate on current can be related to initial pH and aluminum dosing, with a stronger dependency apparent for initial optimal sweep floc regime. All flocs exhibited a fragile nature and undergo compaction and structural fluctuations during growth. This is the first time size and structural evolution of flocs formed in the EF process is reported. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formation and Evolution of a Multi-Threaded Prominence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luna, M.; Karpen, J. T.; DeVore, C. R.

2012-01-01

We investigate the process of formation and subsequent evolution of prominence plasma in a filament channel and its overlying arcade. We construct a three-dimensional time-dependent model of a filament-channel prominence suitable to be compared with observations. We combine this magnetic field structure with one-dimensional independent simulations of many flux tubes. The magnetic structure is a three-dimensional sheared double arcade, and the thermal non-equilibrium process governs the plasma evolution. We have found that the condensations in the corona can be divided into two populations: threads and blobs. Threads are massive condensations that linger in the field line dips. Blobs are ubiquitous small condensations that are produced throughout the filament and overlying arcade magnetic structure, and rapidly fall to the chromosphere. The total prominence mass is in agreement with observations. The threads are the principal contributors to the total mass, whereas the blob contribution is small. The motion of the threads is basically horizontal, while blobs move in all directions along the field. The peak velocities for both populations are comparable, but there is a weak tendency for the velocity to increase with the inclination, and the blobs with motion near vertical have the largest values of the velocity. We have generated synthetic images of the whole structure in an H proxy and in two EUV channels of the AIA instrument aboard SDO. These images show the plasma at cool, warm and hot temperatures. The theoretical differential emission measure of our system agrees very well with observations in the temperature range log T = 4.6-5.7. We conclude that the sheared-arcade magnetic structure and plasma dynamics fit well the abundant observational evidence.

Competition-Driven Network Dynamics: Emergence of a Scale-Free Leadership Structure and Collective Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anghel, M.; Toroczkai, Zoltán; Bassler, Kevin E.; Korniss, G.

2004-02-01

Using the minority game as a model for competition dynamics, we investigate the effects of interagent communications across a network on the global evolution of the game. Agent communication across this network leads to the formation of an influence network, which is dynamically coupled to the evolution of the game, and it is responsible for the information flow driving the agents' actions. We show that the influence network spontaneously develops hubs with a broad distribution of in-degrees, defining a scale-free robust leadership structure. Furthermore, in realistic parameter ranges, facilitated by information exchange on the network, agents can generate a high degree of cooperation making the collective almost maximally efficient.

Evolution and role of corded cell aggregation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures.

PubMed

Caceres, Neus; Vilaplana, Cristina; Prats, Clara; Marzo, Elena; Llopis, Isaac; Valls, Joaquim; Lopez, Daniel; Cardona, Pere-Joan

2013-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution and role of corded cell aggregation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures according to growth time and conditions. Thus, in standard culture using aerated 7H9 Middlebrook broth supplemented with 0.05% Tween 80, a dramatic CFU decrease was observed at the end of the exponential phase. This phase was followed by a stable stationary phase that led to dissociation between the optical density (O.D.) and CFU values, together with the formation of opaque colonies in solid culture. Further analysis revealed that this was due to cording. Scanning electron microscopy showed that cording led to the formation of very stable coiled structures and corded cell aggregations which proved impossible to disrupt by any of the physical means tested. Modulation of cording with a high but non-toxic concentration of Tween 80 led to a slower growth rate, avoidance of a sudden drop-off to the stationary phase, the formation of weaker cording structures and the absence of opaque colonies, together with a lower survival at later time-points. An innovative automated image analysis technique has been devised to characterize the cording process. This analysis has led to important practical consequences for the elaboration of M. tuberculosis inocula and suggests the importance of biofilm formation in survival of the bacilli in the extracellular milieu. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Peculiar Features of Microstructure Formation and Microhardness Variations During Torsional Straining of Tantalum Specimens in Bridgman Anvils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditenberg, I. A.; Tymentsev, A. N.; Korznikov, A. V.

2015-04-01

Using the method of transmission electron microscopy, peculiar features of evolution of microstructure and variations in microhardness of Та are investigated under torsional loading in the Bridgman anvil as a function of plastic deformation at room temperature. A quantitative examination of grain and defect's structure of the material under study and the values of local internal stresses is performed in different loading stages. The mechanisms of formation of submicrocrystalline and nanostructured states are analyzed and so is the microstructure variation as a function of the defect-structure characteristics, strain level, and spacing from the axis of torsion.

Zirconium diselenite microstructures, formation and mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, Chandan C.; Salker, A. V.

2018-04-01

In this work, a series of microstructures of zirconium diselenite (Zr(SeO3)2) has been prepared via a simple precipitation method at room temperature without adding any organic surfactants. Phase purity of the sample has been checked by X-ray Diffraction. From the SEM, FESEM, and TEM images spheroid nanoparticles to the starfish-like structure of zirconium diselenite are detected. The morphological evolution processes were investigated carefully following time-dependent experiments and a growth mechanism has been proposed. Two different crystal growth processes, the oriented attachment process accompanying the Ostwald ripening process were held responsible for the formation of a structure resembling starfish having four arms.

Dusty Starbursts within a z=3 Large Scale Structure revealed by ALMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umehata, Hideki

The role of the large-scale structure is one of the most important theme in studying galaxy formation and evolution. However, it has been still mystery especially at z>2. On the basis of our ALMA 1.1 mm observations in a z ~ 3 protocluster field, it is suggested that submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) preferentially reside in the densest environment at z ~ 3. Furthermore we find a rich cluster of AGN-host SMGs at the core of the protocluster, combining with Chandra X-ray data. Our results indicate the vigorous star-formation and accelerated super massive black hole (SMBH) growth in the node of the cosmic web.

Membrane lipids and the origin of life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oro, J.; Holzer, G.; Rao, M.; Tornabene, T. G.

1981-01-01

The current state of knowledge regarding the development of biological systems is briefly reviewed. At a crucial stage concerning the evolution of such systems, the mechanisms leading to more complex structures must have evolved within the confines of a protected microenvironment, similar to those provided by the contemporary cell membranes. The major components found normally in biomembranes are phospholipids. The structure of the biomembrane is examined, and attention is given to questions concerning the availability of the structural components which are necessary in the formation of primitive lipid membranes. Two approaches regarding the study of protomembranes are discussed. The probability of obtaining ether lipids under prebiotic conditions is considered, taking into account the formation of cyclic and acyclic isoprenoids by the irradiation of isoprene with UV.

Galaxy evolution in clusters since z=1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aragón-Salamanca, A.

2011-11-01

It is now 30 years since Alan Dressler published his seminal paper onthe morphology-density relation. Although there is still much to learnon the effect of the environment on galaxy evolution, extensive progress has been made since then both observationally and theoretically.Galaxy clusters provide some of the most extreme environments in which galaxies evolve, making them excellent laboratories to study the age old question of "nature'' vs. "nurture'' in galaxy evolution. Here I review some of the key observational results obtained during the last decade on the evolution of the morphology, structure, dynamics, star-formation history and stellar populations of cluster galaxies since the time when the universe was half its present age.Many of the results presented here have been obtainedwithin the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS) and Space Telescope A901/02 Galaxy Evolution Survey (STAGES) collaborations.

Polyamorphic Transformations in Fe-Ni-C Liquids: Implications for Chemical Evolution of Terrestrial Planets: Fe-Ni-C liquid structural change

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lai, Xiaojing; Chen, Bin; Wang, Jianwei

During the formation of the Earth's core, the segregation of metallic liquids from silicate mantle should have left behind evident geochemical imprints on both the mantle and the core. Some distinctive geochemical signatures of the mantle-derived rocks likely own their origin to the metal-silicate differentiation of the primitive Earth, setting our planet apart from undifferentiated meteorites as well as terrestrial planets or moons isotopically and compositionally. Understanding the chemical evolution of terrestrial planetary bodies requires knowledge on properties of both liquid iron alloys and silicates equilibrating under physicochemical conditions pertinent to the deep magma ocean. Here we report experimental andmore » computational results on the pressure-induced structural evolution of iron-nickel liquids alloyed with carbon. Our X-ray diffraction experiments up to 7.3 gigapascals (GPa) demonstrate that Fe-Ni (Fe90Ni10) liquids alloyed with 3 and 5 wt % carbon undergo a polyamorphic liquid structure transition at approximately 5 GPa. Corroborating the experimental observations, our first-principles molecular dynamic calculations reveal that the structural transitions result from the marked prevalence of three-atom face-sharing polyhedral connections in the liquids at >5 GPa. The structure and polyamorphic transitions of liquid iron-nickel-carbon alloys govern their physical and chemical properties and may thus cast fresh light on the chemical evolution of terrestrial planets and moons.« less

The formation and evolution of domain walls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Press, William H.; Ryden, Barbara S.; Spergel, David N.

1991-01-01

Domain walls are sheet-like defects produced when the low energy vacuum has isolated degenerate minima. The researchers' computer code follows the evolution of a scalar field, whose dynamics are determined by its Lagrangian density. The topology of the scalar field determines the evolution of the domain walls. This approach treats both wall dynamics and reconnection. The researchers investigated not only potentials that produce single domain walls, but also potentials that produce a network of walls and strings. These networks arise in axion models where the U(1) Peccei-Quinn symmetry is broken into Z sub N discrete symmetries. If N equals 1, the walls are bounded by strings and the network quickly disappears. For N greater than 1, the network of walls and strings behaved qualitatively just as the wall network shown in the figures given here. This both confirms the researchers' pessimistic view that domain walls cannot play an important role in the formation of large scale structure and implies that axion models with multiple minimum can be cosmologically disastrous.

The GALAH Survey and Galactic Archaeology in the Next Decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martell, S. L.

2016-10-01

The field of Galactic Archaeology aims to understand the origins and evolution of the stellar populations in the Milky Way, as a way to understand galaxy formation and evolution in general. The GALAH (Galactic Archaeology with HERMES) Survey is an ambitious Australian-led project to explore the Galactic history of star formation, chemical evolution, minor mergers and stellar migration. GALAH is using the HERMES spectrograph, a novel, highly multiplexed, four-channel high-resolution optical spectrograph, to collect high-quality R˜28,000 spectra for one million stars in the Milky Way. From these data we will determine stellar parameters, radial velocities and abundances for up to 29 elements per star, and carry out a thorough chemical tagging study of the nearby Galaxy. There are clear complementarities between GALAH and other ongoing and planned Galactic Archaeology surveys, and also with ancillary stellar data collected by major cosmological surveys. Combined, these data sets will provide a revolutionary view of the structure and history of the Milky Way.

The Cold Side of Galaxy Formation: Dense Gas Through Cosmic Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riechers, Dominik A.; ngVLA Galaxy Assembly through Cosmic Time Science Working Group, ngVLA Galaxy Ecosystems Science Working Group

2018-01-01

The processes that lead to the formation and evolution of galaxies throughout the history of the Universe involve the complex interplay between hierarchical merging of dark matter halos, accretion of primordial and recycled gas, transport of gas within galaxy disks, accretion onto central super-massive black holes, and the formation of molecular clouds which subsequently collapse and fragment. The resulting star formation and black hole accretion provide large sources of energy and momentum that light up galaxies and lead to feedback. The ngVLA will be key to further understand how gas is accreted onto galaxies, and the processes that regulate the growth of galaxies through cosmic history. It will reveal how and on which timescales star formation and black hole accretion impact the gas in galaxies, and how the physical properties and chemical state of the gas change as gas cycles between different phases for different galaxy populations over a broad range in redshifts. The ngVLA will have the capability to carry out unbiased, large cosmic volume surveys at virtually any redshift down to an order of magnitude lower gas masses than currently possible in the critical low-level CO lines, thus exposing the evolution of gaseous reservoirs from the earliest epochs to the peak of the cosmic history of star formation. It will also image routinely and systematically the sub-kiloparsec scale distribution and kinematic structure of molecular gas in both normal main-sequence galaxies and large starbursts. The ngVLA thus is poised to revolutionize our understanding of galaxy evolution through cosmic time.

Tornado-Like Evolution of A Kink-Unstable Solar Prominence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, W.; Liu, R.; Wang, Y.

2016-12-01

We report on the tornado-like evolution of a quiescent prominence on 2014 November 1. The evolution started with a slow rise of the eastern section of the prominence into an arch-shaped structure as high as 150 Mm above the limb, and then the arch experienced a moderate, left-handed writhing. Following the writhing, the originally dark prominence material became in emission in the Fe IX 171 °A passband, and a braiding structure appeared at the eastern edge of the writhing prominence body, whose unraveling process was associated with a transient brightening in EUV and apparently contributed to the formation of a curtain-like structure (CLS), which consisted of myriads of thread-like loops rotating counterclockwise about the vertical if viewed from above. Material sliding along these loops landed outside of the prominence channel. The tornado was eventually disintegrated and the remaining material flew along a lefthanded helical path of approximately a full turn, as confirmed through stereoscopic reconstruction, into the cavity of the stable, western section of the prominence. We suggest that the tornado-like evolution of the prominence was regulated by the helical kink instability, and that the CLS forms through magnetic reconnections between the flux-rope flux and the overlying flux.

Time-resolved measurement of single pulse femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structure formation induced by a pre-fabricated surface groove.

PubMed

Kafka, K R P; Austin, D R; Li, H; Yi, A Y; Cheng, J; Chowdhury, E A

2015-07-27

Time-resolved diffraction microscopy technique has been used to observe the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) from the interaction of a single femtosecond laser pulse (pump) with a nano-scale groove mechanically formed on a single-crystal Cu substrate. The interaction dynamics (0-1200 ps) was captured by diffracting a time-delayed, frequency-doubled pulse (probe) from nascent LIPSS formation induced by the pump with an infinity-conjugate microscopy setup. The LIPSS ripples are observed to form asynchronously, with the first one forming after 50 ps and others forming sequentially outward from the groove edge at larger time delays. A 1-D analytical model of electron heating including both the laser pulse and surface plasmon polariton excitation at the groove edge predicts ripple period, melt spot diameter, and qualitatively explains the asynchronous time-evolution of LIPSS formation.

Interaction of Metal Oxides with Biomolecules: Implication in Astrobiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamaluddin; Iqubal, Md. Asif

2014-08-01

Steps of chemical evolution have been designated as formation of biomonomers followed by their polymerization and then to modify in an organized structure leading to the formation of first living cell. Polymerization of biomonomers could have required some catalyst. In addition to clay, role of metal ions and metal complexes as prebiotic catalyst in the synthesis and polymerization of biomonomers cannot be ruled out. Metal oxides are important constituents of Earth crust and that of other planets. These oxides might have adsorbed organic molecules and catalyzed the condensation processes, which may have led to the formation of first living cell. Different studies were performed in order to investigate the role of metal oxides (especially oxides of iron and manganese) in chemical evolution. Iron oxides (goethite, akaganeite and hematite) as well as manganese oxides (MnO, Mn2O3, Mn3O4 and MnO2) were synthesized and their characterization was done using IR, powder XRD, FE-SEM and TEM. Role of above oxides was studied in the adsorption of ribose nucleotides, formation of nucleobases from formamide and oligomerization of amino acids. Above oxides of iron and manganese were found to have good adsorption affinity towards ribose nucleotides, high catalytic activity in the formation of several nucleobases from formamide and oligomerization of glycine and alanine. Characterization of products was performed using UV, IR, HPLC and ESI-MS techniques. Presence of hematite-water system on Mars has been suggested to be a positive indicator in the chemical evolution on Mars.

An Integrative Breakage Model of genome architecture, reshuffling and evolution: The Integrative Breakage Model of genome evolution, a novel multidisciplinary hypothesis for the study of genome plasticity.

PubMed

Farré, Marta; Robinson, Terence J; Ruiz-Herrera, Aurora

2015-05-01

Our understanding of genomic reorganization, the mechanics of genomic transmission to offspring during germ line formation, and how these structural changes contribute to the speciation process, and genetic disease is far from complete. Earlier attempts to understand the mechanism(s) and constraints that govern genome remodeling suffered from being too narrowly focused, and failed to provide a unified and encompassing view of how genomes are organized and regulated inside cells. Here, we propose a new multidisciplinary Integrative Breakage Model for the study of genome evolution. The analysis of the high-level structural organization of genomes (nucleome), together with the functional constrains that accompany genome reshuffling, provide insights into the origin and plasticity of genome organization that may assist with the detection and isolation of therapeutic targets for the treatment of complex human disorders. © 2015 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

The Explorer of Diffuse Galactic Emission (EDGE): Determination of Large-Scale Structure Evolution from Measurement of the Anisotropy of the Cosmic Infrared Background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverberg, R. F.; Cheng, E. S.; Cottingham, D. A.; Fixsen, D. J.; Meyer, S. S.; Wilson, G. W.

2004-01-01

The formation of the first objects, stars and galaxies and their subsequent evolution remain a cosmological unknown. Few observational probes of these processes exist. The Cosmic Infrared Background (CIB) originates from this era, and can provide information to test models of both galaxy evolution and the growth of primordial structure. The Explorer of Diffuse Galactic Emission (EDGE) is a proposed balloon-borne mission designed to measure the spatial fluctuations in the CIB from 200 micrometers to 1 millimeter on 6' to 3 degree scales with 2 microKelvin sensitivity/resolution element. Such measurements would provide a sensitive probe of the large-scale variation in protogalaxy density at redshifts approximately 0.5-3. In this paper, we present the scientific justification for the mission and show a concept for the instrument and observations.

Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Formation and Structure Change in TCS08

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

transition to a fast-moving and rapidly- developing extratropical cyclone that may contain gale-, storm -, or hurricane-force winds, there is a need to...improve understanding and prediction of the extratropical transition phase of a decaying tropical cyclone. The structural evolution of the transition from...a tropical to an extratropical circulation involves rapid changes to the wind, cloud, and precipitation patterns that potentially impact maritime

Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Formation and Structure Change in TCS-08

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

cyclones often transition to a fast-moving and rapidly- developing extratropical cyclone that may contain gale-, storm -, or hurricane-force winds...there is a need to improve understanding and prediction of the extratropical transition phase of a decaying tropical cyclone. The structural evolution...of the transition from a tropical to an extratropical circulation involves rapid changes to the wind, cloud, and precipitation patterns that

The Evolution of the Earth's Mantle Structure and Surface and Core-mantle Boundary Heat Flux since the Paleozoic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, N.; Zhong, S.

2010-12-01

The cause for and time evolution of the seismically observed African and Pacific slow anomalies (i.e., superplumes) are still unclear with two competing proposals. First, the African and Pacific superplumes have remained largely unchanged for at least the last 300 Ma and possibly much longer. Second, the African superplume is formed sometime after the formation of Pangea (i.e., at 330 Ma ago) and the mantle in the African hemisphere is predominated by cold downwelling structures before and during the assembly of Pangea, while the Pacific superplume has been stable for the Pangea supercontinent cycle (i.e., globally a degree-1 structure before the Pangea formation). Here, we construct a plate motion history back to 450 Ma and use it as time-dependent surface boundary conditions in 3-dimensional spherical models of thermochemical mantle convection to study the evolution of mantle structure as well as the surface and core-mantle boundary heat flux. Our results for the mantle structures suggest that while the mantle in the African hemisphere before the assembly of Pangea is predominated by the cold downwelling structure resulting from plate convergence between Gondwana and Laurussia, it is unlikely that the bulk of the African superplume structure can be formed before ~240 Ma (i.e., ~100 Ma after the assembly of Pangea). The evolution of mantle structure has implications for heat flux at the surface and core-mantle boundary (CMB). Our results show that while the plate motion controls the surface heat flux, the major cold downwellings control the core-mantle boundary heat flux. A notable feature in surface heat flux from our models is that the surface heat flux peaks at ~100 Ma ago but decreases for the last 100 Ma due to the breakup of Pangea and its subsequent plate evolution. The CMB heat flux in the equatorial regions shows two minima during period 320-250 Ma and period 120-84 Ma. The first minimum clearly results from the disappearance of a major cold downwelling above the CMB below the Pangea after the assembly of Pangea ends the subduction and convergence between Gondwana and Laurussia. The second minimum arises because the break-up of Pangea leads to subduction of much smaller and younger oceanic lithosphere in the equatorial regions of the CMB. Considering the recent suggestion that CMB heat flux in the equatorial regions controls the frequency of magnetic polarity reversals (Olson et al., 2010), our results have important implications for the Kaiman Reversal Superchron and Cretaceous Normal Superchron.

Multifrequency acoustics as a probe of mesoscopic blood coagulation dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan, Adarsh; Rajendran, Gokulnath; Ercole, Ari; Seshia, Ashwin

2016-08-01

Coagulation is a complex enzymatic polymerisation cascade. Disordered coagulation is common in medicine and may be life-threatening yet clinical assays are typically bulky and/or provide an incomplete picture of clot mechanical evolution. We present the adaptation of an in-plane acoustic wave device: quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation at multiple harmonics to determine the time-evolution of mesoscale mechanical properties of clot formation in vitro. This approach is sensitive to changes in surface and bulk clot structure in various models of induced coagulopathy. Furthermore, we are able to show that clot formation at surfaces has different kinetics and mechanical strength to that in the bulk, which may have implications for the design of bioprosthetic materials. The "Multifrequency acoustics" approach thus enables unique capability to portray biological processes concerning blood coagulation.

UV-optical from space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Illingworth, Garth; Savage, Blair; Angel, J. Roger; Blandford, Roger D.; Boggess, Albert; Bowyer, C. Stuart; Carruthers, George R.; Cowie, Lennox L.; Doschek, George A.; Dupree, Andrea K.

1991-01-01

The following subject areas are covered: (1) the science program (star formation and origins of planetary systems; structure and evolution of the interstellar medium; stellar population; the galactic and extragalactic distance scale; nature of galaxy nuclei, AGNs, and QSOs; formation and evolution of galaxies at high redshifts; and cosmology); (2) implementation of the science program; (3) the observatory-class missions (HST; LST - the 6m successor to HST; and next-generation 16m telescope); (4) moderate and small missions (Delta-class Explorers; imaging astrometric interferometer; small Explorers; optics development and demonstrations; and supporting ground-based capabilities); (5) prerequisites - the current science program (Lyman-FUSE; HTS optimization; the near-term science program; data analysis, modeling, and theory funding; and archives); (6) technologies for the next century; and (7) lunar-based telescopes and instruments.

Integrating Evolutionary Game Theory into Mechanistic Genotype-Phenotype Mapping.

PubMed

Zhu, Xuli; Jiang, Libo; Ye, Meixia; Sun, Lidan; Gragnoli, Claudia; Wu, Rongling

2016-05-01

Natural selection has shaped the evolution of organisms toward optimizing their structural and functional design. However, how this universal principle can enhance genotype-phenotype mapping of quantitative traits has remained unexplored. Here we show that the integration of this principle and functional mapping through evolutionary game theory gains new insight into the genetic architecture of complex traits. By viewing phenotype formation as an evolutionary system, we formulate mathematical equations to model the ecological mechanisms that drive the interaction and coordination of its constituent components toward population dynamics and stability. Functional mapping provides a procedure for estimating the genetic parameters that specify the dynamic relationship of competition and cooperation and predicting how genes mediate the evolution of this relationship during trait formation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collective evolution of submicron hillocks during the early stages of anisotropic alkaline wet chemical etching of Si(1 0 0) surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sana, P.; Vázquez, Luis; Cuerno, Rodolfo; Sarkar, Subhendu

2017-11-01

We address experimentally the large-scale dynamics of Si(1 0 0) surfaces during the initial stages of anisotropic wet (KOH) chemical etching, which are characterized through atomic force microscopy. These systems are known to lead to the formation of characteristic pyramids, or hillocks, of typical sizes in the nanometric/micrometer scales, thus with the potential for a large number of applications that can benefit from the nanotexturing of Si surfaces. The present pattern formation process is very strongly disordered in space. We assess the space correlations in such a type of rough surface and elucidate the existence of a complex and rich morphological evolution, featuring at least three different regimes in just 10 min of etching. Such a complex time behavior cannot be consistently explained within a single formalism for dynamic scaling. The pyramidal structure reveals itself as the basic morphological motif of the surface throughout the dynamics. A detailed analysis of the surface slope distribution with etching time reveals that the texturing process induced by the KOH etching is rather gradual and progressive, which accounts for the dynamic complexity. The various stages of the morphological evolution can be accurately reproduced by computer-generated surfaces composed by uncorrelated pyramidal structures. To reach such an agreement, the key parameters are the average pyramid size, which increases with etching time, its distribution and the surface coverage by the pyramidal structures.

Role of Magnetosonic Solitons in Perpendicular Collisionless Shock Reformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gueroult, Renaud; Ohsawa, Yukiharu; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2017-03-01

The nature of the magnetic structure arising from ion specular reflection in shock compression studies is examined by means of 1D particle-in-cell simulations. Propagation speed, field profiles, and supporting currents for this magnetic structure are shown to be consistent with a magnetosonic soliton. Coincidentally, this structure and its evolution are typical of foot structures observed in perpendicular shock reformation. To reconcile these two observations, we propose, for the first time, that shock reformation can be explained as the result of the formation, growth, and subsequent transition to a supercritical shock of a magnetosonic soliton. This argument is further supported by the remarkable agreement found between the period of the soliton evolution cycle and classical reformation results. This new result suggests that the unique properties of solitons can be used to shed new light on the long-standing issue of shock nonstationarity and its role on particle acceleration.

Thermomechanical In Situ Monitoring of Bi2Te3 Thin Film and Its Relationship with Microstructure and Thermoelectric Performances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Min-Woo; Na, Sekwon; Shin, Haishan; Park, Hong-Bum; Lee, Hoo-Jeong; Joo, Young-Chang

2018-07-01

Performance enhancement has been studied for thin-film thermoelectric materials for small-scale energy applications. The microstructural evolution of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) was investigated with respect to performance enhancement via in situ thermomechanical analysis due to the post-annealing process. The thermomechanical behavior of Bi2Te3 changes gradually at approximately 200 °C with the formation of a quintuple-layer structure, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that highly oriented (006), (0015) was formed with a quintuple-layer structure parallel to the substrate, and the E g 2 Raman vibration mode of Bi2Te3 significantly increased after forming the layer structure with decreased defects. Therefore, the slope of the stress curve was affected by the longer atomic distance of the van der Waals bonds with the formation of (00 l) oriented layered-structure grain. The decreased number of defects in the layer structure affects the electrical and thermal properties of the Bi2Te3 thin film. Due to the microstructural evolution, the power factor of Bi2Te3 was enhanced by approximately 14.8 times by the quintuple-layer structure of Bi2Te3 formed during the annealing process, which contributed to a better understanding of the performance enhancement via post-annealing and to research on other highly oriented layer structure materials.

Thermomechanical In Situ Monitoring of Bi2Te3 Thin Film and Its Relationship with Microstructure and Thermoelectric Performances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Min-Woo; Na, Sekwon; Shin, Haishan; Park, Hong-Bum; Lee, Hoo-Jeong; Joo, Young-Chang

2018-04-01

Performance enhancement has been studied for thin-film thermoelectric materials for small-scale energy applications. The microstructural evolution of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) was investigated with respect to performance enhancement via in situ thermomechanical analysis due to the post-annealing process. The thermomechanical behavior of Bi2Te3 changes gradually at approximately 200 °C with the formation of a quintuple-layer structure, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that highly oriented (006), (0015) was formed with a quintuple-layer structure parallel to the substrate, and the Eg 2Raman vibration mode of Bi2Te3 significantly increased after forming the layer structure with decreased defects. Therefore, the slope of the stress curve was affected by the longer atomic distance of the van der Waals bonds with the formation of (00l) oriented layered-structure grain. The decreased number of defects in the layer structure affects the electrical and thermal properties of the Bi2Te3 thin film. Due to the microstructural evolution, the power factor of Bi2Te3 was enhanced by approximately 14.8 times by the quintuple-layer structure of Bi2Te3 formed during the annealing process, which contributed to a better understanding of the performance enhancement via post-annealing and to research on other highly oriented layer structure materials.

Nonlinear evolution of three-dimensional instabilities of thin and thick electron scale current sheets: Plasmoid formation and current filamentation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jain, Neeraj; Büchner, Jörg; Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-Von-Liebig-Weg-3, Göttingen

Nonlinear evolution of three dimensional electron shear flow instabilities of an electron current sheet (ECS) is studied using electron-magnetohydrodynamic simulations. The dependence of the evolution on current sheet thickness is examined. For thin current sheets (half thickness =d{sub e}=c/ω{sub pe}), tearing mode instability dominates. In its nonlinear evolution, it leads to the formation of oblique current channels. Magnetic field lines form 3-D magnetic spirals. Even in the absence of initial guide field, the out-of-reconnection-plane magnetic field generated by the tearing instability itself may play the role of guide field in the growth of secondary finite-guide-field instabilities. For thicker current sheetsmore » (half thickness ∼5 d{sub e}), both tearing and non-tearing modes grow. Due to the non-tearing mode, current sheet becomes corrugated in the beginning of the evolution. In this case, tearing mode lets the magnetic field reconnect in the corrugated ECS. Later thick ECS develops filamentary structures and turbulence in which reconnection occurs. This evolution of thick ECS provides an example of reconnection in self-generated turbulence. The power spectra for both the thin and thick current sheets are anisotropic with respect to the electron flow direction. The cascade towards shorter scales occurs preferentially in the direction perpendicular to the electron flow.« less

Insight into Evolution, Processing and Performance of Multi-length-scale Structures in Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells.

PubMed

Huang, Yu-Ching; Tsao, Cheng-Si; Cho, Yi-Ju; Chen, Kuan-Chen; Chiang, Kai-Ming; Hsiao, Sheng-Yi; Chen, Chang-Wen; Su, Chun-Jen; Jeng, U-Ser; Lin, Hao-Wu

2015-09-04

The structural characterization correlated to the processing control of hierarchical structure of planar heterojunction perovskite layer is still incomplete due to the limitations of conventional microscopy and X-ray diffraction. This present study performed the simultaneously grazing-incidence small-angle scattering and wide-angle scattering (GISAXS/GIWAXS) techniques to quantitatively probe the hierarchical structure of the planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells. The result is complementary to the currently microscopic study. Correlation between the crystallization behavior, crystal orientation, nano- and meso-scale internal structure and surface morphology of perovskite film as functions of various processing control parameters is reported for the first time. The structural transition from the fractal pore network to the surface fractal can be tuned by the chloride percentage. The GISAXS/GIWAXS measurement provides the comprehensive understanding of concurrent evolution of the film morphology and crystallization correlated to the high performance. The result can provide the insight into formation mechanism and rational synthesis design.

Insight into Evolution, Processing and Performance of Multi-length-scale Structures in Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yu-Ching; Tsao, Cheng-Si; Cho, Yi-Ju; Chen, Kuan-Chen; Chiang, Kai-Ming; Hsiao, Sheng-Yi; Chen, Chang-Wen; Su, Chun-Jen; Jeng, U.-Ser; Lin, Hao-Wu

2015-09-01

The structural characterization correlated to the processing control of hierarchical structure of planar heterojunction perovskite layer is still incomplete due to the limitations of conventional microscopy and X-ray diffraction. This present study performed the simultaneously grazing-incidence small-angle scattering and wide-angle scattering (GISAXS/GIWAXS) techniques to quantitatively probe the hierarchical structure of the planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells. The result is complementary to the currently microscopic study. Correlation between the crystallization behavior, crystal orientation, nano- and meso-scale internal structure and surface morphology of perovskite film as functions of various processing control parameters is reported for the first time. The structural transition from the fractal pore network to the surface fractal can be tuned by the chloride percentage. The GISAXS/GIWAXS measurement provides the comprehensive understanding of concurrent evolution of the film morphology and crystallization correlated to the high performance. The result can provide the insight into formation mechanism and rational synthesis design.

Multi-scale characterization of pore evolution in a combustion metamorphic complex, Hatrurim basin, Israel: Combining (ultra) small-angle neutron scattering and image analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Hsiu-Wen; Anovitz, Lawrence; Burg, Avihu

Backscattered scanning electron micrograph and ultra small- and small-angle neutron scattering data have been combined to provide statistically meaningful data on the pore/grain structure and pore evolution of combustion metamorphic complexes from the Hatrurim basin, Israel. Three processes, anti-sintering roughening, alteration of protolith (dehydration, decarbonation, and oxidation) and crystallization of high-temperature minerals, occurred simultaneously, leading to significant changes in observed pore/grain structures. Pore structures in the protoliths, and in lowand high-grade metamorphic rocks show surface (Ds) and mass (Dm) pore fractal geometries with gradual increases in both Ds and Dm values as a function of metamorphic grade. This suggests thatmore » increases in pore volume and formation of less branching pore networks are accompanied by a roughening of pore/grain interfaces. Additionally, pore evolution during combustion metamorphism is also characterized by reduced contributions from small-scale pores to the cumulative porosity in the high-grade rocks. At high temperatures, small-scale pores may be preferentially closed by the formation of high-temperature minerals, producing a rougher morphology with increasing temperature. Alternatively, large-scale pores may develop at the expense of small-scale pores. These observations (pore fractal geometry and cumulative porosity) indicate that the evolution of pore/grain structures is correlated with the growth of high-temperature phases and is a consequence of the energy balance between pore/grain surface energy and energy arising from heterogeneous phase contacts. The apparent pore volume density further suggests that the localized time/temperature development of the high-grade Hatrurim rocks is not simply an extension of that of the low-grade rocks. The former likely represents the "hot spots (burning foci)" in the overall metamorphic terrain while the latter may represent contact aureoles.« less

Secular Evolution in Disk Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kormendy, John

2013-10-01

Self-gravitating systems evolve toward the most tightly bound configuration that is reachable via the evolution processes that are available to them. They do this by spreading -- the inner parts shrink while the outer parts expand -- provided that some physical process efficiently transports energy or angular momentum outward. The reason is that self-gravitating systems have negative specific heats. As a result, the evolution of stars, star clusters, protostellar and protoplanetary disks, black hole accretion disks and galaxy disks are fundamentally similar. How evolution proceeds then depends on the evolution processes that are available to each kind of self-gravitating system. These processes and their consequences for galaxy disks are the subjects of my lectures and of this Canary Islands Winter School. I begin with a review of the formation, growth and death of bars. Then I review the slow (`secular') rearrangement of energy, angular momentum, and mass that results from interactions between stars or gas clouds and collective phenomena such as bars, oval disks, spiral structure and triaxial dark haloes. The `existence-proof' phase of this work is largely over: we have a good heuristic understanding of how nonaxisymmetric structures rearrange disk gas into outer rings, inner rings and stuff dumped onto the centre. The results of simulations correspond closely to the morphology of barred and oval galaxies. Gas that is transported to small radii reaches high densities. Observations confirm that many barred and oval galaxies have dense central concentrations of gas and star formation. The result is to grow, on timescales of a few Gyr, dense central components that are frequently mistaken for classical (elliptical-galaxy-like) bulges but that were grown slowly out of the disk (not made rapidly by major mergers). The resulting picture of secular galaxy evolution accounts for the richness observed in galaxy structure. We can distinguish between classical and pseudo bulges because the latter retain a `memory' of their disky origin. That is, they have one or more characteristics of disks: (1) flatter shapes than those of classical bulges, (2) correspondingly large ratios of ordered to random velocities, (3) small velocity dispersions with respect to the Faber-Jackson correlation between velocity dispersion and bulge luminosity, (4) spiral structure or nuclear bars in the `bulge' part of the light profile, (5) nearly exponential brightness profiles and (6) starbursts. So the cleanest examples of pseudobulges are recognisable. However, pseudo and classical bulges can coexist in the same galaxy. I review two important implications of secular evolution: (1) The existence of pseudobulges highlights a problem with our theory of galaxy formation by hierarchical clustering. We cannot explain galaxies that are completely bulgeless. Galaxy mergers are expected to happen often enough so that every giant galaxy should have a classical bulge. But we observe that bulgeless giant galaxies are common in field environments. We now realise that many dense centres of galaxies that we used to think are bulges were not made by mergers; they were grown out of disks. So the challenge gets more difficult. This is the biggest problem faced by our theory of galaxy formation. (2) Pseudobulges are observed to contain supermassive black holes (BHs), but they do not show the well-known, tight correlations between BH mass and the mass and velocity dispersion of the host bulge. This leads to the suggestion that there are two fundamentally different BH feeding processes. Rapid global inward gas transport in galaxy mergers leads to giant BHs that correlate with host ellipticals and classical bulges, whereas local and more stochastic feeding of small BHs in largely bulgeless galaxies evidently involves too little energy feedback to result in BH-host coevolution. It is an important success of the secular evolution picture that morphological differences can be used to divide bulges into two types that correlate differently with their BHs. I review environmental secular evolution -- the transformation of gas-rich, star-forming spiral and irregular galaxies into gas-poor, `red and dead' S0 and spheroidal (`Sph') galaxies. I show that Sph galaxies such as NGC205 and Draco are not the low-luminosity end of the structural sequence (the `fundamental plane') of elliptical galaxies. Instead, Sph galaxies have structural parameters like those of low-luminosity S+Im galaxies. Spheroidals are continuous in their structural parameters~with~the disks of S0 galaxies. They are bulgeless S0s. S+Im -->S0+Sph transformation involves a variety of internal (supernova-driven baryon ejection) and environmental processes (e.g., ram-pressure gas stripping, harassment, and starvation). Finally, I summarise how hierarchical clustering and secular processes can be combined into a consistent and comprehensive picture of galaxy evolution.

Enhanced High-Temperature Cyclic Stability of Al-Doped Manganese Dioxide and Morphology Evolution Study Through in situ NMR under High Magnetic Field.

PubMed

Huang, Shenggen; Sun, Jian; Yan, Jian; Liu, Jiaqin; Wang, Weijie; Qin, Qingqing; Mao, Wenping; Xu, Wei; Wu, Yucheng; Wang, Junfeng

2018-03-21

In this work, Al-doped MnO 2 (Al-MO) nanoparticles have been synthesized by a simple chemical method with the aim to enhance cycling stability. At room temperature and 50 °C, the specific capacitances of Al-MO are well-maintained after 10 000 cycles. Compared with pure MnO 2 nanospheres (180.6 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 ), Al-MO also delivers an enhanced specific capacitance of 264.6 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 . During the cycling test, Al-MO exhibited relatively stable structure initially and transformed to needlelike structures finally both at room temperature and high temperature. In order to reveal the morphology evolution process, in situ NMR under high magnetic field has been carried out to probe the dynamics of structural properties. The 23 Na spectra and the SEM observation suggest that the morphology evolution may follow pulverization/reassembling process. The Na + intercalation/deintercalation induced pulverization, leading to the formation of tiny MnO 2 nanoparticles. After that, the pulverized tiny nanoparticles reassembled into new structures. In Al-MO electrodes, doping of Al 3+ could slow down this structure evolution process, resulting in a better electrochemical stability. This work deepens the understanding on the structural changes in faradic reaction of pseudocapacitive materials. It is also important for the practical applications of MnO 2 -based supercapacitors.

Circumstellar Disks and Outflows in Turbulent Molecular Cloud Cores: Possible Formation Mechanism for Misaligned Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsumoto, Tomoaki; Machida, Masahiro N.; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro, E-mail: matsu@hosei.ac.jp

2017-04-10

We investigate the formation of circumstellar disks and outflows subsequent to the collapse of molecular cloud cores with the magnetic field and turbulence. Numerical simulations are performed by using an adaptive mesh refinement to follow the evolution up to ∼1000 years after the formation of a protostar. In the simulations, circumstellar disks are formed around the protostars; those in magnetized models are considerably smaller than those in nonmagnetized models, but their size increases with time. The models with stronger magnetic fields tend to produce smaller disks. During evolution in the magnetized models, the mass ratios of a disk to amore » protostar is approximately constant at ∼1%–10%. The circumstellar disks are aligned according to their angular momentum, and the outflows accelerate along the magnetic field on the 10–100 au scale; this produces a disk that is misaligned with the outflow. The outflows are classified into two types: a magnetocentrifugal wind and a spiral flow. In the latter, because of the geometry, the axis of rotation is misaligned with the magnetic field. The magnetic field has an internal structure in the cloud cores, which also causes misalignment between the outflows and the magnetic field on the scale of the cloud core. The distribution of the angular momentum vectors in a core also has a non-monotonic internal structure. This should create a time-dependent accretion of angular momenta onto the circumstellar disk. Therefore, the circumstellar disks are expected to change their orientation as well as their sizes in the long-term evolutions.« less

Formation of insulin amyloid fibrils followed by FTIR simultaneously with CD and electron microscopy.

PubMed Central

Bouchard, M.; Zurdo, J.; Nettleton, E. J.; Dobson, C. M.; Robinson, C. V.

2000-01-01

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), and electron microscopy (EM) have been used simultaneously to follow the temperature-induced formation of amyloid fibrils by bovine insulin at acidic pH. The FTIR and CD data confirm that, before heating, insulin molecules in solution at pH 2.3 have a predominantly native-like alpha-helical structure. On heating to 70 degrees C, partial unfolding occurs and results initially in aggregates that are shown by CD and FT-IR spectra to retain a predominantly helical structure. Following this step, changes in the CD and FTIR spectra occur that are indicative of the extensive conversion of the molecular conformation from alpha-helical to beta-sheet structure. At later stages, EM shows the development of fibrils with well-defined repetitive morphologies including structures with a periodic helical twist of approximately 450 A. The results indicate that formation of fibrils by insulin requires substantial unfolding of the native protein, and that the most highly ordered structures result from a slow evolution of the morphology of the initially formed fibrillar species. PMID:11106169

Formation of ferric oxides from aqueous solutions: A polyhedral approach by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. I. Hydrolysis and formation of ferric gels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Combes, J.M.; Manceau, A.; Calas, G.

1989-03-01

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to follow the evolution of local structural environments around ferric ions during the formation of ferric hydrous oxide gels from 1 M chloride and 0.1 M nitrate solutions. Fe K-XANES and EXAFS confirm that ferric ions remain 6-fold coordinated during this evolution. With increasing OH availability in the solution, Cl{sup {minus}} anions tend gradually to be exchanged for (O, OH, OH{sub 2}) ligands. Below OH/Fe = 1, no structural order is detected beyond the first coordination sphere. Above this ratio, two Fe-Fe distances at 3.05 {angstrom} and 3.44 {angstrom} are observed and correspond tomore » the presence of edge- and vertex-sharing Fe-octahedra. XAS results show that ferric gels and highly polymerized aqueous species are short-range ordered. The main contribution to disorder in the gels arises from the small size of coherently scattering domains also responsible for their X-ray amorphous character. From the initial to the final stage of hydrolysis, particles possess a nearly spherical shape with a minimum average diameter ranging from 10-30 {angstrom} for polymers formed from chloride and nitrate solutions. As polymerization proceeds, the local order extends to several tens of angstroms and the particle structures becomes progressively closer to that of akaganeite ({beta}-FeOOH) or goethite ({alpha}-FeOOH). This local structure is distinct from that of the lepidocrocite ({gamma}-FeOOH)-like structure of ferric gels precipitated after oxidation of divalent Fe solutions. The growth of the crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxides from gels takes place by the progressive long-range ordering in the ferric polymers without modifying the short-range order around Fe.« less

Aspects of the structural evolution of lead-free solder joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zribi, A.; Kinyanjui, R.; Borgesen, P.; Zavalij, L.; Cotts, E. J.

2002-06-01

Studies of the formation of intermetallic compounds at some lead-free solder/metallization interfaces are briefly reviewed in this article. SnAgCu/Ni and SnAgCu/Cu interfaces are examined in particular. It has been found that (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 forms at SnAgCu/Ni interfaces until copper is depleted from the solder matrix. This article also contrasts the formation of (Au,Ni)Sn4 and related compounds in PbSn/Ni solder joints and lead-free solder joints.

DNA is structured as a linear "jigsaw puzzle" in the genomes of Arabidopsis, rice, and budding yeast.

PubMed

Liu, Yun-Hua; Zhang, Meiping; Wu, Chengcang; Huang, James J; Zhang, Hong-Bin

2014-01-01

Knowledge of how a genome is structured and organized from its constituent elements is crucial to understanding its biology and evolution. Here, we report the genome structuring and organization pattern as revealed by systems analysis of the sequences of three model species, Arabidopsis, rice and yeast, at the whole-genome and chromosome levels. We found that all fundamental function elements (FFE) constituting the genomes, including genes (GEN), DNA transposable elements (DTE), retrotransposable elements (RTE), simple sequence repeats (SSR), and (or) low complexity repeats (LCR), are structured in a nonrandom and correlative manner, thus leading to a hypothesis that the DNA of the species is structured as a linear "jigsaw puzzle". Furthermore, we showed that different FFE differ in their importance in the formation and evolution of the DNA jigsaw puzzle structure between species. DTE and RTE play more important roles than GEN, LCR, and SSR in Arabidopsis, whereas GEN and RTE play more important roles than LCR, SSR, and DTE in rice. The genes having multiple recognized functions play more important roles than those having single functions. These results provide useful knowledge necessary for better understanding genome biology and evolution of the species and for effective molecular breeding of rice.

The Formation and Evolution of the Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marov, Mikhail

2018-05-01

The formation and evolution of our solar system (and planetary systems around other stars) are among the most challenging and intriguing fields of modern science. As the product of a long history of cosmic matter evolution, this important branch of astrophysics is referred to as stellar-planetary cosmogony. Interdisciplinary by way of its content, it is based on fundamental theoretical concepts and available observational data on the processes of star formation. Modern observational data on stellar evolution, disc formation, and the discovery of extrasolar planets, as well as mechanical and cosmochemical properties of the solar system, place important constraints on the different scenarios developed, each supporting the basic cosmogony concept (as rooted in the Kant-Laplace hypothesis). Basically, the sequence of events includes fragmentation of an original interstellar molecular cloud, emergence of a primordial nebula, and accretion of a protoplanetary gas-dust disk around a parent star, followed by disk instability and break-up into primary solid bodies (planetesimals) and their collisional interactions, eventually forming a planet. Recent decades have seen major advances in the field, due to in-depth theoretical and experimental studies. Such advances have clarified a new scenario, which largely supports simultaneous stellar-planetary formation. Here, the collapse of a protosolar nebula's inner core gives rise to fusion ignition and star birth with an accretion disc left behind: its continuing evolution resulting ultimately in protoplanets and planetary formation. Astronomical observations have allowed us to resolve in great detail the turbulent structure of gas-dust disks and their dynamics in regard to solar system origin. Indeed radio isotope dating of chondrite meteorite samples has charted the age and the chronology of key processes in the formation of the solar system. Significant progress also has been made in the theoretical study and computer modeling of protoplanetary accretion disk thermal regimes; evaporation/condensation of primordial particles depending on their radial distance, mechanisms of clustering, collisions, and dynamics. However, these breakthroughs are yet insufficient to resolve many problems intrinsically related to planetary cosmogony. Significant new questions also have been posed, which require answers. Of great importance are questions on how contemporary natural conditions appeared on solar system planets: specifically, why the three neighbor inner planets—Earth, Venus, and Mars—reveal different evolutionary paths.

Collagen cross-linking: insights on the evolution of metazoan extracellular matrix.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Pascual, Fernando; Slatter, David Anthony

2016-11-23

Collagens constitute a large family of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that play a fundamental role in supporting the structure of various tissues in multicellular animals. The mechanical strength of fibrillar collagens is highly dependent on the formation of covalent cross-links between individual fibrils, a process initiated by the enzymatic action of members of the lysyl oxidase (LOX) family. Fibrillar collagens are present in a wide variety of animals, therefore often being associated with metazoan evolution, where the emergence of an ancestral collagen chain has been proposed to lead to the formation of different clades. While LOX-generated collagen cross-linking metabolites have been detected in different metazoan families, there is limited information about when and how collagen acquired this particular modification. By analyzing telopeptide and helical sequences, we identified highly conserved, potential cross-linking sites throughout the metazoan tree of life. Based on this analysis, we propose that they have importantly contributed to the formation and further expansion of fibrillar collagens.

Stochastic effects on phase-space holes and clumps in kinetic systems near marginal stability

DOE PAGES

Woods, Benjamin J. Q.; Duarte, Vinicius N.; De-Gol, Anthony J.; ...

2018-01-23

The creation and subsequent evolution of marginally-unstable modes have been observed in a wide range of fusion devices. This behaviour has been successfully explained, for a single frequency shifting mode, in terms of phase-space structures known as a 'hole' and 'clump'. Here in this paper, we introduce stochasticity into a 1D kinetic model, affecting the formation and evolution of resonant modes in the system. We find that noise in the fast particle distribution or electric field leads to a shift in the asymptotic behaviour of a chirping resonant mode; this noise heuristically maps onto radial microturbulence via canonical toroidal momentummore » scattering, affecting hole and clump formation. While the mechanism allowing for the formation of the hole and clump is coherent, the lifetime of a hole and clump is shown to be highly sensitive to initial conditions, affecting the temporal profile of a single bursting event in mode amplitude.« less

Stochastic effects on phase-space holes and clumps in kinetic systems near marginal stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woods, Benjamin J. Q.; Duarte, Vinicius N.; De-Gol, Anthony J.

The creation and subsequent evolution of marginally-unstable modes have been observed in a wide range of fusion devices. This behaviour has been successfully explained, for a single frequency shifting mode, in terms of phase-space structures known as a 'hole' and 'clump'. Here in this paper, we introduce stochasticity into a 1D kinetic model, affecting the formation and evolution of resonant modes in the system. We find that noise in the fast particle distribution or electric field leads to a shift in the asymptotic behaviour of a chirping resonant mode; this noise heuristically maps onto radial microturbulence via canonical toroidal momentummore » scattering, affecting hole and clump formation. While the mechanism allowing for the formation of the hole and clump is coherent, the lifetime of a hole and clump is shown to be highly sensitive to initial conditions, affecting the temporal profile of a single bursting event in mode amplitude.« less

Morphological evolution of thin polymer film on chemically patterned substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Satya Pal

2018-05-01

In this paper work, pattern formation in ultra thin polymer film, adsorbed on chemically patterned substrates, is reported under strong confinement. The observations indicate for the strong influence of the surface attraction over evolution of spindoal waves, leading to the flattening of the film. But, the film appears to be torn apart in strip or nano fiber like structures, because of coalescences of the monomers at the free ends of the chains. The beads at the free ends of the chain are relatively more mobile. The chain diffusion towards attractive part of the chemically patterned surfaces is clearly seen. Prewetting or crystallization like phenomena seems to appear resulting into formation of strips with coexistence of molten phase drops at the top of the ruptured film. The investigation mimics spindoal dewetting because of the fact that the rupturing occurs in case of strong attractive surface. The investigation is of technical importance as it highlights the formation of nano scale strips and fibers though in a quasi equilibrium case.

Opinion diversity and community formation in adaptive networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Xiao, G.; Li, G.; Tay, W. P.; Teoh, H. F.

2017-10-01

It is interesting and of significant importance to investigate how network structures co-evolve with opinions. In this article, we show that, a simple model integrating consensus formation, link rewiring, and opinion change allows complex system dynamics to emerge, driving the system into a dynamic equilibrium with the co-existence of diversified opinions. Specifically, similar opinion holders may form into communities yet with no strict community consensus; and rather than being separated into disconnected communities, different communities are connected by a non-trivial proportion of inter-community links. More importantly, we show that the complex dynamics may lead to different numbers of communities at the steady state with a given tolerance between different opinion holders. We construct a framework for theoretically analyzing the co-evolution process. Theoretical analysis and extensive simulation results reveal some useful insights into the complex co-evolution process, including the formation of dynamic equilibrium, the transition between different steady states with different numbers of communities, and the dynamics between opinion distribution and network modularity.

Dynamical evolution of stars and gas of young embedded stellar sub-clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sills, Alison; Rieder, Steven; Scora, Jennifer; McCloskey, Jessica; Jaffa, Sarah

2018-06-01

We present simulations of the dynamical evolution of young embedded star clusters. Our initial conditions are directly derived from X-ray, infrared, and radio observations of local systems, and our models evolve both gas and stars simultaneously. Our regions begin with both clustered and extended distributions of stars, and a gas distribution that can include a filamentary structure in addition to gas surrounding the stellar sub-clusters. We find that the regions become spherical, monolithic, and smooth quite quickly, and that the dynamical evolution is dominated by the gravitational interactions between the stars. In the absence of stellar feedback, the gas moves gently out of the centre of our regions but does not have a significant impact on the motions of the stars at the earliest stages of cluster formation. Our models at later times are consistent with observations of similar regions in the local neighbourhood. We conclude that the evolution of young protostar clusters is relatively insensitive to reasonable choices of initial conditions. Models with more realism, such as an initial population of binary and multiple stars and ongoing star formation, are the next step needed to confirm these findings.

Evolution of Pre-Main Sequence Accretion Disks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Lee W.

2004-01-01

The aim of this project is to develop a comprehensive global picture of the physical conditions in, and evolutionary timescales of, pre-main sequence accretion disks. The results of this work will help constrain the initial conditions for planet formation. To this end we are developing much larger samples of 3-10 Myr-old stars to provide better empirical constraints on protoplanetary disk evolution; measuring disk accretion rates in these systems; and constructing detailed model disk structures consistent with observations to infer physical conditions such as grain growth in protoplanetary disks.

Evolution of Pre-Main Sequence Accretion Disks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Lee W.

2003-01-01

The aim of this project is to develop a comprehensive global picture of the physical conditions in, and evolutionary timescales of, pre-main sequence accretion disks. The results of this work will help constrain the initial conditions for planet formation. To this end we are developing much larger samples of 3-10 Myr-old stars to provide better empirical constraints on protoplanetary disk evolution; measuring disk accretion rates in these systems; and constructing detailed model disk structures consistent with observations to infer physical conditions such as grain growth in protoplanetary disks.

Evolution of Pre-Main Sequence Accretion Disks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Lee W.

2005-01-01

The aim of this project was to develop a comprehensive global picture of the physical conditions in, and evolutionary timescales of, premain sequence accretion disks. The results of this work will help constrain the initial conditions for planet formation. To this end we developed much larger samples of 3-10 Myr-old stars to provide better empirical constraints on protoplanetary disk evolution; measured disk accretion rates in these systems; and constructed detailed model disk structures consistent with observations to infer physical conditions such as grain growth in protoplanetary disks.

Studies of Circumstellar Disk Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Lee W.

2005-01-01

The aim of this project is to develop a comprehensive global picture of the physical conditions in, and evolutionary timescales of, pre-main sequence accretion disks. The results of this work will help constrain the initial conditions for planet formation. To this end we are developing much larger samples of 3-10 Myr-old stars to provide better empirical constraints on protoplanetary disk evolution; measuring disk accretion rates in these systems; and constructing detailed model disk structures consistent with observations to infer physical conditions such as grain growth in protoplanetary disks.

Intrinsic stress evolution during amorphous oxide film growth on Al surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flötotto, D., E-mail: d.floetotto@is.mpg.de; Wang, Z. M.; Jeurgens, L. P. H.

2014-03-03

The intrinsic stress evolution during formation of ultrathin amorphous oxide films on Al(111) and Al(100) surfaces by thermal oxidation at room temperature was investigated in real-time by in-situ substrate curvature measurements and detailed atomic-scale microstructural analyses. During thickening of the oxide a considerable amount of growth stresses is generated in, remarkably even amorphous, ultrathin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films. The surface orientation-dependent stress evolutions during O adsorption on the bare Al surfaces and during subsequent oxide-film growth can be interpreted as a result of (i) adsorption-induced surface stress changes and (ii) competing processes of free volume generation and structural relaxation, respectively.

Thermokinetic Simulation of Precipitation in NiTi Shape Memory Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cirstea, C. D.; Karadeniz-Povoden, E.; Kozeschnik, E.; Lungu, M.; Lang, P.; Balagurov, A.; Cirstea, V.

2017-06-01

Considering classical nucleation theory and evolution equations for the growth and composition change of precipitates, we simulate the evolution of the precipitates structure in the classical stages of nucleation, growth and coarsening using the solid-state transformation Matcalc software. The formation of Ni3Ti, Ni4Ti3 or Ni3Ti2 precipitate is the key to hardening phenomenon of the alloys, which depends on the nickel solubility in the bulk alloys. The microstructural evolution of metastable Ni4Ti3 and Ni3Ti2 precipitates in Ni-rich TiNi alloys is simulated by computational thermokinetics, based on thermodynamic and diffusion databases. The simulated precipitate phase fractions are compared with experimental data.

[Theory of V.A. dogiel on polymerization and oligomerization as a general integration concept].

PubMed

Makmaev, Iu V

2010-01-01

The theory of V.A. Dogiel on the significance of polymerization and ligomerization processes in the evolution of Protozoa and Metazoa is compared with the paper of I.I. Schmalhauisen (1972) on factors and steps of aromorph evolution. Dogiel's theory is considered as a general integration conception. Four steps are distinguished in the evolution of biological systems: (1) formation of morphofunctional system by units of the lower structural level, (2) polymerization of morphofunctional units of a system, (3) oligomerization of morphofunctional units of system by means of their reduction, uniting, or differentiation, (4) integration and stabilization of a system owing to development of morphofunctional connections between its parts.

The response of filamentary and spherical clouds to the turbulence and magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gholipour, Mahmoud

2018-05-01

Recent observations have revealed that there is a power-law relation between magnetic field and density in molecular clouds. Furthermore, turbulence has been observed in some regions of molecular clouds and the velocity dispersion resulting from the turbulence is found to correlate with to the cloud density. Relating to these observations, in this study, we model filamentary and spherical clouds in magnetohydrostatic equilibrium in two quiescent and turbulent regions. The proposed equations are expected to represent the impact of magnetic field and turbulence on the cloud structure and the relation of cloud mass with shape. The Virial theorem is applied to consider the cloud evolution leading to important conditions for equilibrium of the cloud over its lifetime. The obtained results indicate that under the same conditions of the magnetic field and turbulence, each shape presents different responses. The possible ways for the formation of massive cores or coreless clouds in some regions as well as the formation of massive stars or low-mass stars can be discussed based on the results of this study. It should be mentioned that the shape of the clouds plays an important role in the formation of the protostellar clouds as well as their structure and evolution. This role is due to the effects of magnetic fields and turbulence.

On physical scales of dark matter halos

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zemp, Marcel, E-mail: mzemp@pku.edu.cn

2014-09-10

It is common practice to describe formal size and mass scales of dark matter halos as spherical overdensities with respect to an evolving density threshold. Here, we critically investigate the evolutionary effects of several such commonly used definitions and compare them to the halo evolution within fixed physical scales as well as to the evolution of other intrinsic physical properties of dark matter halos. It is shown that, in general, the traditional way of characterizing sizes and masses of halos dramatically overpredicts the degree of evolution in the last 10 Gyr, especially for low-mass halos. This pseudo-evolution leads to themore » illusion of growth even though there are no major changes within fixed physical scales. Such formal size definitions also serve as proxies for the virialized region of a halo in the literature. In general, those spherical overdensity scales do not coincide with the virialized region. A physically more precise nomenclature would be to simply characterize them by their very definition instead of calling such formal size and mass definitions 'virial'. In general, we find a discrepancy between the evolution of the underlying physical structure of dark matter halos seen in cosmological structure formation simulations and pseudo-evolving formal virial quantities. We question the importance of the role of formal virial quantities currently ubiquitously used in descriptions, models, and relations that involve properties of dark matter structures. Concepts and relations based on pseudo-evolving formal virial quantities do not properly reflect the actual evolution of dark matter halos and lead to an inaccurate picture of the physical evolution of our universe.« less

Time rescaling and pattern formation in biological evolution.

PubMed

Igamberdiev, Abir U

2014-09-01

Biological evolution is analyzed as a process of continuous measurement in which biosystems interpret themselves in the environment resulting in changes of both. This leads to rescaling of internal time (heterochrony) followed by spatial reconstructions of morphology (heterotopy). The logical precondition of evolution is the incompleteness of biosystem's internal description, while the physical precondition is the uncertainty of quantum measurement. The process of evolution is based on perpetual changes in interpretation of information in the changing world. In this interpretation the external biospheric gradients are used for establishment of new features of organization. It is concluded that biological evolution involves the anticipatory epigenetic changes in the interpretation of genetic symbolism which cannot generally be forecasted but can provide canalization of structural transformations defined by the existing organization and leading to predictable patterns of form generation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cosmic Dawn (CoDa): the First Radiation-Hydrodynamics Simulation of Reionization and Galaxy Formation in the Local Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ocvirk, Pierre; Gillet, Nicolas; Shapiro, Paul R.; Aubert, Dominique; Iliev, Ilian T.; Teyssier, Romain; Yepes, Gustavo; Choi, Jun-Hwan; Sullivan, David; Knebe, Alexander; Gottlöber, Stefan; D'Aloisio, Anson; Park, Hyunbae; Hoffman, Yehuda; Stranex, Timothy

2016-12-01

Cosmic reionization by starlight from early galaxies affected their evolution, thereby impacting reionization itself. Star formation suppression, for example, may explain the observed underabundance of Local Group dwarfs relative to N-body predictions for cold dark matter. Reionization modelling requires simulating volumes large enough [˜ (100 Mpc)3] to sample reionization `patchiness', while resolving millions of galaxy sources above ˜108 M⊙ combining gravitational and gas dynamics with radiative transfer. Modelling the Local Group requires initial cosmological density fluctuations pre-selected to form the well-known structures of the Local Universe today. Cosmic Dawn (`CoDa') is the first such fully coupled, radiation-hydrodynamics simulation of reionization of the Local Universe. Our new hybrid CPU-GPU code, RAMSES-CUDATON, performs hundreds of radiative transfer and ionization rate-solver timesteps on the GPUs for each hydro-gravity timestep on the CPUs. CoDa simulated (91Mpc)3 with 40963 particles and cells, to redshift 4.23, on ORNL supercomputer Titan, utilizing 8192 cores and 8192 GPUs. Global reionization ended slightly later than observed. However, a simple temporal rescaling which brings the evolution of ionized fraction into agreement with observations also reconciles ionizing flux density, cosmic star formation history, CMB electron scattering optical depth and galaxy UV luminosity function with their observed values. Photoionization heating suppressed the star formation of haloes below ˜2 × 109 M⊙, decreasing the abundance of faint galaxies around MAB1600 = [-10, -12]. For most of reionization, star formation was dominated by haloes between 1010-1011 M⊙ , so low-mass halo suppression was not reflected by a distinct feature in the global star formation history. Intergalactic filaments display sheathed structures, with hot envelopes surrounding cooler cores, but do not self-shield, unlike regions denser than 100 <ρ>.

The Structure and Kinematics of Little Blue Spheroid Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moffett, Amanda J.; Phillipps, Steven; Robotham, Aaron; Driver, Simon; Bremer, Malcolm; GAMA survey team, SAMI survey team

2018-01-01

A population of blue, morphologically early-type galaxies, dubbed "Little Blue Spheroids" (LBSs), has been identified as a significant contributor to the low redshift galaxy population in the GAMA survey. Using deep, high-resolution optical imaging from KiDS and the new Bayesian, two-dimensional galaxy profile modelling code PROFIT, we examine the detailed structural characteristics of LBSs, including low surface brightness components not detected in previous SDSS imaging. We find that these LBS galaxies combine features typical of early-type and late-type populations, with structural properties similar to other low-mass early types and star formation rates similar to low-mass late types. We further consider the environments and SAMI-derived IFU kinematics of LBSs in order to investigate the conditions of their formation and the current state of their dynamical evolution.

Dynamics of formation of low-angle tilt boundaries in metals and alloys at high loading rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutkin, M. Yu.; Rzhavtsev, E. A.

2015-12-01

A computer model has been developed in which the process of formation of low-angle tilt boundaries and fragmentation of initial subgrains during shock loading of metals and alloys is clearly demonstrated by the of two-dimensional discrete dislocation-disclination dynamics method. The formation and evolution of such grains proceeds under the action of an external stress and the stress field of grain boundary disclinations distributed on the subgrain boundaries. With the D16 aluminum alloy as an example, three cases of fragmented structures formed in accordance with the initial configuration of the disclination ensemble have been considered for a dipole, quadrupole, and arbitrary octupole of wedge disclinations. It has been shown that, in all these cases, the formation of a stable fragmented structure requires a stress of ~0.5 GPa and time of 10 ns. The main results of computer simulation (the finite form of a fragmented structure, typical level of applied stress, and small fragmentation time) agree well with known experimental results on shock compression of the D16 aluminum alloy.

Convective Differentiation of the Earth's Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, U.; Schmalzl, J.; Stemmer, K.

2007-05-01

The differentiation of the Earth is likely to be influenced by convective motions within the early mantle. Double- diffusive convection (d.d.c), driven by thermally and compositionally induced density differences is considered as a vital mechanism behind the dynamic differentiation of the early mantle.. We demonstrate that d.d.c can lead to layer formation on a planetary scale in the diffusive regime where composition stabilizes the system whil heat provides the destabilizing force. Choosing initial conditions in which a stable compositional gradient overlies a hot reservoir we mimic the situation of a planet in a phase after core formation. Differently from earlier studies we fixed the temperature rather than the heat flux at the lower boundary, resembling a more realistic condition for the core-mantle boundary. We have carried out extended series of numerical experiments, ranging from 2D calculations in constant viscosity fluids to fully 3D experiments in spherical geometry with strongly temperature dependent viscosity. The buoyancy ratio R and the Lewis number Le are the important dynamical parameters. In all scenarios we could identify a parameter regime where the non-layered initial structure developed into a state consisting of several, mostly two layers. Initially plumes from the bottom boundary homogenize a first layer which subsequently thickens. The bottom layer heats up and then convection is initiated in the top layer. This creates dynamically (i.e. without jump in the material behavior) a stack of separately convecting layers. The bottom layer is significantly thicker than the top layer. Strongly temperature dependent viscosity leads to a more complex evolution The formation of the bottom layer is followed by the generation of several layers on top. Finally the uppermost layer starts to convect. In general, the multilayer structure collapses into a two layer system. We employed a numerical technique, allowing for a diffusion free treatment of the compositional field. In each case a similar evolution has been observed. This indicates that a temporary formation of layered structures in planetary interiors is a typical phenomenon. Moreover, in this scenario, plate tectonics appears only in later stages of the evolution.

Anomalous structural evolution and √(3)×√(3) reconstruction of a clean Si(111) surface observed after thermal desorption of thallium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kocán, Pavel, E-mail: pavel.kocan@mff.cuni.cz; Krejčí, Ondřej; Tochihara, Hiroshi

2015-03-15

The authors have observed anomalous structural evolution of a clean Si(111) surface, which was prepared first by thallium (Tl) deposition on a Si(111)7 × 7 surface, leading to incomplete formation of a Tl/Si(111)1 × 1 structure at 300 °C and subsequent desorption of Tl at 350 °C. Thus prepared clean Si(111) surfaces exhibit structural changes with increase of temperature: 2×1→(√(3)×√(3))R30°→2×1→5×5→7×7, as observed by low-energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy. Among the above structures, the (√(3)×√(3))R30° formed at 450–550 °C is found not to be a simple adatom structure. Instead, by means of ab-initio calculations a new metastable (√(3)×√(3))R30° reconstruction was found, having analogous structural features andmore » formation origin to a 2 × 1 reconstruction known as the Pandey chain model. This new (√(3)×√(3))R30° model is 0.09 eV per surface atom less favorable than the 2 × 1 reconstruction. A reason for the anomalous occurrence of the (√(3)×√(3))R30° structure is explored with an aid of Monte Carlo simulations.« less

Evolution of Cooperation in Adaptive Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segbroeck, Sven Van; Santos, Francisco C.; Traulsen, Arne; Lenaerts, Tom; Pacheco, Jorge M.

Humans are organized in societies, a phenomenon that would never have been possible without the evolution of cooperative behavior. Several mechanisms that foster this evolution have been unraveled over the years, with population structure as a prominent promoter of cooperation. Modern networks of exchange and cooperation are, however, becoming increasingly volatile, and less and less based on long-term stable structure. Here, we address how this change of paradigm aspects the evolution of cooperation. We discuss analytical and numerical models in which individuals can break social ties and create new ones. Interactions are modeled as two-player dilemmas of cooperation. Once a link between two individuals has formed, the productivity of this link is evaluated. Links can be broken off at different rates. This individual capacity of forming new links or severing inconvenient ones can effectively change the nature of the game. We address random formation of new links and local linking rules as well as different individual capacities to maintain social interactions. We conclude by discussing how adaptive social networks can become an important step towards more realistic models of cultural dynamics.

SPECS: The Kilometer-baseline Far-IR Interferometer in NASA's Space Science Roadmap Presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, Tom; Allen, Ron; Benford, Dominic; Blain, Andrew; Bombardelli, Claudio; Calzetti, Daniela; DiPirro, Michael J.; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Evans, Neal; Fischer, Jackie

2004-01-01

A viewgraph presentation describing the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) mission is shown. The topics include: 1) Context: community planning and study status; 2) Science goals; 3) Mission requirements; 4) Mission concepts for SPIRIT and SPECS; and 5) Tethered formation flying, a key enabling technology.

ALEPH: Israel's Research Library Network: Background, Evolution, and Implications for Networking in a Small Country.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazinger, Susan S.

1991-01-01

Describes ALEPH, the research library network in Israel, and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of its decentralized structure. Highlights include comparisons between RLIN and ALEPH; centralized versus decentralized networks; the format of ALEPH; authority control in ALEPH; and non-Roman scripts in both networks. (16 references) (LRW)

Morphological and chemical evolution on InP(1 0 0) surface irradiated with femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, H. X.; Zhou, W.; Zheng, H. Y.; Lim, G. C.

2005-12-01

Single crystalline InP was ablated in air with p-polarized Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser at a fixed laser fluence of 82 mJ/cm 2. Ripples parallel to the laser polarization direction were found by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to form for laser pulses ranging from 50 to 1000, whereas flower-like structures appeared for laser pulses of 10 4 and above. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed formation of indium and phosphorus oxides on the irradiated surface and the amounts of oxides increased with increasing number of laser pulses. The oxide formation is attributed to chemical reaction between the ultrafast laser ablation plume and oxygen in air, and formation of the flower-like structures is shown to be related to deposition of the oxides on the irradiated surface.

Unintended Laboratory-Driven Evolution Reveals Genetic Requirements for Biofilm Formation by Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

DOE PAGES

De León, Kara B.; Zane, Grant M.; Trotter, Valentine V.; ...

2017-10-17

Biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are of particular interest as members of this group are culprits in corrosion of industrial metal and concrete pipelines as well as being key players in subsurface metal cycling. Yet the mechanism of biofilm formation by these bacteria has not been determined. Here in this paper, we show that two supposedly identical wild-type cultures of the SRBDesulfovibrio vulgarisHildenborough maintained in different laboratories have diverged in biofilm formation. From genome resequencing and subsequent mutant analyses, we discovered that a single nucleotide change within DVU1017, the ABC transporter of a type I secretion system (T1SS), was sufficientmore » to eliminate biofilm formation inD. vulgarisHildenborough. Two T1SS cargo proteins were identified as likely biofilm structural proteins, and the presence of at least one (with either being sufficient) was shown to be required for biofilm formation. Antibodies specific to these biofilm structural proteins confirmed that DVU1017, and thus the T1SS, is essential for localization of these adhesion proteins on the cell surface. We propose that DVU1017 is a member of the lapB category of microbial surface proteins because of its phenotypic similarity to the adhesin export system described for biofilm formation in the environmental pseudomonads. These findings have led to the identification of two functions required for biofilm formation in D. vulgaris Hildenborough and focus attention on the importance of monitoring laboratory-driven evolution, as phenotypes as fundamental as biofilm formation can be altered. The growth of bacteria attached to a surface (i.e., biofilm), specifically biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria, has a profound impact on the economy of developed nations due to steel and concrete corrosion in industrial pipelines and processing facilities. Furthermore, the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria in oil wells causes oil souring from sulfide production, resulting in product loss, a health hazard to workers, and ultimately abandonment of wells. Identification of the required genes is a critical step for determining the mechanism of biofilm formation by sulfate reducers. Here, the transporter by which putative biofilm structural proteins are exported from sulfate-reducing Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough cells was discovered, and a single nucleotide change within the gene coding for this transporter was found to be sufficient to completely stop formation of biofilm.« less

Unintended Laboratory-Driven Evolution Reveals Genetic Requirements for Biofilm Formation by Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De León, Kara B.; Zane, Grant M.; Trotter, Valentine V.

Biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are of particular interest as members of this group are culprits in corrosion of industrial metal and concrete pipelines as well as being key players in subsurface metal cycling. Yet the mechanism of biofilm formation by these bacteria has not been determined. Here in this paper, we show that two supposedly identical wild-type cultures of the SRBDesulfovibrio vulgarisHildenborough maintained in different laboratories have diverged in biofilm formation. From genome resequencing and subsequent mutant analyses, we discovered that a single nucleotide change within DVU1017, the ABC transporter of a type I secretion system (T1SS), was sufficientmore » to eliminate biofilm formation inD. vulgarisHildenborough. Two T1SS cargo proteins were identified as likely biofilm structural proteins, and the presence of at least one (with either being sufficient) was shown to be required for biofilm formation. Antibodies specific to these biofilm structural proteins confirmed that DVU1017, and thus the T1SS, is essential for localization of these adhesion proteins on the cell surface. We propose that DVU1017 is a member of the lapB category of microbial surface proteins because of its phenotypic similarity to the adhesin export system described for biofilm formation in the environmental pseudomonads. These findings have led to the identification of two functions required for biofilm formation in D. vulgaris Hildenborough and focus attention on the importance of monitoring laboratory-driven evolution, as phenotypes as fundamental as biofilm formation can be altered. The growth of bacteria attached to a surface (i.e., biofilm), specifically biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria, has a profound impact on the economy of developed nations due to steel and concrete corrosion in industrial pipelines and processing facilities. Furthermore, the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria in oil wells causes oil souring from sulfide production, resulting in product loss, a health hazard to workers, and ultimately abandonment of wells. Identification of the required genes is a critical step for determining the mechanism of biofilm formation by sulfate reducers. Here, the transporter by which putative biofilm structural proteins are exported from sulfate-reducing Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough cells was discovered, and a single nucleotide change within the gene coding for this transporter was found to be sufficient to completely stop formation of biofilm.« less

In situ X-ray study of the structural evolution of gold nano-domains by spray deposition on thin conductive P3HT films.

PubMed

Al-Hussein, M; Schindler, M; Ruderer, M A; Perlich, J; Schwartzkopf, M; Herzog, G; Heidmann, B; Buffet, A; Roth, S V; Müller-Buschbaum, P

2013-02-26

Gold (Au) nanoparticles are deposited from aqueous solution onto one of the most used conductive polymers, namely poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), using airbrush deposition. We report on the structure formation and packing of the Au nanoparticles after a 5 s spray cycle. In situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) measurements with 20 ms time resolution allow a real-time observation of the emergence and evolution of the microstructure during a spray cycle and subsequent solvent evaporation. The results reveal multistage nanoscale ordering of the Au nanoparticles during the spray cycle. Further ex situ atomic force microscopy measurements of the sprayed films showed the formation of Au monolayer islands on top of the polymer film. Our study suggests that the solvent-substrate interaction as well as solvent evaporation kinetics are important factors that need to be taken into consideration in order to grow a compact uniform monolayer film for the fabrication of ultrathin films using airbrush deposition.

Femtosecond laser irradiation on Nd:YAG crystal: Surface ablation and high-spatial-frequency nanograting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Yingying; Zhang, Limu; Romero, Carolina; Vázquez de Aldana, Javier R.; Chen, Feng

2018-05-01

In this work, we systematically study the surface modifications of femtosecond (fs) laser irradiated Nd:YAG crystal in stationary focusing case (i.e., the beam focused on the target in the steady focusing geometry) or dynamic scanning case (i.e., focused fs-laser beam scanning over the target material). Micro-sized structures (e.g. micro-craters or lines) are experimentally produced in a large scale of parameters in terms of pulse energy as well as (effective) pulse number. Surface ablation of Nd:YAG surface under both processing cases are investigated, involving the morphological evolution, parameter dependence, the ablation threshold fluences and the incubation factors. Meanwhile, under specific irradiation conditions, periodic surface structures with high-spatial-frequency (<λ/2) can be generated. The obtained period is as short as 157 nm in this work. Investigations on the evolution of nanograting formation and fluence dependence of period are performed. The experimental results obtained under different cases and the comparison between them reveal that incubation effect plays an important role not only in the ablation of Nd:YAG surface but also in the processes of nanograting formation.

MESSENGER, MErcury: Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging; A Mission to Orbit and Explore the Planet Mercury

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

MESSENGER is a scientific mission to Mercury. Understanding this extraordinary planet and the forces that have shaped it is fundamental to understanding the processes that have governed the formation, evolution, and dynamics of the terrestrial planets. MESSENGER is a MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging mission to orbit Mercury for one Earth year after completing two flybys of that planet following two flybys of Venus. The necessary flybys return significant new data early in the mission, while the orbital phase, guided by the flyby data, enables a focused scientific investigation of this least-studied terrestrial planet. Answers to key questions about Mercury's high density, crustal composition and structure, volcanic history, core structure, magnetic field generation, polar deposits, exosphere, overall volatile inventory, and magnetosphere are provided by an optimized set of miniaturized space instruments. Our goal is to gain new insight into the formation and evolution of the solar system, including Earth. By traveling to the inner edge of the solar system and exploring a poorly known world, MESSENGER fulfills this quest.

Size-dependent structural evolution of the biomineralized iron-core nanoparticles in ferritins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eunsook; Kim, D. H.; Hwang, Jihoon; Lee, Kiho; Yoon, Sungwon; Suh, B. J.; Hyun Kim, Kyung; Kim, J.-Y.; Jang, Z. H.; Kim, Bongjae; Min, B. I.; Kang, J.-S.

2013-04-01

The structural identity of the biomineralized iron core nanoparticles in Helicobacter pylori ferritins (Hpf's) has been determined by employing soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Valence states of Fe ions are nearly trivalent in all Hpf's, indicating that the amount of magnetite (Fe3O4) is negligible. With increasing filling of Fe ions, the local configurations of Fe3+ ions change from the mixture of the tetrahedral and octahedral symmetries to the octahedral symmetry. These results demonstrate that the biomineralization of the ferritin core changes from maghemite-like (γ-Fe2O3) formation to hematite-like (α-Fe2O3) formation with increasing Fe content.

Evolution of spherical over-densities in tachyon scalar field model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setare, M. R.; Felegary, F.; Darabi, F.

2017-09-01

We study the tachyon scalar field model in flat FRW cosmology with the particular potential ϕ-2 and the scale factor behavior a (t) =tn. We consider the spherical collapse model and investigate the effects of the tachyon scalar field on the structure formation in flat FRW universe. We calculate δc (zc), λ (zc), ξ (zc), ΔV (zc), log ⁡ [ νf (ν) ] and log ⁡ [ n (k) ] for the tachyon scalar field model and compare the results with the results of EdS model and ΛCDM model. It is shown that in the tachyon scalar field model the structure formation may occur earlier, in comparison to the other models.

Tornado-like Evolution of a Kink-unstable Solar Prominence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wensi; Liu, Rui; Wang, Yuming

2017-01-01

We report on the tornado-like evolution of a quiescent prominence on 2014 November 1. The eastern section of the prominence first rose slowly, transforming into an arch-shaped structure as high as ˜150 Mm above the limb; the arch then writhed moderately in a left-handed sense, while the original dark prominence material emitted in the Fe ix 171 Å passband, and a braided structure appeared at the eastern edge of the warped arch. The unraveling of the braided structure was associated with a transient brightening in the EUV and apparently contributed to the formation of a curtain-like structure (CLS). The CLS consisted of myriad thread-like loops rotating counterclockwise about the vertical if viewed from above. Heated prominence material was observed to slide along these loops and land outside the filament channel. The tornado eventually disintegrated and the remaining material flew along a left-handed helical path constituting approximately a full turn, as corroborated through stereoscopic reconstruction, into the cavity of the stable, western section of the prominence. We suggest that the tornado-like evolution of the prominence was governed by the helical kink instability, and that the CLS formed through magnetic reconnections between the prominence field and the overlying coronal field.

Highlights of Commission 37 Science Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carraro, Giovanni; de Grijs, Richard; Elmegreen, Bruce; Stetson, Peter; Anthony-Twarog, Barbara; Goodwin, Simon; Geisler, Douglas; Minniti, Dante

2016-04-01

It is widely accepted that stars do not form in isolation but result from the fragmentation of molecular clouds, which in turn leads to star cluster formation. Over time, clusters dissolve or are destroyed by interactions with molecular clouds or tidal stripping, and their members become part of the general field population. Star clusters are thus among the basic building blocks of galaxies. In turn, star cluster populations, from young associations and open clusters to old globulars, are powerful tracers of the formation, assembly, and evolutionary history of their parent galaxies. Although their importance (e.g., in mapping out the Milky Way) had been recognised for decades, major progress in this area has only become possible in recent years, both for Galactic and extragalactic cluster populations. Star clusters are the observational foundation for stellar astrophysics and evolution, provide essential tracers of galactic structure, and are unique stellar dynamical environments. Star formation, stellar structure, stellar evolution, and stellar nucleosynthesis continue to benefit and improve tremendously from the study of these systems. Additionally, fundamental quantities such as the initial mass function can be successfully derived from modelling either the Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams or the integrated velocity structures of, respectively, resolved and unresolved clusters and cluster populations. Star cluster studies thus span the fields of Galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, while heavily affecting our detailed understanding of the process of star formation in dense environments. This report highlights science results of the last decade in the major fields covered by IAU Commission 37: Star clusters and associations. Instead of focusing on the business meeting - the out-going president presentation can be found here: http://www.sc.eso.org/gcarraro/splinter2015.pdf - this legacy report contains highlights of the most important scientific achievements in the Commission science area, compiled by 5 well expert members.

Observations of the impact of starbursts on the interstellar medium in dwarf galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marlowe, Amanda T.; Heckman, Timothy M.; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.; Schommer, Robert

1995-01-01

Dwarf galaxies play a crucial role in our understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies, and the concept of supernova-driven mass outflows is a vital ingredient in theories of the structure and evolution of dwarf galaxies. Despite the theoretical importance of these outflows, there is a very limited amount of direct observational evidence for their existence. We have therefore begun a detailed multi-wave-band search for outflows in dwarf (MB greater than or = -18) galaxies with extensive recent or ongoing centrally concentrated star formation. We report the first results of this search in the present paper. Observations of the ionized gas in dwarf amorphous galaxies with centrally concentrated populations of massive stars provide evidence for the large-scale expansion of their expansion of their ionized interstellar media. Fabry-Perot H alpha images reveal the presence of kiloparsec-scale 'superbubbles' and filaments which tend to be oriented along the galaxy minor axis. These structures are comparable in size to the chracteristic optical sizes of the galaxies, and dominate the morphology of the galaxies at low surface brightness in H alpha. Since expanding structure of this size and velocity are not observed in all low-mass galaxies with recent or ongoing star formation, we suggest that we are witnessing transient events that likely have a relatively low 'duty cycle' in such galaxies. That is, we argue that the particular galaxies in the present paper have had significantly elevated star formation rates over the past 107-108 yr (i.e., these are starburst or young poststarburst systems). This interpretation is consistent with the optical colors and emission-line properties of these galaxies.

Observations of the impact of starbursts on the interstellar medium in dwarf galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marlowe, Amanda T.; Heckman, Timothy M.; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.; Schommer, Robert

1995-01-01

Dwarf galaxies play a crucial role in our understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies, and the concept of supernova-driven mass outflows is a vital ingredient in theories of the structure and evolution of dwarf galaxies. Despite the theoretical importance of these outflows, there is a very limited amount of direct observational evidence for their existence. We have therefore begun a detailed multi-wave-band search for outflows in dwarf (M(sub B) greater than or = -18) galaxies with extensive recent or ongoing centrally concentrated star formation. We report the first results of this search in the present paper. Observations of the ionized gas in dwarf amorphous galaxies with centrally concentrated populations of massive stars provide evidence for the large-scale expansion of their expansion of their ionized interstellar media. Fabry-Perot H alpha images reveal the presence of kiloparsec-scale 'superbubbles' and filaments which tend to be oriented along the galaxy minor axis. These structures are comparable in size to the chracteristic optical sizes of the galaxies, and dominate the morphology of the galaxies at low surface brightness in H alpha. Since expanding structure of this size and velocity are not observed in all low-mass galaxies with recent or ongoing star formation, we suggest that we are witnessing transient events that likely have a relatively low 'duty cycle' in such galaxies. That is, we argue that the particular galaxies in the present paper have had significantly elevated star formation rates over the past 10(exp 7)-10(exp 8) yr (i.e., these are starburst or young poststarburst systems). This interpretation is consistent with the optical colors and emission-line properties of these galaxies.

Influence of condensation and latent heat release upon barotropic and baroclinic instabilities of vortices in a rotating shallow water f-plane model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rostami, Masoud; Zeitlin, Vladimir

2017-01-01

Analysis of the influence of condensation and related latent heat release upon developing barotropic and baroclinic instabilities of large-scale low Rossby-number shielded vortices on the f-plane is performed within the moist-convective rotating shallow water model, in its barotropic (one-layer) and baroclinic (two-layer) versions. Numerical simulations with a high-resolution well-balanced finite-volume code, using a relaxation parameterisation for condensation, are made. Evolution of the instability in four different environments, with humidity (i) behaving as passive scalar, (ii) subject to condensation beyond a saturation threshold, (iii) subject to condensation and evaporation, with three different parameterisations of the latter, are inter-compared. The simulations are initialised with unstable modes determined from the detailed linear stability analysis in the "dry" version of the model. In a configuration corresponding to low-level mid-latitude atmospheric vortices, it is shown that the known scenario of evolution of barotropically unstable vortices, consisting in formation of a pair of dipoles (dipolar breakdown) is substantially modified by condensation and related moist convection, especially in the presence of surface evaporation. No enhancement of the instability due to precipitation was detected in this case. Cyclone-anticyclone asymmetry with respect to sensitivity to the moist effects is evidenced. It is shown that inertia-gravity wave emission during the vortex evolution is enhanced by the moist effects. In the baroclinic configuration corresponding to idealised cut-off lows in the atmosphere, it is shown that the azimuthal structure of the leading unstable mode is sensitive to the details of stratification. Scenarios of evolution are completely different for different azimuthal structures, one leading to dipolar breaking, and another to tripole formation. The effects of moisture considerably enhance the perturbations in the lower layer, especially in the tripole formation scenario.

Polyamorphic Transformations in Fe-Ni-C Liquids: Implications for Chemical Evolution of Terrestrial Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Xiaojing; Chen, Bin; Wang, Jianwei; Kono, Yoshio; Zhu, Feng

2017-12-01

During the formation of the Earth's core, the segregation of metallic liquids from silicate mantle should have left behind evident geochemical imprints on both the mantle and the core. Some distinctive geochemical signatures of the mantle-derived rocks likely own their origin to the metal-silicate differentiation of the primitive Earth, setting our planet apart from undifferentiated meteorites as well as terrestrial planets or moons isotopically and compositionally. Understanding the chemical evolution of terrestrial planetary bodies requires knowledge on properties of both liquid iron alloys and silicates equilibrating under physicochemical conditions pertinent to the deep magma ocean. Here we report experimental and computational results on the pressure-induced structural evolution of iron-nickel liquids alloyed with carbon. Our X-ray diffraction experiments up to 7.3 gigapascals (GPa) demonstrate that Fe-Ni (Fe90Ni10) liquids alloyed with 3 and 5 wt % carbon undergo a polyamorphic liquid structure transition at approximately 5 GPa. Corroborating the experimental observations, our first-principles molecular dynamic calculations reveal that the structural transitions result from the marked prevalence of three-atom face-sharing polyhedral connections in the liquids at >5 GPa. The structure and polyamorphic transitions of liquid iron-nickel-carbon alloys govern their physical and chemical properties and may thus cast fresh light on the chemical evolution of terrestrial planets and moons.

Gamma Ray Bursts as Cosmological Probes with EXIST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Dieter; EXIST Team

2006-12-01

The EXIST mission, studied as a Black Hole Finder Probe within NASA's Beyond Einstein Program, would, in its current design, trigger on 1000 Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) per year (Grindlay et al, this meeting). The redshift distribution of these GRBs, using results from Swift as a guide, would probe the z > 7 epoch at an event rate of > 50 per year. These bursts trace early cosmic star formation history, point to a first generation of stellar objects that reionize the universe, and provide bright beacons for absorption line studies with groundand space-based observatories. We discuss how EXIST, in conjunction with other space missions and future large survey programs such as LSST, can be utilized to advance our understanding of cosmic chemical evolution, the structure and evolution of the baryonic cosmic web, and the formation of stars in low metallicity environments.

Structural Evolution and Fracture Development of Chinshui Anticline in a Fold-and-Thrust Belt, Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, T. W.; Hu, J. C.; Huang, S. T.

2016-12-01

Hsinchu-Miaoli area is the major hydrocarbon producing fields in the fold-and-thrust belt of Taiwan. To understand the nature and the geometry of the reservoirs in this area, 82 wells were drilled in the Chinshui Field, which is one of the important gas fields in the Hsinchu-Miaoli area. However, the subsurface structures and fracture distribution of these fields are still unclear, and the reason for long time producing is also unknown. Fractures in the oil-bearing reservoir might be one of the important factors of long time gas producing, but the fracture reservoirs attaining hydrocarbons associated with fault-related folding need to be further clarified. In this study, we first represent a new structural interpretation of Chinshui anticlines and adjacent structures by a geological cross section across from Miaoli offshore to inner western foothills. After conducting 2D restoration with 2DMove, we could test whether our structural interpretation is reasonable and clarify the evolution history of Chinshui anticline and adjacent structures. We further construct a 3D structural model of Chinshui anticline by GOCAD. By using surface restoration, the location with higher fracture density could be inferred and be taken into account for reproduction. According to the restoration, we conclude that Chinshui anticline is mainly formed by the movement of the deep detachment. The old strata between two detachments develop a thrust wedge and deform upper strata to form Chinshui anticline. Furthermore, we obtain strain fields and the extension areas of Talu shale, Tungkeng, Chuhaungkeng, Mushan and Wuchihshan Formation of Chinshui anticline during the deformation. The results reveal that the highest fracture density lies in the hinge of A and C blocks in Mushan Formation as well as the hinge of B block in Wuchihshan Formation. After comparing the curvature and strain fields of these surfaces, we also find out that the strain field is highly relevant to the curvature of Chinshui anticline.

Understanding the process of social network evolution: Online-offline integrated analysis of social tie formation

PubMed Central

Kwak, Doyeon

2017-01-01

It is important to consider the interweaving nature of online and offline social networks when we examine social network evolution. However, it is difficult to find any research that examines the process of social tie formation from an integrated perspective. In our study, we quantitatively measure offline interactions and examine the corresponding evolution of online social network in order to understand the significance of interrelationship between online and offline social factors in generating social ties. We analyze the radio signal strength indicator sensor data from a series of social events to understand offline interactions among the participants and measure the structural attributes of their existing online Facebook social networks. By monitoring the changes in their online social networks before and after offline interactions in a series of social events, we verify that the ability to develop an offline interaction into an online friendship is tied to the number of social connections that participants previously had, while the presence of shared mutual friends between a pair of participants disrupts potential new connections within the pre-designed offline social events. Thus, while our integrative approach enables us to confirm the theory of preferential attachment in the process of network formation, the common neighbor theory is not supported. Our dual-dimensional network analysis allows us to observe the actual process of social network evolution rather than to make predictions based on the assumption of self-organizing networks. PMID:28542367

Understanding the process of social network evolution: Online-offline integrated analysis of social tie formation.

PubMed

Kwak, Doyeon; Kim, Wonjoon

2017-01-01

It is important to consider the interweaving nature of online and offline social networks when we examine social network evolution. However, it is difficult to find any research that examines the process of social tie formation from an integrated perspective. In our study, we quantitatively measure offline interactions and examine the corresponding evolution of online social network in order to understand the significance of interrelationship between online and offline social factors in generating social ties. We analyze the radio signal strength indicator sensor data from a series of social events to understand offline interactions among the participants and measure the structural attributes of their existing online Facebook social networks. By monitoring the changes in their online social networks before and after offline interactions in a series of social events, we verify that the ability to develop an offline interaction into an online friendship is tied to the number of social connections that participants previously had, while the presence of shared mutual friends between a pair of participants disrupts potential new connections within the pre-designed offline social events. Thus, while our integrative approach enables us to confirm the theory of preferential attachment in the process of network formation, the common neighbor theory is not supported. Our dual-dimensional network analysis allows us to observe the actual process of social network evolution rather than to make predictions based on the assumption of self-organizing networks.

CryoTEM as an Advanced Analytical Tool for Materials Chemists.

PubMed

Patterson, Joseph P; Xu, Yifei; Moradi, Mohammad-Amin; Sommerdijk, Nico A J M; Friedrich, Heiner

2017-07-18

Morphology plays an essential role in chemistry through the segregation of atoms and/or molecules into different phases, delineated by interfaces. This is a general process in materials synthesis and exploited in many fields including colloid chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis, and functional molecular systems. To rationally design complex materials, we must understand and control morphology evolution. Toward this goal, we utilize cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryoTEM), which can track the structural evolution of materials in solution with nanometer spatial resolution and a temporal resolution of <1 s. In this Account, we review examples of our own research where direct observations by cryoTEM have been essential to understanding morphology evolution in macromolecular self-assembly, inorganic nucleation and growth, and the cooperative evolution of hybrid materials. These three different research areas are at the heart of our approach to materials chemistry where we take inspiration from the myriad examples of complex materials in Nature. Biological materials are formed using a limited number of chemical components and under ambient conditions, and their formation pathways were refined during biological evolution by enormous trial and error approaches to self-organization and biomineralization. By combining the information on what is possible in nature and by focusing on a limited number of chemical components, we aim to provide an essential insight into the role of structure evolution in materials synthesis. Bone, for example, is a hierarchical and hybrid material which is lightweight, yet strong and hard. It is formed by the hierarchical self-assembly of collagen into a macromolecular template with nano- and microscale structure. This template then directs the nucleation and growth of oriented, nanoscale calcium phosphate crystals to form the composite material. Fundamental insight into controlling these structuring processes will eventually allow us to design such complex materials with predetermined and potentially unique properties.

Sequential planet formation in transition disks: The case of HD 100546

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinilla, Paola; Birnsitel, Til; Walsh, Catherine; van Dishoeck, Ewine

2015-08-01

Transition disks are circumstellar disks with dust inner cavities and may reveal an intermediate step of the ongoing disk dispersal process, where planet formation might happen. The recent gas and dust observations of transition disks have given major support to the presence of massive planets in transition disks. The analysis of such observations help to constrain the properties of the potential unseen planets. An excellent candidate to analyse the dust evolution when planets are embedded in disks is the transition disk around the Herbig Ae star HD 100546. Near-infrared observations of HD 100546 suggested the presence on an inner planet at 10 AU distance from the star (e.g. Mulders et al. 2013), while an outer planet has been directly imaged at 70 AU distance, which may be in the act of formation (Quant et al. 2013, 2015; Currie et al. 2014). The two embedded planets can lead to remarkable dust structures due to the particle trapping at the edges of the gaps caved by such planets (e.g. Pinilla et al. 2012, 2015). Recent ALMA Cycle 0 observations of this disk reveal a two-ring like structure consistent with particle trapping induced by the two companions (Walsh et al. 2014). The comparison of these observations with dust evolution models, that include the coagulation and fragmentation of dust grains, suggest that the outer companion must be at least two million of years younger than the inner companion, revealing sequential planet formation in this disk (Pinilla et al. 2015, under revision).

Deformation and kinematic evolution of the subsurface structures: Zagros foreland fold-and-thrust belt, northern Dezful Embayment, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkarinejad, Khalil; Pash, Raana Razavi; Motamedi, Hossein; Yazdani, Mohammad

2018-06-01

The Dezful Embayment is located in the foreland part of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt. Structural style of folding and thrusting vary in the Dezful Embayment. In this study, balanced cross sections and subsurface data including 2D seismic profiles and wells data decoded structural style of the subsurface structures in the northern Dezful Embayment. Presence of the multiple décollement horizons is the main controlling factor of the structural style in this area. The subsurface anticlines have been formed between two main décollement horizons, which include the Miocene Gachsaran Formation as upper decollement and Permian Dashtak evaporites and Lower Cretaceous Garau shales as the middle décollement horizons. Geometry of the subsurface anticlines differs much vertically and horizontally. Growth strata indicate folding is started in Middle Miocene time in this region. Anticlines formed as open, wide and disharmonic structures. Active processes in the evolution of anticlines are limb rotation and hinge migration, which was resulted in increase of inhomogeneous shortening rate. More shortening rate indicates more structural relief in anticlines. These anticlines are formed as a detachment folds in initiation and then during their evolution converted to fault propagation fold and fault-bend fold. Final geometric shape of these anticlines depends on the geometry of thrusts propagation that formed in the forelimb.

Contrasting magmatic structures between small plutons and batholiths emplaced at shallow crustal level (Sierras de Córdoba, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinotti, Lucio P.; D'Eramo, Fernando J.; Weinberg, Roberto F.; Demartis, Manuel; Tubía, José María; Coniglio, Jorge E.; Radice, Stefania; Maffini, M. Natalia; Aragón, Eugenio

2016-11-01

Processes like injection, magma flow and differentiation and influence of the regional strain field are here described and contrasted to shed light on their role in the formation of small plutons and large batholiths their magmatic structures. The final geometric and compositional arrangement of magma bodies are a complex record of their construction and internal flow history. Magma injection, flow and differentiation, as well as regional stresses, all control the internal nature of magma bodies. Large magma bodies emplaced at shallow crustal levels result from the intrusion of multiple magma batches that interact in a variety of ways, depending on internal and external dynamics, and where the early magmatic, growth-related structures are commonly overprinted by subsequent history. In contrast, small plutons emplaced in the brittle-ductile transition more likely preserve growth-related structures, having a relatively simple cooling history and limited internal magma flow. Outcrop-scale magmatic structures in both cases record a rich set of complementary information that can help elucidate their evolution. Large and small granitic bodies of the Sierra Pampeanas preserve excellent exposures of magmatic structures that formed as magmas stepped through different rheological states during pluton growth and solidification. These structures reveal not only the flow pattern inside magma chambers, but also the rheological evolution of magmas in response to temperature evolution.

The Large-scale Structure of the Universe: Probes of Cosmology and Structure Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Yookyung

The usefulness of large-scale structure as a probe of cosmology and structure formation is increasing as large deep surveys in multi-wavelength bands are becoming possible. The observational analysis of large-scale structure guided by large volume numerical simulations are beginning to offer us complementary information and crosschecks of cosmological parameters estimated from the anisotropies in Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. Understanding structure formation and evolution and even galaxy formation history is also being aided by observations of different redshift snapshots of the Universe, using various tracers of large-scale structure. This dissertation work covers aspects of large-scale structure from the baryon acoustic oscillation scale, to that of large scale filaments and galaxy clusters. First, I discuss a large- scale structure use for high precision cosmology. I investigate the reconstruction of Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) peak within the context of Lagrangian perturbation theory, testing its validity in a large suite of cosmological volume N-body simulations. Then I consider galaxy clusters and the large scale filaments surrounding them in a high resolution N-body simulation. I investigate the geometrical properties of galaxy cluster neighborhoods, focusing on the filaments connected to clusters. Using mock observations of galaxy clusters, I explore the correlations of scatter in galaxy cluster mass estimates from multi-wavelength observations and different measurement techniques. I also examine the sources of the correlated scatter by considering the intrinsic and environmental properties of clusters.

Geologic evolution of the Akna Montes-Atropos Tessera region, Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinangeli, Lucia; Gilmore, Martha S.

2000-05-01

The investigated area comprises an arcuate mountain belt, Akna Montes, in Western Ishtar Terra, associated with an outboard plateau, Atropos Tessera, to the west and a volcanic plateau, Lakshmi Planum, to the east. Eight geologic units have been recognized on the basis of their geomorphic and structural characteristics as they appear on Magellan radar images. Our stratigraphic analysis shows that the geological evolution of the study area can be explained by four main steps: (1) formation of the older substrata of Atropos Tessera and Lakshmi, (2) extensive plains emplacement, (3) an orogenic phase including the formation of Akna Montes, and (4) local emplacement of younger plains. The tectonic evolution shows a deformational sequence characterized by contraction, shear, and topographic relaxation. This sequence is interpreted to be a consequence of the variation of crustal stresses and crustal thickening during orogenic events as observed for terrestrial high plateaus associated with a mountain belt (i.e., Himalaya and Tibet, Andes and Altiplano). In order to estimate the amount of crustal shortening associated with the Akna Montes, we considered two end-members for structural style of the mountain belt: a symmetric fold model and fault-bend fold model. The models are theoretical because terrestrial orogenic belts are often formed by a combination of different compressional structures. However, symmetric and fault-bend faults represent the minimum and maximum crustal shortening, respectively, and thus they do place bounds on the amount of strain recorded by Akna Montes. The first model yields a shortening value less than 1%, whereas a range of 17-34% is derived for the second model. The large difference between these values underscores the importance of fold geometries for estimating strain and to place constraints on geodynamic models for mountain belt formation. On the basis of our study we think that a combination of mantle downwelling and horizontal convergence may provide a good explanation of the geology and tectonics we observed in the Akna Montes-Atropos Tessera region.

Slow pyrolysis polygeneration of bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens): Product yield prediction and biochar formation mechanism.

PubMed

Wang, Huihui; Wang, Xin; Cui, Yanshan; Xue, Zhongcai; Ba, Yuxin

2018-05-11

Slow pyrolysis of bamboo was conducted at 400-600 °C and pyrolysis products were characterized with FTIR, BET, XRD, SEM, EDS and GC to establish a pyrolysis product yield prediction model and biochar formation mechanism. Pyrolysis biochar yield was predicted based on content of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in biomass with their carbonization index of 0.20, 0.35 and 0.45. The formation mechanism of porous structure in pyrolysis biochar was established based on its physicochemical property evolution and emission characteristics of pyrolysis gas. The main components (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) had different pyrolysis or chemical reaction pathways to biochar. Lignin had higher aromatic structure, which resulted higher biochar yield. It was the main biochar precursor during biomass pyrolysis. Cellulose was likely to improve porous structure of pyrolysis biochar due to its high mass loss percentage. Higher pyrolysis temperatures (600 °C) promoted inter- and intra-molecular condensation reactions and aromaticity in biochar. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetic Monte Carlo and cellular particle dynamics simulations of multicellular systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flenner, Elijah; Janosi, Lorant; Barz, Bogdan; Neagu, Adrian; Forgacs, Gabor; Kosztin, Ioan

2012-03-01

Computer modeling of multicellular systems has been a valuable tool for interpreting and guiding in vitro experiments relevant to embryonic morphogenesis, tumor growth, angiogenesis and, lately, structure formation following the printing of cell aggregates as bioink particles. Here we formulate two computer simulation methods: (1) a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) and (2) a cellular particle dynamics (CPD) method, which are capable of describing and predicting the shape evolution in time of three-dimensional multicellular systems during their biomechanical relaxation. Our work is motivated by the need of developing quantitative methods for optimizing postprinting structure formation in bioprinting-assisted tissue engineering. The KMC and CPD model parameters are determined and calibrated by using an original computational-theoretical-experimental framework applied to the fusion of two spherical cell aggregates. The two methods are used to predict the (1) formation of a toroidal structure through fusion of spherical aggregates and (2) cell sorting within an aggregate formed by two types of cells with different adhesivities.

Variety in planetary systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetherill, George W.

1993-01-01

Observation of circumstellar disks, regular satellite systems of outer planets, and planet-size objects orbiting pulsars support the supposition that formation of planetary systems is a robust, rather than a fragile, byproduct of the formation and evolution of stars. The extent to which these systems may be expected to resemble one another and our Solar System, either in overall structure or in detail remains uncertain. When the full range of possible stellar masses, disk masses, and initial specific angular momenta are considered, the possible variety of planetary configurations is very large. Numerical modeling indicates a difference between the formation of small, inner, terrestrial planets and the outer planets.

Origin and thermal evolution of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, Gerald; Soloman, S. C.; Turcotte, D. L.; Drake, M. J.; Sleep, N. H.

1990-01-01

The thermal evolution of Mars is governed by subsolidus mantle convection beneath a thick lithosphere. Models of the interior evolution are developed by parameterizing mantle convective heat transport in terms of mantle viscosity, the superadiabatic temperature rise across the mantle, and mantle heat production. Geological, geophysical, and geochemical observations of the compositon and structure of the interior and of the timing of major events in Martian evolution are used to constrain the model computations. Such evolutionary events include global differentiation, atmospheric outgassing, and the formation of the hemispherical dichotomy and Tharsis. Numerical calculations of fully three-dimensional, spherical convection in a shell the size of the Martian mantle are performed to explore plausible patterns of Martian mantel convection and to relate convective features, such as plumes, to surface features, such as Tharsis. The results from the model calculations are presented.

Secular Evolution of Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcón-Barroso, Jesús; Knapen, Johan H.

2013-10-01

Preface; 1. Secular evolution in disk galaxies John Kormendy; 2. Galaxy morphology Ronald J. Buta; 3. Dynamics of secular evolution James Binney; 4. Bars and secular evolution in disk galaxies: theoretical input E. Athanassoula; 5. Stellar populations Reynier F. Peletier; 6. Star formation rate indicators Daniela Calzetti; 7. The evolving interstellar medium Jacqueline van Gorkom; 8. Evolution of star formation and gas Nick Z. Scoville; 9. Cosmological evolution of galaxies Isaac Shlosman.

Tectonics and volcanism of Eastern Aphrodite Terra: No subduction, no spreading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Vicki L.; Keep, Myra; Herrick, Robert R.; Phillips, Roger J.

1992-01-01

Eastern Aphrodite Terra is approximately equal in size to the western North American Cordillera, from Mexico to Alaska. Its size and unique landforms make it an important area for understanding the tectonics of Venus, yet models for its formation are diametrically opposed. This region is part of the Equatorial Highlands, which was proposed as a region of lithospheric thinning, isostatic uplift, and attendant volcanism. Eastern Aphrodite Terra is dominated by circular structures within which deformation and volcanism are intimately related. These structures are marked by radial and concentric fractures, and volcanic flows that emanate from a central vent, as well as from concentric fracture sets. Cross-cutting relations between flows and concentric fracture sets indicate that outer concentric fracture sets are younger than inner fracture sets. The circular structures are joined by regional northeast- to east-trending fractures that dominantly postdate formation of the circular structures. We propose that the circular structures 'grow' outward with time. Although these structures probably represent addition of crust to the lithosphere, they do not represent significant lithospheric spreading or convergence, and the region does not mark the boundary between two distinct tectonic plates. This region is not easily explained by analogy with either terrestrial midocean rifts or subduction zones. It is perhaps best explained by upwelling of magma diapirs that blister the surface, but do not cause significant lithospheric spreading. Further study of the structural and volcanic evolution of this region using Magellan altimetry and SAR data should lead to better understanding of the tectonic evolution of this region.

Mapping the Geometric Evolution of Protein Folding Motor.

PubMed

Jerath, Gaurav; Hazam, Prakash Kishore; Shekhar, Shashi; Ramakrishnan, Vibin

2016-01-01

Polypeptide chain has an invariant main-chain and a variant side-chain sequence. How the side-chain sequence determines fold in terms of its chemical constitution has been scrutinized extensively and verified periodically. However, a focussed investigation on the directive effect of side-chain geometry may provide important insights supplementing existing algorithms in mapping the geometrical evolution of protein chains and its structural preferences. Geometrically, folding of protein structure may be envisaged as the evolution of its geometric variables: ϕ, and ψ dihedral angles of polypeptide main-chain directed by χ1, and χ2 of side chain. In this work, protein molecule is metaphorically modelled as a machine with 4 rotors ϕ, ψ, χ1 and χ2, with its evolution to the functional fold is directed by combinations of its rotor directions. We observe that differential rotor motions lead to different secondary structure formations and the combinatorial pattern is unique and consistent for particular secondary structure type. Further, we found that combination of rotor geometries of each amino acid is unique which partly explains how different amino acid sequence combinations have unique structural evolution and functional adaptation. Quantification of these amino acid rotor preferences, resulted in the generation of 3 substitution matrices, which later on plugged in the BLAST tool, for evaluating their efficiency in aligning sequences. We have employed BLOSUM62 and PAM30 as standard for primary evaluation. Generation of substitution matrices is a logical extension of the conceptual framework we attempted to build during the development of this work. Optimization of matrices following the conventional routines and possible application with biologically relevant data sets are beyond the scope of this manuscript, though it is a part of the larger project design.

The Study of Spherical Cores with a Toroidal Magnetic Field Configuration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gholipour, Mahmoud

Observational studies of the magnetic fields in molecular clouds have significantly improved the theoretical models developed for the structure and evolution of dense clouds and for the star formation process as well. The recent observational analyses on some cores indicate that there is a power-law relationship between magnetic field and density in the molecular clouds. In this study, we consider the stability of spherical cores with a toroidal magnetic field configuration in the molecular clouds. For this purpose, we model a spherical core that is in magnetostatic equilibrium. Herein, we propose an equation of density structure, which is a modifiedmore » form of the isothermal Lane–Emden equation in the presence of the toroidal magnetic field. The proposed equation describes the effect of the toroidal magnetic field on the cloud structure and the mass cloud. Furthermore, we found an upper limit for this configuration of magnetic field in the molecular clouds. Then, the virial theorem is used to consider the cloud evolution leading to an equation in order to obtain the lower limit of the field strength in the molecular cloud. However, the results show that the field strength of the toroidal configuration has an important effect on the cloud structure, whose upper limit is related to the central density and field gradient. The obtained results address some regions of clouds where the cloud decomposition or star formation can be seen.« less

Pretangles and neurofibrillary changes: similarities and differences between AD and CBD based on molecular and morphological evolution.

PubMed

Uchihara, Toshiki

2014-12-01

Pretangles are cytoplasmic tau immunoreactivity in neurons without apparent formation of fibrillary structures. In Alzheimer disease, such tau deposition is considered to represent a premature state prior to fibril formation (AD-pretangles), later to form neurofibrillary tangles and finally ghost tangles. This morphological evolution from pretangles to ghost tangles is in parallel with their profile shift from four repeat (4R) tau-positive pretangles to three repeat (3R) tau-positive ghost tangles with both positive neurofibrillary tangles in between. This complementary shift of tau profile from 4R to 3R suggests that these tau epitopes are represented interchangeably along tangle evolution. Similar tau immunoreactivity without fibril formation is also observed in corticobasal degeneration (CBD-pretangles). CBD-pretangles and AD-pretangles share: (i) selective 4R tau immunoreactivity without involvement of 3R tau; and (ii) argyrophilia with Gallyas silver impregnation. However, CBD-pretangles neither evolve into ghost tangles nor exhibit 3R tau immunoreactivity even at the advanced stage. Because electron microscopic studies on these pretangles are quite limited, it remains to be clarified whether such differences in later evolution are related to their primary ultrastructures, potentially distinct between AD and CBD. As double staining for 3R and 4R tau clarified complementary shift from 4R to 3R tau along evolution from pretangles to ghost tangles, double immunoelectron microscopy, if possible, may clarify similar profile shifts in relation to each tau fibril at the ultrastructural dimension. This will provide a unique viewpoint on how molecular (epitope) representations are related to pathogenesis of fibrillary components. © 2014 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.

Influence of media with different acidity on structure of FeNi nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumskaya, Alena; Kaniukov, Egor; Kutuzau, Maksim; Bundyukova, Victoria; Tulebayeva, Dinara; Kozlovskiy, Artem; Borgekov, Daryn; Kenzhina, Inesh; Zdorovets, Maxim

2018-04-01

A detailed analysis of the structure features of FeNi nanotubes exposed at environment with different acidity is carried out. It is demonstrated that the exposure of the nanostructures in the environment with high acidity causes the structure deformation, leading to sharply increasing of the presents of oxide phases and partial amorphization of nanotubes walls that determined the rate of FeNi nanotubes destruction. It was established that the evolution of the crystal structure parameters concerned with appearance of oxide phases and with formation of disorder regions as a result of oxidation processes.

Structure formation in organic thin films observed in real time by energy dispersive near-edge x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, M.; Sauer, C.; Wiessner, M.; Nguyen, N.; Schöll, A.; Reinert, F.

2013-08-01

We study the structure formation of 1,4,5,8-naphthalene-tetracarboxylicacid-dianhydride (NTCDA) multilayer films on Ag(111) surfaces by energy dispersive near-edge x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and photoelectron spectroscopy. The time resolution of seconds of the method allows us to identify several sub-processes, which occur during the post-growth three-dimensional structural ordering, as well as their characteristic time scales. After deposition at low temperature the NTCDA molecules are preferentially flat lying and the films exhibit no long-range order. Upon annealing the molecules flip into an upright orientation followed by an aggregation in a transient phase which exists for several minutes. Finally, three-dimensional islands are established with bulk-crystalline structure involving substantial mass transport on the surface and morphological roughening. By applying the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model the activation energies of the temperature-driven sub-processes can be derived from the time evolution of the NEXAFS signal.

Large-scale structure non-Gaussianities with modal methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmittfull, Marcel

2016-10-01

Relying on a separable modal expansion of the bispectrum, the implementation of a fast estimator for the full bispectrum of a 3d particle distribution is presented. The computational cost of accurate bispectrum estimation is negligible relative to simulation evolution, so the bispectrum can be used as a standard diagnostic whenever the power spectrum is evaluated. As an application, the time evolution of gravitational and primordial dark matter bispectra was measured in a large suite of N-body simulations. The bispectrum shape changes characteristically when the cosmic web becomes dominated by filaments and halos, therefore providing a quantitative probe of 3d structure formation. Our measured bispectra are determined by ~ 50 coefficients, which can be used as fitting formulae in the nonlinear regime and for non-Gaussian initial conditions. We also compare the measured bispectra with predictions from the Effective Field Theory of Large Scale Structures (EFTofLSS).

Transformation of the ordered internal structures during the acceleration of fast charged particles in a dense plasma focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubes, P.; Paduch, M.; Cikhardt, J.; Cikhardtova, B.; Klir, D.; Kravarik, J.; Rezac, K.; Zielinska, E.; Sadowski, M. J.; Szymaszek, A.; Tomaszewski, K.; Zaloga, D.

2017-07-01

The paper concerns important differences in the evolution of plasma column structures during the production of fusion neutrons in the first and subsequent neutron pulses, as observed for plasma-focus discharges performed with the deuterium filling. The first neutron pulse, of a more isotropic distribution, is usually produced during the formation of the first big plasmoid. The next neutron pulses can be generated by the fast deuterons moving dominantly in the downstream direction, at the instants of a disruption of the pinch constriction, when other plasmoids are formed during the constriction evolution. In both cases, the fusion neutrons are produced by a beam-target mechanism, and the acceleration of fast electron- and deuteron-beams can be interpreted by transformation and decay of the magnetic field associated with a filamentary structure of the current flow in the plasmoid.

High-Burnup-Structure (HBS): Model Development in MARMOT for HBS Formation and Stability Under Radiation and High Temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahmed, K.; Bai, X.; Zhang, Y.

2016-09-01

A detailed phase field model for the formation of High Burnup Structure (HBS) was developed and implemented in MARMOT. The model treats the HBS formation as an irradiation-induced recrystallization. The model takes into consideration the stored energy associated with dislocations formed under irradiation. The accumulation of radiation damage, hence, increases the system free energy and triggers recrystallization. The increase in the free energy due to the formation of new grain boundaries is offset by the reduction in the free energy by creating dislocation-free grains at the expense of the deformed grains. The model was first used to study the growthmore » of recrystallized flat and circular grains. The model reults were shown to agree well with theorrtical predictions. The case of HBS formation in UO2 was then investigated. It was found that a threshold dislocation density of (or equivalently a threshold burn-up of 33-40 GWd/t) is required for HBS formation at 1200K, which is in good agrrement with theory and experiments. In future studies, the presence of gas bubbles and their effect on the formation and evolution of HBS will be considered.« less

Co-axial heterostructures integrating palladium/titanium dioxide with carbon nanotubes for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

PubMed

Valenti, Giovanni; Boni, Alessandro; Melchionna, Michele; Cargnello, Matteo; Nasi, Lucia; Bertoni, Giovanni; Gorte, Raymond J; Marcaccio, Massimo; Rapino, Stefania; Bonchio, Marcella; Fornasiero, Paolo; Prato, Maurizio; Paolucci, Francesco

2016-12-12

Considering the depletion of fossil-fuel reserves and their negative environmental impact, new energy schemes must point towards alternative ecological processes. Efficient hydrogen evolution from water is one promising route towards a renewable energy economy and sustainable development. Here we show a tridimensional electrocatalytic interface, featuring a hierarchical, co-axial arrangement of a palladium/titanium dioxide layer on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The resulting morphology leads to a merging of the conductive nanocarbon core with the active inorganic phase. A mechanistic synergy is envisioned by a cascade of catalytic events promoting water dissociation, hydride formation and hydrogen evolution. The nanohybrid exhibits a performance exceeding that of state-of-the-art electrocatalysts (turnover frequency of 15000 H 2 per hour at 50 mV overpotential). The Tafel slope of ∼130 mV per decade points to a rate-determining step comprised of water dissociation and formation of hydride. Comparative activities of the isolated components or their physical mixtures demonstrate that the good performance evolves from the synergistic hierarchical structure.

Co-axial heterostructures integrating palladium/titanium dioxide with carbon nanotubes for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valenti, Giovanni; Boni, Alessandro; Melchionna, Michele; Cargnello, Matteo; Nasi, Lucia; Bertoni, Giovanni; Gorte, Raymond J.; Marcaccio, Massimo; Rapino, Stefania; Bonchio, Marcella; Fornasiero, Paolo; Prato, Maurizio; Paolucci, Francesco

2016-12-01

Considering the depletion of fossil-fuel reserves and their negative environmental impact, new energy schemes must point towards alternative ecological processes. Efficient hydrogen evolution from water is one promising route towards a renewable energy economy and sustainable development. Here we show a tridimensional electrocatalytic interface, featuring a hierarchical, co-axial arrangement of a palladium/titanium dioxide layer on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The resulting morphology leads to a merging of the conductive nanocarbon core with the active inorganic phase. A mechanistic synergy is envisioned by a cascade of catalytic events promoting water dissociation, hydride formation and hydrogen evolution. The nanohybrid exhibits a performance exceeding that of state-of-the-art electrocatalysts (turnover frequency of 15000 H2 per hour at 50 mV overpotential). The Tafel slope of ~130 mV per decade points to a rate-determining step comprised of water dissociation and formation of hydride. Comparative activities of the isolated components or their physical mixtures demonstrate that the good performance evolves from the synergistic hierarchical structure.

Co-axial heterostructures integrating palladium/titanium dioxide with carbon nanotubes for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

PubMed Central

Valenti, Giovanni; Boni, Alessandro; Melchionna, Michele; Cargnello, Matteo; Nasi, Lucia; Bertoni, Giovanni; Gorte, Raymond J.; Marcaccio, Massimo; Rapino, Stefania; Bonchio, Marcella; Fornasiero, Paolo; Prato, Maurizio; Paolucci, Francesco

2016-01-01

Considering the depletion of fossil-fuel reserves and their negative environmental impact, new energy schemes must point towards alternative ecological processes. Efficient hydrogen evolution from water is one promising route towards a renewable energy economy and sustainable development. Here we show a tridimensional electrocatalytic interface, featuring a hierarchical, co-axial arrangement of a palladium/titanium dioxide layer on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The resulting morphology leads to a merging of the conductive nanocarbon core with the active inorganic phase. A mechanistic synergy is envisioned by a cascade of catalytic events promoting water dissociation, hydride formation and hydrogen evolution. The nanohybrid exhibits a performance exceeding that of state-of-the-art electrocatalysts (turnover frequency of 15000 H2 per hour at 50 mV overpotential). The Tafel slope of ∼130 mV per decade points to a rate-determining step comprised of water dissociation and formation of hydride. Comparative activities of the isolated components or their physical mixtures demonstrate that the good performance evolves from the synergistic hierarchical structure. PMID:27941752

Effects of Combined Stellar Feedback on Star Formation in Stellar Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wall, Joshua Edward; McMillan, Stephen; Pellegrino, Andrew; Mac Low, Mordecai; Klessen, Ralf; Portegies Zwart, Simon

2018-01-01

We present results of hybrid MHD+N-body simulations of star cluster formation and evolution including self consistent feedback from the stars in the form of radiation, winds, and supernovae from all stars more massive than 7 solar masses. The MHD is modeled with the adaptive mesh refinement code FLASH, while the N-body computations are done with a direct algorithm. Radiation is modeled using ray tracing along long characteristics in directions distributed using the HEALPIX algorithm, and causes ionization and momentum deposition, while winds and supernova conserve momentum and energy during injection. Stellar evolution is followed using power-law fits to evolution models in SeBa. We use a gravity bridge within the AMUSE framework to couple the N-body dynamics of the stars to the gas dynamics in FLASH. Feedback from the massive stars alters the structure of young clusters as gas ejection occurs. We diagnose this behavior by distinguishing between fractal distribution and central clustering using a Q parameter computed from the minimum spanning tree of each model cluster. Global effects of feedback in our simulations will also be discussed.

Radiation-MHD models of elephant trunks and globules in HII regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackey, Jonathan; Lim, Andrew J.

2011-01-01

We study the formation and evolution of pillars of dense gas, known as elephant trunks, at the boundaries of HII regions, formed by shadowing of ionising radiation by dense clumps. The effects of magnetic fields on this process are investigated using 3D radiation-magnetohydrodynamics simulations. For a simulation in which an initially uniform magnetic field of strength \\vert B\\vert≃50 μG is oriented perpendicular to the radiation propagation direction, the field is swept into alignment with the pillar during its dynamical evolution, in agreement with observations of the ``Pillars of Creation'' in M16, and of some cometary globules. This effect is significantly enhanced when the simulation is re-run with a weaker field of ≃18 μG. A stronger field with \\vert B\\vert≃ 160 μG is sufficient to prevent this evolution completely, also significantly affecting the photoionisation process. Using a larger simulation domain it is seen that the pillar formation models studied in Mackey & Lim (2010) ultimately evolve to cometary structures in the absence of dense gas further from the star.

Transition regime from step-flow to step-bunching in the growth of epitaxial SrRuO3 on (001) SrTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gura, Anna; Bertino, Giulia; Bein, Benjamin; Dawber, Matthew

2018-04-01

We present a study of the surface morphology of SrRuO3 thin films grown on TiO2 terminated (001) SrTiO3 substrates using an off-axis RF magnetron sputtering deposition technique. We investigated the step bunching formation and the evolution of the films by varying deposition parameters. The thin films were characterized using atomic force microscopy methods, allowing us to study the various growth regimes of SrRuO3 as a function of the growth parameters. We observe a strong influence of both the miscut angle and growth temperature on the evolution of the SrRuO3 surface morphology. In addition, a thickness dependence is present. Remarkably, the formation of a smooth, regular, and uniform "fish-skin" structure at the step-bunch transition is observed. The fish-skin morphology results from the merging of 2D flat islands predicted by previous models. The direct observation of surface evolution allows us to better understand the different growth regimes of SrRuO3 thin films.

The Chajnantor Sub/Millimeter Survey Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golwala, Sunil

2018-01-01

We are developing the Chajnantor Sub/millimeter Survey Telescope, a project to build a 30-m telescope operating at wavelengths as short as 850 µm with 1 degree field of view for imaging and multi-object spectroscopic surveys. This project will provide massive new data sets for studying star formation at high redshift and in the local universe, feedback mechanisms in galaxy evolution, the structure of galaxy clusters, and the cosmological peculiar velocity field. We will highlight CSST's capabilities for studying galaxy evolution, where it will: trace the evolution of dusty, star-forming galaxies from high redshift to the z ≍ 1-3 epoch when they dominate the cosmic star formation rate; connect this population to the high-redshift rest-frame UV/optical galaxy population; use these dusty galaxies, the most biased overdensities, to guide ultra-deep followup at z > 3.5 and possibly z > 7; measure the brightness of important submm/FIR spectral lines like [CII]; search for molecular and atomic outflows; and do calorimetry of the CGM via the thermal SZ effect. We will describe the expected surveys addressing these science goals, the novel telescope design, and the planned survey instrumentation.

Observation of Electron-Beam-Induced Phase Evolution Mimicking the Effect of the Charge–Discharge Cycle in Li-Rich Layered Cathode Materials Used for Li Ion Batteries

DOE PAGES

Lu, Ping; Yan, Pengfei; Romero, Eric; ...

2015-01-27

Capacity loss, and voltage decrease upon electrochemical charge-discharge cycling observed in lithium-rich layered cathode oxides (Li[Li xMn yTM 1-x-y]O 2, TM = Ni, Co or Fe) have recently been attributed to the formation of a surface reconstructed layer (SRL) that evolves from a thin (<2 nm), defect spinel layer upon the first charge, to a relatively thick (~5nm), spinel or rock-salt layer upon continuous charge-discharge cycling. Here we report observations of a SRL and structural evolution of the SRL on the Li[Li 0.2Ni 0.2Mn 0.6]O 2 (LNMO) particles, which are identical to those reported due to the charge-discharge cycle butmore » are a result of electron-beam irradiation during scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging. Sensitivity of the lithium-rich layered oxides to high-energy electrons leads to the formation of thin, defect spinel layer on surfaces of the particles when exposed to a 200kV electron beam for as little as 30 seconds under normal high-resolution STEM imaging conditions. Further electron irradiation produces a thicker layer of the spinel phase, ultimately producing a rock-salt layer at a higher electron exposure. Atomic-scale chemical mapping by electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in STEM indicates the electron-beam-induced SRL formation on LNMO is accomplished by migration of the transition metal ions to the Li sites without breaking down the lattice. The observation through this study provides an insight for understanding the mechanism of forming the SRL and also possibly a mean to study structural evolution in the Li-rich layered oxides without involving the electrochemistry.« less

Two-step crystal growth mechanism during crystallization of an undercooled Ni50Al50 alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Simin; Li, Jiahao; Li, Yang; Li, Shunning; Wang, Qi; Liu, Baixin

2016-08-01

Crystallization processes are always accompanied by the emergence of multiple intermediate states, of which the structures and transition dynamics are far from clarity, since it is difficult to experimentally observe the microscopic pathway. To insight the structural evolution and the crystallization dynamics, we perform large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the time-dependent crystallization behavior of the NiAl intermetallic upon rapid solidification. The simulation results reveal that the crystallization process occurs via a two-step growth mechanism, involving the formation of initial non-equilibrium long range order (NLRO) regions and of the subsequent equilibrium long range order (ELRO) regions. The formation of the NLRO regions makes the grains rather inhomogeneous, while the rearrangement of the NLRO regions into the ELRO regions makes the grains more ordered and compact. This two-step growth mechanism is actually controlled by the evolution of the coordination polyhedra, which are characterized predominantly by the transformation from five-fold symmetry to four-fold and six-fold symmetry. From liquids to NLRO and further to ELRO, the five-fold symmetry of these polyhedra gradually fades, and finally vanishes when B2 structure is distributed throughout the grain bulk. The energy decrease along the pathway further implies the reliability of the proposed crystallization processes.

Cosmological perturbations during the Bose-Einstein condensation of dark matter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freitas, R.C.; Gonçalves, S.V.B., E-mail: rodolfo.camargo@pq.cnpq.br, E-mail: sergio.vitorino@pq.cnpq.br

In the present work, we analyze the evolution of the scalar and tensorial perturbations and the quantities relevant for the physical description of the Universe, as the density contrast of the scalar perturbations and the gravitational waves energy density during the Bose-Einstein condensation of dark matter. The behavior of these parameters during the Bose-Einstein phase transition of dark matter is analyzed in details. To study the cosmological dynamics and evolution of scalar and tensorial perturbations in a Universe with and without cosmological constant we use both analytical and numerical methods. The Bose-Einstein phase transition modifies the evolution of gravitational wavesmore » of cosmological origin, as well as the process of large-scale structure formation.« less

Dynamical evolution and disintegration of comets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kresak, L.

Current concepts of the origin and evolution of comets are reviewed. The place of their formation from which they have been delivered into the Oort reservoir is still an open problem, but the region of the outermost planets appears most probable. The interplay of stellar and planetary perturbations can be traced by model computations which reveal both the general trends and the variety of individual evolutionary paths. The present structure of the system of comets is controlled by the dynamical evolution of its individual members, limited by their physical aging by disintegration. Where the lifetimes are short, as in the Jupiter family of short-period comets, an equilibrium between elimination and replenishment is established. The role of different destructive processes and the resulting survival times are discussed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan Changshuo; Wang Jianmin, E-mail: wangjm@ihep.ac.c

High spatial resolution observations show that high-redshift galaxies are undergoing intensive evolution of dynamical structure and morphologies displayed by the H{alpha}, H{beta}, [O III], and [N II] images. It has been shown that supernova explosion (SNexp) of young massive stars during the star formation epoch, as kinetic feedback to host galaxies, can efficiently excite the turbulent viscosity. We incorporate the feedback into the dynamical equations through mass dropout and angular momentum transportation driven by the SNexp-excited turbulent viscosity. The empirical Kennicutt-Schmidt law is used for star formation rates (SFRs). We numerically solve the equations and show that there can bemore » intensive evolution of structure of the gaseous disk. Secular evolution of the disk shows interesting characteristics: (1) high viscosity excited by SNexp can efficiently transport the gas from 10 kpc to {approx}1 kpc forming a stellar disk whereas a stellar ring forms for the case with low viscosity; (2) starbursts trigger SMBH activity with a lag of {approx}10{sup 8} yr depending on SFRs, prompting the joint evolution of SMBHs and bulges; and (3) the velocity dispersion is as high as {approx}100 km s{sup -1} in the gaseous disk. These results are likely to vary with the initial mass function (IMF) that the SNexp rates rely on. Given the IMF, we use the GALAXEV code to compute the spectral evolution of stellar populations based on the dynamical structure. In order to compare the present models with the observed dynamical structure and images, we use the incident continuum from the simple stellar synthesis and CLOUDY to calculate emission line ratios of H{alpha}, H{beta}, [O III], and [N II], and H{alpha} brightness of gas photoionized by young massive stars formed on the disks. The models can produce the main features of emission from star-forming galaxies. We apply the present model to two galaxies, BX 389 and BX 482 observed in the SINS high-z sample, which are bulge and disk-dominated, respectively. Two successive rings independently evolving are able to reproduce the main dynamical and emission properties of the two galaxies, such as the Baldwin-Phillips-Terlevich diagram, the relation between line ratios, and H{alpha} brightness. The observed relation between turbulent velocity and the H{alpha} brightness can be explained by the present model. High viscosity excited by SNexp is able to efficiently transport the gas into a bulge to maintain high SFRs or to form a stellar ring close enough to the bulge so that it immigrates into the bulge of its host galaxy. This leads to a fast growing bulge. Implications and future work of the present models have been extensively discussed for galaxy formation in high-z universe.« less

Structural evolution of a granular medium during simultaneous penetration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Gutiérrez, Jorge; Carreón, Yojana J. P.; Moctezuma, R. E.

2018-01-01

Typically, fluidized beds are granular systems composed of solid particles through which a fluid flows. They are relevant to a wide variety of disciplines such as physics, chemistry, engineering, among others. Generally, the fluidized beds are characterized by different flow regimes such as particulate, bubbling, slugging, turbulent, fast fluidization, and pneumatic conveying. Here, we report the experimental study of the structural evolution of a granular system due to simultaneous penetration of intruders in the presence of an upward airflow. We found that the granular medium evolves from the static state to the turbulent regime showing the coexistence of three regions in different flow regimes. Interestingly, the cooperative dynamic of intruders correlate with the formation of such regions. As a non-invasive method, we use lacunarity and fractal dimension to quantitatively describe the patterns arising within the system during the different stages of the penetration process. Finally, we found that our results would allow us to relate the evolution of the visual patterns appearing in the process with different physical properties of the system.

Evolution of the Active Phase of CoMo/Al2O3 Catalysts under Industrial Conditions: a High-Pressure MES Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dugulan, A.I.; Overweg, A.R.; Craje, M.W.J.

2005-04-26

The behavior of CoMo/Al2O3 catalysts sulfided in H2S/H2 gas mixture, under industrial conditions, was investigated using Moessbauer emission spectroscopy (MES). An intermediate Co-Mo phase is formed after increasing the sulfidation pressure to 4 MPa, favoring the Co-Mo-S phase formation. An increase in the quadrupole splitting value of the Co-sulfide species after treatment at 573 K is proposed as a prerequisite for the formation of ideal Co-Mo-S structures.

Functional Properties at Domain Walls in BiFeO3: Electrical, Magnetic, and Structural investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Qing; Yang, C.-H.; Yu, P.; Gajek, M.; Seidel, J.; Ramesh, R.; Wang, F.; Chu, Y.-H.; Martin, L. W.; Spaldin, N.; Rother, A.

2009-03-01

BiFeO3 (BFO) is a widely studied robust ferroelectric, antiferromagnetic multiferroic. Conducting-atomic force microscopy studies reveal the presence of enhanced conductivity at certain types of domain walls in BFO. We have completed detailed TEM studies of the physical structure at these domain walls as well as in-depth DFT calculations of the evolution of electronic structure at these domain walls. These studies reveal two major contributions to the observed conduction: the formation of an electrostatic potential at the domain walls as well as a structurally-driven change in the electronic structure (i.e., a lower band gap locally) at the domain walls. We will discuss the use of optical characterization techniques as a way of probing this change in electronic structure at domain walls as well as detailed IV characterization both in atmospheric and UHV environments. Finally, the evolution of magnetism at these domain walls has been studied through the use of photoemission measurements. Initial findings point to a significant change in the magnetic order at these domain walls in BFO.

Structural Mapping of Paterae and Mountains on Io: Implications for Crustal Stresses and Feature Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahern, A.; Radebaugh, J.; Christiansen, E. H.; Harris, R. A.

2015-12-01

Paterae and mountains are some of the most distinguishing and well-distributed surface features on Io, and they reveal the role of tectonism in Io's crust. Paterae, similar to calderas, are volcano-tectonic collapse features that often have straight margins. Io's mountains are some of the highest in the solar system and contain linear features that reveal crustal stresses. Paterae and mountains are often found adjacent to one another, suggesting possible genetic relationships. We have produced twelve detailed regional structural maps from high-resolution images of relevant features, where available, as well as a global structural map from the Io Global Color Mosaic. The regional structural maps identify features such as fractures, lineations, folds, faults, and mass wasting scarps, which are then interpreted in the context of global and regional stress regimes. A total of 1048 structural lineations have been identified globally. Preliminary analyses of major thrust and normal fault orientations are dominantly 90° offset from each other, suggesting the maximum contractional stresses leading to large mountain formation are not a direct result of tidal extension. Rather, these results corroborate the model of volcanic loading of the crust and global shortening, leading to thrust faulting and uplift of coherent crustal blocks. Several paterae, such as Hi'iaka and Tohil, are found adjacent to mountains inside extensional basins where lava has migrated up normal faults to erupt onto patera floors. Over time, mass wasting and volcanic resurfacing can change mountains from young, steep, and angular peaks to older, gentler, and more rounded hills. Mass wasting scarps make up 53% of all features identified. The structural maps highlight the significant effect of mass wasting on Io's surface, the evolution of mountains through time, the role of tectonics in the formation of paterae, and the formation of mountains through global contraction due to volcanism.

Formation of quasi-single crystalline porous ZnO nanostructures with a single large cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Seungho; Kim, Semi; Jung, Dae-Won; Lee, Kun-Hong

2011-09-01

We report a method for synthesizing quasi-single crystalline porous ZnO nanostructures containing a single large cavity. The microwave-assisted route consists of a short (about 2 min) temperature ramping stage (from room temperature to 120 °C) and a stage in which the temperature is maintained at 120 °C for 2 h. The structures produced by this route were 200-480 nm in diameter. The morphological yields of this method were very high. The temperature- and time-dependent evolution of the synthesized powders and the effects of an additive, vitamin C, were studied. Spherical amorphous/polycrystalline structures (70-170 nm in diameter), which appeared transitorily, may play a key role in the formation of the single crystalline porous hollow ZnO nanostructures. Studies and characterization of the nanostructures suggested a possible mechanism for formation of the quasi-single crystalline porous ZnO nanostructures with an interior space.We report a method for synthesizing quasi-single crystalline porous ZnO nanostructures containing a single large cavity. The microwave-assisted route consists of a short (about 2 min) temperature ramping stage (from room temperature to 120 °C) and a stage in which the temperature is maintained at 120 °C for 2 h. The structures produced by this route were 200-480 nm in diameter. The morphological yields of this method were very high. The temperature- and time-dependent evolution of the synthesized powders and the effects of an additive, vitamin C, were studied. Spherical amorphous/polycrystalline structures (70-170 nm in diameter), which appeared transitorily, may play a key role in the formation of the single crystalline porous hollow ZnO nanostructures. Studies and characterization of the nanostructures suggested a possible mechanism for formation of the quasi-single crystalline porous ZnO nanostructures with an interior space. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: TEM images and the corresponding SAED image of a ZnO nanostructure synthesized from the reaction without l(+)-ascorbic acid at the 85 °C time point (Fig. S1). See DOI: 10.1039/c1nr10609k

Structure and Liquid Fragility in Sodium Carbonate.

PubMed

Wilson, Mark; Ribeiro, Mauro C C; Wilding, Martin C; Benmore, Chris; Weber, J K R; Alderman, Oliver; Tamalonis, Anthony; Parise, J B

2018-02-01

The relationship between local structure and dynamics is explored for molten sodium carbonate. A flexible fluctuating-charge model, which allows for changes in the shape and charge distribution of the carbonate molecular anion, is developed. The system shows the evolution of highly temperature-dependent complex low-dimensional structures which control the dynamics (and hence the liquid fragility). By varying the molecular anion charge distribution, the key interactions responsible for the formation of these structures can be identified and rationalized. An increase in the mean charge separation within the carbonate ions increases the connectivity of the emerging structures and leads to an increase in the system fragility.

Regional-Scale Salt Tectonics Modelling: Bench-Scale Validation and Extension to Field-Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crook, A. J. L.; Yu, J. G.; Thornton, D. A.

2010-05-01

The role of salt in the evolution of the West African continental margin, and in particular its impact on hydrocarbon migration and trap formation, is an important research topic. It has attracted many researchers who have based their research on bench-scale experiments, numerical models and seismic observations. This research has shown that the evolution is very complex. For example, regional analogue bench-scale models of the Angolan margin (Fort et al., 2004) indicate a complex system with an upslope extensional domain with sealed tilted blocks, growth fault and rollover systems and extensional diapers, and a downslope contractional domain with squeezed diapirs, polyharmonic folds and thrust faults, and late-stage folding and thrusting. Numerical models have the potential to provide additional insight into the evolution of these salt driven passive margins. The longer-term aim is to calibrate regional-scale evolution models, and then to evaluate the effect of the depositional history on the current day geomechanical and hydrogeologic state in potential target hydrocarbon reservoir formations adjacent to individual salt bodies. To achieve this goal the burial and deformational history of the sediment must be modelled from initial deposition to the current-day state, while also accounting for the reaction and transport processes occurring in the margin. Accurate forward modeling is, however complex, and necessitates advanced procedures for the prediction of fault formation and evolution, representation of the extreme deformations in the salt, and for coupling the geomechanical, fluid flow and temperature fields. The evolution of the sediment due to a combination of mechanical compaction, chemical compaction and creep relaxation must also be represented. In this paper ongoing research on a computational approach for forward modelling complex structural evolution, with particular reference to passive margins driven by salt tectonics is presented. The approach is an extension of a previously published approach (Crook et al., 2006a, 2006b) that focused on predictive modelling of structure evolution in 2-D sandbox experiments, and in particular two extensional sand box experiments that exhibit complex fault development including a series of superimposed crestal collapse graben systems (McClay, 1990) . The formulation adopts a finite strain Lagrangian method, complemented by advanced localization prediction algorithms and robust and efficient automated adaptive meshing techniques. The sediment is represented by an elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model based on extended critical state concepts, which enables representation of the combined effect of mechanical and chemical compaction. This is achieved by directly coupling the evolution of the material state boundary surface with both the mechanically and chemically driven porosity change. Using these procedures the evolution of the geological structures arises naturally from the imposed boundary conditions without the requirement of seeding using initial imperfections. Simulations are presented for regional bench-scale models based on the analogue experiments presented by Fort et al. (2004), together with additional insights provided by the numerical models. It is shown that the behaviour observed in both the extensional and compressional zones of these analogue models arises naturally in the finite element simulations. Extension of these models to the field-scale is then discussed and several simulations are presented to highlight important issues related to practical field-scale numerical modelling.

Time Evolution of the Mantle Thermal Structure in the African Hemisphere Before and After the Formation of Pangea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, N.; Zhong, S.

2008-12-01

The present-day mantle structure is characterized by the African and Pacific superplumes surrounded by subduction slabs. This structure has been demonstrated to result from dynamic interaction between mantle convection and surface plate motion history in the last 120 Ma. With similar techniques, mantle structure has been constructed back to about 100 Ma ago. However, due to the lack in global plate motion reconstructions further back in time, mantle structure for earlier times is poorly understood, despite of their importance in understanding the continental tectonics and volcanisms. Zhong et al. (2007) suggested that the mantle structures alternate between spherical harmonic degrees-1 and -2 structures, modulated by supercontinent processes. In their model, a supercontinent forms in the hemisphere with cold downwellings, and after supercontinent formation, the cold downwellings are replaced with hot upwellings due to return flows associated with circum-supercontinent subduction. This model implies that the African superplume is younger than 330 Ma when Pangea was formed, which is supported by volcanic activities recorded on continents around Pangea time. By using paleomagnetic-geologically reconstructed continental motions between 500 and 200 Ma in a three-dimensional spherical models of mantle convection, this study, for the first time, investigates the time evolution of mantle structures in the African hemisphere associated with Pangea formation. We show that cold downwellings first develop in the mantle between the colliding Laurentia and Gondwana, and that the downwellings are then replaced by upwellings after the formation of Pangea and as circum-Pangea subduction is initiated, consistent with Zhong et al. (2007) and Li et al. (2008). We find that the return flows in response to the circum-Pangea subduction are responsible for the upwellings below Pangea. We also find that even if the mantle in the African hemisphere is initially occupied by hot upwellings, the cold downwellings associated with convergence between Laurentia and Gondwana would destroy the hot upwellings and cause the hemisphere to be cold. These results are insensitive to model parameters such as convective vigor, internal heating rate, and the plate motions in the oceanic hemisphere. We therefore suggest that the African superplume is younger than 330 Ma when Pangea was formed.

Thermally induced evolution of hydrogenated amorphous carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangolini, Filippo; Rose, Franck; Hilbert, James; Carpick, Robert W.

2013-10-01

The thermally induced structural evolution of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films was investigated in situ by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for annealing temperatures up to 500 °C. A model for the conversion of sp3- to sp2-hybridized carbon in a-C:H vs. temperature and time was developed and applied to determine the ranges of activation energies for the thermally activated processes occurring. The energies are consistent with ordering and clustering of sp2 carbon, scission of sp3 carbon-hydrogen bonds and formation of sp2 carbon, and direct transformation of sp3- to sp2-hybridized carbon.

Quantifying the Effects of Gas-Rich Flyby Encounters on Galaxy Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumas, Julie; Holley-Bockelmann, Kelly; Lang, Meagan

2017-01-01

Recent work has shown that flyby encounters may be a common event in a galaxy's lifetime. Galaxy flybys are a one-time encounter when two halos interpenetrate, but unlike a galaxy merger, the two halos later detach. Relatively little work has been done to assess how flybys affect galaxy evolution. We present preliminary results of a suite of high-resolution hydrodynamical + N-body simulations of gas-rich flyby encounters, concentrating on Milky Way-like primaries. We track the bulk changes in structure, star formation history, kinematics, and morphology over a broad span of flyby encounters.

The importance of structural softening for the evolution and architecture of passive margins

PubMed Central

Duretz, T.; Petri, B.; Mohn, G.; Schmalholz, S. M.; Schenker, F. L.; Müntener, O.

2016-01-01

Lithospheric extension can generate passive margins that bound oceans worldwide. Detailed geological and geophysical studies in present and fossil passive margins have highlighted the complexity of their architecture and their multi-stage deformation history. Previous modeling studies have shown the significant impact of coarse mechanical layering of the lithosphere (2 to 4 layer crust and mantle) on passive margin formation. We built upon these studies and design high-resolution (~100–300 m) thermo-mechanical numerical models that incorporate finer mechanical layering (kilometer scale) mimicking tectonically inherited heterogeneities. During lithospheric extension a variety of extensional structures arises naturally due to (1) structural softening caused by necking of mechanically strong layers and (2) the establishment of a network of weak layers across the deforming multi-layered lithosphere. We argue that structural softening in a multi-layered lithosphere is the main cause for the observed multi-stage evolution and architecture of magma-poor passive margins. PMID:27929057

Influence of wing tip morphology on vortex dynamics of flapping flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna, Swathi; Mulleners, Karen

2013-11-01

The mechanism of flapping wing flight provides insects with extraordinary flight capabilities. The uniquely shaped wing tips give insects an edge in flight performance and the interaction between the leading edge vortices and wing tip vortices enhance their propelling efficiencies and manoeuvrability. These are qualities that are sought after in current-day Micro Air Vehicles. A detailed understanding of the vortex dynamics of flapping flight and the influence of the wing tip planform is imperative for technical application. An experimental study is conducted to investigate the effects of different wing tip planforms on the formation, evolution and interaction of vortical structures. We thereby focus on the interaction between the coherent structures evolving from the leading edge and the wing tip during pitching and flapping motions.The spatial and temporal evolution of the three-dimensional flow structures are determined using Scanning (Stereo) Particle Image Velocimetry and an in-depth coherent structure analysis. By comparing the vortex dynamics, the aerodynamic performance of various wing tip planforms are evaluated.

On the evolution of the star formation rate function of massive galaxies: constraints at 0.4 < z < 1.8 from the GOODS-MUSIC catalogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontanot, Fabio; Cristiani, Stefano; Santini, Paola; Fontana, Adriano; Grazian, Andrea; Somerville, Rachel S.

2012-03-01

We study the evolution of the star formation rate function (SFRF) of massive (M★ > 1010 M⊙) galaxies over the 0.4 < z < 1.8 redshift range and its implications for our understanding of the physical processes responsible for galaxy evolution. We use multiwavelength observations included in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey-Multiwavelength Southern Infrared Catalog (GOODS-MUSIC) catalogue, which provides a suitable coverage of the spectral region from 0.3 to 24 ?m and either spectroscopic or photometric redshifts for each object. Individual SFRs have been obtained by combining ultraviolet and 24-?m observations, when the latter were available. For all other sources a 'spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting' SFR estimate has been considered. We then define a stellar mass limited sample, complete in the M★ > 1010 M⊙ range and determine the SFRF using the 1/Vmax algorithm. We thus define simulated galaxy catalogues based on the predictions of three different state-of-the-art semi-analytical models (SAMs) of galaxy formation and evolution, and compare them with the observed SFRF. We show that the theoretical SFRFs are well described by a double power law functional form and its redshift evolution is approximated with high accuracy by a pure evolution of the typical SFR (SFR★). We find good agreement between model predictions and the high-SFR end of the SFRF, when the observational errors on the SFR are taken into account. However, the observational SFRF is characterized by a double-peaked structure, which is absent in its theoretical counterparts. At z > 1.0 the observed SFRF shows a relevant density evolution, which is not reproduced by SAMs, due to the well-known overprediction of intermediate-mass galaxies at z˜ 2. SAMs are thus able to reproduce the most intense SFR events observed in the GOODS-MUSIC sample and their redshift distribution. At the same time, the agreement at the low-SFR end is poor: all models overpredict the space density of SFR ˜ 1 M⊙ yr-1 and no model reproduces the double-peaked shape of the observational SFRF. If confirmed by deeper infrared observations, this discrepancy will provide a key constraint on theoretical modelling of star formation and stellar feedback.

Evolution of atomic structure during nanoparticle formation

DOE PAGES

Tyrsted, Christoffer; Lock, Nina; Jensen, Kirsten M. Ø.; ...

2014-04-14

Understanding the mechanism of nanoparticle formation during synthesis is a key prerequisite for the rational design and engineering of desirable materials properties, yet remains elusive due to the difficulty of studying structures at the nanoscale under real conditions. Here, the first comprehensive structural description of the formation of a nanoparticle, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), all the way from its ionic constituents in solution to the final crystal, is presented. The transformation is a complicated multi-step sequence of atomic reorganizations as the material follows the reaction pathway towards the equilibrium product. Prior to nanoparticle nucleation, reagents reorganize into polymeric species whose structuremore » is incompatible with the final product. Instead of direct nucleation of clusters into the final product lattice, a highly disordered intermediate precipitate forms with a local bonding environment similar to the product yet lacking the correct topology. During maturation, bond reforming occurs by nucleation and growth of distinct domains within the amorphous intermediary. The present study moves beyond kinetic modeling by providing detailed real-time structural insight, and it is demonstrated that YSZ nanoparticle formation and growth is a more complex chemical process than accounted for in conventional models. This level of mechanistic understanding of the nanoparticle formation is the first step towards more rational control over nanoparticle synthesis through control of both solution precursors and reaction intermediaries.« less

The Evolution of Dwarf-Irregular Galaxy NGC 1569: A Kinematic Study of the Stars and Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Megan C.

2011-12-01

The evolution and formation of dwarf galaxies has great importance to our knowledge of cosmological history from the Big Bang through the present day structure we observe in our local universe. Dwarf galaxies are believed to be the "building blocks" of larger galaxies, which implies that interactions and mergers of these small systems must have occurred frequently in the early universe. There is a population of starburst dwarf irregular (dIm) galaxies that seem to have characteristics indicative of interactions or mergers. One of these dIm galaxies is the nearby post-starburst NGC 1569. This dissertation project explores the stellar and gas kinematics of NGC 1569 as well as examines a deep neutral Hydrogen (HI) map made using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT). From these observations, this dissertation analyzes the evolution of NGC 1569 by understanding the three-dimensional shape of this dIm system for the first time. The structure of dIm galaxies is an important fundamental, physical property necessary to understand the evolution and formation of these common systems. However, the intrinsic shape of dIm galaxies remains controversial. Projected minor-to-major axis ratios provide insufficient data to determine the shapes of dIm galaxies. Fortunately, there is another method by which accurate structures can be measured. The stellar velocity dispersion, coupled with the maximum rotational velocity derived from HI observations, gives a measure of how kinematically hot a system is, and, therefore, indicates its structure. In this dissertation, we present the stellar kinematics, including the stellar velocity dispersion, of NGC 1569 obtained using the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) Mayall 4-m+Echelle spectrograph. These data are combined with an in depth analysis of high resolution HI data and a discussion of the nature of this starburst dwarf system. The dissertation concludes with a deep HI map of NGC 1569 and three of its nearest neighbors in the IC 342 galaxy group. Extended HI structures are observed in this map and are likely associated with NGC 1569. However, distinguishing if these structures are from an interaction or a merger is not possible and hydrodynamic simulations are needed. These simulations are for future work.

Formation of ultrathin Ni germanides: solid-phase reaction, morphology and texture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Stiphout, K.; Geenen, F. A.; De Schutter, B.; Santos, N. M.; Miranda, S. M. C.; Joly, V.; Detavernier, C.; Pereira, L. M. C.; Temst, K.; Vantomme, A.

2017-11-01

The solid-phase reaction of ultrathin (⩽10 nm) Ni films with different Ge substrates (single-crystalline (1 0 0), polycrystalline, and amorphous) was studied. As thickness goes down, thin film texture becomes a dominant factor in both the film’s phase formation and morphological evolution. As a consequence, certain metastable microstructures are epitaxially stabilized on crystalline substrates, such as the ɛ-Ni5Ge3 phase or a strained NiGe crystal structure on the single-crystalline substrates. Similarly, the destabilizing effect of axiotaxial texture on the film’s morphology becomes more pronounced as film thicknesses become smaller. These effects are contrasted by the evolution of germanide films on amorphous substrates, on which neither epitaxy nor axiotaxy can form, i.e. none of the (de)stabilizing effects of texture are observed. The crystallization of such amorphous substrates however, drives the film breakup.

Low-Cycle Fatigue Properties of P92 Ferritic-Martensitic Steel at Elevated Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhen; Hu, ZhengFei; Schmauder, Siegfried; Mlikota, Marijo; Fan, KangLe

2016-04-01

The low-cycle fatigue behavior of P92 ferritic-martensitic steel and the corresponding microstructure evolution at 873 K has been extensively studied. The test results of fatigue lifetime are consistent with the Coffin-Manson relationship over a range of controlled total strain amplitudes from 0.15 to 0.6%. The influence of strain amplitude on the fatigue crack initiation and growth has been observed using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The formation mechanism of secondary cracks is established according to the observation of fracture after fatigue process and there is an intrinsic relationship between striation spacing, current crack length, and strain amplitude. Transmission electron microscopy has been employed to investigate the microstructure evolution after fatigue process. It indicates the interaction between carbides and dislocations together with the formation of cell structure inhibits the cyclic softening. The low-angle sub-boundary elimination in the martensite is mainly caused by the cyclic stress.

Correlation of surface site formation to nanoisland growth in the electrochemical roughening of Pt(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobse, Leon; Huang, Yi-Fan; Koper, Marc T. M.; Rost, Marcel J.

2018-03-01

Platinum plays a central role in a variety of electrochemical devices and its practical use depends on the prevention of electrode degradation. However, understanding the underlying atomic processes under conditions of repeated oxidation and reduction inducing irreversible surface structure changes has proved challenging. Here, we examine the correlation between the evolution of the electrochemical signal of Pt(111) and its surface roughening by simultaneously performing cyclic voltammetry and in situ electrochemical scanning tunnelling microscopy (EC-STM). We identify a `nucleation and early growth' regime of nanoisland formation, and a `late growth' regime after island coalescence, which continues up to at least 170 cycles. The correlation analysis shows that each step site that is created in the `late growth' regime contributes equally strongly to both the electrochemical and the roughness evolution. In contrast, in the `nucleation and early growth' regime, created step sites contribute to the roughness, but not to the electrochemical signal.

Filament cooling and condensation in a sheared magnetic field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Hoven, Gerard

1990-01-01

Thermal instability driven by optically thin radiation in the corona is believed to initiate the formation of solar filaments. The fact that filaments are observed generally to separate regions of opposite, line-of-sight, magnetic polarity in the differentially rotating photosphere suggests that filament formation requires the presence of a highly sheared magnetic field. The coupled energetics and dynamics of the most important condensation modes, those due to perpendicular thermal conduction at short wavelengths are discussed. Linear structure in the sheared field and their growth rates is described, and 2D, nonlinear, MHD simulations of the evolution of these modes in a force-free field are conducted. The simulations achieve the fine thermal structures, minimum temperatures and maximum densities characteristic of observed solar filaments.

Segmental duplications: evolution and impact among the current Lepidoptera genomes.

PubMed

Zhao, Qian; Ma, Dongna; Vasseur, Liette; You, Minsheng

2017-07-06

Structural variation among genomes is now viewed to be as important as single nucleoid polymorphisms in influencing the phenotype and evolution of a species. Segmental duplication (SD) is defined as segments of DNA with homologous sequence. Here, we performed a systematic analysis of segmental duplications (SDs) among five lepidopteran reference genomes (Plutella xylostella, Danaus plexippus, Bombyx mori, Manduca sexta and Heliconius melpomene) to understand their potential impact on the evolution of these species. We find that the SDs content differed substantially among species, ranging from 1.2% of the genome in B. mori to 15.2% in H. melpomene. Most SDs formed very high identity (similarity higher than 90%) blocks but had very few large blocks. Comparative analysis showed that most of the SDs arose after the divergence of each linage and we found that P. xylostella and H. melpomene showed more duplications than other species, suggesting they might be able to tolerate extensive levels of variation in their genomes. Conserved ancestral and species specific SD events were assessed, revealing multiple examples of the gain, loss or maintenance of SDs over time. SDs content analysis showed that most of the genes embedded in SDs regions belonged to species-specific SDs ("Unique" SDs). Functional analysis of these genes suggested their potential roles in the lineage-specific evolution. SDs and flanking regions often contained transposable elements (TEs) and this association suggested some involvement in SDs formation. Further studies on comparison of gene expression level between SDs and non-SDs showed that the expression level of genes embedded in SDs was significantly lower, suggesting that structure changes in the genomes are involved in gene expression differences in species. The results showed that most of the SDs were "unique SDs", which originated after species formation. Functional analysis suggested that SDs might play different roles in different species. Our results provide a valuable resource beyond the genetic mutation to explore the genome structure for future Lepidoptera research.

Morphological, Structural and Optical Evolution of Ag Nanostructures on c-Plane GaN Through the Variation of Deposition Amount and Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, Mao; Li, Ming-Yu; Pandey, Puran; Zhang, Quanzhen; Kunwar, Sundar; Lee, Jihoon

2018-03-01

Owing to their tunable properties, Ag nanostructures have been widely adapted in various applications and the morphological control can determine their performance and effectiveness. In this work, we demonstrate the morphological and optical evolution of Ag nanostructures on GaN (0001) by the systematic control of deposition amount at two distinctive annealing temperatures. Based on the Volmer-Weber and coalescence growth models, the nanostructure growth commenced by the thermal solid-state-dewetting evolve in terms of size, density and configuration. At 450 °C, the round-dome shaped Ag nanoparticles (regime I), irregular Ag nano-mounds (regime II) and void-layer structures (regime III) are observed along with the gradually increased deposition amount. As a sharp distinction, the solid state dewetting process occur more radically at 700 °C and also, the Ag sublimation and the effect on the nanostructure formation are observed in a clear regime shift scaled by the deposition amount. Meanwhile, a strong dependency of reflectance spectra evolution on the Ag nanostructure morphology is witnessed for both sets. In particular, Ag dipolar resonance peaks are significantly red-shifted from VIS to NIR regions along with the nanostructure evolution. The reflectance, PL and Raman intensity variation are also observed and discussed based on the evolution of Ag nanostructures.

Research in Computational Astrobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaban, Galina; Colombano, Silvano; Scargle, Jeff; New, Michael H.; Pohorille, Andrew; Wilson, Michael A.

2003-01-01

We report on several projects in the field of computational astrobiology, which is devoted to advancing our understanding of the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the Universe using theoretical and computational tools. Research projects included modifying existing computer simulation codes to use efficient, multiple time step algorithms, statistical methods for analysis of astrophysical data via optimal partitioning methods, electronic structure calculations on water-nuclei acid complexes, incorporation of structural information into genomic sequence analysis methods and calculations of shock-induced formation of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds.

MMS observations of guide field reconnection at the interface between colliding reconnection jets inside flux rope-like structures at the magnetopause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oieroset, M.; Phan, T.; Haggerty, C. C.; Shay, M.; Eastwood, J. P.; Gershman, D. J.; Drake, J. F.; Fujimoto, M.; Ergun, R.; Mozer, F.; Oka, M.; Torbert, R. B.; Burch, J. L.; Wang, S.; Chen, L. J.; Swisdak, M.; Pollock, C. J.; Dorelli, J.; Fuselier, S. A.; Lavraud, B.; Kacem, I.; Giles, B. L.; Moore, T. E.; Saito, Y.; Avanov, L. A.; Paterson, W. R.; Strangeway, R. J.; Schwartz, S. J.; Khotyaintsev, Y. V.; Lindqvist, P. A.; Malakit, K.

2017-12-01

The formation and evolution of magnetic flux ropes is of critical importance for a number of collisionless plasma phenomena. At the dayside magnetopause flux rope-like structures can form between two X-lines. The two X-lines produce converging plasma jets. At the interface between the colliding jets a compressed current sheet can form, which in turn can undergo reconnection. We present MMS observations of the exhaust and diffusion region of such reconnection.

Coherent structures and turbulence evolution in magnetized non-neutral plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romé, M.; Chen, S.; Maero, G.

2018-01-01

The evolution of turbulence of a magnetized pure electron plasma confined in a Penning-Malmberg trap is investigated by means of a two-dimensional particle-in-cell numerical code. The transverse plasma dynamics is studied both in the case of free evolution and under the influence of non-axisymmetric, multipolar radio-frequency drives applied on the circular conducting boundary. In the latter case the radio-frequency fields are chosen in the frequency range of the low-order azimuthal (diocotron) modes of the plasma in order to investigate their effect on the insurgence of azimuthal instabilities and the formation and evolution of coherent structures, possibly preventing the relaxation to a fully-developed turbulent state. Different initial density distributions (rings and spirals) are considered, so that evolutions characterized by different levels of turbulence and intermittency are obtained. The time evolution of integral and spectral quantities of interest are computed using a multiresolution analysis based on a wavelet decomposition of density maps. Qualitative features of turbulent relaxation are found to be similar in conditions of both free and forced evolution, but the analysis allows one to highlight fine details of the flow beyond the self-similarity turbulence properties, so that the influence of the initial conditions and the effect of the external forcing can be distinguished. In particular, the presence of small inhomogeneities in the initial density configuration turns out to lead to quite different final states, especially in the presence of competing unstable diocotron modes characterized by similar growth rates.

DNA secondary structures: stability and function of G-quadruplex structures

PubMed Central

Bochman, Matthew L.; Paeschke, Katrin; Zakian, Virginia A.

2013-01-01

In addition to the canonical double helix, DNA can fold into various other inter- and intramolecular secondary structures. Although many such structures were long thought to be in vitro artefacts, bioinformatics demonstrates that DNA sequences capable of forming these structures are conserved throughout evolution, suggesting the existence of non-B-form DNA in vivo. In addition, genes whose products promote formation or resolution of these structures are found in diverse organisms, and a growing body of work suggests that the resolution of DNA secondary structures is critical for genome integrity. This Review focuses on emerging evidence relating to the characteristics of G-quadruplex structures and the possible influence of such structures on genomic stability and cellular processes, such as transcription. PMID:23032257

Inside-out Planet Formation. IV. Pebble Evolution and Planet Formation Timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiao; Tan, Jonathan C.; Zhu, Zhaohuan; Chatterjee, Sourav; Birnstiel, Tilman; Youdin, Andrew N.; Mohanty, Subhanjoy

2018-04-01

Systems with tightly packed inner planets (STIPs) are very common. Chatterjee & Tan proposed Inside-out Planet Formation (IOPF), an in situ formation theory, to explain these planets. IOPF involves sequential planet formation from pebble-rich rings that are fed from the outer disk and trapped at the pressure maximum associated with the dead zone inner boundary (DZIB). Planet masses are set by their ability to open a gap and cause the DZIB to retreat outwards. We present models for the disk density and temperature structures that are relevant to the conditions of IOPF. For a wide range of DZIB conditions, we evaluate the gap-opening masses of planets in these disks that are expected to lead to the truncation of pebble accretion onto the forming planet. We then consider the evolution of dust and pebbles in the disk, estimating that pebbles typically grow to sizes of a few centimeters during their radial drift from several tens of astronomical units to the inner, ≲1 au scale disk. A large fraction of the accretion flux of solids is expected to be in such pebbles. This allows us to estimate the timescales for individual planet formation and the entire planetary system formation in the IOPF scenario. We find that to produce realistic STIPs within reasonable timescales similar to disk lifetimes requires disk accretion rates of ∼10‑9 M ⊙ yr‑1 and relatively low viscosity conditions in the DZIB region, i.e., a Shakura–Sunyaev parameter of α ∼ 10‑4.

Mapping the Properties of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies by Means of Integral Field Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cairós, L. M.; Caon, N.; Weilbacher, P.; Papaderos, P.; García-Lorenzo, B.

Blue Compact Dwarf (BCD) galaxies are metal-poor and gas-rich systems undergoing intense, spatially extended star-forming activity. These galaxies offer a unique opportunity to investigate dwarf galaxy formation and evolution, and probe violent star formation and its implications on the chemical, dynamical and structural properties of low-mass extragalactic systems near and far. Several fundamental questions in BCD research, such as their star formation histories and the mechanisms that control their cyclic starburst activity, are still far from well understood. In order to improve our understanding on BCD evolution, we are carrying out a comprehensive Integral Field Spectroscopic (IFS) survey of a large sample of BCDs. Integral Field Unit (IFU) spectroscopy provides simultaneously spectral and spatial information, allowing, in just one shot, to study the morphology and evolutionary status of the stellar component, and the physical properties of the warm interstellar medium (e.g., extinction, chemical abundances, kinematics). This ongoing IFS survey will supply much needed local templates that will ease the interpretation of IFS data for intermediate and high-redshift star-forming galaxies.

Investigation of the influence of irradiation with Fe+7 ions on structural properties of AlN ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlovskiy, A.; Dukenbayev, K.; Ivanov, I.; Kozin, S.; Aleksandrenko, V.; Kurakhmedov, A.; Sambaev, E.; Kenzhina, I.; Tosi, D.; Loginov, V.; Zdorovets, M.

2018-06-01

The paper presents the results of investigation of defect formation in AlN ceramics under Fe+7 ion irradiation with a fluence from 1 × 1011 to 1 × 1014 ion cm‑2. The change in the main crystallographic characteristics, the decrease in the magnitude of Griffiths criterion, and the increase in the average voltage as a result of irradiation are caused by the appearance of additional defects in the structure and their further evolution leading to a change in the degree of crystallinity. For samples irradiated with Fe+7 ions to a dose of 1 × 1011 ion cm‑2, the formation of pyramidal hillocks is observed on the surface, whose average height is 17–20 nm. An increase in the irradiation dose leads to an increase in chillocks size and their density. At the same time, at large irradiation doses, the formation of conglomerates of chyllocks and grooves on the samples surface is observed. The change in surface morphology, the formation of chyllocks on the ceramic surface, and the dependence of the change in crystallographic characteristics during irradiation make it possible to unambiguously associate the formation of radiation defects in the structure of the ceramic with energy losses in elastic and inelastic interactions of iron ions with lattice atoms.

[Mobile genetic elements in plant sex evolution].

PubMed

Gerashchenkov, G A; Rozhnova, N A

2010-11-01

The most significant theories of the appearance and maintenance of sex are presented. However, in the overwhelming majority of existing theories, the problem of sex, which is the central problem of evolutionary biology, is considered primarily through the prism of reproductive features of living organisms, whereas the issue of molecular driving forces of sexual reproduction id restricted to the possible role of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the appearance of sexual reproduction. The structural and functional significance of MGEs in the genomic organization of plants is illustrated. It is shown that MGEs could act as important molecular drivers of sex evolution in plants. The involvement of MGEs in the formation of sex chromosomes and possible participation in seeds-without-sex reproduction (apomixis) is discussed. Thus, the hypothesis on the active MGE participation in sex evolution is in good agreement with the modern views on pathways and directions of sex evolution in plants.

TIME EVOLUTION OF KELVIN–HELMHOLTZ VORTICES ASSOCIATED WITH COLLISIONLESS SHOCKS IN LASER-PRODUCED PLASMAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuramitsu, Y.; Moritaka, T.; Mizuta, A.

2016-09-10

We report experimental results on Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability and resultant vortices in laser-produced plasmas. By irradiating a double plane target with a laser beam, asymmetric counterstreaming plasmas are created. The interaction of the plasmas with different velocities and densities results in the formation of asymmetric shocks, where the shear flow exists along the contact surface and the KH instability is excited. We observe the spatial and temporal evolution of plasmas and shocks with time-resolved diagnostics over several shots. Our results clearly show the evolution of transverse fluctuations, wavelike structures, and circular features, which are interpreted as the KH instability andmore » resultant vortices. The relevant numerical simulations demonstrate the time evolution of KH vortices and show qualitative agreement with experimental results. Shocks, and thus the contact surfaces, are ubiquitous in the universe; our experimental results show general consequences where two plasmas interact.« less

Online Planetary Science Courses at Athabasca University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connors, Martin; Munyikwa, Ken; Bredeson, Christy

2016-01-01

Athabasca University offers distance education courses in science, at freshman and higher levels. It has a number of geology and astronomy courses, and recently opened a planetary science course as the first upper division astronomy course after many years of offering freshman astronomy. Astronomy 310, Planetary Science, focuses on process in the Solar System on bodies other than Earth. This process-oriented course uses W. F. Hartmann's "Moons and Planets" as its textbook. It primarily approaches the subject from an astronomy and physics perspective. Geology 415, Earth's Origin and Early Evolution, is based on the same textbook, but explores the evidence for the various processes, events, and materials involved in the formation and evolution of Earth. The course provides an overview of objects in the Solar System, including the Sun, the planets, asteroids, comets, and meteoroids. Earth's place in the solar system is examined and physical laws that govern the motion of objects in the universe are looked at. Various geochemical tools and techniques used by geologists to reveal and interpret the evidence for the formation and evolution of bodies in the solar system as well as the age of earth are also explored. After looking at lines of evidence used to reconstruct the evolution of the solar system, processes involved in the formation of planets and stars are examined. The course concludes with a look at the origin and nature of Earth's internal structure. GEOL415 is a senior undergraduate course and enrols about 15-30 students annually. The courses are delivered online via Moodle and student evaluation is conducted through assignments and invigilated examinations.

Dehydration-driven evolution of topological complexity in ethylamonium uranyl selenates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gurzhiy, Vladislav V., E-mail: vladgeo17@mail.ru; Krivovichev, Sergey V.; Tananaev, Ivan G.

Single crystals of four novel uranyl selenate and selenite-selenate oxysalts with protonated ethylamine molecules, (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N){sub 2}[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4}){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O)](H{sub 2}O) (I), (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N){sub 3}[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4}){sub 2}(HSeO{sub 4})] (II), (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N)[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4})(HSeO{sub 3})] (III), and (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N)(H{sub 3}O)[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4}){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O)] (IV) have been prepared by isothermal evaporation from aqueous solutions. Uranyl-containing 1D and 2D units have been investigated using topological approach and information-based complexity measurements that demonstrate the evolution of structural units and the increase of topological complexity with the decrease of H{sub 2}O content. - Graphical abstract: Single crystals ofmore » four novel uranyl selenate and selenite-selenate oxysalts with protonated ethylamine molecules have been prepared by isothermal evaporation from aqueous solutions. Structural analysis and information-based topological complexity calculations points to the possible sequence of crystalline phases formation, showing both topological and structural branches of evolution. - Highlights: • Single crystals of four novel uranyl oxysalts were prepared by evaporation method. • The graph theory was used for investigation of topologies of structural units. • Dehydration processes drives the evolution of topological complexity of 1D and 2D structural units.« less

The Dynamics of Coalition Formation on Complex Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auer, S.; Heitzig, J.; Kornek, U.; Schöll, E.; Kurths, J.

2015-08-01

Complex networks describe the structure of many socio-economic systems. However, in studies of decision-making processes the evolution of the underlying social relations are disregarded. In this report, we aim to understand the formation of self-organizing domains of cooperation (“coalitions”) on an acquaintance network. We include both the network’s influence on the formation of coalitions and vice versa how the network adapts to the current coalition structure, thus forming a social feedback loop. We increase complexity from simple opinion adaptation processes studied in earlier research to more complex decision-making determined by costs and benefits, and from bilateral to multilateral cooperation. We show how phase transitions emerge from such coevolutionary dynamics, which can be interpreted as processes of great transformations. If the network adaptation rate is high, the social dynamics prevent the formation of a grand coalition and therefore full cooperation. We find some empirical support for our main results: Our model develops a bimodal coalition size distribution over time similar to those found in social structures. Our detection and distinguishing of phase transitions may be exemplary for other models of socio-economic systems with low agent numbers and therefore strong finite-size effects.

Suppressed star formation by a merging cluster system

DOE PAGES

Mansheim, A. S.; Lemaux, B. C.; Tomczak, A. R.; ...

2017-03-24

We examine the effects of an impending cluster merger on galaxies in the large scale structure (LSS) RX J0910 at z =1.105. Using multi-wavelength data, including 102 spectral members drawn from the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large Scale Environments (ORELSE) survey and precise photometric redshifts, we calculate star formation rates and map the specific star formation rate density of the LSS galaxies. These analyses along with an investigation of the color-magnitude properties of LSS galaxies indicate lower levels of star formation activity in the region between the merging clusters relative to the outskirts of the system. We suggest thatmore » gravitational tidal forces due to the potential of the merging halos may be the physical mechanism responsible for the observed suppression of star formation in galaxies caught between the merging clusters.« less

TORNADO-LIKE EVOLUTION OF A KINK-UNSTABLE SOLAR PROMINENCE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Wensi; Liu, Rui; Wang, Yuming, E-mail: rliu@ustc.edu.cn

We report on the tornado-like evolution of a quiescent prominence on 2014 November 1. The eastern section of the prominence first rose slowly, transforming into an arch-shaped structure as high as ∼150 Mm above the limb; the arch then writhed moderately in a left-handed sense, while the original dark prominence material emitted in the Fe ix 171 Å passband, and a braided structure appeared at the eastern edge of the warped arch. The unraveling of the braided structure was associated with a transient brightening in the EUV and apparently contributed to the formation of a curtain-like structure (CLS). The CLSmore » consisted of myriad thread-like loops rotating counterclockwise about the vertical if viewed from above. Heated prominence material was observed to slide along these loops and land outside the filament channel. The tornado eventually disintegrated and the remaining material flew along a left-handed helical path constituting approximately a full turn, as corroborated through stereoscopic reconstruction, into the cavity of the stable, western section of the prominence. We suggest that the tornado-like evolution of the prominence was governed by the helical kink instability, and that the CLS formed through magnetic reconnections between the prominence field and the overlying coronal field.« less

Raman studied of undoped amorphous carbon thin film deposited by bias assisted-CVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishak, A.; Fadzilah, A. N.; Dayana, K.; Saurdi, I.; Malek, M. F.; Nurbaya, Z.; Shafura, A. K.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

The undoped amorphous carbon thin film carbon was deposited at 200°C-350°C by bias assisted-CVD using palm oil as a precursor material. The effect of different substrate deposition temperatures on structural and electrical properties of undoped doped amorphous carbon film was discussed. The structural of undoped amorphous carbon films were correlated with Raman analysis through the evolution of D and G bands, Fourier spectra, and conductivity measurement. The spectral evolution observed showed the increase of upward shift of D and G peaks as substrate deposition temperatures increased. The spectral evolution observed at different substrate deposition temperatures show progressive formation of crystallites. It was predicted that small number of hydrogen is terminated with carbon at surface of thin film as shown by FTIR spectra since palm oil has high number of hydrogen (C67H127O8). These structural changes were further correlated with conductivity and the results obtained are discussed and compared. The conductivity is found in the range of 10-8 Scm-1. The increase of conductivity is correlated by the change of structural properties as correlated with characteristic parameters of Raman spectra including the position of G peak, full width at half maximum of G peak, and ID/IG and FTIR result.

Cosmological N-body Simulation of Galaxy and Large-Scale Structure Formation: The Gravity Frontier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klypin, Anatoly

2015-04-01

One of the first N-body simulations done almost 50 years ago had only 200 self-gravitating particles. Even this first baby step made substantial impact on understanding how astronomical objects should form. Now powerful supercomputers and new algorithms allow astronomers produce N-body simulations that employ up to a trillion dark matter particles and produce vital theoretical predictions regarding formation, evolution, structure and statistics of objects ranging from dwarf galaxies to clusters and superclusters of galaxies. With only gravity involved in these theoretical models, one would naively expect that by now we should know everything we need about N-body dynamics of cosmological fluctuations. Not the case. It appears that the Universe was not cooperative and gave us divergencies in the initial conditions generated during the Inflation epoch and subsequent expansion of the Universe - the infinite phase-space density and divergent density fluctuations. Ever increasing observational demands on statistics and accuracy of theoretical predictions is another driving force for more realistic and larger N-body simulations. Large current and new planned observational projects such as BOSS, eBOSS, Euclid, LSST will bring information on spatial distribution, motion, and properties of millions of galaxies at different redshifts. Direct simulations of evolution of gas and formation of stars for millions of forming galaxies will not be available for years leaving astronomers with the only option - to develop methods to combine large N-body simulations with models of galaxy formation to produce accurate theoretical predictions. I will discuss the current status of the field and directions of its development.

The Formation of a Milky Way-sized Disk Galaxy. I. A Comparison of Numerical Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Qirong; Li, Yuexing

2016-11-01

The long-standing challenge of creating a Milky Way- (MW-) like disk galaxy from cosmological simulations has motivated significant developments in both numerical methods and physical models. We investigate these two fundamental aspects in a new comparison project using a set of cosmological hydrodynamic simulations of an MW-sized galaxy. In this study, we focus on the comparison of two particle-based hydrodynamics methods: an improved smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code Gadget, and a Lagrangian Meshless Finite-Mass (MFM) code Gizmo. All the simulations in this paper use the same initial conditions and physical models, which include star formation, “energy-driven” outflows, metal-dependent cooling, stellar evolution, and metal enrichment. We find that both numerical schemes produce a late-type galaxy with extended gaseous and stellar disks. However, notable differences are present in a wide range of galaxy properties and their evolution, including star-formation history, gas content, disk structure, and kinematics. Compared to Gizmo, the Gadget simulation produced a larger fraction of cold, dense gas at high redshift which fuels rapid star formation and results in a higher stellar mass by 20% and a lower gas fraction by 10% at z = 0, and the resulting gas disk is smoother and more coherent in rotation due to damping of turbulent motion by the numerical viscosity in SPH, in contrast to the Gizmo simulation, which shows a more prominent spiral structure. Given its better convergence properties and lower computational cost, we argue that the MFM method is a promising alternative to SPH in cosmological hydrodynamic simulations.

THE FORMATION OF A MILKY WAY-SIZED DISK GALAXY. I. A COMPARISON OF NUMERICAL METHODS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Qirong; Li, Yuexing, E-mail: qxz125@psu.edu

The long-standing challenge of creating a Milky Way- (MW-) like disk galaxy from cosmological simulations has motivated significant developments in both numerical methods and physical models. We investigate these two fundamental aspects in a new comparison project using a set of cosmological hydrodynamic simulations of an MW-sized galaxy. In this study, we focus on the comparison of two particle-based hydrodynamics methods: an improved smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code Gadget, and a Lagrangian Meshless Finite-Mass (MFM) code Gizmo. All the simulations in this paper use the same initial conditions and physical models, which include star formation, “energy-driven” outflows, metal-dependent cooling, stellarmore » evolution, and metal enrichment. We find that both numerical schemes produce a late-type galaxy with extended gaseous and stellar disks. However, notable differences are present in a wide range of galaxy properties and their evolution, including star-formation history, gas content, disk structure, and kinematics. Compared to Gizmo, the Gadget simulation produced a larger fraction of cold, dense gas at high redshift which fuels rapid star formation and results in a higher stellar mass by 20% and a lower gas fraction by 10% at z = 0, and the resulting gas disk is smoother and more coherent in rotation due to damping of turbulent motion by the numerical viscosity in SPH, in contrast to the Gizmo simulation, which shows a more prominent spiral structure. Given its better convergence properties and lower computational cost, we argue that the MFM method is a promising alternative to SPH in cosmological hydrodynamic simulations.« less

Evolution of opto-electronic properties during film formation of complex semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinemann, M. D.; Mainz, R.; Österle, F.; Rodriguez-Alvarez, H.; Greiner, D.; Kaufmann, C. A.; Unold, T.

2017-04-01

Optical and electrical properties of complex semiconducting alloys like Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) are strongly influenced by the reaction pathways occurring during their deposition process. This makes it desirable to observe and control these properties in real-time during the deposition. Here we show for the first time the evolution of the band gap and the sub-band-gap defect absorption of CIGS thin film as well as surface roughness during a three-stage co-evaporation process by means of an optical analysis technique, based on white light reflectometry (WLR). By simultaneously recording structural information with in-situ energy dispersive X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence we can directly correlate the evolution of opto-electronic material parameters with the structural properties of the film during growth. We find that the surface roughness and the sub-gap light absorption can be correlated with the phase evolution during the transformation from (In,Ga)2Se3 to Cu(In,Ga)Se2 by the incorporation of Cu into the film. Sub-bandgap light absorption is found to be influenced by the Cu-saturated growth phase and is lowered close to the points of stoichiometry, allowing for an advanced process design.

Evolution of Mass and Velocity Field in the Cosmic Web: Comparison between Baryonic and Dark Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Weishan; Feng, Long-Long

2017-03-01

We investigate the evolution of the cosmic web since z = 5 in grid-based cosmological hydrodynamical simulations, focusing on the mass and velocity fields of both baryonic and cold dark matter. The tidal tensor of density is used as the main method for web identification, with λ th = 0.2-1.2. The evolution trends in baryonic and dark matter are similar, although moderate differences are observed. Sheets appear early, and their large-scale pattern may have been set up by z = 3. In terms of mass, filaments supersede sheets as the primary collapsing structures from z ˜ 2-3. Tenuous filaments assembled with each other to form prominent ones at z < 2. In accordance with the construction of the frame of the sheets, the cosmic divergence velocity, v div, was already well-developed above 2-3 Mpc by z = 3. Afterwards, the curl velocity, v curl, grew dramatically along with the rising of filaments, becoming comparable to v div, for <2-3 Mpc at z = 0. The scaling of v curl can be described by the hierarchical turbulence model. The alignment between the vorticity and the eigenvectors of the shear tensor in the baryonic matter field resembles that in the dark matter field, and is even moderately stronger between {\\boldsymbol{ω }} and {{\\boldsymbol{e}}}1, and ω and {{\\boldsymbol{e}}}3. Compared with dark matter, there is slightly less baryonic matter found residing in filaments and clusters, and its vorticity developed more significantly below 2-3 Mpc. These differences may be underestimated because of the limited resolution and lack of star formation in our simulation. The impact of the change of dominant structures in overdense regions at z ˜ 2-3 on galaxy formation and evolution is shortly discussed.

Formation Stellaire Aux Échelles Des Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boissier, S.

2012-12-01

Star Formation is at the very core of the evolution of galaxies. From their gas reservoir (filled by infall or fusions), stars form at the "Star Formation Rate" (SFR), with an enormous impact on many aspects of the evolution of galaxies. This HDR presents first the formalism concerning star formation (SFR, IMF), some theoretical suggestions on physical processes that may affect star formation on various galactic scales, and the methods used to determine the SFR from observations. A large part is dedicated to the "Star Formation Laws" (e.g. Schmidt law) on various scales (local, radial, and global law). Finally, the last part concerns the largest scales (evolution of the "cosmic" SFR and effect of the environment).

Crystal Structure of 4,6-α-Glucanotransferase Supports Diet-Driven Evolution of GH70 Enzymes from α-Amylases in Oral Bacteria.

PubMed

Bai, Yuxiang; Gangoiti, Joana; Dijkstra, Bauke W; Dijkhuizen, Lubbert; Pijning, Tjaard

2017-02-07

Food processing and refining has dramatically changed the human diet, but little is known about whether this affected the evolution of enzymes in human microbiota. We present evidence that glycoside hydrolase family 70 (GH70) glucansucrases from lactobacilli, synthesizing α-glucan-type extracellular polysaccharides from sucrose, likely evolved from GH13 starch-acting α-amylases, via GH70 4,6-α-glucanotransferases. The crystal structure of a 4,6-α-glucanotransferase explains the mode of action and unique product specificity of these enzymes. While the α-amylase substrate-binding scaffold is retained, active-site loops adapted to favor transglycosylation over hydrolysis; the structure also gives clues as to how 4,6-α-glucanotransferases may have evolved further toward sucrose utilization instead of starch. Further supported by genomic, phylogenetic, and in vivo studies, we propose that dietary changes involving starch (and starch derivatives) and sucrose intake were critical factors during the evolution of 4,6-α-GTs and glucansucrases from α-amylases, allowing oral bacteria to produce extracellular polymers that contribute to biofilm formation from different substrates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structure and tectonic evolution of the NE segment of the Polish-Ukrainian Carpathians during the Late Cenozoic: subsurface cross-sections and palinspastic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuśmierek, Jan; Baran, Urszula

2016-08-01

The discrepant arrangement of the Carpathian nappes and syntectonic deposits of the Carpathian Foredeep reveals the oroclinal migration of the subduction direction of the platform margin during the Late Cenozoic. Formation of the nappes was induced by their detachment from disintegrated segments of the European Platform; the segments were shortened as a result of their vertical rotation in zones of compressional sutures. It finds expression in local occurrence of the backward vergence of folding against the generally forward vergence toward the Carpathian Foredeep. The precompressional configuration of sedimentation areas of particular nappes was reconstructed with application of the palinspastic method, on the basis of the hitherto undervalued model which emphasizes the influence of the subduction and differentiated morphology of the platform basement on the tectonic evolution of the fold and thrust belt. Superposition of the palaeogeographic representations and the present geometry of the orogen allows understanding of the impact of the magnitudes of tectonic displacements on the differentiation of the geological structure in the NE segment of the Carpathians. The differentiation has inspired different views of Polish and Ukrainian geologists on structural classification and evolution of the frontal thrusts.

Deposition and melting behaviors for formation of micro/nano structures from nanostructures with femtosecond pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tong; Wang, Wenjun; Tao, Tao; Mei, Xuesong; Pan, Aifei

2018-04-01

This study reported the fabrication of a large area of micro/nano structures with different morphologies and sizes by the deposition of ablated material and melting of material on silicon through a line-shaped femtosecond laser beam irradiation. The evolution of micro/nano structures on the silicon surface was demonstrated with the laser fluence of 0.64 J/cm2. It was found that the melting of material was responsible for the formation of the micro-protrusions from laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs). Additionally, the deposition fell on the surface of the micro-protrusions in oblique incidence way, causing LIPSSs obscure and even invisible. As a consequence, those micro-protrusions gradually evolved into the micro-spikes with the ladder-like surface. Then, various laser fluences were applied to regulate the deposition and melting behaviors of silicon, to obtain the micro/nano structures with different morphologies and sizes. The formation mechanism of these micro/nano structures was analyzed. On this basis, the optical properties test showed that best anti-reflectivity was referred to the sample full of micro-spikes with the ladder-like surface, and the average reflectance has decreased from ∼38.17% of the planar silicon to∼4.75% in the waveband between 300 and 1000 nm.

Correlation between Hierarchical Structure and Processing Control of Large-area Spray-coated Polymer Solar Cells toward High Performance

PubMed Central

Huang, Yu-Ching; Tsao, Cheng-Si; Cha, Hou-Chin; Chuang, Chih-Min; Su, Chun-Jen; Jeng, U-Ser; Chen, Charn-Ying

2016-01-01

The formation mechanism of a spray-coated film is different from that of a spin-coated film. This study employs grazing incidence small- and wide-angle X-ray Scattering (GISAXS and GIWAXS, respectively) quantitatively and systematically to investigate the hierarchical structure and phase-separated behavior of a spray-deposited blend film. The formation of PCBM clusters involves mutual interactions with both the P3HT crystal domains and droplet boundary. The processing control and the formed hierarchical structure of the active layer in the spray-coated polymer/fullerene blend film are compared to those in the spin-coated film. How the different post-treatments, such as thermal and solvent vapor annealing, tailor the hierarchical structure of the spray-coated films is quantitatively studied. Finally, the relationship between the processing control and tailored BHJ structures and the performance of polymer solar cell devices is established here, taking into account the evolution of the device area from 1 × 0.3 and 1 × 1 cm2. The formation and control of the special networks formed by the PCBM cluster and P3HT crystallites, respectively, are related to the droplet boundary. These structures are favorable for the transverse transport of electrons and holes. PMID:26817585

A Large-Scale Super-Structure at z=0.65 in the UKIDSS Ultra-Deep Survey Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galametz, Audrey; Candels Clustering Working Group

2017-07-01

In hierarchical structure formation scenarios, galaxies accrete along high density filaments. Superclusters represent the largest density enhancements in the cosmic web with scales of 100 to 200 Mpc. As they represent the largest components of LSS, they are very powerful tools to constrain cosmological models. Since they also offer a wide range of density, from infalling group to high density cluster core, they are also the perfect laboratory to study the influence of environment on galaxy evolution. I will present a newly discovered large scale structure at z=0.65 in the UKIDSS UDS field. Although statistically predicted, the presence of such structure in UKIDSS, one of the most extensively covered and studied extragalactic field, remains a serendipity. Our follow-up confirmed more than 15 group members including at least three galaxy clusters with M200 10^14Msol . Deep spectroscopy of the quiescent core galaxies reveals that the most massive structure knots are at very different formation stage with a range of red sequence properties. Statistics allow us to map formation age across the structure denser knots and identify where quenching is most probably occurring across the LSS. Spectral diagnostics analysis also reveals an interesting population of transition galaxies we suspect are transforming from star-forming to quiescent galaxies.

Physical properties and evolution of GMCs in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onishi, Toshikazu

2015-08-01

Most stars are born as clusters in Giant Molecular Clouds (hereafter GMCs), and therefore the understanding of the evolution of GMCs in a galaxy is one of the key issues to investigate the evolution of the galaxy. The recent state-of-the-art radio telescopes have been enabling us to reveal the distribution of GMCs extensively in the Galaxy as well as in the nearby galaxies, and the physical properties and the evolution of the GMCs leading to cluster formations are actively being investigated. Here we present a review of studies of spatially resolved GMCs in the Galaxy and in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), aiming at providing a template of GMC properties. For the Galactic GMCs, we will focus on the recent extensive survey of GMCs along the Galactic plane; the recent studies suggest cloud-cloud collision as mechanism of massive star formation. For the extra galactic GMCs, we will present recent high-resolution observations of GMCs in the LMC.The LMC is among the nearest star-forming galaxy (distance ~ 50kpc) and is almost face-on. From these aspects, it is becoming the most popular region for studying interstellar medium over an entire galaxy. For molecular gas, the NANTEN covered the entire LMC with a spatial resolution of 40 pc, revealing 272 molecular clouds whose mass ranges from ~104 to ~107 M⊙, which is the first uniform sample of GMCs in a single galaxy. Our Spitzer SAGE and Herschel HERITAGE surveys show that the interstellar medium has much smaller scale structures; full of filamentary and shell-like structures. In order to resolve the filamentary distributions and pre-stellar cores we definitely need to resolve clouds at sub-pc resolutions with ALMA and to cover regions of active cluster formation which are to be selected based on the Spitzer and Hershel data. Our ALMA targets in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 include N159, which is the most intense and concentrated molecular cloud as shown by the brightest CO J=3-2 source in the LMC, and GMCs with different evolutionary stages. We present the maps of pre-stellar cores and linking filaments at sub-pc resolution and discuss the formation process of massive clusters.

Co-option of the hormone-signalling module dafachronic acid-DAF-12 in nematode evolution.

PubMed

Bento, Gilberto; Ogawa, Akira; Sommer, Ralf J

2010-07-22

Morphological novelties are lineage-specific traits that serve new functions. Developmental polyphenisms have been proposed to be facilitators of phenotypic evolution, but little is known about the interplay between the associated genetic and environmental factors. Here, we study two alternative morphologies in the mouth of the nematode Pristionchus pacificus and the formation of teeth-like structures that are associated with bacteriovorous feeding and predatory behaviour on fungi and other worms. These teeth-like denticles represent an evolutionary novelty, which is restricted to some members of the nematode family Diplogastridae but is absent from Caenorhabditis elegans and related nematodes. We show that the mouth dimorphism is a polyphenism that is controlled by starvation and the co-option of an endocrine switch mechanism. Mutations in the nuclear hormone receptor DAF-12 and application of its ligand, the sterol hormone dafachronic acid, strongly influence this switch mechanism. The dafachronic acid-DAF-12 module has been shown to control the formation of arrested dauer larvae in both C. elegans and P. pacificus, as well as related life-history decisions in distantly related nematodes. The comparison of dauer formation and mouth morphology switch reveals that different thresholds of dafachronic acid signalling provide specificity. This study shows how hormonal signalling acts by coupling environmental change and genetic regulation and identifies dafachronic acid as a key hormone in nematode evolution.

Formation and evolution of magnetised filaments in wind-swept turbulent clumps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banda-Barragan, Wladimir Eduardo; Federrath, Christoph; Crocker, Roland M.; Bicknell, Geoffrey Vincent; Parkin, Elliot Ross

2015-08-01

Using high-resolution three-dimensional simulations, we examine the formation and evolution of filamentary structures arising from magnetohydrodynamic interactions between supersonic winds and turbulent clumps in the interstellar medium. Previous numerical studies assumed homogenous density profiles, null velocity fields, and uniformly distributed magnetic fields as the initial conditions for interstellar clumps. Here, we have, for the first time, incorporated fractal clumps with log-normal density distributions, random velocity fields and turbulent magnetic fields (superimposed on top of a uniform background field). Disruptive processes, instigated by dynamical instabilities and akin to those observed in simulations with uniform media, lead to stripping of clump material and the subsequent formation of filamentary tails. The evolution of filaments in uniform and turbulent models is, however, radically different as evidenced by comparisons of global quantities in both scenarios. We show, for example, that turbulent clumps produce tails with higher velocity dispersions, increased gas mixing, greater kinetic energy, and lower plasma beta than their uniform counterparts. We attribute the observed differences to: 1) the turbulence-driven enhanced growth of dynamical instabilities (e.g. Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities) at fluid interfaces, and 2) the localised amplification of magnetic fields caused by the stretching of field lines trapped in the numerous surface deformations of fractal clumps. We briefly discuss the implications of this work to the physics of the optical filaments observed in the starburst galaxy M82.

Genetic mechanisms involved in the evolution of the cephalopod camera eye revealed by transcriptomic and developmental studies

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Coleoid cephalopods (squids and octopuses) have evolved a camera eye, the structure of which is very similar to that found in vertebrates and which is considered a classic example of convergent evolution. Other molluscs, however, possess mirror, pin-hole, or compound eyes, all of which differ from the camera eye in the degree of complexity of the eye structures and neurons participating in the visual circuit. Therefore, genes expressed in the cephalopod eye after divergence from the common molluscan ancestor could be involved in eye evolution through association with the acquisition of new structural components. To clarify the genetic mechanisms that contributed to the evolution of the cephalopod camera eye, we applied comprehensive transcriptomic analysis and conducted developmental validation of candidate genes involved in coleoid cephalopod eye evolution. Results We compared gene expression in the eyes of 6 molluscan (3 cephalopod and 3 non-cephalopod) species and selected 5,707 genes as cephalopod camera eye-specific candidate genes on the basis of homology searches against 3 molluscan species without camera eyes. First, we confirmed the expression of these 5,707 genes in the cephalopod camera eye formation processes by developmental array analysis. Second, using molecular evolutionary (dN/dS) analysis to detect positive selection in the cephalopod lineage, we identified 156 of these genes in which functions appeared to have changed after the divergence of cephalopods from the molluscan ancestor and which contributed to structural and functional diversification. Third, we selected 1,571 genes, expressed in the camera eyes of both cephalopods and vertebrates, which could have independently acquired a function related to eye development at the expression level. Finally, as experimental validation, we identified three functionally novel cephalopod camera eye genes related to optic lobe formation in cephalopods by in situ hybridization analysis of embryonic pygmy squid. Conclusion We identified 156 genes positively selected in the cephalopod lineage and 1,571 genes commonly found in the cephalopod and vertebrate camera eyes from the analysis of cephalopod camera eye specificity at the expression level. Experimental validation showed that the cephalopod camera eye-specific candidate genes include those expressed in the outer part of the optic lobes, which unique to coleoid cephalopods. The results of this study suggest that changes in gene expression and in the primary structure of proteins (through positive selection) from those in the common molluscan ancestor could have contributed, at least in part, to cephalopod camera eye acquisition. PMID:21702923

Warps and intra-cavity kinematics in transition disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casassus, S.

2017-07-01

The inferrence of radial gaps in the "transition disk" stage of protoplanetary disk evolution motivates questions on their origin, and possible link to planet formation. This talk presented recent observations of cavities in transition disks. Here we report on the aspects related to the observations of warps, and on the structure and kinematics of the residual gas inside TD cavities.

Catalytic Oxygen Evolution by a Bioinorganic Model of the Photosystem II Oxygen-Evolving Complex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Derrick L.; Tinoco, Arthur D.; Brudvig, Gary W.; Vrettos, John S.; Allen, Bertha Connie

2005-01-01

Bioinorganic models of the manganese Mn4 cluster are important not only as aids in understanding the structure and function of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC), but also in developing artificial water-oxidation catalysts. The mechanism of water oxidation by photosystem II (PSII) is thought to involve the formation of a high-valent terminal Mn-oxo…

Interstellar Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, B.; Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

The enormous volume of space between the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is filled with interstellar matter (ISM). The ISM plays a central role in the processes of STAR FORMATION and GALAXY EVOLUTION. Stars form from the ISM in dense molecular clouds. The radiant and mechanical energy produced by stars heats, ionizes, and produces structures in the ISM. Gradual or catastrophic mass loss from stars ...

Portent of Heine's Reciprocal Square Root Identity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohl, H W

Precise efforts in theoretical astrophysics are needed to fully understand the mechanisms that govern the structure, stability, dynamics, formation, and evolution of differentially rotating stars. Direct computation of the physical attributes of a star can be facilitated by the use of highly compact azimuthal and separation angle Fourier formulations of the Green's functions for the linear partial differential equations of mathematical physics.

Modelling the evolution of a bi-partite network Peer referral in interlocking directorates*

PubMed Central

Edling, Christofer

2010-01-01

A central part of relational ties between social actors are constituted by shared affiliations and events. The action of joint participation reinforces personal ties between social actors as well as mutually shared values and norms that in turn perpetuate the patterns of social action that define groups. Therefore the study of bipartite networks is central to social science. Furthermore, the dynamics of these processes suggests that bipartite networks should not be considered static structures but rather be studied over time. In order to model the evolution of bipartite networks empirically we introduce a class of models and a Bayesian inference scheme that extends previous stochastic actor-oriented models for unimodal graphs. Contemporary research on interlocking directorates provides an area of research in which it seems reasonable to apply the model. Specifically, we address the question of how tie formation, i.e. director recruitment, contributes to the structural properties of the interlocking directorate network. For boards of directors on the Stockholm stock exchange we propose that a prolific mechanism in tie formation is that of peer referral. The results indicate that such a mechanism is present, generating multiple interlocks between boards. PMID:24944435

Formation and internal structure of superdense dark matter clumps and ultracompact minihaloes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berezinsky, V. S.; Dokuchaev, V. I.; Eroshenko, Yu. N.

2013-11-01

We discuss the formation mechanisms and structure of the superdense dark matter clumps (SDMC) and ultracompact minihaloes (UCMH), outlining the differences between these types of DM objects. We define as SDMC the gravitationally bounded DM objects which have come into virial equilibrium at the radiation-dominated (RD) stage of the universe evolution. Such objects can be formed from the isocurvature (entropy) density perturbations or from the peaks in the spectrum of curvature (adiabatic) perturbation. The axion miniclusters (Kolb and Tkachev 1994) are the example of the former model. The system of central compact mass (e.g. in the form of SDMC or primordial black hole (PBH)) with the outer DM envelope formed in the process of secondary accretion we refer to as UCMH. Therefore, the SDMC can serve as the seed for the UCMH in some scenarios. Recently, the SDMC and UCMH were considered in the many works, and we try to systematize them here. We consider also the effect of asphericity of the initial density perturbation in the gravitational evolution, which decreases the SDMC amount and, as the result, suppresses the gamma-ray signal from DM annihilation.

Studying Star and Planet Formation with the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinehart, Stephen A.

2005-01-01

The Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) is a far- infrared/submillimeter (40-640 micrometers) spaceborne interferometry concept, studied through the NASA Vision Missions program. SPECS is envisioned as a 1-km baseline Michelson interferometer with two 4- meter collecting mirrors. To maximize science return, SPECS will have three operational modes: a photometric imaging mode, an intermediate spectral resolution mode (R approximately equal to 1000-3000), and a high spectral resolution mode (R approximately equal to 3 x 10(exp 5)). The first two of these modes will provide information on all sources within a 1 arcminute field-of-view (FOV), while the the third will include sources in a small (approximately equal to 5 arcsec) FOV. With this design, SPECS will have angular resolution comparable to the Hubble Space Telescope (50 mas) and sensitivity more than two orders of magnitude better than Spitzer (5sigma in 10ks of approximately equal to 3 x 10(exp 7) Jy Hz). We present here some of the results of the recently-completed Vision Mission Study for SPECS, and discuss the application of this mission to future studies of star and planet formation.

Evolution of Ge nanoislands on Si(110)-'16 × 2' surface under thermal annealing studied using STM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gangopadhyay, Subhashis; Yoshimura, Masamichi; Ueda, Kazuyuki

2009-11-01

The initial nucleation of Ge nanoclusters on Si(110) at room temperature (RT), annealing-induced surface roughening and the evolution of three-dimensional Ge nanoislands have been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). A few monolayers (ML) of Ge deposited at room temperature lead to the formation of Ge clusters which are homogeneously distributed across the surface. The stripe-like patterns, characteristic of the Si(110)-'16 × 2' surface reconstruction are also retained. Increasing annealing temperatures, however, lead to significant surface diffusion and thus, disruption of the underlying '16 × 2' reconstruction. The annealing-induced removal of the stripe structures (originated from '16 × 2' reconstruction) starts at approximately 300 °C, whereas the terrace structures of Si(110) are thermally stable up to 500 °C. At approximately 650 °C, shallow Ge islands of pyramidal shape with (15,17,1) side facets start to form. Annealing at even higher temperatures enhances Ge island formation. Our findings are explained in terms of partial dewetting of the metastable Ge wetting layer (WL) (formed at room temperature) as well as partial relaxation of lattice strain through three-dimensional (3D) island growth.

Dimethacrylate network formation and polymer property evolution as determined by the selection of monomers and curing conditions

PubMed Central

Stansbury, Jeffrey W.

2011-01-01

Objectives This overview is intended to highlight connections between monomer structure and the development of highly crosslinked photopolymer networks including the conversion dependent properties of shrinkage, modulus and stress. Methods A review is provided that combines the polymer science and dental materials literature along with examples of relevant experimental results, which include measurements of reaction kinetics, photorheology as well as polymerization shrinkage and stress. Results While new monomers are continually under development for dental materials applications, mixtures of dimethacrylate monomers persist as the most common form of dental resins used on composite restorative materials. Monomer viscosity and reaction potential is derived from molecular structure and by employing real-time near-infrared spectroscopic techniques, the development of macromolecular networks is linked to the evolution of polymerization shrinkage (measured by linometer), modulus (measured by photorheometer), and stress (measured by tensometer). Relationships between the respective polymer properties are examined. Significance Through a better understanding of the polymer network formation and property development processes using conventional dimethacrylate monomer formulations, the rational design of improved materials is facilitated with the ultimate goal of achieving dental polymers that deliver enhanced clinical outcomes. PMID:22192248

The 2.1 Ga old Francevillian biota: biogenicity, taphonomy and biodiversity.

PubMed

El Albani, Abderrazak; Bengtson, Stefan; Canfield, Donald E; Riboulleau, Armelle; Rollion Bard, Claire; Macchiarelli, Roberto; Ngombi Pemba, Lauriss; Hammarlund, Emma; Meunier, Alain; Moubiya Mouele, Idalina; Benzerara, Karim; Bernard, Sylvain; Boulvais, Philippe; Chaussidon, Marc; Cesari, Christian; Fontaine, Claude; Chi-Fru, Ernest; Garcia Ruiz, Juan Manuel; Gauthier-Lafaye, François; Mazurier, Arnaud; Pierson-Wickmann, Anne Catherine; Rouxel, Olivier; Trentesaux, Alain; Vecoli, Marco; Versteegh, Gerard J M; White, Lee; Whitehouse, Martin; Bekker, Andrey

2014-01-01

The Paleoproterozoic Era witnessed crucial steps in the evolution of Earth's surface environments following the first appreciable rise of free atmospheric oxygen concentrations ∼2.3 to 2.1 Ga ago, and concomitant shallow ocean oxygenation. While most sedimentary successions deposited during this time interval have experienced thermal overprinting from burial diagenesis and metamorphism, the ca. 2.1 Ga black shales of the Francevillian B Formation (FB2) cropping out in southeastern Gabon have not. The Francevillian Formation contains centimeter-sized structures interpreted as organized and spatially discrete populations of colonial organisms living in an oxygenated marine ecosystem. Here, new material from the FB2 black shales is presented and analyzed to further explore its biogenicity and taphonomy. Our extended record comprises variably sized, shaped, and structured pyritized macrofossils of lobate, elongated, and rod-shaped morphologies as well as abundant non-pyritized disk-shaped macrofossils and organic-walled acritarchs. Combined microtomography, geochemistry, and sedimentary analysis suggest a biota fossilized during early diagenesis. The emergence of this biota follows a rise in atmospheric oxygen, which is consistent with the idea that surface oxygenation allowed the evolution and ecological expansion of complex megascopic life.

A mission concept for a Grand Tour of Multiple Asteroid Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchis, F.; Dankanich, J.; Tricarico, P.; Bellerose, J.

2009-12-01

In 1993, the Galileo spacecraft imaged the first companion of asteroid, Dactyl orbiting 243 Ida, a main-belt asteroid. Since then, discoveries have been accumulated thanks to the development of high angular resolution imaging on ground-based telescopes (adaptive optics), radar observations and accurate photometric light curve measurements. To date, 180 companions of small solar system bodies (SSSBs) are known in various populations, including 100 in the asteroid main belt, 33 Near Earth Asteroids, 4 Jupiter-Trojan asteroids and 44 in the Kuiper Belt. Multiple Asteroids have been shown to be complex worlds in their own with a wide range of morphologies, dynamical histories, and structural evolution. To the exception of 243 Ida, no spacecraft has visited any of them. Investigating binary asteroid systems can verify and validate current theories on their formation and on the influence of the sun in their formation (YORP effect) and evolution (space weathering). In particular, assessing the origin of the secondary satellite, if it is of common origin or capture, can provide clue of their formation. To a larger extend, the determination of their nature, scenario formation and evolution are key to understand how planet formation occurred but also to understand i) the population and compositional structure of the SSSB today ii) how the dynamics and collisions modify this structure over time iii) what the physical properties of asteroids are (density, porosity) iv) how the surface modification processes affect our ability to determine this structure (e.g. space weathering). In addition, being able to study these properties on closeby asteroids will give a relative scale accounting for the sizes, shape, rotation periods and cratering rate of these small and young bodies. In the framework of the NASA Discovery program, we propose a mission consisting of a Grand Tour of several multiple asteroid systems, including the flyby of a near earth binary asteroid and the rendezvous with several multiple asteroid systems located in the main belt. This mission concept uses the NASA's evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT), the second generation of electric propulsion with 3 times more input power than the previous generation (NSTAR) of the Dawn mission. The mission objectives for each rendezvous asteroid are i) the characterization of the surface geology by direct imaging in visible and thermal infrared spectroscopy, ii) the characterization of the shape and gravity coupling visible observations with LIDAR ranging data, iii) the determination of the thermophysical properties of the surface, and iv) the identification of the surface composition by visible and near-infrared spectroscopy. The trajectory, science package and mission operations of the mission will be described. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation 05-608, "Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG)" No AST-0807468

ARPES study of the evolution of band structure and charge density wave properties in RTe3 ( R=Y , La, Ce, Sm, Gd, Tb, and Dy)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hussain, Zahid; Brouet, Veronique; Yang, Wanli

2008-01-16

We present a detailed angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) investigation of the RTe3 family, which sets this system as an ideal"textbook" example for the formation of a nesting driven charge density wave (CDW). This family indeed exhibits the full range of phenomena that can be associated to CDWinstabilities, from the opening of large gaps on the best nested parts of Fermi surface (up to 0.4 eV), to the existence of residual metallic pockets. ARPES is the best suited technique to characterize these features, thanks to its unique ability to resolve the electronic structure in k space. An additional advantage of RTe3more » is that theband structure can be very accurately described by a simple two dimensional tight-binding (TB) model, which allows one to understand and easily reproduce many characteristics of the CDW. In this paper, we first establish the main features of the electronic structure by comparing our ARPES measurements with the linear muffin-tinorbital band calculations. We use this to define the validity and limits of the TB model. We then present a complete description of the CDW properties and of their strong evolution as a function of R. Using simple models, we are able to reproduce perfectly the evolution of gaps in k space, the evolution of the CDW wave vector with R, and the shape of the residual metallic pockets. Finally, we give an estimation of the CDWinteraction parameters and find that the change in the electronic density of states n (EF), due to lattice expansion when different R ions are inserted, has the correct order of magnitude to explain the evolution of the CDW properties.« less

Experimental investigation of the dynamics of spontaneous pattern formation during dendritic ice crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tirmizi, Shakeel H.; Gill, William N.

1989-06-01

The dynamics of spontaneous pattern formation are studied experimentally by observing and recording the evolution of ice crystal patterns which grow freely in a supercooled melt. The sequence of evolution to dendrites is recorded in real time using cine-micrography. In the range of subcoolings from 0.06 to 0.29°C, all the patterns evolved as follows: Smooth disk → Perturbed disk → Disk dendrite → Partially developed dendrite → Fully developed dendrite. The initial smooth disk, the main branch and the side branches all developed perturbations beyond a critical size which depends on the subcooling. The combined effect of the destabilizing thermal gradients ahead of the growing crystal and the stabilizing Gibbs-Thompson capillarity effect dictates the critical size of the unstable structures in terms of the mean curvature of the interface. Detailed analysis of the evolving patterns was done using digital image analysis on the PRIME computer to determine both the manner in which the dendritic growth process replicates itself and the role which the shape and the movement of the interface play in the pattern formation process. Total arc length ST, total area A and the complexity ratio ξ = ST⧸√ A of evolving patterns were computed as a function of time and undercooling for each crystal image. These results permitted us to make some comparisons with theoretical models on pattern evolution. Three distinct phases of evolution were identified: the initial phase when the crystal structure is smooth and free of any perturbations and the complexity ratio is almost a constant, an intermediate phase when the crystal structure develops perturbations which grow quickly in number and in size and the complexity ratio increases rapidly and a final phase when the pattern approaches that of a fully developed dendrite which, on a global scale grows in a shape-perserving manner and has a slowly increasing complexity ratio which seems to approach an asymptote. Two factors were found to be responsible for the symmetric dendritic patterns. These are: first, hexagonal symmetry due to the hexagonal closed packed structure, leads to strong anisotropy in molecular attachment kinetics and in surface free energy; second, the competition among side branches causes smaller side branches to melt when they are trapped between larger ones which generate latent heat and prevent the small branches from gaining access to the fresh cold fluid ahead of them. These two factors lead to a channelling effect which prevents the growth of perturbations from occurring randomly and thus directs the evolving crystal structure into patterns which are regular and reproducible. Theoretical models which are local in nature fail to take into account side branch competition, and this is one of their major weaknesses.

Evolution of complex organic molecules in hot molecular cores. Synthetic spectra at (sub-)mm wavebands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhury, R.; Schilke, P.; Stéphan, G.; Bergin, E.; Möller, T.; Schmiedeke, A.; Zernickel, A.

2015-03-01

Context. Hot molecular cores (HMCs) are intermediate stages of high-mass star formation and are also known for their rich chemical reservoirs and emission line spectra at (sub-)mm wavebands. Complex organic molecules (COMs) such as methanol (CH3OH), ethanol (C2H5OH), dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), and methyl formate (HCOOCH3) produce most of these observed lines. The observed spectral feature of HMCs such as total number of emission lines and associated line intensities are also found to vary with evolutionary stages. Aims: We aim to investigate the spectral evolution of these COMs to explore the initial evolutionary stages of high-mass star formation including HMCs. Methods: We developed various 3D models for HMCs guided by the evolutionary scenarios proposed by recent empirical and modeling studies. We then investigated the spatio-temporal variation of temperature and molecular abundances in HMCs by consistently coupling gas-grain chemical evolution with radiative transfer calculations. We explored the effects of varying physical conditions on molecular abundances including density distribution and luminosity evolution of the central protostar(s) among other parameters. Finally, we simulated the synthetic spectra for these models at different evolutionary timescales to compare with observations. Results: Temperature has a profound effect on the formation of COMs through the depletion and diffusion on grain surface to desorption and further gas-phase processing. The time-dependent temperature structure of the hot core models provides a realistic framework for investigating the spatial variation of ice mantle evaporation as a function of evolutionary timescales. We find that a slightly higher value (15 K) than the canonical dark cloud temperature (10 K) provides a more productive environment for COM formation on grain surface. With increasing protostellar luminosity, the water ice evaporation font (~100 K) expands and the spatial distribution of gas phase abundances of these COMs also spreads out. We calculated the temporal variation of the radial profiles of these COMs for different hot core models. These profiles resemble the so-called jump profiles with relative abundances higher than 10-9 within the evaporation font will furthermore be useful to model the observed spectra of hot cores. We present the simulated spectra of these COMs for different hot core models at various evolutionary timescales. A qualitative comparison of the simulated and observed spectra suggests that these self-consistent hot core models can reproduce the notable trends in hot core spectral variation within the typical hot core timescales of 105 year. These models predict that the spatial distribution of various emission line maps will also expand with evolutionary time; this feature can be used to constrain the relative desorption energies of the molecules that mainly form on the grain surface and return to the gas phase via thermal desorption. The detailed modeling of the thermal structure of hot cores with similar masses along with the characterization of the desorption energies of different molecules can be used to constrain the luminosity evolution of the central protostars. The model predictions can be compared with high resolution observation that can probe scales of a few thousand AU in high-mass star forming regions such as from Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We used a spectral fitting method to analyze the simulated spectra and find that it significantly underestimates some of the physical parameters such as temperature. The coupling of chemical evolution with radiative transfer models will be particularly useful to decipher the physical structure of hot cores and also to constrain the initial evolutionary stages of high-mass star formation. Appendices are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Solvent effects on the crystal growth structure and morphology of the pharmaceutical dirithromycin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuan; Liang, Zuozhong

2017-12-01

Solvent effects on the crystal structure and morphology of pharmaceutical dirithromycin molecules were systematically investigated using both experimental crystallization and theoretical simulation. Dirithromycin is one of the new generation of macrolide antibiotics with two polymorphic forms (Form I and Form II) and many solvate forms. Herein, six solvates of the dirithromycin, including acetonitrile, acetonitrile/water, acetone, 1-propanol, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and cyclohexane, were studied. Experimentally, we crystallized the dirithromycin molecules in different solvents by the solvent evaporating method and measured the crystal structures with the X-ray diffraction (XRD). We compared these crystal structures of dirithromycin solvates and analyzed the solvent property-determined structure evolution. The solvents have a strong interaction with the dirithromycin molecule due to the formation of inter-molecular interactions (such as the hydrogen bonding and close contacts (sum of vdW radii)). Theoretically, we calculated the ideal crystal habit based on the solvated structures with the attachment growth (AE) model. The predicted morphologies and aspect ratios of dirithromycin solvates agree well with the experimental results. This work could be helpful to better understand the structure and morphology evolution of solvates controlled by solvents and guide the crystallization of active pharmaceutical ingredients in the pharmaceutical industry.

Volcanic Structures Within Niger and Dao Valles, Mars, and Implications for Outflow Channel Evolution and Hellas Basin Rim Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korteniemi, J.; Kukkonen, S.

2018-04-01

Outflow channel formation on the eastern Hellas rim region is traditionally thought to have been triggered by activity phases of the nearby volcanoes Hadriacus and Tyrrhenus Montes: As a result of volcanic heating subsurface volatiles were mobilized. It is, however, under debate, whether eastern Hellas volcanism was in fact more extensive, and if there were volcanic centers separate from the identified central volcanoes. This work describes previously unrecognized structures in the Niger-Dao Valles outflow channel complex. We interpret them as volcanic edifices: cones, a shield, and a caldera. The structures provide evidence of an additional volcanic center within the valles and indicate volcanic activity both prior to and following the formation of the outflow events. They expand the extent, type, and duration of volcanic activity in the Circum-Hellas Volcanic Province and provide new information on interaction between volcanism and fluvial activity.

Computation material science of structural-phase transformation in casting aluminium alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golod, V. M.; Dobosh, L. Yu

2017-04-01

Successive stages of computer simulation the formation of the casting microstructure under non-equilibrium conditions of crystallization of multicomponent aluminum alloys are presented. On the basis of computer thermodynamics and heat transfer during solidification of macroscale shaped castings are specified the boundary conditions of local heat exchange at mesoscale modeling of non-equilibrium formation the solid phase and of the component redistribution between phases during coalescence of secondary dendrite branches. Computer analysis of structural - phase transitions based on the principle of additive physico-chemical effect of the alloy components in the process of diffusional - capillary morphological evolution of the dendrite structure and the o of local dendrite heterogeneity which stochastic nature and extent are revealed under metallographic study and modeling by the Monte Carlo method. The integrated computational materials science tools at researches of alloys are focused and implemented on analysis the multiple-factor system of casting processes and prediction of casting microstructure.

Bioinspired, cysteamine-catalyzed co-silicification of (1H, 1H, 2H, 2HPerfluorooctyl) triethoxysilane and tetraethyl orthosilicate: formation of superhydrophobic surfaces.

PubMed

Park, Ji Hun; Kim, Ji Yup; Cho, Woo Kyung; Choi, Insung S

2014-03-01

Bioinspired silicification attracts a great deal of interest because of its physiologically relevant, mild conditions for hydrolysis and condensation of silica precursors, which makes the bioinspired approach superior to the conventional sol–gel process, particularly when dealing with biological entities. However, the morphological control of silica structures with incorporation of functional groups in the bioinspired silicilication has been unexplored. In this work, we co-silicificated (1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyl)triethoxysilane and tetraethyl orthosilicate to investigate the morphological evolution of fluorinated silica structures in the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-mediated, cysteamine-catalyzed silicification. The generated micrometer-long wormlike and spherical silica structures display superhydrophobicity after film formation. Interestingly, the measurement of dynamic water contact angles shows that the morphological difference leads to a different wetting state, either the self-cleaning or the pinning state of the superhydrophobic surface.

A dynamic network model for interbank market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Tao; He, Jianmin; Li, Shouwei

2016-12-01

In this paper, a dynamic network model based on agent behavior is introduced to explain the formation mechanism of interbank market network. We investigate the impact of credit lending preference on interbank market network topology, the evolution of interbank market network and stability of interbank market. Experimental results demonstrate that interbank market network is a small-world network and cumulative degree follows the power-law distribution. We find that the interbank network structure keeps dynamic stability in the network evolution process. With the increase of bank credit lending preference, network clustering coefficient increases and average shortest path length decreases monotonously, which improves the stability of the network structure. External shocks are main threats for the interbank market and the reduction of bank external investment yield rate and deposits fluctuations contribute to improve the resilience of the banking system.

Giant star seismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hekker, S.; Christensen-Dalsgaard, J.

2017-06-01

The internal properties of stars in the red-giant phase undergo significant changes on relatively short timescales. Long near-uninterrupted high-precision photometric timeseries observations from dedicated space missions such as CoRoT and Kepler have provided seismic inferences of the global and internal properties of a large number of evolved stars, including red giants. These inferences are confronted with predictions from theoretical models to improve our understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Our knowledge and understanding of red giants have indeed increased tremendously using these seismic inferences, and we anticipate that more information is still hidden in the data. Unraveling this will further improve our understanding of stellar evolution. This will also have significant impact on our knowledge of the Milky Way Galaxy as well as on exo-planet host stars. The latter is important for our understanding of the formation and structure of planetary systems.

Time-resolved structural dynamics of thin metal films heated with femtosecond optical pulses.

PubMed

Chen, Jie; Chen, Wei-Kan; Tang, Jau; Rentzepis, Peter M

2011-11-22

We utilize 100 fs optical pulses to induce ultrafast disorder of 35- to 150-nm thick single Au(111) crystals and observe the subsequent structural evolution using 0.6-ps, 8.04-keV X-ray pulses. Monitoring the picosecond time-dependent modulation of the X-ray diffraction intensity, width, and shift, we have measured directly electron/phonon coupling, phonon/lattice interaction, and a histogram of the lattice disorder evolution, such as lattice breath due to a pressure wave propagating at sonic velocity, lattice melting, and recrystallization, including mosaic formation. Results of theoretical simulations agree and support the experimental data of the lattice/liquid phase transition process. These time-resolved X-ray diffraction data provide a detailed description of all the significant processes induced by ultrafast laser pulses impinging on thin metallic single crystals.

Structure of an archaeal non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase: a missing link in the evolution of Gln-tRNAGln formation.

PubMed

Nureki, Osamu; O'Donoghue, Patrick; Watanabe, Nobuhisa; Ohmori, Atsuhiko; Oshikane, Hiroyuki; Araiso, Yuhei; Sheppard, Kelly; Söll, Dieter; Ishitani, Ryuichiro

2010-11-01

The molecular basis of the genetic code relies on the specific ligation of amino acids to their cognate tRNA molecules. However, two pathways exist for the formation of Gln-tRNA(Gln). The evolutionarily older indirect route utilizes a non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (ND-GluRS) that can form both Glu-tRNA(Glu) and Glu-tRNA(Gln). The Glu-tRNA(Gln) is then converted to Gln-tRNA(Gln) by an amidotransferase. Since the well-characterized bacterial ND-GluRS enzymes recognize tRNA(Glu) and tRNA(Gln) with an unrelated α-helical cage domain in contrast to the β-barrel anticodon-binding domain in archaeal and eukaryotic GluRSs, the mode of tRNA(Glu)/tRNA(Gln) discrimination in archaea and eukaryotes was unknown. Here, we present the crystal structure of the Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus ND-GluRS, which is the evolutionary predecessor of both the glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) and the eukaryotic discriminating GluRS. Comparison with the previously solved structure of the Escherichia coli GlnRS-tRNA(Gln) complex reveals the structural determinants responsible for specific tRNA(Gln) recognition by GlnRS compared to promiscuous recognition of both tRNAs by the ND-GluRS. The structure also shows the amino acid recognition pocket of GluRS is more variable than that found in GlnRS. Phylogenetic analysis is used to reconstruct the key events in the evolution from indirect to direct genetic encoding of glutamine.

Structural controls on Eocene to Pliocene tectonic and metallogenic evolution of the southernmost Lesser Caucasus, Armenia: paleostress field reconstruction and fault-slip analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hovakimyan, Samvel; Moritz, Robert; Tayan, Rodrik

2017-04-01

The Cenozoic evolution of the central segment of the Tethyan belt is dominated by oblique convergence and final collision of Gondwana-derived terranes and the Arabian plate with Eurasia, which created a favorable setting for the formation of the highly mineralized Meghri-Ordubad pluton in the southernmost Lesser Caucasus. Regional strike-slip faults played an important role in the control of the porphyry Cu-Mo and epithermal systems hosted by the Meghri-Ordubad pluton. In this contribution we discuss the paleostress and the kinematic environment of the major strike-slip and oblique-slip ore-controlling faults throughout the Eocene subduction to Mio-Pliocene post-collisional tectonic evolution of the Meghri-Ordubad pluton based on detailed structural field mapping of the ore districts, stereonet compilation of ore-bearing fractures and vein orientations in the major porphyry and epithermal deposits, and the paleostress reconstructions. Paleostress reconstructions indicate that during the Eocene and Early Oligocene, the main paleostress axe orientations reveal a dominant NE-SW-oriented compression, which is compatible with the subduction geometry of the Neotethys along Eurasia. This tectonic setting was favorable for dextral displacements along the two major, regional NNW-oriented Khustup-Giratakh and Salvard-Ordubad strike-slip faults. This resulted in the formation of a NS-oriented transrotational basin, known as the Central magma and ore- controlling zone (Tayan, 1998). It caused a horizontal clockwise rotation of blocks. The EW-oriented faults separating the blocks formed as en-échelon antithetic faults (Voghji, Meghrasar, Bughakyar and Meghriget-Cav faults). The Central zone consists of a network of EW-oriented sinistral and NS-oriented subparallel strike-slip faults (Tashtun, Spetry, Tey, Meghriget and Terterasar faults). They are active since the Eocene and were reactivated during the entire tectonic evolution of the pluton, but with different behaviors. During the Eocene, dextral displacement along the NS-oriented strike-slip faults were favorable for the opening of NE-oriented en-échelon normal faults. The NS-oriented faults, in particular at their intersection with EW- and NE-oriented faults, were important ore-controlling structures for the emplacement of major porphyry Cu-Mo (Dastakert, Aygedzor and Agarak) and epithermal (Tey-Lichkvaz and Terterasar) deposits. In summary, we conclude that from the Eocene to the Oligocene the dominant structural system consisted essentially in dextral strike-slip tectonics along the major NS-oriented faults. During the Oligocene to Miocene, NS-oriented compression and EW-oriented extension predominated, which is consistent with the collisional and post-collisional geodynamic evolution of the study area. This setting resulted in renewed dextral displacement along the NS-oriented ore-controlling faults, and sinistral displacement along the EW-oriented antithetic faults. This setting created the favorable geometry for opening NS- EW- and NE-oriented extension fractures, and the adequate conditions for the emplacement of vein-, stockwork-type porphyry deposits, including the giant Kadjaran deposit. During the Lower Miocene to Pliocene there was a rotation in the main regional stress components according to progressive regional evolution. Paleostress reconstructions indicate a change in compression from NS during the Miocene to NNW during the Pliocene. The Tashtun transcurrent fault had an oblique-slip behavior. It formed a negative flower structure with a sinistral strike-slip component, which resulted in the development of a pull-apart basin and the formation of the Lichk porphyry-epithermal system.

Formation and Internal Structure of Terrestrial Planets, and Atmospheric Escape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, S.

2014-11-01

As of 2014 April 21, over 1490 confirmed exoplanets and 3705 Kepler candidates have been detected. This implies that exoplanets may be ubiquitous in the universe. In this paper, we focus on the formation, evolution, and internal structure of terrestrial planets, and the atmospheric escape of close-in planets. In chapter 2, we investigate the dynamical evolution of planetary system after the protoplanetary disk has dissipated. We find that in the final assembly stage, the occurrence of terrestrial planets is quite common and in 40% of our simulations finally at least one planet is formed in the habitable zone. We also find that if there is a highly-inclined giant planet in the system, a great many bodies will be either driven out of the system, or collide with the giant planet or the central star. This will lead to the difficulty in planetary accretion. Moreover, our results show that planetary migration can lead to the formation of close-in planets. Besides migration, close-in terrestrial planets can also be formed by a collision-merger mechanism, which means that planetary embryos can kick terrestrial planets directly into orbits that are extremely close to their parent stars. In chapter 3, we construct numerically an internal structure model for terrestrial planets, and provide three kinds of possible internal structures of Europa (Jupiter's moon) based on this model. Then, we calculate the radii of low-mass exoplanets for various mass combinations of core and mantle, and find that some of them are inconsistent with the observed radius of rocky planets. This phenomenon can be explained only if there exists a large amount of water in the core, or they own gaseous envelopes. In chapter 4, we improve our planetary evolution codes using the semi-gray model of Guillot (2010), which includes the incident flux from the host star as a heating source in planetary atmosphere. The updated codes can solve the structure of the top radiative zone of intensely irradiated planets, and thus can simulate the atmospheric escape of close-in planets driven by strong stellar X-ray or EUV emissions. We find that low-mass planets are sensitive to the atmospheric escape, and they could lose all their initial H/He envelopes during the evolution. On the other hand, gas giant can only lose a small fraction of their initial envelopes. We then carry out a parameter study of atmospheric escape at the planetary core mass, envelope mass fraction, and semi-major axis space. We find that the most intense phase of evaporation occurs within the early 100 Myr. Afterwards, atmospheric escape only has a small impact on the planetary evolution. In chapter 5, we apply our new planetary evolution model to different synthetic planet populations that are directly produced by the core-accretion paradigm (Mordasini et al. 2012a,b). We show that although the mass distribution of the planet populations is hardly affected by evaporation, the radius distribution clearly shows a break around 2 R_{⊕}. This break leads to a bimodal distribution in planet sizes (Owen & Wu 2013). Furthermore, the bimodal distribution is related to the initial characteristics of the planetary populations. We find that in two extreme cases, namely without any evaporation or with a 100% heating efficiency in the evaporation model, the final radius distributions show significant differences compared to the radius distribution of Kepler candidates. In chapter 6, we introduce a radiative transfer model that can calculate the radiation spectrum of close-in exoplanets.

Cosmic Star Formation: A Simple Model of the SFRD(z)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiosi, Cesare; Sciarratta, Mauro; D’Onofrio, Mauro; Chiosi, Emanuela; Brotto, Francesca; De Michele, Rosaria; Politino, Valeria

2017-12-01

We investigate the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD) from redshift z = 20 to z = 0 and compare it with the observational one by Madau and Dickinson derived from recent compilations of ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) data. The theoretical SFRD(z) and its evolution are obtained using a simple model that folds together the star formation histories of prototype galaxies that are designed to represent real objects of different morphological type along the Hubble sequence and the hierarchical growing of structures under the action of gravity from small perturbations to large-scale objects in Λ-CDM cosmogony, i.e., the number density of dark matter halos N(M,z). Although the overall model is very simple and easy to set up, it provides results that mimic results obtained from highly complex large-scale N-body simulations well. The simplicity of our approach allows us to test different assumptions for the star formation law in galaxies, the effects of energy feedback from stars to interstellar gas, the efficiency of galactic winds, and also the effect of N(M,z). The result of our analysis is that in the framework of the hierarchical assembly of galaxies, the so-called time-delayed star formation under plain assumptions mainly for the energy feedback and galactic winds can reproduce the observational SFRD(z).

Orogenic structural inheritance and rifted passive margin formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salazar Mora, Claudio A.; Huismans, Ritske S.

2016-04-01

Structural inheritance is related to mechanical weaknesses in the lithosphere due to previous tectonic events, e.g. rifting, subduction and collision. The North and South Atlantic rifted passive margins that formed during the breakup of Western Gondwana, are parallel to the older Caledonide and the Brasiliano-Pan-African orogenic belts. In the South Atlantic, 'old' mantle lithospheric fabric resulting from crystallographic preferred orientation of olivine is suggested to play a role during rifted margin formation (Tommasi and Vauchez, 2001). Magnetometric and gravimetric mapping of onshore structures in the Camamu and Almada basins suggest that extensional faults are controlled by two different directions of inherited older Brasiliano structures in the upper lithosphere (Ferreira et al., 2009). In the South Atlantic Campos Basin, 3D seismic data indicate that inherited basement structures provide a first order control on basin structure (Fetter, 2009). Here we investigate the role of structural inheritance on the formation of rifted passive margins with high-resolution 2D thermo-mechanical numerical experiments. The numerical domain is 1200 km long and 600 km deep and represents the lithosphere and the sublithospheric mantle. Model experiments were carried out by creating self-consistent orogenic inheritance where a first phase of orogen formation is followed by extension. We focus in particular on the role of varying amount of orogenic shortening, crustal rheology, contrasting styles of orogen formation on rifted margin style, and the time delay between orogeny and subsequent rifted passive formation. Model results are compared to contrasting structural styles of rifted passive margin formation as observed in the South Atlantic. Ferreira, T.S., Caixeta, J.M., Lima, F.D., 2009. Basement control in Camamu and Almada rift basins. Boletim de Geociências da Petrobrás 17, 69-88. Fetter, M., 2009. The role of basement tectonic reactivation on the structural evolution of Campos Basin, offshore Brazil: Evidence from 3D seismic analysis and section restoration. Marine and Petroleum Geology 26, 873-886. Tommasi, A., Vauchez, A., 2001. Continental rifting parallel to ancient collisional belts: An effect of the mechanical anisotropy of the lithospheric mantle. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 185, 199-210.

Microplate and shear zone models for oceanic spreading center reorganizations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engeln, Joseph F.; Stein, Seth; Werner, John; Gordon, Richard

1988-01-01

The kinematics of rift propagation and the resulting goemetries of various tectonic elements for two plates is reviewed with no overlap zone. The formation and evolution of overlap regions using schematic models is discussed. The models are scaled in space and time to approximate the Easter plate, but are simplified to emphasize key elements. The tectonic evolution of overlap regions which act as rigid microplates and shear zones is discussed, and the use of relative motion and structural data to discriminate between the two types of models is investigated. The effect of propagation rate and rise time on the size, shape, and deformation of the overlap region is demonstrated.

Pulsating Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catelan, M.; Smith, H. A.

2015-03-01

This book surveys our understanding of stars which change in brightness because they pulsate. Pulsating variable stars are keys to distance scales inside and beyond the Milky Way galaxy. They test our understanding not only of stellar pulsation theory but also of stellar structure and evolution theory. Moreover, pulsating stars are important probes of the formation and evolution of our own and neighboring galaxies. Our understanding of pulsating stars has greatly increased in recent years as large-scale surveys of pulsating stars in the Milky Way and other Local Group galaxies have provided a wealth of new observations and as space-based instruments have studied particular pulsating stars in unprecedented detail.

On the temporal evolution of long-wavelength mantle structure of the Earth since the early Paleozoic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Shijie; Rudolph, Maxwell L.

2015-05-01

The seismic structure of the Earth's lower mantle is characterized by a dominantly degree-2 pattern with the African and Pacific large low shear velocity provinces (i.e., LLSVP) that are separated by circum-Pacific seismically fast anomalies. It is important to understand the origin of such a degree-2 mantle structure and its temporal evolution. In this study, we investigated the effects of plate motion history and mantle viscosity on the temporal evolution of the lower mantle structure since the early Paleozoic by formulating 3-D spherical shell models of thermochemical convection. For convection models with realistic mantle viscosity and no initial structure, it takes about ˜50 Myr to develop dominantly degree-2 lower mantle structure using the published plate motion models for the last either 120 Ma or 250 Ma. However, it takes longer time to develop the mantle structure for more viscous mantle. While the circum-Pangea subduction in plate motion history models promotes the formation of degree-2 mantle structure, the published pre-Pangea plate motions before 330 Ma produce relatively cold lower mantle in the African hemisphere and significant degree-1 structure in the early Pangea (˜300 Ma) or later times, even if the lower mantle has an initially degree-2 structure and a viscosity as high as 1023 Pas. This suggests that the African LLSVP may not be stationary since the early Paleozoic. With the published plate motion models and lower mantle viscosity of 1022 Pas, our mantle convection models suggest that the present-day degree-2 mantle structure may have largely been formed by ˜200 Ma.

Formation, structure, and evolution of boiling nucleus and interfacial tension between bulk liquid phase and nucleus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiao-Dong; Peng, Xiao-Feng; Tian, Yong; Wang, Bu-Xuan

2005-05-01

In this paper, the concept of the molecular free path is introduced to derive a criterion distinguishing active molecules from inactive molecules in liquid phase. A concept of the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of active molecules is proposed to describe the physical configuration before the formation of a nucleus during vapor-liquid phase transition. All active molecules exist as monomers when the concentration of active molecules is lower than CAC, while the active molecules will generate aggregation once the concentration of the active molecules reaches CAC. However, these aggregates with aggregation number, N, smaller than five can steadily exist in bulk phase. The other excess active molecules can only produce infinite aggregation and form a critical nucleus of vapor-liquid phase transition. Without any outer perturbation the state point of CAC corresponds to the critical superheated or supercooled state. Meanwhile, a model of two-region structure of a nucleus is proposed to describe nucleus evolution. The interfacial tension between bulk liquid phase and nucleus is dependent of the density gradient in the transition region and varies with the structure change of the transition region. With the interfacial tension calculated using this model, the predicted nucleation rate is very close to the experimental measurement. Furthermore, this model and associated analysis provides solid theoretical evidences to clarify the definition of nucleation rate and understand nucleation phenomenon with the insight into the physical nature.

The Influence of Local Geometric Effects on Mars Polar Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hecht, M. H.

2005-01-01

Using simple, qualitative heat balance models, this paper addresses textures and structures that will result from the evolution of volatile layers by accretion and by ablation. Such phenomena may have global implications that are not apparent when only flat or sloped surfaces are modeled. In general, structures such as mounds or depressions formed out of volatile materials will evolve in shape such that the growth or retreat of any particular surface will be maximized. It can be shown that the local radius of curvature is proportional to the growth or retreat rate. For example, icy surfaces will tend to form facets that face the dominant sun direction. Two such cases are evaluated: a) Features associated with condensation of volatiles, include cold-trapping and redistribution, such as the concentration of frost around the Viking 2 lander [1]. Here I will focus on textures that likely result from the formation of seasonal CO2 deposits. b) Features associated with sublimation of volatiles, such as those described by Ingersoll et. al. [2] result in textured surfaces that affect both the apparent emissivity and albedo. Similar calculations have been performed with respect to the "Swiss cheese" features on the South Polar Cap [3]. Here, I evaluate the likely sublimation rates from optimal ice scarp structures and their implications for the long-term evolution of the polar caps and formation of layered terrain.

Effects of rare-earth size on the electronic structure of La1−xLuxVO3.

PubMed

Chen, B; Laverock, J; Newby, D; McNulty, J F; Smith, K E; Glans, P-A; Guo, J-H; Qiao, R-M; Yang, W-L; Lees, M R; Tung, L D; Singh, R P; Balakrishnan, G

2015-03-18

The electronic structure of La(1-x)Lu(x)VO(3)(x = 0, 0.2, 0.6 and 1) single crystals has been investigated using soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy, soft x-ray emission spectroscopy, and resonant soft x-ray inelastic scattering to study the effects of rare-earth size. The x-ray absorption and emission spectra at the O K-edge present a progressive evolution with R-site cation, in agreement with local spin density approximation calculations. This evolution with R, together with the temperature dependence of the O K-edge spectra, is attributed to changes in the crystal structure of La(1-x)Lu(x)VO(3). The crystal-field dd. excitations probed by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at the V L(3)-edge exhibit an increase in energy and enhanced intensity with the decrease of R-site ionic radius, which is mainly attributed to the increased tilting magnitude of the VO(6) octahedra. Upon cooling to ~95 K, the dd* excitations are prominently enhanced in relative Intensity, in agreement with the formation of the Jahn.Teller distortion int he orbital ordering phase. Additionally, the dd* transitions of the mixed compounds are noticeably suppressed with respect to those of the pure compounds, possibly owing to the formation of C-type orbital ordering induced by large R-site size variances.

Studying the Formation and Development of Molecular Clouds: With the CCAT Heterodyne Array Instrument (CHAI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsmith, Paul F.

2012-01-01

Surveys of all different types provide basic data using different tracers. Molecular clouds have structure over a very wide range of scales. Thus, "high resolution" surveys and studies of selected nearby clouds add critical information. The combination of large-area and high resolution allows Increased spatial dynamic range, which in turn enables detection of new and perhaps critical morphology (e.g. filaments). Theoretical modeling has made major progress, and suggests that multiple forces are at work. Galactic-scale modeling also progressing - indicates that stellar feedback is required. Models must strive to reproduce observed cloud structure at all scales. Astrochemical observations are not unrelated to questions of cloud evolution and star formation but we are still learning how to use this capability.

In Situ Probe Science at Saturn

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, D.H.; Lunine, J.I.; Simon-Miller, A. A.; Atreya, S. K.; Brinckerhoff, W.; Colaprete, A.; Coustenis, A.; Fletcher, L. N.; Guillot, T.; Lebreton, J.-P.;

Templating effect of the substrate on the structure of Cu-phthalocyanine thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierantozzi, Gian Marco; Sbroscia, Marco; Ruocco, Alessandro

2018-03-01

An experimental study of electronic properties, structure and morphology of Copper-phthalocyanine films deposited onto Al(100) and Au(110), as a function of thickness up to tens of nanometers, is presented. The monolayers grown on these two model substrates are already known to exhibit very different behavior for what concerns both the degree of interaction with the substrate and the formation of long range order; in this experiment, by means of low energy electron scattering and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), remarkable differences are revealed also in the successive growth. Exploiting the link between the crystal structure and the lineshape of HOMO-LUMO transition in EELS spectrum, two different structural phases are identified, compatible with α and β phases, respectively in the case of the film grown on aluminum and on gold. Besides, the evolution of the specular reflection elastic peak indicates the formation of islands on the gold substrate and a more homogeneous growth on the aluminum one.

Coherent structures in bypass transition induced by a cylinder wake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Chong; Wang, Jin Jun; Zhang, Pan Feng; Feng, Li Hao

Flat-plate boundary layer transition induced by the wake vortex of a two-dimensional circular cylinder is experimentally investigated. Combined visualization and velocity measurements show a different transition route from the Klebanoff mode in free-stream turbulence-induced transition. This transition scenario is mainly characterized as: (i) generation of secondary transverse vortical structures near the flat plate surface in response to the von Kn vortex street of the cylinder; (ii) formation of hairpin vortices due to the secondary instability of secondary vortical structures; (iii) growth of hairpins which is accelerated by wake-vortex induction; (iv) formation of hairpin packets and the associated streaky structures. Detailed investigation shows that during transition the evolution dynamics and self-sustaining mechanisms of hairpins, hairpin packets and streaks are consistent with those in a turbulent boundary layer. The wake vortex mainly plays the role of generating and destabilizing secondary transverse vortices. After that, the internal mechanisms become dominant and lead to the setting up of a self-sustained turbulent boundary layer.

Multi-scale, Hierarchically Nested Young Stellar Structures in LEGUS Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thilker, David A.; LEGUS Team

2017-01-01

The study of star formation in galaxies has predominantly been limited to either young stellar clusters and HII regions, or much larger kpc-scale morphological features such as spiral arms. The HST Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) provides a rare opportunity to link these scales in a diverse sample of nearby galaxies and obtain a more comprehensive understanding of their co-evolution for comparison against model predictions. We have utilized LEGUS stellar photometry to identify young, resolved stellar populations belonging to several age bins and then defined nested hierarchical structures as traced by these subsamples of stars. Analagous hierarchical structures were also defined using LEGUS catalogs of unresolved young stellar clusters. We will present our emerging results concerning the physical properties (e.g. area, star counts, stellar mass, star formation rate, ISM characteristics), occupancy statistics (e.g. clusters per substructure versus age and scale, parent/child demographics) and relation to overall galaxy morphology/mass for these building blocks of hierarchical star-forming structure.

Rapid Synthesis and Formation Mechanism of Core-Shell-Structured La-Doped SrTiO3 with a Nb-Doped Shell

PubMed Central

Park, Nam-Hee; Akamatsu, Takafumi; Itoh, Toshio; Izu, Noriya; Shin, Woosuck

2015-01-01

To provide a convenient and practical synthesis process for metal ion doping on the surface of nanoparticles in an assembled nanostructure, core-shell-structured La-doped SrTiO3 nanocubes with a Nb-doped surface layer were synthesized via a rapid synthesis combining a rapid sol-precipitation and hydrothermal process. The La-doped SrTiO3 nanocubes were formed at room temperature by a rapid dissolution of NaOH pellets during the rapid sol-precipitation process, and the Nb-doped surface (shell) along with Nb-rich edges formed on the core nanocubes via the hydrothermal process. The formation mechanism of the core-shell-structured nanocubes and their shape evolution as a function of the Nb doping level were investigated. The synthesized core-shell-structured nanocubes could be arranged face-to-face on a SiO2/Si substrate by a slow evaporation process, and this nanostructured 10 μm thick thin film showed a smooth surface. PMID:28793420

Formation and evolution of multimodal size distributions of InAs/GaAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pohl, U. W.; Pötschke, K.; Schliwa, A.; Lifshits, M. B.; Shchukin, V. A.; Jesson, D. E.; Bimberg, D.

2006-05-01

Self-organized formation and evolution of quantum dot (QD) ensembles with a multimodal size distribution is reported. Such ensembles form after fast deposition near the critical thickness during a growth interruption (GRI) prior to cap layer growth and consist of pure InAs truncated pyramids with heights varying in steps of complete InAs monolayers, thereby creating well-distinguishable sub-ensembles. Ripening during GRI manifests itself by an increase of sub-ensembles of larger QDs at the expense of sub-ensembles of smaller ones, leaving the wetting layer unchanged. The dynamics of the multimodal QD size distribution is theoretically described using a kinetic approach. Starting from a broad distribution of flat QDs, a predominantly vertical growth is found due to strain-induced barriers for nucleation of a next atomic layer on different facets. QDs having initially a shorter base length attain a smaller height, accounting for the experimentally observed sub-ensemble structure. The evolution of the distribution is described by a master equation, which accounts for growth or dissolution of the QDs by mass exchange between the QDs and the adatom sea. The numerical solution is in good agreement with the measured dynamics.

Opinion formation in time-varying social networks: The case of the naming game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maity, Suman Kalyan; Manoj, T. Venkat; Mukherjee, Animesh

2012-09-01

We study the dynamics of the naming game as an opinion formation model on time-varying social networks. This agent-based model captures the essential features of the agreement dynamics by means of a memory-based negotiation process. Our study focuses on the impact of time-varying properties of the social network of the agents on the naming game dynamics. In particular, we perform a computational exploration of this model using simulations on top of real networks. We investigate the outcomes of the dynamics on two different types of time-varying data: (1) the networks vary on a day-to-day basis and (2) the networks vary within very short intervals of time (20 sec). In the first case, we find that networks with strong community structure hinder the system from reaching global agreement; the evolution of the naming game in these networks maintains clusters of coexisting opinions indefinitely leading to metastability. In the second case, we investigate the evolution of the naming game in perfect synchronization with the time evolution of the underlying social network shedding new light on the traditional emergent properties of the game that differ largely from what has been reported in the existing literature.

The Physics of Extrasolar Gaseous Planets : from Theory to Observable Signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chabrier, G.; Allard, F.; Baraffe, I.; Barman, T.; Hauschildt, P. H.

2004-12-01

We review our present understanding of the physical properties of substellar objects, brown dwarfs and irradiated or non-irradiated gaseous exoplanets. This includes a description of their internal properties, mechanical structure and heat content, their atmospheric properties, thermal profile and emergent spectrum, and their evolution, in particular as irradiated companions of a close parent star. The general theory can be used to make predictions in term of detectability for the future observational projects. Special attention is devoted to the evolution of the two presently detected transit planets, HD 209458b and OGLE-TR-56B. For this latter, we present a consistent evolution for its recently revised mass and show that we reproduce the observed radius within its error bars. We briefly discuss differences between brown dwarfs and gaseous planets, both in terms of mass function and formation process. We outline several arguments to show that the minimum mass for deuterium burning, recently adopted officially as the limit to distinguish the two types of objects, is unlikely to play any specific role in star formation, so that such a limit is of purely semantic nature and is not supported by a physical justification.

Vacancy-Induced Formation and Growth of Inversion Domains in Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide Monolayer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Junhao; Pantelides, Sokrates T.; Zhou, Wu

2015-04-23

Sixty degree grain boundaries in semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) monolayers have been shown to act as conductive channels that have profound influence on both the transport properties and exciton behavior of the monolayers. We show that annealing TMDC monolayers at high temperature induces the formation of large-scale inversion domains surrounded by such 60° grain boundaries. To study the formation mechanism of such inversion domains, we use the electron beam in a scanning transmission electron microscope to activate the dynamic process within pristine TMDC monolayers. Moreover, the electron beam acts to generate chalcogen vacancies in TMDC monolayers and provide energy formore » them to undergo structural evolution. We directly visualize the nucleation and growth of such inversion domains and their 60° grain boundaries atom-by-atom within a MoSe 2 monolayer and explore their formation mechanism. Combined with density functional theory, we conclude that the nucleation of the inversion domains and migration of their 60° grain boundaries are driven by the collective evolution of Se vacancies and subsequent displacement of Mo atoms, where such a dynamical process reduces the vacancy-induced lattice shrinkage and stabilizes the system. Our results can help to understand the performance of such materials under severe conditions (e.g., high temperature).« less

Periodic Vesicle Formation in Tectonic Fault Zones--an Ideal Scenario for Molecular Evolution.

PubMed

Mayer, Christian; Schreiber, Ulrich; Dávila, María J

2015-06-01

Tectonic fault systems in the continental crust offer huge networks of interconnected channels and cavities. Filled mainly with water and carbon dioxide (CO2), containing a wide variety of hydrothermal chemistry and numerous catalytic surfaces, they may offer ideal reaction conditions for prebiotic chemistry. In these systems, an accumulation zone for organic compounds will develop at a depth of approximately 1 km where CO2 turns sub-critical and dissolved components precipitate. At this point, periodic pressure changes caused for example by tidal influences or geyser activity may generate a cyclic process involving repeated phase transitions of carbon dioxide. In the presence of amphiphilic compounds, this will necessarily lead to the transient formation of coated water droplets in the gas phase and corresponding vesicular structures in the aqueous environment. During this process, the concentration of organic components inside the droplets and vesicles would be drastically increased, allowing for favorable reaction conditions and, in case of the vesicles generated, large trans-membrane concentration gradients. Altogether, the process of periodic formation and destruction of vesicles could offer a perfect environment for molecular evolution in small compartments and for the generation of protocells. The basic process of vesicle formation is reproduced experimentally with a lipid in a water/CO2 system.

Insights into alluvial fan dynamics: Evolution of the Miocene Elephant Trees Formation, Anza Borrego Desert, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steel, E.; Simkins, L. M.; Reynolds, L.; Fidler, M. K.

2017-12-01

The Cenozoic Fish Creek - Vallecito Basin formed through extension and transtention associated with the localization of the Pacific-North American plate boundary in the Salton Trough region of Southern California. The exhumation of this basin along the hanging wall of the West Salton Detachment Fault since 1 Ma exposed a well-preserved sedimentary sequence that records an abrupt shift from the alluvial and fluvial deposits of the Elephant Trees Formation to the marine turbidites of the Latrania Formation. This transition marks the rapid marine incursion into the Gulf of California at 6.3 Ma (Dorsey et al., 2011). The Elephant Trees Formation is, therefore, a key transitional unit for understanding environmental change during the early stages of basin formation and the initial opening of the Gulf of California. Here, we present a detailed investigation of the characteristics of the Elephant Trees Formation, including bed thickness, clast size, paleoflow indicators, sedimentary structures, and sorting to understand the changing depositional environments associated with the onset of relative plate motion in the Gulf of California - Salton Trough corridor. This study aims to answer key questions regarding both regional tectonics and the dynamics of alluvial fan progradation, including 1) Does the Elephant Trees Formation record initiation of rapid basin subsidence and basinward progradation of alluvial fans? And 2) if so, what insights can the Elephant Trees Formation provide regarding the dynamics of debris flows and alluvial fan evolution? Our results improve understanding of proximal to distal facies variations within alluvial fan deposits and further refine the paleogeography during time of deposition of the Elephant Trees Formation ( 6.3 - 8.0 Ma) leading up to the timing of rapid marine incursion.

Formation of an active thrust triangle zone associated with structural inversion in a subduction setting, eastern New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Philip M.; Nicol, Andrew

2004-02-01

We analyze a thrust triangle zone, which underlies the continental shelf of Hawke Bay, eastern New Zealand, within the Hikurangi subduction margin. This triangle zone differs from many other examples in that it is active, 90 km from the leading edge of the overriding plate, and formed due to polyphase deformation involving opposed dipping thrust duplex and backthrust, with the later structure forming in response to inversion of an extensional graben. The component structures of the zone mainly developed sequentially rather than synchronously. High-quality marine seismic reflection lines, tied to well and seabed samples, reveal the three-dimensional structure of the zone, together with its 25 Myr evolution and late Quaternary activity. The triangle zone occurs in the lateral overlap between a stack of NW dipping blind thrusts, and a principal backthrust, the Kidnappers fault. The NW dipping thrusts initiated in the early-middle Miocene during the early stages of subduction, with subsequent thrust duplex formation producing major uplift and erosion in the late Miocene-early Pliocene. The active backthrust formed during the late Miocene to early Pliocene as a thin-skinned listric extensional fault confined to the cover sequence. Structural inversion of the extensional fault commenced in the early-middle Pliocene, produced the backthrust and marks the formation of the thrust triangle zone. The thrust duplex and backthrust accrued strain following inversion; however, the later structure accommodated most of the surface deformation in the Quaternary. Section balancing of the triangle zone together with a detailed analysis of reverse displacements along the backthrust reveal spatial and temporal variations of strain accumulation on the two principal components of the zone. Although the formation of the triangle zone is strongly influenced by regional tectonics of the subduction system, these variations may also, in part, reflect local fault interaction. For example, high Quaternary displacement rates on the backthrust accounts for ˜70% of the displacement loss that occurs on the southern segments of the overlapping, Lachlan fault. Understanding the tectonic evolution of such complex, polyphase thrust triangle zones requires the preservation of growth strata that record sequential deformation history. In the absence of such data, synchroneity of opposed dipping thrusts in triangle zones cannot be assumed.

Field spheroid-dominated galaxies in a Λ-CDM Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosito, M. S.; Pedrosa, S. E.; Tissera, P. B.; Avila-Reese, V.; Lacerna, I.; Bignone, L. A.; Ibarra-Medel, H. J.; Varela, S.

2018-06-01

Context. Understanding the formation and evolution of early-type, spheroid-dominated galaxies is an open question within the context of the hierarchical clustering scenario, particularly in low-density environments. Aims: Our goal is to study the main structural, dynamical, and stellar population properties and assembly histories of field spheroid-dominated galaxies formed in a Λ-cold dark matter (Λ-CDM) scenario to assess to what extent they are consistent with observations. Methods: We selected spheroid-dominated systems from a Λ-CDM simulation that includes star formation (SF), chemical evolution, and supernova feedback. The sample is made up of 18 field systems with MStar ≲ 6 × 1010M⊙ that are dominated by the spheroid component. For this sample we estimated the fundamental relations of ellipticals and compared them with current observations. Results: The simulated spheroid galaxies have sizes that are in good agreement with observations. The bulges follow a Sersic law with Sersic indexes that correlate with the bulge-to-total mass ratios. The structural-dynamical properties of the simulated galaxies are consistent with observed Faber-Jackson, fundamental plane, and Tully-Fisher relations. However, the simulated galaxies are bluer and with higher star formation rates (SFRs) than the observed isolated early-type galaxies. The archaeological mass growth histories show a slightly delayed formation and more prominent inside-out growth mode than observational inferences based on the fossil record method. Conclusions: The main structural and dynamical properties of the simulated spheroid-dominated galaxies are consistent with observations. This is remarkable since our simulation has not been calibrated to match them. However, the simulated galaxies are blue and star-forming, and with later stellar mass growth histories compared to observational inferences. This is mainly due to the persistence of extended discs in the simulations. The need for more efficient quenching mechanisms able to avoid further disc growth and SF is required in order to reproduce current observational trends.

I. Jet Formation and Evolution Due to 3D Magnetic Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Avilés, J. J.; Guzmán, F. S.; Fedun, V.; Verth, G.; Shelyag, S.; Regnier, S.

2018-04-01

Using simulated data-driven, 3D resistive MHD simulations of the solar atmosphere, we show that 3D magnetic reconnection may be responsible for the formation of jets with the characteristics of Type II spicules. We numerically model the photosphere-corona region using the C7 equilibrium atmosphere model. The initial magnetic configuration is a 3D potential magnetic field, extrapolated up to the solar corona region from a dynamic realistic simulation of the solar photospheric magnetoconvection model that mimics the quiet-Sun. In this case, we consider a uniform and constant value of the magnetic resistivity of 12.56 Ω m. We have found that the formation of the jet depends on the Lorentz force, which helps to accelerate the plasma upward. Analyzing various properties of the jet dynamics, we found that the jet structure shows a Doppler shift close to regions with high vorticity. The morphology, the upward velocity covering a range up to 130 km s‑1, and the timescale formation of the structure between 60 and 90 s, are similar to those expected for Type II spicules.

Computational modelling of mesoscale dislocation patterning and plastic deformation of single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Shengxu; El-Azab, Anter

2015-07-01

We present a continuum dislocation dynamics model that predicts the formation of dislocation cell structure in single crystals at low strains. The model features a set of kinetic equations of the curl type that govern the space and time evolution of the dislocation density in the crystal. These kinetic equations are coupled to stress equilibrium and deformation kinematics using the eigenstrain approach. A custom finite element method has been developed to solve the coupled system of equations of dislocation kinetics and crystal mechanics. The results show that, in general, dislocations self-organize in patterns under their mutual interactions. However, the famous dislocation cell structure has been found to form only when cross slip is implemented in the model. Cross slip is also found to lower the yield point, increase the hardening rate, and sustain an increase in the dislocation density over the hardening regime. Analysis of the cell structure evolution reveals that the average cell size decreases with the applied stress, which is consistent with the similitude principle.

A selfsimilar behavior of the urban structure in the spatially inhomogeneous model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echkina, E. Y.; Inovenkov, O. I.; Kostomarov, D. P.

2006-03-01

At present there is a strong tendency to use new methods for the description of the regional and spatial economy. In increasing frequency we consider that any economic activity is spatially dependent. The problem of the evolution of internal urban formation can be described with the exact supposition. So that is why we use partial derivative equations set with the appropriate boundary and initial conditions for the solving the problem of the urban evolution. Here we describe the model of urban population's density modification taking into account a modification of the housing quality. A program has been created which realizes difference method of mixed problem solution for population's density. For the wide class of coefficients it has been shown that the problem's solution “quickly forgets” the parts of the initial conditions and comes out to the intermediate asymptotic form, which nature depends only on the problem's operator. Actually it means that the urban structure does not depend on external circumstances and is formed by the internal structure of the model.

Large-scale structure in a texture-seeded cold dark matter cosmogony

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Changbom; Spergel, David N.; Turok, Nail

1991-01-01

This paper studies the formation of large-scale structure by global texture in a flat universe dominated by cold dark matter. A code for evolution of the texture fields was combined with an N-body code for evolving the dark matter. The results indicate some promising aspects: with only one free parameter, the observed galaxy-galaxy correlation function is reproduced, clusters of galaxies are found to be significantly clustered on a scale of 20-50/h Mpc, and coherent structures of over 50/h Mpc in the galaxy distribution were found. The large-scale streaming motions observed are in good agreement with the observations: the average magnitude of the velocity field smoothed over 30/h Mpc is 430 km/sec. Global texture produces a cosmic Mach number that is compatible with observation. Also, significant evolution of clusters at low redshift was seen. Possible problems for the theory include too high velocity dispersions in clusters, and voids which are not as empty as those observed.

Crustal-Scale Fault Interaction at Rifted Margins and the Formation of Domain-Bounding Breakaway Complexes: Insights From Offshore Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osmundsen, P. T.; Péron-Pinvidic, G.

2018-03-01

The large-magnitude faults that control crustal thinning and excision at rifted margins combine into laterally persistent structural boundaries that separate margin domains of contrasting morphology and structure. We term them breakaway complexes. At the Mid-Norwegian margin, we identify five principal breakaway complexes that separate the proximal, necking, distal, and outer margin domains. Downdip and lateral interactions between the faults that constitute breakaway complexes became fundamental to the evolution of the 3-D margin architecture. Different types of fault interaction are observed along and between these faults, but simple models for fault growth will not fully describe their evolution. These structures operate on the crustal scale, cut large thicknesses of heterogeneously layered lithosphere, and facilitate fundamental margin processes such as deformation coupling and exhumation. Variations in large-magnitude fault geometry, erosional footwall incision, and subsequent differential subsidence along the main breakaway complexes likely record the variable efficiency of these processes.

The importance of dunes on a variety of planetary surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Titus, Timothy N.; Zimbelman, James R.; Radebaugh, Jani

2015-01-01

Scientists observe aeolian bed forms, or dune-like structures, throughout the solar system in a range of locations, from bodies with only transient atmospheres, such as comets, to places with thick atmospheres, such as Venus and the Earth’s ocean floor. Determining the source of sand and the different dune formations that result are thus important to understanding solar system and planetary evolution.

Spherical collapse and virialization in f ( T ) gravities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Rui-Hui; Zhai, Xiang-Hua; Li, Xin-Zhou, E-mail: 1000379711@smail.shnu.edu.cn, E-mail: zhaixh@shnu.edu.cn, E-mail: kychz@shnu.edu.cn

2017-03-01

Using the classical top-hat profile, we study the non-linear growth of spherically symmetric density perturbation and structure formation in f ( T ) gravities. In particular, three concrete models, which have been tested against the observation of large-scale evolution and linear perturbation of the universe in the cosmological scenario, are investigated in this framework, covering both minimal and nonminimal coupling cases of f ( T ) gravities. Moreover, we consider the virialization of the overdense region in the models after they detach from the background expanding universe and turn around to collapse. We find that there are constraints in themore » magnitude and occurring epoch of the initial perturbation. The existence of these constraints indicates that a perturbation that is too weak or occurs too late will not be able to stop the expanding of the overdense region. The illustration of the evolution of the perturbation shows that in f ( T ) gravities, the initial perturbation within the constraints can eventually lead to clustering and form structure. The evolution also shows that nonminimal coupling models collapse slower than the minimal coupling one.« less

Mars, Always Cold, Sometimes Wet: New Constraints on Mars Denudation Rates and Climate Evolution from Analog Studies at Haughton Crater, Devon Island, High Arctic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Pascal; Boucher, M.; Desportes, C.; Glass, B. J.; Lim, D.; McKay, C. P.; Osinski, G. R.; Parnell, J.; Schutt, J. W.

2005-01-01

Analysis of crater modification on Mars and at Haughton Crater, Devon Island, High Arctic, which was recently shown to be significantly older than previously believed (Eocene age instead of Miocene) [1], suggest that Mars may have never been climatically wet and warm for geological lengths of time during and since the Late Noachian. Impact structures offer particularly valuable records of the evolution of a planet s climate and landscape through time. The state of exposure and preservation of impact structures and their intracrater fill provide clues to the nature, timing, and intensity of the processes that have modified the craters since their formation. Modifying processes include weathering, erosion, mantling, and infilling. In this study, we compare the modification of Haughton through time with that of impact craters in the same size class on Mars. We derive upper limits for time-integrated denudation rates on Mars during and since the Late Noachian. These rates are significantly lower than previously published and provide important constraints for Mars climate evolution.

Evolution of the Orszag-Tang vortex system in a compressible medium. II - Supersonic flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Picone, J. Michael; Dahlburg, Russell B.

1991-01-01

A study is presented on the effect of embedded supersonic flows and the resulting emerging shock waves on phenomena associated with MHD turbulence, including reconnection, the formation of current sheets and vortex structures, and the evolution of spatial and temporal correlations among physical variables. A two-dimensional model problem, the Orszag-Tang (1979) vortex system, is chosen, which involves decay from nonrandom initial conditions. The system is doubly periodic, and the initial conditions consist of single-mode solenoidal velocity and magnetic fields, each containing X points and O points. The initial mass density is flat, and the initial pressure fluctuations are incompressible, balancing the local forces for a magnetofluid of unit mass density. Results on the evolution of the local structure of the flow field, the global properties of the system, and spectral correlations are presented. The important dynamical properties and observational consequences of embedded supersonic regions and emerging shocks in the Orszag-Tang model of an MHD system undergoing reconnection are discussed. Conclusions are drawn regarding the effects of local supersonic regions on MHD turbulence.

Evolution of groundwater chemistry along fault structures in sandstone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dausse, A.; Guiheneuf, N.; Pierce, A. A.; Cherry, J. A.; Parker, B. L.

2016-12-01

Fluid-rock interaction across geological structures plays a major role on evolution of groundwater chemistry and physical properties of reservoirs. In particular, groundwater chemistry evolve on different facies according to residence times which can be linked to hydraulic properties of the geological unit. In this study, we analyze groundwater samples collected at an 11 km² site located in southern California (USA) to evaluate the evolution of groundwater chemistry according to different geological structures. Major and minor elements were sampled at the same period of time from 40 wells located along the main structures in the northeast of the site, where major NE-SW trending faults and other oriented ESE-WNW are present in sandstone Chatsworth formation. By analyzing the spatial distribution of ions concentration at the site scale, several hydrochemical compartments (main- and sub-compartments) can be distinguished and are in agreement with structural and hydrological information. In particular, as previously observed from piezometric informations, the shear zone fault serves as a barrier for groundwater flow and separates the site on two mains compartments. In addition, the analysis along major faults oriented orthogonal to this shear zone (ESE-WNW) in the eastern part of the site, shows an increase in mineralization following the hydraulic gradient. This salinization has been confirmed by ionic ratio and Gibbs plots and is attributed to fluid-rock interaction processes. In particular, groundwater chemistry seems to evolve from bicarbonate to sodium facies. Moreover, the gradient of concentrations vary depending on fault locations and can be related to their hydraulic properties and hence to different characteristic times from point to point. To conclude, major faults across the site display different degrees of groundwater chemistry evolution, linked to their physical properties, which may in turn have a large impact on contaminant transport and attenuation.

Facies Analysis of the Tandoǧdu Travertines, Van, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey: implications for the active tectonic deformation behind the formation and evolution of the travertines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yesilova, Cetin; Yesilova, Pelin; Aclan, Mustafa; Gülyüz, Nilay

2017-04-01

In this study, stratigraphic and sedimentologic characteristics of Tandoǧdu travertines exposing at the 13 km southwest of Başkale, Van were examined. In this respect, we shed light on their formation conditions and depositional environment by determining their morphological characteristics and analyzing their facies distribution. In addition, kinematic studies were conducted by collecting structural data from the structures hosting the travertines. Tandoǧdu travertines having bed type and ridge type travertines have 5 distinct lithofacies based on the studies conducted. These are: (1) crystalline crust facies, (2) coated bubble facies, (3) paper-thin raft type facies, (4) lithoclast - breccia facies and (5) paleosoil facies. According to the examination of their morphologies and lithofacies; lithofacies were developed depending on the temperature of fluids forming the travertines. Distal from the source field of the hydrothermal fluids, paper-thin raft type facies were developed in shallow pools. Proximal to the source field of the hydrothermal fluids, crystalline crust facies and coated bubble facies were deposited. Existence of breccia facies indicates the effects of active tectonism during the formation of travertines. Hot hydrothermal pools on the ridge type travertines prove the still active tectonic activities. On-going studies aim to date growth of the travertines by U-Th dating method which will also shed some light on the tectonic scenario behind the evolution of the travertines.

Simulations of the formation of large-scale structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, S. D. M.

Numerical studies related to the simulation of structure growth are examined. The linear development of fluctuations in the early universe is studied. The research of Aarseth, Gott, and Turner (1979) based on N-body integrators that obtained particle accelerations by direct summation of the forces due to other objects is discussed. Consideration is given to the 'pancake theory' of Zel'dovich (1970) for the evolution from adiabatic initial fluctuation, the neutrino-dominated universe models of White, Frenk, and Davis (1983), and the simulations of Davis et al. (1985).

Structure Evolution and Distributions of Grain-Boundary Misorientainons in Submicrocrystalline Molybdenum Irradiated with a Pulsed Electron Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanova, E. N.; Grabovetskaya, G. P.; Teresov, A. D.; Mishin, I. P.

2018-05-01

Using the methods of electron backscatter diffraction, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, it is demonstrated that irradiation of the surface of a submicrocrystalline molybdenum specimen with a pulsed electron beam in a non-melt regime results in the formation of a gradient structure in its bulk. The irradiation temperature is shown to affect the density of defects, the value of stress, and the distributions of grain-boundary misorientations in the surface and bulk of the submicrocrystalline molybdenum specimens.

KPC-SCALE STUDY OF SUBSTRUCTURES INSIDE GALAXIES out to z ~ 1.3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemmati, Shoubaneh; Mobasher, B.; Miller, S.; Nayyeri, H.

2014-01-01

Studying the resolved properties of galaxies in kpc scale has the capability to address major questions in galaxy structure formation and stellar properties evolution. We use a unique sample of 129 morphologically inclusive disk-like galaxies in the redshift range 0.2

Redox switching and oxygen evolution at oxidized metal and metal oxide electrodes: iron in base.

PubMed

Lyons, Michael E G; Doyle, Richard L; Brandon, Michael P

2011-12-28

Outstanding issues regarding the film formation, redox switching characteristics and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalytic behaviour of multicycled iron oxyhydroxide films in aqueous alkaline solution have been revisited. The oxide is grown using a repetitive potential multicycling technique, and the mechanism of the latter hydrous oxide formation process has been discussed. A duplex layer model of the oxide/solution interphase region is proposed. The acid/base behaviour of the hydrous oxide and the microdispersed nature of the latter material has been emphasised. The hydrous oxide is considered as a porous assembly of interlinked octahedrally coordinated anionic metal oxyhydroxide surfaquo complexes which form an open network structure. The latter contains considerable quantities of water molecules which facilitate hydroxide ion discharge at the metal site during active oxygen evolution, and also charge compensating cations. The dynamics of redox switching has been quantified via analysis of the cyclic voltammetry response as a function of potential sweep rate using the Laviron-Aoki electron hopping diffusion model by analogy with redox polymer modified electrodes. Steady state Tafel plot analysis has been used to elucidate the kinetics and mechanism of oxygen evolution. Tafel slope values of ca. 60 mV dec(-1) and ca. 120 mV dec(-1) are found at low and high overpotentials respectively, whereas the reaction order with respect to hydroxide ion activity changes from ca. 3/2 to ca. 1 as the potential is increased. These observations are rationalised in terms of a kinetic scheme involving Temkin adsorption and the rate determining formation of a physisorbed hydrogen peroxide intermediate on the oxide surface. The dual Tafel slope behaviour is ascribed to the potential dependence of the surface coverage of adsorbed intermediates.

Galaxy evolution in the densest environments: HST imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgensen, Inger

2013-10-01

We propose to process in a consistent fashion all available HST/ACS and WFC3 imaging of seven rich clusters of galaxies at z=1.2-1.6. The clusters are part of our larger project aimed at constraining models for galaxy evolution in dense environments from observations of stellar populations in rich z=1.2-2 galaxy clusters. The main objective is to establish the star formation {SF} history and structural evolution over this epoch during which large changes in SF rates and galaxy structure are expected to take place in cluster galaxies.The observational data required to meet our main objective are deep HST imaging and high S/N spectroscopy of individual cluster members. The HST imaging already exists for the seven rich clusters at z=1.2-1.6 included in this archive proposal. However, the data have not been consistently processed to derive colors, magnitudes, sizes and morphological parameters for all potential cluster members bright enough to be suitable for spectroscopic observations with 8-m class telescopes. We propose to carry out this processing and make all derived parameters publicly available. We will use the parameters derived from the HST imaging to {1} study the structural evolution of the galaxies, {2} select clusters and galaxies for spectroscopic observations, and {3} use the photometry and spectroscopy together for a unified analysis aimed at the SF history and structural changes. The analysis will also utilize data from the Gemini/HST Cluster Galaxy Project, which covers rich clusters at z=0.2-1.0 and for which we have similar HST imaging and high S/N spectroscopy available.

Temporal evolution of fault systems in the Upper Jurassic of the Central German Molasse Basin: case study Unterhaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budach, Ingmar; Moeck, Inga; Lüschen, Ewald; Wolfgramm, Markus

2018-03-01

The structural evolution of faults in foreland basins is linked to a complex basin history ranging from extension to contraction and inversion tectonics. Faults in the Upper Jurassic of the German Molasse Basin, a Cenozoic Alpine foreland basin, play a significant role for geothermal exploration and are therefore imaged, interpreted and studied by 3D seismic reflection data. Beyond this applied aspect, the analysis of these seismic data help to better understand the temporal evolution of faults and respective stress fields. In 2009, a 27 km2 3D seismic reflection survey was conducted around the Unterhaching Gt 2 well, south of Munich. The main focus of this study is an in-depth analysis of a prominent v-shaped fault block structure located at the center of the 3D seismic survey. Two methods were used to study the periodic fault activity and its relative age of the detected faults: (1) horizon flattening and (2) analysis of incremental fault throws. Slip and dilation tendency analyses were conducted afterwards to determine the stresses resolved on the faults in the current stress field. Two possible kinematic models explain the structural evolution: One model assumes a left-lateral strike slip fault in a transpressional regime resulting in a positive flower structure. The other model incorporates crossing conjugate normal faults within a transtensional regime. The interpreted successive fault formation prefers the latter model. The episodic fault activity may enhance fault zone permeability hence reservoir productivity implying that the analysis of periodically active faults represents an important part in successfully targeting geothermal wells.

basement reservoir geometry and properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, bastien; Geraud, yves; Diraison, marc

2017-04-01

Basement reservoirs are nowadays frequently investigated for deep-seated fluid resources (e.g. geothermal energy, groundwater, hydrocarbons). The term 'basement' generally refers to crystalline and metamorphic formations, where matrix porosity is negligible in fresh basement rocks. Geothermal production of such unconventional reservoirs is controlled by brittle structures and altered rock matrix, resulting of a combination of different tectonic, hydrothermal or weathering phenomena. This work aims to characterize the petro-structural and petrophysical properties of two basement surface analogue case studies in geological extensive setting (the Albert Lake rift in Uganda; the Ifni proximal margin of the South West Morocco Atlantic coast). Different datasets, using field structural study, geophysical acquisition and laboratory petrophysical measurements, were integrated to describe the multi-scale geometry of the porous network of such fractured and weathered basement formations. This study points out the multi-scale distribution of all the features constituting the reservoir, over ten orders of magnitude from the pluri-kilometric scale of the major tectonics structures to the infra-millimetric scale of the secondary micro-porosity of fractured and weathered basements units. Major fault zones, with relatively thick and impermeable fault core structures, control the 'compartmentalization' of the reservoir by dividing it into several structural blocks. The analysis of these fault zones highlights the necessity for the basement reservoirs to be characterized by a highly connected fault and fracture system, where structure intersections represent the main fluid drainage areas between and within the reservoir's structural blocks. The suitable fluid storage areas in these reservoirs correspond to the damage zone of all the fault structures developed during the tectonic evolution of the basement and the weathered units of the basement roof developed during pre-rift exhumation phases. Macroscopic fracture density is highly dependent on the petrographic nature of the basement, with values up to 80 frac./m in fault damage zones of crystalline rocks. Dense micro-cracks associated to major fault structures can develop porosity and permeability up to 10% and 0.1 D. In some weathered horizons, alteration can develop matrix porosity up to 40% and the permeability reaches up to 1D. This study highlights therefore that basement reservoir properties are the result of the long geodynamic evolution of such formations, and the different fault zone compartments or weathering horizons have to be considered separately for reservoir understanding.

The Co-evolution of QSOs and Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coziol, R.; Torres-Papaqui, J. P.; Andernach, H.

2015-07-01

Using two large samples of QSOs detected in the mid-infrared (MIR) with WISE, we find that the change of W2-W3 colors with redshift suggests that star formation in their host galaxies increases by a factor of 3 from z = 0 to 2.7, then stays constant up to z = 4, and decreases above z=4. This behavior is slightly different from the best fits for the star formation history of field galaxies as deduced from the Optical-UV and IR, but is consistent with what is observed for sub-mm galaxies at high z. Our results constitute the clearest evidence, so far, that QSO host galaxies form their stars before field galaxies, and are in good agreement with the hierarchical biased structure formation paradigm.

Hydrodynamical processes in planet-forming accretion disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Min-Kai

Understanding the physics of accretion flows in circumstellar disk provides the foundation to any theory of planet formation. The last few years have witnessed dramatic a revision in the fundamental fluid dynamics of protoplanetary accretion disks. There is growing evidence that the key to answering some of the most pressing questions, such as the origin of disk turbulence, mass transport, and planetesimal formation, may lie within, and intimately linked to, purely hydrodynamical processes in protoplanetary disks. Recent studies, including those from the proposal team, have discovered and highlighted the significance of several new hydrodynamical instabilities in the planet-forming regions of these disks. These include, but not limited to: the vertical shear instability, active between 10 to 100 AU; the zombie vortex instability, operating in regions interior to about 1AU; and the convective over-stability at intermediate radii. Secondary Rossbywave and elliptic instabilities may also be triggered, feeding off the structures that emerge from the above primary instabilities. The result of these hydrodynamic processes range from small-scale turbulence that transports angular momentum, to large-scale vortices that concentrate dust particles and enhance planetesimal formation. Hydrodynamic processes pertain to a wide range of disk conditions, meaning that at least one of these processes are active at any given disk location and evolutionary epoch. This remains true even after planet formation, which affects their subsequent orbital evolution. Hydrodynamical processes also have direct observable consequences. For example, vortices have being invoked to explain recent ALMA images of asymmetric `dust-traps' in transition disks. Hydrodynamic activities thus play a crucial role at every stage of planet formation and disk evolution. We propose to develop theoretical models of the above hydrodynamic processes under physical disk conditions by properly accounting for disk thermodynamics, dust dynamics, disk self-gravity and three-dimensional effects. By including these effects, we go wellbeyond previous works based on idealized disk models. This effort is necessary to understand how these instabilities operate and interact in realistic protoplanetary disks. This will enable us to provide a unified picture of how various hydrodynamic activities fit together to drive global disk evolution. We will address key questions including the strength of the resulting hydrodynamic turbulence, the lifetime of large-scale vortices under realistic disk conditions, and their impact on the evolution of solids within the disk. Inclusion of these additional physics will likely uncover new, yet-unknown hydrodynamic processes. Our generalized models enables a direct link between theory and observations. For example, a self-consistent incorporation of dust dynamics into the theory of hydrodynamic instabilities is particularly important, since it is the dust component that is usually observed. We will also establish the connection between the properties of large-scale, observable structures such as vortices, to the underlying disk properties, such as disk mass, and vertical structure, which are difficult to infer directly from observations. We also propose to study, for the first time, the dynamical interaction between hydrodynamic turbulence and proto-planets, as well as the influence of largescale vortices on disk-planet interaction. This is necessary towards a realistic modeling of the orbital evolution of proto planets, and thus in predicting the final architecture of planetary systems. The proposal team's expertise and experience, ranging from mathematical analyses to state-of the-art numerical simulations in astrophysical fluid dynamics, provides a multi-method approach to these problems. This is necessary towards establishing a rigorous understanding of these fundamental hydrodynamical processes in protoplanetary accretion disks.

Structuring and evolution of Neogene transcurrent basins in the Tellian foreland domain, north-eastern Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melki, Fetheddine; Zouaghi, Taher; Harrab, Salah; Sainz, Antonio Casas; Bédir, Mourad; Zargouni, Fouad

2011-07-01

The Neogene sedimentary basins (Serravallian to Quaternary) of the Tellian tectonic foreland in north-eastern Tunisia formed within the overall NE-SW sinistral strike-slip tectonic framework of the Ras El Korane-Thibar and El Alia-Teboursouk fault systems. From stratigraphic logs, structural cross sections and interpretation of 2D seismic lines and boreholes, the pre-Neogene basement can be interpreted to be structured according to Eocene (NW-SE) compressional and Oligocene extensional phases. This basement comprises structural highs (anticlines and horsts) and subsiding areas (synclines, half-grabens and grabens) formed during the Neogene. The subsiding areas are delineated by faults striking N030E, N-S and N140E, defining (i) narrow, strongly subsiding synclines, (ii) lozenge-shaped basins and (iii) trapezoidal basins. The architecture of their fill results from the sedimentary balance between tectonics and eustatism. Halokinesis and clay diapirism (driven by Triassic and Neogene evaporites and clays) also played an important role in basin evolution, contributing to the formation of domes and diapirs along active faults.

Protein Flexibility Facilitates Quaternary Structure Assembly and Evolution

PubMed Central

Marsh, Joseph A.; Teichmann, Sarah A.

2014-01-01

The intrinsic flexibility of proteins allows them to undergo large conformational fluctuations in solution or upon interaction with other molecules. Proteins also commonly assemble into complexes with diverse quaternary structure arrangements. Here we investigate how the flexibility of individual protein chains influences the assembly and evolution of protein complexes. We find that flexibility appears to be particularly conducive to the formation of heterologous (i.e., asymmetric) intersubunit interfaces. This leads to a strong association between subunit flexibility and homomeric complexes with cyclic and asymmetric quaternary structure topologies. Similarly, we also observe that the more nonhomologous subunits that assemble together within a complex, the more flexible those subunits tend to be. Importantly, these findings suggest that subunit flexibility should be closely related to the evolutionary history of a complex. We confirm this by showing that evolutionarily more recent subunits are generally more flexible than evolutionarily older subunits. Finally, we investigate the very different explorations of quaternary structure space that have occurred in different evolutionary lineages. In particular, the increased flexibility of eukaryotic proteins appears to enable the assembly of heteromeric complexes with more unique components. PMID:24866000

Atomic study of effects of crystal structure and temperature on structural evolution of Au nanowires under torsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Cheng-Da; Tsai, Hsing-Wei

2018-06-01

The effect of temperature on the structural evolution of nanocrystalline (NC) and single-crystalline (SC) Au nanowires (NWs) under torsional deformation is studied using molecular dynamics simulations based on the many-body embedded-atom potential. The effect is investigated using common neighbor analysis and discussed in terms of shear strain distribution and atomic flow field. The simulation results show that deformation for NC NWs is mainly driven by the nucleation and propagation of dislocations and the gliding of grain boundaries (GBs) and that for SC NWs is mainly driven by dislocations and the formation of disordered structures. Dislocations for NC and SC NWs easily nucleate at GBs and free surfaces, respectively. For NC NWs, torsional buckling occurs easily at GBs with large gliding. SC NWs have a more uniform and larger elastic deformation under torsion compared to that for NC NWs due to the former's lack of grains. SC NWs have a long period of elastic deformation transforming into plastic deformation. Increasing temperature facilitates stress transmission throughout NWs.

Evolution of the Structural-Phase State of a Ti-Al- V-Mo Alloy During Severe Plastic Deformation and SubSequent Annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabovetskaya, G. P.; Ratochka, I. V.; Mishin, I. P.; Zabudchenko, O. V.; Lykova, O. N.

2016-05-01

The effect of the initial phase composition of a Ti-Al-V-Mo alloy (VT16 according to Russian classification) on the evolution of its structural-phase state during the formation of ultrafine-grained structure and subsequent annealing is investigated by methods of optical and transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis. The structure is produced by cyclic pressing with a change of the deformation axis in each cycle combined with a gradual decrease of the pressing temperature from 1073 to 723 K. As this takes place, α″ → α + β and β → α phase transitions are found to develop in the test alloy. The phase state of the ultrafinegrained material thus produced depends for the most part on its elemental composition and severe plastic deformation regime. Annealing below the recrystallization temperature is shown to give rise to a β→α phase transition and alloying element redistribution. The foregoing processes allow for retaining a high level of the strength properties of the alloy.

Mineral Grains, Dimples, and Hot Volcanic Organic Streams: Dynamic Geological Backstage of Macromolecular Evolution.

PubMed

Skoblikow, Nikolai E; Zimin, Andrei A

2018-04-01

The hypothesis of hot volcanic organic stream as the most probable and geologically plausible environment for abiogenic polycondensation is proposed. The primary synthesis of organic compounds is considered as result of an explosive volcanic (perhaps, meteorite-induced) eruption. The eruption was accompanied by a shock wave propagating in the primeval atmosphere and resulting in the formation of hot cloud of simple organic compounds-aldehydes, alcohols, amines, amino alcohols, nitriles, and amino acids-products, which are usually obtained under the artificial conditions in the spark-discharge experiments. The subsequent cooling of the organic cloud resulted in a gradual condensation and a serial precipitation of organic compounds (in order of decreasing boiling point values) into the liquid phase forming a hot, viscous and muddy organic stream (named "lithorheos"). That stream-even if the time of its existence was short-is considered here as a geologically plausible environment for abiogenic polycondensation. The substances successively prevailing in such a stream were cyanamide, acetamide, formamide, glycolonitrile, acetonitrile. An important role was played by mineral (especially, phosphate-containing) grains (named "lithosomes"), whose surface was modified with heterocyclic nitrogen compounds synthesized in the course of eruption. When such grains got into hot organic streams, their surface catalytic centers (named "lithozymes") played a decisive role in the emergence, facilitation and maintenance of prebiotic reactions and key processes characteristic of living systems. Owing to its cascade structure, the stream was a factor underlying the formation of mineral-polymeric aggregates (named "lithocytes") in the small natural streambed cavities (dimples)-as well as a factor of their further spread within larger geological locations which played a role of chemo-ecological niches. All three main stages of prebiotic evolution (primary organic synthesis, polycondensation, and formation of proto-cellular structures) are combined within a common dynamic geological process. We suppose macromolecular evolution had an extremely fast, "flash" start: the period from volcanic eruption to formation of lithocyte "populations" took not million years but just several tens of minutes. The scenario proposed can be verified experimentally with a three-module setup working with principles of dynamic (flow) chemistry in its core element.

Some Characteristics of Current Star Formation in the 30 Doradus Nebula Revealed by HST/NICMOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walborn, Nolan R.; Barbá, Rodolfo H.; Brandner, Wolfgang; Rubio, Mónica; Grebel, Eva K.; Probst, Ronald G.

1999-01-01

The extensive ``second generation'' of star formation within the 30 Doradus Nebula, evidently triggered by the R136 central cluster around its periphery, has been imaged with the Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) on the Hubble Space Telescope. Many new IR sources, including multiple systems, clusters, and nebular structures, are found in these images. Six of the NICMOS fields are described here, in comparison with the WFPC2 images of the same fields. Knots 1-3 of Walborn & Blades (early O stars embedded in dense nebular knots) are all found to be compact multiple systems. Knot 1 is shown to reside at the top of a massive dust pillar oriented directly toward R136, whose summit has just been removed, exposing the newborn stellar system. Knots 1 and 3 are also near the brightest IR sources in the region, while parsec-scale jet structures are discovered in association with Knots 2 and 3. The Knot 2 structures consist of detached, nonstellar IR sources aligned on either side of the stellar system, which are interpreted as impact points of a highly collimated, possibly rotating bipolar jet on the surrounding dark clouds; the H_2O maser found by Whiteoak et al. is also in this field. These outflows from young massive stars in 30 Dor are the first extragalactic examples of the phenomenon. In the field of the pillars south of R136, recently discussed in comparison with the M16 pillars by Scowen et al., a new luminous stellar IR source has been discovered. These results establish the 30 Doradus Nebula as a prime region in which to investigate the formation and very early evolution of massive stars and multiple systems. The theme of triggered formation within the heads of extensive dust pillars oriented toward R136 is strong. In addition, these results provide further insights into the global structure and evolution of 30 Doradus, which are significant in view of its status as the best resolved extragalactic starburst. This paper is dedicated to W. W. Morgan, who taught me the power of morphology to uncover new phenomena in astronomy.-N. R. W.

On the phase evolution of AlCoCrCuFeMnSix high entropy alloys prepared by mechanical alloying and arc melting route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anil; Chopkar, Manoj

2018-05-01

Effect of Si addition on phase formation of AlCoCrCuFeMnSix (x=0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9) high entropy alloy have been investigated in this work. The alloys are prepared by mechanical alloying and vacuum arc melting technique. The X-ray diffraction results reveals the formation of mixture of face centered and body centered cubic solid solution phases in milled powders. The addition of Si favours body centered cubic structure formation during milling process. Whereas, after melting the milled powders, body centered phases formed during milling is partial transformed into sigma phases. XRD results were also correlated with the SEM elemental mapping of as casted samples. Addition of Si favours σ phase formation in the as cast samples.

Microstructural Rearrangements and their Rheological Implications in a Model Thixotropic Elastoviscoplastic Fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamali, Safa; McKinley, Gareth H.; Armstrong, Robert C.

2017-01-01

We identify the sequence of microstructural changes that characterize the evolution of an attractive particulate gel under flow and discuss their implications on macroscopic rheology. Dissipative particle dynamics is used to monitor shear-driven evolution of a fabric tensor constructed from the ensemble spatial configuration of individual attractive constituents within the gel. By decomposing this tensor into isotropic and nonisotropic components we show that the average coordination number correlates directly with the flow curve of the shear stress versus shear rate, consistent with theoretical predictions for attractive systems. We show that the evolution in nonisotropic local particle rearrangements are primarily responsible for stress overshoots (strain-hardening) at the inception of steady shear flow and also lead, at larger times and longer scales, to microstructural localization phenomena such as shear banding flow-induced structure formation in the vorticity direction.

Origin and Evolution of Comet Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, Arika

2007-01-01

The Oort cloud (comet cloud) is a spherical comet reservoir surrounding a planetary system. We have investigated the comet cloud formation that consists of two dynamical stages of orbital evolution of planetesimals due to (1) planetary perturbation, and (2) the galactic tide. We investigated the first stage by using numerical calculations and obtained the probabilities of the fates of planetesimals as functions of the orbital parameters of the planets and planetesimals. We investigated the second stage by using the secular perturbation theory and showed the evolution of the structure of a comet cloud from a planetesimal disk. We found that (1) massive planets effectively produce comet cloud candidates by scattering and (2) many planetesimals with semimajor axes larger than 1,000 AU rise up their perihelion distances to the outside of the planetary region and become members of the Oort cloud in 5 Gyr.

Origin and evolution of the lunar regolith; Proceedings of the Symposium, Houston, Tex., November 13-15, 1974

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The papers consider the origin and evolution of the lunar regolith utilizing data obtained during American and Soviet manned and unmanned lunar missions as well as surface and orbital observations, photography, sample collections, and experimental studies. Topics include the transport and emplacement of crater and basin deposits, development of the mare regolith, the shallow lunar structure as determined from the passive seismic experiment, horizontal transport of the regolith, the origin of the exotic component and KREEP-rich materials, the influx of interplanetary materials onto the moon, stratification in the lunar regolith, catastrophic rupture of lunar rocks, cosmic-ray exposure ages of surface features, breccia formation by sintering and crystallization, evolution of the lunar soil, and effects of maturation on the reflectance of the regolith. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Structural differences between the avian and human H7N9 hemagglutinin proteins are attributable to modifications in salt bridge formation: a computational study with implications in viral evolution.

PubMed

Cueno, Marni E; Imai, Kenichi; Tamura, Muneaki; Ochiai, Kuniyasu

2013-01-01

Influenza A hemagglutinin (HA) is a homotrimeric glycoprotein composed of a fibrous globular stem supporting a globular head containing three sialic acid binding sites responsible for infection. The H7N9 strain has consistently infected an avian host, however, the novel 2013 strain is now capable of infecting a human host which would imply that the HA in both strains structurally differ. A better understanding of the structural differences between the avian and human H7N9 strains may shed light into viral evolution and transmissibility. In this study, we elucidated the structural differences between the avian and human H7N9 strains. Throughout the study, we generated HA homology models, verified the quality of each model, superimposed HA homology models to determine structural differences, and, likewise, elucidated the probable cause for these structural differences. We detected two different types of structural differences between the novel H7N9 human and representative avian strains, wherein, one type (Pattern-1) showed three non-overlapping regions while the other type (Pattern-2) showed only one non-overlapping region. In addition, we found that superimposed HA homology models exhibiting Pattern-1 contain three non-overlapping regions designated as: Region-1 (S1571-A1601); Region-3 (R2621-S2651); and Region-4 (S2701-D2811), whereas, superimposed HA homology models showing Pattern-2 only contain one non-overlapping region designated as Region-2 (S1371-S1451). We attributed the two patterns we observed to either the presence of salt bridges involving the E1141 residue or absence of the R1411:D771 salt bridge. Interestingly, comparison between the human H7N7 and H7N9 HA homology models showed high structural similarity. We propose that the putative absence of the R1411:D771 salt bridge coupled with the putative presence of the E1141:R2621 and E1141:K2641 salt bridges found in the 2013 H7N9 HA homology model is associated to human-type receptor binding. This highlights the possible significance of HA salt bridge formation modifications in viral infectivity, immune escape, transmissibility and evolution.

Massive star formation by accretion. II. Rotation: how to circumvent the angular momentum barrier?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haemmerlé, L.; Eggenberger, P.; Meynet, G.; Maeder, A.; Charbonnel, C.; Klessen, R. S.

2017-06-01

Context. Rotation plays a key role in the star-formation process, from pre-stellar cores to pre-main-sequence (PMS) objects. Understanding the formation of massive stars requires taking into account the accretion of angular momentum during their PMS phase. Aims: We study the PMS evolution of objects destined to become massive stars by accretion, focusing on the links between the physical conditions of the environment and the rotational properties of young stars. In particular, we look at the physical conditions that allow the production of massive stars by accretion. Methods: We present PMS models computed with a new version of the Geneva Stellar Evolution code self-consistently including accretion and rotation according to various accretion scenarios for mass and angular momentum. We describe the internal distribution of angular momentum in PMS stars accreting at high rates and we show how the various physical conditions impact their internal structures, evolutionary tracks, and rotation velocities during the PMS and the early main sequence. Results: We find that the smooth angular momentum accretion considered in previous studies leads to an angular momentum barrier and does not allow the formation of massive stars by accretion. A braking mechanism is needed in order to circumvent this angular momentum barrier. This mechanism has to be efficient enough to remove more than two thirds of the angular momentum from the inner accretion disc. Due to the weak efficiency of angular momentum transport by shear instability and meridional circulation during the accretion phase, the internal rotation profiles of accreting stars reflect essentially the angular momentum accretion history. As a consequence, careful choice of the angular momentum accretion history allows circumvention of any limitation in mass and velocity, and production of stars of any mass and velocity compatible with structure equations.

The Synthesis and Origin of the Pectic Polysaccharide Rhamnogalacturonan II – Insights from Nucleotide Sugar Formation and Diversity

PubMed Central

Bar-Peled, Maor; Urbanowicz, Breeanna R.; O’Neill, Malcolm A.

2012-01-01

There is compelling evidence showing that the structurally complex pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) exists in the primary cell wall as a borate cross-linked dimer and that this dimer is required for the assembly of a functional wall and for normal plant growth and development. The results of several studies have also established that RG-II structure and cross-linking is conserved in vascular plants and that RG-II likely appeared early in the evolution of land plants. Two features that distinguish RG-II from other plant polysaccharides are that RG-II is composed of 13 different glycoses linked to each other by up to 22 different glycosidic linkages and that RG-II is the only polysaccharide known to contain both apiose and aceric acid. Thus, one key event in land plant evolution was the emergence of genes encoding nucleotide sugar biosynthetic enzymes that generate the activated forms of apiose and aceric acid required for RG-II synthesis. Many of the genes involved in the generation of the nucleotide sugars used for RG-II synthesis have been functionally characterized. By contrast, only one glycosyltransferase involved in the assembly of RG-II has been identified. Here we provide an overview of the formation of the activated sugars required for RG-II synthesis and point to the possible cellular and metabolic processes that could be involved in assembling and controlling the formation of a borate cross-linked RG-II molecule. We discuss how nucleotide sugar synthesis is compartmentalized and how this may control the flux of precursors to facilitate and regulate the formation of RG-II. PMID:22639675

Mathematical modeling and simulation analysis of hydraulic fracture propagation in three-layered poro-elastic media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moon, H.Y.; Advani, S.H.; Lee, T.S.

1992-11-01

Hydraulic fracturing plays a pivotal role in the enhancement of oil and gas production recovery from low permeability reservoirs. The process of hydraulic fracturing entails the generation of a fracture by pumping fluids blended with special chemicals and proppants into the payzone at high injection rates and pressures to extend and wedge fractures. The mathematical modeling of hydraulically induced fractures generally incorporates coupling between the formation elasticity, fracture fluid flow, and fracture mechanics equations governing the formation structural responses, fluid pressure profile, and fracture growth. Two allied unsymmetric elliptic fracture models are developed for fracture configuration evolutions in three-layered rockmore » formations. The first approach is based on a Lagrangian formulation incorporating pertinent energy components associated with the formation structural responses and fracture fluid flow. The second model is based on a generalized variational principle, introducing an energy rate related functional. These models initially simulate a penny-shaped fracture, which becomes elliptic if the crack tips encounters (upper and/or lower) barriers with differential reservoir properties (in situ stresses, 16 elastic moduli, and fracture toughness-contrasts and fluid leak-off characteristics). The energy rate component magnitudes are determined to interpret the governing hydraulic fracture mechanisms during fracture evolution. The variational principle is extended to study the phenomenon and consequences of fluid lag in fractures. Finally, parametric sensitivity and energy rate investigations to evaluate the roles of controllable hydraulic treatment variables and uncontrollable reservoir property characterization parameters are performed. The presented field applications demonstrate the overall capabilities of the developed models. These studies provide stimulation treatment guidelines for fracture configuration design, control, and optimization.« less

Temporal evolution of ion spectral structures during a geomagnetic storm: Observations and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferradas, C.; Zhang, J.; Spence, H. E.; Kistler, L. M.; Larsen, B.; Reeves, G. D.; Skoug, R. M.; Funsten, H. O.

2016-12-01

During the last decades several missions have recorded the presence of dynamic spectral features of energetic ions in the inner magnetosphere. We present a case study of the temporal evolution of H+, He+, and O+ spectral structures throughout the geomagnetic storm of 2 October 2013. We use data from the Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) mass spectrometer onboard Van Allen Probe A to analyze the spectral structures in the energy range of 1- 50 keV. We find that the characteristics of the ion structures follow a cyclic pattern, the observed features changing dramatically as the storm starts and then returning to its initial pre-storm state. Quiet, pre-storm times are characterized by multiple and often complex flux structures at narrow energy bands. During the storm main phase, the observed features become simple, with no nose structures or only one nose structure present in the energy-time spectrograms. As the inner magnetosphere recovers from the storm, more complex structures appear once again. Additionally, the heavy ion spectral features are generally more complex than the H+ features, with multiple noses being observed more often in the heavy ion spectra. We use a model of ion drift and losses due to charge exchange to understand the formation of the spectral features and their species dependence.

Self-organization at the frictional interface for green tribology.

PubMed

Nosonovsky, Michael

2010-10-28

Despite the fact that self-organization during friction has received relatively little attention from tribologists so far, it has the potential for the creation of self-healing and self-lubricating materials, which are important for green or environment-friendly tribology. The principles of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes and of the nonlinear theory of dynamical systems are used to investigate the formation of spatial and temporal structures during friction. The transition to the self-organized state with low friction and wear occurs through destabilization of steady-state (stationary) sliding. The criterion for destabilization is formulated and several examples are discussed: the formation of a protective film, microtopography evolution and slip waves. The pattern formation may involve self-organized criticality and reaction-diffusion systems. A special self-healing mechanism may be embedded into the material by coupling the corresponding required forces. The analysis provides the structure-property relationship, which can be applied for the design optimization of composite self-lubricating and self-healing materials for various ecologically friendly applications and green tribology.

Experimental validation of non-uniformity effect of the radial electric field on the edge transport barrier formation in JT-60U H-mode plasmas

PubMed Central

Kamiya, K.; Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.-I.

2016-01-01

The turbulent structure formation, where strongly-inhomogeneous turbulence and global electromagnetic fields are self-organized, is a fundamental mechanism that governs the evolution of high-temperature plasmas in the universe and laboratory (e.g., the generation of edge transport barrier (ETB) of the H-mode in the toroidal plasmas). The roles of inhomogeneities of radial electric field (Er) are known inevitable. In this mechanism, whether the first derivative of Er (shear) or the second derivative of Er (curvature) works most is decisive in determining the class of nontrivial solutions (which describe the barrier structure). Here we report the experimental identification of the essential role of the Er-curvature on the ETB formation, for the first time, based on the high-spatiotemporal resolution spectroscopic measurement. We found the decisive importance of Er-curvature on ETB formation during ELM-free phase, but there is only a low correlation with the Er-shear value at the peak of normalized ion temperature gradient. Furthermore, in the ELMing phase, the effect of curvature is also quantified in terms of the relationship between pedestal width and thickness of the layer of inhomogeneous Er. This is the fundamental basis to understand the structure of transport barriers in fusion plasmas. PMID:27480931

Simulating the impact of dust cooling on the statistical properties of the intra-cluster medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pointecouteau, Etienne; da Silva, Antonio; Catalano, Andrea; Montier, Ludovic; Lanoux, Joseph; Roncarelli, Mauro; Giard, Martin

2009-08-01

From the first stages of star and galaxy formation, non-gravitational processes such as ram pressure stripping, SNs, galactic winds, AGNs, galaxy-galaxy mergers, etc. lead to the enrichment of the IGM in stars, metals as well as dust, via the ejection of galactic material into the IGM. We know now that these processes shape, side by side with gravitation, the formation and the evolution of structures. We present here hydrodynamic simulations of structure formation implementing the effect of the cooling by dust on large scale structure formation. We focus on the scale of galaxy clusters and study the statistical properties of clusters. Here, we present our results on the TX-M and the LX-M scaling relations which exhibit changes on both the slope and normalization when adding cooling by dust to the standard radiative cooling model. For example, the normalization of the TX-M relation changes only by a maximum of 2% at M=1014M⊙ whereas the normalization of the LX-TX changes by as much as 10% at TX=1keV for models that including dust cooling. Our study shows that the dust is an added non-gravitational process that contributes shaping the thermodynamical state of the hot ICM gas.

Calibrating Star Formation: The Link between Feedback and Galaxy Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calzetti, Daniela

2005-07-01

Stellar feedback - the return of mass and energy from star formation to the interstellar medium - is one of the primary engines of galaxy evolution. Yet, the theoretical foundation of mechanical feedback is, to date, unconstrained by observations. We propose to investigate this fundamental aspect of star formation on a sample of two local actively star-forming galaxies, NGC4449, and Holmberg II. The two galaxies have been selected to occupy an unexplored, yet crucial for quantifying mechanical feedback, niche in the two-parameter space of star formation intensity and galaxy mass. ACS/WFC and WFPC2 narrow-band observations in the light of H-beta, [OIII], H-alpha, and [NII] will be obtained for both galaxies, in order to: {1} discriminate the feedback-induced shock fronts from the photoionization regions; {2} map the shocks inside and around the starburst regions; and {3} measure the energy budget of the star-formation-produced shocks. These observations, complemented by existing data, will yield: {1} the efficiency of the feedback, i.e. the fraction of the star formation's mechanical energy that is transported out of the starburst volume rather than confined or radiated away; {2} the dependence of this efficiency on the two fundamental parameters of star formation intensity and stellar mass. The high angular resolution of HST is crucial for separating the spatially narrow shock fronts { 5 pc, 0.25" at 4 Mpc} from the more extended photoionization fronts. The legacy from this project will be the most complete quantitative measurement of the energetics associated with feedback processes. We will secure the first milestone for placing feedback mechanisms on a solid physical ground, and for understanding quantitatively their role on the energetics, structure, and star formation history of galaxies at all redshifts.

Structural controls and evolution of gold-, silver-, and REE-bearing copper-cobalt ore deposits, Blackbird district, east-central Idaho: Epigenetic origins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lund, K.; Tysdal, Russell G.; Evans, Karl V.; Kunk, Michael J.; Pillers, Renee M.

2011-01-01

Textural data at all scales indicate that the host sites for veins and the tectonic evolution of both host rocks and mineral deposits were kinematically linked to Late Cretaceous regional thrust faulting. Heat, fluids, and conduits for generation and circulation of fluids were part of the regional crustal thickening. The faulting also juxtaposed metaevaporite layers in the Mesoproterozoic Yellowjacket Formation over Blackbird district host rocks. We conclude that this facilitated chemical exchange between juxtaposed units resulting in leaching of critical elements (Cl, K, B, Na) from metaevaporites to produce brines, scavenging of metals (Co, Cu, etc) from rocks in the region, and, finally, concentrating metals in the lower-plate ramp structures. Although the ultimate source of the metals remains undetermined, the present Cu-Co ± Au (± Ag ± Ni ± REE) Blackbird ore deposits formed during Late Cretaceous compressional deformation.

An unusual mode of DNA duplex association: Watson-Crick interaction of all-purine deoxyribonucleic acids.

PubMed

Battersby, Thomas R; Albalos, Maria; Friesenhahn, Michel J

2007-05-01

Nucleic acid duplexes associating through purine-purine base pairing have been constructed and characterized in a remarkable demonstration of nucleic acids with mixed sequence and a natural backbone in an alternative duplex structure. The antiparallel deoxyribose all-purine duplexes associate specifically through Watson-Crick pairing, violating the nucleobase size-complementarity pairing convention found in Nature. Sequence-specific recognition displayed by these structures makes the duplexes suitable, in principle, for information storage and replication fundamental to molecular evolution in all living organisms. All-purine duplexes can be formed through association of purines found in natural ribonucleosides. Key to the formation of these duplexes is the N(3)-H tautomer of isoguanine, preferred in the duplex, but not in aqueous solution. The duplexes have relevance to evolution of the modern genetic code and can be used for molecular recognition of natural nucleic acids.

Rietveld analysis of the effect of annealing atmosphere on phase evolution of nanocrystalline TiO2 powders.

PubMed

Salari, M; Rezaee, M; Chidembo, A T; Konstantinov, K; Liu, H K

2012-06-01

The structural evolution of nanocrystalline TiO2 was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the Rietveld refinement method (RRM). TiO2 powders were prepared by the sol-gel technique. Post annealing of as-synthesized powders in the temperature range from 500 degrees C to 800 degrees C under air and argon atmospheres led to the formation of TiO2 nanoparticles with mean crystallite size in the range of 37-165 nm, based on the Rietveld refinement results. It was found that the phase structure, composition, and crystallite size of the resulting particles were dependent on not only the annealing temperature, but also the annealing atmosphere. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data showed that annealing the powders under argon atmosphere promoted the polymorphic phase transformation from anatase to rutile. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was employed to investigate the morphology and size of the annealed powders.

Harmonic plasma waves excitation and structure evolution of intense ion beams in background plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Zhang-Hu, E-mail: zhanghu@dlut.edu.cn; Wang, You-Nian

2016-08-15

The long-term dynamic evolutions of intense ion beams in plasmas have been investigated with two-dimensional electromagnetic particle simulations, taking into account the effect of the two-stream instability between beam ions and plasma electrons. Depending on the initial beam radial density profile and velocity distribution, ring structures may be formed in the beam edge regions. At the later stage of beam-plasma interactions, the ion beams are strongly modulated by the two-stream instability and multiple density spikes are formed in the longitudinal direction. The formation of these density spikes is shown to result from the excitation of harmonic plasma waves when themore » instability gets saturated. Comparisons between the beam cases with initial flat-top and Gaussian radial density profiles are made, and a higher instability growth rate is observed for the flat-top profile case.« less

Photogrammetric Measurements of an EH-60L Brownout Cloud

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Oliver D.; Tanner, Philip E.

2010-01-01

There is a critical lack of quantitative data regarding the mechanism of brownout cloud formation. Recognizing this, tests were conducted during the Air Force Research Lab 3D-LZ Brownout Test at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground. Photogrammetry was utilized during two rounds of flight tests with an instrumented EH-60L Black Hawk to determine if this technique could quantitatively measure the formation and evolution of a brownout cloud. Specific areas of interest include the location, size, and average convective velocity of the cloud, along with the characteristics of any defined structures within it. Following the first flight test, photogrammetric data were validated through comparison with onboard vehicle data. Lessons learned from this test were applied to the development of an improved photogrammetry system. A second flight test, utilizing the improved system, demonstrated that obtaining quantitative measurements of the brownout cloud are possible. Results from these measurements are presented in the paper. Flow visualization with chalk dust seeding was also tested. It was observed that pickup forces of the brownout cloud appear to be very low. Overall, these tests demonstrate the viability of photogrammetry as a means for quantifying brownout cloud formation and evolution.

The role of the dark matter haloes on the cosmic star formation rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Eduardo S.; Miranda, Oswaldo D.

2015-11-01

The cosmic star formation rate (CSFR) represents the fraction of gas that is converted into stars within a certain comoving volume and at a given time t. However the evolution of the dark matter haloes and its relationship with the CSFR is not yet clear. In this context, we have investigated the role of the dark halo mass function - DHMF - in the process of gas conversion into stars. We observed a strong dependence between the fraction of baryons in structures, fb, and the specific mass function used for describing the dark matter haloes. In some cases, we have obtained fb greater than one at redshift z = 0 . This result indicates that the evolution of dark matter, described by the specific DHMF, could not trace the baryonic matter without a bias parameter. We also observed that the characteristic time-scale for star formation, τ, is strongly dependent on the considered DHMF, when the model is confronted against the observational data. Also, as part of this work it was released, under GNU general public license, a Python package called 'pycosmicstar' to study the CSFR and its relationship with the DHMF.

Structure of exoplanets

PubMed Central

Spiegel, David S.; Fortney, Jonathan J.; Sotin, Christophe

2014-01-01

The hundreds of exoplanets that have been discovered in the past two decades offer a new perspective on planetary structure. Instead of being the archetypal examples of planets, those of our solar system are merely possible outcomes of planetary system formation and evolution, and conceivably not even especially common outcomes (although this remains an open question). Here, we review the diverse range of interior structures that are both known and speculated to exist in exoplanetary systems—from mostly degenerate objects that are more than 10× as massive as Jupiter, to intermediate-mass Neptune-like objects with large cores and moderate hydrogen/helium envelopes, to rocky objects with roughly the mass of Earth. PMID:24379369

Structure of exoplanets.

PubMed

Spiegel, David S; Fortney, Jonathan J; Sotin, Christophe

2014-09-02

The hundreds of exoplanets that have been discovered in the past two decades offer a new perspective on planetary structure. Instead of being the archetypal examples of planets, those of our solar system are merely possible outcomes of planetary system formation and evolution, and conceivably not even especially common outcomes (although this remains an open question). Here, we review the diverse range of interior structures that are both known and speculated to exist in exoplanetary systems--from mostly degenerate objects that are more than 10× as massive as Jupiter, to intermediate-mass Neptune-like objects with large cores and moderate hydrogen/helium envelopes, to rocky objects with roughly the mass of Earth.

Self-Heating Dark Matter via Semiannihilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamada, Ayuki; Kim, Hee Jung; Kim, Hyungjin; Sekiguchi, Toyokazu

2018-03-01

The freeze-out of dark matter (DM) depends on the evolution of the DM temperature. The DM temperature does not have to follow the standard model one, when the elastic scattering is not sufficient to maintain the kinetic equilibrium. We study the temperature evolution of the semiannihilating DM, where a pair of the DM particles annihilate into one DM particle and another particle coupled to the standard model sector. We find that the kinetic equilibrium is maintained solely via semiannihilation until the last stage of the freeze-out. After the freeze-out, semiannihilation converts the mass deficit to the kinetic energy of DM, which leads to nontrivial evolution of the DM temperature. We argue that the DM temperature redshifts like radiation as long as the DM self-interaction is efficient. We dub this novel temperature evolution as self-heating. Notably, the structure formation is suppressed at subgalactic scales like keV-scale warm DM but with GeV-scale self-heating DM if the self-heating lasts roughly until the matter-radiation equality. The long duration of the self-heating requires the large self-scattering cross section, which in turn flattens the DM density profile in inner halos. Consequently, self-heating DM can be a unified solution to apparent failures of cold DM to reproduce the observed subgalactic scale structure of the Universe.

The Thick Disk in the Galaxy NGC 4244 from S4G Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comerón, Sébastien; Knapen, Johan H.; Sheth, Kartik; Regan, Michael W.; Hinz, Joannah L.; Gil de Paz, Armando; Menéndez-Delmestre, Karín; Muñoz-Mateos, Juan-Carlos; Seibert, Mark; Kim, Taehyun; Athanassoula, E.; Bosma, Albert; Buta, Ronald J.; Elmegreen, Bruce G.; Ho, Luis C.; Holwerda, Benne W.; Laurikainen, Eija; Salo, Heikki; Schinnerer, Eva

2011-03-01

If thick disks are ubiquitous and a natural product of disk galaxy formation and/or evolution processes, all undisturbed galaxies that have evolved during a significant fraction of a Hubble time should have a thick disk. The late-type spiral galaxy NGC 4244 has been reported as the only nearby edge-on galaxy without a confirmed thick disk. Using data from the Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G) we have identified signs of two disk components in this galaxy. The asymmetries between the light profiles on both sides of the mid-plane of NGC 4244 can be explained by a combination of the galaxy not being perfectly edge-on and a certain degree of opacity of the thin disk. We argue that the subtlety of the thick disk is a consequence of either a limited secular evolution in NGC 4244, a small fraction of stellar material in the fragments which built the galaxy, or a high amount of gaseous accretion after the formation of the galaxy.

Microstructure evolution and texture development of hot form-quench (HFQ) AZ31 twin roll cast (TRC) magnesium alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alias, J.; Zhou, X.; Das, Sanjeev; El-Fakir, Omer; Thompson, G. E.

2017-12-01

The present study on the microstructure evolution of hot form-quench (HFQ) AZ31 twin roll cast magnesium alloy attempt to provide an understanding on the grain structure and heterogeneous intermetallic phase formation in the alloy and texture development following the HFQ process. Grain recrystallization and partial dissolution of eutectic β-Mg17Al12 phase particles were occurred during the solution heat treatment at 450°C, leaving the alloy consists of recrystallized grains and discontinuous or random β-Mg17Al12 phase particles distribution with small volume fraction. The particles act as effective nucleation sites for new grains during recrystallization and variation of recrystallization occurrence contributed to texture alteration. The partial or full β-Mg17Al12 phase dissolution following the HFQ induces void formation that act as fracture nucleation site and the corresponding texture alteration in the recrystallized grains led to poor formability in TRC alloy.

Formation and evolution of bubbly screens in confined oscillating bubbly liquids.

PubMed

Shklyaev, Sergey; Straube, Arthur V

2010-01-01

We consider the dynamics of dilute monodisperse bubbly liquid confined by two plane solid walls and subject to small-amplitude high-frequency oscillations normal to the walls. The initial state corresponds to the uniform distribution of bubbles and motionless liquid. The period of external driving is assumed much smaller than typical relaxation times for a single bubble but larger than the period of volume eigenoscillations. The time-averaged description accounting for the two-way coupling between the liquid and the bubbles is applied. We show that the model predicts accumulation of bubbles in thin sheets parallel to the walls. These singular structures, which are formally characterized by infinitely thin width and infinitely high concentration, are referred to as bubbly screens. The formation of a bubbly screen is described analytically in terms of a self-similar solution, which is in agreement with numerical simulations. We study the evolution of bubbly screens and detect a one-dimensional stationary state, which is shown to be unconditionally unstable.

Laser-Induced Graphene Formation on Wood.

PubMed

Ye, Ruquan; Chyan, Yieu; Zhang, Jibo; Li, Yilun; Han, Xiao; Kittrell, Carter; Tour, James M

2017-10-01

Wood as a renewable naturally occurring resource has been the focus of much research and commercial interests in applications ranging from building construction to chemicals production. Here, a facile approach is reported to transform wood into hierarchical porous graphene using CO 2 laser scribing. Studies reveal that the crosslinked lignocellulose structure inherent in wood with higher lignin content is more favorable for the generation of high-quality graphene than wood with lower lignin content. Because of its high electrical conductivity (≈10 Ω per square), graphene patterned on wood surfaces can be readily fabricated into various high-performance devices, such as hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution electrodes for overall water splitting with high reaction rates at low overpotentials, and supercapacitors for energy storage with high capacitance. The versatility of this technique in formation of multifunctional wood hybrids can inspire both research and industrial interest in the development of wood-derived graphene materials and their nanodevices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Formation and evolution of bubbly screens in confined oscillating bubbly liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shklyaev, Sergey; Straube, Arthur V.

2010-01-01

We consider the dynamics of dilute monodisperse bubbly liquid confined by two plane solid walls and subject to small-amplitude high-frequency oscillations normal to the walls. The initial state corresponds to the uniform distribution of bubbles and motionless liquid. The period of external driving is assumed much smaller than typical relaxation times for a single bubble but larger than the period of volume eigenoscillations. The time-averaged description accounting for the two-way coupling between the liquid and the bubbles is applied. We show that the model predicts accumulation of bubbles in thin sheets parallel to the walls. These singular structures, which are formally characterized by infinitely thin width and infinitely high concentration, are referred to as bubbly screens. The formation of a bubbly screen is described analytically in terms of a self-similar solution, which is in agreement with numerical simulations. We study the evolution of bubbly screens and detect a one-dimensional stationary state, which is shown to be unconditionally unstable.

Stellar Archaeology and Galaxy Genesis: The Need for Large Area Multi-Object Spectrograph on 8 m-Class Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irwin, Mike J.; Lewis, Geraint F.

The origin and evolution of galaxies like the Milky Way and M31 remain among the key questions in astrophysics. The galaxies we see today in and around the Local Group are representatives of the general field population of the Universe and have been evolving for the majority of cosmic time. As our nearest neighbour systems they can be studied in far more detail than their distant counterparts and hence provide our best hope for understanding star formation and prototypical galaxy evolution over the lifetime of the Universe [K. Freeman, J. Bland-Hawthorn in Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 40, 487 (2002)]. Significant observational progress has been made, but we are still a long way from understanding galaxy genesis. To unravel this formative epoch, detailed large area multi-object spectroscopy of spatial, kinematic and chemical structures on 8 m-class telescopes are required, to provide the link between local near-field cosmology and predictions from the high-redshift Universe.

Thermal control design of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsuyuki, G. T.; Lee, S. C.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the thermal control design of GALEX, an ultraviolet telescope that investigates the UV properties of local galaxies, history of star formation, and global causes of star formation and evolution.

Three-phase Interstellar Medium in Galaxies Resolving Evolution with Star Formation and Supernova Feedback (TIGRESS): Algorithms, Fiducial Model, and Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chang-Goo; Ostriker, Eve C.

2017-09-01

We introduce TIGRESS, a novel framework for multi-physics numerical simulations of the star-forming interstellar medium (ISM) implemented in the Athena MHD code. The algorithms of TIGRESS are designed to spatially and temporally resolve key physical features, including: (1) the gravitational collapse and ongoing accretion of gas that leads to star formation in clusters; (2) the explosions of supernovae (SNe), both near their progenitor birth sites and from runaway OB stars, with time delays relative to star formation determined by population synthesis; (3) explicit evolution of SN remnants prior to the onset of cooling, which leads to the creation of the hot ISM; (4) photoelectric heating of the warm and cold phases of the ISM that tracks the time-dependent ambient FUV field from the young cluster population; (5) large-scale galactic differential rotation, which leads to epicyclic motion and shears out overdense structures, limiting large-scale gravitational collapse; (6) accurate evolution of magnetic fields, which can be important for vertical support of the ISM disk as well as angular momentum transport. We present tests of the newly implemented physics modules, and demonstrate application of TIGRESS in a fiducial model representing the solar neighborhood environment. We use a resolution study to demonstrate convergence and evaluate the minimum resolution {{Δ }}x required to correctly recover several ISM properties, including the star formation rate, wind mass-loss rate, disk scale height, turbulent and Alfvénic velocity dispersions, and volume fractions of warm and hot phases. For the solar neighborhood model, all these ISM properties are converged at {{Δ }}x≤slant 8 {pc}.

Geodynamic Evolution of Northeastern Tunisia During the Maastrichtian-Paleocene Time: Insights from Integrated Seismic Stratigraphic Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidi, Oussama; Inoubli, Mohamed Hédi; Sebei, Kawthar; Amiri, Adnen; Boussiga, Haifa; Nasr, Imen Hamdi; Salem, Abdelhamid Ben; Elabed, Mahmoud

2017-05-01

The Maastrichtian-Paleocene El Haria formation was studied and defined in Tunisia on the basis of outcrops and borehole data; few studies were interested in its three-dimensional extent. In this paper, the El Haria formation is reviewed in the context of a tectono-stratigraphic interval using an integrated seismic stratigraphic analysis based on borehole lithology logs, electrical well logging, well shots, vertical seismic profiles and post-stack surface data. Seismic analysis benefits from appropriate calibration with borehole data, conventional interpretation, velocity mapping, seismic attributes and post-stack model-based inversion. The applied methodology proved to be powerful for charactering the marly Maastrichtian-Paleocene interval of the El Haria formation. Migrated seismic sections together with borehole measurements are used to detail the three-dimensional changes in thickness, facies and depositional environment in the Cap Bon and Gulf of Hammamet regions during the Maastrichtian-Paleocene time. Furthermore, dating based on their microfossil content divulges local and multiple internal hiatuses within the El Haria formation which are related to the geodynamic evolution of the depositional floor since the Campanian stage. Interpreted seismic sections display concordance, unconformities, pinchouts, sedimentary gaps, incised valleys and syn-sedimentary normal faulting. Based on the seismic reflection geometry and terminations, seven sequences are delineated. These sequences are related to base-level changes as the combination of depositional floor paleo-topography, tectonic forces, subsidence and the developed accommodation space. These factors controlled the occurrence of the various parts of the Maastrichtian-Paleocene interval. Detailed examinations of these deposits together with the analysis of the structural deformation at different time periods allowed us to obtain a better understanding of the sediment architecture in depth and the delineation of the geodynamic evolution of the region.

Formation and Reconnection of Three-Dimensional Current Sheets in the Solar Corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edmondson, J. K.; Antiochos, S. K.; DeVore, C. R.; Zurbuchen, T. H.

2010-01-01

Current-sheet formation and magnetic reconnection are believed to be the basic physical processes responsible for much of the activity observed in astrophysical plasmas, such as the Sun s corona. We investigate these processes for a magnetic configuration consisting of a uniform background field and an embedded line dipole, a topology that is expected to be ubiquitous in the corona. This magnetic system is driven by a uniform horizontal flow applied at the line-tied photosphere. Although both the initial field and the driver are translationally symmetric, the resulting evolution is calculated using a fully three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (3D MHD) simulation with adaptive mesh refinement that resolves the current sheet and reconnection dynamics in detail. The advantage of our approach is that it allows us to apply directly the vast body of knowledge gained from the many studies of 2D reconnection to the fully 3D case. We find that a current sheet forms in close analogy to the classic Syrovatskii 2D mechanism, but the resulting evolution is different than expected. The current sheet is globally stable, showing no evidence for a disruption or a secondary instability even for aspect ratios as high as 80:1. The global evolution generally follows the standard Sweet- Parker 2D reconnection model except for an accelerated reconnection rate at a very thin current sheet, due to the tearing instability and the formation of magnetic islands. An interesting conclusion is that despite the formation of fully 3D structures at small scales, the system remains close to 2D at global scales. We discuss the implications of our results for observations of the solar corona. Subject Headings: Sun: corona Sun: magnetic fields Sun: reconnection

Violence in the hearts of galaxies: aberration or adolescence?

PubMed

Mundell, Carole G

2002-12-15

Violent activity in the nuclei of galaxies has long been considered a curiosity in its own right; manifestations of this phenomenon include distant quasars in the early Universe and comparatively nearby Seyfert galaxies, both thought to be powered by the release of gravitational potential energy as material from the host galaxy accretes onto a central supermassive black hole (SMBH). Traditionally, the broader study of the formation, structure and evolution of galaxies has largely excluded active galactic nuclei. Recently, however, this situation has changed dramatically, both observationally and theoretically, with the realization that the growth and influence of the SMBH, the origin and development of galaxies and nuclear activity at different epochs in the Universe may be intimately related. The most spectacular fireworks seen in distant quasars may be relatively easy to explain, since the era of greatest quasar activity seems to coincide with turbulent dynamics at the epoch of galaxy formation in the young, gas-rich Universe. Ubiquitous black holes are believed to be a legacy of this violent birth. Alternatively, black holes may be the seeds that drive galaxy formation in the first place. Closer to home, and hence more recently in the history of the Universe, a fraction of comparatively ordinary galaxies, similar to our own, has reignited their central engines, albeit at a lower level of activity. Since these galaxies are more established than their younger and more distant counterparts, the activity here is all the more puzzling. Whatever the mechanisms involved, they are likely to play an important role in galaxy evolution. I review the intriguing evidence for causal links between SMBHs, nuclear activity and the formation and evolution of galaxies, and describe opportunities for testing these relationships using the next generation of earthbound and space-borne astronomical facilities.

Coherent Structures and Evolution of Vorticity in Short-Crested Breaking Surface Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirby, James; Derakhti, Morteza

2017-11-01

We employ a multi-phase LES/VOF code to study turbulence and coherent structures generated during breaking of short-crested surface water waves. We examine the evolution of coherent vortex structures evolving at the scale of the width of the breaking event, and their long-time interaction with smaller vortex loops formed by the local instability of the breaking crest. Long-time results are often characterized by the detachment of the larger scale vortex loop from the surface and formation of a closed vortex ring. The evolution of circulation for the vortical flow field is examined. The initial concentration of forcing close to the free surface leads to spatial distributions of both span-wise and vertical vorticity distributions which are concentrated close to the surface. This result, which persists into shallow water, is at odds with the basic simplicity of the Peregrine mechanism, suggesting that even shallow flows such as the surf zone should be regarded as being forced (in dissipative situations) by a wave-induced surface stress rather than a uniform-over-depth body force. The localized forcing leads to the development of a complex pattern of stream-wise vorticity, comparable in strength to the vertical and span-wise components, and also persist into shallow water. NSF OCE-1435147.

Mapping of spin wave propagation in a one-dimensional magnonic crystal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ordóñez-Romero, César L., E-mail: cloro@fisica.unam.mx; Lazcano-Ortiz, Zorayda; Aguilar-Huerta, Melisa

2016-07-28

The formation and evolution of spin wave band gaps in the transmission spectrum of a magnonic crystal have been studied. A time and space resolved magneto inductive probing system has been used to map the spin wave propagation and evolution in a geometrically structured yttrium iron garnet film. Experiments have been carried out using (1) a chemically etched magnonic crystal supporting the propagation of magnetostatic surface spin waves, (2) a short microwave pulsed excitation of the spin waves, and (3) direct spin wave detection using a movable magneto inductive probe connected to a synchronized fast oscilloscope. The results show thatmore » the periodic structure not only modifies the spectra of the transmitted spin waves but also influences the distribution of the spin wave energy inside the magnonic crystal as a function of the position and the transmitted frequency. These results comprise an experimental confirmation of Bloch′s theorem in a spin wave system and demonstrate good agreement with theoretical observations in analogue phononic and photonic systems. Theoretical prediction of the structured transmission spectra is achieved using a simple model based on microwave transmission lines theory. Here, a spin wave system illustrates in detail the evolution of a much more general physical concept: the band gap.« less

The inevitable youthfulness of known high-redshift radio galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blundell, Katherine M.; Rawlings, Steve

1999-05-01

Some galaxies are very luminous in the radio part of the spectrum. These `radio galaxies' have extensive (hundreds of kiloparsecs) lobes of emission powered by plasma jets originating at a central black hole. Some radio galaxies can be seen at very high redshifts, where in principle they can serve as probes of the early evolution of the Universe. Here we show that, for any model of radio-galaxy evolution in which the luminosity decreases with time after an initial rapid increase (that is, essentially all reasonable models), all observable high-redshift radio galaxies must be seen when the lobes are less than 107 years old. This means that high-redshift radio galaxies can be used as a high-time-resolution probe of evolution in the early Universe. Moreover, this result explains many observed trends of radio-galaxy properties with redshift, without needing to invoke explanations based on cosmology or strong evolution of the surrounding intergalactic medium with cosmic time, thereby avoiding conflict with current theories of structure formation.

Accelerated Evolution of the Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide Precursor Gene During Human Origin

PubMed Central

Wang, Yin-qiu; Qian, Ya-ping; Yang, Su; Shi, Hong; Liao, Cheng-hong; Zheng, Hong-Kun; Wang, Jun; Lin, Alice A.; Cavalli-Sforza, L. Luca; Underhill, Peter A.; Chakraborty, Ranajit; Jin, Li; Su, Bing

2005-01-01

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide abundantly expressed in the central nervous system and involved in regulating neurogenesis and neuronal signal transduction. The amino acid sequence of PACAP is extremely conserved across vertebrate species, indicating a strong functional constraint during the course of evolution. However, through comparative sequence analysis, we demonstrated that the PACAP precursor gene underwent an accelerated evolution in the human lineage since the divergence from chimpanzees, and the amino acid substitution rate in humans is at least seven times faster than that in other mammal species resulting from strong Darwinian positive selection. Eleven human-specific amino acid changes were identified in the PACAP precursors, which are conserved from murine to African apes. Protein structural analysis suggested that a putative novel neuropeptide might have originated during human evolution and functioned in the human brain. Our data suggested that the PACAP precursor gene underwent adaptive changes during human origin and may have contributed to the formation of human cognition. PMID:15834139

Exploring the role of trees in the evolution of meander bends: The Tagliamento River, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zen, Simone; Gurnell, Angela M.; Zolezzi, Guido; Surian, Nicola

2017-07-01

To date, the role of riparian trees in the formation of scroll bars, ridges, and swales during the evolution of meandering channels has been inferred largely from field observations with support from air photographs. In situ field observations are usually limited to relatively short periods of time, whereas the evolution of these morphological features may take decades. By combining field observations of inner bank morphology and overlying riparian woodland structure with a detailed historical analysis of airborne LiDAR data, panchromatic, and color images, we reconstruct the spatial and temporal evolution of the morphology and vegetation across four meander bends of the Tagliamento River, Italy. Specifically we reveal (i) the appearance of deposited trees and elongated vegetated patches on the inner bank of meander bends following flood events; (ii) temporal progression from deposited trees, through small to larger elongated vegetated patches (pioneer islands), to their coalescence into long, linear vegetated features that eventually become absorbed into the continuous vegetation cover of the riparian forest; and (iii) a spatial correspondence between the resulting scrolls and ridge and swale topography, and tree cover development and persistence. We provide a conceptual model of the mechanisms by which vegetation can contribute to the formation of sequence of ridges and swales on the convex bank of meander bends. We discuss how these insights into the biomorphological processes that control meander bends advance can inform modeling activities that aim to describe the lateral and vertical accretion of the floodplain during the evolution of vegetated river meanders.

COSMIC probes into compact binary formation and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breivik, Katelyn

2018-01-01

The population of compact binaries in the galaxy represents the final state of all binaries that have lived up to the present epoch. Compact binaries present a unique opportunity to probe binary evolution since many of the interactions binaries experience can be imprinted on the compact binary population. By combining binary evolution simulations with catalogs of observable compact binary systems, we can distill the dominant physical processes that govern binary star evolution, as well as predict the abundance and variety of their end products.The next decades herald a previously unseen opportunity to study compact binaries. Multi-messenger observations from telescopes across all wavelengths and gravitational-wave observatories spanning several decades of frequency will give an unprecedented view into the structure of these systems and the composition of their components. Observations will not always be coincident and in some cases may be separated by several years, providing an avenue for simulations to better constrain binary evolution models in preparation for future observations.I will present the results of three population synthesis studies of compact binary populations carried out with the Compact Object Synthesis and Monte Carlo Investigation Code (COSMIC). I will first show how binary-black-hole formation channels can be understood with LISA observations. I will then show how the population of double white dwarfs observed with LISA and Gaia could provide a detailed view of mass transfer and accretion. Finally, I will show that Gaia could discover thousands black holes in the Milky Way through astrometric observations, yielding view into black-hole astrophysics that is complementary to and independent from both X-ray and gravitational-wave astronomy.

Ancient, recurrent phage attacks and recombination shaped dynamic sequence-variable mosaics at the root of phytoplasma genome evolution.

PubMed

Wei, Wei; Davis, Robert E; Jomantiene, Rasa; Zhao, Yan

2008-08-19

Mobile genetic elements have impacted biological evolution across all studied organisms, but evidence for a role in evolutionary emergence of an entire phylogenetic clade has not been forthcoming. We suggest that mobile element predation played a formative role in emergence of the phytoplasma clade. Phytoplasmas are cell wall-less bacteria that cause numerous diseases in plants. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that these transkingdom parasites descended from Gram-positive walled bacteria, but events giving rise to the first phytoplasma have remained unknown. Previously we discovered a unique feature of phytoplasmal genome architecture, genes clustered in sequence-variable mosaics (SVMs), and suggested that such structures formed through recurrent, targeted attacks by mobile elements. In the present study, we discovered that cryptic prophage remnants, originating from phages in the order Caudovirales, formed SVMs and comprised exceptionally large percentages of the chromosomes of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris'-related strains OYM and AYWB, occupying nearly all major nonsyntenic sections, and accounting for most of the size difference between the two genomes. The clustered phage remnants formed genomic islands exhibiting distinct DNA physical signatures, such as dinucleotide relative abundance and codon position GC values. Phytoplasma strain-specific genes identified as phage morons were located in hypervariable regions within individual SVMs, indicating that prophage remnants played important roles in generating phytoplasma genetic diversity. Because no SVM-like structures could be identified in genomes of ancestral relatives including Acholeplasma spp., we hypothesize that ancient phage attacks leading to SVM formation occurred after divergence of phytoplasmas from acholeplasmas, triggering evolution of the phytoplasma clade.