@article{FangWangWirgesetal.2011, author = {Fang, Peng and Wang, Feipeng and Wirges, Werner and Gerhard, Reimund and Basso, Heitor Cury}, title = {Three-layer piezoelectrets from fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP) copolymer films}, series = {Applied physics : A, Materials science \& processing}, volume = {103}, journal = {Applied physics : A, Materials science \& processing}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {0947-8396}, doi = {10.1007/s00339-010-6008-2}, pages = {455 -- 461}, year = {2011}, abstract = {A process for preparing three-layer piezoelectrets from fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP) copolymer films is introduced. Samples are made from commercial FEP films by means of laser cutting, laser bonding, electrode evaporation, and high-field poling. The observed dielectric-resonance spectra demonstrate the piezoelectricity of the FEP sandwiches. Piezoelectric d (33) coefficients up to a few hundred pC/N are achieved. Charging at elevated temperatures can increase the thermal stability of the piezoelectrets. Isothermal experiments for approximately 15 min demonstrate that samples charged at 140A degrees C keep their piezoelectric activity up to at least 120A degrees C and retain 70\% of their initial d (33) even at 130A degrees C. Acoustical measurements show a relatively flat frequency response in the range between 300 Hz and 20 kHz.}, language = {en} } @article{EvansDeGioiaEastwoodGagneetal.2011, author = {Evans, Nancy Remage and DeGioia-Eastwood, Kathleen and Gagne, Marc and Townsley, Leisa and Broos, Patrick S. and Wolk, Scott J. and Naze, Yael and Corcoran, Michael and Oskinova, Lida and Moffat, Anthony F. J. and Wang, Junfeng and Walborn, Nolan R.}, title = {The search for low-mass companions of b stars in the Carina Nebula cluster trumpler 16}, series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Supplement series}, volume = {194}, journal = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Supplement series}, number = {1}, publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {0067-0049}, doi = {10.1088/0067-0049/194/1/13}, pages = {9}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We have developed lists of likely B3-A0 stars (called "late B" stars) in the young cluster Trumpler 16. The following criteria were used: location within 3' of eta Car, an appropriate V and B - V combination, and proper motion (where available). Color and magnitude cuts have been made assuming an E(B - V) = 0.55 mag +/- 0.1, which is a good approximation close to the center of Trumpler 16. These lists have been cross-correlated with X-ray sources found in the Chandra Carina Complex Project. Previous studies have shown that only very rarely (if at all) do late main-sequence B stars produce X-rays. We present evidence that the X-ray-detected sources are binaries with low-mass companions, since stars less massive than 1.4 M-circle dot are strong X-ray sources at the age of the cluster. Both the median X-ray energies and X-ray luminosities of these sources are in good agreement with values for typical low-mass coronal X-ray sources. We find that 39\% of the late B stars based on a list with proper motions have low-mass companions. Similarly, 32\% of a sample without proper motions have low-mass companions. We discuss the X-ray detection completeness. These results on low-mass companions of intermediate-mass stars are complementary to spectroscopic and interferometric results and probe new parameter space of low-mass companions at all separations. They do not support a steeply rising distribution of mass ratios to low masses for intermediate-mass (5 M-circle dot) primaries, such as would be found by random pairing from the initial mass function.}, language = {en} } @article{MartinWinkelmannHaseloffetal.2011, author = {Martin, Maria A. and Winkelmann, Ricarda and Haseloff, M. and Albrecht, Tanja and Bueler, Ed and Khroulev, C. and Levermann, Anders}, title = {The Potsdam parallel ice sheet model (PISM-PIK) - Part 2: Dynamic equilibrium simulation of the Antarctic ice sheet}, series = {The Cryosphere : TC ; an interactive open access journal of the European Geosciences Union}, volume = {5}, journal = {The Cryosphere : TC ; an interactive open access journal of the European Geosciences Union}, number = {3}, publisher = {Copernicus}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen}, issn = {1994-0416}, doi = {10.5194/tc-5-727-2011}, pages = {727 -- 740}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We present a dynamic equilibrium simulation of the ice sheet-shelf system on Antarctica with the Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK). The simulation is initialized with present-day conditions for bed topography and ice thickness and then run to steady state with constant present-day surface mass balance. Surface temperature and sub-shelf basal melt distribution are parameterized. Grounding lines and calving fronts are free to evolve, and their modeled equilibrium state is compared to observational data. A physically-motivated calving law based on horizontal spreading rates allows for realistic calving fronts for various types of shelves. Steady-state dynamics including surface velocity and ice flux are analyzed for whole Antarctica and the Ronne-Filchner and Ross ice shelf areas in particular. The results show that the different flow regimes in sheet and shelves, and the transition zone between them, are captured reasonably well, supporting the approach of superposition of SIA and SSA for the representation of fast motion of grounded ice. This approach also leads to a natural emergence of sliding-dominated flow in stream-like features in this new 3-D marine ice sheet model.}, language = {en} } @article{WinkelmannMartinHaseloffetal.2011, author = {Winkelmann, Ricarda and Martin, Maria A. and Haseloff, Monika and Albrecht, Torsten and Bueler, Ed and Khroulev, C. and Levermann, Anders}, title = {The Potsdam parallel ice sheet model (PISM-PIK) - Part 1: Model description}, series = {The Cryosphere : TC ; an interactive open access journal of the European Geosciences Union}, volume = {5}, journal = {The Cryosphere : TC ; an interactive open access journal of the European Geosciences Union}, number = {3}, publisher = {Copernicus}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen}, issn = {1994-0416}, doi = {10.5194/tc-5-715-2011}, pages = {715 -- 726}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We present the Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK), developed at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research to be used for simulations of large-scale ice sheet-shelf systems. It is derived from the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (Bueler and Brown, 2009). Velocities are calculated by superposition of two shallow stress balance approximations within the entire ice covered region: the shallow ice approximation (SIA) is dominant in grounded regions and accounts for shear deformation parallel to the geoid. The plug-flow type shallow shelf approximation (SSA) dominates the velocity field in ice shelf regions and serves as a basal sliding velocity in grounded regions. Ice streams can be identified diagnostically as regions with a significant contribution of membrane stresses to the local momentum balance. All lateral boundaries in PISM-PIK are free to evolve, including the grounding line and ice fronts. Ice shelf margins in particular are modeled using Neumann boundary conditions for the SSA equations, reflecting a hydrostatic stress imbalance along the vertical calving face. The ice front position is modeled using a subgrid-scale representation of calving front motion (Albrecht et al., 2011) and a physically-motivated calving law based on horizontal spreading rates. The model is tested in experiments from the Marine Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (MISMIP). A dynamic equilibrium simulation of Antarctica under present-day conditions is presented in Martin et al. (2011).}, language = {en} } @article{RichterKrauseFechneretal.2011, author = {Richter, Philipp and Krause, F. and Fechner, Cora and Charlton, Jane C. and Murphy, M. T.}, title = {The neutral gas extent of galaxies as derived from weak intervening Ca II absorbers}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {528}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, number = {4}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201015566}, pages = {22}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We present a systematic study of weak intervening CaII absorbers at low redshift (z < 0.5), based on the analysis of archival high-resolution (R >= 45 000) optical spectra of 304 quasars and active galactic nuclei observed with VLT/UVES. Along a total redshift path of Delta z approximate to 100 we detected 23 intervening CaII absorbers in both the CaII H \& K lines, with rest frame equivalent widths W-r,W-3934 = 15-799 m angstrom and column densities log N(CaII) = 11.25-13.04 (obtained by fitting Voigt-profile components). We obtain a bias-corrected number density of weak intervening CaII absorbers of dN/dz = 0.117 +/- 0.044 at < z(abs)> = 0.35 for absorbers with log N(CaII) >= 11.65 (W-r,W-3934 >= 32 m angstrom). This is similar to 2.6 times the value obtained for damped Lyman alpha absorbers (DLAs) at low redshift. All CaII absorbers in our sample show associated absorption by other low ions such as MgII and FeII; 45 percent of them have associated NaI absorption. From ionization modelling we conclude that intervening CaII absorption with log N(CaII) >= 11.5 arises in DLAs, sub-DLAs and Lyman-limit systems (LLS) at HI column densities of log N(HI) >= 17.4. Using supplementary HI information for nine of the absorbers we find that the CaII/HI ratio decreases strongly with increasing HI column density, indicating a column-density-dependent dust depletion of Ca. The observed column density distribution function of CaII absorption components follows a relatively steep power law, f(N) proportional to N-beta, with a slope of -beta = -1.68, which again points towards an enhanced dust depletion in high column density systems. The relatively large cross section of these absorbers together with the frequent detection of CaII absorption in high-velocity clouds (HVCs) in the halo of the Milky Way suggests that a considerable fraction of the intervening CaII systems trace (partly) neutral gas structures in the halos and circumgalactic environment of galaxies (i.e., they are HVC analogs). Based on the recently measured detection rate of CaII absorption in the Milky Way HVCs we estimate that the mean (projected) CaII covering fraction of galaxies and their gaseous halos is < f(c,CaII)> = 0.33. Using this value and considering all galaxies with luminosities L >= 0.05 L-star we calculate that the characteristic radial extent of (partly) neutral gas clouds with log N(HI) >= 17.4 around low-redshift galaxies is R-HVC approximate to 55 kpc.}, language = {en} } @article{HundertmarkDimovaLengefeldetal.2011, author = {Hundertmark, Michaela and Dimova, Rumiana and Lengefeld, Jan and Seckler, Robert and Hincha, Dirk K.}, title = {The intrinsically disordered late embryogenesis abundant protein LEA18 from Arabidopsis thaliana modulates membrane stability through binding and folding}, series = {Biochimica et biophysica acta : Biomembranes}, volume = {1808}, journal = {Biochimica et biophysica acta : Biomembranes}, number = {1}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0005-2736}, doi = {10.1016/j.bbamem.2010.09.010}, pages = {446 -- 453}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) constitute a substantial part of cellular proteomes. late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are mostly predicted to be IDPs associated with dehydration tolerance in many plant, animal and bacterial species. Their functions, however, are largely unexplored and also their structure and interactions with potential target molecules have only recently been experimentally investigated in a small number of proteins. Here, we report on the structure and interactions with membranes of the Pfam LEA_1 protein LEA18 from the higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This functionally uncharacterized positively charged protein specifically aggregated and destabilized negatively charged liposomes. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed binding of the protein to both charged and uncharged membranes. LEA18 alone was largely unstructured in solution. While uncharged membranes had no influence on the secondary structure of LEA18, the protein partially folded into beta-sheet structure in the presence of negatively charged liposomes. These data suggest that LEA18 does not function as a membrane stabilizing protein, as suggested for other LEA proteins. Instead, a possible function of LEA18 could be the composition-dependent modulation of membrane stability, e.g., during signaling or vesicle-mediated transport.}, language = {en} } @article{WinkelBenBekhtiDarmstaedteretal.2011, author = {Winkel, B. and Ben Bekhti, Nadya and Darmstaedter, V. and Floeer, L. and Kerp, J. and Richter, Philipp}, title = {The high-velocity cloud complex Galactic center negative as seen by EBHIS and GASS I. Cloud catalog and global properties}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {533}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, number = {18}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201117357}, pages = {13}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Using Milky Way data of the new Effelsberg-Bonn HI Survey (EBHIS) and the Galactic All-Sky Survey (GASS), we present a revised picture of the high-velocity cloud (HVC) complex Galactic center negative (GCN). Owing to the higher angular resolution of these surveys compared to previous studies (e.g., the Leiden Dwingeloo Survey), we resolve complex GCN into lots of individual tiny clumps, that mostly have relatively broad line widths of more than 15 km s(-1). We do not detect a diffuse extended counterpart, which is unusual for an HVC complex. In total 243 clumps were identified and parameterized which allows us to statistically analyze the data. Cold-line components (i.e.,Delta upsilon(fwhm) < 7.5 km s(-1)) are found in about 5\% only of the identified cloudlets. Our analysis reveals that complex GCN is likely built up of several subpopulations that do not share a common origin. Furthermore, complex GCN might be a prime example for warm-gas accretion onto the Milky Way, where neutral HI clouds are not stable against interaction with the Milky Way gas halo and become ionized prior to accretion.}, language = {en} } @article{DelahayeFiassonPohletal.2011, author = {Delahaye, T. and Fiasson, A. and Pohl, Martin and Salati, P.}, title = {The GeV-TeV Galactic gamma-ray diffuse emission I. Uncertainties in the predictions of the hadronic component}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {531}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, number = {4}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201116647}, pages = {19}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Context. The Galactic gamma-ray diffuse emission is currently observed in the GeV-TeV energy range with unprecedented accuracy by the Fermi satellite. Understanding this component is crucial because it provides a background to many different signals, such as extragalactic sources or annihilating dark matter. It is timely to reinvestigate how it is calculated and to assess the various uncertainties that are likely to affect the accuracy of the predictions. Aims. The Galactic gamma-ray diffuse emission is mostly produced above a few GeV by the interactions of cosmic ray primaries impinging on the interstellar material. The theoretical error on that component is derived by exploring various potential sources of uncertainty. Particular attention is paid to cosmic ray propagation. Nuclear cross sections, the proton and helium fluxes at the Earth's position, the Galactic radial profile of supernova remnants, and the hydrogen distribution can also severely affect the signal. Methods. The propagation of cosmic ray species throughout the Galaxy is described in the framework of a semi-analytic two-zone diffusion/convection model. The gamma-ray flux is reliably and quickly determined. This allows conversion of the constraints set by the boron-to-carbon data into a theoretical uncertainty on the diffuse emission. New deconvolutions of the HI and CO sky maps are also used to get the hydrogen distribution within the Galaxy. Results. The thickness of the cosmic ray diffusive halo is found to have a significant effect on the Galactic gamma-ray diffuse emission, while the interplay between diffusion and convection has little influence on the signal. The uncertainties related to nuclear cross sections and to the primary cosmic ray fluxes at the Earth are significant. The radial distribution of supernova remnants along the Galactic plane turns out to be a key ingredient. As expected, the predictions are extremely sensitive to the spatial distribution of hydrogen within the Milky Way. Conclusions. Most of the sources of uncertainty are likely to be reduced in the near future. The stress should be put (i) on better determination of the thickness of the cosmic ray diffusive halo; and (ii) on refined observations of the radial profile of supernova remnants.}, language = {en} } @article{WorseckProchaskaMcQuinnetal.2011, author = {Worseck, Gabor and Prochaska, J. Xavier and McQuinn, Matthew and Dall'Aglio, Aldo and Fechner, Cora and Hennawi, Joseph F. and Reimers, Dieter and Richter, Philipp and Wisotzki, Lutz}, title = {The end of Helium Reionization at z similar or equal to 2.7 Inferred from cosmic variance in HST/COS He II Ly alpha Absorption spectra}, series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters}, volume = {733}, journal = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {2041-8205}, doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/733/2/L24}, pages = {6}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We report on the detection of strongly varying intergalactic He II absorption in HST/COS spectra of two z(em) similar or equal to 3 quasars. From our homogeneous analysis of the He II absorption in these and three archival sightlines, we find a marked increase in the mean He II effective optical depth from similar or equal to 1 at z similar or equal to 2.3 to greater than or similar to 5 at z similar or equal to 3.2, but with a large scatter of 2 less than or similar to tau(eff, He II) less than or similar to 5 at 2.7 < z < 3 on scales of similar to 10 proper Mpc. This scatter is primarily due to fluctuations in the He II fraction and the He II-ionizing background, rather than density variations that are probed by the coeval Hi forest. Semianalytic models of He II absorption require a strong decrease in the He II-ionizing background to explain the strong increase of the absorption at z greater than or similar to 2.7, probably indicating He II reionization was incomplete at z(reion) greater than or similar to 2.7. Likewise, recent three-dimensional numerical simulations of He II reionization qualitatively agree with the observed trend only if He II reionization completes at z(reion) similar or equal to 2.7 or even below, as suggested by a large tau(eff, He II) greater than or similar to 3 in two of our five sightlines at z < 2.8. By doubling the sample size at 2.7 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 3, our newly discovered He II sightlines for the first time probe the diversity of the second epoch of reionization when helium became fully ionized.}, language = {en} } @article{TremblayMonturetSaalfrank2011, author = {Tremblay, Jean Christophe and Monturet, Serge and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {The Effects of electron-hole pair coupling on the infrared laser-controlled vibrational excitation of NO on Au(111)}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, volume = {115}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : A, Molecules, spectroscopy, kinetics, environment \& general theory}, number = {39}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1089-5639}, doi = {10.1021/jp205902k}, pages = {10698 -- 10707}, year = {2011}, abstract = {In this work, we present theoretical simulations of laser-driven vibrational control of NO adsorbed on a gold surface. Our goal is to tailor laser pulses to selectively excite specific modes and vibrational eigenstates, as well as to favor photodesorption of the adsorbed molecule. To this end, various control schemes and algorithms are applied. For adsorbates at metallic surfaces, the creation of electron hole pairs in the substrate is known to play a dominant role in the transfer of energy from the system to the surroundings. These nonadiabatic couplings are included perturbatively in our reduced density matrix simulations using a generalization of the state-resolved position-dependent anharmonic rate model we recently introduced. An extension of the reduced density matrix is also proposed to provide a sound model for photodesorption in dissipative systems.}, language = {en} }