1. |
|
|
2. |
- Poorter, Lourens, et al.
(author)
-
Wet and dry tropical forests show opposite successional pathways in wood density but converge over time
- 2019
-
In: Nature Ecology & Evolution. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2397-334X. ; 3:6, s. 928-934
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tropical forests are converted at an alarming rate for agricultural use and pastureland, but also regrow naturally through secondary succession. For successful forest restoration, it is essential to understand the mechanisms of secondary succession. These mechanisms may vary across forest types, but analyses across broad spatial scales are lacking. Here, we analyse forest recovery using 1,403 plots that differ in age since agricultural abandonment from 50 sites across the Neotropics. We analyse changes in community composition using species-specific stem wood density (WD), which is a key trait for plant growth, survival and forest carbon storage. In wet forest, succession proceeds from low towards high community WD (acquisitive towards conservative trait values), in line with standard successional theory. However, in dry forest, succession proceeds from high towards low community WD (conservative towards acquisitive trait values), probably because high WD reflects drought tolerance in harsh early successional environments. Dry season intensity drives WD recovery by influencing the start and trajectory of succession, resulting in convergence of the community WD over time as vegetation cover builds up. These ecological insights can be used to improve species selection for reforestation. Reforestation species selected to establish a first protective canopy layer should, among other criteria, ideally have a similar WD to the early successional communities that dominate under the prevailing macroclimatic conditions.
|
|
3. |
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
|
|
6. |
|
|
7. |
|
|
8. |
|
|
9. |
- Decin, L., et al.
(author)
-
Study of the aluminium content in AGB winds using ALMA Indications for the presence of gas-phase (Al2O3)n clusters
- 2017
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 608, s. A55-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. The condensation of inorganic dust grains in the winds of evolved stars is poorly understood. As of today, it is not yet known which molecular clusters form the first dust grains in oxygen-rich (C/O 34) can be the potential agents of the broad 11 mu m feature in the SED and in the interferometric data and we propose potential formation mechanisms for these large clusters.
|
|
10. |
- Justtanont, Kay, 1965, et al.
(author)
-
ALMA spectrum of the extreme OH/IR star OH 26.5+0.6
- 2019
-
In: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. - 1743-9213 .- 1743-9221. ; 14, s. 436-437
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present ALMA band 7 data of the extreme OH/IR star, OH 26.5+0.6. In addition to lines of CO and its isotopologues, the circumstellar envelope also exhibits a number of emission lines due to metal-containing molecules, e.g., NaCl and KCl. A lack of C18O is expected, but a non-detection of C17O is puzzling given the strengths of H217O in Herschel spectra of the star. However, a line associated with Si17O is detected. We also report a tentative detection of a gas-phase emission line of MgS. The ALMA spectrum of this object reveals intriguing features which may be used to investigate chemical processes and dust formation during a high mass-loss phase.
|
|
11. |
- van den Broek, Ingrid V., et al.
(author)
-
Changes in chlamydia control activities in Europe between 2007 and 2012 : a cross-national survey
- 2016
-
In: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 26:3, s. 382-388
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: In 2012, the levels of chlamydia control activities including primary prevention, effective case management with partner management and surveillance were assessed in 2012 across countries in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), on initiative of the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) survey, and the findings were compared with those from a similar survey in 2007. Methods: Experts in the 30 EU/EEA countries were invited to respond to an online questionnaire; 28 countries responded, of which 25 participated in both the 2007 and 2012 surveys. Analyses focused on 13 indicators of chlamydia prevention and control activities; countries were assigned to one of five categories of chlamydia control. Results: In 2012, more countries than in 2007 reported availability of national chlamydia case management guidelines (80% vs. 68%), opportunistic chlamydia testing (68% vs. 44%) and consistent use of nucleic acid amplification tests (64% vs. 36%). The number of countries reporting having a national sexually transmitted infection control strategy or a surveillance system for chlamydia did not change notably. In 2012, most countries (18/25, 72%) had implemented primary prevention activities and case management guidelines addressing partner management, compared with 44% (11/25) of countries in 2007. Conclusion: Overall, chlamydia control activities in EU/EEA countries strengthened between 2007 and 2012. Several countries still need to develop essential chlamydia control activities, whereas others may strengthen implementation and monitoring of existing activities.
|
|
12. |
|
|
13. |
- Danilovich, T., et al.
(author)
-
Sulphur-bearing molecules in AGB stars
- 2017
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP SCIENCES S A. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 606
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Sulphur is a relatively abundant element in the local Galaxy that is known to form a variety of molecules in the circumstellar envelopes of AGB stars. The abundances of these molecules vary based on the chemical types and mass-loss rates of AGB stars. Aims. Through a survey of (sub-) millimetre emission lines of various sulphur-bearing molecules, we aim to determine which molecules are the primary carriers of sulphur in different types of AGB stars. In this paper, the first in a series, we investigate the occurrence of H2S in AGB circumstellar envelopes and determine its abundance, where possible. Methods. We surveyed 20 AGB stars with a range of mass-loss rates and different chemical types using the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope to search for rotational transition lines of five key sulphur-bearing molecules: CS, SiS, SO, SO2, and H2S. Here we present our results for H2S, including detections, non-detections, and detailed radiative transfer modelling of the detected lines. We compared results based on various descriptions of the molecular excitation of H2S and different abundance distributions, including Gaussian abundances, where possible, and two different abundance distributions derived from chemical modelling results. Results. We detected H2S towards five AGB stars, all of which have high mass-loss rates of. M >= 5 x 10(-6) M-circle dot yr(-1) and are oxygen rich. H2S was not detected towards the carbon or S-type stars that fall in a similar mass-loss range. For the stars in our sample with detections, we find peak o-H2S abundances relative to H-2 between 4 x 10(-7) and 2.5 x 10(-5). Conclusions. Overall, we conclude that H2S can play a significant role in oxygen-rich AGB stars with higher mass-loss rates, but is unlikely to play a key role in stars of other chemical types or in lower mass-loss rate oxygen-rich stars. For two sources, V1300 Aql and GX Mon, H2S is most likely the dominant sulphur-bearing molecule in the circumstellar envelope.
|
|
14. |
- Danilovich, Taissa, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
Sulphur-bearing molecules in AGB stars. Part I. The occurrence of hydrogen sulphide
- 2017
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 606
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Sulphur is a relatively abundant element in the local Galaxy that is known to form a variety of molecules in the circumstellar envelopes of AGB stars. The abundances of these molecules vary based on the chemical types and mass-loss rates of AGB stars. Aims. Through a survey of (sub-) millimetre emission lines of various sulphur-bearing molecules, we aim to determine which molecules are the primary carriers of sulphur in different types of AGB stars. In this paper, the first in a series, we investigate the occurrence of H2S in AGB circumstellar envelopes and determine its abundance, where possible. Methods. We surveyed 20 AGB stars with a range of mass-loss rates and different chemical types using the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope to search for rotational transition lines of five key sulphur-bearing molecules: CS, SiS, SO, SO2, and H2S. Here we present our results for H2S, including detections, non-detections, and detailed radiative transfer modelling of the detected lines. We compared results based on various descriptions of the molecular excitation of H2S and different abundance distributions, including Gaussian abundances, where possible, and two different abundance distributions derived from chemical modelling results. Results. We detected H2S towards five AGB stars, all of which have high mass-loss rates of. M >= 5 x 10(-6) M-circle dot yr(-1) and are oxygen rich. H2S was not detected towards the carbon or S-type stars that fall in a similar mass-loss range. For the stars in our sample with detections, we find peak o-H2S abundances relative to H-2 between 4 x 10(-7) and 2.5 x 10(-5). Conclusions. Overall, we conclude that H2S can play a significant role in oxygen-rich AGB stars with higher mass-loss rates, but is unlikely to play a key role in stars of other chemical types or in lower mass-loss rate oxygen-rich stars. For two sources, V1300 Aql and GX Mon, H2S is most likely the dominant sulphur-bearing molecule in the circumstellar envelope.
|
|
15. |
|
|
16. |
- De Nutte, R., et al.
(author)
-
Nucleosynthesis in AGB stars traced by oxygen isotopic ratios I. Determining the stellar initial mass by means of the O-17/O-18 ratio
- 2017
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP SCIENCES S A. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 600
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. We seek to investigate the O-17/O-18 ratio for a sample of AGB stars containing M-, S-, and C-type stars. These ratios are evaluated in relation to fundamental stellar evolution parameters: the stellar initial mass and pulsation period.Methods. Circumstellar (CO)-C-13-O-16, (CO)-C-12-O-17, and (CO)-C-12-O-18 line observations were obtained for a sample of nine stars with various single-dish long-wavelength facilities. Line intensity ratios are shown to relate directly to the surface O-17/O-18 abundance ratio.Results. Stellar evolution models predict the O-17/O-18 ratio to be a sensitive function of initial mass and to remain constant throughout the entire TP-AGB phase for stars initially less massive than 5 M-circle dot. This makes the measured ratio a probe of the initial stellar mass.Conclusions. Observed O-17/O-18 ratios are found to be well in the range predicted by stellar evolution models that do not consider convective overshooting. From this, accurate initial mass estimates are calculated for seven sources. For the remaining two sources, there are two mass solutions, although there is a larger probability that the low-mass solution is correct. Finally, we present hints at a possible separation between M/S- and C-type stars when comparing the O-17/O-18 ratio to the stellar pulsation period.
|
|
17. |
- Decin, L., et al.
(author)
-
ALMA-resolved salt emission traces the chemical footprint and inner wind morphology of VY Canis Majoris
- 2016
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 592:A76
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. At the end of their lives, most stars lose a significant amount of mass through a stellar wind. The specific physical and chemical circumstances that lead to the onset of the stellar wind for cool luminous stars are not yet understood. Complex geometrical morphologies in the circumstellar envelopes prove that various dynamical and chemical processes are interlocked and that their relative contributions are not easy to disentangle. Aims. We aim to study the inner-wind structure (R
|
|
18. |
- Decin, L., et al.
(author)
-
Reduction of the maximum mass-loss rate of OH/IR stars due to unnoticed binary interaction
- 2019
-
In: Nature Astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3366. ; 3:5, s. 408-415
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. In 1981, the idea of a superwind that ends the life of cool giant stars was proposed 1 . Extreme oxygen-rich giants, OH/IR stars, develop superwinds with the highest mass-loss rates known so far, up to a few 10 −4 solar masses (M ⊙ ) per year 2–12 , informing our understanding of the maximum mass-loss rate achieved during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase. A conundrum arises whereby the observationally determined duration of the superwind phase is too short for these stars to lose enough mass to become white dwarfs 2–4,6,8–10 . Here we report on the detection of spiral structures around two cornerstone extreme OH/IR stars, OH 26.5 + 0.6 and OH 30.1 − 0.7, thereby identifying them as wide binary systems. Hydrodynamic simulations show that the companion’s gravitational attraction creates an equatorial density enhancement mimicking a short, extreme superwind phase, thereby solving the decades-old conundrum. This discovery restricts the maximum mass-loss rate of AGB stars to around the single-scattering radiation pressure limit of a few 10 −5 M ⊙ yr −1 . This has crucial implications for nucleosynthetic yields, planet survival and the wind-driving mechanism.
|
|
19. |
- Sande, M. Van De, et al.
(author)
-
Chemical content of the circumstellar envelope of the oxygen-rich AGB star R Doradus: Non-LTE abundance analysis of CO, SiO, and HCN
- 2018
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 609
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. The stellar outflows of low- to intermediate-mass stars are characterised by a rich chemistry. Condensation of molecular gas species into dust grains is a key component in a chain of physical processes that leads to the onset of a stellar wind. In order to improve our understanding of the coupling between the micro-scale chemistry and macro-scale dynamics, we need to retrieve the abundance of molecules throughout the outflow. Aims. Our aim is to determine the radial abundance profile of SiO and HCN throughout the stellar outflow of R Dor, an oxygen-rich AGB star with a low mass-loss rate. SiO is thought to play an essential role in the dust-formation process of oxygen-rich AGB stars. The presence of HCN in an oxygen-rich environment is thought to be due to non-equilibrium chemistry in the inner wind. Methods. We analysed molecular transitions of CO, SiO, and HCN measured with the APEX telescope and all three instruments on the Herschel Space Observatory, together with data available in the literature. Photometric data and the infrared spectrum measured by ISO-SWS were used to constrain the dust component of the outflow. Using both continuum and line radiative transfer methods, a physical envelope model of both gas and dust was established. We performed an analysis of the SiO and HCN molecular transitions in order to calculate their abundances. Results. We have obtained an envelope model that describes the dust and the gas in the outflow, and determined the abundance of SiO and HCN throughout the region of the stellar outflow probed by our molecular data. For SiO, we find that the initial abundance lies between 5.5 × 10 -5 and 6.0 × 10 -5 with respect to H 2 . The abundance profile is constant up to 60 ± 10 R, after which it declines following a Gaussian profile with an e-folding radius of 3.5 ± 0.5 × 10 13 cm or 1.4 ± 0.2 R. For HCN, we find an initial abundance of 5.0 × 10 -7 with respect to H 2 . The Gaussian profile that describes the decline starts at the stellar surface and has an e-folding radius r e of 1.85 ± 0.05 × 10 15 cm or 74 ± 2 R. Conclusions. We cannot unambiguously identify the mechanism by which SiO is destroyed at 60 ± 10 R. The initial abundances found are higher than previously determined (except for one previous study on SiO), which might be due to the inclusion of higher-J transitions. The difference in abundance for SiO and HCN compared to high mass-loss rate Mira star IK Tau might be due to different pulsation characteristics of the central star and/or a difference in dust condensation physics.
|
|
20. |
- Van De Sande, M., et al.
(author)
-
Unraveling The Dust Formation Process In R DOR
- 2015
-
In: EAS Publications Series. - : EDP Sciences. - 1633-4760 .- 1638-1963. - 9782759819072 ; 71-72, s. 255-257
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using both dynamical and chemical modelling, we derive an accurate abundance profile for the molecule SiO in the stellar wind of R Dor, an O-rich AGB star. SiO plays a key role in the dust formation process in O-rich AGB stars. This method will be applied to additional molecules, with the aim to achieve a detailed overview of the molecular abundance pattern in the wind of R Dor.
|
|