Additional Extinction Research Articles

The effects of dust on the optical and infrared evolution of SN 2004et

We present an analysis of multi-epoch observations of the Type II-P supernova SN 2004et. New and archival optical spectra of SN 2004et are used to study the evolution of the Halpha and [O I] 6300A line profiles between days 259 and 646. Mid-infrared imaging was carried out between 2004 to 2010. We include Spitzer `warm' mission photometry at 3.6 and 4.5um obtained on days 1779, 1931 and 2151, along with ground-based and HST optical and near-infrared observations obtained between days 79 and 1803. Multi-wavelength light curves are presented, as well as optical-infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for multiple epochs. Starting from about day 300, the optical light curves provide evidence for an increasing amount of circumstellar extinction attributable to newly formed dust, with the additional extinction reaching 0.8-1.5 magnitudes in the V-band by day 690. The overall SEDs were fitted with multiple blackbody components, in order to investigate the luminosity evolution of the supernova, and then with Monte Carlo radiative transfer models using smooth or clumpy dust distributions, in order to estimate how much new dust condensed in the ejecta. The luminosity evolution was consistent with the decay of 56Co in the ejecta up until about day 690, after which an additional emission source is required, in agreement with the findings of Kotak et al. (2009). Clumped dust density distributions consisting of 20% amorphous carbons and 80% silicates by mass were able to match the observed optical and infrared SEDs, with dust masses that increased from 8x10^{-5} Msun on day 300 to 1.5x10^{-3} Msun on day 690, still significantly lower than the values needed for core collapse supernovae to make a significant contribution to the dust enrichment of galaxies.

Far-infrared constraints on the contamination by dust-obscured galaxies of high-zdropout searches

The spectral energy distributions (SED) of dusty galaxies at intermediate redshift may look similar to very high redshift galaxies in the optical/near infrared (NIR) domain. This can lead to the contamination of high redshift galaxy searches based on broad band optical/NIR photometry by lower redshift dusty galaxies as both kind of galaxies cannot be distinguished. The contamination rate could be as high as 50%. {This work shows how the far infrared (FIR) domain can help to recognize likely low-z interlopers in an optical/NIR search for high-z galaxies.} We analyse the FIR SEDs of two galaxies proposed as very high redshift ($z>7$) dropout candidates based on deep Hawk-I/VLT observations. The FIR SEDs are sampled with PACS/Herschel at 100 and 160\,$\mu$m, with SPIRE/Herschel at 250, 350 and 500\,$\mu$m and with LABOCA/APEX at 870\,$\mu$m. We find that redshifts $>7$ would imply extreme FIR SEDs (with dust temperatures $>100$\,K and FIR luminosities $>10^{13}$\,$L_{\odot}$). At z$\sim$2, instead, the SEDs of both sources would be compatible with that of typical ULIRGs/SMGs. Considering all the data available for these sources from visible to FIR we re-estimate the redshifts and we find $z\sim$1.6--2.5. Due to the strong spectral breaks observed in these galaxies, standard templates from the literature fail to reproduce the visible-near IR part of the SEDs even when additional extinction is included. These sources resemble strongly dust obscured galaxies selected in Spitzer observations with extreme visible-to-FIR colors, and the galaxy GN10 at $z=4$. Galaxies with similar SEDs could contaminate other high redshift surveys.

Extinguished cocaine cues increase drug seeking when presented simultaneously with a non-extinguished cocaine cue

BackgroundPrevious research with non-drug reinforcers has shown that simultaneously presenting (compounding) an extinguished cue with another cue formerly associated with the same reinforcer can increase rates of cue-controlled behavior. The present study investigated whether an extinguished cocaine cue would energize cocaine seeking when presented simultaneously with another cocaine cue. This study also investigated whether extinction could be enhanced by subjecting an extinguished cocaine cue to further extinction after administration of reinstating injections of cocaine. MethodsRats were first trained to self-administer cocaine in the presence of three different cues. Then, one of the cues was subjected to the standard extinction treatment. Another cue was subjected to a modified extinction treatment where additional extinction sessions were preceded by non-contingent cocaine injections. The third cue was not extinguished. ResultsThe cue subjected to standard extinction ceased to control cocaine seeking when presented alone, but significantly increased cocaine seeking when compounded with the non-extinguished cocaine cue. The cocaine cue subjected to the modified extinction treatment also significantly increased cocaine seeking occasioned by the non-extinguished cocaine cue. ConclusionsExtending results of previous studies involving non-drug stimuli, the present study showed that extinguished cocaine cues can enhance cocaine seeking when compounded with other cocaine cues. These results illustrate the persistence of drug cues in controlling behavior despite extinction and highlight the need for developing treatments that eliminate this residual energizing capacity that survives extinction.

Impact of unintentional selective harvesting on the population dynamics of red grouse

1. The effect of selective exploitation of certain age, stage or sex classes (e.g., trophy hunting) on population dynamics is relatively well studied in fisheries and sexually dimorphic mammals. 2. Harvesting of terrestrial species with no morphological differences visible between the different age and sex classes (monomorphic species) is usually assumed to be nonselective because monomorphicity makes intentionally selective harvesting pointless and impractical. But harvesting of the red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus), a monomorphic species, was recently shown to be unintentionally selective. This study uses a sex- and age-specific model to explore the previously unresearched effects of unintentional harvesting selectivity. 3. We examine the effects of selectivity on red grouse dynamics by considering models with and without selectivity. Our models include territoriality and parasitism, two mechanisms known to be important for grouse dynamics. 4. We show that the unintentional selectivity of harvesting that occurs in red grouse decreases population yield compared with unselective harvesting at high harvest rates. Selectivity also dramatically increases extinction risk at high harvest rates. 5. Selective harvesting strengthens the 3- to 13-year red grouse population cycle, suggesting that the selectivity of harvesting is a previously unappreciated factor contributing to the cycle. 6. The additional extinction risk introduced by harvesting selectivity provides a quantitative justification for typically implemented 20-40% harvest rates, which are below the maximum sustainable yield that could be taken, given the observed population growth rates of red grouse. 7. This study shows the possible broad importance of investigating in future research whether unintentionally selective harvesting occurs on other species.

A new insight into the classification of Type Ia supernovae

Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) spectra are compared regarding the coefficient of the largest wavelet scale in their decomposition. Two distinct subgroups were identified and their occurrence is discussed in light of use of SNe Ia as cosmological probes. Apart from the group of normal SNe, another trend characterised by intrinsically redder colours is consisted of many different SN events that exhibit diverse properties, including the interaction with the circumstellar material, the existence of specific shell-structure in or surrounding the SN ejecta or super-Chandrasekhar mass progenitors. Compared with the normal objects, these SNe may violate the standard width-luminosity correction, which could influence the cosmological results if they were all calibrated equally, since their fraction among SNe Ia is not negligible when performing precision cosmology. Using largest wavelet scale coefficient in combination with long-baseline B-I colours, we show how to disentangle SN intrinsic colour from the part that corresponds to the reddening due to dust extinction in the host galaxy in the SALT2 colour parameter c, discussing how the intrinsic colour differences may explain the different reddening laws for two subsamples. There are wavelength intervals for which the measured largest scale coefficient is invariant to the additional extinction applied to a spectrum. Combination of wavelet coefficients measured in different wavelength intervals can be used to develop a technique that allows for estimation of extinction.

The Red Supergiant Problem: Circumstellar dust as a solution

AbstractWe investigate the red supergiant problem: the apparent dearth of Type IIP supernova progenitors with masses between 16 and 30 M⊙. Although red supergiants with masses in this range have been observed, none have been identified as progenitors in pre–explosion images. We show that, by failing to take into account the additional extinction resulting from the dust produced in the red supergiant winds, the luminosity of the most massive red supergiants at the end of their lives is underestimated. We re–estimate the initial masses of all Type IIP progenitors for which observations exist and analyse the resulting population. We find that the most likely maximum mass for a Type IIP progenitor is 21+2−1 M⊙. This is in closer agreement with the limit predicted from single star evolution models.

Absorption tails and extinction in luminescent solar concentrators

Non-ultraviolet (UV) photoexposure of luminescent solar concentrators (LSC's) can produce photoproducts that cause additional extinction at wavelengths somewhat longer than the main dye absorption peak. This photo-induced ‘tails’ extinction is deleterious to luminous output in collectors of useful lengths. An experimental method that enables the subdivision of tails extinction in an LSC into absorbed and scattered components is described. The relevant theory is outlined, and experimental results are presented for a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) LSC containing Lumogen F083 dye. For this sample, tails absorption increased significantly with outdoor exposure, while tails scattering remained constant. Further measurements indicate that LSC luminous output is around five times more sensitive to tails absorption than to fluorescence quenching. This work also indicates that merely checking for dye quenching, as is often done, can be a misleading indicator of long-term LSC output.

MILLIMETER OBSERVATIONS OF A SAMPLE OF HIGH-REDSHIFT OBSCURED QUASARS

We present observations at 1.2 mm with MAMBO-II of a sample of z>~2 radio-intermediate obscured quasars, as well as CO observations of two sources with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer. Five out of 21 sources (24%) are detected at a significance of >=3sigma. Stacking all sources leads to a statistical detection of <S_1.2mm>= 0.96+-0.11 mJy and stacking only the non-detections also yields a statistical detection, with <S_1.2mm>= 0.51+-0.13 mJy. This corresponds to a typical far-infrared luminosity L_FIR~4x10^12 Lsol. If the far-infrared luminosity is powered entirely by star-formation, and not by AGN-heated dust, then the characteristic inferred star-formation rate is ~700 Msol yr-1. This far-infrared luminosity implies a dust mass of M_dust~3x10^8 Msol. We estimate that such large dust masses on kpc scales can plausibly cause the obscuration of the quasars. We present dust SEDs for our sample and derive a mean SED for our sample. This mean SED is not well fitted by clumpy torus models, unless additional extinction and far-infrared re-emission due to cool dust are included. There is a hint that the host galaxies of obscured quasars must have higher far-infrared luminosities and cool-dust masses and are therefore often found at an earlier evolutionary phase than those of unobscured quasars. For one source at z=2.767, we detect the CO(3-2) transition, with S_CO Delta nu=630+-50 mJy km s-1, corresponding to L_CO(3-2)= 3.2x10^7 Lsol, or L'_CO(3-2)=2.4x10^10 K km s-1 pc2. For another source at z=4.17, the lack of detection of the CO(4-3) line yields a limit of L'_CO(4-3)<1x10^10 K km s-1 pc2. Molecular gas masses, gas depletion timescales and gas-to-dust ratios are estimated (Abridged).

Dorsal hippocampal regulation of memory reconsolidation processes that facilitate drug context‐induced cocaine‐seeking behavior in rats

Exposure to a cocaine-paired context increases the propensity for relapse in cocaine users and prompts cocaine-seeking behavior in rats. According to the reconsolidation hypothesis, upon context re-exposure, established cocaine-related associations are retrieved and can become labile. These associations must undergo reconsolidation into long-term memory to effect enduring stimulus control. The dorsal hippocampus (DH), dorsolateral caudate-putamen and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex are critical for the expression of context-induced cocaine seeking, and these brain regions may also play a role in the reconsolidation of cocaine-related memories that promote this behavior. To test this hypothesis, rats were trained to press a lever for unsignaled cocaine infusions (0.2 mg/infusion, i.v.) in a distinct environmental context (cocaine-paired context), followed by extinction training in a different context (extinction context). Rats were then re-exposed to the cocaine-paired context for 15 min in order to reactivate cocaine-related memories or received comparable exposure to a novel unpaired context. Immediately thereafter, rats received bilateral microinfusions of the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin, the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin or vehicle into one of the above brain regions. After additional extinction training in the extinction context, reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior (i.e., non-reinforced lever presses) was assessed in the cocaine-paired context. Tetrodotoxin, but not anisomycin, administered into the DH inhibited drug context-induced cocaine-seeking behavior in a memory reactivation-dependent manner. Other manipulations failed to alter this behavior. These findings suggest that the DH facilitates the reconsolidation of associative memories that maintain context-induced cocaine-seeking behavior, but it is not the site of anisomycin-sensitive memory restabilization per se.

Effects of repeated yohimbine on the extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking

Acute exposure to the pharmacological stressor yohimbine (YOH) reinstates drug seeking in rats. The present experiments investigated whether repeated exposure to YOH during extinction training affects the time-course of extinction and the magnitude of subsequent YOH- or footshock-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking. Rats trained to self-administer cocaine were given five days of extinction training, during which they were injected with YOH (1.25 mg/kg, i.p.) either before or after daily extinction sessions. Following additional extinction training in the absence of YOH, animals were tested for reinstatement to a YOH (1.25 mg/kg, i.p.) or footshock (20 min, intermittent, 0.9 mA per 0.5 s shock) challenge. Animals injected with YOH before daily extinction sessions showed an attenuated rate of extinction, relative to control animals. Following additional extinction training in the absence of YOH treatment, these same animals showed a marked attenuation of YOH-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking. YOH treatment during extinction did not, however, affect the magnitude of reinstatement induced by footshock. These findings demonstrate that repeated exposure to a stressor during extinction training can modulate the processes governing extinction learning and the subsequent reinstatement of drug seeking induced by that stressor.

Cue-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior is associated with increased ERK 1/2 phosphorylation in specific limbic brain regions: Blockade by the mGluR5 antagonist MPEP

Relapse to alcohol use after periods of abstinence is a hallmark behavioral pathology of alcoholism and a major clinical problem. Emerging evidence indicates that metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) antagonists attenuate relapse to alcohol-seeking behavior but the molecular mechanisms of this potential therapeutic effect remain unexplored. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2) pathway is downstream of mGluR5 and has been implicated in addiction. We sought to determine if cue-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior, and its reduction by an mGluR5 antagonist, is associated with changes in ERK 1/2 activation in reward-related limbic brain regions. Selectively-bred alcohol-preferring (P) rats were trained to lever press on a concurrent schedule of alcohol (15% v/v) vs. water reinforcement. Following 9 days of extinction, rats were given an additional extinction trial or injected with the mGluR5 antagonist MPEP (0, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg) and tested for cue-induced reinstatement. Brains were removed 90-min later from the rats in the extinction and MPEP (0 or 10 mg/kg) conditions for analysis of p-ERK 1/2, total ERK 1/2, and p-ERK 5 immunoreactivity (IR). Cue-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior was associated with a three to five-fold increase in p-ERK 1/2 IR in the basolateral amygdala and nucleus accumbens shell. MPEP administration blocked both the relapse-like behavior and increase in p-ERK 1/2 IR. p-ERK 1/2 IR in the central amygdala and NAcb core was dissociated with the relapse-like behavior and the pharmacological effect of mGluR5 blockade. No changes in total ERK or p-ERK 5 were observed. These results suggest that exposure to cues previously associated with alcohol self-administration is sufficient to produce concomitant increases in relapse-like behavior and ERK 1/2 activation in specific limbic brain regions. Pharmacological compounds, such as mGluR5 antagonists, that reduce cue-induced ERK 1/2 activation may be useful for treatment of relapse in alcoholics that is triggered by exposure to environmental events.

New Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the counterparts to six ultraluminous X-ray sources

We report the results of new Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the positions of six ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs). Using images in three Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) filters, we detect good candidate counterparts to four out of six ULXs, with one more possible detection, and observed magnitudes in the range m∼ 22–26 in theF606W filter. The extinction-corrected colours and absolute magnitudes vary from source to source, even after correcting for additional extinction in the host galaxy, and only one counterpart is readily explained as an OB star. Nevertheless, these counterparts are decent candidates for future follow-up in pursuit of dynamical mass constraints on the likely black holes powering these sources.

Spontaneous recovery of extinguished fear responses deepens their extinction: A role for error-correction mechanisms.

A series of experiments used a within-subject design to study spontaneous recovery of fear responses (freezing) to an extinguished conditioned stimulus (CS) in rats. Experiments 1, 2, 3, and 4 demonstrated that: a remotely extinguished CS elicited more freezing than a recently extinguished one on a common test; that the CS showing recovery underwent greater response loss across additional extinction than the one lacking recovery; and that spontaneous recovery and deepening of response loss survived reconditioning. Experiment 5 demonstrated that an excitor extinguished in compound with a CS showing recovery suffered greater loss than an excitor extinguished in compound with a CS not showing recovery, implying that the differential change is regulated by a common error term. Experiments 6 and 7 demonstrated that extinction of a compound composed of two CSs, one showing recovery and a second lacking recovery, produced greater loss to the CS that showed recovery, implying that the change is also regulated by individual error term.

Rapid reacquisition of fear to a completely extinguished context is replaced by transient impairment with additional extinction training.

A series of experiments studied reacquisition of fear reactions to a completely extinguished context. Reacquisition was rapid when reconditioning occurred as soon as the fear reactions were completely extinguished, showing that the original conditioning was intact. However, when reconditioning occurred after massive extinction training, fear reactions were depressed but then recovered across a long retention interval. This recovery was due to reconditioning and was similar to that produced by conditioning a massively preexposed context. These results show that massive extinction converts a potentially dangerous context into one that is merely familiar.

Maternal influence on feeding site avoidance behaviour of lambs

Ewes can play a critical role in moulding habitat preferences of their daughters. Little is known, however, about how feeding site preferences of lambs can be modified by manipulating the behaviour of their dams. We conducted an experiment with sheep to investigate the influence of shock-trained mothers and early-life aversive experiences on the feeding site choices of lambs. Twelve ewes with their 6-week-old lambs were exposed to an experimental arena with artificial safe and unsafe feeding sites (SFS, UFS) each of which consisted of a group of 12 bowls containing either high or moderate quality food. The bowls in UFS were surrounded by visual cues (traffic cones) and contained rolled corn grain (high quality food). Bowls in SFS were not surrounded by visual cues and contained a mixture of Bermuda grass and alfalfa hay (moderate quality food). Four ewe/lamb pairs were randomly assigned to each of the following treatments: (a) no aversion training to neither ewe nor lamb (control); (b) shock stimulation to train the ewe but not the lamb (ES) to avoid UFS; or (c) shock stimulation to train the lamb but not the ewe (LS) to avoid UFS. Lambs remained with their mothers throughout training, testing, and initial extinction trials. Mothers were then removed, and additional extinction trials were conducted with weaned lambs alone. Ewes and lambs that were trained with shock learned to avoid UFS. ES ewes avoided UFS throughout the study and their lambs tended to spend less time in UFS even after their mothers were removed compared to LS and control lambs. LS lambs avoided UFS until shock was removed; after that they tended to enter UFS more often than ES and control lambs. ES pairs and lambs (after ewes were removed) consumed less food in UFS and spent less time feeding versus standing compared to ewes and lambs on the other treatments. Naïve ewes appeared to induce shock-trained lambs to re-enter the unsafe feeding site; shock-trained ewes, on the other hand, appeared to induce naïve lambs to avoid feeding in a high quality feeding site that they would have possibly otherwise preferred. Maternal influence persisted after lambs were weaned.

Atmospheric aerosol limb scanning based on the lunar eclipses photometry

The work is devoted to the analysis of the surface photometric observations of two total lunar eclipses in 2004. The lunar surface relative brightness distribution inside the umbra was used to retrieve the vertical distribution of aerosol extinction of the solar radiation expanding by a tangent path and its dependence on the location at the limb of the Earth. The upper altitude of troposphere aerosol layer was estimated for different latitude zones. The correlation between additional aerosol extinction in the upper troposphere and cyclones was investigated.

Mid-infrared, spatially resolved spectroscopy of the nucleus of the Circinus galaxy

High spatial resolution spectroscopy at 8-13 μm with T-ReCS on Gemini-S has revealed striking variations in the mid-infrared emission and absorption in the nucleus of the Circinus galaxy (hereafter Circinus) on subarcsecond scales. The core of Circinus is compact and obscured by a substantial column of cool silicate dust. Weak extended emission to the east and west coincides with the coronal line region and arises from featureless dust grains which are probably heated by line emission in the coronal emission zone. The extended emission on the east side of the nucleus displays a much deeper silicate absorption than that on the west, indicating significant columns of cool material along the line of sight and corresponding to an additional extinction of A V ∼ 25 mag. Emission bands from aromatic hydrocarbons are not subject to this additional extinction, are relatively weak in the core and in the coronal line region, and are much more spatially extended than the continuum dust emission; they presumably arise in the circumnuclear star-forming regions. These data are interpreted in terms of an inclined disc-like structure around the nucleus extending over tens of parsecs and possibly related to the inner disc found from observations of water masers by Greenhill et al..

Chronic stress impairs recall of extinction of conditioned fear

Chronic restraint stress produces retraction of apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons in medial prefrontal cortex. To begin to examine the functional significance of this dendritic reorganization, we assessed the effects of chronic restraint stress on a prefrontally mediated behavior, extinction of conditioned fear. After bar press training to obtain a baseline of activity against which to measure freezing, rats were either unstressed or stressed via placement in a plastic restrainer (3 h/day for 1 week). After an additional day of bar press training, rats underwent fear conditioning and extinction. Rats received five habituation trials to a 30-s tone (4.5 kHz, 80 db) followed by seven pairings of tone and footshock (500 ms, 0.5 mA). One hour later, rats received tone-alone extinction trials to criterion. The next day, rats received 15 additional extinction trials. Percent freezing was assessed during all phases of training. Stress did not significantly affect unconditioned responding to tone, acquisition of conditioned fear, or initial extinction, but significantly increased freezing on extinction day 2. Thus, consistent with the regressive dendritic changes seen in medial prefrontal cortex, one week of restraint stress specifically impaired recall of extinction, a pattern of deficits typical of animals with impaired medial prefrontal function.

Radiative transfer and Faraday effect in turbulent atmospheres

We investigated the system of transfer equations for the Stokes parameters I, Q and U in turbulent atmospheres. The extinction coefficients α = α0+α � , the number density of free electrons n = n0+nand magnetic field B = B0+ Bare considered as stochastic values. The dependence of the averaged Stokes parameters I0, Q0 and U0 on fluctuating parts of these coefficients is investigated. It is found that the extinction coefficient for the averaged Stokes parameters is smaller than the average value α0. The existence of magnetic and number density fluctuations gives rise to an additional decrease of the magnitude of linear polarization. These fluctuations also decrease the positional angle of polarization compared with its mean value. We have found that it is possible to write the radiative transfer equations for I0, Q0 and U0 with the renormalized coefficients (effective extinction coefficient, Faraday rotation parameter and additional extinction coefficient for polarized radiation components). The only condition for doing this is that the characteristic correlation length R1 of turbulence should be small compared to the photon free path. The conservative Milne problem is solved analytically for the case of large Faraday rotation (mean or fluctuating) along the photon free path. The magnetic field fluctuations change drastically the spectrum of linear polarization for large wavelengths. The spectrum acquires the form ∝1/λ 4 whereas the atmospheres without magnetic fluctuations give 1/λ 2 -dependence. The λ-dependence of the positional angle χ also changes considerably.

Retrovirus Silencing, Variegation, Extinction, and Memory Are Controlled by a Dynamic Interplay of Multiple Epigenetic Modifications

Retrovirus silencing in stem cells produces silent or variegated provirus. Additional memory and extinction mechanisms act during differentiation. Here we show that retrovirus is silent or variegated in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells that are de novo methyltransferase (dnmt3a and dnmt3b) null. Memory is maintained during differentiation, and extinction occurs on variegated retrovirus, indicating that DNA methylation is dispensable for all forms of retrovirus silencing. Silent and variegated provirus are marked by hypoacetylated histone H3 and bound H1. In wild-type ES cells, silent and variegated proviruses are methylated and bound by hypoacetylated H3, MeCP2, and less H1. Silencing, variegation, and extinction are partially reactivated by 5-AzaC in this context. Lentivirus vectors are also silent or variegated, marked by silent chromatin, and exhibit memory and extinction. We conclude that the universal epigenetic mark of retrovirus silencing is silent chromatin established via the dynamic interplay of multiple epigenetic modifications that include but do not require DNA methylation. A molecular mechanism of competitive H1 and MeCP2 binding may account for this epigenetic interplay, and a model for variegation is discussed.