Diffuse Corona Research Articles

The Truncated Circumgalactic Medium of the Large Magellanic Cloud* ∗ Based on archival observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the Data Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Archival funding was associated with program 17053.

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the nearest massive galaxy to the Milky Way (MW). Its circumgalactic medium (CGM) is complex and multiphase, containing both stripped H i structures like the Magellanic Stream and Bridge and a diffuse warm corona seen in high-ion absorption. We analyze 28 active galactic nucleus sight lines passing within 35 kpc of the LMC with archival Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectra to characterize the cool (T ≈ 104 K) gas in the LMC CGM, via new measurements of UV absorption in six low ions (O i, Fe ii, Si ii, Al ii, S ii, and Ni ii) and one intermediate ion (Si iii). We show that a declining column-density profile is present in all seven ions, with the low-ion profiles having a steeper slope than the high-ion profiles in C iv and Si iv reported by D. Krishnarao et al. Crucially, absorption at the LMC systemic velocity is only detected (in all ions) out to 17 kpc. Beyond this distance, the gas has a lower velocity and is associated with the Magellanic Stream. These results demonstrate that the LMC’s CGM is composed of two distinct components: a compact inner halo extending to 17 kpc and a more extended stripped region associated with the Stream. The compactness and truncation of the LMC’s inner CGM agree with recent simulations of ram-pressure stripping of the LMC by the MW’s extended corona.

Decomposing the AIA 304 Å Channel into Its Cool and Hot Components

The AIA 304 Å channel on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) offers a unique view of ≈105 K\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$\\approx 10^{5}\ ext{ K}$\\end{document} plasma emitting in the He ii 304 Å line. However, when observing off-limb, the emission of the (small) cool structures in the solar atmosphere (such as spicules, coronal rain and prominence material) can be of the same order as the surrounding hot coronal emission from other spectral lines included in the 304 Å passband, particularly over active regions. In this paper, we investigate three methods based on temperature and morphology that are able to distinguish the cool and hot emission within the 304 Å passband. The methods are based on the Differential Emission Measure (DEM), a linear decomposition of the AIA response functions (RFit) and the Blind Source Separation (BSS) technique. All three methods are found to produce satisfactory results in both quiescent and flaring conditions, largely removing the diffuse corona and leading to images with cool material off-limb in sharp contrast with the background. We compare our results with co-aligned data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) in the SJI 1400 Å and 2796 Å channels, and find the RFit method to best match the quantity and evolution of the cool material detected with IRIS. Some differences can appear due to plasma emitting in the logT=5.1–5.5\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$\\log T=5.1\\,\ ext{--}\\,5.5$\\end{document} temperature range, particularly during the catastrophic cooling stage prior to rain appearance during flares. These methods are, in principle, applicable to any passband from any instrument suffering from similar cool and hot emission ambiguity, as long as there is good coverage of the high-temperature range.

Simple numerical X-ray polarization models of reflecting axially symmetric structures around accreting compact objects

ABSTRACT We present a series of numerical models suitable for X-ray polarimetry of accreting systems. First, we provide a spectropolarimetric routine that integrates reflection from inner optically thick walls of a geometrical torus of arbitrary size viewed under general inclination. In the studied example, the equatorial torus is illuminated by a central isotropic source of X-ray power-law emission, representing a hot corona. Nearly neutral reprocessing inside the walls is precomputed by Monte Carlo code stokes that incorporates both line and continuum processes, including multiple scatterings and absorption. We created a new xspec model, called xsstokes, which in this version enables efficient X-ray polarimetric fitting of the torus parameters, observer’s inclination and primary emission properties, interpolating for arbitrary state of primary polarization. Comparison of the results to a Monte Carlo simulation allowing partial transparency shows that the no-transparency condition may induce different polarization by tens of per cent. Allowing partial transparency leads to lower/higher polarization fraction, if the resulting polarization orientation is perpendicular/parallel to the rotation axis. We provide another version of xsstokes that is suitable for approximating nearly neutral reflection from a distant optically thick disc of small geometrical thickness. It assumes local illumination averaged for a selected range of incident angles, representing a toy model of a diffuse corona of various physical extent. Assessing both xsstokes variants, we conclude that the resulting polarization can be tens of per cent and perpendicularly/parallelly oriented towards the rotation axis, if the reflecting medium is rather vertically/equatorially distributed with respect to a compact central source.

Beyond small-scale transients: A closer look at the diffuse quiet solar corona

Aims. Within the quiet Sun corona imaged at 1 MK, much of the field of view consists of diffuse emission that appears to lack the spatial structuring that is so evident in coronal loops or bright points. Our aim is to determine if these diffuse regions are categorically different in terms of their intensity fluctuations and spatial configuration from the better-studied dynamic coronal features. Methods. We analyzed a time series of observations from Solar Orbiter’s High Resolution Imager in the extreme ultraviolet to quantify the characterization of the diffuse corona at high spatial and temporal resolutions. We then compared this to the dynamic features within the field of view, mainly a coronal bright point. Results. We find that the diffuse corona lacks visible structuring, such as small embedded loops, and that this is persistent over the 25 min duration of the observation. The intensity fluctuations of the diffuse corona, which are within ±5%, are significantly smaller in comparison to the coronal bright point; however, the total intensity observed in the diffuse corona is on the same order as the bright point. Conclusions. It seems inconsistent with our data that the diffuse corona is a composition of small loops or jets or that it is driven by discrete small heating events that follow a power-law-like distribution. We speculate that small-scale processes such as magnetohydrodynamic turbulence might be energizing the diffuse regions, but at this point we cannot offer a conclusive explanation for the nature of this feature.

Diffuse solar coronal features and their spicular footpoints

Context. In addition to a component of the emission that originates from clearly distinguishable coronal loops, the solar corona also exhibits extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray ambient emission that is rather diffuse and is often considered undesirable background. Importantly, unlike the generally more structured transition region and chromosphere, the diffuse corona appears to be rather featureless. Aims. The magnetic nature of the diffuse corona, and in particular, its footpoints in the lower atmosphere, are not well understood. We study the origin of the diffuse corona above the quiet-Sun network on supergranular scales. Methods. We identified regions of diffuse EUV emission in the coronal images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). To investigate their connection to the lower atmosphere, we combined these SDO/AIA data with the transition region spectroscopic data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) and with the underlying surface magnetic field information from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), also on board SDO. Results. The region of the diffuse emission is of supergranular size and persists for more than five hours, during which it shows no obvious substructure. It is associated with plasma at about 1 MK that is located within and above a magnetic canopy. The canopy is formed by unipolar magnetic footpoints that show highly structured spicule-like emission in the overlying transition region. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the diffuse EUV emission patch forms at the base of long-ranging loops, and it overlies spicular structures in the transition region. Heated material might be supplied to it by means of spicular upflows, conduction-driven upflows from coronal heating events, or perhaps by flows originating from the farther footpoint. Therefore, the question remains open how the diffuse EUV patch might be sustained. Nevertheless, our study indicates that heated plasma trapped by long-ranging magnetic loops might substantially contribute to the featureless ambient coronal emission.

Study of the value of homocysteine levels in predicting cognitive dysfunction in patients after acute carbon monoxide poisoning

PurposeThe purpose of this research was to assess the value of homocysteine (HCY) levels in predicting cognitive dysfunction in patients after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.MethodsA total of 115 patients who were admitted to the emergency department of Yinzhou NO. 2 Hospital after CO poisoning between January 2017 and December 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients were followed up for 1 month. According to the Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, patients were divided into two groups. The demographic and clinical characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results were gathered and statistically analysed.ResultsTwenty-six and 89 patients were ultimately enrolled in the cognitive dysfunction and control groups, respectively. There were significant differences between the groups in terms of age, coma duration, and carboxyhaemoglobin (COHB), lactate and HCY levels (p < 0.05), but there were no significant differences in white blood cell (WBC) counts or aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), creatinine, troponin T, creatinine kinase (CK), or creatinine kinase muscle and brain (CK-MB) levels (p > 0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified that a higher HCY level (OR 2.979, 95% CI 1.851-5.596, p < 0.001) was an independent risk factor for patient cognitive dysfunction after acute CO poisoning. Linear regression analysis showed a negative correlation between MMSE scores and HCY levels (r = − 0.880, P < 0.001). According to the MRI results, the most common lesion site was the globus pallidus, and the central ovale, diffuse white matter, corona radiata, basal ganglia (other than the globus pallidus) and cerebral cortex were also involved.ConclusionsHigher HCY levels were associated with cognitive impairment and were independent risk factors for cognitive impairment after acute CO poisoning. The level of HCY was negatively correlated with the degree of cognitive impairment.

A diffuse plasma jet generated from the preexisting discharge filament at atmospheric pressure

A diffuse plasma jet was realized by expanding the preexisting argon filamentary discharge into a diffuse one at atmospheric pressure. Examination of emission spectra from the plasma jet shows that the emission intensities of OH and Ar increase with the argon flow near the quartz tube nozzle, while the N2 emission intensity first increases, then decreases, and finally approximately remains unchanged with the increase in the argon flow of interest. It is also found that with the argon flow set at 0.4 l/min, most of the reactive species are gathered close to the nozzle, the OH and Ar emission intensities decrease quickly after the plasma propagates out of the nozzle, but the N2 emission is able to propagate over a larger distance. These distinct spectral emission features of OH, N2, and Ar are attributed to the different generation and quenching mechanisms of their corresponding excited states, i.e., OH(A Σ2 +), N2(C Π3 μ), and Ar(4p)/Ar(4s) in the argon plasma jet. Additionally, the formation of the diffuse plasma jet has been clarified by observing the discharge burning phase and solving the Poisson equation for the electric field distribution in an argon cylindrical dielectric-barrier discharge. The filamentary discharge deposits charged particles onto the dielectric. The positive surface charges in the positive half cycle induce a relatively high field in the local region close to the dielectric. The relatively high field and the high pre-ionization in this local region play a key role in initiating the diffuse positive corona.

The Role of Dual-Phase Cone-Beam CT in Predicting Short-Term Response after Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PurposeTo identify computational and qualitative features derived from dual-phase cone-beam CT that predict short-term response in patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and MethodsThis retrospective study included 43 patients with 59 HCCs. Six features were extracted, including intensity of tumor enhancement on both phases and characteristics of the corona on the washout phase. Short-term response was evaluated by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors on follow-up imaging, and extracted features were correlated to response using univariate and multivariate analyses. ResultsUnivariate and multivariate analyses did not reveal a correlation between absolute and relative tumor enhancement characteristics on either phase with response (arterial P = .21; washout P = .40; ∆ P = .90). On multivariate analysis of qualitative characteristics, the presence of a diffuse corona was an independent predictor of incomplete response (P = .038) and decreased the odds ratio of objective response by half regardless of tumor size. ConclusionsComputational features extracted from contrast-enhanced dual-phase cone-beam CT are not prognostic of response to transarterial chemoembolization in patients with HCC. HCCs that demonstrate a diffuse, patchy corona have reduced odds of achieving complete response after transarterial chemoembolization and should be considered for additional treatment with an alternative modality.

The dark nemesis of galaxy formation: why hot haloes trigger black hole growth and bring star formation to an end

Galaxies fall into two clearly distinct types: `blue-sequence' galaxies that are rapidly forming young stars, and `red-sequence' galaxies in which star formation has almost completely ceased. Most galaxies more massive than $3\times10^{10} M_\odot$ follow the red-sequence while less massive central galaxies lie on the blue sequence. We show that these sequences are created by a competition between star formation-driven outflows and gas accretion on to the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. We develop a simple analytic model for this interaction. In galaxies less massive than $3\times10^{10} M_\odot$, young stars and supernovae drive a high entropy outflow that is more buoyant that any diffuse corona. The outflow balances the rate of gas inflow, preventing high gas densities building up in the central regions. More massive galaxies, however, are surrounded by a hot corona. We argue that above a halo mass of $\sim 10^{12} M_\odot$, the supernova-driven outflow is no longer buoyant and star formation is unable to prevent the build up of gas in the central regions. This triggers a strongly non-linear response from the black hole. Its accretion rate rises rapidly, heating the galaxy's corona, disrupting the incoming supply of cool gas and starving the galaxy of the fuel for star formation. The host galaxy makes a transition to the red sequence, and further growth predominantly occurs through galaxy mergers. We show that the analytic model provides a good description of galaxy evolution in the EAGLE hydrodynamic simulations, and demonstrate that, so long as star formation-driven outflows are present, the transition mass scale is almost independent of subgrid parameter choice. The transition mass disappears entirely, however, if star formation driven outflows are absent.

MULTIMODAL DIFFERENTIAL EMISSION MEASURE IN THE SOLAR CORONA

The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) telescope on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) provides coronal EUV imaging over a broader temperature sensitivity range than the previous generations of instruments (EUVI, EIT, and TRACE). Differential emission measure tomography (DEMT) of the solar corona based on AIA data is presented here for the first time. The main product of DEMT is the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of the local differential emission measure (LDEM). While in previous studies, based on EIT or EUVI data, there were 3 available EUV bands, with a sensitivity range $\sim 0.60 - 2.70$ MK, the present study is based on the 4 cooler AIA bands (aimed at studying the quiet sun), sensitive to the range $\sim 0.55 - 3.75$ MK. The AIA filters allow exploration of new parametric LDEM models. Since DEMT is better suited for lower activity periods, we use data from Carrington Rotation 2099, when the Sun was in its most quiescent state during the AIA mission. Also, we validate the parametric LDEM inversion technique by applying it to standard bi-dimensional (2D) differential emission measure (DEM) analysis on sets of simultaneous AIA images, and comparing the results with DEM curves obtained using other methods. Our study reveals a ubiquitous bimodal LDEM distribution in the quiet diffuse corona, which is stronger for denser regions. We argue that the nanoflare heating scenario is less likely to explain these results, and that alternative mechanisms, such as wave dissipation appear better supported by our results.

Corona discharge in atmospheric pressure air when using modulated voltage pulses

Formation and decay of diffuse channels of a corona discharge in atmospheric pressure air when applying modulated voltage pulses to the electrode are studied. Photomultiplier tubes, a high-speed camera, and a CuBr vapor laser monitor are used to record the radiation from the corona discharge. It is shown that the radiation of diffuse corona discharge channels is time modulated, and the pulse repetition frequency is twice as high as the voltage pulse modulation frequency (∼ 290 kHz). It is also shown that the breakdowns can occur over a short distance when bending the corona discharge channel, which reduces the channel blurring.

Hybrid vesicles co-assembled from anionic graft copolymer and metal ions for controlled drug release

In this paper, hybrid vesicles assembled from hydrophilic graft copolymer sodium alginate-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (ALG-g-PNIPAM) and multivalent metal ions (Ca2+ and Al3+) for controlled release of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) were studied. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the vesicles had a well-defined hollow structure with a size of about 100nm. The hydrophobic membrane was formed by the negatively charged sodium alginate cross-linked with metal ions, and the diffuse corona was constituted of swollen neutral polymer chains. The high stability of vesicles was the result of the nature of coordination complex bonds between anionic sodium alginate chains and metal ions. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of polymer vesicles was in the region of 37°C. The drug loading efficiency of hybrid vesicles was high due to the large cavities of hollow structure and intermolecular attractions with drug. Changing temperature, pH or ionic strength, a sustained and controlled drug release was observed. The novel hybrid polymer vesicles are expected to be used in the field of intelligent drug delivery system.

Area-Specific Alterations of Synaptic Plasticity in the 5XFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease: Dissociation between Somatosensory Cortex and Hippocampus

Transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that overproduce the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) have highlighted impairments of hippocampal long-term synaptic plasticity associated with the progression of the disease. Here we examined whether the characteristics of one of the hallmarks of AD, i.e. Aβ deposition, in both the somatosensory cortex and the hippocampus, correlated with specific losses of synaptic plasticity in these areas. For this, we evaluated the occurrence of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the cortex and the hippocampus of 6-month old 5xFAD transgenic mice that exhibited massive Aβ deposition in both regions but with different features: in cortical areas a majority of Aβ deposits comprised a dense core surrounded by a diffuse corona while such kind of Aβ deposition was less frequently observed in the hippocampus. In order to simultaneously monitor synaptic changes in both areas, we developed a method based on the use of Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEA). When compared with wild-type (WT) mice, basal transmission was significantly reduced in both areas in 5xFAD mice, while short-term synaptic plasticity was unaffected. The induction of long-term changes of synaptic transmission by different protocols revealed that in 5xFAD mice, LTP in the layer 5 of the somatosensory cortex was more severely impaired than LTP triggered in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. We conclude that cortical plasticity is deficient in the 5xFAD model and that this deficit could be correlated with the proportion of diffuse plaques in 5xFAD mice.

Structural characterization of amphiphilic homopolymer micelles using light scattering, SANS, and cryo-TEM.

We report the aqueous solution self-assembly of a series of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) polymers end-functionalized with a hydrophobic sulfur-carbon-sulfur (SCS) pincer ligand. Although the hydrophobic ligand accounted for <5 wt% of the overall homopolymer mass, the polymers self-assembled into well-defined spherical micelles in aqueous solution, and these micelles are potential precursors to solution-assembled nanoreactors for small molecule catalysis applications. The micelle structural details were investigated using light scattering, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). Radial density profiles extracted from the cryo-TEM micrographs suggested that the PNIPAM chains formed a diffuse corona with a radially decreasing corona density profile and provided valuable a priori information about the micelle structure for SANS data modeling. SANS analysis indicated a similar profile in which the corona surrounded a small hydrophobic core containing the pincer ligand. The similarity between the SANS and cryo-TEM results demonstrated that detailed information about the micelle density profile can be obtained directly from cryo-TEM and highlighted the complementary use of scattering and cryo-TEM in the structural characterization of solution-assemblies, such as the SCS pincer-functionalized homopolymers described here.

Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymer and Polycaprolactone Blends to Produce New Vesicular Nanocarriers

New Melatonin-loaded vesicular nanocarriers were prepared by interfacial deposition using a blend of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer, poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), PMMA-b-PDMAEMA, with poly(epsilon-caprolactone), PCL. Particle size and morphology of the nanocarriers was evaluated. Dynamic light scattering shows that the nanocarriers have hydrodynamic radii between 100 and 180 nm, with unimodal particle size distribution for each formulation. Shape and structure were visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryogenic TEM and scanning electron microscopy. Standard TEM for nanocapsules showed an oily core surrounded by a thin layer composed by PCL/PMMA-b-PDMAEMA. Cryo-TEM also indicated the presence of spherical nano-objects with a diffuse polymer corona. Encapsulation efficiencies were determined assaying the nanoparticles by HPLC and higher values of ca. 25% are shown by the nanocapsules. We could successfully incorporate platinum nanoparticles into the nanocarrier as evidenced by TEM, which opens up the possibility for promising applications like monitoring the encapsulated drug in the body.

Radiation from a diffuse corona discharge in atmospheric-pressure air

Optical and X-radiation from a corona discharge in atmospheric-pressure air is investigated. Spectra of the optical radiation in the range 200–850 nm are obtained under various parameters of the voltage pulse. It was shown that an increase in the voltage pulse changes the corona discharge mode so that the discharge becomes a source of UV radiation, not only from nitrogen 2+ bands, but also from the cathode material. It was also shown that the formation of diffuse corona discharges in a non-uniform electric field under high pressure is conditioned by fast electrons and X-ray generation. It was determined that fast electrons originating from discharges in air under atmospheric pressure generate 525-eV photons from the K-shell of oxygen. Calculations have shown that the photons can effectively initiate new electrons near areas of strong fields. This process explains the formation of types of diffuse discharge for a positive-polarity electrode with a small radius of curvature at atmospheric pressure, and of a fast-moving cathode streamer.

Hybrid Polyion Complex Micelles Formed from Double Hydrophilic Block Copolymers and Multivalent Metal Ions: Size Control and Nanostructure

Hybrid polyion complex (HPIC) micelles are nanoaggregates obtained by complexation of multivalent metal ions by double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBC). Solutions of DHBC such as the poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(acrylamide) (PAA-b-PAM) or poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(2-hydroxyethylacrylate) (PAA-b-PHEA), constituted of an ionizable complexing block and a neutral stabilizing block, were mixed with solutions of metal ions, which are either monoatomic ions or metal polycations, such as Al(3+), La(3+), or Al(13)(7+). The physicochemical properties of the HPIC micelles were investigated by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) as a function of the polymer block lengths and the nature of the cation. Mixtures of metal cations and asymmetric block copolymers with a complexing block smaller than the stabilizing block lead to the formation of stable colloidal HPIC micelles. The hydrodynamic radius of the HPIC micelles varies with the polymer molecular weight as M(0.6). In addition, the variation of R(h) of the HPIC micelle is stronger when the complexing block length is increased than when the neutral block length is increased. R(h) is highly sensitive to the polymer asymmetry degree (block weight ratio), and this is even more true when the polymer asymmetry degree goes down to values close to 3. SANS experiments reveal that HPIC micelles exhibit a well-defined core-corona nanostructure; the core is formed by the insoluble dense poly(acrylate)/metal cation complex, and the diffuse corona is constituted of swollen neutral polymer chains. The scattering curves were modeled by an analytical function of the form factor; the fitting parameters of the Pedersen's model provide information on the core size, the corona thickness, and the aggregation number of the micelles. For a given metal ion, the micelle core radius increases as the PAA block length. The radius of gyration of the micelle is very close to the value of the core radius, while it varies very weakly with the neutral block length. Nevertheless, the radius of gyration of the micelle is highly dependent on the asymmetry degree of the polymer: if the neutral block length increases in a large extent, the micelle radius of gyration decreases due to a decrease of the micelle aggregation number. The variation of the R(g)/R(h) ratio as a function of the polymer block lengths confirms the nanostructure associating a dense spherical core and a diffuse corona. Finally, the high stability of HPIC micelles with increasing concentration is the result of the nature of the coordination complex bonds in the micelle core.

High-Pressure Diffuse and Spark Discharge in Nitrogen and Air in a Spatially Nonuniform Electric Field of High Intensity

Runaway-electron-preionized (REP) diffuse discharges are very attractive in many applications. It was found that, in the case of a cathode with a small radius of curvature and a flat anode, a diffuse corona arises within several hundreds of picoseconds at the early stage of the REP discharge. Both diffuse and spark discharges in dependence on the cathode-anode distance, type, and pressure of gas were observed. Images of REP diffuse and spark discharge plasma glowing in air, nitrogen, and its mixture with methane at different pressures are presented.

PATTERNS OF NANOFLARE STORM HEATING EXHIBITED BY AN ACTIVE REGION OBSERVED WITHSOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY/ATMOSPHERIC IMAGING ASSEMBLY

It is largely agreed that many coronal loops---those observed at a temperature of about 1 MK--- are bundles of unresolved strands that are heated by storms of impulsive nanoflares. The nature of coronal heating in hotter loops and in the very important but largely ignored diffuse component of active regions is much less clear. Are these regions also heated impulsively, or is the heating quasi steady? The spectacular new data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) telescopes on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) offer an excellent opportunity to address this question. We analyze the light curves of coronal loops and the diffuse corona in 6 different AIA channels and compare them with the predicted light curves from theoretical models. Light curves in the different AIA channels reach their peak intensities with predictable orderings as a function the nanoflare storm properties. We show that while some sets of light curves exhibit clear evidence of cooling after nanoflare storms, other cases are less straightforward to interpret. Complications arise because of line-of-sight integration through many different structures, the broadband nature of the AIA channels, and because physical properties can change substantially depending on the magnitude of the energy release. Nevertheless, the light curves exhibit predictable and understandable patterns consistent with impulsive nanoflare heating.

X-ray coronae in simulations of disc galaxy formation

The existence of X-ray luminous gaseous coronae around massive disc galaxies is a long-standing prediction of galaxy formation theory in the cold dark matter cosmogony. This prediction has garnered little observational support, with non-detections commonplace and detections for only a relatively small number of galaxies which are much less luminous than expected. We investigate the coronal properties of a large sample of bright, disc-dominated galaxies extracted from the GIMIC suite of cosmological hydrodynamic simulations recently presented by Crain et al. Remarkably, the simulations reproduce the observed scalings of X-ray luminosity with K-band luminosity and star formation rate and, when account is taken of the density structure of the halo, with disc rotation velocity as well. Most of the star formation in the simulated galaxies (which have realistic stellar mass fractions) is fuelled by gas cooling from a quasi-hydrostatic hot corona. However, these coronae are more diffuse, and of a lower luminosity, than predicted by the analytic models of White & Frenk because of a substantial increase in entropy at z ~ 1-3. Both the removal of low entropy gas by star formation and energy injection from supernovae contribute to this increase in entropy, but the latter is dominant for halo masses M_200 <~ 10^(12.5) Msun. Only a small fraction of the mass of the hot gas is outflowing as a wind but, because of its high density and metallicity, it contributes disproportionally to the X-ray emission. The bulk of the X-ray emission, however, comes from the diffuse quasi-hydrostatic corona which supplies the fuel for ongoing star formation in discs today. Future deep X-ray observations with high spectral resolution (e.g. with NeXT/ASTRO-H or IXO) should be able to map the velocity structure of the hot gas and test this fundamental prediction of current galaxy formation theory.