abstract: The field of exoplanet science has matured over the past two decades with over 3500 confirmed exoplanets. However, many fundamental questions regarding the composition, and formation mechanism remain unanswered. Atmospheres are a window into the properties of a planet, and spectroscopic studies can help resolve many of these questions. For the first part of my dissertation, I participated in two studies of the atmospheres of brown dwarfs to search for weather variations. To understand the evolution of weather on brown dwarfs we conducted a multi-epoch study monitoring four cool brown dwarfs to search for photometric variability. These cool brown dwarfs are predicted to have salt and sulfide clouds condensing in their upper atmosphere and we detected one high amplitude variable. Combining observations for all T5 and later brown dwarfs we note a possible correlation between variability and cloud opacity. For the second half of my thesis, I focused on characterizing the atmospheres of directly imaged exoplanets. In the first study Hubble Space Telescope data on HR8799, in wavelengths unobservable from the ground, provide constraints on the presence of clouds in the outer planets. Next, I present research done in collaboration with the Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey (GPIES) team including an exploration of the instrument contrast against environmental parameters, and an examination of the environment of the planet in the HD 106906 system. By analyzing archival HST data and examining the near-infrared colors of HD 106906b, we conclude that the companion shows weak evidence of a circumplanetary dust disk or cloud. Finally, I measure the properties of the low mass directly imaged planet 51 Eridani b. We combined published J, H spectra with updated LP photometry, new K1, K2 spectra, and MS photometry. The new data confirms that the planet has redder than similar spectral type objects, which might be due to the planet still transitioning from to L-to-T. Model atmospheres indicate a cooler effective temperature best fit by a patchy cloud atmosphere making 51 Eri b an excellent candidate for future variability studies with the James Webb Space Telescope. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Astrophysics 2017

CNPQ / Nos últimos anos, agricultores da região Noroeste do Paraná vêm cultivando o coqueiro, visando à comercialização da água do fruto verde. Na literatura ainda são poucos os relatos sobre a produção e qualidade do coco verde na região. Tendo em vista obter informações sobre a qualidade do coco e da água do fruto in natura, foi elaborado este trabalho. Os frutos da cv. Anão Verde foram colhidos nos municípios de Umuarama e Cidade Gaúcha, localizadas na região Noroeste do Paraná, nas quatro estações climáticas e cinco estádios de desenvolvimento. Foram realizadas avaliações físicas dos frutos, como também físico-químicas, bioquímicas e sensoriais da água de coco in natura. Os resultados obtidos foram avaliados pela análise de variância, e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey (p<0,05). Os aspectos físico-químicos indicaram diferença entre as colheitas realizadas entre as estações climáticas. Tais resultados indicaram que os frutos apresentaram aumento de massa, tamanho de fruto e volume de água, conforme avanço do tempo de desenvolvimento dos frutos em todas as estações climáticas, nos dois locais, no tempo estudado. A turbidez apresentou o melhor valor para água extraída de frutos com cinco e seis meses de idade da produção de Umuarama. A composição química da água de coco, ao final da estação do inverno, nos dois locais, apresentou características inferiores para alguns parâmetros, em relação à água dos frutos colhidos ao término das outras estações. A atividade enzimática apresentou aumento conforme avanço no estádio de desenvolvimento dos frutos. A avaliação sensorial dos frutos indicou melhor aceitação naqueles frutos colhidos com sete xi meses. A aceitação da água de coco apresentou diferença estatística entre o tempo de colheita, para a produção dos dois municípios, destacando-se os frutos colhidos ao final do verão e da primavera. Apesar do clima da região avaliada sofrer várias mudanças durante o ano, com estações que apresentam altas variações das condições climáticas, no período estudado, que podem influenciar a produção de coco, a qualidade dos frutos para o consumo de água de coco se aproxima dos frutos produzidos nas regiões tropicais. / In recent years, farmers in the Northwest of Paraná has been cultivating the coconut tree, seeking commercialization of water of the green fruit. In literature there are few reports on production and quality of coconut in the region, because they are few producers who were motivated to produce fruit. In order to investigate the quality of coconut water and fresh fruit was produced this work. The fruits, cv. Dwarf Green, were collected from the Umuarama and Cidade Gaúcha cities, located in Northwest region of Paraná, in the four seasons and five stages. The evaluated fruit physical and chemical, biochemical and sensory characteristics of fresh coconut water. The results were evaluated by analysis of variance and means compared by Tukey test (p <0.05). The values of the climatic stations were evaluated with few variables outside of what the culture needs for production. The results indicated that the fruits showed an increase in fruit size and weight and volume of water, as increased time of fruit development in all seasons. The physical-chemical aspects indicate difference between the samples taken between seasons. The mass and size of coconuts and coconut water volume increased with increasing time of development, in all seasons in both locations. Turbidity statistical difference between the fruits, presenting the best value for water extracted fruit with five and six months of production Umuarama. The chemical composition indicates that coconut water collected after the winter season in both locations, have lower specifications in some parameters, in relation to water from fruits harvested at the end of the other stations. The enzyme activity had increased as increasing stage of fruit development. Sensory evaluation indicated better acceptance of the fruit of the fruits of seven months. xiii The acceptance of coconut water showed significant differences between the time of harvesting for the production of both cities, especially those harvested in late summer and spring. Despite the climate of the region evaluated undergo several changes during the year, with stations that have high variation in climatic conditions, and these may influence the production of coconut, fruit quality for the consumption of coconut water is approaching the fruits produced in the tropical regions.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A banana à a segunda fruta mais produzida no Brasil. A boa aceitaÃÃo da banana deve-se aos seus aspectos sensoriais e nutricionais. A ausÃncia de suco e de sementes duras na polpa, alÃm de sua disponibilidade durante todo o ano, tambÃm contribuem para a sua aceitaÃÃo. Atualmente, existe uma maior preocupaÃÃo por parte do consumidor em adquirir produtos processados saudÃveis e convenientes. O processamento apresenta-se como alternativa para o aproveitamento dos frutos excedentes representando uma forma de aumentar a vida de prateleira e agregar valor ao produto. Dentre os diversos derivados, destaca-se o nÃctar de frutas. O mercado brasileiro de sucos e nÃctares prontos para beber està em franca expansÃo, acompanhando a tendÃncia mundial de consumo de bebidas saudÃveis e convenientes. Neste trabalho, avaliou-se o impacto da adiÃÃo de enzimas comerciais sobre as caracterÃsticas da polpa de banana Prata AnÃ, visando reduzir sua consistÃncia e, assim possibilitar a industrializaÃÃo de um nÃctar. Foram utilizados 75 ÂL das preparaÃÃes enzimÃticas comerciais: AMG 300L, Celluclast 1,5L, Pectinex XXL, isoladamente e em associaÃÃo. A eficiÃncia da maceraÃÃo enzimÃtica da polpa de banana foi avaliada em funÃÃo da anÃlise de consistÃncia, do teor de grupos redutores totais (GRT), da acidez titulÃvel (AT) e da quantificaÃÃo dos sÃlidos solÃveis (SS). A adiÃÃo de enzimas de maceraÃÃo à polpa de banana desempenhou importante papel no aumento da concentraÃÃo de aÃÃcares e na diminuiÃÃo da viscosidade. A avaliaÃÃo sensorial dos nÃctares, elaborados a partir da polpa macerada, revelou que as amostras foram bem aceitas, com mÃdias situadas em torno da moda 6 (gostei pouco). / Banana is the second most widely produced fruit in Brazil. The popularity of the banana is due to their nutritional and sensory aspects. The absence of hard seeds and juice in the pulp, and their availability throughout the year, also contribute to its acceptance. Currently, there is a greater concern for the consumers to purchase processed products with sensory characteristics close to fresh food, which has motivated the use of tropical fruits similar. The processing is presented as an alternative to the use of surplus fruit representing a way to increase the shelf life and add value to the product. Among the various fruit similar, highlight the nectar. The Brazilian market for juices and nectars ready to drink is booming, following the global trend of consumption beverages and convenient healthy. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the addition of commercial enzymes on the characteristics of banana puree Silver Dwarf, aiming to reduce its consistency and thus enable the industrialization of nectar. It used of 75 ÂL of commercial enzyme preparations: AMG 300L, Celluclast 1.5 L, XXL Pectinex, singly and in combination. The efficiency of enzymatic maceration of banana pulp was assessed in terms of consistency analysis, the total content of reducing groups (GRT), titratable acidity (TA) and quantification of soluble solids (SS). The addition of enzymes to the pulp maceration of bananas played a major role in increasing the sugar concentration and decreased viscosity. The evaluation of nectars, made from the pulp macerated, revealed that the samples were well accepted, with averages situated around the mode 6 (like slightly).

This article reports a measurement of the proper motion of Leo II, a dwarf galaxy that is a likely satellite of the Milky Way, based on imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope and Wide Field Camera. 3. The measurement uses compact background galaxies as standards of rest in both channels of the camera for two distinct pointings of the telescope, as well as a QSO in one channel for each pointing, resulting in the weighted average of six measurements. The measured proper motion in the the equatorial coordinate system is (mu(alpha), mu(delta))= (-6.9 +/- 3.7, -8.7 +/- 3.9) mas century(-1) and in the Galactic coordinate system it is (mu(l), mu(b)) = (6.2 +/- 3.9, -9.2 +/- 3.7) mas. century(-1). The implied space velocity with respect to the Galactic center is (Pi, Theta, Z) =(-37 +/- 38, 117 +/- 43, 40 +/- 16) km s(-1) or, expressed in Galactocentric radial and tangential components, (V-r, V-tan) = (21.9 +/- 1.5, 127 +/- 42) km s(-1). The space velocity implies that the instantaneous orbital inclination is 68 degrees, with a 95% confidence interval of (66 degrees, 80 degrees). The measured motion supports the hypothesis that Leo. II, Leo. IV, Leo. V, Crater. 2, and the globular cluster Crater fell into the Milky Way as a group.

For the present study 106 strandings of Kogia breviceps and 85 strandings of K. sima along the South African coastline between 1880 and 1995 were analysed in order to examine the age and growth, male and female reproduction, diet, stranding patterns, and population genetic structure of both species. Length and weight at birth were about 120cm and 53kg for K. breviceps and about 103cm and 14kg for K. sima. Von Bertalanffy growth curves were fitted to the data and indicated that physical maturity was reached at around 15 years in both sexes of K. breviceps and at 13 years in female and 15 years in male K. sima. Asymptotic length was reached at 306.0 and 286.1cm in female and male K. breviceps and 249.14 and 263.75cm in female and male K. sima, respectively. Maximum ages were16 years for male K. breviceps and 23 years for females and 17 years for male K. sima and 22 years for females. Reversed sexual size dimorphism was suggested for K. breviceps, while in K. sima males were larger than females. Attainment of sexual maturity in males occurred at between 2.5 and 5 years of age in K. breviceps and 2.6 and 3 years in K. sima, corresponding to 241-242cm and 197cm body length, respectively. The maximum combined testis weight comprised 1.04% and 2.00% for K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively, and a polygynous mating system with a roving male strategy was proposed for both species. The sperm morphology for both Kogia species was described and is characterised by 20-25 spherical mitochondria arranged in rows around the midpiece. Attainment of sexual maturity in females occurred at 5 years in both Kogia species, and at 262cm and 215cm body length in K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively. The ovulation rates were 0.9 and 0.7 per year for K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively. In K. breviceps conceptions occurred from April to September and births from March to August, while in K. sima both conceptions and births occurred from December to March. Annual reproduction and a post-partum oestrus was suggested for both Kogia species. The diet of K. breviceps comprised 50 different cephalopod species from 22 families and 17 other prey species, while K. sima fed on 32 cephalopod species from 17 families and six others. Although niche overlap indices between the two species and between groups within each species were high, some differences in diet could be determined, which allow these two sympatrically occurring species to share the same ecological niche off the coast of Southern Africa. An analysis of the stranding patterns revealed that K. sima has a closer affinity to the Agulhas current and to higher water temperatures than K. breviceps, which is supported by differences in the size of the appendages between the two species. The population genetic analysis revealed a high haplotype and nucleotide diversity for K. breviceps in the Southern hemisphere, but a lack of significant phylogeographic structure, indicating substantial gene flow among populations and inhibiting genetic differentiation of local populations, although the South African population was somewhat isolated from others in the Southern Hemisphere. In contrast the data on the phylogeographic structure of K. sima were somewhat restrictive as the majority of the samples originated from South Africa. Nevertheless, both nucleotide and haplotype diversities were markedly lower than in K. breviceps and more similar to those for other small cetacean populations, suggesting a smaller population size for K. sima than for K. breviceps. Although both Kogia species belong to the medium to larger-sized odontocetes their life histories are located near the fast end of the slow-fast continuum of life histories of marine mammals, indicating high mortality rates. The “false-gill” marking and the ability to squirt ink are thought to reflect adaptations to predator mimicry and avoidance.

We present new proper motion (PM) measurements of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) Draco and Sculptor using multiepoch images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope ACS/WFC. Our PM results have uncertainties far lower than previous measurements, even those made with the same instrument. The PM results for Draco and Sculptor are (mu(W),mu(N))(Dra) = (-0.0562 +/- 0.0099, -0.1765 +/- 0.0100 mas yr(-1) and (mu(W), mu(N) )(Scl) = (-0.0296 +/- 0.0209, 0.1358 +/- 0.0214 mas yr(-1)) -1. The implied Galactocentric velocity vectors for Draco and Sculptor have radial and tangential components: (V-rad, V-tan)(Dra) =(-88.6, 161.4) +/- (4.4, 5.6) km s(-1) and (V-rad, V-tan )(Scl) = (72.6, 200.2)+/-(1.3, 10.8) km s(-1). We study the detailed orbital histories of both Draco and Sculptor via numerical orbit integrations. Orbital periods of Draco and Sculptor are found to be 1-2 Gyr and 2-5 Gyr, respectively, accounting for uncertainties in the Milky Way (MW) mass. We also study the influence of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) on the orbits of Draco and Sculptor. Overall, the inclusion of the LMC increases the scatter in the orbital results. Based on our calculations, Draco shows a rather wide range of orbital parameters depending on the MW mass and inclusion/exclusion of the LMC, but Sculptor's orbit is very well constrained, with its most recent pericentric approach to the MW being 0.3-0.4 Gyr ago. Our new PMs imply that the orbital trajectories of both Draco and Sculptor are confined within the " Disk of Satellites," better so than implied by earlier PM measurements, and likely rule out the possibility that these two galaxies were accreted together as part of a tightly bound group.

Bush meat markets and habitat encroachment are on the increase, and the current demand for crocodilian bush meat is not sustainable. Of the three species of African crocodiles, the dwarf crocodile, Osteolaemus tetraspis, is by far the most heavily hunted. This preference is influenced by its small size and relatively non-aggressive nature, which facilitates easy capture, and further it stays alive while being transported to markets. The location of bush meat markets is determined by human population density and infrastructure. In general, a lack of infrastructure, whether it be a river or a paved road, implies only subsistence hunting. Many officially protected areas, where animals should be safe from depredation by humans, are not actually safe havens for O. tetraspis. There is often a lack of protection inside and around national parks in Central Africa, and when conducting research into this specific species, it was found that often more animals can be found per day in a bush meat market, compared with the same amount of effort in a national park. Crocodile mortality caused by people, both deliberate and inadvertent, must be controlled. However, conservation should be within the realms of politics, economics, ecology and social problems at a local level. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / unrestricted

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第22248号 / 理博第4562号 / 新制||理||1655(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)准教授 野上 大作, 教授 嶺重 慎, 教授 長田 哲也 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

No description available.

To search for Tidal Dwarf Galaxies (TDGs) and to study star formation (SF) in tidal features, we are conducting a large UV imaging survey of interacting galaxies selected from the Arp (1996) Atlas using the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) telescope. As part of that study, we present a GALEX UV and Sloan Digital Sky Survey and SARA optical study of the gas-rich interacting galaxy pair Arp 305 (NGC 4016/7). The GALEX UV data reveal much extended diffuse UV emission and SF outside the disks. This includes a luminous star-forming region between the two galaxies, and a number of such regions in tidal tails. We have identified 45 young star-forming clumps in Arp 305, including several TDG candidates. By comparing the UV and optical colors to population synthesis models, we determined that the clumps are very young, with several having ages ∼6 Myr. We do not find many intermediate age clumps in spite of the fact that the last closest encounter was about 300 Myr ago. We have used a smooth particle hydrodynamics code to model the interaction and determine the fate of the star clusters and candidate TDGs.