Using ion-trapping techniques, selected laboratory experiments on ion-molecule reactions of astrophysical interest have been performed. For the first time a carbon beam source has been integrated into an ion trapping machine for studying collisions between ions and neutral carbon atoms and molecules. Results are presented for the interaction of D3+ ions stored in a ring-electrode trap (RET), with a beam of hot neutral carbon molecules, Cn (n = 1, 2, 3). The measured reaction rate coefficients are up to a factor two smaller than values presently used in astrophysical models. In order to complete our knowledge about the ion chemistry involving three carbon atoms, detailed investigations of reactions of C3+, C3H+ and C3H3+ with H2 and HD have been performed between 15 K and room temperature. These studies have been performed in a second apparatus, a variable-temperature 22-pole trap machine (VT-22PT). Results include reactive collisions, deuteration and radiative association. It is discussed in connection with the increase in lifetime of the C3+ + H2 collision complexes with falling temperature, what could be responsible for producing more C3H+ at 15 K. Tunneling is excluded. In C3+ + HD collisions an isotope effect has been detected, the C3D+ product ions being slightly more abundant than C3H+. Comparison of the reaction of C3H+ primary ions with HD and H2 gas revealed that the deuterated molecules are significantly more reactive. The process of radiative association of C3H+ and for the first time of C3+ with hydrogen molecules has been observed. An analysis of the data shows that radiative association becomes slower, if the neutral reactant is deuterated. Finally, the theoretical prediction from ab initio calculations that C3H3+ does not exchange an H for a D in collisions with HD, has been proven in an ion trap experiment. Careful analysis of all competing processes allows the conclusion that the rate coefficient is smaller than 4x10-16 cm3s-1 at 15 K. / Unter Verwendung von zwei Speicherapparaturen wurden ausgewählte, astrophysikalische wichtige Ionen-Molekülreaktionen untersucht. Durch die Kombination einer Kohlenstoffquelle mit einem Ionenspeicher, in dem so Reaktionen zwischen Ionen und Kohlenstoffmolekülen oder -atomen untersucht werden können, wurde Neuland betreten. Es werden Ergebnisse vorgestellt für die Reaktion von D3+ Ionen, die in einem Ringelektrodenspeicher gefangen sind, mit einem Strahl von heißen Cn (n = 1, 2, 3). Die gemessenen Ratenkoeffizienten sind nur halb so groß wie die Werte, die in astrophysikalischen Modellen verwendet werden. Um die Kenntnis über alle möglichen Reaktionen, bei denen drei C-Atome beteiligt sind, abzurunden, wurden zwischen 15 K und Zimmertemperatur die Reaktionen zwischen C3+, C3H+ und C3H3+ Ionen mit H2 und HD in vielen Details untersucht. Diese Experimente wurden in einer zweiten Apparatur durchgeführt, in der ein temperaturvariabler 22-Polspeicher das zentrale Element ist (VT-22PT). Berichtet werden Ergebnisse zu reaktiven Stößen, zur Deuterierung von Kohlenwasserstoffen und zur Strahlungsassoziation. In der Diskussion bleibt offen, was - in Verbindung mit der von 300 K zu 15 K zunehmenden Lebensdauer - der Grund dafür sein kann, daß die Bildung des exothermen Produkts C3H+ anwächst. Der Tunneleffekt scheidet aus. Bei der Reaktion C3+ + HD wurde ein Isotopeneffekt beobachtet, das C3D+ Produkt wird etwas häufiger gebildet als C3H+. Ein Vergleich der Reaktion zwischen C3H+ Ionen mit HD bzw. H2 zeigt, daß das deuterierte Molekül wesentlich reaktiver ist. Es wurden Ratenkoeffizienten für die Strahlungsassoziation von H2 Molekülen mit C3H+ und erstmals mit C3+ Ionen gemessen. Die Auswertung der Daten zeigt, dass der Prozeß langsamer abläuft, wenn der neutrale Stoßpartner deuteriert ist. Schließlich wurde experimentell die theoretische Vorhersage überprüft, dass C3H3+ keinen H-D Austausch mit HD eingeht. Eine sorgfältige Analyse aller konkurrierenden Prozesse ergab, dass bei 15 K der Raten koeffizient kleiner als 4x10-16 cm3s-1 ist.

This thesis is concerned about ion-molecular reactions at low temperatures, which are important the fully understand the chemical evolution in interstellar medium. For realization of experimental part of thesis has been used the apparatus of 22-pole radiofrequency ion trap, which allows study the rate constant of reactions at temperatures 10 - 100 K. Thesis contains measuring results of reaction NH+ + H → N+ + H2, which follows the previous study of reaction N+ + H2 → NH+ + H on the same apparatus, description of the apparatus and the general introduction.

In the present work, the results of the experimental study of reactions of ions with molecular hydrogen in the temperature range 15 - 300 K using a 22-pole ion trap apparatus are presented. The reaction of OD- with para-enriched hydrogen was studied using a combination of the 22-pole ion trap apparatus with a para-hydrogen generator. Also reactions of O- with H2, D2, and HD were studied. These reactions have a channel of water production and a channel of hydrogen or deuterium transfer. Another field of study was a sequence of reactions of oxygen hydride cations with H2 and D2 which leads to the production of H3O+ or its isotopic variant, specifically reactions OH+ with H2, H2O+ with H2, D2O+ with H2, and D2O+ with D2. This reaction chain can be followed by the electron recombination of H3O+ or its isotopologue, which has a channel of water production.

Cette thèse s’inscrit dans le cadre de la préparation de la mission spatiale franco­-chinoise SVOM (Space Variable Object Monitor) opérationnelle à l’horizon 2021 et qui aura pour but de détecter et caractériser les sursauts gamma. La première partie de la thèse consiste au développement d’un logiciel de simulation de COLIBRI (Catching OpticaL and Infrared BRight transIents), un télescope de suivi au sol de SVOM. Il comporte un simulateur de sursauts gamma, un exposure time calculator, un simulateur d'image, un algorithme estimant le redshift photométrique. Il a permis d'une part d’estimer les performances scientifiques du télescope afin de s'assurer qu'elles satisfont le cahier des charges, et d'autre part d'estimer une précision sur l'estimation de la distance du sursaut de l'ordre de 10% et 15% sur le redshift pour les sursauts à 3.5 < z < 8 et z > 8. La deuxième partie de la thèse porte sur l’étude de la propriété des poussières au sein des galaxies dans lesquelles se produisent ces sursauts gamma, mais aussi à l’étude de leur activité de formation stellaire. J'ai comparé les courbes d'extinction mesurées sur la ligne de visée de 7 GRBs à la courbe d'atténuation de leurs galaxies à l'aide d'un code de SED fitting, CIGALE. En comparant à un code de transfert radiatif on obtient des informations sur la distribution étoiles / poussière au sein de ces galaxies. Sur un échantillon élargi, on montre que les courbes d'atténuation pentues (plates) corrèlent avec des galaxies avec une faible (grande) atténuation due à la poussière, les moins (plus) activent en formation stellaire et les moins (plus) massives / This thesis lies within the framework of the sino-french SVOM (Space Variable Object Monitor) mission to be launched in 2021 whose objective is the detection and characterisation of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). The first part consists in the development of an end-to-end software for COLIBRI (Catching OpticaL and Infrared BRight transIents), a SVOM ground follow-up telescope. It consists in a GRB simulator, an Exposure Time Calculator, an image simulator and a photometric redshift algorithm. It allowed to estimate the telescope scientific performances to ensure that the optical design was fulfilling the scientific requirements. The relative accuracy on the photometric redshift delivered by COLIBRI is estimated to be about 10% and 15% for GRBs at 3.5 < z < 8 et z > 8. The second part of the thesis deals mainly with the study of dust properties in GRB host galaxies, but also with the star formation activity in these galaxies. We compare extinction curves measured along the GRB line of sight for 7 GRBs to the attenuation curve of their host galaxies measured with CIGALE, a SED fitting code. By comparing these curves to the results of a radiative transfer code, we obtain information about the geometrical distribution of dust and stars in these galaxies. On a larger sample of 23 galaxies, we show that the steepest (flattest) attenuation curves are associated to galaxies with a large (small) amount of dust attenuation, less (more) active in star formation and less (more) massive galaxies

Ce mémoire de recherche-création explore les différentes modalités de la représentation d’une théorie scientifique—la théorie de la relativité, développée par Albert Einstein au début du XXe siècle—et se concentre sur le voyage dans le temps. Le mémoire est divisé en deux parties : un texte de recherche et un projet de création. Dans le texte de recherche, le premier chapitre rappelle ce qu’est la théorie de la relativité et fait un bref historique des films sur le voyage dans le temps; le second chapitre est une analyse du film Interstellar réalisé par Christopher Nolan en collaboration avec le physicien américain, Kip Thorne. Dans ce film, la théorie de la relativité n’est pas un élément secondaire, mais le coeur même de l’histoire. Ma création, présentée ici dans un document de jeu (Concept narratif d’un jeu vidéo), est un projet de jeu vidéo se déroulant pendant la seconde guerre mondiale, dans lequel le joueur devra voyager dans le temps pour sauver l’humanité du pouvoir nazi. / This research-creation master’s thesis explores the different modalities of the representation of the Theory of Relativity, developed by Albert Einstein in the beginning of the 20th century and focuses on time travel. The dissertation is divided into two parts: a research essay and a creation project. The first chapter of the research explains the basis of the Theory of Relativity and gives a brief history of time-travel in cinema. The second chapter analyses the movie Interstellar, produced by Christopher Nolan in collaboration with the American physicist Kip Thorne. This motion picture is a prime example of the Theory of Relativity in modern cinema. The creation section, presented here in a Video game narrative concept, is a video game project set during the Second World War, in which the player will have to travel through time in order to save humanity from the Nazis.

The thesis introduces physical processes that are at work in astrophysical plasmas and reviews the current state of research related to the emission of ionizing photons, i.e. Lyman continuum (LyC). Star forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei are discussed as sources of LyC. Observations of LyC leakage at all redshifts are summarized and escape fractions are brought into a cosmological context, i.e. its implications for the reionization of the Universe, one of the major gas phase changes that was completed already after ∼1Gyr after the Big Bang at redshift z∼6.The main work focuses on observations of the local LyC leaking galaxy Tololo 1247-232. Physical properties of the interstellar medium, its porosity and neutral medium column density, could be derived using newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data. The work is based on spectroscopy obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), as well as optical and ultraviolet multi-band imaging with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). An improved COS data reduction procedure was adopted. The recent detection of ionizing radiation emerging from Tololo 1247-232 could be confirmed. A LyC escape fraction of 6.6% was derived, in agreement with previous results. We used FUV absorption lines of Si II and Si IV as a probe of the neutral and ionized interstellar medium and find that most of the ISM gas is ionized, likely facilitating LyC escape from density bounded regions. Neutral gas covering as a function of line-of-sight velocity is derived using the apparent optical depth method. The ISM is found to be sufficiently clumpy, supporting the direct escape of LyC photons. We further report on broadband UV and optical continuum imaging as well as narrowband imaging of Lyα, Hα and Hβ. We also performed VLA 21cm imaging. The hydrogen hyperfine transition was not detected, but a deep upper limit atomic gas mass of 10^9 Mo could be derived. The upper limit gas fraction is only 20 percent. Evidence is found that the H I gas halo is relatively small compared to other Lyman Alpha emitters.

4 Title: Reactions of astrophysically important positive ions with molecules and atoms at low temperatures Author: Serhiy Rednyk Department: Department of Surface and Plasma Science Supervisor of the doctoral thesis: prof. RNDr. Juraj Glosík, DrSc, Ph.D., Department of Surface and Plasma Science Abstract: In the present work, the results of the experimental study of reactions of ions with atomic and molecular hydrogen are presented. Experiments were performed using a cold radiofrequency 22-pole ion trap apparatus in the temperature range, relevant for interstellar clouds (from 300 down to 15 K). The present study is devoted to experimental investigation of the reactions of NH+, NH2 + and NH3 + ions with H2. The reaction of NH+ with H2 has two channels, which lead to NH2 + (about 97 %) and H3 + (3 %) formation with nearly constant reaction rate coefficients. The reaction of NH2 + + H2 produces only NH3 + ions and the measured reaction rate coefficient is decreasing with increasing temperature from 6∙10−10 cm3 s−1 to 2∙10−10 cm3 s−1 . The measured reaction rate coefficient of NH3 + with H2, producing NH4 +, is increasing with decreasing temperature from 80 K down to 15 K, confirming predicted mechanism of tunneling through a potential barrier. Reaction of NH+ + H was studied using a combination of the 22-pole...

Polarization is a powerful tool for understanding stellar atmospheres and circumstellar environments. Mira and semi-regular variable stars have been observed for decades and some are known to be polarimetrically variable, however, the semi-regular variable V Canes Venatici displays an unusually large, unexplained amount of polarization. We present ten years of optical polarization observations obtained with the HPOL instrument, supplemented by published observations spanning a total interval of about forty years for V CVn. We find that V CVn shows large polarization variations ranging from 1 - 6%. We also find that for the past forty years the position angle measured for V CVn has been virtually constant suggesting a long-term, stable, asymmetric structure about the star. We suggest that this asymmetry is caused by the presence of a stellar wind bow shock and tail, consistent with the star's large space velocity.

We present an overview of four deep phase-constrained Chandra HETGS X-ray observations of δ Ori A. Delta Ori A is actually a triple system that includes the nearest massive eclipsing spectroscopic binary, δ Ori Aa, the only such object that can be observed with little phase-smearing with the Chandra gratings. Since the fainter star, δ Ori Aa2, has a much lower X-ray luminosity than the brighter primary (δ Ori Aa1), δ Ori Aa provides a unique system with which to test the spatial distribution of the X-ray emitting gas around δ Ori Aa1 via occultation by the photosphere of, and wind cavity around, the X-ray dark secondary. Here we discuss the X-ray spectrum and X-ray line profiles for the combined observation, having an exposure time of nearly 500 ks and covering nearly the entire binary orbit. The companion papers discuss the X-ray variability seen in the Chandra spectra, present new space-based photometry and ground-based radial velocities obtained simultaneously with the X-ray data to better constrain the system parameters, and model the effects of X-rays on the optical and UV spectra. We find that the X-ray emission is dominated by embedded wind shock emission from star Aa1, with little contribution from the tertiary star Ab or the shocked gas produced by the collision of the wind of Aa1 against the surface of Aa2. We find a similar temperature distribution to previous X-ray spectrum analyses. We also show that the line half-widths are about 0.3−0.5 times the terminal velocity of the wind of star Aa1. We find a strong anti-correlation between line widths and the line excitation energy, which suggests that longer-wavelength, lower-temperature lines form farther out in the wind. Our analysis also indicates that the ratio of the intensities of the strong and weak lines of Fe XVII and Ne X are inconsistent with model predictions, which may be an effect of resonance scattering.

Line ratios in "fir" triplets of helium-like ions have proven to be a powerful diagnostic of conditions in X-ray emitting gas surrounding massive stars. Recent observations indicate that these ratios can be variable with time. The possible causes of variation in line ratios are limited: changes in the radiation field or changes in density, and changes in mass-loss or geometry. In this paper, we investigate the ability of changes in the radiation field to induce variability in the ratio R=f/i. To isolate the radiative effect, we use a heuristic model of temperature and radius changes in variable stars in the B and O range with low-density, steady-state winds. We model the changes in emissivity of X-ray emitting gas close to the star due to differences in level-pumping from available UV photons at the location of the gas. We find that under these conditions, variability in R is dominated by the stellar temperature. Although the relative amplitude of variability is roughly comparable for most lines at most temperatures, detectable variations are limited to a few lines for each spectral type. We predict that variable values in R due to stellar variability must follow predictable trends found in our simulations. Our model uses radial pulsations as a mode of stellar variability that maximizes the amplitude of variation in R. This model is robust enough to show which ions will provide the best opportunity for observing variability in the f/i ratio at different stellar temperatures, and the correlation of that variability with other observable parameters. In real systems, the effects would be more complex than in our model, with differences in phase and suppressed amplitude in the presence of non-radial pulsations. This suggests that changes in R across many lines concurrently are not likely to be produced by a variable radiation field.