Faint Radio Signals Reveal Secrets of Failed Stars

Failed stars can emit detectable radio waves at much cooler temperatures than previously expected, according to new research.

The discovery could help astronomers understand how these so-called "brown dwarfs" generate a magnetic field. Some scientists think a faster rotation makes the magnetic field stronger.

 

"We don’t really understand what [the magnetic fields] are shaped like, or whether they're steady, or come and go," said Peter Williams, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., and the lead author of a paper announcing the find submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The new research is based on only two hours of observations of one brown dwarf star. However, Williams said much of the groundwork came from another science team that did a survey of brown dwarfs this summer. It was from this work that Williams' team selected its target: 2MASS J10475385+2124234, a brown dwarf more than 33 light-years away in the constellation Leo.

The dwarf, which is too tiny to fuse atoms togetheras a star does, has a surface temperature of just 1,160 Fahrenheit (900 Kelvin). This is more than six times cooler than the surface of Earth's sun. [Video: Planets Around Brown Dwarfs]

Flares of radio waves

The scientists turned their attention to the brown dwarf after looking at research from Pennsylvania State University searching for radio flares from several brown dwarfs.

It isn't clear what causes these flares, Williams said, but they could be similar to auroras seen on Jupiter. While Earth auroras are caused by solar particles hitting the magnetosphere, Jupiter's lights are linked to its rapid rotation, among other factors. Since brown dwarfs are comparable in size to Jupiter, the brown dwarf flare mechanisms might arise similarly.

J1047+21, as it's known in its short form, was first examined using the huge, fixed radio dish at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Because that dish can't move, the Pennsylvania astronomers were forced to observe it for only two hours at a time. In several observations, they noted flares of radio activity.

Williams' team at Harvard, intrigued by the find, wondered if the dwarf might give off radio waves in between the flares. They decided to use J1047+21 to test out the capabilities of the recently refurbished Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) of telescopes.

The $94-million project, completed in 2012, represented a big leap in capabilities for the 1980s-era array in New Mexico. Analog recorders were swapped out for digital, and the receivers inside the antennas were upgraded to make them at least 10 times more powerful.

Seeking a cycle

The radio waves emanating from J1047+21, the Harvard team found, are about 4.5 times fainter than the previous record, which was achieved observing an object known as LPP 944-20. (Fainter radio sources have been observed, but this is the faintest yet known for a brown dwarf.)

The researchers did not detect any radio flares — in contrast to what the Pennsylvania scientists found. They didn't really expect they would see the flares — "it would have been a lucky coincidence if we had," Williams said.

A priority for further research, Williams said, would be to observe J1047+21 for a longer period than two hours to determine if there is a cycle for its flare activity.

"We’ve been discovering brown dwarfs that are smaller and smaller, cooler and cooler, fainter and fainter," added Williams, whose research focuses on low-mass stars and brown dwarfs.

This discovery, he said, was only possible due to the capabilities of the upgraded VLA. Williams therefore anticipated that the record could be shattered again soon.

"There could be a lot more of this coming along," he said, adding that more observations in general "will help us learn more about the physics that drive these extremely faint objects."

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Lost Civilization Beneath The Indian Ocean

Archaeologists believe there are ruins of an ancient lost civilization beneath the waters of the Indian Ocean.

Evidence suggest humans lived in the area in and around the Persian Gulf Oasis for over 100,000 years before the region was swallowed up by the Indian Ocean about 8,000 years ago.

Jeffrey Rose, an archaeologist and researcher with the University of Birmingham in the U.K believes that humans may have established permanent settlements in the region thousands of years before current migration models suppose.

Scientists have collected evidence that indicate a wave of human settlements along the shores of the Gulf dating to about 7,500 years ago.

"Where before there had been but a handful of scattered hunting camps, suddenly, over 60 new archaeological sites appear virtually overnight," Rose said. "These settlements boast well-built, permanent stone houses, long-distance trade networks, elaborately decorated pottery, domesticated animals, and even evidence for one of the oldest boats in the world." Rose thins that evidence of preceding populations is missing because it is under the Gulf. "Perhaps it is no coincidence that the founding of such remarkably well developed communities along the shoreline corresponds with the flooding of the Persian Gulf basin around 8,000 years ago," Rose said.

"These new colonists may have come from the heart of the Gulf, displaced by rising water levels that plunged the once fertile landscape beneath the waters of the Indian Ocean."

Historical sea level data show that, prior to the flood, the Gulf basin would have been above water beginning about 75,000 years ago. And it would have been an ideal refuge from the harsh deserts surrounding it, with fresh water supplied by the Tigris, Euphrates, Karun, and Wadi Baton Rivers, as well as by underground springs.

When conditions were at their driest in the surrounding hinterlands, the Gulf Oasis would have been at its largest in terms of exposed land area. At its peak, the exposed basin would have been about the size of Great Britain, Rose says.

Evidence is also emerging that modern humans could have been in the region even before the oasis was above water.

Recently discovered archaeological sites in Yemen and Oman have yielded a stone tool style that is distinct from the East African tradition.

An ancient lost civilization may exist benetah the Indian Ocean. Image Credit: NASA

That raises the possibility that humans were established on the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula beginning as far back as 100,000 years ago or more, Rose says. That is far earlier than the estimates generated by several recent migration models, which place the first successful migration into Arabia between 50,000 and 70,000 years ago.

The Gulf Oasis would have been available to these early migrants, and would have provided "a sanctuary throughout the Ice Ages when much of the region was rendered uninhabitable due to hyperaridity," Rose said.

"The presence of human groups in the oasis fundamentally alters our understanding of human emergence and cultural evolution in the ancient Near East."

It also hints that vital pieces of the human evolutionary puzzle may be hidden in the depths of the Persian Gulf.

If we could explore the depths of the Indian Ocean, we might find the ruins of the ancient lost civilizations that inhabited this region in the past.

MessageToEagle.com based on material provided by the University of Chicago 

 source  MessageToEagle.com

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World's Most Expensive Homes

1. Antilla, Mumbai
Price - $1 billion

The gizmo-filled posh pad, named "Antilla", claimed to be most expensive home till date, is a 27-story, 40,000 sq/ft tower that belongs to the head of Mumbai-based petrochemical giant Reliance Industries. The building will stand 570-ft tall above the ground and will have 400,000 sq. ft. of interior space. The home has six stories of parking space alone after which the living quarters with nine elevators and a host of storage rooms and lounges begin. Mostly glass, it has a staff of 600 servants, but at the rate this palatial home is getting blinged out, we won’t be entirely surprised if the number increased by a couple of hundreds more! This house is claimed as most expensive home for , the budget of this construction is some where around $1billion.










2. Villa Leopolda, Cote D’Azur, France

 

Price - $506 million
Villa Leopolda , second most expensive home after Antilla, situated on the French Riviera and built on 29,000 square feet of interior space that opens to manicured lawns and a swimming pool, it also has 11 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. The house is not only known to have the best sea views in the south of France, but it also sits on 10 acres of immaculate grounds that run right down to the resort of Villefranche. Originally built for Belgian king Leopold's mistresses, this house has been a den of big shots like late banking magnate Edmund Safra, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Fiat tycoon Gianni Agnelli. The second most expensive home costs for $506million.

3. The Penthouse, London


Price - $200 million
The most expensive flat in the world, at £6,000 per sq/ft sits atop the 82 other apartments at the famous Number One Hyde Park address. Guarded by the SAS, with special features such a panic rooms, bulletproof windows, iris scanners and even a secret tunnel to the nearby Mandarin Hotel, the apartment is the biggest of all the luxury flats in the ambitious One Hyde Park. The building boasts communal spas, squash courts and even wine tasting rooms! This plush apartment will have 24-hour room service despite the floor to ceiling refrigerators. This most expensive flat or call it a home, costs for about $200million.

4. Fairfield Pond, The Hamptons

 
Price - $170 million
Fair Field, the Ira Rennert Estate, is named after Fairfield Pond, which is adjacent to the property. Located on 63 acres, the main home consists of 66,000 square feet, with additional outbuildings bringing the total living space to over 100,000 square feet. Italianate in design, there are 29 bedrooms, 39 bathrooms, squash and tennis courts and numerous other amenities. This expensive but luxurious home would cost you about $170million.

5. Hearst Mansion, Beverly Hills

 
Price - $165 million
This prestigious Beverly Hills mansion, which was once home of the US newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, has 6 separate residences, 3 swimming pools, eight fireplaces, a tennis court, a nightclub and 29 bedrooms, all spread across over 6 acres of land in a famed Beverly Hills environ called the Platinum Triangle. The nationally recognized home was then bought by lawyer and investor Leonard Ross in 1976, who wants a “lifestyle change.” Buying this would make you the owner of most expensive real estate in the US and moreover, you would become the next door neighbor to Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and David and Victoria Beckham.


6. Franchuk Villa, Kensington

 
Price - $161 million
This six-story property in Belgravia, central London, has 20-foot ceilings, luxurious fixtures and more than 21,000 square feet of living space. Along with Candy Spelling’s Holmby Hills mansion, this white-stucco-fronted house at No. 10 Belgrave Square, owned by Lebanese developer Musa Salem, is now the most expensive home on the market in the world. Mr. Salem bought this property many years back on a long lease from the Grosvenor Estate, with a condition to restore the house to full Victorian glory. The lavish amenities include an indoor swimming pool in the basement, a gym, a home theater, a garage room, a news house and much more. Franchuk Villa is considered as sixth most expensive home for the total budget involved about $161million

7. The Pinnacle, Montana

 
Price - $155 million
This luxury ski-lodge is to be the largest property in the exclusive billionaires-only private ski and golf community, “Yellowstone Club.” Naturally then, it will be the home of the owners of this elite group, Tim and Edra Blixseth. While not considered big compared to others on this list with only 10 bedrooms, this expensive home will include heated flooring throughout the house that stretches all the way to the heated driveway, as well as fireplaces in all bathrooms, a huge wine cellar, an indoor/outdoor pool, gym and massage room.

8. Spelling Manor, Los Angeles

 

 

Price - $85 million
British billionaire and F1 Chief Bernie’s daughter, Petra Ecclestone owns this Spelling Manor, situated at the Holmby hills, in Los Angeles, California. Petra bought this home for $85 million, far less than its listed price of $150 million, but it still made for a record breaking real estate deal.This French chateau-style mansion was built in 1991, and was earlier belonged to a television producer Aaron Spelling. It has 5,248 square meters of space on more than 4.6 acres and is also the largest private home in Los Angeles County. The house is enormously built on the three lavish story and is built on a stylish French château-style. The Spelling Manor has 14 bedrooms and 27 bathrooms in total including a gift-wrapping room, a bowling alley, a beauty salon and parking for 100 cars. The main Spelling house is located at the end of a long driveway and is protected by a security system. Other luxurious amenities include a bowling alley, a gift-wrapping room, a humidity-controlled silver storage room, tennis courts, two swimming pools, barber shop and beauty salon on attic, a spa, an 18th Century-style garden, rooftop garden, a citrus orchard and a parking space for over 100 cars. The screening room is also one of the major highlights, where a projector emerges from the floor at the click of a button as shades cover the windows.


9. Updown Court, Windlesham, Surrey


Price - $139 million
Built on a huge 58-acre estate amid the lavish surroundings of Windlesham, this expensive and massive structure features 103 rooms plus everything that can be described as magnificence and richness to the core. The uptown court offers a bowling alley and a private cinema for your recreation, stables if you love horses and squash and tennis courts to hit some shots when you want to relax. Apart from this, a heated marble driveway awaits you every morning together with a parking space big enough to accommodate eight limousines. This stands ninth in the list of most expensive home.

10. Dracula’s Castle, Romania

Price - $135 million

The last but not the least, Dracula’s Castle of Romania stands tenth in the list of most expensive home. This house is built on 200 ft. tall rock, the castle has 57 inviting rooms, courtyard and underground passages. It is said that Prince Vlad the Impaler, the ferocious warlord who inspired Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” character, lived in this castle for one night in 1400s. Digging a bit deep into the past, the Bran castle is believed to be originally built as a stronghold by the Teutonic Knights in 1212. From 1920 to 1948, the castle became the residence of royal family. Presently, the historical castle is operating as a museum of medieval arts and about 450,000 people visit the castle every year. And yes, do remember that you will be greeted by bats flying around the ramparts at twilight.

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The world's largest ship

Construction of the world’s largest ship is picking up speed. Recently, the very first propeller was loaded onto a Maersk Line container ship in Hamburg bound for the DSME shipyard in South Korea. The shipyard will build all 20 of the Triple-E vessels, the first to be delivered in July 2013. 

With a diameter of 10m and a weight of about 70 tons, the giant, four-bladed propeller for the first Triple-E was loaded onto Maersk Salalah. Two of these propellers will provide the thrust for the 400-metre-long Triple-E’s.

Instead of one large six-blade propeller, like the one seen on the left in the photo, research at Maersk Maritime Technology has concluded that the Triple-E’s will be more energy efficient with two four-bladed propellers. 

Manufactured by Mecklenburger Metallguss GmbH (MMG) in Germany, the propellers are cast in moulds with 500 tonnes of weight placed on top to counter the buoyancy of alloy as hot as 1,190-degree Celsius. 

The construction of ten Triple-E vessels, each capable of carrying 18,000 twenty foot containers, will put Maersk Line at the helm of change. The size and capacity of these vessels, at 400 metres long and 59 metres wide, will help reduce energy consumption and lower CO2 emissions.

Facts at a glance:
• A Triple-E class vessel is equipped with a waste heat recovery system, saving up to 10% of main engine power. This equals the average annual electrical consumption of 5,000 European households.
• The Triple-E class travels 184 kilometres using 1 kWh of energy per ton of cargo, whereas a jumbo jet travels half a kilometre using the same amount of energy per ton of cargo.
• The vessel can carry 18,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEU). If all these containers were to be put on a train - it would need to be 110 km long - and if they were put on top of each other they would almost reach beyond the stratosphere (47 km).

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