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1. Identifying the Coronal Source Regions of Solar Wind Streams from Total Solar Eclipse Observations and in situ Measurements Extending over a Solar Cycle

   Habbal, S. R. ; Druckmuller, M. ( April 2021 , The astrophysical journal)

   This Letter capitalizes on a unique set of total solar eclipse observations, acquired between 2006 and 2020, in white light, \ion[Fe xi] 789.2 nm (\Tfexi\ = $1.2 \pm 0.1$ MK) and \ion[Fe xiv] 530.3 nm (\Tfexiv\ = $ 1.8 \pm 0.1$ MK) emission. They are complemented by \insitu\ Fe charge state and proton speed measurements from ACE/SWEPAM-SWICS, to identify the source regions of different solar wind streams. The eclipse observations reveal the ubiquitous presence of open structures throughout the corona, invariably associated with \ion[Fe xi] emission from $\rm Fe^{10+}$, thus revealing a constant electron temperature, \Tc\ = \Tfexi\, in themore »expanding corona. The \insitu\ Fe charge states are found to cluster around $\rm Fe^{10+}$, independently of the 300 to 700 km $\rm s^{-1}$ stream speeds, referred to as the continual solar wind. $\rm Fe^{10+}$ thus yields the fiducial link between the continual solar wind and its \Tfexi\ sources at the Sun. While the spatial distribution of \ion[Fe xiv] emission, from $\rm Fe^{13+}$, associated with streamers, changes throughout the solar cycle, the sporadic appearance of charge states $> \rm Fe^{11+}$, \insitu, exhibits no cycle dependence regardless of speed. These latter streams are conjectured to be released from hot coronal plasmas at temperatures $\ge \rm $ \Tfexiv\ within the bulge of streamers and from active regions, driven by the dynamic behavior of prominences magnetically linked to them. The discovery of continual streams of slow, intermediate and fast solar wind, characterized by the same \Tfexi\ in the expanding corona, places new constraints on the physical processes shaping the solar wind.« less
2. UVES analysis of red giants in the bulge globular cluster NGC 6522

   Barbuy, B ; Cantelli, E ; Muniz, L ; Souza, S.~O ; Chiappini, C ; Hirschi, R ; Cescutti, G ; Pignatari, M ; Ortolani, S ; Kerber, L ; et al ( July 2021 , ArXivorg)

   Context. NGC 6522 is a moderately metal-poor bulge globular cluster ([Fe/H]∼−1.0), and it is a well-studied representative among a number of moderately metal-poor blue horizontal branch clusters located in the bulge. The NGC 6522 abundance pattern can give hints on the earliest chemical enrichment in the central Galaxy. Aims. The aim of this study is to derive abundances of the light elements C and N; alpha elements O, Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti; odd-Z elements Na and Al; neutron-capture elements Y, Zr, Ba, La, and Nd; and the r-process element Eu. We verify if there are first- and second-generation stars:more »we find clear evidence of Na-Al, Na-N, and Mg-Al correlations, while we cannot identify the Na-O anti-correlation from our data. Methods. High-resolution spectra of six red giants in the bulge globular cluster NGC 6522 were obtained at the 8m VLT UT2-Kueyen telescope with both the UVES and GIRAFFE spectrographs in FLAMES+UVES configuration. In light of Gaia data, it turned out that two of them are non-members, but these were also analysed. Spectroscopic parameters were derived through the excitation and ionisation equilibrium of Fe i and Fe ii lines from UVES spectra. The abundances were obtained with spectrum synthesis. Comparisons of abundances derived from UVES and GIRAFFE spectra were carried out. Results. The present analysis combined with previous UVES results gives a mean radial velocity of vhel = −15.62±7.7 km s−1 and a r metallicity of [Fe/H] = −1.05±0.20 for NGC 6522. Mean abundances of alpha elements for the present four member stars are enhanced with [O/Fe]=+0.38, [Mg/Fe]=≈+0.28, [Si/Fe]≈+0.19, and [Ca/Fe]≈+0.13, together with the iron-peak element [Ti/Fe]≈+0.13, and the r-process element [Eu/Fe]=+0.40. The neutron-capture elements Y, Zr, Ba, and La show enhancements in the +0.08 < [Y/Fe] < +0.90, 0.11 < [Zr/Fe] < +0.50, 0.00 < [Ba/Fe] < +0.63, 0.00 < [La/Fe] < +0.45, and -0.10 < [Nd/Fe] < +0.70 ranges. We also discuss the spread in heavy-element abundances.« less
3. Unraveling Fe(II)-Oxidizing Mechanisms in a Facultative Fe(II) Oxidizer, Sideroxydans lithotrophicus Strain ES-1, via Culturing, Transcriptomics, and Reverse Transcription-Quantitative PCR

   https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01595-21  

   Zhou, Nanqing ; Keffer, Jessica L. ; Polson, Shawn W. ; Chan, Clara S. ( January 2022 , Applied and Environmental Microbiology)

   Buan, Nicole R. (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Sideroxydans lithotrophicus ES-1 grows autotrophically either by Fe(II) oxidation or by thiosulfate oxidation, in contrast to most other isolates of neutrophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB). This provides a unique opportunity to explore the physiology of a facultative FeOB and constrain the genes specific to Fe(II) oxidation. We compared the growth of S. lithotrophicus ES-1 on Fe(II), thiosulfate, and both substrates together. While initial growth rates were similar, thiosulfate-grown cultures had higher yield with or without Fe(II) present, which may give ES-1 an advantage over obligate FeOB. To investigate the Fe(II) and S oxidation pathways, we conducted transcriptomics experiments, validated withmore »reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). We explored the long-term gene expression response at different growth phases (over days to a week) and expression changes during a short-term switch from thiosulfate to Fe(II) (90 min). The dsr and sox sulfur oxidation genes were upregulated in thiosulfate cultures. The Fe(II) oxidase gene cyc2 was among the top expressed genes during both Fe(II) and thiosulfate oxidation, and addition of Fe(II) to thiosulfate-grown cells caused an increase in cyc2 expression. These results support the role of Cyc2 as the Fe(II) oxidase and suggest that ES-1 maintains readiness to oxidize Fe(II), even in the absence of Fe(II). We used gene expression profiles to further constrain the ES-1 Fe(II) oxidation pathway. Notably, among the most highly upregulated genes during Fe(II) oxidation were genes for alternative complex III, reverse electron transport, and carbon fixation. This implies a direct connection between Fe(II) oxidation and carbon fixation, suggesting that CO 2 is an important electron sink for Fe(II) oxidation. IMPORTANCE Neutrophilic FeOB are increasingly observed in various environments, but knowledge of their ecophysiology and Fe(II) oxidation mechanisms is still relatively limited. Sideroxydans isolates are widely observed in aquifers, wetlands, and sediments, and genome analysis suggests metabolic flexibility contributes to their success. The type strain ES-1 is unusual among neutrophilic FeOB isolates, as it can grow on either Fe(II) or a non-Fe(II) substrate, thiosulfate. Almost all our knowledge of neutrophilic Fe(II) oxidation pathways comes from genome analyses, with some work on metatranscriptomes. This study used culture-based experiments to test the genes specific to Fe(II) oxidation in a facultative FeOB and refine our model of the Fe(II) oxidation pathway. We gained insight into how facultative FeOB like ES-1 connect Fe, S, and C biogeochemical cycling in the environment and suggest a multigene indicator would improve understanding of Fe(II) oxidation activity in environments with facultative FeOB.« less
4. Probing the bioavailability of dissolved iron to marine eukaryotic phytoplankton using in situ single cell iron quotas

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB006979  

   Shaked, Yeala ; Twining, Benjamin S. ; Tagliabue, Alessandro ; Maldonado, Maria. T. ( July 2021 , Global Biogeochemical Cycles)

   null (Ed.)

   We present a new approach for quantifying the bioavailability of dissolved iron (dFe) to oceanic phytoplankton. Bioavailability is defined using an uptake rate constant (kin-app) computed by combining data on: i) Fe content of individual in situ phytoplankton cells; ii) concurrently-determined seawater dFe concentrations; and iii) growth rates estimated from the PISCES model. We examined 930 phytoplankton cells, collected between 2002-2016 from 45 surface stations during 11 research cruises. This approach is only valid for cells that have upregulated their high-affinity Fe uptake system, so data was screened, yielding 560 single cell kin-app values from 31 low-Fe stations. We normalizedmore »kin-app to cell surface area (S.A.) to account for cell-size differences. The resulting bioavailability proxy (kin-app/S.A.) varies among cells, but all values are within bioavailability limits predicted from defined Fe complexes. In situ dFe bioavailability is higher than model Fe-siderophore complexes and often approaches that of highly-available inorganic Fe´. Station averaged kin-app/S.A. are also variable but show no systematic changes across location, temperature, dFe, and phytoplankton taxa. Given the relative consistency of kin-app/S.A. among stations (ca. 5-fold variation), we computed a grand-averaged dFe availability, which upon normalization to cell carbon (C) yields kin-app/C of 42,200 ± 11,000 L mol C-1 d-1. We utilize kin-app/C to calculate dFe uptake rates and residence times in low Fe oceanic regions. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of kin-app/C for constraining Fe uptake rates in earth system models, such as those predicting climate mediated changes in net primary production in the Fe-limited Equatorial Pacific.« less
5. X-ray diffraction and density functional theory studies of R(Fe0.5Co0.5)O3 (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd)

   https://doi.org/10.1017/S088571561600049X  

   Wong-Ng, W. ; Liu, G. ; Levin, I. ; Williamson, I. ; Ackerman, P. ; Talley, K. R. ; Martin, J. ; AlHamdan, K. ; Badegaish, W. ; Kaduk, J. A. ; et al ( December 2016 , Powder Diffraction)

   The structure of a series of lanthanide iron cobalt perovskite oxides, R (Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 )O 3 ( R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd), have been investigated. The space group of these compounds was confirmed to be orthorhombic Pnma (No. 62), Z = 4. From Pr to Gd, the lattice parameter a varies from 5.466 35(13) Å to 5.507 10(13) Å, b from 7.7018(2) to 7.561 75(13) Å, c from 5.443 38(10) to 5.292 00(8) Å, and unit-cell volume V from 229.170(9) Å 3 to 220.376(9) Å 3 , respectively. While the trend of V follows themore »trend of the lanthanide contraction, the lattice parameter “ a ” increases as the ionic radius r ( R 3+ ) decreases. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy confirm that Fe and Co are disordered over the octahedral sites. The structure distortion of these compounds is evidenced in the tilt angles θ, ϕ , and ω , which represent rotations of an octahedron about the pseudocubic perovskite [110] p , [001] p , and [111] p axes. All three tilt angles increase across the lanthanide series (for R = Pr to R = Gd: θ increases from 12.3° to 15.2°, ϕ from 7.5° to 15.8°, and ω from 14.4° to 21.7°), indicating a greater octahedral distortion as r ( R 3+ ) decreases. The bond valence sum for the sixfold (Fe/Co) site and the eightfold R site of R (Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 )O 3 reveal no significant bond strain. Density Functional Theory calculations for Pr(Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 )O 3 support the disorder of Fe and Co and suggest that this compound to be a narrow band gap semiconductor. XRD patterns of the R (Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 )O 3 samples were submitted to the Powder Diffraction File.« less