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Yolanda Gómez
Yolanda Gómez Castellanos (1962–2012) was a Mexican astronomer who studied interstellar clouds including planetary nebulae and compact H II regions. She became known for the discovery of water vapor through emissions from astrophysical masers associated with OH/IR stars and planetary nebulae, evidence for the extremely recent formation of the associated nebula. Life Gómez was born in Mexico City, in 1962. She studied physics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), earning a bachelor's degree in 1985 and completing her doctorate in 1990. After postdoctoral research at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, she became a researcher at UNAM in 1993, first in the Institute of Astronomy and after 2001 as a founding member of the Center for Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Morelia campus of UNAM. She died on 16 February 2012. Recognition Gómez was a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences The Mexican Academy of Sciences ''(Academia Mexica ...
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Interstellar Cloud
An interstellar cloud is an accumulation of gas, plasma, and cosmic dust in galaxies. Put differently, an interstellar cloud is a denser-than-average region of the interstellar medium, the matter and radiation that exists in the space between the star systems in a galaxy. Depending on the density, size, and temperature of a given cloud, its hydrogen can be neutral, making an H I region; ionized, or plasma making it an H II region; or molecular, which are referred to simply as molecular clouds, or sometime dense clouds. Neutral and ionized clouds are sometimes also called ''diffuse clouds''. An interstellar cloud is formed by the gas and dust particles from a red giant in its later life. Chemical compositions The chemical composition of interstellar clouds is determined by studying electromagnetic radiation that they emanate, and we receive – from radio waves through visible light, to gamma rays on the electromagnetic spectrum – that we receive from them. Large radio tele ...
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Planetary Nebula
A planetary nebula is a type of emission nebula consisting of an expanding, glowing shell of ionized gas ejected from red giant stars late in their lives. The term "planetary nebula" is a misnomer because they are unrelated to planets. The term originates from the planet-like round shape of these nebulae observed by astronomers through early telescopes. The first usage may have occurred during the 1780s with the English astronomer William Herschel who described these nebulae as resembling planets; however, as early as January 1779, the French astronomer Antoine Darquier de Pellepoix described in his observations of the Ring Nebula, "very dim but perfectly outlined; it is as large as Jupiter and resembles a fading planet". Though the modern interpretation is different, the old term is still used. All planetary nebulae form at the end of the life of a star of intermediate mass, about 1-8 solar masses. It is expected that the Sun will form a planetary nebula at the end of i ...
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H II Region
An H II region is a region of interstellar atomic hydrogen that is ionized. It is typically in a molecular cloud of partially ionized gas in which star formation has recently taken place, with a size ranging from one to hundreds of light years, and density from a few to about a million particles per cubic centimetre. The Orion Nebula, now known to be an H II region, was observed in 1610 by Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc by telescope, the first such object discovered. The regions may be of any shape because the distribution of the stars and gas inside them is irregular. The short-lived blue stars created in these regions emit copious amounts of ultraviolet light that ionize the surrounding gas. H II regions—sometimes several hundred light-years across—are often associated with giant molecular clouds. They often appear clumpy and filamentary, sometimes showing intricate shapes such as the Horsehead Nebula. H II regions may give birth to thousands of stars ...
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Water Vapor
Water vapor, water vapour, or aqueous vapor is the gaseous phase of Properties of water, water. It is one Phase (matter), state of water within the hydrosphere. Water vapor can be produced from the evaporation or boiling of liquid water or from the Sublimation (phase transition), sublimation of ice. Water vapor is transparent, like most constituents of the atmosphere. Under typical atmospheric conditions, water vapor is continuously generated by evaporation and removed by condensation. It is less dense than most of the other constituents of air and triggers convection currents that can lead to clouds and fog. Being a component of Earth's hydrosphere and hydrologic cycle, it is particularly abundant in Earth's atmosphere, where it acts as a greenhouse gas and warming feedback, contributing more to total greenhouse effect than non-condensable gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Use of water vapor, as steam, has been important for cooking, and as a major component in energy prod ...
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Astrophysical Maser
An astrophysical maser is a naturally occurring source of Stimulated emission, stimulated spectral line emission, typically in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This emission may arise in molecular clouds, comets, planetary atmospheres, stellar atmospheres, or various other conditions in interstellar space. Background Discrete transition energy Like a laser, the emission from a maser is Stimulated emission, stimulated (or ''seeded'') and monochromatic, having the frequency Max Planck, corresponding to the energy difference between two Quantum mechanics, quantum-mechanical energy levels of the species in the gain medium which have been Laser pumping, pumped into a Statistical mechanics, non-thermal Population inversion, population distribution. However, naturally occurring masers lack the resonance, resonant Cavity resonator, cavity engineered for terrestrial laboratory masers. The emission from an astrophysical maser is due to a single pass through the gain ...
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OH/IR Star
__notoc__ An OH/IR star is an asymptotic giant branch (AGB), a red supergiant (RSG), or a red hypergiant (RHG) star that shows strong OH maser emission and is unusually bright at near-infrared wavelengths. In the very late stages of AGB evolution, a star develops a ''super-wind'' with extreme mass loss. The gas in the stellar wind condenses as it cools away from the star, forming molecules such as water (H2O) and silicon monoxide (SiO). This can form grains of dust, mostly silicates, which obscure the star at shorter wavelengths, leading to a strong infrared source. Hydroxyl (OH) radicals can be produced by photodissociation or collisional dissociation. H2O and OH can both be pumped to produce maser emission. OH masers in particular can give rise to a powerful maser action at 1612 MHz and this is regarded as a defining feature of the OH/IR stars. Many other AGB stars, such as Mira variables, show weaker OH masers at other wavelengths, such as 1667MHz or 22MHz. Examples ...
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National Autonomous University Of Mexico
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public university, public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countries. It also has 34 research institutes, 26 museums, and 18 historic sites. A portion of (University City), UNAM's main campus in Mexico City, is a UNESCO World Heritage site that was designed and decorated by some of Mexico's best-known architects and painters. The campus hosted the main events of the 1968 Summer Olympics, and was the birthplace of the Mexican Movement of 1968, student movement of 1968. All Mexican Nobel laureates have been alumni of UNAM. In 2009, the university was awarded the Princess of Asturias Awards, Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities. More than 25% of the total scientific papers published by Mexican academics come from researchers at UNAM. UNAM was founded in its modern form, on 22 Septemb ...
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Harvard–Smithsonian Center For Astrophysics
The Center for Astrophysics , Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), previously known as the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, is an astrophysics research institute jointly operated by the Harvard College Observatory and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, the CfA leads a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics, Earth and space sciences, as well as science education. The CfA either leads or participates in the development and operations of more than fifteen ground- and space-based astronomical research observatories across the electromagnetic spectrum, including the forthcoming Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of NASA's Great Observatories. Hosting more than 850 scientists, engineers, and support staff, the CfA is among the largest astronomical research institutes in the world. Its projects have included Nobel Prize-winning advances in cosmolog ...
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Mexican Academy Of Sciences
The Mexican Academy of Sciences ''(Academia Mexicana de Ciencias)'' is a non-profit organization comprising over 1800 distinguished Mexico, Mexican scientists, attached to various institutions in the country, as well as a number of eminent foreign colleagues, including various Nobel Prize winners. The organization, which encompasses exact and natural sciences as well as the social sciences and humanities, is founded on the belief that education, based on the truth of scientific knowledge, is the only means, in the short and long term, of achieving the development of the Mexican spirit and national sovereignty. The Academia is an open forum of discussion, criticism and respectful confrontation of ideas and models, but above all, of tolerance and agreement. Its strength lies in the commitment and work of its members and, by its very nature, it constitutes an ideal sphere for the independent, multidisciplinary analysis of the country's reality. Through its programs, the Academia und ...
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Sor Juana Inés De La Cruz Recognition
Sor or SOR may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * School of Rock, 2003 film starring Jack Black * Shades of Rhythm, a British based rave music group * Son of Rambow, 2008 film starring Bill Milner and Will Poulter * Sor, Serdar Ortaç song * Streets of Rage (series), a popular beat 'em up series developed by Sega Geography * Sor, Ariège, a French commune * Sor, Azerbaijan, a village * Sor (geomorphology), a kind of drainless depression with a salt marsh or intermittent lake in the Kazakh language * Sor, Senegal, an offshore island * Sor River, a river in the Oromio region, Ethiopia * Sor Mañón (also known as ''Sor River''), any of a number of rivers in Galicia, Spain * Sorsogon, Philippines, a province ( ISO sub-national code SOR) People * Sean O'Rourke, Irish broadcaster and journalist * Fernando Sor (1778–1839), Spanish guitarist and composer * Yira Sor (born 2000), Nigerian footballer Science and technology * Starfire Optical Range * Steam to oil rat ...
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Mexican Astronomers
Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people of the Valley of Mexico ** Being related to the State of Mexico, one of the 32 federal entities of Mexico ** Culture of Mexico *** Mexican cuisine *** historical synonym of Nahuatl, language of the Nahua people (including the Mexica) Arts and entertainment * "The Mexican" (short story), by Jack London * "The Mexican" (song), by the band Babe Ruth * Regional Mexican, a Latin music radio format Films * ''The Mexican'' (1918 film), a German silent film * ''The Mexican'' (1955 film), a Soviet film by Vladimir Kaplunovsky based on the Jack London story, starring Georgy Vitsin * ''The Mexican'', a 2001 American comedy film directed by Gore Verbinski, starring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts Other uses * USS ''Mexican'' (ID-1655), United State ...
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