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Astronomers Observe Collision of Galaxies, Formation of Larger Clusters

Written by David McAlary for VOANews

Sep 27, 2004 at 04:20 AM

An international team of astronomers has obtained the clearest images yet of the merger of two distant clusters of galaxies, calling it one of the most powerful cosmic events ever witnessed. The merging clusters bring together thousands of galaxies and trillions of stars into a single, bigger cluster, perhaps destined to merge yet again someday. Such a merger is the eventual fate of our own Milky Way.

Cosmic Head On Collision - This animation details what the scientists are calling the perfect cosmic storm: galaxy clusters that collided like two high-pressure weather fronts and created hurricane-like conditions, tossing galaxies far from their paths and churning shock waves of 100-million-degree gas through intergalactic space. In the bottom animation, tiny dots represent galaxies, each containing billions of stars. The top animation shows only inter-cluster gas; most of the cluster's mass is "free" gas, not galaxies. Credit: NASA

Astronomers see clumps of galaxies everywhere in the sky. Yet they know that at the beginning of time, the universe was relatively smooth. There were no galaxies or even stars, only diffuse gas. They believe that over the ages, gravity brought the gas molecules together into brighter, warmer places that continued to attract matter until the first stars formed within the first several hundred thousand years. Stars are thought to have eventually gathered into galaxies, large gas clouds containing billions of stars.

University of Michigan astronomer August Evrard says the process continued to blend individual star clouds together into bigger clusters, becoming the most massive structures in the universe. "Just as wispy clouds formed in the morning can merge by afternoon into a huge cumulus thunderhead, so small clouds that assembled early in the history of the universe that might contain one galaxy merged together to create larger ones containing many hundreds of galaxies by today," he said.

The process continues. In the Astrophysics Journal, astronomers describe the current merger of a large galaxy cluster named Abell 754 in the constellation Hydra with a smaller cluster that its gravity is attracting. It and previous such mergers observed in the last 25 years confirm the theory of how star structures grew larger into super galaxies. But this observation of an event 800 million light years away is the clearest yet, obtained with the European Space Agency's orbiting XMM-Newton observatory. The researchers estimate that the merger began 300 million years ago.

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Everything Technology

Written by Newstream

Sep 22, 2004 at 04:31 AM

September 2004 (Newstream) -- Active Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACPW), a leading manufacturer of battery-free backup power products, on September the 20th announced the details behind its latest breakthrough in alternative energy storage. The new technology, based upon the innovative combination of several mature technologies, constitutes a monumental achievement in energy storage by providing the extended runtimes of lead-acid batteries without any of the well-known shortcomings of these cells. This Thermal and Compressed Air Storage (TACAS) technology will be incorporated into Active Power's newest product that will begin shipping as an alpha unit late this year, the CleanSourceÂ® XR.

CleanSource XR, based on Thermal and Compressed Air Storage (TACAS) technology, represents the latest technological breakthrough from battery-free backup power leader Active Power.

CleanSource XR stores energy in the form of heat and compressed air. During a utility outage, the compressed air is routed through a thermal storage unit to acquire heat energy. The heated air spins a simple turbine-alternator to produce electric power. Air that exits this small turbine is below room temperature and can be used to cool the protected load. Tanks that store the compressed air become cold during discharge, absorbing heat from the ambient environment and ultimately converting this heat into additional backup power. CleanSource XR also contains a small, continuous-duty flywheel that handles small fluctuations in power and supports the critical load during the brief period required for the air turbine to reach full speed in the case of an extended outage.

"Our technical team created a product that is truly revolutionary: it provides minutes to hours of instantaneous backup power without batteries while simultaneously providing backup cooling to a protected load. CleanSource XR transforms what customers don't want - heat in their data centers or telecom huts - into the reliable backup power they do want," said Joe Pinkerton, Chairman and CEO of Active Power. "We believe CleanSource XR will set a new standard in the $10 billion backup power industry."

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Medicine & Health

Written by Newstream

Sep 16, 2004 at 05:09 AM

September 2004 (Newstream) -- Imagine if you stopped breathing in the middle of the night. Now, imagine doing that hundreds of times a night. The more than 12 million Americans who suffer from sleep apnea don't have to imagine - to them it's real. Sleep apnea is a serious health condition causing constant interruptions from sleep and depriving sufferers from the benefits of deep sleep. While the most common symptoms are snoring and fatigue, the disorder has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and memory problems. But for the first time, sufferers of sleep apnea can avoid painful surgery and life-long treatment options through a simple, one-time, minimally-invasive procedure.

Click here to watch video which looks at a new treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given Restore Medical the 510 (k) clearance to market the Pillar Procedure, the first implantable treatment cleared by the FDA for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA is caused by a blockage of the airway usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. As a result, people with untreated sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing and may wake up 20 to 30 times during the night.

The Pillar Procedure is designed to stiffen the palate to prevent or lessen blockages of the airway. The inserts are 18 mm in length and made from a soft woven polyester - a material used in implantable medical products for more than 50 years. The procedure is conducted in a single, short office setting using local anesthetic and is completely reversible. The Pillar Procedure offers patients a first-line treatment option with minimal pain, short recovery time, and less risk than other surgeries. To find physician in your area or to learn more about this treatment, visit www.restoremedical.com.

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