A short term in astronomy: H-R for Hertzsprung-Russell, naming the stellar luminosity/surface-temperature diagram

The H-R diagram, short for Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, is named after the Danish astronomer Ejnar Hertzsprung (1873-1967) and the American astronomer Henry Norris Russell (1877-1957) [1]. This diagram is celebrating its centennial this year. Ken Croswell provides the detailed naming history of  this diagram [2]:  

Ejnar Hertzspung sketched his first luminosoty-color diagram of star clusters in 1908. German astronomer Hans Rosenberg, who likely knew of Hertzsprung's work, published such a diagram in 1910, and Hertzsprung himself published several in 1911. At the time, he was an unknown. In contrast, Henry Norris Russell was one of America's foremost astronomers. In 1913, unaware of Hertzsprung's work, he plotted his own diagram. Because of Russell's prestige, astronomers first called the plot the Russell diagram, then the Russell-Hertzsprung diagram and finally—getting the historical order right—the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.

What a plot!

The H-R diagrams is a plot of the visual luminosity versus the surface temperature of stars including supergiants, white and brown dwarfs and, of course, our sun [2.1, 3]. The main groups of clustered or roughly lined-up stars in the diagram represent supergiants, giants, main sequence stars and white dwarfs. The H-R diagram is a vital pattern recognition tool to explore similarities and differences between stars and to compare some of their properties. With the help of the H-R diagram, for example, you can check your understanding of the life cycle of a star [4].

References
[1] Autorenkollektiv: Lexikon der Naturwissenschaftler. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg•Berlin, 2000.
[2] Ken Croswell: The Periodic Table of the Cosmos. Sci. Am. July 2011, 305 (1), 44-49. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0711-44.
[2.1] A User's Guide to the H-R Diagram: www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v305/n1/box/scientificamerican0711-44_BX1.html. 
[3] Hertzsprung-Russel Diagram: cassfos02.ucsd.edu/public/tutorial/HR.html.
[4] Hertzsprung-Russel Diagram: aspire.cosmic-ray.org/labs/star_life/hr_diagram.html.

Acronym in virology: RSV denoting different viruses

In the biology of viruses, the acronym RSV may stand for Rous sarcoma virus, respiratory syncytical virus, rice stripe virus and  ragged stunt virus [1,2]. To distinguish the latter two viruses, which can infect rice plants, the ragged stunt virus is often referred to as rice ragged stunt virus with acronym RRSV [2]. The respiratory syncytial virus can infect humans, causing mild, cold-like symptoms in adults and older children, but may cause more serious problems in babies [3]. 

The Rous sarcoma virus is a chicken virus, belonging to the oncovirinae subfamily of retroviruses [4]. It was the first tumor virus to be described in the literature, discovered by Peyton Rous at the Rockefeller Institute in New York in 1911. The virus is now bearing his name. For his discovery of this tumorinducing virus, Peyton Rous was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1966 (actually half the prize, Charles Brenton Huggins received the other half for his discovery concerning hormonal treatment of prostatic cancer) [5].

The Nobel Prize-winning cancer researcher Harold Varmus provides a brief history of the discovery of the Rous sarcoma virus and illuminates its significance in the context of later research and discoveries, including viral cancer genes, proto-oncogenes and multiplication strategies for retroviruses such as HIV [6]. Varmus notes, that Peyton Rous, ironically, became an opponent, rather than a proponent, of the genetic origins of cancer that his virus ultimately helped to reveal.    

References and further reading
[1] Acronym Finder: www.acronymfinder.com/RSV.html.
[2] Research Team for Vector-Borne Diseases: Molecular detection of nine rice viruses by a reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay. J. Virol. Methods Dec. 2010, 170 (1-2), 90-93.[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20837064].
[3] MedlinePlus: Respiratory Syncytical Virus Infection [www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/respiratorysyncytialvirusinfections.html].
[4] Bruce A. Voyles: The Biology of Viruses. WCB/McGraw-Hill, Salem, MA, 1993; page 280.
[5] Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medine Winners 2010-1901: www.nobelprizes.com/nobel/medicine.
[6] Harold Varmus: The Art and Politics of Science. W. W. Norton & Comany, New York and London, 2009; pages 53 to 55.

A non-inviting name for an exciting place: Sperrgebiet National Park

 The masculine noun Sperrgebiet is a compositum derived from the German words sperren and Gebiet. The verb sperren means to close or to cordon off and the noun Gebiet means area or district.  Thus, Sperrgebiet means prohibited area or forbidden area—forbidden for unauthorized persons. Such a word does not sound inviting, but in Namibia a National Park got this term in its name for historical reasons. In 1908, when present-day Namibia was South-West Africa, a German protectorate (colony), diamonds were found in its southwest corner, which was then declared Sperrgebiet and made accessible only to a diamond company and its miners [1].

Namibia, one of the world's first nations to write environmental protection into its constitution, set its entire Atlantic coast aside as a string of National Parks with the exception of a few towns and mining areas. Between Angola in the north and South Africa you'll find Iona National Park, Skeleton Coast Park (another non-inviting name!), Dorob National Park, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibian Islands' Marine Protected Area and—last not least—Sperrgebiet National Park (see map on page 69 in [1]).

A Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) concessionaire is needed to travel into Sperrgebiet National Park. Don't be surprised if you find other German names there such as Bogenfels, meaning arch-rock, for a colossal 55m tall rock arch  (different languages, different word order) at the southern extremity of the park [2]. You shouldn't have problems with the translation of Diamantenmine to diamond mine. But what you are supposed to do, if you find a diamond, I don't know.

References and interesting links
[1] Alexandra Fuller: Africa's Super Park. National Geographic June 2011, 219 (6), 60-77. [ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/namibia-park/fuller-text].
[2] The Sperrbebiet National Park: http://www.namibian.org/travel/namibia/sperrgebiet.html.

Göbekli Tepe means Potbelly Hill

Tepe means hill, mound or knoll in Turkish. In southeastern Turkey, north of the border of Syria and north (or within) the Fertile Crescent of the Neolithic, we find place names such as Ziyaret Tepe, Kenan Tepe and Göbekli Tepe on today's archaeological maps [1-5]. All these tepes and the surrounding areas are digging sites. Göbekli Tepe is located nine miles to the east of the Turkish town of  Şanlıurfa, (also known by the shorter name Urfa). Göbekli Tepe means Potbelly Hill. Local people gave this name to the site, which is part of a ridge and has the shape of a  rounded crest [5].

Being much older than Stonehenge, Göbekli Tepe has made a lot of headlines over recent years as the first temple and spiritual meeting place (sometimes with a question mark [4]). Among the mysteries and fascinating artworks of this neolithic architecture are the relief animals carved in its stone pillars. There also is a fierce-looking creature erupting from a limestone wall, similar to sculptures we find at gothic church buildings.

The archaeologist Klaus Schmidt of the German Archaeological Institue (DAI), who is researching this site for over ten years together with European and Turkish scientists, gives us hints that excavation results can be interpreted in various ways. Was this a spiritual locus or a Neolithic Tivoli Garden? Further, this place has a Trojan dimensions, at least in the vertical direction: Schmidt is not certain if the bottom layer has been uncovered yet. Göbekli Tepe may change our understanding of the history of civilization. Schmidt makes an interesting point that the common belief (twenty years ago) was, that civilization was driven by ecological forces, but that we are now learning that civilization is a product of the human mind [5]. Whatever the driving forces behind this site, we at least can agree in the spirit of Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino: I found my thrill on Potbelly Hill!

Keywords: geography, history, archeology, nomadic people, hunter-gatherers 

References
[1] Ziyaret Tepe: www3.uakron.edu/ziyaret/.
[2] L. S. Dodd, J. Schnereger, M. Abraham and B. J. Parker: Analysis of Metallurgical Finds at Kenan Tepe, Turkey. 2001 [arcserver.usc.edu/reports/reports/asorslag.pdf]. Note: this paper contains illustrative pictures of sites and findings.
[3] Sandra Scham: The World's First Temple. Archaeology Nov./Dec. 2008, 61 (6) [www.archaeology.org/0811/abstracts/turkey.html].
[4]  Andrew Curry: Gobekli Tepe: The World's First Temple? Smithsonian, November 2008 [www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/gobekli-tepe.html].
[5] Charkes C. Mann: The Birth of Religion. National Geographic June 2011, 219 (6), 34-59. [ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/gobekli-tepe/mann-text/1].

Acronym in materials science: TSA for thaumasite sulfate attack

Thaumasite (for chemical composition see a short-hand cement chemistry-notation) is a naturally occurring mineral. However, its formation and transformation is of interest in the construction and repair of concrete-based structures including buildings, roads, bridges and tunnels. In a sulfate- and carbonate-rich environment, thaumasite sulfate attack (TSA) causes phase changes in construction materials. Its function in the destruction of concrete bodies is a subject of ongoing research: Milan Drábik argues in a recent article of materials chemistry, that the TSA role should not be overestimated[1]: the quantification of the TSA portion of overall deterioration caused by thaumasite/sulfate interaction remains the subject of discussion and further investigations. 

Keywords: materials science, technology, engineering, safety of buildings, damage, corrosion, chemical decomposition

Reference
[1] Milan Drábik: Thaumasite: Its Relevance to Sulphate Corrosion in Concrete. Nachrichten aus der Chemie May 2011, 59, VIII-X.
DOI: 10.1002/nadc.201180415.

A short-hand cement chemistry notation: CS · Cs · Cc · H15 for thaumasite

CS · Cs · Cc · H₁₅ is a widely used short-hand notation for the mineral thaumasite [1]. In this notation, symbols CS, Cs, Cc and H₁₅ represent the four components calcium silicate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate and hydrate (water), respectively, as they occur in the formula of thaumasite's chemical composition:  CaSiO₃ · CaSO₃ · CaCO₃ · 15H₂O. Another common formula presentation is [Ca₃Si(OH)₆·12H₂O)](SO₄)(CO₃). Information snippets regarding thaumasite and various references can be found at Materials Matter! : Ca3Si(OH)6(CO3)(SO4)(H2O)12.

This special notation is for use within its domain of interest: chemistry and technology of building materials and composites. Notice that the symbols C, H, S and Cs conflict with their use to represent the chemical elements carbon, hydrogen, sulfur and cesium (caesium): non-supervised parsing software may run into problems encountering this string.

Thaumasite is a naturally occurring mineral, but most of the research and public interest derives from its role (along with ettringite) as a deterioration product of concrete and mortar in a sulfate- and carbonate-rich environment.

Keywords: materials science, mineralogy, engineering, safety of buildings, damage, nomenclature, material formula

Reference
[1] Milan Drábik: Thaumasite: Its Relevance to Sulphate Corrosion in Concrete. Nachrichten aus der Chemie May 2011, 59, VIII-X.
DOI: 10.1002/nadc.201180415.

DMSP for dimethylsulfoniopropionate (cont'd) and 35S-DMSP for 35S-labeled dimethylsufoniopropionate

The acronym and molecular structure of the zwitterionic compound dimethylsulfoniopropionate (also spelled dimethylsulphoniopropionate) has been presented recently. In continuation of that post, I like to point to interesting links for DMSP at Materials Matter!: C5H10O2S. Further, there is a link (more being expected) for the ³⁵S-labeled compound, abbreviated as ³⁵S-DMSP: C5H10O2^35S.