Galaxy formation inside dark matter halos, as well as the halo formation itself, can be affected by large-scale environments. Evaluating the imprints of environmental effects on galaxy clustering is crucial for precise cosmological constraints with data from galaxy redshift surveys. We investigate such an environmental impact on both real-space and redshift-space galaxy clustering statistics using a semi-analytic model(SAM) derived from the Millennium Simulation. We compare clustering statistics from original SAM galaxy samples and shuffled ones with environmental influence on galaxy properties eliminated. Among the three luminosity-threshold samples examined, the one most affected by environmental effects has a ~10% decrease in the real-space two-point correlation function (2PCF) after shuffling. By decomposing the 2PCF into five different components based on the source of pairs, we show that the change in the 2PCF can be explained by the richness (galaxy occupation number) dependence of halo clustering. The 2PCFs in redshift space are found to change in a similar manner after shuffling. If the environmental effects are neglected, halo occupation distribution modeling of the real-space and redshift-space clustering may have a less than 6.5% systematic uncertainty in constraining sigma_8 Omega_m^0.6 from the most affected SAM sample and have substantially smaller uncertainties from the other two samples. We argue that the effect could be even smaller in reality. In the Appendix, we present a method to decompose the 2PCF, which can be applied to measure the two-point auto-correlation functions of galaxy sub-samples in a volume-limited galaxy sample and their two-point cross-correlation functions in a single run utilizing only one random catalog.
The meaningful comparison of models of galaxy evolution to observations is critically dependent on the accurate treatment of dust attenuation. To investigate dust absorption and emission in galaxies we have assembled a sample of ~1000 galaxies with ultraviolet (UV) through infrared (IR) photometry from GALEX, SDSS, and Spitzer and optical spectroscopy from SDSS. The ratio of IR to UV emission (IRX) is used to constrain the dust attenuation in galaxies. We use the 4000A break as a robust and useful, although coarse, indicator of star formation history (SFH). We examine the relationship between IRX and the UV spectral slope (a common attenuation indicator at high-redshift) and find little dependence of the scatter on 4000A break strength. We construct average UV through far-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for different ranges of IRX, 4000A break strength, and stellar mass (M_*) to show the variation of the entire SED with these parameters. When binned simultaneously by IRX, 4000A break strength, and M_* these SEDs allow us to determine a low resolution average attenuation curve for different ranges of M_*. The attenuation curves thus derived are consistent with a lambda^{-0.7} attenuation law, and we find no significant variations with M_*. Finally, we show the relationship between IRX and the global stellar mass surface density and gas-phase-metallicity. Among star forming galaxies we find a strong correlation between IRX and stellar mass surface density, even at constant metallicity, a result that is closely linked to the well-known correlation between IRX and star-formation rate.
Comprehending the manner in which magnetic fields affect propagating waves is a first step toward the helioseismic construction of accurate models of active region sub-surface structure and dynamics. Here, we present a numerical method to compute the linear interaction of waves with magnetic fields embedded in a solar-like stratified background. The ideal Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) equations are solved in a 3-dimensional box that straddles the solar photosphere, extending from 35 Mm within to 1.2 Mm into the atmosphere. One of the challenges in performing these simulations involves generating a Magneto-Hydro-Static (MHS) state wherein the stratification assumes horizontal inhomogeneity in addition to the strong vertical stratification associated with the near-surface layers. Keeping in mind that the aim of this effort is to understand and characterize linear MHD interactions, we discuss a means of computing statically consistent background states. Results from a simulation of waves interacting with a flux tube of peak photospheric field strength 600 G are presented. Strong modal power reduction in the `umbral' regions of the flux tube enveloped by a halo of increased wave power are seen in the simulation data. This is strikingly similar to power maps of active regions observed in the Sun, leading us to propose that the halo arises due to a profusion of low frequency waves that are channeled into the atmosphere by the waveguide-like behavior of highly inclined field lines at the edge of the flux tube.
We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of transverse motion of knots within the flow.
Presented here are the highlights from the deep Chandra observation of the elliptical galaxy NGC 3379. From the multi-epoch observation of this galaxy, 132 discrete X-ray sources have been detected within the region overlapped by all observations, 98 of which lie within the D25 ellipse of the galaxy. Of these 132 sources, 71 exhibit long-term variability, indicating that they are accreting compact objects. 11 of these sources have been identified as transient candidates, with a further 7 possible transients. In addition to this, from the joint Hubble/Chandra field of view, nine globular clusters (GCs) and 53 field low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) have been detected in the galaxy. Comparisons of these two populations reveals that, at higher luminosities the field LMXBs and GC-LMXBs are similar. However, a significant lack of GC-LMXBs has been found at lower luminosities, indicating that not all LMXBs can form in GCs.
The gamma-ray burst (GRB) 070201 was a bright short-duration hard-spectrum GRB detected by the Inter-Planetary Network (IPN). Its error quadrilateral, which has an area of 0.124 sq. deg, intersects some prominent spiral arms of the nearby M31 (Andromeda) galaxy. Given the properties of this GRB, along with the fact that LIGO data argues against a compact binary merger origin in M31, this GRB is an excellent candidate for an extragalactic Soft Gamma-ray Repeater (SGR) giant flare, with energy of 1.4x10^45 erg. Analysis of ROTSE-IIIb visible light observations of M31, taken 10.6 hours after the burst and covering 42% of the GRB error region, did not reveal any optical transient down to a limiting magnitude of 17.1. We inspected archival and proprietary XMM-Newton X-ray observations of the intersection of the GRB error quadrilateral and M31, obtained about four weeks prior to the outburst, in order to look for periodic variable X-ray sources. No SGR or Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) candidates (periods in range 1 to 20 s) were detected. We discuss the possibility of detecting extragalactic SGRs/AXPs by identifying their periodic X-ray light curves. Our simulations suggest that the probability of detecting the periodic X-ray signal of one of the known Galactic SGRs/AXPs, if placed in M31, is about 10% (50%), using 50 ks (2 Ms) XMM-Newton exposures.
We report the results of an extragalactic point source search using the 61 and 94 GHz (V- and W-band) temperature maps from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). Applying a method that cancels the ``noise'' due to the CMB anisotropy signal, we find in the $|b| > 10\degr$ region 31 sources in the first-year maps and 64 sources in the three-year co-added maps, at a $5\sigma$ level. The 1$\sigma$ position uncertainties are 1.6' and 1.4' each. The increased detections and improved positional accuracy are expected from the higher signal-to-noise ratio of WMAP three-year data. All sources detected in the first-year maps are repeatedly detected in the three-year maps, which is a strong proof of the consistency and reliability of this method. Among all the detections, 21 are new, i.e. not in the WMAP three-year point source catalog. We associate all but two of them with known objects. The two unidentified sources are likely to be variable or extended as observations through VLA, CARMA and ATCA all show non-detection at the nominal locations. We derive the source count distribution at WMAP V-band by combining our verified detections with sources from the WMAP three-year catalog. Assuming the effect of source clustering is negligible, the contribution to the power spectrum from faint sources below 0.75 Jy is estimated to be $(2.4\pm0.8) \times 10^{-3} \mu K^2$ sr for V-band, which implies a source correction amplitude $A = 0.012\pm0.004 \mu K^2$ sr.
Power-law cosmologies, in which the cosmological scale factor evolves as a power law in the age, $a \propto t^{\alpha}$ with $\alpha \ga 1$, regardless of the matter content or cosmological epoch, is comfortably concordant with a host of cosmological observations.} {In this article, we use recent measurements of the X-ray gas mass fractions in clusters of galaxies to constrain the $\alpha$ parameter with curvature $k = \pm1, 0$. We find that the best fit happens for an open scenario with the power index $\alpha = 1.14 \pm 0.05$, though the flat and closed model can not be rule out at very high confidence level.} {Our results are in agreement with other recent analyses and show that the X-ray gas mass fraction measurements in clusters of galaxies provide a complementary test to the power law cosmology.
In this paper a connection between the holographic dark energy model and the $f(R)$ theory is established. We treat the $f(R)$ theory as an effective description for the holographic dark energy and reconstruct the function $f(R)$ with the parameter $c>1$, $c=1$ and $c<1$, respectively. We show the distinctive behavior of each cases realized in $f(R)$ theory, especially for the future evolution.
We consider the evolution of the vacuum energy in the DGP model according to the holographic principle under the assumption that the relation linking the IR and UV cut-offs still holds in this scenario. The model is studied when the IR cut-off is chosen to be the Hubble scale $H^{-1}$, the particle horizon $R_{\rm ph}$ and the future event horizon $R_{\rm eh}$, respectively. And the two branches of the DGP model are also taken into account. Through numerical analysis, we find that in the cases of $H^{-1}$ in the (+) branch and $R_{\rm eh}$ in both branches, the vacuum energy can play the role of dark energy. Moreover, when considering the combination of the vacuum energy and the 5D gravity effect in both branches, the equation of state of the effective dark energy may cross -1, which may lead to the Big Rip singularity. Besides, we constrain the model with the Type Ia supernovae and baryon oscillation data and find that our model is consistent with current data within $1\sigma$, and that the observations prefer either a pure holographic dark energy or a pure DGP model
Using full-disk observations obtained with the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, we present variations of the solar acoustic mode frequencies caused by the solar activity cycle. High-degree (100 < l < 900) solar acoustic modes were analyzed using global helioseismology analysis techniques over most of solar cycle 23. We followed the methodology described in details in Korzennik, Rabello-Soares and Schou (2004) to infer unbiased estimates of high-degree mode parameters (see also Rabello-Soares, Korzennik and Schou, 2006). We have removed most of the known instrumental and observational effects that affect specifically high-degree modes. We show that the high-degree changes are in good agreement with the medium-degree results, except for years when the instrument was highly defocused. We analyzed and discuss the effect of defocusing on high degree estimation. Our results for high-degree modes confirm that the frequency shift scaled by the relative mode inertia is a function of frequency and it is independent of degree.
We present a comparison between the SCUBA Half Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) at 450um and 850um in the Lockman Hole East with a deep Spitzer Space Telescope survey at 3.6-24um conducted in Guaranteed Time. We demonstrate a striking correspondence between the galaxies contributing the submm extragalactic background light, with those likely to dominate the backgrounds at Spitzer wavelengths. Using a combination BRIzK plus Spitzer photometric redshifts, we show that at least a third of the Spitzer-identified submm galaxies at 1<z<1.5 appear to reside in overdensities when the density field is smoothed at 0.5-2Mpc comoving diameters, supporting the high-redshift reversal of the local star formation -- galaxy density relation. We derive the dust-shrouded cosmic star formation history of galaxies as a function of assembled stellar masses. For model stellar masses <10^11 Msun, this peaks at lower redshifts than the ostensible z~2.2 maximum for submm point sources, adding to the growing consensus for ``downsizing'' in star formation. Our surveys are also consistent with ``downsizing'' in mass assembly. Both the mean star formation rates <dM/dt> and specific star formation rates <(1/M)dM/dt> are in striking disagreement with some semi-analytic predictions from the Millenium simulation. The discrepancy could either be resolved with a top-heavy initial mass function, or a significant component of the submm flux heated by the interstellar radiation field.
A small fraction of intermediate-mass main sequence (A and B type) stars have strong, organised magnetic fields. The large majority of such stars, however, show no evidence for magnetic fields, even when observed with very high precision. In this paper we describe a simple model, motivated by qualitatively new observational results, that provides a natural physical explanation for the small fraction of observed magnetic stars.
This paper reviews recent progress in the research on the initiation and propagation of CMEs. In the initiation part, several trigger mechanisms are discussed; In the propagation part, the observations and modelings of EIT waves/dimmings, as the EUV counterparts of CMEs, are described.
This work is devoted to improving empirical mass-luminosity relations and mass-metallicity-luminosity relation for low mass stars. For these stars, observational data in the mass-luminosity plane or the mass-metallicity-luminosity space subject to non-negligible errors in all coordinates with different dimensions. Thus a reasonable weight assigning scheme is needed for obtaining more reliable results. Such a scheme is developed, with which each data point can have its own due contribution. Previous studies have shown that there exists a plateau feature in the mass-luminosity relation. Taking into account the constraints from the observational luminosity function, we find by fitting the observational data using our weight assigning scheme that the plateau spans from 0.28 to 0.50 solar mass. Three-piecewise continuous improved mass-luminosity relations in K, J, H and V bands, respectively, are obtained. The visual mass-metallicity-luminosity relation is also improved based on our K band mass-luminosity relation and the available observational metallicity data.
Internal flows inside gravitationally stable astrophysical objects, such as the Sun, stars and compact stars are compressed and extremely subsonic. Such low Mach number flows are usually encountered when studying for example dynamo action in stars, planets, the hydro-thermodynamics of X-ray bursts on neutron stars and dwarf novae. Treating such flows is numerically complicated and challenging task. We aim to present a robust numerical tool that enables modeling the time-evolution or quasi-stationary of stratified low Mach number flows under astrophysical conditions. It is argued that astrophysical low Mach number flows cannot be considered as an asymptotic limit of incompressible flows, but rather as highly compressed flows with extremely stiff pressure terms. Unlike the pseudo-pressure in incompressible fluids, a Possion-like treatment for the pressure would smooth unnecessarily the physically induced acoustic perturbations, thereby violating the conservation character of the compressible equations. Moreover, classical dimensional splitting techniques, such as ADI or Line-Gauss-Seidel methods are found to be unsuited for modeling compressible flows with low Mach numbers. In this paper we present a nonlinear Newton-type solver that is based on the defect-correction iteration procedure and in which the Approximate Factorization Method (AFM) is used as a preconditioner. This solver is found to be sufficiently robust and is capable of capturing stationary solutions for viscous rotating flows with Mach number as small as $\mcal{M} \approx 10^{-3},$ i.e., near the incompressibility limit.
New determinations of effective temperatures of 23 magnetic, chemically peculiar (mCP) stars were obtained from a fit of metal enhanced model atmospheres to the observed spectral energy distributions (SED) from UV to red. The root-mean-square (RMS) method was used to fit the theoretical SED to the observations corrected for reddening if necessary, with metallicity and effective temperature as the fitting parameters. Gravity was assumed to be equal to log g = 4 for main sequence stars and to log g = 3 for two giants in the considered sample. Equal weights were given to the UV part and visual part of SED. Independently of the formal quality of fit resulting from the RMS method applied to the whole SED, the quality of fit was additionally checked for each star by determination of the temperature from the best fitting model atmosphere to the UV part and the visual part of SED separately. Both temperatures should be close to one another if the global best fitting model satisfactorily describes the full observed SED. This is the case for about a half of the investigated stars but the difference exceeds 750 K for the remaining stars with the extreme values above 2000 K. Possible reasons for such discrepancies are discussed. New, revised calibrations of effective temperature and bolometric corrections of mCP stars in terms of reddening free Stromgren indices are given.
We present the results of a search for variable stars in the central part of the globular cluster NGC 6752. The monitored sample included 160 BHB and 107 EHB stars, respectively. A total of 17 variables were detected of which 14 are new identifications. Five variables are BHB/EHB stars. We report also on identification of a detached eclipsing binary being likely a member of the cluster. Moreover, we detected an outburst of a dwarf nova located in the cluster core.
Computational gas dynamics has become a prominent research field both in astrophysics and cosmology. In the first part of this review we intend to briefly describe several of the numerical methods used in this field, discuss their range of application and present strategies for converting conditionally-stable numerical methods into unconditionally-stable solution procedures. The underlying aim of the conversion is to enhance the robustness and unification of numerical methods and subsequently enlarge their range of applications considerably. In the second part Fabian Heitsch presents and discusses the implementation of a time-explicit MHD Boltzmann solver.
Stardust is a class of presolar grains each of which presents an ideally uncontaminated stellar sample. Mainstream silicon carbide (SiC) stardust formed in the extended envelopes of carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and incorporated the radioactive nucleus 26Al as a trace element. The aim of this paper is to analyse in detail the effect of nuclear uncertainties, in particular the large uncertainties of up to four orders of magnitude related to the 26Al_g+(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, on the production of 26Al in AGB stars and compare model predictions to data obtained from laboratory analysis of SiC stardust grains. Stellar uncertainties are also briefly discussed. We use a detailed nucleosynthesis postprocessing code to calculate the 26Al/27Al ratios at the surface of AGB stars of different masses (M = 1.75, 3, and 5 M_sun) and metallicities (Z = 0.02, 0.012, and 0.008). For the lower limit and recommended value of the 26Al_g(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, the predicted 26Al/27Al ratios replicate the upper values of the range of the 26Al/27Al ratios measured in SiC grains. For the upper limit of the 26Al_g(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, instead, the predicted 26Al/27Al ratios are approximately 100 times lower and lie below the range observed in SiC grains. When considering models of different masses and metallicities, the spread of more than an order of magnitude in the 26Al/27Al ratios measured in stellar SiC grains is not reproduced. We propose two scenarios to explain the spread of the 26Al/27Al ratios observed in mainstream SiC, depending on the choice of the 26Al_g+p reaction rate. One involves different times of stardust formation, the other involves extra-mixing processes. Stronger conclusions will be possible after more information is available from future nuclear experiments on the 26Al_g+p reaction.
I present multiband optical and UV Hubble Space Telescope photometry of the two Galactic globular clusters NGC6388 and NGC6441, in order to investigate the nature of the physical mechanism(s) responsible for the existence of an extended blue tail and of a slope in the horizontal branch. Further evidence that the horizontal branch tilt cannot be interpreted as an effect of differential reddening is provided, while I show that a possible solution of the puzzle is to assume that a small fraction of the stellar population in the two clusters is strongly helium enriched.
We describe HST imaging of recent star formation complexes located in the extended UV disk (XUV-disk) component of NGC 5236 (M 83), NGC 5055 (M 63), and NGC 2090. Photometry in four FUV--visible bands permits us to constrain the type of resolved stars and effective age of clusters, in addition to extinction. The preliminary results given herein focus on CMD analysis and clustering properties in this unique star-forming environment.
We present the status and the recent measurements from the Pierre Auger Observatory. The energy spectrum will be described and its steepening discussed. The mass composition is addressed with the measurements of the variation of the depth of shower maximum with energy. We also report on upper limits in the primary photon fraction. And finally, searches for anisotropies of cosmic rays arrival directions are reported.
I present an overview of the observational signatures of feeding of Active Galactic Nuclei, discussing briefly the role of interactions among galaxies on extragalactic scales, and of non-axisymmetric gravitational potentials -- such as bars -- on galactic scales. Then I discuss at larger length the feeding signatures on hundred of parsec scales, for which new results include: (1) recent star formation surrounding the active nucleus on tens of parsec scales; (2) excess of gas and dust in active galaxies relative to non-active ones, in the form of nuclear spirals and disks; (3) new kinematic signatures of gas inflow along nuclear spiral arms, which may be the long sought mechanism to bring gas from kiloparsec scales down to the nucleus to feed the supermassive black hole.
Surface detector arrays are designed to measure the spectrum and composition of high-energy cosmic rays by detecting the secondary particle flux of the Extensive Air Showers (EAS) induced by the primary cosmic rays. Electromagnetic particles and muons constitute the dominant contribution to the ground detector signals. In this paper, we show that the ground signal deposit of an EAS can be described in terms of only very few parameters: the primary energy E, the zenith angle theta, the distance of the shower maximum X_max to the ground, and a muon flux normalization N_mu. This set of physical parameters is sufficient to predict the average particle fluxes at ground level to around 10% accuracy. We show that this is valid for the two standard hadronic interaction models used in cosmic ray physics, QGSJetII and Sibyll, and for primaries from protons to iron. Based on this model, a new approach to calibrating the energy scale of ground array experiments is developed, which factors out the model dependence inherent in such calibrations up to now. Additionally, the method yields a measurement of the average number of muons in EAS. The measured distribution of N_mu of cosmic ray air showers can then be analysed, in conjunction with measurements of X_max from fluorescence detectors, to put constraints on the cosmic ray composition and hadronic interaction models.
The Local Group member M33 is a pure disk galaxy bearing no prominent bulge or stellar halo. It constitutes a challenge for any hierarchical galaxy formation theory and an ideal laboratory for studying quiescent star formation. Using multiwavelength observations of the gas and stellar component in this nearby galaxy we are able to constrain the gas accretion and star formation history. In the centermost region we find kinematical evidence of a weak bar, which explains the central light excess and the enhanced metallicity. In the more extended disk the lack of strong gradients of metal and dust abundances supports the picture that the slow radial decline of the star formation rate is due to a change in the large scale disk perturbations: bright HII regions and giant molecular clouds being born only in the inner disk. The analysis of the infrared Spitzer maps has however revealed hundreds of low luminosity star forming sites in places with a variety of dust content. These are essential ingredients for understanding the overall gas to star formation process in M33 and in more distant late type galaxies.
Late-type stars in general possess complicated magnetic surface fields which makes their detection and in particular their modeling and reconstruction challenging. In this work we present a new Zeeman-Doppler imaging code which is especially designed for the application to late-type stars. This code uses a new multi-line cross-correlation technique by means of a principal component analysis to extract and enhance the quality of individual polarized line profiles. It implements the full polarized radiative transfer equation and uses an inversion strategy that can incorporate prior knowledge based on solar analogies. Moreover, our code utilizes a new regularization scheme which is based on local maximum entropy to allow a more appropriate reproduction of complex surface fields as those expected for late-type stars. In a first application we present Zeeman-Doppler images of II Pegasi which reveal a surprisingly large scale surface structure with one predominant (unipolar) magnetic longitude which is mainly radially oriented.
We investigate the physically accepted solutions of general Braneworld scenarios, scanning uniformly the associated parameter space. Without making any further assumptions we find that solutions which give ``small'' Hubble parameters on the physical brane, and therefore ``small'' effective cosmological constants on the 4D Universe, are far more probable than those with ``large'' ones. Eventually, their distribution tends to the $\delta$-function in the limit of continuous covering of the parameter space.
We investigate the full 5D dynamics of general braneworld models. Without making any further assumptions we show that cyclic behavior can arise naturally in a fraction of physically accepted solutions. The model does not require brane collisions, which in the stationary case remain fixed, and cyclicity takes place on the branes. We indicate that the cosmological constants play the central role for the realization of cyclic solutions and we show that its extremely small value on the observable universe makes the period of the cycles and the maximum scale factor astronomically large.
Occupation numbers for non-relativistic interacting particles are discussed within a functional integral formulation. We concentrate on zero temperature, where the Bogoliubov theory breaks down for strong couplings as well as for low dimensional models. We find that the leading behavior of the occupation numbers for small momentum is governed by a quadratic time derivative in the inverse propagator that is not contained in the Bogoliubov theory. We propose to use a functional renormalization group equation for the occupation numbers in order to implement systematic non-perturbative extensions beyond the Bogoliubov theory.
A phenomenological calculation is presented of the effect of quantum fluctuations in the spacetime metric, or holographic noise, on interferometeric measurement of the relative positions of freely falling proof masses, in theories where spacetime satisfies covariant entropy bounds and can be represented as a quantum theory on 2+1D null surfaces. The quantum behavior of the 3+1D metric, represented by a commutation relation expressing quantum complementarity between orthogonal position operators, leads to a parameter-free prediction of quantum noise in orthogonal position measurements of freely falling masses. A particular quantum weirdness of this holographic noise is that it only appears in measurements that compare transverse positions, and does not appear at all in purely radial position measurements. The effect on phase signal in an interferometer that continuously measures the difference in the length of orthogonal arms resembles that of a classical random Brownian motion of the beamsplitter with a Planck length step in orthogonal position difference every Planck time. This predicted holographic noise is comparable in magnitude with currently measured system noise, and should be detectable in the currently operating interferometer GEO600. Because of its transverse character, holographic noise is reduced relative to gravitational wave effects in some interferometer designs, such as LIGO, where beam power is much less in the beamsplitter than in the arms.
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Galaxy formation inside dark matter halos, as well as the halo formation itself, can be affected by large-scale environments. Evaluating the imprints of environmental effects on galaxy clustering is crucial for precise cosmological constraints with data from galaxy redshift surveys. We investigate such an environmental impact on both real-space and redshift-space galaxy clustering statistics using a semi-analytic model(SAM) derived from the Millennium Simulation. We compare clustering statistics from original SAM galaxy samples and shuffled ones with environmental influence on galaxy properties eliminated. Among the three luminosity-threshold samples examined, the one most affected by environmental effects has a ~10% decrease in the real-space two-point correlation function (2PCF) after shuffling. By decomposing the 2PCF into five different components based on the source of pairs, we show that the change in the 2PCF can be explained by the richness (galaxy occupation number) dependence of halo clustering. The 2PCFs in redshift space are found to change in a similar manner after shuffling. If the environmental effects are neglected, halo occupation distribution modeling of the real-space and redshift-space clustering may have a less than 6.5% systematic uncertainty in constraining sigma_8 Omega_m^0.6 from the most affected SAM sample and have substantially smaller uncertainties from the other two samples. We argue that the effect could be even smaller in reality. In the Appendix, we present a method to decompose the 2PCF, which can be applied to measure the two-point auto-correlation functions of galaxy sub-samples in a volume-limited galaxy sample and their two-point cross-correlation functions in a single run utilizing only one random catalog.
The meaningful comparison of models of galaxy evolution to observations is critically dependent on the accurate treatment of dust attenuation. To investigate dust absorption and emission in galaxies we have assembled a sample of ~1000 galaxies with ultraviolet (UV) through infrared (IR) photometry from GALEX, SDSS, and Spitzer and optical spectroscopy from SDSS. The ratio of IR to UV emission (IRX) is used to constrain the dust attenuation in galaxies. We use the 4000A break as a robust and useful, although coarse, indicator of star formation history (SFH). We examine the relationship between IRX and the UV spectral slope (a common attenuation indicator at high-redshift) and find little dependence of the scatter on 4000A break strength. We construct average UV through far-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for different ranges of IRX, 4000A break strength, and stellar mass (M_*) to show the variation of the entire SED with these parameters. When binned simultaneously by IRX, 4000A break strength, and M_* these SEDs allow us to determine a low resolution average attenuation curve for different ranges of M_*. The attenuation curves thus derived are consistent with a lambda^{-0.7} attenuation law, and we find no significant variations with M_*. Finally, we show the relationship between IRX and the global stellar mass surface density and gas-phase-metallicity. Among star forming galaxies we find a strong correlation between IRX and stellar mass surface density, even at constant metallicity, a result that is closely linked to the well-known correlation between IRX and star-formation rate.
Comprehending the manner in which magnetic fields affect propagating waves is a first step toward the helioseismic construction of accurate models of active region sub-surface structure and dynamics. Here, we present a numerical method to compute the linear interaction of waves with magnetic fields embedded in a solar-like stratified background. The ideal Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) equations are solved in a 3-dimensional box that straddles the solar photosphere, extending from 35 Mm within to 1.2 Mm into the atmosphere. One of the challenges in performing these simulations involves generating a Magneto-Hydro-Static (MHS) state wherein the stratification assumes horizontal inhomogeneity in addition to the strong vertical stratification associated with the near-surface layers. Keeping in mind that the aim of this effort is to understand and characterize linear MHD interactions, we discuss a means of computing statically consistent background states. Results from a simulation of waves interacting with a flux tube of peak photospheric field strength 600 G are presented. Strong modal power reduction in the `umbral' regions of the flux tube enveloped by a halo of increased wave power are seen in the simulation data. This is strikingly similar to power maps of active regions observed in the Sun, leading us to propose that the halo arises due to a profusion of low frequency waves that are channeled into the atmosphere by the waveguide-like behavior of highly inclined field lines at the edge of the flux tube.
We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of transverse motion of knots within the flow.
Presented here are the highlights from the deep Chandra observation of the elliptical galaxy NGC 3379. From the multi-epoch observation of this galaxy, 132 discrete X-ray sources have been detected within the region overlapped by all observations, 98 of which lie within the D25 ellipse of the galaxy. Of these 132 sources, 71 exhibit long-term variability, indicating that they are accreting compact objects. 11 of these sources have been identified as transient candidates, with a further 7 possible transients. In addition to this, from the joint Hubble/Chandra field of view, nine globular clusters (GCs) and 53 field low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) have been detected in the galaxy. Comparisons of these two populations reveals that, at higher luminosities the field LMXBs and GC-LMXBs are similar. However, a significant lack of GC-LMXBs has been found at lower luminosities, indicating that not all LMXBs can form in GCs.
The gamma-ray burst (GRB) 070201 was a bright short-duration hard-spectrum GRB detected by the Inter-Planetary Network (IPN). Its error quadrilateral, which has an area of 0.124 sq. deg, intersects some prominent spiral arms of the nearby M31 (Andromeda) galaxy. Given the properties of this GRB, along with the fact that LIGO data argues against a compact binary merger origin in M31, this GRB is an excellent candidate for an extragalactic Soft Gamma-ray Repeater (SGR) giant flare, with energy of 1.4x10^45 erg. Analysis of ROTSE-IIIb visible light observations of M31, taken 10.6 hours after the burst and covering 42% of the GRB error region, did not reveal any optical transient down to a limiting magnitude of 17.1. We inspected archival and proprietary XMM-Newton X-ray observations of the intersection of the GRB error quadrilateral and M31, obtained about four weeks prior to the outburst, in order to look for periodic variable X-ray sources. No SGR or Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) candidates (periods in range 1 to 20 s) were detected. We discuss the possibility of detecting extragalactic SGRs/AXPs by identifying their periodic X-ray light curves. Our simulations suggest that the probability of detecting the periodic X-ray signal of one of the known Galactic SGRs/AXPs, if placed in M31, is about 10% (50%), using 50 ks (2 Ms) XMM-Newton exposures.
We report the results of an extragalactic point source search using the 61 and 94 GHz (V- and W-band) temperature maps from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). Applying a method that cancels the ``noise'' due to the CMB anisotropy signal, we find in the $|b| > 10\degr$ region 31 sources in the first-year maps and 64 sources in the three-year co-added maps, at a $5\sigma$ level. The 1$\sigma$ position uncertainties are 1.6' and 1.4' each. The increased detections and improved positional accuracy are expected from the higher signal-to-noise ratio of WMAP three-year data. All sources detected in the first-year maps are repeatedly detected in the three-year maps, which is a strong proof of the consistency and reliability of this method. Among all the detections, 21 are new, i.e. not in the WMAP three-year point source catalog. We associate all but two of them with known objects. The two unidentified sources are likely to be variable or extended as observations through VLA, CARMA and ATCA all show non-detection at the nominal locations. We derive the source count distribution at WMAP V-band by combining our verified detections with sources from the WMAP three-year catalog. Assuming the effect of source clustering is negligible, the contribution to the power spectrum from faint sources below 0.75 Jy is estimated to be $(2.4\pm0.8) \times 10^{-3} \mu K^2$ sr for V-band, which implies a source correction amplitude $A = 0.012\pm0.004 \mu K^2$ sr.
Power-law cosmologies, in which the cosmological scale factor evolves as a power law in the age, $a \propto t^{\alpha}$ with $\alpha \ga 1$, regardless of the matter content or cosmological epoch, is comfortably concordant with a host of cosmological observations.} {In this article, we use recent measurements of the X-ray gas mass fractions in clusters of galaxies to constrain the $\alpha$ parameter with curvature $k = \pm1, 0$. We find that the best fit happens for an open scenario with the power index $\alpha = 1.14 \pm 0.05$, though the flat and closed model can not be rule out at very high confidence level.} {Our results are in agreement with other recent analyses and show that the X-ray gas mass fraction measurements in clusters of galaxies provide a complementary test to the power law cosmology.
In this paper a connection between the holographic dark energy model and the $f(R)$ theory is established. We treat the $f(R)$ theory as an effective description for the holographic dark energy and reconstruct the function $f(R)$ with the parameter $c>1$, $c=1$ and $c<1$, respectively. We show the distinctive behavior of each cases realized in $f(R)$ theory, especially for the future evolution.
We consider the evolution of the vacuum energy in the DGP model according to the holographic principle under the assumption that the relation linking the IR and UV cut-offs still holds in this scenario. The model is studied when the IR cut-off is chosen to be the Hubble scale $H^{-1}$, the particle horizon $R_{\rm ph}$ and the future event horizon $R_{\rm eh}$, respectively. And the two branches of the DGP model are also taken into account. Through numerical analysis, we find that in the cases of $H^{-1}$ in the (+) branch and $R_{\rm eh}$ in both branches, the vacuum energy can play the role of dark energy. Moreover, when considering the combination of the vacuum energy and the 5D gravity effect in both branches, the equation of state of the effective dark energy may cross -1, which may lead to the Big Rip singularity. Besides, we constrain the model with the Type Ia supernovae and baryon oscillation data and find that our model is consistent with current data within $1\sigma$, and that the observations prefer either a pure holographic dark energy or a pure DGP model
Using full-disk observations obtained with the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, we present variations of the solar acoustic mode frequencies caused by the solar activity cycle. High-degree (100 < l < 900) solar acoustic modes were analyzed using global helioseismology analysis techniques over most of solar cycle 23. We followed the methodology described in details in Korzennik, Rabello-Soares and Schou (2004) to infer unbiased estimates of high-degree mode parameters (see also Rabello-Soares, Korzennik and Schou, 2006). We have removed most of the known instrumental and observational effects that affect specifically high-degree modes. We show that the high-degree changes are in good agreement with the medium-degree results, except for years when the instrument was highly defocused. We analyzed and discuss the effect of defocusing on high degree estimation. Our results for high-degree modes confirm that the frequency shift scaled by the relative mode inertia is a function of frequency and it is independent of degree.
We present a comparison between the SCUBA Half Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) at 450um and 850um in the Lockman Hole East with a deep Spitzer Space Telescope survey at 3.6-24um conducted in Guaranteed Time. We demonstrate a striking correspondence between the galaxies contributing the submm extragalactic background light, with those likely to dominate the backgrounds at Spitzer wavelengths. Using a combination BRIzK plus Spitzer photometric redshifts, we show that at least a third of the Spitzer-identified submm galaxies at 1<z<1.5 appear to reside in overdensities when the density field is smoothed at 0.5-2Mpc comoving diameters, supporting the high-redshift reversal of the local star formation -- galaxy density relation. We derive the dust-shrouded cosmic star formation history of galaxies as a function of assembled stellar masses. For model stellar masses <10^11 Msun, this peaks at lower redshifts than the ostensible z~2.2 maximum for submm point sources, adding to the growing consensus for ``downsizing'' in star formation. Our surveys are also consistent with ``downsizing'' in mass assembly. Both the mean star formation rates <dM/dt> and specific star formation rates <(1/M)dM/dt> are in striking disagreement with some semi-analytic predictions from the Millenium simulation. The discrepancy could either be resolved with a top-heavy initial mass function, or a significant component of the submm flux heated by the interstellar radiation field.
A small fraction of intermediate-mass main sequence (A and B type) stars have strong, organised magnetic fields. The large majority of such stars, however, show no evidence for magnetic fields, even when observed with very high precision. In this paper we describe a simple model, motivated by qualitatively new observational results, that provides a natural physical explanation for the small fraction of observed magnetic stars.
This paper reviews recent progress in the research on the initiation and propagation of CMEs. In the initiation part, several trigger mechanisms are discussed; In the propagation part, the observations and modelings of EIT waves/dimmings, as the EUV counterparts of CMEs, are described.
This work is devoted to improving empirical mass-luminosity relations and mass-metallicity-luminosity relation for low mass stars. For these stars, observational data in the mass-luminosity plane or the mass-metallicity-luminosity space subject to non-negligible errors in all coordinates with different dimensions. Thus a reasonable weight assigning scheme is needed for obtaining more reliable results. Such a scheme is developed, with which each data point can have its own due contribution. Previous studies have shown that there exists a plateau feature in the mass-luminosity relation. Taking into account the constraints from the observational luminosity function, we find by fitting the observational data using our weight assigning scheme that the plateau spans from 0.28 to 0.50 solar mass. Three-piecewise continuous improved mass-luminosity relations in K, J, H and V bands, respectively, are obtained. The visual mass-metallicity-luminosity relation is also improved based on our K band mass-luminosity relation and the available observational metallicity data.
Internal flows inside gravitationally stable astrophysical objects, such as the Sun, stars and compact stars are compressed and extremely subsonic. Such low Mach number flows are usually encountered when studying for example dynamo action in stars, planets, the hydro-thermodynamics of X-ray bursts on neutron stars and dwarf novae. Treating such flows is numerically complicated and challenging task. We aim to present a robust numerical tool that enables modeling the time-evolution or quasi-stationary of stratified low Mach number flows under astrophysical conditions. It is argued that astrophysical low Mach number flows cannot be considered as an asymptotic limit of incompressible flows, but rather as highly compressed flows with extremely stiff pressure terms. Unlike the pseudo-pressure in incompressible fluids, a Possion-like treatment for the pressure would smooth unnecessarily the physically induced acoustic perturbations, thereby violating the conservation character of the compressible equations. Moreover, classical dimensional splitting techniques, such as ADI or Line-Gauss-Seidel methods are found to be unsuited for modeling compressible flows with low Mach numbers. In this paper we present a nonlinear Newton-type solver that is based on the defect-correction iteration procedure and in which the Approximate Factorization Method (AFM) is used as a preconditioner. This solver is found to be sufficiently robust and is capable of capturing stationary solutions for viscous rotating flows with Mach number as small as $\mcal{M} \approx 10^{-3},$ i.e., near the incompressibility limit.
New determinations of effective temperatures of 23 magnetic, chemically peculiar (mCP) stars were obtained from a fit of metal enhanced model atmospheres to the observed spectral energy distributions (SED) from UV to red. The root-mean-square (RMS) method was used to fit the theoretical SED to the observations corrected for reddening if necessary, with metallicity and effective temperature as the fitting parameters. Gravity was assumed to be equal to log g = 4 for main sequence stars and to log g = 3 for two giants in the considered sample. Equal weights were given to the UV part and visual part of SED. Independently of the formal quality of fit resulting from the RMS method applied to the whole SED, the quality of fit was additionally checked for each star by determination of the temperature from the best fitting model atmosphere to the UV part and the visual part of SED separately. Both temperatures should be close to one another if the global best fitting model satisfactorily describes the full observed SED. This is the case for about a half of the investigated stars but the difference exceeds 750 K for the remaining stars with the extreme values above 2000 K. Possible reasons for such discrepancies are discussed. New, revised calibrations of effective temperature and bolometric corrections of mCP stars in terms of reddening free Stromgren indices are given.
We present the results of a search for variable stars in the central part of the globular cluster NGC 6752. The monitored sample included 160 BHB and 107 EHB stars, respectively. A total of 17 variables were detected of which 14 are new identifications. Five variables are BHB/EHB stars. We report also on identification of a detached eclipsing binary being likely a member of the cluster. Moreover, we detected an outburst of a dwarf nova located in the cluster core.
Computational gas dynamics has become a prominent research field both in astrophysics and cosmology. In the first part of this review we intend to briefly describe several of the numerical methods used in this field, discuss their range of application and present strategies for converting conditionally-stable numerical methods into unconditionally-stable solution procedures. The underlying aim of the conversion is to enhance the robustness and unification of numerical methods and subsequently enlarge their range of applications considerably. In the second part Fabian Heitsch presents and discusses the implementation of a time-explicit MHD Boltzmann solver.
Stardust is a class of presolar grains each of which presents an ideally uncontaminated stellar sample. Mainstream silicon carbide (SiC) stardust formed in the extended envelopes of carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and incorporated the radioactive nucleus 26Al as a trace element. The aim of this paper is to analyse in detail the effect of nuclear uncertainties, in particular the large uncertainties of up to four orders of magnitude related to the 26Al_g+(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, on the production of 26Al in AGB stars and compare model predictions to data obtained from laboratory analysis of SiC stardust grains. Stellar uncertainties are also briefly discussed. We use a detailed nucleosynthesis postprocessing code to calculate the 26Al/27Al ratios at the surface of AGB stars of different masses (M = 1.75, 3, and 5 M_sun) and metallicities (Z = 0.02, 0.012, and 0.008). For the lower limit and recommended value of the 26Al_g(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, the predicted 26Al/27Al ratios replicate the upper values of the range of the 26Al/27Al ratios measured in SiC grains. For the upper limit of the 26Al_g(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, instead, the predicted 26Al/27Al ratios are approximately 100 times lower and lie below the range observed in SiC grains. When considering models of different masses and metallicities, the spread of more than an order of magnitude in the 26Al/27Al ratios measured in stellar SiC grains is not reproduced. We propose two scenarios to explain the spread of the 26Al/27Al ratios observed in mainstream SiC, depending on the choice of the 26Al_g+p reaction rate. One involves different times of stardust formation, the other involves extra-mixing processes. Stronger conclusions will be possible after more information is available from future nuclear experiments on the 26Al_g+p reaction.
I present multiband optical and UV Hubble Space Telescope photometry of the two Galactic globular clusters NGC6388 and NGC6441, in order to investigate the nature of the physical mechanism(s) responsible for the existence of an extended blue tail and of a slope in the horizontal branch. Further evidence that the horizontal branch tilt cannot be interpreted as an effect of differential reddening is provided, while I show that a possible solution of the puzzle is to assume that a small fraction of the stellar population in the two clusters is strongly helium enriched.
We describe HST imaging of recent star formation complexes located in the extended UV disk (XUV-disk) component of NGC 5236 (M 83), NGC 5055 (M 63), and NGC 2090. Photometry in four FUV--visible bands permits us to constrain the type of resolved stars and effective age of clusters, in addition to extinction. The preliminary results given herein focus on CMD analysis and clustering properties in this unique star-forming environment.
We present the status and the recent measurements from the Pierre Auger Observatory. The energy spectrum will be described and its steepening discussed. The mass composition is addressed with the measurements of the variation of the depth of shower maximum with energy. We also report on upper limits in the primary photon fraction. And finally, searches for anisotropies of cosmic rays arrival directions are reported.
I present an overview of the observational signatures of feeding of Active Galactic Nuclei, discussing briefly the role of interactions among galaxies on extragalactic scales, and of non-axisymmetric gravitational potentials -- such as bars -- on galactic scales. Then I discuss at larger length the feeding signatures on hundred of parsec scales, for which new results include: (1) recent star formation surrounding the active nucleus on tens of parsec scales; (2) excess of gas and dust in active galaxies relative to non-active ones, in the form of nuclear spirals and disks; (3) new kinematic signatures of gas inflow along nuclear spiral arms, which may be the long sought mechanism to bring gas from kiloparsec scales down to the nucleus to feed the supermassive black hole.
Surface detector arrays are designed to measure the spectrum and composition of high-energy cosmic rays by detecting the secondary particle flux of the Extensive Air Showers (EAS) induced by the primary cosmic rays. Electromagnetic particles and muons constitute the dominant contribution to the ground detector signals. In this paper, we show that the ground signal deposit of an EAS can be described in terms of only very few parameters: the primary energy E, the zenith angle theta, the distance of the shower maximum X_max to the ground, and a muon flux normalization N_mu. This set of physical parameters is sufficient to predict the average particle fluxes at ground level to around 10% accuracy. We show that this is valid for the two standard hadronic interaction models used in cosmic ray physics, QGSJetII and Sibyll, and for primaries from protons to iron. Based on this model, a new approach to calibrating the energy scale of ground array experiments is developed, which factors out the model dependence inherent in such calibrations up to now. Additionally, the method yields a measurement of the average number of muons in EAS. The measured distribution of N_mu of cosmic ray air showers can then be analysed, in conjunction with measurements of X_max from fluorescence detectors, to put constraints on the cosmic ray composition and hadronic interaction models.
The Local Group member M33 is a pure disk galaxy bearing no prominent bulge or stellar halo. It constitutes a challenge for any hierarchical galaxy formation theory and an ideal laboratory for studying quiescent star formation. Using multiwavelength observations of the gas and stellar component in this nearby galaxy we are able to constrain the gas accretion and star formation history. In the centermost region we find kinematical evidence of a weak bar, which explains the central light excess and the enhanced metallicity. In the more extended disk the lack of strong gradients of metal and dust abundances supports the picture that the slow radial decline of the star formation rate is due to a change in the large scale disk perturbations: bright HII regions and giant molecular clouds being born only in the inner disk. The analysis of the infrared Spitzer maps has however revealed hundreds of low luminosity star forming sites in places with a variety of dust content. These are essential ingredients for understanding the overall gas to star formation process in M33 and in more distant late type galaxies.
Late-type stars in general possess complicated magnetic surface fields which makes their detection and in particular their modeling and reconstruction challenging. In this work we present a new Zeeman-Doppler imaging code which is especially designed for the application to late-type stars. This code uses a new multi-line cross-correlation technique by means of a principal component analysis to extract and enhance the quality of individual polarized line profiles. It implements the full polarized radiative transfer equation and uses an inversion strategy that can incorporate prior knowledge based on solar analogies. Moreover, our code utilizes a new regularization scheme which is based on local maximum entropy to allow a more appropriate reproduction of complex surface fields as those expected for late-type stars. In a first application we present Zeeman-Doppler images of II Pegasi which reveal a surprisingly large scale surface structure with one predominant (unipolar) magnetic longitude which is mainly radially oriented.
We investigate the physically accepted solutions of general Braneworld scenarios, scanning uniformly the associated parameter space. Without making any further assumptions we find that solutions which give ``small'' Hubble parameters on the physical brane, and therefore ``small'' effective cosmological constants on the 4D Universe, are far more probable than those with ``large'' ones. Eventually, their distribution tends to the $\delta$-function in the limit of continuous covering of the parameter space.
We investigate the full 5D dynamics of general braneworld models. Without making any further assumptions we show that cyclic behavior can arise naturally in a fraction of physically accepted solutions. The model does not require brane collisions, which in the stationary case remain fixed, and cyclicity takes place on the branes. We indicate that the cosmological constants play the central role for the realization of cyclic solutions and we show that its extremely small value on the observable universe makes the period of the cycles and the maximum scale factor astronomically large.
Occupation numbers for non-relativistic interacting particles are discussed within a functional integral formulation. We concentrate on zero temperature, where the Bogoliubov theory breaks down for strong couplings as well as for low dimensional models. We find that the leading behavior of the occupation numbers for small momentum is governed by a quadratic time derivative in the inverse propagator that is not contained in the Bogoliubov theory. We propose to use a functional renormalization group equation for the occupation numbers in order to implement systematic non-perturbative extensions beyond the Bogoliubov theory.
A phenomenological calculation is presented of the effect of quantum fluctuations in the spacetime metric, or holographic noise, on interferometeric measurement of the relative positions of freely falling proof masses, in theories where spacetime satisfies covariant entropy bounds and can be represented as a quantum theory on 2+1D null surfaces. The quantum behavior of the 3+1D metric, represented by a commutation relation expressing quantum complementarity between orthogonal position operators, leads to a parameter-free prediction of quantum noise in orthogonal position measurements of freely falling masses. A particular quantum weirdness of this holographic noise is that it only appears in measurements that compare transverse positions, and does not appear at all in purely radial position measurements. The effect on phase signal in an interferometer that continuously measures the difference in the length of orthogonal arms resembles that of a classical random Brownian motion of the beamsplitter with a Planck length step in orthogonal position difference every Planck time. This predicted holographic noise is comparable in magnitude with currently measured system noise, and should be detectable in the currently operating interferometer GEO600. Because of its transverse character, holographic noise is reduced relative to gravitational wave effects in some interferometer designs, such as LIGO, where beam power is much less in the beamsplitter than in the arms.
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Galaxy formation inside dark matter halos, as well as the halo formation itself, can be affected by large-scale environments. Evaluating the imprints of environmental effects on galaxy clustering is crucial for precise cosmological constraints with data from galaxy redshift surveys. We investigate such an environmental impact on both real-space and redshift-space galaxy clustering statistics using a semi-analytic model(SAM) derived from the Millennium Simulation. We compare clustering statistics from original SAM galaxy samples and shuffled ones with environmental influence on galaxy properties eliminated. Among the three luminosity-threshold samples examined, the one most affected by environmental effects has a ~10% decrease in the real-space two-point correlation function (2PCF) after shuffling. By decomposing the 2PCF into five different components based on the source of pairs, we show that the change in the 2PCF can be explained by the richness (galaxy occupation number) dependence of halo clustering. The 2PCFs in redshift space are found to change in a similar manner after shuffling. If the environmental effects are neglected, halo occupation distribution modeling of the real-space and redshift-space clustering may have a less than 6.5% systematic uncertainty in constraining sigma_8 Omega_m^0.6 from the most affected SAM sample and have substantially smaller uncertainties from the other two samples. We argue that the effect could be even smaller in reality. In the Appendix, we present a method to decompose the 2PCF, which can be applied to measure the two-point auto-correlation functions of galaxy sub-samples in a volume-limited galaxy sample and their two-point cross-correlation functions in a single run utilizing only one random catalog.
The meaningful comparison of models of galaxy evolution to observations is critically dependent on the accurate treatment of dust attenuation. To investigate dust absorption and emission in galaxies we have assembled a sample of ~1000 galaxies with ultraviolet (UV) through infrared (IR) photometry from GALEX, SDSS, and Spitzer and optical spectroscopy from SDSS. The ratio of IR to UV emission (IRX) is used to constrain the dust attenuation in galaxies. We use the 4000A break as a robust and useful, although coarse, indicator of star formation history (SFH). We examine the relationship between IRX and the UV spectral slope (a common attenuation indicator at high-redshift) and find little dependence of the scatter on 4000A break strength. We construct average UV through far-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for different ranges of IRX, 4000A break strength, and stellar mass (M_*) to show the variation of the entire SED with these parameters. When binned simultaneously by IRX, 4000A break strength, and M_* these SEDs allow us to determine a low resolution average attenuation curve for different ranges of M_*. The attenuation curves thus derived are consistent with a lambda^{-0.7} attenuation law, and we find no significant variations with M_*. Finally, we show the relationship between IRX and the global stellar mass surface density and gas-phase-metallicity. Among star forming galaxies we find a strong correlation between IRX and stellar mass surface density, even at constant metallicity, a result that is closely linked to the well-known correlation between IRX and star-formation rate.
Comprehending the manner in which magnetic fields affect propagating waves is a first step toward the helioseismic construction of accurate models of active region sub-surface structure and dynamics. Here, we present a numerical method to compute the linear interaction of waves with magnetic fields embedded in a solar-like stratified background. The ideal Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) equations are solved in a 3-dimensional box that straddles the solar photosphere, extending from 35 Mm within to 1.2 Mm into the atmosphere. One of the challenges in performing these simulations involves generating a Magneto-Hydro-Static (MHS) state wherein the stratification assumes horizontal inhomogeneity in addition to the strong vertical stratification associated with the near-surface layers. Keeping in mind that the aim of this effort is to understand and characterize linear MHD interactions, we discuss a means of computing statically consistent background states. Results from a simulation of waves interacting with a flux tube of peak photospheric field strength 600 G are presented. Strong modal power reduction in the `umbral' regions of the flux tube enveloped by a halo of increased wave power are seen in the simulation data. This is strikingly similar to power maps of active regions observed in the Sun, leading us to propose that the halo arises due to a profusion of low frequency waves that are channeled into the atmosphere by the waveguide-like behavior of highly inclined field lines at the edge of the flux tube.
We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of transverse motion of knots within the flow.
Presented here are the highlights from the deep Chandra observation of the elliptical galaxy NGC 3379. From the multi-epoch observation of this galaxy, 132 discrete X-ray sources have been detected within the region overlapped by all observations, 98 of which lie within the D25 ellipse of the galaxy. Of these 132 sources, 71 exhibit long-term variability, indicating that they are accreting compact objects. 11 of these sources have been identified as transient candidates, with a further 7 possible transients. In addition to this, from the joint Hubble/Chandra field of view, nine globular clusters (GCs) and 53 field low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) have been detected in the galaxy. Comparisons of these two populations reveals that, at higher luminosities the field LMXBs and GC-LMXBs are similar. However, a significant lack of GC-LMXBs has been found at lower luminosities, indicating that not all LMXBs can form in GCs.
The gamma-ray burst (GRB) 070201 was a bright short-duration hard-spectrum GRB detected by the Inter-Planetary Network (IPN). Its error quadrilateral, which has an area of 0.124 sq. deg, intersects some prominent spiral arms of the nearby M31 (Andromeda) galaxy. Given the properties of this GRB, along with the fact that LIGO data argues against a compact binary merger origin in M31, this GRB is an excellent candidate for an extragalactic Soft Gamma-ray Repeater (SGR) giant flare, with energy of 1.4x10^45 erg. Analysis of ROTSE-IIIb visible light observations of M31, taken 10.6 hours after the burst and covering 42% of the GRB error region, did not reveal any optical transient down to a limiting magnitude of 17.1. We inspected archival and proprietary XMM-Newton X-ray observations of the intersection of the GRB error quadrilateral and M31, obtained about four weeks prior to the outburst, in order to look for periodic variable X-ray sources. No SGR or Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) candidates (periods in range 1 to 20 s) were detected. We discuss the possibility of detecting extragalactic SGRs/AXPs by identifying their periodic X-ray light curves. Our simulations suggest that the probability of detecting the periodic X-ray signal of one of the known Galactic SGRs/AXPs, if placed in M31, is about 10% (50%), using 50 ks (2 Ms) XMM-Newton exposures.
We report the results of an extragalactic point source search using the 61 and 94 GHz (V- and W-band) temperature maps from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). Applying a method that cancels the ``noise'' due to the CMB anisotropy signal, we find in the $|b| > 10\degr$ region 31 sources in the first-year maps and 64 sources in the three-year co-added maps, at a $5\sigma$ level. The 1$\sigma$ position uncertainties are 1.6' and 1.4' each. The increased detections and improved positional accuracy are expected from the higher signal-to-noise ratio of WMAP three-year data. All sources detected in the first-year maps are repeatedly detected in the three-year maps, which is a strong proof of the consistency and reliability of this method. Among all the detections, 21 are new, i.e. not in the WMAP three-year point source catalog. We associate all but two of them with known objects. The two unidentified sources are likely to be variable or extended as observations through VLA, CARMA and ATCA all show non-detection at the nominal locations. We derive the source count distribution at WMAP V-band by combining our verified detections with sources from the WMAP three-year catalog. Assuming the effect of source clustering is negligible, the contribution to the power spectrum from faint sources below 0.75 Jy is estimated to be $(2.4\pm0.8) \times 10^{-3} \mu K^2$ sr for V-band, which implies a source correction amplitude $A = 0.012\pm0.004 \mu K^2$ sr.
Power-law cosmologies, in which the cosmological scale factor evolves as a power law in the age, $a \propto t^{\alpha}$ with $\alpha \ga 1$, regardless of the matter content or cosmological epoch, is comfortably concordant with a host of cosmological observations.} {In this article, we use recent measurements of the X-ray gas mass fractions in clusters of galaxies to constrain the $\alpha$ parameter with curvature $k = \pm1, 0$. We find that the best fit happens for an open scenario with the power index $\alpha = 1.14 \pm 0.05$, though the flat and closed model can not be rule out at very high confidence level.} {Our results are in agreement with other recent analyses and show that the X-ray gas mass fraction measurements in clusters of galaxies provide a complementary test to the power law cosmology.
In this paper a connection between the holographic dark energy model and the $f(R)$ theory is established. We treat the $f(R)$ theory as an effective description for the holographic dark energy and reconstruct the function $f(R)$ with the parameter $c>1$, $c=1$ and $c<1$, respectively. We show the distinctive behavior of each cases realized in $f(R)$ theory, especially for the future evolution.
We consider the evolution of the vacuum energy in the DGP model according to the holographic principle under the assumption that the relation linking the IR and UV cut-offs still holds in this scenario. The model is studied when the IR cut-off is chosen to be the Hubble scale $H^{-1}$, the particle horizon $R_{\rm ph}$ and the future event horizon $R_{\rm eh}$, respectively. And the two branches of the DGP model are also taken into account. Through numerical analysis, we find that in the cases of $H^{-1}$ in the (+) branch and $R_{\rm eh}$ in both branches, the vacuum energy can play the role of dark energy. Moreover, when considering the combination of the vacuum energy and the 5D gravity effect in both branches, the equation of state of the effective dark energy may cross -1, which may lead to the Big Rip singularity. Besides, we constrain the model with the Type Ia supernovae and baryon oscillation data and find that our model is consistent with current data within $1\sigma$, and that the observations prefer either a pure holographic dark energy or a pure DGP model
Using full-disk observations obtained with the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, we present variations of the solar acoustic mode frequencies caused by the solar activity cycle. High-degree (100 < l < 900) solar acoustic modes were analyzed using global helioseismology analysis techniques over most of solar cycle 23. We followed the methodology described in details in Korzennik, Rabello-Soares and Schou (2004) to infer unbiased estimates of high-degree mode parameters (see also Rabello-Soares, Korzennik and Schou, 2006). We have removed most of the known instrumental and observational effects that affect specifically high-degree modes. We show that the high-degree changes are in good agreement with the medium-degree results, except for years when the instrument was highly defocused. We analyzed and discuss the effect of defocusing on high degree estimation. Our results for high-degree modes confirm that the frequency shift scaled by the relative mode inertia is a function of frequency and it is independent of degree.
We present a comparison between the SCUBA Half Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) at 450um and 850um in the Lockman Hole East with a deep Spitzer Space Telescope survey at 3.6-24um conducted in Guaranteed Time. We demonstrate a striking correspondence between the galaxies contributing the submm extragalactic background light, with those likely to dominate the backgrounds at Spitzer wavelengths. Using a combination BRIzK plus Spitzer photometric redshifts, we show that at least a third of the Spitzer-identified submm galaxies at 1<z<1.5 appear to reside in overdensities when the density field is smoothed at 0.5-2Mpc comoving diameters, supporting the high-redshift reversal of the local star formation -- galaxy density relation. We derive the dust-shrouded cosmic star formation history of galaxies as a function of assembled stellar masses. For model stellar masses <10^11 Msun, this peaks at lower redshifts than the ostensible z~2.2 maximum for submm point sources, adding to the growing consensus for ``downsizing'' in star formation. Our surveys are also consistent with ``downsizing'' in mass assembly. Both the mean star formation rates <dM/dt> and specific star formation rates <(1/M)dM/dt> are in striking disagreement with some semi-analytic predictions from the Millenium simulation. The discrepancy could either be resolved with a top-heavy initial mass function, or a significant component of the submm flux heated by the interstellar radiation field.
A small fraction of intermediate-mass main sequence (A and B type) stars have strong, organised magnetic fields. The large majority of such stars, however, show no evidence for magnetic fields, even when observed with very high precision. In this paper we describe a simple model, motivated by qualitatively new observational results, that provides a natural physical explanation for the small fraction of observed magnetic stars.
This paper reviews recent progress in the research on the initiation and propagation of CMEs. In the initiation part, several trigger mechanisms are discussed; In the propagation part, the observations and modelings of EIT waves/dimmings, as the EUV counterparts of CMEs, are described.
This work is devoted to improving empirical mass-luminosity relations and mass-metallicity-luminosity relation for low mass stars. For these stars, observational data in the mass-luminosity plane or the mass-metallicity-luminosity space subject to non-negligible errors in all coordinates with different dimensions. Thus a reasonable weight assigning scheme is needed for obtaining more reliable results. Such a scheme is developed, with which each data point can have its own due contribution. Previous studies have shown that there exists a plateau feature in the mass-luminosity relation. Taking into account the constraints from the observational luminosity function, we find by fitting the observational data using our weight assigning scheme that the plateau spans from 0.28 to 0.50 solar mass. Three-piecewise continuous improved mass-luminosity relations in K, J, H and V bands, respectively, are obtained. The visual mass-metallicity-luminosity relation is also improved based on our K band mass-luminosity relation and the available observational metallicity data.
Internal flows inside gravitationally stable astrophysical objects, such as the Sun, stars and compact stars are compressed and extremely subsonic. Such low Mach number flows are usually encountered when studying for example dynamo action in stars, planets, the hydro-thermodynamics of X-ray bursts on neutron stars and dwarf novae. Treating such flows is numerically complicated and challenging task. We aim to present a robust numerical tool that enables modeling the time-evolution or quasi-stationary of stratified low Mach number flows under astrophysical conditions. It is argued that astrophysical low Mach number flows cannot be considered as an asymptotic limit of incompressible flows, but rather as highly compressed flows with extremely stiff pressure terms. Unlike the pseudo-pressure in incompressible fluids, a Possion-like treatment for the pressure would smooth unnecessarily the physically induced acoustic perturbations, thereby violating the conservation character of the compressible equations. Moreover, classical dimensional splitting techniques, such as ADI or Line-Gauss-Seidel methods are found to be unsuited for modeling compressible flows with low Mach numbers. In this paper we present a nonlinear Newton-type solver that is based on the defect-correction iteration procedure and in which the Approximate Factorization Method (AFM) is used as a preconditioner. This solver is found to be sufficiently robust and is capable of capturing stationary solutions for viscous rotating flows with Mach number as small as $\mcal{M} \approx 10^{-3},$ i.e., near the incompressibility limit.
New determinations of effective temperatures of 23 magnetic, chemically peculiar (mCP) stars were obtained from a fit of metal enhanced model atmospheres to the observed spectral energy distributions (SED) from UV to red. The root-mean-square (RMS) method was used to fit the theoretical SED to the observations corrected for reddening if necessary, with metallicity and effective temperature as the fitting parameters. Gravity was assumed to be equal to log g = 4 for main sequence stars and to log g = 3 for two giants in the considered sample. Equal weights were given to the UV part and visual part of SED. Independently of the formal quality of fit resulting from the RMS method applied to the whole SED, the quality of fit was additionally checked for each star by determination of the temperature from the best fitting model atmosphere to the UV part and the visual part of SED separately. Both temperatures should be close to one another if the global best fitting model satisfactorily describes the full observed SED. This is the case for about a half of the investigated stars but the difference exceeds 750 K for the remaining stars with the extreme values above 2000 K. Possible reasons for such discrepancies are discussed. New, revised calibrations of effective temperature and bolometric corrections of mCP stars in terms of reddening free Stromgren indices are given.
We present the results of a search for variable stars in the central part of the globular cluster NGC 6752. The monitored sample included 160 BHB and 107 EHB stars, respectively. A total of 17 variables were detected of which 14 are new identifications. Five variables are BHB/EHB stars. We report also on identification of a detached eclipsing binary being likely a member of the cluster. Moreover, we detected an outburst of a dwarf nova located in the cluster core.
Computational gas dynamics has become a prominent research field both in astrophysics and cosmology. In the first part of this review we intend to briefly describe several of the numerical methods used in this field, discuss their range of application and present strategies for converting conditionally-stable numerical methods into unconditionally-stable solution procedures. The underlying aim of the conversion is to enhance the robustness and unification of numerical methods and subsequently enlarge their range of applications considerably. In the second part Fabian Heitsch presents and discusses the implementation of a time-explicit MHD Boltzmann solver.
Stardust is a class of presolar grains each of which presents an ideally uncontaminated stellar sample. Mainstream silicon carbide (SiC) stardust formed in the extended envelopes of carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and incorporated the radioactive nucleus 26Al as a trace element. The aim of this paper is to analyse in detail the effect of nuclear uncertainties, in particular the large uncertainties of up to four orders of magnitude related to the 26Al_g+(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, on the production of 26Al in AGB stars and compare model predictions to data obtained from laboratory analysis of SiC stardust grains. Stellar uncertainties are also briefly discussed. We use a detailed nucleosynthesis postprocessing code to calculate the 26Al/27Al ratios at the surface of AGB stars of different masses (M = 1.75, 3, and 5 M_sun) and metallicities (Z = 0.02, 0.012, and 0.008). For the lower limit and recommended value of the 26Al_g(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, the predicted 26Al/27Al ratios replicate the upper values of the range of the 26Al/27Al ratios measured in SiC grains. For the upper limit of the 26Al_g(p,gamma)27Si reaction rate, instead, the predicted 26Al/27Al ratios are approximately 100 times lower and lie below the range observed in SiC grains. When considering models of different masses and metallicities, the spread of more than an order of magnitude in the 26Al/27Al ratios measured in stellar SiC grains is not reproduced. We propose two scenarios to explain the spread of the 26Al/27Al ratios observed in mainstream SiC, depending on the choice of the 26Al_g+p reaction rate. One involves different times of stardust formation, the other involves extra-mixing processes. Stronger conclusions will be possible after more information is available from future nuclear experiments on the 26Al_g+p reaction.
I present multiband optical and UV Hubble Space Telescope photometry of the two Galactic globular clusters NGC6388 and NGC6441, in order to investigate the nature of the physical mechanism(s) responsible for the existence of an extended blue tail and of a slope in the horizontal branch. Further evidence that the horizontal branch tilt cannot be interpreted as an effect of differential reddening is provided, while I show that a possible solution of the puzzle is to assume that a small fraction of the stellar population in the two clusters is strongly helium enriched.
We describe HST imaging of recent star formation complexes located in the extended UV disk (XUV-disk) component of NGC 5236 (M 83), NGC 5055 (M 63), and NGC 2090. Photometry in four FUV--visible bands permits us to constrain the type of resolved stars and effective age of clusters, in addition to extinction. The preliminary results given herein focus on CMD analysis and clustering properties in this unique star-forming environment.
We present the status and the recent measurements from the Pierre Auger Observatory. The energy spectrum will be described and its steepening discussed. The mass composition is addressed with the measurements of the variation of the depth of shower maximum with energy. We also report on upper limits in the primary photon fraction. And finally, searches for anisotropies of cosmic rays arrival directions are reported.
I present an overview of the observational signatures of feeding of Active Galactic Nuclei, discussing briefly the role of interactions among galaxies on extragalactic scales, and of non-axisymmetric gravitational potentials -- such as bars -- on galactic scales. Then I discuss at larger length the feeding signatures on hundred of parsec scales, for which new results include: (1) recent star formation surrounding the active nucleus on tens of parsec scales; (2) excess of gas and dust in active galaxies relative to non-active ones, in the form of nuclear spirals and disks; (3) new kinematic signatures of gas inflow along nuclear spiral arms, which may be the long sought mechanism to bring gas from kiloparsec scales down to the nucleus to feed the supermassive black hole.
Surface detector arrays are designed to measure the spectrum and composition of high-energy cosmic rays by detecting the secondary particle flux of the Extensive Air Showers (EAS) induced by the primary cosmic rays. Electromagnetic particles and muons constitute the dominant contribution to the ground detector signals. In this paper, we show that the ground signal deposit of an EAS can be described in terms of only very few parameters: the primary energy E, the zenith angle theta, the distance of the shower maximum X_max to the ground, and a muon flux normalization N_mu. This set of physical parameters is sufficient to predict the average particle fluxes at ground level to around 10% accuracy. We show that this is valid for the two standard hadronic interaction models used in cosmic ray physics, QGSJetII and Sibyll, and for primaries from protons to iron. Based on this model, a new approach to calibrating the energy scale of ground array experiments is developed, which factors out the model dependence inherent in such calibrations up to now. Additionally, the method yields a measurement of the average number of muons in EAS. The measured distribution of N_mu of cosmic ray air showers can then be analysed, in conjunction with measurements of X_max from fluorescence detectors, to put constraints on the cosmic ray composition and hadronic interaction models.
The Local Group member M33 is a pure disk galaxy bearing no prominent bulge or stellar halo. It constitutes a challenge for any hierarchical galaxy formation theory and an ideal laboratory for studying quiescent star formation. Using multiwavelength observations of the gas and stellar component in this nearby galaxy we are able to constrain the gas accretion and star formation history. In the centermost region we find kinematical evidence of a weak bar, which explains the central light excess and the enhanced metallicity. In the more extended disk the lack of strong gradients of metal and dust abundances supports the picture that the slow radial decline of the star formation rate is due to a change in the large scale disk perturbations: bright HII regions and giant molecular clouds being born only in the inner disk. The analysis of the infrared Spitzer maps has however revealed hundreds of low luminosity star forming sites in places with a variety of dust content. These are essential ingredients for understanding the overall gas to star formation process in M33 and in more distant late type galaxies.
Late-type stars in general possess complicated magnetic surface fields which makes their detection and in particular their modeling and reconstruction challenging. In this work we present a new Zeeman-Doppler imaging code which is especially designed for the application to late-type stars. This code uses a new multi-line cross-correlation technique by means of a principal component analysis to extract and enhance the quality of individual polarized line profiles. It implements the full polarized radiative transfer equation and uses an inversion strategy that can incorporate prior knowledge based on solar analogies. Moreover, our code utilizes a new regularization scheme which is based on local maximum entropy to allow a more appropriate reproduction of complex surface fields as those expected for late-type stars. In a first application we present Zeeman-Doppler images of II Pegasi which reveal a surprisingly large scale surface structure with one predominant (unipolar) magnetic longitude which is mainly radially oriented.
We investigate the physically accepted solutions of general Braneworld scenarios, scanning uniformly the associated parameter space. Without making any further assumptions we find that solutions which give ``small'' Hubble parameters on the physical brane, and therefore ``small'' effective cosmological constants on the 4D Universe, are far more probable than those with ``large'' ones. Eventually, their distribution tends to the $\delta$-function in the limit of continuous covering of the parameter space.
We investigate the full 5D dynamics of general braneworld models. Without making any further assumptions we show that cyclic behavior can arise naturally in a fraction of physically accepted solutions. The model does not require brane collisions, which in the stationary case remain fixed, and cyclicity takes place on the branes. We indicate that the cosmological constants play the central role for the realization of cyclic solutions and we show that its extremely small value on the observable universe makes the period of the cycles and the maximum scale factor astronomically large.
Occupation numbers for non-relativistic interacting particles are discussed within a functional integral formulation. We concentrate on zero temperature, where the Bogoliubov theory breaks down for strong couplings as well as for low dimensional models. We find that the leading behavior of the occupation numbers for small momentum is governed by a quadratic time derivative in the inverse propagator that is not contained in the Bogoliubov theory. We propose to use a functional renormalization group equation for the occupation numbers in order to implement systematic non-perturbative extensions beyond the Bogoliubov theory.
A phenomenological calculation is presented of the effect of quantum fluctuations in the spacetime metric, or holographic noise, on interferometeric measurement of the relative positions of freely falling proof masses, in theories where spacetime satisfies covariant entropy bounds and can be represented as a quantum theory on 2+1D null surfaces. The quantum behavior of the 3+1D metric, represented by a commutation relation expressing quantum complementarity between orthogonal position operators, leads to a parameter-free prediction of quantum noise in orthogonal position measurements of freely falling masses. A particular quantum weirdness of this holographic noise is that it only appears in measurements that compare transverse positions, and does not appear at all in purely radial position measurements. The effect on phase signal in an interferometer that continuously measures the difference in the length of orthogonal arms resembles that of a classical random Brownian motion of the beamsplitter with a Planck length step in orthogonal position difference every Planck time. This predicted holographic noise is comparable in magnitude with currently measured system noise, and should be detectable in the currently operating interferometer GEO600. Because of its transverse character, holographic noise is reduced relative to gravitational wave effects in some interferometer designs, such as LIGO, where beam power is much less in the beamsplitter than in the arms.
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The history of discovering of hot gas in galaxies is traced briefly, its main properties are described and the desirability to make them more precise, in particular to obtain additional data on the mass of such gas is pointed out. For this purpose observations of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect on hot gas of coronas of elliptic galaxies are proposed. The absolute and relative disturbances of the cosmic microwave radiation spectrum due to scattering of relic photons by Maxwellian electrons are calculated according the formula of the article. With the example of three elliptic galaxies it is shown that observation of the SZ effect on such galaxies is quite possible. Kinematic SZ effect arising due to peculiar movement and rotation of galaxies is available for observation as well. Such observations combined with X-ray data would make it possible to get more about properties of galactic gas, to obtain additional information on rotation of galaxies, on possible accreting gas flows and on hot galactic wind.
The analysis presented in this paper verifies which of the mixing rules are best for real components of interstellar dust in possible wide range of wavelengths.The DDA method with emelents of different components with various volume fractions has been used. We have considered 6 materials: ice, amorphous carbon, graphite, SiC, silicates and iron, and the following mixing rules: Maxwell-Garnett, Bruggeman, Looyenga, Hanay and Lichtenecker which must satisfy rigorous bounds. The porous materials have also been considered. We have assumed simplified spatial distribution, shape and size of inclusions. The criteria given by Draine (1988) have been used to determine the range of wavelengths for the considered mixtures in order to calculate the ${\rm Q_{ext}}$ using the DDA. From all chosen mixing rules for the examined materials in majority of cases (12 out of 19) the best results have been obtained using the Lichtenecker mixing rule.
An overview of pulsating variable stars across the observational Hertzprung-Russel (HR) diagram is presented, together with a summary of their global properties. The HR diagram is presented with a third colour-coded dimension, visualizing the fraction of variable, the amplitude of variability or the period of variability. The distribution of variable stars in the other observational diagrams, such as the Period-Amplitude diagram, is also presented. Some of the progresses performed in the field of variable stars during the last decade are briefly summarized, and future projects that will improve our knowledge of variable stars are mentioned.
We present a merger history tree of dark matter haloes based on the excursion set approach with ellipsoidal collapse. This model has been shown to match numerical simulations better than the extended Press-Schechter formalism. Given a halo today, we construct a random walk and reconstruct its mass history. At each merger jump, the seeds of the next generation of branches are planted, always conserving mass. We repeat this process for each of the new branches. The progenitor mass fraction and mass functions are shown to work, showing improved agreement with N-body simulations. Furthermore, one can choose the most massive halo at each merger jump, giving us the 'main' branch. We test our tree by measuring the mass function of the main progenitor, the formation-times distribution, the mass distribution at formation, and the redshift distribution of the most recent major merger. Agreement with N-body simulation data is excellent for a broad range of masses and redshifts.
We model the detailed time-evolution of Discrete Absorption Components (DACs) observed in P Cygni profiles of the Si IV lam1400 resonance doublet lines of the fast-rotating supergiant HD 64760 (B0.5 Ib). We adopt the common assumption that the DACs are caused by Co-rotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) in the stellar wind. We perform 3D radiative transfer calculations with hydrodynamic models of the stellar wind that incorporate these large-scale density- and velocity-structures. We develop the 3D transfer code Wind3D to investigate the physical properties of CIRs with detailed fits to the DAC shape and morphology. The CIRs are caused by irregularities on the stellar surface that change the radiative force in the stellar wind. In our hydrodynamic model we approximate these irregularities by circular symmetric spots on the stellar surface. We use the Zeus3D code to model the stellar wind and the CIRs, limited to the equatorial plane. We constrain the properties of large-scale wind structures with detailed fits to DACs observed in HD 64760. A model with two spots of unequal brightness and size on opposite sides of the equator, with opening angles of 20 +/- 5 degr and 30 +/- 5 degr diameter, and that are 20 +/- 5 % and 8 +/- 5 % brighter than the stellar surface, respectively, provides the best fit to the observed DACs. The recurrence time of the DACs compared to the estimated rotational period corresponds to spot velocities that are 5 times slower than the rotational velocity. The mass-loss rate of the structured wind model for HD 64760 does not exceed the rate of the spherically symmetric smooth wind model by more than 1 %. The fact that DACs are observed in a large number of hot stars constrains the clumping that can be present in their winds, as substantial amounts of clumping would tend to destroy the CIRs.
We present a set of {\it Spitzer} 24$\mu$m MIPS time series observations of the M-dwarf eclipsing binary star GU Bo\"otis. Our data cover three secondary eclipses of the system: two consecutive events and an additional eclipse six weeks later. The study's main purpose is the long wavelength (and thus limb darkening-independent) characterization of GU Boo's light curve, allowing for independent verification of the results of previous optical studies. Our results confirm previously obtained system parameters. We further compare GU Boo's measured 24$\mu$m flux density to the value predicted by spectral fitting and find no evidence for circumstellar dust. In addition to GU Boo, we characterize (and show examples of) light curves of other objects in the field of view. Analysis of these light curves serves to characterize the photometric stability and repeatability of {\it Spitzer's} MIPS 24\micron array over short (days) and long (weeks) timescales at flux densities between approximately 300--2,000$\mu$Jy. We find that the light curve root mean square about the median level falls into the 1--4% range for flux densities higher than 1mJy. Finally, we comment on the fluctuations of the 24\micron background on short and long timescales.
We report the results of 18 years of Arecibo timing of two pulsars in the globular cluster NGC 5904 (M5), PSR B1516+02A and PSR B1516+02B. This has allowed the measurement of the proper motions of these pulsars and of the cluster. PSR B1516+02B is a 7.95-ms pulsar in a binary system with a ~0.2 solar-mass companion and an orbital period of 6.86 days. In deep HST images, no optical counterpart is detected at the position of the pulsar, implying the companion is either a white dwarf or a low-mass MS star. The eccentricity of the orbit (e = 0.14) has allowed a measurement of the rate of advance of periastron: 0.0136 +/ 0.0007 degrees per year. It is very likely that the periastron advance is due to the effects of general relativity; the total mass of the binary system is then 2.14 +/- 0.16 solar masses. The small measured mass function implies, in a statistical sense, that a very large fraction of this total mass is contained in the pulsar: 1.94 +0.17/-0.19 solar masses (1 sigma$); there is a 5 % probability that the mass of this object is smaller than 1.59 solar masses and a 1.3% probability that it is between 1.2 and 1.44 solar masses. With the possible exception of PSR J1748-2021B, this is the largest neutron star mass measured to date. When combined with similar measurements made previously for Terzan 5 I and J, we conclude that there is a 99 % probability that at least one of these MSPs is more massive than 1.72 solar masses. Confirmation of these mass measurements would exclude most of the ``soft'' equations of state for dense neutron matter, implying that matter at the center of a neutron star is highly incompressible. Furthermore, we see evidence for a bi-modal MSP mass distribution, but the reasons for this are not clear.
Fourier spectral analysis has been carried out on the quasar number count as a function of redshift calculated from the quasar data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR6 data release. The results indicate that quasars have preferred periodic redshifts with redshift intervals of 0.169, 0.249, 0.316, 0.455, 0.62, and 1.17. Within their standard errors these intervals are integer multiples 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 20 of 0.062. Could this be indicative of an intrinsic redshift for quasars as has been suggested by some?
I suggest a theoretical quantitative definition for the termination of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase and the beginning of the post-AGB phase. I suggest that the transition will be taken to occur when the ratio of the dynamical time scale to the the envelope thermal time scale, Q, reaches its maximum value. Time average values are used for the different quantities, as the criterion does not refer to the short time-scale variations occurring on the AGB and post-AGB, e.g., thermal pulses (helium shell flashes) and magnetic activity. Along the entire AGB the value of Q increases, even when the star starts to contract. Only when a rapid contraction starts does the value of Q start to decrease. This criterion captures the essence of the transition from the AGB to the post AGB phase, because Q is connected to the stellar effective temperature, reaching its maximum value at T~4000-6000 K, it is related to the mass loss properties, and it reaches its maximum value when rapid contraction starts and envelope mass is very low.
3D numerical simulations of a horizontal magnetic flux tube emergence with different twist are carried out in a computational domain spanning the upper layers of the convection zone to the lower corona. We use the Oslo Staggered Code to solve the full MHD equations with non-grey and non-LTE radiative transfer and thermal conduction along the magnetic field lines. The emergence of the magnetic flux tube input at the bottom boundary into a weakly magnetized atmosphere is presented. The photospheric and chromospheric response is described with magnetograms, synthetic images and velocity field distributions. The emergence of a magnetic flux tube into such an atmosphere results in varied atmospheric responses. In the photosphere the granular size increases when the flux tube approaches from below. In the convective overshoot region some 200km above the photosphere adiabatic expansion produces cooling, darker regions with the structure of granulation cells. We also find collapsed granulation in the boundaries of the rising flux tube. Once the flux tube has crossed the photosphere, bright points related with concentrated magnetic field, vorticity, high vertical velocities and heating by compressed material are found at heights up to 500km above the photosphere. At greater heights in the magnetized chromosphere, the rising flux tube produces a cool, magnetized bubble that tends to expel the usual chromospheric oscillations. In addition the rising flux tube dramatically increases the chromospheric scale height, pushing the transition region and corona aside such that the chromosphere extends up to 6Mm above the photosphere. The emergence of magnetic flux tubes through the photosphere to the lower corona is a relatively slow process, taking of order 1 hour.
In the framework of a program for the monitoring of Supernovae in the Near-Infrared (NIR) carried out by the Teramo, Rome and Pulkovo observatories with the AZT-24 telescope, we observed the Supernova SN2006jc in the J,H,K photometric bands during a period of 7 months, starting ~36 days after its discovery. Our observations evidence a NIR re-brightening, peaking ~70 days after discovery, along with a reddening of H-K and J-H colors until 120 days from discovery. After that date, J-H seems to evolve towards bluer colors. Our data, complemented by IR, optical, UV and X-ray observations found in the literature, show that the re-brightening is produced by hot dust surrounding the supernova, formed in the interaction of the ejecta with dense circumstellar matter.
The role of radial velocity (RV) jitters in extrasolar planet search surveys is discussed. Based on the maximum-likelihood principle, improved statistical algorithms for RV fitting and period search are developed. These algorithms incorporate a built-in jitter determination, so that resulting estimations of planetary parameters account for this jitter automatically. This approach is applied to RV data for several extrasolar planetary systems. It is shown that many RV planet search surveys suffer from periodic systematic errors which increase effective RV jitters and can lead to erratious conclusions. For instance, the planet candidate HD74156 d may be a false detection made due to annual systematic errors.
The low-mass X-ray binary GS 1826-238 is presently unique for its consistently regular bursting behavior. In previous Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) measurements between 1997 November and 2002 July, this source exhibited (nearly) limit-cycle bursts with recurrence times that decreased proportionately as the persistent flux increased. Here we report additional measurements of the burst recurrence time by RXTE, Chandra, and XMM-Newton, as well as observations of optical bursts. On a few occasions we measured burst recurrence times which deviated significantly from the earlier flux-recurrence time relationship, and most of these bursts occurred earlier than would be predicted based on the X-ray flux level. The epochs with early bursts were also accompanied by unusual broadband timing signatures, with the entire power spectrum shifting to higher frequencies. Concurrent XMM-Newton observations during one of these occasions, in 2003 April, indicate that an additional soft component may be present in the spectrum, though the precise nature of this component is difficult to constrain. If an additional soft component is present, it could contain enough flux (30% of the total) to account for the burst recurrence time discrepancy. The RXTE observations since 2003 April show that the spectral and timing properties have nearly returned to the previously established level. We conclude that GS 1826-238 has the potential to be a key source in future studies of the relationship between X-ray flux and accretion rate due to the ability to independently infer the latter from the regular burst intervals.
Analytical solution of ${\alpha}$-dynamo equation representing strongly torsioned helical dynamo is obtained in the thin twisted Riemannian flux tubes approximation. The $\alpha$ factor possesses a fundamental contribution from torsion which is however weaken in the thin tubes approximation. It is shown that assuming that the poloidal component of the magnetic field is in principle time-independent, the toroidal magnetic field component grows very fast in time, actually it possesses a linear time dependence, while the poloidal component grows under the influence of torsion or twist of the flux tube. The toroidal component decays spatially with as $r^{-2}$ while vorticity may decay as $r^{-5}$ (poloidal component) where r represents the radial distance from the magnetic axis of flux tube. Toroidal component of vorticity decays as $r^{-1}$. In turbulent dynamos unbounded magnetic fields may decay at least as $r^{-3}$.
We report 18 years of Doppler shift measurements of a nearby star, 55 Cancri, that exhibit strong evidence for five orbiting planets. The four previously reported planets are strongly confirmed here. A fifth planet is presented, with an apparent orbital period of 260 days, placing it 0.78 AU from the star in the large empty zone between two other planets. The velocity wobble amplitude of 4.9 \ms implies a minimum planet mass \msini = 45.7 \mearthe. The orbital eccentricity is consistent with a circular orbit, but modest eccentricity solutions give similar \chisq fits. All five planets reside in low eccentricity orbits, four having eccentricities under 0.1. The outermost planet orbits 5.8 AU from the star and has a minimum mass, \msini = 3.8 \mjupe, making it more massive than the inner four planets combined. Its orbital distance is the largest for an exoplanet with a well defined orbit. The innermost planet has a semi-major axis of only 0.038 AU and has a minimum mass, \msinie, of only 10.8 \mearthe, one of the lowest mass exoplanets known. The five known planets within 6 AU define a {\em minimum mass protoplanetary nebula} to compare with the classical minimum mass solar nebula. Numerical N-body simulations show this system of five planets to be dynamically stable and show that the planets with periods of 14.65 and 44.3 d are not in a mean-motion resonance. Millimagnitude photometry during 11 years reveals no brightness variations at any of the radial velocity periods, providing support for their interpretation as planetary.
Modifications to gravity that add additional functions of the Ricci curvature to the Einstein-Hilbert action -- collectively known as $f(R)$ theories -- have been studied in great detail. When considered as complete theories of gravity they can generate non-perturbative deviations from the general relativistic predictions in the solar system, and the simplest models show instabilites on cosmological scales. Here we show that, when treated as an effective field theory, $f(R)=R\pm\mu^4/R$ gravity shows no instabilities on cosmological scales and, in the solar system, is stable and consistent with measurements of the PPN parameters. We show that such a theory produces a spatially flat, accelerating universe, even in the absence of dark energy and when the matter density is too small to close the universe in the general relativistic case.
I propose a new paradigm for solar coronal heating viewed as a self-regulating process keeping the plasma marginally collisionless. The mechanism is based on the coupling between two effects. First, coronal density controls the plasma collisionality and hence the transition between the slow collisional Sweet-Parker and the fast collisionless reconnection regimes. In turn, coronal energy release leads to chromospheric evaporation, increasing the density and thus inhibiting subsequent reconnection of the newly-reconnected loops. As a result, statistically, the density fluctuates around some critical level, comparable to that observed in the corona. In the long run, coronal heating can be represented by repeating cycles of fast reconnection events (nano-flares), evaporation episodes, and long periods of slow magnetic stress build-up and radiative cooling of the coronal plasma.
Numerical simulations shed light onto earlier not trackable problem of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. They allowed to test the predictions of different models and choose the correct ones. Inevitably, this progress calls for revisions in the picture of cosmic ray (CR) transport. It also shed light on the problems with the present day numerical modeling of CR. In this paper we focus on the analytical way of describing CR propagation and scattering, which should be used in synergy with the numerical studies. In particular, we use recently established scaling laws for MHD modes to obtain the transport properties for CRs. We include nonlinear effects arising from large scale trapping, to remove the 90 degree divergence. We determine how the efficiency of the scattering and CR mean free path depend on the characteristics of ionized media, e.g. plasma $\beta$, Coulomb collisional mean free path. Implications for particle transport in interstellar medium and solar corona are discussed. We also examine the perpendicular transport of CRs. Perpendicular transport depends on the comparison of parallel mean free path and the injection scale of the turbulence, as well as the Alfv\'enic Mach number. Normal turbulence does not allow subdiffusion unless there are slab waves. The critical scale below which subdiffusion applies is provided. These results can be used to compare with the numerical calculations, provided that these calculations use the structure of magnetic field which is consistent with the numerical studies of MHD turbulence.
The King and the EFF (Elson, Fall & Freeman 1987) analytical models are employed to determine the structural parameters of star clusters using an 1-D surface brightness profile fitting method. The structural parameters are derived and a catalogue is provided for 51 star cluster candidates from the survey of compact star clusters in the South-West field of the M31 disk performed by Kodaira et al. (2004).
A study of aperture size effects on star cluster photometry in crowded fields is presented. Tests were performed on a sample of 285 star cluster candidates in the South-West field of the M31 galaxy disk, measured in the Local Group Galaxy Survey mosaic images (Massey et al. 2006). In the majority of cases the derived UBVRI photometry errors represent the accuracy of cluster colors well, however, for faint objects, residing in crowded environments, uncertainties of colors could be underestimated. Therefore, prior to deriving cluster parameters via a comparison of measured colors with SSP models, biases of colors, arising due to background crowding, must be taken into account. A comparison of our photometry data with Hubble Space Telescope observations of the clusters by Krienke and Hodge (2007) is provided.
We study the capability of the UBVRI photometric system to quantify star clusters in terms of age, metallicity, and color excess by their integrated photometry. The well known age-metallicity-extinction degeneracy was analyzed for various parameter combinations, assuming different levels of photometric accuracy. We conclude that the UBVRI photometric system enables us to estimate star cluster parameters over a wide range, if the overall photometric accuracy is better than ~0.03 mag.
Some of the observational aspects related to the evolutionary status and dust production in R Cor Bor stars are discussed. Recent work regarding the surface abundances, stellar winds and evidence for dust production in these high luminosty hydrogen deficient stars are also reviewed. Possibility of the stellar winds being maintained by surface magnetic fields is also considered.
Neutral fluorine lines are identified in the optical spectra of several R Coronae Borealis stars (RCBs) at maximum light. These lines provide the first measurement of the fluorine abundance in these stars. Fluorine is enriched in some RCBs by factors of 800 to 8000 relative to its likely initial abundance. The overabundances of fluorine are evidence for the synthesis of fluorine. These results are discussed in the light of the scenario that RCBs are formed by accretion of an He white dwarf by a C-O white dwarf. Sakurai's object (V4334 Sgr), a final He-shell flash product, shows no detectable neutral fluorine lines.
The energy spectra of hadron cascade showers produced by the cosmic ray muons travelling through water as well as the muon energy spectra underwater at the depth up to 4 km are calculated with two models of muon inelastic scattering on nuclei, the recent hybrid model (two-component, 2C) and the well-known generalized ector-meson-dominance model for the comparison. The 2C model involves photonuclear interactions at low and moderate virtualities as well as the hard scattering including the weak neutral current processes. For the muon scattering off nuclei substantial uclear effects, shadowing, nuclear binding and Fermi motion of nucleons are taken into account. It is shown that deep nderwater muon energy spectrum calculated with the 2C model are noticeably distorted at energies above 100 TeV as compared to that obtained with the GVMD model.
In this work a satisfactory, simple theoretical prediction of the data corresponding to observationally (by fine tuning condition) estimated value of the cosmological constant is given. It is supposed (in conceptually analogy with holographic principle) that cosmological constant, like classical surface tension coefficient by a liquid drop, does not correspond to a volume (bulk) vacuum mass (energy) density distribution but that it corresponds to a surface vacuum mass (energy) density distribution. Then form of given surface mass distribution and fine tuning condition imply observed growing (for $\sim$ 61 magnitude order) of the scale factor (from initial, corresponding to Planck length, to recent, at the beginning of the cosmic acceleration, corresponding to 10 Glyr length).
An overview is presented of a recently proposed "radically conservative" solution to the problem of dark energy in cosmology. The proposal yields a model universe which appears to be quantitatively viable, in terms of its fit to supernovae luminosity distances, the angular scale of the sound horizon in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy spectrum, and the baryon acoustic oscillation scale. It may simultaneously resolve key anomalies relating to primordial lithium abundances, CMB ellipticity, the expansion age of the universe and the Hubble bubble feature. The model uses only general relativity, and matter obeying the strong energy condition, but revisits operational issues in interpreting average measurements in our presently inhomogeneous universe, from first principles. The present overview examines both the foundational issues concerning the definition of gravitational energy in a dynamically expanding space, the quantitative predictions of the new model and its best-fit cosmological parameters, and the prospects for an era of new observational tests in cosmology.
We believe the Babcock--Leighton process of poloidal field generation to be the main source of irregularity in the solar cycle. The random nature of this process may make the poloidal field in one hemisphere stronger than that in the other hemisphere at the end of a cycle. We expect this to induce an asymmetry in the next sunspot cycle. We look for evidence of this in the observational data and then model it theoretically with our dynamo code. Since actual polar field measurements exist only from 1970s, we use the polar faculae number data recorded by Sheeley (1991) as a proxy of the polar field and estimate the hemispheric asymmetry of the polar field in different solar minima during the major part of the twentieth century. This asymmetry is found to have a reasonable correlation with the asymmetry of the next cycle. We then run our dynamo code by feeding information about this asymmetry at the successive minima and compare with observational data. We find that the theoretically computed asymmetries of different cycles compare favourably with the observational data, the correlation coefficient being 0.73. Due to the coupling between the two hemispheres, any hemispheric asymmetry tends to get attenuated with time. The hemispheric asymmetry of a cycle either from observational data or from theoretical calculation statistically tends to be less than the asymmetry in the polar field (as inferred from the faculae data) in the preceding minimum. This reduction factor turns out to be 0.38 and 0.60 respectively in observational data and theoretical simulation.
DDO 68 is the second most metal-poor star-forming galaxy (12+log(O/H)=7.14). Its peculiar optical morphology and the data on its HI distribution and kinematics indicate the merger origin. We use the photometry of the SDSS u,g,r,i images of DDO 68 to estimate its stellar population ages. The available H-alpha-images of DDO 68 were used to select several representative regions without nebular emission. The analysis of obtained colours was performed via comparison with the PEGASE2 evolutionary tracks for various star formation (SF) laws, including the two extremes: instantaneous SF and continuous SF with constant SF rate. The (u-g), (g-r) colours derived for all selected regions, are consistent with a few `instantaneous' SF episodes with ages from ~0.05 to ~1Gyr. Combining the fluxes and colours of visible stellar subsystems with PEGASE2 models, we have estimated the total mass of visible stars in DDO 68 of ~2.4x10^7 Mo. This comprises only ~6% of the total galaxy baryonic mass. All available data do not contradict to the option that DDO 68 is a kind of very rare candidate `young' galaxy, whose dominant stellar build-up took place in course of the recent (with the first encounter ~1 Gyr ago) merger of two very gas-rich disks. DDO 68 best approximates on its properties cosmologically young low-mass galaxies.
Infrared photometry and spectroscopy covering a time span of a quarter century are presented for HD 31648 (MWC 480) and HD 163296 (MWC 275). Both are isolated Herbig Ae stars that exhibit signs of active accretion, including driving bipolar flows with embedded Herbig-Haro (HH) objects. HD 163296 was found to be relatively quiescent photometrically in its inner disk region, with the exception of a major increase in emitted flux in a broad wavelength region centered near 3 microns in 2002. In contrast, HD 31648 has exhibited sporadic changes in the entire 3-13 micron region throughout this span of time. In both stars the changes in the 1-5 micron flux indicate structural changes in the region of the disk near the dust sublimation zone, possibly causing its distance from the star to vary with time. Repeated thermal cycling through this region will result in the preferential survival of large grains, and an increase in the degree of crystallinity. The variability observed in these objects has important consequences for the interpretation of other types of observations. For example, source variability will compromise models based on interferometry measurements unless the interferometry observations are accompanied by nearly-simultaneous photometric data.
Despite the efforts of the past decade, the origin of the bimodal horizontal-branch (HB) found in some globular clusters (GCs) remains a conundrum. Inspired by the discovery of multiple stellar populations in the {\it most massive} Galactic GC, $\omega$ Centauri, we investigate the possibility that two distinct populations may coexist and are responsible for the bimodal HBs in the {\it third} and {\it fifth} brightest GCs, NGC 6388 and NGC 6441. Using the population synthesis technique, we examine two different chemical ``self-enrichment'' hypotheses in which a primordial GC was sufficiently massive to contain two or more distinct populations as suggested by the populations found in $\omega$ Cen: (1) the age-metallicity relation scenario in which two populations with different metallicity and age coexist, following an internal age-metallicity relation, and (2) the super-helium-rich scenario in which GCs contain a certain fraction of helium-enhanced stars, for instance, the second generation stars formed from the helium-enriched ejecta of the first. The comparative study indicates that the detailed color-magnitude diagram morphologies and the properties of the RR Lyrae variables in NGC 6388 and NGC 6441 support the latter scenario; i.e., the model which assumes a minor fraction ($\sim$ 15 %) of helium-excess (Y $\simeq$ 0.3) stars. The results suggest that helium content is the main driver behind the HB bimodality found most often in massive GCs. If confirmed, the GC-to-GC variation of helium abundance should be considered a {\it local} effect, further supporting the argument that age is the {\it global} second parameter of HB morphology.
Analysis of the polarization of light from supernovae can reveal the shape and distribution of matter ejected from exploding stars. Here we review the young field of Type Ia supernova spectropolarimetry and critically evaluate, and place in context, the recent work of Wang et al. (2007, Science, 315, 212) in which a suggestive trend is found in data from 17 Type Ia events.
In this work we develop a new propagation model for the Galactic cosmic rays based on the GALPROP code, including contributions from dark matter annihilation. The model predicts compatible Galactic diffuse $\gamma$ ray spectra with EGRET data in all sky regions. It also gives consistent results of the diffuse $\gamma$ ray longitude and latitude distributions. Further the results for B/C, $^{10}$Be/$^9$Be, proton, electron and antiproton spectra are also consistent with cosmic ray measurements. In the model we have taken a universal proton spectrum throughout the Galaxy without introducing large fluctuation for the proton energy loss is negligible. The dark matter annihilation signals are `boosted' after taking the contribution from subhalos into account. Another interesting feature of the model is that it gives better description of the diffuse $\gamma$ rays when taking the source distribution compatible with supernova remnants data, which is different from previous studies.
We re-examine the differences observed in the pc-scale magnetic-field geometry of high and low optical polarization Quasars (HPQs, LPRQs) using the MOJAVE sample. We find that, as previously reported, HPQ jets exhibit predominantly transverse B fields while LPRQ jets tend to display longitudinal B fields. We attempt to understand these results along with the different B field geometry observed in the low and high energy peaked BL Lacs (LBLs, HBLs). We suggest a simple picture wherein the spinning central blackholes in these AGNs influence the speed and strength of the jet components (spine, sheath). Higher spin rates in HPQs compared to LPRQs and LBLs compared to HBLs, could explain the different radio powers and the observed B field structures in these AGN classes.
In this paper, we review the approach leading to cosmic polarization rotation observation and present the current status with an outlook. In the study of the relations among equivalence principles, we found that long-range pseudoscalar-photon interaction is allowed. Pseudoscalar-photon interaction would induce a rotation of linear polarization of electromagnetic wave propagating with cosmological/astrophysical distance. In 2002, DASI successfully observed the polarization of the cosmological microwave background radiation. In 2003, WMAP observed the correlation of polarization with temperature anisotropy at more than 10 sigma in the cosmological microwave background. From this high polarization-temperature correlation in WMAP observation, we put a limit of 0.1 rad on the rotation of linear polarization of cosmological microwave background (CMB) propagation. Pseudoscalar-photon interaction is proportional to the gradient of the pseudoscalar field. From phenomenological point of view, this gradient could be neutrino number asymmetry, other density current, or a constant vector. In these situations, Lorentz invariance or CPT may effectively be violated. In this paper, we review and compile various results. Better accuracy in CMB polarization observation is expected from PLANCK mission to be launched next year. A dedicated CMB polarization observer in the future would probe this fundamental issue more deeply.
We derive the equations for the gravity assist manoeuvre in the general 2D case without the constraints of circular planetary orbits or widely different masses as assumed by Broucke, and obtain the slingshot conditions and maximum energy gain for arbitrary mass ratios of two colliding rigid bodies. Using the geometric view developed in an earlier paper by the authors the possible trajectories are computed for both attractive or repulsive interactions yielding a further insight on the slingshot mechanics and its parametrization. The general slingshot manoeuvre for arbitrary masses is explained as a particular case of the possible outcomes of attractive or repulsive binary collisions, and the correlation between asymptotic information and orbital parameters is obtained in general.
In hierarchical models, the time derivative of the halo mass function may be thought of as the difference of two terms - a creation term, which describes the increase in the number of halos of mass m from the merger of two less massive objects, and a destruction term, which describes the decrease in the number of m-halos which results as m-halos themselves merge with other halos, creating more massive halos as a result. In models where halos form from a spherical collapse, the halo creation rate can be estimated from the same formalism which is used to estimate halo abundances: the constant-barrier excursion-set approach. In the excursion set approach, moving, rather than constant-barriers, are necessary for estimating halo abundances when the collapse is triaxial. We show how the corresponding estimates of halo creation rates are modified by providing analytic and Monte-Carlo estimates of the creation time distribution. We then show that these moving barrier based predictions are in better agreement with measurements in numerical simulations than are the corresponding predictions of the spherical collapse model. Our results should be useful for studies of merger-driven star-formation rates and AGN activity.
Analytical solution of first order torsion ${\alpha}$-effect in twisted magnetic flux tubes representing a flux tube dynamo in Riemannian space is presented. Toroidal and poloidal component of the magnetic field decays as $r^{-1}$, while grow exponentially in time. The rate of speed of the helical dynamo depends upon the value of Frenet curvature of the tube. The $\alpha$ factor possesses a fundamental contribution from constant torsion tube approximation. It is also assumed that the curvature of the magnetic axis of the tube is constant. Though ${\alpha}$-effect dynamo equations are rather more complex in Riemann flux tube coordinates, a simple solution assuming force-free magnetic fields is shown to be possible. Dynamo solutions are possible if the dynamo action is able to change the signs of torsion and curvature of the dynamo flux tube simultaneously.
We present a unified description of all the three known classes of optically thick accretion disks around black holes, namely Shakura-Sunyaev disks, slim disks, and neutrino-dominated accretion flows (NDAFs). It is found that NDAFs have both a maximal and a minimal possible mass accretion rate at their each radius. This may be suggestive of an interpretation for the origin of X-ray flares observed in gamma-ray bursts.
We present a Bayesian Voronoi image reconstruction technique (VIR) for interferometric data. Bayesian analysis applied to the inverse problem allows us to derive the a-posteriori probability of a novel parameterization of interferometric images. We use a variable Voronoi diagram as our model in place of the usual fixed pixel grid. A quantization of the intensity field allows us to calculate the likelihood function and a-priori probabilities. The Voronoi image is optimized including the number of polygons as free parameters. We apply our algorithm to deconvolve simulated interferometric data. Residuals, restored images and chi^2 values are used to compare our reconstructions with fixed grid models. VIR has the advantage of modeling the image with few parameters, obtaining a better image from a Bayesian point of view.
We present extensive ground-based spectroscopy and HST imaging of 3C79, an FR II radio galaxy associated with a luminous extended emission-line region (EELR). Surface brightness modeling of an emission-line-free HST R-band image reveals that the host galaxy is a massive elliptical with a compact companion 0.8" away and 4 magnitudes fainter. The host galaxy spectrum is best described by an intermediate-age (1.3 Gyr) stellar population (4% by mass), superimposed on a 10 Gyr old population and a power law (\alpha_{\lambda} = -1.8); the stellar populations are consistent with super-solar metallicities, with the best fit given by the 2.5 Z_sun models. We derive a dynamical mass of 4E11 M_sun within the effective radius from the velocity dispersion. The EELR spectra clearly indicate that the EELR is photoionized by the hidden central engine. Photoionization modeling shows evidence that the gas metallicity in both the EELR and the nuclear narrow-line region is mildly sub-solar (0.3 - 0.7 Z_sun) -- significantly lower than the super-solar metallicities deduced from typical active galactic nuclei in the SDSS. The more luminous filaments in the EELR exhibit a velocity field consistent with a common disk rotation. Fainter clouds, however, show high approaching velocities that are uncoupled with this apparent disk rotation. The striking similarities between this EELR and the EELRs around steep-spectrum radio-loud quasars provide further evidence for the orientation-dependent unification schemes. The metal-poor gas is almost certainly not native to the massive host galaxy. We suggest that the close companion galaxy could be the tidally stripped bulge of a late-type galaxy that is merging with the host galaxy. The interstellar medium of such a galaxy is probably the source for the low-metallicity gas in 3C79.
In this paper a framework is introduced to remove the huge discrepancy between the empirical value of the cosmological constant and the contribution to the cosmological constant predicted from the vacuum energy of quantum fields. An extra dimensional space with metric reversal symmetry and $R^2$ gravity is considered to this end. The resulting 4-dimensional energy momentum tensor (obtained after integration over extra dimensions) consists of terms that contain off-diagonally coupled pair of Kaluza-Klein modes. This, in turn, generically results in vanishing of the vacuum expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor for quantum fields, and offers a way to solve the problem of huge contribution of quantum fields to the vacuum energy density.
We consider five-dimensional gravity with a Gauss-Bonnet term in the bulk and an induced gravity term on a 2-brane of codimension-2. We show that this system admits BTZ black holes on the 2-brane which are extended into the bulk with regular horizons.
We provide a compact analytic formula to compute the spin of the black hole produced by the coalescence of two black holes. The expression, which uses an analytic fit of numerical-relativity data and relies on four assumptions, aims at modelling generic initial spin configurations and mass ratios. A comparison with numerical-relativity simulations already shows very accurate agreements with all of the numerical data available to date, but we also suggest a number of ways in which our predictions can be further improved.
In the cosmological context an effective quantum field theory describing the behavior of visible matter in the universe is characterized with its inherent UV cutoff and also with an IR scale that is set by the cosmological (particle) horizon. This UV - IR relation naturally defines a space-time grid over a horizon scale. Using the approach for determining of dark energy through the space-time uncertainty relation versus such a space-time grid, we estimate the energy density and pressure of a dark energy defined by this UV - IR relation. Such a dark energy shows up to decay linearly with time and exhibits a negative pressure only recently.
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We present two luminous UV/optical flares from the nuclei of apparently inactive early-type galaxies at z=0.37 and z=0.33 that have the radiative properties of a flare from the tidal disruption of a star. In this paper we report the second candidate tidal disruption event discovery in the UV by the GALEX Deep Imaging Survey, and present simultaneous optical light curves from the CFHTLS Deep Imaging Survey for both UV flares. The first few months of the UV/optical light curves are well fitted with the canonical t^(-5/3) power-law decay predicted for emission from the fallback of debris from a tidally disrupted star. Chandra ACIS X-ray observations during the flares detect soft X-ray sources with T_bb= (2-5) x 10^5 K or Gamma > 3, and place limits on hard X-ray emission from an underlying AGN down to L_X (2-10 keV) <~ 10^41 ergs/s. Blackbody fits to the UV/optical spectral energy distributions of the flares indicate peak flare luminosities of > 10^44-10^45 ergs/s. The temperature, luminosity, and light curves of both flares are in excellent agreement with emission from a tidally disrupted main sequence star onto a central black hole of several x 10^7 msun. The observed detection rate of our search over ~ 2.9 deg^2 of GALEX DIS data spanning from 2003 to 2007 is consistent with tidal disruption rates calculated from dynamical models, and we use these models to make predictions for the detection rates of the next generation of optical synoptic surveys.
We present the results of an Halpha near-infrared narrow-band survey searching for star-forming galaxies at redshift z=0.84. This work is an extension of our previous narrow-band studies in the optical at lower redshifts. After removal of stars and redshift interlopers (using spectroscopic and photometric redshifts), we build a complete sample of 165 Halpha emitters in the Extended Groth strip and GOODS-N fields with L(Halpha)>10^41 erg/s. We compute the Halpha luminosity function at z=0.84 after corrections for [NII] flux contamination, extinction, systematic errors, and incompleteness. Our sources present an average dust extinction of A(Halpha)=1.5 mag. Adopting Halpha as a surrogate for the instantaneous star formation rate (SFR), we measure a extinction-corrected SFR density of 0.17+-0.03 M_sun/yr/Mpc3. Combining this result to our prior measurements at z=0.02, 0.24, and 0.40, we derive an Halpha-based evolution of the SFR density proportional to (1+z)^beta with beta=3.8+-0.5. This evolution is consistent with that derived by other authors using different SFR tracers.
CODEX, a high resolution, super-stable spectrograph to be fed by the E-ELT, the most powerful telescope ever conceived, will for the first time provide the possibility of directly measuring the change of the expansion rate of the Universe with time and much more, from the variability of fundamental constants to the search for other earths. A study for the implementation at the VLT of a precursor of CODEX, dubbed ESPRESSO, is presently carried out by a collaboration including ESO, IAC, INAF, IoA Cambridge and Observatoire de Geneve. The present talk is focused on the cosmological aspects of the experiment.
<Context>. We report on near-infrared (IR) observations of the three anomalous X-ray pulsars XTE J1810-197, 1RXS J1708-4009, 1E 1841-045 and the soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1900+14, taken with the ESO-VLT, the Gemini, and the CFHT telescopes. <Aims>. This work is aimed at identifying and/or confirming the IR counterparts of these magnetars, as well as at measuring their possible IR variability. <Methods>. In order to perform photometry of objects as faint as Ks~20, we have used data taken with the largest telescopes, equipped with the most advanced IR detectors and in most of the cases with Adaptive Optics devices. The latter are critical to achieve the sharp spatial accuracy required to pinpoint faint objects in crowded fields. <Results>. We confirm with high confidence the identification of the IR counterpart to XTE J1810-197, and its IR variability. For 1E 1841-045 and SGR 1900+14 we propose two candidate IR counterparts based on the detection of IR variability. For 1RXS J1708-4009 we show that none of the potential counterparts within the source X-ray error circle can be yet convincingly associated with this AXP. <Conclusions>. The IR variability of the AXP XTE J1810-197 does not follow the same monotonic decrease of its post-outburst X-ray emission. Instead, the IR variability appears more similar to the one observed in radio band, although simultaneous IR and radio observations are crucial to draw any conclusion in this respect. For 1E 1841-045 and SGR 1900+14, follow-up observations are needed to confirm our proposed candidates with higher confidence.
The origin of asymmetric radio polarized emission and properties of magnetic fields in the Virgo Cluster spiral NGC4254 are investigated with help of "magnetic maps" presenting distributions of different magnetic field components over the entire galaxy, free of Faraday rotation and projection effects. We show that the dramatic variation of orientation of magnetic field vectors (from 0deg to more than 40deg) throughout the galaxy cannot arise from the dynamo process alone, but must be dominated by the effects like density waves and local gas flows. We determine within the galaxy the relation between the strength of total magnetic field and the local star-formation rate (SFR) as a power-law with an index of +0.18\pm 0.01. We find the opposite sense of relation of magnetic field regularity with SFR (-0.32\pm 0.03) and suggest that it results from efficient production of random field with rising turbulence in the regions with actively forming stars. The distribution of Faraday rotation measures in NGC4254 indicates a perturbed axisymmetrical mean-field dynamo mode or a mixture of axisymmetrical and bisymmetrical ones with regular field directed outwards the disk, which is contrary to most observed galaxies. The magnetic fields within two outer magnetic arms (shifted downstream of a density wave) are strong, up to 13muG in the regular field and 20muG in the total field. Our modelling of cluster influence on different magnetic field components indicates that rather than from cluster ram pressure, they arrise from stretching and shearing forces, likely triggered by the galaxy's gravitational interaction, which produce an anisotropic component of the regular field and also enhance the polarized emission. (abridged)
Recently there has been a growing evidence in favor of the presence of an Intermediate Mass Black Hole in the globular cluster G1, in Andromeda Galaxy. In this paper, we explore whether the adiabatic growth in the dark matter density due to the presence of a black hole could result in an observable gamma ray signal due to dark matter annihilation in this globular cluster. Starting from an initial NFW matter profile, with density parameters consistent with G1 observations, we find that indeed, if the spike in the density has been formed and has survived till present, the signal could be observed by GLAST and current ACT detectors.
After 6 years of quiescence, Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) 4U 0142+61 entered an active phase in 2006 March that lasted several months. During the active phase, several bursts were detected, and many aspects of the X-ray emission changed. We report on the discovery of six X-ray bursts, the first ever seen from this AXP in ~10 years of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) monitoring. All the bursts occurred in the interval between 2006 April 6 and 2007 February 7. The bursts had the canonical fast rise slow decay profiles characteristic of SGR/AXP bursts. The burst durations ranged from 8-3x10^3 s as characterized by T90,these are very long durations even when compared to the broad T90 distributions of other bursts from SGRs and AXPs. The first five burst spectra are well modeled by simple blackbodies, with temperature kT ~2-6 keV. However, the sixth burst had a complicated spectrum consisting of at least three emission lines with possible additional emission and absorption lines. The most significant feature was at ~14 keV. Similar 14-keV spectral features were seen in bursts from AXPs 1E 1048.1-5937 and XTE J1810-197. If this feature is interpreted as a proton cyclotron line, then it supports the existence of a magnetar-strength field for these AXPs. Several of the bursts were accompanied by a short-term pulsed flux enhancement. We discuss these events in the context of the magnetar model.
We present interferometric observations resolving the CO emission in the four gas-rich lenticular galaxies NGC 3032, NGC 4150, NGC 4459, and NGC 4526, and we compare the CO distribution and kinematics to those of the stars and ionized gas. Counterrotation documents an external origin for the gas in at least one case (NGC 3032), and the comparisons to stellar and ionized gas substructures in all four galaxies offer insights into their formation histories. The molecular gas is found in kpc-scale disks with mostly regular kinematics and average surface densities of 100 to 200 \msunsqpc. The disks are well aligned with the stellar photometric and kinematic axes. In the two more luminous Virgo Cluster members NGC 4459 and NGC 4526 the molecular gas shows excellent agreement with circular velocities derived independently from detailed modeling of stellar kinematic data. There are also two puzzling instances of disagreements between stellar kinematics and gas kinematics on sub-kpc scales. In the inner arcseconds of NGC 3032 the CO velocities are significantly lower than the inferred circular velocities, and the reasons may possibly be related to the external origin of the gas but are not well understood. In addition, the very young population of stars in the core of NGC 4150 appears to have the opposite sense of rotation from the molecular gas.
I start with a brief introduction to MOND phenomenology and its possible roots in cosmology--a notion that may turn out to be the most far reaching aspect of MOND. Next I discuss the implications of MOND for the dark matter (DM) doctrine: MOND's successes imply that baryons determine everything. For DM this would mean that the puny tail of leftover baryons in galaxies wags the hefty DM dog. This has to occur in many intricate ways, and despite the haphazard construction history of galaxies--a very tall order. I then concentrate on galaxy clusters in light of MOND, which still requires some yet undetected cluster dark matter, presumably in some baryonic form (CBDM). This CBDM might contribute to the heating of the x-ray emitting gas and thus alleviate the cooling-flow puzzle. MOND, qua theory of dynamics, does not directly enter the microphysics of the gas; however, it does force a new outlook on the role of DM in shaping the cluster gasdynamics: MOND tells us that the cluster DM is not cold dark matter, is not so abundant, and is not expected in galaxies; it is thus not subject to constraints on baryonic DM in galaxies. The mass in CBDM required in a whole cluster is, typically, similar to that in hot gas, but is rather more centrally concentrated, totally dominating the core. The CBDM contribution to the baryon budget in the universe is thus small. Its properties, deduced for isolated clusters, are consistent with the observations of the ``bullet cluster''. Its kinetic-energy reservoir is much larger than that of the hot gas in the core, and would suffice to keep the gas hot for many cooling times. Heating can be effected in various ways depending on the exact nature of the CBDM, from very massive black holes to cool, compact gas clouds.
We present photometry on 23 Jupiter Family Comets (JFCs) observed at large heliocentric distance, primarily using the 2.5m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT). Snap-shot images were taken of 17 comets, of which 5 were not detected, 3 were active and 9 were unresolved and apparently inactive. These include 103P/Hartley 2, the target of the NASA Deep Impact extended mission, EPOXI. For 6 comets we obtained time-series photometry and use this to constrain the shape and rotation period of these nuclei. The data are not of sufficient quantity or quality to measure precise rotation periods, but the time-series do allow us to measure accurate effective radii and surface colours. Of the comets observed over an extended period, 40P/Vaisala 1, 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson and P/2004 H2 (Larsen) showed faint activity which limited the study of the nucleus. Light-curves for 94P/Russell 4 and 121P/Shoemaker-Holt 2 reveal rotation periods of around 33 and 10 hours respectively, although in both cases these are not unique solutions. 94P was observed to have a large range in magnitudes implying that it is one of the most elongated nuclei known, with an axial ratio a/b \ge 3. 36P/Whipple was observed at 5 different epochs, with the INT and ESO's 3.6m NTT, primarily in an attempt to confirm the preliminary short rotation period apparent in the first data set. The combined data set shows that the rotation period is actually longer than 24 hours. A measurement of the phase function of 36P's nucleus gives a relatively steep \beta = 0.060 \pm 0.019. Finally, we discuss the distribution of surface colours observed in JFC nuclei, and show that it is possible to trace the evolution of colours from the Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) population to the JFC population by applying a 'de-reddening' function to the KBO colour distribution.
And IV is a low-surface brightness (LSB) dwarf galaxy projecting close to Messier 31. Ferguson et al. (2000, FGW), from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) study placed it at the distance of 6.1 Mpc. On the results of its several HII regions spectroscopy they also estimated their oxygen abundance 12+log(O/H) of ~7.90 via the empirical calibration R_23 method. In this paper the results of the spectroscopy of And IV two brightest HII regions with the SAO 6-m telescope (BTA) are presented. In both of them the faint line [OIII]4363A was detected that allowed us to determine their O/H by the classical T_e method. Their mean 12+log(O/H)=7.42+-0.10. The line intensities of these HII regions from FGW paper, with addition of I([OIII]4363) roughly estimated from their plots for the respective spectra were used to recalculate O/H via the classical T_e method. The derived mean value of 12+log(O/H) for the same two HII-regions appeared of 7.67+-0.14. Thus, the two independent values O/H are consistent each with other within their uncertainties. Their weighted mean is of 12+log(O/H)=7.50+-0.10 (in the old scale). For And IV blue luminosity of M_B=-12.6, the latter value of O/H fits much better to the `standard' relation between O/H and L_B for dwarf irregular galaxies (DIGs). Also, the new value of O/H is better consistent with the known unusually large value of M(HI)/L_B 13 for galaxy And IV. And IV appears to be a new representative of the extremely metal-deficient gas-rich galaxies in the Local Volume. The very large range of M(HI) for LSB galaxies with close metallicities and luminosities indicates that the simple models of LSBG chemical evolution are too limited to predict such striking diversity.
The proper motion of massive stars could cause them to explode far from the geometric centers of their wind-driven bubbles and thereby could affect the symmetry of the resulting diffuse supernova remnants. We use this fact to explain the origin of SNRs consisting of two partially overlapping shells (e.g. Cygnus Loop, 3C 400.2, etc.).
We perform evolutionary calculations of binary stars to find progenitors of system with parameters similar to the eclipsing binary system V228. We show that a V228 binary system may be formed starting with an initial binary system which has a low main sequence star as an accretor. We also show that the best fitting model implies loss of about 50 per cent of initial total orbital momentum but only 5 per cent of initial total mass.
We propose an explanation for the origin of hyperfast neutron stars (e.g. PSR B1508+55, PSR B2224+65, RX J0822-4300) based on the hypothesis that they could be the remnants of a symmetric supernova explosion of a high-velocity massive star (or its helium core) which attained its peculiar velocity (similar to that of the neutron star) in the course of a strong three- or four-body dynamical encounter in the core of a young massive star cluster. This hypothesis implies that the dense cores of star clusters (located either in the Galactic disk or near the Galactic centre) could also produce the so-called hypervelocity stars -- the ordinary stars moving with a speed of ~1000 km/s.
The contemporary cosmic expansion is considered in the context of Modified Friedmann Dynamics (MOFD). We discuss some relativistic model exploring analogy to MOND modification of Newtonian dynamics. We argue that MOFD cosmologies can explain fraction of dark matter in the accelerating Universe. We discuss some observational constraints on possible evolutional MOFD scenarios of cosmological models coming from SN Ia distant supernovae. We show that Modified Newtonian Dynamics can be obtained as a Newtonian limit of more general relativistic models with polytropic component of Equation of State. They constitute a special subclass of generalized Cardassian models basing on generalization of the Raychaudhuri equation rather than on generalization of the Friedmann first integral. We demonstrate that MOND cosmologies are compatible with observed accelerated phase of expansion of current universe only for high value of cosmological constant. The Bayesian framework of model selection favored this model over $\Lambda$CDM model if $\Omega_{m,o}$ is fixed but this evidence is not significant. Moreover obtained from statistical analysis value of the MOND characteristic $\beta$ parameter is far from value required for explanation of the flat rotation curves of spiral galaxies.
We have collected archival data on NGC7673 to constrain the star-formation history that produced the young star clusters and the field stellar population in this galaxy during the last 2 Gyr. We have considered the sample of 50 star clusters detected by HST/WFPC2 in the UV, V and I bands and estimated their age, intrinsic reddening, and mass via comparison of their colours with STARBURST99 models. We have found two prominent epochs of cluster formation occurred about 20 Myr and 2 Myr ago, with somewhat minor events between 3 Myr and 6 Myr ago. The star clusters are characterised by an intrinsic reddening E(B-V) < 0.4 mag and a mass lower than 2e+06 solar masses. Out of the 50 star clusters, we have selected 31 located within the boundaries of the IUE large slit that was employed to obtain the spectrum of NGC7673 between 1150 Ang. and 3350 Ang. For each cluster, we have built a synthetic spectrum corresponding to the age, mass and intrinsic reddening derived from the cluster colours, properly redshifted to NGC7673. The spectra have then been added together in a final, clusters integrated spectrum. This and the IUE and FUSE spectra of NGC7673 have allowed us to describe the star-formation history of the unresolved stars in the field as either exponentially decaying or multi-burst. In the first case, we have derived an e-folding time of 700 (900) Myr and an initial star-formation rate of 16 (13) solar masses per year when the Fitzpatrick's (Calzetti's) extinction law is used. In the case of a multi-burst star-formation history, the field population turns out to be composed by a young (< 40 Myr) component 3 (2) times brighter than the star clusters, and a component as old as 850 (450) Myr, about 200 (100) times more massive than the star clusters together.
Recently, Ning, Qian, & Meyer proposed that the shocked surface layers of exploding O-Ne-Mg cores provide the conditions for r-process nucleosynthesis, because their rapid expansion and high entropies enable heavy r-process isotopes to form even in an environment with very low initial neutron excess of the matter. We show here that the most sophisticated available hydrodynamic simulations do not support this new r-process scenario because they fail to provide the necessary conditions of temperature, entropy, and expansion timescale by significant factors. This suggests that either the formation of r-process elements works differently than suggested by Ning et al., or that some essential core properties with influence on the explosion dynamics might be different from those predicted by Nomoto's progenitor model.
The excitation of cosmological perturbations in an anisotropic cosmological model and in the presence of a homogeneous magnetic field has been studied, using the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. In this case, the system of partial differential equations which governs the evolution of the magnetized cosmological perturbations can be solved analytically. Our results verify that fast-magnetosonic modes propagating normal to the magnetic field, are excited. But, what's most important, is that, at late times, the magnetic-induction contrast grows, resulting in the enhancement of the ambient magnetic field. This process can be particularly favored by condensations, formed within the plasma fluid due to gravitational instabilities.
We presented here the orbital parameters for five visual binary stars calculated by using the new method which we named Sector Grid Search. Orbital parameters were obtained for the following stars: WDS 00152+2722 = ADS 195, WDS 02202+2949 = ADS 1780, WDS 11550$-$5606 = HIP 58106, WDS 16256$-$2327 = ADS 10049 and WDS 16256$-$2327 = ADS 10045. In addition, their masses, dynamical parallaxes and ephemerides were calculated as well.
We describe a new method that is both physically explicable and quantitatively accurate in describing the multifractal characteristics of intermittent events based on groupings of rank-ordered fluctuations. The generic nature of such rank-ordered spectrum leads it to a natural connection with the concept of one-parameter scaling for monofractals. We demonstrate this technique using results obtained from a 2D MHD simulation. The calculated spectrum suggests a crossover from the near Gaussian characteristics of small amplitude fluctuations to the extreme intermittent state of large rare events.
We have studied detailed nucleosynthesis in the shocked surface layers of an Oxygen-Neon-Magnesium core collapse supernova with an eye to determining if the conditions are suitable for r process nucleosynthesis. We find no such conditions in an unmodified model, but do find overproduction of N=50 nuclei (previously seen in early neutron-rich neutrino winds) in amounts that, if ejected, would pose serious problems for galactic chemical evolution.
We present a new model of the three-dimensional distribution of molecular gas in the Milky Way Galaxy, based on CO line data. Our analysis is based on a gas-flow simulation of the inner Galaxy using smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) using a realistic barred gravitional potential derived from the observed COBE/DIRBE near-IR light distribution. The gas model prescribes the gas orbits much better than a simple circular rotation model and is highly constrained by observations, but it cannot predict local details. In this study, we provide a 3D map of the observed molecular gas distribution using the velocity field from the SPH model. A comparison with studies of the Galactic Center region suggests that the main structures are reproduced but somewhat stretched along the line-of-sight, probably on account of limited resolution of the underlying SPH simulation. The gas model will be publicly available and may prove useful in a number of applications, among them the analysis of diffuse gamma-ray emission as measured with GLAST.
I review some of the important and exciting recent advances that were presented at the 2007 conference on Extragalactic Jets in Girdwood, Alaska, using as a framework the scientific challenges presented by R. Blandford at the beginning of the meeting. Sprinkled throughout are thoughts about the marvelous prospects for jets in the next several years, as a host of new observatories mature and simulations reach new levels of sophistication.
We have used multi-band high resolution HST WFPC2 and ACS observations combined with wide field ground-based observations to study the blue straggler star (BSS) population in the galactic globular cluster NGC 6388. As in several other clusters we have studied, the BSS distribution is found to be bimodal: highly peaked in the cluster center, rapidly decreasing at intermediate radii, and rising again at larger radii. In other clusters the sparsely populated intermediate-radius region (or ``zone of avoidance'') corresponds well to that part of the cluster where dynamical friction would have caused the more massive BSS or their binary progenitors to settle to the cluster center. Instead, in NGC 6388, BSS still populate a region that should have been cleaned out by dynamical friction effects, thus suggesting that dynamical friction is somehow less efficient than expected. As by-product of these observations, the peculiar morphology of the horizontal branch (HB) is also confirmed. In particular, within the (very extended) blue portion of the HB we are able to clearly characterize three sub-populations: ordinary blue HB stars, extreme HB stars, and blue hook stars. Each of these populations has a radial distribution which is indistinguishable from normal cluster stars.
Recently a covariant entropy conjecture has been proposed for dynamical horizons. We apply this conjecture to concordance cosmological models, namely, those cosmological models filled with perfect fluids, in the presence of a positive cosmological constant. As a result, we find this conjecture has a severe constraint power. Not only does this conjecture rule out those cosmological models disfavored by the anthropic principle, but also it imposes an upper bound $10^{-60}$ on the cosmological constant for our own universe, which thus alleviates the cosmological constant problem. As an intriguing implication of this conjecture, we also discuss the possible profound relation between the cosmological constant and Higgs mechanism.
Cosmic acceleration is explained quantitatively, as an apparent effect due to gravitational energy differences that arise in the decoupling of bound systems from the global expansion of the universe. "Dark energy" is a misidentification of those aspects of gravitational energy which by virtue of the equivalence principle cannot be localised, namely gradients in the energy due to the expansion of space and spatial curvature variations in an inhomogeneous universe. A new scheme for cosmological averaging is proposed which solves the Sandage-de Vaucouleurs paradox. Concordance parameters fit supernovae luminosity distances, the angular scale of the sound horizon in the CMB anisotropies, and the effective comoving baryon acoustic oscillation scale seen in galaxy clustering statistics. Key observational anomalies are potentially resolved, and unique predictions made, including a quantifiable variance in the Hubble flow below the scale of apparent homogeneity.
A general approach to viable modified $f(R)$ gravity is developed in both the Jordan and the Einstein frames. A class of exponential, realistic modified gravities is introduced and investigated with care. Special focus is made on step-class models, most promising from the phenomenological viewpoint and which provide a natural way to classify all viable modified gravities. One- and two-steps models are explicitly considered, but the analysis is extensible to $N$-step models. Both inflation in the early universe and the onset of recent accelerated expansion arise in these models in a natural, unified way. Moreover, it is demonstrated that models in this category naturally pass all local tests, including stability of spherical body solution, non-violation of Newton's law, and generation of a very heavy positive mass for the additional scalar degree of freedom.
Low-energy electron impact excitations of S_2 molecules are studied using the fixed-bond R-matrix method based on state-averaged complete active space SCF orbitals. Integral cross sections are calculated for elastic electron collision as well as impact excitation of the 7 lowest excited electronic states. Also, differential cross sections are obtained for elastic collision and excitation of the a^1 Delta_g, b^1 Sigma_g^+ and B^3 Sigma_u^- states. The integrated cross section of optically allowed excitation of the B^3 Sigma_u^- state agrees reasonably well with the available theoretical result.
Theories with spontaneous local Lorentz and diffeomorphism violation contain massless Nambu-Goldstone modes, which arise as field excitations in the minimum of the symmetry-breaking potential. If the shape of the potential also allows excitations above the minimum, then an alternative gravitational Higgs mechanism can occur in which massive modes involving the metric appear. The origin and basic properties of the massive modes are addressed in the general context involving an arbitrary tensor vacuum value. Special attention is given to the case of bumblebee models, which are gravitationally coupled vector theories with spontaneous local Lorentz and diffeomorphism violation. Mode expansions are presented in both local and spacetime frames, revealing the Nambu-Goldstone and massive modes via decomposition of the metric and bumblebee fields, and the associated symmetry properties and gauge fixing are discussed. The class of bumblebee models with kinetic terms of the Maxwell form is used as a focus for more detailed study. The nature of the associated conservation laws and the interpretation as a candidate alternative to Einstein-Maxwell theory are investigated. Explicit examples involving smooth and Lagrange-multiplier potentials are studied to illustrate features of the massive modes, including their origin, nature, dispersion laws, and effects on gravitational interactions. In the weak static limit, the massive mode and Lagrange-multiplier fields are found to modify the Newton and Coulomb potentials. The nature and implications of these modifications are examined.
The Inert Doublet Model (IDM) is a two doublet extension of the Higgs-Brout-Englert sector of the Standard Model with a Z_2 symmetry in order to prevent FCNC. If the Z_2 symmetry is not spontaneously broken, the lightest neutral extra scalar is a dark matter candidate. We briefly review the phenomenology of the model, emphasizing its relevance for the issue of Electroweak Symmetry Breaking (EWSB) and the prospects for detection of dark matter.
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