Solar flare accelerated electron beams propagating away from the Sun can interact with the turbulent interplanetary media, producing plasma waves and type III radio emission. These electron beams are detected near the Earth with a double power-law energy spectrum. We simulate electron beam propagation from the Sun to the Earth in the weak turbulent regime taking into account the self-consistent generation of plasma waves and subsequent wave interaction with density fluctuations from low frequency MHD turbulence. The rate at which plasma waves are induced by an unstable electron beam is reduced by background density fluctuations, most acutely when fluctuations have large amplitudes or small wavelengths. This suppression of plasma waves alters the wave distribution which changes the electron beam transport. Assuming a 5/3 Kolmogorov-type power density spectrum of fluctuations often observed near the Earth, we investigate the corresponding energy spectrum of the electron beam after it has propagated 1 AU. We find a direct correlation between the spectrum of the double power-law below the break energy and the turbulent intensity of the background plasma. For an initial spectral index of 3.5, we find a range of spectra below the break energy between 1.6-2.1, with higher levels of turbulence corresponding to higher spectral indices.
We examine scaling relations of dispersion-supported galaxies over more than eight orders of magnitude in luminosity by transforming standard fundamental plane parameters into a space of mass (M1/2), radius (r1/2), and luminosity (L1/2). We find that from ultra-faint dwarf spheroidals to giant cluster spheroids, dispersion-supported galaxies scatter about a one-dimensional "fundamental curve" through this MRL space. The weakness of the M1/2-L1/2 slope on the faint end may imply that potential well depth limits galaxy formation in small galaxies, while the stronger dependence on L1/2 on the bright end suggests that baryonic physics limits galaxy formation in massive galaxies. The mass-radius projection of this curve can be compared to median dark matter halo mass profiles of LCDM halos in order to construct a virial mass-luminosity relationship (Mvir-L) for galaxies that spans seven orders of magnitude in Mvir. Independent of any global abundance or clustering information, we find that (spheroidal) galaxy formation needs to be most efficient in halos of Mvir ~ 10^12 Msun and to become inefficient above and below this scale. Moreover, this profile matching technique is most accurate at the high and low luminosity extremes (where dark matter fractions are highest) and is therefore quite complementary to statistical approaches that rely on having a well-sampled luminosity function. We also consider the significance and utility of the scatter about this relation, and find that in the dSph regime observational errors are almost at the point where we can explore the intrinsic scatter in the luminosity-virial mass relation. Finally, we note that purely stellar systems like Globular Clusters and Ultra Compact Dwarfs do not follow the fundamental curve relation. This allows them to be easily distinguished from dark-matter dominated dSph galaxies in MRL space. (abridged)
We analyze the correlation of the positions of gamma-ray sources in the Fermi Large Area Telescope First Source Catalog (1FGL) and the First LAT Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) Catalog (1LAC) with the arrival directions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) observed with the Pierre Auger Observatory, in order to investigate the origin of UHECRs. We find that Galactic sources and blazars identified in the 1FGL are not significantly correlated with UHECRs, while the 1LAC sources display a mild correlation (2.6 sigma level) on a ~2.4 degree angular scale. When selecting only the 1LAC AGNs closer than 200 Mpc, we find a strong association (5.4 sigma) between their positions and the directions of UHECRs on a ~17 degree angular scale; the probability of the observed configuration being due to an isotropic flux of cosmic rays is 5x10^{-8}. There is also a 5 sigma correlation with nearby 1LAC sources on a 6.5 degree scale. We identify 7 "gamma-ray loud" AGNs which are associated with UHECRs within ~17 degree and are likely candidates for the production sites of UHECRs: Centaurus A, NGC 4945, ESO 323-G77, 4C+04.77, NGC 1218, RX J0008.0+1450 and NGC 253. We interpret these results as providing additional support to the hypothesis of the origin of UHECRs in nearby extragalactic objects. As the angular scales of the correlations are large, we discuss the possibility that intervening magnetic fields might be considerably deflecting the trajectories of the particles on their way to Earth.
We use a new non-parametric Bayesian approach to obtain the most probable mass distributions and circular velocity curves along with their confidence ranges, given deprojected density and temperature profiles of the hot gas surrounding X-ray bright elliptical galaxies. For a sample of six X-ray bright ellipticals, we find that all circular velocity curves are rising in the outer parts due to a combination of a rising temperature profile and a logarithmic pressure gradient that increases in magnitude. Comparing the circular velocity curves we obtain from X-rays to those obtained from dynamical models, we find that the former are often lower in the central ~10 kpc. This is probably due to a combination of: i) Non-thermal contributions of up to ~35% in the pressure (with stronger effects in NGC 4486), ii) multiple-temperature components in the hot gas, iii) incomplete kinematic spatial coverage in the dynamical models, and iv) mass profiles that are insufficiently general in the dynamical modelling. Complementing the total mass information from the X-rays with photometry and stellar population models to infer the dark matter content, we find evidence for massive dark matter haloes with dark matter mass fractions of ~35-80% at 2Re, rising to a maximum of 80-90% at the outermost radii. We also find that the six galaxies follow a Tully-Fisher relation with slope ~4 and that their circular velocities at 1Re correlate strongly with the velocity dispersion of the local environment. As a result, the galaxy luminosity at 1Re also correlates with the velocity dispersion of the environment. These relations suggest a close link between the properties of central X-ray bright elliptical galaxies and their environments (abridged).
The HII complex N159 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is used to study massive star formation in different environments, as it contains three giant molecular clouds (GMCs) that have similar sizes and masses but exhibit different intensities of star formation. We identify candidate massive young stellar objects (YSOs) using infrared photometry, and model their SEDs to constrain mass and evolutionary state. Good fits are obtained for less evolved Type I, I/II, and II sources. Our analysis suggests that there are massive embedded YSOs in N159B, a maser source, and several ultracompact HII regions. Massive O-type YSOs are found in GMCs N159-E and N159-W, which are associated with ionized gas, i.e., where massive stars formed a few Myr ago. The third GMC, N159-S, has neither O-type YSOs nor evidence of previous massive star formation. This correlation between current and antecedent formation of massive stars suggests that energy feedback is relevant. We present evidence that N159-W is forming YSOs spontaneously, while collapse in N159-E may be triggered. Finally, we compare star formation rates determined from YSO counts with those from integrated H-alpha and 24 micron luminosities and expected from gas surface densities. Detailed dissection of extragalactic GMCs like the one presented here is key to revealing the physics underlying commonly used star formation scaling laws.
We investigate models for the photoionization of the widespread diffuse ionized gas in galaxies. In particular we address the long standing question of the penetration of Lyman continuum photons from sources close to the galactic midplane to large heights in the galactic halo. We find that recent hydrodynamical simulations of a supernova-driven interstellar medium have low density paths and voids that allow for ionizing photons from midplane OB stars to reach and ionize gas many kiloparsecs above the midplane. We find ionizing fluxes throughout our simulation grids are larger than predicted by one dimensional slab models, thus allowing for photoionization by O stars of low altitude neutral clouds in the Galaxy that are also detected in Halpha. In previous studies of such clouds the photoionization scenario had been rejected and the Halpha had been attributed to enhanced cosmic ray ionization or scattered light from midplane H II regions. We do find that the emission measure distributions in our simulations are wider than those derived from Halpha observations in the Milky Way. In addition, the horizontally averaged height dependence of the gas density in the hydrodynamical models is lower than inferred in the Galaxy. These discrepancies are likely due to the absence of magnetic fields in the hydrodynamic simulations and we discuss how magnetohydrodynamic effects may reconcile models and observations. Nevertheless, we anticipate that the inclusion of magnetic fields in the dynamical simulations will not alter our primary finding that midplane OB stars are capable of producing high altitude diffuse ionized gas in a realistic three-dimensional interstellar medium.
Solar colors have been determined on the uvby-$\beta$ photometric system to
test absolute solar fluxes, to examine colors predicted by model atmospheres as
a function of stellar parameters (Teff, log g, [Fe/H]), and to probe
zero-points of Teff and metallicity scales.
New uvby-$\beta$ photometry is presented for 73 solar-twin candidates. Most
stars of our sample have also been observed spectroscopically to obtain
accurate stellar parameters. Using the stars that most closely resemble the
Sun, and complementing our data with photometry available in the literature,
the solar colors on the uvby-$\beta$ system have been inferred. Our solar
colors are compared with synthetic solar colors computed from absolute solar
spectra and from the latest Kurucz (ATLAS9) and MARCS model atmospheres. The
zero-points of different Teff and metallicity scales are verified and
corrections are proposed.
The Teff calibration of Alonso and collaborators has the poorest performance
(~140 K off), while the relation of Casagrande et al. (2010) is the most
accurate (within 10 K). We confirm that the Ramirez & Melendez (2005) uvby
metallicity calibration, recommended by \'Arnad\'ottir et al. (2010) to obtain
[Fe/H] in F, G, and K dwarfs, needs a small (~10%) zero-point correction to
place the stars and the Sun on the same metallicity scale. Finally, we confirm
that the c_1 index in solar analogs has a strong metallicity sensitivity.
The aim of this paper is to study the environment and intervening absorbers of the gamma-ray burst GRB 090926A through analysis of optical spectra of its afterglow. We analyze medium resolution spectroscopic observations (R=10 000, corresponding to 30 km/s, S/N=15 - 30 and wavelength range 3000-25000) of the optical afterglow of GRB 090926A, taken with X-shooter at the VLT ~ 22 hr after the GRB trigger. The spectrum shows that the ISM in the GRB host galaxy at z = 2.1071 is rich in absorption features, with two components contributing to the line profiles. In addition to the ground state lines, we detect C II, O I, Si II, Fe II and Ni II excited absorption features. No host galaxy emission lines, molecular absorption features nor diffuse interstellar bands are detected in the spectrum. The Hydrogen column density associated to GRB 090926A is log N_H/cm^{-2} = 21.60 +/- 0.07, and the metallicity of the host galaxy is in the range [X/H] =3.2X10^{-3}-1.2X10^{-2} with respect to the solar values, i.e., among the lowest values ever observed for a GRB host galaxy. A comparison with galactic chemical evolution models has suggested that the host of GRB090926A is likely to be a dwarf irregular galaxy. We put an upper limit to the Hydrogen molecular fraction of the host galaxy ISM, which is f < 7X10^{-7}. We derive information on the distance between the host absorbing gas and the site of the GRB explosion. The distance of component I is found to be 2.40 +/- 0.15 kpc, while component II is located far away from the GRB, possibly at ~ 5 kpc. These values are compatible with that found for other GRBs.
In a previous paper, we have presented a global view of the stability of
Neptune Trojan (NT hereafter) on inclined orbit. We discuss in this paper the
dependence of stability of NT orbits on the eccentricity. High-resolution
dynamical maps are constructed using the results of extensive numerical
integrations of orbits initialized on the fine grids of initial semimajor axis
(a0) versus eccentricity (e0). The extensions of regions of stable orbits on
the (a0, e0) plane at different inclinations are shown. The maximum
eccentricities of stable orbits in three most stable regions at low (0,
12deg.), medium (22,36deg.) and high (51, 59deg.) inclination, are found to be
0.10, 0.12 and 0.04, respectively. The fine structures in the dynamical maps
are described. Via the frequency analysis method, the mechanisms that portray
the dynamical maps are revealed. The secondary resonances, concerning the
frequency of the librating resonant angle and the frequency of the quasi 2:1
mean motion resonance between Neptune and Uranus, are found deeply involved in
the motion of NTs. Secular resonances are detected and they also contribute
significantly to the triggering of chaos in the motion. Particularly, the
effects of the secular resonance v8, v18 are clarified.
We also investigate the orbital stabilities of six observed NTs by checking
the orbits of hundreds clones of them generated within the observing error
bars. We conclude that four of them, except 2001 QR322 and 2005 TO74, are
deeply inside the stable region. The 2001 QR322 is in the close vicinity of the
most significant secondary resonance. The 2005 TO74 locates close to the
boundary separating stable orbits from unstable ones, and it may be influenced
by a secular resonance.
We discuss the expected properties of pair echo emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) at high redshifts ($z \gtrsim 5$), their detectability, and the consequent implications for probing intergalactic magnetic fields (IGMFs) at early epochs. Pair echos comprise inverse Compton emission by secondary electron-positron pairs produced via interactions between primary gamma-rays from the GRB and low-energy photons of the diffuse intergalactic radiation, arriving with a time delay that depends on the nature of the intervening IGMFs. At sufficiently high $z$, the IGMFs are unlikely to have been significantly contaminated by astrophysical outflows, and the relevant intergalactic radiation may be dominated by the well-understood cosmic microwave background (CMB). Pair echoes from luminous GRBs at $z \sim 5-10$ may be detectable by future facilities such as the Cherenkov Telescope Array or the Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System, as long as the GRB primary emission extends to multi-TeV energies, the comoving IGMFs at these redshifts are $B \sim 10^{-16}-10^{-15}~{\rm Gauss}$, and the non-CMB component of the diffuse intergalactic radiation is relatively low. Observations of pair echos from high-$z$ GRBs can provide a unique, in-situ probe of weak IGMFs during the epochs of early structure formation and cosmic reionization.
The chemical abundance patterns of the oldest stars in the Galaxy are expected to contain residual signatures of the first stars in the early universe. Numerous studies attempt to explain the intrinsic abundance scatter observed in some metal-poor populations in terms of chemical inhomogeneities dispersed throughout the early Galactic medium due to discrete enrichment events. Just how the complex data and models are to be interpreted with respect to "progenitor yields" remains an open question. Here we show that stochastic chemical evolution models to date have overlooked a crucial fact. Essentially all stars today are born in highly homogeneous star clusters and it is likely that this was also true at early times. When this ingredient is included, the overall scatter in the abundance plane [Fe/H] vs. [X/Fe] (C-space), where X is a nucleosynthetic element, can be much less than derived from earlier models. Moreover, for moderately flat cluster mass functions (gamma < 2), and/or for mass functions with a high mass cut-off (M_max > 10^5 M_sun), stars exhibit a high degree of clumping in C-space that can be identified even in relatively small data samples. Since stellar abundances can be modified by mass transfer in close binaries, clustered signatures are essential for deriving the yields of the first supernovae. We present a statistical test to determine whether a given set of observations exhibit such behaviour. Our initial work focusses on two dimensions in C-space, but we show that the clustering signal can be greatly enhanced by additional abundance axes. The proposed experiment will be challenging on existing 8-10m telescopes, but relatively straightforward for a multi-object echelle spectrograph mounted on a 25-40m telescope.
We present here the Data Explorer tool developed at the ASI Science Data Center (ASDC). This tool is designed to provide an efficient and user-friendly way to display information residing in several catalogs stored in the ASDC servers, to cross-correlate this information and to download/analyze data via our scientific tools and/or external services. Our database includes GRB catalogs (such as Swift and Beppo-SAX), which can be queried through the Data Explorer. The GRB fields can be viewed in multiwavelength and the data can be analyzed or retrieved.
Z CMa is a young binary system consisting of an Herbig primary and a FU Ori companion. Both components seem to be surrounded by active accretion disks and a jet was associated to the Herbig B0. In Nov. 2008, K. Grankin discovered that Z CMa was exhibiting an outburst with an amplitude larger than any photometric variations recorded in the last 25 years. To study the innermost regions in which the outburst occurs and understand its origin, we have observed both binary components with AMBER/VLTI across the Br{\gamma} emission line in Dec. 2009 in medium and high spectral resolution modes. Our observations show that the Herbig Be, responsible for the increase of luminosity, also produces a strong Br{\gamma} emission, and they allow us to disentangle from various origins by locating the emission at each velocities through the line. Considering a model of a Keplerian disk alone fails at reproducing the asymmetric spectro-astrometric measurements, suggesting a major contribution from an outflow.
A total of 185 luminous blue variable star (LBV) candidates with V < 18.5 are selected based on the results of aperture photometry. The primary selection criterion is that the prospective candidate should be a blue star with Haplha emission. In order not to overlook appreciably reddened LBV candidates, we compose an additional list of 25 red (0.35 < B-V < 1.2, V < 18.5) emission star candidates. A comparison with the list of known variables in the M33 galaxy showed 29% of our selected candidates to be photometrically variable. We also find our list to agree well with the lists of emission-line objects obtained in earlier papers using different methods.
(Abridged) We present here the second half of an ESO Large Programme, which exploits the unique combination of area and sensitivity provided in the near-IR by the camera Hawk-I at the VLT. We have obtained - 30 observing hours with Hawk-I in the Y-band of two high galactic latitude fields. We combined the Y-band data with deep J and K Hawk-I observations, and with FORS1/FORS2 U, B, V, R, I, and Z observations to select z-drop galaxies having Z - Y > 1, no optical detection and flat Y - J and Y - K colour terms. We detect 8 high-quality candidates in the magnitude range Y = 25.5 - 26.5 that we add to the z-drop candidates selected in two Hawk-I pointings over the GOODS-South field. We use this full sample of 15 objects found in -161 arcmin^2 of our survey to constrain the average physical properties and the evolution of the number density of z ~ 7 LBGs. A stacking analysis yields a best-fit SED with photometric redshift z= 6.85 +0.20 -0.15 and an E(B-V)=0.05 +0.15 -0.05. We compute a binned estimate of the z ~ 7 LF and explore the effects of photometric scatter and model uncertainties on the statistical constraints. After accounting for the expected incompleteness through MonteCarlo simulations, we strengthen our previous finding that a Schechter luminosity function constant from z=6 to z=7 is ruled out at a >99% confidence level, even including the effects of cosmic variance. For galaxies brighter than M_1500= -19.0, we derive a luminosity density rho_UV = 1.5^{+2.1}{-0.8} x 10^25 erg/s/Hz/Mpc^3, implying a decrease by a factor 3.5 from z=6 to z=6.8. We find that, under standard assumptions, the emission rate of ionizing photons coming from UV bright galaxies is lower by at least a factor of two than the value required for reionization. Finally, we exploit deep Hawk-I J and K band observations to derive an upper limit on the number density of M1500<~ -22.0 LBGs at z-8 (Y-dropouts).
We study the profile of a thin disk configuration as described by an axisymmetric ideal magnetohydrodynamics steady equilibrium. We consider the disk like a differentially rotating system dominated by the Keplerian term, but allowing for a non-zero radial and vertical matter flux. As a result, the steady state allows for the existence of local peaks for the vertical velocity of the plasma particles, though it prevents the radial matter accretion rate. This ideal magnetohydrodynamics scheme is therefore unable to solve the angular momentum-transport problem, but we suggest that it provides a mechanism for the generation of matter-jet seeds.
The X-ray emission from accreting black-holes and neutron stars features strong variability on sub-second time scales, with very complex and broad phenomenology. From high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations to rapidly changing X-ray burst oscillations to millisecond pulsations, these are weak signals immersed in strong noise and their study is pushing instrument capabilities to their limit. The scientific significance of fast time variability studies are both astronomical (properties of accretion flows, nature and evolution of sources) and physical (effects of General Relativity, equation of state of degenerate matter). I first review the main observational properties, then discuss the future prospects and observational needs.
We present Swift broadband observations of the recently discovered black hole candidate, X-ray transient, XTE J1752-223, obtained over the period of outburst from October 2009 to June 2010. From Swift-UVOT data we confirm the presence of an optical counterpart which displays variability correlated, in the soft state, to the X-ray emission observed by Swift-XRT. The optical counterpart also displays hysteretical behaviour between the states not normally observed in the optical bands, suggesting a possible contribution from a synchrotron emitting jet to the optical emission in the rising hard state. We offer a purely phenomenological treatment of the spectra as an indication of the canonical spectral state of the source during different periods of the outburst. We find that the high energy hardness-intensity diagrams over two separate bands follows the canonical behavior, confirming the spectral states. Our XRT timing analysis shows that in the hard state there is significant variability below 10Hz which is more pronounced at low energies, while during the soft state the level of variability is consistent with being minimal. These properties of XTE J1752-223 support its candidacy as a black hole in the Galactic centre region.
Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) are two small classes of X-ray sources strongly suspected to host a magnetar, i.e. an ultra-magnetized neutron star with $B\approx 10^14-10^15 G. Many SGRs/AXPs are known to be variable, and recently the existence of genuinely "transient" magnetars was discovered. Here we present a comprehensive study of the pulse profile and spectral evolution of the two transient AXPs (TAXPs) XTE J1810-197 and CXOU J164710.2-455216. Our analysis was carried out in the framework of the twisted magnetosphere model for magnetar emission. Starting from 3D Monte Carlo simulations of the emerging spectrum, we produced a large database of synthetic pulse profiles which was fitted to observed lightcurves in different spectral bands and at different epochs. This allowed us to derive the physical parameters of the model and their evolution with time, together with the geometry of the two sources, i.e. the inclination of the line-of-sight and of the magnetic axis with respect to the rotation axis. We then fitted the (phase-averaged) spectra of the two TAXPs at different epochs using a model similar to that used to calculate the pulse profiles ntzang in XSPEC) freezing all parameters to the values obtained from the timing analysis, and leaving only the normalization free to vary. This provided acceptable fits to XMM-Newton data in all the observations we analyzed. Our results support a picture in which a limited portion of the star surface close to one of the magnetic poles is heated at the outburst onset. The subsequent evolution is driven both by the cooling/varying size of the heated cap and by a progressive untwisting of the magnetosphere.
We report the detection of more than 48 velocity-resolved ground rotational state transitions of H2(16)O, H2(18)O, and H2(17)O - most for the first time - in both emission and absorption toward Orion KL using Herschel/HIFI. We show that a simple fit, constrained to match the known emission and absorption components along the line of sight, is in excellent agreement with the spectral profiles of all the water lines. Using the measured H2(18)O line fluxes, which are less affected by line opacity than their H2(16)O counterparts, and an escape probability method, the column densities of H2(18)O associated with each emission component are derived. We infer total water abundances of 7.4E-5, 1.0E-5, and 1.6E-5 for the plateau, hot core, and extended warm gas, respectively. In the case of the plateau, this value is consistent with previous measures of the Orion-KL water abundance as well as those of other molecular outflows. In the case of the hot core and extended warm gas, these values are somewhat higher than water abundances derived for other quiescent clouds, suggesting that these regions are likely experiencing enhanced water-ice sublimation from (and reduced freeze-out onto) grain surfaces due to the warmer dust in these sources.
We announce the discovery of the transiting planet CoRoT-13b. Ground based follow-up in CFHT and IAC80 confirmed CoRoT's observations. The mass of the planet was measured with the HARPS spectrograph and the properties of the host star were obtained analyzing HIRES spectra from the Keck telescope. It is a hot Jupiter-like planet with an orbital period of 4.04 days, 1.3 Jupiter masses, 0.9 Jupiter radii, and a density of 2.34 g cm-3. It orbits a G0V star with Teff=5945K, M*=1.09 Msun, R*=1.01 Rsun, solar metallicity, a lithium content of +1.45 dex, and an estimated age between 0.12 and 3.15 Gyr. The lithium abundance of the star is consistent with its effective temperature, activity level, and age range derived from the stellar analysis. The density of the planet is extreme for its mass. It implies the existence of an amount of heavy elements with a mass between about 140 and 300 Mearth.
Current coronal mass ejection (CME) models set their lower boundary to be in the lower corona. They do not calculate accurately the transfer of free magnetic energy from the convection zone to the magnetically dominated corona because they model the effects of flux emergence using kinematic boundary conditions or simply assume the appearance of flux at these heights. We test the importance of including dynamical flux emergence in CME modeling by simulating, in 2.5D, the emergence of sub-surface flux tubes into different coronal magnetic field configurations. We investigate how much free magnetic energy, in the form of shear magnetic field, is transported from the convection zone to the corona, and whether dynamical flux emergence can drive CMEs. We find that multiple coronal flux ropes can be formed during flux emergence, and although they carry some shear field into the corona, the majority of shear field is confined to the lower atmosphere. Less than 10% of the magnetic energy in the corona is in the shear field, and this, combined with the fact that the coronal flux ropes bring up significant dense material, means that they do not erupt. Our results have significant implications for all CME models which rely on the transfer of free magnetic energy from the lower atmosphere into the corona but which do not explicitly model this transfer. Such studies of flux emergence and CMEs are timely, as we have new capabilities to observe this with Hinode and SDO, and therefore to test the models against observations.
The "Nessie" Nebula is a filamentary infrared dark cloud (IRDC) with a large
aspect ratio of over 150:1 (1.5 degrees x 0.01 degrees, or 80 pc x 0.5 pc at a
kinematic distance of 3.1 kpc). Maps of HNC (1-0) emission, a tracer of dense
molecular gas, made with the Australia Telescope National Facility Mopra
telescope, show an excellent morphological match to the mid-IR extinction.
Moreover, because the molecular line emission from the entire nebula has the
same radial velocity to within +/- 3.4 km/s, the nebula is a single, coherent
cloud and not the chance alignment of multiple unrelated clouds along the line
of sight.
The Nessie Nebula contains a number of compact, dense molecular cores which
have a characteristic projected spacing of ~ 4.5 pc along the filament. The
theory of gravitationally bound gaseous cylinders predicts the existence of
such cores, which, due to the "sausage" or "varicose" fluid instability,
fragment from the cylinder at a characteristic length scale. If turbulent
pressure dominates over thermal pressure in Nessie, then the observed core
spacing matches theoretical predictions. We speculate that the formation of
high-mass stars and massive star clusters arises from the fragmentation of
filamentary IRDCs caused by the "sausage" fluid instability that leads to the
formation of massive, dense molecular cores. The filamentary molecular gas
clouds often found near high-mass star-forming regions (e.g., Orion, NGC 6334,
etc.) may represent a later stage of IRDC evolution.
We present a general formalism that provides a systematic computation of the linear and non-linear perturbations for an arbitrary number of cosmological fluids in the early Universe going through various transitions, in particular the decay of some species (such as a curvaton or a modulus). Using this formalism, we revisit the question of isocurvature non-Gaussianities in the mixed inflaton-curvaton scenario and show that one can obtain significant non-Gaussianities dominated by the isocurvature mode while satisfying the present constraints on the isocurvature contribution in the observed power spectrum. We also study two-curvaton scenarios, taking into account the production of dark matter, and investigate in which cases significant non-Gaussianities can be produced.
Four different neutrino mass sum-rules have been analyzed: these frequently arise in flavor symmetry models based on the groups A_4, S_4 or T', which are often constructed to generate tri-bimaximal mixing. In general, neutrino mass can be probed in three different ways, using beta decay, neutrino-less double beta decay and cosmology. The general relations between the corresponding three neutrino mass observables are well-known. The sum-rules lead to relations between the observables that are different from the general case and therefore only certain regions in parameter space are allowed. Plots of the neutrino mass observables are given for the sum-rules, and analytical expressions for the observables are provided. The case of deviations from the exact sum-rules is also discussed, which can introduce new features. The sum-rules could be used to distinguish some of the many models in the literature, which all lead to the same neutrino oscillation results.
We perform the phase space analysis in terms of the linearization technique in the Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz gravity with the softly broken detailed balance condition. It can be shown that the bouncing universe appears only for the positive spatial curvature of $k=+1$, and it is possible to obtain oscillating universe with the help of the negative dark radiation and the negative cosmological constant.
An underwater acoustic sensor array spanning ~1500 km^3 is used to search for cosmic-ray neutrinos of ultra-high energies (UHE, E > 10^18 eV). Approximately 328 million triggers accumulated over an integrated 130 days of data taking are analysed. The sensitivity of the experiment is determined from a Monte Carlo simulation of the array using recorded noise conditions and expected waveforms. Two events are found to have properties compatible with showers in the energy range 10^24 to 5x10^24 eV and 10^22 to 5x10^22 eV. Since the understanding of impulsive backgrounds is limited, a flux upper limit is set providing the most sensitive limit on UHE neutrinos using the acoustic technique.
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Due to the recent dramatic technological advances, infrared interferometry can now be applied to new classes of objects, resulting in exciting new science prospects, for instance, in the area of high-mass star formation. Although extensively studied at various wavelengths, the process through which massive stars form is still only poorly understood. For instance, it has been proposed that massive stars might form like low-mass stars by mass accretion through a circumstellar disk/envelope, or otherwise by coalescence in a dense stellar cluster. After discussing the technological challenges which result from the special properties of these objects, we present first near-infrared interferometric observations, which we obtained on the massive YSO IRAS 13481-6124 using VLTI/AMBER infrared long-baseline interferometry and NTT speckle interferometry. From our extensive data set, we reconstruct a model-independent aperture synthesis image which shows an elongated structure with a size of 13x19 AU, consistent with a disk seen under an inclination of 45 degree. The measured wavelength-dependent visibilities and closure phases allow us to derive the radial disk temperature gradient and to detect a dust-free region inside of 9.5 AU from the star, revealing qualitative and quantitative similarities with the disks observed in low-mass star formation. In complementary mid-infrared Spitzer and sub-millimeter APEX imaging observations we detect two bow shocks and a molecular out ow which are oriented perpendicular to the disk plane and indicate the presence of a bipolar outflow emanating from the inner regions of the system.
Lyman-limit absorption systems can play many important roles during and after cosmological reionization. Unfortunately, due to the prohibitively large dynamic range required, it is impossible to self-consistently include these systems in cosmological simulations. Using fast and versatile semi-numeric simulations, we systematically explore the spatial distribution of absorption systems during and following reionization. We self-calibrate the resulting number of absorbers to the mean free path (mfp) of the ionizing ultraviolet background (UVB), and present results at a given mfp and neutral hydrogen fraction. We use a simple optical depth criterion to identify the locations of absorbers. Our approach is fairly robust to uncertainties such as missing subgrid structure. Unlike at lower redshifts where the UVB is relatively uniform, at higher redshifts the fluctuations in the UVB and the HII morphology of reionization can drive the large-scale distribution of absorption systems. Specifically, we find that absorbers are highly correlated with the density field on small scales, and then become anti-correlated with the UVB on large scales. After reionization, the large-scale power spectrum of the absorbers traces the UVB power spectrum, which can be predicted with a simple analytic extension of the halo-model. During reionization, absorbers tend to preferentially lie inside overdensities (i.e. filaments) of the recently-ionized intergalactic medium (IGM). Absorbers may also dominate the small-scale (k > 1/Mpc) 21-cm power during and after reionization. Conversely, they smooth the contrast on moderate scales. Once the HII regions grow to surpass the mfp, the absorbers add to the large-scale 21-cm power. Our results should prove useful in interpreting future observations of the reionization epoch.
We present the results of rest-frame, UV slitless spectroscopic observations of a sample of 32 z~0.7 Lyman break galaxy (LBG) analogs in the COSMOS field. The spectroscopic search was performed with the Solar Blind Channel (SBC) on Hubble Space Telescope. We report the detection of leaking Lyman continuum (LyC) radiation from an AGN-starburst composite. While we find no direct detections of LyC emission in the remainder of our sample, we achieve individual lower limits (3 sigma) of the observed non-ionizing UV to LyC flux density ratios, f_{nu}(1500A)/f_{nu}(830A) of 20 to 204 (median of 73.5) and 378.7 for the stack. Assuming an intrinsic Lyman break of 3.4 and an intergalactic medium (IGM) transmission of LyC photons along the line of sight to the galaxy of 85% we report an upper limit for the relative escape fraction in individual galaxies of 0.02 - 0.19 and a stacked 3 sigma upper limit of 0.01. We find no indication of a relative escape fraction near unity as seen in some LBGs at z~3. Our UV spectra achieve the deepest limits to date at any redshift for the escape fraction in individual sources. The contrast between these z~0.7 low escape fraction LBG analogs with z~3 LBGs suggests that either the processes conducive to high escape fractions are not being selected for in the z<1 samples or the average escape fraction is decreasing from z~3 to z~1. We discuss possible mechanisms which could affect the escape of LyC photons.
The mass of the central black hole in the giant elliptical galaxy M84 has previously been measured by two groups using the same observations of emission-line gas with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope, giving strongly discrepant results: Bower et al. (1998) found M_BH = (1.5^{+1.1}_{-0.6}) x 10^9 M_sun, while Maciejewski & Binney (2001) estimated M_BH = 4 x 10^8 M_sun. In order to resolve this discrepancy, we have performed new measurements of the gas kinematics in M84 from the same archival data, and carried out comprehensive gas-dynamical modeling for the emission-line disk within ~70 pc from the nucleus. In comparison with the two previous studies of M84, our analysis includes a more complete treatment of the propagation of emission-line profiles through the telescope and STIS optics, as well as inclusion of the effects of an intrinsic velocity dispersion in the emission-line disk. We find that an intrinsic velocity dispersion is needed in order to match the observed line widths, and we calculate gas-dynamical models both with and without a correction for asymmetric drift. Including the effect of asymmetric drift improves the model fit to the observed velocity field. Our best-fitting model with asymmetric drift gives M_BH = (8.5^{+0.9}_{-0.8}) x 10^8 M_sun (68% confidence). This is a factor of ~2 smaller than the mass often adopted in studies of the M_BH - sigma and M_BH - L relationships. Our result provides a firmer basis for the inclusion of M84 in the correlations between black hole mass and host galaxy properties.
The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data have confirmed the pulsed emission from all six high-confidence gamma-ray pulsars previously known from the EGRET observations. We report results obtained from the analysis of 13 months of LAT data for three of these pulsars (PSR J1057-5226, PSR J1709-4429, and PSR J1952+3252) each of which had some unique feature among the EGRET pulsars. The excellent sensitivity of LAT allows more detailed analysis of the evolution of the pulse profile with energy and also of the variation of the spectral shape with phase. We measure the cutoff energy of the pulsed emission from these pulsars for the first time and provide a more complete picture of the emission mechanism. The results confirm some, but not all, of the features seen in the EGRET data.
We present the analysis of Spitzer-IRS spectra of four early-type galaxies, NGC 1297, NGC 5044, NGC 6868, and NGC 7079, all classified as LINERs in the optical bands. Their IRS spectra present the full series of H2 rotational emission lines in the range 5--38 microns, atomic lines, and prominent PAH features. We investigate the nature and origin of the PAH emission, characterized by unusually low 6 -- 9/11.3 microns inter-band ratios. After the subtraction of a passive early type galaxy template, we find that the 7 -- 9 microns spectral region requires dust features not normally present in star forming galaxies. Each spectrum is then analyzed with the aim of identifying their components and origin. In contrast to normal star forming galaxies, where cationic PAH emission prevails, our 6--14 microns spectra seem to be dominated by large and neutral PAH emission, responsible for the low 6 -- 9/11.3 microns ratios, plus two broad dust emission features peaking at 8.2 microns and 12 microns. Theses broad components, observed until now mainly in evolved carbon stars and usually attributed to pristine material, contribute approximately 30-50% of the total PAH flux in the 6--14 microns region. We propose that the PAH molecules in our ETGs arise from fresh carbonaceous material which is continuously released by a population of carbon stars, formed in a rejuvenation episode which occurred within the last few Gyr. The analysis of the MIR spectra allows us to infer that, in order to maintain the peculiar size and charge distributions biased to large and neutral PAHs, this material must be shocked, and excited by the weak UV interstellar radiation field of our ETG.
We investigate the possibility that the recently discovered Hercules Milky Way satellite is in fact a stellar stream in formation, thereby explaining its very elongated shape with an axis ratio of 3 to 1. Under the assumption that Hercules is a stellar stream and that its stars are flowing along the orbit of its progenitor, we find an orbit that would have recently brought the system close enough to the Milky Way to induce its disruption and transformation from a bound dwarf galaxy into a stellar stream. The application of simple analytical techniques to the tentative radial velocity gradient observed in the satellite provides tight constraints on the tangential velocity of the system (v_t = -16^{+6}_{-22} km/s in the Galactic Standard of Rest). Combined with its large receding velocity, the determined tangential velocity yields an orbit with a small pericentric distance (R_peri = 6^{+9}_{-2} kpc). Tidal disruption is therefore a valid scenario for explaining the extreme shape of Hercules. The increase in the mean flattening of dwarf galaxies as one considers fainter systems could therefore be the impact of a few of these satellites not being bound stellar systems dominated by dark matter but, in fact, stellar streams in formation, shedding their stars in the Milky Way's stellar halo.
The physical parameters of Herbig-Haro jets are usually determined from emission line ratios, obtained from spectroscopy or narrow band imaging, assuming that the emitting region is homogeneous along the line of sight. Under the more general hypothesis of axisymmetry, we apply tomographic reconstruction techniques to the analysis of Herbig-Haro jets. We use data of the HH30 jet taken by Hartigan & Morse (2007) with the Hubble space telescope using the slitless spectroscopy technique. Using a non-parametric Tikhonov regularization technique, we determine the volumetric emission line intensities of the [SII]6716,6731, [OI]6300 and [NII]6583 forbidden emission lines. From our tomographic analysis of the corresponding line ratios, we produce "three-dimensional" images of the physical parameters. The reconstructed density, temperature and ionization fraction present much steeper profiles than those inferred using the assumption of homogeneity. Our technique reveals that the reconstructed jet is much more collimated than the observed one close to the source (a width ~ 5 AU vs. ~ 20 AU at a distance of 10 AU from the star), while they have similar widths at larger distances. In addition, our results show a much more fragmented and irregular jet structure than the classical analysis, suggesting that the the ejection history of the jet from the star-disk system has a shorter timescale component (~ some months) superimposed on a longer, previously observed timescale (of a few years). Finally, we discuss the possible application of the same technique to other stellar jets and planetary nebulae.
We present the numerical evolution of test scalar fields, both massless and massive around a Schwarzschild black hole. We proceed by using hyperboloidal slices that approach future null infinity $\scri^{+}$, which is the correct boundary of scalar fields, and also demand the slices to penetrate the event horizon of the black hole. In order to implement an external boundary in the numerical domain arbitrarily close to $\scri^{+}$, we compactify the slices and regularize the metric at such boundary by rescaling the metric with a conformal transformation. This approach allows the scalar field to be accreted by the black hole and to escape toward future null infinity. We track the evolution in time of the energy density of the scalar field, which determines the rate at which the scalar field is being diluted. In the range of time used where our calculations converge, we find an approximate polynomial decay of the energy density of the scalar field, which we use to estimate the rate of dilution of the field in time and apply it to the case of a super-massive black hole. Our findings imply that the energy density of the scalar field decreases even five orders of magnitude in time scales smaller than a year. This implies that if a black hole candidate is the Schwarzschild solution, then scalar fields such as scalar field dark matter or quintessence cannot exist, unless properties like rotation or special potential are added to the scalar field. Conversely, if such scalar fields exist then the black hole candidate needs to have different properties, like rotation or a different asymptotic behavior.
Eclipse exoplanet spectroscopy has yielded detection of H_2O, CH_4, CO_2 and CO in the atmosphere of hot jupiters and neptunes. About 40 large terrestrial planets are announced or confirmed, two of which are transiting, and another deemed habitable. Hence the potential for eclipse spectroscopy of terrestrial planets with James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has become an active field of study. We explore the parameter space (type of stars, planet orbital periods and types, and instruments/wavelengths) in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) achievable on the detection of spectroscopic features. We use analytic formula and model data for both the astrophysical scene and the instrument, to plot S/N contour maps, while indicating how the S/N scales with the fixed parameters. We systematically compare stellar photon noise-only figures with ones including detailed instrumental and zodiacal noises. Likelihood of occurring targets is based both on model and catalog star population of the solar neighborhood. The 9.6 micron ozone band is detectable (S/N = 3) with JWST, for a warm super-earth 6.7 pc away, using ~2% of the 5-year nominal mission time (summing observations, M4V and lighter host star for primary eclipses, M5V for secondary). If every star up to this mass limit and distance were to host a habitable planet, there should be statistically ~1 eclipsing case. Investigation of systematic noises in the co-addition of 5 years worth-, tens of days separated-, hours-long observations is critical, complemented by dedicated characterisation of the instruments, currently in integration phase. The census of nearby transiting habitable planets must be complete before the beginning of science operations.
The all sky surveys done by the Palomar Observatory Schmidt, the European Southern Observatory Schmidt, and the United Kingdom Schmidt, the InfraRed Astronomical Satellite and the 2 Micron All Sky Survey have proven to be extremely useful tools for astronomy with value that lasts for decades. The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer is mapping the whole sky following its launch on 14 December 2009. WISE began surveying the sky on 14 Jan 2010 and completed its first full coverage of the sky on July 17. The survey will continue to cover the sky a second time until the cryogen is exhausted (anticipated in November 2010). WISE is achieving 5 sigma point source sensitivities better than 0.08, 0.11, 1 and 6 mJy in unconfused regions on the ecliptic in bands centered at wavelengths of 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 microns. Sensitivity improves toward the ecliptic poles due to denser coverage and lower zodiacal background. The angular resolution is 6.1, 6.4, 6.5 and 12.0 arc-seconds at 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 microns, and the astrometric precision for high SNR sources is better than 0.15 arc-seconds.
We study the density perturbation by a curvaton with a double well potential and estimate the nonlinear parameters for non-Gaussianity and the amplitude of gravitational wave background generated during inflation. The predicted nonlinear parameters strongly depend on the size of a curvaton self-coupling constant as well as the reheating temperature after inflation for a given initial amplitude of the curvaton. The difference from usual massive self-interacting curvaton is also emphasized.
In this paper we present mid-infrared spectra of a comprehensive set of Herbig Ae/Be stars observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The signal-to-noise ratio of these spectra is very high, ranging between about a hundred and several hundreds. During the analysis of these data we tested the validity of standard protoplanetary dust models and studied grain growth and crystal formation. On the basis of the analyzed spectra, the major constituents of protoplanetary dust around Herbig Ae/Be stars are amorphous silicates with olivine and pyroxene stoichiometry, crystalline forsterite and enstatite and silica. No other solid state features, indicating other abundant dust species, are present in the Spitzer spectra. Deviations of the synthetic spectra from the observations are most likely related to grain shape effects and uncertainties in the iron content of the dust grains. Our analysis revealed that larger grains are more abundant in the disk atmosphere of flatter disks than in that of flared disks, indicating that grain growth and sedimentation decrease the disk flaring. We did not find, however, correlations between the value of crystallinity and any of the investigated system parameters. Our analysis shows that enstatite is more concentrated toward the warm inner disk than forsterite, in contrast to predictions of equilibrium condensation models. None of the three crystal formation mechanisms proposed so far can alone explain all our findings. It is very likely that all three play at least some role in the formation of crystalline silicates.
Boutloukos et al. (2006) discovered twin-peak quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in 11 observations of the peculiar Z-source Circinus X-1. Among several other conjunctions the authors briefly discussed the related estimate of the compact object mass following from the geodesic relativistic precession model for kHz QPOs. Neglecting the neutron star rotation they reported the inferred mass M_0 = 2.2 +/- 0.3 M_\sun. We present a more detailed analysis of the estimate which involves the frame-dragging effects associated with rotating spacetimes. For a free mass we find acceptable fits of the model to data for (any) small dimensionless compact object angular momentum j=cJ/GM^2. Moreover, quality of the fit tends to increase very gently with rising j. Good fits are reached when M ~ M_0[1+0.55(j+j^2)]. It is therefore impossible to estimate the mass without the independent knowledge of the angular momentum and vice versa. Considering j up to 0.3 the range of the feasible values of mass extends up to 3M_\sun. We suggest that similar increase of estimated mass due to rotational effects can be relevant for several other sources.
The Z CMa binary is understood to undergo both FU Orionis (FUOR) and EX Orionis (EXOR) type outbursts. While the SE component has been spectro- scopically identified as an FUOR, the NW component, a Herbig Be star, is the source of the EXOR outbursts. The system has been identified as the source of a large outflow, however, previous studies have failed to identify the driver. Here we present adaptive optics (AO) assisted [FeII] spectro-images which reveal for the first time the presence of two jets. Observations made using OSIRIS at the Keck Observatory show the Herbig Be star to be the source of the parsec-scale outflow, which within 2'' of the source shows signs of wiggling and the FUOR to '' be driving a ~ 0.4 jet. The wiggling of the Herbig Be star's jet is evidence for an additional companion which could in fact be generating the EXOR outbursts, the last of which began in 2008 (Grankin & Artemenko 2009). Indeed the dy- namical scale of the wiggling corresponds to a time-scale of 4-8 years which is in agreement with the time-scale of these outbursts. The spectro-images also show a bow-shock shaped feature and possible associated knots. The origin of this structure is as of yet unclear. Finally interesting low velocity structure is also observed. One possibility is that it originates in a wide-angle outflow launched from a circumbinary disk.
3D visualization is an important data analysis and knowledge discovery tool, however, interactive visualization of large 3D astronomical datasets poses a challenge for many existing data visualization packages. We present a solution to interactively visualize larger-than-memory 3D astronomical data cubes by utilizing a heterogeneous cluster of CPUs and GPUs. The system partitions the data volume into smaller sub-volumes that are distributed over the rendering workstations. A GPU-based ray casting volume rendering is performed to generate images for each sub-volume, which are composited to generate the whole volume output, and returned to the user. Datasets including the HI Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS - 12 GB) southern sky and the Galactic All Sky Survey (GASS - 26 GB) data cubes were used to demonstrate our framework's performance. The framework can render the GASS data cube with a maximum render time < 0.3 second with 1024 x 1024 pixels output resolution using 3 rendering workstations and 8 GPUs. Our framework will scale to visualize larger datasets, even of Terabyte order, if proper hardware infrastructure is available.
We present an AAOmega spectroscopic study of red giant stars in Bootes I,
which is an ultra-faint dwarf galaxy, and Segue 1, suggested to be either an
extremely low-luminosity dwarf galaxy or a star cluster. Our focus is
quantifying the mean abundance and abundance dispersion in iron and carbon, and
searching for distant radial-velocity members, in these systems.
The primary conclusion of our investigation is that the spread of carbon
abundance in both Bootes I and Segue 1 is large. For Bootes I, 4 of our 16
velocity members have [C/H] < ~-3.1, while 2 have [C/H] > ~-2.3, suggesting a
range of Delta[C/H] ~ 0.8. For Segue 1 there exists a range Delta[C/H] ~ 1.0,
including our discovery of a star with [Fe/H] = -3.5 and [C/Fe] = +2.3, which
is a radial velocity member at a distance of 4 half-light radii from the system
center. The accompanying ranges in iron abundance are Delta[Fe/H] ~ 1.6 for
both Bootes I and Segue 1. For [Fe/H] < -3.0, the Galaxy's dwarf galaxy
satellites exhibit a dependence of [C/Fe] on [Fe/H] which is very similar to
that observed in its halo populations. We find [C/Fe] ~ 0.3 for stars in the
dwarf systems that we believe are the counterpart of the Spite et al. (2005)
``unmixed'' giants of the Galactic halo and for which they report [C/Fe] ~ 0.2,
and which presumably represents the natal relative abundance of carbon for
material with [Fe/H] = -3.0 to -4.0.
We confirm the correlation between luminosity and both mean metallicity and
abundance dispersion in the Galaxy's dwarf satellites, which extends to at
least as faint as Mv = -5. The very low mean metallicity of Segue 1, and the
high carbon dispersion in Bootes I, consistent with inhomogeneous chemical
evolution in near zero-abundance gas, suggest these ultra-faint systems could
be surviving examples of the very first bound systems.
Using data from the Near-Infrared S0 Survey (NIRS0S) of nearby, early-type galaxies, we examine the distribution of bar strengths in S0 galaxies as compared to S0/a and Sa galaxies, and as compared to previously published bar strength data for Ohio State University Bright Spiral Galaxy Survey (OSUBSGS) spiral galaxies. Bar strengths based on the gravitational torque method are derived from 2.2 micron Ks-band images for a statistical sample of 138 (98 S0, 40 S0/a,Sa) galaxies having a mean total blue magnitude <B_T> <= 12.5 and generally inclined less than 65 degrees. We find that S0 galaxies have weaker bars on average than spiral galaxies in general, even compared to their closest spiral counterparts, S0/a and Sa galaxies. The differences are significant and cannot be due entirely to uncertainties in the assumed vertical scale-heights or in the assumption of constant mass-to-light ratios. Part of the difference is likely due simply to the dilution of the bar torques by the higher mass bulges seen in S0s. If spiral galaxies accrete external gas, as advocated by Bournaud & Combes, then the fewer strong bars found among S0s imply a lack of gas accretion according to this theory. If S0s are stripped former spirals, or else are evolved from former spirals due to internal secular dynamical processes which deplete the gas as well as grow the bulges, then the weaker bars and the prevalence of lenses in S0 galaxies could further indicate that bar evolution continues to proceed during and even after gas depletion
Direct WIMP detections with a neutron veto system are designed to evaluate rejection power against neutrons. WIMP detectors with a liquid Xenon target are inserted into a Gd-doped liquid scintillator and reactor neutrino detector which are used as neutron veto systems, respectively. Neutron backgrounds in those detections have been estimated via the simulations with the Geant4 package, respectively. Their results show the neutron backgrounds can decrease to O(0.1) per year per tonne of liquid Xenon. We calculate the sensitivities on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross-sections in an exposure of one tonne $\times$ year and they can reach to about 6$\times$$10^{-11}$ pb.
Since its beginnings, diffraction-limited ground-based adaptive optics (AO) imaging has been limited to wavelengths in the near IR ({\lambda} > 1 micron) and longer. Visible AO ({\lambda} < 1 micron) has proven to be difficult because shorter wavelengths require wavefront correction on very short spatial and temporal scales. The pupil must be sampled very finely, which requires dense actuator spacing and fine wavefront sampling with large dynamic range. In addition, atmospheric dispersion is much more significant in the visible than in the near-IR. Imaging over a broad visible band requires a very good Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (ADC). Even with these technologies, our AO simulations using the CAOS code, combined with the optical and site parameters for the 6.5m Magellan telescope, demonstrate a large temporal variability of visible ({\lambda}=0.7 micron) Strehl on timescales of 50 ms. Over several hundred milliseconds, the visible Strehl can be as high at 50% and as low as 10%. Taking advantage of periods of high Strehl requires either the ability to read out the CCD very fast, thereby introducing significant amounts of read-noise, or the use of a fast asynchronous shutter that can block the low-Strehl light. Our Magellan VisAO camera will use an advanced ADC, a high-speed shutter, and our 585 actuator adaptive secondary to achieve broadband (0.5-1.0 micron) diffraction limited images on the 6.5m Magellan Clay telescope in Chile at Las Campanas Observatory. These will be the sharpest and deepest visible direct images taken to date with a resolution of 17 mas, a factor of 2.7 better than the diffraction limit of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Radio observations discovered large scale non thermal sources in the central Mpc regions of dynamically disturbed galaxy clusters (radio halos). The morphological and spectral properties of these sources suggest that the emitting electrons are accelerated by spatially distributed and gentle mechanisms, providing some indirect evidence for turbulent acceleration in the inter-galactic-medium (IGM). Only deep upper limits to the energy associated with relativistic protons in the IGM have been recently obtained through gamma and radio observations. Yet these protons should be (theoretically) the main non-thermal particle component in the IGM implying the unavoidable production, at some level, of secondary particles that may have a deep impact on the gamma ray and radio properties of galaxy clysters. Following Brunetti and Lazarian (2007), in this paper we consider the advances in the theory of MHD turbulence to develop a comprehensive picture of turbulence in the IGM and extend our previous calculations of particle acceleration by compressible MHD turbulence by considering self-consistently the reacceleration of both primary and secondary particles. Under these conditions we expect that radio to gamma ray emission is generated from galaxy clusters with a complex spectrum that depends on the dynamics of the thermal gas and Dark Matter. The non-thermal emission results in very good agreement with radio observations and with present constraints from hard X-ray and gamma ray observations. In our model giant radio halos are generated in merging (turbulent) clusters only. However, in case secondaries dominate the electron component in the IGM, we expect that the level of the Mpc-scale synchrotron emission in more relaxed clusters is already close to that of the radio upper limits derived by present observations of clusters without radio halos.
Digitized images of full disk CaK spectroheliograms from two solar observatories were used to study cycle variation of ephemeral regions (ERs) over ten solar cycles 14-23. We calculate monthly averaged unsigned latitude of ERs and compare it with annual sunspot number. We find that average latitude of ERs can be used as a predictor for strength of solar cycle. For a short-term prediction (dT about 1-2 years), maximum latitude of ephemeral regions (in current cycle) defines the amplitude of that cycle (higher is the latitude of ERs, larger are the amplitudes of sunspot cycle). For a long-term prediction (dT about 1.5 solar cycles), latitude of ERs at declining phase of n-th cycle determines the amplitude of (n+2)-th sunspot cycle (lower is the latitude of ERs, stronger is the cycle). Using this latter dependency, we forecast the amplitude of sunspot cycle 24 at W=92 +/- 13 (in units of annual sunspot number).
In this paper we suppose that the cosmological constant will change when the universe expends. For a general consideration, the cosmological constant is assumed to be a function of scale factor and Hubble constant. According to the ADM formulation, to the FRW metric, the extrinsic curvature $I$ equals $-6H^{2}$ and spatial curvature $R$ equals $6k/a^{2}$. Therefore we suppose cosmological constant is a function of extrinsic curvature and spatial curvature. We investigate the cosmological evolution of FRW universe in these models. At last we investigate two particular models which could fit the observation data about dark energy well. Actually a changeless cosmological constant is not essential. If when the universe expands, the cosmological constant changes slowly and gradually flows to a constant, the observation data about dark energy could also be fitted well by this kind of theory.
We investigated the numerical and physical reasons leading to a flat distribution of low gas entropy in the core region of galaxy clusters, as commonly found in grid cosmological simulations. To this end, we run a set of 30 high resolution re-simulations of a 3 x 10^14 M_sol/h cluster of galaxies with the AMR code ENZO, exploring and investigating the details involved in the production of entropy in simulated galaxy clusters. The occurrence of the flat entropy core is found to be mainly due to hydro-dynamical processes resolved in the code and that additional spurious effects of numerical origin (e.g. artificial heating due to softening effects or N-body noise) can affect the size and level of the entropy core only in a minor way. We show that the entropy profile of non-radiative simulations is produced by a mechanism of "sorting in entropy" which takes place with regularity during the cluster evolution. Using gas tracers we prove that the flat entropy core is caused by physical mixing of gravity-driven subsonic motions within the shallow inner cluster potential. Re-simulations were also produced for the same cluster object with the addition of radiative cooling, uniform pre-heating at high redshift (z=10) and late (z<1) thermal energy feedback from AGN activity in the cluster, in order to assess the effects of such mechanisms on the final entropy profile of the cluster. We report on the infeasibility of balancing the catastrophic cooling and recovering a flat entropy profile with the investigated trials for AGN activity alone, while for a sub-set of pre-heating models, or AGN feedback plus pre-heating models, a flat entropy distribution similar to non-radiative runs can be obtained with a viable energy requirement, and in good consistency with X-ray observations.
Polarization data from high mass star formation regions (W51 e2/e8, Orion BN/KL) are used to derive statistical properties of the plane of sky projected magnetic field. Structure function and auto-correlation function are calculated for observations with various resolutions from the BIMA and SMA interferometers, covering a range in physical scales from $\sim 70$~mpc to $\sim 2.1$~mpc. Results for the magnetic field turbulent dispersion, its turbulent to mean field strength ratio and the large-scale polarization angle correlation length are presented as a function of the physical scale at the star formation sites. Power law scaling relations emerge for some of these physical quantities. The turbulent to mean field strength ratio is found to be close to constant over the sampled observing range, with a hint of a decrease toward smaller scales, indicating that the role of magnetic field and turbulence is evolving with physical scale. A statistical method is proposed to separate large and small scale correlations from an initial ensemble of polarization segments. This also leads to a definition of a turbulent polarization angle correlation length.
We present results from Swift, XMM-Newton, and deep INTEGRAL monitoring in the region of GRB 050925. This short Swift burst is a candidate for a newly discovered soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) with the following observational burst properties: 1) galactic plane (b=-0.1 deg) localization, 2) 150 msec duration, and 3) a blackbody rather than a simple power-law spectral shape (with a significance level of 97%). We found two possible X-ray counterparts of GRB 050925 by comparing the X-ray images from Swift XRT and XMM-Newton. Both X-ray sources show the transient behavior with a power-law decay index shallower than -1. We found no hard X-ray emission nor any additional burst from the location of GRB 050925 in ~5 Ms of INTEGRAL data. We discuss about the three BATSE short bursts which might be associated with GRB 050925, based on their location and the duration. Assuming GRB 050925 is associated with the H II regions (W 58) at the galactic longitude of l=70 deg, we also discuss the source frame properties of GRB 050925.
We have observed the 3.8 s pulsar CXOU J171405.7-381031 with XMM-Newton, and discovered the significant dP/dt of 6.40+/-0.14X10^-11 s/s from this source for the first time, with the aid of archival Chandra data. The characteristic age (950 yr), the magnetic field strength (5X10^14 G), and the spin-down luminosity (4.5X10^34 erg/s) derived from P and dP/dt lead us to conclude that CXOU J171405.7-381031 should be identified as a new magnetar. The obtained characteristic age indicates that CXOU J171405.7-381031 is youngest among all known anomalous X-ray pulsars, which is consistent with the age estimation from the thermal X-rays of the associated supernova remnant. The ratio between 2-10 keV luminosity and spin-down luminosity is almost unity, which implies that CXOU J171405.7-381031 is the key source to connect magnetars and traditional radio pulsars.
Nonaxisymmetric, meridional circulation inside a neutron star, excited by a glitch and persisting throughout the post-glitch relaxation phase, emits gravitational radiation. Here, it is shown that the current quadrupole contributes more strongly to the gravitational wave signal than the mass quadrupole evaluated in previous work. We calculate the signal-to-noise ratio for a coherent search and conclude that a large glitch may be detectable by second-generation interferometers like the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. It is shown that the viscosity and compressibility of bulk nuclear matter, as well as the stratification length-scale and inclination angle of the star, can be inferred from a gravitational wave detection in principle.
We investigate the consistency relation relating the squeezed limit of the bispectrum to the scalar spectral index in single field models of inflation. We give a simple integral formula for the bispectrum in the squeezed limit in terms of the free mode mode functions of the primordial curvature perturbation, in any Lorentz invariant single field model of inflation and without resorting to any approximation, generalizing a recent result obtained by Ganc and Komatsu in the case of canonical kinetic terms. We use our result to verify the consistency relation in an exactly solvable class of models with a non-trivial speed of sound. We then verify the consistency relation at the first non-trivial order in the slow-varying approximation in general single field inflation (a known result) and at second order in this approximation in canonical single field inflation.
A two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation is performed to investigate weakly magnetized perpendicular shocks with a magnetization parameter of 6 x 10^-5, which is equivalent to a high Alfv\'en Mach number M_A of ~130. It is shown that current filaments form in the foot region of the shock due to the ion-beam--Weibel instability (or the ion filamentation instability) and that they generate a strong magnetic field there. In the downstream region, these current filaments also generate a tangled magnetic field that is typically 15 times stronger than the upstream magnetic field. The thermal energies of electrons and ions in the downstream region are not in equipartition and their temperature ratio is T_e / T_i ~ 0.3 - 0.4. Efficient electron acceleration was not observed in our simulation, although a fraction of the ions are accelerated slightly on reflection at the shock. The simulation results agree very well with the Rankine-Hugoniot relations. It is also shown that electrons and ions are heated in the foot region by the Buneman instability (for electrons) and the ion-acoustic instability (for both electrons and ions). However, the growth rate of the Buneman instability is significantly reduced due to the relatively high temperature of the reflected ions. For the same reason, ion-ion streaming instability does not grow in the foot region.
In this paper we investigate the electrodynamic surface properties of bare strange quark stars. The surfaces of such objects are characterized by the formation of ultra-high electric surface fields which might be as high as $\sim 10^{19}$~V/cm. These fields result from the formation of electric dipole layers at the stellar surfaces. We calculate the increase in gravitational mass associated with the energy stored in the electric dipole field, which turns out to be only significant if the star possesses a sufficiently strong {\em net} electric charge distribution. In part two of the paper, we explore the intriguing possibility of what happens when the electron layer (sphere) rotates with respect to the stellar strange matter body. We find that in this event magnetic fields can be generated which, for moderate effective rotational frequencies between the electron layer and the stellar body, agree with the magnetic fields inferred for several Central Compact Objects (CCOs). These objects could thus be comfortably interpreted as strange stars whose electron atmospheres rotate at frequencies that are moderately different ($\sim 10$~Hz) from the rotational frequencies of the strange star itself.
We introduce the CoRoT detrend algorithm (CDA) for detrending CoRoT stellar light curves. The algorithm CDA has the capability to remove random jumps and systematic trends encountered in typical CoRoT data in a fully automatic fashion. Since enormous jumps in flux can destroy the information content of a light curve, such an algorithm is essential. From a study of 1030 light curves in the CoRoT IRa01 field, we developed three simple assumptions which upon CDA is based. We describe the algorithm analytically and provide some examples of how it works. We demonstrate the functionality of the algorithm in the cases of CoRoT0102702789, CoRoT0102874481, CoRoT0102741994, and CoRoT0102729260. Using CDA in the specific case of CoRoT0102729260, we detect a candidate exoplanet around the host star of spectral type G5, which remains undetected in the raw light curve, and estimate the planetary parameters to be Rp=6.27Re and P=1.6986 days.
We present axisymmetric numerical calculations of the fluid flow induced in a spherical shell with inner sphere rotating and outer sphere stationary. A magnetic field is also imposed, consisting of particular linear combinations of axial and dipolar fields, chosen to make $B_r=0$ at either the outer sphere, or the inner, or in between. This leads to the formation of Shercliff shear layers at these particular locations. We then consider the effect of increasingly large inertial effects, and show that an outer Shercliff layer is eventually de-stabilized, an inner Shercliff layer appears to remain stable, and an in-between Shercliff layer is almost completely disrupted even before the onset of time-dependence, which does eventually occur though.
In this paper we investigate the sign of helicity in the alpha-Omega dynamo and point out that the alpha effect in the geodynamo is induced by helical wave but not helical flow as in the solar dynamo. We then postulate the mechanisms of the Earth's magnetic tilt angle, westward drift and dipole reversals.
It seems to be a widely accepted opinion that the types of accretion disks (or flows) generally realized in the nuclei of radio galaxies and in further lower mass-accretion rate nuclei are inner, hot, optically thin, radiatively inefficient accretion flows (RIAFs) surrounded by outer, cool, optically thick, standard type accretion disks. However, observational evidence for the existence of such outer cool disks in these nuclei is rather poor. Instead, recent observations sometimes suggest the existence of inner cool disks of non-standard type, which develop in the region very close to their central black holes. Taking NGC 4261 as a typical example of such light eating nuclei, for which both flux data ranging from radio to X-ray and data for the counterjet occultation are available, we examine the plausibility of such a picture for the accretion states as mentioned above, based on model predictions. It is shown that the explanation of the gap seen in the counterjet emission in terms of the free-free absorption by an outer standard disk is unrealistic, and moreover, the existence itself of such an outer standard disk seems very implausible. Instead, the model of RIAF in an ordered magnetic field (so called resistive RIAF model) can well serve to explain the emission gap in terms of the synchrotron absorption, as well as to reproduce the observed features of the overall spectral energy distribution (SED). This model also predicts that the RIAF state starts directly from an interstellar hot gas phase at around the Bondi radius and terminates at the inner edge whose radius is about 100 times the Schwartzschild radii. Therefore, there is a good possibility for a cool disk to develop within this innermost region.
Pulsar timing arrays act to detect gravitational waves by observing the small, correlated effect the waves have on pulse arrival times at Earth. This effect has conventionally been evaluated assuming the gravitational wave phasefronts are planar across the array, an assumption that is valid only for sources at distances $R\gg2\pi{}L^2/\lambda$, where $L$ is physical extent of the array and $\lambda$ the radiation wavelength. In the case of pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) the array size is of order the pulsar-Earth distance (kpc) and $\lambda$ is of order pc. Correspondingly, for point gravitational wave sources closer than $\sim100$~Mpc the PTA response is sensitive to the source parallax across the pulsar-Earth baseline. Here we evaluate the PTA response to gravitational wave point sources including the important wavefront curvature effects. Taking the wavefront curvature into account the relative amplitude and phase of the timing residuals associated with a collection of pulsars allows us to measure the distance to, and sky position of, the source.
We report the discovery of CoRoT-8b, a dense small Saturn-class exoplanet that orbits a K1 dwarf in 6.2 days, and we derive its orbital parameters, mass, and radius. We analyzed two complementary data sets: the photometric transit curve of CoRoT-8b as measured by CoRoT and the radial velocity curve of CoRoT-8 as measured by the HARPS spectrometer. We find that CoRoT-8b is on a circular orbit with a semi-major axis of 0.063 +/- 0.001 AU. It has a radius of 0.57 +/- 0.02 RJ, a mass of 0.22 +/- 0.03 MJ, and therefore a mean density 1.6 +/- 0.1 g/cm^3. With 67 % of the size of Saturn and 72 % of its mass, CoRoT-8b has a density comparable to that of Neptune (1.76 g/cm^3). We estimate its content in heavy elements to be 47-63 Earth masses, and the mass of its hydrogen-helium envelope to be 7-23 Earth masses. At 0.063 AU, the thermal loss of hydrogen of CoRoT-8b should be no more than about 0.1 % over an assumed integrated lifetime of 3~Ga.
We explore numerically the flow induced in a spherical shell by differentially rotating the inner and outer spheres. The fluid is also taken to be electrically conducting (in the low magnetic Reynolds number limit), and a magnetic field is imposed parallel to the axis of rotation. If the outer sphere is stationary, the magnetic field induces a Shercliffe layer on the tangent cylinder, the cylinder just touching the inner sphere and parallel to the field. If the magnetic field is absent, but a strong overall rotation is present, Coriolis effects induce a Stewartson layer on the tangent cylinder. The non-axisymmetric instabilities of both types of layer separately have been studied before; here we consider the two cases side by side, as well as the mixed case, and investigate how magnetic and rotational effects interact. We find that if the differential rotation and the overall rotation are in the same direction, the overall rotation may have a destabilizing influence, whereas if the differential rotation and the overall rotation are in the opposite direction, the overall rotation always has a stabilizing influence.
We have investigated the fluorescence emission in the Near Infrared from the air and its main components, nitrogen and oxygen. The gas was excited by a 95kV electron beam and the fluorescence light detected by an InGaAs photodiode, sensitive down to about 1700nm. We have recorded the emission spectra by means of a Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer. The light yield was also measured by comparing the Near Infrared signal with the known Ultraviolet fluorescence, detected by a Si photodiode. The possibility of using the Near Infrared fluorescence of the atmosphere to detect Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays is discussed, showing the pros and the cons of this novel method.
In interacting galaxies, strong tidal forces disturb the global morphology of the progenitors and give birth to the long stellar, gaseous and dusty tails often observed. In addition to this destructive effect, tidal forces can morph into a transient, protective setting called compressive mode. Such modes then shelter the matter in their midst by increasing its gravitational binding energy. This thesis focuses on the study of this poorly known regime by quantifying its properties thanks to numerical and analytical tools applied to a spectacular merging system of two galaxies, commonly known as the Antennae galaxies. N-body simulations of this pair yield compressive modes in the regions where observations reveal a burst of star formation. Furthermore, characteristic time- and energy scales of these modes match well those of self-gravitating substructures such as star clusters and tidal dwarf galaxies. These results suggest that the compressive modes of tidal fields plays an important role in the formation and evolution of young clusters, at least in a statistical sense, over a lapse of ~10 million years. Preliminary results from simulations of stellar associations highlight the importance of embedding the clusters in the evolving background galaxies to account precisely for their morphology and internal evolution.
The APEX-SZ instrument is a millimeter-wave cryogenic receiver designed to observe galaxy clusters via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect from the 12 m APEX telescope on the Atacama plateau in Chile. The receiver contains a focal plane of 280 superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers instrumented with a frequency-domain multiplexed readout system. The bolometers are cooled to 280 mK via a three-stage helium sorption refrigerator and a mechanical pulse-tube cooler. Three warm mirrors, two 4 K lenses, and a horn array couple the TES bolometers to the telescope. APEX-SZ observes in a single frequency band at 150 GHz with 1' angular resolution and a 22' field-of-view, all well suited for cluster mapping. The APEX-SZ receiver has played a key role in the introduction of several new technologies including TES bolometers, the frequency-domain multiplexed readout, and the use of a pulse-tube cooler with bolometers. As a result of these new technologies, the instrument has a higher instantaneous sensitivity and covers a larger field-of-view than earlier generations of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich instruments. Since its commissioning in April 2007, APEX-SZ has been used to map tens of clusters. We describe the design of the receiver and its performance when installed on the APEX telescope.
Dark Stars (DS) may constitute the first phase of stellar evolution, powered by dark matter (DM) annihilation. We will investigate here the properties of DS assuming the DM particle has the required properties to explain the excess positron and elec- tron signals in the cosmic rays detected by the PAMELA and FERMI satellites. Any possible DM interpretation of these signals requires exotic DM candidates, with an- nihilation cross sections a few orders of magnitude higher than the canonical value required for correct thermal relic abundance for Weakly Interacting Dark Matter can- didates; additionally in most models the annihilation must be preferentially to lep- tons. Secondly, we study the dependence of DS properties on the concentration pa- rameter of the initial DM density profile of the halos where the first stars are formed. We restrict our study to the DM in the star due to simple (vs. extended) adiabatic contraction and minimal (vs. extended) capture; this simple study is sufficient to illustrate dependence on the cross section and concentration parameter. Our basic results are that the final stellar properties, once the star enters the main sequence, are always roughly the same, regardless of the value of boosted annihilation or concentration parameter in the range between c=2 and c=5: stellar mass ~ 1000M\odot, luminosity ~ 10^7 L\odot, lifetime ~ 10^6 yrs (for the minimal DM models considered here; additional DM would lead to more massive dark stars). However, the lifetime, final mass, and final luminosity of the DS show some dependence on boost factor and concentration parameter as discussed in the paper.
Gravitational lensing of distant galaxies can be exploited to infer the convergence field as a function of angular position on the sky. The statistics of this field, much like that of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), can be studied to extract information about fundamental parameters in cosmology, most notably the dark energy in the Universe. Unlike the CMB, the distribution of matter in the Universe which determines the convergence field is highly non-Gaussian, reflecting the nonlinear processes which accompanied structure formation. Much of the cosmic information contained in the initial field is therefore unavailable to the standard power spectrum measurements. Here we propose a method for re-capturing cosmic information by using the power spectrum of a simple function of the observed (nonlinear) convergence field. We adapt the approach of Neyrinck et al. (2009) to lensing by using a modified logarithmic transform of the convergence field. The Fourier transform of the log-transformed field has modes that are nearly uncorrelated, which allows for additional cosmological information to be extracted from small-scale modes.
An abundance analysis is presented for IRAS 18095+2704 (V887 Her), a post-AGB star and proto-planetary nebula. The analysis is based on high-resolution optical spectra from the McDonald Observatory and the Special Astrophysical Observatory. Standard analysis using a classical Kurucz model atmosphere and the line analysis program MOOG provides the atmospheric parameters: Teff = 6500 K, log g = +0.5, and a microturbulent velocity Vt = 4.7 km/s and [Fe/H] = -0.9. Extraction of these parameters is based on excitation of FeI lines, ionization equilibrium between neutral and ions of Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, and Fe, and the wings of hydrogen Paschen lines. Elemental abundances are obtained for 22 elements and upper limits for an additional four elements. These results show that the star's atmosphere has not experienced a significant number of C- and s-process enriching thermal pulses. Abundance anomalies as judged relative to the compositions of unevolved and less-evolved normal stars of a similar metallicity include Al, Y, and Zr deficiencies with respect to Fe of about 0.5 dex. Judged by composition, the star resembles a RV Tauri variable that has been mildly affected by dust-gas separation reducing the abundances of the elements of highest condensation temperature. This separation may occur in the stellar wind. There are indications that the standard 1D LTE analysis is not entirely appropriate for IRAS 18095+2704. These include a supersonic macroturbulent velocity of 23 km/s, emission in H-alpha and the failure of predicted profiles to fit observed profiles of H-beta and H-gamma.
Context. Outflows provide indirect means to get an insight on diverse star formation associated phenomena. On scales of individual protostellar cores, outflows combined with intrinsic core properties can be used to study the mass accretion/ejection process of heavily embedded protostellar sources. Methods. An area comprising 460"x230" of the Serpens cloud core has been mapped in 12 CO J = 3\to 2 with the HARP-B heterodyne array at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope; J = 3\to 2 observations are more sensitive tracers of hot outflow gas than lower J CO transitions; combined with the high sensitivity of the HARP-B receptors outflows are sharply outlined, enabling their association with individual protostellar cores. Results. Most of ~20 observed outflows are found to be associated with known protostellar sources in bipolar or unipolar configurations. All but two outflow/core pairs in our sample tend to have a projected orientation spanning roughly NW-SE. The overall momentum driven by outflows in Serpens lies between 3.2 and 5.1 x 10^(-1) M\odot km s^(-1), the kinetic energy from 4.3 to 6.7 x 10^(43) erg and momentum flux is between 2.8 and 4.4 x 10^(-4) M\odot km s^(-1) yr^(-1). Bolometric luminosities of protostellar cores based on Spitzer photometry are found up to an order of magnitude lower than previous estimations derived with IRAS/ISO data. Conclusions. We confirm the validity of the existing correlations between the momentum flux and bolometric luminosity of Class I sources for the homogenous sample of Serpens, though we suggest that they should be revised by a shift to lower luminosities. All protostars classified as Class 0 sources stand well above the known Class I correlations, indicating a decline in momentum flux between the two classes.
The main purpose of this study is the determination of solar minimum date of the new sunspot cycle No 24. It is provided by using of four types of mean daily data values for the period Jan 01. 2006 - Dec 31. 2009: (1) the solar radioindex F10.7; (2) the International sunspot number Ri; (3) the total solar irradiance index (TSI), and (4) the daily number of X-ray flares of classes from "B" to "X" from the soft X-ray GOES satellite channel (0.1 - 0.8 nm). It is found that the mean starting moment of the upward solar activity tendency (the mean solar minimum) is Nov. 06th, 2008. So, the solar cycle No 23 length is estimated to ~12.6 years. A conclusion for a relatively weak general magnitude of solar cycle No 24 is made. By using of relationship based on the "Waldmeier's rule" a near maximal mean yearly sunspot number value of 72 \pm 27 has been determined.
We present two Very Large Array observations of the pre-main-sequence star PV Cephei, taken with a separation of 10.5 years. These data show that the proper motions of this star are $\mu_\alpha \cos \delta = +10.9 \pm 3.0$ mas yr$^{-1}$; $\mu_\delta = +0.2 \pm 1.8$ mas yr$^{-1}$, very similar to those -previously known- of HD 200775, the B2Ve star that dominates the illumination of the nearby reflection nebula NGC 7023. This result suggests that PV Cephei is not a rapidly moving run-away star as suggested by previous studies. The large velocity of PV Cephei had been inferred from the systematic eastward displacement of the bisectors of successive pairs of Herbig Haro knots along its flow. These systematic shifts might instead result from an intrinsic dissymmetry in the ejection mechanisms, or from an asymmetric distribution of the circumstellar material.
We calculate stationary configurations of rapidly rotating compact stars in general relativity, to study the properties of circular orbits of test particles in the equatorial plane. We seek for simple, but precise, analytical formulae for the orbital frequency, specific angular momentum and binding energy of a test particle, valid for any equation of state and for any rotation frequency of the rigidly rotating compact star, up to the mass shedding limit. Numerical calculations are performed using precise 2-D codes based on multi-domain spectral methods. Models of rigidly rotating neutron stars and the spacetime outside them are calculated for several equations of state of dense matter. Calculations are also performed for quark stars built of self-bound quark matter. At the mass shedding limit, the rotational frequency converges to a Schwarzschildian orbital frequency at the equator. We show that orbital frequency for any orbit outside equator is also well-approximated by a Schwarzschildian formula. Using a simple approximation for the frame-dragging term, we obtain approximate expressions for the specific angular momentum and specific energy on the corotating circular orbits in the equatorial plane of neutron star, valid down to the stellar equator. The formulae recover reference numerical values with typically 1% of accuracy for neutron stars with M > 0.5 M_sun. They are less precise for quark stars built of self-bound quark matter.
We report the detection of CO 2-1, 5-4, and 6-5 emission in the highest-redshift submillimeter galaxy (SMG) AzTEC-3 at z=5.298, using the Expanded Very Large Array and the Plateau de Bure Interferometer. These observations ultimately confirm the redshift, making AzTEC-3 the most submillimeter-luminous galaxy in a massive z=5.3 protocluster structure in the COSMOS field. The strength of the CO line emission reveals a large molecular gas reservoir with a mass of 5.3e10 (alpha_CO/0.8) Msun, which can maintain the intense 1800 Msun/yr starburst in this system for at least 30 Myr, increasing the stellar mass by up to a factor of six in the process. This gas mass is comparable to `typical' z~2 SMGs, and constitutes >~80% of the baryonic mass (gas+stars) and 30%-80% of the total (dynamical) mass in this galaxy. The molecular gas reservoir has a radius of <4 kpc and likely consists of a `diffuse', low-excitation component, containing (at least) 1/3 of the gas mass (depending on the relative conversion factor alpha_CO), and a `dense', high-excitation component, containing ~2/3 of the mass. The likely presence of a substantial diffuse component besides highly-excited gas suggests different properties between the star-forming environments in z>4 SMGs and z>4 quasar host galaxies, which perhaps trace different evolutionary stages. The discovery of a massive, metal-enriched gas reservoir in a SMG at the heart of a large z=5.3 protocluster considerably enhances our understanding of early massive galaxy formation, pushing back to a cosmic epoch where the Universe was less than 1/12 of its present age.
Assuming that the space-time is close to isotropic in the sense that the shear parameter is small and that the maximal velocity of the particles is bounded, we have been able to show that for non-diagonal Bianchi I-symmetric spacetimes with collisionless matter the asymptotic behaviour at late times is close to the special case of dust. We also have been able to show that all the Kasner exponents converge to $\frac{1}{3}$ and an asymptotic expression for the induced metric has been obtained. The key was a bootstrap argument.
We consider deuterium compressed to higher than atomic, but lower than nuclear densities. At such densities deuterium is a superconducting quantum liquid. Generically, two superconducting phases compete, a "ferromagnetic" and a "nematic" one. We provide a power counting argument suggesting that the dominant interactions in the deuteron liquid are perturbative (but screened) Coulomb interactions. At very high densities the ground state is determined by very small nuclear interaction effects that probably favor the ferromagnetic phase. At lower densities the symmetry of the theory is effectively enhanced to SU(3), and the quantum liquid enters a novel phase, neither ferromagnetic nor nematic. Our results can serve as a starting point for investigations of the phase dynamics of deuteron liquids, as well as exploration of the stability and dynamics of the rich variety of topological objects that may occur in phases of the deuteron quantum liquid, which range from Alice strings to spin skyrmions to Z_2 vortices.
We introduce a large class of scalar-tensor models with interactions containing the second derivatives of the scalar field but not leading to additional degrees of freedom. These models exhibit peculiar features, such as an essential mixing of scalar and tensor kinetic terms, which we have named kinetic braiding. This braiding causes the scalar stress tensor to deviate from the perfect-fluid form. Cosmology in these models possesses a rich phenomenology, even in the limit where the scalar is an exact Goldstone boson. Generically, there are attractor solutions where the scalar monitors the behaviour of external matter. Because of the kinetic braiding, the position of the attractor depends both on the form of the Lagrangian and on the external energy density. The late-time asymptotic of these cosmologies is a de Sitter state. The scalar can exhibit phantom behaviour and is able to cross the phantom divide with neither ghosts nor gradient instabilities. These features provide a new class of models for Dark Energy. As an example, we study in detail a simple one-parameter model. The possible observational signatures of this model include a sizeable Early Dark Energy and a specific equation of state evolving into the final de-Sitter state from a healthy phantom regime.
We examine the consequences of recent developments on Fayet-Iliopoulos (FI) terms for D-term inflationary models. There is currently no known way to couple constant FI terms to supergravity consistently; only field-dependent FI terms are allowed. These are natural in string theory and we argue that the FI term in D3/D7 inflation turns out to be of this type, corresponding to a pseudo-anomalous U(1). T he anomaly is canceled by the Green-Schwarz mechanism in 4 dimensions. Inflation proceeds as usual, except that the scale is set by the GS parameter. Cosmic strings resulting from a pseudo-anomalous U(1) have potentially interesting characteristics. Originally expected to be global, they turn out to be local in the string theory context and can support currents. We outline the nature of these strings, discuss bounds on their formation, and summarize resulting cosmological consequences.
The chameleonic behaviour of the String theory dilaton is suggested. Some of the possible consequences of the chameleonic string dilaton are analyzed in detail. In particular, (1) we suggest a new stringy solution to the cosmological constant problem and (2) we point out the non-equivalence of different conformal frames at the quantum level. In order to obtain these results, we start taking into account the (strong coupling) string loop expansion in the string frame (S-frame), therefore the so-called form factors are present in the effective action. The correct Dark Energy scale is recovered in the Einstein frame (E-frame) without unnatural fine-tunings and this result is robust against all quantum corrections, granted that we assume a proper structure of the S-frame form factors in the strong coupling regime. At this stage, the possibility still exists that a certain amount of fine-tuning may be required to satisfy some phenomenological constraints. Moreover in the E-frame, in our proposal, all the interactions are switched off on cosmological length scales (i.e. the theory is IR-free), while higher derivative gravitational terms might be present locally (on short distances) and it remains to be seen whether these facts clash with phenomenology. A detailed phenomenological analysis is definitely necessary to clarify these points.
We describe new scenarios of generating curvature perturbations when inflaton (curvaton) has significant interactions. We consider a ``spot'', which arises from interactions associated with enhanced symmetric point (ESP) on the trajectory. Our first example uses the spot to induce a gap to the field equation. We observe that the gap in the field equation may cause generation of curvature perturbation if it appears not simultaneous in space. The mechanism is similar to the scenario of inhomogeneous phase transition. Then we observe that the spot interactions may initiate warm inflation in the cold Universe. Creation of cosmological perturbation is discussed in relation to the inflaton dynamics and the modulation associated with the spot interactions.
Metric-affine theories of gravity provide an interesting alternative to General Relativity: in such an approach, the metric and the affine (not necessarily symmetric) connection are independent quantities. Furthermore, the action should include covariant derivatives of the matter fields, with the covariant derivative naturally defined using the independent connection. As a result, in metric-affine theories a direct coupling involving matter and connection is also present. The role and the dynamics of the connection in such theories is explored. We employ power counting in order to construct the most general action and search for the minimal requirements it should satisfy for the connection to be dynamical. We find that for the most general action containing lower order invariants the independent connection does not carry any dynamics. It actually reduces to the role of an auxiliary field and can be completely eliminated algebraically in favour of the metric and the matter field, introducing extra interactions with respect to general relativity. However, we also show that including higher order terms in the action radically changes this picture and excites new degrees of freedom in the connection, making it (or parts of it) dynamical. Constructing actions that constitute exceptions to this rule requires significant fine tuned and/or extra {\em a priori} constraints on the connection. We also consider f(R) actions as a particular example in order to show that they constitute a distinct class of metric-affine theories with special properties, and as such they cannot be used as representative toy theories to study the properties of metric-affine gravity.
We calculate the expected galactic supernova neutrino signal at large next-generation underground detectors. At different epochs after the explosion, the primary fluxes can be quite different. For these primary neutrino fluxes, spectral splits induced by collective neutrino flavor transformations can arise for either mass hierarchy in both neutrino and antineutrino channels. We classify flux models according to the nature and number of these splits, and calculate the observable electron-neutrino and electron-antineutrino spectra at Earth, taking into account subsequent matter effects. We find that some of the spectral splits could occur sufficiently close to the peak energies to produce significant distortions in the observable SN neutrino signal. The most striking signature of this effect would be presence of peculiar energy dependent modulations associated with Earth matter crossing, present only in portions of the SN neutrino energy spectra demarcated by spectral splits. These signatures at proposed large water Cherenkov, scintillation, and liquid Argon detectors could give hints about the primary SN neutrino fluxes, as well as on the neutrino mass hierarchy and the mixing angle theta_{13}.
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We present a high spatial resolution Halpha survey of 23 cooling flow clusters using the Maryland Magellan Tunable Filter (MMTF), covering 1-2 orders of magnitude in cooling rate, dM/dt, temperature and entropy. We find 8/23 (35%) of our clusters have complex, filamentary morphologies at Halpha, while an additional 7/23 (30%) have marginally extended or nuclear Halpha emission, in general agreement with previous studies of line emission in cooling flow cluster BCGs. A weak correlation between the integrated near-UV luminosity and the Halpha luminosity is also found for our complete sample, with a large amount of scatter about the expected relation for photoionization by young stars. We detect Halpha emission out to the X-ray cooling radius, but no further, in several clusters and find a strong correlation between the Halpha luminosity contained in filaments and the X-ray cooling flow rate of the cluster, suggesting that the warm ionized gas is linked to the cooling flow. Furthermore, we detect a strong enhancement in the cooling properties of the ICM coincident with the Halpha emission, compared to the surrounding ICM at the same radius. While the filaments in a few clusters may be entrained by buoyant radio bubbles, in general, the radially-infalling cooling flow model provides a better explanation for the observed trends. The correlation of the Halpha and X-ray properties suggests that conduction may be important in keeping the filaments ionized. The thinness of the filaments suggests that magnetic fields are an important part of channeling the gas and shielding it from the surrounding hot ICM.
We report the detection of 24 micron variations from the planet-hosting upsilon Andromedae system consistent with the orbital periodicity of the system's innermost planet, upsilon And b. We find a peak-to-valley phase curve amplitude of 0.00130 times the mean system flux. Using a simple model with two hemispheres of constant surface brightness and assuming a planetary radius of 1.3 Jupiter radii gives a planetary temperature contrast of >900 K and an orbital inclination of >28 degrees. We further report the largest phase offset yet observed for an extrasolar planet: the flux maximum occurs ~80 degrees before phase 0.5. Such a large phase offset is difficult to reconcile with most current atmospheric circulation models. We improve on earlier observations of this system in several important ways: (1) observations of a flux calibrator star demonstrate the MIPS detector is stable to 10^-4 on long timescales, (2) we note that the background light varies systematically due to spacecraft operations, precluding use of this background as a flux calibrator (stellar flux measured above the background is not similarly affected), and (3) we calibrate for flux variability correlated with motion of the star on the MIPS detector. A reanalysis of our earlier observations of this system is consistent with our new result.
We have studied the structure and energetics of the powerful microquasar/shock-ionized nebula S26 in NGC 7793, with particular focus on its radio and X-ray properties. Using the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we have resolved for the first time the radio lobe structure and mapped the spectral index of the radio cocoon. The steep spectral index of the radio lobes is consistent with optically-thin synchrotron emission; outside the lobes, the spectral index is flatter, suggesting an additional contribution from free-free emission, and perhaps ongoing ejections near the core. The radio core is not detected, while the X-ray core has a 0.3-8 keV luminosity ~6 x 10^{36} erg/s. The size of the radio cocoon matches that seen in the optical emission lines and diffuse soft X-ray emission. The total 5.5-GHz flux of cocoon and lobes is ~2.1 mJy, which at the assumed distance of 3.9 Mpc corresponds to about 3 times the luminosity of Cas A. The total 9.0-GHz flux is ~1.6 mJy. The X-ray hot spots (combined 0.3-8 keV luminosity ~2 x 10^{37} erg/s) are located ~20 pc outwards of the radio hot spots (ie, downstream along the jet direction), consistent with a different physical origin of X-ray and radio emission (thermal-plasma and synchrotron, respectively). The total particle energy in the bubble is ~10^{53} erg: from the observed radio flux, we estimate that only about a few 10^{50} erg are stored in the relativistic electrons; the rest is in protons, nuclei and non-relativistic electrons. The X-ray-emitting component of the gas in the hot spots contains ~10^{51} erg, and ~10^{52} erg over the whole cocoon. We suggest that S26 provides a clue to understand how the ambient medium is heated by the mechanical power of a black hole near its Eddington accretion rate.
Fitting the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of galaxies is an almost universally used technique that has matured significantly in the last decade. Model predictions and fitting procedures have improved significantly over this time, attempting to keep up with the vastly increased volume and quality of available data. We review here the field of SED fitting, describing the modelling of ultraviolet to infrared galaxy SEDs, the creation of multiwavelength data sets, and the methods used to fit model SEDs to observed galaxy data sets. We touch upon the achievements and challenges in the major ingredients of SED fitting, with a special emphasis on describing the interplay between the quality of the available data, the quality of the available models, and the best fitting technique to use in order to obtain a realistic measurement as well as realistic uncertainties. We conclude that SED fitting can be used effectively to derive a range of physical properties of galaxies, such as redshift, stellar masses, star formation rates, dust masses, and metallicities, with care taken not to over-interpret the available data. Yet there still exist many issues such as estimating the age of the oldest stars in a galaxy, finer details ofdust properties and dust-star geometry, and the influences of poorly understood, luminous stellar types and phases. The challenge for the coming years will be to improve both the models and the observational data sets to resolve these uncertainties. The present review will be made available on an interactive, moderated web page (sedfitting.org), where the community can access and change the text. The intention is to expand the text and keep it up to date over the coming years.
Deviations from general relativity in order to explain cosmic acceleration generically have both time and scale dependent signatures in cosmological data. We extend our previous work by investigating model independent gravitational deviations in bins of redshift and length scale, by incorporating further cosmological probes such as temperature-galaxy and galaxy-galaxy cross-correlations, and by examining correlations between deviations. Markov Chain Monte Carlo likelihood analysis of the model independent parameters fitting current data indicates that at low redshift general relativity deviates from the best fit at the 99\% confidence level. We trace this to two different properties of the CFHTLS weak lensing data set and demonstrate that COSMOS weak lensing data does not show such deviation. Upcoming galaxy survey data will greatly improve the ability to test time and scale dependent extensions to gravity and we calculate the constraints that the BigBOSS galaxy redshift survey could enable.
Recently, it has increased the observational evidence that, in most galaxies there are massive black holes (MBH). On the other hand, the hierarchical scenario of structure formation describe which objects like galaxies and galaxy clusters are formatted by mergers of small objects. In this context, we can suppose that mergers of galaxies leads to the formation of MBH binary systems. It is expected that the merger of two MBH produces a gravitational waves signal detectable by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). In this work, we use the Press-Schechter formalism and its extention to take into account the analytical form for the merger rate of haloes that contains massive black holes. Also, we describe a way to determine the number of binary systems of MBH.
Neutron rich matter is at the heart of many fundamental questions in Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. What are the high density phases of QCD? Where did the chemical elements come from? What is the structure of many compact and energetic objects in the heavens, and what determines their electromagnetic, neutrino, and gravitational-wave radiations? Moreover, neutron rich matter is being studied with an extraordinary variety of new tools such as Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO). We describe the Lead Radius Experiment (PREX) that is using parity violation to measure the neutron radius in 208Pb. This has important implications for neutron stars and their crusts. Using large scale molecular dynamics, we model the formation of solids in both white dwarfs and neutron stars. We find neutron star crust to be the strongest material known, some 10 billion times stronger than steel. It can support mountains on rotating neutron stars large enough to generate detectable gravitational waves. Finally, we describe a new equation of state for supernova and neutron star merger simulations based on the Virial expansion at low densities, and large scale relativistic mean field calculations.
Total eclipse observations were performed in 2008 and 2009 to study the He I and He II shells near the 1 Mm heights above the solar limb. They suggest that the corona penetrates deep into the chromosphere following magnetic chanels. Thanks to the use of a fast CCD camera, the observation of a second ionized helium shell is evidenced for the first time. The transition region is then seen at very low altitude where spicules are emerging. Spicule feet are also discussed, using the best resolution SOT/Hinode HCaII images processed with the non linear operator Madmax to look at details of this ubiquitous part of the solar atmosphere.
We study how primordial non-Gaussianity affects the pairwise velocity probability density function (PDF) using an analytic model and cosmological N-body simulations. We adopt the local type non-Gaussian models characterized by f_{nl}, and examine both the uniformly weighted and the pair-weighted linear pairwise velocity PDF. Linear theory fails to predict the PDF in the f_{nl} models. Therefore we develop an analytic model based on the Zeldovich approximation to describe the evolution of the pairwise velocity PDF. We show explicitly how f_{nl} induces correlations between originally independent velocities along the parallel and the perpendicular to the line of separation directions. We compare the model results with measurements from N-body simulations of the non-Gaussian models. Our analytical model and simulation results show remarkably good agreement in both the parallel and the perpendicular directions for the PDF profiles, as well as the change in the PDF due to primordial non-Gaussianity. The agreement is particularly good for relatively small separations ($< 10 h^{-1}{\rm Mpc}$). The inclusion of the evolution of the pairwise velocity PDF is important to obtain a good description on the signature of primordial non-Gaussianity in the PDF. Our model provides the foundation to constrain f_{nl} using the peculiar velocity in future surveys.
Magnetic fields are generally expected to increase the characteristic mass of stars formed in stellar clusters, because they tend to increase the effective Jeans mass. We test this expectation using adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) magnetohydrodynamic simulations of cluster formation in turbulent magnetized clumps of molecular clouds, treating stars as accreting sink particles. We find that, contrary to the common expectation, a magnetic field of strength in the observed range decreases, rather than increases, the characteristic stellar mass. It (1) reduces the number of intermediate-mass stars that are formed through direct turbulent compression, because sub-regions of the clump with masses comparable to those of stars are typically magnetically subcritical and cannot be compressed directly into collapse, and (2) increases the number of low-mass stars that are produced from the fragmentation of dense filaments. The filaments result from mass accumulation along the field lines. In order to become magnetically supercritical and fragment, the filament must accumulate a large enough column density (proportional to the field strength), which yields a high volume density (and thus a small thermal Jeans mass) that is conducive to forming low-mass stars. We find, in addition, that the characteristic stellar mass is reduced further by outflow feedback. The conclusion is that both magnetic fields and outflow feedback are important in shaping the stellar initial mass function (IMF).
We develop a model for regulation of galactic star formation rates Sigma_SFR in disk galaxies, in which ISM heating by stellar UV plays a key role. By requiring simultaneous thermal and (vertical) dynamical equilibrium in the diffuse gas, and star formation at a rate proportional to the mass of the self-gravitating component, we obtain a prediction for Sigma_SFR as a function of the total gaseous surface density Sigma and the density of stars + dark matter, rho_sd. The physical basis of this relationship is that thermal pressure in the diffuse ISM, which is proportional to the UV heating rate and therefore to Sigma_SFR, must adjust to match the midplane pressure set by the vertical gravitational field. Our model applies to regions where Sigma < 100 Msun/pc^2. In low-Sigma_SFR (outer-galaxy) regions where diffuse gas dominates, the theory predicts Sigma_SFR \propto Sigma (rho_sd)^1/2. The decrease of thermal equilibrium pressure when Sigma_SFR is low implies, consistent with observations, that star formation can extend (with declining efficiency) to large radii in galaxies, rather than having a sharp cutoff. The main parameters entering our model are the ratio of thermal pressure to total pressure in the diffuse ISM, the fraction of diffuse gas that is in the warm phase, and the star formation timescale in self-gravitating clouds; all of these are (in principle) direct observables. At low surface density, our model depends on the ratio of the mean midplane FUV intensity (or thermal pressure in the diffuse gas) to the star formation rate, which we set based on Solar neighborhood values. We compare our results to recent observations, showing good agreement overall for azimuthally-averaged data in a set of spiral galaxies. For the large flocculent spiral galaxies NGC 7331 and NGC 5055, the correspondence between theory and observation is remarkably close.
We searched for X-ray shadowing toward two infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) using the MOS detectors on XMM-Newton to learn about the Galactic distribution of X-ray emitting plasma. IRDCs make ideal X-ray shadowing targets of 3/4 kev photons due to their high column densities, relatively large angular sizes, and known kinematic distances. Here we focus on two clouds near 30 deg. Galactic longitude at distances of 2 and 5 kpc from the Sun. We derive the foreground and background column densities of molecular and atomic gas in the direction of the clouds. We find that the 3/4 kev emission must be distributed throughout the Galactic disk. It is therefore linked to the structure of the cooler material of the ISM, and to the birth of stars.
Massive SFR are characterized by intense ionizing fluxes, strong stellar winds and supernovae explosions, all of which have important effects on the surrounding media, on the star-formation (SF) process and on the evolution of YSOs and their disks. We present a multiband study of the massive young cluster NGC6611 and M16, to study how OB stars affect the early stellar evolution and the SF. We search for evidence of triggered SF by OB stars in NGC6611 on a large spatial scale (~10 pc) and how the efficiency of disks photoevaporation depends on the central stars mass. We assemble a multiband catalog with photometric data, from B band to 8.0micron, and X-ray data obtained with 2 new and 1 archival ACIS-I observation. We select the stars with disks from IR photometry and disk-less from X-ray emission, both in NGC6611 and the outer region of M16. We study induced photoevaporation searching for the spatial variation of disk frequency for distinct stellar mass ranges. The triggering of SF by OB stars has been investigated by deriving the history of SF across the nebula. We find evidence of sequential SF in the Eagle Nebula going from the SE (2.6 Myrs) to the NW (0.3 Myrs), with the median age of ~1 Myear. We observe a drop of the disk frequency close to OB stars (up to an average distance of 1 pc), without effects at larger distances. Furthermore, disks are more frequent around low-mass stars (<1 M(solar)) than in high-mass stars, regardless of the distance from OB stars. The SF chronology in M16 does not support the hypothesis of a large-scale SF triggered by OB stars in NGC6611. Instead, we speculate that it was triggered by the encounter (~3 Myrs ago) with a giant molecular shell created ~6 Myrs ago.
We search the COSMOS survey for pairs of galaxies consistent with the gravitational lensing signature of a cosmic string. The COSMOS survey imaged 1.64 square degrees using the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Our technique includes estimates of the efficiency for finding the lensed galaxy pair. We find no evidence for cosmic strings with a mass per unit length of G\mu/c^2 < 3.0E-7 out to redshifts greater than 0.6 at 95% confidence. This corresponds to a global limit on Omega_string<0.0017.
We examine the test-particle solution for diffusive shock acceleration, based on simple models for thermal leakage injection and Alfv'enic drift. The critical injection rate, \xi_c, above which the cosmic ray (CR) pressure becomes dynamically significant, depends mainly on the sonic shock Mach number, M, and preshock gas temperature, T_1. In the hot-phase interstellar medium (ISM) and intracluster medium, \xi_c < 10^{-3} for shocks with M < 5, while \xi_c ~ 10^{-4}(T_1/10^6 K)^{1/2} for shocks with M > 10. For T_1=10^6 K, for example, the test-particle solution would be valid if the injection momentum, p_{inj} > 3.8 p_{th}. This leads to the postshock CR pressure less than 10% of the shock ram pressure. If the Alfv'en speed is comparable to the sound speed in the preshock flow, as in the hot-phase ISM, the power-law slope of CR spectrum can be significantly softer than the canonical test-particle slope. Then the CR spectrum at the shock can be approximated by the revised test-particle power-law with an exponential cutoff at the highest accelerated momentum, p_{max}(t). An analytic form of the exponential cutoff is also suggested.
We present optical and near-infrared (NIR) photometry of a classical nova, V2362 Cyg (= Nova Cygni 2006). V2362 Cyg experienced a peculiar rebrightening with a long duration from 100 to 240 d after the maximum of the nova. Our multicolor observation indicates an emergence of a pseudophotosphere with an effective temperature of 9000 K at the rebrightening maximum. After the rebrightening maximum, the object showed a slow fading homogeneously in all of the used bands for one week. This implies that the fading just after the rebrightening maximum ( less or equal 1 week ) was caused by a slowly shrinking pseudophotosphere. Then, the NIR flux drastically increased, while the optical flux steeply declined. The optical and NIR flux was consistent with blackbody radiation with a temperature of 1500 K during this NIR rising phase. These facts are likely to be explained by dust formation in the nova ejecta. Assuming an optically thin case, we estimate the dust mass of 10^(-8) -- 10^(-10) M_solar, which is less than those in typical dust-forming novae. These results support the senario that a second, long-lasting outflow, which caused the rebrightening, interacted with a fraction of the initial outflow and formed dust grains.
We present observations using the Small Array of the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI; 14-18 GHz) of four Abell and three MACS clusters spanning 0.171-0.686 in redshift. We detect Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signals in five of these without any attempt at source subtraction, although strong source contamination is present. With radio-source measurements from high-resolution observations, and under the assumptions of spherical $\beta$-model, isothermality and hydrostatic equilibrium, a Bayesian analysis of the data in the visibility plane detects extended SZ decrements in all seven clusters over and above receiver noise, radio sources and primary CMB imprints. Bayesian evidence ratios range from 10^{11}:1 to 10^{43}:1 for six of the clusters and 3000:1 for one with substantially less data than the others. We present posterior probability distributions for, e.g., total mass and gas fraction averaged over radii internal to which the mean overdensity is 1000, 500 and 200, r_200 being the virial radius. Reaching r_200 involves some extrapolation for the nearer clusters but not for the more-distant ones. We find that our estimates of gas fraction are low (compared with most in the literature) and decrease with increasing radius. These results appear to be consistent with the notion that gas temperature in fact falls with distance (away from near the cluster centre) out to the virial radius.
We report the analysis of high-resolution, high-S/N spectra of an extremely metal-poor, extremely C-rich red giant, Seg 1-7, in the Segue 1 system - described in the literature alternatively as an unusually extended globular cluster or an ultra-faint dwarf galaxy. The radial velocity of Seg 1-7 coincides precisely with the systemic velocity of Segue 1, and its chemical abundance signature of [Fe/H] = -3.52, [C/Fe] = +2.3, [N/Fe] = +0.8, [Na/Fe] = +0.53, [Mg/Fe] = +0.94, [Al/Fe] = +0.23 and [Ba/Fe] < -1.0 is similar to that of the rare and enigmatic class of Galactic halo objects designated CEMP-no (Carbon-rich, Extremely Metal-Poor and with no enhancement (over solar ratios) of heavy neutron-capture elements). This is the first star in a Milky Way ``satellite'' that unambiguously lies on the metal-poor, C-rich branch of the Aoki et al. (2007) bimodal distribution defined by field halo stars in the ([C/Fe], [Fe/H])-plane. Available data permit us only to identify Seg 1-7 as a member of an ultra-faint dwarf galaxy or as debris from the Sgr dwarf spheroidal galaxy. In either case, this demonstrates that at extremely low abundance, [Fe/H ] < -3.0, star formation and associated chemical evolution proceeded similarly in the progenitors of both the field halo and satellite systems. By extension, this is consistent with other recent suggestions the most metal-poor dwarf spheroidal and ultra-faint dwarf satellites were the building blocks of the Milky Way's outer halo.
In order to study precession and interstellar magnetic field variations, we measured the polarized position angle of 81 pulsars at several-month intervals for four years. We show that the uncertainties in a single-epoch measurement of position angle is usually dominated by random pulse-to-pulse jitter of the polarized subpulses. Even with these uncertainties, we find that the position angle variations in 19 pulsars are significantly better fitted (at the 3 {\sigma} level) by a sinusoid than by a constant. Such variations could be caused by precession, which would then indicate periods of ~ (200 - 1300) d and amplitudes of ~(1 - 12) degrees. We narrow this collection to four pulsars that show the most convincing evidence of sinusoidal variation in position angle. Also, in a handful of pulsars, single discrepant position angle measurements are observed which may result from the line of sight passing across a discrete ionized, magnetized structure. We calculate the standard deviation of position angle measurements from the mean for each pulsar, and relate these to limits on precession and interstellar magnetic field variations.
A time-dependent model for the energy of a flaring solar active region is presented based on a stochastic jump-transition model (Wheatland and Glukhov 1998; Wheatland 2008; Wheatland 2009). The magnetic free energy of the model active region varies in time due to a prescribed (deterministic) rate of energy input and prescribed (random) flare jumps downwards in energy. The model has been shown to reproduce observed flare statistics, for specific time-independent choices for the energy input and flare transition rates. However, many solar active regions exhibit time variation in flare productivity, as exemplified by NOAA active region AR 11029 (Wheatland 2010). In this case a time-dependent model is needed. Time variation is incorporated for two cases: 1. a step change in the rates of flare jumps; and 2. a step change in the rate of energy supply to the system. Analytic arguments are presented describing the qualitative behavior of the system in the two cases. In each case the system adjusts by shifting to a new stationary state over a relaxation time which is estimated analytically. The new model retains flare-like event statistics. In each case the frequency-energy distribution is a power law for flare energies less than a time-dependent rollover set by the largest energy the system is likely to attain at a given time. For Case 1, the model exhibits a double exponential waiting-time distribution, corresponding to flaring at a constant mean rate during two intervals (before and after the step change), if the average energy of the system is large. For Case 2 the waiting-time distribution is a simple exponential, again provided the average energy of the system is large. Monte Carlo simulations of Case~1 are presented which confirm the analytic estimates. The simulation results provide a qualitative model for observed flare statistics in active region AR 11029.
Using orbital integration and analytical arguments, we have found a new mechanism (an "eccentricity trap") to halt type I migration of planets near the inner edge of a protoplanetary disk. Because asymmetric eccentricity damping due to disk-planet interaction on the innermost planet at the disk edge plays a crucial role in the trap, this mechanism requires continuous eccentricity excitation and hence works for a resonantly interacting convoy of planets. This trap is so strong that the edge torque exerted on the innermost planet can completely halt type I migrations of many outer planets through mutual resonant perturbations. Consequently, the convoy stays outside the disk edge, as a whole. We have derived semi-analytical formula for the condition for the eccentricity trap and predict how many planets are likely to be trapped. We found that several planets or more should be trapped by this mechanism in protoplanetary disks that have cavities. It can be responsible for the formation of non-resonant, multiple, close-in super-Earth systems extending beyond 0.1AU. Such systems are being revealed by radial velocity observations to be quite common around solar-type stars.
We investigate the fragmentation criterion in massive self-gravitating discs. We present new analysis of the fragmentation conditions which we test by carrying out global three-dimensional numerical simulations. Whilst previous work has placed emphasis on the cooling timescale in units of the orbital timescale, \beta , we find that at a given radius the surface mass density (i.e. disc mass and profile) and star mass also play a crucial role in determining whether a disc fragments or not as well as where in the disc fragments form. We find that for shallow surface mass density profiles (p<2, where \Sigma \propto R^{-p}), fragments form in the outer regions of the disc. However for steep surface mass density profiles (p \gtrsim 2), fragments form in the inner regions of a disc. In addition, we also find that the critical value of the cooling timescale in units of the orbital timescale found in previous simulations is only applicable to certain disc surface mass density profiles and for particular disc radii and is not a general rule for all discs. We find an empirical fragmentation criteria between the cooling timescale in units of the orbital timescale, \beta , the surface mass density, the star mass and the radius.
We study the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect in a Lem\^itre-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) universe model whose distance-redshift relation agrees with that of the concordance $\Lambda$CDM model at redshifts $z\lesssim2$. This LTB universe model has a void with size comparable to the Hubble horizon scale. We first determine the decoupling epoch in this LTB universe model by an approximate analytical condition under a few simplified assumptions on the physical quantities at that epoch. Then we calculate the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy observed in the rest frame of clusters of galaxies which are assumed to be at rest in the spatial comoving coordinates of the LTB universe model. We find that the obtained temperature anisotropies are dominated by dipole, although there may exist higher multi-poles in general. We may interpret this dipole anisotropy as the drift velocity of a cluster of galaxies relative to the CMB rest frame. Hence it gives rise to the kSZ effect. We calculate this effect and compare it with observational data. We find that if we assume the conventional adiabatic perturbation scenario at the time of decoupling, the drift velocity of clusters of galaxies becomes unacceptably large. Conversely, this observational constraint may be relaxed by introducing a non-adiabatic (i.e., primordially isocurvature) component of inhomogeneities at the time of decoupling. However, our result indicates that the necessary isocurvature perturbation amplitude is very large.
With the early afterglow localizations of gamma-ray burst positions made by Swift, the clear delimitation of the prompt phase and the afterglow is not so obvious any more. It is important to see weather the two phases have the same origin or they stem from different parts of the progenitor system. We will combine the two kinds of gamma-ray burst data from the Swift-XRT instrument (windowed timing and photon counting modes) and from BAT. A thorough desription of the applied procedure is given. We apply various binning techniques to the different data: Bayes blocks, exponential binning and signal-to-noise type of binning. We present a handful of flux curves and some possible applications.
The gamma-ray binaries LS 5039 and LS I +61 303 have been detected by Cerenkov telescopes at TeV energies, exhibiting periodic behavior correlated with the orbital period. These gamma-ray binary systems have also been recently detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope at GeV energies, and combination of GeV and TeV observations are providing both, expected and surprising results. We summarize these results, also considering the multi-frequency scenario, from the perspective of pulsar systems. We discuss similarities and differences of models in which pulsar wind/star wind shocks, or pulsar wind zone processes lead to particles accelerated enough to emit TeV photons. We discuss in detail the caveats of the current observations for detecting either accretion lines or pulsations from these objects. We also comment on the possibility for understanding the GeV to TeV emission from these binaries with a 2-components contribution to their spectrum. We show that it would be possible to accommodate both, normal pulsar emission and GeV / TeV fluxes that vary with orbital phase. We point out several aspects of this idea that are subject to test with data being currently taken.
We calculate the orbital angular momentum of dark matter subhaloes in the Aquarius simulations of cold dark matter galactic haloes. We calculate the orientation of their angular momentum relative to that of the spin vector of their host halo and find a variety of different configurations. All six Aquarius haloes contain statistically significant populations of subhalo orbits that are aligned with the main halo spin. All haloes posses a population of subhaloes that rotates in the same direction as the main halo and three of them possess, in addition, a population that rotates in the opposite direction. These configurations arise from the filamentary accretion of subhaloes. Quasi-planar distributions of coherently rotating satellites, such as those inferred in the Milky Way and other galaxies, arise naturally in simulations of a $\Lambda$CDM universe.
We study the orbital structure in a series of self-consistent $N$-body configurations simulating rotating barred galaxies with spiral and ring structures. We perform frequency analysis in order to measure the angular and the radial frequencies of the orbits at two different time snapshots during the evolution of each $N$-body system. The analysis is done separately for the regular and the chaotic orbits. We thereby identify the various types of orbits, determine the shape and percentages of the orbits supporting the bar and the ring/spiral structures, and study how the latter quantities change during the secular evolution of each system. Although the frequency maps of the chaotic orbits are scattered, we can still identify concentrations around resonances. We give the distributions of frequencies of the most important populations of orbits. We explore the phase space structure of each system using projections of the 4D surfaces of section. These are obtained via the numerical integration of the orbits of test particles, but also of the real $N$-body particles. We thus identify which domains of the phase space are preferred and which are avoided by the real particles. The chaotic orbits are found to play a major role in supporting the shape of the outer envelope of the bar as well as the rings and the spiral arms formed outside corotation.
CoRoT has allowed a quantitative leap for the solar-like-star seismology thanks to 5-month-long uninterrupted timeseries of high-precision photometric data. Kepler is also starting to deliver similar data. Now, several F and G main-sequence stars have been analyzed. The techniques developed to interpret light curves directly inherit from the experience got on the Sun with helioseismology. I describe in this review the methods currently used to analyze these light curves. First, these data provide an accurate determination of the stellar rotation rate. This is possible thanks to the magnetic activity of stars. The power spectra of light curves put also constraints on the stellar granulation, which can be directly compared to 3-D stellar atmosphere models; this shows still unexplained discrepancies. I then detailed a standard method for extracting p-mode characteristics (frequency, amplitude and lifetime). CoRoT has revealed unexpected short life times for F stars. Last, I also discuss errors and biases of mode frequencies, especially the ones due to the simplified description of the rotation generally used.
We study the photometric properties of stars in the data archive of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the prime aim being to understand the photometric calibration over the entire data set. It is confirmed that the photometric calibration for point sources has been made overall tightly against the SDSS standard stars. We have also confirmed that photometric synthesis of the SDSS spectrophotometric data gives broad band fluxes that agree with broad band photometry with errors no more than 0.04 mag and little tilt along the wide range of colours, verifying that the response functions of the SDSS 2.5 m telescope system are well characterised. We locate stars in the SDSS photometric system, so that stars can roughly be classified into spectral classes from the colour information. We show how metallicity and surface gravity affect colours, and that stars contained in the SDSS general catalogue, plotted in colour space, show the distribution that matches well with what is anticipated from the variations of metallicity and surface gravity. The colour-colour plots are perfectly consistent among the three samples, stars in the SDSS general catalogue, SDSS standard stars and spectrophotometric stars of Gunn & Stryker, especially when some considerations are taken into account of the differences (primarily metallicity) of the samples. We show that the g-r - inverse temperature relation is tight and can be used as a good estimator of the effective temperature of stars over a fairly wide range of effective temperatures. We also confirm that the colours of G2V stars in the SDSS photometric system match well with the Sun.
We present a clustering analysis of ~60,000 massive (stellar mass Mstar > 10^{11} Msun) galaxies out to z = 1 drawn from 55.2 deg2 of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) II Supernova Survey. Strong clustering is detected for all the subsamples of massive galaxies characterized by different stellar masses (Mstar = 10^{11.0-11.5} Msun, 10^{11.5-12.0} Msun) or rest-frame colors (blue: U - V < 1.0, red: U - V > 1.0). We find that more mature (more massive or redder) galaxies are more clustered, which implies that more mature galaxies have started stellar-mass assembly earlier within the highly-biased region where the structure formation has also started earlier. By means of halo occupation distribution (HOD) models fitted to the observed angular correlation function, we infer the properties of the underlying host dark halos. We find that the estimated bias factors and host halo masses are systematically larger for galaxies with larger stellar masses, which is consistent with the general agreement that the capability of hosting massive galaxies depends strongly on halo mass. The estimated effective halo masses are ~10^{14} Msun, which gives the stellar-mass to halo-mass ratios of ~0.003. The observed evolution of bias factors indicates rapid evolution of spatial distributions of cold dark matter relative to those traced by the massive galaxies, while the transition of host halo masses might imply that the fractional mass growth rate of halos is less than those of stellar systems. The inferred halo masses and high fractions of central galaxies indicate that the massive galaxies in the current sample are possibly equivalent to central galaxies of galaxy clusters.
Based on IMaX/Sunrise data, we report on a previously undetected phenomenon in solar granulation. We show that in a very narrow region separating granules and intergranular lanes the spectral line width of the Fe I 5250.2 A line becomes extremely small. We offer an explanation of this observation with the help of magneto-convection simulations. These regions with extremely small line widths correspond to the places where the granular flows bend from mainly upflow in granules to downflow in intergranular lanes. We show that the resolution and image stability achieved by IMaX/Sunrise are important requisites to detect this interesting phenomenon.
From 2MASS infra-red photometry we find two red clump (RC) populations co-existing in the same fields toward the Galactic bulge at latitudes |b|>5.5 deg., ranging over ~13 degrees in longitude and 20 degrees in latitude. We can only understand the data if these RC peaks simply reflect two stellar populations separated by ~2.3 kpc; at (l,b)=(+1,-8) the two RCs are located at 6.5 and 8.8+/-0.2 kpc. The double-peaked RC is inconsistent with a tilted bar morphology. Most of our fields show the two RCs at roughly constant distance with longitude, which is also inconsistent with a tilted bar, although an underlying bar may be present. The stellar densities in the two RCs changes dramatically with longitude: on the positive longitude side the foreground RC is dominant, while the background RC dominates negative longitudes. A line connecting the maxima of the foreground and background populations is tilted to the line of sight by ~20 +/-4 deg., similar to claims for the tilt of a Galactic bar. The distance between the two RCs decreases towards the Galactic plane; seen edge-on the bulge is X-shaped, resembling some extra-galactic bulges and the results of N-body simulations. The center of this X is consistent with the distance to the Galactic center, although better agreement would occur if the bulge is 2-3 Gyr younger than 47 Tuc. Our observations may be understood if the two RC populations emanate, nearly tangentially, from the ends of a Galactic bar, each side shaped like a funnel or horn. Alternatively, the X, or double funnel shape, may continue to the Galactic center. This would appear peanut/box shaped from the Solar direction, but X-shaped when viewed tangentially.
The radio, optical, X-ray and gamma-ray nebulae that surround many pulsars are thought to arise from synchrotron and inverse Compton emission. The energy powering this emission, as well as the magnetic fields and relativistic particles, are supplied by a "wind" driven by the central object. The inner parts of the wind can be described using the equations of MHD, but these break down in the outer parts, when the density of charge carriers drops below a critical value. This paper reviews the wave properties of the inner part (striped wind), and uses a relativistic two-fluid model (cold electrons and positrons) to re-examine the nonlinear electromagnetic modes that propagate in the outer parts. It is shown that in a radial wind, two solutions exist for circularly polarised electromagnetic modes. At large distances one of them turns into a freely expanding flow containing a vacuum wave, whereas the other decelerates, corresponding to a confined flow.
The connection between helium-rich hot subdwarfs of spectral types O and B (He-sdB) has been relatively unexplored since the latter were found in significant numbers in the 1980's. In order to explore this connection further, we have analysed the surface composition of six He-sdB stars, including LB 1766, LB 3229, SB 21 (= Ton-S 137 = BPS 29503-0009), BPS 22940-0009, BPS 29496-0010, and BPS 22956-0094. Opacity-sampled line-blanketed model atmospheres have been used to derive atmospheric properties and elemental abundances. All the stars are moderately metal-poor compared with the Sun ([Fe/H] ~ -0.5). Four stars are nitrogen-rich, two of these are carbon-rich, and at least four appear to be neon-rich. The data are insufficient to rule out binarity in any of the sample. The surface composition and locus of the N-rich He-sdBs are currently best explained by the merger of two helium white dwarfs, or possibly by the merger of a helium white dwarf with a post-sdB white dwarf. C-rich He-sdBs require further investigation.
The survey phase of the Kepler Mission includes a number of hot subdwarf B (sdB) stars to search for nonradial pulsations. We present our analysis of two sdB stars that are found to be g-mode pulsators of the V1093 Her class. These two stars also display the distinct irradiation effect typical of sdB stars with a close M-dwarf companion with orbital periods of less than half a day. Because the orbital period is so short, the stars should be in synchronous rotation, and if so, the rotation period should imprint itself on the multiplet structure of the pulsations. However, we do not find clear evidence for such rotational splitting. Though the stars do show some frequency spacings that are consistent with synchronous rotation, they also display multiplets with splittings that are much smaller. Longer-duration time series photometry will be needed to determine if those small splittings are in fact rotational splitting, or caused by slow amplitude or phase modulation. Further data should also improve the signal-to-noise, perhaps revealing lower amplitude periodicities that could confirm the expectation of synchronous rotation. The pulsation periods seen in these stars show period spacings that are suggestive of high-overtone g-mode pulsations.
In the framework of a 4m class Solar Telescope we studied the performance of the MCAO using the LOST simulation package. In particular, in this work we focus on two different methods to reduce the time delay error which is particularly critical in solar adaptive optics: a) the optimization of the wavefront reconstruction by reordering the modal base on the basis of the Mutual Information and b) the possibility of forecasting the wavefront correction through different approaches. We evaluate these techniques underlining pros and cons of their usage in different control conditions by analyzing the results of the simulations and make some preliminary tests on real data.
We present the rms-intensity diagram for black hole transients. Using observations taken with the Rossi X-ray timing explorer we study the relation between the root mean square (rms) amplitude of the variability and the net count-rate during the 2002, 2004 and 2007 outbursts of the black hole X-ray binary GX 339-4. We find that the rms-flux relation previously observed during the hard state in X-ray binaries does not hold for the other states, when different relations apply. These relations can be used as a good tracer of the different accretion regimes. We identify the hard, soft and intermediate states in the rms-intensity diagram. Transitions between the different states are seen to produce marked changes in the rms-flux relation. We find that one single component is required to explain the ~ 40 per cent variability observed at low count rates, whereas no or very low variability is associated to the accretion-disc thermal component.
Gamma-ray binaries are suitable sources to study high-energy processes in jets and outflows in general. In the last years, there has been a lot of activity in the field of gamma-ray binaries to identify the different factors that shape their non-thermal spectra, which ranges from radio to very high energies, as well as their lightcurves. In this work, I discuss the main aspects of the non-thermal emission in this class of objects, which presently includes high-mass microquasars, high-mass binaries hosting a non-accreting pulsar and, probably, massive star binaries; few potential candidates to be gamma-ray binaries are also presented. Finally, the importance of gamma-ray absorption is discussed, and the main physical ingredients, which are likely involved in the non-thermal radiation in gamma-ray binaries, are briefly considered.
A translation of a section from the 1665 Astronomia Reformata of G. B. Riccioli discussing the appearance of the disk of Jupiter during the years 1630-1664; changes in the Jovian cloud belts as recorded by a variety of observers are a major feature of Riccioli's discussion.
We have determined precise stellar parameters and lithium abundances in a sample of 117 stars with basic properties very similar to the Sun. This sample selection reduces biasing effects and systematic errors in the analysis. We estimate the ages of our sample stars mainly from isochrone fitting but also from measurements of rotation period and X-ray luminosity and test the connection between lithium abundance, age, and stellar parameters. We find strong evidence for increasing lithium depletion with age. Our sample includes 14 stars that are known to host planets and it does not support recent claims that planet-host stars have experienced more lithium depletion than stars without planets. We find the solar lithium abundance normal for a star of its age, mass, and metallicity. Furthermore, we analyze published data for 82 stars that were reported to support an enhanced lithium depletion in planet hosts. We show that those stars in fact follow an age trend very similar to that found with our sample and that the presence of giant planets is not related to low lithium abundances. Finally, we discuss the systematic biases that led to the incorrect conclusion of an enhanced lithium depletion in planet-host stars.
We present the discovery of nonradial pulsations in five hot subdwarf B (sdB)
stars based on 27 days of nearly continuous time-series photometry using the
Kepler spacecraft. We find that every sdB star cooler than $\approx 27\,500\,$K
that Kepler has observed (seven so far) is a long-period pulsator of the
V1093~Her (PG~1716) class or a hybrid star with both short and long periods.
The apparently non-binary long-period and hybrid pulsators are described here.
The V1093~Her periods range from one to 4.5~h and are associated with
$g-$mode pulsations. Three stars also exhibit short periods indicative of
$p-$modes with periods of 2 to 5~m and in addition, these stars exhibit
periodicities between both classes from 15 to 45~m. We detect the coolest and
longest-period V1093~Her-type pulsator to date, KIC010670103 ($T_eff\approx
20\,900\,$K, $P_max\approx 4.5$~h) as well as a suspected hybrid pulsator,
KIC002697388 which is extremely cool ($T_{\rm eff}\approx 23\,900\,$K) and for
the first time hybrid pulsators which have larger $g-$mode amplitudes than
$p-$mode ones. All of these pulsators are quite rich with many frequencies and
we are able to apply asymptotic relationships to associate periodicities with
modes for KIC010670103. Kepler data are particularly well-suited for these
studies as they are long-duration, extremely high duty cycle observations with
well-behaved noise properties.
We report on the discovery and monitoring observations of a new galactic black hole candidate XTE J1752-223 by Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The new source appeared on the X-ray sky on October 21 2009 and was active for almost 8 months. Phenomenologically, the source exhibited the low-hard/high-soft spectral state bi-modality and the variability evolution during the state transition that matches standard behavior expected from a stellar mass black hole binary. We model the energy spectrum throughout the outburst using a generic Comptonization model assuming that part of the input soft radiation in the form of a black body spectrum gets reprocessed in the Comptonizing medium. We follow the evolution of fractional root-mean-square (RMS) variability in the RXTE/PCA energy band with the source spectral state and conclude that broad band variability is strongly correlated with the source hardness (or Comptonized fraction). We follow changes in the energy distribution of rms variability during the low-hard state and the state transition and find further evidence that variable emission is strongly concentrated in the power-law spectral component. We discuss the implication of our results to the Comptonization regimes during different spectral states. Correlations of spectral and variability properties provide measurements of the BH mass and distance to the source. The spectral-timing correlation scaling technique applied to the RXTE observation during the hard-to-soft state transition indicates a mass of the BH in XTE J1752-223 between 8 and 11 solar masses and a distance to the source about 3.5 kiloparsec.
Wide-field multi-object spectroscopy is a high priority for European astronomy over the next decade. Most 8-10m telescopes have a small field of view, making 4-m class telescopes a particularly attractive option for wide-field instruments. We present a science case and design drivers for a wide-field multi-object spectrograph (MOS) with integral field units for the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope (WHT) on La Palma. The instrument intends to take advantage of a future prime-focus corrector and atmospheric-dispersion corrector that will deliver a field of view 2 deg in diameter, with good throughput from 370 to 1,000 nm. The science programs cluster into three groups needing three different resolving powers R: (1) high-precision radial-velocities for Gaia-related Milky Way dynamics, cosmological redshift surveys, and galaxy evolution studies (R = 5,000), (2) galaxy disk velocity dispersions (R = 10,000) and (3) high-precision stellar element abundances for Milky Way archaeology (R = 20,000). The multiplex requirements of the different science cases range from a few hundred to a few thousand, and a range of fibre-positioner technologies are considered. Several options for the spectrograph are discussed, building in part on published design studies for E-ELT spectrographs. Indeed, a WHT MOS will not only efficiently deliver data for exploitation of important imaging surveys planned for the coming decade, but will also serve as a test-bed to optimize the design of MOS instruments for the future E-ELT.
High Time Resolution Astrophysics (HTRA) concerns itself with observations on short scales normally defined as being lower than the conventional read-out time of a CCD. As such it is concerned with condensed objects such as neutron stars, black holes and white dwarfs, surfaces with extreme magnetic reconnection phenomena, as well as with planetary scale objects through transits and occultations. HTRA is the only way to make a major step forward in our understanding of several important astrophysical and physical processes; these include the extreme gravity conditions around neutron stars and stable orbits around stellar mass black holes. Transits, involving fast timing, can give vital information on the size of, and satellites around exoplanets. In the realm of fundamental physics very interesting applications lie in the regime of ultra-high time resolution, where quantum-physical phenomena, currently studied in laboratory physics, may be explored. HTRA science covers the full gamut of observational optical/IR astronomy from asteroids to {\gamma}-rays bursts, contributing to four out of six of AstroNet's fundamental challenges described in their Science Vision for European Astronomy. Giving the European-Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) an HTRA capability is therefore importance. We suggest that there are three possibilities for HTRA and E-ELT. These are, firstly giving the E-ELT first light engineering camera an HTRA science capability. Secondly, to include a small HTRA instrument within another instrument. Finally, to have separate fibre feeds to a dedicated HTRA instrument. In this case a small number of fibres could be positioned and would provide a flexible and low cost means to have an HTRA capability. By the time of E-ELT first light, there should be a number of significant developments in fast detector arrays, in particular in the infra-red (IR) region.
After a successful eleven-year campaign at Kitt Peak, we moved the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper (WHAM) to Cerro Tololo in early 2009. Here we present some of the early data after a few months under southern skies. These maps begin to complete the first all-sky, kinematic survey of the diffuse H-alpha emission from the Milky Way. Much of this emission arises from the Warm Ionized Medium (WIM), a significant component of the ISM that extends a few kiloparsecs above the Galactic disk. While this first look at the data focuses on the H-alpha survey, WHAM is also capable of observing many other optical emission lines, revealing fascinating trends in the temperature and ionization state of the WIM. Our ongoing studies of the physical conditions of diffuse ionized gas will continue from the southern hemisphere following the H-alpha survey. In addition, future observations will cover the full velocity range of the Magellanic Stream, Bridge, and Clouds to trace the ionized gas associated with these neighboring systems.
In this work we analyze and review cosmological models in which the dynamics of a single scalar field accounts for a unified description of the Dark Matter and Dark Energy sectors, dubbed Unified Dark Matter (UDM) models. In this framework, we consider the general Lagrangian of k-essence, which allows to find solutions around which the scalar field describes the desired mixture of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. We also discuss static and spherically symmetric solutions of Einstein's equations for a scalar field with non-canonical kinetic term, in connection with galactic halo rotation curves.
Ionized nebulae have been targets of interest since the introduction of the telescope centuries ago. These isolated, "classical" H II regions gave us some of the earliest insight into the copious feedback energy that stars inject into the interstellar medium. Their unique spectra contain information about the quality and quantity of the ionizing field as well as the temperature, density, and metallicity of these discrete locations in the Galaxy. With increasing sensitivity across many spectral domains, we now know that ionized gas is not localized to massive star regions in many star-forming galaxies. In particular, recent observational studies allow a thorough comparison of the physical conditions and distribution of the well-studied classical H II regions to the more widespread warm, diffuse gas. By more realistically evolving a dynamic interstellar medium, models are beginning to reproduce the observed emission measure variations and provide a natural solution to the propagation of ionizing flux from a predominantly neutral galactic disk to the distant halo.
The spectra of AGN from the ultraviolet to the near infrared, exhibit emission lines covering a wide range of ionisation states, from neutral species such as [O I] 6300A, up to [Fe XIV] 5303A. Here we report on some recent studies of the properties of highly ionised lines (HILs), plus two case studies of individual objects. Future IFU observations at high spatial and good spectral resolution, will probe the excitation and kinematics of the gas in the zone between the extended NLR and unresolved BLR. Multi-component SED fitting can be used to link the source of photoionisation with the strengths and ratios of the HILs.
We study the equation of state (EOS) of nuclear matter at subnuclear density in a Virial expansion for a nonideal gas. The gas consists of neutrons, protons, alpha particles, and 8980 species of nuclei with $A \ge 12$ and masses from the finite-range droplet model (FRDM). At very low density, the Virial expansion reduces to nuclear statistical equilibrium. At higher density, the Virial results match smoothly to the relativistic mean field results discussed in our previous paper. We tabulate the resulting EOS at over 73,000 grid points in the temperature range $T$ = 0.158 to 15.8 MeV, the density range $n_B$ = 10$^{-8}$ to 0.1 fm$^{-3}$, and the proton fraction range $Y_P$ = 0.05 to 0.56. In the future we plan to match these low density results to our earlier high density mean field results, and generate a full EOS table for use in supernova and neutron star merger simulations. This Virial EOS is exact in the low density limit.
Dark matter candidates with electromagnetic dipole moments can arise as dark baryons in gauge-mediated or technicolor models. These dark matter candidates interact with nuclei in direct detection experiments mainly through magnetic and/or electric dipole moments. The scattering cross sections depend on the nuclear magnetic moments and nuclear charge and have an infrared enhancement compared with typical WIMP constant contact interactions, leading to distinctive nuclear recoil energy spectra. These characteristics result in an enhanced signal for the DAMA experiment compared with the CDMS or XENON experiments. The positive results of DAMA, along with the null results of CDMS and XENON, are consistent with a dark matter particle with magnetic dipole moment and a mass around ten GeV. Significant direct detection signals can arise from dipolar dark matter with mass up to of order tens of TeV.
The upper limit on the energy density of a stochastic gravitational wave (GW) background obtained from the two-year science run (S5) of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is used to constrain the average GW production of core collapse supernovae (ccSNe). We assume that the ccSNe rate tracks the star formation history of the universe and show that the stochastic background energy density depends only weakly on the assumed average source spectrum. Using the ccSNe rate for $z\leq10$, we scale the generic source spectrum to obtain an observation-based upper limit on the average GW emission. We show that the mean GW production can be constrained within $< (0.49-1.98)\hspace{1mm} M_{\odot} c^{2}$ depending on the average source spectrum. While these results are higher than the available energy for explosion in a core collapse event, second and third generation GW detectors will enable tighter constraints to be set on the GW emission from such systems. As experimental limits become stronger, confusion from stochastic backgrounds from compact binary coalescences will be significant.
We study the CPT-even dimension-six Chern-Simons-like term by including dynamical Kalb-Ramond and scalar fields to examine the cosmological birefringence. We show that the combined effect of neutrino current and Kalb-Ramond field could induce a sizable rotation polarization angle in the cosmic microwave background radiation polarization.
The paper is proposing a survey of a region in Sudan, the Bayuda desert, using the satellite images as obtained from Google Maps. The images reveal the ring granitic structure of the region enclosed by a bend of river Nile. To enhance the features of the landform, images are processed with a method based on fractional calculus, able to increase the rendering of edges without deteriorating the overall quality of images. Besides the ringed structure of the region, a huge crater-like structure with a diameter of 10 km is evidenced.
Although well established observations on cosmological, cluster, and galactic scales strongly suggest the existence of dark matter (DM), our understanding of its non-gravitational properties is still lacking. I review basic aspects of particle dark matter and detection strategies, outlining the state of the art for searches in direct detection experiments, indirect observations, and particle production at colliders. A particular focus is dedicated to recent experimental results which could have provided hints for unveiling the DM nature.
A novel kinematically driven inflation model is proposed. The inflaton field we consider has a Galileon-like nonlinear interaction of the form $F(\phi, (\nabla\phi)^2)\Box\phi$, which maintains second-order field equations. The model is thus dubbed ``G-inflation.'' We illustrate how G-inflation occurs and ends without a potential, and how the universe is reheated thereafter. The quadratic action for the curvature perturbation is derived, which is used to give stability criteria for a general Lagrangian. We show that (almost) scale-invariant scalar fluctuations can be generated from G-inflation, possibly together with a large amplitude of primordial gravitational waves. The standard consistency relation between tensor and scalar perturbations is manifestly violated.
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We present the highest redshift detections of resolved Lyman alpha emission, using Hubble Space Telescope/ACS F658N narrowband-imaging data taken in parallel with the Wide Field Camera 3 Early Release Science program in the GOODS CDF-S. We detect Lyman alpha emission from three spectroscopically confirmed z = 4.4 Lyman alpha emitting galaxies (LAEs), more than doubling the sample of LAEs with resolved Lyman alpha emission. Comparing the light distribution between the rest-frame ultraviolet continuum and narrowband images, we investigate the escape of Lyman alpha photons at high redshift. While our data do not support a positional offset between the Lyman alpha and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) continuum emission, the half-light radii in two out of the three galaxies are significantly larger in Lyman alpha than in the rest-frame UV continuum. This result is confirmed when comparing object sizes in a stack of all objects in both bands. Additionally, the narrowband flux detected with HST is significantly less than observed in similar filters from the ground. These results together imply that the Lyman alpha emission is not strictly confined to its indigenous star-forming regions. Rather, the Lyman alpha emission is more extended, with the missing HST flux likely existing in a diffuse outer halo. This suggests that the radiative transfer of Lyman alpha photons in high-redshift LAEs is complicated, with the interstellar-medium geometry and/or outflows playing a significant role in galaxies at these redshifts.
We present observations of supernova (SN) 2008ge, which is spectroscopically similar to the peculiar SN 2002cx, and its pre-explosion site that indicate that its progenitor was probably a white dwarf. NGC 1527, the host galaxy of SN 2008ge, is an S0 galaxy with no evidence of star formation or massive stars. Astrometrically matching late-time imaging of SN 2008ge to pre-explosion HST imaging, we constrain the luminosity of the progenitor star. Since SN 2008ge has no indication of hydrogen or helium in its spectrum, its progenitor must have lost its outer layers before exploding, requiring that it be a white dwarf, a Wolf-Rayet star, or a lower-mass star in a binary system. Observations of the host galaxy show no signs of individual massive stars, star clusters, or H II regions at the SN position or anywhere else, making a Wolf-Rayet progenitor unlikely. Late-time spectroscopy of SN 2008ge show strong [Fe II] lines with large velocity widths compared to other members of this class at similar epochs. These previously unseen features indicate that a significant amount of the SN ejecta is Fe (presumably the result of radioactive decay of 56Ni generated in the SN), further supporting a thermonuclear explosion. Placing the observations of SN 2008ge in the context of observations of other objects in the class of SN, we suggest that the progenitor was most likely a white dwarf.
We present the analysis of a sub-DLA system (log N(H^0)=20.0+/-0.15, z_abs=2.69) toward SDSS J123714+064759 (z_em=2.78). Using the VLT/UVES and X-shooter spectrographs, we detect H2, HD and CO molecules in absorption with log N(H2,HD,CO)=(19.21,14.48,14.17). The overall metallicity of the system is super-solar ([Zn/H]=+0.34) and iron is highly depleted ([Fe/Zn]=-1.39), revealing metal-rich and dusty gas. The strongest H2 component does not coincide with the centre of the HI absorption. This implies that the molecular fraction in this component, f=2N(H2)/(2N(H2)+N(H^0)), is larger than the mean molecular fraction <f>=1/4 in the system. This is supported by the detection of Cl^0 associated with this H2-component having N(Cl^0)/N(Cl^+)>0.4. Since Cl^0 is tied up to H2 by charge exchange reactions, this means that the molecular fraction in this component is not far from unity. The size of the molecular cloud is probably smaller than 1pc. Both the CO/H2=10^-5 and CO/C^0~1 ratios for f>0.24 indicate that the cloud classifies as translucent, i.e., a regime where carbon is found both in atomic and molecular form. The corresponding extinction, Av=0.14, albeit lower than the definition of a translucent sightline (based on extinction properties), is high for the observed H^0 column density. This means that intervening clouds with similar local properties but with larger column densities could be missed by current magnitude-limited QSO surveys. The excitation of CO is dominated by radiative interaction with the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) and we derive Tex(CO)=10.5+0.8-0.6 K when TCMBR(z=2.69)=10.05 K is expected. The astration factor of deuterium -with respect to the primordial D/H ratio- is only about 3. This can be the consequence of accretion of unprocessed gas from the intergalactic medium onto the associated galaxy. [abridged]
We show how the peak-background split can be generalized to predict the effect of non-local primordial non-Gaussianity on the clustering of halos. Our approach is applicable to arbitrary primordial bispectra. We show that the scale-dependence of halo clustering predicted in the peak-background split (PBS) agrees with that of the local-biasing model on large scales. On smaller scales, k >~ 0.01 h/Mpc, the predictions diverge, a consequence of the assumption of separation of scales in the peak-background split. Even on large scales, PBS and local biasing do not generally agree on the amplitude of the effect outside of the high-peak limit. The scale dependence of the biasing - the effect that provides strong constraints to the local-model bispectrum - is far weaker for the equilateral and self-ordering-scalar-field models of non-Gaussianity. The bias scale dependence for the orthogonal and folded models is weaker than in the local model (~ 1/k), but likely still strong enough to be constraining. We show that departures from scale-invariance of the primordial power spectrum may lead to order-unity corrections, relative to predictions made assuming scale-invariance - to the non-Gaussian bias in some of these non-local models for non-Gaussianity. An Appendix shows that a non-local model can produce the local-model bispectrum, a mathematical curiosity we uncovered in the course of this investigation.
N-body simulations have revealed a wealth of information about dark matter halos however their results are largely empirical. Using analytic means, we attempt to shed light on simulation results by generalizing the self-similar secondary infall model to include tidal torque. In this first of two papers, we describe our halo formation model and compare our results to empirical mass profiles inspired by N-body simulations. Each halo is determined by four parameters. One parameter sets the mass scale and the other three define how particles within a mass shell are torqued throughout evolution. We choose torque parameters motivated by tidal torque theory and N-body simulations and analytically calculate the structure of the halo in different radial regimes. We find that angular momentum plays an important role in determining the density profile at small radii. For cosmological initial conditions, the density profile on small scales is set by the time rate of change of the angular momentum of particles as well as the halo mass. On intermediate scales, however, $\rho\propto r^{-2}$, while $\rho\propto r^{-3}$ close to the virial radius.
Motivated by recent progress in the statistical modeling of quasar variability, we develop a new approach to reverberation mapping for estimating the size of broad-line regions (BLRs) in AGNs. Assuming that all light curves are scaled, smoothed, and displaced versions of the continuum, the new approach fits the light curves directly using a damped random walk model and aligns them to recover the time lag and its statistical confidence limits. We introduce the mathematical formalism of the new approach and demonstrate its ability to cope with some of the problems for traditional methods, such as irregular sampling, correlated errors, and seasonal gaps. We redetermine the lags for 86 emission lines in 31 quasars and estimate a new BLR size-luminosity relationship using 59 H\beta lags. On a positive note, we confirm the general results from the traditional methods, with few exceptions. Our method, however, also supports a broad range of extensions. In particular, it can simultaneously fit multiple lines and continuum light curves which improves the lag estimate for the lines and provides estimates of the error correlations between them. Determining these correlation is of particular importance for interpreting line velocity-delay maps. We can also include parameters for luminosity-dependent lags or line responses. We use this to detect the scaling of the BLR size with continuum luminosity in NGC 5548.
Light refracted by the planet's atmosphere is usually ignored in analysis of planetary transits. Here we show that refraction can add shoulders to the transit light curve, i.e., an increase in the observed flux, mostly just before and after transit. During transit, light may be refracted away from the observer. Therefore, even completely transparent planets will display a very similar signal to that of a standard transit, i.e., that of an opaque planet. We provide analytical expression for the amount of additional light deflected towards the observer before the transit, and show that the effect may be as large as $10^{-4}$ of the stellar light and therefore measurable by current instruments. By observing this effect we can directly measure the scale height of the planet's atmosphere. We also consider the attenuation of starlight in the planetary atmosphere due to Rayleigh scattering and discuss the conditions under which the atmospheric lensing effect is most prominent. We show that, for planets on orbital periods larger than about 70 days, the size of the transit is determined by refraction effects, and not by absorption within the planet.
The intense irradiation received by hot Jupiters suppresses convection in the outer layers of their atmospheres and lowers their cooling rates. "Inflated" hot Jupiters, i.e., those with anomalously large transit radii, require additional sources of heat or suppressed cooling. We consider the effect of forced turbulent mixing in the radiative layer, which could be driven by atmospheric circulation or by another mechanism. Due to stable stratification in the atmosphere, forced turbulence drives a downward flux of heat. Weak turbulent mixing slows the cooling rate by this process, as if the planet was irradiated more intensely. Stronger turbulent mixing buries heat into the convective interior, provided the turbulence extends to the radiative-convective boundary. This inflates the planet until a balance is reached between the heat buried into and radiated from the interior. We also include the direct injection of heat due to the dissipation of turbulence or other effects. Such heating is already known to slow planetary cooling. We find that dissipation also enhances heat burial from mixing by lowering the threshold for turbulent mixing to drive heat into the interior. Strong turbulent mixing of heavy molecular species such as TiO may be necessary to explain stratospheric thermal inversions. We show that the amount of mixing required to loft TiO may overinflate the planet by our mechanism. This possible refutation of the TiO hypothesis deserves further study. Our inflation mechanism requires a deep stratified layer that only exists when the absorbed stellar flux greatly exceeds the intrinsic emitted flux. Thus it would be less effective for more luminous brown dwarfs and for longer period gas giants, including Jupiter and Saturn.
The annihilation of huge quantities of captured dark matter (DM) particles inside low-mass stars has been shown to change some of the stellar properties, such as the star's effective temperature or the way the energy is transported throughout the star. While in the classical picture, without DM, a star of 1 M_sun is expected to have a radiative interior during the main sequence, the same star evolving in a halo of DM with a density rho_x > 10^8 GeV cm^-3 will develop a convective core in order to evacuate the energy from DM annihilation in a more efficient way. This convective core leaves a discontinuity in the density and sound-speed profiles that can be detected by the analysis of the stellar oscillations. In this work we present an approach towards the use of asteroseismology to detect the signature produced by the presence of DM inside a star, and we propose a new methodology to infer the properties of a DM halo from the stellar oscillations (such as the product of the DM density and the DM particle-nucleon scattering cross section).
We report the discovery of multi-scale X-ray jets from the accreting neutron star X-ray binary, Circinus X-1. The bipolar outflows show wide opening angles and are spatially coincident with the radio jets seen in new high-resolution radio images of the region. The morphology of the emission regions suggests that the jets from Circinus X-1 are running into a terminal shock with the interstellar medium, as is seen in powerful radio galaxies. This and other observations indicate that the jets have a wide opening angle, suggesting that the jets are either not very well collimated or precessing. We interpret the spectra from the shocks as cooled synchrotron emission and derive a cooling age of approximately 1600 yr. This allows us to constrain the jet power to be between 3e35 erg/s and 2e37 erg/s, making this one of a few microquasars with a direct measurement of its jet power and the only known microquasar that exhibits stationary large-scale X-ray emission.
We present trigonometric parallaxes of 64 stellar systems with proper motions between 0\farcs5 yr$^{-1}$ and 1\farcs0 yr$^{-1}$ from the ongoing RECONS (Research Consortium On Nearby Stars) parallax program at CTIO (the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory). All of the systems are south of DEC $= +30$, and 58 had no previous trigonometric parallaxes. In addition to parallaxes for the systems, we present proper motions, Johnson-Kron-Cousins $VRI$ photometry, variability measurements, and spectral types. Nine of the systems are multiple; we present results for their components, three of which are new astrometric detections. Of the 64 systems, 56 are within 25 parsecs of the Sun and 52 of those are in the southern hemisphere, comprising 5.7\% of the total number of known southern 25 parsec systems.
We present a compilation of the geometry measures acquired using optical and IR spectroscopy and optical spectropolarimetry to probe the explosion geometry of Type Ia SNe. Polarization measurements are sensitive to asymmetries in the plane of the sky, whereas line profiles in nebular phase spectra are expected to trace asymmetries perpendicular to the plane of the sky. The combination of these two measures can overcome their respective projection effects, completely probing the 3D structures of these events. For 9 normal Type Ia SNe, we find that the polarization of \ion{Si}{2} $\lambda 6355$ at 5 days before maximum ($p_{Si\,II}$) is well correlated with its velocity evolution ($\dot{\rm v}_{Si\,II}$), implying $\dot{\rm v}_{Si\,II}$ is predominantly due to the asymmetry of the SNe. We find only a weak correlation between the polarization of \ion{Si}{2} and the reported velocities (${\rm v}_{neb}$) for peak emission of optical \ion{Fe}{2} and \ion{Ni}{2} lines in nebular spectra. Our sample is biased, with polarization measurements being only available for normal SNe which subsequently exhibited positive (i.e. redshifted) ${\rm v}_{neb}$. In unison these indicators are consistent with an off-centre delayed detonation, in which the outer layers are dominated by a spherical oxygen layer, mixed with an asymmetric distribution of intermediate mass elements. The combination of spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric indicators suggests a single geometric configuration for normal Type Ia SNe, with some of the diversity of observed properties arising from orientation effects.
Here we introduce PHAT, the PHoto-z Accuracy Testing programme, an international initiative to test and compare different methods of photo-z estimation. Two different test environments are set up, one (PHAT0) based on simulations to test the basic functionality of the different photo-z codes, and another one (PHAT1) based on data from the GOODS survey. The accuracy of the different methods is expressed and ranked by the global photo-z bias, scatter, and outlier rates. Most methods agree well on PHAT0 but produce photo-z scatters that can differ by up to a factor of two even in this idealised case. A larger spread in accuracy is found for PHAT1. Few methods benefit from the addition of mid-IR photometry. Remaining biases and systematic effects can be explained by shortcomings in the different template sets and the use of priors on the one hand and an insufficient training set on the other hand. Scatters of 4-8% in Delta_z/(1+z) were obtained, consistent with other studies. However, somewhat larger outlier rates (>7.5% with Delta_z/(1+z)>0.15; >4.5% after cleaning) are found for all codes. There is a general trend that empirical codes produce smaller biases than template-based codes. The systematic, quantitative comparison of different photo-z codes presented here is a snapshot of the current state-of-the-art of photo-z estimation and sets a standard for the assessment of photo-z accuracy in the future. The rather large outlier rates reported here for PHAT1 on real data should be investigated further since they are most probably also present (and possibly hidden) in many other studies. The test data sets are publicly available and can be used to compare new methods to established ones and help in guiding future photo-z method development. (abridged)
An experimental study on the interaction of heavy, highly charged, and energetic ions (52 MeV Ni^13+) with pure H2O, pure CO2 and mixed H2O:CO2 astrophysical ice analogs is presented. This analysis aims to simulate the chemical and the physicochemical interactions induced by heavy cosmic rays inside dense and cold astrophysical environments such as molecular clouds or protostellar clouds. The measurements were performed at the heavy ion accelerator GANIL (Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds in Caen, France). The gas samples were deposited onto a CsI substrate at 13 K. In-situ analysis was performed by a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer at different fluences. Radiolysis yields of the produced species were quantified. The dissociation cross sections of pure H2O and CO2 ices are 1.1 and 1.9E-13 cm^2, respectively. In the case of mixed H2O:CO2 (10:1) the dissociation cross sections of both species are about 1E-13 cm^2. The measured sputtering yield of pure CO2 ice is 2.2E4 molec/ion. After a fluence of 2-3E12 ions/cm^2 the CO2/CO ratio becomes roughly constant (~0.1), independent of the of initial CO2/H2O ratio. A similar behavior is observed for the H2O2/H2O ratio which stabilizes at 0.01, independent of the initial H2O column density or relative abundance.
In many astrophysical environments, mixing of heavy elements occurs in the presence of a supersonic turbulent velocity field. Here we carry out the first systematic numerical study of such passive scalar mixing in isothermal supersonic turbulence. Our simulations show that the ratio of the scalar mixing timescale, $\tau_{\rm c}$, to the flow dynamical time, $\tau_{\rm dyn}$ (defined as the flow driving scale divided by the rms velocity), increases with the Mach number, $M$, for $M \lsim3$, and becomes essentially constant for $M \gsim3.$ This trend suggests that compressible modes are less efficient in enhancing mixing than solenoidal modes. However, since the majority of kinetic energy is contained in solenoidal modes at all Mach numbers, the overall change in $\tau_{\rm c}/\tau_{\rm dyn}$ is less than 20\% over the range $1 \lsim M \lsim 6$. At all Mach numbers, if pollutants are injected at around the flow driving scale, $\tau_{\rm c}$ is close to $\tau_{\rm dyn}.$ This suggests that scalar mixing is driven by a cascade process similar to that of the velocity field. The dependence of $\tau_{\rm c}$ on the length scale at which pollutants are injected into flow is also consistent with this cascade picture. Similar behavior is found for the variance decay timescales for scalars without continuing sources. Extension of the scalar cascade picture to the supersonic regime predicts a relation between the scaling exponents of the velocity and the scalar structure functions, with the scalar structure function becoming flatter as the velocity scaling steepens with Mach number. Our measurements of the volume-weighted velocity and scalar structure functions confirm this relation for $M\lsim 2,$ but show discrepancies at $M \gsim 3$.
The spectra of O and B supergiants are known to be affected by a significant form of extra line broadening (usually referred to as macroturbulence) in addition to that produced by stellar rotation. Recent analyses of high resolution spectra have shown that the interpretation of this line broadening as a consequence of large scale turbulent motions would imply highly supersonic velocity fields in photospheric regions, making this scenario quite improbable. Stellar oscillations have been proposed as a likely alternative explanation. As part of a long term observational project, we are investigating the macroturbulent broadening in O and B supergiants and its possible connection with spectroscopic variability phenomena and stellar oscillations. In this letter, we present the first encouraging results of our project, namely firm observational evidence for a strong correlation between the extra broadening and photospheric line-profile variations in a sample of 13 supergiants with spectral types ranging from O9.5 to B8.
We report the results from a deep Suzaku observation of 4C 50.55 (IGR J 21247+5058), the brightest broad-line radio galaxy in the hard X-ray (> 10 keV) sky. The simultaneous broad band spectra over 1-60 keV can be represented by a cut-off power law with two layers of absorption and a significant reflection component from cold matter with a solid angle of \Omega/2\pi \approx 0.2. A rapid flux rise by ~ 20% over 2 \times 10^4 sec is detected in the 2-10 keV band. The spectral energy distribution suggests that there is little contribution to the total X-ray emission from jets. Applying a thermal Comptonization model, we find that corona is optically thick (\tau_e \approx 3) and has a relatively low temperature (kT_e \approx 30 keV). The narrow iron-K emission line is consistent with a picture where the standard disk is truncated and/or its inner part is covered by optically thick Comptonizing corona smearing out relativistic broad line features. The inferred disk structure may be a common feature of accretion flows onto black holes that produce powerful jets.
Cross-sections for Rutherford scattering, Coulomb bremsstrahlung and pair creation, have been calculated at very high magnetic fields in order to investigate the photo-production of protons at the polar caps of pulsars whose spin is antiparallel with the polar magnetic flux density. The Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal effect at very high magnetic fields is included in a simple electron Green function.
Astronomical instruments make intensity measurements; any precise astronomical experiment ought to involve modeling those measurements. People make catalogues, but because a catalogue requires hard decisions about calibration and detection, no catalogue can contain all of the information in the raw pixels relevant to most scientific investigations. Here we advocate making catalogue-like data outputs that permit investigators to test hypotheses with almost the power of the original image pixels. The key is to provide users with approximations to likelihood tests against the raw image pixels. We advocate three options, in order of increasing difficulty: The first is to define catalogue entries and associated uncertainties such that the catalogue contains the parameters of an approximate description of the image-level likelihood function. The second is to produce a K-catalogue sampling in "catalogue space" that samples a posterior probability distribution of catalogues given the data. The third is to expose a web service or equivalent that can re-compute on demand the full image-level likelihood for any user-supplied catalogue.
Cool-core clusters are characterized by strong surface brightness peaks in the X-ray emission from the Intra Cluster Medium (ICM). This phenomenon is associated with complex physics in the ICM and has been a subject of intense debate and investigation in recent years. In order to quantify the evolution in the cool-core cluster population, we robustly measure the cool-core strength in a local, representative cluster sample, and in the largest sample of high-redshift clusters available to date. We use high-resolution Chandra data of three representative cluster samples spanning different redshift ranges: (i) the local sample from the 400 SD survey with median z = 0.08, (ii) the high redshift sample from the 400 SD Survey with median z=0.59, and (iii) 15 clusters drawn from the RDCS and the WARPS, with median z = 0.83. Our analysis is based on the measurement of the surface brightness concentration, c_SB, which allows us to characterize the cool-core strength in low signal-to-noise data. We also obtain gas density profiles to derive cluster central cooling times and entropy. In addition to the X-ray analysis, we search for radio counterparts associated with the cluster cores. We find a statistically significant difference in the c_SB distributions of the two high-z samples, pointing towards a lack of concentrated clusters in the 400 SD high-z sample. Taking this into account, we confirm a negative evolution in the fraction of cool-core clusters with redshift, in particular for very strong cool-cores. This result is validated by the central entropy and central cooling time, which show strong anti-correlations with c_SB. However, the amount of evolution is significantly smaller than previously claimed, leaving room for a large population of well formed cool-cores at z~1.
This paper summarizes our recent results on tidal interaction in high mass
X-ray binaries and symbiotic stars. We demonstrate that the giant in symbiotic
stars with orbital periods <1200 d are co-rotating (synchronized). The
symbiotics MWC 560 and CD-4314304 probably have high orbital eccentricity. The
giants in symbiotic binaries rotate faster than the field giants, likely their
rotation is accelerated by the tidal force of the white dwarf.
The giant/supergiant High mass X-ray binaries with orbital periods <40 d are
synchronized. However the Be/X-ray binaries are not synchronized. In the
Be/X-ray binaries the circumstellar disks are denser and smaller than those in
isolated Be stars, probably truncated by the orbiting neutron star.
The X-ray observation of AM Her in a very low state was performed with {\it Suzaku} in October 2008. One flare event with a time scale of $\sim$ 3700 sec was detected at the X-ray luminosity of $6.0 \times 10^{29} {\rm ~erg ~sec}^{-1}$ in the 0.5 -- 10 keV band assuming at a distance of 91 pc. The X-ray spectrum is represented by a thermal plasma emission model with a temperature of $8.67_{-1.14}^{+1.31}$ keV. During the quiescence out of the flare interval, {\it Suzaku} also detected significant X-rays at a luminosity of $1.7 \times 10^{29} {\rm ~erg ~sec}^{-1}$ in the 0.5 -- 10 keV band, showing a clear spin modulation at a period of 0.1289273(2) days at BJD 2454771.581. The X-ray spectra in the quiescence were represented by a MEKAL + Power Law (PL) model or a single CEMEKL model, which are also supported by phase-resolved analyses. A correlation between the temperature and the volume emission measure was found together with historical X-ray measurements of AM Her in various states. In order to account for a possible non-thermal emission from AM Her, particle acceleration mechanisms in the AM Her system are also discussed, including a new proposal of a shock acceleration process on the top of the accretion column.
The outer regions of disc galaxies are becoming increasingly recognized as key testing sites for models of disc assembly and evolution. Important issues are the epoch at which the bulk of the stars in these regions formed and how discs grow radially over time. To address these issues, we use Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging to study the star formation history (SFH) of two fields at 9.1 and 11.6 kpc along M33's northern major axis. These fields lie at ~ 4 and 5 V-band disc scale-lengths and straddle the break in M33's surface brightness profile. The colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) reach the ancient main sequence turnoff with a signal-to-noise ratio of ~ 5. From detailed modelling of the CMDs, we find that the majority of stars in both fields combined formed at z < 1. The mean age in the inner field, S1, is ~ 3 +/- 1 Gyr and the mean metallicity is [M/H] ~ -0.5 +/- 0.2 dex. The star formation history of S1 unambiguously reveals how the inside-out growth previously measured for M33's inner disc out to ~ 6 kpc extends out to the disc edge at ~ 9 kpc. In comparison, the outer field, S2, is older (mean age ~ 7 +/- 2 Gyr), more metal-poor (mean [M/H] ~ -0.8 +/- 0.3 dex), and contains ~ 30 times less stellar mass. These results provide the most compelling evidence yet that M33's age gradient reverses at large radii near the disc break and that this reversal is accompanied by a break in stellar mass surface density. We discuss several possible interpretations of this behaviour including radial stellar mixing, warping of the gaseous disc, a change in star formation efficiency, and a transition to another structural component. These results offer one of the most detailed views yet of the peripheral regions of any disc galaxy and provide a much-needed observational constraint on the last major epoch of star formation in the outer disc.
More than a decade of dedicated experimental work on the collisional physics of protoplanetary dust has brought us to a point at which the growth of dust aggregates can - for the first time - be self-consistently and reliably modelled. In this article, the emergent collision model for protoplanetery dust aggregates (G\"uttler et al. 2010) as well as the numerical model for the evolution of dust aggregates in protoplanetary disks (Zsom et al. 2010) are reviewed. It turns out that, after a brief period of rapid collisional growth of fluffy dust aggregates to sizes of a few centimeters, the protoplanetary dust particles are subject to bouncing collisions, in which their porosity is considerably decreased. The model results also show that low-velocity fragmentation can reduce the final mass of the dust aggregates but that it does not trigger a new growth mode as discussed previously. According to the current stage of our model, the direct formation of kilometer-sized planetesimals by collisional sticking seems impossible so that collective effects, such as the streaming instability and the gravitational instability in dust-enhanced regions of the protoplanetary disk, are the best candidates for the processes leading to planetesimals.
The magnetic field of the Sun is the underlying cause of the many diverse phenomena combined under the heading of solar activity. Here we describe the magnetic field as it threads its way from the bottom of the convection zone, where it is built up by the solar dynamo, to the solar surface, where it manifests itself in the form of sunspots and faculae, and beyond into the outer solar atmosphere and, finally, into the heliosphere. On the way it, transports energy from the surface and the subsurface layers into the solar corona, where it heats the gas and accelerates the solar wind.
This paper describes the aims, objectives and first results of the observational program for the study of distant core-collapse supernovae (SNe) with redshifts z < 0.3. This work is done within the framework of an international cooperation program on the SNe monitoring at the 6-m BTA telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and other telescopes. We study both the early phases of events (SN type determination, redshift estimation, and a search for manifestations of a wind envelope), and the nebular phase (the effects of explosion asymmetry). The SNe, associated with cosmic gamma-ray bursts are of particular interest. An interpretation of our observational data along with the data obtained on other telescopes is used to test the existing theoretical models of both the SN explosion, and the surrounding circumstellar medium. In 2009 we observed 30 objects; the spectra were obtained for 12 of them. We determined the types, phases after maximum, and redshifts for five SNe (SN 2009db, SN 2009dy, SN 2009dw, SN 2009ew, SN 2009ji). Based on the obtained photometric data a discovery of two more SNe was confirmed (SN 2009bx and SN 2009cb). A study of two type II supernovae in the nebular phase (SN 2008gz and SN 2008in) is finalized, four more objects (SN 2008iy, SN 2009ay, SN 2009bw, SN 2009de) are currently monitored.
In this paper, we consider three types of k-essence, and find they can give rise to cosmic acceleration. Recently the modified teleparallel gravity, namely, the so-called $F(T)$-gravity where torsion is the geometric object describing gravity instead of curvature is proposed to explain the present cosmic accelerating expansion of Universe. In this theory, the field equations are always 2nd order, remarkable simpler than $F(R)$ and $F(G)$ modified gravity theories. Here we study the relation between this new $F(T)$-gravity and k-essence.
The nature of vertical heating of disk stars in the inner as well as the outer region of disk galaxies is studied. The galactic bar (which is the strongest non-axisymmetric pattern in the disk) is shown to be a potential source of vertical heating of the disk stars in the inner region. Using a nearly self-consistent high-resolution N-body simulation of disk galaxies, the growth rate of the bar potential is found to be positively correlated with the vertical heating exponent in the inner region of galaxies. We also characterize the vertical heating in the outer region where the disk dynamics is often dominated by the presence of transient spiral waves and mild bending waves. Our simulation results suggest that the non-axisymmetric structures are capable of producing the anisotropic heating of the disk stars.
We first present a brief, critical review of the leading explanations proposed for the small but important subset of radio galaxies showing an X-shaped morphology (XRGs). The leading explanations for this phenomenon invoke either hydrodynamical backflows and over-pressured cocoons or rapid jet reorientations, presumably from the spin-flips of central engines following the mergers of pairs of galaxies, each of which contains a supermassive black hole (SMBH). We argue that neither of these scenarios is capable of explaining the entire range of prominent observational characteristics of XRGs, although some of the arguments raised in the literature against the spin-flip scenario are probably not tenable. Then we here propose a new mechanism for the XRGs, one that also involves galactic mergers but does not require a spin-flip to have occurred. Motivated by the detailed multi-band observations of the nearest radio galaxy, Centaurus A, this model emphasizes the role of interactions between the jets and the shells of stars and gas formed following a merger, which can lead to temporary jet deflections, occasionally giving rise to an X-shaped radio structure. We also consider some possible ramifications of the spin-flip scenario, first by summarizing proposals for how a central black hole merger can lead to essentially simultaneous emission of electromagnetic and gravitational wave signals. We then explore the influence of black hole mergers on the spin of the resulting black hole and end with a discussion of how this may be related to the low energy cutoff in the radiating electrons inferred from radio galaxy spectra.
Novel method of calculating Nuclear Statistical Equilibrium is presented.
Basic equations are carefully solved using arbitrary precision arithmetic.
Special interpolation procedure is then used to retrieve all abundances using
tabulated results for neutrons and protons, together with basic nuclear data.
Proton and neutron abundance tables, basic nuclear data and partition functions
for nuclides used in calculations are provided. Simple interpolation algorithm
using pre-calculated p and n abundances tabulated as a functions of kT, rho and
Ye is outlined. Unique properties of this method are: (1) ability to pick-up
out of NSE selected nuclei only (2) computational time scaling linearly with
number of re-calculated abundances (3) relatively small amount of stored data:
only two large tables (4) slightly faster than solving NSE equations using
traditional Newton-Raphson methods for small networks (few tens of species);
superior for huge (800-3000) networks (5) do not require initial guess; works
well on random input (6) can tailored to specific application (7) ability to
use third-party NSE solvers to obtain fully compatible tables (8) encapsulation
of the NSE code for bug-free calculations.
Range of applications for this approach is possible: coverage test of
traditional NSE Newton-Raphson codes, generating starting values, code-to-code
verification and possible replacement of the old legacy procedures in supernova
simulations.
Using Gauss' averaged equations, we compute the secular relativistic effects generated by the Sun on the argument of the perihelion and the mean anomaly of an orbit. Then we test different alternative simpler models that have been proposed to reproduce the secular relativistic effects in the orbital elements. Generally, models introduce artificial perturbations that are velocity-independent but that depend on the heliocentric distance. If these perturbations are set as an impulse in a constant timestep integrator, when the particle approaches perihelion the generated impulse could be very strong and badly sampled, originating a spurious orbital evolution. In order to overcome this setback, we propose two new models based on a constant, distance-independent, perturbation. With these models we obtain the correct secular drift in the argument of perihelion and the expected secular orbital evolution is reproduced. We also discuss with some detail the secular effect generated on the mean anomaly by different models.
Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) imaging provides an opportunity to study all known morphological types of galaxies in the mid-IR at a depth significantly better than ground-based near-infrared and optical images. The goal of this study is to examine the imprint of the de Vaucouleurs classification volume in the 3.6 micron band, which is the best Spitzer waveband for galactic stellar mass morphology owing to its depth and its reddening-free sensitivity mainly to older stars. For this purpose, we have prepared classification images for 207 galaxies from the Spitzer archive, most of which are formally part of the Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S^4G), a Spitzer post-cryogenic ("warm") mission Exploration Science Legacy Program survey of 2,331 galaxies closer than 40 Mpc. For the purposes of morphology, the galaxies are interpreted as if the images are {\it blue light}, the historical waveband for classical galaxy classification studies. We find that 3.6 micron classifications are well-correlated with blue-light classifications, to the point where the essential features of many galaxies look very similar in the two very different wavelength regimes. Drastic differences are found only for the most dusty galaxies. Consistent with a previous study by Eskridge et al. (2002), the main difference between blue light and mid-IR types is an approximately 1 stage interval difference for S0/a to Sbc or Sc galaxies, which tend to appear "earlier" in type at 3.6 microns due to the slightly increased prominence of the bulge, the reduced effects of extinction, and the reduced (but not completely eliminated) effect of the extreme population I stellar component. We present an atlas of all of the 207 galaxies analyzed here, and bring attention to special features or galaxy types that are particularly distinctive in the mid-IR.
When analysing a system consisting of both dark matter and dark energy, an often used practice in the literature is to neglect the perturbations in the dark energy component. However, it has recently been argued, through the use of numerical simulations, that one cannot do so. In this work we show that by neglecting such perturbations one is implicitly making a choice of gauge. As such, one no longer has the freedom to choose, for example, a gauge comoving with the dark matter -- in fact doing so will give erroneous, gauge dependent results. We obtain results consistent with the numerical simulations by using the formalism of cosmological perturbation theory, and thus without resorting to involved numerical calculations.
The scientific community needs to be prepared to analyse the data from Gaia, one of the most ambitious ESA space missions, to be launched in 2012. The purpose of this paper is to provide data and tools in order to predict in advance how Gaia photometry is expected to be. To do so, we provide relationships among colours involving Gaia magnitudes and colours from other commonly used photometric systems (Johnson-Cousins, SDSS, Hipparcos and Tycho). The most up-to-date information from industrial partners has been used to define the nominal passbands and based on the BaSeL3.1 stellar spectral energy distribution library, relationships were obtained for stars with different reddening values, ranges of temperatures, surface gravities and metallicities. The transformations involving Gaia and Johnson-Cousins V-I_C and Sloan DSS g-z colours have the lowest residuals. A polynomial expression for the relation between the effective temperature and the colour G_BP-G_RP was derived for stars with T > 4500 K. Transformations involving two Johnson or two Sloan DSS colours yield lower residuals than using only one colour. We also computed several ratios of total-to-selective absorption including absorption A_G in the G band and colour excess E(G_BP-G_RP) for our sample stars. A relationship, involving A_G/A_V and the intrinsic (V-I_C) colour, is provided. The derived Gaia passbands have been used to compute tracks and isochrones using the Padova and BASTI models. Finally, the performances of the predicted Gaia magnitudes have been estimated according to the magnitude and the celestial coordinates of the star. The provided dependencies among colours can be used for planning scientific exploitation of Gaia data, performing simulations of the Gaia-like sky, planning ground-based complementary observations and for building catalogues with auxiliary data for the Gaia data processing and validation.
We confirm that the evidence for the Waldmeier effect WE1 (the anti-correlation between rise times of sunspot cycles and their strengths) and the related effect WE2 (the correlation between rise rates of cycles and their strengths) is found in different kinds of sunspot data. We explore whether these effects can be explained theoretically on the basis of the flux transport dynamo models of sunspot cycles. Two sources of irregularities of sunspot cycles are included in our model: fluctuations in the poloidal field generation process and fluctuations in the meridional circulation. We find WE2 to be a robust result which is produced in different kinds of theoretical models for different sources of irregularities. The Waldmeier effect WE1, on the other hand, arises from fluctuations in the meridional circulation and is found only in the theoretical models with reasonably high turbulent diffusivity which ensures that the diffusion time is not more than a few years.
Separation of the B component of a cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization map from the much larger E component is an essential step in CMB polarimetry. For a map with incomplete sky coverage, this separation is necessarily hampered by the presence of "ambiguous" modes which could be either E or B modes. I present an efficient pixel-space algorithm for removing the ambiguous modes and separating the map into "pure" E and B components. The method, which works for arbitrary geometries, does not involve generating a complete basis of such modes and scales the cube of the number of pixels on the boundary of the map.
The immediate observational consequence of a non-trivial spatial topology of the Universe is that an observer could potentially detect multiple images of radiating sources. In particular, a non-trivial topology will generate pairs of correlated circles of temperature fluctuations in the anisotropies maps of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the so-called circles-in-the-sky. In this way, a detectable non-trivial spatial topology may be seen as an observable attribute, which can be probed through the circles-in-the-sky for all locally homogeneous and isotropic universes with no assumptions on the cosmological dark energy (DE) equation of state (EOS) parameters. We show that the knowledge of the spatial topology through the circles-in-the-sky offers an effective way of reducing the degeneracies in the DE EOS parameters. We concretely illustrate the topological role by assuming, as an exanple, a Poincar\'{e} dodecahedral space topology and reanalyzing the constraints on the parameters of a specific EOS which arise from the supernovae type Ia, baryon acoustic oscillations and the CMB plus the statistical topological contribution.
We discuss nuclear reactions which could play a role in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). Most of these reactions involve lithium and beryllium isotopes and the rates for some of these have not previously been included in BBN calculations. Few of these reactions are well studied in the laboratory. We also discuss novel effects in these reactions, including thermal population of nuclear target states, resonant enhancement, and non-thermal neutron reaction products. We perform sensitivity studies which show that even given considerable nuclear physics uncertainties, most of these nuclear reactions have minimal leverage on the standard BBN abundance yields of 6Li and 7Li. Although a few have the potential to alter the yields significantly, we argue that this is unlikely.
We present the results of a search for white light flares on the ~23,000 cool dwarfs in the Kepler Quarter 1 long cadence data. We have identified 373 flaring stars, some of which flare multiple times during the observation period. We calculate relative flare energies, flare rates and durations, and compare these with the quiescent photometric variability of our sample. We find that M dwarfs tend to flare more frequently but for shorter durations than K dwarfs, and that they emit more energy relative to their quiescent luminosity in a given flare than K dwarfs. Stars that are more photometrically variable in quiescence tend to emit relatively more energy during flares, but variability is only weakly correlated with flare frequency. We estimate distances for our sample of flare stars and find that the flaring fraction agrees well with other observations of flare statistics for stars within 300 pc above the Galactic Plane. These observations provide a more rounded view of stellar flares by sampling stars that have not been pre-selected by their activity, and are informative for understanding the influence of these flares on planetary habitability.
Fermi LAT (Large Area Telescope) and GBM (Gamma ray Burst Monitor) observations of GRBs are briefly reviewed, keeping in mind EGRET expectations. Using gamma\gamma constraints on outflow Lorentz factors, leptonic models are pitted against hadronic models, and found to be energetically favored. Interpretation of the Fermi data on GRBs helps establish whether GRBs accelerate cosmic rays, including those reaching $\approx 10^{20}$ eV.
When Brans-Dicke Theory is formulated in terms of the Jordan scalar field \phi, dark energy is related to the mass of this field. We show that if \phi is taken to be a complex scalar field then an exact solution of the vacuum equations shows that Friedmann equation possesses a term, proportional to the inverse sixth power of the scale factor, as well as a constant term. Possible interpretations and phenomenological implications of this result are discussed.
Relevant deformations of gravity present an exciting window of opportunity to probe the rigidity of gravity on cosmological scales. For a single-graviton theory, the leading relevant deformation constitutes a graviton mass term. In this paper, we investigate the classical and quantum stability of massive cosmological gravitons on generic Friedman backgrounds. For a Universe expanding towards a de Sitter epoch, we find that massive cosmological gravitons are self-protected against unitarity violations by a strong coupling phenomenon.
In the Weyl-Dirac (W-D) framework a spatially closed cosmological model is considered. It is assumed that the space-time of the universe has a chaotic Weylian microstructure but is described on a large scale by Riemannian geometry. Locally fields of the Weyl connection vector act as creators of massive bosons having spin 1. It is suggested that these bosons, called weylons, provide most of the dark matter in the universe. At the beginning the universe is a spherically symmetric geometric entity without matter. Primary matter is created by Dirac's gauge function very close to the beginning. In the early epoch, when the temperature of the universe achieves its maximum, chaotically oriented Weyl vector fields being localized in micro-cells create weylons. In the dust dominated period Dirac's gauge function is giving rise to dark energy, the latter causing the cosmic acceleration at present. This oscillatory universe has an initial radius identical to the Plank length = 1.616 exp (-33) cm, at present the cosmic scale factor is 3.21 exp (28) cm, while its maximum value is 8.54 exp (28) cm. All forms of matter are created by geometrically based functions of the W-D theory.
We report on the first demonstration of higher-order Laguerre-Gauss (LG) mode generation and interferometry in a table-top experimental setup and in a manner scalable to the requirements of gravitational wave detection. Because higher-order LG modes have a wider spatial profile than the fundamental Gaussian mode, interferometric gravitational wave detectors which use higher-order LG modes will be less susceptible to mirror thermal noise, which is expected to limit the sensitivity of all currently planned terrestrial detectors. In our experiment we used a diffractive optical element to convert a fundamental LG00 Gaussian beam into an LG33 mode, with a purity of 88%. We then injected this mode into a mode-cleaner cavity, increasing the purity of the transmitted LG33 beam up to 98%. The ratio between the power of the LG00 mode delivered by our laser and the power of the LG33 transmitted by the cavity was 36%. By measuring the transmission of our setup using the LG00 mode, we inferred that the conversion efficiency specific to the LG33 mode was 49%. The resultant high-purity LG33 mode has been injected into a Michelson interferometer, which has been locked on the dark fringe with a visibility of 97%.
It is now a commonplace observation that human society is becoming a coherent super-organism, and that the information infrastructure forms its emerging brain. Perhaps, as the underlying technologies are likely to become billions of times more powerful than those we have today, we could say that we are now building the lizard brain for the future organism.
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We present the first spatially resolved spectroscopic imaging observations of the 12CO(1-0) line emission in the central 2.5 kpc of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC4151, obtained with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI). Most of the cold molecular gas is distributed along two curved gas lanes about 1 kpc north and south of the active nucleus, coincident with the circumnuclear dust ring noted by previous authors. These CO arcs lie within the Inner Lindblad Resonance of the large scale oval bar and have kinematics consistent with those derived from neutral hydrogen observations of the disk and bar. Two additional gas clumps are detected that show non-circular motions - one associated with the southern gas lane and one lying ~600 pc north of the nucleus. Closer to the nucleus, no cold molecular gas is detected in the central 300 pc where abundant near-IR H2 line emission arises. This suggests that the H2 line emission is not a good indicator for a cold gas reservoir in NGC4151 and that the H2 is likely photo-excited by the AGN. The upper limit of the CO mass in the central 300 pc is sufficient to support the AGN activity at its current level for 10^7 yrs. The total cold molecular mass detected by PdBI is 4.3 10^7 Msun. Finally, 3 mm continuum emission arising from the location of the AGN is detected with a flux of S~14 mJy and appears to be unresolved at an angular resolution of 2.8" (~180 pc).
QSOs have been thought to be important for tracing highly biased regions in the early universe, from which the present-day massive galaxies and galaxy clusters formed. While overdensities of star-forming galaxies have been found around QSOs at 2<z<5, the case for excess galaxy clustering around QSOs at z>6 is less clear. Previous studies with HST have reported the detection of small excesses of faint dropout galaxies in some QSO fields, but these surveys probed a relatively small region surrounding the QSOs. To overcome this problem, we have observed the most distant QSO at z=6.4 using the large field of view of the Suprime-Cam (34' x 27'). Newly-installed CCDs allowed us to select Lyman break galaxies (LBG) at z~6.4 more efficiently. We found seven LBGs in the QSO field, whereas only one exists in a comparison field. The significance of this apparent excess is difficult to quantify without spectroscopic confirmation and additional control fields. The Poisson probability to find seven objects when one expects four is ~10%, while the probability to find seven objects in one field and only one in the other is less than 0.4%, suggesting that the QSO field is significantly overdense relative to the control field. We find some evidence that the LBGs are distributed in a ring-like shape centered on the QSO with a radius of ~3 Mpc. There are no candidate LBGs within 2 Mpc from the QSO, i.e., galaxies are clustered around the QSO but appear to avoid the very center. These results suggest that the QSO is embedded in an overdense region when defined on a sufficiently large scale. This suggests that the QSO was indeed born in a massive halo. The central deficit of galaxies may indicate that (1) the strong UV radiation from the QSO suppressed galaxy formation in its vicinity, or (2) that star-formation closest to the QSO occurs mostly in an obscured mode that is missed by our UV selection.
We have observed Centaurus A with the MID-infrared Interferometric instrument (MIDI) at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at resolutions of 7 - 15 mas (at 12.5 micron) and filled gaps in the (u,v) coverage in comparison to earlier measurements. We are now able to describe the nuclear emission in terms of geometric components and derive their parameters by fitting models to the interferometric data. With simple geometrical models, the best fit is achieved for an elongated disk with flat intensity profile with diameter 76 +/- 9 mas x 35 +/- 2 mas (1.41 +/- 0.17 pc x 0.65 +/- 0.03 pc) whose major axis is oriented at a position angle (PA) of 10.1 +/- 2.2 degrees east of north. A point source contributes 47 +/- 11 % of the nuclear emission at 12.5 micron. There is also evidence that neither such a uniform nor a Gaussian disk are good fits to the data. This indicates that we are resolving more complicated small-scale structure in AGNs with MIDI, as has been seen in Seyfert galaxies previously observed with MIDI. The PA and inferred inclination i = 62.6 +2.1/-2.6 degrees of the dust emission are compared with observations of gas and dust at larger scales.
Infrared (IR) luminosity is fundamental to understanding the cosmic star formation history and AGN evolution. The AKARI IR space telescope performed all sky survey in 6 IR bands (9, 18, 65, 90, 140, and 160um) with 3-10 times better sensitivity than IRAS, covering the crucial far-IR wavelengths across the peak of the dust emission. Combined with a better spatial resolution, AKARI can much more precisely measure the total infrared luminosity (L_TIR) of individual galaxies, and thus, the total infrared luminosity density in the local Universe. By fitting IR SED models, we have re-measured L_TIR of the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample. We present mid-IR monochromatic luminosity to L_TIR conversions for Spitzer 8,24um, AKARI 9,18um, IRAS 12um, WISE 12,22um, and ISO 15um filters, with scatter ranging 13-44%. The resulting AKARI IR luminosity function (LF) agrees well with that from the IRAS. We integrate the LF weighted by L_TIR to obtain a cosmic IR luminosity density of Omega_TIR= (8.5^{+1.5}_{-2.3})x 10^7 L Mpc^-3, of which 7+-1% is produced by LIRGs, and only 0.4+-0.1% is from ULIRGs in the local Universe. Once IR contributions from AGN and star-forming galaxies (SFG) are separated, SFG IR LF shows a steep decline at the bright-end. Compared with high-redshift results from the AKARI NEP deep survey, these data show a strong evolution of Omega_TIRSF propto (1+z)^4.0+-0.5, and Omega_TIRAGN propto (1+z)^4.4+-0.4. For Omega_TIRAGN, the ULIRG contribution exceeds that from LIRG already by z~1. A rapid evolution in both Omega_TIRAGN and Omega_TIRSFG suggests the correlation between star formation and black hole accretion rate continues up to higher redshifts. We compare the evolution of Omega_TIRAGN to that of X-ray luminosity density. The Omega_TIRAGN/Omega_X-rayAGN ratio shows a possible increase at z>1, suggesting an increase of obscured AGN at z>1.
Simple finite differencing of the diffusion equation, when diffusion is only along a given direction, does not ensure that the numerically calculated heat fluxes are in the correct direction. This can lead to negative temperatures for the anisotropic thermal diffusion equation. In a previous paper we proposed a monotonicity-preserving explicit method which uses limiters (analogous to those used in the solution of hyperbolic equations) to interpolate the temperature gradients at cell faces. However, being explicit, this method was limited by a restrictive Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) stability timestep. Here we propose a conservative, directionally-split, semi-implicit method which is unconditionally stable irrespective of the timestep. Although not strictly monotonicity preserving, our method gives only small amplitude temperature oscillations at large temperature gradients, and the oscillations are damped in time. With numerical experiments we show that our semi-implicit method can achieve large speed-ups compared to the explicit method, without seriously violating the monotonicity constraint.
Two thirds of the F star members of the 12 Myr old Beta Pictoris Moving Group (BPMG) show significant excess emission in the mid-infrared, several million years after the expected dispersal of the protoplanetary disc. Theoretical models of planet formation suggest that this peak in the mid-infrared emission could be due to the formation of Pluto-sized bodies in the disc, which ignite the collisional cascade and enhance the production of small dust. Here we present resolved mid-infrared imaging of the disc of HD191089 (F5V in the BPMG) and consider its implications for the state of planet formation in this system. HD191089 was observed at 18.3 microns using T-ReCS on Gemini South and the images were compared to models of the disc to constrain the radial distribution of the dust. The emission observed at $18.3\umu m$ is shown to be significantly extended beyond the PSF at a position angle of 80 degrees. This is the first time dust emission has been resolved around HD191089. Modelling indicates that the emission arises from a dust belt from 28-90 AU, inclined at 35 degrees from edge on with very little emission from the inner 28AU of the disc, indicating the presence of an inner cavity. The steep slope of the inner edge is more consistent with truncation by a planet than with ongoing stirring. A tentative brightness asymmetry F(W)/F(E)=0.80+/-0.12 (1.8 sigma) between the two sides of the disc could be evidence for perturbations from a massive body on an eccentric orbit in the system.
We have undertaken SED modeling of discs around low mass T Tauri stars in order to delineate regions of the infrared two colour plane (K - [8] versus K - [24]) that correspond to discs in different evolutionary stages. This provides a ready tool for classifying the nature of star-disc systems based on infrared photometry. In particular we demonstrate the distinct loci followed by discs that undergo `uniform draining' (reduction in surface density by a spatially uniform factor) from those that clear from the inside out. We draw attention to the absence of objects on this `draining locus' in those star forming regions where the 24um sensitivity would permit their detection, as compared with the ~20 objects in these regions with colours suggestive of inner holes. We thus conclude that discs predominantly clear from the inside out. We also apply our classification of the infrared two colour plane to stars of spectral type M3-M5 in the IC 348 cluster and show that some of its members (dubbed `weak excess' sources by Muzerolle et al 2010) that had previously been assumed to be in a state of clearing are instead likely to be optically thick discs in which the dust is well settled towards the mid-plane. Nevertheless, there are many discs in a state of partial clearing in IC 348, with their abundance (relative to the total population of disc bearing stars) being around four times higher than for comparable stars in Taurus. However, the number of partially cleared discs relative to the total number of late type stars is similarly low in both regions (10 and 20 % respectively). We therefore conclude that IC 348 represents a more evolved version of the Taurus population (with more of its discs being highly settled or partially cleared) but that the timescale for clearing is similarly short (a few times 10^5 years) in both cases.
Herschel-HIFI observations of high-J lines (up to J_u=10) of 12CO, 13CO and C18O are presented toward three deeply embedded low-mass protostars, NGC 1333 IRAS 2A, IRAS 4A, and IRAS 4B, obtained as part of the Water In Star-forming regions with Herschel (WISH) key program. The spectrally-resolved HIFI data are complemented by ground-based observations of lower-J CO and isotopologue lines. The 12CO 10-9 profiles are dominated by broad (FWHM 25-30 km s^-1) emission. Radiative transfer models are used to constrain the temperature of this shocked gas to 100-200 K. Several CO and 13CO line profiles also reveal a medium-broad component (FWHM 5-10 km s^-1), seen prominently in H2O lines. Column densities for both components are presented, providing a reference for determining abundances of other molecules in the same gas. The narrow C18O 9-8 lines probe the warmer part of the quiescent envelope. Their intensities require a jump in the CO abundance at an evaporation temperature around 25 K, thus providing new direct evidence for a CO ice evaporation zone around low-mass protostars.
We study the evolution of time-dependent fluctuations and particle production in an expanding dS and contracting AdS universe. Using the functional Schrodinger formalism we are able to probe the time dependent regime which is out of the reach of the standard approximations like the Bogolyubov method. In both cases, the evolution of fluctuations is governed by the harmonic oscillator equation with time dependent frequency. In the case of an expanding dS universe we explicitly show that the frequency of fluctuations produced at a certain moment diminish in time, while the distribution of the created particles quickly approaches the thermal radiation of the dS space. In the case of a contracting AdS universe we show that the frequency of fluctuations produced at a certain moment grow in time. Nominally, the temperature of radiation diverges as the Big Crunch is approaching, however, increasing oscillations of the spectrum make the temperature poorly defined, which is in agreement with the fact that AdS space does not have an event horizon which would cause thermal radiation. Unlimited growth of fluctuations indicates that an eventual tunneling into AdS vacuum would have catastrophic consequences for our universe.
We examine the physical properties and evolutionary stages of a sample of 17 clumps within 8 Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs) by combining existing infrared, millimeter, and radio data with new Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) 1.1 mm data, VLA radio continuum data, and HHT dense gas (HCO+ and N2H+) spectroscopic data. We combine literature studies of star formation tracers and dust temperatures within IRDCs with our search for ultra-compact (UC) HII regions to discuss a possible evolutionary sequence for IRDC clumps. In addition, we perform an analysis of mass tracers in IRDCs and find that 8 micron extinction masses and 1.1 mm Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) masses are complementary mass tracers in IRDCs except for the most active clumps (notably those containing UCHII regions), for which both mass tracers suffer biases. We find that the measured virial masses in IRDC clumps are uniformly higher than the measured dust continuum masses on the scale of ~1 pc. We use 13CO, HCO+, and N2H+ to study the molecular gas properties of IRDCs and do not see any evidence of chemical differentiation between hot and cold clumps on the scale of ~1 pc. However, both HCO+ and N2H+ are brighter in active clumps, due to an increase in temperature and/or density. We report the identification of four UCHII regions embedded within IRDC clumps and find that UCHII regions are associated with bright (>1 Jy) 24 micron point sources, and that the brightest UCHII regions are associated with "diffuse red clumps" (an extended enhancement at 8 micron). The broad stages of the discussed evolutionary sequence (from a quiescent clump to an embedded HII region) are supported by literature dust temperature estimates; however, no sequential nature can be inferred between the individual star formation tracers.
Nonlinear dissipative systems in the state of self-organized criticality release energy sporadically in avalanches of all sizes, such as in earthquakes, auroral substorms, solar and stellar flares, soft gamma-ray repeaters, and pulsar glitches. The statistical occurrence frequency distributions of event energies $E$ generally exhibit a powerlaw-like function $N(E)\propto E^{-\alpha_E}$ with a powerlaw slope of $\alpha_E \approx 1.5$. The powerlaw slope $\alpha_E$ of energies can be related to the fractal dimension $D$ of the spatial energy dissipation domain by $D=3/\alpha_E$, which predicts a powerlaw slope $\alpha_E=1.5$ for area-rupturing or area-spreading processes with $D=2$. For solar and stellar flares, 2-D area-spreading dissipation domains are naturally provided in current sheets or separatrix surfaces in a magnetic reconnection region. Thus, this universal scaling law provides a useful new diagnostic on the topology of the spatial energy dissipation domain in geophysical and astrophysical observations.
We revisit the observed correlation between Hbeta and FeII velocities for Type II-P supernovae (SNe~II-P) using 28 optical spectra of 13 SNe II-P and demonstrate that it is well modeled by a linear relation with a dispersion of about 300 km/s. Using this correlation, we reanalyze the publicly available sample of SNe II-P compiled by D'Andrea et al. and find a Hubble diagram with an intrinsic scatter of 11% in distance, which is nearly as tight as that measured before their sample is added to the existing set. The larger scatter reported in their work is found to be systematic, and most of it can be alleviated by measuring Hbeta rather than FeII velocities, due to the low signal-to-noise ratios and early epochs at which many of the optical spectra were obtained. Their sample, while supporting the mounting evidence that SNe II-P are good cosmic rulers, is biased toward intrinsically brighter objects and is not a suitable set to improve upon SN II-P correlation parameters. This will await a dedicated survey.
After the initiation of the explosion of core-collapse supernovae, neutrinos emitted from the nascent neutron star drive a supersonic baryonic outflow. This neutrino-driven wind interacts with the more slowly moving, earlier supernova ejecta forming a wind termination shock (or reverse shock), which changes the local wind conditions and their evolution. Important nucleosynthesis processes (alpha-process, charged-particle reactions, r-process, and vp-process) occur or might occur in this environment. The nucleosynthesis depends on the long-time evolution of density, temperature, and expansion velocity. Here we present two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations with an approximate description of neutrino-transport effects, which for the first time, follow the post-bounce accretion, onset of the explosion, wind formation, and the wind expansion through the collision with the preceding supernova ejecta. Our results demonstrate a great impact of the anisotropic ejecta distribution on the position of the reverse shock, wind profile, and long-time evolution and show a big effect of multidimensional features on nucleosynthesis-relevant conditions.
Commissioning of SCUBA-2 included a program of skydips and observations of calibration sources intended to be folded into regular observing as standard methods of source flux calibration and to monitor the atmospheric opacity and stability. During commissioning, it was found that these methods could also be utilised to characterise the fundamental instrument response to sky noise and astronomical signals. Novel techniques for analysing on-sky performance and atmospheric conditions are presented, along with results from the calibration observations and skydips.
We modeled the 3-D structure of the Kuiper Belt dust cloud at four different dust production rates, incorporating both planet-dust interactions and grain-grain collisions using the collisional grooming algorithm. Simulated images of a model with a face-on optical depth of ~10^-4 primarily show an azimuthally-symmetric ring at 40-47 AU in submillimeter and infrared wavelengths; this ring is associated with the cold classical Kuiper Belt. For models with lower optical depths (10^-6 and 10^-7), synthetic infrared images show that the ring widens and a gap opens in the ring at the location of of Neptune; this feature is caused by trapping of dust grains in Neptune's mean motion resonances. At low optical depths, a secondary ring also appears associated with the hole cleared in the center of the disk by Saturn. Our simulations, which incorporate 25 different grain sizes, illustrate that grain-grain collisions are important in sculpting today's Kuiper Belt dust, and probably other aspects of the Solar System dust complex; collisions erase all signs of azimuthal asymmetry from the submillimeter image of the disk at every dust level we considered. The model images switch from being dominated by resonantly-trapped small grains ("transport dominated") to being dominated by the birth ring ("collision dominated") when the optical depth reaches a critical value of tau ~ v/c, where v is the local Keplerian speed.
The formation and evolution of the circumstellar disk in the collapsing molecular cloud is investigated from the prestellar stage resolving both the molecular cloud core and the protostar itself. In the collapsing cloud, the first adiabatic core appears prior to the protostar formation. Reflecting the thermodynamics of the collapsing gas, the first core is much more massive than the protostar. When the molecular cloud has no angular momentum, the first core falls onto the protostar and disappears a few years after the protostar formation. On the other hand, when the molecular cloud has an angular momentum, the first core does not disappear even after the protostar formation, and directly evolves into the circumstellar disk with a Keplerian rotation. There are two paths for the formation of the circumstellar disk. When the initial cloud has a considerably small rotational energy, two nested disks appear just after the protostar formation. During the early main accretion phase, the inner disk increases its size and merges with the outer disk (i.e. first core) to form a single circumstellar disk with a Keplerian rotation. On the other hand, when the molecular cloud has a rotational energy comparable to observations, a single Keplerian disk that corresponds to the first core already exists prior to the protostar formation. In such a cloud, the first core density gradually increases, maintaining the Keplerian rotation and forms the protostar inside it. Thus, the protostar is born in the Keplerian disk. In other words, a massive disk already exists before the protostar formation. In each case, the protostar at its formation is already surrounded by a massive circumstellar disk. The circumstellar disk is about 10-100 times more massive than the protostar in the main accretion disk. Such disks are favourable sites for the formation of binary companions and gas-giant planets.
The very center of NGC~3610, a clearly disturbed giant elliptical generally assumed to be a post-merger remnant, appears dominated in the mid-UV (2500-3200 A spectral region) by a stellar population markedly different from that dominating the bulk of its stellar body. I want here to make use of the mid-UV spectra of NGC~3610 as seen through tiny ($\sim$1") and large (10"$\times$20") apertures as a diagnostic population tool. I compare archive IUE/LWP large aperture and HST/FOS UV data of NGC 3610. The strength of mid-UV triplet (dominated by the turnoff population) shows a remarkable drop when switching from the galaxy central arcsec (FOS aperture) to an aperture size comparable to $\sim$0.5 r$_e$ (IUE). The sub-arsec (mid)-UV properties of this galaxy involved in a past merger reveal a central metal enrichment which left intact the bulk of its pre-existing population.
We attempt to determine the nature of the bubbles observed by Spitzer in the Galactic plane, mainly to establish if possible their association with massive stars. We take advantage of the very simple morphology of these objects to search for star formation triggered by HII regions, and to estimate the importance of this mode of star formation. We consider a sample of 102 bubbles detected by Spitzer-GLIMPSE, and catalogued by Churchwell et al.(2006). We use mid-infrared and radio-continuum public data to discuss their nature. We use the ATLASGAL survey at 870 micron to search for dense neutral material collected on their borders. Results: We find that 86% of the bubbles contain ionized gas detected by means of its radio-continuum emission at 20-cm. Thus, most of the bubbles observed at 8.0 micron enclose HII regions ionized by O-B2 stars. Ninety-eight percent of the bubbles exhibit 24 micron emission in their central regions. The ionized regions at the center of the 8.0 micron bubbles seem to be devoid of PAHs but contain hot dust. Among the 65 regions for which the angular resolution of the observations is high enough to resolve the spatial distribution of cold dust at 870 micron, we find that 40% are surrounded by cold dust, and that another 28% contain interacting condensations. The former are good candidates for the collect and collapse process, as they display an accumulation of dense material at their borders. The latter are good candidates for the compression of pre-existing condensations by the ionized gas. Eighteen bubbles exhibit associated ultracompact HII regions and/or methanol masers in the direction of dust condensations adjacent to their ionization fronts. Our results suggest that more than a quarter of the bubbles may have triggered the formation of massive objects.
In star forming regions, we can observe different evolutionary stages of various objects and phenomena such as molecular clouds, protostellar jets and outflows, circumstellar disks, and protostars. However, it is difficult to directly observe the star formation process itself, because it is veiled by the dense infalling envelope. Numerical simulations can unveil the star formation process in the collapsing gas cloud. Recently, some studies showed protostar formation from the prestellar core stage, in which both molecular clouds and protostars are resolved with sufficient spatial resolution. These simulations showed fragmentation and binary formation, outflow and jet driving, and circumstellar disk formation in the collapsing gas clouds. In addition, the angular momentum transfer and dissipation process of the magnetic field in the star formation process were investigated. In this paper, I briefly review recent developments in numerical simulations of low-mass star formation.
Based on the latest SNe Ia data provided by Hicken et al. (2009) with using MLCS17 light curve fitter, together with the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation(BAO) and strong gravitational lenses(SGL), we investigate the constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter $w$ in the flat universe, especially for the time-varying case $w(z)=w_0+w_zz/(1+z)$. The constraints from SNe data alone are found to be: (a) $(\Omega_M, w)=(0.358, -1.09)$ as the best-fit results; (b) $(w_0, w_z)=(-0.73^{+0.23}_{-0.97}, 0.84^{+1.66}_{-10.34})$ for the two parameters in the time-varying case after marginalizing the parameter $\Omega_M$; (c) the likelihood of parameter $w_z$ has a high non-Gaussian distribution; (d) an extra restriction on $\Omega_M$ is necessary to improve the constraint of the SNe Ia data on the parameters ($w_0$, $w_z$). A joint analysis of SNe Ia data and BAO is made to break the degeneracy between $w$ and $\Omega_M$, and leads to the interesting maximum likelihoods $w_0 = -0.94$ and $w_z = 0$. When marginalizing the parameter $\Omega_M$, the fitting results are found to be $(w_0, w_z)=(-0.95^{+0.45}_{-0.18}, 0.41^{+0.79}_{-0.96})$. After adding the splitting angle statistic of SGL data, a consistent constraint is obtained $(\Omega_M, w)=(0.298, -0.907)$ and the constraints on time-varying dark energy are further improved to be $(w_0, w_z) = (-0.92^{+0.14}_{-0.10}, 0.35^{+0.47}_{-0.54})$, which indicates that the phantom type models are disfavored.
Observations with the 1-m Swedish Solar Telescope of the flows seen in penumbral filaments are presented. Time sequences of bright filaments show overturning motions strikingly similar to those seen along the walls of small isolated structures in the active regions. The filaments show outward propagating striations with inclination angles suggesting that they are aligned with the local magnetic field. We interpret it as the equivalent of the striations seen in the walls of small isolated magnetic structures. Their origin is then a corrugation of the boundary between an overturning convective flow inside the filament and the magnetic field wrapping around it. The outward propagation is a combination of a pattern motion due to the downflow observed along the sides of bright filaments, and the Evershed flow. The observed short wavelength of the striation argues against the existence of a dynamically significant horizontal field inside the bright filaments. Its intensity contrast is explained by the same physical effect that causes the dark cores of filaments, light bridges and `canals'. In this way striation represents an important clue to the physics of penumbral structure and its relation with other magnetic structures on the solar surface. We put this in perspective with results from the recent 3-D radiative hydrodynamic simulations.
Black hole is called optimal if information content is minimal at the University region, consisting of usual substance and one(n) black hole(s). Optimal black hole mass does not depend on the mass of the Universe region. Optimal black holes can exist when at least the two types of substance are available in the Universe: with non-linear and linear correspondence between information content and mass. Information content of optimal black hole is proportional to squared coefficient correlating information content with mass in usual substance and in inverse proportion to coefficient correlating information content with black hole mass. Concentration of mass in optimal black hole minimizes information content in the system "usual substance - black holes". Minimal information content of the Universe consisting of optimal black holes only is twice as less as information content available of the Universe of the same mass filled with usual substance only. Under the radiation temperature T \approx 1E + 12 K the mass of optimal black holes that emerged in the systems "radiation - black hole" is equal to the mass of optimal black holes that emerged in the systems "hydrogen (protons) - black hole".
The mass-loss rate of donor stars in cataclysmic variables (CVs) is of paramount importance in the evolution of short-period CVs. Observed donors are oversized in comparison with those of isolated single stars of the same mass, which is thought to be a consequence of the mass loss. Using the empirical mass-radius relation of CVs and the homologous approximation for changes in effective temperature T_2, orbital period P, and luminosity of the donor with the stellar radius, we find the semi-empirical mass-loss rate M2_dot of CVs as a function of P. The derived M2_dot is at ~10^(-9.5)-10^(-10) Msun/yr and depends weakly on P when P > 90 min, while it declines very rapidly towards the minimum period when P < 90 min, emulating the P-T_2 relation. Due to strong deviation from thermal equilibrium caused by the mass loss, the semi-empirical M2_dot is significantly different from, and has a less-pronounced turnaround behavior with P than suggested by previous numerical models. The semi-empirical P-M2_dot relation is consistent with the angular momentum loss due to gravitational wave emission, and strongly suggests that CV secondaries with 0.075 Msun < M_2 < 0.2 Msun are less than 2 Gyrs old. When applied to selected eclipsing CVs, our semi-empirical mass-loss rates are in good agreement with the accretion rates derived from the effective temperatures T_1 of white dwarfs, suggesting that M2_dot can be used to reliably infer T_2 from T_1. Based on the semi-empirical M2_dot, SDSS 1501 and 1433 systems that were previously identified as post-bounce CVs have yet to reach the minimal period.
Recent neutron star observations suggest that the masses and radii of neutron stars may be smaller than previously considered, which would disfavor a purely nucleonic equation of state. In our model, we use a the flavor SU(3) sigma model that includes delta resonances and hyperons in the equation of state. We find that if the coupling of the delta resonances to the vector mesons is slightly smaller than that of the nucleons, we can reproduce both the measured mass-radius relationship and the extrapolated equation of state.
Stars form predominantly in clusters inside dense clumps of molecular clouds that are both turbulent and magnetized. The typical size and mass of the cluster-forming clumps are $\sim 1$ pc and $\sim 10^2 - $ 10$^3$ M$_\odot$, respectively. Here, we discuss some recent progress on numerical simulations of clustered star formation in such parsec-scale dense clumps with emphasis on the role of magnetic fields. The simulations have shown that magnetic fields tend to slow down global gravitational collapse and thus star formation, especially in the presence of protostellar outflow feedback. Even a relatively weak can retard star formation significantly, because the field is amplified by supersonic turbulence to an equipartition strength. However, in such a case, the distorted field component dominates the uniform one. In contrast, if the field is moderately strong, the uniform component remains dominant. Such a difference in the magnetic structure is observed in simulated polarization maps of dust thermal emission. Recent polarization measurements show that the field lines in nearby cluster-forming clumps are spatially well-ordered, indicative of a rather strong field. In such strongly-magnetized clumps, star formation should proceed relatively slowly; it continues for at least several global free-fall times of the parent dense clump ($t_{\rm ff}\sim $ a few $\times 10^5$ yr).
The equation of state (EOS) of the solar interior is accurately and smoothly determined from \textit{ab initio} simulations named quantum Langevin molecular dynamics (QLMD) in the pressure range of $58 \leq P \leq 4.6\times10^5$ Mbar at the temperature range of $1 \leq T \leq 1500$ eV. The central pressure is calculated, and compared with other models. The effect of heavy elements such as carbon and oxygen on the EOS is also discussed.
It has been suggested that the X-shaped morphology observed in some radio sources can reflect either a recent merger of two supermassive black holes (SMBHs) or the presence of a second active black hole in the galactic nucleus. These scenarios are tested by studying the relationship between the black hole mass, radio and optical luminosity, starburst history and dynamic age of radio lobes in a sample of 31 X-shaped radio galaxies drawn from a list of 100 X-shaped radio source candidates identified from the FIRST survey. The same relationships are also studied in a control sample consisting of 39 radio-loud active nuclei with similar redshifts and optical and radio luminosities. The X-shaped objects are found to have statistically higher black hole masses and older starburst activity compared to the objects from the control sample. Implications of these findings are discussed for the black hole merger scenario and for the potential presence of active secondary black holes in post-merger galaxies.
Observations of the T Tauri spectroscopic binary DQ Tau in April 2008 captured an unusual flare at 3 mm, which peaked at an observed max flux of 0.5 Jy (about 27x the quiescent value). Here we present follow-up mm observations that demonstrate a periodicity to the phenomenon. While monitoring 3 new periastron encounters, we detect flares within 17.5 hrs (or 4.6%) of the orbital phase of the first reported flare, and we constrain the main emitting region to a stellar height of 3.7-6.8 Rstar. The recorded activity is consistent with the proposed picture for synchrotron emission initiated by a magnetic reconnection event when the two stellar magnetospheres of the highly eccentric (e=0.556) binary are believed to collide near periastron as the stars approach a minimum separation of 8 Rstar (~13 Rsolar). The similar light curve decay profiles allow us to estimate an average flare duration of 30 hrs. Assuming one mm flare per orbit, DQ Tau could spend approximately 8% of its 15.8-d orbital period in an elevated flux state. Our analysis of the mm emission provides an upper limit of 5% on the linear polarization. We discuss the extent to which a severely entangled magnetic field structure and Faraday rotation effects are likely to reduce the observed polarization fraction. We also predict that, for the current picture, the stellar magnetospheres must be misaligned at a significant angle or, alternatively, that the topologies of the outer magnetospheres are poorly described by a well-ordered dipole inside a radius of 7 Rstar. Finally, to investigate whether reorganization of the magnetic field during the interaction affects mass accretion, we also present simultaneous optical (VRI) monitoring, as an established tracer of accretion activity in this system. We find that an accretion event can occur coincident in both time and duration with the synchrotron fallout of a magnetic reconnection event.
We provide a semi-analytic study of the small scale aspects of the power spectra of warm dark matter (WDM) candidates that decoupled while relativistic with arbitrary distribution functions. These are characterized by two widely different scales $k_{eq} \sim 0.01\,(\mathrm{Mpc})^{-1}$ and $k_{fs}= \sqrt{3}\,k_{eq}/2\,\langle V^2_{eq} \rangle^\frac{1}{2} $ with $\langle V^2_{eq} \rangle^\frac{1}{2} \ll 1 $ the velocity dispersion at matter radiation equality. Density perturbations evolve through three stages: radiation domination when the particle is relativistic and non-relativistic and matter domination. An early ISW effect during the first stage leads to an enhancement of density perturbations and a plateau in the transfer function for $k \lesssim k_{fs}$. An effective fluid description emerges at small scales which includes the effects of free streaming in initial conditions and inhomogeneities. The transfer function features \emph{WDM-acoustic oscillations} at scales $k \gtrsim 2 \,k_{fs}$. We study the power spectra for two models of sterile neutrinos with $m \sim \,\mathrm{keV}$ produced non-resonantly, at the QCD and EW scales respectively. The latter case yields acoustic oscillations on mass scales $\sim 10^{8}\,M_{\odot}$. Our results reveal a \emph{quasi-degeneracy} between the mass, distribution function and decoupling temperature suggesting caveats on the constraints on the mass of a sterile neutrino from current WDM N-body simulations and Lyman-$\alpha$ forest data. A simple analytic interpolation of the power spectra between large and small scales and its numerical implementation is given.
Kinetic Alfven wave turbulence in solar wind is considered and it is shown that non-Maxwellian electron distribution function has a significant effect on the dynamics of the solar wind plasmas. Linear Landau damping leads to the formation of a plateau in the parallel electron distribution function which diminishes the Landau damping rate significantly. Nonlinear scattering of waves by plasma particles is generalized to short wavelengths and it is found that for the solar wind parameters this scattering is the dominant process as compared to three wave decay and coalescence in the wave vector range . Incorporation of these effects lead to the steepening of the wave spectrum between the inertial and the dissipation ranges with a spectral index between 2 and 3. This region can be labeled as the scattering range. Such steepening has been observed in the solar wind plasmas.
High spatial and sensitivity images of the Luminous Blue Variable IRAS 18576+0341 were obtained using the mid infrared imager VISIR at the Very Large Telescope and the Very Large Array interferometer. The resulting mid-infrared continuum maps show a similar clumpy and approximately circular symmetric nebula, which contrasts sharply with the asymmetry that characterizes the ionized component of the envelope, as evidenced from the radio and [Ne II] line images obtained with comparable spatial resolution. In particular, there is excellent overall agreement between the 12.8 micron map and the radio images, consistent with free-free emission from circumstellar ionized material surrounding a central stellar wind. The color temperature and optical depth maps obtained from mid-infrared images show only slight fluctuations, suggesting quite uniform dust characteristics over the dust shell. We explore various possibilities to understand the cause of the different morphology of the dusty and gaseous component of the circumstellar envelope which are compatible with the observations.
Site measurements were collected at Mount John University Observatory in 2005 and 2007 using a purpose-built scintillation detection and ranging system. $C_n^2(h)$ profiling indicates a weak layer located at 12 - 14 km above sea level and strong low altitude turbulence extending up to 5 km. During calm weather conditions, an additional layer was detected at 6 - 8 km above sea level. $V(h)$ profiling suggests that tropopause layer velocities are nominally 12 - 30 m/s, and near-ground velocities range between 2 -- 20 m/s, dependent on weather. Little seasonal variation was detected in either $C_n^2(h)$ and $V(h)$ profiles. The average coherence length, $r_0$, was found to be $7 \pm 1$ cm for the full profile at a wavelength of 589 nm. The average isoplanatic angle, $\theta_0$, was $1.0 \pm 0.1$ arcsec. The mean turbulence altitude, $\bar{h_0}$, was found to be $2.0\pm0.7$ km above sea level. No average in the Greenwood frequency, $f_G$, could be established due to the gaps present in the \vw\s profiles obtained. A modified Hufnagel-Valley model was developed to describe the $C_n^2(h)$ profiles at Mount John, which estimates $r_0$ at 6 cm and $\theta_0$ at 0.9 arcsec. A series of $V(h)$ models were developed, based on the Greenwood wind model with an additional peak located at low altitudes. Using the $C_n^2(h)$ model and the suggested $V(h)$ model for moderate ground wind speeds, $f_G$ is estimated at 79 Hz.
A previously-described code for constructing moving reversing layers (MRL) is improved by replacing a two-parameter model for the radiative acceleration due to lines with a flexible non-parametric description, thus allowing a greater degree of dynamical consistency to be achieved in modelling turbulent transonic flow in the outer atmospheric layers of O stars. With this new code, mass fluxes J are computed at fifty-seven points in (T_eff, g)-space. Specifically, J's are computed for all Lanz-Hubeny (2003) NLTE atmospheres with T_eff (kK) \in (27.5, 55) and log g \leq 4.5. Differences with widely-used mass-loss formulae are emphasized, and opportunities for differential spectroscopic tests identified.
We report on medium resolution spectrophotometry of the Orion Nebula region,
including for the first time the Extended Orion Nebula and the nearby M~43. The
49 long slit observations were divided into 99 smaller samples, which have
allowed determinations of the amount of extinction, extinction corrected
\Hbeta\ surface brightness, electron temperatures (from [S~II], [N~II], and
[O~III]), and electron densities (from [S~II] and [Cl~III]) throughout much of
this complex region.
We verify an earlier conclusion from a radio/optical study that beyond about
5\arcmin\ from \ori\ local emission begins to be contaminated by scattering of
light from the much brighter central Huygens Region of M~42 and this scattered
light component becomes dominant at large distances. This contamination means
that the derived properties for the outer regions are not accurate. From
comparison of the light from the dominant star in M~43 with the continuum of
that nebula (which is almost entirely scattered star light) it is determined
that scattered light is enhanced in the blue, which can lead to observed Balmer
line ratios that are theoretically impossible and erroneous electron
temperatures.
This blue scattering of emission-lines is important even in the Huygens
Region because it means that at anything except very high spectroscopic
resolution the observed lines are a blend of the original and scattered light,
with shorter wavelength lines being artificially enhanced. This can lead to
over-estimates of the electron temperatures derived from the nebular and
auroral line ratios of forbidden lines. This phenomenon is probably applicable
to many other H~II regions.
The high time resolution observations of the X-ray sky hold the key to a number of diagnostics of fundamental physics, some of which are unaccessible to other types of investigations, such as those based on imaging and spectroscopy. Revealing strong gravitational field effects, measuring the mass and spin of black holes and the equation of state of ultradense matter are among the goals of such observations. At present prospects for future, non-focused X-ray timing experiments following the exciting age of RXTE/PCA are uncertain. Technological limitations are unavoidably faced in the conception and development of experiments with effective area of several square meters, as needed in order to meet the scientific requirements. We are developing large-area monolithic Silicon Drift Detectors offering high time and energy resolution at room temperature, which require modest resources and operation complexity (e.g., read-out) per unit area. Based on the properties of the detector and read-out electronics that we measured in the lab, we developed a realistic concept for a very large effective area mission devoted to X-ray timing in the 2-30 keV energy range. We show that effective areas in the range of 10-15 square meters are within reach, by using a conventional spacecraft platform and launcher of the small-medium class.
We present the results of a multifrequency campaign from radio to hard X-ray energies on the blazar 3C 279 during an optical high-state in January 2006. We give the observational results (multifrequency light curves and spectra) and compile an SED. This complements an SED from an optical low-state in June 2003. Surprisingly the two SEDs differ only in their high-energy synchrotron emission (near-IR - UV), while the low-energy inverse-Compton emission (X- to Gamma-rays) remained unchanged. By interpreting with a steady-state leptonic emission model, the variability among the SED can be reproduced by a change solely of the low-energy cutoff of the relativistic electron distribution. In an internal shock model for blazar emission, such a change could e.g. achieved through a varying relative Lorentz factor of colliding shells producing internal shocks in the jet.
There are various ways of measuring the slope of the upper end of the IMF. Arguably the most direct of these is to place stars on the H-R diagram and compare their positions with stellar evolutionary models. Even so, the masses one infers from this depend upon the exact methodology used. I briefly discusssome of the caveats and go through a brief error analysis. I conclude that the current data suggest that the IMF slopes are the same to within the errors. Similarly the determination of the upper mass "limit" is dependent upon how well one can determine the masses of the most massive stars within a cluster. The recent finding by Crowther et al (2010) invalidates the claim that there is a 150Mo upper limit to the IMF, but this is really not surprising given the weakness of the previous evidence.
We report results from the Supernova Photometric Classification Challenge (SNPCC), a publicly released mix of simulated SNe, with types (Ia, Ibc, II) selected in proportion to their expected rate. The simulation was realized in the griz filters of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) with realistic observing conditions (sky noise, point spread function and atmospheric transparency) based on years of recorded conditions at the DES site. Simulations of non-Ia type SNe are based on spectroscopically confirmed light curves that include unpublished non-Ia samples donated from the Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP), the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS), and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II). A spectroscopically confirmed subset was provided for training. We challenged scientists to run their classification algorithms and report a type and photo-z for each SN. Participants from 10 groups contributed 13 entries for the sample that included a host galaxy photo-z for each SN, and 9 entries for the sample that had no redshift information. Several different classification strategies resulted in similar performance, and for all entries the performance was significantly better for the training subset compared to the unconfirmed sample. For the spectroscopically unconfirmed subset, the entry with the highest overall figure of merit for classifying SNe Ia has an efficiency of 0.96 and an SN Ia purity of 0.79. As a public resource for the future development of photometric SN classification and photo-z estimators, we have released updated simulations with improvements based on our experience from the SNPCC, added samples corresponding to the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and the SDSS, and provided the answer keys so that developers can evaluate their own analysis.
Detecting compact objects by means of their gravitational lensing effect on an observed companion in a binary system has already been suggested almost four decades ago. However, these predictions were made even before the first observations of gravitational lensing, whereas nowadays gravitational microlensing surveys towards the Galactic bulge yield almost 1000 events per year where one star magnifies the light of a more distant one. With a specific view on those experiments, we therefore carry out simulations to assess the prospects for detection of the transient periodic magnification of the companion star, which lasts typically only a few hours binaries involving a main-sequence star. We find that detectability is given by the achievability of dense monitoring with the required photometric accuracy. In sharp contrast to earlier expectations by other authors, we find that main-sequence stars are not substantially less favourable targets to observe this effect than white dwarfs. The requirement of an almost edge-on orbit leads to a probability of the order of $3 \times 10^{-4}$ for spotting the signature of an existing compact object in a binary system with this technique. Assuming an abundance of such systems about 0.4 per cent, a high-cadence monitoring every 15~min with 5 per cent photometric accuracy would deliver a signal rate per target star of $\gamma \sim 4 \times 10^{-7}~\mbox{yr}^{-1}$ at a recurrence period of about 6 months. With microlensing surveys having demonstrated the capability to monitor about $2 \times 10^{8}$ stars, one is therefore provided with the chance to detect roughly semi-annually recurring self-lensing signals from several compact compacts in a binary system. If the photometric accuracy was pushed down to 0.3 per cent, 10 times as many signals would become detectable.
We present a power spectral analysis of Spitzer images of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The power spectra of the FIR emission show two different power laws. At larger scales (kpc) the slope is ~ -1.6, while at smaller ones (tens to few hundreds of parsecs) the slope is steeper, with a value ~ -2.9. The break occurs at a scale around 100-200 pc. We interpret this break as the scale height of the dust disk of the LMC. We perform high resolution simulations with and without stellar feedback. Our AMR hydrodynamic simulations of model galaxies using the LMC mass and rotation curve, confirm that they have similar two-component power-laws for projected density and that the break does indeed occur at the disk thickness. Power spectral analysis of velocities betrays a single power law for in-plane components. The vertical component of the velocity shows a flat behavior for large structures and a power law similar to the in-plane velocities at small scales. The motions are highly anisotropic at large scales, with in-plane velocities being much more important than vertical ones. In contrast, at small scales, the motions become more isotropic.
We present new infrared, submillimeter, and millimeter observations of the dense core L673-7 and report the discovery of a low-luminosity, embedded Class 0 protostar driving a molecular outflow. L673-7 is seen in absorption against the mid-infrared background in 5.8, 8, and 24 micron Spitzer images, allowing for a derivation of the column density profile and total enclosed mass of L673-7, independent of dust temperature assumptions. Estimates of the core mass from these absorption profiles range from 0.2-4.5 solar masses. Millimeter continuum emission indicates a mass of about 2 solar masses, both from a direct calculation assuming isothermal dust and from dust radiative transfer models constrained by the millimeter observations. We use dust radiative transfer models to constrain the internal luminosity of L673-7, defined to be the luminosity of the central source and excluding the luminosity from external heating, to be 0.01-0.045 solar luminosities, with 0.04 solar luminosities the most likely value. L673-7 is thus classified as a very low luminosity object (VeLLO), and is among the lowest luminosity VeLLOs yet studied. We calculate the kinematic and dynamic properties of the molecular outflow in the standard manner, and we show that the expected accretion luminosity based on these outflow properties is greater than or equal to 0.36 solar luminosities. The discrepancy between this expected accretion luminosity and the internal luminosity derived from dust radiative transfer models indicates that the current accretion rate is much lower than the average rate over the lifetime of the outflow. Although the protostar embedded within L673-7 is consistent with currently being substellar, it is unlikely to remain as such given the substantial mass reservoir remaining in the core.
There are different techniques to sense the wavefront phase-distortions due to atmospheric turbulence. Curvature sensors are practical in their sensitivity being adjustable to the prevailing atmospheric conditions. Even at the best sites, the turbulence intensity has been found to vary at times over only a few minutes and regularly over longer periods. Two methods to automatically adjust the sensitivity of a curvature sensor are proposed: First, the defocus distance can be adjusted prior to the adaptive-optics (AO) loop through the acquisition of a long exposure image and can then be kept constant. Secondly, the defocus distance can be changed during the AO loop, based on the voltage values sent to the deformable mirror. We demonstrate that the performance increase - assessed in terms of the image Strehl-ratio - can be significant.
This article puts forth a new irreversible process applicable to all scatterings in central forces: We show that in an attractive force field the nonlinear dependence of the potential on distance causes an asymmetric energy transfer via many scatterings from light particles to heavier masses. High speed particles whizzing through space, statistically lose energy by colliding softly and transversely with the large masses that are moving randomly in space. Furthermore, we show that the opposite holds in repulsive force fields: the light particles statistically gain energy. Recent discoveries in observational astronomy provide a host of open problems whose understanding, can benefit from this work. In particular, the near earth flybys and the challenger anomalies, the rapid structure formation, and the cosmological red shift problem may be better understood through this work.
The influence of perturbative bulk viscosity on the evolution of Hubble parameter in the QCD era of the early Universe has been analyzed, where Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric and Einstein field equations are utilized. Homogeneous and isotropic background matter is assumed to be characterized by barotropic equations of state deduced from recent lattice QCD simulations and heavy--ion collisions. Taking into account perturbative bulk viscosity coefficient, an estimation for the evolution of the Hubble parameter has been introduced and compared with its evolution in a non--viscous matter. A numerical solution for finite viscous Israel-Stewart background matter is also worked out. Both methods qualitatively agree in reproducing viscous Hubble parameter that turns to be slightly different from the non--viscous one. This treatment is strictly limited within a very narrow temperature-- or time--interval in QCD era, where the QGP matter is likely dominant.
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