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... The second scenario is limited by the age of our Galaxy such that the lowest-mass WD that could be formed via single star evolution is ~0.47 M ...

CERN Document Server

In the inflationary scenario of loop quantum cosmology (LQC) in the presence of inverse-volume corrections, we give analytic formulas for the power spectra of scalar and tensor perturbations convenient to confront with observations. Since inverse-volume corrections can provide strong contributions to the running spectral indices, inclusion of terms higher than the second-order runnings in the power spectra is crucially important. Using the recent data of cosmic microwave background (CMB) and other cosmological experiments, we place bounds on the quantum corrections for a quadratic inflaton potential.

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The problem on change of deuterium abundance in the process of galactic evolution (star evolution, supernova explosions, nucleosynthesis in supermassive objects) is considered. It is shown that the observable deuterium quantity in the interstellar medium must correspond to its cosmological abundance. This conclusion is independent of the rate of accretion of intergalactic gas by Galaxy. The effect of hypothetical pregalactic active objects on cosmological deuterium is small. It is poind out that observations of interstellar deuterium in absorbtion at lambda=91.6 cm are significant.

CERN Document Server

The next decade promises an observational revolution which will change cosmology forever. The precise measurement of the angular anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background should specify to a few percent all of the parameters of the cosmological model which effect astrophysics. The growth of structure will then be determined (but not yet observed) until gravitational collapse becomes highly non-linear and stars, galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN) form. These processes are hard to model with basic physics because they are complex and allow a rich variety of expression. Instead observations will determine when the first stars and quasars formed, and how and when galaxies assembled. If we can reconcile the numerous contradictions which characterize the subject today, cosmology will become a mature subject, founded on the agreement between detailed, inclusive and realistic ...

CERN Document Server

We investigate the extent to which the pure magnification effect of gravitational lensing can be extracted from galaxy clustering statistics, by a nulling method which aims to eliminate terms arising from the intrinsic clustering of galaxies. The aim is to leave statistics which are free from the uncertainties of galaxy bias. We find that nulling can be done effectively, leaving data which are relatively insensitive to uncertainties in galaxy bias and its evolution, leading to cosmological parameter estimation which is effectively unbiased. This advantage comes at the expense of increased statistical errors, which are in some cases large, but it offers a robust alternative analysis method to cosmic shear for cosmological imaging surveys designed for weak lensing studies, or to full modelling of the clustering signal including magnification effects.

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The relative merits and difficlties of the primary and secondry origin hypotheses for the observed cosmic-ray antiprotons, including the new low-energy measurement of Buffington, et al are discussed. We conclude that the cosmic-ray antiproton data may be evidence for antimatter galaxies and baryon symmetric cosmology. The present bar P data are consistent with a primary extragalactic component having /p /equiv 1+/- 3.2/0.7x10 to the -4 independent of energy. We propose that the primary extragalactic cosmic ray antiprotons are most likely from active galaxies and that expected disintegration of bar alpha/alpha ban alpha/alpha. We further predict a value for ban alpha/alpha /equiv 10 to the -5, within range of future cosmic ray detectors.

CERN Document Server

Dark matter particles form halos that contribute the major part of the mass of galaxy clusters. The formation of these cosmological structures have been investigated both observationally and in numerical simulations, which have confirmed the existence of a universal mass profile. However, the dynamic behaviour of dark matter in halos is not as well understood. We have used observations of 16 equilibrated galaxy clusters to show that the random velocities of dark matter particles are larger on average along the radial direction than along the tangential, and that the magnitude of this velocity anisotropy is radially varying. Our measurement implies that the collective behaviour of dark matter particles is fundamentally different from that of normal particles and the radial variation of the anisotropy velocity agrees with the predictions of numerical simulation.

CERN Document Server

Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations as well as observations indicate that spiral galaxies are comprised of five different components: dark matter halo, stellar disc, stellar bulge, gaseous disc and gaseous halo. While the first four components have been extensively considered in numerical simulations of binary galaxy mergers, the effect of a hot gaseous halo has usually been neglected even though it can contain up to 80% of the total gas within the galaxy virial radius. We present a series of hydrodynamic simulations of major mergers of disc galaxies, that for the first time include a diffuse, rotating, hot gaseous halo. Through cooling and accretion, the hot halo can dissipate and refuel the cold gas disc before and after a merger. This cold gas can subsequently form stars, thus impacting the morphology and kinematics of the remnant. Simulations of isolated systems with total ...

CERN Document Server

Some properties of the universe are fixed by physics derived from mathematical symmetries, others may have been selected from an ensemble of possibilities. Some successes and failures of anthropic reasoning in this context are reviewed in the light of recent developments in astrobiology, cosmology and unification physics. Specific issues raised include our spacetime location (including the reason for the present age of the universe), the timescale of biological evolution, the tuning of global cosmological parameters, the origin of the Large Numbers of astrophysics, and the parameters of the Standard Model. Out of the twenty parameters of the Standard Model,the basic behavior and structures of the world (nucleons, nuclei,atoms, molecules, planets, stars, galaxies) depend mainly on five of them: $m_e,m_u,m_d,\\alpha,\\alpha_G$, three of which are independent in the context of Grand Unified Theories (that is, not related by ...

CERN Document Server

Peculiar velocities induce apparent line of sight displacements of galaxies in redshift space, distorting the pattern of clustering in the radial versus transverse directions. On large scales, the amplitude of the distortion yields a measure of the dimensionless linear growth rate \\ff of fluctuations, which is related to the cosmological density \\Omega and the linear bias factor b in linearly biassed standard cosmology by \\ff \\approx \\Omega^{0.6} /b. To make the maximum statistical use of the data in a wide angle redshift survey, and for the greatest accuracy, the spherical character of the distortion needs to be treated properly, rather than in the simpler plane parallel approximation. In the linear regime, the redshift space correlation function is described by a spherical distortion operator acting on the true correlation function. It is pointed out here that there exists an operator, which is essentially the ...

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The red sequence is an important feature of galaxy clusters and plays a crucial role in optical cluster detection. Measurement of the slope and scatter of the red sequence are affected both by selection of red sequence galaxies and measurement errors. In this paper, we describe a new error corrected Gaussian Mixture Model for red sequence galaxy identification. Using this technique, we can remove the effects of measurement error and extract unbiased information about the intrinsic properties of the red sequence. We use this method to select red sequence galaxies in each of the 13,823 clusters in the maxBCG catalog, and measure the red sequence ridgeline location and scatter of each. These measurements provide precise constraints on the variation of the average red galaxy populations in the observed frame with redshift. We find that the scatter of the red sequence ridgeline increases ...

CERN Document Server

If high-redshift QSOs are ejected from the nuclei of low-redshift galaxies, as some have claimed, a large portion of their redshift must be intrinsic (non-Doppler). If these intrinsic components have preferred values, redshifts will tend to cluster around these preferred values and produce peaks in the redshift distribution. Doppler ejection and Hubble flow components will broaden each peak. Because ejection velocities are randomly directed and Hubble flow components are always positive, in this model all peaks are expected to show an asymmetry, extending further out in the red wing. If peaks are present showing this predicted asymmetry, it can lead directly to an estimate of quasar distances. Using two quasar samples, one with high redshifts and one with low, it is shown here that not only do all peaks in these two redshift distributions occur at previously predicted preferred values, they also all show the predicted extra extension in the red wing. For the low ...

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We create realistic, full-sky, half-arcminute resolution simulations of the microwave sky matched to the most recent astrophysical observations. The primary purpose of these simulations is to test the data reduction pipeline for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) experiment; however, we have widened the frequency coverage beyond the ACT bands and utilized the easily accessible HEALPix map format to make these simulations applicable to other current and near future microwave background experiments. Some of the novel features of these simulations are that the radio and infrared galaxy populations are correlated with the galaxy cluster and group populations, the primordial microwave background is lensed by the dark matter structure in the simulation via a ray-tracing code, the contribution to the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signals from galaxy clusters, groups, and the ...

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...english and one ...

CERN Document Server

We propose to use alternative cosmic tracers to measure the dark energy equation of state and the matter content of the Universe [w(z) & Omega_m]. Our proposed method consists of two components: (a) tracing the Hubble relation using HII galaxies which can be detected up to very large redshifts, z~4, as an alternative to supernovae type Ia, and (b) measuring the clustering pattern of X-ray selected AGN at a median redshift of z~1. Each component of the method can in itself provide interesting constraints on the cosmological parameters, especially under our anticipation that we will reduce the corresponding random and systematic errors significantly. However, by joining their likelihood functions we will be able to put stringent cosmological constraints and break the known degeneracies between the dark energy equation of state (whether it is constant or variable) and the matter content of the universe and provide a ...

CERN Document Server

In a first paper (Forni & Aghanim 1999), we developed several statistical discriminators to test the non-gaussian nature of a signal. These tests are based on the study of the coefficients in a wavelet decomposition basis. In this paper, we apply them in a cosmological context, to the study of the nature of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies. The latter represent the superposition of primary anisotropy imprints of the initial density perturbations and secondary ones due to photon interactions after recombination. In an inflationary scenario (standard Cold Dark Matter) with gaussian distributed fluctuations, we study the statistical signature of the secondary effects. More specifically, we investigate the dominant effects arising from the Compton scattering of CMB photons in ionised regions of the Universe: the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect of galaxy clusters and the effects of a spatially inhomogeneous re-ionisation of the ...

CERN Document Server

Primordial black holes are unique probes of cosmology, general relativity, quantum gravity and non standard particle physics. They can be considered as the ultimate particle accelerator in their last (explosive) moments since they are supposed to reach, very briefly, the Planck temperature. Upper limits on the primordial black hole number density of mass $M_{\\star} = 5 10^{14}$ g, the Hawking mass (born in the big-bang terminating their life presently), is determined comparing their predicted cumulative $\\gamma$-ray emission, galaxy-wise, to the one observed by the EGRET satellite, once corrected for non thermal $\\gamma$-ray background emission induced by cosmic ray protons and electrons interacting with light and matter in the Milky Way. A model with free gas emissivities is used to map the Galaxy in the 100 MeV photon range, where the peak of the primordial black hole emission is expected. The best gas emissivities and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We use deep HST/ACS observations to calculate the star formation history (SFH) of the Cetus dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy. Our photometry reaches below the oldest main-sequence turnoffs, which allows us to estimate the age and duration of the main episode of star formation in Cetus. This is well approximated by a single episode that peaked roughly 12 #+-# 0.5 Gyr ago and lasted no longer than about 1.9 #+-# 0.5 Gyr (FWHM). Our solution also suggests that essentially no stars formed in Cetus during the past 8 Gyr. This makes Cetus' SFH comparable to that of the oldest Milky Way dSphs. Given the current isolation of Cetus in the outer fringes of the Local Group, the dominant old population implies that Cetus is a clear outlier in the morphology-Galactocentric distance relation that holds for the majority of the Milky Way dwarf satellites. Our results also show that Cetus continued forming stars until z#approx =# 1, long after the universe was reionized, and that ...

CERN Document Server

Magnetic fields correlated on several kiloparsec scales are seen in spiral galaxies. Their origin could be due to the winding up of a primordial cosmological field or due to amplification of a small seed field by a turbulent galactic dynamo. Both options have difficulties: There is no known battery mechanism for producing the required primordial field. Equally the turbulent dynamo may self destruct before being able to produce the large scale field, due to excess generation of small scale power. The current status of these difficulties is discussed. The resolution could depend on the nature of the saturated field produced by the small scale dynamo. We argue that the small scale fields do not fill most of the volume of the fluid and instead concentrate into intermittent ropes, with their peak value of order equipartition fields, and radii much smaller than their lengths. In this case these fields neither drain significant energy from the ...

CERN Document Server

Measurement of redshifted 21-cm emission from neutral hydrogen promises to be the most effective method for studying the reionisation history of hydrogen and, indirectly, the first galaxies. These studies will be limited not by raw sensitivity to the signal, but rather, by bright foreground radiation from Galactic and extragalactic radio sources and the Galactic continuum. In addition, leakage due to gain errors and non-ideal feeds conspire to further contaminate low-frequency radio obsevations. This leakage leads to a portion of the complex linear polarisation signal finding its way into Stokes I, and inhibits the detection of the non-polarised cosmological signal from the epoch of reionisation. In this work, we show that rotation measure synthesis can be used to recover the signature of cosmic hydrogen reionisation in the presence of contamination by polarised foregrounds. To achieve this, we apply the rotation measure synthesis technique to ...

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The next generation of particle accelerator is currently being designed at CERN. An understanding of the market forces in the computer industry will play a crucial role in the success of the project.

CERN Document Server

The possibility of radio galaxies being random sample of otherwise normal elliptical galaxies is tested. Starting with the observed optical luminosity functions for elliptical galaxies, it is shown that the probability of an elliptical forming a radio source is a continuous, increasing function of optical luminosity, precisely proportional to square of the optical luminosity of the galaxy. Once the probability function is fixed, the luminosity function of normal elliptical galaxies is used as input for Monte Carlo simulations that reproduce the distribution of radio galaxies in the radio-optical luminosity plane. Our results show that radio galaxies are luminosity biased, but otherwise random sample of elliptical galaxies. This unified view of radio and non-radio ellipticals also explains the well known difference of 0.5 ...

CERN Document Server

We report the results of the evaluation of the ``concentration-density'' relation of galaxies in the local universe, taking advantage of the very large and homogeneous data set available from the Las Campanas Redshift Survey (Shectman et al. 1996). This data set consists of galaxies inhabiting the entire range of galactic environments, from the sparsest field to the densest clusters, thus allowing us to study environmental variations without combining multiple data sets with inhomogeneous characteristics. Concentration is quantified by the automatically-measured concentration index $C$, which is a good measure of a galaxy's bulge-to-disk ratio. The environment of the sample galaxies is characterized both by the three-space local galaxy density and by membership in groups and clusters. We find that the distribution of C in galaxy populations varies both with ...

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We examine the late-time behavior of initially expanding homogeneous cosmological models satisfying Einstein's equation with a positive cosmological constant ..lambda... It is shown that such models of all Bianchi types except IX exponentially evolve toward the de Sitter solution, with time scale (3/..lambda..)/sup 1/2/. The behavior of Bianchi type-IX universes is similar, provided that ..lambda.. is sufficiently large compared with spatial-curvature terms. Thus, a positive cosmological constant provides an effective means of isotropizing homogeneous universes.

CERN Document Server

The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135 is associated with a disk dominated galaxy which heavily absorbs the BL Lac nucleus at optical and X-ray wavelengths. It has been argued whether this galaxy is actually the host galaxy of PKS 1413+135 or whether the BL Lac is a background QSO, gravitationally lensed by the apparent host galaxy. We have obtained deep high resolution H-band images of this unusual BL Lac object using the UKIRT IRCAM3. Our observations show that the BL Lac nucleus is centered within < 0.05 arcsec of the galaxy. Based on this result we assess the probability for the lensing scenario and come to the conclusion that the disk galaxy is indeed the host of PKS 1413+135. The galaxy shows peanut-shaped isophotes, suggesting the presence of a central bar which is a common feature of AGN

Science.gov (United States)

Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Whirlpool Galaxy Deep Field Credit & Copyright: Jon Christensen Explanation: Follow the handle...

Science.gov (United States)

on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. M51: The Whirlpool Galaxy Credit & Copyright: Todd Boroson (NOAO), AURA, NOAO, NSF Explanation: The...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major threat to global health, recently exacerbated by the emergence of highly drug-resistant forms of the disease-causing pathogen and synergy with HIV/AIDS. In 2006, the Stop...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The main goals of nuclear astrophysics have been to probe the interiors of stars, stellar explosions, the early moments of cosmic expansion, and the formation and evolution of galaxies and cosmic structure by measurement and application of the relevant nuclear physics. The approach to these goals have generally been from three directions: 1) Careful measurements of the relevant nuclear reactions; 2) Detailed computer models of the relevant astrophysical environments; and 3) Observations of the relevant terrestrial and extra-terrestrial atomic and isotopic abundances. These approaches provide not only insight into the formation and evolution of the elements, but are also pillars upon which a variety of cosmological models as well as models for physics beyond the standard model of particle physics can stand or fall. At present there is a very exciting frontier on all three of these approaches. The development and applications of ...

CERN Document Server

One hope to solve the cosmological constant problem is to identify a symmetry principle, based on which the cosmological constant can be reduced either to zero, or to a tiny value. Here, we note that requiring that the vacuum state is Lorentz invariant significantly reduces the theoretical value of the vacuum energy density. Hence, this also reduces the discrepancy between the observed value of the cosmological constant and its theoretical expectation, down from 123 orders of magnitude to 56 orders of magnitude. We find that, at one loop level, massless particles do not yield any contribution to the cosmological constant. Another important consequence of Lorentz symmetry is stabilization of the gravitational hierarchy: the cosmological constant (divided by Newton's constant) does not run as the quartic power of the renormalization group scale, but instead only logarithmically.

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... Netherlands Kormendy, J. Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Victoria, British

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Abstract Not Provided

CERN Document Server

We test the hypothesis that radio galaxies are a random subset of otherwise normal elliptical galaxies. Starting with the observed optical luminosity functions for elliptical galaxies, we show that the probability of an elliptical forming a radio source is a continuous, increasing function of optical luminosity, proportional to L squared. With this probability function and the luminosity function of normal elliptical galaxies as input to Monte Carlo simulations, we reproduce the observed distribution of radio galaxies in the radio-optical luminosity plane. Our results show that radio galaxies are a luminosity-biased but otherwise random sample of elliptical galaxies. This unified view of radio-loud and radio-quiet ellipticals also explains the well known difference of ~0.5 mag in average optical luminosity between FRI and FRII radio ...

CERN Document Server

We present large field HI-line emission maps obtained with the single-dish Green Bank Telescope centered on the dwarf irregular galaxies Sextans A, NGC 2366, and WLM. We do not detect the extended skirts of emission associated with the galaxies that were reported from Effelsberg observations (Huchtmeier et al. 1981). The ratio of HI at 10^19 atoms cm^-2 to optical extents of these galaxies are instead 2--3, which is normal for this type of galaxy. There is no evidence for a truncation in the HI distribution >/=10^19 atoms cm^-2.

CERN Document Server

Globular clusters are found usually in galaxies and they are an excellent tracer of dark matter. Long ago it was suggested that there may exist intracluster globular clusters (IGCs) bound to a galaxy cluster rather than to any single galaxy. Here we present a map showing the large scale distribution of globular clusters over the entire Virgo cluster. It shows that IGCs are found out to 5 million light years from the Virgo center, and that they are concentrated in several substructures much larger than galaxies. These objects might have been mostly stripped off from low-mass dwarf galaxies.

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We study the role of rolling tachyons in the cosmological model with dilatonic gravity. In the string frame, flat space solutions of both initial-stage and late-time are obtained in closed form. In the Einstein frame, we show that every expanding solution is decelerating.

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We study the impact of non-Abelian T-duality transformations on a string based cosmological model. The implementation of the pre-big-bang scenario is investigated. We found a region of the dual phase where such a picture is possible.

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Solutions are obtained for the Einstein field equations governing 40 rotating and time-dependent Bianchi type-IX cosmologies with thermal and nonthermal perfectly fluid sources. Some general properties of the solutions are discussed, and the exact computational details are given in a companion paper. All the cosmologies have spacelike, timelike or null-like homogeneous hypersurfaces depending on whether the constant alpha is less than or greater than one. The pressure of the cosmologies is assumed to be zero, and the energy density is less than zero. 9 references.

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We discuss various superstring effective actions and, in particular, their common sector which leads to the so-called pre-big-bang cosmology (cosmology in a weak coupling limit of heterotic superstring theory). Using the conformal relationship between these two theories we present Kasner asymptotic solutions of Bianchi type IX geometries within these theories and make predictions about possible emergence of chaos. Finally, we present a possible method of generating Horava-Witten cosmological solutions out of the well-known general relativistic or pre-big-bang solutions.

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A Bianchi type-IX cosmological model has been found as a solution of Einstien's vacuum field equations with a cosmological constant. The solution represents a rotating generalziation fo the de Sitter universe. This universe shows a transition to exponential expansion and the vorticity begins to decay exponentially at the grand-unified-theory time. The point of time for this transition is independent of the magnitude of the vorticity. During the Guth inflationary era the vorticity decays by a factor of the order 10 US.

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We describe exact cosmological solutions with rotation and expansion in the low-energy effective string theory. These models are spatially homogeneous (closed Bianchi type IX) and they belong to the family of shear-free metrics which are causal (no closed timelike curves are allowed), admit no parallax effects and do not disturb the isotropy of the background radiation. The dilaton and the axion fields are nontrivial, in general, and we consider both cases with and without the central charge (effective cosmological constant)

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The propriety of the cosmic no-hair conjecture to the Bianchi-type-IX spacetime is discussed from a quantum cosmological point of view. It is shown that most, but not all, classical universes which are created quantum cosmologically are inflationary. The probability of inflation among such universes is also discussed.

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A higher-dimensional homogeneous spacetime is investigated satisfying the vacuum Einstein equations. It is assumed that the algebra of Killing vectors L admits a non-trivial Levi decomposition L=N+so(3), i.e. that the subalgebras N and so(3) do not commute. It is found that the model behaves in a non-chaotic way and cosmological dimensional reduction inevitably occurs. This model completes all the possible types within the class of higher-dimensional extensions of Bianchi type-IX cosmology.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A higher-dimensional homogeneous spacetime is investigated satisfying the vacuum Einstein equations. It is assumed that the algebra of Killing vectors L admits a non-trivial Levi decomposition L=N+so(3), i.e. that the subalgebras N and so(3) do not commute. It is found that the model behaves in a non-chaotic way and cosmological dimensional reduction inevitably occurs. This model completes all the possible types within the class of higher-dimensional extensions of Bianchi type-IX cosmology. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A bulge-disk decomposition is made for 737 spiral and lenticular galaxies drawn from a Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxy sample for which morphological types are estimated. We carry out the bulge-disk decomposition using the growth curve fitting method. It is found that bulge properties, effective radius, effective surface brightness, and also absolute magnitude, change systematically with the morphological sequence; from early to late types, the size becomes somewhat larger, and surface brightness and luminosity fainter. In contrast, disks are nearly universal, their properties remaining similar among disk galaxies irrespective of detailed morphologies from S0 to Sc. While these tendencies were often discussed in previous studies, the present study confirms them based on a large homogeneous magnitude-limited field galaxy sample with morphological types estimated. The systematic change of bulge-to-total ...

CERN Document Server

We consider the simplest scenario when black strings (cigars) penetrate the cosmological brane. As a result, the brane has a Swiss-cheese structure, with Schwarzschild black holes immersed in a Friedmann-Lema\\^{\\i}tre-Robertson-Walker brane. There is no dark radiation in the model, the cosmological regions of the brane are characterized by a cosmological constant $\\Lambda$ and flat spatial sections. Regardless of the value of $\\Lambda$, these brane-world universes forever expand and forever decelerate. The totality of source terms in the modified Einstein equation sum up to a dust, establishing a formal equivalence with the general relativistic Einstein-Straus model. However in this brane-world scenario with black strings the evolution of the cosmological fluid strongly depends on $\\Lambda$. For $\\Lambda$ less or equal to zero it has positive energy density $\\rho$ and negative pressure $p$ and at ...

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Spectral line intensity data are presented for ionized hydrogen regions in the giant spiral galaxy M101. The influence of interstellar extinction is assessed and electron temperatures of the gas clouds are derived.

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We present results of a study of large-scale neutral hydrogen (HI) gas in nearby radio galaxies. We find that the early-type host galaxies of different types of radio sources (compact, FR-I and FR-II) appear to contain fundamentally different large-scale HI properties: enormous regular rotating disks and rings are present around the host galaxies of a significant fraction of low power compact radio sources, while no large-scale HI is detected in low power, edge-darkened FR-I radio galaxies. Preliminary results of a study of nearby powerful, edge-brightened FR-II radio galaxies show that these systems generally contain significant amounts of large-scale HI, often distributed in tail- or bridge-like structures, indicative of a recent galaxy merger or collision. Our results suggest that different types of radio galaxies may have a different ...

Science.gov (United States)

on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. M51: The Whirlpool Galaxy Credit: 1.1 Meter Hall Telescope, Lowell Observatory, Bill Keel (U. Alabama)...

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believe the system is similar to the face-on spiral and companion known as M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy. Tomorrow's picture: plates known < | Archive | Index | Search | Calendar |...

Science.gov (United States)

on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. M51: The Whirlpool Galaxy in Dust and Stars Credit: N. Scoville (Caltech), T. Rector ( (NOAO) et al.,...

CERN Document Server

The energy fed by active galactic nuclei to the surrounding diffuse baryons changes the latter's amount, temperature, and distribution; so in groups and in member galaxies it affects the X-ray luminosity and also the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. Here we compute how the latter is enhanced by the transient blastwave driven by a shining quasar, and is depressed when the equilibrium is recovered with a depleted density. We constrain such depressions and enhancements with the masses of relic black holes in galaxies and the X-ray luminosities in groups. We discuss how all these linked observables can tell the quasar contribution to the thermal history of the baryons pervading galaxies and groups.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The mass distribution of the Sombrero Galaxy, NGC 4594, is calculated in order to investigate the suspicion that the rotational velocity of the galactic gas does not measure the circular velocity in the galaxy. It is shown that the H II rotation velocities are much less than circular in the central 35 arcsec of the galaxy, and that the suspicion is correct. Thus, the H II rotation velocities cannot be used to measure the mass distribution. The absorption-line rotation curve is used to derive the mass distribution, and it is found that the M/L ratio is nearly constant. It is concluded that the visible matter is self-gravitating at least in the central 180 arcsec. 44 references.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surface photometry of bulges and elliptical galaxies is reviewed. The properties of cores and nuclei as revealed by improvements in seeing and the use of CCDs are examined, and newly discovered structural details such as dust, shells, and dynamical subsystems which show the importance of accretion events in galactic evolution are addressed. Improved constraints on galaxy formation resulting from better measurements of parameter scaling laws are discussed, and accurate measurements of departures from elliptical isophotes and of color gradients obtained with CCDs are considered.

CERN Document Server

Gas and stars in spiral galaxies are modelled with the DUAL code, using hydrodynamic and N-body techniques. The simulations reveal morphological differences mirroring the dual morphologies seen in B and K' band observations of many spiral galaxies. In particular, the gaseous images are more flocculent with lower pitch angles than the stellar images, and the stellar arm-interarm contrast correlates with the degree of morphological decoupling.

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The hypothesis that the blue stragglers in the dwarf spheroidal galaxie have a collisional origin is considered. If all of the dark matter in these galaxies is in the form of low-mass stars and the binary frequency is [approx equal] 50%, then it is quite possible that [approx equal] 10% to 20% of their blue stragglers have been produced by physical stellar collisions.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper discusses the results of the absorption-line spectroscopy carried out with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on the prototypical Sa galaxy NGC 4594 (the Sombrero galaxy). Two conclusions were derived concerning this galaxy. First, at the values of r less than 10 arcsec, there is a well-defined nuclear disk of stars which is not obviously connected to the main disk at larger radii. Second, the mass-to-light ratio, M/L(V), of the galaxy rises abruptly at r values less than 1 arcsec to values of M/L(V) greater than 50, which is at least 10 times as large as the mass-to-light ratios at r values above 2 arcsec. This implies the presence of a central dark mass of a magnitude between 10 to the 8.5th and 10 to the 9.5th solar masses. 54 references.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

From the COMBO-17 digital sky survey data, 1,231 faint blue galaxies with photometric redshifts of 0.1galaxies, in the conditions that the photometric redshifts are obtained respectively by using only optical data and by using both optical and near-infrared data. The results indicate that there are 183 galaxies whose photometric redshifts derived from both optical and infrared data are greater than 1.2, that the rms error of the derived photometric redshifts is 0.046, and that to increase the photometric SNR is also helpful for discriminating those misjudged low-redshift galaxies by using only the optical data. We have studied a...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inner ring structures are observed in about one quarter of all lenticular or spiral galaxies. Statistics of the relative frequencies of the pure ring (r) and broken ring (rs) varieties in the Second Reference Catalogue (RC2) among the different families (A, AB, B) of lenticular (L) and spiral (S) galaxies at different stages (T) along the revised Hubble sequence are presented; selection effects dependent on classification weight, apparent diameter and axis ratio are discussed. Comparisons of ring diameters D/sub r/ listed in the (First) Reference Catalogue (RC1) with independent measurements of 43 barred systems by Kormendy show good systematic agreement with a standard deviation sigma_1_2(D/sub r/) = 0'.10 and individual relative mean errors sigma(D/sub r/)/ < D/sub r/ > approx. = 5%. Axis ratios are also in good agreement with sigma_1_2(b/a) = 0.06. Comparisons of axis ratios of rings and parent galaxies show ...

CERN Document Server

We study the evolution of the cold gas content of galaxies by splitting the interstellar medium into its atomic and molecular hydrogen components, using the galaxy formation model GALFORM in the LCDM framework. We calculate the molecular-to-atomic hydrogen mass ratio, H2/HI, in each galaxy using two different approaches; the pressure-based empirical relation of Blitz & Rosolowsky and the theoretical model of Krumholz, McKeee & Tumlinson, and apply them to consistently calculate the star formation rates of galaxies. We find that the model based on the Blitz & Rosolowsky law predicts an HI mass function, CO(1-0) luminosity function, correlations between the H2/HI ratio and stellar and cold gas mass, and infrared-CO luminosity relation in good agreement with local and high redshift observations. The HI mass function evolves weakly with redshift, with the number density of high mass ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Recent work on N=2 supersymmetric Bianchi type IX cosmologies coupled to a scalar field is extended to a general treatment of homogeneous quantum cosmologies with explicitly solvable momentum constraints, i.e., Bianchi types I, II, VII, VIII in addition to the Bianchi type IX, and special cases, namely, the Freidmann universes, the Kantowski-Sachs space, and Taub-NUT space. In addition to the earlier explicit solution of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation for Bianchi type IX, describing a virtual wormhole fluctuation, an additional explicit solution is given and identified with the ''no-boundary state.''.

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This is a design study into the capabilities of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) in performing a full-sky low redshift neutral hydrogen survey, termed WALLABY, and the potential cosmological constraints one can attain from measurement of the matter power spectrum. We find that the full sky survey will likely attain 600,000 redshifts which, when combined with expected Planck CMB data, will constrain the Dark Energy equation of state to 20%, for the first time making cosmological constraints from radio observations competitive with the best existing optical surveys.

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If quantum fields exist in extra compact dimensions, they will give rise to a quantum vacuum or Casimir energy. That vacuum energy will manifest itself as a cosmological constant. The fact that supernova and cosmic microwave background data indicate that the cosmological constant is of the same order as the critical mass density to close the universe supplies a lower bound on the size of the extra dimensions. Recent laboratory constraints on deviations from Newton's law place an upper limit. The allowed region is so small as to suggest that either extra compact dimensions do not exist, or their number is about to be tightly constrained by experimental data.

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The discovery that the cosmic expansion is accelerating has been followed by an intense theoretical and experimental response in physics and astronomy. The discovery implies that our most basic notions about how gravity work are violated on cosmological distance scales. One simple fix is the introduction of a cosmological constant into the field equations for general relativity. However, the extremely small value of the cosmological constant, relative to theoretical expectations, has led theorists to explore a wide variety of alternative explanations that involve the introduction of an exotic negative-pressure fluid or a modification of general relativity. Here we briefly review the evidence for cosmic acceleration. We then survey some of the theoretical attempts to account for it, including the cosmological constant, quintessence and its variants, mass-varying neutrinos, and modifications of general ...

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We investigate the quantum cosmology of spatially homogeneous models with compact spatial sections admitting a u(2) isometry algebra. The metric ansatz in these models is that of Bianchi type IX with two scale factors set to be equal. We apply the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary path integral prescription and find the semi-classical contributions to the wave function. Exact formulae are obtainable for certain contributions and otherwise the limits of large and small anisotropy (for the pure vacuum case) and large spatial volume or small anisotropy (for the case with a positive cosmological constant) are considered. For the pure vacuum case we find no semiclassical components which would correspond to Lorentzian universes. For the case with a cosmological constant the Hartle-Hawking boundary conditions formally constrain one of the parameters in the Lorentzian solutions to be purely imaginary. Possible interpretations of this ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Core radii and central surface brightnesses of bulges and elliptical galaxies are measured using CCD photometry obtained with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (scale = 0''.22 pixel"-"1; seeing = 0''.45--1''.0 FWHM). The correlations between core parameters are derived and compared for ellipticals, bulges, dwarf spheroidal galaxies, dwarf irregular galaxies, and globular clusters. The results are as follows. 1. Ihe data confirm the existence of well-defined correlations between the core parameters of elliptical galaxies. More luminous ellipticals have larger core radii r/sub c/ and lower central surface brightnesses #mu#/sub 0v/. Galaxies with larger core radii have larger central velocity dispersions. The small, bright core of M32 is normal for a galaxy of M/sub B/ = -15.2. Radio ellipticals and brightest cluster galaxies satisfy the ...

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Warm-intermediate inflationary universe models in the context of braneworld cosmologies, are studied. This study is done in the weak and strong dissipative regimes. We find that, the scalar potentials and dissipation coefficients in terms of the scalar field, evolves as type-power-law and powers of logarithms, respectively. General conditions required for these models to be realizable are derived and discussed. We also study the scalar and tensor perturbations for each regime. We use recent astronomical observations to constraint the parameters appearing in the braneworld models.

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The possibility of having inflation in a renormalizable cosmological model is investigated. The cosmic no-hair conjecture is proved to hold for all Bianchi types except Bianchi type IX. By the use of a conformal transformation on the metric we show that these models are equivalent to the ones described by the Einstein-Hilbert action for gravity minimally coupled to a set of scalar fields with inflationary potentials. Henceforth, we prove that inflationary solutions behave as attractors in solution space, making it a natural event in the evolution of such models.

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The t<0 branch of pre-big bang cosmological scenarios is subject to a gravitational wave instability. The unstable behaviour of tensor perturbations is derived in a very simple way in Hwang's covariant and gauge-invariant formalism developed for extended theories of gravity. A simple interpretation of this instability as the effect of an ''antifriction'' is given, and it is argued that a universe must eventually enter the expanding phase. (orig.)

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The dimensionally reduced effective action of the bosonic sector of the heterotic string in critical dimensions is employed to derive a Wheeler-DeWitt equation for the Bianchi type-IX cosmology. An exact solution is found that becomes strongly peaked around the isotropic limit as the volume of the three-geometry increases. In principle the global O(6,6) symmetry of the effective action can be employed to generate new solutions from the one presented here.

Science.gov (United States)

(B204) The meeting will bring together observers and theorists in a highly interactive format, to further connect the local and cosmological star formation communities. Forward looking talks, aimed at the other communities, will survey terminology, achievements, problems and aspirations. Discussion will focus on the definition of the key questions, how the different communities can help each other, and preparations for the incorporation of realistic star formation into cosmological simulations.

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We study the stellar and dust properties of a well-defined sample of local elliptical galaxies to investigate the relationship between host galaxy properties and nuclear activity. We select a complete sample of 45 ellipticals from the Palomar spectroscopic survey of nearby galaxies, which includes 20 low-luminosity active galactic nuclei classified as LINERs and 25 inactive galaxies. Using a stellar population synthesis method, we compare the derived stellar population properties of the LINER versus the inactive subsamples. We also study the dust and stellar surface brightness distributions of the central regions of these galaxies using high-resolution images obtained with the {\\it Hubble Space Telescope}. Relative to the inactive subsample, ellipticals hosting LINERs share similar total optical and near-infrared luminosity, central stellar velocity dispersions, and nuclear stellar ...

CERN Document Server

Of the many ways of detecting high redshift galaxies, the selection of objects due to their redshifted Ly-alpha emission has become one of the most successful. But what types of galaxies are selected in this way? Until recently, Ly-alpha emitters were understood to be small star-forming galaxies, possible building-blocks of larger galaxies. But with increased number of observations of Ly-alpha emitters at lower redshifts, a new picture emerges. Ly-alpha emitters display strong evolution in their properties from higher to lower redshift. It has previously been shown that the fraction of ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) among the Ly-alpha emitters increases dramatically between redshift three and two. Here, the fraction of AGN among the LAEs is shown to follow a similar evolutionary path. We argue that Ly-alpha emitters are not a homogeneous class of objects, and that the ...

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Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the FIRST (Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeters) catalogs, we examined the optical environments around double-lobed radio sources. Previous studies have shown that multi-component radio sources exhibiting some degree of bending between components are likely to be found in galaxy clusters. Often this radio emission is associated with a cD-type galaxy at the center of a cluster. We cross-correlated the SDSS with the FIRST catalog and measured the richness of the cluster environments surrounding both bent and straight multi-component sources. This led to the discovery and classification of a large number of galaxy clusters out to a redshift of z ~ 0.5. We divided our sample into smaller subgroups based on their optical and radio properties. We find that FR I radio sources are more likely to be found in galaxy clusters than FR II sources. Further, ...

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We have discovered seven type Ia cluster supernovae (SNe) in the course of the Wise Observatory Optical Transients Search in the fields of galaxy clusters with redshifts between z=0.06 and z=0.2. Two of these events, SN 1998fc in Abell 403 (z=0.10) and SN 2001al in Abell 2122/4 (z = 0.066), have no obvious hosts. Both events appear projected on the halos of the central cD galaxies, but have velocity offsets of 750-2000 km/s relative to those galaxies, suggesting they are not bound to them. We use deep Keck imaging of the locations of the two SNe to put upper limits on the luminosities of possible dwarf hosts, M_R > -14 mag for SN 1998fc and M_R > -11.8 mag for SN 2001al. The fractions of the cluster luminosities in dwarf galaxies fainter than our limits are less than 3 x 10^-3 and 3 x 10^-4, respectively. Thus, 2/7 of the SNe would be associated with less than 3 x 10^-3 of the luminosity ...

Science.gov (United States)

This is a study done in collaboration with Deidre Hunter at Lowell Observatory studying star formation in two luminous spiral galaxies NGC 801 and UGC 2885. We used ultra-deep H? images taken at the KPNO 2.1 m telescope. We compare these data to stellar images at various wavelengths and to HI maps to determine the extent of star formation activity into the outer disk in these galaxies and its relationship to the gas and older stars. TW is grateful for an REU internship during the summer of 2010 at Northern Arizona University, funded by NSF through grant AST-1004107.

CERN Document Server

A guide to practical astronomy. It introduces the reader to some basic (and some not-so-basic) astronomical concepts, and discusses the stars and their evolution, the planets, nebulae, and distant galaxies

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The analysis of images (of obtained in various ranges of the lengths of waves) of luminous objects in the Universe by means of a method of multilevel dynamic contrasting led author to the conclusions: a) the structures of all observable galaxies represents a complicated constructions which have the tendency to self-similarity and made of separate (basic) blocks, which are a coaxially tubular structures and a cartwheel-like structures; b) the majority of observable objects in the Universe are luminous butt-ends of almost invisible (of almost completely transparent) of filamentary formations which structures are seen only near to their luminous butt-ends; c) the result of analysis of images of cosmic objects show the structure of many pairs of cooperating galaxies point to opportunity of their formation at butt-ends generated in a place of break of the similar filament; d) the interacting galaxies (M 81 and M 82) show they ...

Science.gov (United States)

... Fig.9 Hurricane Fran, Sept.4, 1996, (NOAA / NASA) Fig.10 Whirlpool Galaxy (M 51/NGC 5194), C. Messier (1773) / P. Mechain (1781) ...

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Observation of lithium lines in two halo stars could bring some information about /sup 7/Li abundance at the time of the formation of the galaxy.

CERN Document Server

We performed a spectroscopic galaxy survey, complete to $m_{F814W}\\leq20.3$ ($L_B>0.15L_B^{\\star}$ at z=0.3), within 100x100'' of the quasar Q1127-145 ($z_{em}=1.18$). The VLT/UVES quasar spectrum contains three $z_{abs}<0.33$ MgII absorption systems. We obtained eight new galaxy redshifts, adding to the four previously known, and galaxy star formation rates (SFRs) and metallicities were computed where possible. A strong MgII system [$W_r(2796)=1.8$A], which is a known damped Ly$\\alpha$ absorber (DLA), had three previously identified galaxies; we found two additional galaxies associated with this system. These five galaxies form a group with diverse properties, such as a luminosity range of $0.04\\leq L_B\\leq0.63 L_B^{\\star}$, an impact parameter range of $17\\leq D \\leq 241$ kpc and velocity dispersion of $\\sigma$=115 km/s. The DLA group ...

Science.gov (United States)

These include, but are not limited to: stellar winds and outflows, post-main- sequence stellar evolution, binary/multiple star evolution, globular cluster structure ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Numerical simulations show that box-shaped bulges of edge-on galaxies are not bulges: they are bars seen side-on. Therefore, the two components that are seen in edge-on Sb galaxies such as NGC 4565 are a disk and a bar. But face-on SBb galaxies always show a disk, a bar, and a (pseudo)bulge. Where is the (pseudo)bulge in NGC 4565? We use archival Hubble Space Telescope H-band images and Spitzer Space Telescope 3.6 #mu#m wavelength images, both calibrated to Two Micron All Sky Survey K_s band, to penetrate the prominent dust lane in NGC 4565. We find a high surface brightness, central stellar component that is clearly distinct from the boxy bar and from the disk. Its brightness profile is a Sersic function with index n = 1.55 #+-# 0.07 along the major axis and 1.33 #+-# 0.12 along the minor axis. Therefore, it is a pseudobulge. It is much less luminous than the boxy bar, so the true pseudobulge-to-total luminosity ratio of ...

Science.gov (United States)

creating such active galactic nuclei as quasars. Strangely, the center of this fiery whirlpool is offset from the exact center of the galaxy - for a reason that for now remains an...

CERN Document Server

Steeghs et al. (1997) have found the first convincing evidence for spiral structure in the accretion disc in IP Pegasi. We perform two kinds of 2D hydrodynamic simulations, a SFS finite volume scheme and a SPH scheme, in the case of mass ratio of 0.5. Both results agree well each other. We construct the Doppler maps and line flux-binary phase relation based on the density distributions. Both of our results agree well with those obtained by the observation.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The long and resource intensive process of drug discovery and development is confronted with the basic challenge of providing effective and safe therapies at reasonably low costs. The better the mechanism of a disease is known, the higher the probability to find an appropriate therapy. Also, the better and earlier a disease can be diagnosed and characterized, the higher the chance to be able to interfere in this process with a chemical entity. This reasoning sets the framework for the use of imaging in drug discovery. We discuss the relevance of magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy to derive anatomical, functional, metabolic and target-related information in the context of pharmacological research in vivo. (author)

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Attention is given to the folowing topics: population I and II variable stars; LP variables, the sun, and mass determination; and predegenerate and degenerate variables. Particular papers are presented on alternative evolutionary approaches to the absolute magnitude of the RR Lyrae variables; the evolution of the Cepheid stars; nonradial pulsations in rapidly rotating Delta Scuti stars; dynamical models of dust shells around Mira variables; and pulsations of central stars of planetary nebulae.

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The observation that Type Ia supernovae are fainter than expected given their red shifts has led to the conclusion that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. The widely accepted hypothesis is that this acceleration is caused by a cosmological constant or, more generally, some dark energy field that pervades the universe. This hypothesis presents a challenge to physics so severe that one is motivated to explore alternative explanations. In this paper, we explore whether the data from Type Ia supernovae can be explained with an idea that is almost as old as that of the cosmological constant, namely, that the strength of gravity varies on a cosmic timescale. This topic is an ideal one for investigation by an undergraduate physics major because the entire chain of reasoning from models to data analysis is well within the mathematical and conceptual sophistication of a motivated undergraduate.

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Cosmological constant a.k.a. dark energy problem is considered to be one major challenge in modern cosmology. Here we present a model where large scale structure formation causes spatially-flat FRW universe to fragment into numerous `FRW islands' surrounded by vacuum. We show that this mechanism can explain the origin of dark energy as well as the late time cosmic acceleration. This explanation of dark energy does not require any exotic matter source nor an extremely fine-tuned cosmological constant. This explanation is given within classical general relativity and relies on the fact that our universe has been undergoing structure formation since its recent past.

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General relativity postulates the Minkowski space-time to be the standard flat geometry against which we compare all curved space-times and the gravitational ground state where particles, quantum fields and their vacuum states are primarily conceived. On the other hand, experimental evidences show that there exists a non-zero cosmological constant, which implies in a deSitter space-time, not compatible with the assumed Minkowski structure. Such inconsistency is shown to be a consequence of the lack of a application independent curvature standard in Riemann's geometry, leading eventually to the cosmological constant problem in general relativity. We show how the curvature standard in Riemann's geometry can be fixed by Nash's theorem on locally embedded Riemannian geometries, which imply in the existence of extra dimensions. The resulting gravitational theory is more general than general relativity, similar to brane-world gravity, but where the ...

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After mathematicians and physicists had learned that the structure of physical space was not necessarily Euclidean, it became conceivable that the global topological structure of space was non-trivial. In the context of the late 19th century debates on physical space this speculation gave rise to the problem of classifying spaces of constant curvature from a topological point of view. William Kingdon Clifford, Felix Klein and Wilhelm Killing, the latter of whom devoted a substantial amount of work to the topic in the early 1890s, clearly perceived this problem as relevant for both mathematics and natural philosophy (i.e., physics or cosmology). To some extent, a cosmological interest may even be found among those authors who restated the space form problem in more modern terms in the early 20th century, such as Heinz Hopf.

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Gravitational lensing distorts the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization fields and encodes valuable information on distances and growth rates at intermediate redshifts into the lensed power spectra. The non-Gaussian bandpower covariance induced by the lenses is negligible to l=2000 for all but the B polarization field where it increases the net variance by up to a factor of 10 and favors an observing strategy with 3 times more area than if it were Gaussian. To quantify the cosmological information, we introduce two lensing observables, characterizing nearly all of the information, which simplify the study of non-Gaussian impact, parameter degeneracies, dark energy models, and complementarity with other cosmological probes. Information on the intermediate redshift parameters rapidly becomes limited by constraints on the cold dark matter density and initial amplitude of fluctuations as observations improve. Extraction of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

High resolution imagery of the clumpy irregular galaxy Mkn 325 shows that some clumps have sizes approximately 300 pc while some may still be unresolved and approximately < 100 pc. In spite of dimensions comparable to - or even smaller than - those of the giant H II complex 30 Doradus, one clump has a star formation rate 100 times higher. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We report the discovery of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) pair in the interacting galaxy system IRAS 20210+1121 at z = 0.056. An XMM-Newton observation reveals the presence of an obscured (N _H #approx# 5 x 10"2"3 cm"-"2), Seyfert-like (L _2_-_1_0_k_e_V = 4.7 x 10"4"2 erg s"-"1) nucleus in the northern galaxy, which lacks unambiguous optical AGN signatures. Our spectral analysis also provides strong evidence that the IR-luminous southern galaxy hosts a Type 2 quasar embedded in a bright starburst emission. In particular, the X-ray primary continuum from the nucleus appears totally depressed in the XMM-Newton band as expected in the case of a Compton-thick absorber, and only the emission produced by Compton scattering ('reflection') of the continuum from circumnuclear matter is seen. As such, IRAS 20210+1121 seems to provide an excellent opportunity to witness a key, early phase in the quasar evolution predicted by the ...

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We present results of the search for Cepheids in the galaxy IC1613 carried out as a sub-project of the OGLE-II microlensing survey. 138 Cepheids were found in the 14.2x14.2 arcmin region in the center of the galaxy. We present light curves, VI photometry and basic data for all these objects, as well as color-magnitude diagram of the observed field. The Period--Luminosity (PL) diagrams for IC1613 fundamental mode Cepheids for VI and interstellar extinction insensitive index W_I are constructed. Comparison of PL relations in metal poor galaxy IC1613 ([Fe/H]~-1.0 dex) with relations in metal richer Magellanic Clouds allows us to study dependence of Cepheid PL relations on metallicity in the wide range of metallicities covered by these three galaxies. The slopes of PL relations in IC1613 are identical as in the Magellanic Clouds. The comparison of brightness of Cepheids with the magnitudes of the tip of the ...

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We present maps of the cosmic large-scale structure around the twelve most distant galaxy clusters from the Massive Cluster Survey (MACS) as traced by the projected surface density of galaxies on the cluster red sequence. Taken with the Suprime-Cam wide-field camera on the Subaru telescope, the images used in this study cover a 27x27 arcmin^2 area around each cluster, corresponding to 10 x 10 Mpc^2 at the median redshift of z = 0.55 of our sample. We directly detect satellite clusters and filaments extending over the full size of our imaging data in the majority of the clusters studied, supporting the picture of mass accretion via infall along filaments suggested by numerical simulations of the growth of clusters and the evolution of large-scale structure. A comparison of the galaxy distribution near the cluster cores with the X-ray surface brightness as observed with Chandra reveals, in several cases, significant offsets ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The properties of the mass-metallicity relation among dwarf spheroidal galaxies are discussed in terms of a model which assumes that the internal chemical evolution of the dwarf spheroidals was promoted by supernova activity. The model can be used to explain the observed dwarf spheroidal mass-metallicity relation assuming the present mass of these systems M sub s is proportional to their initial masses M as M sub s varies according to a power-law index of exp 7/4. It is inferred from the power-law dependence of M on the proto-cloud radius that the most massive dwarf spheroids were formed from the densest clouds. The observed slope of the mass-metallicity relation for dwarf spheroidal galaxies is found to be significantly different from theoretical estimates of this slope for elliptical galaxies. It is suggested that the difference may imply that spheroidal dwarfs and elliptical galaxies had different ...

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We estimate binary compact object merger detection rates for LIGO, including the binaries formed in ellipticals long ago. Specifically, we convolve hundreds of model realizations of elliptical- and spiral-galaxy population syntheses with a model for elliptical- and spiral-galaxy star formation history as a function of redshift. Our results favor local merger rate densities of 4\\times 10^{-3} {Mpc}^{-3}{Myr}^{-1} for binary black holes (BH), 3\\times 10^{-2} {Mpc}^{-3}{Myr}^{-1} for binary neutron stars (NS), and 10^{-2} {Mpc}^{-3}{Myr}^{-1} for BH-NS binaries. Mergers in elliptical galaxies are a significant fraction of our total estimate for BH-BH and BH-NS detection rates; NS-NS detection rates are dominated by the contribution from spiral galaxies. Using only models that reproduce current observations of Galactic NS-NS binaries, we find slightly higher rates for NS-NS and largely similar ranges for ...

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The current status of cosmological observations is presented; and the light curves and radiation spectra from supernova SN1987A are used in comparison between expected and observed universal nucleosynthesis and star evolution data./aip/.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The canonical quantum theory of gravity-quantum geometrodynamics (QG)-is applied to the homogeneous Bianchi type IX cosmological model. As a result, a framework for the quantum theory of homogeneous cosmologies is developed. We show that the theory is internally consistent and prove that it possesses the correct classical limit (the theory of general relativity). To emphasize the special role that the constraints play in this new theory, we compare it to the traditional ADM square-root and Wheeler-DeWitt quantization schemes. We show that, unlike traditional approaches, QG leads to a well-defined Schroedinger equation for the wavefunction of the universe that is inherently coupled to the expectation value of the constraint equations. This coupling to the constraints is responsible for the appearance of a coherent spacetime picture. Thus, the physical meaning of the constraints of the theory is quite different from Dirac's interpretation. In ...

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It is proven that there do not exist any diagonal Bianchi type-IX universes which expand for an infinite time, provided only that the matter satisfies the dominant energy condition and has non-negative average principal pressures.

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

indian academy of sciences - journal of astrophysics and astronomy on astronomy (eds. v. k. kapahi, n. k. dadhich, g. swarup and special issue in honour of s. chandrasekhar big bang and alternative cosmologies; ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We investigate the quantum cosmology of spatially homogeneous models with compact spatial sections admitting a u(2) isometry algebra. The metric ansatz in these models is that of Bianchi type IX with two scale factors set to be equal. We apply the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary path integral prescription and find the semi-classical contributions to the wave function. Exact formulae are obtainable for certain contributions and otherwise the limits of large and small anisotropy (for the pure vacuum case) and large spatial volume or small anisotropy (for the case with a positive cosmological constant) are considered. For the pure vacuum case we find no rapidly oscillating semiclassical components in the wave function, and hence do not recover lorentzian space-time as a prediction of the no-boundary proposal. For the case with a cosmological constant the wave function does contain rapidly oscillating components and thus predicts ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We compare the existing observational data on type Ia supernovae with the evolutions of the Universe predicted by a one-parameter family of tachyon models which we have introduced recently [Phys. Rev. D 69, 123512 (2004)]. Among the set of the trajectories of the model which are compatible with the data there is a consistent subset for which the Universe ends up in a new type of soft cosmological singularity dubbed big brake. This opens up yet another scenario for the future history of the Universe besides the one predicted by the standard #LAMBDA#CDM model.

CERN Document Server

By employing the higher dimensional version of the Wu-Yang Ansatz we obtain magnetically charged new black hole solutions in the Einstein-Yang-Mills-Lovelock (EYML) theory with second ($\\alpha2$) and third ($\\alpha3$)order parameters. These parameters, where $\\alpha2$ is also known as the Gauss-Bonnet parameter, modify the horizons (and the resulting thermodynamical properties) of the black holes. It is shown also that asymptotically, these parameters contribute to an effective cosmological constant -without cosmological constant- so that the solution behaves de-Sitter (Anti de-Sitter) like.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The geodesic equation for space-like objects moving along a circular trajectory in the expanding universe is considered. Our analysis leads to the conclusion that ancient cosmological tachyons may exist in the present-day world and may play an important role in (i) the internal structure of hadrons conceived as nonlocal objects called strings, (ii) the T-symmetry violation observed in the weak K-decays, (iii) the multidimensional unified field theories of Kaluza-Klein type, and in (iv) the classical models of charged particles which combine ordinary electromagnetism with a self-interacting version of Newtonian gravity. 18 refs.

CERN Document Server

We address the deviations of the scaling relations of elliptical galaxies from the expectations based on the virial theorem and homology, including the "tilt" of the "fundamental plane" and the steep decline of density with mass. We show that such tilts result from dissipative major mergers once the gas fraction available for dissipation declines with progenitor mass, and derive the scaling properties of the progenitors. We use hydrodynamical simulations to quantify the effects of major mergers with different gas fractions on the structural properties of galaxies. The tilts are driven by the differential shrinkage of the effective stellar radius as a function of dissipation in the merger, while the correlated smaller enhancements in internal velocity and stellar mass keep the slope of the velocity-stellar mass relation near V \\pr M_*^{1/4}. The progenitors match a straightforward model of disc formation in LCDM haloes. Their total to stellar ...

CERN Document Server

The study of extragalactic planetary nebulae (EPN) is a rapidly expanding field. The advent of powerful new instrumentation such as the PN spectrograph has led to an avalanche of new EPN discoveries both within and between galaxies. We now have thousands of EPN detections in a heterogeneous selection of nearby galaxies and their local environments, dwarfing the combined galactic detection efforts of the last century. Key scientific motivations driving this rapid growth in EPN research and discovery have been the use of the PNLF as a standard candle, as dynamical tracers of their host galaxies and dark matter and as probes of Galactic evolution. This is coupled with the basic utility of PN as laboratories of nebula physics and the consequent comparison with theory where population differences, abundance variations and star formation history within and between stellar systems informs both stellar and galactic evolution. Here ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Climate change represents the largest social dilemma humans have ever faced, where individual actors maximise their personal gain by emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere even though this is detrimental to the collective global good. Cooperation on a global scale is urgently required if we are to overcome this problem. However, this is difficult to achieve because cooperators pay the cost of reducing emissions while any benefits are shared between cooperators and free-riders alike. In a risk-free, rational world cooperative behaviour can be promoted through mechanisms that increase the benefit of cooperating relative to free-riding, such as rewards or sanctions. In reality, however, outcomes are seldom certain and humans rarely behave rationally when confronted with risky prospects...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose - This paper uses data about the challenges and difficulties confronting organisations and leaders to advance a dualized meaning of corporate leadership in the context of a developing country. The purpose is to describe a leadership frame that is locally contextualised, thereby bringing conceptualisation and thought closer to action, reified reality and applicability. Design/methodology/approach - This research was designed as a series of three studies starting from an applied/interventionist standpoint. The first study used data from applied diagnostic interventions, the second used qualitative interviews and the third used open-ended questionnaires. Data were collected from 25 Ghanaian organisations and 29 corporate executives. Findings - Drawing on a range of everyday issues suc...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Environmental and security concerns are stimulating global interest in hydrogen power, renewable energy, and advanced transportation technologies, but no significant movement away from oil and a carbon-based world economy is expected soon. Over the longer-term, however, a transition from fossil fuels to a non-carbon-based economy will likely occur, affecting the type of environment future generations may encounter. Key challenges will face the world's energy industry over the next few decades to ensure a smooth transition-challenges which will require government and industry solutions beginning as early as today. This paper identifies four critical challenges in energy and the choices which will have to be made on how best to confront growing pollution caused by fossil fuels and how to facilitate an eventual revolutionary-like transition to a non-carbon-based global economy.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Several challenges currently exist for rational design of functional tissue engineering constructs within the host, which include appropriate cellular integration, avoidance of bacterial infections, and low inflammatory stimulation. This work describes a novel class of biodegradable, amphiphilic polyanhydrides with many desirable protein-material and cell-material attributes capable of confronting these challenges. The biocompatible amphiphilic polymer films were shown to release laminin in a stable and controlled manner, promote neural cell adhesion and differentiation, and evade inflammatory responses of the immune system. Using high-throughput approaches, it was shown that polymer chemistry plays an integral role in controlling cell?film interactions, which suggests that these polyanhyd...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

AbstractThe Galaxy package empowers regular users to perform rich DNA sequence analysis through a much-needed and user-friendly graphical web interface.See research article...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

The Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect gives a measure of the thermal energy and electron pressure in groups and clusters of galaxies. In the near future SZ surveys will map hundreds of systems, shedding light on the pressure distribution in the systems. The thermal energy is related to the total mass of a system of galaxies, but it is only a projection that is observed through the SZ effect. A model for the 3D distribution of pressure is needed to link the SZ signal to the total mass of the system. In this work we construct an empirical model for the 2D and 3D SZ profile, and compare it to a set of realistic high resolution SPH simulations of galaxy clusters and groups, and to a stacked SZ profile for massive clusters derived from WMAP data. Furthermore, we combine observed temperature profiles with dark matter potentials to yield an additional constraint, under the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. We find a very tight ...

CERN Document Server

This paper presents new images and spectroscopy of NGC 34 (Mrk 938) obtained with the du Pont 2.5-m and Baade 6.5-m telescopes at Las Campanas, plus photometry of an HST archival V image. This Mv = -21.6 galaxy has often been classified as a Seyfert 2, yet recently published infrared spectra suggest a dominant central starburst. We find that the galaxy features a single nucleus, a main spheroid containing a blue central disk, and tidal tails indicative of two former disk galaxies. These galaxies appear to have completed merging. The remnant shows three clear optical signs that the merger was gas-rich ("wet") and accompanied by a starburst: (1) It sports a rich system of young star clusters, of which 87 have absolute magnitudes -10.0 > Mv > -15.4. Five clusters with available spectra have ages in the range 0.1-1.0 Gyr, photometric masses between 2x10^6 and 2x10^7 Msun, and are gravitationally bound ...

CERN Document Server

Observations of anisotropies in the brightness temperature of the 21 cm line of neutral hydrogen from the period before reionization would shed light on the dawn of the first stars and galaxies. In this paper, we use large-scale semi-numerical simulations to analyse the imprint on the 21 cm signal of spatial fluctuations in the Lyman-alpha flux arising from the clustering of the first galaxies. We show that an experiment like the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) can probe this signal at the onset of reionization giving us important information about the UV emission spectra of the first stars and characterizing their host galaxies. SKA-pathfinders with ~ 10% of the full collecting area should be capable of making a statistical detection of the 21 cm power spectrum at redshifts $z\\lesssim 20$. We then show that the SKA should be able to measure the three dimensional power spectrum as a function of the angle with the line of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The diffuse background light in the Coma cluster is measured using isodensity tracings of B, G, V, and R photographic plates taken with the Palomar 1.2-m Schmidt telescope. The isodensity contours are calibrated using the star profile derived by Kormendy (1973). Between 4 and 14 arc min from the center, the surface brightness of the diffuse light decreases from approximately 26 to approximately 28 G magnitudes arc sec"-"2. The total magnitude in this annulus is G = 11.22, which is approximately 45 percent of the light in galaxies alone, or approximately 30 percent of the total. This does little to alleviate the ''missing mass'' problem. The isodensity contours and the equivalent profile of the diffuse light closely parallel the distribution of light in galaxies, implying no strong mass segregation. However, the background light appears to be bluer than the galaxies. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the background ...

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This review covers research done at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics. The research areas mentioned are as follows: star evolution, supernovae, and nucleosynthesis; stellar atmospheres and winds; galaxies and the interstellar medium; and high-energy astrophysics.

CERN Document Server

NGC 2770 has been the host of three supernovae of Type Ib during the last 10 years, SN 1999eh, SN 2007uy and SN 2008D. SN 2008D attracted special attention due to the serendipitous discovery of an associated X-ray transient. In this paper, we study the properties of NGC 2770 and specifically the three SN sites to investigate whether this galaxy is in any way peculiar to cause a high frequency of SNe Ib. We model the global SED of the galaxy from broadband data and derive a star-formation and SN rate comparable to the values of the Milky Way. We further study the galaxy using longslit spectroscopy covering the major axis and the three SN sites. From the spectroscopic study we find subsolar metallicities for the SN sites, a high extinction and a moderate star-formation rate. In a high resolution spectrum, we also detect diffuse interstellar bands in the line-of-sight towards SN 2008. A comparison of NGC 2770 to the global ...

Science.gov (United States)

Space Telescope is six years old today! Tomorrow's picture: In the Center of the Whirlpool | Archive | Index | Search | Glossary | Education | About APOD | See Explanation....

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The expected interstellar antiproton spectrum arising from cosmic-ray interactions in the Galaxy is recalculated, and the modulation of both antiprotons and protons is calculated using a two-dimensional modulation model incorporating gradient and curvature drifts and a wavy current sheet as well as the usual diffusion, convection, and energy-loss effects. Significant differences in the antiproton/proton ratio for different solar magnetic field polarities are predicted as well as a 'low-energy' component for antiprotons below about 1 GeV. 28 refs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We derive stellar masses, ages, and star formation histories (SFHs) of massive early-type galaxies in the z = 1.237 RDCS1252.9-2927 cluster and compare them with those measured in a similarly mass-selected sample of field contemporaries drawn from the Great Observatories Origin Deep Survey South Field. Robust estimates of these parameters are obtained by comparing a large grid of composite stellar population models with 8-9 band photometry in the rest-frame near-ultraviolet, optical, and IR, thus sampling the entire relevant domain of emission of the different stellar populations. Additionally, we present new, deep U-band photometry of both fields, giving access to the critical far-ultraviolet rest frame, in order to empirically constrain the dependence of the most recent star formation processes on the environment. We also analyze the morphological properties of both samples to examine the dependence of their scaling relations on their mass and environment. We ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A sum-over-histories generalized quantum theory is developed for homogeneous minisuperspace type A Bianchi cosmological models, focusing on the particular example of the classically recollapsing Bianchi type-IX universe. The decoherence functional for such universes is exhibited. We show how the probabilities of decoherent sets of alternative, coarse-grained histories of these model universes can be calculated. We consider in particular the probabilities for classical evolution defined by a suitable coarse graining. For a restricted class of initial conditions and coarse grainings we exhibit the approximate decoherence of alternative histories in which the universe behaves classically and those in which it does not. For these situations we show that the probability is near unity for the universe to recontract classically if it expands classically. We also determine the relative probabilities of quasiclassical trajectories for initial states of WKB form, recovering ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

New surface photometry of all known elliptical galaxies in the Virgo cluster is combined with published data to derive composite profiles of brightness, ellipticity, position angle, isophote shape, and color over large radius ranges. These provide enough leverage to show that Sersic log I #propor to# r "1"/"n functions fit the brightness profiles I(r) of nearly all ellipticals remarkably well over large dynamic ranges. Therefore, we can confidently identify departures from these profiles that are diagnostic of galaxy formation. Two kinds of departures are seen at small radii. All 10 of our ellipticals with total absolute magnitudes M_V_T #<=# -21.66 have cuspy cores-"missing light"-at small radii. Cores are well known and naturally scoured by binary black holes (BHs) formed in dissipationless ("dry") mergers. All 17 ellipticals with -21.54 #<=# M_V_T #<=# -15.53 do not have cores. We find a new distinct component in these ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We present an abundance analysis based on high-resolution spectra of 10 stars selected to span the full range in metallicity in the Ursa Minor (UMi) dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy. We find that [Fe/H] for the sample stars ranges from -1.35 to -3.10 dex. Combining our sample with previously published work for a total of 16 luminous UMi giants, we establish the trends of abundance ratios [X/Fe] as functions of [Fe/H] for 15 elements. In key cases, particularly for the #alpha#-elements, these trends resemble those for stars in the outer part of the Galactic halo, especially at the lowest metallicities probed. The neutron-capture elements show an r-process distribution over the full range of Fe metallicity reached in this dSph galaxy. This suggests that the duration of star formation in the UMi dSph was shorter than in other dSph galaxies. The derived ages for a larger sample of UMi stars with more uncertain metallicities also ...

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The existence of a cosmic neutrino background - the analogue of the cosmic microwave background - is a fundamental prediction of standard big bang cosmology. Up to now, the observational evidence for its existence is rather indirect and rests entirely on cosmological observations of, e.g., the light elemental abundances, the anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background, and the large scale distribution of matter. Here, we review more direct, weak interaction based detection techniques for the cosmic neutrino background in the present epoch and in our local neighbourhood. We show that, with current technology, all proposals are still off by some orders of magnitude in sensitivity to lead to a guaranteed detection of the relic neutrinos. The most promising laboratory search, based on neutrino capture on beta decaying nuclei, may be done in future experiments designed to measure the neutrino mass through decay kinematics. (orig.)

CERN Document Server

In this work we investigate the multivariate statistical description of the matter distribution in the nonlinear regime. We introduce the multivariate Edgeworth expansion of the lognormal distribution to model the cosmological matter field. Such a technique could be useful to generate and reconstruct three-dimensional nonlinear cosmological density fields with the information of higher order correlation functions. We explicitly calculate the expansion up to third order in perturbation theory making use of the multivariate Hermite polynomials up to sixth order. The probability distribution function for the matter field includes at this level the two-point, the three-point and the four-point correlation functions. We use the hierarchical model to formulate the higher order correlation functions based on combinations of the two-point correlation function. This permits us to find compact expressions for the skewness and kurtosis terms of the ...

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Within the framework of the Bianchi type-IX homogeneous space, we set up a system of coupled equations for the cosmic scale factors, scalar field, and radiative energy density. At the tree level, the equations are written in a self-consistent, Hartree-Fock form. For phi/sup 4/ theory, the system of nine first-order differential equations is solved numerically for a varying ratio of the energy of anisotropy to the vacuum energy. As the vacuum energy increases, there appears to be less reheating, since the energy of anisotropy is more efficiently converted into isotropic expansion. If the energy of anisotropy is large enough, the inflationary phase is prevented. In this case, a series of cosmological phase transitions will take place each time the square of the effective mass changes its sign.

CERN Document Server

A new mathematical framework is formulated to derive the effective equations of motion for the constrained quantum system which possesses an internal clock. In the realm close to classical behavior, the quantum evolution is approximated by a finite system of coupled but ordinary differential equations adhered to the weakly imposed Hamiltonian constraint. For the simplified version of loop quantum cosmology in the Bianchi I model with a free massless scalar filed, the resulting effective equations of motion affirm the bouncing scenario predicted by the previous studies: The big bang singularity is resolved and replaced by the big bounces, which take place up to three times, once in each diagonal direction, whenever the directional density approaches the critical value in the regime of Planckian density. It is also revealed that back-reaction arises from the quantum corrections and modifies the precise value of the directional density at the bouncing epoch. ...

CERN Document Server

In Randall-Sundrum-type brane-world cosmologies, the dynamical equations on the three-brane differ from the general relativity equations by terms that carry the effects of imbedding and of the free gravitational field in the five-dimensional bulk. Instead of starting from an ansatz for the metric, we derive the covariant nonlinear dynamical equations for the gravitational and matter fields on the brane. The local energy-momentum corrections are significant only at very high energies, and in this regime we show that fluid world-lines have a non-gravitational acceleration off the brane. The imprint on the brane of the nonlocal gravitational field in the bulk is more subtle, and we provide a careful decomposition of this effect. The nonlocal energy density determines the tidal acceleration in the off-brane direction, and can oppose singularity formation via the generalized Raychaudhuri equation. Unlike the nonlocal energy density and flux, the nonlocal anisotropic ...

CERN Document Server

Suppose an astronomer is equipped with a device capable of detecting emissions -- whether they be electromagnetic, gravitational, or neutrino -- from transient sources distributed throughout the cosmos. Because of source rate density evolution and variation of cosmological volume elements, the sources first detected when the machine is switched on are likely to be ones in the high-redshift universe; as observation time increases, rarer, more local, events will be found. We characterize the observer's evolving record of events in terms of a "probability event horizon", converging on the observer from great distances at enormous speed, and illustrate it by simulating neutron star birth events distributed throughout the cosmos. As an initial application of the concept, we determine the approach of this horizon for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) by fitting to redshift data. The event rates required to fit the model are consistent with the proposed link between core-collapse ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Photographic surface photometry in the BV system was carried out two Southern SO's galaxies, NGC 2855 and NGC 6771. B and V isophote maps were obtained as well as geometric and integrated parameters as position angles, inclination, diameters, magnitudes and integrated colors. Each luminosity profile was decomposed into bulge and disk contributions, each component being fitted to convenient laws. For NGC 2855 de Vaucouleurs law described well the bulge whereas the disk showed an exponential distribution. For NGC 6771 the barred nuclear bulge as well as the disk was best fitted by exponential laws. Additional luminosity components due to an inner fragmented ring were identified in NGC 2855 and due to both a quite prominent lens and well defined ring in NGC 6771. In this galaxy the minor axis, oriented almost edge-on, present clues of another luminosity component besides the bulge and the thin disk. For both galaxies the disk ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The propagating of tachyons in an expanding universe is discussed. It is shown that a primordial tachyon in the big-bang universe cannot survive unless it had very large energy initially. In an indefinitely expanding universe the tachyon trajectory turns back in time. This time barrier is found to exist even in the quantum mechanical discussion of tachyons. This property is used to set limits on the mass of a tachyon. The possible astronomical checks on the hypothesis that neutrinos or photons may be tachyonic are also discussed. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We demonstrate the existence of shear-free cosmological models with rotation and expansion which support inflationary scenarios. The corresponding metrics belong to the family of spatially homogeneous models with the geometry of the closed universe (Bianchi type IX). We show that the global vorticity does not prevent inflation and can even accelerate it.

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The baryogenesis process in the early hot universe is investigated by means of relativistic kinetic theory. An exact solution to the kinetic equations for supermassive bosons serves to refine previous results: the optimum baryon-production domain is now complemented by bosons of low mass, thus removing the cosmological lower bound that had limited the mass of superheavy bosons. 14 references.

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It is proven that there do not exist any Bianchi type-IX universes which expand for an infinite time, provided only that the matter satisfies the dominant energy condition and has non-negative average pressure (i.e., a non-negative trace of the spatial projection of the stress-energy tensor). This generalizes a proof recently given by us for the case of diagonal Bianchi type-IX solutions.

CERN Document Server

We study the dynamics of the scalar tensor cosmological model in the presence of tachyon field. In an alternative approach, in two exponential and power law form of the scalar field functions in the model, field equations are solved by simultaneously best fitting the model parameters with the most recent observational data. This approach gives us an observationally verified interpretation of the dynamics of the universe. We then discuss the best fitted of equation of state parameter, the statefinder parameters and the reconstructed scalar field in the model.

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We analyze the behavior of some Bianchi type-IX, mixmaster cosmological models possessing extra dimensions. We find that, unlike the three-dimensional case, they do not exhibit chaotic behavior on approach to their initial singularity. A finite sequence of stochastic mixmaster oscillations is, in general, replaced by monotonic contraction of the three-space scale factors on approach to a singularity whenever additional spatial dimensions exist with the metric form we consider.

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We apply Hawking's proposal for the initial state of the Universe to a rotating Bianchi type-IX minisuperspace model in order to examine the problem of rotation in a closed cosmology. Using the Feynman path-integral techniques instead of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, we are able to say that for a small angular velocity the closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model is indeed the most probable initial state for the Universe.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spatially homogeneous space-times of Bianchi type IX are considered. A general scheme for the derivation of exact solutions of Einstein's equations corresponding to perfect fluid plus pure radiation fields is outlined. Some simple rotating Bianchi type IX cosmological models are presented. The details of these solutions are also discussed. 9 refs. (author).

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The determination of relative abundances of helium and deuterium in Jupiter and Saturn provides estimates of the primordial abundances of these elements. The values so inferred can be compared with theoretical predictions of the standard model of the big-bang theory as a test of the model and suggest either that deuterium is more efficiently consumed in subsequent nucleosynthesis than hitherto assumed, or that the standard big-bang model should be revised in order for there to have been less production of primordial helium.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this short note we report our finding that within the context of alternative version of the Brans-Dicke theory (for #omega# #>=# -3/2, where #omega# is the Brans-Dicke parameter) the anisotropic Bianchi type cosmological models evolve towards the de Sitter isotropic universe. In short it is shown that during inflation there is no difference between the Brans-Dicke theory and General Relativity. Our result can thus be viewed as a generalization of the Wald's theorem for General Relativity. (author). 5 refs.

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We present a set of exact solutions for quantum Bianchi type-IX anisotropic cosmological models (including the Taub model) of the form {Psi}={ital We}{sup {minus}{ital S}}. These solutions are spread over all values of anisotropy near the singularity, but at larger values of the radius of the universe they are strongly peaked around the {ital k}=+1 Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model.

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We consider the pre-Big-Bang scenario with a massive axion field which starts to dominate energy density when oscillating in an instanton-induced potential and subsequently reheats the universe as it decays into photons, thus creating adiabatic CMB perturbations. We find that the fluctuations in the axion field can give rise to a nearly flat spectrum of adiabatic perturbations with a spectral tilt {delta}n in the range -0.1< or approx. {delta}n < or approx. 1.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We consider the problem of rotation in a homogeneous Bianchi type IX cosmological model. Studying the Wheeler-De Witt equation corresponding to this minisuperspace, and adopting a particular choice of the factor ordering, we are able to find a particular solution which is strongly peaked about isotropy. This result confirms all the previous investigations in this field, and suggests the conclusion that the machian nature of our universe is the natural, i.e. most likely, outcome of the Planck epoch. (orig.).

CERN Document Server

We present a set of structural parameters for the central parts of 57 early-type galaxies observed with the Planetary Camera of the Hubble Space Telescope. These parameters are based on a new empirical law that successfully characterizes the centers of early type galaxies. This empirical law assumes that the surface brightness profile is a combination of two power laws with different slopes gamma and beta for the inner and outer regions. Conventional structural parameters such as core radius and central surface brightness are replaced by break radius r_b, where the transition between power-law slopes takes place, and surface brightness mu_b at that radius. An additional parameter alpha describes the sharpness of the break. The structural parameters are derived using a chi-squared minimization process applied to the mean surface brightness profiles. The resulting model profiles generally give very good agreement to the observed profiles out to ...

CERN Document Server

We present deep optical long-slit spectra of 17 edge-on spiral galaxies of intermediate to late morphological type, mostly parallel to their major axes and in a few cases parallel to the minor axes.The line-of-sight stellar kinematics are obtained from the stellar absorption lines using the improvedc ross-correlation technique. In general, the stellar kinematics are regular and can be traced well into the disc-dominated region. The mean stellar velocity curves are far from solid-body, indicating that the effect of dust extinction is not large. The line-of-sight stellar disc velocity dispersion correlates with the galaxy maximum rotational velocity, but detailed modeling is necessary to establish whether this represents a physical relation. In four spirals with a boxy- or peanut-shaped bulge we are able to detect asymmetric velocity distributions, having a common signature with projected radius in the mean line-of-sight velocity and the $h_{3}$ ...

CERN Document Server

We discuss the estimation of galaxy correlation properties in several volume limited samples, in different sky regions, obtained from the Fourth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The small scale properties are characterized through the determination of the nearest neighbor probability distribution. By using a very conservative statistical analysis, in the range of scales [0.5,~30] Mpc/h we detect power-law correlations in the conditional density in redshift space, with an exponent \\gamma=1.0 \\pm 0.1. This behavior is stable in all different samples we considered thus it does not depend on galaxy luminosity. In the range of scales [~30,~100] Mpc/h we find evidences for systematic unaveraged fluctuations and we discuss in detail the problems induced by finite volume effects on the determination of the conditional density. We conclude that in such range of scales there is an evidence for a smaller power-law index of the conditional ...

CERN Document Server

We present results of near--IR long-slit spectroscopy in the J and K bands of the Seyfert 2 galaxies NGC 2110 and Circinus, investigating the gaseous distribution, excitation, reddening and kinematics. In NGC 2110, the emission line ratio [FeII]/Pa beta increases towards the nucleus (to ~ 7). The nuclear [Fe II]1.257 (microns) and Pa beta lines are broader (FWHM ~ 500 km/s) than the H2 (2.121) line (FWHM ~ 300 km/s). Both these results suggest that shocks, driven by the radio jet, are an important source of excitation of [Fe II]. The H2 excitation appears to be dominated by X-rays from the nucleus. In Circinus, both [FeII]/Pa beta and H2/Br gamma decrease from ~ 2 at 4 arcsec from the nucleus to nuclear values of ~ 0.6 and ~ 1, respectively, suggesting that the starburst dominates the nuclear excitation, while the AGN dominates the excitation further out (r > 2 arcsec). For both galaxies, the gaseous kinematics are consistent with circular ...

CERN Document Server

We present deep two-dimensional spectra of 22 candidate and confirmed Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at redshifts 2galaxy formation scenarios postulating that LBGs occur only at the bottom of the potential wells of massive host halos; rather, they support ``collisional starburst'' ...

CERN Document Server

Non-axisymmetric forces are presented for 107 spiral galaxies using the 2 Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) images. We apply both Cartesian integration and a polar grid integration utilizing a limited number of azimuthal Fourier components of density. We found that bar strength is independent of the method used to evaluate the gravitational potential. However, the polar method is more suitable for weak and noisy images. Bar strength was found to be sensitive to the Hubble-type dependent scale height of the disk, which has been ignored in the previous studies. On the other hand, the method is rather insensitive to the vertical model of the disk, as long as a same vertical dispersion is assumed, or to the boxy/peanut shaped structure, studied in terms of non-constant vertical scale height along the disk. In the near-IR most galaxies in our sample show non-axisymmetric forces in some level, and 40 percent of them have bars in a sense that they have ...

CERN Document Server

We present a HST/STIS spectroscopic and optical/radio imaging study of the Seyfert NGC 2110 aiming to measure the dynamics and understand the nature of the nuclear outflow in the galaxy. Previous HST studies have revealed the presence of a linear structure in the Narrow-Line Region (NLR) aligned with the radio jet. We show that this structure is strongly accelerated, probably by the jet, but is unlikely to be entrained in the jet flow. The ionisation properties of this structure are consistent with photoionisation of dusty, dense gas by the active nucleus. We present a plausible geometrical model for the NLR, bringing together various components of the nuclear environment of the galaxy. We highlight the importance of the circum-nuclear disc in determining the appearance of the emission line gas and the morphology of the jet. From the dynamics of the emission line gas, we place constraints on the accelerating mechanism of the outflow and discuss ...

CERN Document Server

We present physical properties of two submillimeter selected gravitationally lensed sources, identified in the Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey. These submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) have flux densities > 100 mJy at 500 um, but are not visible in existing optical imaging. We fit light profiles to each component of the lensing systems in Spitzer IRAC 3.6 and 4.5 um data and successfully disentangle the foreground lens from the background source in each case, providing important constraints on the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the background SMG at rest-frame optical-near-infrared wavelengths. The SED fits show that these two SMGs have high dust obscuration with Av ~4 to 5 and star formation rates of ~100 M_sun/yr. They have low gas fractions and low dynamical masses compared to 850 um selected galaxies.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Observed parameter scaling laws show that lower-luminosity ellipticals have higher central densities and smaller core radii; if they formed by mergers, they are very unlike their progenitors. In the extreme case of M32, the central surface brightness is mu0 less than about 12 V mag/sq arcsec and the core radius is r(c) less than about 0.001 kpc, while plausible progenitor disk galaxies have mu0 of about 22 V mag/sq arcsec and r(c) of about 0.5 kpc. M32 must have formed by a dissipative collapse, whether or not a merger was involved. The cooling diagram also shows that low-luminosity ellipticals formed with more dissipation than high-luminosity ellipticals. Thus the merger picture of galalxy formation requires essential aspects of the dissipative collapse picture. 38 refs.

CERN Document Server

Prompted by work on the buckling instability in barred spiral galaxies, much effort has been devoted lately to the study of boxy/peanut-shaped (B/PS) bulges. Here, we present new bar diagnostics for edge-on spiral galaxies based on periodic orbits calculations and hydrodynamical simulations. Both approaches provide reliable ways to identify bars and their orientations in edge-on systems. We also present the results of an observational search for bars in a large sample of edge-on spirals with and without B/PS bulges. We show that most B/PS bulges are due to the presence of a thick bar viewed edge-on while only a few may be due to accretion. This strongly supports the bar-buckling mechanism for the formation of B/PS bulges.

Science.gov (United States)

WR 104 is the prototype for a small but growing group of stars that present the remarkably striking appearance of pinwheels. High resolution images of WR 104 show the (apparently) face-on spiral turning with an 8 month period. The pinwheel is assumed to be composed of dust produced via colliding winds in a low-inclination WR+OB binary. These assumptions have been very successful in modeling the imaging, but remain largely untested by spectroscopy. Strong motivation for further study of this system has emerged. Recent theory suggests that some gamma-ray bursts (GRB's) are core-collapse supernovae viewed nearly pole-on. The WC class Wolf-Rayet star in WR 104 is the type of star thought to be a possible GRB progenitor. If the orbit (and thus stellar rotation axes) are pole-on, the effects on Earth's biosphere could be significant. Confrontation of the face-on colliding-wind binary model with eight years of spectroscopy, offering full phase coverage of WR 104, is ...

Science.gov (United States)

This paper addresses the major issues beginning teachers face in their first postings to rural areas in Australia. The issues go beyond pedagogy. Beginning teachers need to understand social factors affecting rural communities so they can link lessons to the realities experienced by students. Geographic isolation affects the provision of education in terms of time taken to travel, cost, terrain, and technology. Rural communities have groups that are socially isolated from each other and from the staff in schools. In order to teach effectively, teachers need to be aware of the social context of the community in which they live and work. Teachers in rural areas suffer from professional isolation and often confront teaching situations for which they have had little formal preparation. Communities in remote places often move quickly to adopt technological means to overcome their isolation. Teachers in rural areas need to identify and promote the media skills of ...

CERN Document Server

We investigate the signatures of antimatter in cosmic rays that would result from annihilations of the scalar dark matter candidate of the Inert Doublet Model. We consider three benchmark candidates, all consistent with the WMAP cosmic abundance and existing direct detection experiments, and confront the predictions of the model with the recent PAMELA, ATIC and HESS data. For a light IDM WIMP candidate, M_{DM} = 10 GeV, we argue that the positron and antiproton fluxes are large, but consistent with expected backgrounds, unless there is an enhancement in the local density of dark matter. For an IDM WIMP candidate with M_{DM} = 70 GeV, the contribution is lower than the expected backgrounds unless there is a large boost factor. However, the candidate is enable to explain the excesses observed by the recent experiments. Finally, for an IDM WIMP candidate with M_{DM}=10 TeV, it is possible to fit the PAMELA excess, while satisfying the anti-protons data, but, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oil and gas companies operate in many countries around the world. Their exploration and production (E&P) operations generate many kinds of waste that must be carefully and appropriately managed. Some of these wastes are inherently part of the E&P process; examples are drilling wastes and produced water. Other wastes are generic industrial wastes that are not unique to E&P activities, such as painting wastes and scrap metal. Still other wastes are associated with the presence of workers at the site; these include trash, food waste, and laundry wash water. In some host countries, mature environmental regulatory programs are in place that provide for various waste management options on the basis of the characteristics of the wastes and the environmental settings of the sites. In other countries, the waste management requirements and authorized options are stringent, even though the infrastructure to meet the requirements may not be available yet. In some cases, ...

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One of the principal problems confronting the remediation of Bear Creek Valley is the cleanup of contaminated groundwater. The S-3 Site is one of the locations in the valley where groundwater is most contaminated, and contamination from the S-3 Site has also caused extensive contamination of downgradient groundwater. This groundwater plume, therefore, has a high priority in the Bear Creek Valley remedial process. Pumping and treating groundwater was identified early in the feasibility study as a likely remedial alternative for the S-3 Site groundwater plume. The hydrology and geochemistry of the plume are extremely complex. There is a high degree of uncertainty in the current understanding of how the aquifer will react physically and chemically to pumping, making evaluation of a pump-and-treat alternative impractical at the present time. Before a pump-and-treat alternative can be evaluated, its technical practicability, effectiveness, and projected cost must be ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Global angular momentum balance suggests that the neutron stars in Be/X-ray binaries are not spinning in equilibrium. This requires an X-ray lifetime ''approx <'' 10"5 yr, and suggests that there are many 'dead' Be/X-ray binaries in the Galaxy. Some of these may be turned up as millisecond radio pulsars with Be star companions. (author).

CERN Document Server

The galaxies of the Local Group that are currently forming stars can serve as our laboratories for understanding star formation and the evolution of massive stars. In this talk I will summarize what I think we've learned about these topics over the past few decades of research, and briefly mention what I think needs to happen next.

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A new era for the field of Galactic structure is about to be opened with the advent of wide-area digital sky surveys. In this article, the author reviews the status and prospects for research for 3 new ground-based surveys: the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the Deep Near-Infrared Survey of the Southern Sky (DENIS) and the Two Micron AU Sky Survey (2MASS). These surveys will permit detailed studies of Galactic structure and stellar populations in the Galaxy with unprecedented detail. Extracting the information, however, will be challenging.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We consider spatially homogeneous (but generally non-isotropic) cosmologies in the recently proposed Horava-Lifshitz gravity and compare them to those of general relativity using Hamiltonian methods. In all cases, the problem is described by an effective point particle moving in a potential well with exponentially steep walls. Focusing on the closed-space cosmological model (Bianchi type IX), the mixmaster dynamics is now completely dominated by the quadratic Cotton tensor potential term for a very small volume of the universe. Unlike general relativity, where the evolution toward the initial singularity always exhibits chaotic behavior with alternating Kasner epochs, the anisotropic universe in Horava-Lifshitz gravity (with parameter lambda > 1/3) is described by a particle moving in a frozen potential well with fixed (but arbitrary) energy E. Alternating Kasner epochs still provide a good description of the early universe for very ...

CERN Document Server

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 ...

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We re-examine the process of loop quantization for flat isotropic models in cosmology. In particular, we contrast different inequivalent `loop quantizations' of these simple models through their respective successes and limitations and assess whether they can lead to any viable physical description. We propose three simple requirements which any such admissible quantum model should satisfy: i) independence from any auxiliary structure, such as a fiducial interval/cell introduced to define the phase space when integrating over non-compact manifolds; ii) existence of a well defined classical limit and iii) provide a sensible "Planck scale" where quantum gravitational effects become manifest. We show that even when it may seem that one can have several possible loop quantizations, these physical requirements considerably narrow down the consistent choices. Apart for the so called improved dynamics of LQC, none of the other available inequivalent loop quantizations ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The quantum behavior of the vacuum Bianchi type-IX universe with the cosmological constant is investigated in terms of the Ashtekar variables. An exact solution to the quantum Hamiltonian constraint in the holomorphic representation is given. This solution reduces to the Hartle-Hawking wave function in the spatially isotropic sector and extends in the triad representation to the classically forbidden region where the determinant of the spatial metric becomes negative. The analysis of the quantum Robertson-Walker universe indicates that if the superspace is extended to such a classically forbidden region, the holomorphic representation picks up some restricted class of solutions in general. This observation leads to a new ansatz on the boundary condition of the Universe. In particular, the behavior of the Lorentzian and Euclidean WKB orbits corresponding to the solution suggests a new picture on the semiclassical behavior of the quantum Universe: that the Universe ...

CERN Document Server

We present a showcase for deriving bounds on the neutrino masses from laboratory experiments and cosmological observations. We compare the frequentist and Bayesian bounds on the effective electron neutrino mass m_beta which the KATRIN neutrino mass experiment is expected to obtain, using both an analytical likelihood function and Monte Carlo simulations of KATRIN. Assuming a uniform prior in m_beta, we find that a null result yields an upper bound of about 0.17 eV at 90% confidence in the Bayesian analysis, to be compared with the frequentist KATRIN reference value of 0.20 eV. This is a significant difference when judged relative to the systematic and statistical uncertainties of the experiment. On the other hand, an input m_beta=0.35 eV, which is the KATRIN 5sigma detection threshold, would be detected at virtually the same level. Finally, we combine the simulated KATRIN results with cosmological data in the form of present (post-WMAP) and ...

CERN Document Server

Some models for quantum gravity (QG) violate Lorentz invariance and predict an energy dependence of the speed of light, leading to a dispersion of high-energy gamma-ray signals that travel over cosmological distances. Limits on the dispersion from short-duration substructures observed in gamma-rays emitted by gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) at cosmological distances have provided interesting bounds on Lorentz invariance violation (LIV). Recent observations of unprecedentedly fast flares in the very-high energy gamma-ray emission of the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) Mkn 501 in 2005 and PKS 2155-304 in 2006 resulted in the most constraining limits on LIV from light-travel observations, approaching the Planck mass scale, at which QG effects are assumed to become important. I review the current status of LIV searches using GRBs and AGN flare events, and discuss limitations of light-travel time analyses and prospects for future instruments in the gamma-ray ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We find instanton/cosmological solutions with biaxial Bianchi-IX symmetry, involving nontrivial spatial dependence of the CP{sup 1}-CP{sup 2}-sigma-models coupled to gravity. Such manifolds arise in N = 1, d 4 supergravity with supermatter actions and hence the solutions can be embedded in supergravity. There is a natural way in which the standard coordinates of these manifolds can be mapped into the four-dimensional physical space. Due to its special symmetry, we start with CP{sup 2} with its corresponding scalar ansatz; this further requires the spacetime to be SU(2) x U(1)-invariant. The problem then reduces to a set of ordinary differential equations whose analytical properties and solutions are discussed. Among the solutions there is a surprising, special family of exact solutions which owe their existence to the nontrivial topology of CP{sup 2} and are in 1-1 correspondence with matter-free Bianchi-IX metrics. These solutions can also be found by coupling ...

CERN Document Server

A decreasing gravitational constant, G, coupled with angular momentum conservation is expected to increrase a planetary semimajor axis, a, as \\dot a/a=-\\dot G/G. Analysis of lunar laser ranging data strongly limits such temporal variations and constrains a local (~1 AU) scale expansion of the solar system as \\dot a/a=-\\dot G/G =-(4\\pm9)\\times10^{-13} yr^{-1}, including that due to cosmological effects.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We study an analytical solution to the Einstein's equations in 2 + 1-dimensions. The space-time is dynamical and has a line symmetry. The matter content is a minimally coupled, massless, scalar field. Depending on the value of certain parameters, this solution represents three distinct space-times. The first one is at space-time. Then, we have a big bang model with a negative curvature scalar and a real scalar field. The last case is a big bang model with event horizons where the curvature scalar vanishes and the scalar field changes from real to purely imaginary. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper reviews and elaborates on the issue of the dilaton transformation under the usual {tau} {yields} {alpha}{prime}/{tau} target space duality and its non-static generalization (or {sigma}-model duality). It is found that the transformation law {tau} {yields} {alpha}{prime}/{tau}, {phi} {yields} {phi} In ({tau}/{alpha}{prime}) which guarantees duality at the one-loop {sigma}-model level should be modified at two (and higher) loop order. The non-static duality is illustrated on the example of cosmological solutions in D {ge} 2 with time-dependent radii of space torus.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The diagonal and symmetric Bianchi type IX models are coupled to a homogeneous spinor field. An action for the combined fields is constructed, where the orthonormal basis used is given explicitly in terms of the metric. This allows one to vary the action with respect to the metric and the spinor fields only. Next, a Hamiltonian formulation is given, and a qualitative solution for the problem is presented. We also show that the k = +1 FRW (Friedmann--Robertson--Walker) model is not compatible with a homogeneous spinor field, while the more complicated models are.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The authors draw the story of the concept of infinity in sciences from the ancient Greek civilization to modern times, from the Greek idea of atom to quantum physics and cosmology. It is shown how what was considered as limits in ancient times, have been progressively seen as unknown worlds, and are now being investigated with the use of big machines like particle accelerators. This book is composed of 3 main chapters: 1) the quest for the infinitely big, 2) the quest for the infinitely small, and 3) the big-bang theory that appears as the meeting point of the 2 infinites. (A.C.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We investigate the dynamics of an 11-dimensional homogeneous cosmological model. We assume that the t = const hypersurfaces are products of a 3-dimensional Bianchi type-IX space and a 7-dimensional torus. Most results of our investigation hold when the 7-dimensional torus is replaced by an m-dimensional torus T/sup m/. We show that for a large class of vacuum solutions the physical space expands while the microspace contracts providing a natural mechanism of dimensional reduction. Matter satisfying a simple barotropic equation of state always breaks the process of dynamical dimensional reduction. With special attention we study the behavior of our model close to the initial singularity. In contrast with the 4-dimensional Bianchi type-IX cosmological model the Kasner solution always describes an approach to the initial singularity. We study the transition from the Kasner regime to the oscillatory regime. We show that matter does not ...

CERN Document Server

We present a large set of merger simulations of early-type disc galaxies with mass ratios of 1:1 and 3:1 and 10% of the total disc mass in gas. In contrast to the collisionless case equal-mass mergers with gas do not result in very boxy remnants which is caused by the suppression of box orbits and the change of the projected shape of minor-axis tube orbits in the more axisymmetric remnants. The isophotal shape of 3:1 remnants and the global kinematic properties of 1:1 and 3:1 remnants are only weakly affected by the presence of gas. 1:1 remnants are slowly rotating whereas 3:1 remnants are fast rotating and discy. The shape of the stellar LOSVD is strongly influenced by gas. The LOSVDs of collisionless remnants have broad leading wings while their gaseous counterparts show steep leading wings, more consistent with observations of elliptical galaxies. We show that this change is also caused by the suppressed populating of box orbits and it is ...

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In a recent survey of the stellar populations of LINERS and LINER/HII Transition Objects (TOs) we identified a numerous class of nuclei which stand out because of their conspicuous 10^8-9 yr populations. These objects were called ``Young-TOs'', since they all have TO-like emission line ratios. In this paper we investigate the radial variations of spectral properties in Low Luminosity AGN. Our analysis is based on high S/N, 3500-5500 A, long-slit spectra for 47 galaxies. The data probe distances of typically up to 850 pc from the nucleus with a resolution of ~ 100 pc and S/N ~ 30. Stellar population gradients are mapped by the radial profiles of absorption line equivalent widths and colours along the slit. These variations are further analyzed by means of a decomposition of each spectrum in terms of template galaxies representative of very young (<= 10^7 yr), intermediate age (10^8-9 yr) and old (10^10 yr) populations. Our main findings are: ...

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We have used the SINFONI integral field spectrograph to map the near-infrared K-band emission lines of molecular and ionised hydrogen in the central regions of two cool core galaxy clusters, Abell 2597 and Sersic 159-03. Gas is detected out to 20 kpc from the nuclei of the brightest cluster galaxies and found to be distributed in clumps and filaments around it. The ionised and molecular gas phases trace each other closely in extent and dynamical state. Both gas phases show signs of interaction with the active nucleus. Within the nuclear regions the kinetic luminosity of this gas is found to be somewhat smaller than the current radio luminosity. Outside the nuclear region the gas has a low velocity dispersion and shows smooth velocity gradients. There is no strong correlation between the intensity of the molecular and ionised gas emission and either the radio or X-ray emission. The molecular gas in Abell 2597 and Sersic 159-03 is well described ...

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We present results from a large volume simulation of Hydrogen reionization. We combine 3d radiative transfer calculations and an N-body simulation, describing structure formation in the IGM, to detail the growth of HII regions around high redshift galaxies. Our simulation tracks 1024^3 dark matter particles, in a box of side length 65.6 Mpc/h. This large volume allows us to accurately characterize the size distribution of HII regions throughout most of the reionization process. At the same time, our simulation resolves many of the small galaxies likely responsible for reionization. It confirms a picture anticipated by analytic models: HII regions grow collectively around highly-clustered sources, and have a well-defined characteristic size, evolving from a sub-Mpc scale at the beginning of reionization to R>10 Mpc towards the end. We present a detailed statistical description of our results, and compare them with a numerical hybrid scheme ...

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We study the expected properties of starbursts in order to provide the point of reference for interpretation of high-z galaxy surveys and of very metal-poor galaxies. We concentrate mainly on the UV characteristics such as the ionizing spectra, the UV continuum, the Ly alpha and HeII 1640 A line and two-photon continuum emission. We use evolutionary synthesis models covering metallicities from Pop III to solar and a wide range of IMFs. We also combine the synthetic SEDs with the CLOUDY photoionization code for more accurate predictions of nebular emission, and to study possible departures from case B assumed in the synthesis models. The ionizing fluxes, UV continuum properties, and predicted Ly alpha and HeII 1640 A line strengths are presented for synthesis models covering a wider range of parameter space than our earlier calculations. Strong departures from case B predictions are obtained for Ly alpha and two-photon continuum at low ...

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We aim to obtain a consistent description of non-thermal emissions from Abell 2256 and to give a prediction for a gamma-ray emission from this galaxy cluster. Assuming that a radio relic illuminates a localization of an ongoing merger, and that both radio and non-thermal part of hard X-ray emission are due to electron component of cosmic rays filling the relic, we derived from radio and hard X-ray properties of the relic in A2256 the magnetic field strength and number densities for relativistic electrons and protons. Due to the interpretation of the radio relic as a structure formed just where a shock front is, we discuss a gamma-ray emission at the cluster periphery. The estimated strength of the magnetic field in the relic is equal to 0.05 \\muG, while the amplitude of the electron number density varies from 3 x 10^{-4} to 3 x 10^{-5} cm^{-3} (respectively for the relic thickness of 50 to 500 kpc). We got a substantial degree of non-equipartition between cosmic ...

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The narrow emission line spectra of active galactic nuclei are not accurately described by simple photoionization models of single clouds. Recent Hubble Space Telescope images of Seyfert 2 galaxies show that these objects are rich with ionization cones, knots, filaments, and strands of ionized gas. Here we extend to the narrow line region the ``locally optimally emitting cloud'' (LOC) model, in which the observed spectra are predominantly determined by powerful selection effects. We present a large grid of photoionization models covering a wide range of physical conditions and show the optimal conditions for producing many of the strongest emission lines. We show that the integrated narrow line spectrum can be predicted by an integration of an ensemble of clouds, and we present these results in the form of diagnostic line ratio diagrams making comparisons with observations. We also predict key diagnostic line ratios as a function of distance from the ionizing ...

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We present moderate resolution spectroscopy of extraplanar diffuse ionized gas (EDIG) emission in the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4302. The spectra were obtained with the SparsePak integral field unit (IFU) at the WIYN Observatory. The spectra are used to construct position-velocity (PV) diagrams at several ranges of heights above the midplane. Azimuthal velocities are directly extracted from the PV diagrams using the envelope tracing method, and indicate an extremely steep dropoff in rotational velocity with increasing height, with magnitude ~30 km/s/kpc. We find evidence for a radial variation in the velocity gradient on the receding side. We have also performed artificial observations of galaxy models in an attempt to match the PV diagrams. The results of a statistical analysis also favor a gradient of ~30 km/s/kpc. We compare these results with an entirely ballistic model of disk-halo flow, and find a strong dichotomy between the observed ...

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We propose a method to determine the cosmic mass density Omega from redshift-space distortions induced by large-scale flows in the presence of nonlinear clustering. Nonlinear structures in redshift space such as fingers of God can contaminate distortions from linear flows on scales as large as several times the small-scale pairwise velocity dispersion sigma_v. Following Peacock & Dodds (1994), we work in the Fourier domain and propose a model to describe the anisotropy in the redshift-space power spectrum; tests with high-resolution numerical data demonstrate that the model is robust for both mass and biased galaxy halos on translinear scales and above. On the basis of this model, we propose an estimator of the linear growth parameter beta = Omega^0.6/b, where b measures bias, derived from sampling functions which are tuned to eliminate distortions from nonlinear clustering. The measure is tested on the numerical data and found to recover the true value of beta ...

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We present the discovery of a Baldwin effect in 8 nearby Seyfert galaxies for the three most prominent mid-infrared forbidden emission lines observable from the ground that are commonly found in AGN, [ArIII](8.99 micron), [SIV](10.51 micron), and [NeII](12.81 micron). The observations were carried out using the VLT/VISIR imager and spectroraph at the ESO/Paranal observatory. The bulk of the observed line emission comes from the inner <0.4 arcsec which corresponds to spatial scales <100 pc in our object sample. The correlation index is approximately -0.6 without significant difference among the lines. This is the strongest anti-correlation between line equivalent width and continuum luminosity found so far. In the case of Circinus, we show that despite the use of mid-infrared lines, obscuration by either the host galaxy or the circumnuclear dust torus might affect the equivalent widths. Given the small observed spatial scales from which ...

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We present the X-ray properties of a sample of 17 radio sources observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory as part of a project aimed at studying the X-ray emission from their radio jets. In this paper, we concentrate on the X-ray properties of the unresolved cores. The sample includes 16 quasars (11 core-dominated and 5 lobe-dominated) in the redshift range z=0.30--1.96, and one low-power radio-galaxy at z=0.064. No diffuse X-ray emission is present around the cores of the quasars, except for the nearby low-power galaxy that has diffuse emission on a scale and with a luminosity consistent with other FRIs. No high-amplitude, short-term variability is detected within the relatively short Chandra exposures. However, 1510-089 shows low-amplitude flux changes with a timescale of $\\sim$25 minutes. The X-ray spectra of the quasar cores are generally well described by a single power law model with Galactic absorption. However, in six quasars we find ...

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TIGER integral-field spectrography and HST/WFPC2 imaging of the E3 galaxy NGC 2974 are used to derive the kinematics of the stellar and ionized gas components in its central 500 pc. We derive a numerical two-integral distribution function from a MGE mass model using the HQ formalism. The TIGER as well as published long-slit stellar kinematics are well fitted with this self-consistent model, requiring neither the addition of a significant mass contribution from a hidden disc structure, nor the presence of a central dark mass. The data reveal the presence of a striking, highly contrasted, two-arm gaseous spiral structure within a radius of ~200 pc, corresponding to a total mass of 6.8x10^4 Msun of ionized gas. We use a deconvolved TIGER datacube to probe its kinematics at a resolution of about 0.35 arcsec. Strong departures from circular motions are observed, as well as high velocity dispersion values on the inner side of the arms. We interpret the observed gas ...