Vox Charta » astro-ph

Deuterium at high-redshift: Primordial abundance in the zabs = 2.621 damped Ly-alpha system towards CTQ247

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:58:01 +0000

The detection of neutral deuterium in the low-metallicity damped Lyman-{\alpha} system at zabs = 2.621 towards the quasar CTQ247 is reported. Using a high signal-to-noise and high spectral resolution (R = 60000) spectrum from the Very Large Telescope Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph, we precisely measure the deuterium-to-oxygen ratio log N(DI)/N(OI) = 0.74+/-0.04, as well as the overall oxygen abundance, log N(OI)/N(HI)=-5.29+/-0.10 (or equivalently [O/H]=-1.99+/-0.10 with respect to the solar value). Assuming uniform metallicity throughout the system, our measurement translates to (D/H) = (2.8+0.8 -0.6)x10^-5. This ratio is consistent within errors (<0.4sigma) with the primordial ratio, (D/H)p = (2.59+/-0.15)x10^-5, predicted by standard Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis using the WMAP7 value of the cosmological density of baryons (100 Omega_b h^2 = 2.249+/-0.056). The DI absorption lines are observed to be broader than the OI absorption lines. From a consistent fit of the profiles we derive the turbulent broadening to be 5.2 km/s and the temperature of the gas to be T = 8800+/-1500 K, corresponding to a warm neutral medium.

HerMES: Candidate Gravitationally Lensed Galaxies and Lensing Statistics at Submillimeter Wavelengths

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:57:19 +0000

We present a list of 13 candidate gravitationally lensed submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) from 95 square degrees of the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey, a surface density of 0.14\pm0.04deg^{-2}. These sources have 500um flux densities (S_500) greater than 100mJy. Follow-up observations confirm gravitational lensing in 9 of the 13 systems (70%); the lensing status of the four remaining sources is undetermined. We also present a supplementary sample of 29 (0.31\pm0.06deg^{-2}) gravitationally lensed SMG candidates with S_500=80–100mJy, which are expected to contain a higher fraction of interlopers than the primary candidates. The number counts of the candidate lensed galaxies are consistent with a simple statistical model of the lensing rate, which uses a foreground matter distribution, the intrinsic SMG number counts, and an assumed SMG redshift distribution. The model predicts that 43–83% of our S_500>100mJy candidates are strongly gravitationally lensed, with the brightest sources being the most robust; this is consistent with the observational data. Our statistical model also predicts that, on average, lensed galaxies with S_500=100mJy are magnified by factors of ~6, with brighter galaxies having progressively higher average magnification. 50% of the sources are expected to have intrinsic 500um flux densities less than 30mJy. Thus, samples of strongly gravitationally lensed SMGs, such as those presented here, probe below the nominal Herschel detection limit at 500um. They are ideal targets for the detailed study of the physical conditions in distant dusty, star-forming galaxies, with unprecedented spatial resolution achieved due to the lensing magnification.

The Optically Unbiased GRB Host (TOUGH) survey. IV. Lyman-alpha emitters

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:56:59 +0000

We report the results of a spectroscopic search for Lyman-alpha emission from gamma-ray burst host galaxies. Based on the well-defined TOUGH sample of 69 X-ray selected Swift GRBs, we have targeted the hosts of a subsample of 20 GRBs known from afterglow spectroscopy to be in the redshift range 1.8-4.5. We detect Lya emission from 7 out of the 20 hosts, with the typical limiting 3sigma line flux being 8E-18 erg/cm2/s, corresponding to a Lya luminosity of 6E41 erg/s at z=3. The Lya luminosities for the 7 hosts in which we detect Lya emission are in the range (0.6-2.3)E42 erg/s corresponding to star-formation rates of 0.6-2.1 Msun/yr (not corrected for extinction). The rest-frame Lya equivalent widths (EWs) for the 7 hosts are in the range 9-40A. For 6 of the 13 hosts for which Lya is not detected we place fairly strong 3sigma upper limits on the EW (<20A), while for others the EW is either unconstrained or has a less constraining upper limit. We find that the distribution of Lya EWs is inconsistent with being drawn from the Lya EW distribution of bright Lyman break galaxies at the 98.3% level, in the sense that the TOUGH hosts on average have larger EWs than bright LBGs. We can exclude an early indication, based on a smaller, heterogeneous sample of pre-Swift GRB hosts, that all GRB hosts are Lya emitters. We find that the TOUGH hosts on average have lower EWs than the pre-Swift GRB hosts, but the two samples are only inconsistent at the 92% level. The velocity centroid of the Lya line is redshifted by 200-700 km/s with respect to the systemic velocity, similar to what is seen for LBGs, possibly indicating star-formation driven outflows from the host galaxies. There seems to be a trend between the Lya EW and the optical to X-ray spectral index of the afterglow (beta_OX), hinting that dust plays a role in the observed strength and even presence of Lya emission. [ABRIDGED]

Cosmic Rays and Stochastic Magnetic Reconnection in the Heliotail

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:56:13 +0000

Galactic cosmic rays are believed to be generated by diffusive shock acceleration processes in Supernova Remnants, and the arrival direction is likely determined by the distribution of their sources throughout the Galaxy, in particular by the nearest and youngest ones. Transport to Earth through the interstellar medium is expected to affect the cosmic ray properties as well. However, the observed anisotropy of TeV cosmic rays and its energy dependence cannot be explained with diffusion models of particle propagation in the Galaxy. Within a distance of a few parsec, diffusion regime is not valid and particles with energy below about 100 TeV must be influenced by the heliosphere and its elongated tail. The observation of a highly significant localized excess region of cosmic rays from the apparent direction of the downstream interstellar flow at 1-10 TeV energies might provide the first experimental evidence that the heliotail can affect the transport of energetic particles. In particular, TeV cosmic rays propagating through the heliotail interact with the 100-300 AU wide magnetic field polarity domains generated by the 11 year cycles. Since the strength of non-linear convective processes is expected to be larger than viscous damping, the plasma in the heliotail is turbulent. Where magnetic field domains converge on each other due to solar wind gradient, stochastic magnetic reconnection likely occurs. Such processes may be efficient enough to re-accelerate a fraction of TeV particles as long as scattering processes are not strong. Therefore the fractional excess of TeV cosmic rays from the narrow region toward the heliotail direction traces sightlines with the lowest smearing scattering effects, that can also explain the observation of a harder than average energy spectrum.

Constraining the Circumbinary Envelope of Z CMa via imaging polarimetry

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:55:53 +0000

Z CMa is a complex binary system, composed of a Herbig Be and an FU Ori star. The Herbig star is surrounded by a dust cocoon of variable geometry, and the whole system is surrounded by an infalling envelope. Previous spectropolarimetric observations have reported a preferred orientation of the polarization angle, perpendicular to the direction of a large, parsec-sized jet associated with the Herbig star. The variability in the amount of polarized light has been associated to changes in the geometry of the dust cocoon that surrounds the Herbig star. We aim to constrain the properties of Z CMa by means of imaging polarimetry at optical wavelengths. Using ExPo, a dual-beam imaging polarimeter which operates at optical wavelengths, we have obtained imaging (linear) polarimetric data of Z CMa. Our observations were secured during the return to quiescence after the 2008 outburst. We detect three polarized features over Z CMa. Two of these features are related to the two jets reported in this system: the large jet associated to the Herbig star, and the micro-jet associated to the FU Ori star. Our results suggest that the micro-jet extends to a distance ten times larger than reported in previous studies. The third feature suggests the presence of a hole in the dust cocoon that surrounds the Herbig star of this system. According to our simulations, this hole can produce a pencil beam of light that we see scattered off the low-density envelope surrounding the system.

A new, precise measurement of the primordial abundance of Deuterium

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:55:39 +0000

The metal-poor damped Lyman alpha (DLA) system at z = 3.04984 in the QSO SDSSJ1419+0829 has near-ideal properties for an accurate determination of the primordial abundance of deuterium, (D/H)_p. We have analysed a high-quality spectrum of this object with software specifically designed to deduce the best fitting value of D/H and to assess comprehensively the random and systematic errors affecting this determination. We find (D/H)_DLA = (2.535 +/-0.05) x 10^(-5), which in turn implies Omega_b h^2 = 0.0223 +/- 0.0009, in very good agreement with Omega_b h^2 (CMB) = 0.0222 +/- 0.0004 deduced from the angular power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background. If the value in this DLA is indeed the true (D/H)_p produced by Big-Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), there may be no need to invoke non-standard physics nor early astration of D to bring together Omega_b h^2 (BBN) and Omega_b h^2 (CMB). The scatter between most of the reported values of (D/H)_p in the literature may be due largely to unaccounted systematic errors and biases. Further progress in this area will require a homogeneous set of data comparable to those reported here and analysed in a self-consistent manner. Such an endeavour, while observationally demanding, has the potential of improving our understanding of BBN physics, including the relevant nuclear reactions, and the subsequent processing of 4He and 7Li through stars.

IDCS J1426+3508: Discovery of a Massive, IR-Selected Galaxy Cluster at z = 1.75

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:55:25 +0000

We report the discovery of an IR-selected massive galaxy cluster in the IRAC Distant Cluster Survey (IDCS). We present new data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the W. M. Keck Observatory that spectroscopically confirm IDCS J1426+3508 at z=1.75. Moreover, the cluster is detected in archival Chandra data as an extended X-ray source, comprising 54 counts after the removal of point sources. We calculate an X-ray luminosity of L{0.5-2 keV} = (5.5 +/- 1.2) X 1e44 ergs/s within r = 60 arcsec (~1 Mpc diameter), which implies M_{200,L_x} = (5.6 +/- 1.6) X 1e14 Msun. IDCS J1426+3508 appears to be an exceptionally massive cluster for its redshift.

IDCS J1426.5+3508: Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Measurement of a Massive IR-selected Cluster at z=1.75

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:55:07 +0000

We report 31 GHz CARMA observations of IDCS J1426.5+3508, an infrared-selected galaxy cluster at z = 1.75. A Sunyaev-Zel’dovich decrement is detected towards this cluster, indicating a total mass of M200 = (4.3 +/- 1.1) x 10^{14} Msun in agreement with the approximate X-ray mass of ~5 x 10^{14} Msun. IDCS J1426.5+3508 is by far the most distant cluster yet detected via the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect, and the most massive z >= 1.4 galaxy cluster found to date. Despite the mere ~1% probability of finding it in the 8.82 deg^2 IRAC Distant Cluster Survey, IDCS J1426.5+3508 is not completely unexpected in LCDM once the area of large, existing surveys is considered. IDCS J1426.5+3508 is, however, among the rarest, most extreme clusters ever discovered, and indeed is an evolutionary precursor to the most massive known clusters at all redshifts. We discuss how imminent, highly sensitive Sunyaev-Zel’dovich experiments will complement infrared techniques for statistical studies of the formation of the most massive galaxy clusters in the z > 1.5 Universe, including potential precursors to IDCS J1426.5+3508.

IDCS J1426.5+3508: Cosmological implications of a massive, strong lensing cluster at Z = 1.75

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:54:51 +0000

The galaxy cluster IDCS J1426.5+3508 at z = 1.75 is the most massive galaxy cluster yet discovered at z > 1.4 and the first cluster at this epoch for which the Sunyaev-Zel’Dovich effect has been observed. In this paper we report on the discovery with HST imaging of a giant arc associated with this cluster. The curvature of the arc suggests that the lensing mass is nearly coincident with the brightest cluster galaxy, and the color is consistent with the arc being a star-forming galaxy. We compare the constraint on M200 based upon strong lensing with Sunyaev-Zel’Dovich results, finding that the two are consistent if the redshift of the arc is z > 3. Finally, we explore the cosmological implications of this system, considering the likelihood of the existence of a strongly lensing galaxy cluster at this epoch in an LCDM universe. While the existence of the cluster itself can potentially be accomodated if one considers the entire volume covered at this redshift by all current high-redshift cluster surveys, the existence of this strongly lensed galaxy greatly exacerbates the long-standing giant arc problem. For standard LCDM structure formation and observed background field galaxy counts this lens system should not exist. Specifically, there should be no giant arcs in the entire sky as bright in F814W as the observed arc for clusters at z \geq 1.75, and only \sim 0.3 as bright in F160W as the observed arc. If we relax the redshift constraint to consider all clusters at z \geq 1.5, the expected number of giant arcs rises to \sim15 in F160W, but the number of giant arcs of this brightness in F814W remains zero. These arc statistic results are independent of the mass of IDCS J1426.5+3508. We consider possible explanations for this discrepancy.

The Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2011: Dynamical Modeling of the Broad Line Region in Mrk 50

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:54:32 +0000

We present dynamical modeling of the broad line region (BLR) in the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 50 using reverberation mapping data taken as part of the Lick AGN Monitoring Project (LAMP) 2011. We model the reverberation mapping data directly, constraining the geometry and kinematics of the BLR, as well as deriving a black hole mass estimate that does not depend on a normalizing factor or virial coefficient. We find that the geometry of the BLR in Mrk 50 is a nearly face-on thick disk, with a mean radius of 9.6(+1.2,-0.9) light days, a width of the BLR of 6.9(+1.2,-1.1) light days, and a disk opening angle of 25\pm10 degrees above the plane. We also constrain the inclination angle to be 9(+7,-5) degrees, close to face-on. Finally, the black hole mass of Mrk 50 is inferred to be log10(M(BH)/Msun) = 7.57(+0.44,-0.27). By comparison to the virial black hole mass estimate from traditional reverberation mapping analysis, we find the normalizing constant (virial coefficient) to be log10(f) = 0.78(+0.44,-0.27), consistent with the commonly adopted mean value of 0.74 based on aligning the M(BH)-{\sigma}* relation for AGN and quiescent galaxies. While our dynamical model includes the possibility of a net inflow or outflow in the BLR, we cannot distinguish between these two scenarios.

Spherically Symmetric Inflation [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:54:15 +0000

It is shown in this letter that in the framework of an inhomogeneous geometry and a massive non self-interacting scalar field with spherical symmetry, one needs a homogeneous patch bigger than a dizaine of horizons in order to start inflation. The results are completly independent of initial conditions on the spatial distribution of the scalar field. The initial condition on the metric parameters are also justified. This is a generalization of the results obtained in Ref.[1], showing that their conclusions are rather robust.

The Column Density Variance-Sonic Mach Number Relationship

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:53:55 +0000

Although there are a wealth of column density tracers for both the molecular and diffuse interstellar medium, there are very few observational studies investigating the relationship between the density variance (\sigma^2) and the sonic Mach number (Ms). This is in part due to the fact that the \sigma^2-Ms relationship is derived, via MHD simulations, for the 3D density variance only, which is not a direct observable. We investigate the utility of a 2D column density \sigma_{\Sigma/\Sigma_0}^2-Ms relationship using solenoidally driven isothermal MHD simulations and find that the best fit follows closely the form of the 3D density \sigma_{\rho/\rho_0}^2-Ms trend but includes a scaling parameter A such that: \sigma_{ln(\Sigma/\Sigma_0)}^2=Axln(1+b^2Ms^2), where A=0.11 and b=1/3. This relation is consistent with the observational data reported for the Taurus and IC 5146 molecular clouds with b=0.5 and A=0.12. These results open up the possibility of using the 2D column density values of \sigma^2 for investigations of the relation between the the sonic Mach number and the PDF variance in addition to existing PDF sonic Mach number relations.

HI Power Spectra and the Turbulent ISM of Dwarf Irregular Galaxies

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:53:31 +0000

HI spatial power spectra (PS) were determined for a sample of 24 nearby dwarf irregular galaxies selected from the LITTLE THINGS (Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes – The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey) sample. The two-dimensional (2D) power spectral indices asymptotically become a constant for each galaxy when a significant part of the line profile is integrated. For narrow channel maps, the PS become shallower as the channel width decreases, and this shallowing trend continues to our single channel maps. This implies that even the highest velocity resolution of 1.8 km/s is not smaller than the thermal dispersion of the coolest, widespread HI component. The one-dimensional PS of azimuthal profiles at different radii suggest that the shallower PS for narrower channel width is mainly contributed by the inner disks, which indicates that the inner disks have proportionally more cooler HI than the outer disks. Galaxies with lower luminosity (M_B > -14.5 mag) and star formation rate (SFR, log(SFR (M\odot/yr)) < -2.1) tend to have steeper PS, which implies that the HI line-of-sight depths can be comparable with the radial length scales in low mass galaxies. A lack of a correlation between the inertial-range spectral indices and SFR surface density implies that either non-stellar power sources are playing a fundamental role in driving the interstellar medium (ISM) turbulent structure, or the nonlinear development of turbulent structures has little to do with the driving sources.

Acceleration of Energetic Particles through Reconnection of Weakly Stochastic Magnetic Field

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:53:16 +0000

Astrophysical media are turbulent and therefore reconnection should be treated in the presence of pre-existing turbulence. We consider the model of fast magnetic reconnection in Lazarian & Vishniac (1999) which predicts that the rate of reconnection is controlled by the intensity and the injection scale of turbulent motions. We provide new evidence of successful testing of the model and argue that the model presents a generic set up for astrophysical reconnection events. We study particle acceleration that takes place in volumes of driven turbulence as well turbulent volumes in the presence of large scale reconnection. We show that in the latter case the acceleration is of the first order Fermi type thus supporting the model of acceleration proposed in Gouveia dal Pino & Lazarian (2005).

Constraints on model atmospheres from complex asteroseismology of the \beta Cephei stars

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:52:56 +0000

Using the method termed complex asteroseismology, we derive constraints on model atmospheres, in particular, on the NLTE effects. We fit simultaneously pulsational frequencies and the corresponding values of the nonadiabatic complex parameter f for the four \beta Cephei stars: \theta Oph, \nu Eri, \gamma Peg and 12 Lac. The LTE Kurucz models and the BSTAR2006 NLTE models are tested.

Studying the hybrid pulsator 12 Lacertae: mode identification and complex seismic modelling

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:52:25 +0000

We present identification of the mode degree, l, for all observed frequencies of 12 Lac and results of seismic modelling which consists in fitting simultaneously the centroid mode frequencies and the corresponding values of the complex nonadiabatic f-parameter. Effects of chemical composition, opacities, core overshooting and non-LTE atmospheres were taken into account.

Constraining stellar assembly and AGN feedback at the peak epoch of star formation

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:51:50 +0000

We study stellar assembly and feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) around the epoch of peak star formation (1

Progenitor mass constraints for core-collapse supernovae from correlations with host galaxy star formation

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:51:34 +0000

Using H-alpha emission as a tracer of on-going (<16 Myr old) and near-UV emission as a tracer of recent (16-100 Myr old) star formation (SF), we present constraints on core-collapse (CC) supernova (SN) progenitors through their association with SF regions. We present statistics of a large sample of SNe; 163.5 type II (58 IIP, 13 IIL, 13.5 IIb, 19 IIn and 12 'impostors') and 96.5 type Ib/c (39.5 Ib and 52 Ic). Using pixel statistics our main findings and conclusions are: 1) An increasing progenitor mass sequence is observed, implied from an increasing association of SNe to host galaxy H-alpha emission. This commences with the type Ia (SNIa) showing the weakest association, followed by the SNII, then the SNIb, with the SNIc showing the strongest correlation to SF regions. Thus our progenitor mass sequence runs Ia-II-Ib-Ic. 2) Overall SNIbc are found to occur nearer to bright HII regions than SNII. This implies that the former have shorter stellar lifetimes thus arising from more massive progenitor stars. 3) While SNIIP do not closely follow the on-going SF, they accurately trace the recent formation. This implies that their progenitors arise from stars at the low end of the CC SN mass sequence, consistent with direct detections of progenitors in pre-explosion imaging. 4) Similarly SNIIn trace recent but not the on-going SF. This implies that, contrary to the general consensus, the majority of these SNe do not arise from the most massive stars. Results and constraints are also presented for the less numerous SNIIL, IIb, and 'impostors'. Finally we present analysis of possible biases in the data, the results of which argue strongly against any selection effects that could explain the relative excess of SNIbc within bright HII regions. Thus intrinsic progenitor differences in the sense of the mass sequence we propose remain the most plausible explanation of our findings.

A solar tornado observed by AIA/SDO: Rotational flow and evolution of magnetic helicity in a prominence and cavity

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:51:13 +0000

During 2011/09/24, as observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument of the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) and ground-based \Ha\ telescopes, a prominence and associated cavity appeared above the southwest limb. On 2011/09/25 8:00UT material flows upwards from the prominence core along a narrow loop-like structure, accompanied by a rise ($\geq$50,000km) of the prominence core and the loop. As the loop fades by 10:00, small blobs and streaks of varying brightness rotate around the top part of the prominence and cavity, mimicking a cyclone. The most intense and coherent rotation lasts for over three hours, with emission in both hot ($\sim$1MK) and cold (hydrogen and helium) lines. We suggest that the cyclonic appearance and overall evolution of the structure can be interpreted in terms of the expansion of helical structures into the cavity, and the movement of plasma along helical structures which appears as a rotation when viewed along the helix axis. The coordinated movement of material between prominence and cavity suggest that they are structurally linked. Complexity is great due to the combined effect of these actions and the line-of-sight integration through the structure which contains tangled fields.

Recent Observations of Plasma and Alfvenic Wave Energy Injection at the Base of the Fast Solar Wind

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:50:57 +0000

We take stock of recent observations that identify the episodic plasma heating and injection of Alfvenic energy at the base of fast solar wind (in coronal holes). The plasma heating is associated with the occurrence of chromospheric spicules that leave the lower solar atmosphere at speeds of order 100km/s, the hotter coronal counterpart of the spicule emits radiation characteristic of root heating that rapidly reaches temperatures of the order of 1MK. Furthermore, the same spicules and their coronal counterparts (“Propagating Coronal Disturbances”; PCD) exhibit large amplitude, high speed, Alfvenic (transverse) motion of sufficient energy content to accelerate the material to high speeds. We propose that these (disjointed) heating and accelerating components form a one-two punch to supply, and then accelerate, the fast solar wind. We consider some compositional constraints on this concept, extend the premise to the slow solar wind, and identify future avenues of exploration.

Gas Accretion is Dominated by Warm Ionized Gas in Milky Way-Mass Galaxies at z ~ 0

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:50:40 +0000

We perform high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations of a Milky Way-mass galaxy in a fully cosmological setting using the adaptive mesh refinement code, Enzo, and study the kinematics of gas in the simulated galactic halo. We find that the gas inflow occurs mostly along filamentary structures in the halo. The warm-hot (10^5 K < T 10^6 K) ionized gases are found to dominate the overall mass accretion in the system (with dM/dt = 3-5 M_solar/yr) over a large range of distances, extending from the virial radius to the vicinity of the disk. Most of the inflowing gas (by mass) does not cool, and the small fraction that manages to cool does so primarily close to the galaxy (R <~ 20 kpc), perhaps comprising the neutral gas that may be detectable as, e.g., high-velocity clouds. The neutral clouds are embedded within larger, accreting filamentary flows, and represent only a small fraction of the total mass inflow rate. The inflowing gas has relatively low metallicity (Z/Z_solar < 0.2). The outer layers of the filamentary inflows are heated due to compression as they approach the disk. In addition to the inflow, we find high-velocity, metal-enriched outflows of hot gas driven by supernova feedback. Our results are consistent with observations of halo gas at low z.

The Infrared Light Curve of SN 2011fe in M101 and the Distance to M101

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:50:15 +0000

We present near infra-red light curves of supernova (SN) 2011fe in M101, including 34 epochs in H band starting fourteen days before maximum brightness in the B-band. The light curve data were obtained with the WIYN High-Resolution Infrared Camera (WHIRC). When the data are calibrated using templates of other Type Ia SNe, we derive an apparent H-band magnitude at the epoch of B-band maximum of 10.85 \pm 0.04. This implies a distance modulus for M101 that ranges from 28.86 to 29.17 mag, depending on which absolute calibration for Type Ia SNe is used.

The nature of dust in compact Galactic planetary nebulae from Spitzer spectra

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:49:48 +0000

We present the Spitzer/IRS spectra of 157 compact Galactic PNe. These young PNe provide insight on the effects of dust in early post-AGB evolution, before much of the dust is altered or destroyed by the hardening stellar radiation field. Most of the selected targets have PN-type IRS spectra, while a few turned out to be misclassified stars. We inspected the group properties of the PN spectra and classified them based on the different dust classes (featureless, carbon-rich dust; oxygen-rich dust; mixed-chemistry dust) and subclasses (aromatic and aliphatic; crystalline and amorphous). All PNe are characterized by dust continuum and more than 80% of the sample shows solid state features above the continuum, in contrast with the Magellanic Cloud sample where only ~40% of the entire sample displays solid state features; this is an indication of the strong link between dust properties and metallicity. The Galactic PNe that show solid state features are almost equally divided among the CRD, ORD, and MCD. We analyzed dust properties together with other PN properties and found that (i) there is an enhancement of MCD PNe toward the Galactic center; (ii) CRD PNe could be seen as defining an evolutionary sequence, contrary to the ORD and MCD PNe; (iii) C- and O-rich grains retain different equilibrium temperatures, as expected from models; (iv) ORD PNe are highly asymmetric and CRD PNe highly symmetric; point-symmetry is statistically more common in MCD. We find that the Galactic Disk sample does not include MCD PNe, and the other dust classes are differently populated from high to low metallicity environments. The MCPNe seem to attain higher dust temperatures at similar evolutionary stages, in agreement with the observational findings of smaller dust grains in low metallicity interstellar environments.

Star Formation in the First Galaxies I: Collapse Delayed by Lyman-Werner Radiation

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:48:49 +0000

We investigate the process of metal-free star formation in the first galaxies with a high-resolution cosmological simulation. We consider the cosmologically motivated scenario in which a strong molecule-destroying Lyman-Werner (LW) background inhibits effective cooling in low-mass haloes, delaying star formation until the collapse or more massive haloes. Only when molecular hydrogen (H2) can self-shield from LW radiation, which requires a halo capable of cooling by atomic line emission, will star formation be possible. To follow the formation of multiple gravitationally bound objects, at high gas densities we introduce sink particles which accrete gas directly from the computational grid. We find that in a 1 Mpc^3 (comoving) box, runaway collapse first occurs in a 3×10^7 M_sun dark matter halo at z~12 assuming a background intensity of J21=100. Due to a runaway increase in the H2 abundance and cooling rate, a self-shielding, supersonically turbulent core develops abruptly with ~10^4 M_sun in cold gas available for star formation. We analyze the formation of this self-shielding core, the character of turbulence, and the prospects for star formation. Due to a lack of fragmentation on scales we resolve, we argue that LW-delayed metal-free star formation in atomic cooling haloes is very similar to star formation in primordial minihaloes, although in making this conclusion we ignore internal stellar feedback. Finally, we briefly discuss the detectability of metal-free stellar clusters with the James Webb Space Telescope.

A Brightest Cluster Galaxy with an Extremely Large Flat Core

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:48:33 +0000

Hubble Space Telescope images of the galaxy cluster Abell 2261, obtained as part of the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble, show that the brightest galaxy in the cluster, A2261-BCG, has the largest core yet detected in any galaxy. The cusp radius of A2261-BCG is 3.2 kpc, twice as big as the next largest core known, and ~3x bigger than those typically seen in the most luminous BCGs. The morphology of the core in A2261-BCG is also unusual, having a flat or even slightly-depressed interior surface brightness profile, rather than the typical shallow cusp. This implies that the galaxy has a core with constant or even centrally decreasing stellar density. Interpretation of the core as an end product of the “scouring” action of a binary supermassive black hole implies a total black hole mass ~1E+10 M_sun from the extrapolation of most relationships between core structure and black hole mass. The core falls 1-sigma above the cusp-radius versus galaxy luminosity relation. Its large size in real terms, and the extremely large black hole mass required to generate it, raise the possibility that the core has been enlarged by additional processes, such as the ejection of the black holes that originally generated the core. The flat central stellar density profile is consistent with this hypothesis. The core is also displaced by 0.7 kpc from the center of the surrounding envelope, consistent with a local dynamical perturbation of the core.

Detection of the 128 day radial velocity variations in the supergiant {\alpha} Persei. Rotational modulations, pulsations, or a planet?

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:48:16 +0000

Aims. In order to search for and study the nature of the low-amplitude and long-periodic radial velocity (RV) variations of massive stars, we have been carrying out a precise RV survey for supergiants that lie near or inside the Cepheid instability strip. Methods. We have obtained high-resolution spectra of {\alpha} Per (F5 Ib) from November 2005 to September 2011 using the fiber-fed Bohyunsan Observatory Echelle Spectrograph (BOES) at Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory (BOAO). Results. Our measurements reveal that {\alpha} Per shows a periodic RV variation of 128 days and a semi-amplitude of 70 m/s. We find no strong correlation between RV variations and bisector velocity span (BVS), but the 128-d peak is indeed present in the BVS variations among several other significant peaks in periodogram. Conclusions. {\alpha} Per may have an exoplanet, but the combined data spanning over 20 years seem to suggest that the 128-d RV variations have not been stable on long-term scale, which is somewhat difficult to reconcile with the exoplanet explanation. We do not exclude the pulsational nature of the 128-d variations in {\alpha} Per. Although we do not find clear evidence for surface activity or rotational modulations by spots, coupled with the fact that the expected rotation period is ~ 130 days the rotational modulation seems to be the most likely cause of the RV variations. More observational data and research are needed to clearly determine the origin of RV the variations in {\alpha} Per.

Radiation reaction at 3.5 post-Newtonian order in effective field theory [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:48:01 +0000

We derive the radiation reaction forces on a compact binary inspiral through 3.5 order in the post-Newtonian expansion using the effective field theory approach. We utilize a recent formulation of Hamilton’s variational principle that rigorously extends the usual Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms to dissipative systems, including the inspiral of a compact binary from the emission of gravitational waves. We find agreement with previous results, which thus provides a non-trivial confirmation of the extended variational principle. The results from this work nearly complete the equations of motion for the generic inspiral of a compact binary with spinning constituents through 3.5 post-Newtonian order, as derived entirely with effective field theory, with only the spin-orbit corrections to the potential at 3.5 post-Newtonian remaining.

A Keplerian Circumbinary Disk around the Protobinary System L1551 NE

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:47:47 +0000

We present SubMillimeter-Array observations of a Keplerian disk around the Class I protobinary system L1551 NE in 335 GHz continuum emission and submillimeter line emission in 13CO (J=3-2) and C18O (J=3-2) at a resolution of ~120 x 80 AU. The 335-GHz dust-continuum image shows a strong central peak closely coincident with the binary protostars and likely corresponding to circumstellar disks, surrounded by a ~600 x 300 AU feature elongated approximately perpendicular to the [Fe II] jet from the southern protostellar component suggestive of a circumbinary disk. The 13CO and C18O images confirm that the circumbinary continuum feature is indeed a rotating disk; furthermore, the C18O channel maps can be well modeled by a geometrically-thin disk exhibiting Keplerian rotation. We estimate a mass for the circumbinary disk of ~0.03-0.12 Msun, compared with an enclosed mass of ~0.8 Msun that is dominated by the protobinary system. Compared with several other Class I protostars known to exhibit Keplerian disks, L1551 NE has the lowest bolometric temperature (~91 K), highest envelope mass (~0.39 Msun), and the lowest ratio in stellar mass to envelope + disk + stellar mass (~0.65). L1551 NE may therefore be the youngest protostellar object so far found to exhibit a Keplerian disk. Our observations present firm evidence that Keplerian disks around binary protostellar systems, “Keplerian circumbinary disks’, can exist. We speculate that tidal effects from binary companions could transport angular momenta toward the inner edge of the circumbinary disk and create the Keplerian circumbinary disk.

Improvement of xenon purification system using a combination of a pulse tube refrigerator and a coaxial heat exchanger

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:47:35 +0000

We have developed a compact cryogenic system with a pulse tube refrigerator and a coaxial heat exchanger. This liquefaction-purification system not only saves the cooling power used to reach high gaseous recirculation rate, but also reduces the impurity level with high speed. The heat exchanger operates with an efficiency of 99%, which indicates the possibility for fast xenon gas recirculation in a highpressurized large-scale xenon storage with much less thermal losses.

Gravitational lensing in the Kerr-Randers optical geometry [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:47:25 +0000

A new geometric method to determine the deflection of light in the equatorial plane of the Kerr solution is presented, whose optical geometry is a surface with a Finsler metric of Randers type. Applying the Gauss-Bonnet theorem to a suitable osculating Riemannian manifold, adapted from a construction by Naz\i m, it is shown explicitly how the two leading terms of the asymptotic deflection angle of gravitational lensing can be found in this way.

Viscous-Resistive ADAF with a general Large-Scale Magnetic Field

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:47:02 +0000

We have studied the structure of hot accretion flow bathed in a general large-scale magnetic field. We have considered magnetic parameters $ \beta_{r,\varphi,z}[=c^2_{r,\varphi,z}/(2c^2_{s})] $, where $ c^2_{r, \varphi, z} $ are the Alfv\’{e}n sound speeds in three direction of cylindrical coordinate $ (r,\varphi,z) $. The dominant mechanism of energy dissipation is assumed to be the magnetic diffusivity due to turbulence and viscosity in the accretion flow. Also, we adopt a more realistic model for kinematic viscosity $ (\nu=\alpha c_{s} H) $, with both $ c_{s} $ and $ H $ as a function of magnetic field. As a result in our model, the kinematic viscosity and magnetic diffusivity $ (\eta=\eta_{0}c_{s} H) $ are not constant. In order to solve the integrated equations that govern the behavior of the accretion flow, a self-similar method is used. It is found that the existence of magnetic resistivity will increase the radial infall velocity as well as sound speed and vertical thickness of the disk. However the rotational velocity of the disk decreases by the increase of magnetic resistivity. Moreover, we study the effect of three components of global magnetic field on the structure of the disk. We found out that the radial velocity and sound speed are Sub-Keplerian for all values of magnetic field parameters, but the rotational velocity can be Super-Keplerian by the increase of toroidal magnetic field. Also, Our numerical results show that all components of magnetic field can be important and have a considerable effect on velocities and vertical thickness of the disk.

Optimization of Bandpass Calibration in Radio Spectroscopy

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:46:50 +0000

We have developed the Smoothed Bandpass Calibration (SBC) method and the best suitable scan pattern to optimize radio spectroscopic observations. Adequate spectral smoothing is applied to the spectrum toward OFF-source blank sky adjacent to a target source direction for the purpose of bandpass correction. Because the smoothing process reduces noise, the integration time for OFF-source scans can be reduced keeping the signal-to-noise ratio. Since the smoothing is not applied to ON-source scans, the spectral resolution for line features is kept. An optimal smoothing window is determined by bandpass flatness evaluated by Spectral Allan Variance (SAV). An efficient scan pattern is designed to the OFF-source scans within the bandpass stability timescale estimated by Time-based Allan Variance (TAV). We have tested the SBC using the digital spectrometer, VESPA, on the VERA Iriki station. For the targeted noise level of 5e-4 as a ratio to the system noise, the optimal smoothing window was 32 – 60 ch in the whole bandwidth of 1024 ch, and the optimal scan pattern was designed as a sequence of 70-s ON + 10-s OFF scan pairs. The noise level with the SBC was reduced by a factor of 1.74 compared with the conventional method. The total telescope time to achieve the goal with the SBC was 400 s, which was 1/3 of 1200 s required by the conventional way. Improvement in telescope time efficiency with the SBC was calculated as 3x, 2x and 1.3x for single-beam, dual-beam, and on-the-fly (OTF) scans, respectively. The SBC works to optimize scan patterns for observations from now, and also works to improve signal-to-noise ratios of archival data if ON- and OFF-source spectra are individually recorded, though the efficiency depends on the spectral stability of the receiving system.

Non-axisymmetric oscillations of rapidly rotating relativistic stars by conformal flatness approximation [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:46:39 +0000

We present a new numerical code to compute non-axisymmetric eigenmodes of rapidly rotating relativistic stars by adopting spatially conformal flat approximation of general relativity. The approximation omits the radiative degree of freedom of relativistic gravity and the set of equations can be cast into the similar form as those in the corresponding Newtonian problem. The code developed computes eigenmodes of rapidly rotating stars by taking advantage of this similarity to Newtonian problem. The code is tested against the low order f- and p-modes of slowly rotating stars which shows a good agreement of frequencies computed by our new code and those by the full theory. Also entire sequences of the low order counter-rotating f-modes are computed, which are susceptible to an instability driven by gravitational radiation.

Spectroscopy of extended Ly\alpha\ envelopes around z=4.5 quasars

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:46:26 +0000

What are the frequency, shape, kinematics, and luminosity of Ly\alpha\ envelopes surrounding radio-quiet quasars at high redshift, and is the luminosity of these envelopes related to that of the quasar or not? As a first step towards answering these questions, we have searched for Ly\alpha\ envelopes around six radio-quiet quasars at z~4.5, using deep spectra taken with the FORS2 spectrograph attached to the UT1 of the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Using the multi-slit mode allows us to observe several point spread function stars simultaneously with the quasar, and to remove the point-like emission from the quasar, unveiling the faint underlying Ly\alpha\ envelope with unprecedented depth. An envelope is detected around four of the six quasars, which suggests that these envelopes are very frequent. Their diameter varies in the range 26

Interstellar reddening towards six small areas in Puppis-Vela

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:46:13 +0000

We investigate the distribution of the interstellar dust towards six small volumes of the sky in the region of the Gum nebula. New high-quality four-colour uvby and H\beta\ Str\”omgren photometry obtained for 352 stars in six selected areas of Kapteyn, complemented with data obtained in a previous investigation for two of these areas, were used to estimate the colour excess and distance to these objects. The obtained colour excess versus distance diagrams, complemented with other information, when available, were analysed in order to infer the properties of the interstellar medium permeating the observed volumes. On the basis of the overall standard deviation in the photometric measurements, we estimate that colour excesses and distances are determined with an accuracy of 0.010 mag and better than 30%, respectively, for a sample of 520 stars. A comparison with 37 stars in common with the new Hipparcos catalogue attests to the high quality of the photometric distance determination. The obtained colour excess versus distance diagrams testify to the low density volume towards the observed lines-of-sight. Very few stars out to distances of 1 kpc from the Sun have colour excesses larger than E(b-y) = 0.1 mag. In spite of the low density character of the interstellar medium towards the Puppis-Vela direction, the obtained reddening as a function of the distance indicates that two or more interstellar structures are crossed towards the observed lines-of-sight. One of these structures may be associated with the very low density wall of the Local Cavity, which has a distance of 100-150 pc from the Sun. Another structure might be related to the Gum nebula, and if so, its front face would be located at about 350 pc from the Sun.

The evolution of the X-ray emission of HH 2 – Investigating heating and cooling processes

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:45:57 +0000

Young stellar objects often drive powerful bipolar outflows which evolve on time scales of a few years. An increasing number of these outflows has been detected in X-rays implying the existence of million degree plasma almost co-spatial with the lower temperature gas observed in the optical and near-IR. The details of the heating and cooling processes of the X-ray emitting part of these so-called Herbig-Haro objects are still ambiguous, e.g., whether the cooling is dominated by expansion, radiation or thermal conduction. We present a second epoch Chandra observation of the first X-ray detected Herbig-Haro object (HH 2) and derive the proper-motion of the X-ray emitting plasma and its cooling history. We argue that the most likely explanation for the constancy of the X-ray luminosity, the alignment with the optical emission and the proper-motion is that the cooling is dominated by radiative losses leading to cooling times exceeding a decade. We explain that a strong shock caused by fast material ramming into slower gas in front of it about ten years ago can explain the X-ray emission while being compatible with the available multi-wavelength data of HH 2.

Oxygen and nitrogen abundances of HII regions in six spiral galaxies

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:45:43 +0000

Spectroscopic observations of 63 HII regions in six spiral galaxies (NGC 628, NGC 783, NGC 2336, NGC 6217, NGC 7331, and NGC 7678) were carried out with the 6-meter telescope (BTA) of Russian Special Astrophysical Observatory with the Spectral Camera attached to the focal reducer SCORPIO in the multislit mode with a dispersion of 2.1A/pixel and a spectral resolution of 10A. These observations were used to estimate the oxygen and nitrogen abundances and the electron temperatures in HII regions through the recent variant of the strong line method (NS calibration). The parameters of the radial distribution (the extrapolated central intercept value and the gradient) of the oxygen and nitrogen abundances in the disks of spiral galaxies NGC 628, NGC 783, NGC 2336, NGC 7331, and NGC 7678 have been determined. The abundances in the NGC 783, NGC 2336, NGC 6217, and NGC 7678 are measured for the first time. Galaxies from our sample follow well the general trend in the luminosity – central metallicity diagram for spiral and irregular galaxies.

Relativistic jet models for two low-luminosity radio galaxies: evidence for backflow?

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:45:29 +0000

We show that asymmetries in total intensity and linear polarization between the radio jets and counter-jets in two lobed Fanaroff-Riley Class I (FR I) radio galaxies, B2 0206+35 (UGC 1651) and B2 0755+37 (NGC 2484), can be accounted for if these jets are intrinsically symmetrical, with decelerating relativistic outflows surrounded by mildly relativistic backflows. Our interpretation is motivated by sensitive, well-resolved Very Large Array imaging which shows that both jets in both sources have a two-component structure transverse to their axes. Close to the jet axis, a centrally-darkened counter-jet lies opposite a centrally-brightened jet, but both are surrounded by broader collimated emission that is brighter on the counter-jet side. We have adapted our previous models of FR I jets as relativistic outflows to include an added component of symmetric backflow. We find that the observed radio emission, after subtracting contributions from the extended lobes, is well described by models in which decelerating outflows with parameters similar to those derived for jets in plumed FR I sources are surrounded by backflows containing predominantly toroidal magnetic fields. These return to within a few kpc of the galaxies with velocities of roughly 0.25c and radiate with a synchrotron spectral index close to 0.55. We discuss whether such backflow is to be expected in lobed FR I sources and suggest ways in which our hypothesis can be tested by further observations.

INTEGRAL/IBIS 9-year Galactic Hard X-Ray Survey

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:45:18 +0000

Context. The INTEGRAL observatory operating in a hard X-ray/gamma domain gathered a large observational data set over nine years since 2003. Dominant fraction of the observing time was dedicated to the Galactic source population study making the possibility of the deepest Galactic survey in hard X-rays ever compiled. Aims. The aim of the current Galactic survey is to make a basis for Galactic source population studies, and perform mapping of the Milky Way in hard X-rays over the maximum exposure available at |b|<17.5 deg. Methods. We used sky reconstruction algorithms specially developed for the high quality imaging of INTEGRAL/IBIS data. Results. We present sky images, sensitivity maps, and catalogs of detected sources in three energy bands: 17-60, 17-35, and 35-80 keV in the Galactic plane at |b|5 sigma has an identification completeness of ~91%, which is valuable for population studies.

The analysis of the hydrogen broad Balmer line ratios: possible implications to the physical properties of the BLR of AGN

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:44:54 +0000

We analyze the ratios of the broad hydrogen Balmer emission lines (from H\alpha to H\epsilon) in the context of estimating the physical conditions in the broad line region (BLR) of active galactic nuclei (AGN). The Balmer emission lines are obtained in three ways: i) using photoionization models obtained by a spectral synthesis code CLOUDY; ii) calculated using the recombination theory for hydrogenic ions; iii) measured from the sample of observed spectra taken from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database. We investigate the Balmer line ratios in the frame of the so called Boltzmann-plot (BP), analyzing physical conditions of the emitting plasma for which we could use the BP method. The BP considers the ratio of Balmer lines normalized to the atomic data of the corresponding line transition, and is in that way different from the Balmer decrement. We found that for a certain range of thermodynamic parameters, there are objects that follow the BP. These AGN may have a BLR consisting of mostly high density plasma.

A new Skyrme interaction with improved spin-isospin properties [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:43:50 +0000

A correct determination of the spin-isospin properties of the nuclear effective interaction should lead, among other improvements, to an accurate description of the Gamow-Teller Resonances (GTR). These nuclear excitations impact on a variety of physical processes: from the response in charge-exchange reactions of nuclei naturally present in the Earth, to the description of the stellar nucleosynthesis, and of the pre-supernova explosion core-collapse evolution of massive stars in the Universe. A reliable description of the GTR provides also stringent tests for neutrinoless double-$\beta$ decay calculations. We present a new Skyrme interaction as accurate as previous forces in the description of finite nuclei and of uniform matter properties around saturation density, and that accurately accounts for the GTR in ${}^{48}$Ca, ${}^{90}$Zr and ${}^{208}$Pb.

Optimization of the Collection Efficiency of a Hexagonal Light Collector using Quadratic and Cubic B\’ezier Curves

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:43:27 +0000

Reflective light collectors with hexagonal entrance and exit apertures are frequently used in front of the focal-plane camera of a very-high-energy gamma-ray telescope to increase the collection efficiency of atmospheric Cherenkov photons and reduce the night-sky background entering at large incident angles. The shape of a hexagonal light collector is usually based on Winston’s design, which is optimized for only two-dimensional optical systems. However, it is not known whether a hexagonal Winston cone is optimal for the real three-dimensional optical systems of gamma-ray telescopes. For the first time we optimize the shape of a hexagonal light collector using quadratic and cubic B\’ezier curves. We demonstrate that our optimized designs simultaneously achieve a higher collection efficiency and background reduction rate than traditional designs.

Anisotropy of TeV and PeV cosmic rays with IceCube and IceTop

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:43:01 +0000

The interaction of high energy cosmic rays with the Earth’s atmosphere produces extensive air showers of secondary particles with a large muon component. By exploiting the sensitivity of neutrino telescopes to high energy muons, it is possible to use these detectors for precision cosmic ray studies. The high rate of cosmic-ray muon events provides a high-statistics data sample that can be used to look for anisotropy in the arrival directions of the parent particles at the per-mille level. This paper reports on the observation of anisotropy in the cosmic ray data collected with the IceCube neutrino telescope in the 20-400 TeV energy range at multiple angular scales. New data from the IceTop air shower array, located on the ice surface above IceCube, shows an anisotropy that is consistent with the high-energy IceCube results. The sensitivity of IceTop to all the components of the extensive air shower will allow us to explore in more detail the characteristics of the primary cosmic rays associated with the observed anisotropy.

On the Validity of Cosmological Fisher Matrix Forecasts

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:42:26 +0000

We present a comparison of Fisher matrix forecasts for cosmological probes with Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) posterior likelihood estimation methods. We analyse the performance of future Dark Energy Task Force (DETF) stage-III and stage-IV dark-energy surveys using supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillations and weak lensing as probes. We concentrate in particular on the dark-energy equation of state parameters $w_0$ and $w_a$. For forecasts with fixed $w_a=0$, there is no qualitative discrepancy between the Fisher matrix approximation and the full likelihood via MCMC exploration, although there are significant quantitative differences; when marginalising over $w_a$ however, we find considerable disagreement between the two methods, since for geometrical probes the Fisher matrix can not reproduce the highly non-elliptical shape of the likelihood function. More quantitatively, the Fisher method overestimates the DETF figure of merit (FoM) for purely geometrical probes by a factor of up to seven. Even in the cases including additional information from structure formation, such as weak lensing, where the likelihood is fairly elliptical, the posterior probability contours from the Fisher matrix estimation are too small: the resulting FoM is biased low by a factor of two. We then explore non-linear transformations resulting in physically-motivated parameters and investigate whether these parameterisations exhibit a Gaussian behaviour. We conclude that, especially for the purely geometrical probes, but also for tests of structure formation, the Fisher matrix is not the appropriate tool to produce reliable forecasts.

A New Method for Cross Polarized Delay Calibration of Radio Interferometers

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:41:40 +0000

Radio interferometers can measure the full polarization state of incoming waves by cross–correlating all combinations of two orthogonal polarizations at each antenna. The independent sets of electronics used to detect the two polarization states will introduce a differential instrumental delay between the two data streams. The usual technique of separate calibration of the parallel–hand sets of visibilities still allows for an arbitrary offset in group delay and phase between the two parallel systems. In order to use the cross–polarized visibilities, this instrumental offset must be determined and removed. This paper describes one such technique and explores its application in the Obit package. The technique is successfully applied to some EVLA data using both strongly and weakly polarized calibrators.

Big Bang nucleosynthesis with a non-Maxwellian distribution [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:40:52 +0000

The abundances of light elements based on the big bang nucleosynthesis model are calculated using the Tsallis non-extensive statistics. The impact of the variation of the non-extensive parameter q from the unity value is compared to observations and to the abundance yields from the standard big bang model. We find large differences between the reaction rates and the abundance of light elements calculated with the extensive and the non-extensive statistics. A large deviation of the non-extensive parameter from q=1 (corresponding to Boltzmann statistics) does not seem to be compatible with observations.

Angular Momentum Transport and Variability in Boundary Layers of Accretion Disks Driven by Global Acoustic Modes

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:40:34 +0000

Disk accretion onto a weakly magnetized central object, e.g. a star, is inevitably accompanied by the formation of a boundary layer near the surface, in which matter slows down from the highly supersonic orbital velocity of the disk to the rotational velocity of the star. We perform high resolution 2D hydrodynamical simulations in the equatorial plane of an astrophysical boundary layer with the goal of exploring the dynamics of non-axisymmetric structures that form there. We generically find that the supersonic shear in the boundary layer excites non-axisymmetric quasi-stationary acoustic modes that are trapped between the surface of the star and a Lindblad resonance in the disk. These modes rotate in a prograde fashion, are stable for hundreds of orbital periods, and have a pattern speed that is less than and of order the rotational velocity at the inner edge of the disk. The origin of these intrinsically global modes is intimately related to the operation of a corotation amplifier in the system. Dissipation of acoustic modes in weak shocks provides a universal mechanism for angular momentum and mass transport even in purely hydrodynamic (i.e. non-magnetized) boundary layers. We discuss the possible implications of these trapped modes for explaining the variability seen in accreting compact objects.

Dark Matter Primordial Black Holes and Inflation Models

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:39:33 +0000

A broad range of single field models of inflation are analyzed in light of all relevant recent cosmological data, checking whether they can lead to the formation of long–lived Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) as candidate for dark matter. To that end we calculate the spectral index of the power spectrum of primordial perturbations as well as its first and second derivatives. PBH formation is possible only if the spectral index $n_S(k_0)$ increases significantly at small scales. Since current data indicate that the first derivative $\alpha_S$ of the spectral index is negative at the pivot scale, PBH formation is only possible in the presence of a sizable and positive second derivative (“running of the running”) $\beta_S$. Among the three small-field and five large-field models we analyze, only the “running-mass” model allows PBH formation, for a narrow range of parameters.

The Importance of Disk Structure in Stalling Type I Migration

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:38:52 +0000

As planets form they tidally interact with their natal disks. Though the tidal perturbation induced by Earth and super-Earth mass planets is generally too weak to significantly modify the structure of the disk, the interaction is potentially strong enough to cause the planets to undergo rapid type I migration. This physical process may provide a source of short-period super-Earths, though it may also pose a challenge to the emergence and retention of cores on long-period orbits with sufficient mass to evolve into gas giants. Previous numerical simulations have shown that the type I migration rate sensitively depends upon the circumstellar disk’s properties, particularly the temperature and surface density gradients. Here, we derive these structure parameters for 1) a self-consistent viscous-disk model based on a constant \alpha-prescription, 2) an irradiated disk model that takes into account heating due to the absorption of stellar photons, and 3) a layered-accretion disk model with variable \alpha-parameter. We show that in the inner viscously-heated regions of typical protostellar disks, the horseshoe and corotation torques of super-Earths can exceed their differential Lindblad torque and cause them to undergo outward migration. However, the temperature profile due to passive stellar irradiation causes type I migration to be inwards throughout much of the disk. For disks in which there is outwards migration, we show that location and the mass range of the “planet traps” depends on some uncertain assumptions adopted for these disk models. Competing physical effects may lead to dispersion in super-Earths’ mass-period distribution.

Interstellar Dust Close to the Sun

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:38:16 +0000

The low density interstellar medium (ISM) close to the Sun and inside of the heliosphere provides a unique laboratory for studying interstellar dust grains. Grain characteristics in the nearby ISM are obtained from observations of interstellar gas and dust inside of the heliosphere and the interstellar gas towards nearby stars. Comparison between the gas composition and solar abundances suggests that grains are dominated by olivines and possibly some form of iron oxide. Measurements of the interstellar Ne/O ratio by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer spacecraft indicate that a high fraction of interstellar oxygen in the ISM must be depleted onto dust grains. Local interstellar abundances are consistent with grain destruction in ~150 km/s interstellar shocks, provided that the carbonaceous component is hydrogenated amorphous carbon and carbon abundances are correct. Variations in relative abundances of refractories in gas suggest variations in the history of grain destruction in nearby ISM. The large observed grains, > 1 micron, may indicate a nearby reservoir of denser ISM. Theoretical three-dimensional models of the interaction between interstellar dust grains and the solar wind predict that plumes of about 0.18 micron dust grains form around the heliosphere.

X-ray Emission from Transient Jet Model in Black Hole Binaries [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:37:51 +0000

While the non-thermal radio through at least near-infrared emission in the hard state in X-ray binaries (XRBs) is known to originate in jets, the source of the non-thermal X-ray component is still uncertain. We introduce a new model for this emission, which takes into account the transient nature of outflows, and show that it can explain the observed properties of the X-ray spectrum. Rapid radiative cooling of the electrons naturally accounts for the break often seen below around 10 keV, and for the canonical spectral slope F_\nu ~ \nu^{-1/2} observed below the break. We derive the constraints set by the data for both synchrotron- and Compton-dominated models. We show that for the synchrotron-dominated case, the jet should be launched at radii comparable to the inner radius of the disk (~few 100 r_s for the 2000 outburst of XTE J1118+480), with typical magnetic field B >~ 10^{6} G. We discuss the consequences of our results on the possible connection between the inflow and outflow in the hard state of XRBs.

Flux and Photon Spectral Index Distributions of Fermi-LAT Blazars And Contribution To The Extragalactic Gamma-ray Background [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:37:36 +0000

We present a determination of the distributions of photon spectral index and gamma-ray flux – the so called LogN-LogS relation – for the 352 blazars detected with a greater than approximately seven sigma detection threshold and located above +/- 20 degrees Galactic latitude by the Large Area Telescope of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in its first year catalog. Because the flux detection threshold depends on the photon index, the observed raw distributions do not provide the true LogN-LogS counts or the true distribution of the photon index. We use the non-parametric methods developed by Efron and Petrosian to reconstruct the intrinsic distributions from the observed ones which account for the data truncations introduced by observational bias and includes the effects of the possible correlation between the two variables. We demonstrate the robustness of our procedures using a simulated data set of blazars and then apply these to the real data and find that for the population as a whole the intrinsic flux distribution can be represented by a broken power law with high and low indexes of -2.37 +/- 0.13 and -1.70 +/- 0.26, respectively, and the intrinsic photon index distribution can be represented by a Gaussian with mean of 2.41 +/- 0.13 and width of 0.25 +/- 0.03. We also find the intrinsic distributions for the sub-populations of BL Lac and FSRQs type blazars separately. We then calculate the contribution of Fermi blazars to the diffuse extragalactic gamma-ray background radiation. Under the assumption that the flux distribution of blazars continues to arbitrarily low fluxes, we calculate the best fit contribution of all blazars to the total extragalactic gamma-ray output to be 60%, with a large uncertainty.

Cosmological Sakharov Oscillations and Quantum Mechanics of the Early Universe [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:37:23 +0000

This is a brief summary of a talk delivered at the Special Session of the Physical Sciences Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 25 May 2011. The meeting was devoted to the 90-th anniversary of A. D. Sakharov. The focus of this contribution is on the standing-wave pattern of quantum-mechanically generated metric (gravitational field) perturbations as the origin of subsequent Sakharov oscillations in the matter power spectrum. Other related phenomena, particularly in the area of gravitational waves, and their observational significance are also discussed.

Panchromatic Observations of SN 2011dh Point to a Compact Progenitor Star [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:37:05 +0000

We report the discovery and detailed monitoring of X-ray emission associated with the Type IIb SN 2011dh using data from the Swift and Chandra satellites, placing it among the best studied X-ray supernovae to date. We further present millimeter and radio data obtained with the SMA, CARMA, and EVLA during the first three weeks after explosion. Combining these observations with early optical photometry, we show that the panchromatic dataset is well-described by non-thermal synchrotron emission (radio/mm) with inverse Compton scattering (X-ray) of a thermal population of optical photons. In this scenario, the shock partition fractions deviate from equipartition by a factor, (e_e/e_B) ~ 30. We derive the properties of the shockwave and the circumstellar environment and find a shock velocity, v~0.1c, and a progenitor mass loss rate of ~6e-5 M_sun/yr. These properties are consistent with the sub-class of Type IIb SNe characterized by compact progenitors (Type cIIb) and dissimilar from those with extended progenitors (Type eIIb). Furthermore, we consider the early optical emission in the context of a cooling envelope model to estimate a progenitor radius of ~1e+11 cm, in line with the expectations for a Type cIIb SN. Together, these diagnostics are difficult to reconcile with the extended radius of the putative yellow supergiant progenitor star identified in archival HST observations, unless the stellar density profile is unusual. Finally, we searched for the high energy shock breakout pulse using X-ray and gamma-ray observations obtained during the purported explosion date range. Based on the compact radius of the progenitor, we estimate that the breakout pulse was detectable with current instruments but likely missed due to their limited temporal/spatial coverage. [Abridged]

Galaxy Zoo: dust and molecular gas in early-type galaxies with prominent dust lanes [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:36:55 +0000

We study dust and associated molecular gas in 352 nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs) with prominent dust lanes. 65% of these `dusty ETGs’ (D-ETGs) are morphologically disturbed, suggesting a merger origin. This is consistent with the D-ETGs residing in lower density environments compared to the controls drawn from the general ETG population. 80% of D-ETGs inhabit the field (compared to 60% of the controls) and <2% inhabit clusters (compared to 10% of the controls). Compared to the controls, D-ETGs exhibit bluer UV-optical colours (indicating enhanced star formation) and an AGN fraction that is more than an order of magnitude greater (indicating higher incidence of nuclear activity). The clumpy dust mass residing in large-scale features is estimated, using the SDSS r-band images, to be 10^{4.5}-10^{6.5} MSun. A comparison to the total (clumpy + diffuse) dust masses- calculated using the far-IR fluxes of 15% of the D-ETGs that are detected by the IRAS- indicates that only ~20% of the dust resides in these large-scale features. The dust masses are several times larger than the maximum value expected from stellar mass loss, ruling out an internal origin. The dust content shows no correlation with the blue luminosity, indicating that it is not related to a galactic scale cooling flow. No correlation is found with the age of the recent starburst, suggesting that the dust is accreted directly in the merger rather than being produced in situ by the triggered star formation. Using molecular gas-to-dust ratios of ETGs in the literature we estimate that the median current and initial molecular gas fraction are ~1.3% and ~4%, respectively. Recent work suggests that the merger activity in nearby ETGs largely involves minor mergers (mass ratios between 1:10 and 1:4). If the IRAS-detected D-ETGs form via this channel, then the original gas fractions of the accreted satellites are 20%-44%. [Abridged]

Galaxy evolution in groups and clusters: star formation rates, red sequence fractions, and the persistent bimodality [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:36:28 +0000

Using galaxy group/cluster catalogs created from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7, we examine in detail the specific star formation rate (SSFR) distribution of satellite galaxies and its dependence on stellar mass, host halo mass, and halo-centric radius. All galaxies, regardless of central-satellite designation, exhibit a similar bimodal SSFR distribution, with a strong break at SSFR ~ 10^-11 yr^-1 and the same high SSFR peak; in no regime is there ever an excess of galaxies in the `green valley’. Satellite galaxies are simply more likely to lie on the quenched (`red sequence’) side of the SSFR distribution. Furthermore, the satellite quenched fraction excess above the field galaxy value is nearly independent of galaxy stellar mass. An enhanced quenched fraction for satellites persists in groups with halo masses down to 3 x 10^11 Msol and increases strongly with halo mass and toward halo center. We find no detectable quenching enhancement for galaxies beyond ~2R_vir around massive clusters once these galaxies have been decomposed into centrals and satellites. These trends imply that (1) galaxies experience no significant environmental effects until they cross within ~R_vir of a more massive host halo, (2) after this, star formation in active satellites continues to evolve in the same manner as active central galaxies for several Gyrs, and (3) once begun, satellite star formation quenching occurs rapidly. These results place strong constraints on satellite-specific quenching mechanisms, as we will discuss further in companion papers.

The relation between broad lines and gamma–ray luminosities in Fermi blazars [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:36:07 +0000

We study the relation between the mass accretion rate, the jet power, and the black hole mass of blazars. To this aim, we make use of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the 11 months catalog of blazars detected at energies larger than 100 MeV by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi satellite. This allows to construct a relatively large sample of blazars with information about the luminosity (or upper limits) of their emission lines used as a proxy for the strength of the disc luminosity and on the luminosity of the high energy emission, used as a proxy for the jet power. We find a good correlation between the luminosity of the broad lines and the gamma-ray luminosity as detected by Fermi, both using absolute values of the luminosities and normalising them to the Eddington value. The data we have analyzed confirm that the division of blazars into BL Lacs and Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars (FSRQs) is controlled by the line luminosity in Eddington units. For small values of this ratio the object is a BL Lac, while it is a FSRQs for large values. The transition appears smooth, but a much larger number of objects is needed to confirm this point.

Direct MD simulation of liquid-solid phase equilibria for two-component plasmas [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:35:55 +0000

We determine the liquid-solid phase diagram for carbon-oxygen and oxygen-selenium plasma mixtures using two-phase MD simulations. We identified liquid, solid, and interface regions using a bond angle metric. To study finite size effects, we perform 27648 and 55296 ion simulations. To help monitor non-equilibrium effects, we calculate diffusion constants $D_i$. For the carbon-oxygen system we find that $D_O$ for oxygen ions in the solid is much smaller than $D_C$ for carbon ions and that both diffusion constants are 80 or more times smaller than diffusion constants in the liquid phase. There is excellent agreement between our carbon-oxygen phase diagram and that predicted by Medin and Cumming. This suggests that errors from finite size and non-equilibrium effects are small and that the carbon-oxygen phase diagram is now accurately known. The oxygen-selenium system is a simple two-component model for more complex rapid proton capture nucleosynthesis ash compositions for an accreting neutron star. Diffusion of oxygen, in a predominately selenium crystal, is remarkably fast, comparable to diffusion in the liquid phase. We find a somewhat lower melting temperature for the oxygen-selenium system than that predicted by Medin and Cumming. This is probably because of electron screening effects.

Kicking massive black holes off clusters: Intermediate-mass ratio inspirals [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:35:33 +0000

Contrary to supermassive and stellar-mass black holes (SBHs), the existence of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) with masses ranging between 100 and 10,000 Msun has not yet been confirmed. The main problem in the detection is that the innermost stellar kinematics of globular clusters (GCs), the natural loci to IMBHs, are very difficult to resolve. However, if IMBHs reside in the center of GCs, a possibility is that they interact dynamically with their enviroment. A binary formed with the IMBH and a compact object of the GC would naturally lead to a prominent source of gravitational radiation, detectable with future observatories. We run for the first time direct-summation integrations of GCs with an IMBH including the dynamical evolution of the IMBH with the stellar system and relativistic effects, such as energy loss in gravitational waves (GWs) and periapsis shift, and gravitational recoil. We find in one of our models an intermediate-mass ratio inspiral (IMRI), which leads to a merger with a recoiling velocity higher than the escape velocity of the GC. The GWs emitted fall in the range of frequencies that a LISA-like observatory could detect, like the European eLISA or in mission options considered in the recent preliminary mission study conducted in China. The merger has an impact on the global dynamics of the cluster, as an important heating source is removed when the merged system leaves the GC. The detection of one IMRI would constitute a test of GR, as well as an irrefutable proof of the existence of IMBHs.

Minimum Energy Configurations in the $N$-Body Problem and the Celestial Mechanics of Granular Systems [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:35:19 +0000

Minimum energy configurations in celestial mechanics are investigated. It is shown that this is not a well defined problem for point-mass celestial mechanics but well-posed for finite density distributions. This naturally leads to a granular mechanics extension of usual celestial mechanics questions such as relative equilibria and stability. This paper specifically studies and finds all relative equilibria and minimum energy configurations for $N=1,2,3$ and develops hypotheses on the relative equilibria and minimum energy configurations for $N\gg 1$ bodies.

The inner wind of IRC+10216 revisited: New exotic chemistry and diagnostic for dust condensation in carbon stars [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:35:01 +0000

Aims. We model the chemistry of the inner wind of the carbon star IRC+10216 and consider the effect of periodic shocks induced by the stellar pulsation on the gas to follow the non-equilibrium chemistry in the shocked gas layers. We consider a very complete set of chemical families, including hydrocarbons and aromatics, hydrides, halogens and phosphorous-bearing species. Derived abundances are compared to the latest observational data from large surveys and Herschel. Results. The shocks induce a non-equilibrium chemistry in the dust formation zone of IRC+10216 where the collision destruction of CO in the post-shock gas triggers the formation of O-bearing species (H2O, SiO). Most of the modelled abundances agree very well with the latest values derived from Herschel data on IRC+10216. Hydrides form a family of abundant species that are expelled into the intermediate envelope. In particular, HF traps all the atomic fluorine in the dust formation zone. Halogens are also abundant and their chemistry is independent of the C/O ratio of the star. Therefore, HCl and other Cl-bearing species should also be present in the inner wind of O-rich AGB or supergiant stars. We identify a specific region ranging from 2.5 R* to 4 R*, where polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons form and grow. The estimated carbon dust-to-gas mass ratio derived from the mass of aromatics ranges from 1.2 x 10^(-3) to 5.8 x 10^{-3} and agrees well with existing observational values. The aromatic formation region is located outside hot layers where SiC2 is produced as a bi-product of silicon carbide dust synthesis. Finally, we predict that some molecular lines will show flux variation with pulsation phase and time (e.g., H2O) while other species will not (e.g., CO). These variations merely reflect the non-equilibrium chemistry that destroys and reforms molecules over a pulsation period in the shocked gas of the dust formation zone.

Multiphase, non-spherical gas accretion onto a black hole [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:34:46 +0000

(Abridged) We investigate non-spherical behavior of gas accreting onto a central supermassive black hole performing simulations using the SPH code GADGET-3 including radiative cooling and heating by the central X-ray source. As found in earlier 1D studies, our 3D simulations show that the accretion mode depends on the X-ray luminosity (L_X) for a fixed density at infinity and accretion efficiency. In the low L_X limit, gas accretes in a stable, spherically symmetric fashion. In the high L_X limit, the inner gas is significantly heated up and expands, reducing the central mass inflow rate. The expanding gas can turn into a strong enough outflow capable of expelling most of the gas at larger radii. For some intermediate L_X, the accretion flow becomes unstable developing prominent non-spherical features, the key reason for which is thermal instability (TI) as shown by our analyses. Small perturbations of the initially spherically symmetric accretion flow that is heated by the intermediate L_X quickly grow to form cold and dense clumps surrounded by overheated low density regions. The cold clumps continue their inward motion forming filamentary structures; while the hot infalling gas slows down because of buoyancy and can even start outflowing through the channels in between the filaments. We found that the ratio between the mass inflow rates of the cold and hot gas is a dynamical quantity depending on several factors: time, spatial location, and L_X; and ranges between 0 and 4. We briefly discuss astrophysical implications of such TI-driven fragmentation of accreting gas on the formation of clouds in narrow and broad line regions of AGN, the formation of stars, and the observed variability of the AGN luminiosity.

Light Dark Matter, Light Higgs and the Electroweak Phase Transition [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:34:26 +0000

We propose a minimal extension of the Standard Model by two real singlet fields that could provide a good candidate for light Dark Matter, and give a strong first order electroweak phase transition. As a result, there are two CP even scalars; one is lighter than \sim 70 GeV, and the other one with mass in the range of 280-400 GeV; and consistent with electroweak precision tests. We show that the light scalar mass can be as small as 25 GeV while still being consistent with the LEP data. The predicted dark matter scattering cross section is large enough to accommodate CoGeNT and can be probed by future XENON experiment. We also show that for dark matter mass around 2 GeV, the branching fraction of the process (B^+\rightarrowK^++2(DM)) can be accessible in SuperB factories.

Approximate Bayesian Computation for Astronomical Model Analysis: A Case Study in Galaxy Demographics and Morphological Transformation at High Redshift [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:34:08 +0000

“Approximate Bayesian Computation” (ABC) represents a powerful methodology for the analysis of complex stochastic systems for which the likelihood of the observed data under an arbitrary set of input parameters may be entirely intractable-the latter condition rendering useless the standard machinery of tractable likelihood-based, Bayesian statistical inference (e.g. conventional Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation; MCMC). In this article we demonstrate the potential of ABC for astronomical model analysis by application to a case study in the morphological transformation of high redshift galaxies. To this end we develop, first, a stochastic model for the competing processes of merging and secular evolution in the early Universe; and second, through an ABC-based comparison against the observed demographics of massive (M_gal > 10^11 M_sun) galaxies (at 1.5 < z < 3) in the CANDELS/EGS dataset we derive posterior probability densities for the key parameters of this model. The "Sequential Monte Carlo" (SMC) implementation of ABC exhibited herein, featuring both a self-generating target sequence and self-refining MCMC kernel, is amongst the most efficient of contemporary approaches to this important statistical algorithm. We highlight as well through our chosen case study the value of careful summary statistic selection, and demonstrate two modern strategies for assessment and optimisation in this regard. Ultimately, our ABC analysis of the high redshift morphological mix returns tight constraints on the evolving merger rate in the early Universe and favours major merging (with disc survival or rapid reformation) over secular evolution as the mechanism most responsible for building up the first generation of bulges in early-type disks.

The Shift of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation Scale: A Simple Physical Picture [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:33:29 +0000

A shift of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) scale to smaller values than predicted by linear theory was observed in simulations. In this paper, we try to provide an intuitive physical understanding of why this shift occurs, explaining in more pedagogical detail earlier perturbation theory calculations. We find that the shift is mainly due to the following physical effect. A measurement of the BAO scale is more sensitive to regions with long wavelength overdensities than underdensities, because (due to non-linear growth and bias) these overdense regions contain larger fluctuations and more tracers and hence contribute more to the total correlation function. In overdense regions the BAO scale shrinks because such regions locally behave as positively curved closed universes, and hence a smaller scale than predicted by linear theory is measured in the total correlation function. Other effects which also contribute to the shift are briefly discussed. We provide approximate analytic expressions for the non-linear shift including a brief discussion of biased tracers and explain why reconstruction should entirely reverse the shift. Our expressions and findings are in agreement with simulation results, and confirm that non-linear shifts should not be problematic for next-generation BAO measurements.

Particle-in-cell simulations of particle energization from low Mach number fast mode shocks [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:33:19 +0000

Astrophysical shocks are often studied in the high Mach number limit but weakly compressive fast shocks can occur in magnetic reconnection outflows and are considered to be a site of particle energization in solar flares. Here we study the microphysics of such perpendicular, low Mach number collisionless shocks using two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations with a reduced ion/electron mass ratio and employ a moving wall boundary method for initial generation of the shock. This moving wall method allows for more control of the shock speed, smaller simulation box sizes, and longer simulation times than the commonly used fixed wall, reflection method of shock formation. Our results, which are independent of the shock formation method, reveal the prevalence shock drift acceleration (SDA) of both electron and ions in a purely perpendicular shock with Alfv\’en Mach number $M_A=6.8$ and ratio of thermal to magnetic pressure $\beta=8$. We determine the respective minimum energies required for electrons and ions to incur SDA. We derive a theoretical electron distribution via SDA that compares to the simulation results. We also show that a modified two-stream instability due to the incoming and reflecting ions in the shock transition region acts as the mechanism to generate collisionless plasma turbulence that sustains the shock.

Very small-scale clustering of quasars from a complete quasar lens survey [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:33:10 +0000

We measure the small-scale (comoving separation 10 kpc/h < r_p < 200 kpc/h) two-point correlation function of quasars using a sample of 26 spectroscopically confirmed binary quasars at 0.6

Gauge-invariant variables in general-relativistic perturbations: globalization and zero-mode problem [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:32:59 +0000

An outline of a proof of the local decomposition of linear metric perturbations into gauge-invariant and gauge-variant parts on an arbitrary background spacetime is briefly explained. We explicitly construct the gauge-invariant and gauge-variant parts of the linear metric perturbations based on some assumptions. We also point out the zero-mode problem is an essential problem to globalize of this decomposition of linear metric perturbations. The resolution of this zero-mode problem implies the possibility of the development of the higher-order gauge-invariant perturbation theory on an arbitrary background spacetime in a global sense.

Dark matter origin of the gamma ray emission from the galactic center observed by HESS [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:32:37 +0000

We show that the gamma ray spectrum observed with the HESS array of Cherenkov telescopes coming from the Galactic Center (GC) region and identified with the source HESS J1745-290, is well fitted by the secondary photons coming from dark matter (DM) annihilation over a diffuse power-law background. The amount of photons and morphology of the signal localized within a region of few parsecs, require compressed DM profiles as those resulting from baryonic contraction, which offer $\sim 10^3$ enhancements in the signal over DM alone simulations. The fitted background from HESS data is consistent with recent Fermi-LAT observations of the same region.

Paraiso : An Automated Tuning Framework for Explicit Solvers of Partial Differential Equations [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:32:27 +0000

We propose Paraiso, a domain specific language embedded in functional programming language Haskell, for automated tuning of explicit solvers of partial differential equations (PDEs) on GPUs as well as multicore CPUs. In Paraiso, one can describe PDE solving algorithms succinctly using tensor equations notation. Hydrodynamic properties, interpolation methods and other building blocks are described in abstract, modular, re-usable and combinable forms, which lets us generate versatile solvers from little set of Paraiso source codes. We demonstrate Paraiso by implementing a compressive hydrodynamics solver. A single source code less than 500 lines can be used to generate solvers of arbitrary dimensions, for both multicore CPUs and GPUs. We demonstrate both manual annotation based tuning and evolutionary computing based automated tuning of the program.

EzGal: A Flexible Interface for Stellar Population Synthesis Models [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:32:13 +0000

We present EzGal, a flexible python program designed to easily generate observable parameters (magnitudes, colors, mass-to-light ratios) for any stellar population synthesis (SPS) model. As has been demonstrated by various authors, the choice of input SPS models can be a significant source of systematic uncertainty. A key strength of EzGal is that it enables simple, direct comparison of different models sets. EzGal is also capable of generating composite stellar population models (CSPs) and can interpolate between metallicities for a given model set. We have created a web interface to run EzGal and generate observables for a variety of star formation histories and model sets. We make many commonly used SPS models available from this interface; the BC03 models, an updated version of these models, the Maraston models, the BaSTI models, and finally the FSPS models. We use EzGal to compare magnitude predictions for the model sets as a function of wavelength, age, metallicity, and star formation history. We recover the well-known result that the models agree best in the optical for old, solar metallicity models, with differences at the ~0.1 magnitude level. The most problematic regime for SPS modeling is for young ages (7500 Angstroms) where scatter between models can vary from 0.3 mags (Sloan i) to 0.7 mags (Ks). We find that these differences are best understood as general uncertainties in SPS modeling. Finally we explore a more physically motivated example by generating CSPs with a star formation history matching the global star formation history of the universe. We demonstrate that the wavelength and age dependence of SPS model uncertainty translates into a redshift dependent model uncertainty, highlighting the importance of a quantitative understanding of model differences when comparing observations to models as a function of redshift.

Multi-wavelength study of the Be/X-ray binary MXB 0656-072 [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:32:01 +0000

We present and analyze the optical photometric and spectroscopic data of the Be/X-ray binary MXB 0656-072 from 2006 to 2009. A 101.2-day orbital period is found, for the first time, from the present public X-ray data(Swift/BAT and RXTE/ASM). The anti-correlation between the H$\alpha$ emission and the $UBV$ brightness of MXB 0656$-$072 during our 2007 observations indicates that a mass ejection event took place in the system. After the mass ejection, a low-density region might develop around the Oe star. With the outward motion of the circumstellar disk, the outer part of the disk interacted with the neutron star around its periastron passage and a series of the X-ray outbursts were triggered between MJD 54350 and MJD 54850. The PCA–HEXTE spectra during the 2007-2008 X-ray outbursts could be well fitted by a cut-off power law with low energy absorption, together with an iron line around 6.4 keV, and a broad cyclotron resonance feature around 30 keV. The same variability of the soft and hard X-ray colors in 2.3-21 keV indicated that there were no overall changes in the spectral shape during the X-ray outbursts, which might be only connected with the changes of the mass-accretion rate onto the neutron star.

A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007 [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:31:38 +0000

We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy, particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the period January – September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino – gravitational wave emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of merger and core-collapse events.

Neutrinos And Cosmic Rays From Gamma Ray Bursts [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:31:25 +0000

The upper limit on the flux of ultra high energy neutrinos from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) that was reported recently by the IceCube collaboration contradicts predictions based on the Fireball model of GRBs, but does not exclude GRBs as a main source of ultra-high energy cosmic rays.

Precision Measurement of The Most Distant Spectroscopically Confirmed Supernova Ia with the Hubble Space Telescope [Replacement]

astro-ph — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:31:06 +0000

We report the discovery of a redshift 1.71 supernova in the GOODS North field. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) ACS spectrum has almost negligible contamination from the host or neighboring galaxies, allowing us to confirm it as a Type Ia. A recent serendipitous archival HST WFC3 grism spectrum contributed a key element of the confirmation by giving a host-galaxy redshift of 1.713 +/- 0.007, matching the SN redshift. In addition to being the most distant SN Ia with spectroscopic confirmation, this is the most distant Ia with a precision color measurement. We present the ACS WFC and NICMOS 2 photometry and ACS and WFC3 spectroscopy. Our derived supernova distance is in agreement with the prediction of LambdaCDM.

The optically unbiased GRB host (TOUGH) survey. III. Redshift distribution

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:58:08 +0000

We present 10 new gamma-ray burst (GRB) redshifts and another five redshift limits based on host galaxy spectroscopy obtained as part of a large program conducted at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The redshifts span the range 0.345 < z 6 (z > 7). The mean redshift of the host sample is assessed to be > 2.2, with the 10 new redshifts reducing it significantly. Using this more complete sample, we confirm previous findings that the GRB rate at high redshift (z > 3) appears to be in excess of predictions based on assumptions that it should follow conventional determinations of the star formation history of the universe, combined with an estimate of its likely metallicity dependence. This suggests that either star formation at high redshifts has been significantly underestimated, for example due to a dominant contribution from faint, undetected galaxies, or that GRB production is enhanced in the conditions of early star formation, beyond that usually ascribed to lower metallicity.

The Dominance of Neutrino-Driven Convection in Core-Collapse Supernovae

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:57:25 +0000

Multi-dimensional instabilities have become an important ingredient in core-collapse supernova (CCSN) theory. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the driving mechanism of the dominant instability. Comparing 3D CCSN simulations with turbulence theory, we find that buoyancy-driven convection dominates post-shock turbulence. In general, the convective fluxes and kinetic energies in the neutrino-heated region are consistent with expectations of buoyancy-driven convection. Specifically, the convective flux is positive where buoyancy actively drives convection, and the radial and tangential components of the kinetic energy are in rough equipartition (i.e. K_r ~ K_{\theta} + K_{\phi}). Both results are natural consequences of buoyancy-driven convection, and are commonly observed in simulations of convection in other contexts. Most compelling, though, is the consistency between 3D CCSN simulations and predictions of neutrino-driven convection theory. For one, global buoyant driving is balanced by global turbulent dissipation. Secondly, the convective luminosity and turbulent dissipation are linearly proportional to the driving neutrino power. Thirdly, we accurately calculate the shock radius only if we include turbulent ram pressure in the shock conditions. In all, these results suggest that in neutrino-driven explosions the multi-dimensional motions are consistent with neutrino-driven convection, and there is little need to invoke alternative instabilities such as the standing accretion shock instability.

Extending BEAMS to correlated photometric supernova data

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:57:05 +0000

New supernova surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey, Pan-STARRS and the LSST will produce an unprecedented number of photometric supernova candidates, most with no spectroscopic follow-up. Avoiding biases in cosmological parameters due to the resulting inevitable contamination from non-Ia supernovae can be achieved with the BEAMS formalism, allowing the first fully photometric supernova cosmology studies. Here we extend BEAMS to deal with the case in which the supernovae are correlated. Doing this analytically requires evaluating 2^N terms in the posterior, where N is the number of supernova candidates. This `exponential catastrophe’ is computationally unfeasible even for N of order 100. We circumvent the exponential catastrophe by marginalising numerically instead of analytically over the possible supernovae types: we augment the cosmological parameters with N discrete type parameters, tau_i, that we include in our MCMC analysis. We show that this deals well even with large correlations without a major increase in computational time, whereas ignoring the correlations can lead to significant biases. We then compare the numerical marginalisation technique with a perturbative expansion of the posterior based on the insight that future surveys will have exquisite light curves and hence the probability that a given candidate is a Type Ia will be close to unity or zero, for most objects. Although this perturbative approach changes computation of the posterior from a 2^N problem into an N^2 or N^3 one, we show that it leads to biases in general through a small number of misclassifications, implying that numerical marginalisation is superior.

Precision Measurement of The Most Distant Spectroscopically-Confirmed Supernova Ia with the Hubble Space Telescope

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:56:48 +0000

We report the discovery of a redshift 1.71 supernova in the GOODS North field. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) ACS spectrum has almost negligible contamination from the host or neighboring galaxies, allowing us to confirm it as a Type Ia. A serendipitous HST WFC3 IR spectrum, taken after the supernova had faded, gives a host-galaxy redshift of 1.713 +/- 0.007 which matches the SN redshift. In addition to being the most distant SN Ia with spectroscopic confirmation, this is the most distant Ia with a precision color measurement. We present the ACS WFC and NICMOS 2 photometry and ACS and WFC3 spectroscopy. Our derived supernova distance is in agreement with the prediction of LambdaCDM.

Runaway Stars and the Escape of Ionizing Radiation from High-Redshift Galaxies

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:56:15 +0000

Approximately 30% of all massive stars in the Galaxy are runaways with velocities exceeding 30 km/s. Their high speeds allow them to travel ~0.1-1 kpc away from their birth place before they explode at the end of their several Myr lifetimes. At high redshift, when galaxies were much smaller than in the local universe, runaways could venture far from the dense inner regions of their host galaxies. From these large radii, and therefore low column densities, much of their ionizing radiation is able to escape into the intergalactic medium. Runaways may therefore significantly enhance the overall escape fraction of ionizing radiation, fesc, from small galaxies at high redshift. We present simple models of the high-redshift runaway population and its impact on fesc as a function of halo mass, size, and redshift. We find that the inclusion of runaways enhances fesc by factors of ~1.1-8, depending on halo mass, galaxy geometry, and the mechanism of runaway production, implying that runaways may contribute 50-90% of the total ionizing radiation escaping from high-redshift galaxies. Runaways may therefore play an important role in reionizing the universe.

[CII] line emission in massive star-forming galaxies at z=4.7

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:55:55 +0000

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the [CII] 157.7micron fine structure line and thermal dust continuum emission from a pair of gas-rich galaxies at z=4.7, BR1202-0725. This system consists of a luminous quasar host galaxy and a bright submm galaxy (SMG), while a fainter star-forming galaxy is also spatially coincident within a 4” (25 kpc) region. All three galaxies are detected in the submm continuum, indicating FIR luminosities in excess of 10^13 Lsun for the two most luminous objects. The SMG and the quasar host galaxy are both detected in [CII] line emission with luminosities, L([CII]) = (10.0 +/- 1.5)x10^9 Lsun and L([CII]) = (6.5+/-1.0)x10^9 Lsun, respectively. We estimate a luminosity ratio, L([CII])/L(FIR) = (8.3+/-1.2)x10^-4 for the starburst SMG to the North, and L([CII])/L(FIR) = (2.5+/-0.4)x10^-4 for the quasar host galaxy, in agreement with previous high-redshift studies that suggest lower [CII]-to-FIR luminosity ratios in quasars than in starburst galaxies. The third fainter object with a flux density, S(340GHz) = 1.9+/-0.3 mJy, is coincident with a Ly-Alpha emitter and is detected in HST ACS F775W and F814W images but has no clear counterpart in the H-band. Even if this third companion does not lie at a similar redshift to BR1202-0725, the quasar and the SMG represent an overdensity of massive, infrared luminous star-forming galaxies within 1.3 Gyr of the Big Bang.

Turbulent dynamo with advective magnetic helicity flux

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:55:18 +0000

Many astrophysical bodies harbor magnetic fields that are thought to be sustained by dynamo processes. However, it has been argued that the production of large-scale magnetic fields by a mean-field dynamo is strongly suppressed at large magnetic Reynolds numbers owing to the conservation of magnetic helicity. This phenomenon is known as catastrophic quenching. Advection of magnetic field toward the outer boundaries and away from the dynamo is expected to alleviate such quenching. Examples are stellar and galactic winds. Such advection might be able to overcome the constraint imposed by the conservation of magnetic helicity, transporting a fraction of it outside the domain in which the dynamo operates. We study how the dynamo process is affected by advection. In particular, we study the relative roles played by advective and diffusive fluxes of magnetic helicity. We do this by performing direct numerical simulations of a turbulent dynamo of alpha^2 type driven by forced turbulence in a Cartesian domain in the presence of a constant flow toward the upper and lower borders of the domain. We demonstrate that, within the range of magnetic Reynolds number examined (\Rm < 200, based on the wavenumber of the energy-carrying eddies), the resistive term still dominates over the advective one in the evolution equation of magnetic helicity. This means that for the Rm presently accessible, advection does not alleviate the quenching. Our results lead us to estimate that for Rm ~ 4.10^3. catastrophic quenching can be alleviated by the presence of advection. We also find that in the presence of advection the dynamo, otherwise stationary, becomes oscillatory.

Detection of Weak Circumstellar Gas around the DAZ White Dwarf WD 1124-293: Evidence for the Accretion of Multiple Asteroids

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:54:38 +0000

Single metal polluted white dwarfs with no dusty disks are believed to be actively accreting metals from a circumstellar disk of gas caused by the destruction of asteroids perturbed by planetary systems. We report, for the first time, the detection of circumstellar Ca~II gas in absorption around the DAZ WD~1124-293, which lacks an infrared excess. We constrain the gas to $>$7 $R_{\rm WD}$ and $<$32000~AU, and estimate it to be at $\sim$54~R$_{\rm WD}$, well within WD~1124-293's tidal disruption radius. This detection is based on several epochs of spectroscopy around the Ca~II H and K lines ($\lambda$=3968\AA, 3933\AA) with the MIKE spectrograph on the Magellan/Clay Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We confirm the circumstellar nature of the gas by observing nearby sightlines and finding no evidence for gas from the local interstellar medium. Through archival data we have measured the equivalent width of the two photospheric Ca lines over a period of 11 years. We see $$ R$_{\rm \oplus}$ using the WASP survey. The presence of gas in orbit around WD~1124-293 implies that most DAZs could harbor planetary systems. Since 25-30\% of white dwarfs show metal line absorption, the dynamical process for perturbing small bodies must be robust.

An X-ray Survey of Colliding Wind Binaries

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:54:18 +0000

We have compiled a list of 35 O+O binaries and 86 Wolf-Rayet binaries in the Milky Way and Magellanic clouds detected with the {\it Chandra}, {\it XMM-Newton} and {\it ROSAT} satellites to probe the connection between their X-ray properties % ($L_{\rm X}$, $L_{\rm X}/L_{\rm bol}$ and $kT$) and their system characteristics. Of the Wolf-Rayet binaries with published model parameters, all have log LX > 32, kT > 1 keV and log Lx/Lbol > -7. The most X-ray luminous W-R binaries are typically very long period systems. The WR binaries show a nearly four-order of magnitude spread in X-ray luminosity, even among among systems with very similar W-R primaries. Among the O+O binaries, short-period systems have soft X-ray spectra and longer period systems show harder X-ray spectra again with a large spread in Lx/Lbol.

Electron-positron plasma in GRBs and in cosmology

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:53:57 +0000

Electron-positron plasma is believed to play imporant role both in the early Universe and in sources of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). We focus on analogy and difference between physical conditions of electron-positron plasma in the early Universe and in sources of GRBs. We discuss a) dynamical differences, namely thermal acceleration of the outflow in GRB sources vs cosmological deceleration; b) nuclear composition differences as synthesis of light elements in the early Universe and possible destruction of heavy elements in GRB plasma; c) different physical conditions during last scattering of photons by electrons. Only during the acceleration phase of the optically thick electron-positron plasma comoving observer may find it similar to the early Universe. This similarity breaks down during the coasting phase. Reprocessing of nuclear abundances may likely take place in GRB sources. Heavy nuclear elements are then destroyed, resulting mainly in protons with small admixture of helium. Unlike the primordial plasma which recombines to form neutral hydrogen, and emits the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, GRB plasma does not cool down enough to recombine.

The `harder when brighter’ X-ray behaviour of the low luminosity active galactic nucleus NGC 7213

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:53:43 +0000

We present the first robust evidence of an anti-correlation between the X-ray photon index, \Gamma, and the X-ray luminosity in a single low luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGN), NGC 7213. Up to now, such anti-correlation trends have been seen only in large samples of LLAGN that span a wide range of X-ray fluxes, although the opposite behaviour (i.e. a positive correlation between \Gamma and X-ray luminosity) has been extensively studied for individual X-ray bright active galactic nuclei. For NGC 7213, we use the long-term X-ray monitoring data of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), regularly obtained on average every two days from March 2006 to December 2009. Based on our X-ray data, we derive the \Gamma versus flux and the hardness ratio versus flux relations, indicating clearly that NGC 7213 follows a `harder when brighter’ spectral behaviour. Additionally, by analysing radio and optical data, and combining data from the literature, we form the most complete spectral energy distribution (SED) of the source across the electromagnetic spectrum yielding a bolometric luminosity of 1.7*10^43 erg s^-1. Phenomenologically, the SED of NGC 7213 is similar to that of low-ionization nuclear emission-line region. The robust anti-correlation trend that we find between \Gamma and X-ray luminosity together with the low accretion rate of the source, 0.14 per cent that of Eddington limit, make NGC 7213 the first LLAGN exhibiting a similar spectral behaviour with that of black hole X-ray binaries in `hard state’.

The Inter-Eruption Timescale of Classical Novae from Expansion of the Z Camelopardalis Shell

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:53:31 +0000

The dwarf nova Z Camelopardalis is surrounded by the largest known classical nova shell. This shell demonstrates that at least some dwarf novae must have undergone classical nova eruptions in the past, and that at least some classical novae become dwarf novae long after their nova thermonuclear outbursts. The current size of the shell, its known distance, and the largest observed nova ejection velocity set a lower limit to the time since Z Cam’s last outburst of 220 years. The brightest part of the Z Cam shell’s radius is currently p ~ 1690 pixels. No expansion of the radius of the brightest part of the ejecta was detected, with an upper limit of pdot 5,000 years ago. However, including the important effect of deceleration as the ejecta sweeps up interstellar matter in its snowplow phase reduces the lower limit to 1300 years. This is the first strong test of the prediction of nova thermonuclear runaway theory that the inter-outburst times of classical novae are longer than 1000 yr. The intriguing suggestion that Z Cam was a bright nova, recorded by Chinese imperial astrologers in October – November 77 BCE, is consistent with our measurements. If Z Cam was indeed the nova of 77 BCE we predict that its ejecta are currently expanding at 85 km/s, or 0.11 arcsec/yr. Detection and measurement of this rate of expansion are doable in just a few years.

The equilibrium tide in stars and giant planets: I – the coplanar case

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:53:11 +0000

Since 1995, more than 500 extrasolar planets have been discovered orbiting very close to their parent star, where they experience strong tidal interactions. Their orbital evolution depends on the physical mechanisms that cause tidal dissipation, and these are still not well understood. We refine the theory of the equilibrium tide in fluid bodies that are partly or entirely convective, to predict the dynamical evolution of the systems. In particular, we examine the validity of modeling the tidal dissipation by the quality factor Q, as is commonly done. We consider here the simplest case where the considered star or planet rotates uniformly, all spins are aligned, and the companion is reduced to a point-mass. The first manifestation of the tide is to distort the shape of the star or planet adiabatically along the line of centers. This generates the divergence-free velocity field of the adiabatic equilibrium tide which is decoupled from the dynamical tide. The tidal kinetic energy is dissipated into heat through turbulent friction, which is modeled here as an eddy-viscosity acting on the adiabatic tidal flow. This dissipation induces a second velocity field, the dissipative equilibrium tide, which is in quadrature with the exciting potential; it is responsible for the imaginary part of the disturbing function, which is implemented in the dynamical evolution equations, from which one derives characteristic evolution times. The rate at which the system evolves depends on the physical properties of tidal dissipation, and specifically on how the eddy viscosity varies with tidal frequency and on the thickness of the convective envelope for the fluid equilibrium tide. At low frequency, this tide retards by a constant time delay, whereas it lags by a constant angle when the tidal frequency exceeds the convective turnover rate.

Solving the Puzzle of the Massive Star System Theta 2 Orionis A

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:52:56 +0000

The young O9.5 V spectroscopic binary Theta 2 Ori A shows moderately hard X-ray emission and relatively narrow X-ray lines, suggesting that it may be a Magnetically Confined Wind Shock (MCWS) source, similar to its more massive analogue Theta 1 Ori C. X-ray flares occurring near periastron led to the suggestion that the flares are produced via magnetic reconnection as magnetospheres on both components of the Theta 2 Ori A binary interact at closest approach. We use a series of high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of Theta 2 Ori A to place an upper limit on the magnetic field strength of 135 G (95% credible region). Such a weak dipole field would not produce magnetic confinement, or a large magnetosphere. A sub-pixel analysis of the Chandra ACIS images of Theta 2 Ori A obtained during quiescence and flaring show that the hard, flaring X-rays are offset from the soft, quiescent emission by 0.4 arcsec. If the soft emission is associated with the A1/A2 spectroscopic binary, the offset and position angle of the hard, flaring source place it at the location of the intermediate-mass A3 companion, discovered via speckle interferometry. The spectropolarimetric and X-ray results taken together point to the A3 companion, not the massive A1/A2 binary, as the source of hard, flaring X-ray emission. We also discuss a similar analysis performed for the magnetic Bp star Sigma Ori E. We find a similar origin for its X-ray flaring.

Dark matter transport properties and rapidly rotating neutron stars

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:52:41 +0000

Neutron stars are attractive places to look for dark matter because their high densities allow repeated interactions. Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) may scatter efficiently in the core or in the crust of a neutron star. In this paper we focus on WIMP contributions to transport properties, such as shear viscosity or thermal conductivity, because these can be greatly enhanced by long mean free paths. We speculate that WIMPs increase the shear viscosity of neutron star matter and help stabilize r-mode oscillations. These are collective oscillations where the restoring force is the Coriolis force. At present r-modes are thought to be unstable in many observed rapidly rotating stars. If WIMPs stabilize the r-modes, this would allow neutron stars to spin rapidly. This likely requires WIMP-nucleon cross sections near present experimental limits and an appropriate density of WIMPs in neutron stars.

870 micron Imaging of a Transitional Disk in Upper Scorpius: Holdover from the Era of Giant Planet Formation?

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:52:28 +0000

We present 880 micron images of the transition disk around the star [PZ99] J160421.7-213028, a solar-mass star in the nearby Upper Scorpius association. With a resolution down to 0.34 arcsec, we resolve the inner hole in this disk, and via model fitting to the visibilities and spectral energy distribution we determine both the structure of the outer region and the presence of sparse dust within the cavity. The disk contains about 0.1 Jupiter masses of mm-emitting grains, with an inner disk edge of about 70 AU. The inner cavity contains a small amount of dust with a depleted surface density in a region extending from about 20-70 AU. Taking into account prior observations indicating little to no stellar accretion, the lack of a binary companion, and the presence of dust near 0.1 AU, we determine that the most likely mechanism for the formation of this inner hole is the presence of one or more giant planets.

Discovery of the most isolated globular cluster in the local universe

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:52:07 +0000

We report the discovery of two new globular clusters in the remote halos of M81 and M82 in the M81 Group based on Hubble Space Telescope archive images. They are brighter than typical globular clusters (MV = -9.34 mag for GC-1 and M_V = -10.51 mag for GC-2), and much larger than known globular clusters with similar luminosity in the MilkyWay Galaxy and M81. Radial surface brightness profiles for GC-1 and GC-2 do not show any features of tidal truncation in the outer part. They are located much farther from both M81 and M82 in the sky, compared with previously known star clusters in these galaxies. Color-magnitude diagrams of resolved stars in each cluster show a well-defined red giant branch (RGB), indicating that they are metal-poor and old. We derive a low metallicity with [Fe/H] $\simeq -2.3$ and an old age ~14 Gyr for GC-2 from the analysis of the absorption lines in its spectrum in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in comparison with the simple stellar population models. The I-band magnitude of the tip of the RGB for GC-2 is 0.26 mag fainter than that for the halo stars in the same field, showing that GC-2 is ~400 kpc behind the M81 halo along our line of sight. The deprojected distance to GC-2 from M81 is much larger than any other known globular clusters in the local universe. This shows that GC-2 is the most isolated globular cluster in the local universe.

Characterizing Subpopulations within the Near Earth Objects with NEOWISE: Preliminary Results

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:51:35 +0000

We present the preliminary results of an analysis of the sub-populations within the near-Earth asteroids, including the Atens, Apollos, Amors, and those that are considered potentially hazardous using data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). In order to extrapolate the sample of objects detected by WISE to the greater population, we determined the survey biases for asteroids detected by the project’s automated moving object processing system (known as NEOWISE) as a function of diameter, visible albedo, and orbital elements. Using this technique, we are able to place constraints on the number of potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) larger than 100 m and find that there are $\sim4700\pm1450$ such objects. As expected, the Atens, Apollos, and Amors are revealed by WISE to have somewhat different albedo distributions, with the Atens being brighter than the Amors. The cumulative size distributions of the various near-Earth object (NEO) subgroups vary slightly between 100 m and 1 km. A comparison of the observed orbital elements of the various sub-populations of the NEOs with the current best model is shown.

Heating the intra-cluster medium perpendicular to the jets axis

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:51:06 +0000

By simulating jet-inflated bubbles in cooling flows with the PLUTO hydrodynamic code we show that mixing of high entropy shocked jet’s material with the intra-cluster medium (ICM) is the major heating process perpendicular to the jets’ axis. Heating by the forward shock is not significant. The mixing is very efficient in heating the ICM in all directions, to distances of ~10kpc and more. Although the jets are active for a time period of only 20 Myr, the mixing and heating near the equatorial plane, as well as along the symmetry axis, continues to counter radiative cooling for times of >10^8 yr after the jets have ceased to exist. We discuss some possible implications of the results. (i) The vigorous mixing is expected to entangle magnetic field lines, hence to suppress any global heat conduction in the ICM near the center. (ii) The vigorous mixing forms multi-phase ICM in the inner cluster regions, where the coolest parcels of gas will eventually cool first, flow inward, and feed the active galactic nucleus to set the next jet-activity episode. This further supports the cold feedback mechanism. (iii) In cases where the medium outside the region of r~10kpc is not as dense as in groups and clusters of galaxies, like during the process of galaxy formation, the forward shock and the high pressure of the shocked jets’ material might expel gas from the system.

Constraining the Bulk Lorentz Factor of GRB Outflow in the Magnetic-dominated Jet Model

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:50:53 +0000

Recent observations by Fermi-LAT showed that there are delayed arrival of GeV photons relative to the onset of MeV photons in some GRBs. In order to avoid a large optical depth, minimum values of Lorentz factor have been estimated to be higher than 1000 in some brightest bursts. In this paper, we present a detailed calculation of the time delay between the MeV and GeV photons in the framework of the magnetic-dominated jet model. We find that the time delay strongly depends on the terminal bulk Lorentz factor of the jet. Inspired by this fact, we use this model to calculate the Lorentz factors of four Fermi bursts. The results show that the Lorentz factors are much lower than that obtained from “single-zone” scenario. The short GRB 090510 has a minimal Lorentz factor 385, while the three long GRBs have almost the same Lorentz factors, with an average value near 260. Another interesting feature is that, for long GRBs, GeV photons are emitted after the Lorentz factor saturates. For short GRBs, however, MeV and GeV photons are emitted at the same phase, i.e, either at the expansion phase or at the coast phase.

The magnetic fields and magnetospheres of hot stars

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:50:18 +0000

Strong advances in direct evidence of magnetic fields in hot massive stars have been possible thanks to the new generation of high-resolution spectropolarimeters such as ESPaDOnS (on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope) or HARPSpol (on the 3.6m ESO telescope). UV and optical high-resolution spectroscopy has also been very useful to study the magnetospheres of massive stars. In this contribution I review the observing tools and our current knowledge concerning the detection and characterisation of the magnetic fields and magnetospheres in hot stars.

Lepton asymmetries and primordial hypermagnetic helicity evolution

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:50:04 +0000

The hypermagnetic helicity density at the electroweak phase transition (EWPT) exceeds many orders of magnitude the galactic magnetic helicity density. Together with previous magnetic helicity evolution calculations after the EWPT and hypermagnetic helicity conversion to the magnetic one at the EWPT, the present calculation completes the description of the evolution of this important topological feature of cosmological magnetic fields. It suggests that if the magnetic field seeding the galactic dynamo has a primordial origin, it should be substantially helical. This should be taken into account in scenarios of galactic magnetic field evolution with a cosmological seed.

Effective field theory for perturbations in dark energy and modified gravity

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:49:40 +0000

When recent observational evidence and the GR+FRW+CDM model are combined we obtain the result that the Universe is accelerating, where the acceleration is due to some not-yet-understood “dark sector”. There has been a considerable number of theoretical models constructed in an attempt to provide an “understanding” of the dark sector: dark energy and modified gravity theories. The proliferation of modified gravity and dark energy models has brought to light the need to construct a “generic” way to parameterize the dark sector. We will discuss our new way of approaching this problem. We write down an effective action for linearized perturbations to the gravitational field equations for a given field content; crucially, our formalism does not require a Lagrangian to be presented for calculations to be performed and observational predictions to be extracted. Our approach is inspired by that taken in particle physics, where the most general modifications to the standard model are written down for a given field content that is compatible with some assumed symmetry (which we take to be isotropy of the background spatial sections).

Satellites around massive galaxies since z$\sim$2: confronting the Millennium simulation with observations

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:49:22 +0000

Minor merging has been postulated as the most likely evolutionary path to produce the increase in size and mass observed in the massive galaxies since z$\sim$2. In this Letter, we test directly this hypothesis comparing the population of satellites around massive galaxies in cosmological simulations versus the observations. We use state-of-the-art, publically available, Millennium I and II simulations and the associated semi-analytical galaxy catalogues to explore the time evolution of the fraction of massive galaxies that have satellites, the number of satellites per galaxy, the projected distance at which the satellite locate from the host galaxy, and the mass ratio between the host galaxies and their satellites. The three virtual galaxy catalogues considered here, overproduce the fraction of galaxies with satellites by a factor ranging between 1.5 and 6 depending on the epoch, whereas the mean projected distance and ratio of the satellite mass over host mass are in closer agreement with data. The larger pull of satellites in the semi-analytical samples could suggest that the size evolution found in previous hydrodynamical simulations is an artifact due to the larger number of infalling satellites compared to the real Universe. These results advise to revise the physical ingredients implemented in the semi-analytical models in order to reconcile the observed and computed fraction of galaxies with satellites, and eventually, it would leave some room to other mechanisms explaining the galaxy size growth not related to the minor merging.

Spectral analysis of the gamma-ray background near the dwarf Milky Way satellite Segue 1: Improved limits on the cross section of neutralino dark matter annihilation

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:49:09 +0000

The indirect detection of dark matter requires that dark matter annihilation products be discriminated from conventional astrophysical backgrounds. Here, we re-analyze GeV-band gamma-ray observations of the prominent Milky Way dwarf satellite galaxy Segue 1, for which the expected astrophysical background is minimal. We explicitly account for the angular extent of the conservatively expected gamma-ray signal and keep the uncertainty in the dark-matter profile external to the likelihood analysis of the gamma-ray data.

Hadron-Quark Crossover and Massive Hybrid Stars with Strangeness [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:48:52 +0000

On the basis of a smooth crossover from the hadronic matter with hyperons to quark matter with strangeness, we show that the maximum mass of neutron stars with quark matter core can be larger than those without quark matter core. This is in contrast to the conventional softening of equation of state due to exotic components at high density. Essential conditions to reach our conclusion are (i) the crossover takes place at relatively low densities, i.e., (2 – 4) times the normal nuclear density, and (ii) the quark matter is strongly interacting in the crossover region. By these, the pressure of the system can be greater than that of purely hadronic matter in the crossover region and leads to the maximum mass greater than 2 solar mass. Several implications of this result to the nuclear incompressibility, the hyperon mixing, and the neutrino cooling are also remarked.

AGN and Megamasers

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:48:28 +0000

Luminous extragalactic masers are traditionally referred to as the `megamasers’. Those produced by water molecules are associated with accretion disks, radio jets, or outflows in the nuclear regions of active galactic nuclei (AGN). The majority of OH maser sources are instead driven by intense star formation in ultra-luminous infrared galaxies, although in a few cases the OH maser emission traces rotating (toroidal or disk) structures around the nuclear engines of AGN. Thus, detailed maser studies provide a fundamental contribution to our knowledge of the main nuclear components of AGN, constitute unique tools to measure geometric distances of host galaxies, and have a great impact on probing the, so far, paradigmatic Unified Model of AGN.

Coronal activity cycles in nearby G and K stars – XMM-Newton monitoring of 61 Cygni and Alpha Centauri

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:48:12 +0000

We use X-ray observations of the nearby binaries 61 Cyg A/B (K5V and K7V) and Alpha Cen A/B (G2V and K1V) to study the long-term evolution of magnetic activity in weakly to moderately active G + K dwarfs over nearly a decade. Specifically we search for X-ray activity cycles and related coronal changes and compare them to the solar behavior. For 61 Cyg A we find a regular coronal activity cycle analog to its 7.3 yr chromospheric cycle. The X-ray brightness variations are with a factor of three significantly lower than on the Sun, yet the changes of coronal properties resemble the solar behavior with larger variations occurring in the respective hotter plasma components. 61 Cyg B does not show a clear cyclic coronal trend so far, but the X-ray data matches the more irregular chromospheric cycle. Both Alpha Cen stars exhibit significant long-term X-ray variability. Alpha Cen A shows indications for cyclic variability of an order of magnitude with a period of about 12-15 years; the Alpha Cen B data suggests an X-ray cycle with an amplitude of about six to eight and a period of 8-9 years. The sample stars exhibit X-ray luminosities ranging between Lx < 1×10^26 – 3×10^27 erg s^-1 in the 0.2-2.0 keV band and have coronae dominated by cool plasma with variable average temperatures of around 1.0-2.5 MK. We find that coronal activity cycles are apparently a common phenomenon in older, slowly rotating G and K stars. The spectral changes of the coronal X-ray emission over the cycles are solar-like in all studied targets.

Mass and pressure constraints on galaxy clusters from interferometric SZ observations

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:47:55 +0000

Following on our previous study of an analytic parametric model to describe the baryonic and dark matter distributions in clusters of galaxies with spherical symmetry, we perform an SZ analysis of a set of simulated clusters and present their mass and pressure profiles. The simulated clusters span a wide range in mass, 2.0 x 10^14 Msun < M200 < 1.0 x 10^15Msun, and observations with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) are simulated through their Sunyaev- Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. We assume that the dark matter density follows a Navarro, Frenk and White (NFW) profile and that the gas pressure is described by a generalised NFW (GNFW) profile. By numerically exploring the probability distributions of the cluster parameters given simulated interferometric SZ data in the context of Bayesian methods, we investigate the capability of this model and analysis technique to return the simulated clusters input quantities. We show that considering the mass and redshift dependency of the cluster halo concentration parameter is crucial in obtaining an unbiased cluster mass estimate and hence deriving the radial profiles of the enclosed total mass and the gas pressure out to r200.

Progenitor-Explosion Connection and Remnant Birth Masses for Neutrino-Driven Supernovae of Iron-Core Progenitors

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:47:39 +0000

We perform hydrodynamic supernova simulations in spherical symmetry for over 100 single stars of solar metallicity to explore the progenitor-explosion and progenitor-remnant connections established by the neutrino-driven mechanism. We use an approximative treatment of neutrino transport and replace the high-density interior of the neutron star (NS) by an inner boundary condition based on an analytic proto-NS core-cooling model, whose free parameters are chosen such that explosion energy, nickel production, and energy release by the compact remnant of progenitors around 20 solar masses are compatible with Supernova 1987A. Thus we are able to simulate the accretion phase, initiation of the explosion, subsequent neutrino-driven wind phase for 15-20 s, and the further evolution of the blast wave for hours to days until fallback is completed. Our results challenge long-standing paradigms. We find that remnant mass, launch time, and properties of the explosion depend strongly on the stellar structure and exhibit large variability even in narrow intervals of the progenitors’ zero-age-main-sequence mass. While all progenitors with masses below about 15 solar masses yield NSs, black hole (BH) as well as NS formation is possible for more massive stars, where partial loss of the hydrogen envelope leads to weak reverse shocks and weak fallback. Our NS masses of ~1.2-2.0 solar masses and BH masses >6 solar masses are compatible with a possible lack of low-mass BHs in the empirical distribution. Neutrino heating accounts for SN energies between some 10^{50} erg and about 2*10^{51} erg, but can hardly explain more energetic explosions and nickel masses higher than 0.1-0.2 solar masses. These seem to require an alternative SN mechanism.

Chemical compositions of thin-disk, high-metallicity red horizontal-branch field stars

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:47:24 +0000

We present a detailed abundance analysis and atmospheric parameters of 76 stars from a survey to identify field Galactic red horizontal-branch (RHB) stars. High-resolution echelle spectra (R\simeq60,000, S/N>=100) were obtained with 2.7 m Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory. The target stars were selected only by color and parallax information. Overall metallicities and relative abundances of proton-capture elements (C I, N I, O I, Li I), alpha-elements (Ca I and Si I), and neutron-capture elements (Eu II and La II) were determined by either equivalent width or synthetic spectrum analyses. We used CN features at 7995-8040 {\AA} region in order to determine 12^C/13^C ratios of our targets. Investigation of the evolutionary stages, using spectroscopic T_eff and log g values along with derived 12^C/13^C ratios, revealed the presence of 18 probable RHB stars in our sample. We also derived kinematics of the stars with available distance information. Taking into account both the kinematics and probable evolutionary stages, we conclude that our sample contains five thick disk and 13 thin disk RHB stars. Up until now, RHB stars have been considered as members of the thick disk, and were expected to have large space velocities and sub-solar metallicities. However, our sample is dominated by low velocity solar-metallicity RHB stars; their existence cannot be easily explained with standard stellar evolution.

Radial molecular abundances and gas cooling in starless cores

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:47:01 +0000

Aims: We aim to simulate radial profiles of molecular abundances and the gas temperature in cold and heavily shielded starless cores by combining chemical and radiative transfer models. Methods: A determination of the dust temperature in a modified Bonnor-Ebert sphere is used to calculate initial radial molecular abundance profiles. The abundances of selected cooling molecules corresponding to two different core ages are then extracted to determine the gas temperature at two time steps. The calculation is repeated in an iterative process yielding molecular abundances consistent with the gas temperature. Line emission profiles for selected substances are calculated using simulated abundance profiles. Results: The gas temperature is a function of time; the gas heats up as the core gets older because the cooling molecules are depleted onto grain surfaces. The contributions of the various cooling molecules to the total cooling power change with time. Radial chemical abundance profiles are non-trivial: different species present varying degrees of depletion and in some cases inward-increasing abundances profiles, even at t > 10^5 years. Line emission simulations indicate that cores of different ages can present significantly different line emission profiles, depending on the tracer species considered. Conclusions: Chemical abundances and the associated line cooling power change as a function of time. Most chemical species are depleted onto grain surfaces at densities exceeding ~10^5 cm^-3. Notable exceptions are NH_3 and N2H^+; the latter is largely undepleted even at n_H~10^6 cm-3. On the other hand, chemical abundances are not significantly developed in regions of low gas density even at t~10^5 years, revealed by inward-increasing abundance gradients. The gas temperature can be significantly different from the dust temperature; this may have implications on core stability.

Inflating a chain of x-ray deficient bubbles by a single jet activity episode

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:46:46 +0000

We show that a continuous jet with time-independent launching properties can inflate a chain of close and overlapping X-ray deficient bubbles. Using the numerical code PLUTO we run 2.5D hydrodynamic simulations and study the interaction of the jets with the intra-cluster medium (ICM). A key process is vortex fragmentation due to several mechanisms, including vortex-shedding and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities. Our results can account for the structure of two opposite chains of close bubbles as observed in the galaxy cluster Hydra A and galaxy group NGC 5813. Our results imply that the presence of multiple pairs of bubbles does not necessarily imply several jet-launching episodes. This finding might have implications to feedback mechanisms operating by jets.

On the Cosmic Ray Muon Hypothesis for DAMA [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:46:34 +0000

The DAMA dark matter search experiment observes a statistically significant percent-level variation of its low-energy count rate with a period of one year. In this note we recall some of the arguments which challenge the hypothesis that the cosmic ray induced underground muon flux can be the origin of the modulation. In addition, we provide new comments on recent works on this subject.

The anticentre old open clusters Berkeley 27, Berkeley 34, and Berkeley 36: new additions to the BOCCE project

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:46:21 +0000

In this paper we present the investigation of the evolutionary status of three open clusters: Berkeley 27, Berkeley 34, and Berkeley 36, all located in the Galactic anti-centre direction. All of them were observed with SUSI2@NTT using the Bessel B, V, and I filters. The cluster parameters have been obtained using the synthetic colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) method i.e. the direct comparison of the observational CMDs with a library of synthetic CMDs generated with different evolutionary sets (Padova, FRANEC, and FST). This analysis shows that Berkeley 27 has an age between 1.5 and 1.7 Gyr, a reddening E(B-V) in the range 0.40 and 0.50, and a distance modulus (m-M)_0 between 13.1 and 13.3; Berkeley 34 is older with an age in the range 2.1 and 2.5 Gyr, E(B-V) between 0.57 and 0.64, and (m-M)_0 between 14.1 and 14.3; Berkeley 36, with an age between 7.0 and 7.5 Gyr, has a reddening E(B-V)~0.50 and a distance modulus (m-M)_0 between 13.1 and 13.2. For all the clusters our analysis suggests a sub-solar metallicity in accord with their position in the outer Galactic disc.

A Second Giant Planet in 3:2 Mean-Motion Resonance in the HD 204313 System

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:46:07 +0000

We present 8 years of high-precision radial velocity (RV) data for HD 204313 from the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory. The star is known to have a giant planet (M sin i = 3.5 M_J) on a ~1900-day orbit, and a Neptune-mass planet at 0.2 AU. Using our own data in combination with the published CORALIE RVs of Segransan et al. (2010), we discover an outer Jovian (M sin i = 1.6 M_J) planet with P ~ 2800 days. Our orbital fit suggests the planets are in a 3:2 mean motion resonance, which would potentially affect their stability. We perform a detailed stability analysis, and verify the planets must be in resonance.

The Black Hole Evolution and Space Time (BEST) Observatory

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:45:47 +0000

In this white paper, we discuss the concept of a next-generation X-ray mission called BEST (Black hole Evolution and Space Time). The mission concept uses a 3000 square centimeter effective area mirror (at 6 keV) to achieve unprecedented sensitivities for hard X-ray imaging spectrometry (5-70 keV) and for broadband X-ray polarimetry (2-70 keV). BEST can make substantial contributions to our understanding of the inner workings of accreting black holes, our knowledge about the fabric of extremely curved spacetime, and the evolution of supermassive black holes. BEST will allow for time resolved studies of accretion disks. With a more than seven times larger mirror area and a seven times wider bandpass than GEMS, BEST will take X-ray polarimetry to a new level: it will probe the time variability of the X-ray polarization from stellar mass and supermassive black holes, and it will measure the polarization properties in 30 independent energy bins. These capabilities will allow BEST to conduct tests of accretion disk models and the underlying spacetimes. With three times larger mirror area and ten times better angular resolution than NuSTAR, BEST will be able to make deep field observations with a more than 15 times better sensitivity than NuSTAR. The mission will be able to trace the evolution of obscured and unobscured black holes in the redshift range from zero to six, covering the most important epoch of supermassive black hole growth. The hard X-ray sensitivity of BEST will enable a deep census of non-thermal particle populations. BEST will give us insights into AGN feedback by measuring the particle luminosity injected by AGNs into the interstellar medium (ISM) of their hosts, and will map the emission from particles accelerated at large scale structure shocks. Finally, BEST has the potential to constrain the equation of state of neutron stars (NS).

Science Drivers for AGN Observations with the Cherenkov Telescope Array

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:45:09 +0000

The current generation of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs), including the H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS telescope arrays, have made substantial contributions to our knowledge about the structure and composition of the highly relativistic jets from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs). In this paper, we discuss some of the outstanding scientific questions and give a qualitative overview of AGN related science topics which will be explored with the next-generation Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). CTA is expected to further constrain the structure and make-up of jets, and thus, to constrain models of jet formation, acceleration, and collimation. Furthermore, being the brightest well-established extragalactic sources of TeV {\gamma}- rays, AGNs can be used to probe the EBL, intergalactic magnetic fields, and the validity of the Lorentz Invariance principle at high photon energies.

Discovery of the Optical/Ultraviolet/Gamma-ray Counterpart to the Eclipsing Millisecond Pulsar J1816+4510

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:44:56 +0000

The energetic, eclipsing millisecond pulsar J1816+4510 was recently discovered in a low-frequency radio survey with the Green Bank Telescope. With an orbital period of 8.7 hr and minimum companion mass of 0.16 Msun it appears to belong to an increasingly important class of pulsars that are ablating their low-mass companions. We report the discovery of the gamma-ray counterpart to this pulsar, and present a likely optical/ultraviolet counterpart as well. Using the radio ephemeris we detect pulsations in the unclassified gamma-ray source 2FGL J1816.5+4511, implying an efficiency of ~25% in converting the pulsar’s spin-down luminosity into gamma-rays and adding PSR J1816+4510 to the large number of millisecond pulsars detected by Fermi. The likely optical/UV counterpart was identified through position coincidence (15,000 K it would be among the brightest and hottest of low-mass pulsar companions, and appears qualitatively different from other eclipsing pulsar systems. In particular, current data suggest that it is a factor of two larger than most white dwarfs of its mass, but a factor of four smaller than its Roche lobe. We discuss possible reasons for its high temperature and odd size, and suggest that it recently underwent a violent episode of mass loss. Regardless of origin, its brightness and the relative unimportance of irradiation make it an ideal target for a mass, and hence a neutron star mass, determination.

Circumnuclear star-forming regions in early type spiral galaxies: dynamical masses

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:44:41 +0000

We present the measurements of gas and stellar velocity dispersions in 17 circumnuclear star-forming regions (CNSFRs) and the nuclei of three barred spiral galaxies: NGC2903, NGC3310 and NGC3351 from high dispersion spectra. The stellar dispersions have been obtained from the CaII triplet (CaT) lines at 8494, 8542, 8662A, while the gas velocity dispersions have been measured by Gaussian fits to the Hbeta and to the [OIII]5007A\ lines. The CNSFRs, with sizes of about 100 to 150pc in diameter, are seen to be composed of several individual star clusters with sizes between 1.5 and 6.2pc on HST images. Using the stellar velocity dispersions, we have derived dynamical masses for the entire star-forming complexes and for the individual star clusters. Values of the stellar velocity dispersions are between 31 and 73 km/s. Dynamical masses for the whole CNSFRs are between 4.9×10^6 and 1.9×10^8 Mo and between 1.4×10^6 and 1.1×10^7 Mo for the individual star clusters. We have found indications for the presence of two different kinematical components in the ionized gas of the regions. The narrow component of the two-component Gaussian fits seem to have a relatively constant value for all the studied CNSFRs, with estimated values close to 25 km/s. This narrow component could be identified with ionized gas in a rotating disc, while the stars and the fraction of the gas (responsible for the broad component) related to the star-forming regions would be mostly supported by dynamical pressure.

Dark energy from a renormalization group flow

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:44:28 +0000

We present evidence that a special class of gravitationally-coupled hidden sectors, in which conformal invariance is dynamically broken in a controlled way, exhibit the properties of dark energy. Such quantum field theories may appear while embedding the Standard Model in a more fundamental high energy theory. At late times, an effective dark energy field behaves similarly to an exponentially small cosmological constant while at early times its energy density partly tracks that of matter.

X-ray emission from star-forming galaxies – II. Hot interstellar medium

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:44:03 +0000

We study the emission from the hot interstellar medium in a sample of nearby late type galaxies defined in the Paper I. Our sample covers a broad range of star formation rates, from ~0.1 Msun/yr to ~17 Msun/yr and stellar masses, from ~3×10^8 Msun to ~6×10^10 Msun. We take special care of systematic effects and contamination from bright and faint compact sources. We find that in all galaxies at least one optically thin thermal emission component is present in the unresolved emission, with the average temperature of = 0.24 keV. In about ~1/3 of galaxies, a second, higher temperature component is required, with the = 0.71 keV. Although statistically significant variations in temperature between galaxies are present, we did not find any meaningful trends with the stellar mass or star formation rate of the host galaxy. The apparent luminosity of the diffuse emission in the 0.5-2 keV band linearly correlates with the star formation rate with the scale factor of Lx/SFR\dim6.3×10^38 erg/s per Msun/yr, of which about ~45% is likely produced by faint compact sources of various types. We attempt to estimate the bolometric luminosity of the gas and and obtained results differing by an order of magnitude, log(Lbol/SFR)\sim39-40, depending on whether intrinsic absorption in star-forming galaxies was allowed or not. Our theoretically most accurate, but in practice the most model dependent result for the intrinsic bolometric luminosity of ISM is Lbol/SFR\sim1.5×10^40 erg/s per Msun/yr. Assuming that core collapse supernovae are the main source of energy, it implies that \epsilon_SN\sim5×10^-2 (E_SN/10^51)^-1 of mechanical energy of supernovae is converted into thermal energy of ISM.

Self-cancellation of ephemeral regions in the quiet Sun

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:43:52 +0000

With the observations from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we statistically investigate the ephemeral regions (ERs) in the quiet Sun. We find that there are two types of ERs: normal ERs (NERs) and self-cancelled ERs (SERs). Each NER emerges and grows with separation of its opposite polarity patches which will cancel or coalesce with other surrounding magnetic flux. Each SER also emerges and grows and its dipolar patches separate at first, but a part of magnetic flux of the SER will move together and cancel gradually, which is described with the term “self-cancellation” by us. We identify 2988 ERs among which there are 190 SERs, about 6.4% of the ERs. The mean value of self-cancellation fraction of SERs is 62.5%, and the total self-cancelled flux of SERs is 9.8% of the total ER flux. Our results also reveal that the higher the ER magnetic flux is, (i) the easier the performance of ER self-cancellation is, (ii) the smaller the self-cancellation fraction is, and (iii) the more the self-cancelled flux is. We think that the self-cancellation of SERs is caused by the submergence of magnetic loops connecting the dipolar patches, without magnetic energy release.

Non-thermal burst-on-tail of long-duration solar event on 2003 October 26

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:43:20 +0000

On the base of one particular long-duration solar event (LDE) of X1.2-class on 2003 October 26 it is shown that observable response of active region plasma (flux of soft X-ray emission, emission measure and temperature) to accelerated electrons can change drastically in time. This LDE is outstanding among others due to the presence of very strong “burst-on-tail” of non-thermal hard X-ray and microwave emissions about 90 min after its onset without significant response in the range of soft X-ray emission. Based on the spatially-resolved observations of the flare region a following interpretation of this phenomenon is proposed. During the “burst-on-tail” accelerated electrons were injected into magnetic loops of larger spatial scale than during the impulsive phase bursts. This was due to the natural for LDEs growth of the flaring loops. Therefore, precipitation of similar population of non-thermal electrons into footpoints of the larger-scale loops resulted in much smaller fluxes of soft X-ray emission, temperature and emission measure of plasma evaporated into their coronal volume.

The frequency of giant planets around metal-poor stars

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:43:02 +0000

Context. The discovery of about 700 extrasolar planets, so far, has lead to the first statistics concerning extrasolar planets. The presence of giant planets seems to depend on stellar metallicity and mass. For example, they are more frequent around metal-rich stars,with an exponential increase in planet occurrence rates with metallicity. Aims. We analyzed two samples of metal-poor stars (-2.0 \leq [Fe/H] \leq 0.0) to see if giant planets are indeed rare around these objects. Radial velocity datasets were obtained with two different spectrographs (HARPS and HIRES). Detection limits for these data,expressed in minimum planetary mass and period, are calculated. These produce trustworthy numbers for the planet frequency. Methods. A general Lomb Scargle (GLS) periodogram analysis was used together with a bootstrapping method to produce the detection limits. Planet frequencies were calculated based on a binomial distribution function within metallicity bins. Results. Almost all hot Jupiters and most giant planets should have been found in these data. Hot Jupiters around metal-poor stars have a frequency lower than 1.0% at one sigma. Giant planets with periods up to 1800 days, however, have a higher frequency of $f_p = 2.63^{+2.5}_{-0.8}%$. Taking into account the different metallicities of the stars, we show that giant planets appear to be very frequent $(f_p = 4.48^{+4.04}_{-1.38}%)$ around stars with [Fe/H] > -0.7, while they are rare around stars with [Fe/H] \leq -0.7 (\leq 2.36% at one sigma). Conclusions. Giant planet frequency is indeed a strong function of metallicity, even in the low-metallicity tail. However, the frequencies are most likely higher than previously thought.

Simultaneous Observations of a Large-Scale Wave Event in the Solar Atmosphere: From Photosphere to Corona

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:42:49 +0000

For the first time, we report a large-scale wave that was observed simultaneously in the photosphere, chromosphere, transition region and low corona layers of the solar atmosphere. Using the high temporal and high spatial resolution observations taken by the Solar Magnetic Activity Research Telescope at Hida Observatory and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard Solar Dynamic Observatory, we find that the wave evolved synchronously at different heights of the solar atmosphere, and it propagated at a speed of 605 km/s and showed a significant deceleration (-424 m/s2) in the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) observations. During the initial stage, the wave speed in the EUV observations was 1000 km/s, similar to those measured from the AIA 1700 {\AA} (967 km/s) and 1600 {\AA} (893 km/s) observations. The wave was reflected by a remote region with open fields, and a slower wave-like feature at a speed of 220 km/s was also identified following the primary fast wave. In addition, a type-II radio burst was observed to be associated with the wave. We conclude that this wave should be a fast magnetosonic shock wave, which was firstly driven by the associated coronal mass ejection and then propagated freely in the corona. As the shock wave propagated, its legs swept the solar surface and thereby resulted in the wave signatures observed in the lower layers of the solar atmosphere. The slower wave-like structure following the primary wave was probably caused by the reconfiguration of the low coronal magnetic fields, as predicted in the field-line stretching model.

Measuring the mass accretion rates of Herbig Ae/Be stars with X-shooter

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:42:38 +0000

We present the results of our observations of eight magnetic Herbig Ae/Be stars obtained with the X-shooter spectrograph mounted on UT2 at the VLT. X-shooter provides a simultaneous, medium-resolution and high-sensitivity spectrum over the entire wavelength range from 300 to 2500 nm. We estimate the mass accretion rates M_acc of the targets from 13 different spectral diagnostics using empiric calibrations derived previously for T Tauri-type stars and brown dwarfs. We have estimated the mass accretion rates of our targets, which range from 2×10^-9 to 2×10^-7 M_sun/yr. Furthermore, we have found accretion rate variability with amplitudes of 0.10-0.40 dex taking place on time scales from one day to tens of days. Additional future night-to-night observations need to be carried out to investigate the character of M_acc variability in details. Our study shows that the majority of the calibrational relations can be applied to Herbig Ae/Be stars, but several of them need to be re-calibrated on the basis of new spectral data for a larger number of Herbig Ae/Be stars.

Evidence for the Wave Nature of an Extreme Ultraviolet Wave Observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly Onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:42:28 +0000

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) waves have been found for about 15 years. However, significant controversy remains over their physical natures and origins. In this paper, we report an EUV wave that was accompanied by an X1.9 flare and a partial halo coronal mass ejection. Using high temporal and spatial resolution observations taken by the {\em Solar Dynamics Observatory} and the Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory, we are able to investigate the detailed kinematics of the EUV wave. We find several arguments that support the fast-mode wave scenario: (1) The speed of the EUV wave (570 km/s) is higher than the sound speed of quiet-Sun corona. (2) Significant deceleration of the EUV wave (-130 m/s2) is found during its propagation. (3) The EUV wave resulted in the oscillations of a loop and a filament along its propagation path, and a reflected wave from the polar coronal hole is also detected. (4) Refraction or reflection effect is observed when the EUV wave was passing through two coronal bright points. (5) The dimming region behind the wavefront stopped to expand when the wavefront started to become diffuse. (6) The profiles of the wavefront exhibited a dispersive nature, and the magnetosonic Mach number of the EUV wave derived from the highest intensity jump is about 1.4. In addition, triangulation indicates that the EUV wave propagated within a height range of about 60-100 Mm above the photosphere. We propose that the EUV wave observed should be a nonlinear fast-mode magnetosonic wave that propagated freely in the corona after it was driven by the CME expanding flanks during the initial period.

Multi-wavelength Observations of the Type IIb Supernova 2009mg

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:42:13 +0000

We present Swift UVOT and XRT observations, and visual wavelength spectroscopy of the Type IIb supernova (SN) 2009mg, discovered in the Sb galaxy ESO 121-G26. The observational properties of SN 2009mg are compared to the prototype Type IIb SNe 1993J and 2008ax, with which we find many similarities. However, minor differences are discernible including SN 2009mg not exhibiting an initial fast decline or u-band upturn as observed in the comparison objects, and its rise to maximum is somewhat slower leading to slightly broader light curves. The late-time temporal index of SN 2009mg, determined from 40 days post-explosion, is consistent with the decay rate of SN 1993J, but inconsistent with the decay of 56Co. This suggests leakage of gamma-rays out of the ejecta and a stellar mass on the small side of the mass distribution. Our XRT non-detection provides an upper limit on the mass-loss rate of the progenitor of <1.5×10^-5 Msun per yr. Modelling of the SN light curve indicates a kinetic energy of 0.15 (+0.02,-0.13) x10^51 erg, an ejecta mass of 0.56(+0.10,-0.26) Msun and a 56Ni mass of 0.10\pm0.01 Msun.

Tests of the universality of free fall for strongly self-gravitating bodies with radio pulsars [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:41:56 +0000

In this paper, we review tests of the strong equivalence principle (SEP) derived from binary pulsar data. The extreme difference in binding energy between both components and the precise measurement of the orbital motion provided by pulsar timing allow the only current precision SEP tests for strongly self-gravitating bodies. We start by highlighting why such tests are conceptually important. We then review previous work where limits on SEP violation are obtained with an ensemble of wide binary systems with small eccentricity orbits. Then we propose a new SEP violation test based on the measurement of the variation of the orbital eccentricity de/dt. This new method has the following advantages: a) unlike previous methods it is not based on probabilistic considerations, b) it can make a direct detection of SEP violation, c) the measurement of de/dt is not contaminated by any known external effects, which implies that this SEP test is only restricted by the measurement precision of de/dt. In the final part of the review, we conceptually compare the SEP test with the test for dipolar radiation damping, a phenomenon closely related to SEP violation, and speculate on future prospects by new types of tests in globular clusters and future triple systems.

Hubble Space Telescope Observations of an Outer Field in Omega Centauri: A Definitive Helium Abundance

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:41:40 +0000

We revisit the problem of the split main sequence (MS) of the globular cluster omega Centauri, and report the results of two-epoch Hubble Space Telescope observations of an outer field, for which proper motions give us a pure sample of cluster members, and an improved separation of the two branches of the main sequence. Using a new set of stellar models covering a grid of values of helium and metallicity, we find that the best possible estimate of the helium abundance of the bluer branch of the MS is Y = 0.39 +/- 0.02. For the cluster center we apply new techniques to old observations: we use indices of photometric quality to select a high-quality sample of stars, which we also correct for differential reddening. We then superpose the color-magnitude diagram of the outer field on that of the cluster center, and suggest a connection of the bluer branch of the MS with one of the more prominent among the many sequences in the subgiant region. We also report a group of undoubted cluster members that are well to the red of the lower MS.

Spontaneous symmetry breaking in inflationary cosmology: on the fate of Goldstone Bosons

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:41:11 +0000

We argue that in an inflationary cosmology a consequence of the lack of time translational invariance is that spontaneous breaking of a continuous symmetry and Goldstone’s theorem \emph{do not} imply the existence of \emph{massless} Goldstone modes. We study spontaneous symmetry breaking in an O(2) model, and implications for O(N) in de Sitter space time. The Goldstone mode acquires a radiatively generated mass as a consequence of infrared divergences, and the continuous symmetry is spontaneously broken for any finite $N$, however there is a \emph{first order phase transition} as a function of the Hawking temperature $T_H=H/2\pi$. For O(2) the symmetry is spontaneously broken for $T_H < T_c= \lambda^{1/4} v/2.419$ where $\lambda$ is the quartic coupling and $v$ is the tree level vacuum expectation value and the Goldstone mode acquires a radiatively generated mass $\mathcal{M}^2_\pi \propto \lambda^{1/4} H$. The first order nature of the transition is a consequence of the strong infrared behavior of minimally coupled scalar fields in de Sitter space time, the jump in the order parameter at $T_H=T_c$ is $\sigma_{0c} \simeq 0.61\, {H}/{\lambda^{1/4}}$. In the strict $N\rightarrow \infty$ the symmetry cannot be spontaneously broken. Furthermore, the lack of kinematic thresholds imply that the Goldstone modes \emph{decay} into Goldstone and Higgs modes by emission and absorption of superhorizon quanta.

Buildup of Magnetic Shear and Free Energy During Flux Emergence and Cancellation

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:40:49 +0000

We examine a simulation of flux emergence and cancellation, which shows a complex sequence of processes that accumulate free magnetic energy in the solar corona essential for the eruptive events such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), filament eruptions and flares. The flow velocity at the surface and in the corona shows a consistent shearing pattern along the polarity inversion line (PIL), which together with the rotation of the magnetic polarities, builds up the magnetic shear. Tether-cutting reconnection above the PIL then produces longer sheared magnetic field lines that extend higher into the corona, where a sigmoidal structure forms. Most significantly, reconnection and upward energy-flux transfer are found to occur even as magnetic flux is submerging and appears to cancel at the photosphere. A comparison of the simulated coronal field with the corresponding coronal potential field graphically shows the development of nonpotential fields during the emergence of the magnetic flux and formation of sunspots.

Constraints on variation in $\alpha$ and $m_e$ from WMAP 7-year data [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:40:37 +0000

We update the constraints on the time variation of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ and the electron mass $m_e$, using the latest CMB data, including the 7-yr release of WMAP. We made statistical analyses of the variation of each one of the constants and of their joint variation, together with the basic set of cosmological parameters. We used a modified version of CAMB and COSMOMC to account for these possible variations. We present bounds on the variation of the constants for different data sets, and show how results depend on them. When using the latest CMB data plus the power spectrum from Sloan Digital Sky Survey LRG, we find that $\alpha / \alpha_0=0.986 \pm 0.007$ at 1-$\sigma$ level, when the 6 basic cosmological parameters were fitted, and only variation in $\alpha$ was allowed. The constraints in the case of variation in both constants are $ \alpha / \alpha_0= 0.986 \pm 0.009$ and $m_e / m_{e0} = 0.999 \pm 0.035$. In the case of only variation in $m_e$, the bound is $m_e /m_{e0}=0.964 \pm 0.025$.

Measuring Gravitational Lensing Flexions in Abell 1689 Using an Analytic Image Model [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:40:18 +0000

Measuring dark matter substructure within galaxy cluster haloes is a fundamental probe of the Lambda-CDM model of structure formation. Gravitational lensing is a technique for measuring the total mass distribution which is independent of the nature of the gravitating matter, making it a vital tool for studying these dark-matter dominated objects. We present a new method for measuring weak gravitational lensing flexions, the gradients of the lensing shear field, to measure mass distributions on small angular scales. While previously published methods for measuring flexions focus on measuring derived properties of the lensed images, such as shapelet coefficients or surface brightness moments, our method instead fits a mass-sheet-transformation-invariant Analytic Image Model (AIM) to the each galaxy image. This simple parametric model traces the distortion of lensed image isophotes and constrains the flexion fields. We test the AIM method using simulated data images with realistic noise and a variety of unlensed image properties, and show that it successfully reproduces the input flexion fields. We also apply the AIM method for flexion measurement to Hubble Space Telescope observations of Abell 1689, and detect mass structure in the cluster using flexions measured with the AIM method.

A Shorter 146Sm Half-Life Measured and Implications for 146Sm-142Nd Chronology in the Solar System [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:40:06 +0000

The extinct p-process nuclide 146Sm serves as an astrophysical and geochemical chronometer through measurements of isotopic anomalies of its alpha-decay daughter 142Nd. Based on analyses of 146Sm/147Sm alpha-activity and atom ratios, we determined the half-life of 146Sm to be 68 \pm 7 (1sigma) million years (Ma), which is shorter than the currently used value of 103 \pm 5 Ma. This half-life value implies a higher initial 146Sm abundance in the early solar system, (146Sm/144Sm_0 = 0.0094\pm0.0005 (2sigma), than previously estimated. Terrestrial, Lunar and Martian planetary silicate mantle differentiation events dated with 146Sm-142Nd converge to a shorter time span and in general to earlier times, due to the combined effect of the new 146Sm half-life and (146Sm/144Sm)_0 values.

What turns galaxies off? The different morphologies of star-forming and quiescent galaxies since z~2 from CANDELS [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:39:43 +0000

We use HST/WFC3 imaging from the CANDELS Multicycle Treasury Survey, in conjunction with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, to explore the evolution of galactic structure for galaxies with stellar masses >3e10M_sun from z=2.2 to the present epoch, a time span of 10Gyr. We explore the relationship between rest-frame optical color, stellar mass, star formation activity and galaxy structure. We confirm the dramatic increase from z=2.2 to the present day in the number density of non-star-forming galaxies above 3e10M_sun reported by others. We further find that the vast majority of these quiescent systems have concentrated light profiles, as parametrized by the Sersic index, and the population of concentrated galaxies grows similarly rapidly. We examine the joint distribution of star formation activity, Sersic index, stellar mass, inferred velocity dispersion, and stellar surface density. Quiescence correlates poorly with stellar mass at all z1.3, and somewhat less well at lower redshifts. Yet, there is significant scatter between quiescence and galaxy structure: while the vast majority of quiescent galaxies have prominent bulges, many of them have significant disks, and a number of bulge-dominated galaxies have significant star formation. Noting the rarity of quiescent galaxies without prominent bulges, we argue that a prominent bulge (and perhaps, by association, a supermassive black hole) is an important condition for quenching star formation on galactic scales over the last 10Gyr, in qualitative agreement with the AGN feedback paradigm.

General relativistic simulations of black hole-neutron star mergers: Effects of magnetic fields [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:39:25 +0000

As a neutron star (NS) is tidally disrupted by a black hole (BH) companion at the end of a BH-NS binary inspiral, its magnetic fields will be stretched and amplified. If sufficiently strong, these magnetic fields may impact the gravitational waveforms, merger evolution and mass of the remnant disk. Formation of highly-collimated magnetic field lines in the disk+spinning BH remnant may launch relativistic jets, providing the engine for a short-hard GRB. We analyze this scenario through fully general relativistic, magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) BHNS simulations from inspiral through merger and disk formation. Different initial magnetic field configurations and strengths are chosen for the NS interior for both nonspinning and moderately spinning (a/M=0.75) BHs aligned with the orbital angular momentum. Only strong interior (Bmax~10^17 G) initial magnetic fields in the NS significantly influence merger dynamics, enhancing the remnant disk mass by 100% and 40% in the nonspinning and spinning BH cases, respectively. However, detecting the imprint of even a strong magnetic field may be challenging for Advanced LIGO. Though there is no evidence of mass outflows or magnetic field collimation during the preliminary simulations we have performed, higher resolution, coupled with longer disk evolutions and different initial magnetic field configurations, may be required to definitively assess the possibility of BHNS binaries as short-hard GRB progenitors.

On the relativistic precession and oscillation frequencies of test particles around rapidly rotating compact stars [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:39:12 +0000

Whether analytic exact vacuum(electrovacuum) solutions of the Einstein(Einstein-Maxwell) field equations can accurately describe or not the exterior spacetime of compact stars remains still an interesting open question in Relativistic Astrophysics. As an attempt to establish their level of accuracy, the radii of the Innermost Stable Circular Orbits (ISCOs) of test particles given by analytic exterior spacetime geometries have been compared with the ones given by numerical solutions for neutron stars (NSs) obeying a realistic equation of state (EoS). It has been so shown that the six-parametric solution of Pach\’on, Rueda, and Sanabria (2006) (hereafter PRS) is more accurate to describe the NS ISCO radii than other analytic models. We propose here an additional test of accuracy for analytic exterior geometries based on the comparison of orbital frequencies of neutral test particles. We compute the Keplerian, frame-dragging, as well as the precession and oscillation frequencies of the radial and vertical motions of neutral test particles for the Kerr and PRS geometries; then we compare them with the numerical values obtained by Morsink and Stella (1999) for realistic NSs. We identify the role of high-order multipole moments such as the mass quadrupole and current octupole in the determination of the orbital frequencies especially in the rapid rotation regime. The results of this work are relevant to cast a separatrix between black hole (BH) and NS signatures as well as probe the nuclear matter EoS and NS parameters from the Quasi-Periodic Oscillations (QPOs) observed in Low Mass X-Ray Binaries.

Cosmological constraints on non-standard inflationary quantum collapse models [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:39:02 +0000

We briefly review an important shortcoming –unearthed in previous works– of the standard version of the inflationary model for the emergence of the seeds of cosmic structure. We consider here some consequences emerging from a proposal inspired on ideas of Penrose and Di\’osi about a quantum-gravity induced reduction of the wave function, which has been put forward to address the shortcomings, arguing that its effect on the inflaton field is what can lead to the emergence of the seeds of cosmic structure. The proposal leads to a deviation of the primordial spectrum from the scale-invariant Harrison-Zel’dovich one, and consequently, to a different CMB power spectrum. We perform statistical analyses to test two quantum collapse schemes with recent data from the CMB, including the 7-yr release of WMAP and the matter power spectrum measured using LRGs by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Results from the statistical analyses indicate that several collapse models are compatible with CMB and LRG data, and establish constraints on the free parameters of the models. The data put no restriction on the timescale for the collapse of the scalar field modes.

Origin of the GeV Emission During the X-ray Flaring Activity in GRB 100728A [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:38:52 +0000

Recently, Fermi-LAT detected GeV emission during the X-ray flaring activity in GRB 100728A. We study various scenarios for its origin. The hard spectrum of the GeV emission favors the external inverse-Compton origin in which X-ray flare photons are up-scattered by relativistic electrons in the external forward shock. This external IC scenario, with anisotropic scattering effect taken into account, can reproduce the temporal and spectral properties of the GeV emission in GRB 100728A.

Starship Sails Propelled by Cost-Optimized Directed Energy [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:38:43 +0000

Microwave propelled sails are a new class of spacecraft using photon acceleration. It is the only method of interstellar flight that has no physics issues. Laboratory demonstrations of basic features of beam-driven propulsion, flight, stability (‘beam-riding’), and induced spin, have been completed in the last decade, primarily in the microwave. It offers much lower cost probes after a substantial investment in the launcher. Engineering issues are being addressed by other applications: fusion (microwave, millimeter and laser sources) and astronomy (large aperture antennas). There are many candidate sail materials: carbon nanotubes and microtrusses, graphene, beryllium, etc. For acceleration of a sail, what is the cost-optimum high power system? Here the cost is used to constrain design parameters to estimate system power, aperture and elements of capital and operating cost. From general relations for cost-optimal transmitter aperture and power, system cost scales with kinetic energy and inversely with sail diameter and frequency. So optimal sails will be larger, lower in mass and driven by higher frequency beams. Estimated costs include economies of scale. We present several starship point concepts. Systems based on microwave, millimeter wave and laser technologies are of equal cost at today’s costs. The frequency advantage of lasers is cancelled by the high cost of both the laser and the radiating optic.

Local P Violation Effects and Thermalization in QCD: Views from Quantum Field Theory and Holography [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:38:12 +0000

We argue that the local violation of P and CP invariance in heavy ion collisions and the universal thermal aspects observed in high energy collisions are in fact two sides of the same coin, and both are related to quantum anomalies of QCD. We argue that the low energy relations representing the quantum anomalies of QCD are saturated by coherent low dimensional vacuum configurations as observed in Monte Carlo lattice studies. The thermal spectrum and approximate universality of the temperature with no dependence on energy of colliding particles in this framework is due to the fact that the emission results from the distortion of these low dimensional vacuum sheets rather than from the colliding particles themselves. The emergence of the long- range correlations of P odd domains (a feature which is apparently required for explanation of the asymmetry observed at RHIC and LHC) is also a result of the same distortion of the QCD vacuum configurations. We formulate the corresponding physics using the effective low energy effective Lagrangian. We also formulate the same physics in terms of the dual holographic picture when low-dimensional sheets of topological charge embedded in 4d space, as observed in Monte Carlo simulations, are identified with D2 branes. Finally, we argue that study of these long range correlations in heavy ion collisions could serve as a perfect test of a proposal that the observed dark energy in present epoch is a result of a tiny deviation of the QCD vacuum energy in expanding universe from its conventional value in Minkowski spacetime.

Ekpyrotic universes in $F(R)$ Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz gravity [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:37:36 +0000

The Ekpyrotic scenario is studied in the context of some extensions of Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz gravity. Some particular solutions that lead to cyclic Hubble parameters are analyzed, where the corresponding gravitational actions are reconstructed by using several techniques and auxiliary fields. Its comparison with standard $F(R)$ gravity is performed. In addition, the so-called Little Rip, a stage of the universe evolution when some bounded systems may be dissolute, is also studied in this frame of theories.

Dust-acoustic waves and stability in the permeating dusty plasma: I. Maxwellian distribution [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:37:26 +0000

The dust-acoustic waves and their stability in the permeating dusty plasma with the Maxwellian velocity distribution are investigated. We derive the dust-acoustic wave frequency and instability growth rate in two limiting physical cases that the thermal velocity of the flowing dusty plasma is (a) much larger than, and (b) much smaller than the phase velocity of the waves. We find that the stability of the waves depend strongly on the velocity of the flowing dusty plasma in the permeating dusty plasma. The numerical analyses are made based on the example that a cometary plasma tail is passing through the interplanetary space plasma. We show that, in case (a), the waves are generally unstable for any flowing velocity, but in case (b), the waves become unstable only when the wave number is small and the flowing velocity is large. When the physical conditions are between these two limiting cases, we gain a strong insight into the dependence of the stability criterions on the physical conditions in the permeating dusty plasma.

Deep Crustal Heating in a Multicomponent Accreted Neutron Star Crust [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:37:14 +0000

A quasi-statistical equilibrium model is constructed to simulate the multicomponent composition of the crust of an accreting neutron star. The ashes of rp-process nucleosynthesis are driven by accretion through a series of electron captures, neutron emissions, and pycnonuclear fusions up to densities near the transition between the neutron star crust and core. A liquid droplet model which includes nuclear shell effects is used to provide nuclear masses far from stability. Reaction pathways are determined consistently with the nuclear mass model. The nuclear symmetry energy is an important uncertainty in the masses of the exotic nuclei in the inner crust and varying the symmetry energy changes the amount of deep crustal heating by as much as a factor of two.

Nonlinear wave propagation and reconnection at magnetic X-points in the Hall MHD regime [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:37:04 +0000

The highly dynamical, complex nature of the solar atmosphere naturally implies the presence of waves in a topologically varied magnetic environment. Here, the interaction of waves with topological features such as null points is inevitable and potentially important for energetics. The low resistivity of the solar coronal plasma implies that non-MHD effects should be considered in studies of magnetic energy release in this environment. This paper investigates the role of the Hall term in the propagation and dissipation of waves, their interaction with 2D magnetic X-points and the nature of the resulting reconnection. A Lagrangian remap shock-capturing code (Lare2d) is used to study the evolution of an initial fast magnetoacoustic wave annulus for a range of values of the ion skin depth in resistive Hall MHD. A magnetic null-point finding algorithm is also used to locate and track the evolution of the multiple null-points that are formed in the system. Depending on the ratio of ion skin depth to system size, our model demonstrates that Hall effects can play a key role in the wave-null interaction. In particular, the initial fast-wave pulse now consists of whistler and ion-cyclotron components; the dispersive nature of the whistler wave leads to (i) earlier interaction with the null, (ii) the creation of multiple additional, transient nulls and, hence, an increased number of energy release sites. In the Hall regime, the relevant timescales (such as the onset of reconnection and the period of the oscillatory relaxation) of the system are reduced significantly, and the reconnection rate is enhanced.

Growth of magnetic fields in accreting millisecond pulsars: the case of J1823-3021A [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:36:51 +0000

The Fermi LAT collaboration has recently reported the discovery of the pulsations of the $\gamma$ ray pulsar J1823-3021A with a luminosity which is the highest observed to date for any millisecond pulsar (MSP). This large luminosity implies a large spin down rate $\dot P$ and therefore a large magnetic field which seems to be incompatible with the observed short rotation period $P$. A possible explanation for the observed $P$ and $\dot P$ is to assume a very small radius for the star but it turns out that this interpretation requires rather extreme astrophysical conditions. Here we show that the data can be explained by considering the increase of the external magnetic field due to the diffusion of an internal magnetic field generated by r-modes during mass accretion. Our analysis offers a first evidence of the strong enhancement of the internal magnetic field due to the r-modes, what has been proposed in several papers. Moreover, the diffusion of the internal magnetic field provides a new evolutionary path for millisecond pulsars.

On the Stability of Super Earth Atmospheres [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:36:41 +0000

We investigate the stability of super Earth atmospheres around M stars using a 7-parameter, analytical framework. We construct stability diagrams in the parameter space of exoplanetary radius versus semi-major axis and elucidate the regions in which the atmospheres are stable against the condensation of their major constituents, out of the gas phase, on their permanent nightside hemispheres. We find that super Earth atmospheres which are nitrogen-dominated (“Earth-like”) occupy a smaller region of allowed parameter space, compared to hydrogen-dominated atmospheres, because of the dual effects of diminished advection and enhanced radiative cooling. Furthermore, some super Earths which reside within the habitable zones of M stars may not possess stable atmospheres, depending on the mean molecular weight and infrared photospheric pressure of their atmospheres. We apply our stability diagrams to GJ 436b and GJ 1214b, and demonstrate that atmospheric compositions with high mean molecular weights are disfavoured if these exoplanets possess solid surfaces and shallow atmospheres. Finally, we construct stability diagrams tailored to the Kepler dataset, for G and K stars, and predict that about half of the exoplanet candidates are expected to habour stable atmospheres if Earth-like conditions are assumed. We include 55 Cancri e and CoRoT-7b in our stability diagram for G stars.

Rossby wave instability in locally isothermal and polytropic disks: three-dimensional linear calculations [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:36:28 +0000

Numerical calculations of the linear Rossby wave instability (RWI) in global three-dimensional (3D) disks are presented. The linearized fluid equations are solved for vertically stratified, radially structured disks with either a locally isothermal or polytropic equation of state, by decomposing the vertical dependence of the perturbed hydrodynamic quantities into Hermite and Gegenbauer polynomials, respectively. It is confirmed that the RWI operates in 3D. For perturbations with vertical dependence assumed above, there is little difference in growth rates between 3D and two-dimensional (2D) calculations. Comparison between 2D and 3D solutions of this type suggest the RWI is predominantly a 2D instability and that three-dimensional effects, such as vertical motion, to be interpreted as a perturbative consequence of the dominant 2D flow. The vertical flow around co-rotation, where vortex-formation is expected, is examined. In locally isothermal disks the expected vortex center remains in approximate vertical hydrostatic equilibrium. For polytropic disks the vortex center has positive vertical velocity, whose magnitude increases with decreasing polytropic index $n$.

General Relativistic Simulations of Magnetized Plasmas around Merging Supermassive Black Holes [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:35:31 +0000

Coalescing supermassive black hole binaries are produced by the mergers of galaxies and are the most powerful sources of gravitational waves accessible to space-based gravitational observatories. Some such mergers may occur in the presence of matter and magnetic fields and hence generate an electromagnetic counterpart. In this Letter, we present the first general relativistic simulations of magnetized plasma around merging supermassive black holes using the general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic code Whisky. By considering different magnetic field strengths, going from non-magnetically dominated to magnetically dominated regimes, we explore how magnetic fields affect the dynamics of the plasma and the possible emission of electromagnetic signals. In particular we observe a total amplification of the magnetic field of ~2 orders of magnitude which is driven by the accretion onto the binary and that leads to much stronger electromagnetic signals, more than a factor of 10^4 larger than comparable calculations done in the force-free regime where such amplifications are not possible.

A new low magnetic field magnetar: the 2011 outburst of Swift J1822.3-1606 [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:34:53 +0000

We report on the long term X-ray monitoring with Swift, RXTE, Suzaku, Chandra and XMM-Newton of the outburst of the newly discovered magnetar Swift J1822.3-1606 (SGR 1822-1606), from the first observations soon after the detection of the short X-ray bursts which led to its discovery, through the first stages of its outburst decay (covering the time-span from July 2011, until end of April 2012). We also report on archival ROSAT observations which witnessed the source during its likely quiescent state, and on upper limits on Swift J1822.3-1606’s radio-pulsed and optical emission during outburst, with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), respectively. Our X-ray timing analysis finds the source rotating with a period of P=8.43772016(2) s and a period derivative \dot{P}=8.3(2)x10^{-14} s s^{-1} , which entails an inferred dipolar surface magnetic field of B~2.7×10^{13} G at the equator. This measurement makes Swift J1822.3-1606 the second lowest magnetic field magnetar (after SGR 0418+5729; Rea et al. 2010). Following the flux and spectral evolution from the beginning of the outburst, we find that the flux decreased by about an order of magnitude, with a subtle softening of the spectrum, both typical of the outburst decay of magnetars. By modeling the secular thermal evolution of Swift J1822.3-1606, we find that the observed timing properties of the source, as well as its quiescent X-ray luminosity, can be reproduced if it was born with a poloidal and crustal toroidal fields of B_{p}~1.5×10^{14} G and B_{tor}~7×10^{14} G, respectively, and if its current age is ~550 kyr.

The dynamics of inner dead-zone boundaries in protoplanetary disks [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:34:40 +0000

In protoplanetary disks, the inner radial boundary between the MRI turbulent (`active’) and MRI quiescent (`dead’) zones plays an important role in models of the disk evolution and in some planet formation scenarios. In reality, this boundary is not well-defined: thermal heating from the star in a passive disk yields a transition radius close to the star (< 0.1 au), whereas if the disk is already MRI active, it can self-consistently maintain the requisite temperatures out to a transition radius of roughly 1 au. Moreover, the interface may not be static; it may be highly fluctuating or else unstable. In this paper, we study a reduced model of the dynamics of the active/dead zone interface that mimics several important aspects of a real disk system. We find that MRI-transition fronts propagate inward (a `dead front' suppressing the MRI) if they are initially at the larger transition radius, or propagate outward (an `active front' igniting the MRI) if starting from the smaller transition radius. In both cases, the front stalls at a well-defined intermediate radius, where it remains in a quasi-static equilibrium. We propose that it is this new, intermediate stalling radius that functions as the true boundary between the active and dead zones in protoplanetary disks. These dynamics are likely implicated in observations of variable accretion, such as FU Ori outbursts, as well as in those planet formation theories that require the accumulation of solid material at the dead/active interface.

Study of a Prominence Eruption using PROBA2/SWAP and STEREO/EUVI Data [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:34:30 +0000

Observations of the early rise and propagation phases of solar eruptive prominences can provide clues about the forces acting on them through the behavior of their acceleration with height. We have analyzed such an event, observed on 13 April 2010 by SWAP on PROBA2 and EUVI on STEREO. A feature at the top of the erupting prominence was identified and tracked in images from the three spacecraft. The triangulation technique was used to derive the true direction of propagation of this feature. The reconstructed points were fitted with two mathematical models: i) a power-law polynomial function and ii) a cubic smoothing spline, in order to derive the accelerations. The first model is characterized by five degrees of freedom while the second one is characterized by ten degrees of freedom. The results show that the acceleration increases smoothly and it is continuously increasing with height. We conclude that the prominence is not accelerated immediately by local reconnection but rather is swept away as part of a large-scale relaxation of the coronal magnetic field.

The LWA1 Radio Telescope [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:34:12 +0000

LWA1 is a new radio telescope operating in the frequency range 10-88 MHz, located in central New Mexico. The telescope consists of 258 pairs of dipole-type antennas whose outputs are individually digitized and formed into beams. Simultaneously, signals from all dipoles can be recorded using one of the instrument’s “all dipoles” modes, facilitating all-sky imaging. Notable features of the instrument include high intrinsic sensitivity (about 6 kJy zenith system equivalent flux density), large instantaneous bandwidth (up to 78 MHz), and 4 independently-steerable beams utilizing digital “true time delay” beamforming. This paper summarizes the design of LWA1 and its performance as determined in commissioning experiments. We describe the method currently in use for array calibration, and report on measurements of sensitivity and beamwidth.

Propagating Disturbances in Coronal Loops: A Detailed Analysis of Propagation Speeds [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:33:46 +0000

Quasi-periodic disturbances have been observed in the outer solar atmosphere for many years now. Although first interpreted as upflows (Schrijver et al. (1999)), they have been widely regarded as slow magnetoacoustic waves, due to observed velocities and periods. However, recent observations have questioned this interpretation, as periodic disturbances in Doppler velocity, line width and profile asymmetry were found to be in phase with the intensity oscillations (De Pontieu et al. (2010),Tian1 et al. (2011))}, suggesting the disturbances could be quasi-periodic upflows. Here we conduct a detailed analysis of the velocities of these disturbances across several wavelengths using the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We analysed 41 examples, including both sunspot and non sunspot regions of the Sun. We found that the velocities of propagating disturbances (PDs) located at sunspots are more likely to be temperature dependent, whereas the velocities of PDs at non sunspot locations do not show a clear temperature dependence. We also considered on what scale the underlying driver is affecting the properties of the PDs. Finally, we found that removing the contribution due to the cooler ions in the 193 A wavelength suggests that a substantial part of the 193 emission of sunspot PDs can be contributed to the cool component of 193\AA.

Observing the first galaxies [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:33:06 +0000

I endeavour to provide a thorough overview of our current knowledge of high-redshift galaxies and their evolution during the first billion years of cosmic time, corresponding to redshifts z > 5. After first summarizing progress with the seven different techniques which have been used to date in the discovery of objects at z > 5, I focus thereafter on the two selection methods which have yielded substantial samples of galaxies at early times, namely Lyman-break and Lyman-alpha selection. I discuss a decade of progress in galaxy sample selection at z ~ 5 – 8, including issues of completeness and contamination, and address some of the confusion which has been created by erroneous reports of extreme-redshift objects. Next I provide an overview of our current knowledge of the evolving ultraviolet continuum and Lyman-alpha galaxy luminosity functions at z ~ 5 – 8, and discuss what can be learned from exploring the relationship between the Lyman-break and Lyman-alpha selected populations. I then summarize what is known about the physical properties of these galaxies in the young universe, before considering the wider implications of this work for the cosmic history of star formation, and for the reionization of the universe. I conclude with a brief summary of the exciting prospects for further progress in this field in the next 5-10 years. Throughout, key concepts such as selection techniques and luminosity functions are explained assuming essentially no prior knowledge. The intention is that this chapter can be used as an introduction to the observational study of high-redshift galaxies, as well as providing a review of the latest results in this fast-moving research field up to the end of 2011.

Diskoseismology and QPOs Confront Black Hole Spin [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:32:53 +0000

We compare the determinations of the angular momentum of stellar mass black holes via the continuum and line methods with those from diskoseismology. The assumption being tested is that one of the QPOs (quasi-periodic oscillations) in each binary X-ray source is produced by the fundamental g-mode. This should be the most robust and visible normal mode of oscillation of the accretion disk, and therefore its absence should rule out diskoseismology as the origin of QPOs. The comparisons are consistent with the second highest frequency QPO being produced by this g-mode, but are not consistent with models in which one QPO frequency is that of the innermost stable circular orbit.

GRB 091208B: First Detection of the Optical Polarization in Early Forward Shock Emission of a Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglow [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:32:34 +0000

We report that the optical polarization in the afterglow of GRB 091208B is measured at t = 149 – 706 s after the burst trigger, and the polarization degree is P = 10.4% +/- 2.5%. The optical light curve at this time shows a power-law decay with index -0.75 +/- 0.02, which is interpreted as the forward shock synchrotron emission, and thus this is the first detection of the early-time optical polarization in the forward shock (rather than that in the reverse shock reported by Steele et al. (2009). This detection disfavors the afterglow model in which the magnetic fields in the emission region are random on the plasma skin depth scales, such as amplified by the plasma instabilities, e.g., Weibel instability. We suggest that the fields are amplified by the magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, which would be tested by future observations of the temporal changes of the polarization degrees and angles for other bursts.

Massive gravity from bimetric gravity [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:32:25 +0000

We discuss the subtle relationship between so-called massive gravity (that is, gravity incorporating a non-zero graviton mass) and bimetric gravity, focussing particularly on the manner in which massive gravity may be viewed as a suitable limit of bimetric gravity. The limiting procedure is more delicate than currently appreciated, and in particular, in a cosmological context can lead to an interesting interplay between the “background” and “foreground” metrics. The fact that in bimetric theories one always has two sets of metric equations of motion, one for each metric, continues to have an effect even in the massive gravity limit. Thus, solutions of bimetric gravity in the limit of vanishing kinetic term are also solutions of massive gravity, but the contrary statement is not necessarily true.

Gamma-Ray Bursts are precise distance indicators similar to Type Ia Supernovae? [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:32:16 +0000

We estimate the distance modulus to long gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) using the Type I Fundamental Plane, a correlation between the spectral peak energy $E_{\rm p}$, the peak luminosity $L_{\rm p}$, and the luminosity time $T_{\rm L}$ ($\equiv E_{\rm iso}/L_{\rm p}$ where $E_{\rm iso}$ is isotropic energy) for small Absolute Deviation from Constant Luminosity(ADCL). The Type I Fundamental Plane of LGRBs is calibrated using 8 LGRBs with redshift $z1.4$) to 557 SNeIa distance moduli ($z<1.4$) significantly improves the constraint for non-flat $\Lambda$CDM universe from ($\Omega_{\rm M}, \Omega_{\rm \Lambda}$)=($0.29\pm0.10$, $0.76\pm0.13$) for SNeIa only to ($\Omega_{\rm M}, \Omega_{\rm \Lambda}$)=($0.23\pm0.06$, $0.68\pm0.08$) for SNeIa and 9 LGRBs.

Secondary electron emissions and dust charging currents in the nonequilibrium dusty plasma with power-law distributions [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:32:03 +0000

We study the secondary electron emissions induced by the impact of electrons on dust grains and the resulting dust charging processes in the nonequilibrium dusty plasma with power-law distributions. We derive new expressions of the secondary emitted electron flux and the dust charging currents that are generalized by the power-law q-distributions, where the nonlinear core functions are numerically studied for the nonextensive parameter q. Our numerical analyses show that the power-law q-distribution of the primary electrons has a significant effect on the secondary emitted electron flux as well as the dust charging currents, and this effect depends strongly on the ratio of the electrostatic potential energy of the primary electrons at the dust grain’s surface to the thermodynamic energy, implying that a competition in the dusty plasma between these two energies plays a crucial role in this novel effect.

Cosmic acceleration with cosmological soft phonons [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:31:44 +0000

The dark energy scalar field is here presented as a mean-field effect arising from the collective motion of interacting structures on an expanding lattice. This cosmological analogue to solid-state soft phonons in an unstable crystal network is shown to produce cosmic acceleration while mimicking phantom equation of state. From an analysis of the Hubble diagram of type Ia supernovae, we present constraints on the parameters of the cosmic Lagrange chain, as well as on time-variation of the soft phonon equation of state, before we conclude on new phenomenology associated to this interpretation.

A Born-Infeld-like f(R) gravity [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:31:32 +0000

Several features of an $f(R)$ theory in which there is a maximum value for the curvature are analyzed. The theory admits the vaccuum solutions of GR, and also the radiation evolution for the scale factor of the standard cosmological model. Working in the Jordan frame, a complete analysis of the phase space is performed, and its results supported with examples obtainted by numerical integration. In particular, we showed that theory has nonsingular cosmological solutions which after the bounce enter a phase of de Sitter expansion and subsequently relax to a GR-like radiation-dominated evolution.

Neutrinos And Cosmic Rays From Gamma Ray Bursts [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:31:14 +0000

Particle-In-Cell Simulation of Electron Acceleration in Solar Coronal Jets [Replacement]

astro-ph — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:31:06 +0000

We investigate electron acceleration resulting from 3D magnetic reconnection between an emerging, twisted magnetic flux rope and a pre-existing weak, open magnetic field. We first follow the rise of an unstable, twisted flux tube with a resistive MHD simulation where the numerical resolution is enhanced by using fixed mesh refinement. As in previous MHD investigations of similar situations the rise of the flux tube into the pre-existing inclined coronal magnetic field results in the formation of a solar coronal jet. A snapshot of the MHD model is then used as an initial and boundary condition for a particle-in-cell simulation, using up to half a billion cells and over 20 billion charged particle. Particle acceleration occurs mainly in the reconnection current sheet, with accelerated electrons displaying a power law dN/dE distribution with an index of about -1.65. The main acceleration mechanism is a systematic electric field, striving to maintaining the electric current in the current sheet against losses caused by electrons not being able to stay in the current sheet for more than a few seconds at a time.

High-Contrast NIR Polarization Imaging of MWC480

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:06:57 +0000

One of the key predictions of modeling from the IR excess of Herbig Ae stars is that for protoplanetary disks, where significant grain growth and settling has occurred, the dust disk has flattened to the point that it can be partially or largely shadowed by the innermost material at or near the dust sublimation radius. When the self-shadowing has already started, the outer disk is expected to be detected in scattered light only in the exceptional cases that the scale height of the dust disk at the sublimation radius is smaller than usual. High-contrast imaging combined with the IR spectral energy distribution allow us to measure the degree of flattening of the disk, as well as to determine the properties of the outer disk. We present polarimetric differential imaging in $H$ band obtained with Subaru/HiCIAO of one such system, MWC 480. The HiCIAO data were obtained at a historic minimum of the NIR excess. The disk is detected in scattered light from 0\farcs2-1\farcs0 (27.4-137AU). Together with the marginal detection of the disk from 1998 February 24 by HST/NICMOS, our data constrain the opening half angle for the disk to lie between 1.3$\leq\theta\leq 2.2^\circ$. When compared with similar measures in CO for the gas disk from the literature, the dust disk subtends only $\sim$30% of the gas disk scale height (H/R$\sim$0.03). Such a dust disk is a factor of 5-7 flatter than transitional disks, which have structural signatures that giant planets have formed.

Violation of Chandrasekhar Mass Limit: The Exciting Potential of Strongly Magnetized White Dwarfs

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:06:33 +0000

We consider a relativistic, degenerate, electron gas under the influence of a strong magnetic field, which describes magnetized white dwarfs. Landau quantization changes the density of states available to the electrons, thus modifying the underlying equation of state. In the presence of very strong magnetic fields a maximum of either one, two or three Landau level(s) is/are occupied. We obtain the mass-radius relations for such white dwarfs and their detailed investigation leads us to propose the existence of white dwarfs having a mass ~2.3M_Sun, which overwhelmingly exceeds the Chandrasekhar mass limit.

A Lyman Alpha Galaxy at Redshift z=6.944 in the COSMOS Field

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:06:19 +0000

Lyman-alpha emitting galaxies can be used to study cosmological reionization, because a neutral intergalactic medium scatters Lyman-alpha photons into diffuse halos whose surface brightness falls below typical survey detection limits. Here we present the Lyman-alpha emitting galaxy LAE J095950.99+021219.1, identified at redshift z=6.944 in the COSMOS field using narrowband imaging and followup spectroscopy with the IMACS instrument on the Magellan I Baade telescope. With a single object spectroscopically confirmed so far, our survey remains consistent with a wide range of IGM neutral fraction at redshift seven, but further observations are planned and will help clarify the situation. Meantime, the object we present here is only the third Lyman-alpha selected galaxy to be spectroscopically confirmed at redshift seven, and is 2–3 times fainter than the previously confirmed redshift seven Lyman alpha galaxies.

The optically unbiased GRB host (TOUGH) survey. I. Survey design and catalogs

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:06:01 +0000

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are powerful tracers of star-forming galaxies at a very wide range of redshifts. We have defined a homogeneous subsample of 69 Swift GRB-selected galaxies. Special attention has been devoted to making the sample optically unbiased through simple and well-defined selection criteria based on the high-energy properties of the bursts and their positions on the sky. Thanks to our extensive follow-up observations, this sample has now achieved a comparatively high degree of redshift completeness, and thus provides a legacy sample, useful for statistical studies of GRBs and their host galaxies. In this paper we present the survey design and summarize the results of our observing program conducted at the ESO Very Large Telescope aimed at obtaining the most basic properties of galaxies in this sample, including a catalog of R and K magnitudes and redshifts. We detect the host galaxies for 80 % of the GRBs in the sample, although only 42 % Ks-band detections, which confirms that GRB-selected host galaxies are generally blue. The sample is not uniformly blue, however, with two extremely red objects detected. Moreover, galaxies hosting GRBs with no optical afterglows, whose identification therefore relies on X-ray localisations, are significantly brighter and redder than those with an optical afterglow. Our spectroscopic campaign has resulted in 77 % now having redshift measurements, with a median redshift of 2.14 +- 0.18. TOUGH alone consists of 17 detected z > 2 Swift GRB host galaxies suitable for individual and statistical studies. Seven hosts have detections of the Ly-alpha emission line and we can exclude an early indication that Ly-alpha emission is ubiquitous among GRB hosts, but confirm that Ly-alpha is stronger in GRB-selected galaxies than in flux-limited samples of Lyman break galaxies.

Hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters in dark energy cosmologies: II. c-M relation

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:05:43 +0000

We use hydrodynamical simulations of different dark energy cosmologies to investigate the concentration-mass (c-M) relation in galaxy clusters. In particular, we consider a reference \Lambda CDM model, two quintessence models with inverse power-law potentials (RP and SUGRA), and two extended quintessence models, one with positive and one with negative coupling with gravity (EQp and EQn respectively). All the models are normalized in order to match CMB data from WMAP3. We fit both the dark matter only and the total mass profile with a NFW profile, and recover the concentration of each halo from the fit using different definition. We consider both the complete catalog of clusters and groups and subsamples of objects at different level of relaxation. We find that the definition itself of the concentration can lead to differences up to 20% in its value and that these differences are smaller when more relaxed objects are considered. The c-M relation of our reference \Lambda CDM model is in good agreement with the results in literature, and relaxed objects have a higher normalization and a shallower slope with respect to the complete sample. The inclusion of baryon physics is found to influence more high-mass systems than low-mass ones, due to a higher concentration of baryons in the inner regions of massive halos. For the different dark energy models, we find that for \Lambda CDM, RP and SUGRA the normalization of the c-M relation is linked to the growth factor, with models having a higher value of \sigma 8 D+ having also a higher normalization. This simple scheme is no longer valid for EQp and EQn because these models, depending on the sign of the coupling, have different values of the linear density contrast, leading to a decrease of the expected normalization in EQp and an increase in EQn. [Abridged]

Can we really measure fnl from the galaxy power spectrum?

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:05:17 +0000

The scale-dependent galaxy bias generated by primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG) can be used to detect and constrain deviations from standard single-field inflation. The strongest signal is expected in the local model for PNG, where the amplitude of non-Gaussianity can be expressed by a set of parameters (fnl, gnl, …). Current observational constraints from galaxy clustering on fnl and gnl assume that the others PNG parameters are vanishing. Using two sets of cosmological N-body simulations where both fnl and gnl are non-zero, we show that this strong assumption generally leads to biased estimates and spurious redshift dependencies of the parameters. Additionally, if the signs of fnl and gnl are opposite, the amplitude of the scale-dependent bias is reduced, possibly leading to a false null detection. Finally we show that model selection techniques like the Bayesian evidence can (and should) be used to determine if more than one PNG parameter is required by the data.

The bipolar outflow and disk of the brown dwarf ISO217

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:05:00 +0000

We show that the very young brown dwarf candidate ISO217 (M6.25) is driving an intrinsically asymmetric bipolar outflow with a stronger and slightly faster red-shifted component based on spectro-astrometry of forbidden [SII] emission lines observed in UVES/VLT spectra taken in 2009. ISO217 is only one out of a handful of brown dwarfs and VLMS (M5-M8) for which the existence of an outflow has been detected and which show that the T Tauri phase continues at the substellar limit. We measure a spatial extension of the outflow of +/-190mas (+/-30AU) and velocities of +/-40-50kms/s. We show that the strong velocity asymmetry between both lobes of a factor of 2 found in 2007 by Whelan et al. might be smaller than originally anticipated and likely evolves over a period of a few years. We detect also forbidden [FeII]7155 emission, which could potentially originate at the hot inner region of the outflow. To understand the ISO217 system, we have determined the properties of its accretion disk based on radiative transfer modeling of the SED. Our disk model is in very good agreement with Herschel/PACS data at 70mu. We find that the disk is flared and intermediately inclined (~45deg). The total disk mass (4e-6 Msun) is small compared to the accretion and outflow rate of ISO217 (~1e-10 Msun/yr). We suggest to explain this discrepancy by either a larger disk mass than inferred from the model (strong undetected grain growth) and/or by an on average lower accretion and outflow rate than the determined values. We show that a disk inclination significantly exceeding 45deg, as suggested from Halpha modeling and from the fact that both lobes of the outflow are visible, is not consistent with the SED data. Thus, despite its intermediate inclination angle, the disk of this brown dwarf appears to not obscure the red outflow component in [SII], which is very rarely seen for T Tauri objects (only one other case).

Screening Modifications of Gravity through Disformally Coupled Fields

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:04:48 +0000

It is shown that extensions to General Relativity, which introduce a strongly coupled scalar field, can be viable if the interaction has a non-conformal form. Such disformal coupling depends upon the gradients of the scalar field. Thus, if the field is locally static and smooth, the coupling becomes invisible in the solar system: this is the disformal screening mechanism. A cosmological model is considered where the disformal coupling triggers the onset of accelerated expansion after a scaling matter era, giving a good fit to a wide range of observational data. Moreover, the interaction leaves signatures in the formation of large-scale structure that can be used to probe such couplings.

The Absence of Ex-Companions in Type Ia Supernova Remnants

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:04:33 +0000

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play important roles in our study of the expansion and acceleration of the Universe, but because we do not know the exact nature or natures of the progenitors, there is a systematic uncertainty that must be resolved if SNe Ia are to become more precise cosmic probes. No progenitor system has ever been identified either in the pre- or post-explosion images of a Ia event. There have been recent claims for and against the detection of ex-companion stars in several SNe Ia remnants. These studies, however, usually ignore the angular momentum gain of the progenitor white dwarf, which leads to a spin-up phase and a subsequent spin-down phase before explosion. For spin-down timescales greater than 100,000 years, the donor star could be too dim to detect by the time of explosion. Here we revisit the current limits on ex-companion stars to SNR 0509-67.5, a 400 year old remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. If the effects of possible angular momentum gain on the white dwarf are included, a wide range of single-degenerate progenitor models are allowed for this remnant. We demonstrate that the current absence of evidence for ex-companion stars in this remnant, as well as other SNe Ia remnants, does not necessarily provide the evidence of absence for ex-companions. We discuss potential ways to identify such ex-companion stars through deep imaging observations.

Radio Broadcasts from Superconducting Strings

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:59:56 +0000

Superconducting cosmic strings can give transient electromagnetic signatures that we argue are most evident at radio frequencies. We investigate the three different kinds of radio bursts from cusps, kinks, and kink-kink collisions on superconducting strings. We find that the event rate is dominated by kink bursts in a range of parameters that are of observational interest, and can be quite high (several a day at 1 Jy flux) for a canonical set of parameters. In the absence of events, the search for radio transients can place stringent constraints on superconducting cosmic strings.

Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium inversions from a 3D MHD chromospheric model

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:59:36 +0000

The structure of the solar chromosphere is believed to be governed by magnetic fields, even in quiet-Sun regions that have a relatively weak photospheric field. During the past decade inversion methods have emerged as powerful tools for analyzing the chromosphere of active regions. The applicability of inversions to infer the stratification of the physical conditions in a dynamic 3D solar chromosphere has not yet been studied in detail. This study aims to establish the diagnostic capabilities of non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) inversion techniques of Stokes profiles induced by the Zeeman effect in the Ca II 8542 line. We computed the Ca II atomic level populations in a snapshot from a 3D radiation-MHD simulation of the quiet solar atmosphere in non-LTE using the 3D radiative transfer code Multi3d. These populations were used to compute synthetic full-Stokes profiles in the Ca II 8542 line using 1.5D radiative transfer and the inversion code Nicole. The profiles were then spectrally degraded to account for finite filter width and Gaussian noise was added to account for finite photon flux. These profiles were inverted using Nicole and the results were compared with the original model atmosphere. Our NLTE inversions applied to quiet-Sun synthetic observations provide reasonably good estimates of the chromospheric magnetic field, line-of-sight velocities and somewhat less accurate, but still very useful, estimates of the temperature. Three dimensional scattering of photons cause cool pockets in the chromosphere to be invisible in the line profile and consequently they are also not recovered by the inversions. To successfully detect Stokes linear polarization in this quiet snapshot, a noise level below 10^{-3.5} is necessary.

Metallicities of Emission-Line Galaxies from HST ACS PEARS and HST WFC3 ERS Grism Spectroscopy at 0.6 < z < 2.4

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:58:56 +0000

Galaxies selected on the basis of their emission line strength show low metallicities, regardless of their redshifts. We conclude this from a sample of faint galaxies at redshifts between 0.6 < z < 2.4, selected by their prominent emission lines in low-resolution grism spectra in the optical with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and in the near-infrared using Wide-Field Camera 3 (WFC3). Using a sample of 11 emission line galaxies (ELGs) at 0.6 < z < 2.4 with luminosities of -22 < M_B < -19, which have [OII], H\beta, and [OIII] line flux measurements from the combination of two grism spectral surveys, we use the R23 method to derive the gas-phase oxygen abundances: 7.5 < 12+log(O/H) < 8.5. The galaxy stellar masses are derived using Bayesian based Markov Chain Monte Carlo (\piMC^2) fitting of their Spectral Energy Distribution (SED), and span the mass range 8.1 < log(M_*/M_\sun) < 10.1. These galaxies show a mass-metallicity (M-L) and Luminosity-Metallicity (L-Z) relation, which is offset by –0.6 dex in metallicity at given absolute magnitude and stellar mass relative to the local SDSS galaxies, as well as continuum selected DEEP2 samples at similar redshifts. The emission-line selected galaxies most resemble the local "green peas" galaxies and Lyman-alpha galaxies at z~0.3 and z~2.3 in the M-Z and L-Z relations and their morphologies. The G-M_{20} morphology analysis shows that 10 out of 11 show disturbed morphology, even as the star-forming regions are compact. These galaxies may be intrinsically metal poor, being at early stages of formation, or the low metallicities may be due to gas infall and accretion due to mergers.

Rapid variability of the compact radio sources in Arp220. Evidence for a population of microblazars?

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:57:05 +0000

Context. The two nuclei of the starburst galaxy Arp220 contain multiple compact radio sources previously identified as radio supernovae or supernova remnants. Aims. In order to search for an embedded radio AGN, or other possible exotic objects, we have carried out a program of VLBI monitoring at 6 cm over three epochs each separated by four months. Methods. Combining the new data with existing data at 6 cm and 18 cm (spanning 4 and 12 years respectively) we are able to characterise source flux density variability on a range of time-scales. Additionally we analyse the variability of sources in shape and position. Results. We detect rapid ( 4c) of jet-like features near rapidly varying almost stationary components. These enigmatic sources might be associated with an AGN or a highly beamed microquasar (i.e. microblazar). Other hypotheses include that the apparent variability is intrinsic and is produced by neutron star powered central components within a supernova remnant, by a sequence of several supernovae within super star clusters, or is extrinsic and is produced by Galactic interstellar scintillation of very compact non-varying objects. Conclusions. A microquasar/microblazar origin seems to be the best explanation for the nature of the variable sources in Arp220.

Maximally Star-Forming Galactic Disks II. Vertically-Resolved Hydrodynamic Simulations of Starburst Regulation

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:56:45 +0000

We explore the self-regulation of star formation using a large suite of high resolution hydrodynamic simulations, focusing on molecule-dominated regions (galactic centers and [U]LIRGS) where feedback from star formation drives highly supersonic turbulence. In equilibrium the total midplane pressure, dominated by turbulence, must balance the vertical weight of the ISM. Under self-regulation, the momentum flux injected by feedback evolves until it matches the vertical weight. We test this flux balance in simulations spanning a range of parameters, including surface density $\Sigma$, momentum injected per stellar mass formed ($p_*/m_*$), and angular velocity. The simulations are 2D radial-vertical slices, including both self-gravity and an external potential that confines gas to the disk midplane. After the simulations reach a steady state in all relevant quantities, including the star formation rate $\Sigma_{SFR}$, there is remarkably good agreement between the vertical weight, the turbulent pressure, and the momentum injection rate from supernovae. Gas velocity dispersions and disk thicknesses increase with $p_*/m_*$. The efficiency of star formation per free-fall time at the mid-plane density is insensitive to the local conditions and to the star formation prescription in very dense gas. We measure efficiencies $\sim$0.004-0.01, consistent with low and approximately constant efficiencies inferred from observations. For $\Sigma\in$(100–1000) \msunpc, we find $\Sigma_{SFR}\in$(0.1–4) \sfrunits, generally following a $\Sigma_{SFR}\propto \Sigma^2$ relationship. The measured relationships agree very well with vertical equilibrium and with turbulent energy replenishment by feedback within a vertical crossing time. These results, along with the observed $\Sigma_{SFR}-\Sigma$ relation in high density environments, provide strong evidence for the self-regulation of star formation.

The Central Engine Structure of 3C120: Evidence for a Retrograde Black Hole or a Refilling Accretion Disk

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:56:14 +0000

The broad-line radio galaxy 3C120 is a powerful source of both X-ray and radio emission including superluminal jet outflows. We report on our reanalysis of 160 ks of Suzaku data taken in 2006, previously examined by Kataoka et al. (2007). Spectral fits to the XIS and HXD/PIN data over a range of 0.7-45 keV reveal a well-defined iron K line complex with a narrow Ka core and relativistically broadened features consistent with emission from the inner regions of the accretion disk. Furthermore, the inner region of the disk appears to be truncated with an inner radius of r_in = 11.7^{+3.5}_{-5.2} r_g. If we assume that fluorescent iron line features terminate at the inner-most stable circular orbit (ISCO), we measure a black hole spin of a 0.8) can be ruled out at the 99% confidence level. Alternatively, the disk may be truncated well outside of the ISCO of a rapid prograde hole. The most compelling scenario is the possibility that the inner regions of the disk were destroyed/ejected by catastrophic instabilities just prior to the time these observations were made.

Globular cluster systems as tracers of environmental effects on Virgo early-type dwarfs

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:55:00 +0000

Early-type dwarfs (dEs) are by far the most abundant galaxy population in nearby clusters. Whether these objects are primordial, or the recent end-products of the different physical mechanisms that can transform galaxies once they enter these high-density environments, is still a matter of debate. Here we present a novel approach to test these scenarios by comparing the properties of the globular cluster systems (GCSs) of Virgo dEs and their potential progenitors with simple predictions from gravitational and hydrodynamical interaction models. We show that low-mass (Mstar < 2E8 Msun) dEs have GCSs consistent with being the descendants of gas-stripped late-type dwarfs. On the other hand, higher mass dEs have properties -including the high mass specific frequencies of their GCSs and their concentrated spatial distribution within Virgo- incompatible with a recent, environmentally-driven evolution. They mostly comprise nucleated systems, but also dEs with recent star formation and/or disc features. Bright, nucleated dEs appear to be a population that has long resided within the cluster potential well, but have surprisingly managed to retain very rich and spatially extended GCSs – possibly an indication of high total masses. Our analysis does not favour violent evolutionary mechanisms that result in significant stellar mass losses, but more gentle processes involving gas removal by a combination of internal and external factors, and highlights the relevant role of initial conditions. Additionally, we briefly comment on the origin of luminous cluster S0s.

Slicing The Monoceros Overdensity with Suprime-Cam

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:54:45 +0000

We derive distance, density and metallicity distribution of the stellar Monoceros Overdensity (MO) in the outer Milky Way, based on deep imaging with the Subaru Telescope. We applied CMD fitting techniques in three stripes at galactic longitudes: l=130 deg, 150 deg, 170 deg; and galactic latitudes: +15 < b [deg] < +25 . The MO appears as a wall of stars at a heliocentric distance of ~ 10.1\pm0.5 kpc across the observed longitude range with no distance change. The MO stars are more metal rich ([Fe/H] ~ -1.0) than the nearby stars at the same latitude. These data are used to test three different models for the origin of the MO: a perturbed disc model, which predicts a significant drop in density adjacent to the MO that is not seen; a basic flared disc model, which can give a good match to the density profile but the MO metallicity implies the disc is too metal rich to source the MO stars; and a tidal stream model, which bracket the distances and densities we derive for the MO, suggesting that a model can be found that would fully fit the MO data. Further data and modeling will be required to confirm or rule out the MO feature as a stream or as a flaring of the disc.

Understanding X-ray reflection emissivity profiles in AGN: Locating the X-ray source

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:54:28 +0000

The illumination pattern (or emissivity profile) of the accretion disc due to the reflection of X-rays in AGN can be understood in terms of relativistic effects on the rays propagating from a source in a corona surrounding the central black hole, both on their trajectories and on the accretion disc itself. Theoretical emissivity profiles due to isotropic point sources as well as simple extended geometries are computed in general relativistic ray tracing simulations performed on graphics processing units (GPUs). Such simulations assuming only general relativity naturally explain the accretion disc emissivity profiles determined from relativistically broadened emission lines which fall off steeply (with power law indices of between 6 and 8) over the inner regions of the disc, then flattening off to almost a constant before tending to a constant power law of index 3 over the outer disc. Simulations for a variety of source locations, extents and geometries show how the emissivity profiles depend on these properties, and when combined with reverberation time lags allow the location and extent of the primary X-ray source to be constrained. Comparing the emissivity profile determined from the broadened iron K emission line in spectra of 1H 0707-495 obtained in January 2008 to theoretical emissivity profiles and applying constraints from reverberation lags suggest that there exists an extended region of primary X-ray emission located as low as 2rg above the accretion disc, extending outwards to a radius of around 30rg.

Tidal acceleration of black holes and superradiance [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:54:14 +0000

Tidal effects have long ago locked the Moon in synchronous rotation with the Earth and progressively increase the Earth-Moon distance. This “tidal acceleration” hinges on dissipation. Binaries containing black holes may also be tidally accelerated, dissipation being caused by the event horizon – a flexible, viscous one-way membrane. In fact, this process is known for many years under a different guise: superradiance. In General Relativity, tidal acceleration is obscured by gravitational-wave emission. However, when coupling to light scalar degrees of freedom is allowed, an induced dipole moment produces a “polarization acceleration”, which might be orders of magnitude stronger than tidal quadrupolar effects. Consequences for optical and gravitational-wave observations are intriguing and it is not impossible that imprints of such mechanism have already been observed.

Diagnosing small- and large-scale structure in the winds of hot, massive OB-star

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:53:24 +0000

It is observationally as well as theoretically well established that the winds of hot, massive OB-stars are highly structured on a broad range of spatial scales. This paper first discusses consequences of the small-scale structures associated with the strong instability inherent to the line-driving of these winds. We demonstrate the importance of a proper treatment of such wind clumping to obtain reliable estimates of mass-loss rates, and also show that instability simulations that are perturbed at the lower boundary indeed display significant clumping quite close to the wind base, in general agreement with observations. But a growing subset of massive stars has also been found to possess strong surface magnetic fields, which may channel the star’s outflow and induce also large-scale wind structures and cyclic behavior of spectral diagnostics. The paper concludes by showing that multi-dimensional, magneto-hydrodynamical wind simulations, together with detailed radiative-transfer modeling, can reproduce remarkably well the periodic Balmer line emission observed in slowly rotating magnetic O stars like HD191612.

Chandra Observations of the Nuclear Star Cluster and Ultraluminous X-ray Sources in NGC 2139

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:52:24 +0000

We report Chandra observations of the Scd galaxy NGC 2139, which is known to host a recently formed (10^7.6 yrs) nuclear star cluster. The star cluster is undetected in X-rays, with an upper bound on 0.5-7 keV luminosity of L_X < 7.1 x 10^37 erg/s. This bound implies a bolometric accretion luminosity 10^39 erg/s. We use archival Hubble Space Telescope images to identify candidate optical counterparts for seven Chandra sources, which in most cases have optical luminosities and spatial profiles consistent with star clusters. Compared with other galaxies, the number of luminous X-ray sources in NGC 2139 is larger by a factor of 4 – 10 than expected based on its present star formation rate and stellar mass. This finding can be understood if NGC 2139 has concluded a burst of star formation in the recent past, and suggests that this galaxy could be important for testing the use of X-ray source populations as a chronometer of star formation history.

Second-order matter fluctuations via higher-order galaxy correlators

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:51:57 +0000

We provide a formula for extracting the value of the rms of the linear matter fluctuations on a scale R directly from redshift surveys data. It allows to constrain the real-space amplitude of sigma_R without requiring any modeling of the nature and power spectrum of the matter distribution. Furthermore, the formalism is completely insensitive to the character of the bias function, namely its eventual scale or non-linear dependence. By contrasting measurements of sigma_R with predictions from linear perturbation theory, one can test for eventual departures from the standard description of gravity on large cosmological scales. The proposed estimator exploits the information contained in the 1-point moments and 2-point correlators of the matter and galaxy density fields, and it can be applied on cosmic scales where linear and semi-linear perturbative approximations of the evolution of matter overdensities offer a satisfactory description of the full underlying theory. We implement the test with N-body simulations to quantify potential systematics and successfully show that we are able to recover the present day value of sigma_8 `hidden’ in the simulation. We also design a consistency check to gauge the soundness of the results inferred when the formalism is applied to real (as opposed to simulated) data. We expect that this approach will provide a sensitive probe of the clustering of matter when applied to future large redshift survey such as BigBOSS and EUCLID.

Beaming and rapid variability of high-energy radiation from relativistic pair plasma reconnection

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:51:05 +0000

We report on the first study of angular distributions of energetic particles and radiation generated in relativistic collisionless electron-positron pair plasma reconnection, using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. We discover a strong anisotropy of the particles accelerated by reconnection and the associated strong beaming of their radiation. The focusing of particles and radiation increases with their energy; in this sense, this “kinetic beaming” effect differs fundamentally from the relativistic Doppler beaming usually invoked in high-energy astrophysics, in which all photons are focused and boosted achromatically. We also present, for the first time, the modeling of the synchrotron emission as seen by an external observer during the reconnection process. The lightcurves exhibit super-fast time variability, comprising several bright symmetric bursts lasting about one tenth the light-crossing time of the system. The rapid variability in observed radiation is caused by the energetic beam of particles sweeping across the line of sight. This radiative signature can account for the brightness and variability of the gamma-ray flares in the Crab Nebula and in blazars.

Simultaneous Ultraviolet and Optical Emission-line Profiles of Quasars: Implications for Black Hole Mass Determination

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:50:39 +0000

The X-shooter instrument on the VLT was used to obtain spectra of seven moderate-redshift quasars simultaneously covering the spectral range 3000 Ang to 2.5 microns. At z ~ 1.5, most of the prominent broad emission lines in the ultraviolet to optical region are captured in their rest frame. We use this unique dataset, which mitigates complications from source variability, to intercompare the line profiles of C IV 1549, C III] 1909, Mg II 2800, and Halpha and evaluate their implications for black hole mass estimation. We confirm that Mg II and the Balmer lines share similar kinematics and that they deliver mutually consistent black hole mass estimates with minimal internal scatter (< 0.1 dex) using the latest virial mass estimators. Although no virial mass formalism has yet been calibrated for C III], this line does not appear promising for such an application because of the large spread of its velocity width compared to lines of both higher and lower ionization; part of the discrepancy may be due to the difficulty of deblending C III] from its neighboring lines. The situation for C IV is complex and, because of the limited statistics of our small sample, inconclusive. On the one hand, slightly more than half of our sample (4/7) have C IV line widths that correlate reasonably well with Halpha line widths, and their respective black hole mass estimates agree to within ~0.15 dex. The rest, on the other hand, exhibit exceptionally broad C IV profiles that overestimate virial masses by factors of 2-5 compared to Halpha. As C IV is widely used to study black hole demographics at high redshifts, we urgently need to revisit our analysis with a larger sample.

Observational signatures of sub-photospheric radiation mediated shocks in the prompt phase of GRBs

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:50:26 +0000

A shock that form below the photosphere of a GRB outflow is mediated by Compton scattering of radiation advected into the shock by the upstream fluid. The characteristic scale of such a shock, a few Thomson depths, is larger than any kinetic scale involved by several orders of magnitudes, hence, unlike collisionless shocks, radiation mediated shocks cannot accelerate particles to non-thermal energies. The spectrum emitted from a shock that breaks out of the photosphere of a GRB jet, reflects the temperature profile downstream of the shock, with a possible contribution at the highest energies from the shock transition layer itself. We study the properties of radiation mediated shocks that form during the prompt phase of GRBs, and compute the time integrated spectrum emitted by the shocked fluid following shock breakout. We show that for shocks that form just below the photosphere, at optical depths $\tau\simlt10$, the emitted spectrum has a Wien shape. The time integrated spectrum emitted from shocks that form at moderate optical depths is modified by adiabatic cooling. Typically, it exhibits a thermal peak with a power law extension that depends on the geometry of the unshocked jet, with $\nu F_\nu\propto\nu^{-1/2}$ for a conical jet, and a steeper slope for a collimating jet. At large optical depths, $\tau\simgt10^3$, thermalization processes affect the shape of the emitted spectrum.

A New Code for Proto-Neutron Star Evolution

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:49:56 +0000

A new code for following the evolution and emissions of proto-neutron stars during the first minute of their lives is developed and tested. The code is one dimensional, fully implicit, and general relativistic. Multi-group, multi-flavor neutrino transport is incorporated that makes use of variable Eddington factors obtained from a formal solution of the static general relativistic Boltzmann equation with linearized scattering terms. The timescales of neutrino emission and spectral evolution obtained using the new code are broadly consistent with previous results. Unlike other recent calculations, however, the new code predicts that the neutrino-driven wind will be characterized, at least for part of its existence, by a neutron excess. This change, potentially consequential for nucleosynthesis in the wind, is due to an improved treatment of the charged-current interactions of electron flavored neutrinos and anti-neutrinos with nucleons. A comparison is also made between the results obtained using either variable Eddington factors or simple equilibrium flux-limited diffusion. The latter approximation, which has been frequently used in previous studies of proto-neutron star cooling, accurately describes the total neutrino luminosities (to within 10%) for most of the evolution, until the proto-neutron star becomes optically thin.

Balanced Homodyne Detection of Optical Quantum States at Audio-Band Frequencies and Below [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:49:36 +0000

The advent of stable, highly squeezed states of light has generated great interest in the gravitational wave community as a means for improving the quantumnoise- limited performance of advanced interferometric detectors. To confidently measure these squeezed states, it is first necessary to measure the shot-noise across the frequency band of interest. Technical noise, such as non-stationary events, beam pointing, and parasitic interference, can corrupt shot-noise measurements at low Fourier frequencies, below tens of kilo-Hertz. In this paper we present a qualitative investigation into all of the relevant noise sources and the methods by which they can be identified and mitigated in order to achieve quantum noise limited balanced homodyne detection. Using these techniques, flat shot-noise down to Fourier frequencies below 0.5 Hz is produced. This enables the direct observation of large magnitudes of squeezing across the entire audio-band, of particular interest for ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors. 11.6 dB of shot-noise suppression is directly observed, with more than 10 dB down to 10 Hz.

Measurements of Stellar Inclinations for Kepler Planet Candidates

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:49:22 +0000

We present an investigation of spin-orbit angles for planetary system candidates reported by Kepler. By combining the rotational period $P_s$ inferred from the flux variation due to starspots and the projected rotational velocity $V\sin I_s$ and stellar radius obtained by a high resolution spectroscopy, we attempt to estimate the inclination $I_s$ of the stellar spin axis with respect to the line-of-sight. For transiting planetary systems, in which planetary orbits are edge-on seen from us, the stellar inclination $I_s$ can be a useful indicator of a spin-orbit alignment/misalignment. We newly conducted spectroscopic observations with Subaru/HDS for 15 KOI systems, whose lightcurves show periodic flux variations. After detailed analyses of their lightcurves and spectra, it turned out that some of them are binaries, or the flux variations are too coherent to be caused by starspots, probably representing ellipsoidal variations, and consequently we could constrain stellar inclinations $I_s$ for eight systems. Among them, KOI-262 and 280 are in good agreement with $I_s=90^\circ$ suggesting a spin-orbit alignment, while at least one system, KOI-261, shows a possible spin-orbit misalignment. We also obtain a small $I_s$ for KOI-1463, but the transiting companion seems to be a star rather than a planet. The results for KOI-257, 269, 367, and 974 are ambiguous, and can be explained with either misalignments or moderate differential rotation. Since our method can be applied to any system having starspots regardless of the planet size, future observations will allow for the expansion of the parameter space in which the spin-orbit relations are investigated.

Secondary electron emissions and dust charging currents in the nonequilibrium dusty plasma with power-law distributions [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:48:58 +0000

Rapid Disappearance of Penumbra-Like Features Near a Flaring Polarity Inversion Line: The Hinode Observations

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:48:21 +0000

We present the observations of penumbra like features (PLFs) near a polarity inversion line (PIL) of flaring region. The PIL is located at the moat boundary of active region (NOAA 10960). The PLFs appear similar to sunspot penumbrae in morphology but occupy small area, about 6$\times10^{7}$ km$^{2}$, and are not associated with sunspot or pore. We observed a rapid disappearance of the PLFs after a C1.7 class flare, which occurred close to the PIL. The local correlation tracking (LCT) of these features shows presence of horizontal flows directed away from the end-points of the PLFs, similar to the radial outward flow found around regular sunspots, which is also known as the moat flow. Hard X-ray emission, coincident with the location of the PLFs, is found in RHESSI observations, suggesting a spatial correlation between the occurrence of the flare and decay of the PLFs. Vector magnetic field derived from the observations obtained by Hinode spectro-polarimeter SOT/SP instrument, before and after the flare, shows a significant change in the horizontal as well as the vertical component of the field, after the flare. The weakening of both the components of the magnetic field in the flare interval suggests that rapid cancellation and/or submergence of the magnetic field in PLFs occurred during the flare interval.

The influence of fallback discs on the spectral and timing properties of neutron stars

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:47:44 +0000

Fallback discs around neutron stars (NSs) are believed to be an expected outcome of supernova explosions. Here we investigate the consequences of such a common outcome for the timing and spectral properties of the associated NS population, using Monte Carlo population synthesis models. We find that the long-term torque exerted by the fallback disc can substantially influence the late-time period distribution, but with quantitative differences which depend on whether the initial spin distribution is dominated by slow or fast pulsars. For the latter, a single-peaked initial spin distribution becomes bimodal at later times. Timing ages tend to underestimate the real age of older pulsars, and overestimate the age of younger ones. Braking indices cluster in the range 1.5 <~ n <~ 3 for slow-born pulsars, and -0.5 <~ n <~ 5 for fast-born pulsars, with the younger objects found predominantly below n <~ 3. Large values of n, while not common, are possible, and associated with torque transitions in the NS+disc system. The 0.1-10 keV thermal luminosity of the NS+disc system is found to be generally dominated by the disc emission at early times, t <~ 10^3 yr, but this declines faster than the thermal surface emission of the NS. Depending on the initial parameters, there can be occasional periods in which some NSs switch from the propeller to the accretion phase, increasing their luminosity up to the Eddington limit for ~ 10^3-10^4 years.

Incidence of Mg II absorption systems towards flat-spectrum radio quasars

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:47:29 +0000

The conventional wisdom that the rate of incidence of Mg II absorption systems, dN/dz (excluding `associated systems’ having velocity beta*c relative to the AGN of less than ~5000 km/s) is totally independent of the background AGN, has been challenged by a recent finding that dN/dz for strong Mg II absorption systems towards distant blazars is 2.2 \pm_{0.6}^{0.8} times the value known for normal optically-selected quasars (QSOs). This has led to the suggestion that a significant fraction of even the absorption systems with beta as high as 0.1 may have been ejected by the relativistic jets in the blazars, which are expected to be pointed close to our direction. Here we investigate this scenario using a large sample of 115 flat-spectrum radio-loud quasars (FSRQs) which too possess powerful jets, but are only weakly polarized. We show, for the first time, that dN/dz towards FSRQs is, on the whole, quite similar to that known for QSOs and the comparative excess of strong \mgii absorption systems seen towards blazars is mainly confined to beta< 0.15. The excess relative to FSRQs can probably result from a likely closer alignment of blazar jets with our direction and hence any gas clouds accelerated by them are more likely to be on the line of sight to the active quasar nucleus.

A Dirac right-handed sneutrino dark matter and its signature in the gamma-ray lines [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:47:14 +0000

We show that a Dirac right-handed scalar neutrino can be weakly interacting massive particle in the neutrinophilic Higgs model. When the additional Higgs fields couple only to the leptonic sector through neutrino Yukawa couplings, the right number of relic density of dark matter can be obtained from thermal freeze-out of the dark matter annihilation into charged leptons and neutrinos. At present, this annihilation is suppressed by the velocity of dark matter. However one-loop annihilation cross section into $\gamma\gamma$ can be larger than that of the helicity suppressed annihilation into fermions, because relevant coupling constants are different. Hence, gamma-ray line signal which might have been observed in the Fermi-LAT is also able to be explained by its annihilation.

Generalized dark gravity [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:46:38 +0000

The late-time cosmic acceleration may be due to infra-red modifications of General Relativity. In particular, we consider a maximal extension of the Hilbert-Einstein action and analyze several interesting features of the theory. Generally, the motion is non-geodesic and takes place in the presence of an extra force, which is orthogonal to the four-velocity. These models could lead to some major differences, as compared to the predictions of General Relativity or other modified theories of gravity, in several problems of current interest, such as cosmology, gravitational collapse or the generation of gravitational waves. The study of these phenomena may also provide some specific signatures and effects, which could distinguish and discriminate between the various gravitational models.

Resolving the Circumstellar Disk Around the Massive Protostar Driving the HH 80-81 Jet

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:46:17 +0000

We present new high-angular resolution observations toward the driving source of the HH 80-81 jet (IRAS 18162-2048). Continuum emission was observed with the Very Large Array at 7 mm and 1.3 cm, and with the Submillimeter Array at 860 microns, with angular resolutions of ~0″1 and ~0″8 respectively. Submillimeter observations of the sulfur oxide (SO) molecule are reported as well. At 1.3 cm the emission traces the well-known radio jet, while at 7 mm the continuum morphology is quadrupolar and seems to be produced by a combination of free-free and dust emission. An elongated structure perpendicular to the jet remains in the 7 mm image after subtraction of the free-free contribution. This structure is interpreted as a compact accretion disk of ~200 AU radius. Our interpretation is favored by the presence of rotation in our SO observations observed at larger scales. The observations presented here add to the small list of cases where the hundred-AU scale emission from a circumstellar disk around a massive protostar has been resolved.

Issues about vacuum energy as the origin of dark energy [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:46:02 +0000

In this letter we address some of the issues raised in the literature about the conflict between a large vacuum energy density, a priori predicted by quantum field theory, and the observed dark energy which must be the energy of vacuum or include it. We present a number of arguments against this claim and in favour of a null vacuum energy. They are based on: a new definition for the vacuum in quantum field theory as a frame-independent coherent state, results from a detailed study of condensation of scalar fields in FLRW background performed in a previous work, and our present knowledge about the Standard Model of particle physics. One of the predictions of these arguments is the confinement of nonzero expectation value of Higgs field to scales roughly comparable with the width of electroweak gauge bosons or shorter. If the observation of Higgs by the LHC is confirmed, accumulation of relevant events and their energy dependence in near future should allow to test the spatial extend of the Higgs condensate.

The Scale of Cosmic Isotropy

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:45:42 +0000

The most fundamental premise to the standard model of the universe, the Cosmological Principle (CP), states that the large-scale properties of the universe are the same in all directions and at all comoving positions. Demonstrating this theoretical hypothesis has proven to be a formidable challenge. The cross-over scale R_{iso} above which the galaxy distribution becomes statistically isotropic is vaguely defined and poorly (if not at all) quantified. Here we report on a formalism that allows us to provide an unambiguous operational definition and an estimate of R_{iso}. We apply the method to galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7, finding that R_{iso}\sim 150h^{-1} Mpc. Besides providing a consistency test of the Copernican principle, this result is in agreement with predictions based on numerical simulations of the spatial distribution of galaxies in cold dark matter dominated cosmological models.

A beacon of new physics: The Pioneer anomaly modelled as a path based speed loss driven by the externalisation of aggregate non-inertial QM energy [Cross-Listing]

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:45:32 +0000

This treatise outlines how a real non-systematic based Pioneer anomaly, with its implied violation (re: ‘low’ mass bodies only) of both general relativity’s weak equivalence principle and the Newtonian inverse-square law, can be successfully modelled. These theoretical hurdles and various awkward observational constraints, such as the low value of Pioneer 11’s anomaly pre-Saturn encounter, have not been convincingly modelled to date. Notwithstanding the recent trend to embrace a non-constant Sun/Earth-directed heat based explanation of this anomalous deceleration, the actual: nature, direction, and temporal and spatial variation of the Pioneer anomaly remain an open arena of research. Working backwards from the observational evidence, and rethinking: time, mass, quantum entanglement and non-locality, we hypothesise a mechanism involving a quantum mechanical energy source and a new type of ‘gravitational’ field; neither of which lie within general relativity’s domain of formulation/application. By way of a systemic conservation of energy principle, an internally inexpressible (aggregate) non-inertial energy discrepancy/uncertainty – involving a myriad of quantum (lunar/third-body residing) atomic and molecular systems moving in analog curved spacetime – is (non-locally) re-expressed externally as a (rotating) non-Euclidean spatial geometry perturbation. At a moving body each “rotating space-warp” induces sinusoidal proper acceleration and speed perturbations, as well as a path-based constant (per cycle) rate of speed shortfall relative to predictions that omit the additional effect. ‘Solutions’ of the new model extend to: the Earth flyby anomaly; solar system related large-scale anomalies in the CMB radiation data; the nature of dark energy; and how a theory of everything unification agenda is inadvertently impeding a deeper understanding of physical reality and quantum entanglement.

9 Sgr: uncovering an O-type spectroscopic binary with an 8.6 year period

astro-ph — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:45:12 +0000

The O-type object 9 Sgr is a well-known synchrotron radio emitter. This feature is usually attributed to colliding-wind binary systems, but 9 Sgr was long considered a single star. We have conducted a long-term spectroscopic monitoring of this star to investigate its multiplicity and search for evidence for wind-wind interactions. Radial velocities are determined and analysed using various period search methods. Spectral disentangling is applied to separate the spectra of the components of the binary system. We derive the first ever orbital solution of 9 Sgr. The system is found to consist of an O3.5 V((f+)) primary and an O5- 5.5 V((f)) secondary moving around each other on a highly eccentric (e = 0.7), 8.6 year orbit. The spectra reveal no variable emission lines that could be formed in the wind interaction zone in agreement with the expected properties of the interaction in such a wide system. Our results provide further support to the paradigm of synchrotron radio emission from early-type stars being a manifestation of interacting winds in a binary system.