19,304 research outputs found
Distances and Cosmology From Galaxy Cluster CMB Data
The measurement of angular diameter distance to galaxy clusters, through
combined Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect data with X-ray emission observations,
is now a well-known probe of cosmology. Using a combination of SZ data and a
map of the lensed CMB anisotropies by the galaxy cluster potential, we propose
an alternative geometric technique to measure distance information primarily
through cluster related multi-frequency CMB measurements. We discuss necessary
requirements to implement this measurement, potential errors including
systematic biases, and the extent to which cosmological parameters can be
extracted. While individual cluster distances are not likely to be precise,
with upcoming subarcminute resolution wide-area CMB observations, useful
information on certain cosmological parameters, such as the equation of state
of dark energy, can be obtained from a large sample of galaxy clusters.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Galaxy Cluster Shapes and Systematic Errors in H0 Measured by the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect
Imaging of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect in galaxy clusters combined
with cluster plasma x-ray diagnostics can measure the cosmic distance scale to
high redshift. Projecting the inverse-Compton scattering and x-ray emission
along the cluster line-of-sight introduces systematic errors in the Hubble
constant, H0, because the true shape of the cluster is not known. I present a
study of the systematic errors in the value of H0, as determined by the x-ray
and SZ properties of theoretical samples of triaxial isothermal ``beta'' model
clusters, caused by projection effects and observer orientation. I calculate
estimates for H0 for each cluster based on their large and small apparent
angular core radii and their arithmetic mean. I demonstrate that the estimates
for H0 for a sample of 25 clusters have 99.7% confidence intervals for the mean
estimated H0 analyzing the clusters using either their large or mean angular
core radius are within 14% of the ``true'' (assumed) value of H0 (and enclose
it), for a triaxial beta model cluster sample possessing a distribution of
apparent x-ray cluster ellipticities consistent with that of observed x-ray
clusters. This limit on the systematic error in H0 caused by cluster shape
assumes that each sample beta model cluster has fixed shape; deviations from
constant shape within the clusters may introduce additional uncertainty or bias
into this result.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, 24 March 1998;
4 pages, 2 figure
Can Strong Gravitational Lensing Constrain Dark Energy?
We discuss the ratio of the angular diameter distances from the source to the
lens, , and to the observer at present, , for various dark
energy models. It is well known that the difference of s between the
models is apparent and this quantity is used for the analysis of Type Ia
supernovae. However we investigate the difference between the ratio of the
angular diameter distances for a cosmological constant,
and that for other dark energy models,
in this paper. It has been known that there is
lens model degeneracy in using strong gravitational lensing. Thus, we
investigate the model independent observable quantity, Einstein radius
(), which is proportional to both and velocity
dispersion squared, . values depend on the parameters
of each dark energy model individually. However, for the various dark energy models, is well within
the error of for most of the parameter spaces of the dark energy
models. Thus, a single strong gravitational lensing by use of the Einstein
radius may not be a proper method to investigate the property of dark energy.
However, better understanding to the mass profile of clusters in the future or
other methods related to arc statistics rather than the distances may be used
for constraints on dark energy.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, Accepted in PR
An Ultra Low Mass and Small Radius Compact Object in 4U 1746-37?
Photospheric radius expansion (PRE) bursts have already been used to
constrain the masses and radii of neutron stars. RXTE observed three PRE bursts
in 4U 1746-37, all with low touchdown fluxes. We discuss here the possibility
of low mass neutron star in 4U 1746-37 because the Eddington luminosity depends
on stellar mass. With typical values of hydrogen mass fraction and color
correction factor, a Monte-Carlo simulation was applied to constrain the mass
and radius of neutron star in 4U 1746-37. 4U 1746-37 has a high inclination
angle. Two geometric effects, the reflection of the far side accretion disc and
the obscuration of the near side accretion disc have also been included in the
mass and radius constraints of 4U 1746-37. If the reflection of the far side
accretion disc is accounted, a low mass compact object (mass of
and radius of at 68% confidence)
exists in 4U 1746-37. If another effect operated, 4U 1746-37 may contain an
ultra low mass and small radius object
( at 68% confidence). Combined
all possibilities, the mass of 4U 1746-37 is at
99.7% confidence. For such low mass NS, it could be reproduced by a self-bound
compact star, i.e., quark star or quark-cluster star.Comment: accepted by Ap
Critical percolation in the dynamics of the 2d ferromagnetic Ising model
We study the early time dynamics of the 2d ferromagnetic Ising model
instantaneously quenched from the disordered to the ordered, low temperature,
phase. We evolve the system with kinetic Monte Carlo rules that do not conserve
the order parameter. We confirm the rapid approach to random critical
percolation in a time-scale that diverges with the system size but is much
shorter than the equilibration time. We study the scaling properties of the
evolution towards critical percolation and we identify an associated growing
length, different from the curvature driven one. By working with the model
defined on square, triangular and honeycomb microscopic geometries we establish
the dependence of this growing length on the lattice coordination. We discuss
the interplay with the usual coarsening mechanism and the eventual fall into
and escape from metastability.Comment: 67 pages, 33 figure
Spectral Unmixing with Multiple Dictionaries
Spectral unmixing aims at recovering the spectral signatures of materials,
called endmembers, mixed in a hyperspectral or multispectral image, along with
their abundances. A typical assumption is that the image contains one pure
pixel per endmember, in which case spectral unmixing reduces to identifying
these pixels. Many fully automated methods have been proposed in recent years,
but little work has been done to allow users to select areas where pure pixels
are present manually or using a segmentation algorithm. Additionally, in a
non-blind approach, several spectral libraries may be available rather than a
single one, with a fixed number (or an upper or lower bound) of endmembers to
chose from each. In this paper, we propose a multiple-dictionary constrained
low-rank matrix approximation model that address these two problems. We propose
an algorithm to compute this model, dubbed M2PALS, and its performance is
discussed on both synthetic and real hyperspectral images
Microarcsecond astrometry with Gaia: the solar system, the Galaxy and beyond
Gaia is an all sky, high precision astrometric and photometric satellite of
the European Space Agency (ESA) due for launch in 2010-2011. Its primary
mission is to study the composition, formation and evolution of our Galaxy.
Gaia will measure parallaxes and proper motions of every object in the sky
brighter than V=20, amounting to a billion stars, galaxies, quasars and solar
system objects. It will achieve an astrometric accuracy of 10muas at V=15 -
corresponding to a distance accuracy of 1% at 1kpc. With Gaia, tens of millions
of stars will have their distances measured to a few percent or better. This is
an improvement over Hipparcos by several orders of magnitude in the number of
objects, accuracy and limiting magnitude. Gaia will also measure radial
velocities for source brighter than V~17. To characterize the objects, each
object is observed in 15 medium and broad photometric bands with an onboard CCD
camera. With these capabilities, Gaia will make significant advances in a wide
range of astrophysical topics. These include a detailed kinematical map of
stellar populations, stellar structure and evolution, the discovery and
characterization of thousands of exoplanetary systems and General Relativity on
large scales. I give an overview of the mission, its operating principles and
its expected scientific contributions. For the latter I provide a quick look in
five areas on increasing scale size in the universe: the solar system, exosolar
planets, stellar clusters and associations, Galactic structure and
extragalactic astronomy.Comment: (Errors corrected) Invited paper at IAU Colloquium 196, "Transit of
Venus: New Views of the Solar System and Galaxy". 14 pages, 6 figures.
Version with higher resolution figures available from
http://www.mpia-hd.mpg.de/homes/calj/gaia_venus2004.htm
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