20,498 research outputs found
A Simple Model for Pulse Profiles from Precessing Pulsars, with Special Application to Relativistic Binary PSR B1913+16
We study the observable pulse profiles that can be generated from precessing
pulsars. A novel coordinate system is defined to aid visualization of the
observing geometry. Using this system we explore the different families of
profiles that can be generated by simple, circularly symmetric beam shapes. An
attempt is then made to fit our model to the observations of relativistic
binary PSR B1913+16. It is found that while qualitatively similar pulse
profiles can be produced, this minimal model is insufficient for an accurate
match to the observational data. Consequently, we confirm that the emission
beam of PSR B1913+16 must deviate from circular symmetry, as first reported by
Weisberg and Taylor. However, the approximate fits obtained suggest that it may
be sufficient to consider only minimal deviations from a circular beam in order
to explain the data. We also comment on the applicability of our analysis
technique to other precessing pulsars, both binary and isolated.Comment: 35 pages and 8 figures. Published versio
Stellar Populations of Lyman Break Galaxies at z=1-3 in the HST/WFC3 Early Release Science Observations
We analyze the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of Lyman break galaxies
(LBGs) at z=1-3 selected using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field
Camera 3 (WFC3) UVIS channel filters. These HST/WFC3 observations cover about
50 sq. arcmin in the GOODS-South field as a part of the WFC3 Early Release
Science program. These LBGs at z=1-3 are selected using dropout selection
criteria similar to high redshift LBGs. The deep multi-band photometry in this
field is used to identify best-fit SED models, from which we infer the
following results: (1) the photometric redshift estimate of these dropout
selected LBGs is accurate to within few percent; (2) the UV spectral slope
(beta) is redder than at high redshift (z>3), where LBGs are less dusty; (3) on
average, LBGs at z=1-3 are massive, dustier and more highly star-forming,
compared to LBGs at higher redshifts with similar luminosities
(0.1L*<~L<~2.5L*), though their median values are similar within 1-sigma
uncertainties. This could imply that identical dropout selection technique, at
all redshifts, find physically similar galaxies; and (4) stellar masses of
these LBGs are directly proportional to their UV luminosities with a
logarithmic slope of ~0.46, and star-formation rates are proportional to their
stellar masses with a logarithmic slope of ~0.90. These relations hold true ---
within luminosities probed in this study --- for LBGs from z~1.5 to 5. The
star-forming galaxies selected using other color-based techniques show similar
correlations at z~2, but to avoid any selection biases, and for direct
comparison with LBGs at z>3, a true Lyman break selection at z~2 is essential.
The future HST UV surveys, both wider and deeper, covering a large luminosity
range are important to better understand LBG properties, and their evolution.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ (29 pages, 9 figures
A search for concentric rings with unusual variance in the 7-year WMAP temperature maps using a fast convolution approach
We present a method for the computation of the variance of cosmic microwave
background (CMB) temperature maps on azimuthally symmetric patches using a fast
convolution approach. As an example of the application of the method, we show
results for the search for concentric rings with unusual variance in the 7-year
WMAP data. We re-analyse claims concerning the unusual variance profile of
rings centred at two locations on the sky that have recently drawn special
attention in the context of the conformal cyclic cosmology scenario proposed by
Penrose (2009). We extend this analysis to rings with larger radii and centred
on other points of the sky. Using the fast convolution technique enables us to
perform this search with higher resolution and a wider range of radii than in
previous studies. We show that for one of the two special points rings with
radii larger than 10 degrees have systematically lower variance in comparison
to the concordance LambdaCDM model predictions. However, we show that this
deviation is caused by the multipoles up to order l=7. Therefore, the deficit
of power for concentric rings with larger radii is yet another manifestation of
the well-known anomalous CMB distribution on large angular scales. Furthermore,
low variance rings can be easily found centred on other points in the sky. In
addition, we show also the results of a search for extremely high variance
rings. As for the low variance rings, some anomalies seem to be related to the
anomalous distribution of the low-order multipoles of the WMAP CMB maps. As
such our results are not consistent with the conformal cyclic cosmology
scenario.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, 1 table. Published in MNRAS. This research was
supported by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-08-CEXC-0002-01
Projection effects in galaxy cluster samples: insights from X-ray redshifts
Up to now, the largest sample of galaxy clusters selected in X-rays comes
from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS). Although there have been many interesting
clusters discovered with the RASS data, the broad point spread function (PSF)
of the ROSAT satellite limits the amount of spatial information of the detected
objects. This leads to the discovery of new cluster features when a
re-observation is performed with higher resolution X-ray satellites. Here we
present the results from XMM-Newton observations of three clusters:
RXCJ2306.6-1319, ZwCl1665 and RXCJ0034.6-0208, for which the observations
reveal a double or triple system of extended components. These clusters belong
to the extremely expanded HIghest X-ray FLUx Galaxy Cluster Sample
(eeHIFLUGCS), which is a flux-limited cluster sample ( erg s cm in the keV energy band). For
each structure in each cluster, we determine the redshift with the X-ray
spectrum and find that the components are not part of the same cluster. This is
confirmed by an optical spectroscopic analysis of the galaxy members.
Therefore, the total number of clusters is actually 7 and not 3. We derive
global cluster properties of each extended component. We compare the measured
properties to lower-redshift group samples, and find a good agreement. Our flux
measurements reveal that only one component of the ZwCl1665 cluster has a flux
above the eeHIFLUGCS limit, while the other clusters will no longer be part of
the sample. These examples demonstrate that cluster-cluster projections can
bias X-ray cluster catalogues and that with high-resolution X-ray follow-up
this bias can be corrected
Cosmological Effects of Powerful AGN Outbursts in Galaxy Clusters: Insights from an XMM-Newton Observation of MS0735+7421
We report on the results of an analysis of XMM-Newton observations of
MS0735+7421, the galaxy cluster which hosts the most energetic AGN outburst
currently known. The previous Chandra image shows twin giant X-ray cavities
(~200 kpc diameter) filled with radio emission and surrounded by a weak shock
front. XMM data are consistent with these findings. The total energy in
cavities and shock (~6 \times 10^{61} erg) is enough to quench the cooling flow
and, since most of the energy is deposited outside the cooling region (~100
kpc), to heat the gas within 1 Mpc by ~1/4 keV per particle. The cluster
exhibits an upward departure (factor ~2) from the mean L-T relation. The boost
in emissivity produced by the ICM compression in the bright shells due to the
cavity expansion may contribute to explain the high luminosity and high central
gas mass fraction that we measure. The scaled temperature and metallicity
profiles are in general agreement with those observed in relaxed clusters.
Also, the quantities we measure are consistent with the observed M-T relation.
We conclude that violent outbursts such as the one in MS0735+7421 do not cause
dramatic instantaneous departures from cluster scaling relations (other than
the L-T relation). However, if they are relatively common they may play a role
in creating the global cluster properties.Comment: 69 pages, 30 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Main Journa
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