Superclusters of galaxies from the 2dF redshift survey. II. Comparison with simulations

We investigate properties of superclusters of galaxies found on the basis of the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, and compare them with properties of superclusters from the Millennium Simulation. We study the dependence of various characteristics of superclusters on their distance from the observer, on their total luminosity, and on their multiplicity. The multiplicity is defined by the number of Density Field (DF) clusters in superclusters. Using the multiplicity we divide superclusters into four richness classes: poor, medium, rich and extremely rich. We show that superclusters are asymmetrical and have multi-branching filamentary structure, with the degree of asymmetry and filamentarity being higher for the more luminous and richer superclusters. The comparison of real superclusters with Millennium superclusters shows that most properties of simulated superclusters agree very well with real data, the main differences being in the luminosity and multiplicity distributions.Comment: 15 pages, 13 Figures, submitted for Astronomy and Astrophysic

NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results

The NEOWISE dataset offers the opportunity to study the variations in albedo for asteroid classification schemes based on visible and near-infrared observations for a large sample of minor planets. We have determined the albedos for nearly 1900 asteroids classified by the Tholen, Bus and Bus-DeMeo taxonomic classification schemes. We find that the S-complex spans a broad range of bright albedos, partially overlapping the low albedo C-complex at small sizes. As expected, the X-complex covers a wide range of albedos. The multi-wavelength infrared coverage provided by NEOWISE allows determination of the reflectivity at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m relative to the visible albedo. The direct computation of the reflectivity at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m enables a new means of comparing the various taxonomic classes. Although C, B, D and T asteroids all have similarly low visible albedos, the D and T types can be distinguished from the C and B types by examining their relative reflectance at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m. All of the albedo distributions are strongly affected by selection biases against small, low albedo objects, as all objects selected for taxonomic classification were chosen according to their visible light brightness. Due to these strong selection biases, we are unable to determine whether or not there are correlations between size, albedo and space weathering. We argue that the current set of classified asteroids makes any such correlations difficult to verify. A sample of taxonomically classified asteroids drawn without significant albedo bias is needed in order to perform such an analysis.Comment: Accepted to Ap

Time-Varying Graphs and Dynamic Networks

The past few years have seen intensive research efforts carried out in some apparently unrelated areas of dynamic systems -- delay-tolerant networks, opportunistic-mobility networks, social networks -- obtaining closely related insights. Indeed, the concepts discovered in these investigations can be viewed as parts of the same conceptual universe; and the formal models proposed so far to express some specific concepts are components of a larger formal description of this universe. The main contribution of this paper is to integrate the vast collection of concepts, formalisms, and results found in the literature into a unified framework, which we call TVG (for time-varying graphs). Using this framework, it is possible to express directly in the same formalism not only the concepts common to all those different areas, but also those specific to each. Based on this definitional work, employing both existing results and original observations, we present a hierarchical classification of TVGs; each class corresponds to a significant property examined in the distributed computing literature. We then examine how TVGs can be used to study the evolution of network properties, and propose different techniques, depending on whether the indicators for these properties are a-temporal (as in the majority of existing studies) or temporal. Finally, we briefly discuss the introduction of randomness in TVGs.Comment: A short version appeared in ADHOC-NOW'11. This version is to be published in Internation Journal of Parallel, Emergent and Distributed System

A discrete model for the apparent viscosity of polydisperse suspensions including maximum packing fraction

Based on the notion of a construction process consisting of the stepwise addition of particles to the pure fluid, a discrete model for the apparent viscosity as well as for the maximum packing fraction of polydisperse suspensions of spherical, non-colloidal particles is derived. The model connects the approaches by Bruggeman and Farris and is valid for large size ratios of consecutive particle classes during the construction process, appearing to be the first model consistently describing polydisperse volume fractions and maximum packing fraction within a single approach. In that context, the consistent inclusion of the maximum packing fraction into effective medium models is discussed. Furthermore, new generalized forms of the well-known Quemada and Krieger equations allowing for the choice of a second-order Taylor coefficient for the volume fraction ($\phi^2$-coefficient), found by asymptotic matching, are proposed. The model for the maximum packing fraction as well as the complete viscosity model are compared to experimental data from the literature showing good agreement. As a result, the new model is shown to replace the empirical Sudduth model for large diameter ratios. The extension of the model to the case of small size ratios is left for future work.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

The Circum-Galactic Environment of Bright IRAS Galaxies

This paper studies systematically, for the first time, the circumgalactic environment of bright IRAS galaxies as defined by Soifer et al. (1989). While the role of gravitational interaction for luminous and ultraluminous IRAS galaxies has been well established by various studies, the situation is by far more obscure in the IR luminosity range of the bright IRAS sample, 10^{10}Lsol < Lfir < 10^{11} Lsol. To easily identify nearby companion galaxies, the bright IRAS sample was restricted to 87 objects with redshift range 0.008 < z < 0.018 and galactic latitude > 30^{o}. A control sample, selected from the Center for Astrophysics redshift survey catalogue, includes 90 objects matching the Bright IRAS sample for distribution of isophotal diameter, redshift, and morphological type. From a search of nearby companion galaxies within 250 Kpc on the second-generation Digitized Sky Survey (DSS-II), we found that the circumgalactic environment of the Bright IRAS galaxies contains more large companions than the galaxies in the optically selected control sample, and is similar to that of Seyfert 2 galaxies. We found a weak correlation over a wide range of far IR luminosity (10^9 Lsol < Lfir < 10^{12.5}Lsol) between projected separation and Lfir, which confirms a very close relationship between star formation rate of a galaxy and the strength of gravitational perturbations. We also find that the far IR colors depend on whether a source is isolated or interacting. Finally, we discuss the intrinsic difference and evolution expectations for the bright IRAS galaxies and the control sample, as well as the relationship between starbursting and active galaxies.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figs, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap

Geometrical effects on energy transfer in disordered open quantum systems

We explore various design principles for efficient excitation energy transport in complex quantum systems. We investigate energy transfer efficiency in randomly disordered geometries consisting of up to 20 chromophores to explore spatial and spectral properties of small natural/artificial Light-Harvesting Complexes (LHC). We find significant statistical correlations among highly efficient random structures with respect to ground state properties, excitonic energy gaps, multichromophoric spatial connectivity, and path strengths. These correlations can even exist beyond the optimal regime of environment-assisted quantum transport. For random configurations embedded in spatial dimensions of 30 A and 50 A, we observe that the transport efficiency saturates to its maximum value if the systems contain 7 and 14 chromophores respectively. Remarkably, these optimum values coincide with the number of chlorophylls in (Fenna-Matthews-Olson) FMO protein complex and LHC II monomers, respectively, suggesting a potential natural optimization with respect to chromophoric density.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures. Expanded from the former appendix to arXiv:1104.481

Stand structure and development after selective logging with systematically aligned skid trails, directional felling and climber cutting in a dipterocarp rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia

The tropical rainforests around the world are extremely diverse and support a huge number of timber tree species and have therefore been severely logged. One area that has produced, and still produces, large amounts of timber is Southeast Asia. In this region the most commercially important timber trees belong to the family dipterocarpacae, (dipterocarps). Logging is mostly carried out relatively unplanned and causes therefore great damage to the residual stand. Better planned logging and silvicultural activities, using (for instance) planned skid trails, directional felling and climber-cutting, should reduce the damage and create healthier residual stands. This study tested a logging method involving systematically aligned skid trails combined with directional felling, called supervised logging (SL) and compared it to the conventional logging (CL) practiced in the area. Both logging methods were combined with (CC) and without (NCC) climber cutting. All trees exceeding 10 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh), and a random selection of seedlings and saplings were measured before logging (1992) and for a period of eight years after logging (1993-2001). More trees tended (0.050 < P ≤ 0.100) to be logged where CL was applied than in SL plots (the mean numbers of all stems and dipterocarps logged per ha were 13.0 and 12.4, respectively, in CL plots, compared to 9.4 and 6.7 in SL plots). The skid trail network applied in SL resulted in disturbance to around 7 % of the soil cover. The corresponding figure for the unplanned skid trail network in CL was higher (ca. 10 %), but not significantly different. Climber cutting resulted in four more dipterocarp trees being logged ha-1, compared with NCC: a statistically significant difference (P ≤ 0.050). Basal area lost or severely damaged differed between methods for some diameter classes with mainly CL leading to greater losses. The residual stand contained statistically significantly more dipterocarp seedlings after CL than after SL, while saplings and trees showed the opposite trend, i.e. more individuals were left in the residual stand after SL than after CL. There were significantly (ca. 30%) more 10-29 cm dbh dipterocarp trees in the residual stand after SL than after CL. Cutting climbers had no initial effect on the residual stand in terms of densities of seedlings, saplings trees of either all species or dipterocarps. Data collected during the subsequent period show inter alia, that the net basal area increased at similar rates following both logging methods, considering all species. There was also no significant difference between SL and CL in terms of dipterocarp net basal area, although this parameter grew by 1.0 m2 ha-1 after SL and declined by 0.1 m2 ha-1 after CL. Climber cutting significantly and positively affected net basal area growth, which amounted to 6.4 m2 ha-1 and 3.3 m2 ha-1 in the CC and NCC plots, respectively. The substantially higher growth associated with CC was mainly due to the growth and recruitment of small trees, mainly pioneer species