Herschel observations of water vapour in Markarian 231

The Ultra Luminous InfraRed Galaxy Mrk 231 reveals up to seven rotational lines of water (H2O) in emission, including a very high-lying (E_{upper}=640 K) line detected at a 4sigma level, within the Herschel/SPIRE wavelength range, whereas PACS observations show one H2O line at 78 microns in absorption, as found for other H2O lines previously detected by ISO. The absorption/emission dichotomy is caused by the pumping of the rotational levels by far-infrared radiation emitted by dust, and subsequent relaxation through lines at longer wavelengths, which allows us to estimate both the column density of H2O and the general characteristics of the underlying far-infrared continuum source. Radiative transfer models including excitation through both absorption of far-infrared radiation emitted by dust and collisions are used to calculate the equilibrium level populations of H2O and the corresponding line fluxes. The highest-lying H2O lines detected in emission, with levels at 300-640 K above the ground state, indicate that the source of far-infrared radiation responsible for the pumping is compact (radius=110-180 pc) and warm (T_{dust}=85-95 K), accounting for at least 45% of the bolometric luminosity. The high column density, N(H2O)~5x10^{17} cm^{-2}, found in this nuclear component, is most probably the consequence of shocks/cosmic rays, an XDR chemistry, and/or an "undepleted chemistry" where grain mantles are evaporated. A more extended region, presumably the inner region of the 1-kpc disk observed in other molecular species, could contribute to the flux observed in low-lying H2O lines through dense hot cores, and/or shocks. The H2O 78 micron line observed with PACS shows hints of a blue-shifted wing seen in absorption, possibly indicating the occurrence of H2O in the prominent outflow detected in OH (Fischer et al., this volume).Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Black hole accretion and star formation as drivers of gas excitation and chemistry in Mrk231

We present a full high resolution SPIRE FTS spectrum of the nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxy Mrk231. In total 25 lines are detected, including CO J=5-4 through J=13-12, 7 rotational lines of H2O, 3 of OH+ and one line each of H2O+, CH+, and HF. We find that the excitation of the CO rotational levels up to J=8 can be accounted for by UV radiation from star formation. However, the approximately flat luminosity distribution of the CO lines over the rotational ladder above J=8 requires the presence of a separate source of excitation for the highest CO lines. We explore X-ray heating by the accreting supermassive black hole in Mrk231 as a source of excitation for these lines, and find that it can reproduce the observed luminosities. We also consider a model with dense gas in a strong UV radiation field to produce the highest CO lines, but find that this model strongly overpredicts the hot dust mass in Mrk231. Our favoured model consists of a star forming disk of radius 560 pc, containing clumps of dense gas exposed to strong UV radiation, dominating the emission of CO lines up to J=8. X-rays from the accreting supermassive black hole in Mrk231 dominate the excitation and chemistry of the inner disk out to a radius of 160 pc, consistent with the X-ray power of the AGN in Mrk231. The extraordinary luminosity of the OH+ and H2O+ lines reveals the signature of X-ray driven excitation and chemistry in this region.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics Special Issue on Herschel first result

On the origin of M81 group extended dust emission

Galactic cirrus emission at far-infrared wavelengths affects many extragalactic observations. Separating this emission from that associated with extragalactic objects is both important and difficult. In this paper we discuss a particular case, the M81 group, and the identification of diffuse structures prominent in the infrared, but also detected at optical wavelengths. The origin of these structures has previously been controversial, ranging from them being the result of a past interaction between M81 and M82 or due to more local Galactic emission. We show that over an order of a few arcmin scales, the far-infrared (Herschel 250 mu m) emission correlates spatially very well with a particular narrow-velocity (2-3 km s(-1)) component of the Galactic HI. We find no evidence that any of the far-infrared emission associated with these features actually originates in the M81 group. Thus we infer that the associated diffuse optical emission must be due to galactic light-back scattered off dust in our galaxy. Ultraviolet observations pick out young stellar associations around M81, but no detectable far-infrared emission. We consider in detail one of the Galactic cirrus features, finding that the far-infrared HI relation breaks down below arcmin scales and that at smaller scales there can be quite large dust-temperature variation

SPIRE imaging of M82: cool dust in the wind and tidal streams

M82 is a unique representative of a whole class of galaxies, starbursts with superwinds, in the Very Nearby Galaxy Survey with Herschel. In addition, its interaction with the M81 group has stripped a significant portion of its interstellar medium from its disk. SPIRE maps now afford better characterization of the far-infrared emission from cool dust outside the disk, and sketch a far more complete picture of its mass distribution and energetics than previously possible. They show emission coincident in projection with the starburst wind and in a large halo, much more extended than the PAH band emission seen with Spitzer. Some complex substructures coincide with the brightest PAH filaments, and others with tidal streams seen in atomic hydrogen. We subtract the far-infrared emission of the starburst and underlying disk from the maps, and derive spatially-resolved far-infrared colors for the wind and halo. We interpret the results in terms of dust mass, dust temperature, and global physical conditions. In particular, we examine variations in the dust physical properties as a function of distance from the center and the wind polar axis, and conclude that more than two thirds of the extraplanar dust has been removed by tidal interaction, and not entrained by the starburst wind.Comment: accepted in A&A Herschel special issu

Angiogenesis Markers Quantification in Breast Cancer and Their Correlation with Clinicopathological Prognostic Variables

Tumoural angiogenesis is essential for the growth and spread of breast cancer cells. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of angiogenesis markers in tumours and there reflecting levels in serum of breast cancer patients. Angiogenin, Ang2, fibroblast growth factor basic, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and VEGF-A were measured using a FASTQuant angiogenic growth factor multiplex protein assay. We observed that breast cancer tumours exhibited high levels of PDGF-BB, bFGF and VEGF, and extremely high levels of TIMP-1 and Ang-2, whereas in serum we found significantly higher levels of Ang-2, PDGF-BB, bFGF, ICAM-1 and VEGF in patients with breast cancer compared to the benign breast diseases patients. Moreover, some of these angiogenesis markers evaluated in tumour and serum of breast cancer patients exhibited association with standard clinical parameters, ER status as well as MVD of tumours. Angiogenesis markers play important roles in tumour growth, invasion and metastasis. Our results suggest that analysis of angiogenesis markers in tumour and serum of breast cancer patients using multiplex protein assay can improve diagnosis and prognosis in this diseases

SED fitting of nearby galaxies in the Herschel Reference Survey

We compute UV to radio continuum spectral energy distributions of 51 nearby galaxies recently observed with SPIRE onboard Herschel and present infrared colours (in the 25-500 μm spectral range). SPIRE data of normal galaxies are well reproduced with a modified black body (β=2) of temperature T≅q 20 K. In ellipticals hosting a radio galaxy, the far-infrared (FIR) emission is dominated by the synchrotron nuclear emission. The colour temperature of the cold dust is higher in quiescent E-S0a than in star-forming systems probably because of the different nature of their dust heating sources (evolved stellar populations, X-ray, fast electrons) and dust grain properties

"Productivisation" of Jews in Poland after World War II as an example

In this article the author has identified the causes of creation in Poland after World War II, a kind of national-cultural autonomy for Jews. One of the pillars of the institutional autonomy was called productivisation. The program of economic policy assumed increase in employment of Jews in the industry, cooperatives and agriculture. The main aim of this article was to present the practice of „productivization” for the activities of Jewish farms. The author has also made an attempt to assess the role that „productivization” - relating mainly to the analyzed sphere of activity - has played in rebuilding postwar Jewish life in Poland. The execution of the "productivisation" policy authorised by the Central Committee of Polish Jews had lead in the immediate postwar period to the creation of many new jobs for the scared and harmed Jews, quickly improving their tragic financial condition. Despite its indisputable achievements in satisfying the basic economic needs of the survivors, the process of "productivisation" did not radically impact the professional structure of Jewish population. Parallel to the ongoing campaign to increase the employment of Jews in other areas of economy ((including agriculture ), the number of workshop owners and employees of private companies was also increasing

The Effectiveness of Mid IR Far IR Blind, Wide Area, Spectral Surveys in Breaking the Confusion Limit

Source confusion defines a practical depth to which to take large-area extragalactic surveys. 3D imaging spectrometers with positional as well as spectral information, however, potentially provide a means by which to use line emission to break the traditional confusion limit. In this paper we present the results of our investigation into the effectiveness of mid/far infrared, wide-area spectroscopic surveys in breaking the confusion limit. We use SAFARI, a FIR imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer concept for the proposed JAXA-led SPICA mission, as a test case. We generate artificial skies representative of 100 SAFARI footprints and use a fully-automated redshift determination method to retrieve redshifts for both spatially and spectrally confused sources for bright-end and burst mode galaxy evolution models. We find we are able to retrieve accurate redshifts for 38/54% of the brightest spectrally confused sources, with continuum fluxes as much as an order of magnitude below the 120 $\mu$m photometric confusion limit. In addition we also recover accurate redshifts for 38/29% of the second brightest spectrally confused sources. Our results suggest that deep, spectral line surveys with SAFARI can break the traditional photometric confusion limit, and will also not only resolve, but provide redshifts for, a large number of previously inaccessible galaxies. To conclude we discuss some of the limitations of the technique, as well as further work.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures. Accepted by PASJ

The Effectiveness of Mid/Far IR Blind, Wide Area, Spectral Surveys in Breaking the Confusion Limit

Source confusion determines the useful depth to which to take large-area extragalactic surveys. 3D imaging spectrometers, with positional as well as spectral information, however, can potentially provide a means by which to break the traditional confusion limit. In this poster we present the results of our investigation into the effectiveness of mid/far infrared, blind, wide area spectroscopic surveys with SAFARI in breaking through the confusion limit. We generate an artificial sky representative of 100 SAFARI footprints based on two galaxy evolution models: bright-end and burst-mode. Using a fully automated redshift determination method we find we can accurately estimate redshifts for 37 and 53% of sources with continuum fluxes that are as much as an order of magnitude below the traditional continuum confusion limit (at 120 μm) for the bright-end and burst-mode evolution models respectively. Our results suggest that deep, blind spectral line surveys with SAFARI will be able to break the traditional photometric confusion limit, allowing us to resolve a significant number of previously inaccessible galaxies, and so potentially to differentiate between different galaxy evolution models