325 research outputs found
The Origin of the Brightest Cluster Galaxies
Most clusters and groups of galaxies contain a giant elliptical galaxy in
their centres which far outshines and outweighs normal ellipticals. The origin
of these brightest cluster galaxies is intimately related to the collapse and
formation of the cluster. Using an N-body simulation of a cluster of galaxies
in a hierarchical cosmological model, we show that galaxy merging naturally
produces a massive, central galaxy with surface brightness and velocity
dispersion profiles similar to observed BCG's. To enhance the resolution of the
simulation, 100 dark halos at are replaced with self-consistent
disk+bulge+halo galaxy models following a Tully-Fisher relation using 100000
particles for the 20 largest galaxies and 10000 particles for the remaining
ones. This technique allows us to analyze the stellar and dark matter
components independently. The central galaxy forms through the merger of
several massive galaxies along a filament early in the cluster's history.
Galactic cannibalism of smaller galaxies through dynamical friction over a
Hubble time only accounts for a small fraction of the accreted mass. The galaxy
is a flattened, triaxial object whose long axis aligns with the primordial
filament and the long axis of the cluster galaxy distribution agreeing with
observed trends for galaxy-cluster alignment.Comment: Revised and accepted in ApJ, 25 pages, 10 figures, online version
available at http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~dubinski/bcg
The velocity peaks in the cold dark matter spectrum on Earth
The cold dark matter spectrum on earth is expected to have peaks in velocity
space. We obtain estimates for the sizes and locations of these peaks. To this
end we have generalized the secondary infall model of galactic halo formation
to include angular momentum of the dark matter particles. This new model is
still spherically symmetric and it has self-similar solutions. Our results are
relevant to direct dark matter search experiments.Comment: 12 pages including 1 table and 4 figures, LaTeX, REVTEX 3.0 versio
Cosmological Black Holes
In this paper we propose a model for the formation of the cosmological voids.
We show that cosmological voids can form directly after the collapse of
extremely large wavelength perturbations into low-density black holes or
cosmological black holes (CBH). Consequently the voids are formed by the
comoving expansion of the matter that surrounds the collapsed perturbation. It
follows that the universe evolves, in first approximation, according to the
Einstein-Straus cosmological model. We discuss finally the possibility to
detect the presence of these black holes through their weak and strong lensing
effects and their influence on the cosmic background radiation.Comment: 14 pages, new completely revised version, to appear on GR
Semi-Analytical Models for the Formation of Disk Galaxies: I. Constraints from the Tully-Fisher Relation
We present new semi-analytical models for the formation of disk galaxies with
the purpose of investigating the origin of the near-infrared Tully-Fisher (TF)
relation. The models assume that disks are formed by cooling of the baryons
inside dark halos with realistic density profiles, and that the baryons
conserve their specific angular momentum. Only gas with densities above the
critical density given by Toomre's stability criterion is considered eligible
for star formation, and a simple recipe for supernovae feedback is included. We
emphasize the importance of extracting the proper luminosity and velocity
measures from the models, something that has often been ignored in the past.
The observed K-band TF relation has a slope that is steeper than simple
predictions based on dynamical arguments suggest. Taking the stability related
star formation threshold densities into account steepens the TF relation,
decreases its scatter, and yields gas mass fractions that are in excellent
agreement with observations. In order for the TF slope to be as steep as
observed, further physics are required. We argue that the characteristics of
the observed near-infrared TF relation do not reflect systematic variations in
stellar populations, or cosmological initial conditions, but are governed by
feedback. Finally we show that our models provide a natural explanation for the
small amount of scatter that makes the TF relation useful as a cosmological
distance indicator.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
A Runaway Black Hole in COSMOS: Gravitational Wave or Slingshot Recoil?
We present a detailed study of a peculiar source in the COSMOS survey at
z=0.359. Source CXOCJ100043.1+020637 (CID-42) presents two compact optical
sources embedded in the same galaxy. The distance between the 2, measured in
the HST/ACS image, is 0.495" that, at the redshift of the source, corresponds
to a projected separation of 2.46 kpc. A large (~1200 km/s) velocity offset
between the narrow and broad components of Hbeta has been measured in three
different optical spectra from the VLT/VIMOS and Magellan/IMACS instruments.
CID-42 is also the only X-ray source having in its X-ray spectra a strong
redshifted broad absorption iron line, and an iron emission line, drawing an
inverted P-Cygni profile. The Chandra and XMM data show that the absorption
line is variable in energy by 500 eV over 4 years and that the absorber has to
be highly ionized, in order not to leave a signature in the soft X-ray
spectrum. That these features occur in the same source is unlikely to be a
coincidence. We envisage two possible explanations: (1) a gravitational wave
recoiling black hole (BH), caught 1-10 Myr after merging, (2) a Type 1/ Type 2
system in the same galaxy where the Type 1 is recoiling due to slingshot effect
produced by a triple BH system. The first possibility gives us a candidate
gravitational waves recoiling BH with both spectroscopic and imaging
signatures. In the second case, the X-ray absorption line can be explained as a
BAL-like outflow from the foreground nucleus (a Type 2 AGN) at the rearer one
(a Type 1 AGN), which illuminates the otherwise undetectable wind, giving us
the first opportunity to show that fast winds are present in obscured AGN.Comment: 13 figures; submitted to ApJ. Sent back to the referee after the
first interaction and awaiting the final comment
Barred Galaxies in the Abell 901/2 Supercluster with STAGES
We present a study of bar and host disk evolution in a dense cluster
environment, based on a sample of ~800 bright (MV <= -18) galaxies in the Abell
901/2 supercluster at z~0.165. We use HST ACS F606W imaging from the STAGES
survey, and data from Spitzer, XMM-Newton, and COMBO-17. We identify and
characterize bars through ellipse-fitting, and other morphological features
through visual classification. (1) We explore three commonly used methods for
selecting disk galaxies. We find 625, 485, and 353 disk galaxies, respectively,
via visual classification, a single component S'ersic cut (n <= 2.5), and a
blue-cloud cut. In cluster environments, the latter two methods miss 31% and
51%, respectively, of visually-identified disks. (2) For moderately inclined
disks, the three methods of disk selection yield a similar global optical bar
fraction (f_bar-opt) of 34% +10%/-3%, 31% +10%/-3%, and 30% +10%/-3%,
respectively. (3) f_bar-opt rises in brighter galaxies and those which appear
to have no significant bulge component. Within a given absolute magnitude bin,
f_bar-opt is higher in visually-selected disk galaxies that have no bulge as
opposed to those with bulges. For a given morphological class, f_bar-opt rises
at higher luminosities. (4) For bright early-types, as well as faint late-type
systems with no evident bulge, the optical bar fraction in the Abell 901/2
clusters is comparable within a factor of 1.1 to 1.4 to that of field galaxies
at lower redshifts (5) Between the core and the virial radius of the cluster at
intermediate environmental densities, the optical bar fraction does not appear
to depend strongly on the local environment density and varies at most by a
factor of ~1.3. We discuss the implications of our results for the evolution of
bars and disks in dense environments.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ, abstract abridged, for high
resolution figures see
http://www.as.utexas.edu/~marinova/STAGES/STAGES_bars.pd
Tumoral CD105 is a novel independent prognostic marker for prognosis in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma
International audienceBackground: Angiogenesis is essential for tumour growth and metastasis. There are conflicting reports as to whether microvessel density (MVD) using the endothelial marker CD105 (cluster of differentiation molecule 105) in clear-cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) is associated with prognosis. Recently, CD105 has been described as a RCC cancer stem cell marker.Methods: A total of 102 ccRCC were analysed. Representative tumour sections were stained for CD105. Vascularity (endothelial CD105) was quantified by MVD. The immunohistochemistry analysis detected positive (if present) or negative (if absent) CD105 tumoral staining. This retrospective population-based study was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier method, t-test and Cox proportional hazard model.Results: We found that the expression of endothelial CD105 (MVD) negatively correlated with nuclear grade (P<0.001), tumour stage (P<0.001) and Leibovitch score (P<0.001), whereas the expression of tumoral CD105 positively correlated with these three clinicopathological factors (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, tumoral CD105 was found to be an independent predictor of poor overall survival (P=0.002).Conclusions: We have shown for the first time that tumoral CD105 is an independent predictive marker for death risk and unfavourable prognosis in patients with ccRCC after curative resection
Diffuse stellar emission in X-ray luminous galaxy clusters at z~0.3 I. Is the diffuse optical light boosted and rejuvenated in merging clusters?
[Abridged] We searched for diffuse stellar emission around BCGs in three of
the most X-ray luminous clusters found at z~0.3 in the REFLEX cluster survey
and observed with XMM-Newton. These systems (RXCJ0014.3-3022, RXCJ0232.2-4420,
and RXCJ2308.3-0211) are in different dynamical states, as witnessed by their
X-ray morphology and optical appearence (e.g. multiplicity of BCGs). [Abridged]
Diffuse stellar emission is robustly detected down to a surface brightness of
26 R-mag/arcsec^2 (observed frame) around a total of seven BCGs, extending up
to galactocentric distances of ~100 kpc. In particular, it surrounds a pair of
BCGs in RXCJ0232.2-4420, while it bridges two BCGs associated with the minor
subcomponent of the merging cluster RXCJ0014.3-3022. The diffuse light detected
at the greatest distances from the BCGs of the rather regular clusters
RXCJ0232.2-4420 and RXCJ2308.3-0211 follows the ICM distribution. Its B-R
colour is consistent with the colours measured within the BCG effective radii.
The diffuse light around the two pairs of BCGs in RXCJ0014.3-3022 exhibits
bluer colours than the BCG central regions by up to 0.5 mag. If the
contribution of the intracluster light (ICL) to the detected diffuse light
around BCGs is not negligible, ICL and BCGs have similar stellar populations in
relatively relaxed clusters. Merging on a cluster scale eventually adds
gravitational stresses to BCGs and other galaxies in subcluster cores. This
event may affect the properties of the diffuse stellar emission around BCGs.
Shredding of star-forming, low-metallicity dwarf galaxies is favoured as the
cause of the bluer B-R colours of the diffuse stellar component around the two
pairs of BCGs in the merging cluster RXCJ0014.3-3022.Comment: 20 pages including 3 tables and 11 low-resolution colour figures,
accepted for publication in A&
Cosmology: small scale issues
The abundance of dark matter satellites and subhalos, the existence of
density cusps at the centers of dark matter halos, and problems producing
realistic disk galaxies in simulations are issues that have raised concerns
about the viability of the standard cold dark matter (LambdaCDM) scenario for
galaxy formation. This talk reviews these issues, and considers the
implications for cold vs. various varieties of warm dark matter (WDM). The
current evidence appears to be consistent with standard LambdaCDM, although
improving data may point toward a rather tepid version of LambdaWDM - tepid
since the dark matter cannot be very warm without violating observational
constraints.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the proceedings of the 8th UCLA Dark
Matter Symposium, Marina del Rey, USA, 20-22 February 200
Accessing the strong interaction between Λ baryons and charged kaons with the femtoscopy technique at the LHC
The interaction between Λ baryons and kaons/antikaons is a crucial ingredient for the strangeness S=0 and S=-2 sector of the meson–baryon interaction at low energies. In particular, the Lambda-Kbar might help in understanding the origin of states such as the Csi(1620), whose nature and properties are still under debate. Experimental data on Lambda-K and Lambda-Kbar systems are scarce, leading to large uncertainties and tension between the available theoretical predictions constrained by such data. In this Letter we present the measurements of Λ–KK− and Λ–KK+ correlations obtained in the high-multiplicity triggered data sample in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 13 TeV recorded by ALICE at the LHC. The correlation function for both pairs is modeled using the Lednický–Lyuboshits analytical formula and the corresponding scattering parameters are extracted. The Λ–KK+ correlations show the presence of several structures at relative momenta k* above 200 MeV/c, compatible with the Ω baryon, the , and resonances decaying into Λ–K− pairs. The low k* region in the Λ–KK+ also exhibits the presence of the state, expected to strongly couple to the measured pair. The presented data allow to access the ΛK+ and ΛK− strong interaction with an unprecedented precision and deliver the first experimental observation of the decaying into ΛK−
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