4,943 research outputs found
Renormalized transport of inertial particles in surface flows
Surface transport of inertial particles is investigated by means of the
perturbative approach, introduced by Maxey (J. Fluid Mech. 174, 441 (1987)),
which is valid in the case the deflections induced on the particle trajectories
by the fluid flow can be considered small. We consider a class of compressible
random velocity fields, in which the effect of recirculations is modelled by an
oscillatory component in the Eulerian time correlation profile. The main issue
we address here is whether fluid velocity fluctuations, in particular the
effect of recirculation, may produce nontrivial corrections to the streaming
particle velocity. Our result is that a small (large) degree of recirculation
is associated with a decrease (increase) of streaming with respect to a
quiescent fluid. The presence of this effect is confirmed numerically, away
from the perturbative limit. Our approach also allows us to calculate the
explicit expression for the eddy diffusivity, and to compare the efficiency of
diffusive and ballistic transport.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, submitted to JF
The radio spectra of reddened 2MASS QSOs: evidence for young radio jets
Multifrequency radio continuum observations (1.4-22 GHz) of a sample of
reddened QSOs are presented. We find a high incidence (13/16) of radio spectral
properties, such as low frequency turnovers, high frequency spectral breaks or
steep power-law slopes, similar to those observed in powerful compact steep
spectrum (CSS) and gigahertz-peaked spectrum (GPS) sources. The radio data are
consistent with relatively young radio jets with synchotron ages <1e6-1e7yr.
This calculation is limited by the lack of high resolution (milli-arcsec) radio
observations. For the one source in the sample that such data are available a
much younger radio age is determined, <2e3yr, similar to those of GPS/CSS
sources. These findings are consistent with claims that reddened QSOs are young
systems captured at the first stages of the growth of their supermassive black
holes. It also suggests that expanding radio lobes may be an important feedback
mode at the early stages of the evolution of AGN.Comment: 9 pages, to appear in MNRA
The Phoenix Deep Survey: The 1.4 GHz microJansky catalogue
The initial Phoenix Deep Survey (PDS) observations with the Australia
Telescope Compact Array have been supplemented by additional 1.4 GHz
observations over the past few years. Here we present details of the
construction of a new mosaic image covering an area of 4.56 square degrees, an
investigation of the reliability of the source measurements, and the 1.4 GHz
source counts for the compiled radio catalogue. The mosaic achieves a 1-sigma
rms noise of 12 microJy at its most sensitive, and a homogeneous radio-selected
catalogue of over 2000 sources reaching flux densities as faint as 60 microJy
has been compiled. The source parameter measurements are found to be consistent
with the expected uncertainties from the image noise levels and the Gaussian
source fitting procedure. A radio-selected sample avoids the complications of
obscuration associated with optically-selected samples, and by utilising
complementary PDS observations including multicolour optical, near-infrared and
spectroscopic data, this radio catalogue will be used in a detailed
investigation of the evolution in star-formation spanning the redshift range 0
< z < 1. The homogeneity of the catalogue ensures a consistent picture of
galaxy evolution can be developed over the full cosmologically significant
redshift range of interest. The 1.4 GHz mosaic image and the source catalogue
are available on the web at http://www.atnf.csiro.au/~ahopkins/phoenix/ or from
the authors by request.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication by A
Starburst and AGN activity in ultraluminous infrared galaxies
(Abridged) We examine the power source of 41 local Ultraluminous Infrared
Galaxies using archival infrared and optical photometry. We fit the observed
Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) with starburst and AGN components; each
component being drawn from a family of templates. We find all of the sample
require a starburst, whereas only half require an AGN. In 90% of the sample the
starburst provides over half the IR emission, with a mean fractional luminosity
of 82%. When combined with other galaxy samples we find that starburst and AGN
luminosities correlate over 6 decades in IR luminosity suggesting that a common
factor governs both luminosities, plausibly the gas masses in the nuclear
regions. We find that the mid-IR 7.7 micron line-continuum ratio is no
indication of the starburst luminosity, or the fractional AGN luminosity, and
therefore that this ratio is not a reliable diagnostic of the power source in
ULIRGs. We propose that the scatter in the radio-IR correlation in ULIRGs is
due to a skewed starburst IMF and/or relic relativistic electrons from a
previous starburst, rather than contamination from an obscured AGN. We show
that most ULIRGs undergo multiple starbursts during their lifetime, and by
inference that mergers between more than two galaxies may be common amongst
ULIRGs. Our results support the evolutionary model for ULIRGs proposed by
Farrah et al 2001, where they can follow many different evolutionary paths of
starburst and AGN activity in transforming merging spiral galaxies into
elliptical galaxies, but that most do not go through an optical QSO phase. The
lower level of AGN activity in our local sample than in z~1 HLIRGs implies that
the two samples are distinct populations. We postulate that different galaxy
formation processes at high-z are responsible for this difference.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Microbiological analysis of Portugal northern coastal beach sands
Poster apresentado no XIV Congresso Nacional de Bioquímica, Vilamoura, Portugal, 2004
The Phoenix Deep Survey: spectroscopic catalog
The Phoenix Deep Survey is a multi-wavelength survey based on deep 1.4 GHz
radio imaging, reaching well into the sub-100 microJy level. One of the aims of
this survey is to characterize the sub-mJy radio population, exploring its
nature and evolution. In this paper we present the catalog and results of the
spectroscopic observations aimed at characterizing the optically ``bright''
(R<~ 21.5 mag) counterparts of faint radio sources. Out of 371 sources with
redshift determination, 21% have absorption lines only, 11% show AGN
signatures, 32% are star-forming galaxies, 34% show narrow emission lines that
do not allow detailed spectral classification (due to poor signal-to-noise
ratio and/or lack of diagnostic emission lines) and the remaining 2% are
identified with stars. For the star-forming galaxies with a Balmer decrement
measurement we find a median extinction of A(Ha)=1.9 mag, higher than that of
optically selected samples. This is a result of the radio selection, which is
not biased against dusty systems. Using the available spectroscopic
information, we estimate the radio luminosity function of star-forming galaxies
in two independent redshift bins at z~0.1 and 0.3 respectively. We find direct
evidence for strong luminosity evolution of these systems consistent with L(1.4
GHz) ~ (1+z)^(2.7).Comment: 39 pages, 12 figures. References added, and minor changes to reflect
published versio
The Phoenix Deep Survey: X-ray properties of faint radio sources
In this paper we use a 50ks XMM-Newton pointing overlapping with the Phoenix
Deep Survey, a homogeneous radio survey reaching muJy sensitivities, to explore
the X-ray properties and the evolution of star-forming galaxies. UV, optical
and NIR photometry is available and is used to estimate photometric redshifts
and spectral types for radio sources brighter than R=21.5mag (total of 82).
Sources with R<21.5mag and spiral galaxy SEDs (34) are grouped into two
redshift bins with a median of z=0.240 and 0.455 respectively. Stacking
analysis for both the 0.5-2 and 2-8keV bands is performed on these subsamples.
A high confidence level signal (>3.5sigma) is detected in the 0.5-2keV band
corresponding to a mean flux of ~3e-16cgs for both subsamples. This flux
translates to mean luminosities of ~5e40 and 1.5e41cgs for the z=0.240 and
0.455 subsamples respectively. Only a marginally significant signal (2.6sigma)
is detected in the 2-8keV band for the z=0.455 subsample. We argue that the
stacked signal above is dominated by star-formation. The mean L_X/L_B ratio and
the mean L_X of the two subsamples are found to be higher than optically
selected spirals and similar to starbursts. We also find that the mean L_X and
L_1.4 of the faint radio sources studied here are consistent with the L_X-L_1.4
correlation of local star-forming galaxies. Moreover, the X-ray emissivity of
sub-mJy sources to z~0.3 is found to be elevated compared to local HII
galaxies. The observed increase is consistent with L_X evolution of the form
(1+z)^3. Assuming that our sample is indeed dominated by starbursts this is
direct evidence for evolution of such systems at X-ray wavelengths. Using an
empirical L_X to SFR conversion we estimate a global SFR density at z~0.3 of
\~0.029M_o/yr/Mpc in agreement with previous studies.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
On the Determination of Star Formation Rates in Evolving Galaxy Populations
The redshift dependence of the luminosity density in certain wavebands (e.g.
UV and H-alpha) can be used to infer the history of star formation in the
populations of galaxies producing this luminosity. This history is a useful
datum in studies of galaxy evolution. It is therefore important to understand
the errors that attend the inference of star formation rate densities from
luminosity densities. This paper explores the self-consistency of star
formation rate diagnostics by reproducing commonly used observational
procedures in a model with known galaxy populations, evolutionary histories and
spectral emission properties. The study reveals a number of potential sources
of error in the diagnostic processes arising from the differential evolution of
different galaxy types. We argue that multi-wavelength observations can help to
reduce these errors.Comment: 13 pages (including 5 encapsulated postscript figures), aastex,
accepted for publication in Ap
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