First tentative detection of anisotropy in the QSO distribution around nearby edge-on spiral galaxies

AIMS. To check whether the polar angle distribution of QSOs around nearby spiral galaxies is isotropic or not. METHODS. A statistical analysis of the polar angle distribution of large samples of QSOs from the SDSS survey and Monte Carlo simulations to calculate their significance are carried out. RESULTS. There is a clear excess of QSOs near the minor axis with respect to the major axis of nearby edge-on spiral galaxies, significant at a level 3.5-sigma up to angular distances of 3 deg. (or ~1.7 Mpc) from the centre of each galaxy. The significance is increased to 3.9-sigma with the z>0.5 QSOs, and it reaches 4.8-sigma if we include galaxies whose circles of radius 3 degrees are covered by the SDSS in more than 98% (instead of 100%) of the area. CONCLUSIONS. Gravitational lensing in the halo of nearby galaxies or extinction seem insufficient to explain the observed anisotropic distribution of QSOs. The anisotropic distribution agrees qualitatively with the predictions of Arp's models, which claim that QSOs are ejected by galaxies along the rotation axis, although Arp's prediction give a distance of the QSOs ~3 times smaller than that found here. In any case, a chance fluctuation, although highly improbable, might be a possibility rather than a true anisotropy, and the present results should be corroborated by other groups and samples, so we prefer to consider it as just a first tentative detection.Comment: 16 pages, accepted to be published in A&

X-ray Bright QSO's around NGC 3079

NGC 3079 is a very active, disturbed galaxy which has been observed to have X-ray and radio ejections from it as well as an optical superbubble along its minor axis. Here we show that the brightest X-ray sources within about 40 arcmin are in large excess of background values. The X-ray sources are identified as quasars and AGN's which are aligned and spaced across the Seyfert nucleus to a degree which is unlikely to be due to chance. The famous double quasar which has been interpreted as a gravitational lens is discussed in terms of the the X - ray and ULX sources which appear associated with NGC 3079.Comment: 6 figures, submitted to Ap

NGC 3628: Ejection Activity Associated with Quasars

NGC3628 is a well-studied starburst/low level AGN galaxy in the Leo Triplet noted for its extensive outgassed plumes of neutral hydrogen. QSOs are shown to be concentrated around NGC3628 and aligned with the HI plumes. The closest high redshift quasar has z=2.15 and is at the tip of an X-ray filament emerging along the minor axis HI plume. Location at this point has an accidental probability of ~2x10^-4. In addition a coincident chain of optical objects coming out along the minor axis ends on this quasar. More recent measures on a pair of strong X-ray sources situated at 3.2 and 5.4 arcmin on either side of NGC3628 along its minor axis, reveal that they have nearly identical redshifts of z=0.995 and 0.981. The closer quasar lies directly in the same X-ray filament which extends from the nucleus out 4.1 arcmin to end on the quasar of z=2.15. The chain of objects SW along the minor axis of NGC3628 has been imaged in four colors with the VLT. Images and spectra of individual objects within the filament are reported. It is suggested that material in various physical states and differing intrinsic redshifts is ejected out along the minor axis of this active, disturbed galaxy.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A. Postscript file including full resolution figures at http://www.eso.org/~fpatat/ngc3628/paper_ngc3628.ps.g

The nature of the ultraluminous X-ray sources inside galaxies and their relation to local QSOs

It is suggested that many of the ultraluminous compact x-ray sources now being found in the main bodies of galaxies, particularly those that are active, like M82, NGC 3628 and others, are "local" QSOs, or BL Lac objects, with high intrinsic redshifts in the process of being ejected from those galaxies. Evidence in support of this hypothesis is summarized.Comment: submitted to A&A Letter

Further Evidence that the Redshifts of AGN Galaxies May Contain Intrinsic Components

In the decreasing intrinsic redshift (DIR) model galaxies are assumed to be born as compact objects that have been ejected with large intrinsic redshift components, z_(i), out of the nuclei of mature AGN galaxies. As young AGN (quasars) they are initially several magnitudes sub-luminous to mature galaxies but their luminosity gradually increases over 10^8 yrs, as z_(i) decreases and they evolve into mature AGN (Seyferts and radio galaxies). Evidence presented here that low- and intermediate-redshift AGN are unquestionably sub-luminous to radio galaxies is then strong support for this model and makes it likely that the high-redshift AGN (quasars) are also sub-luminous, having simply been pushed above the radio galaxies on a logz-m_(v) plot by the presence of a large intrinsic component in their redshifts. An increase in luminosity below z = 0.06 is also seen. It is associated in the DIR model with an increase in luminosity as the sources mature but, if real, is difficult to interpret in the cosmological redshift (CR) model since at this low redshift it is unlikely to be associated with a higher star formation rate or an increase in the material used to build galaxies. Whether it might be possible in the CR model to explain these results by selection effects is also examined.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. Contains response to referees suggestions. (Accepted for ApJL

Evidence for Intrinsic Redshifts in Normal Spiral Galaxies

The Tully-Fisher Relationship (TFR) is utilized to identify anomalous redshifts in normal spiral galaxies. Three redshift anomalies are identified in this analysis: (1) Several clusters of galaxies are examined in which late type spirals have significant excess redshifts relative to early type spirals in the same clusters, (2) Galaxies of morphology similar to ScI galaxies are found to have a systematic excess redshift relative to the redshifts expected if the Hubble Constant is 72 km s-1 Mpc-1, (3) individual galaxies, pairs, and groups are identified which strongly deviate from the predictions of a smooth Hubble flow. These redshift deviations are significantly larger than can be explained by peculiar motions and TFR errors. It is concluded that the redshift anomalies identified in this analysis are consistent with previous claims for large non-cosmological (intrinsic) redshifts.Comment: Accepted for publication at Astrophysics&Space Science. 36 pages including 8 tables and 7 figure

The Discovery of a High Redshift X-ray Emitting QSO Very Close to the Nucleus of NGC 7319

A strong X-ray source only 8" from the nucleus of the Sy2 galaxy NGC 7319 in Stephan's Quintet has been discovered by Chandra. We have identified the optical counterpart and show it is a QSO with $z_e = 2.114$. It is also a ULX with $L_x = 1.5 x 10^{40} erg sec^{-1}$. From the optical spectra of the QSO and interstellar gas in the galaxy (z = .022) we show that it is very likely that the QSO and the gas are interacting.Comment: 8 figures, 5 color, minimized ps siz

Religious ideals shaping the understanding of work amongst Pentecostal Charismatic Christian women in South Africa

Abstract: In South African Pentecostal Charismatic Churches (PCC) the workspace is regarded as a highly spiritualised place in which believers are called to fight evil force and evangelise the non-believers. This study found that PCC religious constructs of gender and work strongly shape women’s understandings of themselves as career women, but less so their negotiation of the work-childcare balance. When socio-economic factors were in conflict with religious ideals members most often made decisions in line with their structural constraints and this was most evident amongst mothers who returned to work after childbirth, which is contrary to their churches’ teaching

Natural Regulation of Energy Flow in a Green Quantum Photocell

Manipulating the flow of energy in nanoscale and molecular photonic devices is of both fundamental interest and central importance for applications in light harvesting optoelectronics. Under erratic solar irradiance conditions, unregulated power fluctuations in a light harvesting photocell lead to inefficient energy storage in conventional solar cells and potentially fatal oxidative damage in photosynthesis. Here, we show that regulation against these fluctuations arises naturally within a two-channel quantum heat engine photocell, thus enabling the efficient conversion of varying incident solar spectrum at Earth's surface. Remarkably, absorption in the green portion of the spectrum is avoided, as it provides no inherent regulatory benefit. Our findings illuminate a quantum structural origin of regulation, provide a novel optoelectronic design strategy, and may elucidate the link between photoprotection in photosynthesis and the predominance of green plants on Earth.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

The double radio source 3C343.1: A galaxy-QSO pair with very different redshifts

The strong radio source 3C343.1 consists of a galaxy and a QSO separated by no more than about 0.25 arcsec. The chance of this being an accidental superposition is conservatively 10^-8. The z=0.344 galaxy is connected to the z=0.750 QSO by a radio bridge. The numerical relation between the two redshifts is that predicted from previous associations. This pair is an extreme example of many similar physical associations of QSOs and galaxies with very different redshifts.Comment: A&A Letters in pres