ESO Imaging survey: Optical Deep Public Survey

This paper presents new five passbands (UBVRI) optical wide-field imaging data accumulated as part of the DEEP Public Survey (DPS) carried out as a public survey by the ESO Imaging Survey (EIS) project. Out of the 3 square degrees originally proposed, the survey covers 2.75 square degrees, in at least one band (normally R), and 1.00 square degrees in five passbands. The median seeing, as measured in the final stacked images, is 0.97", ranging from 0.75" to 2.0". The median limiting magnitudes (AB system, 2" aperture, 5 sigma detection limit) are U_(AB)=25.65, B_(AB)=25.54, V_(AB)=25.18, R_(AB) = 24.8 and I_(AB)=24.12 mag, consistent with those proposed in the original survey design. The paper describes the observations and data reduction using the EIS Data Reduction System and its associated EIS/MVM library. The quality of the individual images were inspected, bad images discarded and the remaining used to produce final image stacks in each passband, from which sources have been extracted. Finally, the scientific quality of these final images and associated catalogs was assessed qualitatively by visual inspection and quantitatively by comparison of statistical measures derived from these data with those of other authors as well as model predictions, and from direct comparison with the results obtained from the reduction of the same dataset using an independent (hands-on) software system. Finally to illustrate one application of this survey, the results of a preliminary effort to identify sub-mJy radio sources are reported. To the limiting magnitude reached in the R and I passbands the success rate ranges from 66 to 81% (depending on the fields). These data are publicly available at CDS.Comment: 24 pages, 26 figures. Accepted for pubblication in A&

The XMM-LSS survey: the Class 1 cluster sample over the extended 11 deg2^2 and its spatial distribution

This paper presents 52 X-ray bright galaxy clusters selected within the 11 deg$^2$ XMM-LSS survey. 51 of them have spectroscopic redshifts ($0.05<z<1.06$), one is identified at $z_{\rm phot}=1.9$, and all together make the high-purity "Class 1" (C1) cluster sample of the XMM-LSS, the highest density sample of X-ray selected clusters with a monitored selection function. Their X-ray fluxes, averaged gas temperatures (median $T_X=2$ keV), luminosities (median $L_{X,500}=5\times10^{43}$ ergs/s) and total mass estimates (median $5\times10^{13} h^{-1} M_{\odot}$) are measured, adapting to the specific signal-to-noise regime of XMM-LSS observations. The redshift distribution of clusters shows a deficit of sources when compared to the cosmological expectations, regardless of whether WMAP-9 or Planck-2013 CMB parameters are assumed. This lack of sources is particularly noticeable at $0.4 \lesssim z \lesssim 0.9$. However, after quantifying uncertainties due to small number statistics and sample variance we are not able to put firm (i.e. $>3 \sigma$) constraints on the presence of a large void in the cluster distribution. We work out alternative hypotheses and demonstrate that a negative redshift evolution in the normalization of the $L_{X}-T_X$ relation (with respect to a self-similar evolution) is a plausible explanation for the observed deficit. We confirm this evolutionary trend by directly studying how C1 clusters populate the $L_{X}-T_X-z$ space, properly accounting for selection biases. We point out that a systematically evolving, unresolved, central component in clusters and groups (AGN contamination or cool core) can impact the classification as extended sources and be partly responsible for the observed redshift distribution.[abridged]Comment: 33 pages, 21 figures, 3 tables ; accepted for publication in MNRA

First experimental demonstration of temporal hypertelescope operation with a laboratory prototype

In this paper, we report the first experimental demonstration of a Temporal HyperTelescope (THT). Our breadboard including 8 telescopes is firstly tested in a manual cophasing configuration on a 1D object. The Point Spread Function (PSF) is measured and exhibits a dynamics in the range of 300. A quantitative analysis of the potential biases demonstrates that this limitation is related to the residual phase fluctuation on each interferometric arm. Secondly, an unbalanced binary star is imaged demonstrating the imaging capability of THT. In addition, 2D PSF is recorded even if the telescope array is not optimized for this purpose.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 11 pages, 25 figure

Vortex matter in superconducting mesoscopic disks: Structure, magnetization, and phase transitions

The dense vortex matter structure and associated magnetization are calculated for type-II superconducting mesoscopic disks. The magnetization exhibits generically first-order phase transitions as the number of vortices changes by one and presents two well-defined regimes: A non-monotonous evolution of the magnitude of the magnetization jumps signals the presence of a vortex glass structure which is separated by a second-order phase transition at $H_{c2}$ from a condensed state of vortices (giant vortex) where the magnitude of the jumps changes monotonously. We compare our results with Hall magnetometry measurements by Geim et al. (Nature 390, 259 (1997)) and claim that the magnetization exhibits clear traces of the presence of these vortex glass states.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Anosov representations: Domains of discontinuity and applications

The notion of Anosov representations has been introduced by Labourie in his study of the Hitchin component for SL(n,R). Subsequently, Anosov representations have been studied mainly for surface groups, in particular in the context of higher Teichmueller spaces, and for lattices in SO(1,n). In this article we extend the notion of Anosov representations to representations of arbitrary word hyperbolic groups and start the systematic study of their geometric properties. In particular, given an Anosov representation of $\Gamma$ into G we explicitly construct open subsets of compact G-spaces, on which $\Gamma$ acts properly discontinuously and with compact quotient. As a consequence we show that higher Teichmueller spaces parametrize locally homogeneous geometric structures on compact manifolds. We also obtain applications regarding (non-standard) compact Clifford-Klein forms and compactifications of locally symmetric spaces of infinite volume.Comment: 63 pages, accepted for publication in Inventiones Mathematica

Molecular gas in Low Luminosity Radio Galaxies in (proto-)clusters at z~0.4-2.6

We investigate the role of the environment in processing molecular gas in radio galaxies (RGs). We observed five RGs at z=0.4-2.6 in dense Mpc-scale environment with the IRAM-30m telescope. We set four upper-limits and report a tentative CO(7-6) detection at signal-to-noise ratio SNR>~2 for COSMOS-FRI~70, at z=2.63. If the detection will be confirmed at higher SNR, COSMOS-FRI~70 will become the most distant brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) candidate detected in CO. We speculate that the cluster environment might have played a role in preventing the refueling via environmental mechanisms such as galaxy harassment, strangulation, ram-pressure, or tidal stripping. The RGs of this work are excellent targets for ALMA as well as next generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope

ESO Imaging Survey: Infrared Deep Public Survey

This paper presents new J and Ks data obtained from observations conducted at the ESO 3.5m New Technology Telescope using the SOFI camera. These data were taken as part of the ESO Imaging Survey Deep Public Survey (DPS) and significantly extend the earlier optical/infrared EIS-DEEP survey presented in a previous paper. The DPS-IR survey comprises two observing strategies: shallow Ks observations providing nearly full coverage of pointings with complementary multi-band optical data and deeper J and Ks observations of the central parts of these fields. The DPS-IR survey provides a coverage of roughly 2.1 square degrees in Ks with 0.63 square degrees to fainter magnitudes and also covered in J, over three independent regions of the sky. The goal of the present paper is to describe the observations, the data reduction procedures, and to present the final survey products. The astrometric solution with an estimated accuracy of <0.15" is based on the USNO catalog. The final stacked images presented here number 89 and 272, in J and Ks, respectively, the latter reflecting the larger surveyed area. The J and Ks images were taken with a median seeing of 0.77" and 0.8". The images reach a median 5sigma limiting magnitude of J_AB~23.06 in an aperture of 2", while the corresponding limiting magnitude in Ks_AB is ~21.41 and ~22.16 mag for the shallow and deep strategies. Overall, the observed limiting magnitudes are consistent with those originally proposed. The quality of the data has been assessed by comparing the measured magnitude of sources at the bright end directly with those reported by the 2MASS survey and at the faint end by comparing the counts of galaxies and stars with those of other surveys to comparable depth and to model predictions. The final science-grade catalogs and images are available at CDS.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 14 pages, 8 figures, a full resolution version of the paper is available from http://www.astro.ku.dk/~lisbeth/eisdata/papers/5019.pd

Vortex structure of thin mesoscopic disks in the presence of an inhomogeneous magnetic field

The vortex states in a thin mesoscopic disk are investigated within the phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau theory in the presence of different ''model'' magnetic field profiles with zero average field which may result from a ferromagnetic disk or circulating currents in a loop near the superconductor. We calculated the dependences of both the ground and metastable states on the magnitude and shape of the magnetic field profile for different values of the order parameter angular moment, i.e. the vorticity. The regions of existence of the multi-vortex state and the giant vortex state are found. We analysed the phase transitions between these states and studied the contribution from ring-shaped vortices. A new transition between different multi-vortex configurations as the ground state is found. Furthermore, we found a vortex state consisting of a central giant vortex surrounded by a collection of anti-vortices which are located in a ring around this giant vortex. The limit to a disk with an infinite radius, i.e. a film, will also be discussed. We also extended our results to ''real'' magnetic field profiles and to the case in which an external homogeneous magnetic field is present.Comment: 17 pages, 23 figures. Submitted to PR

Nanosized superconducting constrictions

Nanowires of lead between macroscopic electrodes are produced by means of an STM. Magnetic fields may destroy the superconductivity in the electrodes, while the wire remains in the superconducting state. The properties of the resulting microscopic Josephson junctions are investigated.Comment: 3 pages,3 eps figures include