10,875 research outputs found
Chemodynamic subpopulations of the Carina dwarf galaxy
We study the chemodynamical properties of the Carina dwarf spheroidal by
combining an intermediate spectroscopic resolution dataset of more than 900 red
giant and red clump stars, with high-precision photometry to derive the
atmospheric parameters, metallicities and age estimates for our targets. Within
the red giant branch population, we find evidence for the presence of three
distinct stellar sub-populations with different metallicities, spatial
distributions, kinematics and ages. As in the Fornax and Sculptor dwarf
spheroidals, the subpopulation with the lowest average metallicity is more
extended and kinematically hotter than all other populations. However, we
identify an inversion in the parallel ordering of metallicity, kinematics and
characteristic length scale in the two most metal rich subpopulations, which
therefore do not contribute to a global negative chemical gradient. Contrary to
common trends in the chemical properties with radius, the metal richest
population is more extended and mildly kinematically hotter than the main
component of intermediate metallicity. More investigations are required to
ascertain the nature of this inversion, but we comment on the mechanisms that
might have caused it.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Overcoming the su(2^n) sufficient condition for the coherent control of n-qubit systems
We study quantum systems with even numbers N of levels that are completely
state-controlled by unitary transformations generated by Lie algebras
isomorphic to sp(N) of dimension N(N+1)/2. These Lie algebras are smaller than
the respective su(N) with dimension N^2-1. We show that this reduction
constrains the Hamiltonian to have symmetric energy levels. An example of such
a system is an n-qubit system. Using a geometric representation for the quantum
wave function of a finite system, we present an explicit example that shows a
two-qubit system can be controlled by the elements of the Lie algebra sp(4)
(isomorphic to spin(5) and so(5)) with dimension ten rather than su(4) with
dimension fifteen. These results enable one to envision more efficient
algorithms for the design of fields for quantum-state engineering, and they
provide more insight into the fundamental structure of quantum control.Comment: 13 pp., 2 figure
Constraining the Distribution of L- & T-Dwarfs in the Galaxy
We estimate the thin disk scale height of the Galactic population of L- &
T-dwarfs based on star counts from 15 deep parallel fields from the Hubble
Space Telescope. From these observations, we have identified 28 candidate L- &
T- dwarfs based on their (i'-z') color and morphology. By comparing these star
counts to a simple Galactic model, we estimate the scale height to be 350+-50
pc that is consistent with the increase in vertical scale with decreasing
stellar mass and is independent of reddening, color-magnitude limits, and other
Galactic parameters. With this refined measure, we predict that less than 10^9
M_{sol} of the Milky Way can be in the form L- & T- dwarfs, and confirm that
high-latitude, z~6 galaxy surveys which use the i'-band dropout technique are
97-100% free of L- & T- dwarf interlopers.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted to ApJ
LSST optical beam simulator
We describe a camera beam simulator for the LSST which is capable of
illuminating a 60mm field at f/1.2 with realistic astronomical scenes, enabling
studies of CCD astrometric and photometric performance. The goal is to fully
simulate LSST observing, in order to characterize charge transport and other
features in the thick fully depleted CCDs and to probe low level systematics
under realistic conditions. The automated system simulates the centrally
obscured LSST beam and sky scenes, including the spectral shape of the night
sky. The doubly telecentric design uses a nearly unit magnification design
consisting of a spherical mirror, three BK7 lenses, and one beam-splitter
window. To achieve the relatively large field the beam-splitter window is used
twice. The motivation for this LSST beam test facility was driven by the need
to fully characterize a new generation of thick fully-depleted CCDs, and assess
their suitability for the broad range of science which is planned for LSST. Due
to the fast beam illumination and the thick silicon design [each pixel is 10
microns wide and over 100 microns deep] at long wavelengths there can be
effects of photon transport and charge transport in the high purity silicon.
The focal surface covers a field more than sufficient for a 40x40 mm LSST CCD.
Delivered optical quality meets design goals, with 50% energy within a 5 micron
circle. The tests of CCD performance are briefly described.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure
Generalized coherent states are unique Bell states of quantum systems with Lie group symmetries
We consider quantum systems, whose dynamical symmetry groups are semisimple
Lie groups, which can be split or decay into two subsystems of the same
symmetry. We prove that the only states of such a system that factorize upon
splitting are the generalized coherent states. Since Bell's inequality is never
violated by the direct product state, when the system prepared in the
generalized coherent state is split, no quantum correlations are created.
Therefore, the generalized coherent states are the unique Bell states, i.e.,
the pure quantum states preserving the fundamental classical property of
satisfying Bell's inequality upon splitting.Comment: 4 pages, REVTeX, amssymb style. More information on
http://www.technion.ac.il/~brif/science.htm
A constant dark matter halo surface density in galaxies
We confirm and extend the recent finding that the central surface density
r_0*rho_0 galaxy dark matter halos, where r_0 and rho_0 are the halo core
radius and central density, is nearly constant and independent of galaxy
luminosity. Based on the co-added rotation curves of about 1000 spiral
galaxies, mass models of individual dwarf irregular and spiral galaxies of late
and early types with high-quality rotation curves and, galaxy-galaxy weak
lensing signals from a sample of spiral and elliptical galaxies, we find that
log(r_0*rho_0) = 2.15 +- 0.2, in units of log(Msol/pc^2). We also show that the
observed kinematics of Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies are consistent
with this value. Our results are obtained for galactic systems spanning over 14
magnitudes, belonging to different Hubble Types, and whose mass profiles have
been determined by several independent methods. In the same objects, the
approximate constancy of rho_0*r_0 is in sharp contrast to the systematical
variations, by several orders of magnitude, of galaxy properties, including
rho_0 and central stellar surface density.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 9 pages, 4 figure
Self-similarities in the frequency-amplitude space of a loss-modulated CO laser
We show the standard two-level continuous-time model of loss-modulated CO
lasers to display the same regular network of self-similar stability islands
known so far to be typically present only in discrete-time models based on
mappings. For class B laser models our results suggest that, more than just
convenient surrogates, discrete mappings in fact could be isomorphic to
continuous flows.Comment: (5 low-res color figs; for ALL figures high-res PDF:
http://www.if.ufrgs.br/~jgallas/jg_papers.html
Dynamical Evolution of Globular Cluster Systems formed in Galaxy Mergers: Deep HST/ACS Imaging of Old and Intermediate-Age Globular Clusters in NGC 3610
(ABRIDGED) The ACS camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope has been used
to obtain deep images of the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 3610, a
well-established dissipative galaxy merger remnant. These observations
supersede previous WFPC2 images which revealed the presence of a population of
metal-rich globular clusters (GCs) of intermediate age (~1.5-4 Gyr). We detect
a total of 580 GC candidates, 46% more than from the previous WFPC2 images. The
new photometry strengthens the significance of the previously found bimodality
of the color distribution of GCs. Peak colors in V-I are 0.93 +/-0.01 and 1.09
+/- 0.01 for the blue and red subpopulations, respectively. The luminosity
function (LF) of the inner 50% of the metal-rich (`red') population of GCs
differs markedly from that of the outer 50%. In particular, the LF of the inner
50% of the red GCs shows a flattening consistent with a turnover that is about
1.0 mag fainter than the turnover of the blue GC LF. This is consistent with
predictions of recent models of GC disruption for the age range mentioned above
and for metallicities that are consistent with the peak color of the red GCs as
predicted by population synthesis models. We determine the specific frequency
of GCs in NGC 3610 and find a present-day value of S_N = 1.4 +/- 0.6. We
estimate that this value will increase to S_N = 3.8 +/- 1.7 at an age of 10
Gyr, which is consistent with typical S_N values for `normal' ellipticals. Our
findings constitute further evidence in support of the notion that metal-rich
GC populations formed during major mergers involving gas-rich galaxies can
evolve dynamically (through disruption processes) into the red, metal-rich GC
populations that are ubiquitous in `normal' giant ellipticals.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in The
Astronomical Journal. Figure 6 somewhat degraded to adhere to astro-ph rule
The channels of technology acquisition in commercial firms, and the NASA dissemination program
Technology acquisition in commercial firms, and NASA dissemination progra
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