9,253 research outputs found
The Comoving Infrared Luminosity Density: Domination of Cold Galaxies across 0<z<1
In this paper we examine the contribution of galaxies with different infrared
(IR) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) to the comoving infrared luminosity
density, a proxy for the comoving star formation rate (SFR) density. We
characterise galaxies as having either a cold or hot IR SED depending upon
whether the rest-frame wavelength of their peak IR energy output is above or
below 90um. Our work is based on a far-IR selected sample both in the local
Universe and at high redshift, the former consisting of IRAS 60um-selected
galaxies at z<0.07 and the latter of Spitzer 70um selected galaxies across
0.1<z<1. We find that the total IR luminosity densities for each
redshift/luminosity bin agree well with results derived from other deep
mid/far-IR surveys. At z<0.07 we observe the previously known results: that
moderate luminosity galaxies (L_IR<10^11 Lsun) dominate the total luminosity
density and that the fraction of cold galaxies decreases with increasing
luminosity, becoming negligible at the highest luminosities. Conversely, above
z=0.1 we find that luminous IR galaxies (L_IR>10^11 Lsun), the majority of
which are cold, dominate the IR luminosity density. We therefore infer that
cold galaxies dominate the IR luminosity density across the whole 0<z<1 range,
hence appear to be the main driver behind the increase in SFR density up to z~1
whereas local luminous galaxies are not, on the whole, representative of the
high redshift population.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
OH spectral evolution of oxygen-rich late-type stars
We investigated the main-line spectral evolution with shell thickness of
oxygen rich AGB stars. The study is based on a sample of 30 sources distributed
along the IRAS colour-colour diagram. The sources were chosen to trace the
Miras with thick shells and the whole range of OH/IR stars. The Miras exhibit a
1665 MHz emission strength comparable to that at 1667 MHz. Even though the
Miras of the study have quite thick shells, their spectral characteristics in
both main lines attest to a strong heterogeneity in their OH shell with, in
particular, the presence of significant turbulence and acceleration. The
expansion velocity has been found to be about the same at 1665 and 1667 MHz,
taking into account a possible velocity turbulence of 1-2km/s at the location
of the main-line maser emission. An increase in the intensity ratio 1667/1665
with shell thickness has been found. A plausible explanation for such a
phenomenon is that competitive gain in favour of the 1667 MHz line increases
when the shell is getting thicker. There is an evolution in the spectral
profile shape with the appearance of a substantial inter-peak signal when the
shell is getting thicker. Also, inter-peak components are found and can be as
strong as the external standard peaks when the shell is very thick. This trend
for an increase of the signal in between the two main peaks is thought to be
the result of an increase of the saturation with shell thickness. All sources
but two - a Mira and an OH/IR star from the lower part of the colour-colour
diagram - are weakly polarized. The strong polarization observed for those two
particular objects is thought to be the result of perturbations in their
shells.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Genesis of the dusty Universe: modeling submillimetre source counts
We model the evolution of IR galaxies using a phenomenological approach to
match the observed source counts at different IR wavelengths. We introduce a
new algorithm for reproducing source counts based on direct integration of
probability distributions rather than Monte-Carlo sampling. We construct a
simple model for the evolution of the luminosity function and the colour
distribution of IR galaxies which utilizes a minimum number of free parameters.
Moreover we analyze how each of these parameters is constrained by
observational data. The model is based on pure luminosity evolution and adopts
the Dale & Helou SED templates. We find that the 850um source counts and their
redshift distribution depend strongly on the shape of the luminosity evolution
function, but only weakly on the details of the SEDs. We derive the best-fit
evolutionary model using the 850um counts and redshift distribution as
constraints. Moreover our best-fit shows a flattening of the faint end of the
luminosity function towards high redshifts and requires a colour evolution
which implies the typical dust temperatures of objects with the same
luminosities to decrease with redshift. We compare our best-fit model to
observed source counts at shorter and longer wavelengths which indicates our
model reproduces the 70um and 1100um source counts remarkably well, but
under-produces the counts at intermediate wavelengths. Analysis reveals that
the discrepancy arises at low redshifts, indicating that revision of the
adopted SED library towards lower dust temperatures (at a fixed infrared
luminosity) is required. This modification is equivalent to a population of
cold galaxies existing at low redshifts, as also indicated by recent Herschel
results, which are underrepresented in IRAS sample. We show that the modified
model successfully reproduces the source counts in a wide range of IR and submm
wavelengths.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS.
Supplementary information could be found at
http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/genesis
Eddy current damper for the labshare remote laboratory shake table rig
The design and performance of an eddy current damper for the Labshare remotely operated "Shake Table" multi-storey building vibration rig is described. The damper comprises stationary E-cores on either side of a copper plate attached to each storey. An approximate formula for the damper retarding force F is derived, of the form F = -kuI2 for plate velocity u and E-core current I, and a criterion for its validity is established in terms of the magnetic Reynolds number. A close fit to measurements of the force using a load cell is obtained for k = 0.401 N/(ms-1A2). This was about 12% lower than the force determined by three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) using ANSYS 12.1, but the error can be attributed to manufacturing imperfections. Students can use the force formula in their investigation of closed-loop control of the Shake Table vibration. More generally, a formula for the force constant k can be used for the approximate design of any similar E-core damper
Alien plant invasions in South Africa: Driving forces and the human dimension
Invasive alien plants pose a substantial threat to the rich biodiversity of South Africa, and to the sustained delivery of a wide range of ecosystem services. Biological invasions are driven by human activities and mediated by culturally shaped values and ethics. This paper explores the human dimensions of alien plant invasions in South Africa. We consider four primary forces, those which directly influence the likelihood and rate of invasion — arrival of propagules; changes in disturbance regimes; changes in the availability of limiting factors; and fragmentation of the landscape — and the roles of 22 secondary driving forces in shaping the outcomes of the four primary driving forces. Human societies and their dynamics and activities are an integral part of each of the secondary driving forces. A map of the interactions between and among the primary and secondary driving forces shows how they are interlinked and influence each other — either positively or negatively, or switching between the two. There are two key points for intervention: prevention of the introduction of propagules of potentially invasive species and developing collaborative initiatives with enterprises that rely largely on alien species (for example, horticulture, agriculture and forestry, including community forestry) to minimize the introduction and use of potentially invasive species. An example of the first type of intervention would be to implement more effective inspection systems at international border and customs posts. This type of intervention can only be effective if those who are directly affected — whether businessmen, tourists or migrants — understand the requirement for these measures, and collaborate. The need to build public awareness of the critical importance of the human dimension of invasions emerges as a key theme from this analysis and is the basis for better-informed decisions, more effective control programmes and a reduction of further invasions
Selection of ULIRGs in Infrared and Submm Surveys
We examine the selection characteristics of infrared and sub-mm surveys with
IRAS, Spitzer, BLAST, Herschel and SCUBA and identify the range of dust
temperatures these surveys are sensitive to, for galaxies in the ULIRG
luminosity range (12<log(LIR)<13), between z=0 and z=4. We find that the extent
of the redshift range over which surveys are unbiased is a function of the
wavelength of selection, flux density limit and ULIRG luminosity. Short
wavelength (<200{\mu}m) surveys with IRAS, Spitzer/MIPS and Herschel/PACS are
sensitive to all SED types in a large temperature interval (17-87K), over a
substantial fraction of their accessible redshift range. On the other hand,
long wavelength (>200{\mu}m) surveys with BLAST, Herschel/ SPIRE and SCUBA are
significantly more sensitive to cold ULIRGs, disfavouring warmer SEDs even at
low redshifts. We evaluate observations in the context of survey selection
effects, finding that the lack of cold ULIRGs in the local (z<0.1) Universe is
not a consequence of selection and that the range of ULIRG temperatures seen
locally is only a subset of a much larger range which exists at high redshift.
We demonstrate that the local luminosity-temperature (L-T) relation, which
indicates that more luminous sources are also hotter, is not applicable in the
distant Universe when extrapolated to the ULIRG regime, because the scatter in
observed temperatures is too large. Finally, we show that the difference
between the ULIRG temperature distributions locally and at high redshift is not
the result of galaxies becoming colder due to an L-T relation which evolves as
a function of redshift. Instead, they are consistent with a picture where the
evolution of the infrared luminosity function is temperature dependent, i.e.
cold galaxies evolve at a faster rate than their warm counterparts.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Variations in visceral leishmaniasis burden, mortality and the pathway to care within Bihar, India
BACKGROUND: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has been targeted by the WHO for elimination as a public health problem (< 1 case/10,000 people/year) in the Indian sub-continent (ISC) by 2020. Bihar State in India, which accounts for the majority of cases in the ISC, remains a major target for this elimination effort. However, there is considerable spatial, temporal and sub-population variation in occurrence of the disease and the pathway to care, which is largely unexplored and a threat to achieving the target. METHODS: Data from 6081 suspected VL patients who reported being clinically diagnosed during 2012-2013 across eight districts in Bihar were analysed. Graphical comparisons and Chi-square tests were used to determine differences in the burden of identified cases by season, district, age and sex. Log-linear regression models were fitted to onset (of symptoms)-to-diagnosis and onset-to-treatment waiting times to estimate their associations with age, sex, district and various socio-economic factors (SEFs). Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: Comparisons of VL caseloads suggested an annual cycle peaking in January-March. A 17-fold variation in the burden of identified cases across districts and under-representation of young children (0-5 years) relative to age-specific populations in Bihar were observed. Women accounted for a significantly lower proportion of the reported cases than men (41 vs 59%, P < 0.0001). Age, district of residence, house wall materials, caste, treatment cost, travelling for diagnosis and the number of treatments for symptoms before diagnosis were identified as correlates of waiting times. Mortality was associated with age, district of residence, onset-to-treatment waiting time, treatment duration, cattle ownership and cost of diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of VL in Bihar is highly heterogeneous, and reported caseloads and associated mortality vary significantly across different districts, posing different challenges to the elimination campaign. Socio-economic factors are important correlates of these differences, suggesting that elimination will require tailoring to population and sub-population circumstances
The influence of slope and peatland vegetation type on riverine dissolved organic carbon and water colour at different scales
Peatlands are important sources of fluvial carbon. Previous research has shown that riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations are largely controlled by soil type. However, there has been little work to establish the controls of riverine DOC within blanket peatlands that have not undergone major disturbance from drainage or burning. A total of 119 peatland catchments were sampled for riverine DOC and water colour across three drainage basins during six repeated sampling campaigns. The topographic characteristics of each catchment were determined from digital elevation models. The dominant vegetation cover was mapped using 0.5 m resolution colour infrared aerial images, with ground-truthed validation revealing 82 % accuracy. Forward and backward stepwise regression modelling showed that mean slope was a strong (and negative) determinant of DOC and water colour in blanket peatland river waters. There was a weak role for plant functional type in determining DOC and water colour. At the basin scale, there were major differences between the models depending on the basin. The dominance of topographic predictors of DOC found in our study, combined with a weaker role of vegetation type, paves the way for developing improved planning tools for water companies operating in peatland catchments. Using topographic data and aerial imagery it will be possible to predict which tributaries will typically yield lower DOC concentrations and which are therefore more suitable and cost-effective as raw water intakes
A population of z> 2 far-infrared Herschel-spire-selected starbursts
We present spectroscopic observations for a sample of 36 Herschel-SPIRE
250-500um selected galaxies (HSGs) at 2<z<5 from the Herschel Multi-tiered
Extragalactic Survey (HerMES). Redshifts are confirmed as part of a large
redshift survey of Herschel-SPIRE-selected sources covering ~0.93deg^2 in six
extragalactic legacy fields. Observations were taken with the Keck I Low
Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (LRIS) and the Keck II DEep Imaging
Multi-Object Spectrograph (DEIMOS). Precise astrometry, needed for
spectroscopic follow-up, is determined by identification of counterparts at
24um or 1.4GHz using a cross-identification likelihood matching method.
Individual source luminosities range from log(L_IR/Lsun)=12.5-13.6
(corresponding to star formation rates 500-9000Msun/yr, assuming a Salpeter
IMF), constituting some of the most intrinsically luminous, distant infrared
galaxies yet discovered. We present both individual and composite rest-frame
ultraviolet spectra and infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The
selection of these HSGs is reproducible and well characterized across large
areas of sky in contrast to most z>2 HyLIRGs in the literature which are
detected serendipitously or via tailored surveys searching only for high-z
HyLIRGs; therefore, we can place lower limits on the contribution of HSGs to
the cosmic star formation rate density at (7+-2)x10^(-3)Msun/yr h^3Mpc^(-3) at
z~2.5, which is >10% of the estimated total star formation rate density (SFRD)
of the Universe from optical surveys. The contribution at z~4 has a lower limit
of 3x10^(-3)Msun/yr h^3 Mpc^(-3), ~>20% of the estimated total SFRD. This
highlights the importance of extremely infrared-luminous galaxies with high
star formation rates to the build-up of stellar mass, even at the earliest
epochs.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures; ApJ accepte
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