Near-IR photometry of disk galaxies: search for nuclear isophotal twist and double bars

We present a near-IR, mainly H band, photometry of 72 nearby disk galaxies. The main goal of the survey was to search for isophotal twist inside their nuclear regions. As the twist can be due in some cases to projection effects, rather than resulting from a dynamical phenomenon, we deproject - under the simplifying assumption of a 2D geometry - all galaxies whose disk position angle and inclination are known, the latter not exceeding 75 degrees. We show the ellipticity, position angle and surface brightness radial profiles, and discuss how a projection of 2D and 3D bars can distort the isophotes, give an illusion of a non-existing double bar or mask a real one. We report 15 new double-barred galaxies and confirm 2 detected previously. We identify 14 additional twists not known before and we also find nuclear triaxial structures in three SA galaxies. The frequency of Seyferts among galaxies with nuclear bars or twists is high. As a secondary product, we publish structural parameters (length and axis ratio) of large-scale bars in order to extend still scarce data on bars in the near-IR.Comment: 11 pages of text (Astron. & Astroph. LaTeX l-aa macro) with 3 postscript figures, 7 additional pages of non-main-body postscript figures containing contour and ellipse fitting plots of 72 galaxies; accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics Suppl. Se

Exploring the Role of the Stakeholder in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Cross-sector Collaborations: a Phenomenological Study

This thesis aims to explore the experiences of those individuals involved in the phenomenon of cross-sector collaborations within the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) global food sector. The research is situated within a landscape of diminished availability of funding for Non-profit organizations (NPOs) in which new ways of achieving sustained funding are being sought. Coupled with the emergence of increased Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity from Commercial Entities (CEs), in part driven by societal pressure for companies to ‘do more’ and the resultant motivation for CEs to deliver effective CSR programmes, cross-sector collaboration appears to offer a methodology through which both sides can achieve their respective aims. The research gap identified focuses on the lack of understanding of the micro-processes, or attributes of the relationship, at the micro-level of partnership interaction.The sample group was accessed from individuals with extensive experience of NPO-CE collaborations within the area of FMCG global food production. This access allowed the experiences of some of these individuals to be gathered and explored within this study. Data collection techniques took the form of semi-structured interviews with twelve senior executives. An interpretivist approach was employed using a phenomenological research design to elicit an understanding of the experiences of the respondents’ involvement with NPO-CE collaborations. The intention was to afford the respondents the opportunity to recount their own experiences in their own terms and with their own emphasis on what was important to them within the broad structure provided by the three core categories drawn from the literature: value creation, partnership processes and relationship dynamics. A thematic data analysis was conducted using the framework developed from the initial literature review and subsequent agenda developed.The findings of the study have numerous implications for both academics and practitioners. Firstly, the study contributes to knowledge through the increased understanding of the nature of NPO-CE collaboration at the micro-process level from the perspective of the individual and provides insight into the nature of such relationships. It suggests a number of attributes that are viewed as significant by those involved in NPO-CE relationships at the individual level, including the confirmation of the importance of trust, effective leadership and formal and informal control measures. Secondly, numerous implications emerge for the practicing manager from the study, including perspectives on the demands, risks and rewards at both the individual and organizational level for managers engaged in cross-sector collaborations. Ultimately the study suggests that the traditional linear temporal framework for cross-sector collaboration development should be viewed as more cyclical in nature, and that the concomitant organizational demands of such an approach should be reflected in the decision-making processes ahead of any potential NPO-CE collaboration. The essence of this revised framework is presented in the form of a conceptual model The exploratory nature of the study has facilitated the identification of areas where future research is required, including: the challenges associated with implementing strategic agility within NPO-CE collaborations; exploring mechanisms for building and maintaining trust within a sustained collaboration; and the potential to develop the conceptual model into a decision-making framework for managers of future NPO-CE collaborations

The supermassive black hole of M87 and the kinematics of its associated gaseous disk

We have obtained long-slit observations of the circumnuclear region of M87 at three different locations, with a spatial sampling of 0.028" using the Faint Object Camera f/48 spectrograph on board HST. These data allow us to determine the rotation curve of the inner ~1" of the ionized gas disk in [OII]3727 to a distance as close as 0.07" (~5pc) to the dynamic center, thereby significantly improving on both the spatial resolution and coverage of previous FOS observations. We have modeled the kinematics of the gas under the assumption of the existence of both a central black hole and an extended central mass distribution, taking into account the effects of the instrumental PSF, the intrinsic luminosity distribution of the line, and the finite size of the slit. We find that the central mass must be concentrated within a sphere whose maximum radius is 0.05" (~3.5pc) and show that both the observed rotation curve and line profiles are consistent with a thin--disk in keplerian motion. We conclude that the most likely explanation for the observed motions is the presence of a supermassive black hole and derive a value of M_{BH} = (3.2+/-0.9) 10^9 M_{sun} for its mass

Resource Rents, Democracy & the Eight Policy Lessons

We examine if resource revenues are likely to be managed more effectively with strong (or lack of) institutions and if so to contribute to economic development in resource abundant countries. We estimate a general model using evidence for the resource booms of the 1970-2012 period, resource rents, natural capital, socio-economic indicators and for institutions. Our results show 1) Countries with ample natural capital and subsoil wealth levels are associated to a healthier democracy which potentially mitigates the resource curse (RC); 2) High resource rents are negatively associated to weak institutional quality deepening the curse; 3) Long run economic growth is positively associated to natural capital but negatively associated for those countries that receive high resource rents. We recommend stronger transparency for revenue allocation, for sales of oil production, for the allocation of licences, and for revenue collection. One limitation is the lack of information: (energy) laws inducing economic growth. This paper contributes to explaining the long run impact of democratic change on managing resource revenue. Our three key conclusions are:1) Resource abundance across the world produces a strong income effect; 2) Institution quality emerges as the key mechanism from which the RC effect emanates; and 3)The RC effect does not appear in all countries at all times as some researchers argue.  Examinamos si las rentas de recursos naturales son probablemente mejor administradas bajo instituciones fuertes (o falta de estas), y de serlo así si eso contribuye al desarrollo económico de países con abundantes recursos naturales. Estimamos un modelo usando evidencia de booms (1970-2012) de recursos, rentas de recursos, capital natural, indicadores socio-económicos y de instituciones. Nuestros resultados son tres que 1) países con capital natural y riqueza del subsuelo están asociados a una sana democracia lo que mitiga la maldición de los recursos naturales (MRN); 2) altos niveles de renta están negativamente asociados a la baja calidad de instituciones lo que profundiza la maldición; 3) el crecimiento económico a largo plazo está asociado a el capital natural pero tal crecimiento esta negativamente asociado en países que registran altos percepciones de rentas. Recomendamos transparencia en: la distribución de rentas, las ventas de petróleo, distribución de licencias y la recaudación de rentas. Una limitación es la falta de información: leyes (sector energético) que produzcan el crecimiento. Explicamos el impacto de largo plazo de el cambio democrático sobre la gestión de la rentas. Nuestras tres conclusiones claves son: 1) La abundancia de recursos naturales en todo el mundo produce un fuerte efecto sobre los ingresos; 2) La calidad institucional emerge como un mecanismo clave del que emana el efecto MRN; y 3) El efecto MRN no aparece en todos los países en todo momento como argumentan algunos investigadores

How Special are Brightest Cluster Galaxies? The Impact of Near-Infrared Luminosities on Scaling Relations for BCGs

Using the extended J, H and K magnitudes provided by the 2MASS data archive, we consider the position of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in the observed relations between inferred supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass and the host galaxy properties, as well as their position in the stellar velocity dispersion and luminosity (sigma-L) relation, compared to E and S0 galaxies. We find that SMBH masses (M) derived from near-infrared (NIR) magnitudes do not exceed 10e9.5Msol and that these masses agree well with the predictions made from sigma. In the NIR, there is no evidence that BCGs leave the sigma-L relation defined by less luminous galaxies. The higher SMBH masses predicted from V-band luminosities (M~10e10.5Msol) are attributed to the presence of extended envelopes around the BCGs, however, this will need to be confirmed using deeper multiwavelength imaging.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figures (4 color), uses emulateapj.cls. Replaced with ApJ Letters Accepted version. Conclusions are unchange

The nature of the HE0450-2958 System

Magain et al. (2005) argued that the host galaxy of the quasar in HE0450-2958 is substantially under-luminous given the likely mass of its nuclear black hole. Using kinematical information from the spectra of the quasar and the companion galaxy, an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy, we test the hypothesis that the black hole powering the quasar was ejected from the companion galaxy during a merger. We find that the ejection model can be securely ruled out, since the kick velocity required to remove the black hole from the galaxy is greater than about 500 km/s, inconsistent with the presence of narrow emission line gas at the same redshift as the quasar nucleus. We also show that the quasar in HE0450-2958 has the spectral characteristics of a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy and calculate a mass for its black hole that is roughly an order of magnitude smaller than estimated by Magain et al. The predicted luminosity of the host galaxy is then consistent with the upper limits inferred by those authors.Comment: 5 page