30,895 research outputs found
Probing the Low Surface Brightness Dwarf Galaxy Population of the Virgo Cluster
We have used public data from the Next Generation Virgo Survey (NGVS) to
investigate the dwarf galaxy population of the Virgo cluster beyond what has
previously been discovered. We initially mask and smooth the data, and then use
the object detection algorithm Sextractor to make our initial dwarf galaxy
selection. All candidates are then visually inspected to remove artefacts and
duplicates. We derive Sextractor parameters to best select low surface
brightness galaxies using g band central surface brightness values of 22.5 to
26.0 mag sq arc sec and exponential scale lengths of 3.0 - 10.0 arc sec to
identify 443 cluster dwarf galaxies - 303 of which are new detections. These
new detections have a surface density that decreases with radius from the
cluster centre. We also apply our selection algorithm to 'background',
non-cluster, fields and find zero detections. In combination, this leads us to
believe that we have isolated a cluster dwarf galaxy population. The range of
objects we are able to detect is limited because smaller scale sized galaxies
are confused with the background, while larger galaxies are split into numerous
smaller objects by the detection algorithm. Using data from previous surveys
combined with our data, we find a faint end slope to the luminosity function of
-1.35+/-0.03, which does not significantly differ to what has previously been
found for the Virgo cluster, but is a little steeper than the slope for field
galaxies. There is no evidence for a faint end slope steep enough to correspond
with galaxy formation models, unless those models invoke either strong feedback
processes or use warm dark matter.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
Star Formation and Dynamics in the nuclei of AGN
Using adaptive optics on Keck and the VLT in the H- and K-bands, we have
begun a project to probe the dynamics and star formation around AGN on scales
of 0.1arcsec. The stellar content of the nucleus is traced through the
2.29micron CO2-0 and 1.62micron CO6-3 absorption bandheads. These features are
directly spatially resolved, allowing us to measure the extent and distribution
of the nuclear star forming region. The dynamics are traced through the
2.12micron H_2 1-0S(1) and 1.64micron [FeII] emission lines, as well as stellar
absorption features. Matching disk models to the rotation curves at various
position angles allows us to determine the mass of the stellar and gas
components, and constrain the mass of the central black hole. In this
contribution we summarise results for the two type~1 AGN Mkn231 and NGC7469.Comment: contribution to "The interplay among Black Holes, Stars and ISM in
Galactic Nuclei", March 200
Origin of the 0.25-anomaly in the nonlinear conductance of a quantum point contact
We calculate the non-linear conductance of a quantum point contact using the
non-equilibrium Greens function technique within the Hartree approximation of
spinless electrons. We quantitative reproduce the 0.25-anomaly in the
differential conductance (i.e. the lowest plateau at 0.25-0.3*2e^2/h) as well
as an upward bending of higher conductance half-integer plateaus seen in the
experiments, and relate these features to the non-linear screening and pinning
effects.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Orality, literacy, popular culture : An eighteenth-century case study
Although distinctive and groundbreaking in many respects, Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language (1755) is typical of eighteenth-century lexicons in its definition of "oral" as "delivered by mouth; not written" and "orally" as "by mouth; without writing." Nathan Bailey, who compiled his Dictionarium Britannicum in 1730 and John Ash, whose New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language was published in 1775, draw the same attention to the physical production of sound by the body, and to the opposition of the oral to the literate arts: "delivered by the mouth or voice," they assert, "not committed to writing." The clarity and confidence of these definitions suggests that there was, from the early part of the eighteenth century, an awareness of a conceptual difference between spoken and written language.1 Indeed, Nicholas Hudson (1996) has argued that extended and conscious differentiation of this kind arises for the first time in this period, as the work of the numerous lexicographers, grammarians, and conjectural historians who began to investigate the origins of languages, alphabetic script, and the development of modern civilizations drew new attention to the oral dimension of language. Prior to this, although it was acknowledged that the oral and literate differed as modes of transmission, accounts of linguistic structure and development were constructed primarily with reference to written modes
Early-type Galaxies in the Cluster Abell 2390 at z=0.23
To examine the evolution of the early-type galaxy population in the rich
cluster Abell 2390 at z=0.23 we have gained spectroscopic data of 51 elliptical
and lenticular galaxies with MOSCA at the 3.5 m telescope on Calar Alto
Observatory. This investigation spans both a broad range in luminosity
(-19.3>M_B>-22.3) and uses a wide field of view of 10'x10', therefore the
environmental dependence of different formation scenarios can be analysed in
detail as a function of radius from the cluster centre. Here we present results
on the surface brightness modelling of galaxies where morphological and
structural information is available in the F814W filter aboard the Hubble Space
Telescope (HST) and investigate for this subsample the evolution of the
Fundamental Plane.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to appear in "Carnegie Observatories Astrophysics
Series, Vol. 3: Clusters of Galaxies: Probes of Cosmological Structure and
Galaxy Evolution", ed. J. S. Mulchaey, A. Dressler, and A. Oemler (Pasadena:
Carnegie Observatories,
http://www.ociw.edu/ociw/symposia/series/symposium3/proceedings.html
Critical behaviour in parabolic geometries
We study two-dimensional systems with boundary curves described by power
laws. Using conformal mappings we obtain the correlations at the bulk critical
point. Three different classes of behaviour are found and explained by scaling
arguments which also apply to higher dimensions. For an Ising system of
parabolic shape the behaviour of the order at the tip is also found.Comment: Old paper, for archiving. 6 pages, 1 figure, epsf, IOP macr
Electronic structure of unidirectional superlattices in crossed electric and magnetic fields and related terahertz oscillations
We have studied Bloch electrons in a perfect unidirectional superlattice
subject to crossed electric and magnetic fields, where the magnetic field is
oriented ``in-plane'', i.e. in parallel to the sample plane. Two orientation of
the electric field are considered. It is shown that the magnetic field
suppresses the intersubband tunneling of the Zener type, but does not change
the frequency of Bloch oscillations, if the electric field is oriented
perpendicularly to both the sample plane and the magnetic field. The electric
field applied in-plane (but perpendicularly to the magnetic field) yields the
step-like electron energy spectrum, corresponding to the magnetic-field-tunable
oscillations alternative to the Bloch ones.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
What do mathematicians mean by proof? A comparative-judgement study of students’ and mathematicians’ views
We present a study in which mathematicians and undergraduate students were asked to explain in writing what mathematicians mean by proof. The 175 responses were evaluated using comparative judgement: mathematicians compared pairs of responses and their judgements were used to construct a scaled rank order. We provide evidence establishing the reliability, divergent validity and content validity of this approach to investigating individuals’ written conceptions of mathematical proof. In doing so, we compare the quality of student and mathematician responses and identify which features the judges collectively valued. Substantively, our findings reveal that despite the variety of views in the literature, mathematicians broadly agree on what people should say when asked what mathematicians mean by proof. Methodologically, we provide evidence that comparative judgement could have an important role to play in investigating conceptions of mathematical ideas, and conjecture that similar methods could be productive in evaluating individuals’ more general (mathematical) beliefs
Barriers to social enterprise growth
This study investigates barriers to social enterprise growth. The research employs qualitative case study data gathered from young social enterprises to examine the interplay between social enterprise and individual, organizational and institutional barriers to growth. We find that social enterprise barriers to growth are based on values differences, business models and institutional norms. We theorize three strategic responses to overcome barriers to growth: values-based decision-making, leveraging social mission, and anchoring.We would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Oikos Foundation for Economy and Ecology and the Swiss National Science Foundation
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