2,433 research outputs found
Luminosity density estimation from redshift surveys and the mass density of the Universe
In most direct estimates of the mass density (visible or dark) of the
Universe, a central input parameter is the luminosity density of the Universe.
Here we consider the measurement of this luminosity density from red-shift
surveys, as a function of the yet undetermined characteristic scale R_H at
which the spatial distribution of visible matter tends to a well defined
homogeneity. Making the canonical assumption that the cluster mass to
luminosity ratio M/L is the universal one, we can estimate the total mass
density as a function \Omega_m(R_H,M/L). Taking the highest estimated cluster
value M/L ~300h and a conservative lower limit R_H > 20 Mpc/h, we obtain the
upper bound \Omega_m < 0.1 . We note that for values of the homogeneity scale
R_H in the range R_H ~ (90 +/- 45) hMpc, the value of \Omega_m may be
compatible with the nucleosynthesis inferred density in baryons.Comment: 16 pages, latex, no figures. To be published in Astrophysical Journal
Letter
Galaxy Harassment and the Evolution of Clusters of Galaxies
Disturbed spiral galaxies with high rates of star formation pervaded clusters
of galaxies just a few billion years ago, but nearby clusters exclude spirals
in favor of ellipticals. ``Galaxy harassment" (frequent high speed galaxy
encounters) drives the morphological transformation of galaxies in clusters,
provides fuel for quasars in subluminous hosts and leaves detectable debris
arcs. Simulated images of harassed galaxies are strikingly similar to the
distorted spirals in clusters at observed by the Hubble Space
Telescope.Comment: Submitted to Nature. Latex file, 7 pages, 10 photographs in gif and
jpeg format included. 10 compressed postscript figures and text available
using anonymous ftp from ftp://ftp-hpcc.astro.washington.edu/pub/hpcc/moore/
(mget *) Also available at http://www-hpcc.astro.washington.edu/papers
Evolution since z = 0.5 of the Morphology-Density relation for Clusters of Galaxies
Using traditional morphological classifications of galaxies in 10
intermediate-redshift (z~0.5) clusters observed with WFPC-2 on the Hubble Space
Telescope, we derive relations between morphology and local galaxy density
similar to that found by Dressler for low-redshift clusters. Taken
collectively, the `morphology-density' relationship, M-D, for these more
distant, presumably younger clusters is qualitatively similar to that found for
the local sample, but a detailed comparison shows two substantial differences:
(1) For the clusters in our sample, the M-D relation is strong in centrally
concentrated ``regular'' clusters, those with a strong correlation of radius
and surface density, but nearly absent for clusters that are less concentrated
and irregular, in contrast to the situation for low redshift clusters where a
strong relation has been found for both. (2) In every cluster the fraction of
elliptical galaxies is as large or larger than in low-redshift clusters, but
the S0 fraction is 2-3 times smaller, with a proportional increase of the
spiral fraction. Straightforward, though probably not unique, interpretations
of these observations are (1) morphological segregation proceeds
hierarchically, affecting richer, denser groups of galaxies earlier, and (2)
the formation of elliptical galaxies predates the formation of rich clusters,
and occurs instead in the loose-group phase or even earlier, but S0's are
generated in large numbers only after cluster virialization.Comment: 35 pages, 19 figures, uses psfig. Accepted for publication in Ap
The Ages and Abundances of the M87 Globular Clusters
A subset of 150 globular clusters in M87 has been selected on the basis of
S/N ratio for abundance and age determinations from the sample of Paper I.
Indices measuring the strength of the strongest spectral features were
determined for the M87 GCs and from new data for twelve galactic GCs. Combining
the new and existing data for the galactic GCs and comparing the colors
and the line indices gives qualitative indications for the ages and abundances
of the GCs. Quantitative results are obtained by applying the Worthey (1994)
models for the integrated light of stellar systems of a single age, calibrated
by observations of galactic GCs, to deduce abundances and ages for the objects
in our sample.
We find that the M87 GCs span a wide range in metallicity, from very metal
poor to somewhat above solar metallicity. The mean [Fe/H] of -0.95 dex is
higher than that of the galactic GC system, and there is a metal rich tail that
reaches to higher [Fe/H] than one finds among the galactic GCs. The mean
metallicity of the M87 GC system is about a factor of four lower than that of
the M87 stellar halo at a fixed projected radius . The metallicity inferred
from the X-ray studies is similar to that of the M87 stellar halo, not to that
of GCs. We infer the relative abundances of Na, Mg, and Fe in the M87 GCs from
the strength of their spectral features. The behavior of these elements between
the metal rich and metal poor M87 GCs is similar to that shown by the galactic
GCs and by halo stars in the Galaxy. The pattern of chemical evolution in these
disparate old stellar systems is indistinguishable. We obtain a median age for
the M87 GC system of 13 Gyr, similar to that of the galactic GCs, with a small
dispersion about this value.Comment: 56 pages with included postscript figures; added derived M87 GC
metallicities to Table 2, a statistical analysis of possible bimodality, an
appendix on the metallicity calibration of U-R and the Washington system, and
other smaller changes. Accepted for publication in ApJ. (See paper for
complete version of the Abstract.
The WINGS Survey: a progress report
A two-band (B and V) wide-field imaging survey of a complete, all-sky X-ray
selected sample of 78 clusters in the redshift range z=0.04-0.07 is presented.
The aim of this survey is to provide the astronomical community with a complete
set of homogeneous, CCD-based surface photometry and morphological data of
nearby cluster galaxies located within 1.5 Mpc from the cluster center. The
data collection has been completed in seven observing runs at the INT and
ESO-2.2m telescopes. For each cluster, photometric data of about 2500 galaxies
(down to V~23) and detailed morphological information of about 600 galaxies
(down to V~21) are obtained by using specially designed automatic tools.
As a natural follow up of the photometric survey, we also illustrate a long
term spectroscopic program we are carrying out with the WHT-WYFFOS and AAT-2dF
multifiber spectrographs. Star formation rates and histories, as well as
metallicity estimates will be derived for about 350 galaxies per cluster from
the line indices and equivalent widths measurements, allowing us to explore the
link between the spectral properties and the morphological evolution in high-
to low-density environments, and across a wide range in cluster X-ray
luminosities and optical properties.Comment: 12 pages, 10 eps figures, Proceedings of the SAIt Conference 200
The Origin of [OII] in Post-Starburst and Red-Sequence Galaxies in High-Redshift Clusters
We present the first results from a near-IR spectroscopic campaign of the
Cl1604 supercluster at z~0.9 and the cluster RX J1821.6+6827 at z~0.82 to
investigate the nature of [OII] 3727A emission in cluster galaxies at high
redshift. Of the 401 members in the two systems, 131 galaxies have detectable
[OII] emission with no other signs of current star-formation, as well as strong
absorption features indicative of a well-established older stellar population.
The combination of these features suggests that the primary source of [OII]
emission in these galaxies is not the result of star-formation, but rather due
to the presence of a LINER or Seyfert component. Using the NIRSPEC spectrograph
on the Keck II 10-m telescope, 19 such galaxies were targeted, as well as six
additional [OII]-emitting cluster members that exhibited other signs of ongoing
star-formation. Nearly half (~47%) of the 19 [OII]-emitting, absorption-line
dominated galaxies exhibit [OII] to Ha equivalent width ratios higher than
unity, the typical value for star-forming galaxies. A majority (~68%) of these
19 galaxies are classified as LINER/Seyfert based on the emission-line ratio of
[NII] and Ha, increasing to ~85% for red [OII]-emitting, absorption-line
dominated galaxies. The LINER/Seyfert galaxies exhibit L([OII])/L(Ha) ratios
significantly higher than that observed in populations of star-forming
galaxies, suggesting that [OII] is a poor indicator of star-formation in a
large fraction of high-redshift cluster members. We estimate that at least ~20%
of galaxies in high-redshift clusters contain a LINER/Seyfert component that
can be revealed with line ratios. We also investigate the effect this
population has on the star formation rate of cluster galaxies and the
post-starburst fraction, concluding that LINER/Seyferts must be accounted for
if these quantities are to be meaningful.Comment: 33 pages, 17 figures, to appear in Ap
The SBF Survey of Galaxy Distances. IV. SBF Magnitudes, Colors, and Distances
We report data for band Surface Brightness Fluctuation (SBF) magnitudes,
V-I colors, and distance moduli for 300 galaxies. The Survey contains E, S0 and
early-type spiral galaxies in the proportions of 49:42:9, and is essentially
complete for E galaxies to Hubble velocities of 2000 km/s, with a substantial
sampling of E galaxies out to 4000 km/s. The median error in distance modulus
is 0.22 mag.
We also present two new results from the Survey. (1) We compare the mean
peculiar flow velocity (bulk flow) implied by our distances with predictions of
typical cold dark matter transfer functions as a function of scale, and find
very good agreement with cold, dark matter cosmologies if the transfer function
scale parameter , and the power spectrum normalization are
related by . Derived directly from
velocities, this result is independent of the distribution of galaxies or
models for biasing. The modest bulk flow contradicts reports of large-scale,
large-amplitude flows in the Mpc diameter volume surrounding our
Survey volume. (2) We present a distance-independent measure of absolute galaxy
luminosity, \Nbar, and show how it correlates with galaxy properties such as
color and velocity dispersion, demonstrating its utility for measuring galaxy
distances through large and unknown extinction.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ (10 January 2001); 23 page
Supermassive Black Holes and the Evolution of Galaxies
Black holes, an extreme consequence of the mathematics of General Relativity,
have long been suspected of being the prime movers of quasars, which emit more
energy than any other objects in the Universe. Recent evidence indicates that
supermassive black holes, which are probably quasar remnants, reside at the
centers of most galaxies. As our knowledge of the demographics of these relics
of a violent earlier Universe improve, we see tantalizing clues that they
participated intimately in the formation of galaxies and have strongly
influenced their present-day structure.Comment: 20 pages, - This is a near-duplicate of the paper in Nature 395, A14,
1998 (Oct 1
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