755 research outputs found
2MASS Galaxies in the Fornax Cluster Spectroscopic Survey
The Fornax Cluster Spectroscopic Survey (FCSS) is an all-object survey of a
region around the Fornax Cluster of galaxies undertaken using the 2dF
multi-object spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. Its aim was to
obtain spectra for a complete sample of all objects with 16.5 < b_j < 19.7
irrespective of their morphology (i.e. including `stars', `galaxies' and
`merged' images). We explore the extent to which (nearby) cluster galaxies are
present in 2MASS. We consider the reasons for the omission of 2MASS galaxies
from the FCSS and vice versa. We consider the intersection (2.9 square degrees
on the sky) of our data set with the infra-red 2 Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS),
using both the 2MASS Extended Source Catalogue (XSC) and the Point Source
Catalogue (PSC). We match all the XSC objects to FCSS counterparts by position
and also extract a sample of galaxies, selected by their FCSS redshifts, from
the PSC. We confirm that all 114 XSC objects in the overlap sample are
galaxies, on the basis of their FCSS velocities. A total of 23 Fornax Cluster
galaxies appear in the matched data, while, as expected, the remainder of the
sample lie at redshifts out to z = 0.2 (the spectra show that 61% are early
type galaxies, 18% are intermediate types and 21% are strongly star
forming).The PSC sample turns out to contain twice as many galaxies as does the
XSC. However, only one of these 225 galaxies is a (dwarf) cluster member. On
the other hand, galaxies which are unresolved in the 2MASS data (though almost
all are resolved in the optical) amount to 71% of the non-cluster galaxies with
2MASS detections and have redshifts out to z=0.32.Comment: 5 pages, accepted by A&A, resubmitted due to missing reference
Galaxy threshing and the origin of intracluster stellar objects
We numerically investigate dynamical evolution of non-nucleated dwarf
elliptical/spiral galaxies (dE) and nucleated ones (dE,Ns) in clusters of
galaxies in order to understand the origin of intracluster stellar objects,
such as intracluster stars (ICSs), GCs (ICGCs), and ``ultra-compact dwarf''
(UCDs) recently discovered by all-object spectroscopic survey centred on the
Fornax cluster of galaxies. We find that the outer stellar components of a
nucleated dwarf are removed by the strong tidal field of the cluster, whereas
the nucleus manages to survive as a result of its initially compact nature. The
developed naked nucleus is found to have physical properties (e.g., size and
mass) similar to those observed for UCDs. We also find that the UCD formation
processes does depend on the radial density profile of the dark halo in the
sense that UCDs are less likely to be formed from dwarfs embedded in dark
matter halos with central `cuspy' density profiles. Our simulations also
suggest that very massive and compact stellar systems can be rapidly and
efficiently formed in the central regions of dwarfs through the merging of
smaller GCs. GCs initially in the outer part of dE and dE,Ns are found to be
stripped to form ICGCs.Comment: 6 pages and 3 figures (JPG file for Fig. 1), in the proceedings of
IAU 217 ``Recycling intergalactic and interstellar matter'
X-ray properties of the Parkes sample of flat-spectrum radio sources: dust in radio-loud quasars?
We investigate the X-ray properties of the Parkes sample of flat-spectrum
radio sources using data from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey and archival pointed
PSPC observations. In total, 163 of the 323 sources are detected. For the
remaining 160 sources 2 sigma upper limits to the X-ray flux are derived. We
present power-law photon indices for 115 sources, which were either determined
with a hardness ratio technique or from direct fits to pointed PSPC data. For
quasars, the soft X-ray photon index is correlated with redshift and with radio
spectral index. Webster et al. (1995) discovered many sources with unusually
red optical continua among the quasars of this sample and interpreted this
result in terms of extinction by dust. Although the X-ray spectra in general do
not show excess absorption, we find that low-redshift optically red quasars
have significantly lower soft X-ray luminosities on average than objects with
blue optical continua. The difference disappears for higher redshifts, as is
expected for intrinsic absorption by cold gas associated with the dust.
Alternative explanations are briefly discussed. We conclude, however, that dust
does play an important role in some of the radio-loud quasars with red optical
continua.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figures, to appear in MNRA
Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies: a new class of compact stellar system discovered in the Fornax Cluster
We have used the 2dF spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope to obtain
a complete spectroscopic sample of all objects in the magnitude range, Bj= 16.5
to 19.8, regardless of morphology, in an area centred on the Fornax Cluster of
galaxies. Among the unresolved targets are five objects which are members of
the Fornax Cluster. They are extremely compact stellar systems with scale
lengths less than 40 parsecs. These ultra-compact dwarfs are unlike any known
type of stellar system, being more compact and significantly less luminous than
other compact dwarf galaxies, yet much brighter than any globular cluster.Comment: To appear in IAU Symposium 207: Extragalactic Star Cluster
Ultrasonic Array Imaging Through an Anisotropic Austenitic Steel Weld Using an Efficient Ray-tracing Algorithm
Interactive manipulation of microparticles in an octagonal sonotweezer
An ultrasonic device for micro-patterning and precision manipulation of micrometre-scale particles is demonstrated. The device is formed using eight piezoelectric transducers shaped into an octagonal cavity. By exciting combinations of transducers simultaneously, with a controlled phase delay between them, different acoustic landscapes can be created, patterning micro-particles into lines, squares, and more complex shapes. When operated with all eight transducers the device can, with appropriate phase control, manipulate the two dimensional acoustic pressure gradient; it thus has the ability to position and translate a single tweezing zone to different locations on a surface in a precise and programmable manner
Strategies for guided acoustic wave inspection using mobile robots
Continuous non-destructive monitoring of large-scale structures is extremely challenging with traditional manual inspections. In this paper, we explore possible strategies that a collection of inspection robots could adopt to address this challenge. We envision the continuous inspection of a plate performed by multiple robots or a single robot that combines measurements from multiple locations. The robots use guided ultrasonic waves to interrogate a localized region for defects such as cracking or corrosion. In the detection stage, the receiver operating characteristic defines a detection zone in which a defect is thought to be present. In the localization stage, further measurements are made to locate the defect within this zone to a certain accuracy. We then address the question of what additional measurements are needed to achieve a given level of performance in the presence of uncertainty in robot locations? We explore this problem with Monte Carlo simulations that reveal the compromise between number of robots and performance in terms of defect location accuracy. In an experimental validation example on an aluminium plate, we show that six measurements arranged in a pentagon with a central measurement point leads to localization errors of similar magnitude to the uncertainty in sensor location
Flight performance of a navigation, guidance, and control system concept for automatic approach and landing of space shuttle orbiter
Unpowered automatic approaches and landings were conducted to study navigation, guidance, and control problems associated with terminal area approach and landing for the space shuttle vehicle. The flight tests were performed in a Convair 990 aircraft equipped with a digital flight control computer connected to the aircraft control system and displays. The tests were designed to evaluate the performance of a navigation and guidance concept that utilized blended radio/inertial navigation with VOR, DME, and ILS as the ground navigation aids. Results from 36 automatic approaches and landings from 11,300 m (37,000 ft) to touchdown are presented. Preliminary results indicate that this concept may provide sufficient accuracy to accomplish automatic landing of the shuttle orbiter without air-breathing engines
Redshifts and Velocity Dispersions of Galaxy Clusters in the Horologium-Reticulum Supercluster
We present 118 new optical redshifts for galaxies in 12 clusters in the
Horologium-Reticulum supercluster (HRS) of galaxies. For 76 galaxies, the data
were obtained with the Dual Beam Spectrograph on the 2.3m telescope of the
Australian National University at Siding Spring Observatory. After combining 42
previously unpublished redshifts with our new sample, we determine mean
redshifts and velocity dispersions for 13 clusters, in which previous
observational data were sparse. In six of the 13 clusters, the newly determined
mean redshifts differ by more than 750 km/s from the published values. In the
case of three clusters, A3047, A3109, and A3120, the redshift data indicate the
presence of multiple components along the line of sight. The new cluster
redshifts, when combined with other reliable mean redshifts for clusters in the
HRS, are found to be distinctly bi-modal. Furthermore, the two redshift
components are consistent with the bi-modal redshift distribution found for the
inter-cluster galaxies in the HRS by Fleenor et al. (2005).Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, Accepted to A
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