118 research outputs found
Mass Outflow and Chromospheric Activity of Red Giant Stars in Globular Clusters II. M13 and M92
High resolution spectra of 123 red giant stars in the globular cluster M13
and 64 red giant stars in M92 were obtained with Hectochelle at the MMT
telescope. Emission and line asymmetries in Halpha, and Ca K are identified,
characterizing motions in the extended atmospheres and seeking differences
attributable to metallicity in these clusters and M15. On the red giant branch,
emission in Halpha generally appears in stars with T_eff < 4500 K and log
L/L_sun > 2.75. Fainter stars showing emission are asymptotic giant branch
(AGB) stars or perhaps binary stars. The line-bisector for Halpha reveals the
onset of chromospheric expansion in stars more luminous than log L/L_sun ~ 2.5
in all clusters, and this outflow velocity increases with stellar luminosity.
However, the coolest giants in the metal-rich M13 show greatly reduced outflow
in Halpha most probably due to decreased T_eff and changing atmospheric
structure. The Ca K_3 outflow velocities are larger than shown by Halpha at the
same luminosity and signal accelerating outflows in the chromospheres. Stars
clearly on the AGB show faster chromospheric outflows in Halpha than RGB
objects. While the Halpha velocities on the RGB are similar for all
metallicities, the AGB stars in the metal-poor M15 and M92 have higher outflow
velocities than in the metal-rich M13. Comparison of these chromospheric line
profiles in the paired metal-poor clusters, M15 and M92 shows remarkable
similarities in the presence of emission and dynamical signatures, and does not
reveal a source of the `second-parameter' effect.Comment: 41 pages, 14 figures, 11 tables, Accepted in Astronomical Journa
Solar Wakes of Dark Matter Flows
We analyze the effect of the Sun's gravitational field on a flow of cold dark
matter (CDM) through the solar system in the limit where the velocity
dispersion of the flow vanishes. The exact density and velocity distributions
are derived in the case where the Sun is a point mass. The results are extended
to the more realistic case where the Sun has a finite size spherically
symmetric mass distribution. We find that regions of infinite density, called
caustics, appear. One such region is a line caustic on the axis of symmetry,
downstream from the Sun, where the flow trajectories cross. Another is a
cone-shaped caustic surface near the trajectories of maximum scattering angle.
The trajectories forming the conical caustic pass through the Sun's interior
and probe the solar mass distribution, raising the possibility that the solar
mass distribution may some day be measured by a dark matter detector on Earth.
We generalize our results to the case of flows with continuous velocity
distributions, such as that predicted by the isothermal model of the Milky Way
halo.Comment: 30 pages, 8 figure
The Effects of Binary Evolution on the Dynamics of Core Collapse and Neutron-Star Kicks
We systematically examine how the presence in a binary affects the final core
structure of a massive star and its consequences for the subsequent supernova
explosion. Interactions with a companion star may change the final rate of
rotation, the size of the helium core, the strength of carbon burning and the
final iron core mass. Stars with initial masses larger than \sim 11\Ms that
experiece core collapse will generally have smaller iron cores at the time of
the explosion if they lost their envelopes due to a previous binary
interaction. Stars below \sim 11\Ms, on the other hand, can end up with larger
helium and metal cores if they have a close companion, since the second
dredge-up phase which reduces the helium core mass dramatically in single stars
does not occur once the hydrogen envelope is lost. We find that the initially
more massive stars in binary systems with masses in the range 8 - 11\Ms are
likely to undergo an electron-capture supernova, while single stars in the same
mass range would end as ONeMg white dwarfs. We suggest that the core collapse
in an electron-capture supernova (and possibly in the case of relatively small
iron cores) leads to a prompt explosion rather than a delayed neutrino-driven
explosion and that this naturally produces neutron stars with low-velocity
kicks. This leads to a dichotomous distribution of neutron star kicks, as
inferred previously, where neutron stars in relatively close binaries attain
low kick velocities. We illustrate the consequences of such a dichotomous kick
scenario using binary population synthesis simulations and discuss its
implications. This scenario has also important consequences for the minimum
initial mass of a massive star that becomes a neutron star. (Abbreviated.)Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, submitted to ApJ, updated versio
Extending the DAMA annual-modulation region by inclusion of the uncertainties in the astrophysical velocities
The original annual-modulation region, singled out by the DAMA/NaI experiment
for direct detection of WIMPs, is extended by taking into account the
uncertainties in the galactic astrophysical velocities. Also the effect due to
a possible bulk rotation for the dark matter halo is considered. We find that
the range for the WIMP mass becomes 30 GeV < m_chi < 130 GeV at 1-sigma C.L.
with a further extension in the upper bound, when a possible bulk rotation of
the dark matter halo is taken into account. We show that the DAMA results, when
interpreted in the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the
Standard Model, are consistent with a relic neutralino as a dominant component
of cold dark matter (on the average in our universe and in our galactic halo).
It is also discussed the discovery potential for the relevant supersymmetric
configurations at accelerators of present generation.Comment: ReVTeX, 12 pages, 1 table, 7 figure
WIMP Annual Modulation with Opposite Phase in Late-Infall Halo Models
We show that in the late-infall model of our galactic halo by P. Sikivie the
expected phase of the annual modulation of a WIMP halo signal in direct
detection experiments is opposite to the one usually expected. If a
non-virialized halo component due to the infall of (collisionless) dark matter
particles cannot be rejected, an annual modulation in a dark matter signal
should be looked for by experimenters without fixing the phase a-priori.
Moreover, WIMP streams coming to Earth from directions above and below the
galactic plane should be expected, with a characteristic pattern of arrival
directions.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure
Hubble Space Telescope Evidence for an Intermediate-Mass Black Hole in the Globular Cluster M15: II. Kinematical Analysis and Dynamical Modeling
We analyze HST/STIS spectra (see Paper I) of the central region of the dense
globular cluster M15. We infer the velocities of 64 individual stars,
two-thirds of which have their velocity measured for the first time. This
triples the number of stars with measured velocities in the central 1 arcsec of
M15 and doubles the number in the central 2 arcsec. Combined with existing
ground-based data we obtain the radial profiles of the projected kinematical
quantities. The RMS velocity sigma_RMS rises to 14 km/s in the central few
arcsec, somewhat higher than the values of 10-12 km/s inferred previously from
ground-based data. To interpret the results we construct dynamical models based
on the Jeans equation, which imply that M15 must have a central concentration
of non-luminous material. If this is due to a single black hole, then its mass
is M_BH = (3.9 +/- 2.2) x 10^3 solar masses. This is consistent with the
relation between M_BH and sigma_RMS that has been established for galaxies.
Also, the existence of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters is
consistent with several scenarios for globular cluster evolution proposed in
the literature. Therefore, these results may have important implications for
our understanding of the evolution of globular clusters, the growth of black
holes, the connection between globular cluster and galaxy formation, and the
nature of the recently discovered `ultra-luminous' X-ray sources in nearby
galaxies. Instead of a single black hole, M15 could have a central
concentration of dark remnants (e.g., neutron stars) due to mass segregation.
However, the best-fitting Fokker-Planck models that have previously been
constructed for M15 do not predict a central mass concentration that is
sufficient to explain the observed kinematics.[ABRIDGED]Comment: 43 pages, LaTeX, with 14 PostScript figures. Astronomical Journal, in
press (Dec 2002). Please note that the results reported here are modified by
the Addendum available at astro-ph/0210158 (Astronomical Journal, in press,
Jan 2003). This second version submitted to astro-ph is identical to first,
with the exception of the preceeding remar
The Evolution of Globular Clusters in the Galaxy
We investigate the evolution of globular clusters using N-body calculations
and anisotropic Fokker-Planck (FP) calculations. The models include a mass
spectrum, mass loss due to stellar evolution, and the tidal field of the parent
galaxy. Recent N-body calculations have revealed a serious discrepancy between
the results of N-body calculations and isotropic FP calculations. The main
reason for the discrepancy is an oversimplified treatment of the tidal field
employed in the isotropic FP models. In this paper we perform a series of
calculations with anisotropic FP models with a better treatment of the tidal
boundary and compare these with N-body calculations. The new tidal boundary
condition in our FP model includes one free parameter. We find that a single
value of this parameter gives satisfactory agreement between the N-body and FP
models over a wide range of initial conditions.
Using the improved FP model, we carry out an extensive survey of the
evolution of globular clusters over a wide range of initial conditions varying
the slope of the mass function, the central concentration, and the relaxation
time. The evolution of clusters is followed up to the moment of core collapse
or the disruption of the clusters in the tidal field of the parent galaxy. In
general, our model clusters, calculated with the anisotropic FP model with the
improved treatment for the tidal boundary, live longer than isotropic models.
The difference in the lifetime between the isotropic and anisotropic models is
particularly large when the effect of mass loss via stellar evolution is rather
significant. On the other hand the difference is small for relaxation-
dominated clusters which initially have steep mass functions and high central
concentrations.Comment: 36 pages, 11 figures, LaTeX; added figures and tables; accepted by
Ap
Nuclear Shell Model Calculations of Neutralino-Nucleus Cross Sections for Silicon 29 and Germanium 73
We present the results of detailed nuclear shell model calculations of the
spin-dependent elastic cross section for neutralinos scattering from \si29 and
\ge73. The calculations were performed in large model spaces which adequately
describe the configuration mixing in these two nuclei. As tests of the computed
nuclear wave functions, we have calculated several nuclear observables and
compared them with the measured values and found good agreement. In the limit
of zero momentum transfer, we find scattering matrix elements in agreement with
previous estimates for \si29 but significantly different than previous work for
\ge73. A modest quenching, in accord with shell model studies of other heavy
nuclei, has been included to bring agreement between the measured and
calculated values of the magnetic moment for \ge73. Even with this quenching,
the calculated scattering rate is roughly a factor of 2 higher than the best
previous estimates; without quenching, the rate is a factor of 4 higher. This
implies a higher sensitivity for germanium dark matter detectors. We also
investigate the role of finite momentum transfer upon the scattering response
for both nuclei and find that this can significantly change the expected rates.
We close with a brief discussion of the effects of some of the non-nuclear
uncertainties upon the matrix elements.Comment: 31 pages, figures avaiable on request, UCRL-JC-11408
Modulation effect in the differential rate for Supersymmetric Dark Matter detection
The modulation effect in the direct detection of supersymmetric Cold Dark
Matter (CDM) particles is investigated. It is shown that, while normally the
modulation effect in the total event rate is small, , in some special
cases it becomes much larger. It also becomes more pronounced in the
differential event rate. It may thus be exploited to discriminate against
background.Comment: 17 LATEX pages, 4 Tables, 4 PostScript Figures included. Phys. Rev.
D, to be publishe
Neutralino properties in the light of a further indication of an annual modulation effect in WIMP direct search
We demonstrate that the further indication of a possible annual modulation
effect, singled out by the DAMA/NaI experiment for WIMP direct detection, is
widely compatible with an interpretation in terms of a relic neutralino as the
major component of dark matter in the Universe. We discuss the supersymmetric
features of this neutralino in the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the
Standard Model (MSSM) and their implications for searches at accelerators.Comment: 15 pages, ReVTeX, 9 figures (included as PS files
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