12,080 research outputs found
Selection bias in dynamically-measured super-massive black hole samples: consequences for pulsar timing arrays
Supermassive black hole -- host galaxy relations are key to the computation
of the expected gravitational wave background (GWB) in the pulsar timing array
(PTA) frequency band. It has been recently pointed out that standard relations
adopted in GWB computations are in fact biased-high. We show that when this
selection bias is taken into account, the expected GWB in the PTA band is a
factor of about three smaller than previously estimated. Compared to other
scaling relations recently published in the literature, the median amplitude of
the signal at yr drops from to
. Although this solves any potential tension between
theoretical predictions and recent PTA limits without invoking other dynamical
effects (such as stalling, eccentricity or strong coupling with the galactic
environment), it also makes the GWB detection more challenging.Comment: 6 pages 4 figures, submitted to MNRAS letter
A Statistical Semi-Empirical Model: Satellite galaxies in Groups and Clusters
We present STEEL a STatistical sEmi-Empirical modeL designed to probe the
distribution of satellite galaxies in groups and clusters. Our fast statistical
methodology relies on tracing the abundances of central and satellite haloes
via their mass functions at all cosmic epochs with virtually no limitation on
cosmic volume and mass resolution. From mean halo accretion histories and
subhalo mass functions the satellite mass function is progressively built in
time via abundance matching techniques constrained by number densities of
centrals in the local Universe. By enforcing dynamical merging timescales as
predicted by high-resolution N-body simulations, we obtain satellite
distributions as a function of stellar mass and halo mass consistent with
current data. We show that stellar stripping, star formation, and quenching
play all a secondary role in setting the number densities of massive satellites
above . We further show that observed
star formation rates used in our empirical model over predict low-mass
satellites below , whereas, star
formation rates derived from a continuity equation approach yield the correct
abundances similar to previous results for centrals.Comment: 21 pages, 17 Figures. MNRAS, in pres
Respiratory muscle training with normocapnic hyperpnea improves ventilatory pattern and thoracoabdominal coordination, and reduces oxygen desaturation during endurance exercise testing in COPD patients
Background: Few data are available about the effects of respiratory muscle training with normocapnic hyperpnea (NH) in COPD. The aim is to evaluate the effects of 4 weeks of NH (Spirotiger®) on ventilatory pattern, exercise capacity, and quality of life (QoL) in COPD patients. Methods: Twenty-six COPD patients (three females), ages 49-82 years, were included in this study. Spirometry and maximal inspiratory pressure, St George Respiratory Questionnaire, 6-minute walk test, and symptom-limited endurance exercise test (endurance test to the limit of tolerance [tLim]) at 75%-80% of peak work rate up to a Borg Score of 8-9/10 were performed before and after NH. Patients were equipped with ambulatory inductive plethysmography (LifeShirt®) to evaluate ventilatory pattern and thoracoabdominal coordination (phase angle [PhA]) during tLim. After four supervised sessions, subjects trained at home for 4 weeks 10 minutes twice a day at 50% of maximal voluntary ventilation. The workload was adjusted during the training period to maintain a Borg Score of 5-6/10. Results: Twenty subjects completed the study. After NH, maximal inspiratory pressure significantly increased (81.5±31.6 vs 91.8±30.6 cmH2O, P<0.01); exercise endurance time (+150 seconds, P=0.04), 6-minute walk test (+30 meters, P=0.03), and QoL (-8, P<0.01) all increased. During tLim, the ventilatory pattern changed significantly (lower ventilation, lower respiratory rate, higher tidal volume); oxygen desaturation, PhA, and dyspnea Borg Score were lower for the same work intensity (P<0.01, P=0.02, and P<0.01, respectively; one-way ANOVA). The improvement in tidal volume and oxygen saturation after NH were significantly related (R2=0.65, P<0.01). Conclusion: As expected, NH improves inspiratory muscle performance, exercise capacity, and QoL. New results are significant change in ventilatory pattern, which improves oxygen saturation, and an improvement in thoracoabdominal coordination (lower PhA). These two facts could explain the reduced dyspnea during the endurance test. All these results together may play a role in improving exercise capacity after NH training
Program schemes with deep pushdown storage.
Inspired by recent work of Meduna on deep pushdown automata, we consider the computational power of a class of basic program schemes, TeX, based around assignments, while-loops and non- deterministic guessing but with access to a deep pushdown stack which, apart from having the usual push and pop instructions, also has deep-push instructions which allow elements to be pushed to stack locations deep within the stack. We syntactically define sub-classes of TeX by restricting the occurrences of pops, pushes and deep-pushes and capture the complexity classes NP and PSPACE. Furthermore, we show that all problems accepted by program schemes of TeX are in EXPTIME
The Stellar Mass Fundamental Plane: The virial relation and a very thin plane for slow-rotators
Early-type galaxies -- slow and fast rotating ellipticals (E-SRs and E-FRs)
and S0s/lenticulars -- define a Fundamental Plane (FP) in the space of
half-light radius , enclosed surface brightness and velocity
dispersion . Since and are distance-independent
measurements, the thickness of the FP is often expressed in terms of the
accuracy with which and can be used to estimate sizes .
We show that: 1) The thickness of the FP depends strongly on morphology. If the
sample only includes E-SRs, then the observed scatter in is ,
of which only is intrinsic. Removing galaxies with
further reduces the observed scatter to ( intrinsic). The observed scatter increases to the usually
quoted in the literature if E-FRs and S0s are added. If the FP is defined using
the eigenvectors of the covariance matrix of the observables, then the E-SRs
again define an exceptionally thin FP, with intrinsic scatter of only
orthogonal to the plane. 2) The structure within the FP is most easily
understood as arising from the fact that and are nearly
independent, whereas the and correlations are nearly
equal and opposite. 3) If the coefficients of the FP differ from those
associated with the virial theorem the plane is said to be `tilted'. If we
multiply by the global stellar mass-to-light ratio and we account
for non-homology across the population by using S\'ersic photometry, then the
resulting stellar mass FP is less tilted. Accounting self-consistently for
gradients will change the tilt. The tilt we currently see suggests that
the efficiency of turning baryons into stars increases and/or the dark matter
fraction decreases as stellar surface brightness increases.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA
The ages, metallicities and star formation histories of early-type galaxies in SDSS
We use the spectra of ~ 22,000 early-type galaxies, selected from the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey, to infer the ages, metallicities and star formation
histories of these galaxies. We find clear evidence of "downsizing", i.e.
galaxies with larger velocity dispersion have older stellar populations. In
particular, most early-type galaxies with velocity dispersion exceeding 200 km
s-1 formed more than 90% of their current stellar mass at redshift z > 2.5.
Therefore, star formation was suppressed around this redshift. We also show
that chemical enrichment was rapid, lasting 1-2 Gyr and find evidence that
[Fe/H] is sub-solar. We study the robustness of these results by comparing
three different approaches: using (i) Lick absorption line indices; (ii)
fitting a single-burst stellar population model to the whole spectrum
(lines+continuum); and (iii) reconstructing the star formation and metallicity
histories in multiple age-bins, providing a method to measure mass-weighted
ages and metallicities. We find good agreement between the luminosity-weighted
ages and metallicities computed with these three methods.Comment: Submitted to Ap
Kelvin probe characterization of buried graphitic microchannels in single-crystal diamond
In this work, we present an investigation by Kelvin Probe Microscopy (KPM) of
buried graphitic microchannels fabricated in single-crystal diamond by direct
MeV ion microbeam writing. Metal deposition of variable-thickness masks was
adopted to implant channels with emerging endpoints and high temperature
annealing was performed in order to induce the graphitization of the
highly-damaged buried region. When an electrical current was flowing through
the biased buried channel, the structure was clearly evidenced by KPM maps of
the electrical potential of the surface region overlying the channel at
increasing distances from the grounded electrode. The KPM profiling shows
regions of opposite contrast located at different distances from the endpoints
of the channel. This effect is attributed to the different electrical
conduction properties of the surface and of the buried graphitic layer. The
model adopted to interpret these KPM maps and profiles proved to be suitable
for the electronic characterization of buried conductive channels, providing a
non-invasive method to measure the local resistivity with a micrometer
resolution. The results demonstrate the potential of the technique as a
powerful diagnostic tool to monitor the functionality of all-carbon
graphite/diamond devices to be fabricated by MeV ion beam lithography.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure
The use of aerial- and close-range photogrammetry for the mapping of the Lavini di Marco tracksite (Hettangian, Southern Alps, NE Italy)
(EXCERPT FROM ABSTRACT) Close-range photogrammetry was executed following the procedure proposed by Mallison & Wings (2014). More than seventy 3D models were obtained and interpreted by means of color-coded and contour line images, which allow to improve the ichno- logical knowledge of the tracksite. The 3D models of the best-preserved tracks were used for the osteological reconstruction of the trackmakers’ autopodia, supposing the arthral position of the phalangeal pads. Three indirect methods were used to correlate tracks and their trackmakers: (i) synapomorphy-based approach; (ii) phenetic correlation; (iii) coincidence correlation (see Carrano & Wilson, 2001)
The final map was produced with different level of knowledge due to the distribution of tracks and current state of site preservation. Furthermore, it represents a complete documentation that will be used for future work of enhancement, preservation and valorization of the tracksite.
The ichnotaxonomical review of the quadrupedal trackways led us to emend the diagnosis of Lavinipes cheminii Avanzini et al. (2003) and to assign several other sparse tracks and trackways to L. chemini. The skeletal reconstruction of fore and hind limbs points towards Gongxianosaurus sp. as the most suitable trackmaker of L. cheminii. The herein supposed Laurasian affinity of the Lavini di Marco dinosaur assemblage clashes with the previous hypotheses that always link the Southern Alps sector with the Gondwana mainland
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