The M(BH)-Sigma Relation for Supermassive Black Holes

We investigate the differences in the M(BH)-sigma relation derived recently by Ferrarese & Merritt (2000) and Gebhardt et al. (2000). The shallower slope found by the latter authors (3.75 vs. 4.8) is due partly to the use of a regression algorithm that ignores measurement errors, and partly to the value of the velocity dispersion adopted for a single galaxy, the Milky Way. A steeper relation is shown to provide a better fit to black hole masses derived from reverberation mapping studies. Combining the stellar dynamical, gas dynamical, and reverberation mapping mass estimates, we derive a best-fit relation M(BH) = 1.30 (+/- 0.36) X 10^8 (sigma_c/200)^{4.72(+/- 0.36)}, where M(BH) is in solar masses, and sigma in km/s.Comment: The Astrophysical Journal, in pres

Backlund transformations and Hamiltonian flows

In this work we show that, under certain conditions, parametric Backlund transformations (BTs) for a finite dimensional integrable system can be interpreted as solutions to the equations of motion defined by an associated non-autonomous Hamiltonian. The two systems share the same constants of motion. This observation lead to the identification of the Hamiltonian interpolating the iteration of the discrete map defined by the transformations, that indeed will be a linear combination of the integrals appearing in the spectral curve of the Lax matrix. An application to the Toda periodic lattice is given.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figures. to appear in J. Phys.

Polaronic signature in the metallic phase of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 films detected by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

In this work we map tunnel conductance curves with nanometric spatial resolution, tracking polaronic quasiparticle excitations when cooling across the insulator-to-metal transition in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 films. In the insulating phase the spectral signature of polarons, a depletion of conductance at low bias flanked by peaks, is detected all over the scanned surface. These features are still observed at the transition and persist on cooling into the metallic phase. Polaron-binding energy maps reveal that polarons are not confined to regions embedded in a highly-conducting matrix but are present over the whole field of view both above and below the transition temperature.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

3D-printed PMMA preform for hollow-core POF drawing

In this paper we report the first, to our knowledge, 3D-printed hollow-core poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) preform for polymer optical fibre drawing. It was printed of commercial PMMA by means of fused deposition modelling technique. The preform was drawn to cane, proving good enough quality of drawing process and the PMMA molecular weight to be appropriate for drawing. This ascertains that the manufacturing process provides preforms suitable for hollow-core fibre drawing. The paper focuses on maximisation of transparency of PMMA 3D printouts by optimising printing process parameters: nozzle temperature, printing speed and infill

The Dependence of Galaxy Shape on Luminosity and Surface Brightness Profile

For a sample of 96,951 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3, we study the distribution of apparent axis ratios as a function of r-band absolute magnitude and surface brightness profile type. We use the parameter fracDeV to quantify the profile type (fracDeV = 1 for a de Vaucouleurs profile; fracDeV = 0 for an exponential profile). When the apparent axis ratio q_{am} is estimated from the moments of the light distribution, the roundest galaxies are very bright (M_r \sim -23) de Vaucouleurs galaxies and the flattest are modestly bright (M_r \sim -18) exponential galaxies. When the apparent axis ratio q_{25} is estimated from the axis ratio of the 25 mag/arcsec^2 isophote, we find that de Vaucouleurs galaxies are flatter than exponential galaxies of the same absolute magnitude. For a given surface brightness profile type, very bright galaxies are rounder, on average, than fainter galaxies. We deconvolve the distributions of apparent axis ratios to find the distribution of the intrinsic short-to-long axis ratio gamma, assuming constant triaxiality T. For all profile types and luminosities, the distribution of apparent axis ratios is inconsistent with a population of oblate spheroids, but is usually consistent with a population of prolate spheroids. Bright galaxies with a de Vaucouleurs profile (M_r < -21.84, fracDeV > 0.9) have a distribution of q_{am} that is consistent with triaxiality in the range 0.4 < T < 0.8, with mean intrinsic axis ratio 0.66 < gamma < 0.69. The fainter de Vaucouleurs galaxies are best fit with prolate spheroids (T = 1) with mean axis ratio gamma = 0.51.Comment: 32 pages, 12 figures, to appear in Ap

A monovalent cation acts as structural and catalytic cofactor in translational GTP

Translational GTPases are universally conserved GTP hydrolyzing enzymes, critical for fidelity and speed of ribosomal protein biosynthesis. Despite their central roles, the mechanisms of GTP‐dependent conformational switching and GTP hydrolysis that govern the function of trGTPases remain poorly understood. Here, we provide biochemical and high‐resolution structural evidence that eIF5B and aEF1A/EF‐Tu bound to GTP or GTPγS coordinate a monovalent cation (M$^+$) in their active site. Our data reveal that M$^+$ ions form constitutive components of the catalytic machinery in trGTPases acting as structural cofactor to stabilize the GTP‐bound “on” state. Additionally, the M$^+$ ion provides a positive charge into the active site analogous to the arginine‐finger in the Ras‐RasGAP system indicating a similar role as catalytic element that stabilizes the transition state of the hydrolysis reaction. In sequence and structure, the coordination shell for the M$^+$ ion is, with exception of eIF2γ, highly conserved among trGTPases from bacteria to human. We therefore propose a universal mechanism of M$^+$‐dependent conformational switching and GTP hydrolysis among trGTPases with important consequences for the interpretation of available biochemical and structural data

Gemini Deep Deep Survey VI: Massive Hdelta-strong galaxies at z=1

We show that there has been a dramatic decline in the abundance of massive galaxies with strong Hdelta stellar absorption lines from z=1.2 to the present. These ``Hdelta-strong'', or HDS, galaxies have undergone a recent and rapid break in their star-formation activity. Combining data from the Gemini Deep Deep and the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys to make mass-matched samples (M*>=10^10.2 Msun), with 25 and 50,255 galaxies, respectively), we find that the fraction of galaxies in an HDS phase has decreased from about 50% at z=1.2 to a few percent today. This decrease in fraction is due to an actual decrease in the number density of massive HDS systems by a factor of 2-4, coupled with an increase in the number density of massive galaxies by about 30 percent. We show that this result depends only weakly on the threshold chosen for the Hdelta equivalent width to define HDS systems (if greater than 4 A) and corresponds to a (1+z)^{2.5\pm 0.7} evolution. Spectral synthesis studies of the high-redshift population using the PEGASE code, treating Hdelta_A, EW[OII], Dn4000, and rest-frame colors, favor models in which the Balmer absorption features in massive Hdelta-strong systems are the echoes of intense episodes of star-formation that faded about 1 Gyr prior to the epoch of observation. The z=1.4-2 epoch appears to correspond to a time at which massive galaxies are in transition from a mode of sustained star formation to a relatively quiescent mode with weak and rare star-formation episodes. We argue that the most likely local descendants of the distant massive HDS galaxies are passively evolving massive galaxies in the field and small groups.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables, uses emulateapj.sty; updated to match the version accepted by ApJ. One figure added, conclusions unchange

Conjugate Direction Methods and Polarity for Quadratic Hypersurfaces

We use some results from polarity theory to recast several geometric properties of Conjugate Gradient-based methods, for the solution of nonsingular symmetric linear systems. This approach allows us to pursue three main theoretical objectives. First, we can provide a novel geometric perspective on the generation of conjugate directions, in the context of positive definite systems. Second, we can extend the above geometric perspective to treat the generation of conjugate directions for handling indefinite linear systems. Third, by exploiting the geometric insight suggested by polarity theory, we can easily study the possible degeneracy (pivot breakdown) of Conjugate Gradient- based methods on indefinite linear systems. In particular, we prove that the degeneracy of the standard Conjugate Gradient on nonsingular indefinite linear systems can occur only once in the execution of the Conjugate Gradient