1,872 research outputs found
Yield stress and shear-banding in granular suspensions
We study the emergence of a yield stress in dense suspensions of non-Brownian
particles, by combining local velocity and concentration measurements using
Magnetic Resonance Imaging with macroscopic rheometric experiments. We show
that the competition between gravity and viscous stresses is at the origin of
the development of a yield stress in these systems at relatively low volume
fractions. Moreover, it is accompanied by a shear banding phenomenon that is
the signature of this competition. However, if the system is carefully density
matched, no yield stress is encountered until a volume fraction of 62.7 0.3%
Star Formation, Metallicity and Dust Properties Derived from the SAPM Galaxy Survey Spectra
We have derived star formation rates (SFRs), gas-phase oxygen abundances and
effective dust absorption optical depths for a sample of galaxies drawn from
the Stromlo-APM redshift survey using the new Charlot and Longhetti (2001;
CL01) models, which provide a physically consistent description of the effects
of stars, gas and dust on the integrated spectra of galaxies. Our sample
consists of 705 galaxies with measurements of the fluxes and equivalent widths
of Halpha, [OII], and one or both of [NII] and [SII]. For a subset of the
galaxies, 60 and 100 micron IRAS fluxes are available. We compare the star
formation rates derived using the models with those derived using standard
estimators based on the Halpha, the [OII] and the far-infrared luminosities of
the galaxies. The CL01 SFR estimates agree well with those derived from the
IRAS fluxes, but are typically a factor of ~3 higher than those derived from
the Halpha or the [OII] fluxes, even after the usual mean attenuation
correction of A_Halpha=1 mag is applied to the data. We show that the reason
for this discrepancy is that the standard Halpha estimator neglects the
absorption of ionizing photons by dust in HII regions and the contamination of
Halpha emission by stellar absorption. We also use our sample to study
variations in star formation and metallicity as a function of galaxy absolute
bJ magnitude. For this sample, the star formation rate per unit bJ luminosity
is independent of magnitude. The gas-phase oxygen abundance does increase with
bJ luminosity, although the scatter in metallicity at fixed magnitude is large.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The Angular Momentum Distribution of Gas and Dark Matter in Galactic Halos
(Abridged) We report results of a series of non radiative N-body/SPH
simulations in a LCDM cosmology. We find that the spin of the baryonic
component is on average larger than that of the dark matter (DM) component and
we find this effect to be more pronounced at lower redshifts. A significant
fraction f of gas has negative angular momentum and this fraction is found to
increase with redshift. We describe a toy model in which the tangential
velocities of particles are smeared by Gaussian random motions. This model is
successful in explaining some of the angular momentum properties. We compare
and contrast various techniques to determine the angular momentum distributions
(AMDs). We show that broadening of velocity dispersions is unsuitable for
making comparisons between gas and DM. We smooth the angular momentum of the
particles over a fixed number of neighbors. We find that an analytical function
based on gamma distribution can be used to describe a wide variety of profiles,
with just one parameter \alpha. The distribution of the shape parameter
for both gas and DM follows roughly a log-normal distribution. The
mean and standard deviation of log(\alpha) for gas is -0.04 and 0.11
respectively. About 90-95% of halos have \alpha<1.3, while exponential disks in
NFW halos would require 1.3<\alpha<1.6. This implies that a typical halo in
simulations has an excess of low angular momentum material as compared to that
of observed exponential disks, a result which is consistent with the findings
of earlier works. \alpha for gas is correlated with that of DM but they have a
significant scatter =1.09 \pm 0.2. \alpha_Gas is also
biased towards slightly higher values compared to \alpha_DM.Comment: 19 pages, 32 figures (replaced to correct a typo in the authors field
in the above line, paper unchanged
A Simple Model for the Absorption of Starlight by Dust in Galaxies
We present a new model to compute the effects of dust on the integrated
spectral properties of galaxies, based on an idealized prescription of the main
features of the interstellar medium (ISM). The model includes the ionization of
HII regions in the interiors of the dense clouds in which stars form and the
influence of the finite lifetime of these clouds on the absorption of
radiation. We compute the production of emission lines and the absorption of
continuum radiation in the HII regions and the subsequent transfer of line and
continuum radiation in the surrounding HI regions and the ambient ISM. This
enables us to interpret simultaneously all the observations of a homogeneous
sample of nearby UV-selected starburst galaxies, including the ratio of far-IR
to UV luminosities, the ratio of Halpha to Hbeta luminosities, the Halpha
equivalent width, and the UV spectral slope. We show that the finite lifetime
of stellar birth clouds is a key ingredient to resolve an apparent discrepancy
between the attenuation of line and continuum photons in starburst galaxies. In
addition, we find that an effective absorption curve proportional to
lambda^-0.7 reproduces the observed relation between the ratio of far-IR to UV
luminosities and the UV spectral slope. We interpret this relation most simply
as a sequence in the overall dust content of the galaxies. The shallow
wavelength dependence of the effective absorption curve is compatible with the
steepness of known extinction curves if the dust has a patchy distribution. In
particular, we find that a random distribution of discrete clouds with optical
depths similar to those in the Milky Way provides a consistent interpretation
of all the observations. Our model for absorption can be incorporated easily
into any population synthesis model. (abridged)Comment: To appear in the 2000 July 20 issue of the Astrophysical Journal; 19
pages with 13 embedded PS figures (emulateapj5.sty
How the asymmetry of internal potential influences the shape of I-V characteristic of nanochannels
Ion transport in biological and synthetic nanochannels is characterized by
such phenomena as ion current fluctuations, rectification, and pumping.
Recently, it has been shown that the nanofabricated synthetic pores could be
considered as analogous to biological channels with respect to their transport
characteristics \cite{Apel, Siwy}. The ion current rectification is analyzed.
Ion transport through cylindrical nanopores is described by the Smoluchowski
equation. The model is considering the symmetric nanopore with asymmetric
charge distribution. In this model, the current rectification in asymmetrically
charged nanochannels shows a diode-like shape of characteristic. It is
shown that this feature may be induced by the coupling between the degree of
asymmetry and the depth of internal electric potential well. The role of
concentration gradient is discussed
Potential formation sites of super star clusters in ultra-luminous infrared galaxies
Recent observational results on high spatial resolution images of
ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIGs) have revealed very luminous, young,
compact, and heavily obscured super star clusters in their central regions,
suggested to be formed by gas-rich major mergers. By using stellar and gaseous
numerical simulations of galaxy mergers, we firstly demonstrate that the
central regions of ULIGs are the most promising formation sites of super star
clusters owing to the rather high gaseous pressure of the interstellar medium.
Based on simple analytical arguments, we secondly discuss the possibility that
super star clusters in an ULIG can be efficiently transferred into the nuclear
region owing to dynamical friction and consequently merge with one another to
form a single compact stellar nucleus with a seed massive black hole. We thus
suggest that multiple merging between super star clusters formed by nuclear
starbursts in the central regions of ULIGs can result in the formation of
massive black holes.Comment: 12 pages 4 figures, 2001, accepted by ApJ
Structure Formation Inside Triaxial Dark Matter Halos: Galactic Disks, Bulges and Bars
We investigate the formation and evolution of galactic disks immersed in
assembling live DM halos. Disk/halo components have been evolved from the
cosmological initial conditions and represent the collapse of an isolated
density perturbation. The baryons include gas (which participates in star
formation [SF]) and stars. The feedback from the stellar energy release onto
the ISM has been implemented. We find that (1) The growing triaxial halo figure
tumbling is insignificant and the angular momentum (J) is channeled into the
internal circulation; (2) Density response of the disk is out of phase with the
DM, thus diluting the inner halo flatness and washing out its prolateness; (3)
The total J is neathly conserved, even in models accounting for feedback; (4)
The specific J for the DM is nearly constant, while that for baryons is
decreasing; (5) Early stage of disk formation resembles the cat's cradle -- a
small amorphous disk fueled via radial string patterns; (6) The initially
puffed up gas component in the disk thins when the SF rate drops below ~5
Mo/yr; (7) About 40%-60% of the baryons remain outside the SF region; (8)
Rotation curves appear to be flat and account for the observed disk/halo
contributions; (9) A range of bulge-dominated to bulgeless disks was obtained;
Lower density threshold for SF leads to a smaller, thicker disk; Gravitational
softening in the gas has a substantial effect on various aspects of galaxy
evolution and mimics a number of intrinsic processes within the ISM; (10) The
models are characterized by an extensive bar-forming activity; (11) Nuclear
bars, dynamically coupled and decoupled form in response to the gas inflow
along the primary bars.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures, accepted by the Astrophysical Journal. Minor
revisions. The high-resolution figures can be found at
http://www.pa.uky.edu/~shlosman/research/galdyn/figs07a
Commentary : Disentangling the contributions of childhood and adult weight to cardiovascular disease risk
Non peer reviewe
Testing the Relation Between the Local and Cosmic Star Formation Histories
Recently, there has been great progress toward observationally determining
the mean star formation history of the universe. When accurately known, the
cosmic star formation rate could provide much information about Galactic
evolution, if the Milky Way's star formation rate is representative of the
average cosmic star formation history. A simple hypothesis is that our local
star formation rate is proportional to the cosmic mean. In addition, to specify
a star formation history, one must also adopt an initial mass function (IMF);
typically it is assumed that the IMF is a smooth function which is constant in
time. We show how to test directly the compatibility of all these assumptions,
by making use of the local (solar neighborhood) star formation record encoded
in the present-day stellar mass function. Present data suggests that at least
one of the following is false: (1) the local IMF is constant in time; (2) the
local IMF is a smooth (unimodal) function; and/or (3) star formation in the
Galactic disk was representative of the cosmic mean. We briefly discuss how to
determine which of these assumptions fail, and improvements in observations
which will sharpen this test.Comment: 14 pages in LaTeX (uses aaspp4.sty). 5 postscript figures. To appear
in the Astrophysical Journa
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