17,024 research outputs found
Towards a robust estimate of the merger rate evolution using near-IR photometry
We use a combination of deep, high angular resolution imaging data from the
CDFS (HST/ACS GOODS survey) and ground based near-IR images to derive the
evolution of the galaxy major merger rate in the redshift range . We select galaxies on the sole basis of their J-band rest-frame,
absolute magnitude, which is a good tracer of the stellar mass. We find steep
evolution with redshift, with the merger rate for
optically selected pairs, and for pairs selected
in the near-IR. Our result is unlikely to be affected by luminosity evolution
which is relatively modest when using rest-frame J band selection. The
apparently more rapid evolution that we find in the visible is likely caused by
biases relating to incompleteness and spatial resolution affecting the ground
based near IR photometry, underestimating pair counts at higher redshifts in
the near-IR. The major merger rate was 5.6 times higher at
than at the current epoch. Overall 41%(0.5\gyr/) of all
galaxies with have undergone a major merger in the last \sim8
\gyr, where is the merger timescale. Interestingly, we find no effect
on the derived major merger rate due to the presence of the large scale
structure at in the CDFS.Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ. 9 Figure
A Prediction of Observable Rotation in the ICM of Abell 3266
We present a numerical Hydro+N-body model of A3266 whose X-ray surface
brightness, temperature distribution, and galaxy spatial and velocity
distribution data are consistent with the A3266 data. The model is an old (~3
Gyr), off-axis merger having a mass ratio of ~2.5:1. The less massive
subcluster in the model is moving on a trajectory from southwest to northeast
passing on the western side of the dominant cluster while moving into the plane
of the sky at ~45 degrees. Off-axis mergers such as this one are an effective
mechanism for transferring angular momentum to the intracluster medium (ICM),
making possible a large scale rotation of the ICM. We demonstrate here that the
ICM rotation predicted by our fully 3-dimensional model of A3266 is observable
with current technology. As an example, we present simulated observations
assuming the capabilities of the high resolution X-ray spectrometer (XRS) which
was to have flown on Astro-E.Comment: 9 pages, 7 postscript figures, Fig. 3 and 6 are color postscript,
Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
Renormalized coordinate approach to the thermalization process
We consider a particle in the harmonic approximation coupled linearly to an
environment. modeled by an infinite set of harmonic oscillators. The system
(particle--environment) is considered in a cavity at thermal equilibrium. We
employ the recently introduced notion of renormalized coordinates to
investigate the time evolution of the particle occupation number. For
comparison we first present this study in bare coordinates. For a long ellapsed
time, in both approaches, the occupation number of the particle becomes
independent of its initial value. The value of ocupation number of the particle
is the physically expected one at the given temperature. So we have a Markovian
process, describing the particle thermalization with the environment. With
renormalized coordinates no renormalization procedure is required, leading
directly to a finite result.Comment: 16 pages, LATEX, 2 figure
Phase resolved X-ray spectroscopy of HDE228766: Probing the wind of an extreme Of+/WNLha star
HDE228766 is a very massive binary system hosting a secondary component,
which is probably in an intermediate evolutionary stage between an Of
supergiant and an WN star. The wind of this star collides with the wind of its
O8 II companion, leading to relatively strong X-ray emission. Measuring the
orbital variations of the line-of-sight absorption toward the X-ray emission
from the wind-wind interaction zone yields information on the wind densities of
both stars. X-ray spectra have been collected at three key orbital phases to
probe the winds of both stars. Optical photometry has been gathered to set
constraints on the orbital inclination of the system. The X-ray spectra reveal
prominent variations of the intervening column density toward the X-ray
emission zone, which are in line with the expectations for a wind-wind
collision. We use a toy model to set constraints on the stellar wind parameters
by attempting to reproduce the observed variations of the relative fluxes and
wind optical depths at 1 keV. The lack of strong optical eclipses sets an upper
limit of about 68 degrees on the orbital inclination. The analysis of the
variations of the X-ray spectra suggests an inclination in the range 54 - 61
degrees and indicates that the secondary wind momentum ratio exceeds that of
the primary by at least a factor 5. Our models further suggest that the bulk of
the X-ray emission arises from the innermost region of the wind interaction
zone, which is from a region whose outer radius, as measured from the secondary
star, lies between 0.5 and 1.5 times the orbital separation
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