5,292 research outputs found
A Search for X-Ray Bright Distant Clusters of Galaxies
We present the results of a search for X--ray luminous distant clusters of
galaxies. We found extended X--ray emission characteristic of a cluster towards
two of our candidate clusters of galaxies. They both have a luminosity in the
ROSAT bandpass of and a redshift of ;
thus making them two of the most distant X--ray clusters ever observed.
Furthermore, we show that both clusters are optically rich and have a known
radio source associated with them. We compare our result with other recent
searches for distant X--ray luminous clusters and present a lower limit of
for the number density of such high redshift
clusters. This limit is consistent with the expected abundance of such clusters
in a standard (b=2) Cold Dark Matter Universe. Finally, our clusters provide
important high redshift targets for further study into the origin and evolution
of massive clusters of galaxies. Accepted for publication in the 10th September
1994 issue of ApJ.Comment: 20 pages Latex file + 1 postscript figure file appende
IMPACTS OF THE FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENT AND REFORM ACT OF 1996 (FAIR ACT) ON THE NORTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY
The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (FAIR Act) decouples government farm subsidy payments from both price and production and provides farmers with nearly complete planting flexibility. Government spending under this act will be limited to $35.63 billion for 1996-2002 period. The net farm income for all six representative farms under the 1996 FAIR Act is projected to be higher than under the 1990 farm act early in the forecast period and lower after 1999 under the 1996 FAIR Act. Cropland prices are projected to fall 19.8% between 1996 and 2002 under the 1996 FAIR Act, while cropland prices are projected to fall 18.5% under the 1990 farm act. Cash rental rates are projected to follow cropland prices. Debt-to-asset ratios for most farms, although rising across the forecast period, do not reach levels that imperil credit- worthiness, but in the case of the low profit farm and small size farm the debt-to-asset ratios rise to a level that may imperil credit-worthiness on new borrowing. Note: Figures are not included in the machine readable file--contact the authors for copies.FAIR Act, net farm income, debt-to-asset ratio, cropland prices, land rental rates, farm operating expenses, capitalization rate, Agricultural and Food Policy,
Impacts of Alternative Farm Programs on the North Dakota Agricultural Economy
Agricultural and Food Policy,
Counter-Evolution of Faint Field Galaxies
We adopt a new approach to explore the puzzling nature of faint blue field
galaxies. Instead of assuming that the local luminosity function is well
defined, we first determine whether any non-evolving set of luminosity
functions for different spectral types of galaxies is compatible with the
observed marginal distributions in optical and near-infrared counts, B - R
colors, and redshifts. Exploiting a non-negative least squares method, we
derive a new no-evolution model that is found to fit all the observations
surprisingly well. We conclude that models more exotic than mild luminosity
evolution, such as those requiring rapid evolution in star formation rates,
disappearing dwarf galaxy populations, high values of the cosmological
constant, rapid mergers, or substantial non-conservation of galaxy numbers with
time, are no longer as compelling.Comment: 10 pages + 4 figures (appended), AAS LaTeX v3.0, Ap.J. Letters in
press, UCO/Lick Bulletin #126
Superclustering at Redshift Z=0.54
We present strong evidence for the existence of a supercluster at a redshift
of z=0.54 in the direction of Selected Area 68. From the distribution of
galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts we find that there is a large
over-density of galaxies (a factor of four over the number expected in an
unclustered universe) within the redshift range 0.530 < z < 0.555. By
considering the spatial distribution of galaxies within this redshift range
(using spectroscopic and photometric redshifts) we show that the galaxies in
SA68 form a linear structure passing from the South-West of the survey field
through to the North-East (with a position angle of approximately 35 deg East
of North). This position angle is coincident with the positions of the X-ray
clusters CL0016+16, RX J0018.3+1618 and a new X-ray cluster, RX J0018.8+1602,
centered near the radio source 54W084. All three of these sources are at a
redshift of approximately z=0.54 and have position angles, derived from their
X-ray photon distributions, consistent with that measured for the supercluster.
Assuming a redshift of 0.54 for the distribution of galaxies and a FWHM
dispersion in redshift of 0.020 this represents a coherent structure with a
radial extent of 31 Mpc, transverse dimension of 12 Mpc, and a thickness of
approximately 4 Mpc. The detection of this possible supercluster demonstrates
the power of using X-ray observations, combined with multicolor observations,
to map the large scale distribution of galaxies at intermediate redshifts.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Latex, aaspp4.sty, accepted for publication in
Ap J Letters. Figure 3 and followup observations can be found at
http://tarkus.pha.jhu.edu/~ajc/papers/supercluster
Radius Dependent Luminosity Evolution of Blue Galaxies in GOODS-N
We examine the radius-luminosity (R-L) relation for blue galaxies in the Team
Keck Redshift Survey (TKRS) of GOODS-N. We compare with a volume-limited, Sloan
Digital Sky Survey sample and find that the R-L relation has evolved to lower
surface brightness since z=1. Based on the detection limits of GOODS this can
not be explained by incompleteness in low surface-brightness galaxies. Number
density arguments rule out a pure radius evolution. It can be explained by a
radius dependent decline in B-band luminosity with time. Assuming a linear
shift in M_B with z, we use a maximum likelihood method to quantify the
evolution. Under these assumptions, large (R_{1/2} > 5 kpc), and intermediate
sized (3 < R_{1/2} < 5 kpc) galaxies, have experienced Delta M_B =1.53
(-0.10,+0.13) and 1.65 (-0.18, +0.08) magnitudes of dimming since z=1. A simple
exponential decline in star formation with an e-folding time of 3 Gyr can
result in this amount of dimming. Meanwhile, small galaxies, or some subset
thereof, have experienced more evolution, 2.55 (+/- 0.38) magnitudes. This
factor of ten decline in luminosity can be explained by sub-samples of
starbursting dwarf systems that fade rapidly, coupled with a decline in burst
strength or frequency. Samples of bursting, luminous, blue, compact galaxies at
intermediate redshifts have been identified by various previous studies. If
there has been some growth in galaxy size with time, these measurements are
upper limits on luminosity fading.Comment: 34 Total pages, 15 Written pages, 19 pages of Data Table, 13 Figures,
accepted for publication in Ap
AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE NORTH DAKOTA CATTLE INDUSTRY
The analysis was conducted to evaluate the impacts of both the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (FAIR) and the cattle cycle on the livestock enterprises. The North Dakota Representative Farm and Ranch Model, which uses the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute price projections as an input, was developed and used for this analysis. Net farm income and farm debt-to-asset ratios for the average and large beef cattle farms were analyzed. The U.S. cattle industry has been characterized by cyclical variations in production and prices. It appears that the current cattle cycle is in the final stages of expansion. Cattle numbers continued to increase during 1995, but at a slow rate. Industry estimates are that the bottom of cattle prices will occur in late 1996 or 1997. Price recovery is projected to start sometime in 1998 as inventory numbers decline. Prices are forecast to rise through 2002. Net farm income for the representative beef cattle farms is projected to follow the cattle cycle with the lowest net incomes during 1997- 1999. Net farm income for most representative beef cattle farms recovers by 2002-2003. The debt-to-asset ratios for the representative beef cattle farms will likely rise throughout the forecast period. FAPRI Note: Figures are not included in the machine readable copy--contact the authors for more information.livestock, representative farms, cattle cycle, Production Economics,
The Luminosity Function of Field Galaxies in the CNOC1 Redshift Survey
We have computed the luminosity function for 389 field galaxies from the
Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology cluster redshift survey (CNOC1),
over redshifts z = 0.2-0.6. We find Schechter parameters M^* - 5 log h = -19.6
\pm 0.3 and \alpha = -0.9 \pm 0.2 in rest-frame B_{AB}. We have also split our
sample at the color of a redshifted but nonevolving Sbc galaxy, and find
distinctly different luminosity functions for red and blue galaxies. Red
galaxies have a shallow slope \alpha \approx -0.4 and dominate the bright end
of the luminosity function, while blue galaxies have a steep \alpha \approx
-1.4 and prevail at the faint end. Comparisons of the CNOC1 results to those
from the Canada-France (CFRS) and Autofib redshift surveys show broad agreement
among these independent samples, but there are also significant differences
which will require larger samples to resolve. Also, in CNOC1 the red galaxy
luminosity density stays about the same over the range z = 0.2-0.6, while the
blue galaxy luminosity density increases steadily with redshift. These results
are consistent with the trend of the luminosity density vs. redshift relations
seen in the CFRS, though the normalizations of the luminosity densities appear
to differ for blue galaxies. Comparison to the local luminosity function from
the Las Campanas redshift survey (LCRS) shows that the luminosity density at z
\approx 0.1 is only about half that seen at z \approx 0.4. A change in the
luminosity function shape, particularly at the faint end, appears to be
required to match the CNOC1 and LCRS luminosity functions, if galaxy evolution
is the sole cause of the differences seen. However, it should be noted that the
specific details of the construction of different surveys may complicate the
comparison of results and so may need to be considered carefully.Comment: 22 pages, including 6 postscript figures, uses AASTEX v4.0 style
files. Corrected minor typos and updated references. Results and conclusions
unchanged. Final version to appear in the Astrophysical Journa
Costing the ex situ conservation of genetic resources: maize and wheat at CIMMYT
Worldwide, the number of genebanks and the amount of seed stored in them has increased substantially over the past few decades. Most attention is focused on the likely benefits from conservation, but conserving germplasm involves costs whose nature and magnitude are largely unknown. In this paper we compile and use a set of cost data for wheat and maize stored in the CIMMYT genebank to address a number of questions. What is the cost of storing an accession of either crop for one more year, or, equivalently what is the benefit in terms of cost savings from eliminating duplicate accessions from the genebank? Relatedly, what is the cost from introducing a new accession into the genebank, given the decision to store it is revisited after one year? Does it make economic sense for CIMMYT to discard accessions that may be available elsewhere? As an extension of this line of inquiry it is possible to value the benefits from either consolidating genebanks or at least networking existing banks to reduce or eliminate duplicate holdings not needed for backup safety purposes. We present estimates of the size and scale economies evident in the CIMMYT operation as a basis for assessing the economics of consolidation. Genebanks represent a commitment to conserve seeds for the very long-run. In this study we report on these long-run costs for the CIMMYT genebank costs that are sensitive to the interest rate used and the protocols for periodically replenishing accessions that are shared with others or regenerating accessions whose viability gradually diminishes with age.Germplasm conservation., Gene banks, Plant., Maize Breeding., Wheat Breeding., Rate of return.,
HST Observations of the Distant Cluster 0016+16: Quantitative Morphology of Confirmed Cluster Members
We present HST images of 24 confirmed members of the distant galaxy cluster
Cl0016+16 at redshift 0.55. The Balmer-strong (``E+A'') and emission- line
galaxies frequently show unusual visual morphology, implying that galaxian
interactions produce ``active'' galaxies in moderate-redshift clusters. We use
the image concentration index as a quantitative measure of morphology to show
that these unusual galaxies appear disklike, while the normal red galaxies
resemble E/S0s. Although consistent with HST observations by Dressler et al. in
Cl0939+4713 (), our results differ from the Couch et al. finding that
most Balmer-strong galaxies in AC114 () resemble ellipticals. The
entire ``E+A'' sample is small, but if future studies confirm their diversity,
it will suggest that they have different origins.Comment: 11 pages, uuencoded compressed PostScript, accepted to ApJ Letters,
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