163 research outputs found
The rich cluster of galaxies ABCG 85. III. Analyzing the ABCG 85/87/89 complex
We present a combined X-ray and optical analysis of the ABCG 85/87/89 complex
of clusters of galaxies, based on the ROSAT PSPC image, optical photometric
catalogues (Slezak et al. 1998), and an optical redshift catalogue (Durret et
al. 1998). From this combined data set, we find striking alignments at all
scales at PA160\deg. At small scales, the cD galaxy in ABCG 85 and the
brightest galaxies in the cluster are aligned along this PA. At a larger scale,
X-ray emission defines a comparable PA south-southeast of ABCG 85 towards ABCG
87, with a patchy X-ray structure very different from the regular shape of the
optical galaxy distribution in ABCG 87. The galaxy velocities in the ABCG 87
region show the existence of subgroups, which all have an X-ray counterpart,
and seem to be falling onto ABCG 85 along a filament almost perpendicular to
the plane of the sky. To the west of ABCG 85, ABCG 89 appears as a significant
galaxy density enhancement, but is barely detected at X-ray wavelengths. The
galaxy velocities reveal that in fact this is not a cluster but two groups with
very different velocities superimposed along the line of sight. These two
groups appear to be located in intersecting sheets on opposite sides of a large
bubble. These data and their interpretation reinforce the cosmological scenario
in which matter, including galaxies, groups and gas, falls onto the cluster
along a filament.Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic
Unveiling hidden structures in the Coma cluster
We have assembled a large data-set of 613 galaxy redshifts in the Coma
cluster, the largest presently available for a cluster of galaxies. We have
defined a sample of cluster members complete to b, using a
membership criterion based on the galaxy velocity, when available, or on the
galaxy magnitude and colour, otherwise. Such a data set allows us to define
nearly complete samples within a region of 1~\Mpc\ radius, with a sufficient
number of galaxies per sample to make statistical analyses possible. Using this
sample and the {\em ROSAT} PSPC X--ray image of the cluster, we have
re-analyzed the structure and kinematics of Coma, by applying the wavelet and
adaptive kernel techniques. A striking coincidence of features is found in the
distributions of galaxies and hot intracluster gas. The two central dominant
galaxies, NGC4874 and NGC4889, are surrounded by two galaxy groups, mostly
populated with galaxies brighter than b and well separated in
velocity space. On the contrary, the fainter galaxies tend to form a single
smooth structure with a central peak coinciding in position with a secondary
peak detected in X--rays, and located between the two dominant galaxies; we
suggest to identify this structure with the main body of the Coma cluster. A
continuous velocity gradient is found in the central distribution of these
faint galaxies, a probable signature of tidal interactions rather than
rotation. There is evidence for a bound population of bright galaxies around
other brightest cluster members. Altogether, the Coma cluster structure seems
to be better traced by the faint galaxy population, the bright galaxies being
located in subclusters. We discuss this evidence in terms of an ongoing
accretion of groups onto the cluster.Comment: to appear in A&A, 19 pages, uuencoded gzipped postscript fil
On the galaxy luminosity function in the central regions of the Coma cluster
We have obtained new redshifts for 265 objects in the central
48~~25~arcmin region of the Coma cluster. When supplemented with
literature data, our redshift sample is 95~\% complete up to a magnitude
b=18.0 (the magnitudes are taken from the photometric sample of Godwin
et al. 1983). Using redshift-confirmed membership for 205 galaxies, and the
location in the colour-magnitude diagram for another 91 galaxies, we have built
a sample of cluster members which is complete up to b=20.0. We show
that the Coma cluster luminosity function cannot be adequately fitted by a
single Schechter (1976) function, because of a dip in the magnitude
distribution at b17. The superposition of an Erlang (or a Gauss)
and a Schechter function provides a significantly better fit. We compare the
luminosity function of Coma to those of other clusters, and of the field.
Luminosity functions for rich clusters look similar, with a maximum at , while the Virgo and the field luminosity
functions show a nearly monotonic behaviour. These differences may be produced
by physical processes related to the environment which affect the luminosities
of a certain class of cluster galaxies.Comment: 7 pages, uuencoded postscript file (figures included) Accepted for
publication on A&
Problems for MOND in Clusters and the Ly-alpha Forest
The observed dynamics of gas and stars on galactic and larger scales cannot
be accounted for by self-gravity, indicating that there are large quantities of
unseen matter, or that gravity is non-Newtonian in these regimes. Milgrom's
MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) postulates that Newton's laws are modified
at very low acceleration, and can account for the rotation curves of galaxies
and some other astrophysical observations, without dark matter. Here we apply
MOND to two independent physical systems: Ly-alpha absorbers and galaxy
clusters. While physically distinct, both are simple hydrodynamical systems
with characteristic accelerations in the MOND regime. We find that Ly-alpha
absorbers are somewhat smaller than in Newtonian gravity with dark matter, but
the result depends crucially on the (unknown) background acceleration field in
which they are embedded. In clusters MOND appears to explain the observed
(baryonic) mass-temperature relation. However, given observed gas density and
enclosed mass profiles and the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium, MOND
predicts radial temperature profiles which disagree badly with observations. We
show this explicitly for the Virgo, Abell 2199 and Coma clusters, but the
results are general, and seem very difficult to avoid. If this discrepancy is
to be resolved by positing additional (presumably baryonic) dark matter, then
this dark matter must have ~1-3 times the cluster gas mass within 1 Mpc. This
result strongly disfavors MOND as an alternative to dark matter (Abridged).Comment: Revised version. Important caveat in Ly-alpha calculation discussed;
conclusions weakened. Coma cluster and calculation of dark matter mass
required by MOND added; cluster conclusions strengthened. 11 EmulateApJ pages
with 3 embedded figures. Accepted by Ap
An axisymmetric hydrodynamical model for the torus wind in AGN. III: Spectra from 3D radiation transfer calculations
We calculate a series of synthetic X-ray spectra from outflows originating
from the obscuring torus in active galactic nuclei (AGN). Such modeling
includes 2.5D hydrodynamical simulations of an X-ray excited torus wind,
including the effects of X-ray heating, ionization, and radiation pressure. 3D
radiation transfer calculations are performed in the 3D Sobolev approximation.
Synthetic X-ray line spectra and individual profiles of several strong lines
are shown at different inclination angles, observing times, and for different
characteristics of the torus.
Our calculations show that rich synthetic warm absorber spectra from 3D
modeling are typically observed at a larger range of inclinations than was
previously inferred from simple analysis of the transmitted spectra. In
general, our results are supportive of warm absorber models based on the
hypothesis of an "X-ray excited funnel flow" and are consistent with
characteristics of such flows inferred from observations of warm absorbers from
Seyfert 1 galaxies.Comment: 31 pages, 10 figure
Recommended from our members
Atmospheric Mars Entry and Landing Investigations & Analysis (AMELIA) by ExoMars 2016 Schiaparelli Entry Descent Module
Gravitational polarization and the phenomenology of MOND
The modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) has been proposed as an alternative to
the dark matter paradigm; the philosophy behind is that there is no dark matter
and we witness a violation of the Newtonian law of dynamics. In this article,
we interpret differently the phenomenology sustaining MOND, as resulting from
an effect of "gravitational polarization", of some cosmic fluid made of dipole
moments, aligned in the gravitational field, and representing a new form of
dark matter. We invoke an internal force, of non-gravitational origin, in order
to hold together the microscopic constituents of the dipole. The dipolar
particles are weakly influenced by the distribution of ordinary matter; they
are accelerated not by the gravitational field, but by its gradient, or tidal
gravitational field.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit
Symmetry-Breaking Motility
Locomotion of bacteria by actin polymerization, and in vitro motion of
spherical beads coated with a protein catalyzing polymerization, are examples
of active motility. Starting from a simple model of forces locally normal to
the surface of a bead, we construct a phenomenological equation for its motion.
The singularities at a continuous transition between moving and stationary
beads are shown to be related to the symmetries of its shape. Universal
features of the phase behavior are calculated analytically and confirmed by
simulations. Fluctuations in velocity are shown to be generically
non-Maxwellian and correlated to the shape of the bead.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, REVTeX; formatting of references correcte
The profile of an emission line from relativistic outflows around a black hole
Recent observations show strong evidence for the presence of Doppler-shifted
emission lines in the spectrum of both black hole candidates and active
galactic nuclei. These lines are likely to originate from relativistic outflows
(or jets) in the vicinity of the central black hole. Consequently, the profile
of such a line should be distorted by strong gravitational effects near the
black hole, as well as special relativistic effects. In this paper, we present
results from a detailed study on how each process affects the observed line
profile. We found that the profile is sensitive to the intrinsic properties of
the jets (Lorentz factor, velocity profile, and emissivity law), as well as to
the spin of the black hole and the viewing angle (with respect to the axis of
the jets). More specifically, in the case of approaching jets, an intrisically
narrow line (blue-shifted) is seen as simply broadened at small viewing angles,
but it shows a doubly peaked profile at large viewing angles for extreme Kerr
black holes (due to the combination of gravitational focusing and Doppler
effects); the profile is always singly peaked for Schwarzschild black holes.
For receding jets, however, the line profile becomes quite complicated owing to
complicated photon trajectories. To facilitate comparison with observations, we
searched a large parameter space to derive representative line profiles. We
show the results and discuss how to use emission lines as a potential tool for
probing the inner region of a black hole jet system.Comment: 16 pages in emulateapj style, 11 figure
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