5,893 research outputs found
Peculiar Velocities of Nonlinear Structure: Voids in McVittie Spacetime
As a study of peculiar velocities of nonlinear structure, we analyze the
model of a relativistic thin-shell void in the expanding universe. (1) Adopting
McVittie (MV) spacetime as a background universe, we investigate the dynamics
of an uncompensated void with negative MV mass. Although the motion itself is
quite different from that of a compensated void, as shown by Haines & Harris
(1993), the present peculiar velocities are not affected by MV mass. (2) We
discuss how precisely the formula in the linear perturbation theory applies to
nonlinear relativistic voids, using the results in (1) as well as the previous
results for the homogeneous background (Sakai, Maeda, & Sato 1993). (3) We
re-examine the effect of the cosmic microwave background radiation. Contrary to
the results of Pim & Lake (1986, 1988), we find that the effect is negligible.
We show that their results are due to inappropriate initial conditions. Our
results (1)-(3) suggest that the formula in the linear perturbation theory is
approximately valid even for nonlinear voids.Comment: 12 pages, aastex, 4 ps figures separate, Fig.2 added, to appear in
Ap
A web map service implementation for the visualization of multidimensional gridded environmental data
We describe ncWMS, an implementation of the Open Geospatial Consortium's Web Map Service (WMS) specification for multidimensional gridded environmental data. ncWMS can read data in a large number of common scientific data formats â notably the NetCDF format with the Climate and Forecast conventions â then efficiently generate map imagery in thousands of different coordinate reference systems. It is designed to require minimal configuration from the system administrator and, when used in conjunction with a suitable client tool, provides end users with an interactive means for visualizing data without the need to download large files or interpret complex metadata. It is also used as a âbridgingâ tool providing interoperability between the environmental science community and users of geographic information systems. ncWMS implements a number of extensions to the WMS standard in order to fulfil some common scientific requirements, including the ability to generate plots representing timeseries and vertical sections. We discuss these extensions and their impact upon present and future interoperability. We discuss the conceptual mapping between the WMS data model and the data models used by gridded data formats, highlighting areas in which the mapping is incomplete or ambiguous. We discuss the architecture of the system and particular technical innovations of note, including the algorithms used for fast data reading and image generation. ncWMS has been widely adopted within the environmental data community and we discuss some of the ways in which the software is integrated within data infrastructures and portals
Development of a new humanized mouse model to study acute inflammatory arthritis
BACKGROUND: Substantial advances have been generated in understanding the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Current murine models of RA-like disease have provided great insights into the molecular mechanism of inflammatory arthritis due to the use of genetically deficient or transgenic mice. However, these studies are limited by differences that exist between human and murine immune systems. Thus, the development of an animal model that utilizes human immune cells, will afford the opportunity to study their function in the initiation and propagation of inflammatory arthritis. METHODS: One to two-day old irradiated NOD-scid IL2rÎł(null) (NSG) mice were reconstituted with human CD34+ cord blood stem cells. Leukocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry and circulating antibodies were determined by ELISA. Arthritis was induced by injecting complete Freundâs adjuvant into knee or ankle joints. Mice were also treated with the TNF inhibitor, Etanercept, or PBS and joints were analyzed histologically. RESULTS: Humanized mice were established with high reconstitution rates and were able to spontaneously produce human immunoglobulins as well as specific IgG in response to immunization. Intraperitoneal injection of thioglycolate or injection of complete Freundâs adjuvant into joints resulted in migration of human immune cells to the injected sites. Arthritic humanized mice treated with Etanercept had markedly less inflammation, which was associated with decreased total numbers of human CD45+ cells, including human lymphocytes and neutrophils. CONCLUSIONS: The humanized mouse model is a new model to study inflammatory arthritis disease using human leukocytes without rejection of engrafted tissue. Future studies may adapt this system to incorporate RA patient cord blood and develop a chimeric animal model of inflammatory arthritis using genetically predisposed immune cells
Shapley Supercluster Survey: Construction of the photometric catalogues and i-band data release
The Shapley Supercluster Survey is a multi-wavelength survey covering an area of âŒ23 degÂČ (âŒ260 MpcÂČ at z = 0.048) around the supercluster core, including nine Abell and two poor clusters, having redshifts in the range 0.045â0.050. The survey aims to investigate the role of the cluster-scale mass assembly on the evolution of galaxies, mapping the effects of the environment from the cores of the clusters to their outskirts and along the filaments. The optical (ugri) imaging acquired with OmegaCAM on the VLT Survey Telescope is essential to achieve the project goals providing accurate multi-band photometry for the galaxy population down to mâ + 6. We describe the methodology adopted to construct the optical catalogues and to separate extended and point-like sources. The catalogues reach average 5Ï limiting magnitudes within a 3 arcsec diameter aperture of ugri = [24.4,24.6,24.1,23.3] and are 93 per cent complete down to ugri = [23.8,23.8,23.5,22.0] mag, corresponding to âŒmâ r + 8.5. The data are highly uniform in terms of observing conditions and all acquired with seeing less than 1.1 arcsec full width at half-maximum. The median seeing in r band is 0.6 arcsec, corresponding to 0.56 kpc hâ»Âč 70 at z = 0.048. While the observations in the u, g and r bands are still ongoing, the i-band observations have been completed, and we present the i-band catalogue over the whole survey area. The latter is released and it will be regularly updated, through the use of the Virtual Observatory tools. This includes 734 319 sources down to i = 22.0 mag and it is the first optical homogeneous catalogue at such a depth, covering the central region of the Shapley supercluster
Shapley Supercluster Survey (ShaSS): Galaxy Evolution from Filaments to Cluster Cores
We present an overview of a multi-wavelength survey of the Shapley
supercluster (SSC; z~0.05) covering a contiguous area of 260 h^-2_70 Mpc^2
including the supercluster core. The project main aim is to quantify the
influence of cluster-scale mass assembly on galaxy evolution in one of the most
massive structures in the local Universe. The Shapley supercluster survey
(ShaSS) includes nine Abell clusters (A3552, A3554, A3556, A3558, A3559, A3560,
A3562, AS0724, AS0726) and two poor clusters (SC1327- 312, SC1329-313) showing
evidence of cluster-cluster interactions. Optical (ugri) and near-infrared (K)
imaging acquired with VST and VISTA allow us to study the galaxy population
down to m*+6 at the supercluster redshift. A dedicated spectroscopic survey
with AAOmega on the Anglo-Australian Telescope provides a magnitude-limited
sample of supercluster members with 80% completeness at ~m*+3.
We derive the galaxy density across the whole area, demonstrating that all
structures within this area are embedded in a single network of clusters,
groups and filaments. The stellar mass density in the core of the SSC is always
higher than 9E09 M_sun Mpc^-3, which is ~40x the cosmic stellar mass density
for galaxies in the local Universe. We find a new filamentary structure (~7 Mpc
long in projection) connecting the SSC core to the cluster A3559, as well as
previously unidentified density peaks. We perform a weak-lensing analysis of
the central 1 sqdeg field of the survey obtaining for the central cluster A3558
a mass of M_500=7.63E14 M_sun, in agreement with X-ray based estimates.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication on MNRA
Burst dynamics during drainage displacements in porous media: Simulations and experiments
We investigate the burst dynamics during drainage going from low to high
injection rate at various fluid viscosities. The bursts are identified as
pressure drops in the pressure signal across the system. We find that the
statistical distribution of pressure drops scales according to other systems
exhibiting self-organized criticality. The pressure signal was calculated by a
network model that properly simulates drainage displacements. We compare our
results with corresponding experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Europhys. Let
The reduction, verification and interpretation of MAGSAT magnetic data over Canada
Consideration is being given to representing the magnetic field in the area 40 deg N to 83 deg N by means of functions in spherical coordinates. A solution to Laplace's equation for the magnetic potential over a restricted area was found, and programming and testing are currently being carried out. Magnetic anomaly modelling is proceeding. The program SPHERE, which was adapted to function correctly on the Cyber computer, is now operational, for deriving gravity and magnetic models in a spherical coordinate system
Two close large quasar groups of size ⌠350 Mpc at
The Clowes & Campusano large quasar group (LQG) atâinline imageâhas been re-examined using the quasar data from the DR7QSO catalogue of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. In the 1991 discovery, the LQG impinged on the northern, southern and eastern limits of the survey. In the DR7QSO data, the western, northern and southern boundaries of the LQG remain essentially the same, but an extension eastwards of âŒ2° is indicated. In the DR7QSO data, the LQG has 34 members, withâinline image. A new group of 38 members is indicated atâinline imageâand within âŒ2bsl000640 of the Clowes & Campusano LQG. The characteristic sizes of these two LQGs, âŒ350â400 Mpc, appear to be only marginally consistent with the scale of homogeneity in the concordance cosmology. In addition to their intrinsic interest, these two LQGs provide locations in which to investigate early large-scale structure in galaxies and to identify high-zâclusters. A method is presented for assessing the statistical significance and overdensity of groups found by linkage of points
Hydrogen atom moving across a strong magnetic field: analytical approximations
Analytical approximations are constructed for binding energies,
quantum-mechanical sizes and oscillator strengths of main radiative transitions
of hydrogen atoms arbitrarily moving in magnetic fields 10^{12}-10^{13} G.
Examples of using the obtained approximations for determination of maximum
transverse velocity of an atom and for evaluation of absorption spectra in
magnetic neutron star atmospheres are presented.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, 5 tables, LaTeX with IOP style files (included).
In v.2, Fig.1 and Table 5 have been corrected. In v.3, a misprint in the fit
for oscillator strengths, Eq.(21), has been correcte
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