249 research outputs found
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the signatures of galaxy interactions as viewed from small scale galaxy clustering
Statistical studies of galaxy–galaxy interactions often utilize net change in physical properties of progenitors as a function of the separation between their nuclei to trace both the strength and the observable time-scale of their interaction. In this study, we use two-point auto-, cross-, and mark-correlation functions to investigate the extent to which small-scale clustering properties of star-forming galaxies can be used to gain physical insight into galaxy–galaxy interactions between galaxies of similar optical brightness and stellar mass. The H α star formers, drawn from the highly spatially complete Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey, show an increase in clustering at small separations. Moreover, the clustering strength shows a strong dependence on optical brightness and stellar mass, where (1) the clustering amplitude of optically brighter galaxies at a given separation is larger than that of optically fainter systems, (2) the small-scale-clustering properties (e.g. the strength, the scale at which the signal relative to the fiducial power law plateaus) of star-forming galaxies appear to differ as a function of increasing optical brightness of galaxies. According to cross- and mark-correlation analyses, the former result is largely driven by the increased dust content in optically bright star-forming galaxies. The latter could be interpreted as evidence of a correlation between interaction-scale and optical brightness of galaxies, where physical evidence of interactions between optically bright star formers, likely hosted within relatively massive haloes, persists over larger separations than those between optically faint star formers
Incipient Separation in Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interactions as Induced by Sharp Fin
The incipient separation induced by the shock wave turbulent boundary layer
interaction at the sharp fin is the subject of present study. Existing theories
for the prediction of incipient separation, such as those put forward by McCabe
(1966) and Dou and Deng (1992), can have thus far only predicting the direction
of surface streamline and tend to over-predict the incipient separation
condition based on the Stanbrook's criterion. In this paper, the incipient
separation is firstly predicted with Dou and Deng (1992)'s theory and then
compared with Lu and Settles (1990)' experimental data. The physical mechanism
of the incipient separation as induced by the shock wave/turbulent boundary
layer interactions at sharp fin is explained via the surface flow pattern
analysis. Furthermore, the reason for the observed discrepancy between the
predicted and experimental incipient separation conditions is clarified. It is
found that when the wall limiting streamlines behind the shock wave becomes\
aligning with one ray from the virtual origin as the strength of shock wave
increases, the incipient separation line is formed at which the wall limiting
streamline becomes perpendicular to the local pressure gradient. The formation
of this incipient separation line is the beginning of the separation process.
The effects of Reynolds number and the Mach number on incipient separation are
also discussed. Finally, a correlation for the correction of the incipient
separation angle as predicted by the theory is also given.Comment: 34 pages; 9 figure
Galaxy-galaxy lensing in EAGLE: comparison with data from 180 deg² of the KiDS and GAMA surveys
We present predictions for the galaxy–galaxy lensing (GGL) profile from the EAGLE hydrodynamical cosmological simulation at redshift z = 0.18, in the spatial range 0.02 < R/(h− 1 Mpc) < 2, and for five logarithmically equispaced stellar mass bins in the range 10.3 < log10(Mstar/ M⊙) < 11.8. We compare these excess surface density profiles to the observed signal from background galaxies imaged by the Kilo Degree Survey around spectroscopically confirmed foreground galaxies from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey. Exploiting the GAMA galaxy group catalogue, the profiles of central and satellite galaxies are computed separately for groups with at least five members to minimize contamination. EAGLE predictions are in broad agreement with the observed profiles for both central and satellite galaxies, although the signal is underestimated at R ≈ 0.5–2 h− 1 Mpc for the highest stellar mass bins. When central and satellite galaxies are considered simultaneously, agreement is found only when the selection function of lens galaxies is taken into account in detail. Specifically, in the case of GAMA galaxies, it is crucial to account for the variation of the fraction of satellite galaxies in bins of stellar mass induced by the flux-limited nature of the survey. We report the inferred stellar-to-halo mass relation and we find good agreement with recent published results. We note how the precision of the GGL profiles in the simulation holds the potential to constrain fine-grained aspects of the galaxy-dark matter connection
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the galaxy stellar mass function to z = 0.1 from the r-band selected equatorial regions
We derive the low-redshift galaxy stellar mass function (GSMF), inclusive of dust corrections, for the equatorial Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) data set covering 180 deg2. We construct the mass function using a density-corrected maximum volume method, using masses corrected for the impact of optically thick and thin dust. We explore the galactic bivariate brightness plane (M⋆–μ), demonstrating that surface brightness effects do not systematically bias our mass function measurement above 107.5 M⊙. The galaxy distribution in the M–μ plane appears well bounded, indicating that no substantial population of massive but diffuse or highly compact galaxies are systematically missed due to the GAMA selection criteria. The GSMF is fitted with a double Schechter function, with M⋆=1010.78±0.01±0.20M⊙ M⋆=1010.78±0.01±0.20M⊙ , ϕ⋆1=(2.93±0.40)×10−3h370 ϕ1⋆=(2.93±0.40)×10−3h703 Mpc−3, α1 = −0.62 ± 0.03 ± 0.15, ϕ⋆2=(0.63±0.10)×10−3h370 ϕ2⋆=(0.63±0.10)×10−3h703 Mpc−3 and α2 = −1.50 ± 0.01 ± 0.15. We find the equivalent faint end slope as previously estimated using the GAMA-I sample, although we find a higher value of M⋆ M⋆ . Using the full GAMA-II sample, we are able to fit the mass function to masses as low as 107.5 M⊙, and assess limits to 106.5 M⊙. Combining GAMA-II with data from G10-COSMOS, we are able to comment qualitatively on the shape of the GSMF down to masses as low as 106 M⊙. Beyond the well-known upturn seen in the GSMF at 109.5, the distribution appears to maintain a single power-law slope from 109 to 106.5. We calculate the stellar mass density parameter given our best-estimate GSMF, finding Ω⋆=1.66+0.24−0.23±0.97h−170×10−3 Ω⋆=1.66−0.23+0.24±0.97h70−1×10−3 , inclusive of random and systematic uncertainties
Dependence of GAMA galaxy halo masses on the cosmic web environment from 100 deg2 of KiDS weak lensing data
Galaxies and their dark matter haloes are part of a complex network of mass structures, collectively called the cosmic web. Using the tidal tensor prescription these structures can be classified into four cosmic environments: voids, sheets, filaments and knots. As the cosmic web may influence the formation and evolution of dark matter haloes and the galaxies they host, we aim to study the effect of these cosmic environments on the average mass of galactic haloes. To this end we measure the galaxy–galaxy lensing profile of 91 195 galaxies, within 0.039 < z < 0.263, from the spectroscopic Galaxy And Mass Assembly survey, using ∼100deg2∼100deg2 of overlapping data from the Kilo-Degree Survey. In each of the four cosmic environments we model the contributions from group centrals, satellites and neighbouring groups to the stacked galaxy–galaxy lensing profiles. After correcting the lens samples for differences in the stellar mass distribution, we find no dependence of the average halo mass of central galaxies on their cosmic environment. We do find a significant increase in the average contribution of neighbouring groups to the lensing profile in increasingly dense cosmic environments. We show, however, that the observed effect can be entirely attributed to the galaxy density at much smaller scales (within 4 h−1 Mpc), which is correlated with the density of the cosmic environments. Within our current uncertainties we find no direct dependence of galaxy halo mass on their cosmic environment
Mišljenja i komentari: Dobrovoljni rad
One key problem in astrophysics is understanding how and why galaxies switch
off their star formation, building the quiescent population that we observe in
the local Universe. From the GAMA and VIPERS surveys, we use spectroscopic
indices to select quiescent and candidate transition galaxies. We identify
potentially rapidly transitioning post-starburst galaxies, and slower
transitioning green-valley galaxies. Over the last 8 Gyrs the quiescent
population has grown more slowly in number density at high masses
(MM) than at intermediate masses
(MM). There is evolution in both the post-starburst and
green valley stellar mass functions, consistent with higher mass galaxies
quenching at earlier cosmic times. At intermediate masses
(MM) we find a green valley transition timescale of 2.6
Gyr. Alternatively, at the entire growth rate could be explained by
fast-quenching post-starburst galaxies, with a visibility timescale of 0.5 Gyr.
At lower redshift, the number density of post-starbursts is so low that an
unphysically short visibility window would be required for them to contribute
significantly to the quiescent population growth. The importance of the
fast-quenching route may rapidly diminish at . However, at high masses
(MM), there is tension between the large number of
candidate transition galaxies compared to the slow growth of the quiescent
population. This could be resolved if not all high mass post-starburst and
green-valley galaxies are transitioning from star-forming to quiescent, for
example if they rejuvenate out of the quiescent population following the
accretion of gas and triggering of star formation, or if they fail to
completely quench their star formation.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS.
Updated to match published versio
Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): the Weak Environmental Dependence of Quasar Activity at 0.1 < z < 0.35
Galaxie
Horizontal Branch Stars: The Interplay between Observations and Theory, and Insights into the Formation of the Galaxy
We review HB stars in a broad astrophysical context, including both variable
and non-variable stars. A reassessment of the Oosterhoff dichotomy is
presented, which provides unprecedented detail regarding its origin and
systematics. We show that the Oosterhoff dichotomy and the distribution of
globular clusters (GCs) in the HB morphology-metallicity plane both exclude,
with high statistical significance, the possibility that the Galactic halo may
have formed from the accretion of dwarf galaxies resembling present-day Milky
Way satellites such as Fornax, Sagittarius, and the LMC. A rediscussion of the
second-parameter problem is presented. A technique is proposed to estimate the
HB types of extragalactic GCs on the basis of integrated far-UV photometry. The
relationship between the absolute V magnitude of the HB at the RR Lyrae level
and metallicity, as obtained on the basis of trigonometric parallax
measurements for the star RR Lyrae, is also revisited, giving a distance
modulus to the LMC of (m-M)_0 = 18.44+/-0.11. RR Lyrae period change rates are
studied. Finally, the conductive opacities used in evolutionary calculations of
low-mass stars are investigated. [ABRIDGED]Comment: 56 pages, 22 figures. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and
Space Scienc
The detection of a massive chain of dark H I Clouds in the GAMA G23 Field
Interstellar matter and star formatio
Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV
A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The
analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC
from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an
integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross
section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected
exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the
standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The
analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model
Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The
largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is
observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance
of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local
significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is
estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of
this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters
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