171 research outputs found
On the evolution of Lyman alpha clouds based upon the Minihalo model
Intergalactic clouds confined by the gravity of cold dark matter (CDM), the so called mini-halo, is considered. Assuming a simplified evolution law of UV flux and mass function of gas clouds, number density evolution and H1 column density distribution can be reproduced by mini-halo model. Considering interaction between supersonic flow and a mini-halo, spatial correlation and the proximity effect of Ly-alpha forest can be investigated
Ionization states of metallic absorption-line systems in continua of quasars
Ionization states of metallic absorption-line systems in continua of quasars (QSO's) are studied, assuming that the metallic lines arise in gaseous halos of high-redshift galaxies in photoionization equilibrium under the background UV radiation, and constraints on the intensity and spectral shape of the UV radiation are obtained. Then a structure of absorbers suitable for all of the metallic absorption line systems are discussed
The disk-halo connection and the nature of the interstellar medium
Some results on the nature of the interstellar medium that are specifically concerned with the disk-halo interaction are discussed. Over the last five years or so it has become clear that the supernovae rate in our Galaxy is spatially clumped and the consequences of such clumping are superbubbles and supershells fed by tens or hundreds of supernovae per shell. These objects evolve and expand rapidly and soon break out of the disk of the Galaxy, feeding the halo with very significant mass, energy, and momentum. As cooling occurs, gas will rain down onto the disk of the Galaxy completing the cycle. The basic flow of physical quantities from disk to halo and vice versa are discussed. Some of the many implications are noted including aspects of dynamo theory, quasar absorption lines, the theory of galactic coronae, and the nature of the x ray background. The essential difference here with the McKee-Ostriker (1977) theory is that the filling factor of the hot gas in the disk is significantly less than unity
The Ionization and Abundance of C and Si in QSO absorbers
We have analyzed high resolution data of absorption lines of Si and C in the
absorption systems observed in the spectra of QSOs, in order to study the
ionization state and the overabundance of Si with respect to C in the absorbers
and also to study the change in these properties with redshift. No correlation
is found between column density ratios of Si IV to C IV of intervening systems
and redshift. The data do not provide any evidence for an abrupt change in the
values of the ratio at any particular redshift unlike that for Lyman alpha
forest clouds. We have compared the observed ratios of column densities of Si
II and Si IV and of Si IV and C IV in different classes of absorption systems
with predictions of photo ionization models for different shapes of the
background radiation field. Overabundance of Si over C can be ruled out in
several of the intervening systems for any shape of the background radiation.
For these systems we can also rule out any contribution from the stellar
sources to the background, which is then entirely from the AGNs. No
overabundance is needed in other intervening systems if the radiation field
from stellar sources contributes significantly to the UV background.
Overabundance is, however, present in Lyman alpha forest clouds at redshifts
larger than 3 and in systems associated with the QSOs. For all the intervening
systems a minimum of 10 % of the background is contributed by the AGNs.Comment: To be published in Pub.Astr.Soc.Japan, 3 figure
Globular cluster formation triggered by the initial starburst in galaxy formation
We propose and investigate a new formation mechanism for globular clusters in
which they form within molecular clouds that are formed in the shocked regions
created by galactic winds driven by successive supernova explosions shortly
after the initial burst of massive star formation in the galactic centers. The
globular clusters have a radial distribution that is more extended than that of
the stars because the clusters form as pressure-confined condensations in a
shell that is moving outward radially at high velocity. In addition the model
is consistent with existing observations of other global properties of globular
clusters, as far as comparisons can be made.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. The Astrophysical Journal (letters), in pres
Formation of intermediate-mass black holes in circumnuclear regions of galaxies
Recent high-resolution X-ray imaging studies have discovered possible
candidates of intermediate-mass black holes with masses of M_\bullet \sim
10^{2-4} \MO in circumnuclear regions of many (disk) galaxies. It is known
that a large number of massive stars are formed in a circumnuclear giant H {\sc
ii} region. Therefore, we propose that continual merger of compact remnants
left from these massive stars is responsible for the formation of such an
intermediate-mass black hole within a timescale of years. A
necessary condition is that several hundreds of massive stars are formed in a
compact region with a radius of a few pc.Comment: 11 pages, PASJ in pres
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