14,507 research outputs found
The Neutral Hydrogen Distribution in Merging Galaxies: Differences between Stellar and Gaseous Tidal Morphologies
We have mapped the neutral atomic gas (HI) in the three disk-disk merger
systems NGC 520, Arp 220, and Arp 299. These systems differ from the majority
of the mergers mapped in HI, in that their stellar and gaseous tidal features
do not coincide. In particular, they exhibit large stellar tidal features with
little if any accompanying neutral gas and large gas-rich tidal features with
little if any accompanying starlight. On smaller scales, there are striking
anti-correlations where the gaseous and stellar tidal features appear to cross.
We explore several possible causes for these differences, including dust
obscuration, ram pressure stripping, and ionization effects. No single
explanation can account for all of the observed differences. The fact that each
of these systems shows evidence for a starburst driven superwind expanding in
the direction of the most striking anti-correlations leads us to suggest that
the superwind is primarily responsible for the observed differences, either by
sweeping the features clear of gas via ram pressure, or by excavating a clear
sightline towards the starburst and allowing UV photons to ionize regions of
the tails.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, uses emulateapj.sty. To appear in the March 2000
issue of AJ. Version with full resolution figures is available via
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~jhibbard/HIdisp/HIdisp.htm
Model-Independent Constraints on Dark Energy Density from Flux-averaging Analysis of Type Ia Supernova Data
We reconstruct the dark energy density as a free function from
current type Ia supernova (SN Ia) data (Tonry et al. 2003; Barris et al. 2003;
Knop et al. 2003), together with the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) shift
parameter from CMB data (WMAP, CBI, and ACBAR), and the large scale structure
(LSS) growth factor from 2dF galaxy survey data. We parametrize as
a continuous function, given by interpolating its amplitudes at equally spaced
values in the redshift range covered by SN Ia data, and a constant at
larger (where is only weakly constrained by CMB data). We
assume a flat universe, and use the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique
in our analysis. We find that the dark energy density is constant
for 0 \la z \la 0.5 and increases with redshift for 0.5 \la z \la 1 at
68.3% confidence level, but is consistent with a constant at 95% confidence
level. For comparison, we also give constraints on a constant equation of state
for the dark energy.
Flux-averaging of SN Ia data is required to yield cosmological parameter
constraints that are free of the bias induced by weak gravitational lensing
\citep{Wang00b}. We set up a consistent framework for flux-averaging analysis
of SN Ia data, based on \cite{Wang00b}. We find that flux-averaging of SN Ia
data leads to slightly lower and smaller time-variation in
. This suggests that a significant increase in the number of SNe Ia
from deep SN surveys on a dedicated telescope \citep{Wang00a} is needed to
place a robust constraint on the time-dependence of the dark energy density.Comment: Slightly revised in presentation, ApJ accepted. One color figure
shows rho_X(z) reconstructed from dat
The geometrically-averaged density of states as a measure of localization
Motivated by current interest in disordered systems of interacting electrons,
the effectiveness of the geometrically averaged density of states,
, as an order parameter for the Anderson transition is
examined. In the context of finite-size systems we examine complications which
arise from finite energy resolution. Furthermore we demonstrate that even in
infinite systems a decline in with increasing disorder
strength is not uniquely associated with localization.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures; revised text and figure
The dynamic dipole polarizabilities of the Li atom and the Be+ ion
The dynamic dipole polarizabilities for the Li atom and the Be+ ion in the 2s
and 2p states are calculated using the variational method with a Hylleraas
basis. The present polarizabilities represent the definitive values in the
non-relativistic limit. Corrections due to relativistic effects are also
estimated. Analytic representations of the polarizabilities for frequency
ranges encompassing the n=3 excitations are presented. The recommended
polarizabilities for ^7Li and ^9Be+ were 164.11 \pm 0.03 a.u. and 24.489 \pm
0.004 a.u.
False vacuum decay in Jordan-Brans-Dicke cosmologies
The bubble nucleation rate in a first-order phase transition taking place in a background Jordan-Brans-Dicke cosmology is examined. The leading order terms in the nucleation rate when the Jordan-Brans-Dicke field is large (i.e., late times) are computed by means of a Weyl rescaling of the fields in the theory. It is found that despite the fact that the Jordan-Brans-Dicke field (hence the effective gravitational constant) has a time dependence in the false vacuum at late times the nucleation rate is time independent
Fiber-diffraction Interferometer using Coherent Fiber Optic Taper
We present a fiber-diffraction interferometer using a coherent fiber optic
taper for optical testing in an uncontrolled environment. We use a coherent
fiber optic taper and a single-mode fiber having thermally-expanded core. Part
of the measurement wave coming from a test target is condensed through a fiber
optic taper and spatially filtered from a single-mode fiber to be reference
wave. Vibration of the cavity between the target and the interferometer probe
is common to both reference and measurement waves, thus the interference fringe
is stabilized in an optical way. Generation of the reference wave is stable
even with the target movement. Focus shift of the input measurement wave is
desensitized by a coherent fiber optic taper
Wavelength-swept Tm-doped fiber laser operating in the two-micron wavelength band
A wavelength-swept thulium-doped silica fiber laser using an intracavity rotating slotted-disk wavelength scanning filter in combination with an intracavity solid etalon for passive control of temporal and spectral profiles is reported. The laser yielded a wavelength swept output in a step-wise fashion with each laser pulse separated from the previous pulse by a frequency interval equal to the free-spectral-range of the etalon and with an instantaneous linewidth of <0.05 nm. Scanning ranges from 1905 nm to 2049 nm for a cladding-pumping laser configuration, and from 1768 nm to 1956 nm for a core-pumping laser configuration were achieved at average output powers up to ~1 W
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