1,442 research outputs found
A First Comparison of the SBF Survey Distances with the Galaxy Density Field: Implications for H_0 and Omega
We compare the peculiar velocities measured in the SBF Survey of Galaxy
Distances with the predictions from the density fields of the IRAS 1.2 Jy
flux-limited redshift survey and the Optical Redshift Survey (ORS) to derive
simultaneous constraints on the Hubble constant and the density parameter
, where is the linear bias. We find
and for the IRAS and ORS
comparisons, respectively, and \kmsMpc (with an additional 9%
uncertainty due to the Cepheids themselves). The match between predicted and
observed peculiar velocities is good for these values of and , and
although there is covariance between the two parameters, our results clearly
point toward low-density cosmologies. Thus, the unresolved discrepancy between
the ``velocity-velocity'' and ``density-density'' measurements of
continues.Comment: 4 pages with 3 embedded ps figures; uses emulateapj.sty (included).
Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Redshifts of the Gravitational Lenses MG1131+0456 and B1938+666
The redshifts of the gravitational lens galaxies in MG1131+0456 and B1938+666
are 0.844 and 0.881 respectively. Both are early-type galaxies lying at the
redshifts predicted by assuming that they are early-type galaxies with old
stellar populations lying on the fundamental plane. We also find evidence for a
foreground group of galaxies at z=0.343 near MG1131+0456. The source redshifts
are predicted to be >1.8 in both systems, but they are so red that infrared
spectra will be required to determine their redshifts.Comment: 10 pages, AASTeX Latex, including 1 JPEG and 2 postscript figures,
submitted to Astronomical Journal Minor typos fixe
Redshift-Independent Distances to Type Ia Supernovae
We describe a procedure for accurately determining luminosity distances to
Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) without knowledge of redshift. This procedure,
which may be used as an extension of any of the various distance determination
methods currently in use, is based on marginalizing over redshift, removing the
requirement of knowing a priori. We demonstrate that the Hubble diagram
scatter of distances measured with this technique is approximately equal to
that of distances derived from conventional redshift-specific methods for a set
of 60 nearby SNe Ia. This indicates that accurate distances for cosmological
SNe Ia may be determined without the requirement of spectroscopic redshifts,
which are typically the limiting factor for the number of SNe that modern
surveys can collect. Removing this limitation would greatly increase the number
of SNe for which current and future SN surveys will be able to accurately
measure distance. The method may also be able to be used for high- SNe Ia to
determine cosmological density parameters without redshift information.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysical
Journal Letter
Tomography of Collisionless Stellar Systems
In this paper the concept of tomography of a collisionless stellar system of
general shape is introduced, and a generalization of the Projected Virial
Theorem is obtained. Applying the tomographic procedure we then derive a new
family of virial equations which coincides with the already known ones for
spherically symmetric systems. This result is obtained without any use of
explicit expressions for the line-of-sight velocity dispersion, or spherical
coordinate system.Comment: BAP-06-1994-016-OAB. 7 pages, postscript file. In press on Celestial
Mechanic
Discovery of Non-radial pulsations in PQ Andromedae
We have detected pulsations in time-series photometry of the WZ Sge dwarf
nova PQ And. The strongest peak in the power spectrum occurs at a period of
10.5 minutes. Similar periods have been observed in other WZ Sge systems and
are attributed to ZZ Ceti type non-radial pulsations. There is no indication in
the photometry of an approximately 1.7 hour orbital period as reported in
previous spectroscopic observations.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Asymmetric Drift and the Stellar Velocity Ellipsoid
We present the decomposition of the stellar velocity ellipsoid using stellar
velocity dispersions within a 40 deg wedge about the major-axis (sigma_maj),
the epicycle approximation, and the asymmetric drift equation. Thus, we employ
no fitted forms for sigma_maj and escape interpolation errors resulting from
comparisons of the major and minor axes. We apply the theoretical construction
of the method to integral field data taken for NGC 3949 and NGC 3982. We derive
the vertical-to-radial velocity dispersion ratio (sigma_z / sigma_R) and find
(1) our decomposition method is accurate and reasonable, (2) NGC 3982 appears
to be rather typical of an Sb type galaxy with sigma_z / sigma_R = 0.73
(+0.13/-0.11) despite its high surface brightness and small size, and (3) NGC
3949 has a hot disk with sigma_z / sigma_R = 1.18 (+0.36/-0.28).Comment: 4 pages including 3 figures, to appear in "Island Universes:
Structure and Evolution of Disk Galaxies", Terschelling, Netherlands, July
3-8, 200
The Rate of Type Ia Supernovae at High Redshift
We derive the rates of Type Ia supernovae (SNIa) over a wide range of
redshifts using a complete sample from the IfA Deep Survey. This sample of more
than 100 SNIa is the largest set ever collected from a single survey, and
therefore uniquely powerful for a detailed supernova rate (SNR) calculation.
Measurements of the SNR as a function of cosmological time offer a glimpse into
the relationship between the star formation rate (SFR) and Type Ia SNR, and may
provide evidence for the progenitor pathway. We observe a progressively
increasing Type Ia SNR between redshifts z~0.3-0.8. The Type Ia SNR
measurements are consistent with a short time delay (t~1 Gyr) with respect to
the SFR, indicating a fairly prompt evolution of SNIa progenitor systems. We
derive a best-fit value of SFR/SNR 580 h_70^(-2) M_solar/SNIa for the
conversion factor between star formation and SNIa rates, as determined for a
delay time of t~1 Gyr between the SFR and the Type Ia SNR. More complete
measurements of the Type Ia SNR at z>1 are necessary to conclusively determine
the SFR--SNR relationship and constrain SNIa evolutionary pathways.Comment: 37 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysical
Journal. Figures 7-9 correcte
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