5,975 research outputs found
WQ 2059-247: An unusual high redshift X-ray cluster
X-ray, optical, and radio observations of a high redshift, Bautz-Morgan type I cluster of galaxies are reported. The cD galaxy contains a powerful, flat spectrum radio source coincident with the possibly stellar nucleus. The cluster is an extremely luminous X-ray source; however, unlike nearby luminous X-ray clusters the X-ray spectrum appears to be rather soft. Two possible interpretations of the soruces are suggested: either the intracluster gas is much cooler in high redshift clusters because they are less relaxed, or the X-ray and radio emissions from WQ 2059-247 are the result of a non thermal QSO/BL Lac type object in the nucleus of the cD
Chemical fractionation of siderophile elements in impactites from Australian meteorite craters
The abundance pattern of siderophile elements in terrestrial and lunar impact melt rocks was used extensively to infer the nature of the impacting projectiles. An implicit assumption made is that the siderophile abundance ratios of the projectiles are approximately preserved during mixing of the projectile constituents with the impact melts. As this mixture occurs during flow of strongly shocked materials at high temperatures, however there are grounds for suspecting that the underlying assumption is not always valid. In particular, fractionation of the melted and partly vaporized material of the projectile might be expected because of differences in volatility, solubility in silicate melts, and other characteristics of the constituent elements. Impactites from craters with associated meteorites offer special opportunities to test the assumptions on which projectile identifications are based and to study chemical fractionation that occurred during the impact process
Through the magnifying glass: ALMA acute viewing of the intricate nebular architecture of OH231.8+4.2
We present continuum and molecular line emission ALMA observations of OH
231.8+4.2, a well studied bipolar nebula around an asymptotic giant branch
(AGB) star. The high angular resolution (~0.2-0.3 arcsec) and sensitivity of
our ALMA maps provide the most detailed and accurate description of the overall
nebular structure and kinematics of this object to date. We have identified a
number of outflow components previously unknown. Species studied in this work
include 12CO, 13CO, CS, SO, SO2, OCS, SiO, SiS, H3O+, Na37Cl, and CH3OH. The
molecules Na37Cl and CH3OH are first detections in OH 231.8+4.2, with CH3OH
being also a first detection in an AGB star. Our ALMA maps bring to light the
totally unexpected position of the mass-losing AGB star (QX Pup) relative to
the large-scale outflow. QX Pup is enshrouded within a compact (<60 AU) parcel
of dust and gas (clump S) in expansion (V~5-7 km/s) that is displaced by
0.6arcsec to the south of the dense equatorial region (or waist) where the
bipolar lobes join. Our SiO maps disclose a compact bipolar outflow that
emerges from QX Pup's vicinity. This outflow is oriented similarly to the
large-scale nebula but the expansion velocities are about ten times lower (~35
km/s). We deduce short kinematical ages for the SiO outflow, ranging from
~50-80 yr, in regions within ~150 AU, to ~400-500 yr at the lobe tips (~3500
AU). Adjacent to the SiO outflow, we identify a small-scale hourglass-shaped
structure (mini-hourglass) that is probably made of compressed ambient material
formed as the SiO outflow penetrates the dense, central regions of the nebula.
The lobes and the equatorial waist of the mini-hourglass are both radially
expanding with a constant velocity gradient. The mini-waist is characterized by
extremely low velocities, down to ~1 km/s at ~150 AU, which tentatively suggest
the presence of a stable structure. (abridged
Parallelization of a Monte Carlo Ray Tracing Algorithm for Channel Modelling in Underwater Wireless Optical Communications
AbstractIn this paper, an algorithm to calculate the underwater wireless optical impulse response is presented. It is based on a modified Monte Carlo Ray Tracing algorithm and takes into account the most significant phenomena of the underwater channel. In order to reduce the simulation time, two parallelization schemes are proposed, one based on a multiprocessor architecture and other based on the use of GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). Several simulation results are presented, including scenario channel simulations and calculation of time computation complexity for each algorithm implementation
Evolution of the Cluster X-ray Luminosity Function
We report measurements of the cluster X-ray luminosity function out to z=0.8
based on the final sample of 201 galaxy systems from the 160 Square Degree
ROSAT Cluster Survey. There is little evidence for any measurable change in
cluster abundance out to z~0.6 at luminosities less than a few times 10^44
ergs/s (0.5-2.0 keV). However, between 0.6 < z < 0.8 and at luminosities above
10^44 ergs/s, the observed volume densities are significantly lower than those
of the present-day population. We quantify this cluster deficit using
integrated number counts and a maximum-likelihood analysis of the observed
luminosity-redshift distribution fit with a model luminosity function. The
negative evolution signal is >3 sigma regardless of the adopted local
luminosity function or cosmological framework. Our results and those from
several other surveys independently confirm the presence of evolution. Whereas
the bulk of the cluster population does not evolve, the most luminous and
presumably most massive structures evolve appreciably between z=0.8 and the
present. Interpreted in the context of hierarchical structure formation, we are
probing sufficiently large mass aggregations at sufficiently early times in
cosmological history where the Universe has yet to assemble these clusters to
present-day volume densities.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
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