1,306 research outputs found
Direct detection of galaxy stellar halos : NGC 3957 as a test case
We present a direct detection of the stellar halo of the edge-on S0 galaxy
NGC 3957, using ultra-deep VLT/VIMOS V and R images. This is achieved with a
sky subtraction strategy based on infrared techniques. These observations allow
us to reach unprecedented high signal-to-noise ratios up to 15 kpc away from
the galaxy center, rendering photon-noise negligible. The 1 sigma detection
limits are R = 30.6 mag/arcsec^2 and V = 31.4 mag/arcsec^2. We conduct a
thorough analysis of the possible sources of systematic errors that could
affect the data: flat-fielding, differences in CCD responses, scaling of the
sky background, the extended halo itself, and PSF wings. We conclude that the
V-R colour of the NGC 3957 halo, calculated between 5 and 8 kpc above the disc
plane where the systematic errors are modest, is consistent with an old and
preferentially metal-poor normal stellar population, like that revealed in
nearby galaxy halos from studies of their resolved stellar content. We do not
find support for the extremely red colours found in earlier studies of diffuse
halo emission, which we suggest might have been due to residual systematic
errors.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A - "language edited
Firedec: a two-channel finite-resolution image deconvolution algorithm
We present a two-channel deconvolution method that decomposes images into a
parametric point-source channel and a pixelized extended-source channel. Based
on the central idea of the deconvolution algorithm proposed by Magain, Courbin
& Sohy (1998), the method aims at improving the resolution of the data rather
than at completely removing the point spread function (PSF). Improvements over
the original method include a better regularization of the pixel channel of the
image, based on wavelet filtering and multiscale analysis, and a better
controlled separation of the point source vs. the extended source. In addition,
the method is able to simultaneously deconvolve many individual frames of the
same object taken with different instruments under different PSF conditions.
For this purpose, we introduce a general geometric transformation between
individual images. This transformation allows the combination of the images
without having to interpolate them. We illustrate the capability of our
algorithm using real and simulated images with complex diffraction-limited PSF.Comment: Accepted in A&A. An application of the technique to real data is
available in Cantale et al. http://arxiv.org/abs/1601.05192v
The Metallicity Distribution Function of Field Stars in M31's Bulge
We have used Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2
observations to construct a color-magnitude diagram (CMD) for the bulge of M31
at a location ~1.6 kpc from the galaxy's center. Using scaled-solar abundance
theoretical red giant branches with a range of metallicities, we have
translated the observed colors of the stars in the CMD to abundances and
constructed a metallicity distribution function (MDF) for this region. The MDF
shows a peak at [M/H]~0 with a steep decline at higher metallicities and a more
gradual tail to lower metallicities. This is similar in shape to the MDF of the
Milky Way bulge but shifted to higher metallicities by ~0.1 dex. As is the case
with the Milky Way bulge MDF, a pure closed box model of chemical evolution,
even with significant pre-enrichment, appears to be inconsistent with the M31
bulge MDF. However, a scenario in which an initial infall of gas enriched the
bulge to an abundance of [M/H] ~ -1.6 with subsequent evolution proceeding as a
closed box provides a better fit to the observed MDF. The similarity between
the MDF of the M31 bulge and that of the Milky Way stands in stark contrast to
the significant differences in the MDFs of their halo populations. This
suggests that the bulk of the stars in the bulges of both galaxies were in
place before the accretion events that occurred in the halos could influence
them.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in The Astronomical
Journal, October 200
Characterization of separability and entanglement in - and -dimensional systems by single-qubit and single-qutrit unitary transformations
We investigate the geometric characterization of pure state bipartite
entanglement of - and -dimensional composite
quantum systems. To this aim, we analyze the relationship between states and
their images under the action of particular classes of local unitary
operations. We find that invariance of states under the action of single-qubit
and single-qutrit transformations is a necessary and sufficient condition for
separability. We demonstrate that in the -dimensional case the
von Neumann entropy of entanglement is a monotonic function of the minimum
squared Euclidean distance between states and their images over the set of
single qubit unitary transformations. Moreover, both in the - and
in the -dimensional cases the minimum squared Euclidean distance
exactly coincides with the linear entropy (and thus as well with the tangle
measure of entanglement in the -dimensional case). These results
provide a geometric characterization of entanglement measures originally
established in informational frameworks. Consequences and applications of the
formalism to quantum critical phenomena in spin systems are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur
The Outskrits of Spiral Galaxies: Evidence for Multiple Stellar Populations
We present an analysis of the metallicity distribution functions of fields
projected along the minor axis for a sample of inclined spiral galaxies in
order to search for evidence of the presence of multiple stellar populations.
In all cases, the stellar populations appear to have asymmetric metallicity
distributions with very high confidence levels. The mean metallicities of both
stellar subpopulations, determined from mixture modelling of the metallicity
distribution functions, correlate with parent galaxy luminosity. This suggests
that the vast majority of field stars have probably formed in galactic
fragments that were already embedded in the dark matter halo of the final
galaxy. The steeper correlation between the mean stellar metallicity and parent
galaxy luminosity is driven by an increasing fraction of metal-rich stars with
increasing galaxy luminosity. Metal-poor components show larger dispersion in
metallicity than metal-rich components. These properties are in striking
similarity with those of globular cluster subpopulations around early-type
galaxies. The properties of field stars along the minor axis are consistent
with a formation scenario in which the metal-poor stars formed in all galaxies,
possibly as a result of tidal disruption of dwarf-like objects. An additional
metal-rich component might be related to the formation of the bulge and/or the
disk.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. ApJ, accepte
Impact Evaluation by Using Text Mining and Sentiment Analysis
Web surveys in higher education are particularly important for assessing the quality of academic teaching and learning. Traditionally, mainly quantitative data is used for quality assessment. Increasingly, questions are being raised about the impact of attitudes of the individuals involved. Therefore, especially the analysis of open-ended text responses in web surveys offers the potential for impact evaluation. Despite the fact that qualitative text mining and sentiment analysis are being introduced in other research areas, these instruments are still slowly gaining access to evaluation research. On the one hand, there is a lack of methodological expertise to deal with large numbers of text responses (e.g. via semantic analysis, linguistically supported coding, etc.). On the other hand, deficiencies in interdisciplinary expertise are identified in order to be able to contextualize the results. The following contribution aims to address these issues.
The presentation will contribute to the field of impact evaluation and reveals methodological implications for the development of text mining and sentiment analysis in evaluation processes
Spectral Energy Distributions and Age Estimates of 172 Globular Clusters in M31
In this paper we present CCD multicolor photometry for 172 globular clusters
(GCs), taken from the Bologna catalog (Battistini et al. 1987), in the nearby
spiral galaxy M31. The observations were carried out by using the National
Astronomical Observatories 60/90 cm Schmidt Telescope in 13 intermediate-band
filters, which covered a range of wavelength from 3800 to 10000A. This provides
a multicolor map of M31 in pixels of 1.7"*1.7". By aperture photometry, we
obtain the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for these GCs. Using the
relationship between the BATC intermediate-band system used for the
observations and the UBVRI broad-band system, the magnitudes in the B and V
bands are derived. The computed V and B-V are in agreement with the values
given by Battistini et al. (1987) and Barmby et al. (2000). Finally, by
comparing the photometry of each GC with theoretical stellar population
synthesis models, we estimate ages of the sample GCs for different
metallicities. The results show that nearly all our sample GCs have ages more
than 10^{9} years, and most of them are around 10^{10} years old. Also, we find
that GCs fitted by the metal-poor model are generally older than ones fitted by
the metal-rich model.Comment: 38 pages, 7 figures will appear in the February 2003 issue of A
Simulations and measurements of the TTF phase-1 injector gun
International audienceThe TTF phase-1 injector will use a conventional thermionic triode gun as its electron source. The temporal structure of the injector will be obtained by the application of fast (<1 ns) pulses to the gun cathode. As it is necessary to operate the injector at a fixed average macropulse current of 8 mA, while having the ability to vary the repetition frequency of the micropulses, the gun has to function at peak currents varying from 100 mA to 400 mA. We report on both measurements and simulations (using EGUN) of the current-voltage characteristics of the TTF gun. In addition we report on measurements of the emittance of the gun over a limited range of current and voltage. The emittance is seen to be dependent upon the operating perveance and is smallest for perveances closest to the space-charge limited valu
Carbon and nitrogen abundances of individual stars in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy
We present [C/Fe] and [N/Fe] abundance ratios and CH({\lambda}4300) and
S({\lambda}3883) index measurements for 94 red giant branch (RGB) stars in the
Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy from VLT/VIMOS MOS observations at a resolving
power R= 1150 at 4020 {\AA}. This is the first time that [N/Fe] abundances are
derived for a large number of stars in a dwarf spheroidal. We found a trend for
the [C/Fe] abundance to decrease with increasing luminosity on the RGB across
the whole metallicity range, a phenomenon observed in both field and globular
cluster giants, which can be interpreted in the framework of evolutionary
mixing of partially processed CNO material. Both our measurements of [C/Fe] and
[N/Fe] are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions for stars at
similar luminosity and metallicity. We detected a dispersion in the carbon
abundance at a given [Fe/H], which cannot be ascribed to measurement
uncertainties alone. We interpret this observational evidence as the result of
the contribution of different nucleosynthesis sources over time to a not
well-mixed interstellar medium. We report the discovery of two new
carbon-enhanced, metal-poor stars. These are likely the result of pollution
from material enriched by asymptotic giant branch stars, as indicated by our
estimates of [Ba/Fe]> +1. We also attempted a search for dissolved globular
clusters in the field of the galaxy by looking for the distinctive C-N pattern
of second population globular clusters stars in a previously detected, very
metal-poor, chemodynamical substructure. We do not detect chemical anomalies
among this group of stars. However, small number statistics and limited spatial
coverage do not allow us to exclude the hypotheses that this substructure forms
part of a tidally shredded globular cluster.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, 3 tables. Accepted to A&
HST-NICMOS Observations of M31's Metal Rich Globular Clusters and Their Surrounding Fields: I. Techniques
We have obtained HST-NICMOS observations of five of M31's most metal rich
globular clusters. These data allow photometry of individual stars in the
clusters and their surrounding fields. However, to achieve our goals -- obtain
accurate luminosity functions to compare with their Galactic counterparts,
determine metallicities from the slope of the giant branch, identify long
period variables, and estimate ages from the AGB tip luminosity, we must be
able to disentangle the true properties of the population from the
observational effects associated with measurements made in very crowded fields.
In this paper we present a careful analysis of photometry in crowded regions,
and show how image blending affects the results and interpretation of such
data. Although this analysis is specifically for our NICMOS observations in
M31, the techniques we develop can be applied to any imaging data taken in
crowded fields; we show how the effects of image blending will even limit NGST.
We use three different techniques to analyze the effects of crowding on our
data, including the insertion of artificial stars (traditional completeness
tests) and the creation of completely artificial clusters. They are used to
derive threshold- and critical-blending radii for each cluster, which determine
how close to the cluster center reliable photometry can be achieved. The
simulations also allow us to quantify and correct for the effects of blending
on the slope and width of the RGB at different surface brightness levels.Comment: AAS LaTeX v5.0, 18 pages. Submitted to the A
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