1,012 research outputs found
The Cluster of Galaxies Abell 970
We present a dynamical analysis of the galaxy cluster Abell 970 based on a
new set of radial velocities measured at ESO, Pic du Midi and Haute-Provence
observatories. Our analysis indicates that this cluster has a substructure and
is out of dynamical equilibrium. This conclusion is also supported by
differences in the positions of the peaks of the surface density distribution
and X-ray emission, as well as by the evidence of a large scale velocity
gradient in the cluster. We also found a discrepancy between the masses
inferred with the virial theorem and with the X-ray emission, what is expected
if the galaxies and the gas inside the cluster are not in hydrostatic
equilibrium. Abell 970 has a modest cooling flow, as is expected if it is out
of equilibrium as suggested by Allen (1998). We propose that cooling flows may
have an intermittent behavior, with phases of massive cooling flows being
followed by phases without significant cooling flows after the acretion of a
galaxy group massive enough to disrupt the dynamical equilibrium in the center
of the clusters. A massive cooling flow will be established again, after a new
equilibrium is achieved.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, submitted to A&
A Dark Core in Abell 520
The rich cluster Abell 520 (z=0.201) exhibits truly extreme and puzzling
multi-wavelength characteristics. It may best be described as a "cosmic train
wreck." It is a major merger showing abundant evidence for ram pressure
stripping, with a clear offset in the gas distribution compared to the galaxies
(as in the bullet cluster 1E 0657-558). However, the most striking feature is a
massive dark core (721 h_70 M_sun/L_sun) in our weak lensing mass
reconstruction. The core coincides with the central X-ray emission peak, but is
largely devoid of galaxies. An unusually low mass to light ratio region lies
500 kpc to the east, and coincides with a shock feature visible in radio
observations of the cluster. Although a displacement between the X-ray gas and
the galaxy/dark matter distributions may be expected in a merger, a mass peak
without galaxies cannot be easily explained within the current collisionless
dark matter paradigm. Interestingly, the integrated gas mass fraction (~0.15),
mass-to-light ratio (220 h_70 M_sun/L_sun), and position on the X-ray
luminosity-temperature and mass-temperature relations are unremarkable. Thus
gross properties and scaling relations are not always useful indicators of the
dynamical state of clusters.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journal, higher resolution version at http://visav.phys.uvic.ca/~amahdav
The cluster of galaxies Abell 376
We present a dynamical analysis of the galaxy cluster Abell 376 based on a
set of 73 velocities, most of them measured at Pic du Midi and Haute-Provence
observatories and completed with data from the literature. Data on individual
galaxies are presented and the accuracy of the determined velocities is
discussed as well as some properties of the cluster. We obtained an improved
mean redshift value z=0.0478^{+0.005}_{-0.006} and velocity dispersion
sigma=852^{+120}_{-76}km/s. Our analysis indicates that inside a radius of
900h_{70}^{-1}kpc (15 arcmin) the cluster is well relaxed without any
remarkable feature and the X-ray emission traces fairly well the galaxy
distribution. A possible substructure is seen at 20 arcmin from the centre
towards the Southwest direction, but is not confirmed by the velocity field.
This SW clump is, however, kinematically bound to the main structure of Abell
376. A dense condensation of galaxies is detected at 46 arcmin (projected
distance 2.6h_{70}^{-1}Mpc) from the centre towards the Northwest and analysis
of the apparent luminosity distribution of its galaxies suggests that this
clump is part of the large scale structure of Abell 376. X-ray spectroscopic
analysis of ASCA data resulted in a temperature kT = 4.3+/-0.4 keV and metal
abundance Z = 0.32+/-0.08 Z_solar. The velocity dispersion corresponding to
this temperature using the T_X-sigma scaling relation is in agreement with the
measured galaxies velocities.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Quantum-Classical Crossover and Apparent Metal-Insulator Transition in a Weakly Interacting 2D Fermi Liquid
We report the observation of a parallel magnetic field induced
metal-insulator transition (MIT) in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron
gas (2DEG) for which spin and localization physics most likely play no major
role. The high-mobility metallic phase at low field is consistent with the
established Fermi liquid transport theory including phonon scattering, whereas
the insulating phase at higher field shows a large negative temperature
dependence at resistances much smaller than the quantum of resistance, .
We argue that this observation is a direct manifestation of a quantum-classical
crossover arising predominantly from the magneto-orbital coupling between the
finite width of the 2DEG and the in-plane magnetic field.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Competing types of quantum oscillations in the 2D organic conductor (BEDT-TTF)8Hg4Cl12(C6H5Cl)2
Interlayer magnetoconductance of the quasi-two dimensional organic metal
(BEDT-TTF)8Hg4Cl12(C6H5Cl)2 has been investigated in pulsed magnetic fields
extending up to 36 T and in the temperature range from 1.6 to 15 K. A complex
oscillatory spectrum, built on linear combinations of three basic frequencies
only is observed. These basic frequencies arise from the compensated closed
hole and electron orbits and from the two orbits located in between. The field
and temperature dependencies of the amplitude of the various oscillation series
are studied within the framework of the coupled orbits model of Falicov and
Stachowiak. This analysis reveals that these series result from the
contribution of either conventional Shubnikov-de Haas effect (SdH) or quantum
interference (QI), both of them being induced by magnetic breakthrough.
Nevertheless, discrepancies between experimental and calculated parameters
indicate that these phenomena alone cannot account for all of the data. Due to
its low effective mass, one of the QI oscillation series - which corresponds to
the whole first Brillouin zone area - is clearly observed up to 13 K.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev.
Fermi-surface reconstruction and two-carrier model for the Hall effect in YBa2Cu4O8
Pulsed field measurements of the Hall resistivity and magnetoresistance of
underdoped YBa2Cu4O8 are analyzed self-consistently using a simple model based
on coexisting electron and hole carriers. The resultant mobilities and Hall
numbers are found to vary markedly with temperature. The conductivity of the
hole carriers drops by one order of magnitude below 30 K, explaining the
absence of quantum oscillations from these particular pockets. Meanwhile the
Hall coefficient of the electron carriers becomes strongly negative below 50 K.
The overall quality of the fits not only provides strong evidence for
Fermi-surface reconstruction in Y-based cuprates, it also strongly constrains
the type of reconstruction that might be occurring.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, updated after publication in Physical Review B
(Rapid Communication
Differential effects of SARS-CoV-2 variants on central nervous system cells and blood-brain barrier functions
BACKGROUND: Although mainly causing a respiratory syndrome, numerous neurological symptoms have been identified following of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, how the virus affects the brain and how the mutations carried by the different variants modulate those neurological symptoms remain unclear. METHODS: We used primary human pericytes, foetal astrocytes, endothelial cells and a microglial cell line to investigate the effect of several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern or interest on their functional activities. Cells and a 3D blood-brain barrier model were infected with the wild-type form of SARS-CoV-2, Alpha, Beta, Delta, Eta, or Omicron (BA.1) variants at various MOI. Cells and supernatant were used to evaluate cell susceptibility to the virus using a microscopic assay as well as effects of infection on (i) cell metabolic activity using a colorimetric MTS assay; (ii) viral cytopathogenicity using the xCELLigence system; (iii) extracellular glutamate concentration by fluorometric assay; and (iv) modulation of blood-brain barrier permeability. RESULTS: We demonstrate that productive infection of brain cells is SARS-CoV-2 variant dependent and that all the variants induce stress to CNS cells. The wild-type virus was cytopathic to all cell types except astrocytes, whilst Alpha and Beta variants were only cytopathic for pericytes, and the Omicron variant cytopathic for endothelial cells and pericytes. Lastly wild-type virus increases blood-brain barrier permeability and all variants, except Beta, modulate extracellular glutamate concentration, which can lead to excitotoxicity or altered neurotransmission. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is neurotropic, with deleterious consequences for the blood-brain barrier integrity and central nervous system cells, which could underlie neurological disorders following SARS-CoV-2 infection
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