457 research outputs found
How neutral is the intergalactic medium surrounding the redshift z=7.085 quasar ULAS J1120+0641?
The quasar ULAS J1120+0641 at redshift z=7.085 has a highly ionised near zone
which is smaller than those around quasars of similar luminosity at z~6. The
spectrum also exhibits evidence for a damping wing extending redward of the
systemic Lya redshift. We use radiative transfer simulations in a cosmological
context to investigate the implications for the ionisation state of the
inhomogeneous IGM surrounding this quasar. Our simulations show that the
transmission profile is consistent with an IGM in the vicinity of the quasar
with a volume averaged HI fraction of f_HI>0.1 and that ULAS J1120+0641 has
been bright for 10^6--10^7 yr. The observed spectrum is also consistent with
smaller IGM neutral fractions, f_HI ~ 10^-3--10-4, if a damped Lya system in an
otherwise highly ionised IGM lies within 5 proper Mpc of the quasar. This is,
however, predicted to occur in only ~5 per cent of our simulated sight-lines
for a bright phase of 10^6--10^7 yr. Unless ULAS J1120+0641 grows during a
previous optically obscured phase, the low age inferred for the quasar adds to
the theoretical challenge of forming a 2x10^9 M_sol black hole at this high
redshift.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted to MNRAS letter
21-cm cosmology
Imaging the Universe during the first hundreds of millions of years remains
one of the exciting challenges facing modern cosmology. Observations of the
redshifted 21 cm line of atomic hydrogen offer the potential of opening a new
window into this epoch. This would transform our understanding of the formation
of the first stars and galaxies and of the thermal history of the Universe. A
new generation of radio telescopes is being constructed for this purpose with
the first results starting to trickle in. In this review, we detail the physics
that governs the 21 cm signal and describe what might be learnt from upcoming
observations. We also generalize our discussion to intensity mapping of other
atomic and molecular lines.Comment: 64 pages, 20 figures, submitted to Reports on Progress in Physics,
comments welcom
Cooling of Dark-Matter Admixed Neutron Stars with density-dependent Equation of State
We propose a dark-matter (DM) admixed density-dependent equation of state
where the fermionic DM interacts with the nucleons via Higgs portal. Presence
of DM can hardly influence the particle distribution inside neutron star (NS)
but can significantly affect the structure as well as equation of state (EOS)
of NS. Introduction of DM inside NS softens the equation of state. We explored
the effect of variation of DM mass and DM Fermi momentum on the NS EOS.
Moreover, DM-Higgs coupling is constrained using dark matter direct detection
experiments. Then, we studied cooling of normal NSs using APR and DD2 EOSs and
DM admixed NSs using dark-matter modified DD2 with varying DM mass and Fermi
momentum. We have done our analysis by considering different NS masses. Also DM
mass and DM Fermi momentum are varied for fixed NS mass and DM-Higgs coupling.
We calculated the variations of luminosity and temperature of NS with time for
all EOSs considered in our work and then compared our calculations with the
observed astronomical cooling data of pulsars namely Cas A, RX J0822-43, 1E
1207-52, RX J0002+62, XMMU J17328, PSR B1706-44, Vela, PSR B2334+61, PSR
B0656+14, Geminga, PSR B1055-52 and RX J0720.4-3125. It is found that APR EOS
agrees well with the pulsar data for lighter and medium mass NSs but cooling is
very fast for heavier NS. For DM admixed DD2 EOS, it is found that for all
considered NS masses, all chosen DM masses and Fermi momenta agree well with
the observational data of PSR B0656+14, Geminga, Vela, PSR B1706-44 and PSR
B2334+61. Cooling becomes faster as compared to normal NSs in case of
increasing DM mass and Fermi momenta. It is infered from the calculations that
if low mass super cold NSs are observed in future that may support the fact
that heavier WIMP can be present inside neutron stars.Comment: 24 Pages, 15 Figures and 2 Tables. Version accepted in The European
Physical Journal
The holistic phase model of early adult crisis
The objective of the current study was to explore the structural, temporal and experiential manifestations of crisis episodes in early adulthood, using a holistic-systemic theoretical framework. Based on an analysis of 50 interviews with individuals about a crisis episode between the ages of 25 and 35, a holistic model was developed. The model comprises four phases: (1) Locked-in, (2) Separation/Time-out, (3) Exploration and (4) Rebuilding, which in turn have characteristic features at four levels—person-in-environment, identity, motivation and affect-cognition. A crisis starts out with a commitment at work or home that has been made but is no longer desired, and this is followed by an emotionally volatile period of change as that commitment is terminated. The positive trajectory of crisis involves movement through an exploratory period towards active rebuilding of a new commitment, but ‘fast-forward’ and ‘relapse’ loops can interrupt Phases 3 and 4 and make a positive resolution of the episode less likely. The model shows conceptual links with life stage theories of emerging adulthood and early adulthood, and it extends current understandings of the transitional developmental challenges that young adults encounter
The EoR Sensitivity of the Murchison Widefield Array
Using the final 128 antenna locations of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA),
we calculate its sensitivity to the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) power spectrum
of red- shifted 21 cm emission for a fiducial model and provide the tools to
calculate the sensitivity for any model. Our calculation takes into account
synthesis rotation, chro- matic and asymmetrical baseline effects, and excludes
modes that will be contaminated by foreground subtraction. For the fiducial
model, the MWA will be capable of a 14{\sigma} detection of the EoR signal with
one full season of observation on two fields (900 and 700 hours).Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, Accepted for publication in MNRAS
Letters. Supplementary material will be available in the published version,
or by contacting the author
“I passed the test!” Evidence of diagnostic misconception in the recruitment of population controls for an H3Africa genomic study in Cape Town, South Africa
The Co-Formation of Spheroids and Quasars Traced in their Clustering
We compare observed clustering of quasars and galaxies as a function of
redshift, mass, luminosity, & color/morphology, to constrain models of quasar
fueling and spheroid-BH co-evolution. High redshift quasars are shown to be
drawn from progenitors of local early-type galaxies, with the characteristic
quasar luminosity L* reflecting a characteristic mass of 'active' BH/host
populations at each redshift. Evolving observed high-z quasar clustering to z=0
predicts a trend of clustering in 'quasar remnants' as a function of stellar
mass identical to that observed for early-types. However, quasar clustering
does not simply reflect observed early (or late)-type populations; at each
redshift, quasars cluster as an 'intermediate' population. Comparing with the
age of elliptical stellar populations reveals that this 'intermediate'
population represents those ellipticals undergoing or terminating their final
significant star formation at each epoch. Assuming that quasar triggering is
associated with the formation/termination epoch of ellipticals predicts quasar
clustering at all observed redshifts without any model dependence or
assumptions about quasar light curves, lifetimes, or accretion rates. This is
not true for disks or quasar halos: i.e. quasars do not generically trace star
formation, disks, or halo assembly. Quasar clustering at all z is consistent
with a constant halo mass ~4x10^{12} M_sun, similar to local 'group scales.'
The observations support a scenario in which major mergers trigger quasar
activity and dominate bright, high-z quasar populations. We show that
measurements of quasar clustering versus luminosity at z~1 can be used to
constrain different lower-luminosity AGN fueling mechanisms, and that high-z
clustering is sensitive to whether or not systems 'shut down' growth at z>3.Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures. Accepted to ApJ. Minor revisions to match
published versio
Ageing Simulation in Health and Social Care Education: A mixed methods systematic review
Abstract
Aim: To identify, evaluate and summarise evidence from qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies conducted utilising age-suits or other age simulation equipment, with health and social care students.
Design: Convergent segregated mixed method review design as outlined by the Johanna Briggs Institute
Data Sources: CINAHL (+ with Full Text), MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, SocINDEX, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Emerald Insight, Proquest nursing, Science Direct, Wiley Online and BioMed Central (January 2000 – January 2020)
Review methods: Convergent segregated synthesis was used to synthesise evidence from the studies, and the MERSQI checklist used to appraise quality.
Results: A total of 23 studies were reviewed: one randomised control, two post-test only randomised control, three quasi-experimental, 15 one-group pre / post studies and two qualitative studies. Of the seventeen studies carrying out inferential statistics on attitude scores post intervention, 11 reported an improvement, three indicated no significant change and three reported worsening scores. Key themes included use of appropriate scales, type of equipment utilised, location and length of interactions, debriefing, and contextualisation of interventions in broader teaching.
Conclusion: The impact of ageing simulation interventions on health and social care student’s attitudes to older people was predominantly positive. However, further high-quality research is warranted to understand the optimal use of such interventions within the context of healthcare for a growing ageing population.
Impact: It is important health and social care staff have appropriate knowledge and training to enable them to provide high quality care to older people, and challenge potential ageism in the system. This review adds to the body of work around the use of simulation and experiential learning to educate health and social care students regarding ageing and ageism. It also offers recommendations for using ageing simulations effectively to inform attitudes of prospective professionals who will influence future health and social care.
Keywords: Simulation, Ageing, Age-suit, Nursing, Health and social care, Education, Attitudes, Empathy, Experiential learning, Systematic revie
Eight-Dimensional Mid-Infrared/Optical Bayesian Quasar Selection
We explore the multidimensional, multiwavelength selection of quasars from
mid-IR (MIR) plus optical data, specifically from Spitzer-IRAC and the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We apply modern statistical techniques to combined
Spitzer MIR and SDSS optical data, allowing up to 8-D color selection of
quasars. Using a Bayesian selection method, we catalog 5546 quasar candidates
to an 8.0 um depth of 56 uJy over an area of ~24 sq. deg; ~70% of these
candidates are not identified by applying the same Bayesian algorithm to
4-color SDSS optical data alone. Our selection recovers 97.7% of known type 1
quasars in this area and greatly improves the effectiveness of identifying
3.5<z<5 quasars. Even using only the two shortest wavelength IRAC bandpasses,
it is possible to use our Bayesian techniques to select quasars with 97%
completeness and as little as 10% contamination. This sample has a photometric
redshift accuracy of 93.6% (Delta Z +/-0.3), remaining roughly constant when
the two reddest MIR bands are excluded. While our methods are designed to find
type 1 (unobscured) quasars, as many as 1200 of the objects are type 2
(obscured) quasar candidates. Coupling deep optical imaging data with deep
mid-IR data could enable selection of quasars in significant numbers past the
peak of the quasar luminosity function (QLF) to at least z~4. Such a sample
would constrain the shape of the QLF and enable quasar clustering studies over
the largest range of redshift and luminosity to date, yielding significant
gains in our understanding of quasars and the evolution of galaxies.Comment: 49 pages, 14 figures, 7 tables. AJ, accepte
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