Morphology of galaxies with quiescent recent assembly history in a Lambda-CDM universe

The standard disc formation scenario postulates that disc forms as the gas cools and flows into the centre of the dark matter halo, conserving the specific angular momentum. Major mergers have been shown to be able to destroy or highly perturb the disc components. More recently, the alignment of the material that is accreted to form the galaxy has been pointed out as a key ingredient to determine galaxy morphology. However, in a hierarchical scenario galaxy formation is a complex process that combines these processes and others in a non-linear way so that the origin of galaxy morphology remains to be fully understood. We aim at exploring the differences in the formation histories of galaxies with a variety of morphology, but quite recent merger histories, to identify which mechanisms are playing a major role. We analyse when minor mergers can be considered relevant to determine galaxy morphology. We also study the specific angular momentum content of the disc and central spheroidal components separately. We used cosmological hydrodynamical simulations that include an effective, physically motivated supernova feedback that is able to regulate the star formation in haloes of different masses. We analysed the morphology and formation history of a sample of 15 galaxies of a cosmological simulation. We performed a spheroid-disc decomposition of the selected galaxies and their progenitor systems. The angular momentum orientation of the merging systems as well as their relative masses were estimated to analyse the role played by orientation and by minor mergers in the determination of the morphology. We found the discs to be formed by conserving the specific angular momentum in accordance with the classical disc formation model. The specific angular momentum of the stellar central spheroid correlates with the dark matter halo angular momentum and determines a power law. AbridgedComment: 10 pages, 9 figures, A&A in pres

Transient features of quantum open maps

We study families of open chaotic maps that classically share the same asymptotic properties -- forward and backwards trapped sets, repeller dimensions, escape rate -- but differ in their short time behavior. When these maps are quantized we find that the fine details of the distribution of resonances and the corresponding eigenfunctions are sensitive to the initial shape and size of the openings. We study phase space localization of the resonances with respect to the repeller and find strong delocalization effects when the area of the openings is smaller than $\hbar$.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Quantum chaotic resonances from short periodic orbits

We present an approach to calculating the quantum resonances and resonance wave functions of chaotic scattering systems, based on the construction of states localized on classical periodic orbits and adapted to the dynamics. Typically only a few of such states are necessary for constructing a resonance. Using only short orbits (with periods up to the Ehrenfest time), we obtain approximations to the longest living states, avoiding computation of the background of short living states. This makes our approach considerably more efficient than previous ones. The number of long lived states produced within our formulation is in agreement with the fractal Weyl law conjectured recently in this setting. We confirm the accuracy of the approximations using the open quantum baker map as an example.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

The gas metallicity gradient and the star formation activity of disc galaxies

We study oxygen abundance profiles of the gaseous disc components in simulated galaxies in a hierarchical universe. We analyse the disc metallicity gradients in relation to the stellar masses and star formation rates of the simulated galaxies. We find a trend for galaxies with low stellar masses to have steeper metallicity gradients than galaxies with high stellar masses at z ~0. We also detect that the gas-phase metallicity slopes and the specific star formation rate (sSFR) of our simulated disc galaxies are consistent with recently reported observations at z ~0. Simulated galaxies with high stellar masses reproduce the observed relationship at all analysed redshifts and have an increasing contribution of discs with positive metallicity slopes with increasing redshift. Simulated galaxies with low stellar masses a have larger fraction of negative metallicity gradients with increasing redshift. Simulated galaxies with positive or very negative metallicity slopes exhibit disturbed morphologies and/or have a close neighbour. We analyse the evolution of the slope of the oxygen profile and sSFR for a gas-rich galaxy-galaxy encounter, finding that this kind of events could generate either positive and negative gas-phase oxygen profiles depending on their state of evolution. Our results support claims that the determination of reliable metallicity gradients as a function of redshift is a key piece of information to understand galaxy formation and set constrains on the subgrid physics.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted MNRA

Oral tradition as a worldwide phenomenon

It is my view that oral tradition is the source of all of the world's literary traditions. Two principal concerns have driven my work (1995, 2000, 2002): the collection of examples of living oral literature (ballads, songs, proverbs, legends, stories, oral history, and epics) in different countries and traditions (Spain, Hispanoamerica, central Africa), and the comparative study of world literary traditions from Homer to Garcia Marquez.Not

Metallicity dependence of HMXB populations

High-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) might have contributed a non-negligible fraction of the energy feedback to the interstellar and intergalactic media at high redshift, becoming important sources for the heating and ionization history of the Universe. However, the importance of this contribution depends on the hypothesized increase in the number of HMXBs formed in low-metallicity galaxies and in their luminosities. In this work we test the aforementioned hypothesis, and quantify the metallicity dependence of HMXB population properties. We compile from the literature a large set of data on the sizes and X-ray luminosities of HMXB populations in nearby galaxies with known metallicities and star formation rates. We use Bayesian inference to fit simple Monte Carlo models that describe the metallicity dependence of the size and luminosity of the HMXB populations. We find that HMXBs are typically ten times more numerous per unit star formation rate in low-metallicity galaxies (12 + log(O/H) < 8, namely < 20% solar) than in solar-metallicity galaxies. The metallicity dependence of the luminosity of HMXBs is small compared to that of the population size. Our results support the hypothesis that HMXBs are more numerous in low-metallicity galaxies, implying the need to investigate the feedback in the form of X-rays and energetic mass outflows of these high-energy sources during cosmic dawn.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Chemistry Textbook Approaches to Chemical Equilibrium and Student Alternative Conceptions

In the field of chemistry there has been considerable interest in discovering the reasons why many students have great difficulty in successfully developing a scientifically accepted understanding of chemical equilibrium. Research projects influenced and inspired by constructivism have been invaluable for identifying alternative conceptions that may turn into obstacles to meaningful learning of fundamental ideas regarding chemical equilibrium. Research findings provide evidence that misunderstandings of and related to chemical equilibrium are widespread at various levels of education, including prospective chemistry teachers. Language used in textbooks may give rise, or reinforce student alternative conceptions and research findings point to a direct relationship between language used in textbooks and some of the alternative conceptions students develop at various levels of school chemistry. Some of the students’ alternative conceptions already identified, and available in literature, were the basis of an instrument devised to analyse chemistry textbooks used in secondary and tertiary education. This paper presents and discusses typical problematic language found in student textbooks in the light of students’ current frameworks of understanding as described in literature

Zonal flows and long-distance correlations during the formation of the edge shear layer in the TJ-II stellarator

A theoretical interpretation is given for the observed long-distance correlations in potential fluctuations in TJ-II. The value of the correlation increases above the critical point of the transition for the emergence of the plasma edge shear flow layer. Mean (i.e. surface averaged, zero-frequency) sheared flows cannot account for the experimental results. A model consisting of four envelope equations for the fluctuation level, the mean flow shear, the zonal flow amplitude shear, and the averaged pressure gradient is proposed. It is shown that the presence of zonal flows is essential to reproduce the main features of the experimental observations.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure

Estudio comparativo con microscopio electrónico de barrido de la degradación de una lámina impermeable de cloruro de polivinilo plastificado en diferentes condiciones

This paper discusses the analysis of several samples of a plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-P) waterproofing membrane. The samples were extracted from different areas of the same flat roof, which was in service for over 12 years. An original sample of an identical PVC-P membrane that was not installed on the roof was also analyzed. The analysis of the materials was carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). An elemental analysis of every sample was also performed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Micrographs and the elemental composition of the samples were compared with the data obtained in the analysis of the original sample. The results show dehydrochlorination of the polymer in two of the samples studied and great deterioration that was not visible to the naked eye in the sample that was totally exposed to the weather.Este estudio discute el análisis de varias muestras de una membrana impermeable de cloruro de polivinilo plastificado (PVC-P). Las muestras fueron extraídas de diferentes áreas de la misma cubierta plana, que estuvo en servicio durante más de 12 años. Una muestra original de idéntica membrana de PVC-P que no estuvo instalada en la cubierta fue también analizada. El análisis de los materiales se llevó a cabo utilizando un microscopio electrónico de barrido (MEB). Además se realizó un análisis elemental sobre cada una de las muestras mediante espectroscopía de dispersión de energía de rayos X (EDS). Las micrografías, y la composición elemental de las muestras, se comparan con los datos obtenidos en el análisis de la muestra original. Los resultados muestran deshidrocloración del polímero en dos de las muestras estudiadas, y un gran deterioro de la muestra totalmente expuesta a la intemperie, que no era visible a simple vista

Membranas sintéticas impermeables y capas auxiliares separadoras en la cubierta plana invertida. Efecto de la presión sobre la degradación

Flat roofs are inverted when the insulation material is placed over the waterproofing membrane. This widely-used constructive system sets materials which may interact easily with each other causing their deterioration. The incompatibilities and the materials that may interact with each other are not completely described, the elements currently used to separate the materials are not totally efficient to avoid deterioration. This paper intends to enlarge the knowledge regarding the materials that are incompatible for inverted flat roofs, the conditions were interactions take place and the efficiency of some alternative solutions to separate the materials. The ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) waterproofing membranes are incompatible with the extruded polystyrene (XPS). The interactions between incompatible materials increase with the pressure.Las cubiertas planas son invertidas cuando el material aislante se coloca sobre la membrana impermeable. Este sistema constructivo ampliamente utilizado emplea materiales que pueden interactuar con facilidad entre ellos, produciendo deterioro. Las incompatibilidades y los materiales que pueden interactuar no se han descrito completamente, los elementos utilizados actualmente para separar los materiales no son totalmente eficientes para evitar el deterioro. Este artículo pretende aumentar el conocimiento acerca de que materiales son incompatibles en la cubierta invertida plana, las condiciones para que las interacciones se den, y la eficiencia de algunas alternativas para separar materiales. Las membranas impermeables de etileno propileno monómero dieno (EPDM) son incompatibles con el poliestireno extrusionado (XPS). Las interacciones entre materiales incompatibles aumentan con la presión