27,235 research outputs found
Major Galaxy Mergers and the Growth of Supermassive Black Holes in Quasars
Despite observed strong correlations between central supermassive black holes
(SMBHs) and star-formation in galactic nuclei, uncertainties exist in our
understanding of their coupling. We present observations of the ratio of
heavily-obscured to unobscured quasars as a function of cosmic epoch up to z~3,
and show that a simple physical model describing mergers of massive, gas-rich
galaxies matches these observations. In the context of this model, every
obscured and unobscured quasar represent two distinct phases that result from a
massive galaxy merger event. Much of the mass growth of the SMBH occurs during
the heavily-obscured phase. These observations provide additional evidence for
a causal link between gas-rich galaxy mergers, accretion onto the nuclear SMBH
and coeval star formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in Science. Published by Science Express on
March 25th. 17 pages, 5 figures, including supplemental online materia
An IRAS High Resolution Image Restoration (HIRES) Atlas of All Interacting Galaxies in the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample
We present high-resolution (30"-1') 12, 25, 60, and 100 micron images of 106
interacting galaxy systems contained in the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample
(RBGS, Sanders et al. 2003), a complete sample of all galaxies having a 60
micron flux density greater than 5.24 Jy. These systems were selected to have
at least two distinguishable galaxies separated by less than three average
galactic diameters, and thus we have excluded very widely separated systems and
very advanced mergers. The new complete survey has the same properties as the
prototype survey of Surace et al. 1993. We find no increased tendency for
infrared-bright galaxies to be associated with other infrared bright galaxies
among the widely separated pairs studied here. We find small enhancements in
far-infrared activity in multiple galaxy systems relative to RBGS
non-interacting galaxies with the same blue luminosity distribution. We also
find no differences in infrared activity (as measured by infrared color and
luminosity) between late and early-type spiral galaxies.Comment: 49 pages, 13 figures. To appear in the Astronomical Journal. Figures
have been degraded due to space considerations. A PDF version with higher
quality figures is available at
http://humu.ipac.caltech.edu/~jason/pubs/surace_hires.pd
New Results from a Near-Infrared Search for Hidden Broad-Line Regions in Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies
This paper reports the latest results from a near-infrared search for hidden
broad-line regions (BLRs: FWHM >~ 2,000 km/s) in ultraluminous infrared
galaxies (ULIGs). The new sample contains thirty-nine ULIGs from the 1-Jy
sample selected for their lack of BLRs at optical wavelengths. The results from
this new study are combined with those from our previous optical and
near-infrared surveys to derive the fraction of all ULIGs with optical or
near-infrared signs of genuine AGN activity (either a BLR or [Si VI] emission).
Comparisons of the dereddened emission-line luminosities of the optical or
obscured BLRs detected in the ULIGs of the 1-Jy sample with those of optical
quasars indicate that the obscured AGN/quasar in ULIGs is the main source of
energy in at least 15 -- 25% of all ULIGs in the 1-Jy sample. This fraction is
30 -- 50% among ULIGs with L_ir > 10^{12.3} L_sun. These results are compatible
with those from recent mid-infrared spectroscopic surveys carried out with ISO.
(abridged)Comment: 40 pages including 10 figures and 3 tables (Table 3 should be printed
in landscape mode
Phylogenetic and functional analysis of the Cation Diffusion Facilitator (CDF) family: improved signature and prediction of substrate specificity
BACKGROUND The Cation Diffusion Facilitator (CDF) family is a ubiquitous family of heavy metal transporters. Much interest in this family has focused on implications for human health and bioremediation. In this work a broad phylogenetic study has been undertaken which, considered in the context of the functional characteristics of some fully characterised CDF transporters, has aimed at identifying molecular determinants of substrate selectivity and at suggesting metal specificity for newly identified CDF transporters. RESULTS Representative CDF members from all three kingdoms of life (Archaea, Eubacteria, Eukaryotes) were retrieved from genomic databases. Protein sequence alignment has allowed detection of a modified signature that can be used to identify new hypothetical CDF members. Phylogenetic reconstruction has classified the majority of CDF family members into three groups, each containing characterised members that share the same specificity towards the principally-transported metal, i.e. Zn, Fe/Zn or Mn. The metal selectivity of newly identified CDF transporters can be inferred by their position in one of these groups. The function of some conserved amino acids was assessed by site-directed mutagenesis in the poplar Zn2+ transporter PtdMTP1 and compared with similar experiments performed in prokaryotic members. An essential structural role can be assigned to a widely conserved glycine residue, while aspartate and histidine residues, highly conserved in putative transmembrane domains, might be involved in metal transport. The potential role of group-conserved amino acid residues in metal specificity is discussed. CONCLUSION In the present study phylogenetic and functional analyses have allowed the identification of three major substrate-specific CDF groups. The metal selectivity of newly identified CDF transporters can be inferred by their position in one of these groups. The modified signature sequence proposed in this work can be used to identify new hypothetical CDF members
Optimal states and almost optimal adaptive measurements for quantum interferometry
We derive the optimal N-photon two-mode input state for obtaining an estimate
\phi of the phase difference between two arms of an interferometer. For an
optimal measurement [B. C. Sanders and G. J. Milburn, Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 2944
(1995)], it yields a variance (\Delta \phi)^2 \simeq \pi^2/N^2, compared to
O(N^{-1}) or O(N^{-1/2}) for states considered by previous authors. Such a
measurement cannot be realized by counting photons in the interferometer
outputs. However, we introduce an adaptive measurement scheme that can be thus
realized, and show that it yields a variance in \phi very close to that from an
optimal measurement.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, journal versio
Early life growth patterns persist for 12âŻyears and impact pulmonary outcomes in cystic fibrosis
BACKGROUND:
In children with cystic fibrosis (CF), recovery from growth faltering within 2âŻyears of diagnosis (Responders) is associated with better growth and less lung disease at age 6âŻyears. This study examined whether these benefits are sustained through 12âŻyears of age.
METHODS:
Longitudinal growth from 76 children with CF enrolled in the Wisconsin CF Neonatal Screening Project was examined and categorized into 5 groups: R12, R6, and R2, representing Responders who maintained growth improvement to age 12, 6, and 2âŻyears, respectively, and I6 and N6, representing Non-responders whose growth did and did not improve during ages 2-6âŻyears, respectively. Lung disease was evaluated by % predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and chest radiograph (CXR) scores.
RESULTS:
Sixty-two percent were Responders. Within this group, 47% were R12, 28% were R6, and 25% were R2. Among Non-responders, 76% were N6. CF children with meconium ileus (MI) had worse lung function and CXR scores compared to other CF children. Among 53 children with pancreatic insufficiency without MI, R12 had significantly better FEV1 (97-99% predicted) and CXR scores during ages 6-12âŻyears than N6 (89-93% predicted). Both R6 and R2 experienced a decline in FEV1 by ages 10-12âŻyears.
CONCLUSIONS:
Early growth recovery in CF is critical, as malnutrition during infancy tends to persist and catch-up growth after age 2âŻyears is difficult. The longer adequate growth was maintained after early growth recovery, the better the pulmonary outcomes at age 12âŻyears
Newtonian limit of String-Dilaton Gravity
We study the weak-field limit of string-dilaton gravity and derive
corrections to the Newtonian potential which strength directly depends on the
self interaction potential and the nonminimal coupling of the dilaton scalar
field. We discuss also possible astrophysical applications of the results, in
particular the flat rotation curves of spiral galaxies.Comment: 11 pages, LATEX file, to appear in IJMP
Representations of the Weyl group and Wigner functions for SU(3)
Bases for SU(3) irreps are constructed on a space of three-particle tensor
products of two-dimensional harmonic oscillator wave functions. The Weyl group
is represented as the symmetric group of permutations of the particle
coordinates of these space. Wigner functions for SU(3) are expressed as
products of SU(2) Wigner functions and matrix elements of Weyl transformations.
The constructions make explicit use of dual reductive pairs which are shown to
be particularly relevant to problems in optics and quantum interferometry.Comment: : RevTex file, 11 pages with 2 figure
Optical Spectroscopy of the IRAS 1-Jy Sample of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies
This paper discusses the optical spectroscopic properties of the IRAS 1-Jy
sample of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIGs). One hundred and eight of the
118 1-Jy ULIGs have been observed at dlambda = 8.3 AA resolution over the
wavelength range ~4500 A -- 8900 A. These data are combined with large,
previously published sets of optical spectroscopic data of lower luminosity
infrared galaxies to look for systematic trends with infrared luminosity over
the luminosity range L_ir ~ 10^{10.5}-10^{13} L_sun. As found in previous
studies, the fraction of Seyfert galaxies among luminous infrared galaxies
increases abruptly above L_ir ~ 10^{12.3} L_sun --- about 50% of the galaxies
with L_ir > 10^{12.3} L_sun present Seyfert characteristics. Many of the
optical and infrared spectroscopic properties of the Seyfert galaxies are
consistent with the presence of a genuine active galactic nucleus (AGN). About
30% of these galaxies are Seyfert 1s with broad-line regions similar to those
of optical quasars. The percentage of Seyfert 1 ULIGs increases with infrared
luminosity, contrary to the predictions of the standard unification model for
Seyfert galaxies. Comparisons of the broad-line luminosities of optical and
obscured Seyfert 1 ULIGs with those of optically selected quasars of comparable
bolometric luminosity suggest that the dominant energy source in most of these
ULIGs is the same as in optical quasars, namely mass accretion onto a
supermassive black hole, rather than a starburst. These results are consistent
with recently published ISO, ASCA, and VLBI data. (abridged)Comment: Text and 23 figures (45 pages), Tables 1 - 6 (16 pages
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