539 research outputs found
The Near-Infrared Number Counts and Luminosity Functions of Local Galaxies
This study presents a wide-field near-infrared (K-band) survey in two fields;
SA 68 and Lynx 2. The survey covers an area of 0.6 deg., complete to
K=16.5. A total of 867 galaxies are detected in this survey of which 175 have
available redshifts. The near-infrared number counts to K=16.5 mag. are
estimated from the complete photometric survey and are found to be in close
agreement with other available studies. The sample is corrected for
incompleteness in redshift space, using selection function in the form of a
Fermi-Dirac distribution. This is then used to estimate the local near-infrared
luminosity function of galaxies. A Schechter fit to the infrared data gives:
M, and Mpc (for H Km/sec/Mpc and q). When
reduced to , this agrees with other available estimates of the local
IRLF. We find a steeper slope for the faint-end of the infrared luminosity
function when compared to previous studies. This is interpreted as due to the
presence of a population of faint but evolved (metal rich) galaxies in the
local Universe. However, it is not from the same population as the faint blue
galaxies found in the optical surveys. The characteristic magnitude
() of the local IRLF indicates that the bright red galaxies ( mag.) have a space density of Mpc and hence,
are not likely to be local objects.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, AASTEX 4.0, published in ApJ 492, 45
Structural evolution of an alkali sulfate activated slag cement
In this study, the effect of sodium sulfate content and curing duration (from fresh paste up to 18 months) on the binder structure of sodium sulfate activated slag cements was evaluated. Isothermal calorimetry results showed an induction period spanning the first three days after mixing, followed by an acceleration-deceleration peak corresponding to the formation of bulk reaction products. Ettringite, a calcium aluminium silicate hydrate (C-A-S-H) phase, and a hydrotalcite-like Mg-Al layered double hydroxide have been identified as the main reaction products, independent of the Na2SO4 dose. No changes in the phase assemblage were detected in the samples with curing from 1 month up to 18 months, indicating a stable binder structure. The most significant changes upon curing at advanced ages observed were growth of the AFt phase and an increase in silicate chain length in the C-A-S-H, resulting in higher strength
Selection of high-z supernovae candidates
Deep, ground based, optical wide-field supernova searches are capable of
detecting a large number of supernovae over a broad redshift range up to z~1.5.
While it is practically unfeasible to obtain spectroscopic redshifts of all the
supernova candidates right after the discovery, we show that the magnitudes and
colors of the host galaxies, as well as the supernovae, can be used to select
high-z supernova candidates, for subsequent spectroscopic and photometric
follow-up.
Using Monte-Carlo simulations we construct criteria for selecting galaxies in
well-defined redshift bands. For example, with a selection criteria using B-R
and R-I colors we are able to pick out potential host galaxies for which z>0.85
with 80% confidence level and with a selection efficiency of 64-86%. The method
was successfully tested using real observations from the HDF.
Similarly, we show that that the magnitude and colors of the supernova
discovery data can be used to constrain the redshift. With a set of cuts based
on V-R and R-I in a search to m_I~25, supernovae at z~1 can be selected in a
redshift interval sigma_z <0.15.Comment: 33 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in PASP (March 2002
issue
A near infrared photometric plane for ellipticals and bulges of spirals
We report the existence of a single plane in the space of global photometric
parameters describing elliptical galaxies and the bulges of early type spiral
galaxies. The three parameters which define the plane are obtained by fitting
the Sersic form to the brightness distribution obtained from near-infrared K
band images. We find, from the range covered by their shape parameters, that
the elliptical galaxies form a more homogeneous population than the bulges.
Known correlations like the Kormendy relation are projections of the
photometric plane. The existence of the plane has interesting implications for
bulge formation models.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX including 5 figures. To appear in the Astrophysical
Journal Letter
Direct evidence for an early reionization of the Universe?
We examine the possible reionization of the intergalactic medium (IGM) by the
source UDF033238.7-274839.8 (hereafter HUDF-JD2), which was discovered in deep
{\it HST}/VLT/{\it Spitzer} images obtained as part of the Great Observatory
Origins Deep Survey and {\it Hubble} Ultra-Deep Field projects. Mobasher et al
(2005) have identified HUDF-JD2 as a massive ()
post-starburst galaxy at redshift z. We find that HUDF-JD2 may be
capable of reionizing its surrounding region of the Universe, starting the
process at a redshift as high as z.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Newcomers Meet the Intracluster Medium in the Coma Cluster
A main topic at this meeting is how galaxies are affected when they enter for
the first time the cluster environment from the outskirts. Most of the times we
are forced to infer the environmental effects indirectly, relying on systematic
variations of galaxy properties with environment, but there aren't many
examples of direct observations able to unveil ongoing transformations taking
place, and the corresponding mechanism producing it. We present a case in which
it is possible to identify the cluster environment, and in particular the
intracluster medium and the recent infall history of galaxies onto the cluster,
as the cause for a recent, abrupt change in the evolutionary history of
galaxies.Comment: 5 pages, 1 postscript figure -- to appear in "Outskirts of Galaxy
Clusters: intense life in the suburbs", IAU Colloquium N. 195, 2004, ed. A
Diaferi
Deep UV Luminosity Functions at the Infall Region of the Coma Cluster
We have used deep GALEX observations at the infall region of the Coma cluster
to measure the faintest UV luminosity functions (LFs) presented for a rich
galaxy cluster thus far. The Coma UV LFs are measured to M_UV = -10.5 in the
GALEX FUV and NUV bands, or 3.5 mag fainter than previous studies, and reach
the dwarf early-type galaxy population in Coma for the first time. The
Schechter faint-end slopes (alpha = -1.39 in both GALEX bands) are shallower
than reported in previous Coma UV LF studies owing to a flatter LF at faint
magnitudes. A Gaussian-plus-Schechter model provides a slightly better
parametrization of the UV LFs resulting in a faint-end slope of ~ -1.15 in both
GALEX bands. The two-component model gives faint-end slopes shallower than -1
(a turnover) for the LFs constructed separately for passive and star forming
galaxies. The UV LFs for star forming galaxies show a turnover at M_UV ~ -14
owing to a deficit of dwarf star forming galaxies in Coma with stellar masses
below M*=10^8 Msun. A similar turnover is identified in recent UV LFs measured
for the Virgo cluster suggesting this may be a common feature of local galaxy
clusters, whereas the field UV LFs continue to rise at faint magnitudes. We did
not identify an excess of passive galaxies as would be expected if the missing
dwarf star forming galaxies were quenched inside the cluster. In fact, the LFs
for both dwarf passive and star forming galaxies show the same turnover at
faint magnitudes. We discuss the possible origin of the missing dwarf star
forming galaxies in Coma and their expected properties based on comparisons to
local field galaxies.Comment: accepted for publication in Ap
Diffuse Extragalactic Background Light versus Deep Galaxy Counts in the Subaru Deep Field: Missing Light in the Universe?
Deep optical and near-infrared galaxy counts are utilized to estimate the
extragalactic background light (EBL) coming from normal galactic light in the
universe. Although the slope of number-magnitude relation of the faintest
counts is flat enough for the count integration to converge, considerable
fraction of EBL from galaxies could still have been missed in deep galaxy
surveys because of various selection effects including the cosmological dimming
of surface brightness of galaxies. Here we give an estimate of EBL from galaxy
counts, in which these selection effects are quantitatively taken into account
for the first time, based on reasonable models of galaxy evolution which are
consistent with all available data of galaxy counts, size, and redshift
distributions. We show that the EBL from galaxies is best resolved into
discrete galaxies in the near-infrared bands (J, K) by using the latest data of
the Subaru Deep Field; more than 80-90% of EBL from galaxies has been resolved
in these bands. Our result indicates that the contribution by missing galaxies
cannot account for the discrepancy between the count integration and recent
tentative detections of diffuse EBL in the K-band (2.2 micron), and there may
be a very diffuse component of EBL which has left no imprints in known galaxy
populations.Comment: ApJ Letters in press. Two new reports on the diffuse EBL at 1.25 and
2.2 microns are added to the reference list and Table
The nature of the faint galaxies in the Hubble Deep Field
We present a study of the galaxies found in the Hubble Deep Field. A high
proportion of HDF galaxies are undergoing a strong episode of star formation,
as evidenced by their very blue colours. A wide range of morphological types is
found, with a high proportion of peculiar and merger morphologies. Fitting the
multiband spectra with redshifted SEDs of galaxy types E to HII, we predict the
spectral types and redshifts of galaxies detected in the HDF. We find a median
redshift of 1.6, with having and with . The I-band
absolute magnitude distributions as a function of galaxy types show a plausible
trend of decreasing luminosity towards later types. The derived I-band
luminosity function agrees well with that from the Canada-France survey (Lilly
et al 1996) for and shows strong luminosity evolution at
for , comparable to the rate seen in quasars and starburst galaxies.
We have predicted infrared and submillimetre fluxes assuming most of the
galaxies are undergoing a strong starburst. Several planned space-borne and
ground-based deep surveys are capable of detecting interesting numbers of HDF
galaxies.Comment: 10 Pages, including diagram
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