326 research outputs found
Self-consistent nonspherical isothermal halos embedding zero-thickness disks
Disk-halo decompositions of galaxy rotation curves are generally performed in
a parametric way. We construct self-consistent models of nonspherical
isothermal halos embedding a zero-thickness disk, by assuming that the halo
distribution function is a Maxwellian. The method developed here can be used to
study other physically-based choices for the halo distribution function and the
case of a disk accompanied by a bulge. In a preliminary investigation we note
the existence of a fine tuning between the scalelengths R_{\Omega} and h,
respectively characterizing the rise of the rotation curve and the luminosity
profile of the disk, which surprisingly applies to both high surface brightness
and low surface brightness galaxies. This empirical correlation identifies a
much stronger conspiracy than the one required by the smoothness and flatness
of the rotation curve (disk-halo conspiracy). The self-consistent models are
characterized by smooth and flat rotation curves for very different
disk-to-halo mass ratios, hence suggesting that conspiracy is not as dramatic
as often imagined. For a typical rotation curve, with asymptotically flat
rotation curve at V_{\infty} (the precise value of which can also be treated as
a free parameter), and a typical density profile of the disk, self-consistent
models are characterized by two dimensionless parameters, which correspond to
the dimensional scales (the disk mass-to-light ratio M/L and the halo central
density) of standard disk-halo decompositions. We show that if the rotation
curve is decomposed by means of our self-consistent models, the disk-halo
degeneracy is removed and typical rotation curves are fitted by models that are
below the maximum-disk prescription. Similar results are obtained from a study
of NGC 3198. Finally, we quantify the flattening of the spheroidal halo, which
is significant, especially on the scale of the visible disk.Comment: accepted for publication in A&
3D Radiative Hydrodynamics for Disk Stability Simulations: A Proposed Testing Standard and New Results
Recent three-dimensional radiative hydrodynamics simulations of
protoplanetary disks report disparate disk behaviors, and these differences
involve the importance of convection to disk cooling, the dependence of disk
cooling on metallicity, and the stability of disks against fragmentation and
clump formation. To guarantee trustworthy results, a radiative physics
algorithm must demonstrate the capability to handle both the high and low
optical depth regimes. We develop a test suite that can be used to demonstrate
an algorithm's ability to relax to known analytic flux and temperature
distributions, to follow a contracting slab, and to inhibit or permit
convection appropriately. We then show that the radiative algorithm employed by
Meji\'a (2004) and Boley et al. (2006) and the algorithm employed by Cai et al.
(2006) and Cai et al. (2007, in prep.) pass these tests with reasonable
accuracy. In addition, we discuss a new algorithm that couples flux-limited
diffusion with vertical rays, we apply the test suite, and we discuss the
results of evolving the Boley et al. (2006) disk with this new routine.
Although the outcome is significantly different in detail with the new
algorithm, we obtain the same qualitative answers. Our disk does not cool fast
due to convection, and it is stable to fragmentation. We find an effective
. In addition, transport is dominated by low-order
modes.Comment: Submitted to Ap
Density Waves Inside Inner Lindblad Resonance: Nuclear Spirals in Disk Galaxies
We analyze formation of grand-design two-arm spiral structure in the nuclear
regions of disk galaxies. Such morphology has been recently detected in a
number of objects using high-resolution near-infrared observations. Motivated
by the observed (1) continuity between the nuclear and kpc-scale spiral
structures, and by (2) low arm-interarm contrast, we apply the density wave
theory to explain the basic properties of the spiral nuclear morphology. In
particular, we address the mechanism for the formation, maintenance and the
detailed shape of nuclear spirals. We find, that the latter depends mostly on
the shape of the underlying gravitational potential and the sound speed in the
gas. Detection of nuclear spiral arms provides diagnostics of mass distribution
within the central kpc of disk galaxies. Our results are supported by 2D
numerical simulations of gas response to the background gravitational potential
of a barred stellar disk. We investigate the parameter space allowed for the
formation of nuclear spirals using a new method for constructing a
gravitational potential in a barred galaxy, where positions of resonances are
prescribed.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, higher resolution available at
http://www.pa.uky.edu/~ppe/papers/nucsp.ps.g
"Optical conductance fluctuations: diagrammatic analysis in Landauer approach and non-universal effects"
The optical conductance of a multiple scattering medium is the total
transmitted light of a diffuse incoming beam. This quantity, very analogous to
the electronic conductance, exhibits universal conductance fluctuations. We
perform a detailed diagrammatic analysis of these fluctuations. With a
Kadanoff-Baym technique all the leading diagrams are systematically generated.
A cancellation of the short distance divergencies occurs, that yields a well
behaved theory. The analytical form of the fluctuations is calculated and
applied to optical systems. Absorption and internal reflections reduce the
fluctuations significantly.Comment: 25 pages Revtex 3.0, 18 seperate postscript figure
Bar Diagnostics in Edge-On Spiral Galaxies. II. Hydrodynamical Simulations
We develop diagnostics based on gas kinematics to identify the presence of a
bar in an edge-on spiral galaxy and determine its orientation. We use
position-velocity diagrams (PVDs) obtained by projecting edge-on
two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the gas flow in a barred galaxy
potential. We show that when a nuclear spiral is formed, the presence of a gap
in the PVDs, between the signature of the nuclear spiral and that of the outer
parts of the disk, reliably indicates the presence of a bar. This gap is due to
the presence of shocks and inflows in the simulations, leading to a depletion
of the gas in the outer bar region. If no nuclear spiral signature is present
in a PVD, only indirect arguments can be used to argue for the presence of a
bar. The shape of the signature of the nuclear spiral, and to a lesser extent
that of the outer bar region, allows to determine the orientation of the bar
with respect to the line-of-sight. The presence of dust can also help to
discriminate between viewing angles on either side of the bar. Simulations
covering a large fraction of parameter space constrain the bar properties and
mass distribution of observed galaxies. The strongest constraint comes from the
presence or absence of the signature of a nuclear spiral in the PVD.Comment: 25 pages (AASTeX, aaspp4.sty), 11 jpg figures. Accepted for
publication in The Astrophysical Journal. Online manuscript with PostScript
figures available at: http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~bureau/pub_list.htm
The Effect of Resonances on Diffusive Scattering
The presence of resonances modifies the passage of light or of electrons
through a disordered medium. We generalize random matrix theory to account for
this effect. Using supersymmetry, we calculate analytically the mean density of
states, and the effective Lagrangean of the generating functional for the
two-point function. We show that the diffusion constant scales with the
effective mean level spacing. The latter exhibits a resonance dip. These facts
allow us to interpret experimental results on light scattering for different
concentrations of resonant scatterers.Comment: 12 pages, 1 Figure, to be published in Physical Review
Effect of resonances on the transport properties of two-dimensional disordered systems
We study both analytically and numerically how the electronic structure and
the transport properties of a two-dimensional disordered system are modified in
the presence of resonances. The energy dependence of the density of states and
the localization length at different resonance energies and strengths of
coupling between resonances and random states are determined. The results show,
that at energy equals to the resonance energy there is an enhancement in the
density of states. In contrast, the localization length remains unaffected from
the presence of the resonances and is similar to the one of the standard
Anderson model. Finally, we calculate the diffusion constant as a function of
energy and we reveal interesting analogies with experimental results on light
scattering in the presence of Mie resonances.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev. B (2000
Bipolar-Hyper-Shell Galactic Center Statrburst Model: Further Evidence from ROSAT Data and New Radio and X-ray Simulations
Using the all-sky ROSAT soft X-ray and 408-MHz radio continuum data, we show
that the North Polar Spur and its western and southern counter-spurs draw a
giant dumbbell-shape necked at the galactic plane. We interpret these features
as due to a shock front originating from a starburst 15 million years ago with
a total energy of the order of ergs or type II
supernovae. We simulate all-sky distributions of radio continuum and soft X-ray
intensities based on the bipolar-hyper-shell galactic center starburst model.
The simulations can well reproduce the radio NPS and related spurs, as well as
radio spurs in the tangential directions of spiral arms. Simulated X-ray maps
in 0.25, 0.75 and 1.5 keV bands reproduce the ROSAT X-ray NPS, its western and
southern counter-spurs, and the absorption layer along the galactic plane. We
propose to use the ROSAT all-sky maps to probe the physics of gas in the
halo-intergalactic interface, and to directly date and measure the energy of a
recent Galactic Center starburst.Comment: To appear in ApJ, Latex MS in ApJ macro, 8 figures in jpg (original
quality ps figs available on request
Self-regulated Accretion Disks
We consider a class of fully self-gravitating accretion disks, for which
efficient cooling mechanisms are assumed to maintain the disk close to the
margin of Jeans instability. For such self-regulated disks the equations become
very simple in the outer regions, where the angular momentum convective
transport approximately balances the viscous transport. These latter equations
are shown to lead naturally to a self-similar solution with flat rotation
curve, with circular velocity proportional to Mdot^(1/3) and essentially fixed
opening angle.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX, uses AASTeX v4.0, no figures; accepted for
publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letter
Breaking the Disk/Halo Degeneracy with Gravitational Lensing
The degeneracy between the disk and the dark matter contribution to galaxy
rotation curves remains an important uncertainty in our understanding of disk
galaxies. Here we discuss a new method for breaking this degeneracy using
gravitational lensing by spiral galaxies, and apply this method to the spiral
lens B1600+434 as an example. The combined image and lens photometry
constraints allow models for B1600+434 with either a nearly singular dark
matter halo, or a halo with a sizable core. A maximum disk model is ruled out
with high confidence. Further information, such as the circular velocity of
this galaxy, will help break the degeneracies. Future studies of spiral galaxy
lenses will be able to determine the relative contribution of disk, bulge, and
halo to the mass in the inner parts of galaxies.Comment: Replaced with minor revisions, a typo fixed, and reference added; 21
pages, 8 figures, ApJ accepte
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