11,678 research outputs found
The specific entropy of elliptical galaxies: an explanation for profile-shape distance indicators?
Dynamical systems in equilibrium have a stationary entropy; we suggest that
elliptical galaxies, as stellar systems in a stage of quasi-equilibrium, may
have a unique specific entropy. This uniqueness, a priori unknown, should be
reflected in correlations between the parameters describing the mass (light)
distribution in galaxies. Following recent photometrical work (Caon et al.
1993; Graham & Colless 1997; Prugniel & Simien 1997), we use the Sersic law to
describe the light profile of elliptical galaxies and an analytical
approximation to its three dimensional deprojection. The specific entropy is
calculated supposing that the galaxy behaves as a spherical, isotropic,
one-component system in hydrostatic equilibrium, obeying the ideal gas state
equations. We predict a relation between the 3 parameters of the Sersic,
defining a surface in the parameter space, an `Entropic Plane', by analogy with
the well-known Fundamental Plane. We have analysed elliptical galaxies in Coma
and ABCG 85 clusters and a group of galaxies (associated with NGC 4839). We
show that the galaxies in clusters follow closely a relation predicted by the
constant specific entropy hypothesis with a one-sigma dispersion of 9.5% around
the mean value of the specific entropy. Assuming that the specific entropy is
also the same for galaxies of different clusters, we are able to derive
relative distances between the studied clusters. If the errors are only due to
the determination of the specific entropy (about 10%), then the error in the
relative distance determination should be less than 20% for rich clusters. We
suggest that the unique specific entropy may provide a physical explanation for
the distance indicators based on the Sersic profile put forward by Young &
Currie (1994, 1995) and discussed by Binggeli & Jerjen (1998).Comment: Submitted to MNRAS (05/05/99), 15 pages, 10 figure
Electron-Electron Interactions in the Vacuum Polarization of Graphene
We discuss the effect of electron-electron interactions on the static
polarization properties of graphene beyond RPA. Divergent self-energy
corrections are naturally absorbed into the renormalized coupling constant
. We find that the lowest order vertex correction, which is the first
non-trivial correlation contribution, is finite, and about 30% of the RPA
result at strong coupling . The vertex correction leads to
further reduction of the effective charge. Finite contributions to dielectric
screening are expected in all orders of perturbation theory.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; published versio
Electronic compressibility of a graphene bilayer
We calculate the electronic compressibility arising from electron-electron
interactions for a graphene bilayer within the Hartree-Fock approximation. We
show that, due to the chiral nature of the particles in this system, the
compressibility is rather different from those of either the two-dimensional
electron gas or ordinary semiconductors. We find that an inherent competition
between the contributions coming from intra-band exchange interactions
(dominant at low densities) and inter-band interactions (dominant at moderate
densities) leads to a non-monotonic behavior of the compressibility as a
function of carrier density.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Final versio
Rise in the frequency of cloud cover in LANDSAT data for the period 1973 to 1981
Percentages of cloud cover in LANDSAT imagery were used to calculate the cloud cover monthly average statistic for each LANDSAT scene in Brazil, during the period of 1973 to 1981. The average monthly cloud cover and the monthly minimum cloud cover were also calculated for the regions of north, northeast, central west, southeast and south, separately
Dynamical Casimir effect with cylindrical waveguides
I consider the quantum electromagnetic field in a coaxial cylindrical
waveguide, such that the outer cylindrical surface has a time-dependent radius.
The field propagates parallel to the axis, inside the annular region between
the two cylindrical surfaces. When the mechanical frequency and the thickness
of the annular region are small enough, only Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM)
photons may be generated by the dynamical Casimir effect. The photon emission
rate is calculated in this regime, and compared with the case of parallel
plates in the limit of very short distances between the two cylindrical
surfaces. The proximity force approximation holds for the transition matrix
elements in this limit, but the emission rate scales quadratically with the
mechanical frequency, as opposed to the cubic dependence for parallel plates.Comment: 6 page
The cluster of galaxies Abell 376
We present a dynamical analysis of the galaxy cluster Abell 376 based on a
set of 73 velocities, most of them measured at Pic du Midi and Haute-Provence
observatories and completed with data from the literature. Data on individual
galaxies are presented and the accuracy of the determined velocities is
discussed as well as some properties of the cluster. We obtained an improved
mean redshift value z=0.0478^{+0.005}_{-0.006} and velocity dispersion
sigma=852^{+120}_{-76}km/s. Our analysis indicates that inside a radius of
900h_{70}^{-1}kpc (15 arcmin) the cluster is well relaxed without any
remarkable feature and the X-ray emission traces fairly well the galaxy
distribution. A possible substructure is seen at 20 arcmin from the centre
towards the Southwest direction, but is not confirmed by the velocity field.
This SW clump is, however, kinematically bound to the main structure of Abell
376. A dense condensation of galaxies is detected at 46 arcmin (projected
distance 2.6h_{70}^{-1}Mpc) from the centre towards the Northwest and analysis
of the apparent luminosity distribution of its galaxies suggests that this
clump is part of the large scale structure of Abell 376. X-ray spectroscopic
analysis of ASCA data resulted in a temperature kT = 4.3+/-0.4 keV and metal
abundance Z = 0.32+/-0.08 Z_solar. The velocity dispersion corresponding to
this temperature using the T_X-sigma scaling relation is in agreement with the
measured galaxies velocities.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&
- …