Giant cold satellites from low-concentration haloes

The dwarf satellite galaxies of the Milky Way Crater II and Antlia II have uncommonly low dynamical mass densities, due to their large size and low velocity dispersion. Previous work have failed to identify formation scenarios within the $\Lambda$CDM framework and have invoked cored dark matter haloes, processed by tides. I show that the tidal evolution of $\Lambda$CDM NFW haloes is richer than previously recognised: tidal heating causes the innermost regions of haloes that fall short of the mass-concentration relation to expand significantly, resulting in the formation of giant, kinematically cold satellites like Crater II and Antlia II. Furthermore, while the satellite is reaching apocenter, extra-tidal material can cause an even more inflated appearance. When present, as likely for the larger Antlia II, nominally unbound material can be recognised thanks to its somewhat hotter kinematics and line-of-sight velocity gradient. Contrary to other formation scenarios, Crater II and Antlia II may well have experienced very little mass loss, as in fact hinted by their observed metallicity. If indeed a satellite of NGC1052, tidal evolution of a low-concentration halo may similarly have led to the formation of NGC1052-DF2.Comment: MNRAS Letters submitted, comments welcom

Deadly dark matter cusps vs faint and extended star clusters: Eridanus II and Andromeda XXV

The recent detection of two faint and extended star clusters in the central regions of two Local Group dwarf galaxies, Eridanus II and Andromeda XXV, raises the question of whether clusters with such low densities can survive the tidal field of cold dark matter haloes with central density cusps. Using both analytic arguments and a suite of collisionless N-body simulations, I show that these clusters are extremely fragile and quickly disrupted in the presence of central cusps $\rho\sim r^{-\alpha}$ with $\alpha\gtrsim 0.2$. Furthermore, the scenario in which the clusters where originally more massive and sank to the center of the halo requires extreme fine tuning and does not naturally reproduce the observed systems. In turn, these clusters are long lived in cored haloes, whose central regions are safe shelters for $\alpha\lesssim 0.2$. The only viable scenario for hosts that have preserved their primoridal cusp to the present time is that the clusters formed at rest at the bottom of the potential, which is easily tested by measurement of the clusters proper velocity within the host. This offers means to readily probe the central density profile of two dwarf galaxies as faint as $L_V\sim5\times 10^5 L_\odot$ and $L_V\sim6\times10^4 L_\odot$, in which stellar feedback is unlikely to be effective.Comment: accepted versio

The accreted stellar halo as a window on halo assembly in L* galaxies

Theory and observations agree that the accreted stellar halos (ASHs) of Milky Way-like galaxies display significant scatter. I take advantage of this stochasticity to invert the link between halo assembly history (HAH) and ASH, using mock ASHs corresponding to 750 $\Lambda$CDM HAHs, sharing a final virial mass of $M_{h}(z=0)=10^{12.25}M_\odot$. Hosts with poor/rich ASHs assemble following orthogonal growth-patterns. Hosts with rich ASHs experience accretion events (AEs) with high virial mass ratios (HVMRs, $M_s/M_h\gtrsim 0.1$) at $0.5\lesssim z_{infall}\lesssim1.5$, in a phase of fast growth. This maximizes the accreted stellar mass under the condition these satellites are disrupted by $z=0$. At similar times, hosts with poor ASHs grow slowly through minor mergers, with only very recent HVMR AEs: this results in a globally more abundant satellite population and in distinctive surviving massive satellites (stellar mass $\log M_{s,*}/M_\odot\gtrsim 9$). Several properties of the Milky Way are in agreement with the predictions of this framework for hosts with poor, concentrated ASHs, including: i) the recent infall of Sagittarius and Magellanic Clouds, ii) the likely higher-than-average concentration of its dark halo, iii) the signatures of fast chemical enrichment of a sizable fraction of its halo stellar populations.Comment: accepted version, minor change

The virial mass distribution of ultra-diffuse galaxies in clusters and groups

We use the observed abundances of ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in clusters and groups and \Lambda CDM subhalo mass functions to put constraints on the distribution {of present-day halo masses of satellite} UDGs. If all of the most massive subhaloes in the cluster host a UDG, UDGs occupy all subhaloes with \log M_{sub}/M_\odot\gtrsim11. For a model in which the efficiency of UDG formation is higher around some characteristic halo mass, higher fractions of massive UDGs require larger spreads in the UDG mass distribution. In a cluster with a virial mass of 10^{15}M_\odot, the 90% upper limit for the fraction of UDGs with \log M_{sub}/M_\odot>12 is 7%, occupying 70% of all cluster subhaloes above the same mass. To reproduce the observed abundances, however, the mass distribution of satellite UDGs has to be broad, with >30% having \log M_{sub}/M_\odot<10.9. This strongly supports that UDGs are part of a continuous distribution in which a majority are hosted by low mass haloes. The abundance of satellite UDGs may fall short of the linear relation with the cluster/group mass M_{host} in low-mass hosts, \log M_{host}/M_\odot\sim 12. Characterising these deviations -- or the lack thereof -- will allow for stringent constraints on the UDG virial mass distribution.Comment: matches accepted versio

ACRIM total solar irradiance satellite composite validation versus TSI proxy models

The satellite total solar irradiance (TSI) database provides a valuable record for investigating models of solar variation used to interpret climate changes. The 35-year ACRIM TSI satellite composite was updated using corrections to ACRIMSAT/ACRIM3 results derived from recent testing at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics/Total solar irradiance Radiometer Facility (LASP/TRF). The corrections lower the ACRIM3 scale by ~5000 ppm, in close agreement with the scale of SORCE/TIM results (solar constant ~1361 W/m^2). Relative variations and trends are not changed. Differences between the ACRIM and PMOD TSI composites, e.g. the decadal trending during solar cycles 21-22, are tested against a set of solar proxy models, including analysis of Nimbus7/ERB and ERBS/ERBE results available to bridge the ACRIM Gap (1989-1992). Our findings confirm: (1) The validity of the TSI peak in the originally published ERB results in early 1979 during solar cycle 21; (2) The correctness of originally published ACRIM1 results during the SMM spin mode (1981-1984); (3) The upward trend of originally published ERB results during the ACRIM Gap; (4) The occurrence of a significant upward TSI trend between the minima of solar cycles 21 and 22 and (5) a decreasing trend during solar cycles 22-23. Our findings do not support: (1) The downward corrections to originally published ERB and ACRIM1 results during solar cycle 21; (2) A step function sensitivity change in ERB results at the end-of-September 1989; (3) the validity of ERBE's downward trend during the ACRIM Gap or (4) the use of ERBE results to bridge the ACRIM Gap. Our analysis provides a first order validation of the ACRIM TSI composite approach and its 0.037%/decade upward trend during solar cycles 21-22. Thus, solar forcing of climate change may be a significantly larger factor than represented in the CMIP5 general circulation climate models.Comment: 26 pages, 15 figure

Dynamics and Thermodynamics of a Novel Phase of NaAlH4

We characterize a novel orthorhombic phase (gamma) of NaAlH4, discovered using first-principles molecular dynamics, and discuss its relevance to the dehydrogenation mechanism. This phase is close in energy to the known low-temperature structure and becomes the stabler phase above 320 K, thanks to a larger vibrational entropy associated with AlH4 rotational modes. The structural similarity of gamma-NaAlH4 to alpha-Na3AlH6 suggests it acts as a key intermediate during hydrogen release. Findings are consistent with recent experiments recording an unknown phase during dehydrogenation.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 1 table + supplementary info; In press (Physical Review Letters

Planetary harmonics in the historical Hungarian aurora record (1523-1960)

The historical Hungarian auroral record extends from 1523 to 1960 and is longer than the sunspot record. Harmonic analysis reveals four major multidecadal secular cycles forming an approximate harmonic set at periods of 42.85, 57.13, 85.7 and 171.4 years. These four frequencies are very close to the four major heliospheric oscillations relative to the center of mass of the solar system caused by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Similar frequencies are found in solar radiation models based on long cosmogenic isotope records (Steinhilber et al. 2012) and in long records of naked-eye sunspot observations (Vaquero et al., 2002). Harmonic regression models are used to reconstruct and forecast aurora and solar activity for the period 1956-2050. The model predicts: (1) the multidecadal solar minimum in the 1970s that is also observed in the sunspot record; (2) a solar maximum in 2000-2002 that is observed in the ACRIM total solar irradiance satellite composite; (3) a prolonged solar minimum centered in the 2030s. These findings support a hypothesis that the Sun, the heliosphere and the terrestrial magnetosphere are partially modulated by planetary gravitational and magnetic forces synchronized to planetary oscillations, as also found in other recent publications (Scafetta, 2010, 2012a, 2012c, 2012d; Abreu et al., 2012; Tan & Cheng, 2012).Comment: 29 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

Multi-scale comparative spectral analysis of satellite total solar irradiance measurements from 2003 to 2013 reveals a planetary modulation of solar activity and its non-linear dependence on the 11-year solar cycle

Herein we adopt a multi-scale dynamical spectral analysis technique to compare and study the dynamical evolution of the harmonic components of the overlapping ACRIMSAT/ACRIM3, SOHO/VIRGO and SORCE/TIM total solar irradiance (TSI) records during 2003.15 to 2013.16 in solar cycles 23 and 24. The three TSI time series present highly correlated patterns. Significant power spectral peaks are common to these records and are observed at the following periods: 0.070 year, 0.097 year, 0.20 year, 0.25 year, 0.30-0.34 year, 0.39 year. Less certain spectral peaks occur at about 0.55 year, 0.60-0.65 year and 0.7-0.9 year. Four main frequency periods at 24.8 days (0.068 year), 27.3 days (0.075 year), at 34-35 days (0.093-0.096 year) and 36-38 days (0.099-0.104 year) characterize the solar rotation cycle. The amplitude of these oscillations, in particular of those with periods larger than 0.5 year, appears to be modulated by the 11-year solar cycle. Similar harmonics have been found in other solar indices. The observed periodicities are found highly coherent with the spring, orbital and synodic periods of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Jupiter. We conclude that solar activity is likely modulated by planetary gravitational and electromagnetic forces acting on the sun. The strength of the sun's response to planetary forcing depends non-linearly on the state of internal solar dynamics: planetary-sun coupling effects are enhanced during solar activity maxima and attenuated during minima.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, 3 table

Challenges and solutions for autism in academic geosciences

Researcher diversity promotes research excellence. But academia is widely perceived as inaccessible to those who work in non-stereotypical ways, and disabled researchers are consequently chronically under-represented within higher education. The barriers that academia presents to the inclusion and success of disabled individuals must therefore be understood and removed in order to enhance researcher diversity and improve the quality and quantity of research. Autism is a disability that is particularly under-represented within higher education, despite many autistic individuals having attributes that are conducive to research excellence. With a focus on geosciences, we use the experiences of an autistic PhD student to evaluate why academia can be inaccessible, and propose simple strategies that can reduce and remove barriers to academic success. We suggest that minor changes to communication, the academic environment and better disability awareness can make significant differences to the inclusion of disabled researchers, particularly those with autism. These changes would also benefit the wider scientific community and promote research and teaching excellence