Constraining ultra-compact dwarf galaxy formation with galaxy clusters in the local universe

We compare the predictions of a semi-analytic model for ultra-compact dwarf galaxy (UCD) formation by tidal stripping to the observed properties of globular clusters (GCs) and UCDs in the Fornax and Virgo clusters. For Fornax we find the predicted number of stripped nuclei agrees very well with the excess number of GCs$+$UCDs above the GC luminosity function. GCs$+$UCDs with masses $>10^{7.3}$ M$_\odot$ are consistent with being entirely formed by tidal stripping. Stripped nuclei can also account for Virgo UCDs with masses $>10^{7.3}$ M$_\odot$ where numbers are complete by mass. For both Fornax and Virgo, the predicted velocity dispersions and radial distributions of stripped nuclei are consistent with that of UCDs within $\sim$50-100 kpc but disagree at larger distances where dispersions are too high and radial distributions too extended. Stripped nuclei are predicted to have radially biased anisotropies at all radii, agreeing with Virgo UCDs at clustercentric distances larger than 50 kpc. However, ongoing disruption is not included in our model which would cause orbits to become tangentially biased at small radii. We find the predicted metallicities and central black hole masses of stripped nuclei agree well with the metallicities and implied black hole masses of UCDs for masses $>10^{6.5}$ M$_\odot$. The predicted black hole masses also agree well with that of M60-UCD1, the first UCD with a confirmed central black hole. These results suggest that observed GC$+$UCD populations are a combination of genuine GCs and stripped nuclei, with the contribution of stripped nuclei increasing toward the high-mass end.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Contribution of stripped nuclear clusters to globular cluster and ultra-compact dwarf galaxy populations

We use the Millennium II cosmological simulation combined with the semi-analytic galaxy formation model of Guo et al. (2011) to predict the contribution of galactic nuclei formed by the tidal stripping of nucleated dwarf galaxies to globular cluster (GC) and ultra-compact dwarf galaxy (UCD) populations of galaxies. We follow the merger trees of galaxies in clusters back in time and determine the absolute number and stellar masses of disrupted galaxies. We assume that at all times nuclei have a distribution in nucleus-to-galaxy mass and nucleation fraction of galaxies similar to that observed in the present day universe. Our results show stripped nuclei follow a mass function $N(M) \sim M^{-1.5}$ in the mass range $10^6 < M/M_\odot < 10^8$, significantly flatter than found for globular clusters. The contribution of stripped nuclei will therefore be most important among high-mass GCs and UCDs. For the Milky Way we predict between 1 and 3 star clusters more massive than $10^5 M_\odot$ come from tidally disrupted dwarf galaxies, with the most massive cluster formed having a typical mass of a few times $10^6 M_\odot$, like omega Centauri. For a galaxy cluster with a mass $7 \times 10^{13} M_\odot$, similar to Fornax, we predict $\sim$19 UCDs more massive than $2\times10^6 M_\odot$ and $\sim$9 UCDs more massive than $10^7 M_\odot$ within a projected distance of 300 kpc come from tidally stripped dwarf galaxies. The observed number of UCDs are $\sim$200 and 23, respectively. We conclude that most UCDs in galaxy clusters are probably simply the high mass end of the GC mass function.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

On the continuity of the Volterra variational derivative

AbstractWe give a sufficient condition for the continuity of the Volterra variational derivative of a functional with respect to a fixed function. For linear functionals this condition is automatically satisfied, and so the Volterra variational derivative of a linear functional is always continuous

The Gauss–Green theorem and removable sets for PDEs in divergence form

AbstractApplying a very general Gauss–Green theorem established for the generalized Riemann integral, we obtain simple proofs of new results about removable sets of singularities for the Laplace and minimal surface equations. We treat simultaneously singularities with respect to differentiability and continuity

Atmospheric transport and deposition of Indonesian volcanic emissions

International audienceA regional climate model has been used to study the transport and deposition of sulfur (SO2 and SO42-) and PbCl2 emissions from Indonesian volcanoes. The sensitivity of the atmospheric loss of these trace species to meteorological conditions and their solubility was examined. Two experiments were conducted: 1) volcanic sulfur released as primarily SO2 and subject to transport, deposition, and oxidation to SO42-; and 2) PbCl2 released as an infinitely soluble passive tracer subject to only transport and deposition. The first experiment was used to calculate SO2 loss rates from each active Indonesian volcano producing an annual mean loss rate for all volcanoes of 1.1×10-5 s-1, or an e-folding rate of approximately 1 day. SO2 loss rate was found to vary seasonally, be poorly correlated with wind speed, and uncorrelated with temperature or relative humidity. The variability of SO2 loss rates is found to be correlated with the variability of wind speeds, suggesting that it is much more difficult to establish a "typical'' SO2 loss rate for volcanoes that are exposed to changeable winds. Within an average distance of 70 km away from the active Indonesian volcanoes, 53% of SO2 loss is due to conversion to SO42-, 42% due to dry deposition, and 5% due to lateral transport away from the dominant direction of plume travel. The solubility of volcanic emissions in water is shown to influence their atmospheric transport and deposition. High concentrations of PbCl2 are predicted to be deposited near to the volcanoes while volcanic S travels further away until removal from the atmosphere primarily via the wet deposition of H2SO4. The ratio of the concentration of PbCl2 to SO2 is found to exponentially decay at increasing distance from the volcanoes. The more rapid removal of highly soluble species should be considered when observing SO2 in an aged plume and relating this concentration to other volcanic species. An assumption that the ratio between the concentrations of highly soluble volcanic compounds and SO2 within a plume is equal to that observed in fumarolic gases is reasonable at small distances from the volcanic vent, but will result in an underestimation of the emission flux of highly soluble species