7,956 research outputs found
On Rank Driven Dynamical Systems
We investigate a class of models related to the Bak-Sneppen model, initially
proposed to study evolution. The BS model is extremely simple and yet captures
some forms of "complex behavior" such as self-organized criticality that is
often observed in physical and biological systems.
In this model, random fitnesses in are associated to agents located
at the vertices of a graph . Their fitnesses are ranked from worst (0) to
best (1). At every time-step the agent with the worst fitness and some others
\emph{with a priori given rank probabilities} are replaced by new agents with
random fitnesses. We consider two cases: The \emph{exogenous case} where the
new fitnesses are taken from an a priori fixed distribution, and the
\emph{endogenous case} where the new fitnesses are taken from the current
distribution as it evolves.
We approximate the dynamics by making a simplifying independence assumption.
We use Order Statistics and Dynamical Systems to define a \emph{rank-driven
dynamical system} that approximates the evolution of the \emph{distribution} of
the fitnesses in these rank-driven models, as well as in the Bak-Sneppen model.
For this simplified model we can find the limiting marginal distribution as a
function of the initial conditions. Agreement with experimental results of the
BS model is excellent.Comment: 12 gigures, 20 page
The Luminous and Carbon-Rich Supernova 2006gz: A Double Degenerate Merger?
Spectra and light curves of SN 2006gz show the strongest signature of
unburned carbon and one of the slowest fading light curves ever seen in a type
Ia event (Delta m_15 = 0.69 +/- 0.04). The early-time Si II velocity is low,
implying it was slowed by an envelope of unburned material. Our best estimate
of the luminosity implies M_V = -19.74 and the production of ~ 1.2 M_sun of
56Ni. This suggests a super-Chandrasekhar mass progenitor. A double degenerate
merger is consistent with these observations.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL (5 pages, 4 figures). UBVr'i' light
curves, UVOIR light curves, and spectra available at
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/supernova/SN2006g
Characterizing Supernova Progenitors via the Metallicities of their Host Galaxies, from Poor Dwarfs to Rich Spirals
We investigate how the different types of supernovae are relatively affected
by the metallicity of their host galaxy. We match the SAI Supernova Catalog to
the SDSS-DR4 catalog of star-forming galaxies with measured metallicities.
These supernova host galaxies span a range of oxygen abundance from 12 +
log(O/H) = 7.9 to 9.3 (~ 0.1 to 2.7 solar) and a range in absolute magnitude
from MB = -15.2 to -22.2. To reduce the various observational biases, we select
a subsample of well-characterized supernovae in the redshift range from 0.01 to
0.04, which leaves us with 58 SN II, 19 Ib/c, and 38 Ia. We find strong
evidence that SN Ib/c are occurring in higher-metallicity host galaxies than SN
II, while we see no effect for SN Ia relative to SN II. We note some extreme
and interesting supernova-host pairs, including the metal-poor (~ 1/4 solar)
host of the recent SN Ia 2007bk, where the supernova was found well outside of
this dwarf galaxy. To extend the luminosity range of supernova hosts to even
fainter galaxies, we also match all the historical supernovae with z < 0.3 to
the SDSS-DR6 sky images, resulting in 1225 matches. This allows us to identify
some even more extreme cases, such as the recent SN Ic 2007bg, where the likely
host of this hypernova-like event has an absolute magnitude MB ~ -12, making it
one of the least-luminous supernova hosts ever observed. This low-luminosity
host is certain to be very metal poor (~ 1/20 solar), and therefore this
supernova is an excellent candidate for association with an off-axis GRB. The
two catalogs that we have constructed are available online and will be updated
regularly. Finally, we discuss various implications of our findings for
understanding supernova progenitors and their host galaxies.Comment: ApJ accepted, 26 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. Updated catalogs are
available at http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~prieto/snhosts
Temperature-induced reversal of magnetic interlayer exchange coupling
For epitaxial trilayers of the magnetic rare-earth metals Gd and Tb, exchange
coupled through a non-magnetic Y spacer layer, element-specific hysteresis
loops were recorded by the x-ray magneto-optical Kerr effect at the rare-earth
thresholds. This allowed us to quantitatively determine the strength of
interlayer exchange coupling (IEC). In addition to the expected oscillatory
behavior as a function of spacer-layer thickness , a temperature-induced
sign reversal of IEC was observed for constant , arising from
magnetization-dependent electron reflectivities at the magnetic interfaces.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; accepted version; minor changes and new Figs. 2
and 4 containing more dat
The puzzling interpretation of NIR indices: The case of NaI2.21
We present a detailed study of the Na I line strength index centered in the
-band at , {\AA} (NaI2.21 hereafter) relying on different samples of
early-type galaxies. Consistent with previous studies, we find that the
observed line strength indices cannot be fit by state-of-art scaled-solar
stellar population models, even using our newly developed models in the NIR.
The models clearly underestimate the large NaI2.21 values measured for most
early-type galaxies. However, we develop a Na-enhanced version of our newly
developed models in the NIR, which - together with the effect of a bottom-heavy
initial mass function - yield NaI2.21 indices in the range of the observations.
Therefore, we suggest a scenario in which the combined effect of [Na/Fe]
enhancement and a bottom-heavy initial mass function are mainly responsible for
the large NaI2.21 indices observed for most early-type galaxies. To a smaller
extent, also [C/Fe] enhancement might contribute to the large observed NaI2.21
values.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
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