1,266 research outputs found
Abelian covers of surfaces and the homology of the level L mapping class group
We calculate the first homology group of the mapping class group with
coefficients in the first rational homology group of the universal abelian -cover of the surface. If the surface has one marked point, then the
answer is \Q^{\tau(L)}, where is the number of positive divisors of
. If the surface instead has one boundary component, then the answer is
\Q. We also perform the same calculation for the level subgroup of the
mapping class group. Set . If the surface has one
marked point, then the answer is \Q[H_L], the rational group ring of .
If the surface instead has one boundary component, then the answer is \Q.Comment: 32 pages, 10 figures; numerous corrections and simplifications; to
appear in J. Topol. Ana
The Smith Cloud: HI associated with the Sgr dwarf?
The Smith high velocity cloud (V(LSR) = 98 kms) has been observed at two
locations in the emission lines [OIII]5007, [NII]6548 and H-alpha. Both the
[NII] and H-alpha profiles show bright cores due to the Reynolds layer, and red
wings with emission extending to V(LSR) = 130 kms. This is the first
simultaneous detection of two emission lines towards a high velocity cloud,
allowing us to form the ratio of these line profiles as a function of LSR
velocity. At both cloud positions, we see a clear distinction between emission
at the cloud velocity, and the Reynolds layer emission (V(LSR) = 0). The
[NII]/H-alpha ratio (=0.25) for the Reynolds layer is typical of the warm
ionised medium. At the cloud velocity, this ratio is enhanced by a factor of
3-4 compared to emission at rest with respect to the LSR. A moderately deep
upper limit at [OIII] (0.12R at 3-sigma) was derived from our data. If the
emission arises from dilute photoionisation from hot young stars, the highly
enhanced [NII]/H-alpha ratio, the [OIII] non-detection and weak H-alpha
emission (0.24-0.30R) suggest that the Smith Cloud is 26+/-4 kpc from the Sun,
at a Galactocentric radius of 20+/-4 kpc. This value assumes that the emission
arises from an optically thick slab, with a covering fraction of unity as seen
by the ionizing photons, whose orientation is either (a) parallel to the
Galactic disk, or (b) such as to maximize the received flux from the disk. The
estimated mass and size of the cloud are 4x10^6 Msun and 6 kpc. We discuss a
possible association with the much larger Sgr dwarf, at a galactocentric radius
of 16+/-2 kpc, which lies within 35 degrees (~12 kpc) of the Smith Cloud.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, mn.sty. Our first application of a new method
for establishing distances to high velocity clouds. This version matches
paper to appear in MNRAS, 299, 611-624 (Sept. 11 issue
The four leading arms of the Magellanic Cloud system
The Magellanic Cloud System (MCS) interacts via tidal and drag forces with
the Milky Way galaxy. Using the Parkes Galactic All-Sky Survey (GASS) of atomic
hydrogen we explore the role of drag on the evolution of the so-called Leading
Arm (LA). We present a new image recognition algorithm that allows us to
differentiate features within a 3-D data cube (longitude, latitude, radial
velocity) and to parameterize individual coherent structures. We compiled an HI
object catalog of LA objects within an area of 70 degr x 85 degr (1.6 sr) of
the LA region. This catalog comprises information of location, column density,
line width, shape and asymmetries of the individual LA objects above the
4-sigma threshold of Delta T_b simeq 200 mK. We present evidence of a fourth
arm segment (LA4). For all LA objects we find an inverse correlation of
velocities v_GSR in Galactic Standard of Rest frame with Magellanic longitude.
High-mass objects tend to have higher radial velocities than low-mass ones.
About 1/4 of all LA objects can be characterized as head-tail (HT) structures.
Using image recognition with objective criteria, it is feasible to isolate most
of LA emission from the diffuse Milky Way HI gas. Some blended gas components
(we estimate 5%) escape detection, but we find a total gas content of the LA
that is about 50% higher than previously assumed. These methods allow the
deceleration of the LA clouds to be traced towards the Milky Way disk by drag
forces. The derived velocity gradient strongly supports the assumption that the
whole LA originates entirely in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). LA4 is
observed opposite to LA1, and we propose that both arms are related, spanning
about 52kpc in space. HT structures trace drag forces even at tens of kpc
altitudes above the Milky Way disk.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication Astronomy &
Astrophysics 201
Mapping Hydrogen in the Galaxy, Galactic Halo, and Local Group with ALFA: The GALFA-HI Survey Starting with TOGS
Radio observations of gas in the Milky Way and Local Group are vital for
understanding how galaxies function as systems. The unique sensitivity of
Arecibo's 305m dish, coupled with the 7-beam Arecibo L-Band Feed Array (ALFA),
provides an unparalleled tool for investigating the full range of interstellar
phenomena traced by the HI 21cm line. The GALFA (Galactic ALFA) HI Survey is
mapping the entire Arecibo sky over a velocity range of -700 to +700 km/s with
0.2 km/s velocity channels and an angular resolution of 3.4 arcminutes. We
present highlights from the TOGS (Turn on GALFA Survey) portion of GALFA-HI,
which is covering thousands of square degrees in commensal drift scan
observations with the ALFALFA and AGES extragalactic ALFA surveys. This work is
supported in part by the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, operated by
Cornell University under cooperative agreement with the National Science
Foundation.Comment: 3 pages, including 2 figure pages; figure image quality significantly
reduced; for full resolution version, please see
http://www.naic.edu/~gibson/cv/ao08_writeup.pdf ; to be published in AIP
conference proceedings for ``The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral
Hydrogen Window'', eds. R. Minchin & E. Momjia
A Precision Angle Sensor using an Optical Lever inside a Sagnac Interferometer
We built an ultra low noise angle sensor by combining a folded optical lever
and a Sagnac interferometer. The instrument has a measured noise floor of 1.3
prad / Hz^(1/2) at 2.4 kHz. We achieve this record angle sensitivity using a
proof-of-concept apparatus with a conservative N=11 bounces in the optical
lever. This technique could be extended to reach sub-picoradian / Hz^(1/2)
sensitivities with an optimized design.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure
Physical Properties of Complex C Halo Clouds
Observations from the Galactic Arecibo L-Band Feed Array HI (GALFA-HI) Survey
of the tail of Complex C are presented and the halo clouds associated with this
complex cataloged. The properties of the Complex C clouds are compared to
clouds cataloged at the tail of the Magellanic Stream to provide insight into
the origin and destruction mechanism of Complex C. Magellanic Stream and
Complex C clouds show similarities in their mass distributions (slope = -0.7
and -0.6, respectively) and have a common linewidth of 20 - 30 km/s (indicative
of a warm component), which may indicate a common origin and/or physical
process breaking down the clouds. The clouds cataloged at the tail of Complex C
extend over a mass range of 10^1.1 to 10^4.8 solar masses, sizes of 10^1.2 to
10^2.6 pc, and have a median volume density of 0.065 cm^(-3) and median
pressure of (P/k) = 580 K cm^{-3}. We do not see a prominent two-phase
structure in Complex C, possibly due to its low metallicity and inefficient
cooling compared to other halo clouds. From assuming the Complex C clouds are
in pressure equilibrium with a hot halo medium, we find a median halo density
of 5.8 x 10^(-4) cm^(-3), which given a constant distance of 10 kpc, is at a
z-height of ~3 kpc. Using the same argument for the Stream results in a median
halo density of 8.4 x 10^(-5) x (60kpc/d) cm^(-3). These densities are
consistent with previous observational constraints and cosmological
simulations. We also assess the derived cloud and halo properties with three
dimensional grid simulations of halo HI clouds and find the temperature is
generally consistent within a factor of 1.5 and the volume densities, pressures
and halo densities are consistent within a factor of 3.Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ. 54 pages, including 6 tables and 16
figure
The Relationship Between Baryons and Dark Matter in Extended Galaxy Halos
The relationship between gas-rich galaxies and Ly-alpha absorbers is
addressed in this paper in the context of the baryonic content of galaxy halos.
Deep Arecibo HI observations are presented of two gas-rich spiral galaxies
within 125 kpc projected distance of a Ly-alpha absorber at a similar velocity.
The galaxies investigated are close to edge-on and the absorbers lie almost
along their major axes, allowing for a comparison of the Ly-alpha absorber
velocities with galactic rotation. This comparison is used to examine whether
the absorbers are diffuse gas rotating with the galaxies' halos, outflow
material from the galaxies, or intergalactic gas in the low redshift cosmic
web. The results indicate that if the gas resides in the galaxies' halos it is
not rotating with the system and possibly counter-rotating. In addition, simple
geometry indicates the gas was not ejected from the galaxies and there are no
gas-rich satellites detected down to 3.6 - 7.5 x 10^6 Msun, or remnants of
satellites to 5-6 x 10^{18} cm^{-2}. The gas could potentially be infalling
from large radii, but the velocities and distances are rather high compared to
the high velocity clouds around the Milky Way. The most likely explanation is
the galaxies and absorbers are not directly associated, despite the vicinity of
the spiral galaxies to the absorbers (58-77 kpc from the HI edge). The spiral
galaxies reside in a filament of intergalactic gas, and the gas detected by the
absorber has not yet come into equilibrium with the galaxy. These results also
indicate that the massive, extended dark matter halos of spiral galaxies do not
commonly have an associated diffuse baryonic component at large radii.Comment: Accepted by AJ, 33 pages preprint format, see
http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/~mputman/putman1.pdf for a higher resolution
versio
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