9,490 research outputs found
Chandra Observations of Low Mass X-ray Binaries and Diffuse Gas in the Early-Type Galaxies NGC 4365 and NGC 4382 (M85)
(Abridged) We used the Chandra X-ray Observatory ACIS S3 to image the X-ray
faint elliptical galaxy NGC 4365 and lenticular galaxy NGC 4382. The
observations resolve much of the X-ray emission into 99 and 58 sources,
respectively, most of which are low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) associated with
each of the galaxies. We identify 18 out of the 37 X-ray sources in a central
field in NGC 4365 with globular clusters. The luminosity functions of the
resolved sources for both galaxies are best fit with cutoff power-laws whose
cutoff luminosity is ergs s. These
luminosities are much larger than those previously measured for similar
galaxies; we do not find evidence for a break in the luminosity function at the
Eddington luminosity of a 1.4 neutron star. The spatial distributions
of the resolved sources for both galaxies are broader than the distribution of
optical stars. In both galaxies, a hard power-law model fits the summed
spectrum of all of the sources. The unresolved emission is best fit by the sum
of a soft mekal model representing emission from diffuse gas, and a hard
power-law, presumed to be from unresolved LMXBs. A standard beta model fits the
radial distribution of the diffuse gas in both galaxies. In the elliptical NGC
4365, the best-fit core radius is very small, while the S0 galaxy NGC 4382 has
a larger core radius. This may indicate that the gas in NGC 4382 is rotating
significantly.Comment: Astrophysical Journal, accepted: 38 pages with 20 embedded reduced
resolution Postscript figure
High Latitude HI in NGC 2613: Buoyant Disk-Halo Outflow
We combine new VLA D array HI data of NGC 2613 with previous high resolution
data to show new disk-halo features in this galaxy. The global HI distribution
is modeled in detail using a technique which can disentangle the effects of
inclination from scale height and can also solve for the average volume density
distribution in and perpendicular to the disk. The model shows that the
galaxy's inclination is on the low end of the range given by Chaves & Irwin
(2001) and that the HI disk is thin (z_e = 188 pc), showing no evidence for
halo. Numerous discrete disk-halo features are observed, however, achieving z
heights up to 28 kpc from mid-plane. One prominent feature in particular, of
mass, 8X10^7 Msun and height, 22 kpc, is seen on the advancing side of the
galaxy at a projected galactocentric radius of 15.5 kpc. If this feature
achieves such high latitudes because of events in the disk alone, then input
energies of order ~ 10^{56} ergs are required. We have instead investigated the
feasibility of such a large feature being produced via buoyancy (with drag)
within a hot, pre-existing X-ray corona. Reasonable plume densities,
temperatures, stall height (~ 11 kpc), outflow velocities and ages can indeed
be achieved in this way. The advantage of this scenario is that the input
energy need only be sufficient to produce blow-out, a condition which requires
a reduction of three orders of magnitude in energy. If this is correct, there
should be an observable X-ray halo around NGC 2613.Comment: 32 pages 7 gif figures, accepted by Ap
Are dwarf spheroidal galaxies dark matter dominated or remnants of disrupted larger satellite galaxies? -- A possible test
The failure of standard cosmolocical models in accounting for the statistics
of dwarf satellites and the rotation curve of gas-rich dwarf galaxies in detail
has led us to examine whether earlier non-equilibrium models of dwarf
spheroidal satellites without any dark matter should be reconsidered in more
detail. Such models can explain the high dispersion of the dwarf spheroids by
the projection of disrupted tidal debris. We show in the case of Milky Way
satellites, that these models predict a significant spread in the apparent
magnitude of horizontal branch stars which is correlated with sky position and
velocity. In particular, the models produce a strong correlation of radial
velocity with the long axis of the dwarf. Current data do not set strong enough
constraints on the models, but we suggest that photometric and spectroscopic
surveys of extra-tidal stars of nearby dwarf spheroids in the Milky Way and
Andromeda can falsify these models without dark matter.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Spectroscopy of Giant Stars in the Pyxis Globular Cluster
The Pyxis globular cluster is a recently discovered globular cluster that
lies in the outer halo (R_{gc} ~ 40 kpc) of the Milky Way. Pyxis lies along one
of the proposed orbital planes of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and it has
been proposed to be a detached LMC globular cluster captured by the Milky Way.
We present the first measurement of the radial velocity of the Pyxis globular
cluster based on spectra of six Pyxis giant stars. The mean heliocentric radial
velocity is ~ 36 km/sec, and the corresponding velocity of Pyxis with respect
to a stationary observer at the position of the Sun is ~ -191 km/sec. This
radial velocity is a large enough fraction of the cluster's expected total
space velocity, assuming that it is bound to the Milky Way, that it allows
strict limits to be placed on the range of permissible transverse velocities
that Pyxis could have in the case that it still shares or nearly shares an
orbital pole with the LMC. We can rule out that Pyxis is on a near circular
orbit if it is Magellanic debris, but we cannot rule out an eccentric orbit
associated with the LMC. We have calculated the range of allowed proper motions
for the Pyxis globular cluster that result in the cluster having an orbital
pole within 15 degrees of the present orbital pole of the LMC and that are
consistent with our measured radial velocity, but verification of the tidal
capture hypothesis must await proper motion measurement from the Space
Interferometry Mission or HST. A spectroscopic metallicity estimate of [Fe/H] =
-1.4 +/- 0.1 is determined for Pyxis from several spectra of its brightest
giant; this is consistent with photometric determinations of the cluster
metallicity from isochrone fitting.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures, aaspp4 style, accepted for publication in
October, 2000 issue of the PAS
A photometric and astrometric investigation of the brown dwarfs in Blanco 1
We present the results of a photometric and astrometric study of the low mass
stellar and substellar population of the young open cluster Blanco 1. We have
exploited J band data, obtained recently with the Wide Field Camera (WFCAM) on
the United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT), and 10 year old I and z band
optical imaging from CFH12k and Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), to
identify 44 candidate low mass stellar and substellar members, in an area of 2
sq. degrees, on the basis of their colours and proper motions. This sample
includes five sources which are newly discovered. We also confirm the lowest
mass candidate member of Blanco 1 unearthed so far (29MJup). We determine the
cluster mass function to have a slope of alpha=+0.93, assuming it to have a
power law form. This is high, but nearly consistent with previous studies of
the cluster (to within the errors), and also that of its much better studied
northern hemisphere analogue, the Pleiades.Comment: 8 Pages, 5 Figures, 2 Tables and 1 Appendix. Accepted for publication
in MNRA
Chandra Observation of the Edge-on Galaxy NGC 3556 (M 108): Violent Galactic Disk-halo Interaction Revealed
We present a 60 ks Chandra ACIS-S observation of the isolated edge-on spiral
NGC 3556, together with a multiwavelength analysis of various discrete X-ray
sources and diffuse X-ray features. Among 33 discrete X-ray sources detected
within the I_B = 25 mag per square arcsec isophote ellipse of the galaxy, we
identify a candidate for the galactic nucleus, an ultraluminous X-ray source
that might be an accreting intermediate-mass black hole, a possible X-ray
binary with a radio counterpart, and two radio-bright giant HII regions. We
detect large amounts of extraplanar diffuse X-ray emission, which extends about
10 kpc radially in the disk and >~ 4 kpc away from the galactic plane. The
diffuse X-ray emission exhibits significant substructures, possibly
representing various blown-out superbubbles or chimneys of hot gas heated in
massive star forming regions. This X-ray-emitting gas has temperatures in the
range of ~ 2-7 x 10^6 K and has a total cooling rate of ~ 2 x 10^40 erg/s. The
energy can be easily supplied by supernova blast-waves in the galaxy. These
results demonstrate NGC 3556 as being a galaxy undergoing vigorous disk-halo
interaction. The halo in NGC 3556 is considerably less extended, however, than
that of NGC 4631, in spite of many similarities between the two galaxies. This
may be due to the fact that NGC 3556 is isolated whereas NGC 4631 is
interacting. Thus NGC 3556 presents a more pristine environment for studying
the disk-halo interaction.Comment: 30 pages, 12 figures. To appear in ApJ. Please see
http://www.astro.umass.edu/~wqd/papers/n3556/n3556.pdf for a high resolution
versio
The Kinematics of the Ultra-Faint Milky Way Satellites: Solving the Missing Satellite Problem
We present Keck/DEIMOS spectroscopy of stars in 8 of the newly discovered
ultra-faint dwarf galaxies around the Milky Way. We measure the velocity
dispersions of Canes Venatici I and II, Ursa Major I and II, Coma Berenices,
Hercules, Leo IV and Leo T from the velocities of 18 - 214 stars in each galaxy
and find dispersions ranging from 3.3 to 7.6 km/s. The 6 galaxies with absolute
magnitudes M_V < -4 are highly dark matter-dominated, with mass-to-light ratios
approaching 1000. The measured velocity dispersions are inversely correlated
with their luminosities, indicating that a minimum mass for luminous galactic
systems may not yet have been reached. We also measure the metallicities of the
observed stars and find that the 6 brightest of the ultra-faint dwarfs extend
the luminosity-metallicity relationship followed by brighter dwarfs by 2 orders
of magnitude in luminosity; several of these objects have mean metallicities as
low as [Fe/H] = -2.3 and therefore represent some of the most metal-poor known
stellar systems. We detect metallicity spreads of up to 0.5 dex in several
objects, suggesting multiple star formation epochs. Having established the
masses of the ultra-faint dwarfs, we re-examine the missing satellite problem.
After correcting for the sky coverage of the SDSS, we find that the ultra-faint
dwarfs substantially alleviate the discrepancy between the predicted and
observed numbers of satellites around the Milky Way, but there are still a
factor of ~4 too few dwarf galaxies over a significant range of masses. We show
that if galaxy formation in low-mass dark matter halos is strongly suppressed
after reionization, the simulated circular velocity function of CDM subhalos
can be brought into approximate agreement with the observed circular velocity
function of Milky Way satellite galaxies. [slightly abridged]Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures (12 in color), 6 tables, minor revisions in
response to referee report. Accepted for publication in Ap
An Investigation of Youth Swimming Skills and Method of Instruction
Drowning is a leading cause of death for US children. Teaching youth to swim in a formal setting from certified instructors is a consistent drowning prevention recommendation. Purposes for this investigation was to examine type of swimming instruction and ability to swim and compare to attitudes toward swimming among US youth. Methods were similar to previous USA Swimming studies in 2008 and 2010. YMCA associations in five cities were used to recruit adolescent survey respondents (n=600) aged 12-18 years. Results showed African American youth had the lowest rate of formal swimming instruction (29%) compared to White (32%) and Hispanic (42%) peers. Free/reduced lunch qualifiers reported a 23% formal instruction rate as compared to 43% of non-qualifiers. Formally instructed youth were 2.35 times more likely to report being a skilled swimmer (86%) compared to informally instructed youth (72%). Formal swimming instruction is recommended, and interventions need to target underserved populations
THE MARKETING STYLE OF ADVISORY SERVICES FOR CORN AND SOYBEANS IN 1995
The 1995 marketing styles for the 25 market advisory service programs included in the AgMAS Project were developed in two steps. The first step was the construction of a detailed "menu" of the tools and strategies used by each of the advisory programs in marketing corn and soybeans. The menu describes the type of pricing tool, frequency of transactions, and magnitude of transactions. The second step was the development of a daily index of the net amount sold by each market advisory program. To construct such an index, the various futures, options, and cash positions recommended for a program on a given day were weighted by the respective position "delta." When the daily values of the index were plotted for the entire marketing period, the marketing "profile" for a program was generated. The results show that advisory programs made a relatively small number of recommendations that primarily involved cash marketing strategies, not futures and options, non-cash marketing recommendations were typically held open for a short period of time, and the re-harvest amount sold averaged 35 percent for corn and 30 percent for soybeans.advisory services, pricing tools, pricing strategies, assessment of recommendations, D4, C8, D8, M3, Q0, Marketing,
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