The origin of the enhanced metallicity of satellite galaxies

Observations of galaxies in the local Universe have shown that both the ionized gas and the stars of satellites are more metal-rich than of equally massive centrals. To gain insight into the connection between this metallicity enhancement and other differences between centrals and satellites, such as their star formation rates, gas content, and growth history, we study the metallicities of >3600 galaxies with Mstar > 1010  M⊙ in the cosmological hydrodynamical EAGLE 100 Mpc ‘Reference’ simulation, including ∼1500 in the vicinity of galaxy groups and clusters (M200 ≥ 1013 M⊙). The simulation predicts excess gas and stellar metallicities in satellites consistent with observations, except for stellar metallicities at Mstar ≲ 1010.2 M⊙ where the predicted excess is smaller than observed. The exact magnitude of the effect depends on galaxy selection, aperture, and on whether the metallicity is weighted by stellar mass or luminosity. The stellar metallicity excess in clusters is also sensitive to the efficiency scaling of star formation feedback. We identify stripping of low-metallicity gas from the galaxy outskirts, as well as suppression of metal-poor inflows towards the galaxy centre, as key drivers of the enhancement of gas metallicity. Stellar metallicities in satellites are higher than in the field as a direct consequence of the more metal-rich star-forming gas, whereas stripping of stars and suppressed stellar mass growth, as well as differences in accreted versus in situ star formation between satellites and the field, are of secondary importance

The influence of vegetation on the ITCZ and South Asian monsoon in HadCM3

The role of global vegetation on the large-scale tropical circulation is examined in the version 3 Hadley Centre climate model (HadCM3). Alternative representations of global vegetation cover from observations and a dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) were used as the landcover component for a number of HadCM3 experiments under a nominal present day climate state, and compared to the simulations using the standard land cover map of HadCM3. The alternative vegetation covers result in a large scale cooling of the Northern Hemisphere extra-tropics relative to the HadCM3 standard, resulting in a southward shift in the location of the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ). A significant reduction in Indian monsoon precipitation is also found, which is related to a weakening of the South Asian monsoon circulation, broadly consistent with documented mechanisms relating to temperature and snow perturbations in the Northern Hemisphere extra-tropics in winter and spring, delaying the onset of the monsoon. The role of the Northern Hemisphere extra-tropics on tropical climate is demonstrated, with an additional representation of vegetation cover based on DGVM simulated changes in Northern Hemisphere vegetation from the end of the 21st Century. This experiment shows that through similar processes the simulated extra-tropical vegetation changes in the future contribute to a strengthening of the South Asian monsoon in this model. These findings provide renewed motivation to give careful consideration to the role of global scale vegetation feedbacks when looking at climate change, and its impact on the tropical circulation and South Asian monsoon in the latest generation of Earth System models

Formation of Galaxy Clusters

In this review, we describe our current understanding of cluster formation: from the general picture of collapse from initial density fluctuations in an expanding Universe to detailed simulations of cluster formation including the effects of galaxy formation. We outline both the areas in which highly accurate predictions of theoretical models can be obtained and areas where predictions are uncertain due to uncertain physics of galaxy formation and feedback. The former includes the description of the structural properties of the dark matter halos hosting cluster, their mass function and clustering properties. Their study provides a foundation for cosmological applications of clusters and for testing the fundamental assumptions of the standard model of structure formation. The latter includes the description of the total gas and stellar fractions, the thermodynamical and non-thermal processes in the intracluster plasma. Their study serves as a testing ground for galaxy formation models and plasma physics. In this context, we identify a suitable radial range where the observed thermal properties of the intra-cluster plasma exhibit the most regular behavior and thus can be used to define robust observational proxies for the total cluster mass. We put particular emphasis on examining assumptions and limitations of the widely used self-similar model of clusters. Finally, we discuss the formation of clusters in non-standard cosmological models, such as non-Gaussian models for the initial density field and models with modified gravity, along with prospects for testing these alternative scenarios with large cluster surveys in the near future.Comment: 66 pages, 17 figures, review to be published in 2012 Annual Reviews of Astronomy & Astrophysic

The new very small angle neutron scattering spectrometer at Laboratoire Leon Brillouin

The design and characteristics of the new very small angle neutron scattering spectrometer under construction at the Laboratoire Leon Brillouin is described. Its goal is to extend the range of scattering vectors magnitudes towards 2x10{-4} /A. The unique feature of this new spectrometer is a high resolution two dimensional image plate detector sensitive to neutrons. The wavelength selection is achieved by a double reflection supermirror monochromator and the collimator uses a novel multibeam design

Cosmological simulations of the formation of the stellar haloes around disc galaxies

We use the Galaxies-Intergalactic Medium Interaction Calculation (gimic) suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations to study the formation of stellar spheroids of Milky Way mass disc galaxies. The simulations contain accurate treatments of metal-dependent radiative cooling, star formation, supernova feedback and chemodynamics, and the large volumes that have been simulated yield an unprecedentedly large sample of ≈400 simulated ∼L* disc galaxies. The simulated galaxies are surrounded by low-mass, low surface brightness stellar haloes that extend out to ∼100 kpc and beyond. The diffuse stellar distributions bear a remarkable resemblance to those observed around the Milky Way, M31 and other nearby galaxies, in terms of mass density, surface brightness and metallicity profiles. We show that in situ star formation typically dominates the stellar spheroids by mass at radii of r≲ 30 kpc, whereas accretion of stars dominates at larger radii and this change in origin induces a change in the slope of the surface brightness and metallicity profiles, which is also present in the observational data. The system-to-system scatter in the in situ mass fractions of the spheroid, however, is large and spans over a factor of 4. Consequently, there is a large degree of scatter in the shape and normalization of the spheroid density profile within r≲ 30 kpc (e.g. when fitted by a spherical power-law profile, the indices range from −2.6 to −3.4). We show that the in situ mass fraction of the spheroid is linked to the formation epoch of the system. Dynamically, older systems have, on average, larger contributions from in situ star formation, although there is significant system-to-system scatter in this relationship. Thus, in situ star formation likely represents the solution to the long-standing failure of pure accretion-based models to reproduce the observed properties of the inner spheroid

The properties of the star-forming interstellar medium at z=0.84-2.23 from HiZELS: mapping the internal dynamics and metallicity gradients in high-redshift disc galaxies

We present adaptive optics assisted, spatially resolved spectroscopy of a sample of nine H�-selected galaxies at z =0.84–2.23 drawn from the HiZELS narrow-band survey. These galaxies have star-formation rates of 1–27M⊙ yr−1 and are therefore representative of the typical high-redshift star-forming population. Our �kpc-scale resolution observations show that approximately half of the sample have dynamics suggesting that the ionised gas is in large, rotating disks. We model their velocity fields to infer the inclination-corrected, asymptotic rotational velocities.We use the absolute B-band magnitudes and stellar masses to investigate the evolution of the B-band and stellar mass Tully-Fisher relationships. By combining our sample with a number of similar measurements from the literature, we show that, at fixed circular velocity, the stellar mass of star-forming galaxies has increased by a factor 2.5 between z =2 and z =0, whilst the rest-frame B-band luminosity has decreased by a factor �6 over the same period. Together, these demonstrate a change in mass-to-light ratio in the B-band of �(M/ LB) / (M/ LB)z=0 �3.5 between z =1.5 and z =0, with most of the evolution occuring below z =1. We also use the spatial variation of [Nii] /H� to show that the metallicity of the ionised gas in these galaxies declines monotonically with galactocentric radius, with an average �log(O/H) /�R=−0.027±0.005 dex kpc−1. This gradient is consistent with predictions for high-redshift disk galaxies from cosmologically based hydrodynamic simulations. Key words: galaxies: evolution – galaxies: formation – galaxies: high-redshif

Enriching the hot circumgalactic medium

Simple models of galaxy formation in a cold darkmatter universe predict that massive galaxies are surrounded by a hot, quasi-hydrostatic circumgalactic corona of slowly cooling gas, predominantly accreted from the intergalactic medium (IGM). This prediction is borne out by the recent cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of Crain et al., which reproduce observed scaling relations between the X-ray and optical properties of nearby disc galaxies. Such coronae are metal poor, but observations of the X-ray emitting circumgalactic medium (CGM) of local galaxies typically indicate enrichment to near-solar iron abundance, potentially signalling a shortcoming in current models of galaxy formation.We show here that, while the hotCGMof galaxies formed in the simulations is typically metal poor in a mass-weighted sense, its X-ray luminosity-weighted metallicity is often close to solar. This bias arises because the soft X-ray emissivity of a typical ∼0.1 keV corona is dominated by collisionally excited metal ions that are synthesized in stars and recycled into the hot CGM. We find that these metals are ejected primarily by stars that form in situ to the main progenitor of the galaxy, rather than in satellites or external galaxies. The enrichment of the hot CGM therefore proceeds in an ‘inside–out’ fashion throughout the assembly of the galaxy: metals are transported from the central galaxy by supernova-driven winds and convection over several Gyr, establishing a strong negative radial metallicity gradient. Whilst metal ions synthesized by stars are necessary to produce the X-ray emissivity that enables the hot CGM of isolated galaxies to be detected with current instrumentation, the electrons that collisionally excite them are equally important. Since our simulations indicate that the electron density of hot coronae is dominated by the metal-poor gas accreted from the IGM, we infer that the hot CGM observed via X-ray emission is the outcome of both hierarchical accretion and stellar recycling

Introduction: looking beyond the walls

In its consideration of the remarkable extent and variety of non-university researchers, this book takes a broader view of ‘knowledge’ and ‘research’ than in the many hot debates about today’s knowledge society, ‘learning age’, or organisation of research. It goes beyond the commonly held image of ‘knowledge’ as something produced and owned by the full-time experts to take a look at those engaged in active knowledge building outside the university walls

The masses and density profiles of halos in a LCDM galaxy formation simulation

We investigate the internal structure and density profiles of halos of mass $10^{10}-10^{14}~M_\odot$ in the Evolution and Assembly of Galaxies and their Environment (EAGLE) simulations. These follow the formation of galaxies in a $\Lambda$CDM Universe and include a treatment of the baryon physics thought to be relevant. The EAGLE simulations reproduce the observed present-day galaxy stellar mass function, as well as many other properties of the galaxy population as a function of time. We find significant differences between the masses of halos in the EAGLE simulations and in simulations that follow only the dark matter component. Nevertheless, halos are well described by the Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) density profile at radii larger than ~5% of the virial radius but, closer to the centre, the presence of stars can produce cuspier profiles. Central enhancements in the total mass profile are most important in halos of mass $10^{12}-10^{13}M_\odot$, where the stellar fraction peaks. Over the radial range where they are well resolved, the resulting galaxy rotation curves are in very good agreement with observational data for galaxies with stellar mass $M_*<5\times10^{10}M_\odot$. We present an empirical fitting function that describes the total mass profiles and show that its parameters are strongly correlated with halo mass

Oestradiol and prostaglandin F2 alpha regulate sexual displays in females of a sex-role reversed fish

The mechanisms regulating sexual behaviours in female vertebrates are still poorly understood, mainly because in most species sexual displays in females are more subtle and less frequent than displays in males. In a sex-role reversed population of a teleost fish, the peacock blenny Salaria pavo, an external fertilizer, females are the courting sex and their sexual displays are conspicuous and unambiguous. We took advantage of this to investigate the role of ovarian-synthesized hormones in the induction of sexual displays in females. In particular, the effects of the sex steroids oestradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) and of the prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) were tested. Females were ovariectomized and their sexual behaviour tested 7 days (sex steroids and PGF2 alpha) and 14 days (sex steroids) after ovariectomy by presenting females to an established nesting male. Ovariectomy reduced the expression of sexual behaviours, although a significant proportion of females still courted the male 14 days after the ovary removal. Administration of PGF2 alpha to ovariectomized females recovered the frequency of approaches to the male's nest and of courtship displays towards the nesting male. However, E2 also had a positive effect on sexual behaviour, particularly on the frequency of approaches to the male's nest. T administration failed to recover sexual behaviours in ovariectomized females. These results suggest that the increase in E2 levels postulated to occur during the breeding season facilitates female mate-searching and assessment behaviours, whereas PGF2 alpha acts as a short-latency endogenous signal informing the brain that oocytes are mature and ready to be spawned. In the light of these results, the classical view for female fishes, that sex steroids maintain sexual behaviour in internal fertilizers and that prostaglandins activate spawning behaviours in external fertilizers, needs to be reviewed.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [POCTI/BSE/38395/2001, PTDC/MAR/69749/2006, 331/2001]; Macao Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) [012/2012/A1]; FCT [SFRH/BPD/30367/2006