14,295 research outputs found
Estimation of Primordial Spectrum with post-WMAP 3 year data
In this paper we implement an improved (error sensitive) Richardson-Lucy
deconvolution algorithm on the measured angular power spectrum from the WMAP 3
year data to determine the primordial power spectrum assuming different points
in the cosmological parameter space for a flat LCDM cosmological model. We also
present the preliminary results of the cosmological parameter estimation by
assuming a free form of the primordial spectrum, for a reasonably large volume
of the parameter space. The recovered spectrum for a considerably large number
of the points in the cosmological parameter space has a likelihood far better
than a `best fit' power law spectrum up to \Delta \chi^2_{eff} \approx -30. We
use Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) for smoothing the raw recovered spectrum
from the binned data. The results obtained here reconfirm and sharpen the
conclusion drawn from our previous analysis of the WMAP 1st year data. A sharp
cut off around the horizon scale and a bump after the horizon scale seem to be
a common feature for all of these reconstructed primordial spectra. We have
shown that although the WMAP 3 year data prefers a lower value of matter
density for a power law form of the primordial spectrum, for a free form of the
spectrum, we can get a very good likelihood to the data for higher values of
matter density. We have also shown that even a flat CDM model, allowing a free
form of the primordial spectrum, can give a very high likelihood fit to the
data. Theoretical interpretation of the results is open to the cosmology
community. However, this work provides strong evidence that the data retains
discriminatory power in the cosmological parameter space even when there is
full freedom in choosing the primordial spectrum.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, uses Revtex4, new analysis and results,
references added, matches version accepted to Phys. Rev.
A method for spatial deconvolution of spectra
A method for spatial deconvolution of spectra is presented. It follows the
same fundamental principles as the ``MCS image deconvolution algorithm''
(Magain, Courbin, Sohy, 1998) and uses information contained in the spectrum of
a reference Point Spread Function (PSF) to spatially deconvolve spectra of very
blended sources. An improved resolution rather than an infinite one is aimed
at, overcoming the well known problem of ``deconvolution artefacts''. As in the
MCS algorithm, the data are decomposed into a sum of analytical point sources
and a numerically deconvolved background, so that the spectrum of extended
sources in the immediate vicinity of bright point sources may be accurately
extracted and sharpened. The algorithm has been tested on simulated data
including seeing variation as a function of wavelength and atmospheric
refraction. It is shown that the spectra of severely blended point sources can
be resolved while fully preserving the spectrophotometric properties of the
data. Extended objects ``hidden'' by bright point sources (up to 4-5 magnitudes
brighter) can be accurately recovered as well, provided the data have a
sufficiently high total signal-to-noise ratio (200-300 per spectral resolution
element). Such spectra are relatively easy to obtain, even down to faint
magnitudes, within a few hours of integration time with 10m class telescopes.Comment: 18 pages, 6 postscript figures, in press in Ap
Evidence for Proportionate Partition Between the Magnetic Field and Hot Gas in Turbulent Cassiopeia A
We present a deep X-ray observation of the young Galactic supernova remnant
Cas A, acquired with the ROSAT High Resolution Imager. This high dynamic range
(232 ks) image reveals low-surface-brightness X-ray structure, which appears
qualitatively similar to corresponding radio features. We consider the
correlation between the X-ray and radio morphologies and its physical
implications. After correcting for the inhomogeneous absorption across the
remnant, we performed a point by point (4" resolution) surface brightness
comparison between the X-ray and radio images. We find a strong (r = 0.75)
log-log correlation, implying an overall relationship of . This is
consistent with proportionate partition (and possibly equipartition) between
the local magnetic field and the hot gas --- implying that Cas A's plasma is
fully turbulent and continuously amplifying the magnetic field.Comment: 8 pages with embedded bitmapped figures, Accepted by ApJ Letters
5/1/9
Singular limit of Hele-Shaw flow and dispersive regularization of shock waves
We study a family of solutions to the Saffman-Taylor problem with zero
surface tension at a critical regime. In this regime, the interface develops a
thin singular finger. The flow of an isolated finger is given by the Whitham
equations for the KdV integrable hierarchy. We show that the flow describing
bubble break-off is identical to the Gurevich-Pitaevsky solution for
regularization of shock waves in dispersive media. The method provides a scheme
for the continuation of the flow through singularites.Comment: Some typos corrected, added journal referenc
Exact Resummations in the Theory of Hydrodynamic Turbulence: I The Ball of Locality and Normal Scaling
This paper is the first in a series of three papers that aim at understanding
the scaling behaviour of hydrodynamic turbulence. We present in this paper a
perturbative theory for the structure functions and the response functions of
the hydrodynamic velocity field in real space and time. Starting from the
Navier-Stokes equations (at high Reynolds number Re) we show that the standard
perturbative expansions that suffer from infra-red divergences can be exactly
resummed using the Belinicher-L'vov transformation. After this exact (partial)
resummation it is proven that the resulting perturbation theory is free of
divergences, both in large and in small spatial separations. The hydrodynamic
response and the correlations have contributions that arise from mediated
interactions which take place at some space- time coordinates. It is shown that
the main contribution arises when these coordinates lie within a shell of a
"ball of locality" that is defined and discussed. We argue that the real
space-time formalism developed here offers a clear and intuitive understanding
of every diagram in the theory, and of every element in the diagrams. One major
consequence of this theory is that none of the familiar perturbative mechanisms
may ruin the classical Kolmogorov (K41) scaling solution for the structure
functions. Accordingly, corrections to the K41 solutions should be sought in
nonperturbative effects. These effects are the subjects of papers II and III in
this series, that will propose a mechanism for anomalous scaling in turbulence,
which in particular allows multiscaling of the structure functions.Comment: PRE in press, 18 pages + 6 figures, REVTeX. The Eps files of figures
will be FTPed by request to [email protected]
Chandra X-ray Observations of the Quadruply Lensed Quasar RX J0911.4+0551
We present results from X-ray observations of the quadruply lensed quasar RX
J0911.4+0551 using data obtained with the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer
(ACIS) on board the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The 29 ks observation detects a
total of ~404 X-ray photons (0.3 to 7.0 keV) from the four images of the lensed
quasar. Deconvolution of the aspect corrected data resolves all four lensed
images, with relative positions in good agreement with optical measurements.
When compared to contemporaneous optical data, one of the lensed images
(component A3) is dimmer by a factor of ~6 in X-rays with respect to the 2
brighter images (components A1 and A2). Spectral fitting for the combined
images shows significant intrinsic absorption in the soft (0.2 to 2.4 keV)
energy band, consistent with the mini-BAL nature of this quasar, while a
comparison with ROSAT PSPC observations from 1990 shows a drop of ~6.5 in the
total soft bandpass flux. The observations also detect ~157 X-ray photons
arising from extended emission of the nearby cluster (peaked ~42" SW of
RXJ0911.4+0551) responsible for the large external shear present in the system.
The Chandra observation reveals the cluster emission to be complex and
non-spherical, and yields a cluster temperature of kT = 2.3^{+1.8}_{-0.8} keV
and a 2.0 to 10 keV cluster luminosity within a 1 Mpc radius of L_X =
7.6_{-0.2}^{+0.6} x 10^{43} ergs/s (error bars denote 90% confidence limits).
Our mass estimate of the cluster within its virial radius is 2.3^{+1.8}_{-0.7}
x 10^{14} solar, and is a factor of 2 smaller than, although consistent with,
previous mass estimates based on the observed cluster velocity dispersion.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures (figure 1 is color ps). Accepted by Ap
Velocity Statistics in the Two-Dimensional Granular Turbulence
We studied the macroscopic statistical properties on the freely evolving
quasi-elastic hard disk (granular) system by performing a large-scale (up to a
few million particles) event-driven molecular dynamics systematically and found
that remarkably analogous to an enstrophy cascade process in the decaying
two-dimensional fluid turbulence. There are four typical stages in the freely
evolving inelastic hard disk system, which are homogeneous, shearing (vortex),
clustering and final state. In the shearing stage, the self-organized
macroscopic coherent vortices become dominant. In the clustering stage, the
energy spectra are close to the expectation of Kraichnan-Batchelor theory and
the squared two-particle separation strictly obeys Richardson law.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in PR
Relative dispersion in fully developed turbulence: The Richardson's Law and Intermittency Corrections
Relative dispersion in fully developed turbulence is investigated by means of
direct numerical simulations. Lagrangian statistics is found to be compatible
with Richardson description although small systematic deviations are found. The
value of the Richardson constant is estimated as , in a close
agreement with recent experimental findings [S. Ott and J. Mann J. Fluid Mech.
{\bf 422}, 207 (2000)]. By means of exit-time statistics it is shown that the
deviations from Richardson's law are a consequence of Eulerian intermittency.
The measured Lagrangian scaling exponents require a set of Eulerian structure
function exponents which are remarkably close to standard ones
known for fully developed turbulence
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