1,341 research outputs found
Extensive near-infrared (H-band) photometry in Coma
We present extensive and accurate photometry in the near-infrared H band of a
complete sample of objects in an area of about 400 arcmin2 toward the Coma
cluster of galaxies. The sample, including about 300 objects, is complete down
to H~17 mag, the exact value depending on the type of magnitude (isophotal,
aperture, Kron) and the particular region studied. This is six magnitudes below
the characteristic magnitude of galaxies, well into the dwarfs' regime at the
distance of the Coma cluster. For each object (star or galaxy) we provide
aperture magnitudes computed within five different apertures, the magnitude
within the 22 mag arcsec2 isophote, the Kron magnitude and radius, magnitude
errors, as well as the coordinates, the isophotal area, and a stellarity index.
Photometric errors are 0.2 mag at the completness limit. This sample is meant
to be the zero-redshift reference for evolutionary studies of galaxies.Comment: A&AS in press, paper, with high resolution images & tables are
available at http://oacosf.na.astro.it/~andreon/listapub.htm
Morphological classification and structural parameter of galaxies in the Coma and Perseus clusters
We present the results of an isophotal shape analysis of galaxies in the Coma
and Perseus clusters. These data, together with those of two previous papers,
provide two complete samples of galaxies with reliable Hubble types in rich
clusters: 1) all galaxies brighter than m_b = 16.5 falling within one degree
(=2.3 Mpc) from the center of the Coma cluster (187 galaxies), 2) all galaxies
brighter than m_{Zwicky}=15.7 in a region of 5 deg 3' times 5 deg 27' around
the center of the Perseus cluster (139 galaxies). These two complete samples
cover 5 orders of magnitude in galaxy density and span areas of 91 and 17
Mpc^2, clustercentric radii up to 2.3 and 6.4 Mpc, for Perseus and Coma
respectively. They will be used in subsequent papers to study the dependence of
galaxy types on cluster environment and as reference samples in comparisons
with distant clusters.Comment: A&AS, in press. 14 pages including 2 figures and 5 tables, A&A macro
Analysis of Air Traffic Controllers Decisions
International audienceThis paper presents an approach based on a multiple criteria decision making methodology (MCDM) to analyse the decisions of Air Traffic Controllers. This study will allow to model some tools able to assist the controllers in their tasks and particularly able to help them to assume the ceaseless increase of Air Traffic. Currently the platform AMANDA assists controllers on only one sector of control. This platform was very pleasant welcome, and we wish to extend these principles to adjacent sectors, and thus include tool to help the cooperation between adjacent controllers. This analysis is composed of three main points. First it is necessary to determine the decision making process of controllers. The second point consists of the application of the MCDM which guide all the study. And finally a repertory grid technique is applied in order to support the operational aspect of MCDM and to support the interviews. We begin this paper by a presentation of Air traffic Control and the problematic, we present then AMANDA and its principles, and the objectives for the new version. In a third part we describe the approach developed and a real example of its application, the results and analyses that we can deduce of this first grid are also presented. These results must be, of course, confirmed and validated by the controllers
The Star Clusters in the Irregular Galaxy NGC 4449
We examine the star clusters in the irregular galaxy NGC 4449. We use a
near-infrared spectrum and broad-band images taken with the HST to place a
limit of 8--15 Myrs on the age of the bright central ojbect in NGC 4449. Its
luminosity and size suggest that it is comparable to young super star clusters.
However, there is a peculiar nucleated-bar structure at the center of this star
cluster, and we suggest that this structure is debris from the interaction that
has produced the counter-rotating gas systems and extended gas streamers in the
galaxy.
From the images we identify 60 other candidate compact star clusters in NGC
4449. Fourteen of these could be background elliptical galaxies or old globular
star clusters. Of the star clusters, three, in addition to the central object,
are potentially super star clusters, and many others are comparable to the
populous clusters found in the LMC. The star clusters span a large range in
ages with no obvious peak in cluster formation that might be attributed to the
interaction that the galaxy has experienced.Comment: To be published in PASP, Feb. 2001; also attainable from
ftp.lowell.edu, cd pub/dah/n4449pape
The Stellar Population Histories of Early-Type Galaxies. II. Controlling Parameters of the Stellar Populations
We analyze single-stellar-population (SSP) equivalent parameters for 50 local
elliptical galaxies as a function of their structural parameters. These
galaxies fill a two-dimensional plane in the four-dimensional space of [Z/H],
log t, log , and [E/Fe]. SSP age and velocity dispersion can be taken
as the two independent parameters that specify a galaxy's location in this
``hyperplane.'' The hyperplane can be decomposed into two sub-relations: (1) a
``Z-plane,'' in which [Z/H] is a linear function of log and log t; and
(2) a relation between [E/Fe] and in which [E/Fe] is larger in
high- galaxies. Cluster and field ellipticals follow the same
hyperplane, but their (,t) distributions within it differ. Nearly all
cluster galaxies are old; the field ellipticals span a large range in SSP age.
The tight Mg-- relations of these ellipticals can be understood as
two-dimensional projections of the metallicity hyperplane showing it edge-on;
the tightness of these relations does not necessarily imply a narrow range of
ages at fixed . The relation between [E/Fe] and is consistent
with a higher effective yield of Type II SNe elements at higher . The
Z-plane is harder to explain and may be a powerful clue to star formation in
elliptical galaxies if it proves to be general. Present data favor a
``frosting'' model in which low apparent SSP ages are produced by adding a
small frosting of younger stars to an older base population. If the frosting
abundances are close to or slightly greater than the base population, simple
two-component models run along lines of constant in the Z-plane, as
required. This favors star formation from well-mixed pre-enriched gas rather
than unmixed low-metallicity gas from an accreted object. (Abridged)Comment: To be published in the June 2000 issue of the Astronomical Journal.
28 pages, 13 figures, uses emulateap
The Age Difference between the Globular Cluster Sub-populations in NGC 4472
The age difference between the two main globular cluster sub-populations in
the Virgo giant elliptical galaxy, NGC 4472 (M 49), has been determined using
HST WFPC2 images in the F555W and F814W filters. Accurate photometry has been
obtained for several hundred globular clusters in each of the two main
sub-populations, down to more than one magnitude below the turn-over of their
luminosity functions. This allows precise determinations of both the mean
colors and the turn-over magnitudes of the two main sub-populations. By
comparing the data with various population synthesis models, the
age-metallicity pairs that fit both the observed colors and magnitudes have
been identified. The metal-poor and the metal-rich globular clusters are found
to be coeval within the errors ( Gyr). If one accepts the validity of
our assumptions, these errors are dominated by model uncertainties. A
systematic error of up to 4 Gyr could affect this result if the blue and the
red clusters have significantly different mass distributions. However, that one
sub-population is half as old as the other is excluded at the 99% confidence
level. The different globular cluster populations are assumed to trace the
galaxy's major star-formation episodes. Consequently, the vast majority of
globular clusters, and by implication the majority of stars, in NGC 4472 formed
at high redshifts but by two distinct mechanisms or in two episodes.Comment: 32 pages, including 12 postscript figures, accepted for publication
in the Astronomical Journal, December 1999 issu
Internal tides in the central Mediterranean Sea: observational evidence and numerical studies
Internal tides are studied in the central Mediterranean Sea using observational data and numerical experiments. Both numerical results and observations indicate that the baroclinic variability in this area is dominated by the K1 diurnal tide. In agreement with previous studies, the diurnal internal tides have the characteristics of Kelvin-like bottom trapped waves. They are mainly generated by the interaction of the induced barotropic tidal flow with the steep bathymetric gradient connecting the Ionian Sea with the shallow Sicily Channel. The bathymetric gradient appears to be the major forcing shaping the propagation paths of the internal tides. The most energetic internal tides follow the steep bathymetric gradient, propagating southward and tending to dissipate rapidly. Other waves cross the continental shelf south of Malta and then split with one branch moving toward the southern coast of Sicily and the other moving toward the west. Internal tides propagate with a variable phase velocity of about 1 ms(-1) and a wavelength of the order of 100 km. During their journey, the internal waves appear to be subject to local processes that can modify their characteristics. The induced vertical shear strongly dominates the vertical turbulence and generates vertical mixing that alters the properties of the water masses traversing the area. Barotropic and internal tides remove heat from the ocean surface, increasing atmospheric heating, and redistributing energy through increased lateral heat fluxes. Lateral heat fluxes are significantly greater in the presence of internal tides due to the simultaneous increase in volume fluxes and water temperatures
Morphological classification and structural parameters for early-type galaxies in the Coma cluster
We present the results of an isophotal shape analysis of three samples of
galaxies in the Coma cluster. Quantitative morphology, together with structural
and photometric parameters, is given for each galaxy. Special emphasis has been
placed on the detailed classification of early-type galaxies.
The three samples are: i) a sample of 97 early-type galaxies brighter than
m = 17.00 falling within one degree from the center of the Coma cluster;
these galaxies were observed with CCD cameras, mostly in good to excellent
resolution conditions; ii) a magnitude complete sample of 107 galaxies of all
morphological types down to m = 17.00 falling in a circular region of 50
arcmin diameter, slightly offcentered to the North-West of the cluster center;
the images for this and the next sample come from digitized photographic
plates; iii) a complete comparison sample of 26 galaxies of all morphological
types down to m = 16.05 (or m 17.5), also in a region of 50
arcmin diameter, but centered 2.6 degrees West of the cluster center.
The reliability of our morphological classifications and structural
parameters of galaxies, down to the adopted magnitude limits, is assessed by
comparing the results on those galaxies for which we had images taken with
different instrumentation and/or seeing conditions, and by comparing our
results with similar data from other observers.Comment: 22 pages, including 4 figures and 4 tables, uuencoded, gzipped
postscrip
Climate and soil type together explain the distribution of microendemic species in a biodiversity hotspot
The grasshopper genus Caledonula, endemic to New Caledonia, was studied to understand the evolution of species distributions in relation to climate and soil types. Based on a comprehensive sampling of 80 locations throughout the island, the genus was represented by five species, four of which are new to science, of which three are described here. All the species have limited distributions in New Caledonia. Bioclimatic niche modelling shows that all the species were found in association with a wet climate and reduced seasonality, explaining their restriction to the southern half of the island. The results suggest that the genus was ancestrally constrained by seasonality. A molecular phylogeny was reconstructed using two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers. The partially resolved tree showed monophyly of the species found on metalliferous soils, and molecular dating indicated a rather recent origin for the genus. Adaptation to metalliferous soils is suggested by both morphological changes and radiation on these soils. The genus Caledonula is therefore a good model to understand the origin of microendemism in the context of recent and mixed influences of climate and soil type
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