627 research outputs found
M31 Transverse Velocity and Local Group Mass from Satellite Kinematics
We present several different statistical methods to determine the transverse
velocity vector of M31. The underlying assumptions are that the M31 satellites
on average follow the motion of M31 through space, and that the galaxies in the
outer parts of the Local Group on average follow the motion of the Local Group
barycenter through space. We apply the methods to the line-of-sight velocities
of 17 M31 satellites, to the proper motions of the 2 satellites M33 and IC 10,
and to the line-of-sight velocities of 5 galaxies near the Local Group turn
around radius, respectively. This yields 4 independent but mutually consistent
determinations of the heliocentric M31 transverse velocities in the West and
North directions, with weighted averages = -78+/-41 km/s and =
-38+/-34 km/s. The Galactocentric tangential velocity of M31 is 42 km/s, with
1-sigma confidence interval V_tan <= 56 km/s. The implied M31-Milky Way orbit
is bound if the total Local Group mass M exceeds 1.72^{+0.26}_{-0.25}x10^{12}
solar masses. If indeed bound, then the timing argument combined with the known
age of the Universe implies that M = 5.58^{+0.85}_{-0.72}x10^{12} solar masses.
This is on the high end of the allowed mass range suggested by cosmologically
motivated models for the individual structure and dynamics of M31 and the Milky
Way, respectively. It is therefore possible that the timing mass is an
overestimate of the true mass, especially if one takes into account recent
results from the Millennium Simulation that show that there is also a
theoretical uncertainty of 41 percent (Gaussian dispersion) in timing mass
estimates. The M31 transverse velocity implies that M33 is in a tightly bound
orbit around M31. This may have led to some tidal deformation of M33. It will
be worthwhile to search for observational evidence of this.Comment: ApJ in press, 14 pages, including 3 figures (has minor revisions with
respect to previously posted version to address referee comments
Density dependent movement of South African sardine
A hypothesis that the movement of South Africa sardine from the west to the south coast is dependent on west coast biomass is revisited and a relationship proposed for use in future projections
HST Imaging of Globular Clusters in the Edge--on Spiral Galaxies NGC 4565 and NGC 5907
We present a study of the globular cluster systems of two edge-on spiral
galaxies, NGC4565 and NGC5907, from WFPC2 images in the F450W and F814W
filters. The globular cluster systems of both galaxies appear to be similar to
the Galactic globular cluster system. In particular, we derive total numbers of
globular clusters of N_{GC}(4565)= 204+/-38 {+87}{-53} and
N_{GC}(5907)=170+/-41 {+47}{-72} (where the first are statistical, the second
potential systematic errors) for NGC4565 and NGC5907, respectively. This
determination is based on a comparison to the Milky Way system, for which we
adopt a total number of globular clusters of 180+/-20. The specific frequency
of both galaxies is S_N~0.6: indistinguishable from the value for the Milky
Way. The similarity in the globular cluster systems of the two galaxies is
noteworthy since they have significantly different thick disks and
bulge-to-disk ratios. This would suggest that these two components do not play
a major role in the building up of a globular cluster system around late-type
galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal, 17 pages incl 5
figures, AAS style two columns. Also available at
http://www.eso.org/~mkissler, Color version of figure 1 only available at
http://www.eso.org/~mkissler (B/W version included
The eclipsing X-ray pulsar X-7 in M33
Using our extensive ROSAT X-ray observations of M33, we confirm a 3.45 day
eclipse period for the Einstein source X-7 (Larson & Schulman, 1997) and
discover evidence for a 0.31-s pulse period. The orbital period, pulse period
and observed X-ray luminosity are remarkably similar to SMC X-1. We therefore
suggest M33 X-7 is a neutron star high mass X-ray binary with a 15-40 Msol O/B
companion and a binary separation of 25-33 Rsol if the companion is almost
filling its Roche lobe.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRA
Binding Energy and the Fundamental Plane of Globular Clusters
A physical description of the fundamental plane of Galactic globular clusters
is developed which explains all empirical trends and correlations in a large
number of cluster observables and provides a small but complete set of truly
independent constraints on theories of cluster formation and evolution in the
Milky Way. Within the theoretical framework of single-mass, isotropic King
models, it is shown that (1) 39 regular (non--core-collapsed) globulars with
measured core velocity dispersions share a common V-band mass-to-light ratio of
1.45 +/- 0.10, and (2) a complete sample of 109 regular globulars reveals a
very strong correlation between cluster binding energy and total luminosity,
regulated by Galactocentric position: E_b \propto (L^{2.05} r_{\rm gc}^{-0.4}).
The observational scatter about either of these two constraints can be
attributed fully to random measurement errors, making them the defining
equations of a fundamental plane for globular clusters. A third, weaker
correlation, between total luminosity and the King-model concentration
parameter, c, is then related to the (non-random) distribution of globulars on
the plane. The equations of the FP are used to derive expressions for any
cluster observable in terms of only L, r_{\rm gc}, and c. Results are obtained
for generic King models and applied specifically to the globular cluster system
of the Milky Way.Comment: 60 pages with 19 figures, submitted to Ap
Slow recruitment in the HIMALAIA study:lessons for future clinical trials in patients with delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage based on feasibility data
Background : Our randomized clinical trial on induced hypertension in patients with delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) was halted prematurely due to unexpected slow recruitment rates. This raised new questions regarding recruitment feasibility. As our trial can therefore be seen as a feasibility trial, we assessed the reasons for the slow recruitment, aiming to facilitate the design of future randomized trials in aSAH patients with DCI or other critically ill patient categories. Methods : Efficiency of recruitment and factors influencing recruitment were evaluated, based on the patient flow in the two centers that admitted most patients during the study period. We collected numbers of patients who were screened for eligibility, provided informed consent, and developed DCI and who eventually were randomized. Results : Of the 862 aSAH patients admitted in the two centers during the course of the trial, 479 (56%) were eligible for trial participation of whom 404 (84%) were asked for informed consent. Of these, 188 (47%) provided informed consent, of whom 50 (27%) developed DCI. Of these 50 patients, 12 (24%) could not be randomized due to a logistic problem or a contraindication for induced hypertension emerging at the time of randomization, and four (8%) were missed for randomization. Eventually, 34 patients were randomized and received intervention or control treatment. Conclusions : Enrolling patients in a randomized trial on a treatment strategy for DCI proved unfeasible: only 1 out of 25 admitted and 1 out of 14 eligible patients could eventually be randomized. These rates, caused by a large proportion of ineligible patients, a small proportion of patients providing informed consent, and a large proportion of patients with contraindications for treatment, can be used to make sample size calculations for future randomized trials in DCI or otherwise critically ill patients. Facilitating informed consent through improved provision of information on risks, possible benefits, and study procedures may result in improved enrolment
Globular cluster systems in elliptical galaxies of Coma
Globular cluster systems of 17 elliptical galaxies have been studied in the
Coma cluster of galaxies. Surface-brightness fluctuations have been used to
determine total populations of globular clusters and specific frequency (S_N)
has been evaluated for each individual galaxy. Enormous differences in S_N
between similar galaxies are found. In particular, S_N results vary by an order
of magnitude from galaxy to galaxy. Extreme cases are the following: a) at the
lower end of the range, NGC 4673 has S_N = 1.0 +/- 0.4, a surprising value for
an elliptical galaxy, but typical for spiral and irregular galaxies; b) at the
upper extreme, MCG +5 -31 -063 has S_N = 13.0 +/- 4.2 and IC 4051 S_N = 12.7
+/- 3.2, and are more likely to belong to supergiant cD galaxies than to
"normal" elliptical galaxies. Furthermore, NGC 4874, the central supergiant cD
galaxy of the Coma cluster, also exhibits a relatively high specific frequency
(S_N = 9.0 +/- 2.2). The other galaxies studied have S_N in the range [2, 7],
the mean value being S_N = 5.1. No single scenario seems to account for the
observed specific frequencies, so the history of each galaxy must be deduced
individually by suitably combining the different models (in situ, mergers, and
accretions). The possibility that Coma is formed by several subgroups is also
considered. If only the galaxies of the main subgroup defined by Gurzadyan &
Mazure (2001) are used, a trend in S_N arises in the sense of S_N being bigger
in higher density regions. This result needs further confirmation.Comment: 43 pages including 12 .ps figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Globular cluster system and Milky Way properties revisited
Updated data of the 153 Galactic globular clusters are used to readdress
fundamental parameters of the Milky Way. We build a reduced sample,
decontaminated of the clusters younger than 10Gyr, those with retrograde orbits
and/or evidence of relation to dwarf galaxies. The 33 metal-rich globular
clusters of the reduced sample extend basically to the Solar circle and
distribute over a region with projected axial-ratios typical of an oblate
spheroidal, . The 81
metal-poor globular clusters span a nearly spherical region of axial-ratios
extending from the central parts to the outer halo. A new
estimate of the Sun's distance to the Galactic center is provided, . The metal-rich and metal-poor radial-density distributions
flatten for and are well represented both by a power-law
with a core-like term and S\'ersic's law; at large distances they fall off as
. Both metallicity components appear to have a common origin,
which is different from that of the dark matter halo. Structural similarities
of the metal-rich and metal-poor radial distributions with the stellar halo are
consistent with a scenario where part of the reduced sample was formed in the
primordial collapse, and part was accreted in an early period of merging. This
applies to the bulge as well, suggesting an early merger affecting the central
parts of the Galaxy. We estimate that the present globular cluster population
corresponds to of the original one. The fact that the
volume-density radial distributions of the metal-rich and metal-poor globular
clusters of the reduced sample follow both a core-like power-law and S\'ersic's
law indicates that we are dealing with spheroidal subsystems in all scales.Comment: 14 pages and 6 figures. Astronomy & Astrophysics, accepted on NOv. 2
The Origins of Bagan: The archaeological landscape of Upper Burma to AD 1300.
The archaeological landscape of Upper Burma from the middle of the first millennium BC to the Bagan period in the 13th-14th century AD is a landscape of continuity. Finds of polished stone and bronze artifacts suggest the existence of early metal-using cultures in the Chindwin and Samon River Valleys, and along parts of the Ayeyarwady plain. Increasing technological and settlement complexity in the Samon Valley suggests that a distinctive culture whose agricultural and trade success can be read in the archaeological record of the Late Prehistoric period developed there. The appearance of the early urban "Pyu" system of walled central places during the early first millennium AD seems to have involved a spread of agricultural and management skills and population from the Samon. The leaders of the urban centres adopted Indic symbols and Sanskrit modes of kingship to enhance and extend their authority. The early urban system was subject over time to a range of stresses including siltation of water systems, external disruption and social changes as Buddhist notions of leadership eclipsed Brahmanical ones. The archaeological evidence indicates that a settlement was forming at Bagan during the last centuries of the first millennium AD. By the mid 11th century Bagan began to dominate Upper Burma, and the region began a transition from a system of largely autonomous city states to a centralised kingdom. Inscriptions of the 11th to 13th centuries indicate that as the Bagan Empire expanded it subsumed the agricultural lands that had been developed by the Pyu
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