230 research outputs found
The AMIGA sample of isolated galaxies. IV. A catalogue of neighbours around isolated galaxies
Studies of the effects of environment on galaxy properties and evolution
require well defined control samples. Such isolated galaxy samples have up to
now been small or poorly defined. The AMIGA project (Analysis of the
interstellar Medium of Isolated GAlaxies) represents an attempt to define a
statistically useful sample of the most isolated galaxies in the local (z <
0.05) Universe. A suitable large sample for the AMIGA project already exists,
the Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies (CIG, Karachentseva 1973; 1050 galaxies),
and we use this sample as a starting point to refine and perform a better
quantification of its isolation properties. Digitised POSS-I E images were
analysed out to a minimum projected radius R > 0.5 Mpc around 950 CIG galaxies
(those within Vr = 1500 km s-1 were excluded). We identified all galaxy
candidates in each field brighter than B = 17.5 with a high degree of
confidence using the LMORPHO software. We generated a catalogue of
approximately 54 000 potential neighbours (redshifts exist for 30% of this
sample). Six hundred sixty-six galaxies pass and two hundred eighty-four fail
the original CIG isolation criterion. The available redshift data confirm that
our catalogue involves a largely background population rather than physically
associated neighbours. We find that the exclusion of neighbours within a factor
of four in size around each CIG galaxy, employed in the original isolation
criterion, corresponds to Delta Vr ~ 18000 km s-1 indicating that it was a
conservative limit. Galaxies in the CIG have been found to show different
degrees of isolation. We conclude that a quantitative measure of this is
mandatory. It will be the subject of future work based on the catalogue of
neighbours obtained here.Comment: Accepted by A&A, 10 pages, 8 figures, 4 table
The AMIGA sample of isolated galaxies - II. Morphological refinement
We present a complete POSS II-based refinement of the optical morphologies
for galaxies in the Karatchenseva's Catalog of Isolated Galaxies that forms the
basis of the AMIGA project. Comparison with independent classifications made
for an SDSS overlap sample of more than 200 galaxies confirms the reliability
of the early vs. late-type discrimination and the accuracy of spiral subtypes
within DeltaT = 1-2. CCD images taken at the OSN were also used to solve
ambiguities. 193 galaxies are flagged for the presence of nearby companions or
signs of distortion likely due to interaction. This most isolated sample of
galaxies in the local Universe is dominated by 2 populations: 1) 82% spirals
(Sa-Sd) with the bulk being luminous systems with small bulges (63% between
types Sb-Sc) and 2) a significant population of early-type E-S0 galaxies (14%).
Most of the types later than Sd are low luminosity galaxies concentrated in the
local supercluster where isolation is difficult to evaluate. The late-type
spiral majority of the sample spans a luminosity range M_B-corr = -18 to -22
mag. Few of the E/S0 population are more luminous than -21.0 marking an absence
of, an often sought, super L* merger (eg fossil elliptical) population. The
rarity of high luminosity systems results in a fainter derived M* for this
population compared to the spiral optical luminosity function (OLF). The E-S0
population is from 0.2 to 0.6 mag fainter depending how the sample is defined.
This marks the AMIGA sample as almost unique among samples that compare early
and late-type OLFs separately. In other samples, which always involve galaxies
in higher density environments, M*(E/S0) is almost always 0.3-0.5 mag brighter
than M*(S), presumably reflecting a stronger correlation between M* and
environmental density for early-type galaxies.Comment: A&A accepted, 13 pages, 9 figures, 8 tables. Higher resolution Fig. 1
and full tables are available on the AMIGA (Analysis of the interstellar
Medium of Isolated GAlaxies) website at http://www.iaa.es/AMIGA.htm
Choroidal thickness measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography is reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes
Objective To compare choroidal thickness between patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and healthy controls measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Methods The sample comprised 157 eyes of 94 T2D patients, 48 eyes of which had diabetic macular edema (DME), and 71 normal eyes of 38 healthy patients. Subfoveal (SF) choroidal thickness, and choroidal thickness at 500-µm intervals up to 2500 µm nasal and temporal from the fovea were measured using the SS-OCT. Choroidal thicknesses were compared between groups using Student’s t-test. Additionally, Pearson correlations were calculated between diabetes duration, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and choroidal thickness. Results Mean diabetes duration was 16.6±9.5 years, while mean glycosylated hemoglobin was 7.7 ±1.3%. Overall, the choroid was significantly thinner in T2D patients. Individuals with DME had reduced choroidal thickness in all measurements, except at 2000 and 2500-µm nasal positions, compared to healthy controls. There was a moderate correlation between choroidal thickness and HbA1c levels in DME patients (SF: r = 0.342; p = 0.017). Diabetes duration did not correlate significantly with choroidal thickness. Conclusion SS-OCT measurements revealed that the choroid was significantly thinner in T2D patients, moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients, and DME patients than in healthy individuals. Further studies are needed to clarify the effect of diabetes on this layer and the relationship between choroidal thickness and DME
The AMIGA sample of isolated galaxies. V. Quantification of the isolation
The AMIGA project aims to build a well defined and statistically significant
reference sample of isolated galaxies in order to estimate the environmental
effects on the formation and evolution of galaxies. The goal of this paper is
to provide a measure of the environment of the isolated galaxies in the AMIGA
sample, quantifying the influence of the candidate neighbours identified in our
previous work and their potential effects on the evolution of the primary
galaxies. Here we provide a quantification of the isolation degree of the
galaxies in this sample. Our starting sample is the Catalogue of Isolated
Galaxies (CIG). We used two parameters to estimate the influence exerted by the
neighbour galaxies on the CIG galaxy: the local number density of neighbour
galaxies and the tidal strength affecting the CIG galaxy. We show that both
parameters together provide a comprehensive picture of the environment. For
comparison, those parameters have also been derived for galaxies in denser
environments such as triplets, groups and clusters. The CIG galaxies show a
continuous spectrum of isolation, as quantified by the two parameters, from
very isolated to interacting. The fraction of CIG galaxies whose properties are
expected to be influenced by the environment is however low (159 out of 950
galaxies). The isolated parameters derived for the comparsion samples gave
higher values than for the CIG and we found clear differences for the average
values of the 4 samples considered, proving the sensitivity of these
parameters. The environment of the galaxies in the CIG has been characterised,
using two complementary parameters quantifying the isolation degree, the local
number density of the neighbour galaxies and the tidal forces affecting the
isolated galaxies. (Abridged)Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, proposed for acceptance A&
Repeatability of choroidal thickness measurements assessed with swept-source optical coherence tomography in healthy and diabetic individuals
PURPOSE: To assess the intrasession repeatability of choroidal thickness measurements obtained using swept-source optical coherence tomography in Type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients and healthy controls.
METHODS: This was a single-center, prospective, observational, cross-sectional study with consecutive inclusion of 33 healthy subjects and 43 T2D patients. Subjects underwent three consecutive swept-source optical coherence tomography scans in a single session. After automatic delineation of the choroid, subfoveal choroidal thickness, and thickness at 500-µm intervals up to 2, 500 µm nasal and temporal from the fovea were measured using the software caliper by the same operator. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), coefficients of variation, and test-retest variability were calculated.
RESULTS: Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness in healthy subjects and in T2D patients was 229.97 ± 79.9 and 192.67 ± 74.3 µm, respectively (P = 0.013). All intrasession intraclass correlation coefficients were higher than 0.95 and 0.99, respectively. Coefficients of variations were less than 4.4% and 1.8%, respectively. Test-retest variability ranged from 0.76 µm to 11.12 µm and 0.64 µm to 6.29 µm, respectively. No significant differences were found in the intrasession repeatability of any choroidal measurement between healthy subjects and T2D patients.
CONCLUSION: Swept-source optical coherence tomography provided excellent intrasession repeatability of choroidal thickness measurements in healthy subjects and T2D patients
Sensitive VLBI Continuum and H I Absorption Observations of NGC 7674: First Scientific Observations with the Combined Array VLBA, VLA & Arecibo
We present phase-referenced VLBI observations of the radio continuum emission
from, and the H I 21 cm absorption toward, the Luminous Infrared Galaxy NGC
7674. The observations were carried out at 1380 MHz using the VLBA, the phased
VLA, and theArecibo radio telescope. These observations constitute the first
scientific use of the Arecibo telescope in a VLBI observation with the VLBA.
The high- and low-resolution radio continuum images reveal several new
continuum structures in the nuclear region of this galaxy. At ~100 mas
resolution, we distinguish six continuum structures extending over 1.4 arcsec,
with a total flux density of 138 mJy. Only three of these structures were known
previously. All these structures seem to be related to AGN activity. At the
full resolution of the array, we only detect two of the six continuum
structures. Both are composed of several compact components with brightness
temperatures on the order of K. While it is possible that one of these
compact structures could host an AGN, they could also be shock-like features
formed by the interaction of the jet with compact interstellar clouds in the
nuclear region of this galaxy. Complex H I absorption is detected with our VLBI
array at both high and low angular resolution. Assuming that the widest H I
feature is associated with a rotating H I disk or torus feeding a central AGN,
we estimate an enclosed dynamical mass of ~7 x 10^7 M_sun, comparable to the
value derived from the hidden broad H emission in this galaxy. The
narrower H I lines could represent clumpy neutral hydrogen structures in the H
I torus. The detection of H I absorption toward some of the continuum
components, and its absence toward others, suggest an inclined H I disk or
torus in the central region of NGC 7674.Comment: 37 pages, 11 figures. ApJ accepted. To appear in the Nov. 10, 2003
issue of ApJ. Please use the PDF version if the postscript doesn't show the
figure
The H I mass function of group galaxies in the ALFALFA survey
We estimate the H i mass function (HIMF) of galaxies in groups based on thousands of ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey) H i detections within the galaxy groups of four widely used SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) group catalogues. Although differences between the catalogues mean that there is no one definitive group galaxy HIMF, in general we find that the low-mass slope is flat, in agreement with studies based on small samples of individual groups, and that the 'knee' mass is slightly higher than that of the global HIMF of the full ALFALFA sample. We find that the observed fraction of ALFALFA galaxies in groups is approximately 22 per cent. These group galaxies were removed from the full ALFALFA source catalogue to calculate the field HIMF using the remaining galaxies. Comparison between the field and group HIMFs reveals that group galaxies make only a small contribution to the global HIMF as most ALFALFA galaxies are in the field, but beyond the HIMF 'knee' group galaxies dominate. Finally, we attempt to separate the group galaxy HIMF into bins of group halo mass, but find that too few low-mass galaxies are detected in the most massive groups to tightly constrain the slope, owing to the rarity of such groups in the nearby Universe where low-mass galaxies are detectable with existing H i surveys.© 2020 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical SocietyWe acknowledge the work of the entire ALFALFA team for
observing, flagging, and performing signal extraction. We thank
the anonymous referee for their suggestions that helped to improve
this paper. MGJ is supported by a Juan de la Cierva formacion´
fellowship (FJCI-2016-29685) from the Spanish Ministerio de
Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (MCIU). MGJ and LVM ´
also acknowledge support from the grants AYA2015-65973-C3-1-
R (MINECO/FEDER, UE) and RTI2018-096228-B-C31 (MCIU).
The research of KMH is supported by the under the European
Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC
Grant Agreement nr. 291531. EAKA is supported by the WISE
research programme, which is financed by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). This work has been supported
by the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through
the ‘Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa’ award to the Instituto
de Astrof´ısica de Andaluc´ıa (SEV-2017-0709). This research was
supported by the Munich Institute for Astro- and Particle Physics
(MIAPP) which is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
(DFG, German Research Foundation)Peer reviewe
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