4,100 research outputs found
From the Circumnuclear Disk in the Galactic Center to thick, obscuring tori of AGNs
We compare three different models of clumpy gas disk and show that the
Circumnuclear Disk (CND) in the Galactic Center and a putative, geometrically
thick, obscuring torus are best explained by a collisional model consisting of
quasi-stable, self-gravitating clouds. Kinetic energy of clouds is gained by
mass inflow and dissipated in cloud collisions. The collisions give rise to a
viscosity in a spatially averaged gas dynamical picture, which connects them to
angular momentum transport and mass inflow. It is found that CND and torus
share the same gas physics in our description, where the mass of clouds is 20 -
50 M_sun and their density is close to the limit of disruption by tidal shear.
We show that the difference between a transparent CND and an obscuring torus is
the gas mass and the velocity dispersion of the clouds. A change in gas supply
and the dissipation of kinetic energy can turn a torus into a CND-like
structure and vice versa. Any massive torus will naturally lead to sufficiently
high mass accretion rates to feed a luminous AGN. For a geometrically thick
torus to obscure the view to the center even super-Eddington accretions rates
with respect to the central black hole are required.Comment: 9 pages, no figures. Accepted for publication in A&
The influence of the cluster environment on the large-scale radio continuum emission of 8 Virgo cluster spirals
The influence of the environment on the polarized and total power radio
continuum emission of cluster spiral galaxies is investigated. We present deep
scaled array VLA 20 and 6 cm observations including polarization of 8 Virgo
spiral galaxies. These data are combined with existing optical, HI, and Halpha
data. Ram pressure compression leads to sharp edges of the total power
distribution at one side of the galactic disk. These edges coincide with HI
edges. In edge-on galaxies the extraplanar radio emission can extend further
than the HI emission. In the same galaxies asymmetric gradients in the degree
of polarization give additional information on the ram pressure wind direction.
The local total power emission is not sensitive to the effects of ram pressure.
The radio continuum spectrum might flatten in the compressed region only for
very strong ram pressure. This implies that neither the local star formation
rate nor the turbulent small-scale magnetic field are significantly affected by
ram pressure. Ram pressure compression occurs mainly on large scales (>=1 kpc)
and is primarily detectable in polarized radio continuum emission.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Hot gas in Mach cones around Virgo Cluster spiral galaxies
The detailed comparison between observations and simulations of ram pressure
stripped spiral galaxies in the Virgo cluster has led to a three dimensional
view of the galaxy orbits within the hot intracluster medium. The 3D velocities
and Mach numbers derived from simulations can be used to derive simple Mach
cone geometries for Virgo spiral galaxies. We search for indications of hot gas
within Mach cones in X-ray observations of selected Virgo Cluster spiral
galaxies (NGC 4569, NGC 4388, and NGC 4501). We find extraplanar diffuse X-ray
emission in all galaxies. Based on the 3D velocity vectors from dynamical
modelling a simple Mach cone is fitted to the triangular shape of NGC 4569's
diffuse X-ray emission. Assuming that all extraplanar diffuse X-ray emission
has to be located inside the Mach cone, we also fit Mach cones to NGC 4388's
and NGC 4501's extraplanar X-ray emission. For NGC 4569 it is hard to reconcile
the derived Mach cone opening angle with a Mach number based on the sound speed
alone. Instead, a Mach number involving the Alfv\'enic speed seems to be more
appropriate, yielding a magnetic field strength of -6 G for a
intracluster medium density of cm. Whereas the
temperature of the hot component of NGC 4569's X-ray halo (0.5 keV) is at the
high end but typical for a galactic outflow, the temperature of the hot gas
tails of NGC 4388 and NGC 4501 are significantly hotter (0.7-0.9 keV). In NGC
4569 we find direct evidence for a Mach cone which is filled with hot gas from
a galactic superwind. We suggest that the high gas temperatures in the X-ray
tails of NGC 4388 and NGC 4501 are due to the mixing of the stripped ISM into
the hot intracluster medium of the Virgo cluster.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy
and Astrophysic
NGC 4654: polarized radio continuum emission as a diagnostic tool for a galaxy--cluster interaction
A recent comparison between deep VLA HI observations and dynamical models of
the Virgo cluster spiral galaxy NGC 4654 has shown that only a model involving
a combination of a tidal interaction and ram pressure can reproduce the data.
Deep radio polarization studies, together with detailed MHD modeling, can
independently verify those conclusions, that are based on HI observations and
dynamical models. We performed deep polarized radio-continuum observations of
the Virgo cluster spiral galaxy NGC 4654 with the Effelsberg 100m telescope at
8.35 GHz and the VLA at 4.85 GHz. Detailed 3D MHD simulations were made to
determine the large-scale magnetic field and the emission distribution of the
polarized radio continuum in the model, during the galaxy evolution within the
cluster environment. This direct comparison between the observed and simulated
polarized radio continuum emission corroborates the earlier results, that the
galaxy had a recent rapid close encounter with NGC 4639 and is undergoing weak
ram pressure by the intracluster medium. This combination of deep radio
polarization studies and detailed MHD modeling thus gives us unique insight
into the interactions of a galaxy with its cluster environment. It represents a
diagnostic tool that is complementary to deep HI observations.Comment: Corrected galaxy name in captions of figures (1 & 2
Phase Separation in Binary Fluid Mixtures with Continuously Ramped Temperature
We consider the demixing of a binary fluid mixture, under gravity, which is
steadily driven into a two phase region by slowly ramping the temperature. We
assume, as a first approximation, that the system remains spatially isothermal,
and examine the interplay of two competing nonlinearities. One of these arises
because the supersaturation is greatest far from the meniscus, creating
inversion of the density which can lead to fluid motion; although isothermal,
this is somewhat like the Benard problem (a single-phase fluid heated from
below). The other is the intrinsic diffusive instability which results either
in nucleation or in spinodal decomposition at large supersaturations.
Experimental results on a simple binary mixture show interesting oscillations
in heat capacity and optical properties for a wide range of ramp parameters. We
argue that these oscillations arise under conditions where both nonlinearities
are important
The magnetic fields of large Virgo Cluster spirals
Because of its proximity the Virgo Cluster is an excellent target for
studying interactions of galaxies with the cluster environment. Both the
high-velocity tidal interactions and effects of ram pressure stripping by the
intracluster gas can be investigated. Optical and/or \ion{H}{i} observations do
not always show effects of weak interactions between galaxies and their
encounters with the cluster medium. For this reason we searched for possible
anomalies in the magnetic field structure in Virgo Cluster spirals which could
be attributed to perturbations in their gas distribution and kinematics. Five
angularly large Virgo Cluster spiral galaxies (NGC 4501, NGC 4438, NGC 4535,
NGC 4548 and NGC 4654) were the targets for a sensitive total power and
polarization study using the 100-m radio telescope in Effelsberg at 4.85 GHz.
For two objects polarization data at higher frequencies have been obtained
allowing Faraday rotation analysis. Distorted magnetic field structures were
identified in all galaxies. Interaction-induced magnetized outflows were found
in NGC 4438 (due to nuclear activity) and NGC 4654 (a combination of tidal
tails and ram pressure effects). Almost all objects (except the anaemic NGC
4548) exhibit distortions in polarized radio continuum attributable to
influence of the ambient gas. For some galaxies they agree with observations of
other species, but sometimes (NGC 4535) the magnetic field is the only tracer
of the interaction with the cluster environment. The cluster environment
clearly affects the evolution of the galaxies due to ram pressure and tidal
effects. Magnetic fields provide a very long-lasting memory of past
interactions. Therefore, they are a good tracer of weak interactions which are
difficult to detect by other observations.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figure
The magnetic fields of large Virgo cluster spirals: Paper II
The Virgo cluster of galaxies provides excellent conditions for studying
interactions of galaxies with the cluster environment. Both the high-velocity
tidal interactions and effects of ram pressure stripping by the intracluster
gas can be investigated in detail. We extend our systematic search for possible
anomalies in the magnetic field structures of Virgo cluster spirals in order to
characterize a variety of effects and attribute them to different disturbing
agents. Six angularly large Virgo cluster spiral galaxies (NGC4192, NGC4302,
NGC4303, NGC4321, NGC4388, and NGC4535) were targets of a sensitive total power
and polarization study using the 100-m radio telescope in Effelsberg at 4.85GHz
and 8.35GHz (except for NGC4388 observed only at 4.85GHz, and NGC4535 observed
only at 8.35GHz). Magnetic field structures distorted to various extent are
found in all galaxies. Three galaxies (NGC4302, NGC4303, and NGC4321) show some
signs of possible tidal interactions, while NGC4388 and NGC4535 have very
likely experienced strong ram-pressure and shearing effects, respectively,
visible as distortions and asymmetries of polarized intensity distributions. As
in our previous study, even strongly perturbed galaxies closely follow the
radio-far-infrared correlation. In NGC4303 and NGC4321, we observe symmetric
spiral patterns of the magnetic field and in NGC4535 an asymmetric pattern.
Magnetic fields allow us to trace even weak interactions that are difficult to
detect with other observations. Our results show that the degree of distortions
of a galaxy is not a simple function of the distance to the cluster center but
reflects also the history of its interactions. The angle between the velocity
vector and the rotation vector of a galaxy may be a general parameter that
describes the level of distortions of galactic magnetic fields.Comment: 12 pages, 18 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy
and Astrophysic
The effects of ram-pressure stripping on the internal kinematics of simulated spiral galaxies
We investigate the influence of ram-pressure stripping on the internal gas
kinematics of simulated spiral galaxies. Additional emphasis is put on the
question of how the resulting distortions of the gaseous disc are visible in
the rotation curve and/or the full 2D velocity field of galaxies at different
redshifts. A Milky-Way type disc galaxy is modelled in combined
N-body/hydrodynamic simulations with prescriptions for cooling, star formation,
stellar feedback, and galactic winds. This model galaxy moves through a
constant density and temperature gas, which has parameters similar to the
intra-cluster medium (ICM). Rotation curves (RCs) and 2D velocity fields of the
gas are extracted from these simulations in a way that follows the procedure
applied to observations of distant, small, and faint galaxies as closely as
possible. We find that the appearance of distortions of the gaseous disc due to
ram-pressure stripping depends on the direction of the acting ram pressure. In
the case of face-on ram pressure, the distortions mainly appear in the outer
parts of the galaxy in a very symmetric way. In contrast, in the case of
edge-on ram pressure we find stronger distortions. The 2D velocity field also
shows signatures of the interaction in the inner part of the disc. At angles
smaller than 45 degrees between the ICM wind direction and the disc, the
velocity field asymmetry increases significantly compared to larger angles.
Compared to distortions caused by tidal interactions, the effects of
ram-pressure stripping on the velocity field are relatively low in all cases
and difficult to observe at intermediate redshift in seeing-limited
observations. (abridged)Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Turbulent viscosity in clumpy accretion disks II supernova driven turbulence in the Galaxy
An analytical model for a turbulent clumpy gas disk is presented where
turbulence is maintained by the energy input due to supernovae. Expressions for
the disk parameters, global filling factors, molecular fractions, and star
formation rates are given as functions of the Toomre parameter , the ratio
between the cloud size and the turbulent driving length scale , the
mass accretion rate within the disk , the constant of molecule
formation , the disk radius, the angular velocity, and its radial
derivative. Two different cases are investigated: a dominating stellar disk and
a self-gravitating gas disk in direction. The turbulent driving wavelength
is determined in a first approach by energy flux conservation, i.e. the
supernovae energy input is transported by turbulence to smaller scales where it
is dissipated. The results are compared to those of a fully gravitational
model. For Q=1 and both models are consistent with each other. In a
second approach the driving length scale is directly determined by the size of
supernovae remnants. Both models are applied to the Galaxy and can reproduce
its integrated and local gas properties. The influence of thermal and magnetic
pressure on the disk structure is investigated. We infer and
for the Galaxy.Comment: 15 pages with 10 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
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