477 research outputs found
Precision measurement of the 5 2S1/2 - 4 2D5/2 quadrupole transition isotope shift between 88Sr+ and 86Sr+
We have measured the isotope shift of the narrow quadrupole-allowed 5 2S1/2 -
4 2D5/2 transition in 86Sr+ relative to the most abundant isotope 88Sr+. This
was accomplished using high-resolution laser spectroscopy of individual trapped
ions, and the measured shift is Delta-nu_meas^(88,86) = 570.281(4) MHz. We have
also tested a recently developed and successful method for ab-initio
calculation of isotope shifts in alkali-like atomic systems against this
measurement, and our initial result of Delta-nu_calc^(88,86) = 457(28) MHz is
also presented. To our knowledge, this is the first high precision measurement
and calculation of that isotope shift. While the measurement and the
calculation are in broad agreement, there is a clear discrepancy between them,
and we believe that the specific mass shift was underestimated in our
calculation. Our measurement provides a stringent test for further refinements
of theoretical isotope shift calculation methods for atomic systems with a
single valence electron
Mystery of the Lyα Blobs
We present Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the extended Lyman α blobs associated with the z=2.38 over-density J2143-4423, the largest known structure (110 Mpc) above z=2. We detect all 4 of the Lyα blobs in all four IRAC channels and we also detect 3 out of 4 of the blobs with MIPS 24μm. Conversion from rest-wavelength 7μm to total far-infrared luminosity using locally derived correlations suggests all the detected sources are in the class of ULIRGs or even Hyper-LIRGs. We find a weak correlation between Lyα and mid-infrared emission for the Lyα blobs (L_(Lyα)/L_(bol) = 0.05-0.2%). Nearly all Lyα blobs show some evidence for interaction, either in HST imaging, or the proximity of multiple MIPS sources within the Lyα cloud. This suggests that interaction or even mergers may be related to the production of Lyα blobs. Optical through infrared SEDs of the Lyα blobs do not show a clear 1.6μm bump, but rather are indicative of a composite of star formation and AGN energy sources
Ultraviolet-Bright, High-Redshift ULIRGS
We present Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the z=2.38 lya-emitter
over-density associated with galaxy cluster J2143-4423, the largest known
structure (110 Mpc) above z=2. We imaged 22 of the 37 known lya-emitters within
the filament-like structure, using the MIPS 24um band. We detected 6 of the
lya-emitters, including 3 of the 4 clouds of extended (>50 kpc) lyman alpha
emission, also known as Lya Blobs. Conversion from rest-wavelength 7um to total
far-infrared luminosity using locally derived correlations suggests all the
detected sources are in the class of ULIRGs, with some reaching Hyper-LIRG
energies. Lya blobs frequently show evidence for interaction, either in HST
imaging, or the proximity of multiple MIPS sources within the Lya cloud. This
connection suggests that interaction or even mergers may be related to the
production of Lya blobs. A connection to mergers does not in itself help
explain the origin of the Lya blobs, as most of the suggested mechanisms for
creating Lya blobs (starbursts, AGN, cooling flows) could also be associated
with galaxy interactions.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, accepted by ApJ Letter
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission within Lyα Blobs
We present Spitzer observations of Lyα blobs (LABs) at z = 2.38-3.09. The mid-infrared ratios (4.5 μm/8 μm and 8 μm/24 μm) indicate that ~60% of LAB infrared counterparts are cool, consistent with their infrared output being dominated by star formation and not active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The rest have a substantial hot dust component that one would expect from an AGN or an extreme starburst. Comparing the mid-infrared to submillimeter fluxes (~850 μm or rest-frame far-infrared) also indicates that a large percentage (~2/3) of the LAB counterparts have total bolometric energy output dominated by star formation, although the number of sources with submillimeter detections or meaningful upper limits remains small (~10). We obtained Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectra of six infrared-bright sources associated with LABs. Four of these sources have measurable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission features, indicative of significant star formation, while the remaining two show a featureless continuum, indicative of infrared energy output completely dominated by an AGN. Two of the counterparts with PAHs are mixed sources, with PAH line-to-continuum ratios and PAH equivalent widths indicative of large energy contributions from both star formation and AGN. Most of the LAB infrared counterparts have large stellar masses, around 10^(11) M_⊙. There is a weak trend of mass upper limit with the Lyα luminosity of the host blob, particularly after the most likely AGN contaminants are removed. The range in likely energy sources for the LABs found in this and previous studies suggests that there is no single source of power that is producing all the known LABs
PAH Emission Within Lyman Alpha Blobs
We present Spitzer observations of Lya Blobs (LAB) at z=2.38-3.09. The
mid-infrared ratios (4.5/8um and 8/24um) indicate that ~60% of LAB infrared
counterparts are cool, consistent with their infrared output being dominated by
star formation and not active galactic nuclei (AGN). The rest have a
substantial hot dust component that one would expect from an AGN or an extreme
starburst. Comparing the mid-infrared to submillimeter fluxes (~850um or rest
frame far infrared) also indicates a large percentage (~2/3) of the LAB
counterparts have total bolometric energy output dominated by star formation,
although the number of sources with sub-mm detections or meaningful upper
limits remains small (~10). We obtained Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectra of
6 infrared-bright sources associated with LABs. Four of these sources have
measurable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission features, indicative
of significant star formation, while the remaining two show a featureless
continuum, indicative of infrared energy output completely dominated by an AGN.
Two of the counterparts with PAHs are mixed sources, with PAH line-to-continuum
ratios and PAH equivalent widths indicative of large energy contributions from
both star formation and AGN. Most of the LAB infrared counterparts have large
stellar masses, around 10^11 Mo. There is a weak trend of mass upper limit with
the Lya luminosity of the host blob, particularly after the most likely AGN
contaminants are removed. The range in likely energy sources for the LABs found
in this and previous studies suggests that there is no single source of power
that is producing all the known LABs.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figures, accepted by Ap
Simple manipulation of a microwave dressed-state ion qubit
Many schemes for implementing quantum information processing require that the atomic states used have a non-zero magnetic moment, however such magnetically sensitive states of an atom are vulnerable to decoherence due to fluctuating magnetic fields. Dressing an atom with an external field is a powerful method of reducing such decoherence [N. Timoney et al., Nature 476, 185], even if the states being dressed are strongly coupled to the environment. We introduce an experimentally simpler method of manipulating such a dressed-state qubit, which allows the implementation of general rotations of the qubit, and demonstrate this method using a trapped ytterbium ion
The Evolution of Damped Lyman-alpha Absorbers: Metallicities and Star Formation Rates
The damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) and sub-DLA quasar absorption lines provide
powerful probes of the evolution of metals, gas, and stars in galaxies. One
major obstacle in trying to understand the evolution of DLAs and sub-DLAs has
been the small number of metallicity measurements at z < 1.5, an epoch spanning
\~70 % of the cosmic history. In recent surveys with the Hubble Space Telescope
and Multiple Mirror Telescope, we have doubled the DLA Zn sample at z < 1.5.
Combining our results with those at higher redshifts from the literature, we
find that the global mean metallicity of DLAs does not rise to the solar value
at low redshifts. These surprising results appear to contradict the near-solar
mean metallicity observed for nearby (z ~ 0) galaxies and the predictions of
cosmic chemical evolution models based on the global star formation history.
Finally, we discuss direct constraints on the star formation rates (SFRs) in
the absorber galaxies from our deep Fabry-Perot Ly-alpha imaging study and
other emission-line studies in the literature. A large fraction of the observed
heavy-element quasar absorbers at 0 < z < 3.4 appear to have SFRs substantially
below the global mean SFR, consistent with the low metallicities observed in
the spectroscopic studies.Comment: 6 pages,3 figures, To appear in "Probing Galaxies through Quasar
Absorption Lines", Proceedings IAU Colloquium 199, 2005, Eds. P. R. Williams,
C. Shu, and B. Menar
FUSE Observations of Intrinsic Absorption in the Seyfert 1 Galaxy Mrk 509
We present far-ultraviolet spectra of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509 obtained
in 1999 November with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). Our
data span the observed wavelength range 915-1185 A at a resolution of ~20 km/s.
The spectrum shows a blue continuum, broad OVI 1032,1038 emission, and a broad
CIII 977 emission line. Superposed on these emission components, we resolve
associated absorption lines of OVI 1032,1038, CIII 977, and Lyman lines through
Lzeta. Seven distinct kinematic components are present, spanning a velocity
range of -440 to +170 km/s relative to the systemic velocity. The absorption is
clustered in two groups, one centered at -370m km/s and another at the systemic
velocity. The blue-shifted cluster may be associated with the extended line
emission visible in deep images of Mrk 509 obtained by Phillips et al. Although
several components appear to be saturated, they are not black at their centers.
Partial covering or scattering permits ~7% of the broad-line or continuum flux
to be unaffected by absorption. Of the multiple components, only one has the
same ionization state and column density as highly ionized gas that produces
the OVII and OVIII ionization edges in X-ray spectra of Mrk 509.
This paper will appear in a special issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters
devoted to the first scientific results from the FUSE mission.Comment: To appear in the Astrophysical Journal (Letters). 4 pages, 3 color
PostScript figures. Figures are best viewed and printed in color. Added
acknowledgment that this is one of many papers to be published in a special
issue of ApJL devoted to the first scientific results from the FUSE missio
Hot gas, cold gas and sub-haloes in a Lyman α blob at redshift 2.38
We present integral field spectroscopy of a Lyman α blob at redshift 2.38, with a spectral resolution three times better than previous published work. As with previous observations, the blob has a chaotic velocity structure, much of which breaks up int
Affordable High Powered Clustered Computing for Aerospace Simulation. G.U. Aero Report 9911
Motivated by a lack of sufficient local and national computing
facilities for computational fluid dynamics simulations,
the Affordable Systems Computing Unit (ASCU)
was established to investigate low cost alternatives. The
options considered have all involved cluster computing,
a term which refers to the grouping of a number of components
into a managed system capable of running both
serial and parallel applications. Past work by the Unit
has demonstrated the significant improvement in the efficiency
of a Network of Workstations when management
software is employed to scavenge spare cycles and schedule
tasks, and has also investigated the use of a managed
network for parallel CFD. The present work aims to
extend this effort to a higher performance cluster based
on commodity processors used for dedicated batch processing.
The performance of the cluster has proved to
be extremely cost effective, producing a 3 Gigaflops plus
peak performance for less than 25K U.K. pounds sterling
at current market prices. The experience gained
on this system in terms of single node performance,
message passing and parallel performance will be discussed.
In particular, comparisons with the performance
of other systems will be made. A large scale CFD simulation
achieved using the new cluster will be presented to
demonstrate the potential of commodity processor based
parallel computers for aerodynamic simulation
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