2,293 research outputs found
The WARPS Survey: VI. Galaxy Cluster and Source Identifications from Phase I
We present in catalog form the optical identifications for objects from the
first phase of the Wide Angle ROSAT Pointed Survey (WARPS). WARPS is a
serendipitous survey of relatively deep, pointed ROSAT observations for
clusters of galaxies. The X-ray source detection algorithm used by WARPS is
Voronoi Tessellation and Percolation (VTP), a technique which is equally
sensitive to point sources and extended sources of low surface brightness.
WARPS-I is based on the central regions of 86 ROSAT PSPC fields, covering an
area of 16.2 square degrees. We describe here the X-ray source screening and
optical identification process for WARPS-I, which yielded 34 clusters at
0.06<z<0.75. Twenty-two of these clusters form a complete, statistically well
defined sample drawn from 75 of these 86 fields, covering an area of 14.1
square degrees, with a flux limit of F (0.5-2.0 keV) = 6.5 \times 10^{-14} erg
cm^{-2} s^{-1}}. This sample can be used to study the properties and evolution
of the gas, galaxy and dark matter content of clusters, and to constrain
cosmological parameters. We compare in detail the identification process and
findings of WARPS to those from other recently published X-ray surveys for
clusters, including RDCS, SHARC-Bright, SHARC-south and the CfA 160 deg
survey.Comment: v3 reflects minor updates to tables 2 and
Delta-Function Bose Gas Picture of S=1 Antiferromagnetic Quantum Spin Chains Near Critical Fields
We study the zero-temperature magnetization curve (M-H curve) of the S=1
bilinear-biquadratic spin chain, whose Hamiltonian is given by 0 \leq \beta <1H_sH_cH_scH_c\beta\beta_c(\approx 0.41)0<\beta<\beta_cccM\sim \sqrt{H-H_c}\beta \to \beta_c-0M\sim (H-H_c)^{1/4}\beta_c<\beta <1c$ becomes negative.Comment: 6 pages, RevTeX, 8 ps figure
DANSR: A tool for the detection of annotated and novel small RNAs
Existing small noncoding RNA analysis tools are optimized for processing short sequencing reads (17-35 nucleotides) to monitor microRNA expression. However, these strategies under-represent many biologically relevant classes of small noncoding RNAs in the 36-200 nucleotides length range (tRNAs, snoRNAs, etc.). To address this, we developed DANSR, a tool for the detection of annotated and novel small RNAs using sequencing reads with variable lengths (ranging from 17-200 nt). While DANSR is broadly applicable to any small RNA dataset, we applied it to a cohort of matched normal, primary, and distant metastatic colorectal cancer specimens to demonstrate its ability to quantify annotated small RNAs, discover novel genes, and calculate differential expression. DANSR is available as an open source tool
Measuring our universe from galaxy redshift surveys
Galaxy redshift surveys have achieved significant progress over the last
couple of decades. Those surveys tell us in the most straightforward way what
our local universe looks like. While the galaxy distribution traces the bright
side of the universe, detailed quantitative analyses of the data have even
revealed the dark side of the universe dominated by non-baryonic dark matter as
well as more mysterious dark energy (or Einstein's cosmological constant). We
describe several methodologies of using galaxy redshift surveys as cosmological
probes, and then summarize the recent results from the existing surveys.
Finally we present our views on the future of redshift surveys in the era of
Precision Cosmology.Comment: 82 pages, 31 figures, invited review article published in Living
Reviews in Relativity, http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2004-
Measurements of Flavour Dependent Fragmentation Functions in Z^0 -> qq(bar) Events
Fragmentation functions for charged particles in Z -> qq(bar) events have
been measured for bottom (b), charm (c) and light (uds) quarks as well as for
all flavours together. The results are based on data recorded between 1990 and
1995 using the OPAL detector at LEP. Event samples with different flavour
compositions were formed using reconstructed D* mesons and secondary vertices.
The \xi_p = ln(1/x_E) distributions and the position of their maxima \xi_max
are also presented separately for uds, c and b quark events. The fragmentation
function for b quarks is significantly softer than for uds quarks.Comment: 29 pages, LaTeX, 5 eps figures (and colour figs) included, submitted
to Eur. Phys. J.
Bose-Einstein Correlations of Three Charged Pions in Hadronic Z^0 Decays
Bose-Einstein Correlations (BEC) of three identical charged pions were
studied in 4 x 10^6 hadronic Z^0 decays recorded with the OPAL detector at LEP.
The genuine three-pion correlations, corrected for the Coulomb effect, were
separated from the known two-pion correlations by a new subtraction procedure.
A significant genuine three-pion BEC enhancement near threshold was observed
having an emitter source radius of r_3 = 0.580 +/- 0.004 (stat.) +/- 0.029
(syst.) fm and a strength of \lambda_3 = 0.504 +/- 0.010 (stat.) +/- 0.041
(syst.). The Coulomb correction was found to increase the \lambda_3 value by
\~9% and to reduce r_3 by ~6%. The measured \lambda_3 corresponds to a value of
0.707 +/- 0.014 (stat.) +/- 0.078 (syst.) when one takes into account the
three-pion sample purity. A relation between the two-pion and the three-pion
source parameters is discussed.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX, 5 eps figures included, accepted by Eur. Phys. J.
Cluster Lenses
Clusters of galaxies are the most recently assembled, massive, bound
structures in the Universe. As predicted by General Relativity, given their
masses, clusters strongly deform space-time in their vicinity. Clusters act as
some of the most powerful gravitational lenses in the Universe. Light rays
traversing through clusters from distant sources are hence deflected, and the
resulting images of these distant objects therefore appear distorted and
magnified. Lensing by clusters occurs in two regimes, each with unique
observational signatures. The strong lensing regime is characterized by effects
readily seen by eye, namely, the production of giant arcs, multiple-images, and
arclets. The weak lensing regime is characterized by small deformations in the
shapes of background galaxies only detectable statistically. Cluster lenses
have been exploited successfully to address several important current questions
in cosmology: (i) the study of the lens(es) - understanding cluster mass
distributions and issues pertaining to cluster formation and evolution, as well
as constraining the nature of dark matter; (ii) the study of the lensed objects
- probing the properties of the background lensed galaxy population - which is
statistically at higher redshifts and of lower intrinsic luminosity thus
enabling the probing of galaxy formation at the earliest times right up to the
Dark Ages; and (iii) the study of the geometry of the Universe - as the
strength of lensing depends on the ratios of angular diameter distances between
the lens, source and observer, lens deflections are sensitive to the value of
cosmological parameters and offer a powerful geometric tool to probe Dark
Energy. In this review, we present the basics of cluster lensing and provide a
current status report of the field.Comment: About 120 pages - Published in Open Access at:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/j183018170485723/ . arXiv admin note:
text overlap with arXiv:astro-ph/0504478 and arXiv:1003.3674 by other author
W+W- production and triple gauge boson couplings at LEP energies up to 183 GeV
A study of W-pair production in e+e- annihilations at Lep2 is presented,
based on 877 W+W- candidates corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 57
pb-1 at sqrt(s) = 183 GeV. Assuming that the angular distributions of the
W-pair production and decay, as well as their branching fractions, are
described by the Standard Model, the W-pair production cross-section is
measured to be 15.43 +- 0.61 (stat.) +- 0.26 (syst.) pb. Assuming lepton
universality and combining with our results from lower centre-of-mass energies,
the W branching fraction to hadrons is determined to be 67.9 +- 1.2 (stat.) +-
0.5 (syst.)%. The number of W-pair candidates and the angular distributions for
each final state (qqlnu,qqqq,lnulnu) are used to determine the triple gauge
boson couplings. After combining these values with our results from lower
centre-of-mass energies we obtain D(kappa_g)=0.11+0.52-0.37,
D(g^z_1)=0.01+0.13-0.12 and lambda=-0.10+0.13-0.12, where the errors include
both statistical and systematic uncertainties and each coupling is determined
setting the other two couplings to the Standard Model value. The fraction of W
bosons produced with a longitudinal polarisation is measured to be
0.242+-0.091(stat.)+-0.023(syst.). All these measurements are consistent with
the Standard Model expectations.Comment: 48 pages, LaTeX, including 13 eps or ps figures, submitted to
European Physical Journal
Bose-Einstein Correlations in e+e- to W+W- at 172 and 183 GeV
Bose-Einstein correlations between like-charge pions are studied in hadronic
final states produced by e+e- annihilations at center-of-mass energies of 172
and 183 GeV. Three event samples are studied, each dominated by one of the
processes W+W- to qqlnu, W+W- to qqqq, or (Z/g)* to qq. After demonstrating the
existence of Bose-Einstein correlations in W decays, an attempt is made to
determine Bose-Einstein correlations for pions originating from the same W
boson and from different W bosons, as well as for pions from (Z/g)* to qq
events. The following results are obtained for the individual chaoticity
parameters lambda assuming a common source radius R: lambda_same = 0.63 +- 0.19
+- 0.14, lambda_diff = 0.22 +- 0.53 +- 0.14, lambda_Z = 0.47 +- 0.11 +- 0.08, R
= 0.92 +- 0.09 +- 0.09. In each case, the first error is statistical and the
second is systematic. At the current level of statistical precision it is not
established whether Bose-Einstein correlations, between pions from different W
bosons exist or not.Comment: 24 pages, LaTeX, including 6 eps figures, submitted to European
Physical Journal
Single hadron response measurement and calorimeter jet energy scale uncertainty with the ATLAS detector at the LHC
The uncertainty on the calorimeter energy response to jets of particles is
derived for the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). First, the
calorimeter response to single isolated charged hadrons is measured and
compared to the Monte Carlo simulation using proton-proton collisions at
centre-of-mass energies of sqrt(s) = 900 GeV and 7 TeV collected during 2009
and 2010. Then, using the decay of K_s and Lambda particles, the calorimeter
response to specific types of particles (positively and negatively charged
pions, protons, and anti-protons) is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo
predictions. Finally, the jet energy scale uncertainty is determined by
propagating the response uncertainty for single charged and neutral particles
to jets. The response uncertainty is 2-5% for central isolated hadrons and 1-3%
for the final calorimeter jet energy scale.Comment: 24 pages plus author list (36 pages total), 23 figures, 1 table,
submitted to European Physical Journal
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