427 research outputs found
Searching for galaxy clusters using the aperture mass statistics in 50 VLT fields
Application of the aperture mass (Map-) statistics provides a weak lensing
method for the detection of cluster-sized dark matter halos. We present a new
aperture filter function and maximise the effectiveness of the Map-statistics
to detect cluster-sized halos using analytical models. We then use weak lensing
mock catalogues generated from ray-tracing through N-body simulations, to
analyse the effect of image treatment on the expected number density of halos.
Using the Map-statistics, the aperture radius is typically several arcminutes,
hence the aperture often lies partly outside a data field, consequently the
signal-to-noise ratio of a halo detection decreases. We study these border
effects analytically and by using mock catalogues. We find that the expected
number density of halos decreases by a factor of two if the size of a field is
comparable to the diameter of the aperture used. We finally report on the
results of a weak lensing cluster search applying the Map-statistics to 50
randomly selected fields which were observed with FORS1 at the VLT. Altogether
the 50 VLT fields cover an area of 0.64 square degrees. The I-band images were
taken under excellent seeing conditions (average seeing 0.6 arcsec.) which
results in a high number density of galaxies used for the weak lensing analysis
(26/sq.arcmin). In five of the VLT fields, we detect a significant Map-signal
which coincides with an overdensity of the light distribution. These detections
are thus excellent candidates for shear-selected clusters.Comment: 23 pages, 5 tables, 24 figures, published in A&A, Sect. 3.5 and 7 are
changed or altered; Fig. 11 is change
Cosmic shear surveys
Gravitational weak shear produced by large-scale structures of the universe
induces a correlated ellipticity distribution of distant galaxies. The
amplitude and evolution with angular scale of the signal depend on cosmological
models and can be inverted in order to constrain the power spectrum and the
cosmological parameters. We present our recent analysis of 50 uncorrelated VLT
fields and the very first constrains on () and the nature of
primordial fluctuations based on the join analysis of present-day cosmic shear
surveys.Comment: Latex, 7 pages. To appear in the ESO Proceedings ``Deep Fields'',
Garching Oct 9-12, 200
Mass-detection of a matter concentration projected near the cluster Abell 1942: Dark clump or high-redshift cluster?
A weak-lensing analysis of wide-field - and -band images centered on
the cluster Abell 1942 has uncovered a mass concentration arcminutes
South of the cluster center. A statistical analysis shows that the detections
are highly significant. No strong concentration of bright galaxies is seen at
the position of the mass concentration, though a slight galaxy number
overdensity and a weak extended X-ray source are present about 1' away from its
center.
From the spatial dependence of the tangential alignment around the center of
the mass concentration, we inferred a lower bound on the mass inside a sphere
of radius \ts Mpc of , much higher
than crude mass estimates based on X-ray data. No firm conclusion can be
inferred about the nature of the clump. If it were a high-redshift cluster, the
weak X-ray flux would indicate that it had an untypically low X-ray luminosity
for its mass; if the X-ray emission were physically unrelated to the mass
concentration, this conclusion would be even stronger.
The search for massive halos by weak lensing enables us for the first time to
select halos based on their mass properties only and to detect new types of
objects, e.g., dark halos. The mass concentration in the field of A1942 may be
the first example of such a halo.Comment: Sumitted to A&A Main Journal. 15 pages, 11 figures. 75 Kb gzipped tar
file. Figures with images not included, but available on ftp.iap.fr
/pub/from_users/mellier/A1942: a1942darkclump.ps.gz (2.1 Mb
Fast high-efficiency integrated waveguide photodetectors using novel hybrid vertical/butt coupling geometry
We report a novel coupling geometry for integrated waveguide photodetectorsâa hybrid vertical coupling/butt coupling scheme that allows the integration of fast, efficient, photodetectors with conventional double heterostructure waveguides. It can be employed to yield a planar, or pseudo-planar, surface that supports further levels of integration. The approach is demonstrated with a 25-”m-long p-i-n detector integrated with an InP/InGaAsP/InP waveguide, which displays a high (~90%) efficiency and large (~15 GHz) bandwidth. This is the fastest high-efficiency integrated waveguide photodetector reported to date
The 400d Galaxy Cluster Survey Weak Lensing Programme: I: MMT/Megacam Analysis of CL0030+2618 at z=0.50
The mass function of galaxy clusters at high redshifts is a particularly
useful probe to learn about the history of structure formation and constrain
cosmological parameters. We aim at deriving reliable masses for a
high-redshift, high-luminosity sample of clusters of galaxies selected from the
400d survey of X-ray selected clusters. Here, we will focus on a particular
object, CL0030+2618 at z=0.50 Using deep imaging in three passbands with the
MEGACAM instrument at MMT, we show that MEGACAM is well-suited for measuring
gravitational shear. We detect the weak lensing signal of CL0030+2618 at 5.8
sigma significance, using the aperture mass technique. Furthermore, we find
significant tangential alignment of galaxies out to ~10 arcmin or >2r_200
distance from the cluster centre. The weak lensing centre of CL0030+2618 agrees
with several X-ray measurements and the position of the brightest cluster
galaxy. Finally, we infer a weak lensing virial mass of M_200=7.5 10^{14} M_sun
for CL0030+2618. Despite complications by a tentative foreground galaxy group
in the line of sight, the X-ray and weak lensing estimates for CL0030+2618 are
in remarkable agreement. This study paves the way for the largest weak lensing
survey of high-redshift galaxy clusters to date.Comment: 32 pages, 24 figures, submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics; fixed
some LaTeX issues, now 30 pages v3: Improved version accepted by Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Prospects for weak lensing/cosmic shear with VLTs
The present status of weak lensing analyses of clusters of galaxies and of
cosmic shear surveys are presented and discussed. We focus on the impact of
very large telescopes on present-day and future surveys and compare their
potential with HST or wide field 4 meter telescopes.Comment: To appear in SPIE Conference 4834. Astronomical Telescopes and
Instrumentation. Kona, August 22-28 200
Detection of correlated galaxy ellipticities on CFHT data: first evidence for gravitational lensing by large-scale structures
We report the detection of a significant (5.5 sigma) excess of correlations
between galaxy ellipticities at scales ranging from 0.5 to 3.5 arc-minutes.
This detection of a gravitational lensing signal by large-scale structure was
made using a composite high quality imaging survey of 6300 arcmin^2 obtained at
the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) with the UH8K and CFH12K panoramic
CCD cameras. The amplitude of the excess correlation is 2.2\pm 0.2 % at 1
arcmin scale, in agreement with theoretical predictions of the lensing effect
induced by large-scale structure.We provide a quantitative analysis of
systematics which could contribute to the signal and show that the net effect
is small and can be corrected for. We show that the measured ellipticity
correlations behave as expected for a gravitational shear signal. The
relatively small size of our survey precludes tight constraints on cosmological
models. However the data are in favor of cluster normalized cosmological
models, and marginally reject Cold Dark Matter models with (Omega=0.3,
sigma_8<0.6) or (Omega=1, sigma_8=1). The detection of cosmic shear
demonstrates the technical feasibility of using weak lensing surveys to measure
dark matter clustering and the potential for cosmological parameter
measurements, in particular with upcoming wide field CCD cameras.Comment: 19 pages. 19 Figures. Revised version accepted in A&
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