687 research outputs found
A low-frequency study of recently identified double-double radio galaxies
In order to understand the possible mechanisms of recurrent jet activity in
radio galaxies and quasars, which are still unclear, we have identified such
sources with a large range of linear sizes (220 917 kpc), and hence time
scales of episodic activity. Here we present high-sensitivity 607-MHz Giant
Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) images of 21 possible double-double radio
galaxies (DDRGs) identified from the FIRST survey to confirm their episodic
nature. These GMRT observations show that none of the inner compact components
suspected to be hot-spots of the inner doubles are cores having a flat radio
spectrum, confirming the episodic nature of these radio sources. We have
indentified a new DDRG with a candidate quasar, and have estimated the upper
spectral age limits for eight sources which showed marginal evidence of
steepening at higher frequencies. The estimated age limits (11 52 Myr) are
smaller than those of the large-sized ( 1 Mpc) DDRGs.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 14 pages, 7 figure
The radio counter-jet of the QSO 3C~48
We present multi--frequency radio observational results of the quasar 3C~48.
The observations were carried out with the Very Large Array (VLA) at five
frequencies of 0.33, 1.5, 4.8, 8.4, and 22.5 GHz, and with the Multi--Element
Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) at the two frequencies of 1.6 and
5 GHz. The source shows a one--sided jet to the north within 1\arcsec, which
then extends to the northeast and becomes diffuse. Two bright components (N2
and N3), containing most of the flux density are present in the northern jet.
The spectral index of the two components is and
(). Our images show the
presence of an extended structure surrounding component N2, suggestive of
strong interaction between the jet and the interstellar medium (ISM) of the
host galaxy. A steep--spectrum component, labelled as S, located 0.25 ardsec
southwest to the flat--spectrum component which could be the core of 3C 48, is
detected at a significance of . Both the location and the steepness
of the spectrum of component S suggest the presence of a counter--jet in 3C 48.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, accepted by A&
Dense Molecular Gas Associated with the Circumnuclear Star Forming Ring in the Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 6951
We present high resolution (3" - 5") observations of CO(1-0) and HCN(1-0)
emission from the circumnuclear star forming ring in the barred spiral galaxy
NGC 6951, a host of a type-2 Seyfert, using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array and
45 m telescope. We find that most of the HCN emission is associated with the
circumnuclear ring, where vigorous star formation occurs. The HCN to CO
integrated intensity ratio is also enhanced in the star forming ring; the peak
value of HCN/CO ratio is 0.18, which is comparable to the ratio in the
starbursts NGC 253 and M82. The formation mechanism of dense molecular gas has
been investigated. We find that the shocks along the orbit crowding do not
promote the formation of the dense molecular gas effectively but enhance the
presence of low density GMCs. Instead, gravitational instabilities of the gas
can account for the dense molecular gas formation. The HCN/CO ratio toward the
Seyfert nucleus of NGC 6951 is a rather normal value (0.086), in contrast with
other Seyferts NGC 1068 and M51 where extremely high HCN/CO value of ~ 0.5 have
been reported.Comment: 33 pages, 17 figures, to appear in the Astrophysical Journa
Regge behaviour of distribution functions and t and x-evolutions of gluon distribution function at low-x
In this paper t and x-evolutions of gluon distribution function from
Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi(DGLAP) evolution equation in leading
order(LO) at low-x, assuming the Regge behaviour of quark and gluon at this
limit, are presented. We compare our results of gluon distribution function
with MRST 2001, MRST 2004 and GRV '98 parameterizations and show the
compatibility of Regge behaviour of quark and gluon distribution functions with
perturbative quantum chromodynamics(PQCD) at low-x. We also discuss the
limitations of Taylor series expansion method used earlier to solve DGLAP
evolution equations, in the Regge behaviour of distribution functions.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure
The Presence and Distribution of HI Absorbing Gas in Sub-galactic Sized Radio Sources
We consider the incidence of HI absorption in intrinsically small
sub-galactic sized extragalactic sources selected from sources classified as
Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum (GPS) and Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) sources. We
find that the smaller sources (<0.5 kpc) have larger HI column densities than
the larger sources (>0.5 kpc). Both a spherical and an axi-symmetric gas
distribution, with a radial power law density profile, can be used to explain
this anti-correlation between projected linear size and HI column density.
Since most detections occur in objects classified as galaxies, we argue that if
the unified schemes apply to GPS/CSSs a disk distribution for the HI is more
likely. The most favoured explanation for the compact sizes of the GPS/CSSs is
that they are young sources evolving in a power law density medium. For the
GPSs with measured expansion velocities, our derived densities are within an
order of magnitude of those estimated from ram-pressure confinement of the
lobes assuming equipartition. Our results therefore support the youth model.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Relativistic Jet Feedback in Evolving Galaxies
Over cosmic time, galaxies grow through the hierarchical merging of smaller
galaxies. However, the bright region of the galaxy luminosity function is
incompatible with the simplest version of hierarchical merging, and it is
believed that feedback from the central black hole in the host galaxies reduces
the number of bright galaxies and regulates the co-evolution of black hole and
host galaxy. Numerous simulations of galaxy evolution have attempted to include
the physical effects of such feedback with a resolution usually exceeding a
kiloparsec. However, interactions between jets and the interstellar medium
involve processes occurring on less than kiloparsec scales. In order to further
the understanding of processes occurring on such scales, we present a suite of
simulations of relativistic jets interacting with a fractal two-phase
interstellar medium with a resolution of two parsecs and a largest scale of one
kiloparsec. The transfer of energy and momentum to the interstellar medium is
considerable, and we find that jets with powers in the range of 10^43-10^46 erg
s^-1 can inhibit star formation through the dispersal of dense gas in the
galaxy core. We determine the effectiveness of this process as a function of
the ratio of the jet power to the Eddington luminosity of the black hole, the
pressure of the interstellar medium and the porosity of the dense gas.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl
STAGES: the Space Telescope A901/2 Galaxy Evolution Survey
We present an overview of the Space Telescope A901/2 Galaxy Evolution Survey
(STAGES). STAGES is a multiwavelength project designed to probe physical
drivers of galaxy evolution across a wide range of environments and luminosity.
A complex multi-cluster system at z~0.165 has been the subject of an 80-orbit
F606W HST/ACS mosaic covering the full 0.5x0.5 (~5x5 Mpc^2) span of the
supercluster. Extensive multiwavelength observations with XMM-Newton, GALEX,
Spitzer, 2dF, GMRT, and the 17-band COMBO-17 photometric redshift survey
complement the HST imaging. Our survey goals include simultaneously linking
galaxy morphology with other observables such as age, star-formation rate,
nuclear activity, and stellar mass. In addition, with the multiwavelength
dataset and new high resolution mass maps from gravitational lensing, we are
able to disentangle the large-scale structure of the system. By examining all
aspects of environment we will be able to evaluate the relative importance of
the dark matter halos, the local galaxy density, and the hot X-ray gas in
driving galaxy transformation. This paper describes the HST imaging, data
reduction, and creation of a master catalogue. We perform Sersic fitting on the
HST images and conduct associated simulations to quantify completeness. In
addition, we present the COMBO-17 photometric redshift catalogue and estimates
of stellar masses and star-formation rates for this field. We define galaxy and
cluster sample selection criteria which will be the basis for forthcoming
science analyses, and present a compilation of notable objects in the field.
Finally, we describe the further multiwavelength observations and announce
public access to the data and catalogues.Comment: 29 pages, 22 figures; accepted to MNRAS. Full data release available
at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/astronomy/stage
Betel nut and tobacco chewing; potential risk factors of cancer of oesophagus in Assam, India
Cancer of the oesophagus is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males in Assam, in north-eastern India, and ranks second for females. The chewing of betel nut, with or without tobacco and prepared in various ways, is a common practice in the region and a caseâcontrol study has been designed to study the pattern of risk associated with different ways of preparing and chewing the nuts. 358 newly diagnosed male patients and 144 female have been interviewed together with 2 control subjects for each case chosen at random from among the attendants who accompanied patients to hospital. There were significant trends in risk ratios associated with the frequency of chewing each day, with the duration of chewing in years and with the age at which the habit was started that were apparent for both males and females and which remained significant after allowance was made for other known risk factors, notably tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. The adjusted ratios, in comparison with non-chewers, were 13.3âM and 5.7âF for chewing more than 20 times a day, 10.6âM and 7.2âF for persons who had chewed for more than 20 years and 10.3âM and 5.3âF for those who had started before the age of 20. Among the different combinations of ingredients that were chewed the adjusted odds ratios were highest for those who had been using fermented betel nut with any form of tobacco (7.1âM and 3.6âF). The risk associated with tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, which are high in some parts of the world, were less in Assam than those associated with the chewing of betel nut. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co
Sex Ratio at Birth in India, Its Relation to Birth Order, Sex of Previous Children and Use of Indigenous Medicine
Objective: Sex-ratio at birth in families with previous girls is worse than those with a boy. Our aim was to prospectively study in a large maternal and child unit sex-ratio against previous birth sex and use of traditional medicines for sex selection. Main Outcome Measures: Sex-ratio among mothers in families with a previous girl and in those with a previous boy, prevalence of indigenous medicine use and sex-ratio in those using medicines for sex selection. Results: Overall there were 806 girls to 1000 boys. The sex-ratio was 720:1000 if there was one previous girl and 178:1000 if there were two previous girls. In second children of families with a previous boy 1017 girls were born per 1000 boys. Sexratio in those with one previous girl, who were taking traditional medicines for sex selection, was 928:1000. Conclusion: Evidence from the second children clearly shows the sex-ratio is being manipulated by human interventions. More mothers with previous girls tend to use traditional medicines for sex selection, in their subsequent pregnancies. Those taking such medication do not seem to be helped according to expectations. They seem to rely on this method and so are less likely use more definitive methods like sex selective abortions. This is the first such prospective investigation of sex ratio in second children looked at against the sex of previous children. More studies are needed to confirm the findings
- âŠ