The Peculiar-Velocity-Field in Structure Formation Theories with Cosmic Strings

We investigate the peculiar velocity field due to long cosmic strings in several cosmological models and analyse the influence of a nonscaling behaviour of the string network, which is expected in open cosmological models or models with a cosmological constant. It is shown that the deviation of the propability distribution of the peculiar velocity field from the normal distribution is only weak in all models. It is further argued that one can not necessarily obtain the parameter $\beta=\Omega_{0}^{0.6}/b$ from density and velocity fields, where $\Omega_0$ is the density parameter and $b$ the linear biasing parameter, if cosmic strings are responsible for structure formation in the universe. An explanation for this finding is given.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

On the Origin of Very Wide Lyα\alpha-Absorption-Lines in Quasar Spectra

We present a new explanation for the very wide absorption features in quasar spectra. In our model, a very wide absorption feature will originate, when the line of sight crosses a bubble wall tangentially. We demonstrate this on the quasar pair (2138-4427), (2139-4434). Both show two very wide absorption lines in their spectra at the same redshift. The bubble wall model can explain these observations in low density Friedmann-Lemaitre models with spherical metric. It contradicts models with euclidian or hyperbolic metric.Comment: Latex, 6 pages, Figures available at [email protected]

Gravitational instability and star formation in disk galaxies

We present a general star formation law where star formation rate depends upon efficiency $\alpha$, timescale $\tau$ of star formation, gas component $\sigma_{g}$ of surface mass density and a real exponent $n$. A given exponent $n$ determines $\tau$ which however yields the corresponding star formation rate. Current nominal Schmidt exponent $n_{s}$ for our model is $2<n_{s}<3$. Based on a gravitational instability parameter $Q_{A}$ and another dimensionless parameter $f_{P}\equiv (P/G\sigma_{c}^{2})^{1/2}$, where $P$ = pressure, $\sigma_{c}$ = column density of molecular clouds, we suggest a general equation for star formation rate which depends upon relative competence of the two parameters for various physical circumstances. We find that $Q_{A}$ emerges to be a better parameter for star formation scenario than Toomre Q-parameter. Star formation rate in the solar neighbourhood is found to be in good agreement with values inferred from previous studies. Under closed box approximation model, we obtain a relation between metallicity of gas and the efficiency of star formation. Our model calculations of metallicity in the solar neighbourhood agree with earlier estimates. We conclude that metallicity dispersion for stars of same age may result due to a change in efficiency through which different sample stars were processed. For no significant change of metallicity with age, we suggest that all sample stars were born with almost similar efficiency.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, submitted to MNRA