Spectral energy distributions of submm/radio bright gamma-ray burst host galaxies

We present optical to radio spectral energy distribution fitting of the host galaxies of four long gamma-ray bursts: 980703, 000210, 000418 and 010222, which were detected at submillimetre and/or radio wavelengths. We find that only very young starburst galaxy models are consistent with the data having both blue optical colors and a pronounced submm emission. For each host we are able to construct a model consistent with the short- and long-wavelength parts of the spectra. We find galaxy ages ranging from 0.09 to 2.0 Gyrs and star formation rates ranging from 138 to 380 MSun/yr.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, Proceedings of the Conference "The Multicoloured Landscape of Compact Objects and their Explosive Origins" (Cefalu, Sicily, 2006 June 11-24). Eds. L. Burderi et al. (New York: AIP), in press, for SED templates, see http://archive.dark-cosmology.dk

Detection of a spiral lens galaxy and optical variability in the gravitational lens system B1600+434

The gravitationally lensed quasar B1600+434 (z=1.61, mV=21.6) has been observed at the 2.56m Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT). In this Letter we report the discovery of an edge-on late-type galaxy located between the two lensed components (separation 1\farcs4), close to the fainter image. The galaxy photometry indicates that its redshift is approximately 0.4. We detect a large colour difference between the two images due to significant obscuration of the faint image. The estimated amount of absorption as a function of colour indicates that the extinction may be due to dust in the lensing galaxy. We also present evidence of flux variability in B1600+434 with a detected change of 0.25mag in one year. The theoretically expected time delay is of the order of one month and so the system may be an interesting object for determining the Hubble constant.Comment: 4 pages, 3 postscript figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letter

Shaping the dust mass - star-formation rate relation

There is a remarkably tight relation between the observationally inferred dust masses and star-formation rates (SFRs) of SDSS galaxies, Mdust $\propto$ SFR$^{1.11}$ (Da Cunha et al. 2010). Here we extend the Mdust-SFR relation to the high end and show that it bends over at very large SFRs (i.e., dust masses are lower than predicted for a given SFR). We identify several distinct evolutionary processes in the diagram: (1) A star-bursting phase in which dust builds up rapidly at early times. The maximum attainable dust mass in this process is the cause of the bend-over of the relation. A high dust-formation efficiency, a bottom-light initial mass function, and negligible supernova shock dust destruction are required to produce sufficiently high dust masses. (2) A quiescent star-forming phase in which the subsequent parallel decline in dust mass and SFR gives rise to the Mdust-SFR relation, through astration and dust destruction. The dust-to-gas ratio is approximately constant along the relation. We show that the power-law slope of the Mdust-SFR relation is inversely proportional to the global Schmidt-Kennicutt law exponent (i.e., $\sim 0.9$) in simple chemical evolution models. (3) A quenching phase which causes star formation to drop while the dust mass stays roughly constant or drops proportionally. Combined with merging, these processes, as well as the range in total baryonic mass, give rise to a complex population of the diagram which adds significant scatter to the original Mdust-SFR relation. (4) At very high redshifts, a population of galaxies located significantly below the local relation is predicted.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, ApJL, in pres

Generalized contour deformation method in momentum space: two-body spectral structures and scattering amplitudes

A generalized contour deformation method (GCDM) which combines complex rotation and translation in momentum space, is discussed. GCDM gives accurate results for bound, virtual (antibound), resonant and scattering states starting with a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction. It provides a basis for full off-shell $t$-matrix calculations both for real and complex input energies. Results for both spectral structures and scattering amplitudes compare perfectly well with exact values for the separable Yamaguchi potential. Accurate calculation of virtual states in the Malfliet-Tjon and the realistic CD-Bonn nucleon-nucleon interactions are presented. GCDM is also a promising method for the computation of in-medium properties such as the resummation of particle-particle and particle-hole diagrams in infinite nuclear matter. Implications for in-medium scattering are discussed.Comment: 15 pages, revte

Ballerina - Pirouettes in Search of Gamma Bursts

The cosmological origin of gamma ray bursts has now been established with reasonable certainty. Many more bursts will need to be studied to establish the typical distance scale, and to map out the large diversity in properties which have been indicated by the first handful of events. We are proposing Ballerina, a small satellite to provide accurate positions and new data on the gamma-ray bursts. We anticipate a detection rate an order of magnitude larger than obtained from Beppo-SAX.Comment: A&AS in press, proceedings of the Workshop "Gamma Ray Bursts in the Afterglow Era" in Rome, November 199

Unveiling the Secrets of Gamma Ray Bursts

Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are unpredictable and brief flashes of gamma rays that occur about once a day in random locations in the sky. Since gamma rays do not penetrate the Earth's atmosphere, they are detected by satellites, which automatically trigger ground-based telescopes for follow-up observations at longer wavelengths. In this introduction to Gamma Ray Bursts we review how building a multi-wavelength picture of these events has revealed that they are the most energetic explosions since the Big Bang and are connected with stellar deaths in other galaxies. However, in spite of exceptional observational and theoretical progress in the last 15 years, recent observations raise many questions which challenge our understanding of these elusive phenomena. Gamma Ray Bursts therefore remain one of the hottest topics in modern astrophysics.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, review article, draft version, final version will appear in Contemporary Physic

Simulated Dark-Matter Halos as a Test of Nonextensive Statistical Mechanics

In the framework of nonextensive statistical mechanics, the equilibrium structures of astrophysical self-gravitating systems are stellar polytropes, parameterized by the polytropic index n. By careful comparison to the structures of simulated dark-matter halos we find that the density profiles, as well as other fundamental properties, of stellar polytropes are inconsistent with simulations for any value of n. This result suggests the need to reconsider the applicability of nonextensive statistical mechanics (in its simplest form) to equilibrium self-gravitating systems.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Complex coupled-cluster approach to an ab-initio description of open quantum systems

We develop ab-initio coupled-cluster theory to describe resonant and weakly bound states along the neutron drip line. We compute the ground states of the helium chain 3-10He within coupled-cluster theory in singles and doubles (CCSD) approximation. We employ a spherical Gamow-Hartree-Fock basis generated from the low-momentum N3LO nucleon-nucleon interaction. This basis treats bound, resonant, and continuum states on equal footing, and is therefore optimal for the description of properties of drip line nuclei where continuum features play an essential role. Within this formalism, we present an ab-initio calculation of energies and decay widths of unstable nuclei starting from realistic interactions.Comment: 4 pages, revtex