369 research outputs found
The Effect of Type Ibc Contamination in Cosmological Supernova Samples
We explore the effect of contamination of intermediate redshift Type Ia
supernova samples by Type Ibc supernovae. Simulating observed samples of Ia and
mixed Ibc/Ia populations at a range of redshifts for an underlying cosmological
concordance model (\Omega_{m}=0.27, \Omega_{\Lambda}=0.73), we find that even
small contamination levels, 2-5% may bias the derived \Omega_{\Lambda} and
\Omega_{m} towards larger values. We thus emphasize the need for clean samples
of Type Ia SNe for accurate measurements of the cosmological parameters. We
also simulate a SN sample similar to the fiducial SNAP detected distribution
(Kim et al. 2004), but include Ibc contamination. For this distribution we
illustrate the effect of Ibc contamination on the distance modulus vs. redshift
diagram for low and high precision measurements.Comment: ApJ accepte
Uncovering the Beast: Discovery of Embedded Massive Stellar Clusters in W49A
We present subarcsecond J, H, and Ks images (FWHM ~ 0.5") of an unbiased 5'x
5' (16pc x 16pc) survey of the densest region of the W49 giant molecular cloud.
The observations reveal 4 massive stellar clusters (with stars as massive as
\~120 Msun), the larger (Cluster 1) about 3 pc East of the well known Welch
ring of ultra-compact Hii regions. Cluster 1 is a) extincted by at least Av >
20 mag of foreground (unrelated and local) extinction, b) has more than 30 mag
of internal inhomogeneous visual extinction implying that it is still deeply
buried in its parental molecular cloud, and c) is powering a 6 pc diameter
giant Hii region seen both at the NIR and radio continuum. We also identify the
exciting sources of several UCHii regions. The census of massive stars in W49A
agrees or is slightly overabundant when compared with the number of Lyman
continuum photons derived from radio observations. We argue that although the
formation of the Welch ring could have been triggered by Cluster 1, the entire
W49A starburst region seems to have been multi-seeded instead of resulting from
a coherent trigger.Comment: ApJ Letters accepted. All figures provided as nice resolution
jpeg/gif files. Get full-res version at http://www.eso.org/~jalves/W49A.pd
Results from a Near Infrared Search for Emission-line Stars in the Inner Galaxy: Spectra of New Wolf-Rayet Stars
We present follow-up spectroscopy of emission line candidates detected on
near-infrared narrow band images in the inner Galaxy (Homeier et al. 2003). The
filters are optimized for the detection of Wolf-Rayet stars and other objects
which exhibit emission--lines in the 2 m region. Approximately three
square degrees along the Galactic plane have been analyzed in seven
narrow--filters (four emission--lines and three continuum). We have discovered
4 new Wolf-Rayet stars and present coordinates, finding charts, and K-band
spectra.Comment: To appear in Astronomy & Astrophysic
Imprints of Environment on Cluster and Field Late-type Galaxies at z~1
We present a comparison of late-type galaxies (Sa and later) in intermediate
redshift clusters and the field using ACS imaging of four cluster fields:
CL0152-1357, CL1056-0337 (MS1054), CL1604+4304, and CL1604+4321. Concentration,
asymmetry, and clumpiness parameters are calculated for each galaxy in blue
(F606W or F625W) and red (F775W or F814W) filters. Galaxy half-light radii,
disk scale lengths, color gradients, and overall color are compared. We find
marginally significant differences in the asymmetry distributions of spiral and
irregular galaxies in the X-ray luminous and X-ray faint clusters. The massive
clusters contain fewer galaxies with large asymmetries. The physical sizes of
the cluster and field populations are similar; no significant differences are
found in half-light radii or disk scale lengths. The most significant
difference is in rest-frame color. Late-type cluster galaxies are
significantly redder, magnitudes at rest-frame , than their
field counterparts. Moreover, the intermediate-redshift cluster galaxies tend
to have blue inward color gradients, in contrast to the field galaxies, but
similar to late-type galaxies in low redshift clusters. These blue inward color
gradients are likely to be the result of enhanced nuclear star formation rates
relative to the outer disk. Based on the significant rest-frame color
difference, we conclude that late-type cluster members at are not a
pristine infalling field population; some difference in past and/or current
star formation history is already present. This points to high redshift
``groups'', or filaments with densities similar to present-day groups, as the
sites where the first major effects of environment are imprinted.Comment: updated titl
Swift follow-up of IceCube triggers, and implications for the Advanced-LIGO era
Between 2011 March and 2014 August Swift responded to 20 triggers from the
IceCube neutrino observatory, observing the IceCube 50% confidence error circle
in X-rays, typically within 5 hours of the trigger. No confirmed counterpart
has been detected. We describe the Swift follow up strategy and data analysis
and present the results of the campaign. We discuss the challenges of
distinguishing the X-ray counterpart to a neutrino trigger from serendipitous
uncatalogued X-ray sources in the error circle, and consider the implications
of our results for future strategies for multi-messenger astronomy, with
particular reference to the follow up of gravitational wave triggers from the
advanced-era detectors.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 18 pages, including 8 figures and
4 tables; two of which are landscape-oriente
Temperature constraints on the coldest brown dwarf known WISE 0855-0714
Context. Nearby isolated planetary mass objects are beginning to be
discovered, but their individual properties are poorly constrained because
their low surface temperatures and strong molecular self-absorption make them
extremely faint.
Aims. We aimed to detect the near infrared emission of the coldest brown
dwarf (BD) found so far, WISE08550714, located 2.2 pc away, and to
improve its temperature estimate (T= 225-260 K) from a comparison
with state-of-the-art models of BD atmospheres.
Methods. We observed the field containing WISE0855-0714 with HAWK-I at the
VLT in the band. For BDs with T500\,K theoretical models
predict strong signal (or rather less molecular absorption) in this band.
Results. WISE0855-0714 was not detected in our Y-band images, thus placing an
upper limit on its brightness to Y>24.4 mag at 3- level, leading to
Y-[4.5]>10.5. Combining this limit with previous detections and upper limits at
other wavelengths, WISE08550714 is confirmed as the reddest BD detected,
further supporting its status as the coldest known brown dwarf. We applied
spectral energy distribution fitting with collections of models from two
independent groups for extremely cool BD atmospheres leading to an effective
temperature of T250\,K,.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. A&A letter Accepte
- …