14,466 research outputs found
Clustering at high redshift
The addition of deep near infrared images to the database provided by the
HDF-S WFPC2 is essential to monitor the SEDs of the objects on a wide baseline
and address a number of key issues including the total stellar content of
baryonic mass, the effects of dust extinction, the dependence of morphology on
the rest frame wavelength, the photometric redshifts, the detection and nature
of extremely red objects (EROs). For these reasons deep near infrared images
were obtained with the ISAAC instrument at the ESO VLT in the Js, H and Ks
bands reaching, respectively, 23.5, 22.0, 22.0 limiting Vega-magnitude. A
multi-color (F300, F450, F606, F814, Js, H, Ks) photometric catalog of the
HDF-S has been produced. Photometric redshifts have been generated both fitting
templates to the observed SEDs and with neural network techniques.
Spectroscopic observations of the 9 candidates with I_AB <24.25 have confirmed
all of them to be galaxies with 2<z<3.5. The photometric redshifts for all the
galaxies brighter than I_AB< 27.5 have been used to study the evolution of
galaxy clustering in the interval 0<z<4.5.Comment: 2 pages Latex, To appear in the proceedings of "The mass of galaxies
at low and high redshift", Venice, Oct 24-26, 2001,eds. R. Bender and A.
Renzini (ESO Astrophysics Symposia, Springer-Verlag
The absorption spectrum of the QSO PKS 2126-158 (z_em = 3.27) at high resolution
Spectra of the z_em = 3.268 quasar PKS 2126-158 have been obtained in the
range lambda lambda 4300-6620 A with a resolution R = 27000 and an average
signal-to-noise ratio s/n = 25 per resolution element. The list of the
identified absorption lines is given together with their fitted column
densities and Doppler widths. The modal value of the Doppler parameter
distribution for the Ly-alpha lines is = 25 km/s. The column density
distribution can be described by a power-law dn/dN \propto N^{-beta} with beta
= 1.5. 12 metal systems have been identified, two of which were previously
unknown. In order to make the column densities of the intervening systems
compatible with realistic assumptions about the cloud sizes and the silicon to
carbon overabundance, it is necessary to assume a jump beyond the He II edge in
the spectrum of the UV ionizing background at z = 3 a factor 10 larger than the
standard predictions for the integrated quasar contribution. An enlarged sample
of C IV absorptions (71 doublets) has been used to analyze the statistical
properties of this class of absorbers strictly related to galaxies. The column
density distribution is well described by a single power-law, with beta=1.64
and the Doppler parameter distribution shows a modal value b = 14 km/s. The two
point correlation function has been computed in the velocity space for the
individual components of C IV features. A significant signal is obtained for
scales smaller than 200-300 km/s, xi(30< Delta v < 90 km/s) = 32.71 +- 2.89. A
trend of decreasing clustering amplitude with decreasing column density is
apparent, analogously to what has been observed for Ly-alpha lines.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX (l-aa.sty), 13 ps figures, included in text with
epsf, Fig. 1 can be retrieved at http://www.sissa.it/~dodorico/paper.html,
accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic
Nuclear electric propulsion development and qualification facilities
This paper summarizes the findings of a Tri-Agency panel consisting of members from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) that were charged with reviewing the status and availability of facilities to test components and subsystems for megawatt-class nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems. The facilities required to support development of NEP are available in NASA centers, DOE laboratories, and industry. However, several key facilities require significant and near-term modification in order to perform the testing required to meet a 2014 launch date. For the higher powered Mars cargo and piloted missions, the priority established for facility preparation is: (1) a thruster developmental testing facility, (2) a thruster lifetime testing facility, (3) a dynamic energy conversion development and demonstration facility, and (4) an advanced reactor testing facility (if required to demonstrate an advanced multiwatt power system). Facilities to support development of the power conditioning and heat rejection subsystems are available in industry, federal laboratories, and universities. In addition to the development facilities, a new preflight qualifications and acceptance testing facility will be required to support the deployment of NEP systems for precursor, cargo, or piloted Mars missions. Because the deployment strategy for NEP involves early demonstration missions, the demonstration of the SP-100 power system is needed by the early 2000's
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