1,752 research outputs found
Modified Baryonic Dynamics: two-component cosmological simulations with light sterile neutrinos
In this article we continue to test cosmological models centred on Modified
Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) with light sterile neutrinos, which could in
principle be a way to solve the fine-tuning problems of the standard model on
galaxy scales while preserving successful predictions on larger scales. Due to
previous failures of the simple MOND cosmological model, here we test a
speculative model where the modified gravitational field is produced only by
the baryons and the sterile neutrinos produce a purely Newtonian field (hence
Modified Baryonic Dynamics). We use two component cosmological simulations to
separate the baryonic N-body particles from the sterile neutrino ones. The
premise is to attenuate the over-production of massive galaxy cluster halos
which were prevalent in the original MOND plus light sterile neutrinos
scenario. Theoretical issues with such a formulation notwithstanding, the
Modified Baryonic Dynamics model fails to produce the correct amplitude for the
galaxy cluster mass function for any reasonable value of the primordial power
spectrum normalisation.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures. Submitted to JCA
Pressure effects on collective density fluctuations in water and protein solutions
Neutron Brillouin scattering and molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate protein hydration water density fluctuations as a function of pressure. Our results show significant differences between the pressure and density dependence of collective dynamics in bulk water and in concentrated protein solutions. Pressure-induced changes in the tetrahedral order of the water HB network have direct consequences for the high-frequency sound velocity and damping coefficients, which we find to be a sensitive probe for changes in the HB network structure as well as the wetting of biomolecular surfaces
Measuring the cosmic ray acceleration efficiency of a supernova remnant
Cosmic rays are the most energetic particles arriving at earth. Although most
of them are thought to be accelerated by supernova remnants, the details of the
acceleration process and its efficiency are not well determined. Here we show
that the pressure induced by cosmic rays exceeds the thermal pressure behind
the northeast shock of the supernova remnant RCW 86, where the X-ray emission
is dominated by synchrotron radiation from ultra-relativistic electrons. We
determined the cosmic-ray content from the thermal Doppler broadening measured
with optical spectroscopy, combined with a proper-motion study in X- rays. The
measured post-shock proton temperature in combination with the shock velocity
does not agree with standard shock heating, implying that >50% of the
post-shock pressure is produced by cosmic rays.Comment: Published in Science express, 10 pages, 5 figures and 2 table
Quantified Morphology of HI Disks in the Universe
he upcoming new perspective of the high redshift Universe in the 21 cm line
of atomic hydrogen opens possibilities to explore topics of spiral disk
evolution, hitherto reserved for the optical regime. The growth of spiral gas
disks over Cosmic time can be explored with the new generation of radio
telescopes, notably the SKA, and its precursors, as accurately as with the
Hubble Space Telescope for stellar disks. Since the atomic hydrogen gas is the
building block of these disks, it should trace their formation accurately.
Morphology of HI disks can now equally be quantified over Cosmic time. In
studies of HST deep fields, the optical or UV morphology of high-redshift
galaxy disks have been characterized using a few quantities: concentration (C),
asymmetry (A), smoothness (S), second-order-moment (M20), the GINI coefficient
(G), and Ellipticity (E). We have applied these parameters across wavelengths
and compared them to the HI morphology over the THINGS sample. NGC 3184, an
unperturbed disk, and NGC 5194, the canonical 3:1 interaction, serve as
examples for quantified morphology. We find that morphology parameters
determined in HI are as good or better a tracer of interaction compared to
those in any other wavelength, notably in Asymmetry, Gini and M20. This opens
the possibility of using them in the parameterization pipeline for SKA
precursor catalogues to select interacting or harassed galaxies from their HI
morphology. Asymmetry, Gini and M20 may be redefined for use on data-cubes
rather than HI column density image.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, proceeding of the conference "Panoramic Radio
Astronomy: Wide-field 1-2 GHz research on galaxy evolution", June 02 - 05
2009, Groningen, update after small edit
Quantified HI Morphology II : Lopsidedness and Interaction in WHISP Column Density Maps
Lopsidedness of the gaseous disk of spiral galaxies is a common phenomenon in
disk morphology, profile and kinematics. Simultaneously, the asymmetry of a
galaxy's stellar disk, in combination with other morphological parameters, has
seen extensive use as an indication of recent merger or interaction in galaxy
samples. Quantified morphology of stellar spiral disks is one avenue to
determine the merger rate over much of the age of the Universe. In this paper,
we measure the quantitative morphology parameters for the HI column density
maps from the Westerbork observations of neutral Hydrogen in Irregular and
SPiral galaxies (WHISP). These are Concentration, Asymmetry, Smoothness, Gini,
M20, and one addition of our own, the Gini parameter of the second order moment
(GM). Our aim is to determine if lopsided or interacting disks can be
identified with these parameters. Our sample of 141 HI maps have all previous
classifications on their lopsidedness and interaction. We find that the
Asymmetry, M20, and our new GM parameter correlate only weakly with the
previous morphological lopsidedness quantification. These three parameters may
be used to compute a probability that an HI disk is morphologically lopsided
but not unequivocally to determine it. However, we do find that that the
question whether or not an HI disk is interacting can be settled well using
morphological parameters. Parameter cuts from the literature do not translate
from ultraviolet to HI directly but new selection criteria using combinations
of Asymmetry and M20 or Concentration and M20, work very well. We suggest that
future all-sky HI surveys may use these parameters of the column density maps
to determine the merger fraction and hence rate in the local Universe with a
high degree of accuracy.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, accepted by MNRAS, appendix not
include
Test engineering education in Europe: the EuNICE-Test project
The paper deals with a European experience of education in industrial test of ICs and SoCs using remote testing facilities. The project addresses the problem of the shortage in microelectronics engineers aware with the new challenge of testing mixed-signal SoCs far multimedia/telecom market. It aims at providing test training facilities at a European scale in both initial and continuing education contexts. This is done by allowing the academic and industrial partners of the consortium to train engineers using the common test resources center (CRTC) hosted by LIRMM (Laboratoire d'Informatique, de Robotique et de Microelectronique de Montpellier, France). CRTC test tools include up-to-date/high-tech testers that are fully representative of real industrial testers as used on production testfloors. At the end of the project, it is aimed at reaching a cruising speed of about 16 trainees per year per center. Each trainee will have attend at least one one-week training using the remote test facilities of CRTC
Synoptic study of the SMC SNRs using XMM-Newton
We present a detailed X-ray spectral analysis of 13 supernova remnants (SNR)
in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). We apply both single-temperature
non-equilibrium ionisation models and models based on the Sedov similarity
solution, where applicable. We also present detailed X-ray images of individual
SNRs, which reveal a range of different morphological features. Eight remnants,
viz DEM S 32, IKT 2, HFPK 419, IKT 6, IKT 16, IKT 18 and IKT 23, are consistent
with being in their Sedov evolutionary phase. IKT 6 and IKT 23 both have a
clear shell like morphology with oxygen-rich X-ray emitting material in the
centre. We draw attention to similarities between these two remnants and the
well studied, oxygen-rich remnant IKT 22 (SNR 0102-72.3) and propose that they
are more evolved versions of IKT 22. IKT 4, IKT 5, DEM S 128 and IKT 5 are
evolved remnants which are in, or in the process of entering, the radiative
cooling stage. We argue that the X-ray emission from these four remnants is
most likely from the ejecta remains of type Ia SNe. Our modeling allow us to
derive estimates for physical parameters, such as densities, ages, masses and
initial explosion energies. Our results indicate that the average SMC hydrogen
density is a factor of ~6 lower as compared to the Large Magellanic Cloud. This
has obvious implications for the evolution and luminosities of the SMC SNRs. We
also estimate the average SMC gas phase abundances for the elements O, Ne, Mg,
Si and Fe.Comment: submitted to A&
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