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Physics and Astronomy	100%

Selected Abstracts

Establishing the nature of companion candidates to X-ray-emitting late B-type stars,

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2007
S. Hubrig
ABSTRACT The most favoured interpretation for the detection of X-ray emission from late B-type stars is that these stars have a yet undiscovered late-type companion (or an unbound nearby late-type star) that produces the X-rays. Several faint infrared objects at (sub)arcsecond separation from B-type stars have been uncovered in our earlier adaptive optics imaging observations, and some of them have been followed up with the high spatial resolution of the Chandra X-ray observatory, pinpointing the X-ray emitter. However, firm conclusions on their nature require a search for spectroscopic signatures of youth. Here we report on our recent ISAAC observations carried out in low-resolution spectroscopic mode. Equivalent widths have been used to obtain information on spectral types of the companions. All eight X-ray-emitting systems with late B-type primaries studied contain dwarf-like companions with spectral types later than A7. The only system in the sample where the companion turns out to be of early spectral type is not an X-ray source. These results are consistent with the assumption that the observed X-ray emission from late B-type stars is produced by an active pre-main-sequence companion star. [source]

Red star-forming and blue passive galaxies in clusters

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009
Smriti Mahajan
ABSTRACT We explore the relation between colour (measured from photometry) and specific star formation rate (derived from optical spectra obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 4) of over 6000 galaxies (Mr,,20.5) in and around (<3 r200) low-redshift (z < 0.12) Abell clusters. Even though, as expected, most red sequence galaxies have little or no ongoing star formation, and most blue galaxies are currently forming stars, there are significant populations of red star-forming and blue passive galaxies. This paper examines various properties of galaxies belonging to the latter two categories, to understand why they deviate from the norm. These properties include morphological parameters, internal extinction, spectral features such as EW(H,) and the 4000 Å break, and metallicity. Our analysis shows that the blue passive galaxies have properties very similar to their star-forming counterparts, except that their large range in H, equivalent width indicates recent truncation of star formation. The red star-forming galaxies fall into two broad categories, one of them being massive galaxies in cluster cores dominated by an old stellar population, but with evidence of current star formation in the core (possibly linked with active galactic nuclei). For the remaining red star-forming galaxies, it is evident from spectral indices, stellar and gas-phase metallicities and mean stellar ages that their colours result from the predominance of a metal-rich stellar population. Only half of the red star-forming galaxies have extinction values consistent with a significant presence of dust. The implication of the properties of these star-forming galaxies on environmental studies, like that of the Butcher,Oemler effect, is discussed. [source]

H, long-term monitoring of the Be star , Cephei Aa

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 2 2008
G. Catanzaro
ABSTRACT Papers published in recent years have contributed to resolve the enigma of the hypothetical Be nature of the hot pulsating star , Cephei. This star shows variable emission in the H, line, typical for Be stars, but its projected rotational velocity is very much lower than the critical limit, contrary to what is expected for a typical Be star. The emission has been attributed to the secondary component of the , Cephei spectroscopic binary system. In this paper, using both our and archived spectra, we attempt to recover the H, profile of the secondary component and to analyse its behaviour with time for a long period. To accomplish this task, we first derive the atmospheric parameters of the primary, Teff= 24 000 ± 250 K and log g= 3.91 ± 0.10, and then we use these values to compute its synthetic H, profile, and finally we reconstruct the secondary's profile disentangling the observed one. The secondary's H, profile shows the typical two-peak emission of a Be star with a strong variability. We also analysed the behaviour versus time of some linewidth parameters: equivalent width, ratio of blue to red peak intensities, full width at half-maximum, peak separation and radial velocity of the central depression. The projected rotational velocity (v sin i) of the secondary and the dimension of the equatorial surrounding disc have also been estimated. [source]

Are galaxies with active galactic nuclei a transition population?

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2007
P. B. Westoby
ABSTRACT We present the results of an analysis of a well-selected sample of galaxies with active and inactive galactic nuclei from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, in the range 0.01 < z < 0.16. The SDSS galaxy catalogue was split into two classes of active galaxies, Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) and composites, and one set of inactive, star-forming/passive galaxies. For each active galaxy, two inactive control galaxies were selected by matching redshift, absolute magnitude, inclination, and radius. The sample of inactive galaxies naturally divides into a red and a blue sequence, while the vast majority of AGN hosts occur along the red sequence. In terms of H, equivalent width (EW), the population of composite galaxies peaks in the valley between the two modes, suggesting a transition population. However, this effect is not observed in other properties such as the colour,magnitude space or colour,concentration plane. Active galaxies are seen to be generally bulge-dominated systems, but with enhanced H, emission compared to inactive red-sequence galaxies. AGN and composites also occur in less dense environments than inactive red-sequence galaxies, implying that the fuelling of AGN is more restricted in high-density environments. These results are therefore inconsistent with theories in which AGN host galaxies are a ,transition' population. We also introduce a systematic 3D spectroscopic imaging survey, to quantify and compare the gaseous and stellar kinematics of a well-selected, distance-limited sample of up to 20 nearby Seyfert galaxies, and 20 inactive control galaxies with well-matched optical properties. The survey aims to search for dynamical triggers of nuclear activity and address outstanding controversies in optical/infrared imaging surveys. [source]

Keck infrared observations of GRO J0422+32 in quiescence

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 2 2007
Mark T. Reynolds
ABSTRACT We present Keck K -band photometry and low-resolution H - and K -band spectroscopy of the X-ray nova GRO J0422+32 obtained while the system was in the quiescent state. No clear ellipsoidal modulation is present in the light curve, which is instead dominated by a strong flickering component. In the K band, we observe strong Br, emission, with an equivalent width of 38 ± 5 Å. From this, we conclude that the accretion disc is the most likely source of the observed photometric contamination, and that previous infrared-based attempts to constrain the mass of the putative black hole in this system are prone to considerable uncertainty. We finally proceed to show how it is possible to place meaningful constraints on some of the binary parameters of this system, even in the presence of a relatively high level of contamination from the disc. [source]

Detection of the irradiated donor in the LMXBs 4U 1636-536 (=V801 Ara) and 4U 1735-444 (=V926 Sco)

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2006
J. Casares
ABSTRACT Phase-resolved VLT spectroscopy of the bursting low-mass X-ray binaries 4U 1636-536/V801 Ara and 4U 1735-444/V926 Sco is presented. Doppler images of the N iii,4640 Bowen transition reveal compact spots which we attribute to fluorescent emission from the donor star and enable us to define a new set of spectroscopic ephemerides. We measure Kem= 277 ± 22 and 226 ± 22 km s,1 from the N iii spots in V801 Ara and V926 Sco, respectively, which represent strict lower limits to the radial velocity semi-amplitude of the donor stars. Our new ephemerides provide confirmation that light-curve maxima in V801 Ara and likely V926 Sco occur at superior conjunction of the donor star and hence photometric modulation is caused by the visibility of the X-ray heated donor. The velocities of He ii,4686 and the broad Bowen blend are strongly modulated with the orbital period, with phasing supporting emission dominated by the disc bulge. In addition, a reanalysis of burst oscillations in V801 Ara, using our spectroscopic T0, leads to K1= 90,113 km s,1. We also estimate the K -corrections for all possible disc flaring angles and present the first dynamical constraints on the masses of these X-ray bursters. These are K2= 360 ± 74 km s,1, f(M) = 0.76 ± 0.47 M, and q= 0.21,0.34 for V801 Ara and K2= 298 ± 83 km s,1, f(M) = 0.53 ± 0.44 M, and q= 0.05,0.41 for V926 Sco. Disc flaring angles ,, 12° and q, 0.26,0.34 are favoured for V801 Ara whereas the lack of K1 constraint for V926 Sco prevents tight constraints on this system. Although both binaries seem to have intermediate inclinations, the larger equivalent width of the narrow N iii line in V801 Ara at phase 0.5 relative to phase 0 suggests that it has the higher inclination of the two. [source]

The warm absorber of the type 1 Seyfert galaxy H1419+480

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2003
X. Barcons
ABSTRACT The bright type 1 Seyfert galaxy H1419+480 (z, 0.072), whose X-ray colours from earlier HEAO-1 and ROSAT missions suggested a complex X-ray spectrum, has been observed with XMM,Newton. The EPIC spectrum above 2 keV is well fitted by a power law with photon index ,= 1.84 ± 0.01 and an Fe K, line of equivalent width ,250 eV. At softer energies, a decrement with respect to this model extending from 0.5 to 1 keV is clearly detected. After trying a number of models, we find that the best fit corresponds to O vii absorption at the emission redshift, plus a 2, detection of O viii absorption. A photoionized gas model fit yields log ,, 1.15,1.30 (, in erg cm s,1) with NH, 5 × 1021 cm,2 for solar abundances. We find that the ionized absorber was weaker or absent in an earlier ROSAT observation. An International Ultraviolet Explorer spectrum of this source obtained two decades before shows a variable (within a year) C iv absorber outflowing with a velocity ,1800 km s,1. We show that both X-ray and ultraviolet absorptions are consistent with arising in the same gas, with varying ionization. [source]

A star-forming galaxy at z= 5.78 in the Chandra Deep Field South

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2003
Andrew J. Bunker
ABSTRACT We report the discovery of a luminous z= 5.78 star-forming galaxy in the Chandra Deep Field South. This galaxy was selected as an ,i -drop' from the GOODS public survey imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys (object 3 in the work of Stanway, Bunker & McMahon 2003). The large colour of (i,,z,)AB= 1.6 indicated a spectral break consistent with the Lyman , forest absorption shortward of Lyman , at z, 6. The galaxy is very compact (marginally resolved with ACS with a half-light radius of 0.08 arcsec, so rhl < 0.5 h,170 kpc). We have obtained a deep (5.5 h) spectrum of this z,AB= 24.7 galaxy with the DEIMOS optical spectrograph on the Keck Telescope, and here we report the discovery of a single emission line centred on 8245 Å detected at 20, with a flux of f, 2 × 10,17 erg cm,2 s,1. The line is clearly resolved with detectable structure at our resolution of better than 55 km s,1, and the only plausible interpretation consistent with the ACS photometry is that we are seeing Lyman , emission from a z= 5.78 galaxy. This is the highest redshift galaxy to be discovered and studied using HST data. The velocity width (,vFWHM= 260 km s,1) and rest-frame equivalent width (WLy,rest= 20 Å) indicate that this line is most probably powered by star formation, as an AGN would typically have larger values. The starburst interpretation is supported by our non-detection of the high-ionization N v,1240- Å emission line, and the absence of this source from the deep Chandra X-ray images. The star formation rate inferred from the rest-frame UV continuum is 34 h,270 M, yr,1 (,M= 0.3, ,,= 0.7). This is the most luminous starburst known at z > 5. Our spectroscopic redshift for this object confirms the validity of the i,-drop technique of Stanway et al. to select star-forming galaxies atz, 6. [source]

X-ray beaming caused by resonance scattering in the accretion column of magnetic cataclysmic variables

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 1 2001
Y. Terada
Extremely strong ionized Fe emission lines, with equivalent widths reaching ,4000 eV, were discovered by ASCA from a few Galactic compact objects, including AX J2315,0592, RX J1802.1+1804 and AX J1842.8,0423. These objects are thought to be binary systems containing magnetized white dwarfs (WDs). A possible interpretation of the strong Fe K line is the line-photon collimation in the WD accretion column, as a result of resonance scattering of line photons. The collimation occurs when the accretion column has a flat shape, and the effect is augmented by the vertical velocity gradient, which reduces the resonant trapping of resonant photons along the magnetic field lines. This effect was quantitatively confirmed with Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, with ASCA observations of the polar V834 Centauri, this collimation effect was clearly detected as a rotational modulation of the equivalent width of the Fe K emission line. The extremely strong emission lines mentioned above can be explained consistently by our interpretation. Combining this effect with other X-ray information, the geometry and plasma parameters in the accretion column were determined. [source]

Spectropolarimetry of a complete infrared-selected sample of Seyfert 2 galaxies

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 2 2001
S.L. Lumsden
We report the results of a spectropolarimetric survey of a complete far-infrared-selected sample of Seyfert 2 galaxies. We have found polarized broad H, emission in one new source, NGC 5995. In the sample as a whole, there is a clear tendency for galaxies in which we have detected broad H, in polarized light to have warm mid,far-infrared colours in agreement with our previous results. However, a comparison of the optical, radio and hard X-ray properties of these systems leads us to conclude that this is a secondary consequence of the true mechanism governing our ability to see scattered light from the broad-line region. We find a strong trend for galaxies showing such emission to lie above a critical value of the relative luminosity of the active core to the host galaxy (as measured from the [O iii] 5007-Å equivalent width) which varies as a function of the obscuring column density as measured from hard X-ray observations. The warmth of the infrared colours is then largely due to a combination of the luminosity of the active core, the obscuring column and the relative importance of the host galaxy in powering the far-infrared emission, and not solely orientation as we inferred in our previous paper. Our data may also provide an explanation as to why the most highly polarized galaxies, which appear to have tori that are largely edge-on, are also the most luminous and have the most easily detectable scattered broad H,. [source]

The X-ray variability of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG,6-30-15 from long ASCA and RXTE observations

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2000
Julia C. Lee
We present an analysis of the long Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG,6-30-15, taken in 1997 July. We have previously used the data to place constraints for the first time on the iron abundance,reflection fraction relationship, and now expand the analysis to investigate in detail the spectral X-ray variability of the object. Our results show that the behaviour is complicated. We find clear evidence from colour ratios and direct spectral fitting that changes to the intrinsic photon index are taking place. In general, spectral hardening is evident during periods of diminished intensity, and in particular, a general trend for harder spectra is seen in the period following the hardest RXTE flare. Flux-correlated studies further show that the 3,10 keV photon index ,3,10 steepens, while that in the 10,20 keV band, ,10,20, flattens with flux. The largest changes come from the spectral index below 10 keV; however, changes in the intrinsic power-law slope (shown by changes in ,3,10), and reflection (shown by changes in ,10,20) both contribute in varying degrees to the overall spectral variability. We find that the iron-line flux FK, is consistent with being constant over large time intervals on the order of days (although tentative evidence exists which show that FK, changes on shorter time intervals of order ,10 ks during time periods surrounding flare events), and has an equivalent width which anticorrelates with the continuum flux and reflection fraction. A possible interpretation for the iron-line flux constancy and the relative Compton reflection increase with flux from the flux-correlated data is an increasing ionization of the emitting disc surface, while spectral analysis of short time intervals surrounding flare events hints tentatively at observed spectral responses to the flare. We present a simple model for partial ionization where the bulk of the variability comes from within 6rg. Temporal analysis further provides evidence for possible time (,1000 s) and phase (,,0.6 rad) lags. Finally, we report an apparent break in the power density spectrum (,4,5×10,6 Hz) and a possible 33-hour period. Estimates for the mass of the black hole in MCG,6-30-15 are discussed in the context of spectral and temporal findings. [source]

The exceptional Herbig Ae star HD 101412: The first detection of resolved magnetically split lines and the presence of chemical spots in a Herbig star,

ASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 4 2010
S. Hubrig
Abstract In our previous search for magnetic fields in Herbig Ae stars, we pointed out that HD 101412 possesses the strongest magnetic field among the Herbig Ae stars and hence is of special interest for follow-up studies of magnetism among young pre-main-sequence stars. We obtained high-resolution, high signal-to-noise UVES and a few lower quality HARPS spectra revealing the presence of resolved magnetically split lines. HD 101412 is the first Herbig Ae star for which the rotational Doppler effect was found to be small in comparison to the magnetic splitting and several spectral lines observed in unpolarized light at high dispersion are resolved into magnetically split components. The measured mean magnetic field modulus varies from 2.5 to 3.5kG, while the mean quadratic field was found to vary in the range of 3.5 to 4.8 kG. To determine the period of variations, we used radial velocity, equivalent width, line width, and line asymmetry measurements of variable spectral lines of several elements, as well as magnetic field measurements. The period determination was done using the Lomb-Scargle method. The most pronounced variability was detected for spectral lines of He I and the iron peak elements, whereas the spectral lines of CNO elements are only slightly variable. From spectral variations and magnetic field measurements we derived a potential rotation period Prot = 13.86 d, which has to be proven in future studies with a larger number of observations. It is the first time that the presence of element spots is detected on the surface of a Herbig Ae/Be star. Our previous study of Herbig Ae stars revealed a trend towards stronger magnetic fields for younger Herbig Ae stars, confirmed by statistical tests. This is in contrast to a few other (non-statistical) studies claiming that magnetic Herbig Ae stars are progenitors of the magnetic Ap stars. New developments in MHD theory show that the measured magnetic field strengths are compatible with a current-driven instability of toroidal fields generated by differential rotation in the stellar interior. This explanation for magnetic intermediate-mass stars could be an alternative to a frozen-in fossil field (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]

Observation and modelling of main-sequence star chromospheres , X. Radiative budgets on Gl 867A and AU Mic (dM1e), and a two-component model chromosphere for Gl 205 (dM1),

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2010
E. R. Houdebine
ABSTRACT We report on high-resolution observations of two dM1 stars: Gl 867A, an active dM1e star, and Gl 205, a less active dM1 star. The wavelength coverage is from 3890 to 6820 Å with a resolving power of about 45 000. The difference spectrum of these two stars allows us to make a survey of spectral lines sensitive to magnetic activity. We chose these two stars because, to within measurement errors, they have very close properties: Gl 867A has R= 0.726 R,, [M/H]= 0.080 dex and Teff= 3416 K, and Gl 205 has R= 0.758 R,, [M/H]= 0.101 dex and Teff= 3493 K. We find that besides traditional chromospheric lines, many photospheric lines are ,filled-in' in the active star spectrum. These differences are, most of the time, weak in absolute fluxes but can be large in terms of differences in the spectral-line equivalent widths. We calculate the differences in surface fluxes between these two stars for many spectral lines. We derive the radiative budgets for two dM1e stars: Gl 867A and AU Mic. We show that the sum of the numerous spectral lines represents a significant fraction of the radiative cooling of the outer atmosphere. We also re-investigate the cooling from the continuum from the visible to the extreme ultraviolet; we find that earlier predictions of the calculations of Houdebine et al. (Paper V) are in good agreement with observations. We emphasize that if this radiative cooling is chromospheric in character, then in chromospheric model calculations, we should include the radiative losses in Ca i, Cr i, V i, Ti i and Fe i. From simple constraints, we derive model chromospheres for quiescent and active regions on Gl 205. We show that the quiescent regions have a strong absorption H, profile. The plage regions show a filled-in intermediate activity H, profile. We also present possible spectral line profiles of quiescent and active regions on Gl 867A. [source]

The properties of Ly, emitting galaxies in hierarchical galaxy formation models

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2006
M. Le Delliou
ABSTRACT We present detailed predictions for the properties of Ly,-emitting galaxies in the framework of the , cold dark matter cosmology, calculated using the semi-analytical galaxy formation model galform. We explore a model that assumes a top-heavy initial mass function in starbursts and that has previously been shown to explain the sub-millimetre number counts and the luminosity function of Lyman-break galaxies at high redshift. We show that this model, with the simple assumption that a fixed fraction of Ly, photons escape from each galaxy, is remarkably successful at explaining the observed luminosity function of Ly, emitters (LAEs) over the redshift range 3 < z < 6.6. We also examine the distribution of Ly, equivalent widths and the broad-band continuum magnitudes of emitters, which are in good agreement with the available observations. We look more deeply into the nature of LAEs, presenting predictions for fundamental properties such as the stellar mass and radius of the emitting galaxy and the mass of the host dark matter halo. The model predicts that the clustering of LAEs at high redshifts should be strongly biased relative to the dark matter, in agreement with observational estimates. We also present predictions for the luminosity function of LAEs at z > 7, a redshift range that is starting to be be probed by near-infrared surveys and using new instruments such as the Dark Ages Z Lyman Explorer (DAzLE). [source]

Surface abundances of light elements for a large sample of early B-type stars , III.

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 2 2004
An analysis of helium lines in spectra of 102 stars
ABSTRACT Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium analysis of He i lines in spectra of 102 B stars is implemented in order to derive the helium abundance He/H, the microturbulent parameter Vt and the projected rotation velocity v sin i. A simultaneous determination of He/H and Vt for the stars is effected by analysing equivalent widths of the 4471- and 4922-Å lines primarily as indicators of He/H and the 4713-, 5016-, 5876- and 6678-Å lines primarily as indicators of Vt. The rotation velocities v sin i are found from profiles of the same lines. It is shown that, when Vt > 7 km s,1, the Vt(He i) values determined from He i lines are systematically overestimated as compared with the Vt(O ii, N ii) values derived from O ii and N ii lines. This discrepancy is especially appreciable for hot evolved B giants with Vt(He i) = 16,23 km s,1 and may indicate a failure of classical model atmospheres to represent the strong He i lines for these stars. Two programme stars, HR 1512 and 7651, are found to be helium-weak stars. The remaining 100 stars are divided into three groups according to their masses M. The microturbulent parameter Vt(He i) is low for all stars of group A (M= 4.1,6.9 M,) and for all stars with the relative ages t/tMS < 0.8 of group B (M= 7.0,11.2 M,). Their Vt(He i) values are within the 0 to 5 km s,1 range, as a rule; the mean value is Vt= 1.7 km s,1. Only evolved giants of group B, which are close to the termination of the main-sequence (MS) evolutionary phase (t/tMS > 0.8), show Vt(He i) up to 11 km s,1. The helium abundance He/H is correlated with the relative age t/tMS in both groups; the averaged He/H enhancement during the MS phase is 26 per cent. For group C, containing the most massive stars (M= 12.4,18.8 M,), the Vt(He i) values display a correlation with t/tMS, varying from 4 to 23 km s,1. The He/H determination for hot evolved B giants of the group with Vt(He i) > 15 km s,1 depends on a choice between the Vt(He i) and Vt(O ii, N ii) scales. The mean He/H enrichment by 67 per cent during the MS phase is found, if the abundances He/H are based on the Vt(O ii, N ii) scale; however, two evolved giants with especially high v sin i, HR 7446 and 7993, show the He/H enhancement by about a factor of 2.5. When using the same Vt scale, we found a trend of He/H with projected rotational velocities v sin i; a large dispersion for v sin i > 150 km s,1 can result from differences in masses M. A comparison with the stellar model computations with rotationally induced mixing shows that the observed helium enrichment during the MS phase can be explained by rotation with initial velocities 250,400 km s,1. The He/H distribution on M and v sin i based on the Vt(O ii, N ii) scale seems to be in better agreement with the theory than one based on the Vt(He i) scale. The mean value He/H = 0.10 derived for stars in the zero age main sequence (ZAMS) vicinity can be adopted as the typical initial helium abundance for early B stars in the solar neighbourhood. [source]

X-ray beaming caused by resonance scattering in the accretion column of magnetic cataclysmic variables

Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the CFRS and LDSS redshift surveys , IV.

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2000
Influence of mergers in the evolution of faint field galaxies from z
Hubble Space Telescope images of a sample of 285 galaxies with measured redshifts from the Canada,France Redshift Survey (CFRS) and Autofib,Low Dispersion Spectrograph Survey (LDSS) redshift surveys are analysed to derive the evolution of the merger fraction out to redshifts z,1. We have performed visual and machine-based merger identifications, as well as counts of bright pairs of galaxies with magnitude differences ,m,1.5 mag. We find that the pair fraction increases with redshift, with up to ,20 per cent of the galaxies being in physical pairs at z,0.75,1. We derive a merger fraction varying with redshift as ,(1+z)3.2±0.6, after correction for line-of-sight contamination, in excellent agreement with the merger fraction derived from the visual classification of mergers for which m=3.4±0.6. After correcting for seeing effects on the ground-based selection of survey galaxies, we conclude that the pair fraction evolves as ,(1+z)2.7±0.6. This implies that an average L* galaxy will have undergone 0.8,1.8 merger events from z=1 to z=0, with 0.5 to 1.2 merger events occuring in a 2-Gyr time-span at around z,0.9. This result is consistent with predictions from semi-analytical models of galaxy formation. From the simple coaddition of the observed luminosities of the galaxies in pairs, physical mergers are computed to lead to a brightening of 0.5 mag for each pair on average, and a boost in star formation rate of a factor of 2, as derived from the average [O ii] equivalent widths. Mergers of galaxies are therefore contributing significantly to the evolution of both the luminosity function and luminosity density of the Universe out to z,1. [source]

Revisiting the origin of the high metallicities of sub-damped Lyman-alpha systems,

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY: LETTERS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2009
Miroslava Dessauges-Zavadsky
ABSTRACT Sub-damped Lyman-alpha systems (sub-DLAs) have previously been found to exhibit a steeper metallicity evolution than the classical damped Lyman-alpha systems (DLAs), evolving to close to solar metallicity by z, 1. From new high-resolution spectra of 17 sub-DLAs, we have increased the number of measurements of [Fe/H] at z < 1.7 by 25 per cent and compiled the most complete literature sample of sub-DLA and DLA abundances to date. We find that sub-DLAs are indeed significantly more metal-rich than DLAs, but only at z < 1.7; the metallicity distributions of sub-DLAs and DLAs at z > 1.7 are statistically consistent. We also present the first evidence that sub-DLAs follow a velocity width,metallicity correlation over the same velocity range as DLAs, but the relation is offset to higher metallicities than the DLA relation. On the basis of these results, we revisit the previous explanation that the systematically higher metallicities observed in sub-DLAs are indicative of higher host galaxy masses. We discuss the various problems that this interpretation encounters and conclude that in general sub-DLAs are not uniquely synonymous with massive galaxies. We rule out physically related sources of bias (dust, environment, ionization effects) and examine systematics associated with the selection and analysis of low-redshift sub-DLAs. We propose that the high metallicities of sub-DLAs at z < 1.7 that drives an apparently steep evolution may be due to the selection of most low-redshift sub-DLAs based on their high Mg ii equivalent widths. [source]

Integrated spectroscopic study of 7 star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud

ASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 3 2010
M.L. Talavera
Abstract We present flux-calibrated integrated spectra for 7 star clusters belonging to the Small Magellanic Cloud in the optical range (,3600,7000 Ä), obtained at CASLEO (Argentina). Three out of the 7 clusters were not previously studied so their ages and reddening values are determined for the first time in the current study. Using the equivalent widths of selected spectroscopic lines and comparing the cluster spectra with template spectra of known properties, we derive foreground interstellar reddening and age. The clusters are in the (5,300) Myr age range and their E (B , V) colour excesses were in all cases smaller than 0.12. The present data also contribute to enlarge the cluster spectral library at the metallicity level of the Small Magellanic Cloud. The buildup of such database, which also includes Galactic and Large Magellanic Cloud clusters, is a long-term project that we have been developing and which has proved to be useful in the analysis of stellar populations of extragalactic systems (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]

Recombination lines and free-free continua formed in asymptotic ionized winds: Analytic solution for the radiative transfer

ASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 7 2009
R. Ignace
Abstract In dense hot star winds, the infrared and radio continua are dominated by free-free opacity and recombination emission line spectra. In the case of a spherically symmetric outflow that is isothermal and expanding at constant radial speed, the radiative transfer for the continuum emission from a dense wind is analytic. Even the emission profile shape for a recombination line can be derived. Key to these derivations is that the opacity scales with only the square of the density. These results are well-known. Here an extension of the derivation is developed that also allows for line blends and the inclusion of an additional power-law dependence beyond just the density dependence. The additional power-law is promoted as a representation of a radius dependent clumping factor. It is shown that differences in the line widths and equivalent widths of the emission lines depend on the steepness of the clumping power-law. Assuming relative level populations in LTE in the upper levels of He II, an illustrative application of the model to Spitzer/IRS spectral data of the carbon-rich star WR 90 is given (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]