Application of the global modal approach to the spiral galaxies

We have tested the applicability of the global modal approach in the density wave theory of spiral structure for a sample of spiral galaxies with measured axisymmetric background properties. We report here the results of the simulations for four galaxies: NGC 488, NGC 628, NGC 1566, and NGC 3938. Using the observed radial distributions for the stellar velocity dispersions and the rotation velocities we have constructed the equilibrium models for the galactic disks in each galaxy and implemented two kinds of stability analyses - the linear global analysis and 2D-nonlinear simulations. In general, the global modal approach is able to reproduce the observed properties of the spiral arms in the galactic disks. The growth of spirals in the galactic disks can be physically understood in terms of amplification by over-reflection at the corotation resonance. Our results support the global modal approach as a theoretical explanation of spiral structure in galaxies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Microsatellite Variation in the Oyster Crassostreaplicatula Along the Coast of China

Genetic diversity and differentiation of the oyster Crassostreaplicatula populations from China's coast were studied basedon seven microsatellite loci.All loci showed high polymorphism for all five C.plicatula populations,with an average number of alleleper locus of 19.3-27.9 and an average expected heterozygosity of 0.889-0.952.Significant departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilib-rium and deficits of heterozygotes were observed over most populations at each locus,which were fully explained by null alleles.Microsatellite analysis revealed significant subdivision in the C.plicatula populations.According to the neighbor-joining tree con-structed on the basis of the D,A distance,the five populations fell into three regional groups,showing a relatively homogeneous geneticstructure in geographically close populations.Assignation tests correctly assigned high percentages of individuals to their originalpopulations and groups,and also confirmed the existence of genetic differentiation among C.plicatula populations.The results ob-tained in this study will facilitate the formulation of appropriate fisheries management programs,stock identification and conservationof biodiversity for the species.     

A taxonomical and ecological survey of rotiffer communities in Krottensee (Austria)

The composition and distribution of benthic, periphytic and planktonic rotifers in different habitats in Krottensee were investigated. Sixty-five rotifer taxa were identified, their relative abundance estimated. Classification of the data set by cluster analysis allowed the recognition of distinct habitat groups confined to acid bog ponds, macrophytes, sediments and open water. Five groups of rotifer taxa were identified on the basis of their habitat preferences and the occurrence of the taxa. Highest diversities were found on macrophytes and in acid bog ponds.     

Recovering the initial conditions of our local Universe from NOG and PSCz catalogues

We apply the ztrace algorithm to the optical NOG and infrared PSC z galaxy catalogues to reconstruct the pattern of primordial fluctuations that have generated our local Universe. We check that the density fields traced by the two catalogues are well correlated, and consistent with a linear relation [either in δ or in  log (1 +δ)  ] with relative bias (of NOG with respect to PSC z )   b _rel= 1.1 ± 0.1  . The relative bias relation is used to fill the optical zone of avoidance at  | b | < 20°  using the PSC z galaxy density field.
We perform extensive testing on simulated galaxy catalogues to optimize the reconstruction. The quality of the reconstruction is predicted to be good at large scales, up to a limiting wavenumber   k _lim≃ 0.4 h Mpc⁻¹  beyond which all information is lost. We find that the improvement arising from the denser sampling of the optical catalogue is compensated by the uncertainties connected to the larger zone of avoidance.
The initial conditions reconstructed from the NOG catalogue are found (analogously to those from the PSC z ) to be consistent with a Gaussian paradigm. We use the reconstructions to produce sets of initial conditions ready to be used for constrained simulations of our local Universe.