Non-thermal Emission in Clusters of Galaxies

The most evident signature for the presence of non-thermal elements (magnetic fields and relativistic electrons) in clusters of galaxies is given by the presence of diffuse radio regionspresent so far in a limited number of objects. We review the recent discoveries of new spectral components by EUVE and BeppoSAX in the spectra of some clusters of galaxies that allow to better determine the non-thermalquantities by relating radio and X-ray data. In collaboration with: M. Orlandini, G. Brunetti, L. Feretti, G. Giovannini, P. Grandi, & G. Setti.     

The Nature of Lyman-Break Galaxies

1　ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｈｅＬｙｍａｎ ｂｒｅａｋｔｅｃｈｎｉｑｕｅ (ｅ .ｇ .Ｓｔｅｉｄｅｌ,Ｐｅｔｔｉｎｉ＆Ｈａｍｉｌｔｏｎ 1 995 )ｈａｓｎｏｗｂｅｅｎｐｒｏｖｅｄｖｅｒｙｓｕｃｃｅｓｓｆｕｌｉｎｆｉｎｄｉｎｇｌａｒｇｅｎｕｍｂｅｒｓｏｆｓｔａｒｆｏｒｍｉｎｇｇａｌａｘｉｅｓａｔｒｅｄｓｈｉｆｔｚ～ 3(ｅ .ｇ .Ｓｔｅｉｄｅｌｅｔａｌ.1 996 ,1 999ｂ) .ＴｈｅｏｂｓｅｒｖｅｄｎｕｍｂｅｒｄｅｎｓｉｔｙａｎｄｃｌｕｓｔｅｒｉｎｇｐｒｏｐｅｒｔｉｅｓｏｆＬｙｍａｎ ｂｒｅａｋｇａｌａｘ ｉｅｓ (ｈｅｒ…     

河外IRAS暗源大尺度分布的二维分析

本文对ＩＲＡＳ暗源表中４个选区内的ＩＲＡＳ星系的两点角相关函数，关联分维进行了计算。结果表明，所有选区内的星系呈现小角尺度上的成团。在较大角尺度上，分布可以用多级分形很好地表示。在更大角尺度上，用非归一星系对计数可以探测到密度分布中可能存在的典型尺度。当取４个选区的平均值作为ＩＲＡＳ星系在宇宙中分布情况的代表时，所得结果与用全天ＩＲＡＳ点源表和其他巡天资料得到的结果一致。     

Chemical Evolution of Blue Compact Galaxies

Based on a sample of 72 Blue Compact Galaxies (BCGs) observed with the 2.16m telescope of the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) and about 4000 strong emission line galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we analyzed their chemical evolution history using the revised chemical evolution model of Larsen et al. Our sample covers a much larger metallicity range (7.2 < 12 log(O/H) < 9.0). We found that, in order to reproduce the observed abundance pattern and gas fraction over the whole metallicity range, a relatively continuous star formation history is needed for high metallicity galaxies, while assuming a series of instantaneous bursts with long quiescent periods (some Gyrs) for low metallicity galaxies. Model calculations also show that only the closed-box model is capable of reproducing the observational data over the whole metallicity range. Models that consider the ordinary winds and/or inflow can only fit the observations in the low metallicity range, and a model with enriched wind cannot fit the data in the whole metallicity range. This implies that the current adopted simple wind and inflow models are not applicable to massive galaxies, where the underlying physics of galactic winds or inflow could be more complicated.     

Two-fluid Dynamics in Clusters of Galaxies

We develop a theoretical formulation for the large-scale dynamics of galaxy clusters involving two spherical ‘isothermal fluids‘ coupled by their mutual gravity and derive asymptotic similarity solutions analytically. One of the fluids roughly approximates the massive dark matter halo, while the other describes the hot gas, the relatively small mass contribution from the galaxies being subsumed in the gas. By properly choosing the self-similar variables, it is possible to consistently transform the set of time-dependent two-fluid equations of spherical symmetry with serf-gravity into a set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). We focus on the analytical analysis and discuss applications of the solutions to galaxy clusters.     

Chemical Evolution of Galaxies and Nature of High Redshift Objects

We review the methodology adopted in computing chemical evolution models of galaxies of different morphological type (ellipticals, spirals and irregulars). We discuss the importance of the history of star formation in different galaxies in order to interpret the observed abundances. In particular, we discuss the time-delay model which allows us to interpret the observed abundance patterns in galaxies as due to the different contributions of supernovae II and Ia. We show that the time-delay model applied to galaxies of different morphological type predicts different [X/Fe] versus [Fe/H] relations in different galaxies. As a consequence of this, these relations can be used to infer the nature and to date high redshift objects. Finally, we show our predictions for the cosmic star formation rate.     

Hydrodynamical Simulations of Galaxy Clusters

In my contribution I discuss the relevance that hydrodynamical simulation of clusters can play to understand the ICM physics and to calibrate mass estimates from X-ray observable quantities. Using hydrodynamical simulations, which cover quite a large dynamical range and include a fairly advanced treatment of the gas physics (cooling, star formation and SN feedback), I show that scaling relations among X-ray observable quantities can be reproduced quite well. At the sametime, these simulations fail at accounting for several observational quantities, which are related to the cooling structure of the ICM: the fraction of stars, the temperature profiles and the gas entropy in central cluster regions. This calls for the need of introducing in simulations suitable physical mechanisms which should regulate the cooling structure of the ICM.     

A Study of Binary Stellar Population Synthesis of Elliptical Galaxies

We determined the relative stellar ages and metallicities of about 80 elliptical galaxies in both low and high density environments using the latest binary stellar population (BSP) synthesis model and tested the predictions of a recent hierarchical formation model that adopted the new ACDM cosmology. The stellar ages and metallicities were estimated from two high-quality published spectra line indices, the Hβand [MgFe] indices. The results show that the stellar populations of elliptical galaxies are older than 3.9 Gyr and more metal rich than 0.02. Most of our results are in agreement with the model predictions: (1) elliptical galaxies in denser environment are redder and have older populations than field galaxies; (2) elliptical galaxies with more massive stellar components are redder and have older and more metal rich populations than less massive ones; (3) the most massive galaxies have the oldest and most metal rich stars. However, some of our results differ from the model predictions on the metallicity distributions of low- and high-density elliptical galaxies and the dependence on the distance to the cluster center.     

Timing evidence in determining the accretion state of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 3783

Previous observations with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer ( RXTE ) have suggested that the power spectral density (PSD) of NGC 3783 flattens to a slope near zero at low frequencies, in a similar manner to that of Galactic black hole X-ray binary systems (GBHs) in the 'hard' state. The low radio flux emitted by this object, however, is inconsistent with a hard state interpretation. The accretion rate of NGC 3783 (∼7 per cent of the Eddington rate) is similar to that of other active galactic nuclei (AGN) with 'soft'-state PSDs and higher than that at which the GBH Cyg X-1, with which AGN are often compared, changes between 'hard' and 'soft' states (∼2 per cent of the Eddington rate). If NGC 3783 really does have a 'hard'-state PSD, it would be quite unusual and would indicate that AGN and GBHs are not quite as similar as we currently believe. Here we present an improved X-ray PSD of NGC 3783, spanning from ∼10⁻⁸ to ∼10⁻³ Hz, based on considerably extended (5.5 yr) RXTE observations combined with two orbits of continuous observation by XMM–Newton . We show that this PSD is, in fact, well fitted by a 'soft' state model which has only one break, at high frequencies. Although a 'hard'-state model can also fit the data, the improvement in fit by adding a second break at low frequency is not significant. Thus NGC 3783 is not unusual. These results leave Arakelian 564 as the only AGN which shows a second break at low frequencies, although in that case the very high accretion rate implies a 'very high', rather than 'hard' state PSD. The break frequency found in NGC 3783 is consistent with the expectation based on comparisons with other AGN and GBHs, given its black hole mass and accretion rate.