Analysis of the properties of galaxy clusters in the Leo supercluster region

We analyze the properties of galaxy clusters in the region of the Leo supercluster using observational data from the SDSS and 2MASS catalogs. We have selected 14 galaxy clusters with a total dynamical mass of 1.77 × 10¹⁵ M _⊙ in the supercluster region 130 by 60 Mpc in the plane of the sky (z ≃ 0.037). The composite luminosity function of the supercluster is described by a Schechter function with parameters that, within the error limits, correspond to field galaxies and does not differ from the luminosity function of the richer Ursa Major (UMa) supercluster for the same luminosity range (the bright end). The luminosity functions of early-type and late-type galaxies in Leo at the faint end are characterized by a sharp decrease (α = −0.60±0.08) and a steep increase (α = −1.44± 0.10) in the number of galaxies, respectively. In the virialized cluster regions, the fraction of early-type galaxies selected by the u-r color, bulge contribution, and concentration index among the galaxies brighter than M _K ^* + 1 is, on average, 62%. This fraction is smaller than that in the UMa supercluster at a 2–3σ level. The near-infrared luminosities of galaxy clusters down to a fixed absolute magnitude correlate with their masses almost in the same way as for other samples of galaxy clusters (L _200,K ∝ M ₂₀₀^0.63±0.11)).     

The Global, Local and Cluster Galaxy Luminosity Function

We review selected measurements of the galaxy luminosity function including the field, the local group, the local sphere, nearby clusters (Virgo, Coma and Fornax) and clusters in general. We conclude that, excluding the super-luminous cD and D galaxies, the overall cluster luminosity function is fully consistent with the field luminosity function over the magnitude range in common (–22 ≤ M _B –5log _{h 0.68} ≤ –17). We find that only in the core regions of clusters (r ≤ 300 kpc) does the overall form of the luminosity function show significant variation. However when the luminosity function is subdivided by spectral type some further variations are seen. We argue that these results imply: substantial late infall, efficient star-formation suppression, and the confinement of mass-changing evolutionary processes to the core regions only. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Direct Determination of Galaxy Luminosity Functions in Clusters

We present R-band galaxy luminosity functions (GLFs) from aspectroscopic sample of six nearby rich galaxy clusters. In addition to individual cluster GLFs, extending to, in one case, M _R=–14, we also present composite GLFs for cluster and field galaxies toM _R=–17. All six cluster samples are consistent with the composite GLF, but there is evidence that the GLF of the quiescent population in clusters is not universal. Furthermore, the GLF of quiescent galaxies is significantly steeper in clusters than in the field. The overall GLF in clusters is consistent with that of field galaxies, except for the luminous tip, which is enhanced in clusters versus the field. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Global properties of star formation in spiral galaxies

Samples of spiral galaxies from two catalogues of 21 cm line observations and a catalogue of near-infrared observations of nearby galaxies have been used in conjunction with Infrared Astronomical Satellite data to study correlations involving M_G, the dynamic mass of the galaxies, the luminosities in theH band (1.6Μm), the blue band and the far infrared bands and the mass of atomic hydrogen, it is found that both the blue and the far-IR luminosities which are indicators of star formation averaged over ∼3 × l0⁹ and ∼10⁷ years respectively, have a linear dependence onM _G On the other hand, theH luminosity which is a measure of star formation averaged over the lifetime of galaxies, has a steeper power law dependence onM _G. The correlations observed do not have significant dependence on the morophological type of the galaxies There is a poor correlation between the far-infrared luminosity and the mass of atomic hydrogen. The mass of atomic hydrogen has a dependence of the formM _G. Because of the decrease in the mean mass for later morphological types and due to differences in power law dependences of luminosities in different bands onM _G, the mean value of luminosity-to-mass ratio is a constant for blue and far-IR bands, decreases for theH band and the gas-to-mass ratio increases as morphological type increases.     

Neutron star sequences and the starquake glitch model for the Crab and the Vela pulsars

We construct for the first time, the sequences of stable neutron star (NS) models capable of explaining simultaneously, the glitch healing parameters, Q, of both the pulsars, the Crab (Q≥0.7) and the Vela (Q≤0.2), on the basis of starquake mechanism of glitch generation, whereas the conventional NS models cannot give such consistent explanation. Furthermore, our models also yield an upper bound on NS masses similar to those obtained in the literature for a variety of modern equations of state (EOSs) compatible with causality and dynamical stability. If the lower limit of the observational constraint of (i) Q≥0.7 for the Crab pulsar and (ii) the recent value of the moment of inertia for the Crab pulsar (evaluated on the basis of time-dependent acceleration model of the Crab Nebula), I _Crab,45≥1.93 (where I ₄₅=I/10⁴⁵ g cm²), both are imposed together on our models, the models yield the value of matching density, E _b =9.584×10¹⁴ g cm⁻³ at the core-envelope boundary. This value of matching density yields a model-independent upper bound on neutron star masses, M _max≤2.22M _⊙, and the strong lower bounds on surface redshift z _R ≃0.6232 and mass M≃2.11M _⊙ for the Crab (Q≃0.7) and the strong upper bound on surface redshift z _R ≃0.2016, mass M≃0.982M _⊙ and the moment of inertia I _Vela,45≃0.587 for the Vela (Q≃0.2) pulsar. However, for the observational constraint of the ‘central’ weighted mean value Q≈0.72, and I _Crab,45>1.93, for the Crab pulsar, the minimum surface redshift and mass of the Crab pulsar are slightly increased to the values z _R ≃0.655 and M≃2.149M _⊙ respectively, whereas corresponding to the ‘central’ weighted mean value Q≈0.12 for the Vela pulsar, the maximum surface redshift, mass and the moment of inertia for the Vela pulsar are slightly decreased to the values z _R ≃0.1645, M≃0.828M _⊙ and I _Vela,45≃0.459 respectively. These results set an upper and lower bound on the energy of a gravitationally redshifted electron-positron annihilation line in the range of about 0.309–0.315 MeV from the Crab and in the range of about 0.425–0.439 MeV from the Vela pulsar.     

Environmental effects on galaxy luminosity functions: the cluster Abell 496

We have derived the galaxy luminosity function in various regions of the cluster of galaxies Abell 496 from a wide field image in the I band. A Schechter function fit in the 17≤ I_AB ≤22(–19.5≤ M_IAB ≤ –14.5) magnitude interval gives a steep power law index, which is somewhat steeper in the outer regions than in the inner zones. This result agrees with previous findings obtained by several teams on the Coma cluster and can be interpreted as due to the fact that faint galaxies are accreted by large ones in the central regions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Fundamental Plane of Black Hole Activity: Pushing Forward the Unification Scheme

We examine the disc-jet connection in stellar mass and supermassive black holes by investigating the properties of their compact emission in the hard X-ray and radio bands. We compile a sample of ∼100 active galactic nuclei with measured mass, 5 GHz core emission, and 2–10 keV luminosity, together with eight galactic black holes with a total of ∼50 simultaneous observations in the radio and X-ray bands. Using this sample, we study the correlations between the radio (L_R) and the X-ray (L_X) luminosity and the black hole mass (M). We find that the radio luminosity is correlated with both M and L_X, at a highly significant level. We show how this result can be used to extend the standard unification by orientation scheme to encompass unification by mass and accretion rate.     

Studying the diverse nature of faint galaxies in nearby clusters of the WINGS sample

We present the first results of our X‐shooter observations for a sample of dwarf (–17 < M_B < –15) galaxies in nearby (0.04 < z < 0.07) galaxy clusters. This luminosity range is fundamental to trace the evolution of higher‐z star‐forming cluster galaxies down to the present day, and to explore the galaxy scaling relations of early‐type galaxies over a broad mass range. Thanks to high resolution and availability of several lines we can derive the velocity dispersion of the galaxies in this range of luminosities and we begin the construction of the fundamental plane of faint early‐type galaxies (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A dynamical model of type I supernova atmosphere with the velocity gradient

A compact structure of a low-mass Type I presupernovae is assumed to be an essential feature of the hydrodynamical problem dealing with the supernova Type I (SNI) envelope outbursts. This structure is characterized by a degenerate carbon-oxygen core, which suffers a thermonuclear explosion of carbon fuel (M ₀≃1.40M _⊙), and by a compact lowmass envelope (M _e ≲0.1M _⊙) with external radiusR _e≃10⁹ cm. The parameters, of this hydrostatic envelope are specified and then, for a relatively small explosion energy, ofW ₀≃(2–10)×10⁴⁹ erg, hydrodynamic problem of the envelope ejection is solved numerically. This energy comes from neutrino-induced detonative carbon burning. The resulting structure of the SNI atmosphere expanding with the velocity gradient can be employed for an interpretation of the observed SNI spectra. In accordance with our previous papers, the SNI light curves are considered to occur due to an additional slow (with time-scale 10⁶–10⁷ s) release of the bulk of the SNI energy,W≃10⁵¹, erg. The slow energy release does not, however, affect the structure of the outermost expanding layers of the envelope which are responsible for the SNI spectra. A short (Δt≃10⁻² s) burst of soft (2–10 keV) X-rays with total radiated energy of about 10⁴⁰ erg is found to appear 10–20 days before the SNI optical maximum.     

Evolution of galaxy groups

We study the variations of the properties of groups of galaxies with dynamical masses of 10¹³ M _⊙<M ₂₀₀<10¹⁴ M _⊙, represented by two samples: one has redshifts of z < 0.027 and is located in the vicinity of the Coma cluster, the other has z > 0.027, and is located in the regions of the following superclusters of galaxies: Hercules, Leo, Bootes, Ursa Major, and Corona Borealis. Using the archived data of the SDSS and 2MASX catalogs, we determined the concentration of galaxies in the systems by measuring it as the inner density of the group within the distance of the fifth closest galaxy from the center brighter than M _K = ?23_. ^m 3. We also measured the magnitude gap between the first and the fourth brightest galaxies ΔM ₁₄ located within one half of the selected radius R ₂₀₀, the fraction of early-type galaxies, and the ratio of bright dwarf galaxies (Mr = [?18_. ^m 5,?16_. ^m 5]) to giant galaxies (M _r < ?18_. ^m 5) (DGR) within the radius R ₂₀₀. The main aim of the investigation is to find among these characteristics the ones that reflect the evolution of groups of galaxies.We determined that the ratio of bright dwarf galaxies to early-type giant galaxies on the red sequence depends only on the x-ray luminosity: the DGR increases with luminosity. The fraction of early-type galaxies in the considered systems is equal, on average, to 0.65 ± 0.01, and varies significantly for galaxies with σ₂₀₀ < 300 kms^?1. Based on the luminosity of the brightest galaxy, the magnitude gap between the first and the fourth brightest galaxies in the groups, and on model computations of these parameters, we selected four fossil group candidates: AWM4, NGC0533, NGC0741, and NGC6098 (where the brightest galaxy is a double).We observe no increase in the number of faint galaxies (the α parameter of the Schechter function is less than 1) in our composite luminosity function (LF) for galaxy systems with z < 0.027 in the M _K = [?26m,?21_. ^m 5] range, whereas earlier we obtained α > 1 for the LF of the Hercules and Leo superclusters of galaxies.     

Two new LBV candidates in the M 33 galaxy

We present two new luminous blue variable (LBV) candidate stars discovered in the M33 galaxy. We identified these stars as massive star candidates at the final stages of evolution, presumably with a notable interstellar extinction. The candidates were selected from the Massey et al. catalog based on the following criteria: emission in H _α , V<18^./m 5 and 0_.^m 35 < (B - V) < 1_.^m 2. The spectra of both stars reveal a broad and strong H _α emission with extended wings (770 and 1000 kms⁻¹). Based on the spectra we estimated the main parameters of the stars. Object N45901 has a bolometric luminosity log(L/L_⊙) = 6.0–6.2 with the value of interstellar extinction A _V = 2.3 ± 0.1. The temperature of the star’s photosphere is estimated as T⋆ ∼ 13000–15000 K, its probable mass on the Zero Age Main Sequence is M∼ 60–80 M_⊙. The infrared excess in N 45901 corresponds to the emission of warm dust with the temperature Twarm ∼ 1000 K, and amounts to 0.1%of the bolometric luminosity. A comparison of stellar magnitude estimates from different catalogs points to the probable variability of the object N45901. Bolometric luminosity of the second object, N125093, is log(L/L_⊙) = 6.3 − 6.6, the value of interstellar extinction is A _V = 2.75 ± 0.15. We estimate its photosphere’s temperature as T⋆∼ 13000–16000K, the initial mass as M ∼ 90–120 M_⊙. The infrared excess in N125093 amounts to 5–6% of the bolometric luminosity. Its spectral energy distribution reveals two thermal components with the temperatures T_warm ∼ 1000K and T_cold ∼ 480 K. The [Ca II] λλ7291, 7323 lines, observed in LBV-like stars Var A and N93351 in M33 are also present in the spectrum of N 125093. These lines indicate relatively recent gas eruptions and dust activity linked with them. High bolometric luminosity of these stars and broad H α emissions allow classifying the studied objects as LBV candidates.     

Faint companions of isolated 2MIG galaxies

We present the results of a search for companions around the isolated galaxies from the 2MIG catalog. Among 3227 2MIG galaxies we detected 125 objects with a total of 214 neighbors having radial velocity differences of ΔV < 500 km/s and projected separations of R _p < 500 kpc relative to the 2MIG galaxies. The median luminosity of the companions is 1/25 of the luminosity of catalog galaxies, which has little effect on the dynamic isolation of the latter. The median ratio of the orbital mass to the K-luminosity determined from 60 companions of E and S0 2MIG galaxies, 63M _⊙/L _⊙, is significantly greater than that found from the spiral galaxy companions (17M _⊙/L _⊙). We note that a fraction of 2MIG galaxies with companions may be a part of low-contrast diffuse structures: clouds and filaments.     

Luminosity Functions of Quasars and Seyfert Galaxies

The optical luminosities of extragalactic objects with broad emission lines, i.e. quasi-stellar radio sources, radio quiet quasi-stellar objects and Seyfert galaxies are compared. At high luminosities (M < - 23) we find no difference in the form of the optical luminosity function for radio quiet and radio emitting objects; at low luminosities this function is growing steeply only for radio quiet objects, whereas for objects with higher radio indices it remains nearly constant below M = - 22. This may possibly be interpreted as indicating a division between the optically bright “quasars” and the less luminous objects. The quasars with the highest radio index show only a small scatter in optical luminosities and thus yield a well defined Hubble relation.     

Chemical Evolution of Gas-Rich Galaxy Mergers

We investigate numerically the chemodynamical evolution of major disc–disc galaxy mergers in order to explore the origin of the mass-dependent chemical, photometric and spectroscopic properties observed in elliptical galaxies. We investigate especially the dependence of the fundamental properties on merger progenitor disc mass (M _d). Three main results are obtained in this study:– More massive (luminous) ellipticals formed by galaxy mergers between more massive spirals have higher metallicity (Z) and thus show redder colours; the typical metallicity ranges from ∼ 1.0 solar abundance (Z∼ 0.02) for ellipticals formed by mergers with M _d = 10¹⁰ M _⊙to ∼ 2.0 solar (Z∼ 0.04) for those with M _d= 10¹² M _⊙.– Both the Mg₂ line index in the central part of ellipticals (R ≤ 0.1 R _e) and the radial gradient of Mg₂ (δ Mg₂ / δ log R) are more likely to be larger for massive ellipticals. δ Mg₂ / δ log R correlates reasonably well with the central Mg₂ in ellipticals. For most of the present merger models, ellipticals show a positive radial gradient of the H_β line index. – Both M/L _B and M/L _K (where M, L _B, and L _K are the total stellar mass of galaxy mergers, the B-band and the K-band luminosities, respectively) depend on galactic mass in such a way that more massive ellipticals have larger M/L _B and smaller M/L _K. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The bolometric light curve of SN 1993J and the nature of its progenitor

We have constructed the bolometric light curve of SN 1993J based on UBVRI(JHK) photometric data obtained from various sources and assumingA _V = 0 and a distance modulus of 27.6. Effective temperatures and photosphere radius at various times have been obtained from detailed blackbody fits. The bolometric light curve shows two maxima. The short rise time to the second maximum, and the luminosities at the minimum and the second maximum are used to constrain the properties of the progenitor star. The total mass of the hydrogen envelope M_H, in the star is found to be ≲ 0.2 M_⊙ at the time of explosion, and the explosion ejected about 0.05 M_⊙ of Ni⁵⁶. Thin hydrogen envelope combined with a sufficient presupernova luminosity suggest that the exploding star was in a binary with a probable period range of 5yr ≤P _orb ≤ 11yr.     

Investigation of the correlation between morphology and luminosity for two classes of main galaxies

Using an apparent-magnitude limited Main galaxy sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7(SDSS DR7), we investigate the correlation between morphologies and luminosity for the Main galaxy sample. Our Main galaxy sample is divided into two classes: Main galaxies only with TARGET_GALAXY flag (bestPrimtarget = 64), and ones also with other flags. It is found that for the second class Main galaxies, the early-type proportion monotonously increases with increasing luminosity nearly in the whole luminosity region. But for the first class Main galaxies, the early-type proportion increases with increasing luminosity only within a certain luminosity region (−22.2 < M _r  < −19.8). In the high luminosity region (M _r  < −22.2), the early-type proportion of the first class Main galaxies even decreases dramatically with increasing luminosity. We also analyze the correlation between morphologies and luminosity of galaxies around the peak of the redshift distribution ( 0.07 ≤ z ≤ 0.08 ). In such a narrow redshift region, we still observe strong correlation between morphologies and luminosity, which shows that this correlation is fundamental.     

The Luminosity Function and Size Distribution of HII Regions in NGC 1365

We present the HII region luminosity function and size distribution obtained for the HII regions in NGC 1365. The diameters were corrected for the effects of seeing using a Wiener image restoration procedure. The luminosities and sizes were calculated using the Cepheid distance of 18±2 Mpc, to NGC 1365. We find good correlation between the H_α luminosities and other properties, such as absolute magnitudes and sizes of the HII regions within this galaxy. We find that the HII region luminosity function can be fitted by a power law of slope α=–2.29$plusmn;0.11, which is consistent with what is expected for its Hubble type. Also, the size distribution of the HII regions can be represented by an exponential form. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Tidal torque constants as a critical test for an evolution of close eclipsing binaries

Individual tidal torque λ ₂,E ₂ and apsidal-motion k ₂ constants were calculated for 112 close eclipsing binaries (CEBs) with Detached components belonging to the Main Sequence (DMS-type) from the catalogue by Svechnikov and Perevozkina (Catalogue of orbital elements, masses and luminosities of variable stars of DMS-type and some results of its statistical treatment, Ural State University Press, Yekaterinburg, pp. 1–5, 1999) and for 95 detached binaries taken from the catalogue by Torres et al. (Astron. Astrophys. Rev. 18:67, 2010) on the base of theoretical evolutionary stellar models including tidal torque constants by Claret (Astron. Astrophys. 424:919, 2004). A method of the inversion of model track grid into isochrones was formulated as a complex interpolation procedure for DMS-binaries data. Sets of isochrones were computed in k ₂–M, k ₂–R, λ ₂–M, λ ₂–R, E ₂–M, and E ₂–R planes. Calculated tidal torque constants allow to test stellar structure theory by comparing observed and estimated values of apsidal motion period and analyzing the correlation between timescales of synchronization, circularization, magnetic braking, as well as nuclear burning of DMS-components.     

Possible dark matter in spiral galaxies of the coma cluster

The relationship between the rotation curves for the galaxies and the distribution of mass and angular momentum within the galaxies is examined. The theory of angular momentum transfer is applied to the observed properties of the galaxies. The coupling between the dynamical mass of a spiral galaxy and its luminosity is studied. Most of the spiral galaxies in subclusters surrounding NGC 4889, NGC 4874, and NGC 4839 in the Coma cluster are galaxies that have lower luminosities, with M_B fainter than −21^m.5. These galaxies are characterized by a higher mass-to-luminosity ratio than that of the galaxies with higher luminosities M_B brighter than −21^m.5, which suggests the presence of a large fraction of dark matter in the spiral galaxies of the subclusters. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 75–84 (February 2009).     

THE BM Ori system. IV. A new component of the system

Cross correlations between observed and synthetic spectra are used to discover yet another satellite of BM Ori with the following characteristics: effective temperature T_eff = 4000 K, radius R = 16R_⊙, mass M = 1.8M_⊙, spectral type K7 III, absolute bolometric stellar magnitude M_b = + 4^m·0, axial rotation velocity V sini = 85 km/s, and relative luminosity 0.005 near the V band. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 111–120 (February 2006).