Ray-traced slant factors for mitigating the tropospheric delay at the observation level

Three-dimensional ray tracing through a numerical weather model has been applied to a global precise point positioning (PPP) campaign for modeling both the elevation angle- and azimuth-dependence of the tropospheric delay. Rather than applying the ray-traced slant delays directly, the delay has been parameterized in terms of slant factors, which are applied in a similar manner to traditional mapping functions, but which can account for the azimuthal asymmetry of the delay. Five strategies are considered: (1) Vienna Mapping Functions 1 (VMF1) and estimation of a residual zenith delay parameter; (2) VMF1, estimation of a residual zenith delay and estimation of two tropospheric gradient parameters; (3) three-dimensional ray-traced slant factors and estimation of a residual zenith delay; (4) using only ray-traced slant factors and no estimation of any tropospheric parameters and; (5) using both ray-traced slant factors and estimating a residual zenith delay and two tropospheric gradient parameters. The use of the ray-traced slant factors (solution 3) showed a 3.8% improvement in the repeatability of the up component when compared to the assumption of a symmetric atmosphere (solution 1), while the estimation of two tropospheric gradient parameters gave the best results showing an 7.6% improvement over solution 1 in the up component. Solution 4 performed well in the horizontal domain, allowing for sub-centimeter repeatability but the up component was degraded due to deficiencies in the modeling of the zenith delay, particularly for stations located at equatorial latitudes. The magnitude of the differences in the mean coordinates between solution 2 and solution 3, and the strong correlation with the differences between the north component and the ray-traced gradients (coefficient of correlation of 0.83), as well as the impact of observation geometry on the gradient solution indicate that the use of the ray-traced slant factors could have an implication on the realization of reference frames. The estimated tropospheric products from the PPP solutions were compared to those derived from ray tracing. For the zenith delay, a root mean square (RMS) of 5.4 mm was found, while for the gradient terms, a correlation coefficient of 0.46 for the N–S and 0.42 for the E–W was found for the north–south and east–west components, suggesting that there are still important differences in the gradient parameters which could be due to either errors in the NWM or to non-tropospheric error sources leaking into the PPP-estimated gradients.     

A Hubble Space Telescope/NICMOS view of the prototypical giant Hii region NGC604 in M33

We present the first high-spatial-resolution near-infrared (NIR) imaging of NGC604, obtained with the NICMOS camera onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These NICMOS broad-band images reveal new NIR point sources, clusters, and diffuse structures. We find an excellent spatial correlation between the 8.4 GHz radio continuum and the 2.2 μm nebular emission. Moreover, massive young stellar object candidates appear aligned with these radio peaks, reinforcing the idea that those areas are star-forming regions. Three different scaled OB associations are recognized in the NICMOS images. The brightest NIR sources in our images have properties that suggest that they are red supergiant stars, of which one was previously known. This preliminary analysis of the NICMOS images shows the complexity of the stellar content of the NGC604 nebula.     

Static scalar-tensor universes and gravitational waves’ amplification

We study several static models of the Universe, along with scalar-tensor gravity. Lambda-Universes arise naturally in this framework.      

Vertical shears in Saturn's eastward jets at cloud level

We have measured the vertical shear of the zonal winds in the cloud-haze upper layer of Saturn using Cassini ISS images obtained in the filters MT2 (753 nm methane absorption band, sensitive to the upper haze) and CB2 (adjacent continuum, sensitive to the lower cloud). Our radiative transfer models indicate that at the eastward jet peaks these filters are sensing clouds at the respective ∼100 mbar and ∼350 mbar levels. We have found a systematic velocity difference between those filters of 15 to 20 m s⁻¹ only in the eastward jets peaks (27° S, 42° S, 55° S and 70° S) which implies a vertical shear of ∼10-20 m s⁻¹ H⁻¹. Our overall results agree with those derived from the thermal-wind relationship using CIRS thermal data [Fletcher, L.N., and 13 colleagues, 2008. Science 319, 79-81] and with previous equatorial measurements [Sánchez-Lavega, A., Hueso, R., Pérez-Hoyos, S., 2007. Icarus 187, 510-519].     

Clustering of luminous red galaxies – II. Small-scale redshift-space distortions

This is the second paper of a series where we study the clustering of luminous red galaxies (LRG) in the recent spectroscopic Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data release, DR6, which has 75 000 LRG covering over  1 Gpc³  h ⁻³  for  0.15 < z < 0.47  . Here, we focus on modelling redshift-space distortions in  ξ(σ, π)  , the two-point correlation in separate line-of-sight and perpendicular directions, at small scales and in the line-of-sight. We show that a simple Kaiser model for the anisotropic two-point correlation function in redshift space, convolved with a distribution of random peculiar velocities with an exponential form, can describe well the correlation of LRG on all scales. We show that to describe with accuracy the so-called 'fingers-of-God' (FOG) elongations in the radial direction, it is necessary to model the scale dependence of both bias b and the pairwise rms peculiar velocity σ₁₂ with the distance. We show how both quantities can be inferred from the  ξ(σ, π)  data. From   r ≃ 10 Mpc  h ⁻¹  to   r ≃ 1 Mpc  h ⁻¹  , both the bias and σ₁₂ are shown to increase by a factor of 2: from   b = 2  to 4 and from  σ₁₂= 400  to  800 km s⁻¹  . The latter is in good agreement, within a 5 per cent accuracy in the recovered velocities, with direct velocity measurements in dark matter simulations with  Ω_m= 0.25  and  σ₈= 0.85  .     

The impact of the nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio on ionized nebula diagnostics based on [N ii] emission lines

We study the relation between nitrogen and oxygen abundances as a function of metallicity for a sample of emission-line objects for which a direct measurement of the metallicity has been possible. This sample is representative of the very different conditions in ionization and chemical enrichment that we can find in the Universe. We first construct the N/O versus O/H ratio diagram, and discuss its large dispersion at all metallicity regimes. Using the same sample and a large grid of photoionization models covering very different values of the N/O ratio, we then study the most widely used strong-line calibrators of metallicity based on [N  ii ] emission lines, such as N2 and O3N2. We demonstrate that these parameters underestimate the metallicity at low N/O ratios and vice versa. We also investigate the effect of the N/O ratio on different diagnostic diagrams used to discriminate narrow-line active galactic nuclei from star-forming regions, such as the [O  iii ]/Hβ versus [N  ii ]/Hα, and show that a large fraction of the galaxies catalogued as composite in this diagram can be, in fact, star-forming galaxies with a high value of the N/O ratio. Finally, using strong-line methods sensitive to the N/O abundance ratio, like N2O2 and N2S2, we investigate the relation between this ratio and the stellar mass for the galaxies of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We find, as in the case of the mass–metallicity relation, a correlation between these two quantities and a flattening of the relation for the most massive galaxies, which could be a consequence of the enhancement of the dispersion of N/O ratio in the high-metallicity regime.     

A spring and wooded habitat at FLK Zinj and their relevance to origins of human behavior

The 1959 discovery of the hominin fossil Zinjanthropus boisei brought the world's attention to the rich records at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Subsequent excavations of archaeological level 22 (FLK Zinj) Bed I uncovered remains of Homo habilis and a high-density collection of fossils and Oldowan stone tools. The occurrence of this unusual collection of bones and tools at this specific location has been controversial for decades. We present paleoecological data that provide new insights into the origin of FLK Zinj. Our recent excavations 200 m north of the site uncovered a 0.5-m-thick tufa mound draped by Tuff IC, in the same stratigraphic horizon as level 22. Stable isotope analyses indicate that the carbonates were deposited by a freshwater spring. Phytolith analysis of the waxy clay under Tuff IC revealed abundant woody dicotyledon and palm phytoliths, indicating that the site was wooded to densely wooded. The time equivalency and close physical proximity of the two environments indicate the two are related. This study has provided the first documented evidence of springs in Bed I and these data have important implications for the interpretation of hominin behavior in meat acquisition and the ongoing debate on scavenging versus hunting.