Galaxy Threshing and Ultra-Compact Dwarfs in the Fornax Cluster

We have discovered a new type of galaxy in the Fornax Cluster: `ultra-compact' dwarfs (UCDs). The UCDs are unresolved in ground-based imaging and have spectra typical of old stellar systems. Although the UCDs resemble overgrown globular clusters, based on VLT UVES echelle spectroscopy, they appear to be dynamically distinct systems with higher internal velocity dispersions and M/L ratios for a given luminosity than Milky Way or M31 globulars. Our preferred explanation for their origin is that they are the remnant nuclei of dwarf elliptical galaxies which have been tidally stripped, or `threshed' by repeated encounters with the central cluster galaxy, NGC1399. If correct, then tidal stripping of nucleated dwarfs to form UCDs may, over a Hubble time, be an important source of the plentiful globular cluster population in the halo of NGC1399, and, by implication, other cD galaxies. In this picture, the dwarf elliptical halo contents, up to 99% of the original dwarf luminosity, contribute a significant fraction of the populations of intergalactic stars, globulars, and gas in galaxy clusters. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO Survey: the star formation histories of luminous red galaxies

We present a detailed investigation into the recent star formation histories of 5697 luminous red galaxies (LRGs) based on the Hδ (4101 Å), and [O  ii ] (3727 Å) lines and the D4000 index. LRGs are luminous  ( L > 3 L *)  galaxies which have been selected to have photometric properties consistent with an old, passively evolving stellar population. For this study, we utilize LRGs from the recently completed 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO Survey (2SLAQ). Equivalent widths of the Hδ and [O  ii ] lines are measured and used to define three spectral types, those with only strong Hδ absorption (k+a), those with strong [O  ii ] in emission (em) and those with both (em+a). All other LRGs are considered to have passive star formation histories. The vast majority of LRGs are found to be passive (∼80 per cent); however, significant numbers of k+a (2.7 per cent), em+a (1.2 per cent) and em LRGs (8.6 per cent) are identified. An investigation into the redshift dependence of the fractions is also performed. A sample of SDSS MAIN galaxies with colours and luminosities consistent with the 2SLAQ LRGs is selected to provide a low-redshift comparison. While the em and em+a fractions are consistent with the low-redshift SDSS sample, the fraction of k+a LRGs is found to increase significantly with redshift. This result is interpreted as an indication of an increasing amount of recent star formation activity in LRGs with redshift. By considering the expected lifetime of the k+a phase, the number of LRGs which will undergo a k+a phase can be estimated. A crude comparison of this estimate with the predictions from semi-analytic models of galaxy formation shows that the predicted level of k+a and em+a activities is not sufficient to reconcile the predicted mass growth for massive early types in a hierarchical merging scenario.     

The 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO Survey: the spectroscopic QSO catalogue

We present the final spectroscopic QSO catalogue from the 2dF-SDSS LRG (luminous red galaxy) and QSO (2SLAQ) survey. This is a deep,  18 < g < 21.85  (extinction corrected), sample aimed at probing in detail the faint end of the broad line active galactic nuclei luminosity distribution at   z ≲ 2.6  . The candidate QSOs were selected from SDSS photometry and observed spectroscopically with the 2dF spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. This sample covers an area of 191.9 deg² and contains new spectra of 16 326 objects, of which 8764 are QSOs and 7623 are newly discovered [the remainder were previously identified by the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ) and SDSS]. The full QSO sample (including objects previously observed in the SDSS and 2QZ surveys) contains 12 702 QSOs. The new 2SLAQ spectroscopic data set also contains 2343 Galactic stars, including 362 white dwarfs, and 2924 narrow emission-line galaxies with a median redshift of   z = 0.22  .
We present detailed completeness estimates for the survey, based on modelling of QSO colours, including host-galaxy contributions. This calculation shows that at   g ≃ 21.85  QSO colours are significantly affected by the presence of a host galaxy up to redshift   z ∼ 1  in the SDSS ugriz bands. In particular, we see a significant reddening of the objects in   g − i   towards the fainter g -band magnitudes. This reddening is consistent with the QSO host galaxies being dominated by a stellar population of age at least 2–3 Gyr.
The full catalogue, including completeness estimates, is available on-line at http://www.2slaq.info/ .     

Ecosystem responses to recent oceanographic variability in high-latitude Northern Hemisphere ecosystems

As part of the international MENU collaboration, we compared and contrasted ecosystem responses to climate-forced oceanographic variability across several high latitude regions of the North Pacific (Eastern Bering Sea (EBS) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA)) and North Atlantic Oceans (Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank (GOM/GB) and the Norwegian/Barents Seas (NOR/BAR)). Differences in the nitrate content of deep source waters and incoming solar radiation largely explain differences in average primary productivity among these ecosystems. We compared trends in productivity and abundance at various trophic levels and their relationships with sea-surface temperature. Annual net primary production generally increases with annual mean sea-surface temperature between systems and within the EBS, BAR, and GOM/GB. Zooplankton biomass appears to be controlled by both top-down (predation by fish) and bottom-up forcing (advection, SST) in the BAR and NOR regions. In contrast, zooplankton in the GOM/GB region showed no evidence of top-down forcing but appeared to control production of major fish populations through bottom-up processes that are independent of temperature variability. Recruitment of several fish stocks is significantly and positively correlated with temperature in the EBS and BAR, but cod and pollock recruitment in the EBS has been negatively correlated with temperature since the 1977 shift to generally warmer conditions. In each of the ecosystems, fish species showed a general poleward movement in response to warming. In addition, the distribution of groundfish in the EBS has shown a more complex, non-linear response to warming resulting from internal community dynamics. Responses to recent warming differ across systems and appear to be more direct and more pronounced in the higher latitude systems where food webs and trophic interactions are simpler and where both zooplankton and fish species are often limited by cold temperatures.     

Assessing social-ecological coupling: Agriculture and hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico

Analysis and enhancement of “coupling” of social-ecological systems (SES) has emerged as a leading theme in sustainability studies. However, as an analytical concept that can support empirical research, coupling has not been adequately developed. This study synthesizes concepts from environmental sociology and ecological sciences to derive three criteria to assess adaptive coupling of an SES: prevention orientation, spatial targeting and temporal targeting. We apply our criteria to the case of nitrogen pollution from agriculture in the Mississippi River Basin (MRB) and resulting hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. We analyzed the federal agricultural research and development portfolio to assess the character of investments in knowledge creation and how patterns of investment have changed over time. While superficial assessment of the data suggests that public spending on nitrogen relevant research constitutes a substantive response to the problem of Gulf hypoxia, disaggregating the data highlights an ineffectual response. Specifically, we find that spatial and temporal targeting of investment of socioeconomic resources in the MRB is poorly aligned with the nature of ecological risks confronting the region. In addition to this policy relevant result, our study highlights the importance of geographically referenced data and attention to relevant scales of analysis. Further, the paper demonstrates opportunities to advance concepts and empirical understanding of social-ecological coupling through interdisciplinary research on interfaces that mediate interactions in SES, for example publicly funded research aimed at agricultural practice and environmental conservation in the MRB.     

北欧海主要海盆海面热通量的多年变化

北欧海有暖流和寒流注入,又发生大量回流,水团特性异常复杂。由于北欧海的环流受地形控制,其水团的分布与4个海盆的分布有密切的关系。本文研究各个海盆热通量变化的差异,以研究获取对北欧海海气相互作用区域差异的认识。北欧海的热量夏季以太阳短波辐射为主,冬季以来自海洋的长波辐射、感热和潜热通量为主。海盆间的差异主要体现在格陵兰海,其变化幅度短波辐射高出50%,长波辐射高出大约40%,潜热高出大约60%,感热高出近4倍。可能的原因是,格陵兰海强烈的感热和潜热释放导致海温降低,气温也受北极冷空气的影响,形成与暖流区迥异的自然环境。过去30年发生了2次显著的热量减少事件。其中,1987年的事件很可能与冰岛的火山喷发有关,火山喷发对短波辐射的影响长达一年之久,导致感热和潜热也同步减少。1998年格陵兰海的潜热和感热明显减少,与北极海冰输出导致的海温偏低有显著关系。文章分析了4个主要海盆热通量的变化与北极涛动(AO)指数的关系。结果表明,发生在冰岛海的向下短波辐射和发生在格陵兰海的感热和潜热与AO相关度较高,体现了与AO的密切关系。这些热通量与AO指数的滑动相关系数表明,1992年以前冰岛海的短波辐射与AO的相关性非常高,而格陵兰海的感热和潜热在1993年后与AO高度相关,是值得深入研究的现象。本文的结果支持以下观点:北欧海对北极涛动的贡献主要是格陵兰海的感热和潜热释放通过冰岛低压区的上升气流影响冰岛低压的云量,从而影响到达的太阳辐射而导致大气环流的变化。     

Improved constraints on possible variation of physical constants from H i 21-cm and molecular QSO absorption lines

Quasar (QSO) absorption spectra provide an extremely useful probe of possible cosmological variation in various physical constants. Comparison of H  i 21-cm absorption with corresponding molecular (rotational) absorption spectra allows us to constrain variation in     , where α is the fine-structure constant and g _p is the proton g -factor. We analyse spectra of two QSOs, PKS 1413+135 and TXS 0218+357, and derive values of     at absorption redshifts of     and 0.6847 by simultaneous fitting of the H  i 21-cm and molecular lines. We find     and     respectively, indicating an insignificantly smaller y in the past. We compare our results with other constraints from the same two QSOs given recently by Drinkwater et al. and Carilli et al., and with our recent optical constraints, which indicated a smaller α at higher redshifts.