Large-scale structure in the NIR-selected MUNICS survey

The Munich Near-IR Cluster Survey (MUNICS) is a wide-area, medium-deep, photometric survey selected in the K' band. The project's main scientific aims are the identification of galaxy clusters up to redshifts of unity and the selection of a large sample of field early-type galaxies up to z < 1.5 for evolutionary studies. We created a Large Scale Structure catalog, using a new structure finding technique specialized for photometric datasets, that we developed on the basis of a friends-of-friends algorithm. We tested the plausibility of the resulting galaxy group and cluster catalog with the help of Color-Magnitude Diagrams (CMD), as well as a likelihood- and Voronoi-approach. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High-resolution calculations of merging neutron stars – II. Neutrino emission

The remnant resulting from the merger of two neutron stars produces neutrinos in copious amounts. In this paper we present the neutrino emission results obtained via Newtonian, high-resolution simulations of the coalescence event. These simulations use three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics together with a nuclear, temperature-dependent equation of state and a multiflavour neutrino leakage scheme. We present the details of our scheme, discuss the neutrino emission results from a neutron star coalescence and compare them with the core-collapse supernova case where neutrino emission has been studied for several decades. The average neutrino energies are similar to those in the supernova case, but contrary to the latter, the luminosities are dominated by electron-type antineutrinos that are produced in the hot, neutron-rich, thick disc of the merger remnant. The cooler parts of this disc contain substantial fractions of heavy nuclei, which, however, do not influence the overall neutrino emission results significantly. Our total neutrino luminosities from the merger event are considerably lower than those found in previous investigations. This imposes constraints on the ability of neutron star mergers to produce a gamma-ray burst via neutrino annihilation. The neutrinos are emitted preferentially along the initial binary rotation axis, an event seen 'pole-on' would appear much brighter in neutrinos than a similar event seen 'edge-on'.     

The petrogenesis of type B1 Ca‐Al‐rich inclusions: The spinel perspective

Abstract— Minor element variations in MgAl₂O₄ spinel from the type B1 calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusion (CAI) Allende TS‐34 confirm earlier studies in showing correlations between the minor element chemistry of spinels with their location within the inclusion and with the chemistry of host silicate phases. These correlations result from a combination of crystallization of a liquid produced by re‐melting event(s) and local re‐equilibration during subsolidus reheating. The correlation of the Ti and V in spinel inclusions with the Ti and V in the adjacent host clinopyroxene can be qualitatively explained by spinel and clinopyroxene crystallization prior to melilite, following a partial melting event. There are, however, difficulties in quantitative modeling of the observed trends, and it is easier to explain the Ti correlation in terms of complete re‐equilibration. The correlation of V in spinel inclusions with that in the adjacent host clinopyroxene also cannot be quantitatively modeled by fractional crystallization of the liquid produced by re‐melting, but it can be explained by partial re‐equilibration. The distinct V and Ti concentrations in spinel inclusions in melilite from the edge regions of the CAI are best explained as being affected by only a minor degree of re‐equilibration. The center melilites and included spinels formed during crystallization of the liquid produced by re‐melting, while the edge melilites and included spinels are primary. The oxygen isotope compositions of TS‐34 spinels are uniformly ¹⁶O‐rich, regardless of the host silicate phase or its location within the inclusion. Similar to other type B1 CAIs, clinopyroxene is ¹⁶O‐rich, but melilite is relatively ¹⁶O‐poor. These data require that the oxygen isotope exchange in TS‐34 melilite occurred subsequent to the last re‐melting event.     

Laboratory studies of the interaction of carbon monoxide with water ice

The interaction of carbon monoxide (CO) with vapour-deposited water(H₂O) ices has been studied using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and Fourier transform reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (FT-RAIRS) over a range of astrophysically relevant temperatures. Such measurements have shown that CO desorption from amorphous H₂Oices is a much more complex process than current astrochemical models suggest. Re-visiting previously reported laboratory experiments (Collings et al., 2003), a rate model has been constructed to explain, in a phenomenological manner, the desorption of CO over astronomically relevant time scales. The model presented here can be widely applied to a range of astronomical environments where depletion of CO from the gas phase is relevant. The model accounts for the two competing processes of CO desorption and migration, and also enables the entrapment of some of the CO in the ice matrix and its subsequent release as the water ice crystallises and then desorbs. The astronomical implications of this model are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

In-Orbit Vignetting Calibrations of XMM-Newton Telescopes

We describe measurements of the mirror vignetting in the XMM-Newton Observatory made in-orbit, using observations of SNR G21.5-09 and SNR 3C58 with the EPIC imaging cameras. The instrument features that complicate these measurements are briefly described. We show the spatial and energy dependences of measured vignetting, outlining assumptions made in deriving the eventual agreement between simulation and measurement. Alternate methods to confirm these are described, including an assessment of source elongation with off-axis angle, the surface brightness distribution of the diffuse X-ray background, and the consistency of Coma cluster emission at different position angles. A synthesis of these measurements leads to a change in the XMM calibration data base, for the optical axis of two of the three telescopes, by in excess of 1 arcmin. This has a small but measureable effect on the assumed spectral responses of the cameras for on-axis targets. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Radio spectra of the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus NGC 266 at centimetre-to-submillimetre wavelengths

We report multi-frequency and multi-epoch radio continuum observations with multi-spatial resolution for the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (LLAGN) NGC 266. In the centimetre regime, we find diffuse components with Very Large Array (VLA) observations, and a variable compact core with a rising spectrum with Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations. Although the spectral index of the rising spectrum is consistent with the prediction of the simple advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) model, the observed radio power is slightly high compared with that of the model prediction. A spectral break at centimetre-to-millimetre wavelengths is inferred from the upper limits of flux densities from Nobeyama Millimetre Array (NMA) and James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) data at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths, respectively. More complicated considerations are required for the theoretical model to interpret such observed radio properties.     

First results from the Gauribidanur Radio heliograph

Observations of the Sun at two frequencies (51 and 77 MHz) using the East-West arm of the Gauribidanur Radio heliograph are presented.     

Solar-planetary cycles in Jupiter's great red spot darkness

The change in the darkness of the Great Red Spot (GRS) of Jupiter (1894–1974) has been analysed with Fourier (FFT), Maximum Entropy and Power spectrum (Blackman-Tukey window) (PSA) methods of spectrum analysis. Significance, non-randomness and stationarity tests assigned high variance to periodicities of 33 ± 4, 13–15, about 11, 9 and 3 yrs. The highest correlation between solar activity and GRS darkness was found for the 14th and 16th solar cycle. The periodicities obtained are interpreted as the combined eftects of solar activity, planetary resonances and internal jovian mechanisms.