Structure through colour: a pixel approach towards understanding galaxies

We present a study of pixel colour–magnitude diagrams (pCMDs) for a sample of 69 nearby galaxies chosen to span a wide range of Hubble types. Our goal is to determine how useful a pixel approach is for studying galaxies according to their stellar light distributions and content. The galaxy images were analysed on a pixel-by-pixel basis to reveal the structure of the individual pCMDs. We find that the average surface brightness (or projected mass density) in each pixel varies according to galaxy type. Early-type galaxies exhibit a clear 'prime sequence' and some pCMDs of face-on spirals reveal 'inverse-L' structures. We find that the colour dispersion at a given magnitude is found to be approximately constant in early-type galaxies but this quantity varies in the mid and late types. We investigate individual galaxies and find that the pCMDs can be used to pick out morphological features. We discuss the discovery of 'Red Hooks' in the pCMDs of six early-type galaxies and two spirals and postulate their origins. We develop quantitative methods to characterize the pCMDs, including measures of the blue-to-red light ratio and colour distributions of each galaxy and we organize these by morphological type. We compare the colours of the pixels in each galaxy with the stellar population models of Bruzual & Charlot to calculate star formation histories for each galaxy type and compare these to the stellar mass within each pixel. Maps of pixel stellar mass and mass-to-light ratio are compared to galaxy images. We apply the pCMD technique to three galaxies in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field to test the usefulness of the analysis at high redshift. We propose that these results can be used as part of a new system of automated classification of galaxies that can be applied at high redshift.     

Reconstruction of protoliths of metamorphic rocks and tectonic setting of Wolegen Group

Parametamorphic rocks from Arong County in southeastern Inner Mongolia-Daxinganling district are regarded as Proterozoic in age,belonging to the Wolegen Group and composed of volcanoclastic and sandstone in origin,and have been disputed in tectonic setting.Because of the stability in metamorphism,the rare earth dements indicate the features of their protoliths.The authors integrated the petrologic methods with the geochemical parameters which include ∑REE,∑LREE/∑HREE,δCe,δEu,La/Yb,Sm/Nd,Th/Sc and the standard values of chondrite.The results show that the protoliths of Wolengen Group may be a group of voleanoclastic and continental margin elastic rocks,and their tectonic setting is the continent island arc.     

Constraining the nature of dark energy using the Square Kilometer Array Telescope

We investigate the potential of the Square Kilometer Array Telescope (SKA) to constrain the sound speed of dark energy. The Integrated Sachs Wolfe (ISW) effect results in a significant power spectrum signal when Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature anisotropies are cross-correlated with galaxies detectable with the SKA in H  i . We consider using this measurement, the autocorrelation of H  i galaxies and the CMB temperature power spectrum to derive constraints on the sound speed. We study the contributions to the cross-correlation signal made by galaxies at different redshifts and use redshift tomography to improve the signal-to-noise. We use a  χ²  analysis to estimate the significance of detecting a sound speed different from that expected in quintessence models, finding that there is potential to distinguish very low sound speeds from the quintessence value.     

Eclipsing Binaries in Open Clusters

The study of detached eclipsing binaries in open clusters can provide stringent tests of theoretical stellar evolutionary models, which must simultaneously fit the masses, radii, and luminosities of the eclipsing stars and the radiative properties of every other star in the cluster. We review recent progress in such studies and discuss two unusually interesting objects currently under analysis. GV Carinae is an A0 m + A8 m binary in the Southern open cluster NGC 3532; its eclipse depths have changed by 0.1 mag between 1990 and 2001, suggesting that its orbit is being perturbed by a relatively close third body. DW Carinae is a high-mass unevolved B1 V + B1 V binary in the very young open cluster Collinder 228, and displays double-peaked emission in the centre of the Hα line which is characteristic of Be stars. We conclude by pointing out that the great promise of eclipsing binaries in open clusters can only be satisfied when both the binaries and their parent clusters are well-observed, a situation which is less common than we would like.     

三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)低盐耐受性和体重的遗传参数估计及其相关分析

为评估三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)体重及其低盐耐受性遗传力,本实验构建了20个三疣梭子蟹全同胞家系,分别在其60、90养殖日龄测量其各个家系的体重,并在60日龄时取每个家系90个个体,在盐度4胁迫下分别在12h、24h、48h、72h统计其死亡率,作为衡量其盐度耐受性指标。利用全同胞方差组分分析法评估其低盐耐受性及体重遗传参数。结果发现三疣梭子蟹在60日龄下,其体重遗传力为0.45,其在12h、24h、48h、72h处理条件低盐耐受性遗传力分别为0.13、0.18、0.21、0.29。通过聚类分析的方法将其耐受性状分为3类,并通过相关性分析发现三疣梭子蟹生长性状与低盐耐受性性状的相关系数为0.143,检验并不显著(P=0.547),说明三疣梭子蟹生长性状与耐低盐性状并不相关,在选育时可采用复合选育,提高育种效率。