Morphological redshift estimates for galaxy clusters in a Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect survey

We develop a new method to estimate the redshift of galaxy clusters through resolved images of the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect (SZE). Our method is based on morphological observables which can be measured by actual and future SZE experiments. We test the method with a set of high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters at different redshifts. Our method combines the observables in a principal component analysis. After calibrating the method with an independent redshift estimation for some of the clusters, we show – using a Bayesian approach – how the method can give an estimate of the redshift of the galaxy clusters. Although the error bars given by the morphological redshift estimation are large, it should be useful for future SZE surveys where thousands of clusters are expected to be detected; a first preselection of the high-redshift candidates could be done using our proposed morphological redshift estimator. Although not considered in this work, our method should also be useful to give an estimate of the redshift of clusters in X-ray and optical surveys.     

Non-Gaussian distribution and clustering of hot and cold pixels in the five-year WMAP sky

We present measurements of the clustering of hot and cold patches in the microwave background sky as measured from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 5-year data. These measurements are compared with theoretical predictions which assume that the cosmological signal obeys Gaussian statistics. We find significant differences from the simplest Gaussian-based prediction. However, the measurements are sensitive to the fact that the noise is spatially inhomogeneous (e.g. because different parts of the sky were observed for different lengths of time). We show how to account for this spatial inhomogeneity when making predictions. Differences from the Gaussian-based expectation remain even after this more careful accounting of the noise. In particular, we note that hot and cold pixels cluster differently within the same temperature thresholds at few-degree scales. While these findings may indicate primordial non-Gaussianity, we discuss other plausible explanations for these discrepancies. In addition, we find some deviations from Gaussianity at sub-degree scales, especially in the W band, whose origin may be associated with extragalactic dust emission.     

The region of Collinder 121

The distribution of bright B-type stars in a field with a radius of 5° centred at the Galactic open cluster Cr 121 is studied utilizing Strömgren and H β photometry. All PPM stars earlier than spectral type A0 are used, revealing a loose nearby structure at a distance of 660–730 pc, and a compact more distant group, which appears to be a genuine cluster: Cr 121. Based on similar coordinates, distances and positions on the colour–magnitude (CM) and Hertzsprung–Russell (HR) diagrams, 11 photometric cluster members are selected at a mean distance of 1085(±41 standard error) pc. The results are discussed in the light of both classical and Hipparcos points of view.     

High-resolution spectroscopy of ROSAT-discovered weak-line T Tauri stars near Lupus

We present high-resolution optical echelle spectroscopy for a large fraction of the Li-rich late-type stars recently discovered in the vicinity of the Lupus dark clouds. Our results confirm the high Li  i   λ 6708 equivalent widths previously estimated from medium-resolution spectra, thus adding strength to the conclusion that the large majority of these stars are still in the pre-main-sequence phase of their evolution, contrary to claims from other authors that many of them might be zero-age main-sequence stars. We present a statistical approach to derive a mean distance for the sample, and find that it is consistent with, or slightly lower than, the Hipparcos distance of the Lupus star-forming region. The radial velocities measured for part of these stars are consistent with those observed for the Lupus star-forming region, while stars outside the dark clouds show a mean difference of the order of 3 km s⁻¹. The projected rotational velocities show a lack of slow rotators, which is interpreted as a consequence of the X-ray selection of the sample. The Li-rich stars in Lupus studied in this work yield a fairly 'clean' sample of very young stars, while in other star-forming regions a larger fraction of older zero-age main-sequence stars has been found among ROSAT -discovered Li-rich stars. We argue that this fact reflects the relation of these stars with the Gould Belt.     

中国登陆热带气旋与太平洋海表温度的关系

根据1951～2000年中国登陆热带气旋与厄尔尼诺年、拉尼娜年的关系分析,得到了一些重要认识：(1) 在厄尔尼诺年,中国登陆热带气旋数偏少;(2) 厄尔尼诺事件强度越大,中国登陆热带气旋数越少;(3) 厄尔尼诺事件的结束时间若超过5月1日,那么次年中国登陆热带气旋数偏少;(4) 中国登陆热带气旋数的特多年主要集中在拉尼娜年;(5) 在拉尼娜次年,中国登陆热带气旋数偏少;(6) 中国登陆热带气旋强度越大,在厄尔尼诺年出现机会越少;(7) 在厄尔尼诺年,中国初旋偏迟,终旋偏早。同时对其机理进行了探讨。     

中国国家自然地图集Internet版的设计和研制

本文系统阐述了国家自然地图集Ｉｎｔｅｒｎｅｔ版的设计和研制过程中的若干问题,包括系统的概念设计、系统开发中的ＷｅｂＧＩＳ技术和策略,系统的主要功能和特色,以及系统维护和更新方案等。本系统从概念设计来看分为服务器端软件模块、浏览器端软件模块、国家自然地图集数据库支持等几个部分。系统开发中采取的ＷｅｂＧＩＳ技术和策略有:兼顾服务器端和客户端的综合型ＷｅｂＧＩＳ策略,基于Ｊａｖａ Ａｐｐｌｅｔ的 ＷｅｂＧＩＳ浏览器开发技术,基于Ｍａｐ Ｏｂｊｅｃｔ(ＭＯ)的ＷｅｂＧＩＳ服务器开发技术等３个方面。在系统的主要功能特色方面,本文从以下５个方面进行了论述:科学有序的内容结构、清晰精练并带导航的界面、富有特色的信息查询功能、多重表达的地图可视化效果、一定的空间信息分析和制图功能。在系统维护和更新方案上,本文从网络技术、数据更新、功能开发３个方面介绍了计划,并对今后的发展趋势进行了展望。     

The Imperial IRAS-FSC Redshift Catalogue

We present a new catalogue, the Imperial IRAS -FSC Redshift Catalogue (IIFSCz), of 60 303 galaxies selected at 60 μm from the IRAS Faint Source Catalogue (FSC). The IIFSCz consists of accurate position, optical, near-infrared and/or radio identifications, spectroscopic redshift (if available) or photometric redshift (if possible), predicted far-infrared (FIR) and submillimetre (submm) fluxes ranging from 12 to 1380 μm based upon the best-fitting infrared template. About 55 per cent of the galaxies in the IIFSCz have spectroscopic redshifts, and a further 20 per cent have photometric redshifts obtained through either the training set or the template-fitting method. For S(60) > 0.36 Jy, the 90 per cent completeness limit of the FSC, 90 per cent of the sources have either spectroscopic or photometric redshifts. Scientific applications of the IIFSCz include validation of current and forthcoming infrared and submm/mm surveys such as AKARI , Planck and Herschel , follow-up studies of rare source populations, large-scale structure and galaxy bias, local multiwavelength luminosity functions and source counts. The catalogue is publicly available at http://astro.imperial.ac.uk/~mrr/fss/ .     

Dust temperature and the submillimetre–radio flux density ratio as a redshift indicator for distant galaxies

It is difficult to identify the distant galaxies selected in existing submillimetre-wave surveys, because their positions are known at best to only several arcsec. Centimetre-wave VLA observations are required in order to determine positions to subarcsec accuracy, and so to allow reliable optical identifications to be made. Carilli & Yun pointed out that the ratio of the radio to submillimetre-wave flux densities provides a redshift indicator for dusty star-forming galaxies, when compared with the tight correlation between the far-infrared and radio flux densities observed in low-redshift galaxies. This method does provide a useful, albeit imprecise, indication of the distance to a submillimetre-selected galaxy. Unfortunately, it does not provide an unequivocal redshift estimate, as the degeneracy between the effects of increasing the redshift of a galaxy and decreasing its dust temperature is not broken.