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NASA NTRS1998

Cross Correlation of the 2-10 keV X-Ray Background with Radio Sources: Constraining the Large Scale Structure of the X-Ray Background

We present cross-correlation analyses of the HEAO 2-10 keV diffuse X-ray map with both the combined GB6/Parkes-MIT-NRAO (GB6-PMN) 5 GHz and the FIRST 1.4 GHz radio surveys. The cross-correlation functions (CCFs) of both radio surveys with the unresolved X-ray background were detected at the 5 u level. While the large angular resolution (3 deg) of the X-ray map makes it difficult to separate the contributions of clustering from those of Poisson fluctuations, the amplitude of the CCF provides important constraints on the X-ray emissivity of the radio sources, as well as on the clustering properties of radio and X-ray sources. These constraints are subject to a number of modeling parameters, e.g., X-ray luminosity evolution, clustering evolution, the radio luminosity function, cosmological model, etc. For reasonable choices of parameters the X-ray/FIRST CCF is consistent with a correlation scale length of 6/h Mpc. This is somewhat smaller than the scale length inferred from the autocorrelation function of the FIRST survey and implies that X-ray sources are less strongly clustered than strong radio sources, a result that is consistent with previous constraints on X-ray clustering. The X-ray/GB6-PMN CCF is several times larger and is likely to be dominated by Poisson fluctuations. This implies that approx. 2% of the diffuse X-ray background arises from the GB6-PMN sources.

Boughn, Stephen P.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Minor Planet Center

This paper reports on the activities of the Minor Planet Center for the year of 1998. The main product of this center is the Minor Planet Circulars, augmented by the Minor Planet Circulars Supplement which is a new series introduced in 1997 to include the actual observations, which are now only summarized MPC. The introduction of the Daily Orbit Update (DOU) lists all the orbits computed and identification found since the previous issue. There has been a fivefold increase in the reported Near Earth Objects, which includes the addition of 55 potentially hazardous asteroids.

Marsden, Brian G.↗

NASA NTRS1999

The Second Most Distant Cluster of Galaxies in the Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey

We report on our ASCA, Keck, and ROSAT observations of MS 1137.5+6625, the second most distant cluster of galaxies in the Einstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS), at redshift 0.78. We now have a full set of X-ray temperatures, optical velocity dispersions, and X-ray images for a complete, high-redshift sample of clusters of galaxies drawn from the EMSS. Our ASCA observations of MS 1137.5 +6625 yield a temperature of 5.7 (+2.1)(-1.1) keV and a metallicity of 0.43 (+40)(-3.7) solar, with 90% confidence limits. Keck II spectroscopy of 22 cluster members reveals a velocity dispersion of 884 (+185)(-124) km 24/s. This cluster is the most distant in the sample with a detected iron line. We also derive a mean abundance at z = 0.8 by simultaneously fitting X-ray data for the two z = 0.8 clusters, and obtain an abundance of Z(sub Fe) = 0.33 (+.26)(-.23). Our ROSAT observations show that MS 1137.5+6625 is regular and highly centrally concentrated. Fitting of a Beta model to the X-ray surface brightness yields a core radius of only 71/h kpc (q(sub o) = 0.1) with Beta = 0.70(+.45)(-.15) The gas mass interior to 0.5/h Mpc is thus 1.2 (+0.2)(-0.3) X 10(exp 13) h(exp - 5/2) Solar Mass (q(sub o) = 0.1). If the cluster's gas is nearly isothermal and in hydrostatic equilibrium with the cluster potential, the total mass of the cluster within this same region is 2.1(+1.5)(-0.8) X 10exp 14)/h Solar Mass, giving a gas fraction of 0.06 +/-0.04 h (exp -3/2). This cluster is the highest redshift EMSS cluster showing evidence for a possible cooling flow (about 20-400 Solar Mass/yr). The velocity dispersion, temperature, gas fraction, and iron abundance of MS 1137.5+6625 are all statistically the same as those properties in lower red- shift clusters of similar luminosity. With this cluster's temperature now in hand, we derive a high-redshift temperature function for EMSS clusters at 0.5 < z < 0.9 and compare it with temperature functions at lower redshifts, showing that the evolution of the temperature function is relatively modest. Supplementing our high-redshift sample with other data from the literature, we demonstrate that neither the cluster luminosity-temperature relation, nor cluster metallicities, nor the cluster gas evolved with redshift. The very modest degree of evolution in the luminosity-temperature relation inferred from these data is inconsistent with the absence of evolution in the X-ray luminosity functions derived from ROSAT cluster surveys if a critical density structure formation model is assumed.

Donahue, Megan↗

NASA NTRS1999

Cepheid Calibration of the Peak Brightness of SNe Ia.: SN 1989B in NGC 3627 - 9

Repeated imaging observations have been made of NGC 3627 with the Hubble Space Telescope in 1997/98, over an interval of 58 days. Images were obtained on 12 epochs in the F555W band and on five epochs in the F8141,V band. The galaxy hosted the prototypical, "Branch normal", type la supernova SN 1989B. A total of 83 variables have been found, of which 68 are definite Cepheid variables with periods ranging from 75 days to 3.85 days. The de-reddened distance modulus is determined to be (m - M)(sub 0) = 30.22 +/- 0.12 (internal uncertainty) using a subset of the Cepheid data whose reddening and error parameters are secure. The photometric data of Wells et al. (1994), combined with the Cepheid data for NGC 3627 give MB(max) = -19.36 +/- 0.18 and M(sub V)(max) = -19.34 +/- 0.16 for SN 1989B. Combined with the previous six calibrations in this program, plus two additional calibrations determined by others gives the mean absolute magnitudes at maximum of (M(sub B)) = -19.48 +/- 0.07 for "Brunch normal" SNe Ia at this interim stage in the calibration program. Using the argument by Wells et al. (1994) that SN 1989B here is virtually identical in decay rate and colors at maximum with SN 198ON in NGC 1316 in the Fornax cluster, and that such identity means nearly identical absolute magnitude, it follows that the difference in the distance modulus of NGC 3627 and NGC 1316 is 1.62 +/- 0.03 mag. Thus the NGC 3627 modulus implies that (m - M)(sub 0) = 31.84 for NGC 1316. The second parameter correlations of M(max) of blue SNe la with decay rate, color at maximum, and Hubble type are re-investigated. The dependence of (M(max)) on decay rate is non-linear, showing a minimum for decay rates between 1.0 less than ADelta(sub m)15 less than 1.6. Magnitudes corrected for decay rate show no dependence on Hubble type, but a dependence on color remains. Correcting both the fiducial sample of 34 SNe la with decay-rate data and the current eight calibrating SNe la for the correlation with decay rate as well as color gives H(sub 0) = 60 +/- 2 (internal) km/s Mpc, in both B and V. The same value to within 4% is obtained if only the SNe la in spirals (without second parameter corrections) are considered. The correlation of SNe la color at maximum with M(max) cannot be due to internal absorption because the slope coefficients in B, V, and I with the change in magnitude are far from or even opposite to the canonical reddening values. The color effect must be intrinsic to the supernova physics. "Absorption" corrections of distant blue SNe la will lead to incorrect values of H(sub 0). The Cepheid distances used in this series are insensitive to metallicity differences. The zeropoint of the P-L relation is based on an assumed LMC modulus of (m - M)(sub 0) = 18.50. As this may have to be increased by 0(sup m).06 to 0(sup m).08, all distances in this paper will follow and Ho will decrease by 3 - 4%.

Saha, A.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Deconvolving the Nucleus of Centaurus A Using Chandra PSF Library

Centaurus A (NGC 5128) is a giant early-type galaxy containing the nearest (at 3.5 Mpc) radio-bright Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN). Cen A was observed with the High Resolution Camera (HRC) on the Chandra X-ray Observatory on several occasions since the launch in July 1999. The high-angular resolution (less than 0.5 arcsecond) Chandra/HRC images reveal X ray multi-scale structures in this object with unprecedented detail and clarity, including the bright nucleus believed to be associated with a supermassive black hole. We explored the spatial extent of the Cen A nucleus using deconvolution techniques on the full resolution Chandra images. Model point spread functions (PSFs) were derived from the standard Chandra raytrace PSF library as well as unresolved point sources observed with Chandra. The deconvolved images show that the Cen A nucleus is resolved and asymmetric. We discuss several possible causes of this extended emission and of the asymmetries.

Karovska, Margarita↗

NASA NTRS2000

Analysis of the PKS0637-752 X-Ray Jet System

The X-ray jet emitted from the quasar PKS0637-752 is the largest and most luminous detected to date. It extends 10 arcsec west of the nucleus, and is coincident with GHz radio jet emission in this region. If the individual X-ray/optical/radio knots in this jet were detected as isolated objects, they might be classified as BL Lac objects or quasars. We present a detailed analysis of the Chandra observations of this system, including a search for an intra-cluster medium to confine the jet, and limits to X-ray emission from the eastern radio knot and past the bend of the radio jet to the northwest. The projection in the plane of the sky implies that the X-ray jet is an aligned extension of the pc-scale jet, for which VLBI/VSOP observations show super-luminal motion with an apparent velocity of 11c. In this case, the X-ray jet is of order 1 Mpc in length, and explaining the X-ray emission mechanism presents new challenges.

Schwartz, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Massive Star Formation in NGC4038/4039: HII Regions and Supernova Remnants in "The Antennae"

The nearest merger, NGC4038/4039 ("The Antennae, Arp244), is undergoing a starburst apparently triggered and driven by the ongoing interaction. The system provides an excellent laboratory to study star formation processes because well-studied and nearby (21 Mpc assumed here). Models of the interaction suggest that the interaction's first periapse occurred 200 Myr ago, and that final coalescence will occur in another 100 Myr. Blue and H alpha images show a continuous loop of bright knots around the NGC4038 (northern) nucleus, continuing down through the NGC4039 (southern) nucleus. Recent HST V and I images resolve the star-forming knots into several thousand blue compact clusters, with ages 5Myr for the youngest clusters. Far Ultraviolet (lambda 1500A) observations directly detect O and B stars in regions of low extinction; the total mass of young stars so observed is approximately 8 x 10 (exp 5) solar mass. FIR observations imply a star formation rate of approximately 5 M (sub 0) dot yr (sup -1) or greater. We used the VLA at 6 and 4 cm to obtain high resolution radio images of the star-formation regions in NGC4038/4038. We used high resolution imaging to identify compact radio emitting regions and spectral indices of the compact regions to differentiate between thermal sources such as HII regions (flat spectra) and supernova, remnants (steep spectra). We found that compact radio sources produce approximately 12% and/sim 25 strongest radio emission occurs between the galaxies, at an optically unremarkable location near but not coincident with an extremely red cluster. The radio peak is at a location of intense star formation (as detected in the mid-IR, reference?) and of dense molecular gas. We identify 115 individual compact 6cm radio sources and 63 individual 4 cm sources in the system, to a limiting luminosity of approximately 2 x 10 (exp 1) 8 W Hz (sup -1) (or /sim4x the luminosity of Cas A). Of the strongest sources, for which the h flux densities are large enough to measure spectral indices with reasonable errors, we find that one third have nominally flat radio spectra (presumeable dominated by thermal emission from HII regions) and two thirds have nominally steep spectra (presumeably dominated by synchrotron emission from supernova, remnants). For the thermal sources, we derive typical masses of 10 (exp 4) to 10 (exp 5) solar mass in massive young stars and ionized gas masses of 10 (exp 3) - 10 (exp 4) solar mass. From the steep-spectrum sources, we derive a total system supernova rate of 0.2-0.3 yr (sup -1), about an order of magnitude larger than that expected from the currently observed O-star population. Taken together, these suggest that that a large number of O stars may have formed in the system in a short-lived burst, less than 10 (exp 6) yr in duration and about 3-4 Myr ago.

Neff, S. G.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Characterizing the Small Scale Structure in Clusters of Galaxies

We studied galaxy clusters Abell 119, Abell 754, and Abell 1750, using data from the ASCA and ROSAT satellites. In addition, we completed the paper "Merging Binary Clusters". In this paper we study three prominent bi-modal X-ray clusters: A3528, A1750 and A3395. Since the sub-clusters in these systems have projected separations of 0.93, 1.00 and 0.67 Mpc respectively, we examine their X-ray and optical observations to investigate the dynamics and possible merging of these sub-clusters. Using data taken with ROSAT and ASCA, we analyze the temperature and surface brightness distributions. We also analyze the velocity distributions of the three clusters using new measurements supplemented with previously published data. We examined both the overall cluster properties as well as the two sub-cluster elements in each. These results were then applied to the determination of the overall cluster masses, that demonstrate excellent consistency between the various methods used. While the characteristic parameters of the sub-clusters are typical of isolated objects, our temperature results for the regions between the two sub-clusters clearly confirm the presence of merger activity that is suggested by the surface brightness distributions. These three clusters represent a progression of equal-sized sub-cluster mergers, starting from initial contact to immediately before first core passage.

Forman, William R.↗

NASA NTRS2000

The Distance and Mass of the Galaxy Cluster Abell 1995 Derived from Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect and X-Ray Measurements

We present multiwavelength observations of the Abell 1995 galaxy cluster. From an analysis of X-ray spectroscopy and imaging data, we derive the electron temperature, cluster core radius, and central electron number density. Using optical spectroscopy of 15 cluster members, we derive an accurate cluster redshift and velocity dispersion. Finally, the interferometric imaging of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect toward Abell 1995 at 28.5 GHz provides a measure of the integrated pressure through the cluster. The X-ray and Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect observations are combined to determine the angular diameter distance to the cluster of D(sub A) = 1294(sup +294 +438, sub -283 -458) Mpc (Statistical followed by systematic uncertainty), implying a Hubble constant of H(sub 0) = 52.2(sup +11.4 +18.5, sub -11.9 -17.7) km/s.Mpc for Omega(sub M) = 0.3 and Omega(sub lambda) = 0.7. We find a best-fit H(sub 0) of 46 km/s.Mpc for the Omega(sub M) = 1 and Omega(sub lambda) = 0 cosmology, and 48 km/s.Mpc for Omega(sub M) = 0.3 and Omega(sub lambda) = 0.0. The X-ray data are also used to derive a total cluster mass of M(sup HSE, sub tot)(r(sub 500)) = 5.18(sup +0.62, sub -0.48) x 10(exp 14)/h solar mass; the optical velocity dispersion yields an independent and consistent estimate of M(sup virial, sub tot)(r(sub 500)) = 6.35(sup +1.51, sub -1.19) X 10(exp 14) /h solar mass. Both of the total mass estimates are evaluated at a fiducial radius, r(sub 500) = 830 /h kpc, where the overdensity is 500 times the critical density. The total cluster mass is then combined with gas mass measurements to determine a cluster gas mass fraction of F(sub g) = 0.056(sup +0.010, sub -0.013) /h(sup 3/2) in combination with recent baryon density constraints, the measured gas mass fraction yields an upper limit on the mass density parameter of Omega(sub M) h(sup 1/2) <= 0.34(sup +/0.06, sub 0.05.

Patel, Sandeep K.↗

NASA NTRS1997

The Nearest GHz Peaked-Spectrum Radio Galaxy, PKS 1718-649

In this paper we identify PKS 1718-649, at a distance of 56 Mpc (z = 0.014; H(sub o) = 75 km/s/Mpc, q(sub o) = 0), as the nearest GHz peaked-spectrum (GPS) radio galaxy, more than four times closer than any previously known. Extensive observations at radio wavelengths with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, the Southern Hemisphere VLBI Experiment array, and the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope have allowed us to determine the properties of the radio source: PKS 1718-649 consists of two compact sub-pc-scale components separated by approximately 2 pc, the overall radio polarization is low, and the radio spectrum is peaked near 3 GHz. Order-of-magnitude agreement between the quantitative model for GPS sources of Bicknell et al. and the radio data we present, as well as data at optical wavelengths from the literature, raises the interesting possibility that PKS 1718-649 may be frustrated in its development by the nuclear environment of its host galaxy, NGC 6328. The model of Bicknell et al. suggests free-free absorption as an explanation of the PKS 1718-649 radio spectrum. However, both free-free absorption and synchrotron self-absorption mechanisms are plausible for this source and both may contribute to the overall radio spectrum. PKS 1718-649 provides evidence to strengthen the speculative suggestion that GPS sources arise as a consequence of galaxy merger activity.

Tingay, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Dynamics of cD Clusters of Galaxies: Conclusion of a Survey of 25 Abell Clusters - 4

We present the final results of a spectroscopic study of a sample of cD galaxy clusters. The goal of this program has been to study the dynamics of the clusters, with emphasis on determining the nature and frequency of cD galaxies with peculiar velocities. Redshifts measured with the MX Spectrometer have been combined with those obtained from the literature to obtain typically 50 - 150 observed velocities in each of 25 galaxy clusters containing a central cD galaxy. We present a dynamical analysis of the final 11 clusters to be observed in this sample. All 25 clusters are analyzed in a uniform manner to test for the presence of substructure, and to determine peculiar velocities and their statistical significance for the central cD galaxy. These peculiar velocities were used to determine whether or not the central cD galaxy is at rest in the cluster potential well. We find that 30 - 50% of the clusters in our sample possess significant subclustering (depending on the cluster radius used in the analysis), which is in agreement with other studies of non-cD clusters. Hence, the dynamical state of cD clusters is not different than other present-day clusters. After careful study, four of the clusters appear to have a cD galaxy with a significant peculiar velocity. Dressler-Shectman tests indicate that three of these four clusters have statistically significant substructure within 1.5/h(sub 75) Mpc of the cluster center. The dispersion 75 of the cD peculiar velocities is 164 +41/-34 km/s around the mean cluster velocity. This represents a significant detection of peculiar cD velocities, but at a level which is far below the mean velocity dispersion for this sample of clusters. The picture that emerges is one in which cD galaxies are nearly at rest with respect to the cluster potential well, but have small residual velocities due to subcluster mergers.

Oegerle, William R.↗

NASA NTRS2002

The Luminosity Function of QSO Host Galaxies

We present some results from our HST archival image study of 71 QSO host galaxies. The objects are selected to have z less than or equal to 0.46 and total absolute magnitude M(sub v) less than or equal to -23 in our adopted cosmology (H(sub 0) = 50 kilometers per second Mpc(sup-1), q(sub 0) = 0.5, lambda = 0)). The aim of this initial study is to investigate the composition of the sample with respect to host morphology and radio loudness, as well as derive the QSO host galaxy luminosity function. We have analyzed available WFPC2 images in R or I band (U in one case), using a uniform set of procedures. The host galaxies span a narrow range of luminosities and are exceptionally bright, much more so than normal galaxies, usually L greater than L*(sub v). The QSOs are almost equally divided among three subclasses: radio-loud QSOs with elliptical hosts, radio-quiet QSOs with elliptical hosts, and radio-quiet QSOs with spiral hosts. Radio-loud QSOs with spiral hosts are extremely rare. Using a weighting procedure, we derive the combined luminosity function of QSO host galaxies. We find that the luminosity function of QSO hosts differs in shape from that of normal galaxies but that they coincide at the highest luminosities. The ratio of the number of quasar hosts to the number of normal galaxies at a luminosity L*(sub v) is R = (Lv/11.48L*(sub v))(sup 2.46), where L*(sub v) corresponds to M*(sub v)= -22.35, and a QSO is defined to be an object with total nuclear plus host light M(sub v) less than or equal to -23. This ratio can be interpreted as the probability that a galaxy with luminosity L(sub V) will host a QSO at redshift z approximately equal to 0.26.

Hamilton, Timothy S.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Implications of Lag-Luminosity Relationship for Unified GRB Paradigms

Spectral lags (tau(sub lag)) are deduced for 1437 long (T(sub 90) greater than 2 s) BATSE gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with peak flux F(sub p) greater than 0.25 photons cm(sup -2)/s, near to the BATSE trigger threshold. The lags are modeled to approximate the observed distribution in the F(sub p)-T(sub lag) plane, realizing a noise-free representation. Assuming a two-branch lag-luminosity relationship, the lags are self-consistently corrected for cosmological effects to yield distributions in luminosity, distance, and redshift. The results have several consequences for GRB populations and for unified gamma-ray/afterglow scenarios which would account for afterglow break times and gamma-ray spectral evolution in terms of jet opening angle, viewing angle, or a profiled jet with variable Lorentz factor: A component of the burst sample is identified - those with few, wide pulses, lags of a few tenths to several seconds, and soft spectra - whose Log[N]-Log[F(sub p)] distribution approximates a -3/2 power-law, suggesting homogeneity and thus relatively nearby sources. The proportion of these long-lag bursts increases from negligible among bright BATSE bursts to approx. 50% at trigger threshold. Bursts with very long lags, approx. 1-2 less than tau(sub lag) (S) less than 10, show a tendency to concentrate near the Supergalactic Plane with a quadrupole moment of approx. -0.10 +/- 0.04. GRB 980425 (SN 1998bw) is a member of this subsample of approx. 90 bursts with estimated distances less than 100 Mpc. The frequency of the observed ultra-low luminosity bursts is approx. 1/4 that of SNe Ib/c within the same volume. If truly nearby, the core-collapse events associated with these GRBs might produce gravitational radiation detectable by LIGO-II. Such nearby bursts might also help explain flattening of the cosmic ray spectrum at ultra-high energies, as observed by AGASA.

Norris, J. P.↗

NASA NTRS2002

A Chandra X-Ray Study of Cygnus A: The Cluster of Galaxies - 3

We present an analysis of the Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) observation of the intracluster gas associated with the cluster of galaxies surrounding Cygnus A. The dominant gaseous structure is a roughly elliptical (presumably prolate spheroidal in three dimensions) feature with semimajor axis approximately equal to 1.(prime)1 (approximately equal to 100 kpc). This structure apparently represents intracluster gas that has been swept up and compressed by a cavity inflated in this gas by relativistic material that has passed through the ends of the radio jets. The X-ray-emitting gas shows this prolate spheroidal morphology to approximately equal to 1.(prime)2 (110 kpc) from the radio galaxy but is spherical on larger scales. The X-ray emission from the intracluster gas extends to at least 8 prime (approximately equal to 720 kpc) from the radio galaxy, and a second, extended source of X-ray emission (probably associated with a second cluster of galaxies) is seen some 12 prime (approximately equal to 1 Mpc) to the northwest of Cygnus A. The X-ray spectrum of the integrated intracluster gas imaged on the S3 chip (dimensions 8 prime x 8 prime = 720 x 720 kpc), excluding the contribution from the radio galaxy and other compact sources of X-ray emission, has a gas temperature, metallicity, and unabsorbed 2-10 keV rest-frame luminosity of 7.7 keV, 0.34 times solar, and 3.5 x 10(exp 44) ergs per second, respectively. We have projected the X-ray spectra taken from 12 elliptical and circular annuli in order to derive a run of temperature, metallicity, density, and pressure as a function of radius. The temperature of the X-ray-emitting gas drops from approximately equal to 8 keV more than 100 kpc from the center to approximately equal to 5 keV some 80 kpc from the center, with the coolest gas immediately adjacent to the radio galaxy. "Belts" of slightly cooler (approximately equal to 4 keV) X-ray-emitting gas run around the minor dimension of the cavity created by the radio source, while the limb-brightened edges of the cavity are slightly hotter (approximately equal to 6 keV), perhaps as a result of heating by a bow shock driven by the probably expanding cavity into the intracluster gas. There is a metallicity gradient in the X-ray-emitting gas, with the highest metallicities (approximately solar) found close to the center, decreasing to approximately 0.3 times solar in the outer parts. We have used the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium to derive a total cluster mass within 500 kpc of 2.0 x 10(exp 14) solar mass and 2.8 x 10(exp 14) solar mass for constant and centrally decreasing temperature profiles, respectively. The total mass of X-ray-emitting gas within the same radius is 1.1 x 10(exp 13) solar mass. Thus, the gas fraction of the cluster within 500 kpc is 0.055 and 0.039 for the constant and centrally decreasing temperature profiles, respectively.

Smith, David A.↗

NASA NTRS2002

A Giant Warm Baryonic Halo for the Coma Cluster

Several deep PSPC observations of the Coma cluster unveil a very large-scale halo of soft X-ray emission, substantially in excess of the well know radiation from the hot intra-cluster medium. The excess emission, previously reported in the central cluster regions through lower-sensitivity EUVE and ROSAT data, is now evident out to a radius of 2.5 Mpc, demonstrating that the soft excess radiation from clusters is a phenomenon of cosmological significance. The spectrum at these large radii cannot be modeled non-thermally, but is consistent with the original scenario of thermal emission at warm temperatures. The mass of this plasma is at least on par with that of the hot X-ray emitting plasma, and significantly more massive if the plasma resides in low-density filamentary structures. Thus the data lend vital support to current theories of cosmic evolution, which predict greater than 50 percent by mass of today's baryons reside in warm-hot filaments converging at clusters of galaxies.

Bonamente, Max↗

NASA NTRS2003

Gravitational Lenses and the Structure and Evolution of Galaxies

The grant has supported the completion of 16 papers and 4 conference proceedings to date. During the first year of the project we completed five papers, each of which represents a new direction in the theory and interpretation of gravitational lenses. In the first paper, "The Importance of Einstein Rings", we developed the first theory for the formation and structure of the Einstein rings formed by lensing extended sources like the host galaxies of quasar and radio sources. We applied the theory to three lenses with lensed host galaxies. For the time delay lens PG 1115+080 we found that the structure of the Einstein ring ruled out models of the gravitational potential which permitted a large Hubble constant (70 km/s Mpc). In the second paper, :Cusped Mass Models Of Gravitational Lenses", we introduced a new class of lens models where the central density is characterized by a cusp ( rho proportional to tau(sup -gamma), 1 less than gamma less than 2) as in most modern models and theories of galaxies rather than a finite core radius. In the third paper, "Global Probes of the Impact of Baryons on Dark Matter Halos", we made the first globally consistent models for the separation distribution of gravitational lenses including both galaxy and cluster lenses. We show that the key physics for the origin of the sharp separation cutoff in the separation distribution near 3 arc sec is the effect of the cooling baryons in galaxies on the density structure of the system.

Kochanek, Christopher↗

NASA NTRS2002

STIS Spectroscopy of the Lyman-Alpha Forest Toward 3C 273

We present results on the low-redshift Lyman-alpha forest as based on high-resolution (7 km/s) STIS spectra of 3C 273. A total of 121 intergalactic Lyman-alpha-absorbing systems were detected, of which 60 are above the 3.5sigma completeness limit, logNu(sub HI) approximately equals 12.3. The median line-width parameter, b = 27 km/s, is similar to that seen at high redshift. However the distribution of HI column densities has a steeper slope, beta = 2.02+/-0.21, than is seen at high redshift. Overall, the observed Nu(sub HI)-b distribution is consistent with that derived from a ACDM hydrodynamic simulation. We have used NED to compile a list of 300 galaxies (91 from SDSS, 98 from APM) within 1 Mpc of the line of sight to 3C 273 and are working to find line-of-sight velocity correlations between the galaxies and detected Lyman-alpha absorbers.

Heap, Sara R.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Determining the Cosmic Distance Scale from Interferometric Measurements of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect

We determine the distances to 18 galaxy clusters with redshifts ranging from z approximately 0.14 to 0.78 from a maximum likelihood joint analysis of 30 GHz interferometric Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (SZE) and X-ray observations. We model the intracluster medium (ICM) using a spherical isothermal Beta model. We quantify the statistical and systematic uncertainties inherent to these direct distance measurements, and we determine constraints on the Hubble parameter for three different cosmologies. These distances imply a Hubble constant of 60(sup+4+13)(sub-4-18)km s(exp -1)Mpc(exp -1) for an omega(sub Mu)= 0.3,omega(sub Lambda)=0.7 cosmology, where the uncertainties correspond to statistical followed by systematic at 68% confidence. With a sample of 18 clusters, systematic uncertainties clearly dominate. The systematics are observationally approachable and will be addressed in the coming years through the current generation of X-ray satellites (Chandra and XMM-Newton) and radio observatories (Owens Valley Radio Observatory, Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association, and Very Large Array). Analysis of high-redshift clusters detected in future SZE and X-ray surveys will allow a determination of the geometry of the universe from SZE-determined distances.

Reese, Erik D.↗