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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,333 records · Page 74
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DOE OSTI2012

ONE THOUSAND AND ONE CLUSTERS: MEASURING THE BULK FLOW WITH THE PLANCK ESZ AND X-RAY-SELECTED GALAXY CLUSTER CATALOGS

We present our measurement of the 'bulk flow' using the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect in the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) seven-year data. As the tracer of peculiar velocities, we use Planck Early Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Detected Cluster Catalog and a compilation of X-ray-detected galaxy cluster catalogs based on ROSAT All-Sky Survey. We build a full-sky kSZ template and fit it to the WMAP data in W band. Using a Wiener filter we maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of the kSZ cluster signal in the data. We find no significant detection of the bulk flow, and our results are consistent with the {Lambda}CDM prediction.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE EPOCH OF DISK SETTLING: z {approx} 1 TO NOW

We present evidence from a sample of 544 galaxies from the DEEP2 Survey for evolution of the internal kinematics of blue galaxies with stellar masses ranging 8.0 < log M {sub *}(M {sub Sun }) < 10.7 over 0.2 < z < 1.2. DEEP2 provides galaxy spectra and Hubble imaging from which we measure emission-line kinematics and galaxy inclinations, respectively. Our large sample allows us to overcome scatter intrinsic to galaxy properties in order to examine trends in kinematics. We find that at a fixed stellar mass, galaxies systematically decrease in disordered motions and increase in rotation velocity and potential well depth with time. Massive galaxies are the most well ordered at all times examined, with higher rotation velocities and less disordered motions than less massive galaxies. We quantify disordered motions with an integrated gas velocity dispersion corrected for beam smearing ({sigma} {sub g}). It is unlike the typical pressure-supported velocity dispersion measured for early type galaxies and galaxy bulges. Because both seeing and the width of our spectral slits comprise a significant fraction of the galaxy sizes, {sigma} {sub g} integrates over velocity gradients on large scales which can correspond to non-ordered gas kinematics. We compile measurements of galaxy kinematics from the literature over 1.2 < z < 3.8 and do not find any trends with redshift, likely for the most part, because these data sets are biased toward the most highly star-forming systems. In summary, over the last {approx}8 billion years since z = 1.2, blue galaxies evolve from disordered to ordered systems as they settle to become the rotation-dominated disk galaxies observed in the universe today, with the most massive galaxies being the most evolved at any time.

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DOE OSTI2012

GOODS-HERSCHEL: IMPACT OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI AND STAR FORMATION ACTIVITY ON INFRARED SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS AT HIGH REDSHIFT

We explore the effects of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and star formation activity on the infrared (0.3-1000 {mu}m) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of luminous infrared galaxies from z = 0.5 to 4.0. We have compiled a large sample of 151 galaxies selected at 24 {mu}m (S {sub 24} {approx}> 100 {mu}Jy) in the GOODS-N and ECDFS fields for which we have deep Spitzer IRS spectroscopy, allowing us to decompose the mid-IR spectrum into contributions from star formation and AGN activity. A significant portion ({approx}25%) of our sample is dominated by an AGN (>50% of the mid-IR luminosity) in the mid-IR. Based on the mid-IR classification, we divide our full sample into four sub-samples: z {approx} 1 star-forming (SF) sources, z {approx} 2 SF sources, AGNs with clear 9.7 {mu}m silicate absorption, and AGNs with featureless mid-IR spectra. From our large spectroscopic sample and wealth of multi-wavelength data, including deep Herschel imaging at 100, 160, 250, 350, and 500 {mu}m, we use 95 galaxies with complete spectral coverage to create a composite SED for each sub-sample. We then fit a two-temperature component modified blackbody to the SEDs. We find that the IR SEDs have similar cold dust temperatures, regardless of the mid-IR power source, but display a marked difference in the warmer dust temperatures. We calculate the average effective temperature of the dust in each sub-sample and find a significant ({approx}20 K) difference between the SF and AGN systems. We compare our composite SEDs to local templates and find that local templates do not accurately reproduce the mid-IR features and dust temperatures of our high-redshift systems. High-redshift IR luminous galaxies contain significantly more cool dust than their local counterparts. We find that a full suite of photometry spanning the IR peak is necessary to accurately account for the dominant dust temperature components in high-redshift IR luminous galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

FORECASTING COSMOLOGICAL PARAMETER CONSTRAINTS FROM NEAR-FUTURE SPACE-BASED GALAXY SURVEYS

The next generation of space-based galaxy surveys is expected to measure the growth rate of structure to a level of about one percent over a range of redshifts. The rate of growth of structure as a function of redshift depends on the behavior of dark energy and so can be used to constrain parameters of dark energy models. In this work, we investigate how well these future data will be able to constrain the time dependence of the dark energy density. We consider parameterizations of the dark energy equation of state, such as XCDM and {omega}CDM, as well as a consistent physical model of time-evolving scalar field dark energy, {phi}CDM. We show that if the standard, specially flat cosmological model is taken as a fiducial model of the universe, these near-future measurements of structure growth will be able to constrain the time dependence of scalar field dark energy density to a precision of about 10%, which is almost an order of magnitude better than what can be achieved from a compilation of currently available data sets.

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DOE OSTI2012

THE SPECTRAL INDEX PROPERTIES OF FERMI BLAZARS

In this paper, a sample of 451 blazars (193 flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), 258 BL Lacertae objects) with corresponding X-ray and Fermi {gamma}-ray data is compiled to investigate the correlation both between the X-ray spectral index and the {gamma}-ray spectral index and between the spectral index and the luminosity, and to compare the spectral indexes {alpha}{sub X}, {alpha}{sub {gamma}}, {alpha}{sub X{gamma}}, and {alpha}{sub {gamma}X{gamma}} for different subclasses. We also investigated the correlation between the X-ray and the {gamma}-ray luminosity. The following results have been obtained. Our analysis indicates that an anti-correlation exists between the X-ray and the {gamma}-ray spectral indexes for the whole sample. However, when we considered the subclasses of blazars (FSRQs, the low-peaked BL Lacertae objects (LBLs) and the high-peaked BL Lacertae objects (HBLs)) separately, there is not a clear relationship for each subclass. Based on the Fermi-detected sources, we can say that the HBLs are different from FSRQs, while the LBLs are similar to FSRQs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

CATALOG MATCHING WITH ASTROMETRIC CORRECTION AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE HUBBLE LEGACY ARCHIVE

Object cross-identification in multiple observations is often complicated by the uncertainties in their astrometric calibration. Due to the lack of standard reference objects, an image with a small field of view can have significantly larger errors in its absolute positioning than the relative precision of the detected sources within. We present a new general solution for the relative astrometry that quickly refines the World Coordinate System of overlapping fields. The efficiency is obtained through the use of infinitesimal three-dimensional rotations on the celestial sphere, which do not involve trigonometric functions. They also enable an analytic solution to an important step in making the astrometric corrections. In cases with many overlapping images, the correct identification of detections that match together across different images is difficult to determine. We describe a new greedy Bayesian approach for selecting the best object matches across a large number of overlapping images. The methods are developed and demonstrated on the Hubble Legacy Archive, one of the most challenging data sets today. We describe a novel catalog compiled from many Hubble Space Telescope observations, where the detections are combined into a searchable collection of matches that link the individual detections. The matches provide descriptions of astronomical objects involving multiple wavelengths and epochs. High relative positional accuracy of objects is achieved across the Hubble images, often sub-pixel precision in the order of just a few milliarcseconds. The result is a reliable set of high-quality associations that are publicly available online.

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DOE OSTI2013

EARLY STAGES OF CLUSTER FORMATION: FRAGMENTATION OF MASSIVE DENSE CORES DOWN TO {approx}< 1000 AU

In order to study the fragmentation of massive dense cores, which constitute the cluster cradles, we observed the continuum at 1.3 mm and the CO (2-1) emission of four massive cores with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer in the most extended configuration. We detected dust condensations down to {approx}0.3 M {sub Sun} and separate millimeter sources down to 0.''4 or {approx}< 1000 AU, comparable to the sensitivities and separations reached in optical/infrared studies of clusters. The CO (2-1) high angular resolution images reveal high-velocity knots usually aligned with previously known outflow directions. This, in combination with additional cores from the literature observed at similar mass sensitivity and spatial resolution, allowed us to build a sample of 18 protoclusters with luminosities spanning three orders of magnitude. Among the 18 regions, {approx}30% show no signs of fragmentation, while 50% split up into {approx}> 4 millimeter sources. We compiled a list of properties for the 18 massive dense cores, such as bolometric luminosity, total mass, and mean density, and found no correlation of any of these parameters with the fragmentation level. In order to investigate the combined effects of the magnetic field, radiative feedback, and turbulence in the fragmentation process, we compared our observations to radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations and found that the low-fragmented regions are reproduced well in the magnetized core case, while the highly fragmented regions are consistent with cores where turbulence dominates over the magnetic field. Overall, our study suggests that the fragmentation in massive dense cores could be determined by the initial magnetic field/turbulence balance in each particular core.

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DOE OSTI2013

GOODS-HERSCHEL: SEPARATING HIGH-REDSHIFT ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI AND STAR-FORMING GALAXIES USING INFRARED COLOR DIAGNOSTICS

We have compiled a large sample of 151 high-redshift (z = 0.5-4) galaxies selected at 24 {mu}m (S {sub 24} > 100 {mu}Jy) in the GOODS-N and ECDFS fields for which we have deep Spitzer IRS spectroscopy, allowing us to decompose the mid-infrared spectrum into contributions from star formation and activity in the galactic nuclei. In addition, we have a wealth of photometric data from Spitzer IRAC/MIPS and Herschel PACS/SPIRE. We explore how effective different infrared color combinations are at separating our mid-IR spectroscopically determined active galactic nuclei from our star-forming galaxies. We look in depth at existing IRAC color diagnostics, and we explore new color-color diagnostics combining mid-IR, far-IR, and near-IR photometry, since these combinations provide the most detail about the shape of a source's IR spectrum. An added benefit of using a color that combines far-IR and mid-IR photometry is that it is indicative of the power source driving the IR luminosity. For our data set, the optimal color selections are S {sub 250}/S {sub 24} versus S {sub 8}/S {sub 3.6} and S {sub 100}/S {sub 24} versus S {sub 8}/S {sub 3.6}; both diagnostics have {approx}10% contamination rate in the regions occupied primarily by star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei, respectively. Based on the low contamination rate, these two new IR color-color diagnostics are ideal for estimating both the mid-IR power source of a galaxy when spectroscopy is unavailable and the dominant power source contributing to the IR luminosity. In the absence of far-IR data, we present color diagnostics using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mid-IR bands which can efficiently select out high-z (z {approx} 2) star-forming galaxies.

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DOE OSTI2013

UPDATED MASS SCALING RELATIONS FOR NUCLEAR STAR CLUSTERS AND A COMPARISON TO SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES

We investigate whether or not nuclear star clusters and supermassive black holes (SMBHs) follow a common set of mass scaling relations with their host galaxy's properties, and hence can be considered to form a single class of central massive object (CMO). We have compiled a large sample of galaxies with measured nuclear star cluster masses and host galaxy properties from the literature and fit log-linear scaling relations. We find that nuclear star cluster mass, M {sub NC}, correlates most tightly with the host galaxy's velocity dispersion: log M {sub NC} = (2.11 {+-} 0.31)log ({sigma}/54) + (6.63 {+-} 0.09), but has a slope dramatically shallower than the relation defined by SMBHs. We find that the nuclear star cluster mass relations involving host galaxy (and spheroid) luminosity and stellar and dynamical mass, intercept with but are in general shallower than the corresponding black hole scaling relations. In particular, M {sub NC}{proportional_to}M {sup 0.55{+-}0.15} {sub Gal,dyn}; the nuclear cluster mass is not a constant fraction of its host galaxy or spheroid mass. We conclude that nuclear stellar clusters and SMBHs do not form a single family of CMOs.

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DOE OSTI2013

DE-EXCITATION NUCLEAR GAMMA-RAY LINE EMISSION FROM LOW-ENERGY COSMIC RAYS IN THE INNER GALAXY

Recent observations of high ionization rates of molecular hydrogen in diffuse interstellar clouds point to a distinct low-energy cosmic-ray component. Supposing that this component is made of nuclei, two models for the origin of such particles are explored and low-energy cosmic-ray spectra are calculated, which, added to the standard cosmic-ray spectra, produce the observed ionization rates. The clearest evidence of the presence of such low-energy nuclei between a few MeV nucleon{sup -1} and several hundred MeV nucleon{sup -1} in the interstellar medium would be a detection of nuclear {gamma}-ray line emission in the range E {sub {gamma}} {approx} 0.1-10 MeV, which is strongly produced in their collisions with the interstellar gas and dust. Using a recent {gamma}-ray cross section compilation for nuclear collisions, {gamma}-ray line emission spectra are calculated alongside the high-energy {gamma}-ray emission due to {pi}{sup 0} decay, the latter providing normalization of the absolute fluxes by comparison with Fermi-LAT observations of the diffuse emission above E {sub {gamma}} = 0.1 GeV. Our predicted fluxes of strong nuclear {gamma}-ray lines from the inner Galaxy are well below the detection sensitivities of the International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory, but a detection, especially of the 4.4 MeV line, seems possible with new-generation {gamma}-ray telescopes based on available technology. We also predict strong {gamma}-ray continuum emission in the 1-8 MeV range, which, in a large part of our model space for low-energy cosmic rays, considerably exceeds the estimated instrument sensitivities of future telescopes.

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DOE OSTI2013

GAS MOTION STUDY OF Ly{alpha} EMITTERS AT z {approx} 2 USING FUV AND OPTICAL SPECTRAL LINES {sup ,}

We present the results of Magellan/MMIRS and Keck/NIRSPEC spectroscopy for five Ly{alpha} emitters (LAEs) at z {approx_equal} 2.2 for which high-resolution FUV spectra from Magellan/MagE are available. We detect nebular emission lines including H{alpha} on the individual basis and low-ionization interstellar (LIS) absorption lines in a stacked FUV spectrum, and measure average offset velocities of the Ly{alpha} line, {Delta}v {sub Ly{alpha}}, and LIS absorption lines, {Delta}v {sub abs}, with respect to the systemic velocity defined by the nebular lines. For a sample of eight z {approx} 2-3 LAEs without active galactic nucleus from our study and the literature, we obtain {Delta}v {sub Ly{alpha}} = 175 {+-} 35 km s{sup -1}, which is significantly smaller than that of Lyman-break Galaxies (LBGs), {Delta}v {sub Ly{alpha}} {approx_equal} 400 km s{sup -1}. The stacked FUV spectrum gives {Delta}v {sub abs} = -179 {+-} 73 km s{sup -1}, comparable to that of LBGs. These positive {Delta}v {sub Ly{alpha}} and negative {Delta}v {sub abs} suggest that LAEs also have outflows. In contrast to LBGs, however, the LAEs' {Delta}v {sub Ly{alpha}} is as small as |{Delta}v {sub abs}|, suggesting low neutral hydrogen column densities. Such a low column density with a small number of resonant scattering may cause the observed strong Ly{alpha} emission of LAEs. We find an anti-correlation between Ly{alpha} equivalent width (EW) and {Delta}v {sub Ly{alpha}} in a compilation of LAE and LBG samples. Although its physical origin is not clear, this anti-correlation result appears to challenge the hypothesis that a strong outflow, by means of a reduced number of resonant scattering, produces a large EW. If LAEs at z > 6 have similarly small {Delta}v {sub Ly{alpha}} values, constraints on the reionization history derived from the Ly{alpha} transmissivity may need to be revised.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

TWO BEYOND-PRIMITIVE EXTRASOLAR PLANETESIMALS

Using the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope, we have obtained high-resolution ultraviolet observations of GD 362 and PG 1225-079, two helium-dominated, externally polluted white dwarfs. We determined or placed useful upper limits on the abundances of two key volatile elements, carbon and sulfur, in both stars; we also constrained the zinc abundance in PG 1225-079. In combination with previous optical data, we find strong evidence that each of these two white dwarfs has accreted a parent body that has evolved beyond primitive nebular condensation. The planetesimal that accreted onto GD 362 had a bulk composition roughly similar to that of a mesosiderite meteorite based on a reduced chi-squared comparison with solar system objects; however, additional material is required to fully reproduce the observed mid-infrared spectrum for GD 362. No single meteorite can reproduce the unique abundance pattern observed in PG 1225-079; the best fit model requires a blend of ureilite and mesosiderite material. From a compiled sample of nine well-studied polluted white dwarfs, we find evidence for both primitive planetesimals, which are a direct product from nebular condensation, as well as beyond-primitive planetesimals, whose final compositions were mainly determined by post-nebular processing.

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DOE OSTI2013

OB ASSOCIATIONS AT THE UPPER END OF THE MILKY WAY LUMINOSITY FUNCTION

The Milky Way's most luminous, young, and massive (M {approx}> 10{sup 4} M{sub Sun }) star clusters and OB associations have largely evaded detection despite knowledge of their surrounding H II regions. We search for these clusters and associations within the 40 star-forming complexes from Rahman and Murray in the 13 most luminous Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) free-free emission sources of the Galaxy. Selecting for objects with the dust-reddened colors of OB stars, we identify new candidate associations using the Two Micron All Sky Survey point-source catalog. In 40 star-forming complexes searched, 22 contain cluster/association candidates with sizes and masses in the range of 3'-26' and 10{sup 2.3}-10{sup 5} M{sub Sun }. Of the 22 candidates, at least seven have estimated masses {approx}> 10{sup 4} M{sub Sun }, doubling the number of such massive clusters known in the Galaxy. Only one of the searched WMAP sources remains without a candidate. Applying our method to a statistically similar set of test locations, we estimate that 3.0 {+-} 0.6 of our 22 candidate associations are unrelated to the star-forming complexes. In addition, the apparent extinctions of our candidate associations correlate well with the predictions from a Galactic model. These facts, along with the clear detection of a known OB association and the previous spectral verification of one cluster found by this method, validate our method. In eight of the most luminous WMAP sources, the candidate associations can account for the observed free-free flux. With our new compilation, the Galactic census of young, massive stellar associations may now be about half complete.

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DOE OSTI2013

DETECTION OF DIFFUSE X-RAY EMISSION FROM PLANETARY NEBULAE WITH NEBULAR O VI

The presence of O VI ions can be indicative of plasma temperatures of a few Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} K that are expected in heat conduction layers between the hot shocked stellar wind gas at several 10{sup 6} K and the cooler (10{sup 4} K) nebular gas of planetary nebulae (PNe). We have used FUSE observations of PNe to search for nebular O VI emission or absorption as a diagnostic of the conduction layer to ensure the presence of hot interior gas. Three PNe showing nebular O VI, namely IC 418, NGC 2392, and NGC 6826, have been selected for Chandra observations and diffuse X-ray emission is indeed detected in each of these PNe. Among the three, NGC 2392 has peculiarly high diffuse X-ray luminosity and plasma temperature compared with those expected from its stellar wind's mechanical luminosity and terminal velocity. The limited effects of heat conduction on the plasma temperature of a hot bubble at the low terminal velocity of the stellar wind of NGC 2392 may partially account for its high plasma temperature, but the high X-ray luminosity needs to be powered by processes other than the observed stellar wind, probably the presence of an unseen binary companion of the central star of the PN (CSPN) of NGC 2392. We have compiled relevant information on the X-ray, stellar, and nebular properties of PNe with a bubble morphology and found that the expectations of bubble models including heat conduction compare favorably with the present X-ray observations of hot bubbles around H-rich CSPNe, but have notable discrepancies for those around H-poor [WR] CSPNe. We note that PNe with more massive central stars can produce hotter plasma and higher X-ray surface brightness inside central hot bubbles.

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DOE OSTI2013

DIFFUSE GALACTIC LIGHT IN THE FIELD OF THE TRANSLUCENT HIGH GALACTIC LATITUDE CLOUD MBM32

We have conducted B-, g-, V-, and R-band imaging in a 45' Multiplication-Sign 40' field containing part of the high Galactic latitude translucent cloud MBM32, and correlated the intensity of diffuse optical light S{sub {nu}}({lambda}) with that of 100 {mu}m emission S{sub {nu}}(100 {mu}m). A {chi}{sup 2} minimum analysis is applied to fit a linear function to the measured correlation and derive the slope parameter b({lambda}) = {Delta}S{sub {nu}}({lambda})/{Delta}S{sub {nu}}(100 {mu}m) of the best-fit linear function. Compiling a sample by combining our b({lambda}) and published ones, we show that the b({lambda}) strength varies from cloud to cloud by a factor of four. Finding that b({lambda}) decreases as S{sub {nu}}(100 {mu}m) increases in the sample, we suggest that a nonlinear correlation including a quadratic term of S{sub {nu}}(100 {mu}m){sup 2} should be fitted to the measured correlation. The variation of optical depth, which is A{sub V} = 0.16-2.0 in the sample, can change b({lambda}) by a factor of 2-3. There would be some contribution to the large b({lambda}) variation from the forward-scattering characteristic of dust grains which is coupled to the non-isotropic interstellar radiation field (ISRF). Models of the scattering of diffuse Galactic light (DGL) underestimate the b({lambda}) values by a factor of two. This could be reconciled by deficiency in UV photons in the ISRF or by a moderate increase in dust albedo. Our b({lambda}) spectrum favors a contribution from extended red emission (ERE) to the diffuse optical light; b({lambda}) rises from B to V faster than the models, seems to peak around 6000 A and decreases toward long wavelengths. Such a characteristic is expected from the models in which the DGL is combined with ERE.

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DOE OSTI2013

THE COLLISIONAL EVOLUTION OF DEBRIS DISKS

We explore the collisional decay of disk mass and infrared emission in debris disks. With models, we show that the rate of the decay varies throughout the evolution of the disks, increasing its rate up to a certain point, which is followed by a leveling off to a slower value. The total disk mass falls off {proportional_to}t {sup -0.35} at its fastest point (where t is time) for our reference model, while the dust mass and its proxy-the infrared excess emission-fades significantly faster ({proportional_to}t {sup -0.8}). These later level off to a decay rate of M{sub tot}(t){proportional_to}t {sup -0.08} and M{sub dust}(t) or L{sub ir}(t){proportional_to}t {sup -0.6}. This is slower than the {proportional_to}t {sup -1} decay given for all three system parameters by traditional analytic models. We also compile an extensive catalog of Spitzer and Herschel 24, 70, and 100 {mu}m observations. Assuming a log-normal distribution of initial disk masses, we generate model population decay curves for the fraction of stars harboring debris disks detected at 24 {mu}m. We also model the distribution of measured excesses at the far-IR wavelengths (70-100 {mu}m) at certain age regimes. We show general agreement at 24 {mu}m between the decay of our numerical collisional population synthesis model and observations up to a Gyr. We associate offsets above a Gyr to stochastic events in a few select systems. We cannot fit the decay in the far-infrared convincingly with grain strength properties appropriate for silicates, but those of water ice give fits more consistent with the observations (other relatively weak grain materials would presumably also be successful). The oldest disks have a higher incidence of large excesses than predicted by the model; again, a plausible explanation is very late phases of high dynamical activity around a small number of stars. Finally, we constrain the variables of our numerical model by comparing the evolutionary trends generated from the exploration of the full parameter space to observations. Amongst other results, we show that erosive collisions are dominant in setting the timescale of the evolution and that planetesimals on the order of 100 km in diameter are necessary in the cascades for our population synthesis models to reproduce the observations.

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DOE OSTI2013

GALACTIC ULTRACOMPACT X-RAY BINARIES: DISK STABILITY AND EVOLUTION

We study the mass-transfer rates and disk stability conditions of ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) using empirical time-averaged X-ray luminosities from Paper I and compiled information from the literature. The majority of UCXBs are consistent with evolutionary tracks for white dwarf donors. Three UCXBs with orbital periods longer than 40 minutes have mass-transfer rates above 10{sup -10} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}, inconsistent with white dwarf donor tracks. We show that if helium star donors can retain their initial high entropy, they can explain the observed mass-transfer rates of these UCXBs. Several UCXBs show persistent luminosities apparently below the disk instability limit for irradiated He accretion disks. We point out that a predominantly C and/or O disk (as observed in the optical spectra of several) lowers the disk instability limit, explaining this disagreement. The orbital period and low time-averaged mass-transfer rate of 2S 0918-549 provide evidence that the donor star is a low-entropy C/O white dwarf, consistent with optical spectra. We combine existing information to constrain the masses of the donors in 4U 1916-053 (0.064 {+-} 0.010 M{sub Sun }) and 4U 1626-67 (<0.036 M{sub Sun} for a 1.4 M{sub Sun} neutron star). We show that 4U 1626-67 is indeed persistent, and not undergoing a transient outburst, leaving He star models as the best explanation for the donor.

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DOE OSTI2013

THE AVERAGE STAR FORMATION HISTORIES OF GALAXIES IN DARK MATTER HALOS FROM z = 0-8

We present a robust method to constrain average galaxy star formation rates (SFRs), star formation histories (SFHs), and the intracluster light (ICL) as a function of halo mass. Our results are consistent with observed galaxy stellar mass functions, specific star formation rates (SSFRs), and cosmic star formation rates (CSFRs) from z = 0 to z = 8. We consider the effects of a wide range of uncertainties on our results, including those affecting stellar masses, SFRs, and the halo mass function at the heart of our analysis. As they are relevant to our method, we also present new calibrations of the dark matter halo mass function, halo mass accretion histories, and halo-subhalo merger rates out to z = 8. We also provide new compilations of CSFRs and SSFRs; more recent measurements are now consistent with the buildup of the cosmic stellar mass density at all redshifts. Implications of our work include: halos near 10{sup 12} M{sub Sun} are the most efficient at forming stars at all redshifts, the baryon conversion efficiency of massive halos drops markedly after z {approx} 2.5 (consistent with theories of cold-mode accretion), the ICL for massive galaxies is expected to be significant out to at least z {approx} 1-1.5, and dwarf galaxies at low redshifts have higher stellar mass to halo mass ratios than previous expectations and form later than in most theoretical models. Finally, we provide new fitting formulae for SFHs that are more accurate than the standard declining tau model. Our approach places a wide variety of observations relating to the SFH of galaxies into a self-consistent framework based on the modern understanding of structure formation in {Lambda}CDM. Constraints on the stellar mass-halo mass relationship and SFRs are available for download online.

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