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At least 1,693 records · Page 94

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE SUPERNOVA LEGACY SURVEY SAMPLE WITH ΛCDM AND THE R{sub h}=ct UNIVERSE

The use of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) has thus far produced the most reliable measurement of the expansion history of the universe, suggesting that ΛCDM offers the best explanation for the redshift–luminosity distribution observed in these events. However, analysis of other kinds of sources, such as cosmic chronometers, gamma-ray bursts, and high-z quasars, conflicts with this conclusion, indicating instead that the constant expansion rate implied by the R{sub h} = ct universe is a better fit to the data. The central difficulty with the use of SNe Ia as standard candles is that one must optimize three or four nuisance parameters characterizing supernova (SN) luminosities simultaneously with the parameters of an expansion model. Hence, in comparing competing models, one must reduce the data independently for each. We carry out such a comparison of ΛCDM and the R{sub h} = ct universe using the SN Legacy Survey sample of 252 SN events, and show that each model fits its individually reduced data very well. However, since R{sub h} = ct has only one free parameter (the Hubble constant), it follows from a standard model selection technique that it is to be preferred over ΛCDM, the minimalist version of which has three (the Hubble constant, the scaled matter density, and either the spatial curvature constant or the dark energy equation-of-state parameter). We estimate using the Bayes Information Criterion that in a pairwise comparison, the likelihood of R{sub h} = ct is ∼90%, compared with only ∼10% for a minimalist form of ΛCDM, in which dark energy is simply a cosmological constant. Compared to R{sub h} = ct, versions of the standard model with more elaborate parametrizations of dark energy are judged to be even less likely.

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GALAXIES IN X-RAY GROUPS. I. ROBUST MEMBERSHIP ASSIGNMENT AND THE IMPACT OF GROUP ENVIRONMENTS ON QUENCHING

Understanding the mechanisms that lead dense environments to host galaxies with redder colors, more spheroidal morphologies, and lower star formation rates than field populations remains an important problem. As most candidate processes ultimately depend on host halo mass, accurate characterizations of the local environment, ideally tied to halo mass estimates and spanning a range in halo mass and redshift, are needed. In this work, we present and test a rigorous, probabilistic method for assigning galaxies to groups based on precise photometric redshifts and X-ray-selected groups drawn from the COSMOS field. The groups have masses in the range 10{sup 13} {approx}< M{sub 200c}/M{sub Sun} {approx}< 10{sup 14} and span redshifts 0 < z < 1. We characterize our selection algorithm via tests on spectroscopic subsamples, including new data obtained at the Very Large Telescope, and by applying our method to detailed mock catalogs. We find that our group member galaxy sample has a purity of 84% and completeness of 92% within 0.5 R{sub 200c}. We measure the impact of uncertainties in redshifts and group centering on the quality of the member selection with simulations based on current data as well as future imaging and spectroscopic surveys. As a first application of our new group member catalog which will be made publicly available, we show that member galaxies exhibit a higher quenched fraction compared to the field at fixed stellar mass out to z {approx} 1, indicating a significant relationship between star formation and environment at group scales. We also address the suggestion that dusty star-forming galaxies in such groups may impact the high-l power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background and find that such a population cannot explain the low power seen in recent Sunyaev-Zel'dovich measurements.

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THE EFFECTS OF IRRADIATION ON HOT JOVIAN ATMOSPHERES: HEAT REDISTRIBUTION AND ENERGY DISSIPATION

Hot Jupiters, due to the proximity to their parent stars, are subjected to a strong irradiating flux that governs their radiative and dynamical properties. We compute a suite of three-dimensional circulation models with dual-band radiative transfer, exploring a relevant range of irradiation temperatures, both with and without temperature inversions. We find that, for irradiation temperatures T{sub irr} {approx}< 2000 K, heat redistribution is very efficient, producing comparable dayside and nightside fluxes. For T{sub irr} Almost-Equal-To 2200-2400 K, the redistribution starts to break down, resulting in a high day-night flux contrast. Our simulations indicate that the efficiency of redistribution is primarily governed by the ratio of advective to radiative timescales. Models with temperature inversions display a higher day-night contrast due to the deposition of starlight at higher altitudes, but we find this opacity-driven effect to be secondary compared to the effects of irradiation. The hotspot offset from the substellar point is large when insolation is weak and redistribution is efficient, and decreases as redistribution breaks down. The atmospheric flow can be potentially subjected to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (as indicated by the Richardson number) only in the uppermost layers, with a depth that penetrates down to pressures of a few millibars at most. Shocks penetrate deeper, down to several bars in the hottest model. Ohmic dissipation generally occurs down to deeper levels than shock dissipation (to tens of bars), but the penetration depth varies with the atmospheric opacity. The total dissipated Ohmic power increases steeply with the strength of the irradiating flux and the dissipation depth recedes into the atmosphere, favoring radius inflation in the most irradiated objects. A survey of the existing data, as well as the inferences made from them, reveals that our results are broadly consistent with the observational trends.

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SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF MF 16 NEBULA AND THE ASSOCIATED ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE

We present Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph observations of the ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) NGC 6946 X-1 and its associated nebula MF 16. This ULX has very similar properties to the famous Holmberg II ULX, the first ULX to show a prominent infrared [O IV] emission line comparable to those found in active galactic nuclei. This paper attempts to constrain the ULX spectral energy distribution (SED) given the optical/UV photometric fluxes and high-resolution X-ray observations. Specifically, Chandra X-ray data and published Hubble optical/UV data are extrapolated to produce a model for the full optical to X-ray SED. The photoionization modeling of the IR lines and ratios is then used to test different accretion spectral models. While either an irradiated disk model or an O-supergiant plus accretion disk model fits the data very well, we prefer the latter because it fits the nebular parameters slightly better. In this second case the accretion disk alone dominates the extreme-UV and X-ray emission, while an O-supergiant is responsible for most of the far-UV emission.

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NEW OBSERVATIONS OF THE GAS CLOUD G2 IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

We present new observations of the recently discovered gas cloud G2 currently falling toward the massive black hole in the Galactic Center. The new data confirm that G2 is on a highly elliptical orbit with a predicted pericenter passage mid-2013. The updated orbit has an even larger eccentricity of 0.966, an epoch of pericenter two months later than estimated before, and a nominal minimum distance of 2200 Schwarzschild radii only. The velocity gradient of G2 has developed further to 600 km s{sup -1} FWHM in summer 2012. We also detect the tail of similar total flux and on the same orbit as G2 along the trajectory at high significance. No hydrodynamic effects are detected yet, since the simple model of a tidally shearing gas cloud still describes the data very well. The flux of G2 has not changed by more than 10% between 2008 and 2012, disfavoring models where additional gas from a reservoir is released to the disrupting diffuse gas component.

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CHIANTI-AN ATOMIC DATABASE FOR EMISSION LINES. XIII. SOFT X-RAY IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER CHANGES

The CHIANTI spectral code consists of two parts: an atomic database and a suite of computer programs in Python and IDL. Together, they allow the calculation of the optically thin spectrum of astrophysical objects and provide spectroscopic plasma diagnostics for the analysis of astrophysical spectra. The database includes atomic energy levels, wavelengths, radiative transition probabilities, collision excitation rate coefficients, ionization, and recombination rate coefficients, as well as data to calculate free-free, free-bound, and two-photon continuum emission. Version 7.1 has been released, which includes improved data for several ions, recombination rates, and element abundances. In particular, it provides a large expansion of the CHIANTI models for key Fe ions from Fe VIII to Fe XIV to improve the predicted emission in the 50-170 A wavelength range. All data and programs are freely available at http://www.chiantidatabase.org and in SolarSoft, while the Python interface to CHIANTI can be found at http://chiantipy.sourceforge.net.

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THE EFFECTS OF SPATIO-TEMPORAL RESOLUTION ON DEDUCED SPICULE PROPERTIES

Spicules have been observed on the Sun for more than a century, typically in chromospheric lines such as H{alpha} and Ca II H. Recent work has shown that so-called 'type II' spicules may have a role in providing mass to the corona and the solar wind. In chromospheric filtergrams these spicules are not seen to fall back down, and they are shorter lived and more dynamic than the spicules that have been classically reported in ground-based observations. Observations of type II spicules with Hinode show fundamentally different properties from what was previously measured. In earlier work we showed that these dynamic type II spicules are the most common type, a view that was not properly identified by early observations. The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of spatio-temporal resolution in the classical spicule measurements. Making use of Hinode data degraded to match the observing conditions of older ground-based studies, we measure the properties of spicules with a semi-automated algorithm. These results are then compared to measurements using the original Hinode data. We find that degrading the data has a significant effect on the measured properties of spicules. Most importantly, the results from the degraded data agree well with older studies (e.g., mean spicule duration more than 5 minutes, and upward apparent velocities of about 25 km s{sup -1}). These results illustrate how the combination of spicule superposition, low spatial resolution and cadence affect the measured properties of spicules, and that previous measurements can be misleading.

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WASP-8b: CHARACTERIZATION OF A COOL AND ECCENTRIC EXOPLANET WITH SPITZER

WASP-8b has 2.18 times Jupiter's mass and is on an eccentric (e = 0.31) 8.16 day orbit. With a time-averaged equilibrium temperature of 948 K, it is one of the least-irradiated hot Jupiters observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope. We have analyzed six photometric light curves of WASP-8b during secondary eclipse observed in the 3.6, 4.5, and 8.0 {mu}m Infrared Array Camera bands. The eclipse depths are 0.113% {+-} 0.018%, 0.069% {+-} 0.007%, and 0.093% {+-} 0.023%, respectively, giving respective brightness temperatures of 1552, 1131, and 938 K. We characterized the atmospheric thermal profile and composition of the planet using a line-by-line radiative transfer code and a Markov-chain Monte Carlo sampler. The data indicated no thermal inversion, independently of any assumption about chemical composition. We noted an anomalously high 3.6 {mu}m brightness temperature (1552 K); by modeling the eccentricity-caused thermal variation, we found that this temperature is plausible for radiative timescales less than {approx}10{sup 2} hr. However, as no model spectra fit all three data points well, the temperature discrepancy remains as an open question.

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THE COLUMN DENSITY DISTRIBUTION AND CONTINUUM OPACITY OF THE INTERGALACTIC AND CIRCUMGALACTIC MEDIUM AT REDSHIFT (z) = 2.4

We present new high-precision measurements of the opacity of the intergalactic and circumgalactic medium (IGM; CGM) at (z) = 2.4. Using Voigt profile fits to the full Ly{alpha} and Ly{beta} forests in 15 high-resolution high-S/N spectra of hyperluminous QSOs, we make the first statistically robust measurement of the frequency of absorbers with H I column densities 14{approx}< log (N{sub H{sub I}}/cm{sup -2}){approx}<17.2. We also present the first measurements of the frequency distribution of H I absorbers in the volume surrounding high-z galaxies (the CGM, 300 pkpc), finding that the incidence of absorbers in the CGM is much higher than in the IGM. In agreement with Rudie et al., we find that there are fractionally more high-N{sub H{sub I}} absorbers than low-N{sub H{sub I}} absorbers in the CGM compared to the IGM, leading to a shallower power law fit to the CGM frequency distribution. We use these new measurements to calculate the total opacity of the IGM and CGM to hydrogen-ionizing photons, finding significantly higher opacity than most previous studies, especially from absorbers with log (N{sub H{sub I}}/cm{sup -2}) < 17.2. Reproducing the opacity measured in our data as well as the incidence of absorbers with log (N{sub H{sub I}}/cm{sup -2})>17.2 requires a broken power law parameterization of the frequency distribution with a break near N{sub H{sub I}} Almost-Equal-To 10{sup 15} cm{sup -2}. We compute new estimates of the mean free path ({lambda}{sub mfp}) to hydrogen-ionizing photons at z{sub em} = 2.4, finding {lambda}{sub mfp} = 147 {+-} 15 Mpc when considering only IGM opacity. If instead, we consider photons emanating from a high-z star-forming galaxy and account for the local excess opacity due to the surrounding CGM of the galaxy itself, the mean free path is reduced to {lambda}{sub mfp} = 121 {+-} 15 Mpc. These {lambda}{sub mfp} measurements are smaller than recent estimates and should inform future studies of the metagalactic UV background and of ionizing sources at z Almost-Equal-To 2-3.

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THE COSMIC EVOLUTION OF FAINT SATELLITE GALAXIES AS A TEST OF GALAXY FORMATION AND THE NATURE OF DARK MATTER

The standard cosmological model based on cold dark matter (CDM) predicts a large number of subhalos for each galaxy-size halo. Matching the subhalos to the observed properties of luminous satellites of galaxies in the local universe poses a significant challenge to our understanding of the astrophysics of galaxy formation. We show that the cosmic evolution and host mass dependence of the luminosity function of satellites provide a powerful new diagnostic to disentangle astrophysical effects from variations in the underlying dark matter mass function. We illustrate this by comparing recent observations of satellites between redshifts 0.1 < z < 0.8 based on Hubble Space Telescope images, with predictions from three different state-of-the-art semi-analytic models applied to CDM power spectra, with one model also applied to a warm dark matter (WDM) spectrum. We find that even though CDM models provide a reasonable fit to the local luminosity function of satellites around galaxies comparable to the Milky Way, they do not reproduce the data as well for different redshifts and host galaxy stellar masses, indicating that further improvements in the description of star formation are likely needed. The WDM model matches the observed mass dependence and redshift evolution of satellite galaxies more closely, indicating that a modification of the underlying power spectrum may offer an alternative solution to this tension. We conclude by presenting predictions for the color distribution of satellite galaxies to demonstrate how future observations will be able to further distinguish between these models and to help constrain baryonic and non-baryonic physics.

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THE COMPACT, TIME-VARIABLE RADIO SOURCE PROJECTED INSIDE W3(OH): EVIDENCE FOR A PHOTOEVAPORATED DISK?

We present new Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the compact ({approx}0.''05), time-variable radio source projected near the center of the ultracompact H II region W3(OH). The analysis of our new data as well as of VLA archival observations confirms the variability of the source on timescales of years and for a given epoch indicates a spectral index of {alpha} = 1.3 {+-} 0.3 (S{sub {nu}}{proportional_to}{nu}{sup {alpha}}). This spectral index and the brightness temperature of the source ({approx}6500 K) suggest that we are most likely detecting partially optically thick free-free radiation. The radio source is probably associated with the ionizing star of W3(OH), but an interpretation in terms of an ionized stellar wind fails because the detected flux densities are orders of magnitude larger than expected. We discuss several scenarios and tentatively propose that the radio emission could arise in a static ionized atmosphere around a fossil photoevaporated disk.

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PROBING THE DAWN OF GALAXIES AT z {approx} 9-12: NEW CONSTRAINTS FROM HUDF12/XDF AND CANDELS DATA

We present a comprehensive analysis of z > 8 galaxies based on ultra-deep WFC3/IR data. We exploit all the WFC3/IR imaging over the Hubble Ultra-Deep Field from the HUDF09 and the new HUDF12 program, in addition to the HUDF09 parallel field data, as well as wider area imaging over GOODS-South. Galaxies are selected based on the Lyman break technique in three samples centered around z {approx} 9, z {approx} 10, and z {approx} 11, with seven z {approx} 9 galaxy candidates, and one each at z {approx} 10 and z {approx} 11. We confirm a new z {approx} 10 candidate (with z = 9.8 {+-} 0.6) that was not convincingly identified in our first z {approx} 10 sample. Using these candidates, we perform one of the first estimates of the z {approx} 9 UV luminosity function (LF) and improve our previous constraints at z {approx} 10. Extrapolating the lower redshift UV LF evolution should have revealed 17 z {approx} 9 and 9 z {approx} 10 sources, i.e., a factor {approx}3 Multiplication-Sign and 9 Multiplication-Sign larger than observed. The inferred star formation rate density (SFRD) in galaxies above 0.7 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1} decreases by 0.6 {+-} 0.2 dex from z {approx} 8 to z {approx} 9, in excellent agreement with previous estimates. From a combination of all current measurements, we find a best estimate of a factor 10 Multiplication-Sign decrease in the SFRD from z {approx} 8 to z {approx} 10, following (1 + z){sup -11.4{+-}3.1}. Our measurements thus confirm our previous finding of an accelerated evolution beyond z {approx} 8, and signify a very rapid build-up of galaxies with M{sub UV} < -17.7 mag within only {approx}200 Myr from z {approx} 10 to z {approx} 8, in the heart of cosmic reionization.

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The hard X-ray continuum of Cen a observed with INTEGRAL SPI

We revisit the average hard X-ray spectrum from the active galactic nucleus (AGN) of Centaurus A (Cen A) using 10 yr worth of observations with INTEGRAL SPI. This source has the highest flux observed from any AGNs in the SPI bandpass (23 keV-8 MeV). The 10 year light curve of Cen A is presented, and hardness ratios confirm that the spectral shape changes very little despite the luminosity varying by a factor of a few. Primarily, we establish the presence of a reflection component in the average spectrum by demonstrating an excess between 20 and 60 keV, from extending the spectral shape observed at low energy to the SPI regime. The excess in Chandra HETGS and INTEGRAL SPI data is well described by reflection of the dominant power-law spectrum from a neutral, optically thick atmosphere. We find that the reprocessed emission contributes 20%-25% of the 23-100 keV flux. The existence of a cutoff at tens to hundreds of kiloelectron volts remains controversial. Using simulated spectra, we demonstrate that a high energy cutoff reproduces the observed spectral properties of Cen A more readily than a simple power law. However, we also show that such a cutoff is probably underestimated when neglecting (even modest) reflection, and for Cen A would be at energies >700 keV, with a confidence of >95%. This is atypically high for thermal Comptonizing plasmas observed in AGNs, and we propose that we are in fact modeling the more gradual change in spectral shape expected of synchrotron self-Compton spectra.

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A UV to mid-IR study of AGN selection

We classify the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 431,038 sources in the 9 deg{sup 2} Boötes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey (NDWFS). There are up to 17 bands of data available per source, including ultraviolet (GALEX), optical (NDWFS), near-IR (NEWFIRM), and mid-infrared (IRAC and MIPS) data, as well as spectroscopic redshifts for ∼20,000 objects, primarily from the AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey. We fit galaxy, active galactic nucleus (AGN), stellar, and brown dwarf templates to the observed SEDs, which yield spectral classes for the Galactic sources and photometric redshifts and galaxy/AGN luminosities for the extragalactic sources. The photometric redshift precision of the galaxy and AGN samples are σ/(1 + z) = 0.040 and σ/(1 + z) = 0.169, respectively, with the worst 5% outliers excluded. On the basis of the χ{sub ν}{sup 2} of the SED fit for each SED model, we are able to distinguish between Galactic and extragalactic sources for sources brighter than I = 23.5 mag. We compare the SED fits for a galaxy-only model and a galaxy-AGN model. Using known X-ray and spectroscopic AGN samples, we confirm that SED fitting can be successfully used as a method to identify large populations of AGNs, including spatially resolved AGNs with significant contributions from the host galaxy and objects with the emission line ratios of 'composite' spectra. We also use our results to compare with the X-ray, mid-IR, optical color, and emission line ratio selection techniques. For an F-ratio threshold of F > 10, we find 16,266 AGN candidates brighter than I = 23.5 mag and a surface density of ∼1900 AGN deg{sup –2}.

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Metal-poor dwarf galaxies in the SIGRID galaxy sample. II. The electron temperature-abundance calibration and the parameters that affect it

In this paper, we use the Mappings photoionization code to explore the physical parameters that impact on the measurement of electron temperature and abundance in H II regions. In our previous paper, we presented observations and measurements of physical properties from the spectra of 17 H II regions in 14 isolated dwarf irregular galaxies from the SIGRID sample. Here, we analyze these observations further, together with three additional published data sets. We explore the effects of optical thickness, electron density, ionization parameter, ionization source, and non-equilibrium effects on the relation between electron temperature and metallicity. We present a standard model that fits the observed data remarkably well at metallicities between one-tenth and 1 solar. We investigate the effects of optically thin H II regions, and show that they can have a considerable effect on the measured electron temperature, and that there is evidence that some of the observed objects are optically thin. We look at the role of the ionization parameter and find that lower ionization parameter values give better fits at higher oxygen abundance. We show that higher pressures combined with low optical depth, and also κ electron energy distributions at low κ values, can generate the apparent high electron temperatures in low-metallicity H II regions, and that the former provides the better fit to observations. We examine the effects of these parameters on the strong line diagnostic methods. We extend this to three-dimensional diagnostic grids to confirm how well the observations are described by the grids.

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Stereoscopic study of the kinematic evolution of a coronal mass ejection and its driven shock from the sun to the earth and the prediction of their arrival times

We present a detailed study of the complete evolution of a coronal mass ejection (CME). We have tracked the evolution of both the ejecta and its shock, and further fit the evolution of the fronts to a simple but physics-based analytical model. This study focuses on the CME initiated on the Sun on 2012 July 12 and arriving at the Earth on 2012 July 14. Shock and ejecta fronts were observed by white light images, as well as in situ by the Advanced Composition Explorer satellite. We find that the propagation of the two fronts is not completely dependent upon one another, but can each be modeled in the heliosphere with a drag model that assumes the dominant force of affecting CME evolution to be the aerodynamic drag force of the ambient solar wind. Results indicate that the CME ejecta front undergoes a more rapid deceleration than the shock front within 50 R {sub ☉} and therefore the propagation of the two fronts is not completely coupled in the heliosphere. Using the graduated cylindrical shell model, as well as data from time-elongation stack plots and in situ signatures, we show that the drag model can accurately describe the behavior of each front, but is more effective with the ejecta. We also show that without the in situ data, based on measurements out to 80 R {sub ☉} combined with the general values for drag model parameters, the arrival of both the shock and ejecta can be predicted within four hours of arrival.

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The COS-Halos survey: physical conditions and baryonic mass in the low-redshift circumgalactic medium

We analyze the physical conditions of the cool, photoionized (T ∼10{sup 4} K) circumgalactic medium (CGM) using the COS-Halos suite of gas column density measurements for 44 gaseous halos within 160 kpc of L ∼ L* galaxies at z ∼ 0.2. These data are well described by simple photoionization models, with the gas highly ionized (n {sub H} {sub II}/n {sub H} ≳ 99%) by the extragalactic ultraviolet background. Scaling by estimates for the virial radius, R {sub vir}, we show that the ionization state (tracked by the dimensionless ionization parameter, U) increases with distance from the host galaxy. The ionization parameters imply a decreasing volume density profile n {sub H} = (10{sup –4.2±0.25})(R/R {sub vir}){sup –0.8±0.3}. Our derived gas volume densities are several orders of magnitude lower than predictions from standard two-phase models with a cool medium in pressure equilibrium with a hot, coronal medium expected in virialized halos at this mass scale. Applying the ionization corrections to the H I column densities, we estimate a lower limit to the cool gas mass M{sub CGM}{sup cool}>6.5×10{sup 10} M {sub ☉} for the volume within R < R {sub vir}. Allowing for an additional warm-hot, O VI-traced phase, the CGM accounts for at least half of the baryons purported to be missing from dark matter halos at the 10{sup 12} M {sub ☉} scale.

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Predicted space motions for hypervelocity and runaway stars: proper motions and radial velocities for the Gaia Era

We predict the distinctive three-dimensional space motions of hypervelocity stars (HVSs) and runaway stars moving in a realistic Galactic potential. For nearby stars with distances less than 10 kpc, unbound stars are rare; proper motions alone rarely isolate bound HVSs and runaways from indigenous halo stars. At large distances of 20-100 kpc, unbound HVSs are much more common than runaways; radial velocities easily distinguish both from indigenous halo stars. Comparisons of the predictions with existing observations are encouraging. Although the models fail to match observations of solar-type HVS candidates from SEGUE, they agree well with data for B-type HVS and runaways from other surveys. Complete samples of g ≲ 20 stars with Gaia should provide clear tests of formation models for HVSs and runaways and will enable accurate probes of the shape of the Galactic potential.

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