Stars, Interstellar Medium and the Galaxy Commons^™

Unmatter Plasma, Relativistic Oblique-Length Contraction Factor, Neutrosophic Diagram And Neutrosophic Degree Of Paradoxicity: Articles And Notes, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This book has four parts. In the first part, we collected five recent papers, published before in Progress in Physics, but reviewed. In the first paper, we approach a novel form of plasma, Unmatter Plasma. The electron-positron beam plasma was generated in the laboratory in the beginning of 2015. This experimental fact shows that unmatter, a new form of matter that is formed by matter and antimatter bind together (mathematically predicted a decade ago) really exists. That is the electron-positron plasma experiment of 2015 is the experimentum crucis verifying the mathematically predicted unmatter. In the second paper, we generalize the …

Constraints On Very High Energy Emission From Grb 130427a, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

Prompt emission from the very fluent and nearby (z = 0.34) gamma-ray burst GRB 130427A was detected by several orbiting telescopes and by ground-based, wide-field-of-view optical transient monitors. Apart from the intensity and proximity of this GRB, it is exceptional due to the extremely long-lived high-energy (100 MeV to 100 GeV) gamma-ray emission, which was detected by the Large Area Telescope on the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope for ~70 ks after the initial burst. The persistent, hard-spectrum, high-energy emission suggests that the highest-energy gamma rays may have been produced via synchrotron self-Compton processes though there is also evidence that …

Test Of Models Of The Cosmic Infrared Background With Multiwavelength Observations Of The Blazar 1es 1218+30.4 In 2009, P. T. Reynolds

Physical Sciences Publications

We present the results of a multi-wavelength campaign targeting the blazar 1ES 1218+30.4 with observations with the 1.3 m McGraw-Hill optical telescope, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope, and the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). The RXTE and VERITAS observations were spread over a 13 day period and revealed clear evidence for flux variability, and a strong X-ray and γ-ray flare on 2009 February 26 (MJD 54888). The campaign delivered a well-sampled broadband energy spectrum with simultaneous RXTE and VERITAS very high energy (VHE, >100 GeV) observations, as well as …

Deep Broadband Observations Of The Distant Gamma-Ray Blazar Pks 1424+240, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

We present deep VERITAS observations of the blazar PKS 1424+240, along with contemporaneous Fermi Large Area Telescope, Swift X-ray Telescope, and Swift UV Optical Telescope data between 2009 February 19 and 2013 June 8. This blazar resides at a redshift of z ≥ 0.6035, displaying a significantly attenuated gamma-ray flux above 100 GeV due to photon absorption via pair-production with the extragalactic background light. We present more than 100 hr of VERITAS observations over three years, a multiwavelength light curve, and the contemporaneous spectral energy distributions. The source shows a higher flux of (2.1 ± 0.3) × 10–7 photons m–2 …

Star Formation And Substructure In Galaxy Clusters, Seth A. Cohen, Ryan C. Hickox, Gary A. Wegner, Maret Einasto, Jaan Vennik

Dartmouth Scholarship

We investigate the relationship between star formation (SF) and substructure in a sample of 107 nearby galaxy clusters using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Several past studies of individual galaxy clusters have suggested that cluster mergers enhance cluster SF, while others find no such relationship. The SF fraction in multi-component clusters (0.228 +/- 0.007) is higher than that in single-component clusters (0.175 +/- 0.016) for galaxies with M^0.1_r < -20.5. In both single- and multi-component clusters, the fraction of star-forming galaxies increases with clustercentric distance and decreases with local galaxy number density, and multi-component clusters show a higher SF fraction than single-component clusters at almost all clustercentric distances and local densities. Comparing the SF fraction in individual clusters to several statistical measures of substructure, we find weak, but in most cases significant at greater than 2 sigma, correlations between substructure and SF fraction. These results could indicate that cluster mergers may cause weak but significant SF enhancement in clusters, or unrelaxed clusters exhibit slightly stronger SF due to their less evolved states relative to relaxed clusters.

Black Hole Variability And The Star Formation-Active Galactic Nucleus Connection: Do All Star-Forming Galaxies Host An Active Galactic Nucleus?, Ryan C. Hickox, James R. Mullaney, David M. Alexander, Chien-Ting J. Chen, Francesca M. Civano, Andy D. Goulding, Kevin N. Hainline

Dartmouth Scholarship

We investigate the effect of active galactic nucleus (AGN) variability on the observed connection between star formation and black hole accretion in extragalactic surveys. Recent studies have reported relatively weak correlations between observed AGN luminosities and the properties of AGN hosts, which has been interpreted to imply that there is no direct connection between AGN activity and star formation. However, AGNs may be expected to vary significantly on a wide range of timescales (from hours to Myr) that are far shorter than the typical timescale for star formation (100 Myr). This variability can have important consequences for observed correlations. We …

Proceedings Of The First International Conference On Superluminal Physics & Instantaneous Physics As New Fields Of Research, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In a similar way as passing from Euclidean Geometry to Non-Euclidean Geometry, we can pass from Subluminal Physics to Superluminal Physics, and further to Instantaneous Physics (instantaneous traveling). In the lights of two consecutive successful CERN experiments with superluminal particles in the fall of 2011, we believe these two new fields of research should begin developing. A physical law has a form in Newtonian physics, another form in the Relativity Theory, and different form at Superluminal theory, or at Instantaneous (infinite) speeds – according to the S-Denying Theory spectrum. First, we extend physical laws and formulas to superluminal traveling and …

A Search For Enhanced Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From The 2013 March Crab Nebula Flare, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

In 2013 March, a flaring episode from the Crab Nebula lasting ~2 weeks was detected by Fermi-LAT (Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope). The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) provides simultaneous observations throughout this period. During the flare, Fermi-LAT detected a 20 fold increase in flux above the average synchrotron flux >100 MeV seen from the Crab Nebula. Simultaneous measurements with VERITAS are consistent with the non-variable long-term average Crab Nebula flux at TeV energies. Assuming a linear correlation between the very high energy flux change >1 TeV and the flux …

Veritas Observations Of The Microquasar Cygnus X-3, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

We report results from TeV gamma-ray observations of the microquasar Cygnus X-3. The observations were made with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) over a time period from 2007 June 11 to 2011 November 28. VERITAS is most sensitive to gamma rays at energies between 85 GeV and 30 TeV. The effective exposure time amounts to a total of about 44 hr, with the observations covering six distinct radio/X-ray states of the object. No significant TeV gamma-ray emission was detected in any of the states, nor with all observations combined. The lack of a positive signal, especially …

Abundance Patterns In The Spiral Galaxy Messier 33, Melissa A. Siemer, Ravi Sankrit

STAR Program Research Presentations

Messier 33 (M33) is a spiral disk galaxy, similar to our galaxy, approximately 3 million light-years from Earth. Because of its proximity to Earth and face-on viewing angle, it is easy to see individual objects. Consequently, M33 is in an ideal position for obtaining data on elemental abundances. By studying M33, we learn how galaxies like our own form and change over time.

We use published optical spectroscopic data, obtained and assembled from online sources, to map the abundances of various elements (Helium, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Neon, Argon, Sulfur) in the planetary nebula and HII region populations of M33. We classify …

Unsolved Problems In Special And General Relativity, Florentin Smarandache, Fu Yuhua, Zhao Fengjuan

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This book includes 21 papers written by 23 authors and co-authors. All papers included herein are produced by scholars from People’s Republic of China, except two papers written by Prof. L. Sapogin, V. A. Dzhanibekov, Yu. A. Ryabov from Russia, and by Prof. Florentin Smarandache from USA. The editors hope that all these papers will contribute to the advance of scholarly research on several aspects of Special and General Relativity. This book is suitable for students and scholars interested in studies on physics. The first paper is written by Hua Di. He writes that Einstein’s general theory of relativity cannot …

Topics In Galaxy Formation: Pairwise Velocities Of Dark Matter Halos And Molecular Hydrogen Regulated Star Formation In Cosmological Simulations, Robert Jo Thompson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this dissertation we investigate two distinct challenges within the concordance LCDM model and an unrelated project.

The first is a discrepancy between theory and observation. A massive galaxy sub-cluster known as the `bullet' has fallen through a more massive parent galaxy cluster at a redshift of z=0.296.

Theory finds that in order to reproduce the observational quantities of this cluster, an unusually high relative velocity of v12=3000 km/s between the two cluster's parent halos is required.

We quantify the statistical probability of producing a `bullet-like' halo pair within large N-body simulations, and

conclude that either the LCDM model is …

Veritas Observations Of Six Bright, Hard-Spectrum Fermi-Lat Blazars, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

We report on VERITAS very high energy (VHE; E ≥ 100 GeV) observations of six blazars selected from the Fermi Large Area Telescope First Source Catalog (1FGL). The gamma-ray emission from 1FGL sources was extrapolated up to the VHE band, taking gamma-ray absorption by the extragalactic background light into account. This allowed the selection of six bright, hard-spectrum blazars that were good candidate TeV emitters. Spectroscopic redshift measurements were attempted with the Keck Telescope for the targets without Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopic data. No VHE emission is detected during the observations of the six sources described here. Corresponding TeV …

Energetic Galaxy-Wide Outflows In High-Redshift Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies Hosting Agn Activity, C. M. Harrison, D. M. Alexander, A. M. Swinbank, Ian Smail, S. Alaghband-Zadeh, F. E. Bauer, S. C. Chapman, A. Del Moro, R. C. Hickox

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present integral field spectroscopy observations, covering the [O III]4959,5007 emission-line doublet of eight high-redshift (z=1.4-3.4) ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) that host Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) activity, including known sub-millimetre luminous galaxies (SMGs). The targets have moderate radio luminosities that are typical of high-redshift ULIRGs (L(1.4GHz)=10^(24)-10^(25)W/Hz) and therefore are not radio-loud AGN. We de-couple kinematic components due to the galaxy dynamics and mergers from those due to outflows. We find evidence in the four most luminous systems (L([O III])>~10^(43)erg/s) for the signatures of large-scale energetic outflows: extremely broad [O III] emission (FWHM ~ 700-1400km/s) across ~4-15kpc, with high velocity …

A Four-Year Xmm-Newton/Chandra Monitoring Campaign Of The Galactic Centre: Analysing The X-Ray Transients, N. Degenaar, R. Wijnands, E. M. Cackett, J. Homan, J. J. M. In 'T Zand, E. Kuulkers, T. J. Maccarone, M. Van Der Klis

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Research Publications

We report on the results of a four-year long X-ray monitoring campaign of the central 1.2 square degrees of our Galaxy, performed with Chandra and XMM-Newton between 2005 and 2008. Our study focuses on the properties of transient X-ray sources that reach 2-10 keV luminosities of L_X ≳ 10³⁴ erg s^-1 for an assumed distance of 8 kpc. There are 17 known X-ray transients within the field of view of our campaign, eight of which were detected in outburst during our observations: the transient neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries GRS 1741-2853, AX J1745.6-2901, SAX J1747.0-2853, KS 1741-293 …

High-Velocity Outflows Without Agn Feedback: Eddington-Limited Star Formation In Compact Massive Galaxies, Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic, John Moustakas, Christy A. Tremonti, Alison L. Coil, Ryan C. Hickox

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present the discovery of compact, obscured star formation in galaxies at z ~ 0.6 that exhibit 1000 km s^–1 outflows. Using optical morphologies from the Hubble Space Telescope and infrared photometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we estimate star formation rate (SFR) surface densities that approach Σ_SFR ≈ 3000 M _☉ yr^–1 kpc^–2, comparable to the Eddington limit from radiation pressure on dust grains. We argue that feedback associated with a compact starburst in the form of radiation pressure from massive stars and ram pressure from supernovae and stellar winds is sufficient …

Hypervelocity Planets And Transits Around Hypervelocity Stars, Idan Ginsburg, Abraham Loeb, Gary A. Wegner

Dartmouth Scholarship

The disruption of a binary star system by the massive black hole at the Galactic Centre, SgrA*, can lead to the capture of one star around SgrA* and the ejection of its companion as a hypervelocity star (HVS). We consider the possibility that these stars may have planets and study the dynamics of these planets. Using a direct N-body integration code, we simulated a large number of different binary orbits around SgrA*. For some orbital parameters, a planet is ejected at a high speed. In other instances, a HVS is ejected with one or more planets orbiting around it. …

The Similarity Of Broad Iron Lines In X-Ray Binaries And Active Galactic Nuclei, D. J. Walton, R. C. Reis, E. M. Cackett, A. C. Fabian, J. M. Miller

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Research Publications

We have compared the 2001 XMM-Newton spectra of the stellar mass black hole binary XTE J1650-500 and the active galaxy MCG-6-30-15, focusing on the broad, excess emission features at ˜4-7 keV displayed by both sources. Such features are frequently observed in both low-mass X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei (AGN). For the former case it is generally accepted that the excess arises due to iron emission, but there is some controversy over whether their width is partially enhanced by instrumental processes, and hence also over the intrinsic broadening mechanism. Meanwhile, in the latter case, the origin of this feature is …

Light Vs. Quantum Gravity, Irving Martinez^*

COURI Symposium Abstracts, Spring 2012

No abstract provided.

A Chandra Survey Of Supermassive Black Holes With Dynamical Mass Measurements, Kayhan Gültekin, Edward M. Cackett, Jon M. Miller, Tiziana Di Matteo, Sera Markoff, Douglas O. Richstone

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Research Publications

We present Chandra observations of 12 galaxies that contain supermassive black holes (SMBHs) with dynamical mass measurements. Each galaxy was observed for 30 ks and resulted in a total of 68 point-source detections in the target galaxies including SMBH sources, ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), and extragalactic X-ray binaries. Based on our fits of the X-ray spectra, we report fluxes, luminosities, Eddington ratios, and slope of the power-law spectrum. Normalized to the Eddington luminosity, the 2-10 keV band X-ray luminosities of the SMBH sources range from 10^-8 to 10^-6, and the power-law slopes are centered at ~2 with …

Quantization And Discretization At Large Scales, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto, Pavel Pintr

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The ongoing search of extrasolar planets is one of the most attractive fields of research in astrophysics and astronomy. Up to now, 360 extrasolar planets have been discovered near stars with similar mass as the Sun. There is also discovery related to the so-called Earth-like planets. With regards to these discoveries, one intriguing question is whether there is relationship between orbit distance of the planets and their stars. Various formulas have been suggested since 1990s, and they suggest that there may be reason to accept quantization of distances of those planets both in our solar system and also in extrasolar …

Vacuum, Space-Time, Matter And The Models Of Smarandache Geometry, Florentin Smarandache, Hu Chang-Wei

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Many fundamental concepts in physics remain unsolved:  What is time? Is it pure relative?  What is the vacuum? Is it void space or special medium?  What is mass? Can it be created? I believe that physicists have not got definite answers for the above questions. Isaac Newton said: I was like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me. For instance, we still do not know what the clear definition of time …

The Acs Survey Of Galactic Globular Clusters. Xi. The Three-Dimensional Orientation Of The Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy And Its Globular Clusters, Michael H. H. Siegel, Steven R. Majewski, David R. Law, Ata Sarajedini, Aaron Dotter, A Marín-Franch, Brian Chaboyer

Dartmouth Scholarship

We use observations from the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS) study of Galactic globular clusters to investigate the spatial distribution of the inner regions of the disrupting Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Sgr). We combine previously published analyses of four Sgr member clusters located near or in the Sgr core (M54, Arp 2, Terzan 7, and Terzan 8) with a new analysis of diffuse Sgr material identified in the background of five low-latitude Galactic bulge clusters (NGC 6624, 6637, 6652, 6681, and 6809) observed as part of the ACS survey. By comparing the bulge cluster color-magnitude …

Veritas Observations Of The Unusual Extragalactic Transient Swift J164449.3+573451, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

We report on very high energy (>100 GeV) gamma-ray observations of Swift J164449.3+573451, an unusual transient object first detected by the Swift Observatory and later detected by multiple radio, optical, and X-ray observatories. A total exposure of 28 hr was obtained on Swift J164449.3+573451 with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) during 2011 March 28-April 15. We do not detect the source and place a differential upper limit on the emission at 500 GeV during these observations of 1.4 × 10–12 erg cm–2 s–1 (99% confidence level). We also present time-resolved upper limits and use a …

Oral Presentation: The Universe In A Box, Jason Jaacks

Festival of Communities: UG Symposium (Posters)

When and how galaxies formed throughout the history of the Universe is one of the most fundamental questions of astronomy and astrophysics. As technology improves, astronomers are able to push the frontier of galaxy observation to a period when the Universe was less than 1 billion years old. This is when the first galaxies are beginning to form. However, beyond the limits of observational technology lies data fundamental to our complete understanding of these processes. Using state-of-the-art cosmological hydrodynamic computer codes combined with access to the nation’s largest and fastest supercomputers, we are able to simulate the formation and evolution …

Halo Occupation Of Lyman-Break Galaxies, Saju Varghese, Ken Nagamine, Jason Jaacks, Jun-Hwan Choi

Festival of Communities: UG Symposium (Posters)

Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) are star-forming galaxies found at high redshift that provide large amounts of information on early star and galaxy formation. We use large-scale cosmological smoothed-particle hydrodynamical simulations to simulate the physical properties of LBGs, such as stellar mass, star-formation rate, and magnitude. In particular, we focus on the question of which dark matter (DM) halos host LBGs. Our simulation suggests that only 1.74% of all DM halos host LBGs, though among the massive DM halos with mass Mhalo >1011.5 Msun, the fraction is 51.93%. The occupation number of LBGs ranges from 1 to 17 per halo.

Discovery Of Tev Gamma Ray Emission From Tycho's Supernova Remnant, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

We report the discovery of TeV gamma-ray emission from the Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) G120.1+1.4, known as Tycho's SNR. Observations performed in the period 2008-2010 with the VERITAS ground-based gamma-ray observatory reveal weak emission coming from the direction of the remnant, compatible with a point source located at 00h25m270, + 64°10'50'' (J2000). The TeV photon spectrum measured by VERITAS can be described with a power law dN/dE = C(E/3.42 TeV)–Γ with Γ = 1.95 ± 0.51stat ± 0.30sys and C = (1.55 ± 0.43stat ± 0.47sys) × 10–14 cm–2 s–1 TeV–1. The integral …

Sources Of The Radio Background Considered, Jack Singal, L. Stawarz, A. Lawrence, V. Petrosian

Physics Faculty Publications

We investigate different scenarios for the origin of the extragalactic radio background. The surface brightness of the background, as reported by the Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission 2 (ARCADE 2) collaboration, is several times higher than that which would result from currently observed radio sources. We consider contributions to the background from diffuse synchrotron emission from clusters and the intergalactic medium, previously unrecognized flux from low-surface-brightness regions of radio sources and faint point sources below the flux limit of existing surveys. By examining radio source counts available in the literature, we conclude that most of the radio …

Discovery Of Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From The Snr G54.1+0.3, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

We report the discovery of very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission from the direction of the SNR G54.1+0.3 using the VERITAS ground-based gamma-ray observatory. The TeV signal has an overall significance of 6.8σ and appears pointlike given the resolution of the instrument. The integral flux above 1 TeV is 2.5% of the Crab Nebula flux and significant emission is measured between 250 GeV and 4 TeV, well described by a power-law energy spectrum dN/dE ~ E –Γ with a photon index Γ = 2.39 ± 0.23stat ± 0.30sys. We find no evidence of time variability among observations …

The Discovery Of Gamma-Ray Emission From The Blazar Rgb J0710+591, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

The high-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae object RGB J0710+591 was observed in the very high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) wave band by the VERITAS array of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The observations, taken between 2008 December and 2009 March and totaling 22.1 hr, yield the discovery of VHE gamma rays from the source. RGB J0710+591 is detected at a statistical significance of 5.5 standard deviations (5.5σ) above the background, corresponding to an integral flux of (3.9 ± 0.8) × 10–12 cm–2 s–1 (3% of the Crab Nebula's flux) above 300 GeV. The observed spectrum can be fit by a power law from 0.31 …