The X-ray evolution of galaxies: implications for future X-ray observatories

The X-ray evolution of the luminosity of normal galaxies is primarily driven by the evolution of their X-ray binary populations. The imprints left by a cosmological evolution of the star formation rate (SFR) will cause the average X-ray luminosity of galaxies to appear higher in the redshift range 1–3. As reported by White and Ghosh [ApJ, 504 (1998) L31] the profile of X-ray luminosity with redshift can both serve as a diagnostic probe of the SFR profile and constrain evolutionary models for X-ray binaries. In order to observe the high redshift (z>3) universe in the X-ray band, it is necessary to avoid confusion from foreground field galaxies. We report on the predictions of these models of the X-ray flux expected from galaxies and the implications for the telescope parameters of future deep universe X-ray observatories.     

Clues on black hole feedback from simulated and observed X-ray properties of elliptical galaxies

The centers of elliptical galaxies host supermassive black holes that significantly affect the surrounding interstellar medium through feedback resulting from the accretion process. The evolution of this gas and of the nuclear emission during the galaxies’ lifetime has been studied recently with high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations. These included gas cooling and heating specific for an average AGN spectral energy distribution, a radiative efficiency declining at low mass accretion rates, and mechanical coupling between the hot gas and AGN winds. Here, we present a short summary of the observational properties resulting from the simulations, focussing on (1) the nuclear luminosity; (2) the global luminosity and temperature of the hot gas; (3) its temperature profile and X-ray brightness profile. These properties are compared with those of galaxies of the local universe, pointing out the successes of the adopted feedback and the needs for new input in the simulations.     

High resolution science with high redshift galaxies

We summarize the high-resolution science that has been done on high redshift galaxies with Adaptive Optics (AO) on the world’s largest ground-based facilities and with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These facilities complement each other. Ground-based AO provides better light gathering power and in principle better resolution than HST, giving it the edge in high spatial resolution imaging and high resolution spectroscopy. HST produces higher quality, more stable PSF’s over larger field-of-views in a much darker sky-background than ground-based AO, and yields deeper wide-field images and low-resolution spectra than the ground. Faint galaxies have steadily decreasing sizes at fainter fluxes and higher redshifts, reflecting the hierarchical formation of galaxies over cosmic time. HST has imaged this process in great structural detail to z  6, and ground-based AO and spectroscopy has provided measurements of their masses and other physical properties with cosmic time. Last, we review how the 6.5 m James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will measure First Light, reionization, and galaxy assembly in the near–mid-IR after 2013.     

Velocity distribution of elliptical galaxies in the framework of Non-local Gravity model

We investigate the velocity distribution of elliptical galaxies in the framework of Non-local Gravity. According to this approach, it is possible to recover the fundamental plane of elliptical galaxies without the dark matter hypothesis. Specifically, we compare theoretical predictions for circular velocity in Non-local Gravity context with the corresponding values coming from a large sample of observed elliptical galaxies. We adopt the surface brightness, effective radius and velocity dispersion as structural parameters for the fundamental plane. As final result, it is possible to show that non-local gravity effects can reproduce the stellar dynamics in elliptical galaxies and fit consistently observational data.     

High resolution spectroscopy of X-ray emission from high mass X-ray binaries

This article briefly reviews first the progress of spectroscopy in X-ray astronomy from proportional counters, a major instrument in early phase of X-ray astronomy, to gas scintillation proportional counters, X-ray CCD cameras, transmission and reflection gratings, and finally to X-ray micro-calorimeters. As a typical example of spectral features observed from high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), the spectra observed from Vela X-1 with Chandra grating spectrometers are then presented and compared with computer simulations for high mass binary systems.     

XMM-Newton study of soft excess X-ray emission in clusters of galaxies

We discuss the detection of soft excess X-ray emission in a sample of 19 clusters of galaxies observed by XMM-Newton. In 6/19 clusters evidence for a soft X-ray excess is found. Four of these clusters show soft X-ray and O VII line emission from gas with a temperature of 0.2 keV. The centroid of this oxygen line is consistent with the redshift of the cluster. The intensity and spatial extend of the soft excess agrees with previous PSPC measurements. These observations are interpreted as emission from warm-hot intergalactic medium filaments, with density enhancements near the cluster centers, consistent with theoretical predictions. In the other two soft excess clusters a non-thermal origin is consistent with the data.     

X-ray measurements of the dark matter distribution in clusters of galaxies with Chandra

We investigate the dark matter distributions in the central region of two clusters of galaxies (A1835 and MKW3S) using Chandra data. N-body simulations in the standard cold dark matter (CDM) model predict the dark matter distribution shows a cuspy dark matter profile: ρ(r) ∝ r, with in the range 1–2, while observations of dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies seem to favor the presence of a relatively flat core: 0 <  < 1. To investigate the dark matter distributions in the central region of clusters of galaxies, we analyze the Chandra data of A1835 and MKW3S with a deprojection method. We derive the mass profiles without the assumption of analytical models. We examine the inner slope of derived mass profiles assuming the dark matter profile is described with a power-law expression. The values of the slope are 0.95 ± 0.10 for A1835 and 1.33 ± 0.12 for MKW3S within the radius of 200 kpc. These are consistent with the result of the CDM simulations. However, within the radius of 100 kpc, the value of is less than unity for A1835 (0.47 ± 0.31). Our result implies that the central dark matter profile of some clusters cannot be described by CDM halos.     

High resolution spectroscopy of Seyfert warm absorbers with XMM-Newton

We present results from the analysis of an XMM-Newton observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 7469, the first high resolution X-ray spectrum of this source. The Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) spectrum has several narrow absorption and emission lines of O, N, C and Ne, originating from gas at a range of ionisation parameters, from log ξ1.6 to log ξ−2 (where ξ has the units erg cm s⁻¹). We demonstrate that the ionisation state of the warm emitter is consistent with that of the high-ionisation phase of the warm absorber, and compare the warm absorber in this object with those in other sources.     

X-ray broad line emission in Seyfert galaxies: Mrk 766 and NGC 4051

Long (>100 ks) observations of the bright Seyfert galaxies Mrk 766 and NGC 4051 have been obtained using XMM-Newton. The RGS 5–38 Å spectra reveal evidence of broad features. These can be modelled with relativistic emission lines coming from the immediate vicinity of a massive rotating black hole. Lines of OVIII, NVII and CVI are required to reproduce the spectrum of Mrk 766, whereas the spectrum of NGC 4051 can be modelled using a single, even broader OVIII line. Both Seyferts also exhibit broad iron line emission in the 2–8 keV range, and the data available thus far suggest that the strength of the low-energy emission lines and the strength of the iron line may be correlated.     

X-ray study of accretion flow in narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies

We present the results of a systematic study of narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) observed with XMM-Newton. The 2–12 keV X-ray spectra of NLS1s are well represented by a single power law with a photon index Γ ∼ 2. When this hard power law continuum is extrapolated into the low energy band, we found that all objects in our sample show prominent soft excess emission. This excess emission is well parameterized by the thermal emission expected from an optically thick accretion disk, and we found the following three peculiar features: (1) The derived disk temperatures are significantly higher than the expectation from a standard Shakura-Sunyaev accretion disk, if we assume a central mass of a black hole to be 10^6–8M_⊙. (2) The temperatures are distributed within narrow range (ΔkT ∼ 0.08 keV) with an average temperature of 0.18 keV in spite of the range of four orders of magnitude in luminosity (10^41–45 erg s⁻¹). (3) We found a peculiar temperature–luminosity relation, where the luminosity seems to be almost saturated in spite of the significant change in temperature, during the observations of the most luminous NLS1 PKS 0558-504. These results strongly suggest that the standard accretion disk picture is no longer appropriate in the nuclei of NLS1s. We discuss a possible origin for the soft excess component, and suggest that a slim disk may be able to explain the observational results, if the photon trapping effect is properly taken into account.     

Superclustering of galaxies and X-ray sources

An attempt is made to compare optical properties of Abell clusters with X-ray sources.     

On initial steps of chemical prebiotic evolution: Triggering autocatalytic reaction of oligomerization

Searching for extraterrestrial life attracts more and more attention. However this searching hardly can be effective without sufficiently universal concept of life origin, which incidentally tackles a problem of origin of life on the Earth. A concept of initial stages of life origin is stated in the paper. The concept eliminates key difficulties in the problem of life origin, and allows experimental verification of it. According to the concept the predecessor of living beings has to be sufficiently simple to provide non-zero probability of self-assembling during short (in geological or cosmic scale) time. In addition the predecessor has to be capable of autocatalysis, and further complication (evolution). A possible scenario of initial stage of life origin, which can be realized both on other planets, and inside experimental facility is considered. In the scope of the scenario a theoretical model of multivariate oligomeric autocatalyst is presented. Results of computer simulation of two versions of oligomeric autocatalytic reactions are presented. It is shown that the contribution of monomer activation reaction is essential, and in some cases autocatalysis in polymerizing reaction can be achieved without catalyzing proper monomer binding reaction.     

Hi content in cluster and supercluster galaxies

In this lecture I review part of the published and unpublished observational evidence showing that cluster spiral galaxies are hydrogen deficient. Always using observational data, it is argued that the deficiency is due to the interaction between the galaxies and the intergalactic medium. Furthermore it is shown that the stellar population of deficient galaxies has also been affected and a brief discussion is given of the mechanisms at work.     

Dark energy,co-evolution of massive black holes with galaxies,and ASTROD-GW

The detection of low frequency band (100 nHz–100 mHz) and very low frequency band (300 pHz–100 nHz) gravitational waves (GWs) is important for exploration of the equation of state of dark energy and the co-evolution of massive black holes (MBHs) with galaxies. Most galaxies are believed to have a massive black hole in the galactic core. In the formation of these black holes, merging and accretion are the two main processes. Merging of massive black holes generate GWs which could be detected by space GW detectors and Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) to cosmological distances. LISA (Laser-Interferometric Space Antenna) is most sensitive to the frequency band 1 mHz–100 mHz, ASTROD-GW (ASTROD [Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity using Optical Devices] optimized for Gravitational Wave detection) is most sensitive to the frequency band 100 nHz–1 mHz and PTAs are most sensitive to the frequency band 300 pHz–100 nHz. In this paper, we discuss the sensitivities and outlooks of detection of GWs from binary massive black holes in these frequency bands with an emphasis on ASTROD-GW. The GWs generated by the inspirals, merging and subsequent ringdowns of binary black holes are standard sirens to the cosmological distance. Using GW observations, we discuss the methods for determining the equation of state of dark energy and for testing the co-evolution models of massive black holes. ASTROD-GW is an optimization of ASTROD to focus on the goal of detection of GWs. The mission orbits of the 3 spacecraft forming a nearly equilateral triangular array are chosen to be near the Sun-Earth Lagrange points L3, L4 and L5. The 3 spacecraft range interferometrically with one another with arm length about 260 million kilometers. With 52 times longer in arm length compared to that of LISA, the strain detection sensitivity is 52 times better toward larger wavelength. The scientific aim is focused for gravitational wave detection at low frequency. The science goals include detection of GWs from MBHs, and Extreme-Mass-Ratio Black Hole Inspirals (EMRI), and using these observations to find the evolution of the equation of state of dark energy and to explore the co-evolution of massive black holes with galaxies.     

Galaxy evolution in groups. USGC U268 and USGC U376 in the Leo cloud

With the aim of investigating galaxy evolution in nearby galaxy groups, we analyzed the spectral energy distribution of 24 galaxies, members of two groups in the Leo cloud, USGC U268 and USGC U376. We estimated the ages and stellar masses of the galaxies by fitting their total apparent magnitudes from far-ultraviolet to near-infrared with population synthesis models. The comparison of the results for a subsample of galaxies with smooth particle hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations with chemo-photometric implementation, shows that in most cases the estimated stellar masses obtained with the two different approaches are in good agreement. The kinematical and dynamical analysis indicates that USGC U268 is in a pre-virial collapse phase while USGC U376 is likely in a more evolved phase towards virialization.     

From Titan’s tholins to Titan’s aerosols: Isotopic study and chemical evolution at Titan’s surface

In the present work, we focused on the possible isotopic fractionation of carbon during the processes involved in the formation of Titan’s tholins. We present the first results obtained on the ¹²C/¹³C isotopic ratios measured on Titan’s tholins synthesized in laboratory with cold plasma discharges. Measurements of isotopic ratio ¹²C/¹³C, done both on tholins and on the initial gas mixture (N₂:CH₄ (98:2)) used to produce them, do not show any evident deficit or enrichment in ¹³C relatively to ¹²C in the synthesized tholins, compared to the initial gas mixture. This observation allows to go further in the analyses of the ACP experiment data, including part of the Cassini–Huygens mission.     

Effect of condensation agents and minerals for oligopeptide formation under mild and hydrothermal conditions in related to chemical evolution of proteins

The role of condensation agents and minerals for oligopeptide formation was inspected to see whether minerals possess catalytic activity under mild and hydrothermal conditions. Under mild conditions, oligopeptide formation from negatively charged amino acids (Asp and Glu) using different minerals and the elongation of alanine oligopeptides ((Ala)₂–(Ala)₅) were attempted using apatite minerals. Oligo(Asp) up to 10 amino acid units from Asp were observed in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide (EDC). Notable influence of minerals was not detected for the oligo(Asp) formation. Oligo(Asp) was gradually degraded by the further incubation in the presence of EDC in both the absence and presence of minerals. The formation of oligo(Glu) was less efficient in the presence of carbonyldiimidazole. The elongation from (Ala)₃, (Ala)₄, and (Ala)₅ and the formation of diketopiperazine from (Ala)₂ proceeded immediately in the presence of EDC in the meantime of the sample preparations. In addition, it was unexpected that the disappearance of the products and the reformation of the reactants occurred by the further incubation for 24 h; for instance, (Ala)₅ decreased but (Ala)₄ increased with increasing the reaction time in the reaction of (Ala)₄ with EDC. These facts suggest that the activation of the reactant amino acids or peptides immediately occurs. Under the simulated hydrothermal conditions, EDC did not enhance the formation of oligopeptides from Asp, Glu or Ala nor the spontaneous formation of (Ala)₅ from (Ala)₄.     

On kinematics of gas clouds in the broad-line region of active galactic nuclei and quasars

The kinematics of gas clouds in broad-line region of active galactic nuclei and quasars is considered. The motion of the clouds is governed by three forces — gravitational influence from the central supermassive body, radiational pressure from the continuum radiation, and resistance of the intercloud medium. Clouds moves radial but only outward motion gives a velocity field, which is in accordance with the observational data. The profiles of the permited lines are obtained in some simplify assumptions for the emissive capacity of the gas in clouds, and are in good agreement with the observational data. In the framework of the model under consideration there is a possibility to estimate some physical parameters of the nuclei such as mass of the central body and density of the intercloud medium.