Interesting Astrophysics: Mar 23 to Mar 27

It has been a relatively quite week in terms of astrophysical papers and preprints I consider interesting, although I must admit to some distraction caused by the major ongoing software upgrade (and possible hardware) problems that I am experiencing with my primary workstation.

I've also included our M82 supernova feedback efficiency paper in the list. I was going to write a short separate post describing it, but I'm too busy with trying to fix my workstation to consider that at the moment.

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Galaxies and Starbursts

Collisional debris as laboratories to study star formation
M. Boquien, P.-A. Duc, Y. Wu, V. Charmandaris, U. Lisenfeld, J. Braine, E. Brinks, J. Iglesias-Páramo, C. K. Xu, arXiv:0903.3403 [pdf, other]
Comments: 18 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in The astronomical journal

The effect of ram pressure on the star formation, mass distribution and morphology of galaxies
W. Kapferer, C. Sluka, S. Schindler, C. Ferrari, B. Ziegler, arXiv:0903.3818 [ps, pdf, other]

Comments: 19 pages, 25 figures, A&A accepted, high resolution version can be
found at this http URL

A Population of Metal-Poor Galaxies with ~L* Luminosities at Intermediate Redshifts
John J. Salzer, Anna L. Williams, Caryl Gronwall, arXiv:0903.3948 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 6 pages, 3 figures; to appear in 10 April 2009 ApJL

Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Submillimeter Galaxies: Extended Star Formation in Massive High Redshift Galaxies
Karín Menéndez-Delmestre, Andrew W. Blain, Ian Smail, Dave M. Alexander, Scott C. Chapman, Lee Armus, Dave Frayer, Rob J. Ivison, Harry Teplitz, arXiv:0903.4017 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 21 pages, 11 figures, accepted to The Astrophysical Journal

Strong z~0.5 O VI Absorption Toward PKS 0405-123: Implications for Ionization and Metallicity of the Cosmic Web
J.Christopher Howk, Joseph S. Ribaudo, Nicolas Lehner, J. Xavier Prochaska, Hsiao-Wen Chen, arXiv:0903.3963 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 21 pages. Abstract abridged slightly

A Simple Model for the Relationship Between Star Formation and Surface Density
C. L. Dobbs, J. E. Pringle, arXiv:0903.4098 [pdf, other]
Comments: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted by MNRAS

The evolution of the mass-metallicity relation in SDSS galaxies uncovered by astropaleontology
N. Vale Asari, G. Stasinska, R. Cid Fernandes, J. M. Gomes, M. Schlickmann, A. Mateus, W. Schoenell, arXiv:0903.4167 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Their result (M-Z for galaxies with log M > 10) is not necessarily inconsistent with the conclusion of Tremonti et al (2004) that outflows shape the galaxy M-y_eff relatio below a characteristic mass of log M ~ 10, above which galaxies act as closed boxes.

Supernova feedback efficiency and mass loading in the starburst and galactic superwind exemplar M82
David K. Strickland, Timothy M. Heckman, arXiv:0903.4175 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. 29 pages, 12 figures

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Black Holes and AGN

Evidence for X-ray synchrotron emission from simultaneous mid-IR to X-ray observations of a strong Sgr A* flare
K. Dodds-Eden, et al, arXiv:0903.3416 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 49 pages, 9 figures

Eddington ratio and accretion efficiency in AGN evolution
S.I. Raimundo, A. C. Fabian, arXiv:0903.3432 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 5 pages

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Stars, Supernovae and Planets

The Disappearance of the Progenitors of Supernovae 1993J and 2003gd
Justyn R. Maund, Stephen J. Smartt, arXiv:0903.3772 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Science, in press, published online 19/03/09, 28 pages (MS+SOM) (high-res figures available at this http URL)

Both progenitors were Red Supergiants.

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Other

Astronomical Software Wants To Be Free: A Manifesto
Benjamin J. Weiner, et al, arXiv:0903.3971 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: State of the Profession white paper submitted to the Astro2010 Decadal Survey. The authors welcome comments and discussion

Argues that astronomical software development should be taken seriously as an academic endeavor (i.e in terms of career development), and should also be funded adequately. But it ignores the issue of certain projects (SDSS's spectroscopic pipeline, FUSE, etc) relying on user's having access to non-free non-cheap commercial software packages like IDL. All in all its an interesting issue that is worth the Decadal Survey's time taking into account, but its still small fry compared to the trifecta of problems associated with career development demographics, funding and overly-large missions.

Accepted!

Our big M82 supernova feedback efficiency and mass loading theory paper was accepted by the ApJ today!

The preprint should appear on arXiv on Thursday.

The deliberately garish image to the right is Figure 1 in the paper. Its the central 5 kpc x 5 kpc of M82 as seen in soft X-ray emission (red, showing hot gas at ~5 million degrees K in the extended superwind), optical R-band (green, showing starlight from the disk of the galaxy), and diffuse hard X-ray emission (blue, a combination of emission from very hot gas at 30-80 million degrees K and possibly non-thermal continuum emission). The white circle outlines a radius of 500 pc from the center of M82, highlighting the close association of the hard X-ray emission with the central starburst region.

Interesting Astrophysics: Mar 16 to Mar 20

An unusually large crop of interesting star/supernova/star cluster related preprints attracted my attention this week. From the largest (radius) star in the LMC through photon-tiring in radiation driven winds, super-hard X-ray emission from Eta Carinae, to an anomaly with the classic wind-blown bubble, the "Bubble Nebula."

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Galaxies and Starbursts

The Relationship Between Intergalactic HI/OVI and Nearby (z<0.017) Galaxies
B.P. Wakker, B.D. Savage, arXiv:0903.2259 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: ApJ Supplement, in press

On the massive star content of the nearby dwarf irregular Wolf-Rayet galaxy IC 4662
P.A. Crowther, J.L. Bibby, arXiv:0903.2288 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for Astronomy & Astrophysics

The Vela Cloud: A Giant HI Anomaly in the NGC 3256 Group
Jayanne English, Baerbel Koribalski, Joss Bland-Hawthorn, Ken Freeman, Claudia McCain, arXiv:0903.2690 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 46 pages, 11 figures, submitted to AJ

The chemical evolution of galaxies within the IGIMF theory: the [alpha/Fe] ratios and downsizing
Simone Recchi, Francesco Calura, Pavel Kroupa, arXiv:0903.2395 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 13 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

The Star Formation Law at Low Surface Density
Ted K. Wyder, et al, arXiv:0903.3015 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 53 pages, 21 Figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ

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Black Holes and AGN

X-ray Properties of Intermediate-Mass Black Holes in Active Galaxies. II. X-ray-Bright Accretion and Possible Evidence for Slim Disks
Louis-Benoit Desroches, Jenny E. Greene, Luis C. Ho, arXiv:0903.2257 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 11 pages, 6 figures, submitted to ApJ, emulateapj

The Suzaku View of the Swift/BAT AGNs (II): Time Variability and Spectra of Five "Hidden" AGNs
Lisa Winter, Richard Mushotzky, Yuichi Terashima, Yoshihiro Ueda, arXiv:0903.2802 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 45 pages, 16 figures, 10 tables, accepted to ApJ

Journey to the $M_{\rm BH} - \sigma$ relation: the fate of low mass black holes in the Universe
Marta Volonteri, Priyamvada Natarajan, arXiv:0903.2262 [pdf, other]
Comments: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to MNRAS

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Numerical Astrophysics and Hydrodynamics

Simulating Magnetohydrodynamical Flow with Constrained Transport and Adaptive Mesh Refinement; Algorithms & Tests of the AstroBEAR Code
Andrew J. Cunningham, Adam Frank, Peggy Varniere, Sorin Mitran, Thomas W. Jones, arXiv:0710.0424 (replaced) [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Additional Tests shown. Accepted to ApJS

Includes some images showing the interaction between a cylindrical cloud moving though an ambient medium with a magnetic field oriented in various directions w.r.t the cloud motion. B fields at 45 or 90 degree to the cloud motion/axis lead to less cloud disruption than if the B field is parallel to the cloud axis/motion.

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Stars, Supernovae and Planets

The Physical Properties of the Red Supergiant WOH G64: The Largest Star Known?
Emily M. Levesque, Philip Massey, Bertrand Plez, Knut A. G. Olsen, arXiv:0903.2260 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 25 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal

Super-hard X-Ray Emission from eta Carinae Observed with Suzaku
Akiko Sekiguchi, Masahiro Tsujimoto, Shunji Kitamoto, Manabu Ishida, Kenji Hamaguchi, Hideyuki Mori, Yohko Tsuboi, arXiv:0903.3307 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted for publication in PASJ (10 pages, 7 Postscript figures)

Interestingly they argue that the 15-50 keV emission is either Inverse Compton emission arising between stellar UV photons and non-thermal electrons "or to the thermal bremsstrahlung of very hot plasma, and not to the bremsstrahlung by non-thermal electrons colliding with cold ambient matter."

On the behaviour of stellar winds that exceed the photon-tiring limit
Allard Jan van Marle, Stanley P. Owocki, Nir J. Shaviv, MNRAS, 2009, 394, 595
Full Text: HTML, PDF (Size: 9132K)

A steady-state continuum radiation-driven wind not have a mechanical luminosity exceeding the radiative luminosity at its base (the photon tiring limit). This paper explores non-steady state winds beyond the photon tiring limit. Interesting also w.r.t radiation-driven winds from AGN perhaps?

Unsolved Problems about Supernovae
Nino Panagia, arXiv:0903.3378 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 7 pages, Proceedings of 'Probing Stellar Populations out to the Distant Universe', Cefalu, Italy, Sep 7-19, 2008, AIP Conf. Proc. Series

Three-dimensional numerical model of the Omega Nebula (M17): simulated thermal X-ray emission
J. Reyes-Iturbide, P. F. Velázquez, M. Rosado, A. Rodríguez-González, R. F. González, A. Esquivel, 2009, MNRAS, 394, 1009
Full Text: HTML, PDF (Size: 4758K)

Study of Bubble Nebula using IUE high resolution Spectra
M. Y. Anand, B. A. I Kagali, Jayant Murthy, arXiv:0903.2828 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted in BASI

Interesting. Yet another expansion velocity - bubble size - stellar age anomaly, and this time in a spherical bubble around a main sequence star that really should follow the Weaver bubble model. The dynamical age of a wind blown bubble t_bub = 0.6*R_bub/v_bub, in this case ~3e4 years, which is much smaller than the age of the main sequence O star thought to have blown the bubble (~2e6 years). Yet the expansion velocity of v_bub ~ 36 km/s is high enough that there is no reason to suspect the bubble has stalled, and its near perfect shape does not suggest irregular expansion.

Interesting Astrophysics: Mar 09 to Mar 13

A relatively quiet week in terms of interesting papers and preprints. Of particular note this week are Alonso-Herrero et al's Spitzer observations of NGC 3690, Iwasawa et al's study of Fe XXV emission in LIRGs, and Añorve-Zeferino et al's cluster wind + superbubble paper.

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Galaxies and Starbursts

The Extreme Star Formation Activity of Arp299 Revealed by Spitzer IRS Spectral Mapping
Almudena Alonso-Herrero, George H. Rieke, Luis Colina, Miguel Pereira-Santaella, Macarena Garcia-Marin, J. D. T. Smith, Bernhard Brandl, Vassilis Charmandaris, Lee Armus, arXiv:0903.1495 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: Accepted in ApJ

Arp299 is NGC 3690 + IC694.

High-ionization Fe K emission from luminous infrared galaxies
K. Iwasawa, D. B. Sanders, A. S. Evans, J. M. Massarella, L. Armus, J. A. Surace, arXiv:0903.1503 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 4 pages, 2 figures, ApJ Letters in press

Multiwavelength View of the Inner Spiral of NGC 1365
I. V. Strateva, S. Komossa, arXiv:0903.1548 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 15 pages, submitted to MNRAS

The SINS survey: SINFONI Integral Field Spectroscopy of z ~ 2 Star-forming Galaxies
N.M. Forster Schreiber, R. Genzel, N. Bouche, G. Cresci, R. Davies, P. Buschkamp, K. Shapiro, L. J. Tacconi, E. K. S. Hicks, S. Genel, A. E. Shapley, D. K. Erb, C. C. Steidel, D. Lutz, F. Eisenhauer, S. Gillessen, A. Sternberg, A. Renzini, A. Cimatti, E. Daddi, J. Kurk, S. Lilly, X. Kong, M. D. Lehnert, N. Nesvadba, A. Verma, H. McCracken, N. Arimoto, M. Mignoli, M. Onodera, arXiv:0903.1872 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 66 pages, 34 figures, submitted to Astrophysical Journal

The Star Formation and Nuclear Accretion Histories of Normal Galaxies in the AGES Survey
Casey R. Watson, Christopher S. Kochanek, William R. Forman, Ryan C. Hickox, Christine J. Jones, Michael J. I. Brown, Kate Brand, Arjun Dey, Buell T. Jannuzi, Almus T. Kenter, Steve S. Murray, Alexey Vikhlinin, Daniel J. Eisenstein, Giovani G. Fazio, Paul J. Green, Brian R. McNamara, Marcia Rieke, Joseph C. Shields, arXiv:0903.2219 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 19 pages, 15 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ

Effects of dust abundance on the far-infrared colours of blue compact dwarf galaxies
Hiroyuki Hirashita, Tomohiro T. Ichikawa, arXiv:0903.1946 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

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Black Holes and AGN

The bulk kinetic power of radio jets in active galactic nuclei
Minfeng Gu, Xinwu Cao, D.R. Jiang, arXiv:0903.1896 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: MNRAS accepted

The starburst-AGN connection: the role of young stellar populations in fueling supermassive black holes
Y.-M. Chen, J.-M. Wang, C.-S. Yan, C. Hu, S. Zhang, arXiv:0903.1901 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 4 pages, 2 color figures. ApJ Letters (in press)

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Instrumentation

Fresnel zone plates for Achromatic Imaging Survey of X-ray sources
S. Palit, S. K. Chakrabarti, D. Debnath, V. Yadav, A. Nandi, arXiv:0903.1540 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 4 Pages, 5 Figures, Proceeding of the 2nd Kolkata Conference on "Observational Evidence for the Black Holes in the Universe", Published in AIP, 2008
Journal-ref: 2008AIPC.1053..391P

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Interstellar Medium

Interstellar Dust Models and Evolutionary Implications
B. T. Draine, arXiv:0903.1658 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 20 pages, to appear in "Cosmic Dust -- Near and Far", ed. Th. Henning, E. Grun, J. Steinacker (ASP Conf. Series)

On the X-ray emission from massive star clusters and their evolving superbubbles II. Detailed analytics and observational effects
G. A. Añorve-Zeferino, G. Tenorio-Tagle, S. Silich, arXiv:0903.1678 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: 30 pages, 15 figures. Accepted by MNRAS

The Relation Between Optical Extinction and Hydrogen Column Density in the Galaxy
Tolga Guver, Feryal Ozel, arXiv:0903.2057 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: submitted to MNRAS

They find $N_{\rm H} = (2.30 \pm 0.04) \times 10^{21} \times A_{\rm V}$.

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Stars, Supernovae and Planets

SN 2008S: an electron capture SN from a super-AGB progenitor?
M.T. Botticella, et al, arXiv:0903.1286 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: submitted to MNRAS

The Runaway White Dwarf LP400-22 Has a Companion
Mukremin Kilic, Warren R. Brown, Carlos Allende Prieto, B. Swift, S. J. Kenyon, J. Liebert, M. A. Agueros, arXiv:0903.1843 [ps, pdf, other]
Comments: ApJ Letters, in press