HI in High Gas-phase Metallicity Dwarf Galaxy WISEA J230615.06+143927.9

We present resolved Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope H I observations of the high gas-phase metallicity dwarf galaxy WISEA J230615.06+143927.9(z = 0.005)(hereafter J2306) and investigate whether it could be a Tidal Dwarf Galaxy(TDG) candidate. TDGs are observed to have higher metallicities than normal dwarfs. J2306 has an unusual combination of a blue g-r color of 0.23 mag, irregular optical morphology and high-metallicity(12 +log(O/H) = 8.68 ± 0.14), making it an interesting galaxy to study in more detail. We find J2306 to be an H I rich galaxy with a large extended, unperturbed rotating H I disk. Using our H I data we estimated its dynamical mass and found the galaxy to be dark matter(DM) dominated within its H I radius. The quantity of DM, inferred from its dynamical mass, appears to rule out J2306 as an evolved TDG. A wide area environment search reveals J2306 to be isolated from any larger galaxies which could have been the source of its high gas metallicity. Additionally, the H I morphology and kinematics of the galaxy show no indication of a recent merger to explain the high-metallicity.Further detailed optical spectroscopic observations of J2306 might provide an answer to how a seemingly ordinary irregular dwarf galaxy achieved such a high level of metal enrichment.

Mock X-Ray Observations of Hot Gas with L-Galaxies Semi-analytic Models of Galaxy Formation

We create mock X-ray observations of hot gas in galaxy clusters with a new extension of the L-Galaxies semianalytic model of galaxy formation,which includes the radial distribution of hot gas in each halo.Based on the model outputs,we first build some mock light cones,then generate mock spectra with the SOXS package and derive the mock images in the light cones.Using the mock data,we simulate mock X-ray spectra for the ROSAT all-sky survey,and compare the mock spectra with the observational results.Then,we consider the design parameters of the HUBS mission and simulate the observation of the halo hot gas for HUBS as an important application of our mock work.We find:(1)our mock data match the observations by current X-ray telescopes.(2)The survey of hot baryons in resolved clusters by HUBS is effective below redshift 0.5,and the observations of the emission lines in point-like sources at z>0.5 by HUBS help us understand the hot baryons in the early universe.(3)By taking advantage of the large simulation box and flexibility in semi-analytic models,our mock X-ray observations provide the opportunity to select targets and observation strategies for forthcoming X-ray facilities.

Distributions of Neutron Exposures in AGB Stars and the Galaxy

Based on the s-process nucleosynthesis model with the 13C（α, n）16O reaction occurring under radiative conditions in the interpulse phases, we investigate the characteristics of the distribution of neutron exposure in low-mass Asymptotic Giant Branch （AGB） stars. We introduce a new concept, the distribution of neutron exposures of the Galaxy （NEG）, to study the chemical evolution characteristics of the Galaxy for s-process elements. Using a chemical evolution model of the Galaxy, we develop a model for the NEG and obtain the evolution results of the NEG in different epochs. The present results appear to reasonably reproduce the distribution of neutron exposures of the solar system （hereafter NES）. The main component and the strong component in the NES are built up in different epochs. The strong component of the s-process is mainly synthesised in the low-mass and metal-poor AGB stars, and the main component is produced by the s-process in the low-mass AGB stars with higher metallicities.

Systematic Errors Induced by the Elliptical Power-law model in Galaxy–Galaxy Strong Lens Modeling

The elliptical power-law model of the mass in a galaxy is widely used in strong gravitational lensing analyses.However,the distribution of mass in real galaxies is more complex.We quantify the biases due to this model mismatch by simulating and then analyzing mock Hubble Space Telescope imaging of lenses with mass distributions inferred from SDSS-Ma NGA stellar dynamics data.We find accurate recovery of source galaxy morphology,except for a slight tendency to infer sources to be more compact than their true size.The Einstein radius of the lens is also robustly recovered with 0.1%accuracy,as is the global density slope,with 2.5%relative systematic error,compared to the 3.4%intrinsic dispersion.However,asymmetry in real lenses also leads to a spurious fitted"external shear"with typical strengthγext=0.015.Furthermore,time delays inferred from lens modeling without measurements of stellar dynamics are typically underestimated by~5%.Using such measurements from a sub-sample of 37 lenses would bias measurements of the Hubble constant H0 by~9%.Although this work is based on a particular set of Ma NGA galaxies,and the specific value of the detected biases may change for another set of strong lenses,our results strongly suggest the next generation cosmography needs to use more complex lens mass models.

Made-to-measure galaxy modelling utilising absorption line strength data

We enhance the Syer ＆ Tremaine made-to-measure （M2M） particle method of stellar dynamical modelling to model simultaneously both kinematic data and absorption line strength data, thus creating a ＇chemo-M2M＇ modelling scheme. We apply the enhanced method to four galaxies （NGC 1248, NGC 3838, NGC 4452, NGC 4551） observed using the SAURON integral-field spectrograph as part of the ATLAS3D programme. We are able to reproduce successfully the 2D line strength data achieving mean X2 per bin values of ≈ 1 with 〉 95% of particles having converged weights. Because M2M uses a 3D particle system, we are also able to examine the underlying 3D line strength distributions. The extent to which these dis- tributions are plausible representations of real galaxies requires further consideration. Overall, we consider the modelling exercise to be a promising first step in developing a ＇chemo-M2M＇ modelling system and in understanding some of the issues to be addressed. While the made-to-measure techniques developed have been applied to absorption line strength data, they are in fact general and may be of value in modelling other aspects of galaxies.

Possible Streams of the Globular Clusters in the Galaxy

We aim to retrieve ghost streams under the assumption that all the globular clusters in our Galaxy were formed in very early merge events. Our results are based on two speculations： that the specific energy and angular momentum of the globular clusters after merge are not changed in the course of evolution and that the globular clusters with a common origin would stay in the same orbit plane as the parent galaxy. After taking into account the apogalacticum distance of the orbits, we suggest with some Confidence five possible streams. The number of streams is consistent with the previous results. Three of the four well established members of the Sagittadus stream were found to be in one of our streams. Several other globular clusters in our result were also thought to come from accretion by previous researchers. The orbital parameters of the streams are derived, which provide a way to test whether these streams are true with the help of more accurate measurement of proper motions of the globular clusters.

Stellar kinematics and populations out to 1.5 effective radii in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4636

We present high quality long slit spectra along the major and minor axes out to 1.5 effective radii of the massive galaxy NGC 4636 taken by the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. Using the Fourier Correlation Quotient method, we measured the stellar line-of-sight velocity distribution along the axes. Furthermore, six Lick/IDS indices （Hβ, Mgb, Fe5015, Fe5270, Fe5335, Fe5406） are derived from the clean spectrum. By comparing the measured absorption line strengths with the predictions of Simple Stellar Population （SSP） models, we derived ages, total metallicity and a abundance profiles of the galaxy. This galaxy presents old and [α/Fe] overabundant stellar populations. Indeed, using the SSP model, we obtained the broadband color profiles. The theoretical colors match well with the measured colors and present red sharp peaks at the galaxy center. The sharp peaks of the colors are mainly shaped by the high metallicity in the galaxy＇s center. Interestingly, the galaxy has steep negative metaUicity gradients, but the trend flattens outwards. This result likely suggests that the center and outer regions of the galaxy formed through different formation processes.

Galaxy Formation and Chemical Evolution

The manner the galaxy accretes matter, along with the star formation rates at different epochs, influences the evolution of the stable isotopic inventories of the galaxy. A detailed analysis is presented here to study the dependence of the galactic chemical evolution on the accretion scenario of the galaxy along with the star formation rate during the early accretionary phase of the galactic thick disk and thin disk. Our results indicate that a rapid early accretion of the galaxy during the formation of the galactic thick disk along with an enhanced star formation rate in the early stages of the galaxy accretion could explain the majority of the galactic chemical evolution trends of the major elements. Further, we corroborate the recent suggestions regarding the formation of a massive galactic thick disk rather than the earlier assumed low mass thick disk.

Stellar and HI Mass Functions Predicted by a Simple Preheating Galaxy Formation Model

According to the new preheating mechanism of galaxy formation suggested by Mo et al., we construct a simple model of formation of disk galaxies within the current paradigm of galaxy formation. It incorporates preheating, gas cooling, bulge formation and star for- mation. The predicted stellar and HI mass functions of galaxies are discussed and compared with the observations. It is found that our model can roughly match both the observed galaxy luminosity function and the observed HI-mass function.

A Chandra study of the massive, distant galaxy cluster SDSS J0150–1005

We present a study of a fossil cluster,SDSS J0150–1005（z 0.364）,with high spatial resolution based on the imaging spectroscopic analysis of Chandra observations.The Chandra X-ray image shows a relaxed and symmetric morphology,which indicates that SDSS J0150–1005 is a well-developed galaxy cluster with no sign of a recent merger.According to the isothermal model,its global gas temperature is 5.73±0.80 keV,and the virial mass is 6.23±1.34×1014M⊙.Compared with the polytropic temperature model,the mass calculated based on the isothermal model is overestimated by 49%±11.The central gas entropy,S0.1 r200=143.9±18.3 keV cm2,is significantly lower than the average value of normal galaxy clusters with similar temperatures.Our results indicate that SDSS J0150–1005 formed during an early epoch.

Metal enrichment via ram pressure stripping in the IGM of the compact galaxy group RGH 80

By creating and analyzing two dimensional gas temperature and abundance maps of the RGH 80 compact galaxy group with high-quality Chandra data,we detect a high-abundance （ 0.7 Z⊙） arc,where the metal abundance is significantly higher than the surrounding regions by 0.3Z⊙.This structure shows tight spatial correlations with the member galaxy PGC 046529,as well as with the arm-like feature identified on the X-ray image in the previous work of Randall et al.（2009）.Since no apparent signature of AGN activity is found to be associated with PGC 046529 in multi-band observations,and the gas temperature,metallicity,and mass of the high-abundance arc resemble those of the ISM of typical early-type galaxies,we conclude that this high-abundance structure is the remnant of the ISM of PGC 046529,which was stripped out of the galaxy by ram pressure stripping due to the motion of PGC 046529 in RGH 80.This novel case shows that ram pressure stripping can work as efficiently in the metal enrichment process in galaxy groups as it can in galaxy clusters.

Molecular Oxygen Abundance in Galactic Massive Star Formation Regions Based on SWAS Observations

Molecular oxygen abundance is a key parameter in understanding the chemical network of the interstellar medium.We estimate the molecular oxygen column density and abundance for a sample of Galactic massive star formation regions based on observations from the Submillimiter Wave Astronomy Satellite(SWAS)survey.We obtained an averaged O_(2)spectrum based on this sample using the(SWAS)survey data(O_(2),487.249 GHz,N=3-1,J=3-2).No emission or absorption feature is seen around the supposed central velocity with a total integration time of t_(total)=8.67×10^(3)hr and an rms noise per channel of 1.45 m K.Assuming a kinetic temperature T_(kin)=30 K,we derive the 3σupper limit of the O_(2)column density to be 3.3×10^(15)cm^(-2),close to the lowest values reported in Galactic massive star formation regions in previous studies.The corresponding O_(2)abundance upper limit is6.7×10^(-8),lower than all previous results based on SWAS observations and is close to the lowest reported value in massive star formation regions.On a galactic scale,our statistical results confirm a generally low O_(2)abundance for Galactic massive star formation regions.This abundance is also lower than results reported in extragalactic sources.

Cosmological Constraints on Neutrino Masses in Light of JWST Red and Massive Candidate Galaxies

The overabundance of the red and massive candidate galaxies observed by the James Webb Space Telescope(JWST)implies efficient structure formation or large star formation efficiency at high redshift z~10.In the scenario of a low or moderate star formation efficiency,because massive neutrinos tend to suppress the growth of structure of the universe,the JWST observation tightens the upper bound of the neutrino masses.Assuming A cold dark matter cosmology and a star formation efficiency∈[0.05,0.3](flat prior),we perform joint analyses of Planck+JWST and Planck+BAO+JWST,and obtain improved constraints∑m_(ν)<0.196 eV and ∑m_(ν)+<0.111 eV at 95% confidence level,respectively.Based on the above assumptions,the inverted mass ordering,which implies ∑m_(ν)≥0.1 eV,is excluded by Planck+BAO+JWST at 92.7% confidence level.

Quantifying the Tension between Cosmological Models and JWST Red Candidate Massive Galaxies

We develop a Python tool to estimate the tail distribution of the number of dark matter halos beyond a mass threshold and in a given volume in a light-cone.The code is based on the extended Press-Schechter model and is computationally efficient,typically taking a few seconds on a personal laptop for a given set of cosmological parameters.The high efficiency of the code allows a quick estimation of the tension between cosmological models and the red candidate massive galaxies released by the James Webb Space Telescope,as well as scanning the theory space with the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method.As an example application,we use the tool to study the cosmological implication of the candidate galaxies presented in Labbéet al.The standard Λcold dark matter(ΛCDM)model is well consistent with the data if the star formation efficiency can reach~0.3 at high redshift.For a low star formation efficiency ε~0.1,theΛCDM model is disfavored at~2σ-3σconfidence level.

The Origin, Properties and Detection of Dark Matter and Dark Energy

The pictures from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) suggest that massive galaxies were already at the beginning of the expansion of the Universe because there was too short time to create them. It is consistent with the new cosmology presented within the Scale-Symmetric Theory (SST). The phase transitions of the initial inflation field described in SST lead to the Protoworld—its core was built of dark matter (DM). We show that the DAMA/LIBRA annual-modulation amplitude forced by the change of the Earth’s velocity (i.e. baryonic-matter (BM) velocity) in relation to the spinning DM field in our Galaxy’s halo should be very low. We calculated that in the DM-BM weak interactions are created single and entangled spacetime condensates with a lowest mass/energy of 0.807 keV—as the Higgs boson they can decay to two photons, so we can indirectly detect DM. Our results are consistent with the averaged DAMA/LIBRA/COSINE-100 curve describing the dependence of the event rate on the photon energy in single-hit events. We calculated the mean dark-matter-halo (DMH) mass around quasars, we also described the origin of the plateaux in the rotation curves for the massive spiral galaxies, the role of DM-loops in magnetars, the origin of CMB, the AGN-jet and galactic-halo production, and properties of dark energy (DE).

Radioactive Ages of Metal-Poor Halo Stars

The abundances of long-lived radioactive elements Th and U observed in metal-poor halo stars can be used as chronometers to determine the age of individual stars, and hence set a lower limit on the age of the Galaxy and hence of the universe. This radioactive dating requires the zero-decay productions of Th and U, which involves complicated r-process nucleosynthesis calculations. Several parametric r-process models have been used to calculate the initial abundance ratios of Th/Eu and U/Th, but, due to the sharp sensitivity of these models to nuclear physics inputs, the calculations have relatively large uncertainties which lead to large uncertainties in the age determinations. In order to reduce these uncertainties, we present a simple method to estimate the initial productions of Th and U, which only depends on the solar system abundances and the stellar abundances of stable r-process elements. From our calculations of the initial abundance ratios of Th/Eu and U/Th, we re-estimate the ages of those very metal-poor halo stars with published abundances of Th and U. Our age estimates are consistent, within the errors, with the other age determinations derived from r-process models, and offer useful constrains for r-process theoretical calculations. The advantages and limitations of our simple method of radioactive dating are discussed.

HIKER:a halo-finding method based on kernel-shift algorithm

We introduce a new halo/subhalo finder,HIKER(a Halo fInder based on KERnel-shift algorithm),which takes advantage of a machine learning method–the mean-shift algorithm combined with the Plummer kernel function,to effectively locate density peaks corresponding to halos/subhalos in density field.Based on these density peaks,dark matter halos are identified as spherical overdensity structures,and subhalos are bound substructures with boundaries at their tidal radius.By testing HIKER code with mock halos,we show that HIKER performs excellently in recovering input halo properties.In particular,HIKER has higher accuracy in locating halo/subhalo centres than most halo finders.With cosmological simulations,we further show that HIKER reproduces the abundance of dark matter halos and subhalos quite accurately,and the HIKER halo/subhalo mass functions and Vmax functions are in good agreement with two widely used halo finders,SUBFIND and AHF.

The pairwise velocity difference of over 2000 BHB stars in the Milky Way halo

Models of hierarchical galaxy formation predict that the extended stellar halos of galaxies like our Milky Way show a great deal of sub-structure, arising from disrupted satellites. Spatial sub-structure is directly observed, and has been quantified, in the Milky Way＇s stellar halo. Phase-space conservation implies that there should be sub-structure in position-velocity space. Here, we aim to quantify such position-velocity sub-structure, using a state-of-the art data set having over 2000 blue horizontal branch （BHB） stars with photometry and spectroscopy from SDSS. For stars in dynamically cold streams （＂young＂ streams）, we expect that pairs of objects that are physically close also have similar velocities. Therefore, we apply the well-established ＂pairwise velocity difference＂ （PVD） statistic （｜ △Vlos ｜） （△r）, where we expect （｜ △Vlos ｜） to drop for small separations At. We calculate the PVD for the SDSS BHB sample and find 〈｜ △Vlos ｜〉（△r） ≈ const., i.e. no such signal. By making mock-observations of the simulations by Bullock ＆ Johnston and applying the same statistic, we show that for individual, dynamically young streams, or assemblages of such streams, （｜ △Vlos ｜） drops for small distance separations At, as qualitatively expected. However, for a realistic complete set of halo streams, the pair-wise velocity difference shows no signal, as the simulated halos are dominated by ＂dynamically old＂ phase-mixed streams. Our findings imply that the sparse sampling and the sample sizes in SDSS DR6 are still insufficient to use the position-velocity sub-structure for a stringent quantitative data-model comparison. Therefore, alternate statistics must be explored and much more densely sampled surveys, dedicated to the structure of the Milky Way, such as LAMOST, are needed.

Detection of a Physical Difference between the CDM Halos in Simulation and in Nature

Numerical simulation is an important tool that is helpful for us to understand the process of structure formation in the universe. However, many simulation results of cold dark matter （CDM） halos on a small scale are inconsistent with observations： the central density profile is too cuspy and there are too many substructures, Here we point out that both the problems may be connected with a hitherto unrecognized bias in the simulated halos. Although CDM halos in nature and in simulation are both virialized systems of collisionless CDM particles, gravitational encounter cannot be neglected in the simulated halos because they contain many fewer particles. We demonstrate this by two numerical experiments, showing that there is a difference on the microcosmic scale between the natural and simulated halos. The simulated halo is more akin to globular clusters where gravitational encounter is known to lead to such drastic phenomena as core collapse. Such an artificial core collapse process appears to link the two problems together in the bottom-up scenario of structure formation in the ACDM universe. The discovery of this bias also has implications on the applicability of the Jeans theorem in galactic dynamics.

Subhalo Abundance and Satellite Spatial Distribution in Milky Way-Andromeda-like Paired Haloes

We study the subhalo and satellite populations in haloes similar to the Milky Way(MW)-Andromeda paired configuration in the Millennium II and P-Millennium simulations.We find subhaloes are 5%–15%more abundant in paired haloes than their isolated counterparts that have the same halo mass and large-scale environmental density.Paired haloes tend to reside in a more isotropic environment than isolated haloes,the shear tensor of their large-scale tidal field is possibly responsible for this difference.We also study the thickness of the spatial distribution of the top 11 most massive satellite galaxies obtained in the semi-analytic galaxy sample constructed from the Millennium II simulation.Moreover,satellites that have lost their host subhaloes due to the resolution limit of the simulation have been taken into account.As a result,we find that the difference in the distribution of the satellite thickness between isolated and paired haloes is indistinguishable,which suggests that the paired configuration is not responsible for the observed plane of satellites in the MW.The results in this study indicate the paired configuration could bring some nonnegligible effect on the subhalo abundance in the investigation of the MW's satellite problems.