Gamma-ray luminosity function of gamma-ray bright AGNs

Detection of γ-ray emissions from a class of active galactic nuclei （viz blazars）, has been one of the important findings from the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory （CGRO）. However, their γ-ray luminosity function has not been well determined. Few attempts have been made in earlier works, where BL Lacs and Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars （FSRQs） have been considered as a single source class. In this paper, we investigated the evolution and γ-ray luminosity function of FSRQs and BL Lacs separately. Our investigation indicates no evolution for BL Lacs, however FSRQs show significant evolution. Pure luminosity evolution is assumed for FSRQs and exponential and power law evolution models are examined. Due to the small number of sources, the low luminosity end index of the luminosity function for FSRQs is constrained with an upper limit. BL Lac luminosity function shows no signature of break. As a consistency check, the model source distributions derived from these luminosity functions show no significant departure from the observed source distributions.

The X-ray Background (Deep Fields, Luminosity Functions and Type-Ⅱ Quasars)

Deep X ray surveys have shown that the cosmic X ray background (XRB) is largely due to the accretion onto supermassive black holes, integrated over the cosmic time. These surveys have resolved more than 80% of the 0.1-10keV X ray background into discrete sources. Optical spectroscopic identifications show that the sources producing the bulk of the X ray background are a mixture of obscured (type 1) and unobscured (type 2) AGNs, as predicted by the XRB population synthesis models. A class of highly luminous type 2 AGN, so called QSO 2s, has been detected in the deepest Chandra and XMM Newton surveys. The new Chandra AGN redshift distribution peaks at much lower redshifts (z≈0.7) than that based on ROSAT data, indicating that Seyfert galaxies peak at significantly lower redshifts than QSOs.

Schechter Function Model for the QSO Luminosity Function from the SDSS DR7

A study of the optical luminosity function of Quasi Stellar Objects (QSOs) and its evolution with redshift is carried out using the data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Seven (SDSS DR7). It is shown that the observed QSO luminosity function is well fitted by a Schechter function model of the form , where is the break or characteristic luminosity with luminosity evolution characterized by a second order polynomial in red shift. The best fit parameters are determined by using the Levenberg-Marquardt method of nonlinear least square fit.

Long-period eclipsing binaries:towards the true mass-luminosity relation.I.the test sample,observations and data analysis

The mass-luminosity relation is a fundamental law of astrophysics.We have suggested that the currently used mass-luminosity relation is not correct for the M/M⊙>2.7 range of mass since it was created utilizing double-lined eclipsing binaries,where the components are synchronized and consequently change each other's evolutionary path.To exclude this effect,we have started a project to study longperiod massive eclipsing binaries in order to construct radial velocity curves and determine masses for the components.We outline our project and present the selected test sample together with the first HRS/SALT spectral observations and the software package,FITTING BINARY STARS(FBS),that we developed for the analysis of our spectral data.As the first result,we present the radial velocity curves and best-fit orbital elements for the two components of the FP Car binary system from our test sample.

New Probability Distributions in Astrophysics: X. Truncation and Mass-Luminosity Relationship for the Frèchet Distribution

The Frèchet distribution has aided the modelling of scientific data in many contexts. We demonstrate how it can be adapted to model astrophysical data. We analyze the truncated version of the Frèchet distribution deriving the probability density function (PDF), the distribution function, the average value, the rth moment about the origin, the median, the random generation of values and the maximum likelihood estimator, which allows us to derive the two unknown parameters. This first PDF in the regular and truncated version is then applied to model the mass of the stars. A canonical transformation from the mass to the luminosity allows us to derive a new PDF, which is derived in its regular and truncated version. Finally, we apply this new PDF model on the distribution in luminosity of NGC 2362.

New Probability Distributions in Astrophysics: XI. Left Truncation for the Topp-Leone Distribution

The Topp-Leone (T-L) distribution has aided the modeling of scientific data in many contexts. We demonstrate how it can be adapted to model astrophysical data. We analyse the left truncated version of the T-L distribution, deriving its probability density function (PDF), distribution function, average value, rth moment about the origin, median, the random generation of its values, and its maximum likelihood estimator, which allows us to derive the two unknown parameters. The T-L distribution, in its regular and truncated versions, is then applied to model the initial mass function for the stars. A comparison is made with specific clusters and between proposed functions for the IMF. The Topp-Leone distribution can provide an excellent fit in some cases.

Galaxy formation in the reionization epoch as hinted by WideField Camera 3 observations of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field

We present a large sample of candidate galaxies at z ≈ 7 - 10, selected in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field using the new observations of the Wide Field Camera 3 that was recently installed on the Hubble Space Telescope. Our sample is composed of 20 z850-dropouts （four new discoveries）, 15 Y105-dropouts （nine new discoveries） and 20 J125-dropouts （all new discoveries）. The surface densities of the Z850-dropouts are close to what was predicted by earlier studies, however, those of the Y105- and J125-dropouts are quite unexpected. While no Y105- or J125-dropouts have been found at AB ≤ 28.0 mag, their surface densities seem to increase sharply at fainter levels. While some of these candidates seem to be close to foreground galaxies and thus could possibly be gravitationally lensed, the overall surface densities after excluding such cases are still much higher than what would be expected if the luminosity function does not evolve from z ～ 7 to 10. Motivated by such steep increases, we tentatively propose a set of Schechter function parameters to describe the luminosity functions at z ≈8 and 10. As compared to their counterpart at z ≈ 7, here L^＊ decreases by a factor of ～ 6.5 and Ф^＊ increases by a factor of 17-90. Although such parameters are not yet demanded by the existing observations, they are allowed and seem to agree with the data better than other alternatives. If these luminosity functions are still valid beyond our current detection limit, this would imply a sudden emergence of a large number of low-luminosity galaxies when looking back in time to z ≈ 10, which, while seemingly exotic, would naturally fit in the picture of the cosmic hydrogen reionization. These early galaxies could easily account for the ionizing photon budget required by the reionization, and they would imply that the global star formation rate density might start from a very high value at z ≈ 10, rapidly reach the minimum at z≈ 7, and start to rise again towards z ≈ 6. In this scenario, the majority of the stellar mass that the universe assembled through the reionization epoch seems still undetected by current observations at z ≈ 6.

The simplest way to get a cluster's parameters in the Gaia era(Dolidze 41)

The astro-photometric parameters of the open star cluster Dolidze 41, which is located in the constellation Cygnus, have been investigated using the Gaia DR2 large survey that is merged with the near infrared Two Micron All Sky Survey(2 MASS) database.The radial density distribution(limited,core and tidal radii), color-magnitude diagrams, galactocentric coordinates, distances, color excess and age of Dolidze 41 are presented.The Gaia DR2 astrometry helped us to define the membership of the cluster stars easily.The luminosity and mass functions, the entire luminosity and mass, and the relaxation time of the cluster have been estimated as well.

Evaluating Helium Variations By Modeling Red Giant Branch Bump of Large Magellanic Cluster NGC 1978

Many evidences show that the Multiple Population(MP)features exist not only in old clusters but also in intermediate-age clusters in the Megallanic Clouds(MCs),which are characterized by star-to-star abundance scatter of several elements,including helium(He).The red giant branch bump(RGBB)’s photometric properties are proved to be related to the variation in helium abundances of the member stars in star clusters.We use the"Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics"(MESA)stellar evolution code to calculate the evolution sequences of stars along the red giant branch(RGB)with changing helium content.Following the RGB sequences,we then generate a luminosity function of the RGB stars within the grid of input helium abundances,which are compared with the observational data of an intermediate-age MC cluster NGC 1978.

Constraining Mass of M31 Combing Kinematics of Stars,Planetary Nebulae and Globular clusters

We construct a multiple-population discrete axisymmetric Jeans model for the Andromeda(M31)galaxy,considering three populations of kinematic tracers:48 supergiants and 721 planetary nebulae(PNe)in the bulge and disk regions,554 globular clusters extending to~30 kpc,and halo stars extending to~150 kpc of the galaxy.The three populations of tracers are organized in the same gravitational potential,while each population is allowed to have its own spatial distribution,rotation,and internal velocity anisotropy.The gravitational potential is a combination of stellar mass and a generalized NFW dark matter halo.We created two sets of models,one with a cusped dark matter halo and one with a cored dark matter halo.Both the cusped and cored model fit kinematics of all the three populations well,but the cored model is not preferred due to a too high concentration compared to that predicted from cosmological simulations.With a cusped dark matter halo,we obtained total stellar mass of 1.0±0.1×10^(11)M_(☉),dark matter halo virial mass of M_(200)=7.0±0.9×10^(11)M_(☉),virial radius of r_(200)=184±4 kpc,and concentration of c=20±4.The mass of M31 we obtained is at the lower side of the allowed ranges in the literature and consistent with the previous results obtained from the HⅠrotation curve and PNe kinematics.Velocity dispersion profile of the outer stellar halo is important in constraining the total mass while it is still largely uncertain.Further proper motion of bright sources from Gaia or the Chinese Space Station Telescope might help on improving the data and lead to stronger constraints on the total mass of M31.

Infrared Galaxies in the Nearby Universe

We used the Sloan Digital Sky Survey （SDSS） Data Release 5 （DR5） to study the morphological properties of 1137 nearby infrared （IR） galaxies, most of which are brighter than 15.9 mag in r-band. This sample was drawn from a cross-correlation of the Infra-Red Astronomical Satellite （IRAS） point source catalog redshift survey with DR5 at z ≤ 0.08. Based on this IR galaxy sample, we constructed five volume-limited sub-samples with IR luminosity ranging from 10^9.5 L⊙ to 10^12L⊙. By deriving the IR luminosity functions （LF） for different morphological types, we found that normal spiral galaxies are the dominant population below LIR ~ 8 ~ 10^10 L⊙; while the fraction of barred spiral galaxies increases with increasing IR luminosity and becomes dominant in spiral galaxies beyond LIR ≈ 5 × 10^10L⊙. As the IR luminosity decreases, the IR galaxies become more compact and have lower stellar masses. The analysis also shows that normal spiral galaxies give the dominant contribution to the total comoving IR energy density in the nearby universe, while, in contrast, the contribution from peculiar galaxies is only 39%.

Contribution from normal and starburst galaxies to the extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGRB)

The extragalactic diffuse emission at γ-ray energies has interesting cosmological implications since these photons suffer little or no attenuation during their propagation from the site of origin. The emission could originate from either truly diffuse processes or from unresolved point sources such as AGNs, normal galaxies and starburst galaxies. Here, we examine the unresolved point source origin of the extragalactic γ-ray background emission from normal galaxies and starburst galaxies. γ-ray emission from normal galaxies is primarily coming from cosmic-ray interactions with interstellar matter and radiation （-90%） along with a small contribution from discrete point sources （-10%）. Starburst galaxies are expected to have enhanced supernovae activity which leads to higher cosmic-ray densities, making starburst galaxies sufficiently luminous atγ-ray energies to be detected by the current γ-ray mission （Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope）.

A Reinvestigation of the Physical Properties of Pismis 3 based on 2MASS Photometry

As a continuation of a series of work, we aim to refine and re-determine the physical parameters of previously rarely or un-studied open star clusters with good quality CMDs using Near-IR JHK photometry. Here we present a morphological analysis of the 2MASS database （the digital ＂Two Micron All Sky Survey＂） for the open cluster Pismis 3. Some of the physical parameters are estimated for the first time, and some others, re-determined.