Astronomical instrumentation

Abstract:

© 2013, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. We report on HiZELS, the High-z Emission Line Survey, our successful panoramic narrow-band campaign survey using WFCAM on UKIRT to detect and study emission line galaxies at z ∼ 1–9. HiZELS employs the H 2 (S1) narrow-band filter together with custom-made narrow-band filters in the J and H-bands, with the primary aim of delivering large identically-selected samples of Hα emitting galaxies at redshifts of 0.84, 1.47 and 2.23. Comparisons between the luminosity function, the host galaxy properties, the clustering, and the variation with environment of these Hα-selected samples are yielding unique constraints on the nature and evolution of star-forming galaxies, across the peak epoch of star formation activity in the Universe. We provide a summary of the project status, and detail the main scientific results obtained so far: the measurement of the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate density out to z < 2 using a single star formation indicator, determination of the morphologies, environments and dust content of the star-forming galaxies, and a detailed investigation of the evolution of their clustering properties. We also summarise the on-going work and future goals of the project.

Abstract:

SWIFT is a visible light (650-1000nm) integral field spectorgaph fed by the Palomar extreme adaptive optics system PALM3K. With a subaperture spacing of 8cm, PALM3K is capable of delivering diffraction limited performance even in the visible. With SWIFT providing spatially resolved spectroscopy at R=4000, this provides a truly unique facility for high resolution science in three dimensions. We present here some results from the first year of PALM3K+SWIFT science. We also report on our experience of operating a small field of view instrument (1"x0.5") with a high performance AO system, and hope the lessons learned will provide valuable input to designing successful and productive AO plus Instrument combinations for ELTs.

Abstract:

The ATLAS experiment has observed 1995 Z boson candidates in data corresponding to 0:15 nb-1 of integrated luminosity obtained in the 2011 LHC Pb + Pb run at √SNN = 2.76 TeV. The Z bosons are reconstructed via dielectron and dimuon decay channels, with a background contamination of less than 3%. Results from the two channels are consistent and are combined. Within the statistical and systematic uncertainties, the per-event Z boson yield is proportional to the number of binary collisions estimated by the Glauber model. The elliptic anisotropy of the azimuthal distribution of the Z boson with respect to the event plane is found to be consistent with zero.

Abstract:

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC has measured the production cross section of events with two isolated photons in the final state, in proton-proton collisions at √s=7TeV . The full data set collected in 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb-1, is used. The amount of background, from hadronic jets and isolated electrons, is estimated with data-driven techniques and subtracted. The total cross section, for two isolated photons with transverse energies above 25 GeV and 22 GeV respectively, in the acceptance of the electromagnetic calorimeter (|η| < 1.37 and 1.52 < |η| < 2.37) and with an angular separation ΔR > 0.4, is 44.0-4.2+3.2 pb. The differential cross sections as a function of the di-photon invariant mass, transverse momentum, azimuthal separation, and cosine of the polar angle of the largest transverse energy photon in the Collins-Soper di-photon rest frame are also measured. The results are compared to the prediction of leading-order parton-shower and next-to-leading-order and next-to-next-to-leading-order parton-level generators.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration.

Abstract:

Measurements of the production of jets of particles in association with a Z boson in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV are presented, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb-1 collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Inclusive and differential jet cross sections in Z events, with Z decaying into electron or muon pairs, are measured for jets with transverse momentum p T > 30 GeV and rapidity |y| < 4.4. The results are compared to next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations, and to predictions from different Monte Carlo generators based on leading-order and next-to-leading-order matrix elements supplemented by parton showers. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration.