Beecroft Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology

Abstract:

We report on measurements of the cosmological constant, Λ, and the redshift space distortion parameter β= Ωm0.6/b, based on an analysis of the quasi-stellar object (QSO) power spectrum parallel and perpendicular to the observer's line of sight, Ps(k≺, k⊥), from the final catalogue of the Two-Degree Field (2dF) QSO Redshift Survey. We derive a joint Λ - β constraint from the geometric and redshift-space distortions in the power spectrum. By combining this result with a second constraint based on mass clustering evolution, we break this degeneracy and obtain strong constraints on both parameters. Assuming a flat (Ωm + Ωλ = 1) cosmology and a Λ cosmology r(z) function to convert from redshift into comoving distance, we find best-fitting values of Ωλ = 0.71 -0.17+0.09 and βq(z ∼ 1.4) = 0.45 -0.11+0.09 Assuming instead an Einstein-de Sitter cosmology r(z) we find that the best-fitting model obtained, with Ω λ = 0.64+0.16+0.11 and β q(z ∼ 1.4) = 0-40-0.09+0.09, is consistent with the Λ r(z) results, and inconsistent with a Ω λ = 0 flat cosmology at over 95 per cent confidence.

Abstract:

Under ideal MHD conditions the magnetic field strength should be correlated with density in the interstellar medium (ISM). However, observations indicate that this correlation is weak. Ambipolar diffusion can decrease the flux-to-mass ratio in weakly ionized media; however, it is generally thought to be too slow to play a significant role in the ISM except in the densest molecular clouds. Turbulence is often invoked in astrophysical problems to increase transport rates above the (very slow) laminar values predicted by kinetic theory. We describe a series of numerical experiments addressing the problem of turbulent transport of magnetic fields in weakly ionized gases. We show, subject to various geometrical and physical restrictions, that turbulence in a weakly ionized medium rapidly diffuses the magnetic flux-to-mass ratio B/ρ through the buildup of appreciable ion-neutral drifts on small scales. These results are applicable to the field strength-density correlation in the ISM, as well as the merging of flux systems such as protostar and accretion disk fields or protostellar jets with ambient matter, and the vertical transport of galactic magnetic fields.

Abstract:

Assessment of cell-mediated toxicity has traditionally been achieved by measuring the specific activity of enriched effector cell populations against antigen-loaded target cells labeled with radioactive isotopes in vitro. Fluorometric techniques are viewed as a promising alternative to the use of radioactive isotopes for these analyses. Direct assessment of cytotoxicity in vivo can be achieved by monitoring survival of injected fluorescent targets relative to a differentially labeled internal control population without specific antigen. We have developed this approach, incorporating the use of multiple target cell populations labeled with different dyes so that cytotoxicity can be assessed against titrated doses of a given antigen, or against a range of different antigens, simultaneously. We show that this assay, referred to as the VITAL assay, can be used to assess cytotoxic activity of CTL and iNKT cells in vivo and in vitro. CTL responses measured in vivo could be correlated with antigen doses used in immunization strategies, and also with the size of specific CTL populations enumerated in the blood with fluorescent MHC/peptide tetramers. The VITAL assay is, therefore, a sensitive technique allowing analysis of complex multi-epitope responses.

Abstract:

We present results of a Gemini adaptive optics (AO) imaging program to investigate the host galaxies of typical QSOs at z~2. Our aim is to study the host galaxies of typical, L*_qso QSOs at the epoch of peak QSO and star formation activity. The large database of faint QSOs provided by the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey allows us to select a sample of QSOs at z=1.75-2.5 which have nearby (<12 arcsecond separation) bright stars suitable for use as AO guide stars. We have observed a sample of 9 QSOs. The images of these sources have AO corrected full-width at half-maximum of between 0.11 and 0.25 arcseconds. We use multiple observations of point spread function (PSF) calibration star pairs in order to quantify any uncertainty in the PSF. We then factored these uncertainties into our modelling of the QSO plus host galaxy. In only one case did we convincingly detect a host (2QZ J133311.4+001949, at z=1.93). This host galaxy has K=18.5+-0.2 mag with a half-light radius, r_e=0.55+-0.1'', equivalent to ~3L*_gal assuming a simple passively evolving model. From detailed simulations of our host galaxy modelling process, we find that for four of our targets we should be sensitive to host galaxies that are equivalent to ~2L*_gal (passively evolved). Our non-detections therefore place tight constraints on the properties of L*_qso QSO host galaxies, which can be no brighter (after allowing for passive evolution) than the host galaxies of L*_qso AGN at low redshift, although the QSOs themselves are a factor of ~50 brighter. This implies that either the fueling efficiency is much greater at high redshift, or that more massive black holes are active at high redshift.