Galaxy formation and evolution

Abstract:

In the context of the CNOC1 cluster survey, redshifts were obtained for galaxies in 16 clusters. The resulting sample is ideally suited for an analysis of the internal velocity and mass distribution of clusters. Previous analyses of this data set used the Jeans equation to model the projected velocity dispersion profile. However, the results of such an analysis always yield a strong degeneracy between the mass density profile and the velocity dispersion anisotropy profile. Here we analyze the full (R, v) data set of galaxy positions and velocities in an attempt to break this degeneracy. We build an "ensemble cluster" from the individual clusters under the assumption that they form a homologous sequence; if clusters are not homologous then our results are probably still valid in an average sense. To interpret the data we study a one-parameter family of spherical models with different constant velocity dispersion anisotropy, chosen to all provide the same acceptable fit to the projected velocity dispersion profile. The best-fit model is sought using a variety of statistics, including the likelihood of the data set and the shape and Gauss-Hermite moments of the grand-total velocity histogram. The confidence regions and goodness of fit for the best-fit model are determined using Monte Carlo simulations. Although the results of our analysis depend slightly on which statistic is used to judge the models, all statistics agree that the best-fit model is close to isotropic. For none of the statistics does the 1 σ confidence region extend below σr/σt = 0.74, or above σr/σt, = 1.05. This result derives primarily from the fact that the observed grand-total velocity histogram is close to Gaussian, which is not expected to be the case for a strongly anisotropic model. The best-fitting models have a mass-to-number density ratio that is approximately independent of radius over the range constrained by the data. They also have a mass density profile that is consistent with the dark matter halo profile advocated by Navarro, Frenk, & White in terms of both the profile shape and the characteristic scale length. This adds important new weight to the evidence that clusters do indeed follow this proposed universal mass density profile. We present a detailed discussion of a number of possible uncertainties in our analysis, including our treatment of interlopers and brightest cluster galaxies, our use of a restricted one-parameter family of distribution functions, our use of spherical models for what is in reality an ensemble of nonspherical clusters, and our assumption that clusters form a homologous set. These issues all constitute important approximations in our analysis. However, none of the tests that we have done indicates that these approximations influence our results at a significant level.

Abstract:

SINFONI, the SINgle Faint Object Near-infrared Investigation, is an instrument for the Very Large Telescope (VLT), which will start its operation mid 2002 and allow for the first time near infrared (NIR) integral field spectroscopy at the diffraction limit of an 8-m telescope. SINFONI is the combination of two state-of-the art instruments, the integral field spectrometer SPIFFI, built by the Max-Planck-Institut fur extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), and the adaptive optics (AO) system MACAO, built by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). It will allow a unique type of observations by delivering simultaneously high spatial resolution (pixel sizes 0".025 to 0".25) and a moderate spectral resolution (R similar to 2000 to R similar to 4500), where the higher spectral resolution mode will allow for software OH suppression. This opens new prospects for astronomy.

Abstract:

One of the most important techniques for astrophysics with adaptive optics is the ability to do spectroscopy at diffraction limited scales. The extreme difficulty of positioning a faint target accurately on a very narrow slit can be avoided by using an integral field unit, which provides the added benefit of full spatial coverage. During 1998, working with ALFA and the 3D integral field spectrometer, we demonstrated the validity of this technique by extracting and distinguishing spectra from binary stars separated by only 0.26 ". The combination of ALFA&3D is also ideally suited to imaging distant galaxies or the nuclei of nearby ones, as its field of view can be changed between 1.2 " x1.2 " and 4 " x4 ", depending on the pixel scale chosen. Ln this contribution we present new results both on galactic targets, namely young stellar objects, as well as extra-galactic objects including a Seyfert and a starburst nucleus.