ALBERT

Description: Author(s): M. Herrera, S. McCarthy, S. Slotterback, E. Cephas, W. Losert, and M. Girvan Capturing the dynamics of granular flows at intermediate length scales can often be difficult. We propose studying the dynamics of contact networks as a new tool to study fracture at intermediate scales. Using experimental three-dimensional flow fields with particle-scale resolution, we calculate th... [Phys. Rev. E 83, 061303] Published Mon Jun 27, 2011

Description: We present results from 13 cosmological simulations that explore the parameter space of the ‘Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments’ (EAGLE) simulation project. Four of the simulations follow the evolution of a periodic cube L  = 50 cMpc on a side, and each employs a different subgrid model of the energetic feedback associated with star formation. The relevant parameters were adjusted so that the simulations each reproduce the observed galaxy stellar mass function at z  = 0.1. Three of the simulations fail to form disc galaxies as extended as observed, and we show analytically that this is a consequence of numerical radiative losses that reduce the efficiency of stellar feedback in high-density gas. Such losses are greatly reduced in the fourth simulation – the EAGLE reference model – by injecting more energy in higher density gas. This model produces galaxies with the observed size distribution, and also reproduces many galaxy scaling relations. In the remaining nine simulations, a single parameter or process of the reference model was varied at a time. We find that the properties of galaxies with stellar mass   M * (the ‘knee’ of the galaxy stellar mass function) are largely governed by feedback associated with star formation, while those of more massive galaxies are also controlled by feedback from accretion on to their central black holes. Both processes must be efficient in order to reproduce the observed galaxy population. In general, simulations that have been calibrated to reproduce the low-redshift galaxy stellar mass function will still not form realistic galaxies, but the additional requirement that galaxy sizes be acceptable leads to agreement with a large range of observables.

Description: The evolution of the metal content of galaxies and its relations to other global properties [such as total stellar mass ( M * ), circular velocity, star formation rate (SFR), halo mass, etc.] provides important constraints on models of galaxy formation. Here we examine the evolution of metallicity scaling relations of simulated galaxies in the Galaxies-Intergalactic Medium Interaction Calculation suite of cosmological simulations. We make comparisons to observations of the correlation of gas-phase abundances with M * (the mass–metallicity relation, MZR), as well as with both M * and SFR or gas mass fraction (the so-called 3D fundamental metallicity relations, FMRs). The simulated galaxies follow the observed local MZR and FMRs over an order of magnitude in M * , but overpredict the metallicity of massive galaxies (log M * 10.5), plausibly due to inefficient feedback in this regime. We discuss the origin of the MZR and FMRs in the context of galactic outflows and gas accretion. We examine the evolution of MZRs defined using different elements that probe the three enrichment channels [SNII, SNIa, and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars]. Relations based on elements produced mainly by SNII evolve weakly, whereas those based on elements produced preferentially in SNIa/AGB exhibit stronger evolution, due to the longer time-scales associated with these channels. Finally, we compare the relations of central and satellite galaxies, finding systematically higher metallicities for satellites, as observed. We show that this is due to the removal of the metal-poor gas reservoir that normally surrounds galaxies and acts to dilute their gas-phase metallicity (via cooling/accretion on to the disc), but is lost due to ram-pressure stripping for satellites.

Description: We investigate the evolution of galaxy masses and star formation rates in the Evolution and Assembly of Galaxies and their Environment ( eagle ) simulations. These comprise a suite of hydrodynamical simulations in a cold dark matter cosmogony with subgrid models for radiative cooling, star formation, stellar mass-loss and feedback from stars and accreting black holes. The subgrid feedback was calibrated to reproduce the observed present-day galaxy stellar mass function and galaxy sizes. Here, we demonstrate that the simulations reproduce the observed growth of the stellar mass density to within 20 per cent. The simulations also track the observed evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function out to redshift z  = 7, with differences comparable to the plausible uncertainties in the interpretation of the data. Just as with observed galaxies, the specific star formation rates of simulated galaxies are bimodal, with distinct star forming and passive sequences. The specific star formation rates of star-forming galaxies are typically 0.2 to 0.5 dex lower than observed, but the evolution of the rates track the observations closely. The unprecedented level of agreement between simulation and data across cosmic time makes eagle a powerful resource to understand the physical processes that govern galaxy formation.

Description: High-frequency deep brain stimulation (HFS) is clinically recognized to treat parkinsonian movement disorders, but its mechanisms remain elusive. Current hypotheses suggest that the therapeutic merit of HFS stems from increasing the regularity of the firing patterns in the basal ganglia (BG). Although this is consistent with experiments in humans and...

Description: A marine sediment core from Vaigat in Disko Bugt, West Greenland, has been analysed in terms of lithology, dinoflagellate cysts and foraminifera in order to evaluate the influence of oceanographic variability on West Greenland glacier stability. The data show that during the past 5200 years the Atlantic foraminiferal abundance in the subsurface waters of the West Greenland Current (WGC) episodically increased, indicating periods of increases in the inflow of subsurface warm Atlantic water at 2000—1500 cal. yr BP and 1300 cal. yr BP as well as periods of less pronounced increased bottom-water temperatures around 4700—4000 cal. yr BP, 3100—2800, 2600, 1000—800, 500—400, and at 200 cal. yr. The sedimentological and dinoflagellate cyst data indicate that these episodes with enhanced advection of Irminger Sea-derived waters are accompanied by increased iceberg rafting, which we link to increased iceberg calving in relation to destabilization of the Jakobshavn Isbrae. The long-term trend in the data documents the end of a late-Holocene Thermal Maximum between 5200 and 4300 cal. yr BP and a final onset of the Neoglaciation at 3500 cal. yr BP. Increased responses of the iceberg rafting after 3500 cal. yr BP, reflects a westward/seaward advance of the glacier margin in relation to onset of Neoglaciation and a development of the glacier into a floating tongue after 2000 cal. yr BP. A comparison of our record with a record from the eastern North Atlantic indicates that a NAO-like anomaly pattern between subsurface waters in West Greenland and atmospheric temperature in the Eastern North Atlantic may have been operating during most of the late Holocene. However, during the past 1000 years the NAO signal may have weakened as some other mode of climate variability overprints the anti-phase climate signal in this region.

Description: In this study, we employ a network of thermal dissipation probes (TDPs) monitoring sap flux density to estimate leaf-specific transpiration ( E L ) and stomatal conductance ( G S ) in Pinus taeda (L.) and Liquidambar styraciflua L. exposed to +200 ppm atmospheric CO 2 levels (eCO 2 ) and nitrogen fertilization. Scaling half-hourly measurements from hundreds of sensors over 11 years, we found that P. taeda in eCO 2 intermittently (49% of monthly values) decreased stomatal conductance ( G S ) relative to the control, with a mean reduction of 13% in both total E L and mean daytime G S . This intermittent response was related to changes in a hydraulic allometry index ( A H ), defined as sapwood area per unit leaf area per unit canopy height, which decreased a mean of 15% with eCO 2 over the course of the study, due mostly to a mean 19% increase in leaf area ( A L ). In contrast, L. styraciflua showed a consistent (76% of monthly values) reduction in G S with eCO 2 with a total reduction of 32% E L , 31% G S and 23% A H (due to increased A L per sapwood area). For L. styraciflua , like P. taeda , the relationship between A H and G S at reference conditions suggested a decrease in G S across the range of A H . Our findings suggest an indirect structural effect of eCO 2 on G S in P. taeda and a direct leaf level effect in L. styraciflua . In the initial year of fertilization, P. taeda in both CO 2 treatments, as well as L. styraciflua in eCO 2 , exhibited higher G S with N F than expected from shifts in A H , suggesting a transient direct effect on G S . Whether treatment effects on mean leaf-specific G S are direct or indirect, this paper highlights that long-term treatment effects on G S are generally reflected in A H as well.

Description: In classical P-Cygni profiles, theory predicts emission to peak at zero rest velocity. However, supernova spectra exhibit emission that is generally blueshifted. While this characteristic has been reported in many SNe, it is rarely discussed in any detail. Here, we present an analysis of Hα emission peaks using a data set of 95 Type II supernovae, quantifying their strength and time evolution. Using a post-explosion time of 30 d, we observe a systematic blueshift of Hα emission, with a mean value of –2000 km s –1 . This offset is greatest at early times but vanishes as supernovae become nebular. Simulations of Dessart et al. match the observed behaviour, reproducing both its strength and evolution in time. Such blueshifts are a fundamental feature of supernova spectra as they are intimately tied to the density distribution of ejecta, which falls more rapidly than in stellar winds. This steeper density structure causes line emission/absorption to be much more confined; it also exacerbates the occultation of the receding part of the ejecta, biasing line emission to the blue for a distant observer. We conclude that blueshifted emission-peak offsets of several thousand km s –1 are a generic property of observations, confirmed by models, of photospheric-phase Type II supernovae.

Description: We introduce the Virgo Consortium's Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) project, a suite of hydrodynamical simulations that follow the formation of galaxies and supermassive black holes in cosmologically representative volumes of a standard cold dark matter universe. We discuss the limitations of such simulations in light of their finite resolution and poorly constrained subgrid physics, and how these affect their predictive power. One major improvement is our treatment of feedback from massive stars and active galactic nuclei (AGN) in which thermal energy is injected into the gas without the need to turn off cooling or decouple hydrodynamical forces, allowing winds to develop without predetermined speed or mass loading factors. Because the feedback efficiencies cannot be predicted from first principles, we calibrate them to the present-day galaxy stellar mass function and the amplitude of the galaxy-central black hole mass relation, also taking galaxy sizes into account. The observed galaxy stellar mass function is reproduced to 0.2 dex over the full resolved mass range, 10 8 〈 M * /M 10 11 , a level of agreement close to that attained by semi-analytic models, and unprecedented for hydrodynamical simulations. We compare our results to a representative set of low-redshift observables not considered in the calibration, and find good agreement with the observed galaxy specific star formation rates, passive fractions, Tully–Fisher relation, total stellar luminosities of galaxy clusters, and column density distributions of intergalactic C iv and O vi . While the mass–metallicity relations for gas and stars are consistent with observations for M * 10 9 M ( M * 10 10 M at intermediate resolution), they are insufficiently steep at lower masses. For the reference model, the gas fractions and temperatures are too high for clusters of galaxies, but for galaxy groups these discrepancies can be resolved by adopting a higher heating temperature in the subgrid prescription for AGN feedback. The EAGLE simulation suite, which also includes physics variations and higher resolution zoomed-in volumes described elsewhere, constitutes a valuable new resource for studies of galaxy formation.

Description: Analytical Chemistry DOI: 10.1021/ac5031682