Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “cluster counts”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Detection of large-scale alignment of Lick counts around Abell clusters

The possible tendency of galaxies to be distributed in an aligned fashion, on sheets or filaments, on scales greater than the Abell radius, has been tested by a variety of statistics. The subject remains controversial because the statistical tests have either not been sensitive to the alignment or capable of unambiguously signalling alignment in a general, clumpy distribution of galaxies. The present approach combines ideas of Bingelli (1982) and Fry and Peebles (1980) in an examination of the cross correlation of Lick counts relative to the preferred direction defined by the cluster. This can substantially reduce the noise, and it is suggested on this basis that alignment has been found on large scales for Lick galaxy counts and Abell cluster positions and their angles.

Argyres, P. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The structure of eight globular clusters

Star counts on short-exposure plates are presented for eight globular clusters. The data are given to several limiting magnitudes for each cluster. Projected radial distributions are determined from the star counts; no significant segregation is observed among the distributions to various limiting magnitudes. The structural parameters of the clusters (core radii and concentration factors) are determined from best-fitting King curves to the observed distributions. The central densities, total masses, central escape velocities, and relaxation times are also calculated. NGC 6093 (M80) and NGC 7099 (M30) have dense compact stellar cores, similar to the established globular X-ray sources. Upper limits are given for the masses of possible central black holes in the eight clusters.

Bahcall, N. A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Constraints on the Energy Density Content of the Universe Using Only Clusters of Galaxies

We demonstrate that it is possible to constrain the energy content of the Universe with high accuracy using observations of clusters of galaxies only. The degeneracies in the cosmological parameters are lifted by combining constraints from different observables of galaxy clusters. We show that constraints on cosmological parameters from galaxy cluster number counts as a function of redshift and accurate angular diameter distance measurements to clusters are complementary to each other and their combination can constrain the energy density content of the Universe well. The number counts can be obtained from X-ray and/or SZ (Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect) surveys, the angular diameter distances can be determined from deep observations of the intra-cluster gas using their thermal bremsstrahlung X-ray emission and the SZ effect (X-SZ method). In this letter we combine constraints from simulated cluster number counts expected from a 12 deg2 SZ cluster survey and constraints from simulated angular diameter distance measurements based on using the X-SZ method assuming an expected accuracy of 7% in the angular diameter distance determination of 70 clusters with redshifts less than 1.5. We find that R, can be determined within about 25%, A within 20%, and w within 16%. Any cluster survey can be used to select clusters for high accuracy distance measurements, but we assumed accurate angular diameter distance measurements for only 70 clusters since long observations are necessary to achieve high accuracy in distance measurements. Thus the question naturally arises: How to select clusters of galaxies for accurate diameter distance determinations? In this letter, as an example, we demonstrate that it is possible to optimize this selection changing the number of clusters observed, and the upper cut off of their redshift range. We show that constraints on cosmological parameters from combining cluster number counts and angular diameter distance measurements, as opposed to general expectations, will not improve substantially selecting clusters with redshifts higher than one. This important conclusion allow us to restrict our cluster sample to clusters closer than one, in a range where the observational time for accurate distance measurements are more manageable. Subject headings: cosmological parameters - cosmology: theory - galaxies: clusters: general - X-rays: galaxies: clusters

Molnar, Sandor M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Comparison of Wolf's Reconstructed Record of Annual Sunspot Number with Schwabe's Observed Record of Clusters of Spots for the Interval of 1826-1868

Samuel Heinrich Schwabe, the discoverer of the sunspot cycle, observed the Sun routinely from Desau, Germany during the interval of 1826-1869, averaging about 290 observing days per year. His yearly counts of 'clusters of spots' (or, more correctly, the yearly number of newly appearing sunspot groups) provided a simple means for describing the overt features of the sunspot cycle (i.e., the timing and relative strengths of cycle minimum and maximum). In 1848, Rudolf Wolf, a Swiss astronomer, having become aware of Schwabe's discovery, introduced his now familiar 'relative sunspot number' and established an international cadre of observers for monitoring the future behavior of the sunspot cycle and for reconstructing its past behavior (backwards in time to 1818, based on daily sunspot number estimates). While Wolf's reconstruction is complete (without gaps) only from 1849 (hence, the beginning of the modern era), the immediately preceding interval of 1818-1848 is incomplete, being based on an average of 260 observing days per year. In this investigation, Wolf's reconstructed record of annual sunspot number is compared against Schwabe's actual observing record of yearly counts of clusters of spots. The comparison suggests that Wolf may have misplaced (by about 1-2 yr) and underestimated (by about 16 units of sunspot number) the maximum amplitude for cycle 7. If true, then, cycle 7's ascent and descent durations should measure about 5 years each instead of 7 and 3 years, respectively, the extremes of the distributions, and its maximum amplitude should measure about 96 instead of 70. This study also indicates that cycle 9's maximum amplitude is more reliably determined than cycle 8's and that both appear to be of comparable size (about 130 units of sunspot number) rather than being significantly different. Therefore, caution is urged against the indiscriminate use of the pre-modern era sunspot numbers in long-term studies of the sunspot cycle, since such use may lead to specious results.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Deep Galex Observations of the Coma Cluster: Source Catalog and Galaxy Counts

We present a source catalog from deep 26 ks GALEX observations of the Coma cluster in the far-UV (FUV; 1530 Angstroms) and near-UV (NUV; 2310 Angstroms) wavebands. The observed field is centered 0.9 deg. (1.6 Mpc) south-west of the Coma core, and has full optical photometric coverage by SDSS and spectroscopic coverage to r-21. The catalog consists of 9700 galaxies with GALEX and SDSS photometry, including 242 spectroscopically-confirmed Coma member galaxies that range from giant spirals and elliptical galaxies to dwarf irregular and early-type galaxies. The full multi-wavelength catalog (cluster plus background galaxies) is 80% complete to NUV=23 and FUV=23.5, and has a limiting depth at NUV=24.5 and FUV=25.0 which corresponds to a star formation rate of 10(exp -3) solar mass yr(sup -1) at the distance of Coma. The GALEX images presented here are very deep and include detections of many resolved cluster members superposed on a dense field of unresolved background galaxies. This required a two-fold approach to generating a source catalog: we used a Bayesian deblending algorithm to measure faint and compact sources (using SDSS coordinates as a position prior), and used the GALEX pipeline catalog for bright and/or extended objects. We performed simulations to assess the importance of systematic effects (e.g. object blends, source confusion, Eddington Bias) that influence source detection and photometry when using both methods. The Bayesian deblending method roughly doubles the number of source detections and provides reliable photometry to a few magnitudes deeper than the GALEX pipeline catalog. This method is also free from source confusion over the UV magnitude range studied here: conversely, we estimate that the GALEX pipeline catalogs are confusion limited at NUV approximately 23 and FUV approximately 24. We have measured the total UV galaxy counts using our catalog and report a 50% excess of counts across FUV=22-23.5 and NUV=21.5-23 relative to previous GALEX measurements, which is not attributed to cluster member galaxies. Our galaxy counts are a better match to deeper UV counts measured with HST.

Hammer, D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Cluster evolution and microwave source counts

We present the modeled counts for the expected Sunyaev-Zel'dovich microwave sources associated with clusters of galaxies, predicted for experiments with arcminute-scale spatial resolution, assuming self-similar cluster evolution, for different spectra of the primordial density fluctuations and values of the cosmological density parameter Omega. Our simulations show that the source counts should be a powerful test of the evolution of very high redshift clusters. Experiments with 1 - 2 min spatial resolution, with moderate sensitivity but covering a large area of the sky, would be most effective for studying the SZ source population. Recent arcminute-scale radio experiments, the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) RING experiment and VLA deep imaging, achieved sensitivity and sky coverage close to that needed for the detection of negative sources associated with very distant clusters. From the absence of cluster detections in these experiments, we rule out, with 90% confidence, models with Omega less than 0.3 and n = +1 as predicting too many bright sources; or there is no hot gas in clusters more distant than z(sub max) = 5 in such models. If the single negative source detected in the RING experiment is a distant cluster, the Omega = 1, n = -2 model also may be ruled out as it predicts too few sources. The new generation of telescopes, including the new SUZIE and Ryle instruments, will soon be able to detect distant clusters. The cluster population in the past has been modeled by scaling the observed present-day sample of X-ray clusters back to high redshifts, an approach which makes the best use of the observed cluster gas parameters, and makes the simulations robust to the assumed evolution at very early epochs. Although the pure self-similar model may be incompatible with the variety of observed evolutionary effects, we show that reasonable modifications to the intracluster gas history in that model, proposed to reconcile the self-similar evolution of cluster mass and the observed evolution of their X-ray luminosity, do not considerably change our microwave predictions made using the pure self-similar model. That is, the results of our simulations are applicable to the wide class of evolutionary models in which the cluster gas mass times gas temperature evolves as the dark mass times cluster virial temperature.

Markevitch, M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

New bound on neutrino dipole moments from globular-cluster stars

Neutrino dipole moments mu(nu) would increase the core mass of red giants at the helium flash by delta(Mc) = 0.015 solar mass x mu(nu)/10 to the -12th muB (where muB is the Bohr magneton) because of enhanced neutrino losses. Existing measurements of the bolometric magnitudes of the brightest red giants in 26 globular clusters, number counts of horizontal-branch stars and red giants in 15 globular clusters, and statistical parallax determinations of field RR Lyr luminosities yield delta(Mc) = 0.009 + or - 0.012 solar mass, so that conservatively mu(nu) is less than 3 x 10 to the -12th muB.

Raffelt, Georg G.↗
NASA NTRS1997

A Comparison of Wolf's Reconstructed Record of Annual Sunspot Number with Schwabe's Observed Record of 'Clusters of Spots' for the Interval of 1826-1868

On the basis of a comparison of Wolf s reconstructed record of yearly averages of sunspot number against Schwabe's observations of yearly counts of 'clusters of spots' (i.e., the yearly number of newly appearing sunspot groups) during the interval of 1826-1868, one infers that Wolf probably misplaced and underestimated the maximum amplitude for cycle 7. In particular, Schwabe's data suggest that the maximum amplitude for cycle 7 occurred in 1828 rather than in 1830 and that it measured about 86.3 (+/-13.9; i.e., the 90% confidence level) rather than 70.4. If true, then, the ascent and descent durations for cycle 7 should be 5 years each instead of 7 and 3 years, respectively. Likewise, on the basis of the same comparison, one infers that the maximums for cycles 8 and 9, occurring, respectively, in 1837 and 1848, were of comparable size (approximately 130), although, quite possibly, the one for cycle 8 may have been smaller. Lastly, presuming the continued action of the 'odd-even' effect (i.e., the odd-numbered following cycle of Hale even-odd cycle pairs having a maximum amplitude that is of comparable or larger size than the even-numbered leading cycle) during the earlier pre-modem era of cycles 6-9, one infers that Wolf's estimate for the size of cycle 6 probably is too low.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A first determination of the surface density of galaxy clusters at very low x-ray fluxes

We present the first results of a serendipitous search for clusters of galaxies in deep ROSAT position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) pointed observations at high Galactic latitude. The survey is being carried out using a wavelet-based detection algorithm which is not biased against extended, low surface brightness sources. A new flux-diameter limited sample of 10 cluster candidates has been created from approximately 3 deg(exp 2) surveyed area. Preliminary CCD observations have revealed that a large fraction of these candidates correspond to a visible enhancement in the galaxy surface density, and several others have been identified from other surveys. We believe these sources to be either low- to moderate-redshift groups or intermediate- to high-redshift clusters. We show X-ray and optical images of some of the clusters identified to date. We present, for the first time, the derived number density of the galaxy clusters to a flux limit of 1 x 10(exp -14) ergs cm(exp -2) s(exp -1) (0.5-2.0 keV). This extends the log N-log S of previous cluster surveys by more than one decade in flux. Results are compared to theoretical predictions for cluster number counts.

Rosati, Piero↗
NASA NTRS2006

Radio Point Sources Toward Galaxy Clusters at 30 GHz

Extra-galactic point sources are a significant contaminant in cosmic microwave background and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect experiments. Deep interferometric observations with the BIMA and OVRO arrays are used to characterize the spatial, spectral, and flux distributions of radio point sources toward galaxy clusters at 28.5 GHz. We compute counts of mJy point source fluxes from 90 fields centered on known massive galaxy clusters and 8 non-cluster fields. Counts in the non-cluster fields are consistent with extrapolations from the results of other surveys. We also compute counts towards clusters as a function of luminosity in three redshift bins out to z = 1.0 and see no clear evidence for evolution with redshift. We compute spectral indices of mJy sources in cluster fields between 1.4 and 28.5 GHz. The distribution is skewed, with a median spectral index of 0.76 and 25th and 75th percentiles of 0.55 and 0.95, respectively. This is steeper than the spectral indices of brighter field point sources measured by other surveys.

Coble, K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Evaluation of the procedure 1A component of the 1980 US/Canada wheat and barley exploratory experiment

Several techniques which use clusters generated by a new clustering algorithm, CLASSY, are proposed as alternatives to random sampling to obtain greater precision in crop proportion estimation: (1) Proportional Allocation/relative count estimator (PA/RCE) uses proportional allocation of dots to clusters on the basis of cluster size and a relative count cluster level estimate; (2) Proportional Allocation/Bayes Estimator (PA/BE) uses proportional allocation of dots to clusters and a Bayesian cluster-level estimate; and (3) Bayes Sequential Allocation/Bayesian Estimator (BSA/BE) uses sequential allocation of dots to clusters and a Bayesian cluster level estimate. Clustering in an effective method in making proportion estimates. It is estimated that, to obtain the same precision with random sampling as obtained by the proportional sampling of 50 dots with an unbiased estimator, samples of 85 or 166 would need to be taken if dot sets with AI labels (integrated procedure) or ground truth labels, respectively were input. Dot reallocation provides dot sets that are unbiased. It is recommended that these proportion estimation techniques are maintained, particularly the PA/BE because it provides the greatest precision.

Chapman, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A catalog of intracluster gas temperatures

We have searched the Einstein Monitor Proportional Counter (MPC) data base for observations of clusters of galaxies. By coadding the MPC spectra obtained during all pointed observations of clusters with IPC count rates greater than 0.1 counts/s, we have obtained sufficient photon statistics to estimate the X-ray temperature of 84 clusters. Combining the MPC results with EXOSAT and Ginga results reported in the literature yields a combined sample of 104 clusters with known X-ray temperatures. One of the best studied X-ray correlations between clusters is that between their X-ray luminosity and gas temperature. We show that the best-fit power-law relation for our combined cluster sample can be explained by the observed increase in the gas-to-stellar mass ratio between low- and high-temperature clusters. The statistical significance of any evolution in our combined X-ray sample has been examined and compared with the statistical properties of clusters culled from optical catalogs. We find that there is strong evidence for a decrease in the X-ray luminosity of optically rich clusters beyond z approximately about 0.06. This result is used to estimate the normalization of the primordial power spectrum of density fluctuations.

David, L. P.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Radio Sources Toward Galaxy Clusters at 30 GHz

Extra-galactic radio sources are a significant contaminant in cosmic microwave background and Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect experiments. Deep interferometric observations with the BIMA and OVRO arrays are used to characterize the spatial, spectral, and flux distributions of radio sources toward massive galaxy clusters at 28.5 GHz. We compute counts of mJy source fluxes from 89 fields centered on known massive galaxy clusters and 8 non-cluster fields. We find that source counts in the inner regions of the cluster fields (within 0.5 arcmin of the cluster center) are a factor of 8.9 (+4.2 to -3.8) times higher than counts in the outer regions of the cluster fields (radius greater than 0.5 arcmin). Counts in the outer regions of the cluster fields are in turn a factor of 3.3 (+4.1 -1.8) greater than those in the noncluster fields. Counts in the non-cluster fields are consistent with extrapolations from the results of other surveys. We compute spectral indices of mJy sources in cluster fields between 1.4 and 28.5 GHz and find a mean spectral index of al[ja = 0.66 with an rms dispersion of 0.36, where flux S varies as upsilon(sup -alpha). The distribution is skewed, with a median spectral index of 0.72 and 25th and 75th percentiles of 0.51 and 0.92, respectively. This is steeper than the spectral indices of stronger field sources measured by other surveys.

Coble, K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

X-ray spectra of clusters of galaxies

The X-ray emission from luminous clusters of galaxies is dominated by thermal bremsstrahlung from an intergalactic medium. The central density of the gas is strongly correlated with the X-ray surface brightness. The X-ray surface brightness S(sigma) of many clusters is well modeled by a law of the form S(sigma) alpha S(o) 1 + R(2)/A(2) to the minus 3 beta + 1/2 power with beta approximately equal to 0.66. However, this model does not fit the X-ray spectral or optical galaxy counts well. In clusters with cooling flows in their center there is a strong correlation between the cooling rates of X-ray emitting material and optical H alpha emission. It is not clear, at present, what percentage of the virial mass of the cluster is in hot gas but if beta = 0.66, it is possible for the values to be of the order of 1/2. Spatially resoled X-ray spectroscopy is necessary to determine this value with any accuracy.

Mushotzky, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Radio Sources toward Galaxy Clusters at 30 GHz

Extragalactic radio sources are a significant contaminant in cosmic microwave background and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect experiments. Deep interferometric observations with the BIMA and OVRO arrays are used to characterize the spatial, spectral, and flux distributions of radio sources toward massive galaxy clusters at 28.5 GHz. We compute counts of millijansky source fluxes from 89 fields centered on known massive galaxy clusters and 8 noncluster fields. We find that source counts in the inner regions of the cluster fields (within 0.5' of the cluster center) are a factor of 8.9 (sup +4.3)(sub -2.8) times higher than counts in the outer regions of the cluster fields (radius greater than 0.5'). Counts in the outer regions of the cluster fields are, in turn, a factor of 3.3 (sup +4.1) (sub -1.8) greater than those in the noncluster fields. Counts in the noncluster fields are consistent with extrapolations from the results of other surveys. We compute the spectral indices of millijansky sources in the cluster fields between 1.4 and 28.5 GHz and find a mean spectral index of alpha = 0.66 with an rms dispersion of 0.36, where flux S proportional to nu(sup -alpha). The distribution is skewed, with a median spectral index of 0.72 and 25th and 75th percentiles of 0.51 and 0.92, respectively. This is steeper than the spectral indices of stronger field sources measured by other surveys.

Coble, K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Principles and scope of synthetic photometry

The synthetic photometry algorithm and various applications for the algorithm are described. The synthetic photometry algorithm provides magnitudes and colors computed from a spectral energy flux distribution and the response functions of a photometric system. The principles of synthetic photometry which include the observed and theoretical stellar energy distributions and passbands of the photometric systems are discussed. The equations utilized in the algorithm to compute the magnitudes and color indices are provided. There is a need for an evaluation of the passbands and a correlation between the observed photometric and spectrophotometric data of the stars. The algorithm is used as a universal translator providing the communication channels between different reseach areas; it is applicable to clusters, faint star counts, and deep multicolor surveys of galaxies.

Buser, R.↗