119402500
The FSVS Cluster Catalogue: galaxy clusters and groups in the Faint Sky Variability Survey
We describe a large sample of 598 galaxy clusters and rich groups discovered in the data of the Faint Sky Variability Survey (FSVS). The clusters have been identified using a fully automated, semiparametric technique based on a maximum likelihood approach applied to Voronoi tessellation, and enhanced by colour discrimination. The sample covers a wide range of richness, has a density of ∼28 clusters deg -2 , and spans a range of estimated redshifts of 0.05 0.6, the catalogue contributes substantially to the current total of optically selected, intermediate-redshift clusters, and complements the existing, usually X-ray selected, samples. The FSVS fields are accessible for observation throughout the whole year, making them particularly suited for large follow-up programmes. The construction of this FSVS Cluster Catalogue completes a fundamental component of our continuing programmes to investigate the environments of quasars and the chemical evolution of galaxies. We publish here the list of all clusters with their basic parameters, and discuss some illustrative examples in more detail. The full FSVS Cluster Catalogue, together with images and lists of member galaxies etc., will be issued as part of the 'NOAO (National Optical Astronomy Observatories) data products', and accessible at http://www.noao.edu/dpp/. We describe the format of these data and access to them.
4429028
Light echoes from ancient supernovae in the Large Magellanic Cloud
The light from historical supernovae could in principle still be visible as scattered-light echoes centuries after the explosion. The detection of light echoes could allow us to pinpoint the supernova event both in position and age and, most importantly, permit the acquisition of spectra to determine the ‘type’ of the supernova centuries after the direct light from the explosion first reached Earth. Although echoes have been discovered around some nearby extragalactic supernovae, targeted searches have not found any echoes in the regions of historical Galactic supernovae. Here we report three faint variable-surface-brightness complexes with high apparent proper motions pointing back to three of the six smallest (and probably youngest) previously catalogued supernova remnants in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which are believed to have been thermonuclear (type Ia) supernovae. Using the distance and apparent proper motions of these echo arcs, we estimate ages of 610 and 410 years for two of them.
11448200
The Faint Sky Variability Survey — I. Goals and data reduction process
The Faint Sky Variability Survey is aimed at finding photometric and/or astrometric variable objects in the brightness range between ∼16th and ∼24th mag on time-scales between tens of minutes and years with photometric precisions ranging from 3 millimag for the brightest to 0.2 mag for the faintest objects. An area of ∼23 deg 2 , located at mid and high Galactic latitudes, has been covered using the Wide Field Camera on the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope on La Palma. Here we describe the main goals of the Faint Sky Variability Survey and the data reduction process.
119089791
Searching for Variability in the Globular Cluster Messier 4
Time-series data taken with the Hubble Space Telescope of a field six core radii (~5') from the center of the globular cluster Messier 4, and covering a period of about 10 weeks in early 2001, have been analyzed in search of variable objects. Various criteria were employed to select candidate variable stars. Period searches were performed on the selected candidates using phase dispersion minimization (PDM). The reliability of the PDM search results was tested using synthetic light curves of eclipsing binary stars and sinusoidal light curves of different periods. Results from this analysis showed that there are probably no eclipsing binary stars or periodic variables in our field with periods on the order of a few hours to a few days, down to limiting magnitudes of V ~ 25 and I ~ 24, which is consistent with the absence of contact binaries such as W Ursae Majoris systems. However, one candidate variable star does show an increase in brightness of ~0.1 mag in both bandpasses, which seems to last for a few days. Possible explanations concerning the nature of this object include a binary system with a white dwarf primary and a low-mass main-sequence secondary or a BY Draconis variable star. We are able to set an upper limit to the observed fraction of photometric variability in this data set of 0.05%.
35006667
PS1-10afx at z= 1.388: Pan-STARRS1 Discovery of a New Type of Superluminous Supernova
We present the Pan-STARRS1 discovery of PS1-10afx, a unique hydrogen-deficient superluminous supernova (SLSN) at redshift z = 1.388. The light curve peaked at z P1 = 21.7 mag, making PS1-10afx comparable to the most luminous known SNe, with Mu = –22.3 mag. Our extensive optical and near-infrared observations indicate that the bolometric light curve of PS1-10afx rose on the unusually fast timescale of ~12 days to the extraordinary peak luminosity of 4.1 × 1044 erg s–1 (M bol = –22.8 mag) and subsequently faded rapidly. Equally important, the spectral energy distribution is unusually red for an SLSN, with a color temperature of ~6800 K near maximum light, in contrast to previous hydrogen-poor SLSNe, which are bright in the ultraviolet (UV). The spectra more closely resemble those of a normal SN Ic than any known SLSN, with a photospheric velocity of ~11, 000 km s–1 and evidence for line blanketing in the rest-frame UV. Despite the fast rise, these parameters imply a very large emitting radius ( 5 × 1015 cm). We demonstrate that no existing theoretical model can satisfactorily explain this combination of properties: (1) a nickel-powered light curve cannot match the combination of high peak luminosity with the fast timescale; (2) models powered by the spindown energy of a rapidly rotating magnetar predict significantly hotter and faster ejecta; and (3) models invoking shock breakout through a dense circumstellar medium cannot explain the observed spectra or color evolution. The host galaxy is well detected in pre-explosion imaging with a luminosity near L*, a star formation rate of ~15 M ☉ yr–1, and is fairly massive (~2 × 1010 M ☉), with a stellar population age of ~108 yr, also in contrast to the young dwarf hosts of known hydrogen-poor SLSNe. PS1-10afx is distinct from known examples of SLSNe in its spectra, colors, light-curve shape, and host galaxy properties, suggesting that it resulted from a different channel than other hydrogen-poor SLSNe.
16396917
Discovery of two new faint cataclysmic variables
We report on the discovery of two new faint cataclysmic variables. The objects were selected as candidates from two different imaging surveys aimed at the discovery of such faint systems. One survey used color and variability while the other used color and Ha emission as selection criteria. We present our spectra of the two new variables and discuss their properties. A discussion of the implication of these discoveries on the space density of faint cataclysmic variables is presented.
119288622
On Gauge Fixing Aspects of the Infrared Behavior of Yang-Mills Green Functions
Introduction.- Yang-Mills theory and its infrared behavior.- Functional equations.- Scaling solutions.- The infrared regime of the maximally Abelian gauge.- Dyson-Schwinger equations in the Gribov region.- Conclusions.- Appendices.
116896629
Nuclear Structure Information from Pion Absorption Experiments
The study of the absorption of π mesons by complex nuclei is particularly suited to reveal interesting and new information on nuclear structure properties. The reason for this is that a large energy, i.e. 140 MeV, and very little momentum are released and have to be absorbed by the nucleus. This is only possible via the high momentum components of the nucleon wave functions, or in r-space, by the short-range correlations between two nucleons. Presumably they arise from the short range part of the nucleonnucleon interaction which causes a modification of the currently most successful model, the independent particle model. These effects in practice cannot be taken into account by a straightforward application of shell model techniques.A more practicable way is the use of correlqed Jastrow functions 1 ; the correlated many-body wave function, \(\overset{\wedge }{\mathop{\Psi }}\,\), is given by 
 
$$\overset{\wedge }{\mathop{\Psi }}\,(1,2,\ldots ,A)=\Psi (1,2,\ldots ,A)\Pi f({{r}_{ik}})$$ 
 
where Ψ(1,2,...,A) is the shell model wave function, e.g. a Slater determinant of independent particle wave functions, and f(ik) is the correlation factor. In order to study the short range Correlation effects, it is useful to expand f(r) in a Fourier-Besselseries:
6288625
Combined limits on WIMPs from the CDMS and EDELWEISS experiments
The CDMS and EDELWEISS collaborations have combined the results of their direct searches for dark matter using cryogenic germanium detectors. The total data set represents 614  kg·days equivalent exposure. A straightforward method of combination was chosen for its simplicity before data were exchanged between experiments. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on spin-independent weakly interacting, massive particle (WIMP)-nucleon cross section. For a WIMP mass of 90  GeV/c^2, where this analysis is most sensitive, a cross section of 3.3×10^(-44)  cm^2 is excluded at 90% C.L. At higher WIMP masses, the combination improves the individual limits, by a factor 1.6 above 700  GeV/c^2. Alternative methods of combining the data provide stronger constraints for some ranges of WIMP masses and weaker constraints for others.
117141865
Status of CDMS search for dark matter WIMPs
We report on the latest results from the CDMS (cryogenic dark matter search) experiment. The experiment uses superconducting particle detectors, operated below 100 mK, to search for dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive elementary particles or WIMPs. These detectors are either Si or Ge crystals, where the electron-hole production and the phonon production are measured for each event, allowing the discrimination of electron recoils (most backgrounds due to gammas and betas) from nuclear recoils (due to WIMPs and neutrons). We have recently reported new limits from the Stanford shallow site experiment (CDMS-I) which explore supersymmetric models where the lightest supersymmetric particle is often an excellent WIMP candidate. We will also report on the Soudan deep site facility for the CDMS-II experiment which is under construction, and on the status of the CDMS-II detector fabrication.
2517711
Dark Matter Search Results from the CDMS II Experiment
News from the Dark Side? Dark matter is thought to represent 85% of all matter in the universe and to have been responsible for the formation of structure in the early universe, but its nature is still a mystery. Ahmed et al. (p. 1619, published online 11 February; see the Perspective by Lang) describe the results from the completed Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS II) experiment, which searched for dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP). Two candidate signals were observed, whereas only one background event was expected. The probability of having two or more events from the background would have been 23%. The results of this analysis cannot be interpreted with confidence as evidence for WIMP interactions, but, at the same time, neither event can be ruled out as representing signal. Details of possible, but unlikely, detection events produced by dark matter are reported. Astrophysical observations indicate that dark matter constitutes most of the mass in our universe, but its nature remains unknown. Over the past decade, the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS II) experiment has provided world-leading sensitivity for the direct detection of weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter. The final exposure of our low-temperature germanium particle detectors at the Soudan Underground Laboratory yielded two candidate events, with an expected background of 0.9 ± 0.2 events. This is not statistically significant evidence for a WIMP signal. The combined CDMS II data place the strongest constraints on the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent scattering cross section for a wide range of WIMP masses and exclude new parameter space in inelastic dark matter models.