119238202
Toward the Formation of Realistic Galaxy Disks
In this review I demonstrate that a realistic model for the formation of galaxy disks depends on a proper treatment of the gas in galaxies. Historically, cosmological simulations of disk galaxy formation have suffered from a lack of resolution and a physically motivated feedback prescription. Recent computational progress has allowed for unprecedented resolution, which in turn allows for a more realistic treatment of feedback. These advances have led to a new examination of gas accretion, evolution, and loss in the formation of galaxy disks. Here I highlight the role that gas inflows, the regulation of gas by feedback, and gas outflows play in achieving simulated disk galaxies that better match observational results as a function of redshift.
14399224
The Formation of Polar Disk Galaxies
Polar ring galaxies, such as NGC 4650A, are a class of galaxies that have two kinematically distinct components that are inclined by almost 90° to each other. These striking galaxies challenge our understanding of how galaxies form; the origin of their distinct components has remained uncertain and is the subject of much debate. We use high-resolution cosmological simulations of galaxy formation to show that polar ring galaxies are simply an extreme example of the misalignment of angular momentum that occurs during the hierarchical structure formation characteristic of a cold dark matter cosmology. In our model, polar ring galaxies form through the continuous accretion of gas whose angular momentum is misaligned with the central galaxy.
6940541
THE DUAL ORIGIN OF STELLAR HALOS. II. CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES AS TRACERS OF FORMATION HISTORY
Fully cosmological, high-resolution N-body+smooth particle hydrodynamic simulations are used to investigate the chemical abundance trends of stars in simulated stellar halos as a function of their origin. These simulations employ a physically motivated supernova feedback recipe, as well as metal enrichment, metal cooling, and metal diffusion. As presented in an earlier paper, the simulated galaxies in this study are surrounded by stellar halos whose inner regions contain both stars accreted from satellite galaxies and stars formed in situ in the central regions of the main galaxies and later displaced by mergers into their inner halos. The abundance patterns ([Fe/H] and [O/Fe]) of halo stars located within 10 kpc of a solar-like observer are analyzed. We find that for galaxies which have not experienced a recent major merger, in situ stars at the high [Fe/H] end of the metallicity distribution function are more [α/Fe]-rich than accreted stars at similar [Fe/H]. This dichotomy in the [O/Fe] of halo stars at a given [Fe/H] results from the different potential wells within which in situ and accreted halo stars form. These results qualitatively match recent observations of local Milky Way halo stars. It may thus be possible for observers to uncover the relative contribution of different physical processes to the formation of stellar halos by observing such trends in the halo populations of the Milky Way and other local L^* galaxies.
12099554
Angular momentum evolution in dark-matter haloes
We have analysed high-resolution N-body simulations of dark-matter (DM) haloes, focusing specifically on the evolution of angular momentum. We find that not only is individual particle angular momentum not conserved, but the angular momentum of radial shells also varies over the age of the Universe by up to factors of a few. We find that torques from external structure are the most likely cause for this distribution shift. Since the model of adiabatic contraction 
that is often applied to model the effects of galaxy evolution on the DM density profile in a halo 
assumes angular momentum conservation, this variation implies that there is a fundamental limit on the possible accuracy of the adiabatic contraction model in modelling the response of DM haloes to the growth of galaxies.
14106085
The nature of HI absorbers in GRB afterglows: clues from hydrodynamic simulations
In recent work, we have shown that it is possible to link quantitatively many aspects of damped Lyman alpha (DLA) absorbers in the spectra of quasars to high resolution simulations of galaxy formation. Using runs from the same series of hydrodynamic numerical studies, we consider the expected properties of intrinsic Lyman alpha absorbers seen in the spectra of high redshift (z > 2) gamma ray burst afterglows (GRB-DLAs). If GRBs are associated with the death of massive stars, their afterglows provide insights into otherwise unprobed regions of protogalactic objects, but detailed physical interpretations are currently embryonic. We find that median impact parameters (measured from the potential minimum) are approximately 1 kpc for GRBs compared with 4 kpc for QSO-DLAs. However, an equally important difference is that GRB-DLAs are predominantly associated with halos of mass 10 < Mvir/M < 10, an order of magnitude larger than the hosts of QSO-DLAs. Accordingly, there are differences in the stellar properties of hosts. For instance mean star formation rates are higher: 〈Ṁ?〉 ' 10 M yr−1 for GRB-DLAs compared with 〈Ṁ?〉 ' 1 M yr−1 for QSO-DLAs. Our simulations accurately predict the form of the GRB-DLA H I column density distribution, producing quantitative agreement for NHI > 10 cm−2, but they somewhat underpredict the incidence of low column densities NHI < 10 cm−2. This is reflected in our estimate of the ionizing photon escape fraction, fesc ' 1%, which is lower than the observational GRB-derived escape fraction (2%). Line-of-sight neutral gas metallicities predicted by our simulations (10−2 < Z/Z < 1) are consistent with the modest observational constraints. Because of large internal dispersions in gas metallicities, this agreement is not significantly compromised by imposing a cut-off on the metallicity of stars able to launch GRBs (Z? < Z /3), confounding claims that the observed metallicity of GRB-DLAs poses a severe challenge to current GRB models.
4805930
Testing rotational mixing predictions with new boron abundances in main-sequence B-type stars
New boron abundances for seven main-sequence B-type stars are determined from HST STIS spectroscopy around the B III 2066 A line. Boron abundances provide a unique and critical test of stellar evolution models that include rotational mixing, since boron is destroyed in the surface layers of stars through shallow mixing long before other elements are mixed from the stellar interior through deep mixing. The stars in this study are all on or near the main sequence and are members of young Galactic clusters. They show no evidence of mixing with gas from H-burning layers from their CNO abundances. Boron abundances range from 12 + log(B/H) ≤ 1.0 to 2.2. The boron abundances are compared to the published values of the stellar nitrogen abundances [all have 12 + log(N/H) ≤ 7.8] and to their host cluster ages (4-16 Myr) to investigate the predictions from models of massive star evolution with rotational mixing effects. We find that the variations in boron and nitrogen are generally within the range of the predictions from the stellar evolution models with rotation (where predictions for models with rotation rates from 0 to 450 km s-1 and μ-barriers are examined), especially given their age and mass ranges. Three stars (of 34 B-type stars with detailed boron abundance determinations) deviate from the model predictions, showing either much larger boron depletions than can be explained by the rotating model predictions or a spectroscopic mass that is lower than expected, given the rotating model predictions for its age and abundances. The results from these three stars suggest that rotational mixing could be more efficient than that currently modeled at the highest rotation rates.
55187356
Technology developments for ACIGA high power test facility for advanced interferometry
The High Optical Power Test Facility for Advanced Interferometry has been built by the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy north of Perth in Western Australia. An 80 m suspended cavity has been prepared in collaboration with LIGO, where a set of experiments to test suspension control and thermal compensation will soon take place. Future experiments will investigate radiation pressure instabilities and optical spring effects in a high power optical cavity with ~200 kW circulating power. The facility combines research and development undertaken by all consortium members, whose latest results are presented.
15931132
Compensation of strong thermal lensing in high-optical-power cavities.
In an experiment to simulate the conditions in high optical power advanced gravitational wave detectors, we show for the first time that the time evolution of strong thermal lenses follows the predicted infinite sum of exponentials (approximated by a double exponential), and that such lenses can be compensated using an intracavity compensation plate heated on its cylindrical surface. We show that high finesse approximately 1400 can be achieved in cavities with internal compensation plates, and that mode matching can be maintained. The experiment achieves a wave front distortion similar to that expected for the input test mass substrate in the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, and shows that thermal compensation schemes are viable. It is also shown that the measurements allow a direct measurement of substrate optical absorption in the test mass and the compensation plate.
122198042
ACIGA's high optical power test facility
Advanced laser interferometer detectors utilizing more than 100 W of laser power and with ~106 W circulating laser power present many technological problems. The Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA) is developing a high power research facility in Gingin, north of Perth, Western Australia, which will test techniques for the next generation interferometers. In particular it will test thermal lensing compensation and control strategies for optical cavities in which optical spring effects and parametric instabilities may present major difficulties.
121643265
The Science benefits and Preliminary Design of the Southern hemisphere Gravitational Wave Detector AIGO.
The proposed southern hemisphere gravitational wave detector AIGO increases the projected average baseline of the global array of ground based gravitational wave detectors by a factor ~4. This allows the world array to be substantially improved. The orientation of AIGO allows much better resolution of both wave polarisations. This enables better distance estimates for inspiral events, allowing unambiguous optical identification of host galaxies for about 25% of neutron star binary inspiral events. This can allow Hubble Law estimation without optical identification of an outburst, and can also allow deep exposure imaging with electromagnetic telescopes to search for weak afterglows. This allows independent estimates of cosmological acceleration and dark energy as well as improved understanding of the physics of neutron star and black hole coalescences. This paper reviews and summarises the science benefits of AIGO and presents a preliminary conceptual design.
119809223
Gingin High Optical Power Test Facility
The Australian Consortium for Gravitational Wave Astronomy (ACIGA) in collaboration with LIGO is developing a high optical power research facility at the AIGO site, Gingin, Western Australia. Research at the facility will provide solutions to the problems that advanced gravitational wave detectors will encounter with extremely high optical power. The problems include thermal lensing and parametric instabilities. This article will present the status of the facility and the plan for the future experiments.