arXiv subjects

David H. Weinberg

Publications and source records attributed to David H. Weinberg.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

arXiv2004

Cosmological Parameters from Eigenmode Analysis of Sloan Digital Sky Survey Galaxy Redshifts

We present estimates of cosmological parameters from the application of the Karhunen-Loeve transform to the analysis of the 3D power spectrum of density fluctuations using Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxy redshifts. We use Omega_m*h and f_b = Omega_b/Omega_m to describe the shape of the power spectrum, sigma8 for the (linearly extrapolated) normalization, and beta to parametrize linear theory redshift space distortions. On scales k < 0.16 h/Mpc, our maximum likelihood values are Omega_m*h = 0.264 +/-0.043, f_b = 0.286 +/- 0.065, sigma8 = 0.966 +/- 0.048, and beta = 0.45 +/- 0.12. When we take a prior on Omega_b from WMAP, we find Omega_m*h = 0.207 +/- 0.030, which is in excellent agreement with WMAP and 2dF. This indicates that we have reasonably measured the gross shape of the power spectrum but we have difficulty breaking the degeneracy between Omega_m*h and f_b because the baryon oscillations are not resolved in the current spectroscopic survey window function.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Accretion Driven Evolution of Quasars and Black Holes: Theoretical Models

We present a flexible framework for constructing physical models of quasar evolution that can incorporate a variety of observational constraints, such as multi-wavelength luminosity functions, estimated masses and accretion rates of active black holes, space densities of quasar hosts, and the local black hole mass function. We focus on the accretion rate distribution p(mdot|M,z), the probability that a black hole of mass M at redshift z accretes at a rate mdot in Eddington units. Given the radiative efficiency as a function of mdot, the quasar luminosity function (QLF) is determined by a convolution of p(mdot|M,z) with the black hole mass function n(M,z). In the absence of mergers p(mdot|M,z) also determines the full evolution of n(M,z), given a "boundary value" of n(M) at some redshift. Matching the observed decline of the QLF break luminosity at z<2 requires either a shift towards lower characteristic accretion rates or an evolving mass dependence of p(mdot) that preferentially shuts off accretion onto high mass black holes. These two scenarios make different predictions for the masses and accretion rates of active black holes. If the first mechanism dominates, then the QLF changes character between z=2 and z=0, shifting from a sequence of black hole mass towards a sequence of L/Ledd. We construct and compare five models that illustrate different assumptions about the quasar population: short and long lifetime models dominated by unobscured thin-disk accretion, a model with a high fraction of obscured quasars, and models in which mergers or ADAF accretion produce substantial black hole growth at low redshift. We discuss the observational advances that would be most valuable for distinguishing such models and for pinning down the physics that drives black hole and quasar evolution. (Abridged)

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

A Large, Uniform Sample of X-ray Emitting AGN: Selection Approach and an Initial Catalog from the ROSAT All-Sky and Sloan Digital Sky Surveys

Many open questions in X-ray astronomy are limited by the relatively small number of objects in uniform optically-identified samples, especially when rare subclasses are considered, or subsets isolated to search for evolution or correlations between wavebands. We describe initial results of a program aimed to ultimately yield 10^4 X-ray source identifications--a sample about an order of magnitude larger than earlier efforts. The technique employs X-ray data from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS), and optical imaging and spectroscopic followup from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Optical objects in the SDSS catalogs are automatically cross-correlated with RASS X-ray source positions; then priorities for follow-on SDSS optical spectra of candidate counterparts are automatically assigned using an algorithm based on the known fx/fopt ratios for various classes of X-ray emitters. SDSS parameters for optical morphology, magnitude, colors, plus FIRST radio data, serve as proxies for object class. Initial application of this approach to 1400 deg^2 of sky provides a catalog of 1200 spectroscopically confirmed quasars/AGN that are probable RASS identifications. Most of the IDs are new, and only a few percent of the AGN are likely to be random superpositions. The magnitude and redshift ranges of the counterparts extend over 15<m<21 and 0.03<z<3.6. Although most IDs are quasars and Sy 1s, a variety of other AGN subclasses are also sampled. Substantial numbers of rare AGN are found, including more than 130 narrow-line Seyfert 1s and 45 BL Lac candidates. These results already provide a sizeable set of new IDs, show utility of the sample in multi-waveband studies, and demonstrate the capability of the RASS/SDSS approach to efficiently proceed towards the largest homogeneously selected/observed sample of X-ray emitting AGN. Abridged Abstract

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Photoionization Feedback in Low--Mass Galaxies at High Redshift

The cosmic ultraviolet (UV) ionizing background impacts the formation of dwarf galaxies in the low-redshift universe (z=3) by suppressing gas infall into galactic halos with circular velocities up to v(circ)=75 km/s. Using a one-dimensional, spherically symmetric hydrodynamics code (Thoul & Weinberg 1995), we examine the effect of an ionizing background on low-mass galaxies forming at high redshifts (z>10). We find that the importance of photoionization feedback is greatly reduced, because (1) at high redshift, dwarf-galaxy sized objects can self-shield against the ionizing background, (2) collisional cooling processes at high redshift are more efficient, (3) the amplitude of the ionizing background at high redshift is lower, and (4) the ionizing radiation turns on when the perturbation that will become the dwarf galaxy has already grown to a substantial overdensity. We find that because of these reasons, gas can collect inside halos with circular velocities as low as v(circ)=10 km/s. This result has important implications for the reionization history of the universe.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Lyman Break Galaxies and the Lyman-alpha Forest

We use hydrodynamic simulations to predict correlations between Lya forest absorption and galaxies at redshift z~3. The probability distribution function (PDF) of Lya flux decrements shifts systematically towards higher values in the vicinity of galaxies, reflecting the overdense environments in which these galaxies reside. The predicted signal remains strong in spectra smoothed over 50-200 km/s, allowing tests with moderate resolution quasar spectra. The strong bias of high redshift galaxies towards high density regions imprints a clear signature on the flux PDF, but the predictions are not sensitive to galaxy baryon mass or star formation rate, and they are similar for galaxies and for dark matter halos. The dependence of the flux PDF on galaxy proximity is sensitive to redshift determination errors, with rms errors of 150-300 km/s substantially weakening the predicted trends. On larger scales, the mean galaxy overdensity in a cube of 5 or 10 Mpc/h (comoving) is strongly correlated with the mean Lya flux decrement on a line of sight through the cube center. The slope of the correlation is ~3 times steeper for galaxies than for dark matter as a result of galaxy bias. The predicted large scale correlation is in qualitative agreement with recently reported observational results. However, observations also show a drop in absorption in the immediate vicinity of galaxies, which our models do not predict even if we allow the galaxies or AGNs within them to be ionizing sources. This decreased absorption could be a signature of galaxy feedback on the surrounding IGM, perhaps via galactic winds. Peculiar velocities often allow gas at comoving distances ~1.5 Mpc/h to produce saturated absorption at the galaxy redshift, so any feedback mechanism must suppress neutral hydrogen out to these radii to match the data. (Abridged)

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

X-ray Absorption by the Low-redshift Intergalactic Medium: A Numerical Study of the Lambda CDM model

Using a hydrodynamic simulation of a LCDM universe, we investigate the "X-ray forest" absorption imprinted on the spectra of background quasars by the intervening intergalactic medium (IGM). In agreement with previous studies, we find that OVII and OVIII produce the strongest absorption features. The strong oxygen absorbers that might be detectable with Chandra or XMM-Newton arise in gas with T ~ 10^6 K and overdensities delta >~ 100 that are characteristic of galaxy groups. Future X-ray missions could detect weaker oxygen absorption produced by gas with a wider range of temperatures and the lower densities of unvirialized structures; they could also detect X-ray forest absorption by C, N, Ne, Fe, and possibly Si. If the IGM metallicity is 0.1 solar, then the predicted number of systems strong enough for a ~5σdetection with Chandra or XMM-Newton is extremely low, though scatter in metallicity would increase the number of strong absorbers even if the mean metallicity remained the same. Our simulation reproduces the high observed incidence of OVI absorbers (in the UV), and the most promising strategy for finding the X-ray forest is to search at the redshifts of known OVI systems, thus reducing the signal-to-noise threshold required for a significant detection. However, while many OVI absorbers have associated OVII or OVIII absorption, the OVI systems trace only the low temperature phases of the X-ray forest, and a full accounting of the strong OVII and OVIII systems will require a mission with the anticipated capabilities of Constellation-X. The large effective area of the XEUS satellite would make it an extremely powerful instrument for studying the IGM, measuring X-ray forest absorption by a variety of elements and revealing the shock-heated filaments that may be an important reservoir of cosmic baryons.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

The Halo Occupation Distribution and the Physics of Galaxy Formation

The halo occupation distribution (HOD) describes the bias between galaxies and dark matter by specifying (a) the probability P(N|M) that a halo of virial mass M contains N galaxies of a particular class and (b) the relative distributions of galaxies and dark matter within halos. We calculate predicted HODs for a Lambda-CDM cosmological model using an SPH hydrodynamic simulation and a semi-analytic (SA) galaxy formation model. Although the two methods predict different galaxy mass functions, their HOD predictions agree remarkably well. For mass-selected samples, the mean occupation exhibits a sharp cutoff at low halo masses, a slowly rising plateau for ~1-2, and a more steeply rising high occupancy regime. At low , the mean pair and triple counts are well below Poisson expectations, with important consequences for small scale behavior of 2- and 3-point correlation functions. The HOD depends strongly on galaxy age, with high mass halos populated mainly by old galaxies and low mass halos by young galaxies. The SPH simulation supports several simplifying assumptions about HOD bias: the most massive galaxy in a halo usually lies close to the center and moves near the halo's mean velocity; satellite galaxies have the same radial profile and velocity dispersion as the dark matter; and the mean occupation at fixed halo mass is independent of the halo's larger scale environment. By applying the SPH and SA HODs to a large volume N-body simulation, we show that both methods predict slight, observable departures from a power-law galaxy correlation function. The predicted HODs are closely tied to the underlying galaxy formation physics, they offer useful guidance to theoretical models of galaxy clustering, and they will be tested empirically by ongoing analyses of galaxy redshift surveys. (Shortened)

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

The Lyman-alpha Forest as a Cosmological Tool

We review recent developments in the theory of the Lyman-alpha forest and their implications for the role of the forest as a test of cosmological models. Simulations predict a relatively tight correlation between the local Lya optical depth and the local gas or dark matter density. Statistical properties of the transmitted flux can constrain the amplitude and shape of the matter power spectrum at high redshift, test the assumption of Gaussian initial conditions, and probe the evolution of dark energy by measuring the Hubble parameter H(z). Simulations predict increased Lya absorption in the vicinity of galaxies, but observations show a Lya deficit within Delta_r ~ 0.5 Mpc/h (comoving). We investigate idealized models of "winds" and find that they must eliminate neutral hydrogen out to comoving radii ~1.5 Mpc/h to marginally explain the data. Winds of this magnitude suppress the flux power spectrum by \~0.1 dex but have little effect on the distribution function or threshold crossing frequency. In light of the stringent demands on winds, we consider the alternative possibility that extended Lya emission from target galaxies replaces absorbed flux, but we conclude that this explanation is unlikely. Taking full advantage of the data coming from large telescopes and from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey will require more complete understanding of the galaxy proximity effect, careful attention to continuum determination, and more accurate numerical predictions, with the goal of reaching 5-10% precision on key cosmological quantities.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Lyman Alpha Absorber Correlations and the Bias of the Lyman Alpha Forest

Lyman alpha absorber correlations contain information about the underlying density distribution associated with a particular class of absorbers. As such, they provide an opportunity to independently measure the "bias" of the Lyman alpha forest, i.e. the relationship between HI column density and underlying dark matter density. In these proceedings we use hydrodynamic simulations to investigate whether the evolution of this bias is measurable from observable correlations. Unfortunately, the increasingly complex physics in the IGM at z<1 makes a direct measurement of the bias difficult. Nevertheless, current simulations do make predictions for HI absorber correlations that are in broad agreement with observations at both high and low redshift, thus reinforcing the bias evolution predictions given by these models.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

The Galaxy Proximity Effect in the Lyman-alpha Forest

Hydrodynamic cosmological simulations predict that the average opacity of the Ly-alpha forest should increase in the neighborhood of galaxies because galaxies form in dense environments. Recent observations (Adelberger et al. 2002) confirm this expectation at large scales, but they show a decrease of absorption at comoving separations Delta_r <~ 1 Mpc/h. We show that this discrepancy is statistically significant, especially for the innermost data point at Delta_r <= 0.5 Mpc/h, even though this data point rests on three galaxy-quasar pairs. Galaxy redshift errors of the expected magnitude are insufficient to resolve the conflict. Peculiar velocities allow gas at comoving distances >~ 1 Mpc/h to produce saturated absorption at the galaxy redshift, putting stringent requirements on any ``feedback'' solution. Local photoionization is insufficient, even if we allow for recurrent AGN activity that keeps the neutral hydrogen fraction below its equilibrium value. A simple ``wind'' model that eliminates all neutral hydrogen in spheres around the observed galaxies can marginally explain the data, but only if the winds extend to comoving radii ~1.5 Mpc/h.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Galaxy Clustering and Galaxy Bias in a Lambda-CDM Universe

We investigate galaxy clustering and galaxy-mass correlations in the LCDM cosmological model using a large volume SPH simulation. For the most part, the predicted biases between galaxies and dark matter lead to good agreement with current observations, including: (1) a nearly constant comoving correlation length from z=3 to z=0 for mass-selected galaxy samples of constant comoving space density; (2) an rms bias factor b~1 at z=0; (3) a scale-dependent bias on small scales that transforms the curved dark matter correlation function into a nearly power-law galaxy correlation function; (4) galaxy pairwise dispersion and hierarchical skewness ratio S_3 in good agreement with observed values, and lower than values for the dark matter by ~20%; (5) a ratio of galaxy-galaxy to galaxy-mass correlation functions consistent with recent measurements from the RCS survey; and (6) a mean excess mass dM(260/h kpc) approximately proportional to galaxy baryon mass M_b, in agreement with lensing estimates from the SDSS. These clustering properties vary with galaxy baryon mass and, more strongly, with stellar population age, in good qualitative agreement with the observed dependence of galaxy clustering and galaxy-mass correlations on galaxy type. The predicted ratio dM(260)/M_b is lower than the SDSS estimates for galaxies with M_b>~2e11 Msun, but numerical resolution effects account for most of this discrepancy, leaving little room for feedback or other astrophysical processes to reduce the stellar masses of luminous galaxies, at least given our adopted cosmological parameters. Our results show that the LCDM model and the galaxy formation physics incorporated in the SPH simulation give a good account of observed galaxy clustering, but anticipated improvements in clustering and weak lensing measurements will soon test this picture in much more detail.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

The overdensities of galaxy environments as a function of luminosity and color

We study the mean environments of galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey as a function of rest-frame luminosity and color. Overdensities in galaxy number are estimated in $8 h^{-1} \mathrm{Mpc}$ and $1 h^{-1} \mathrm{Mpc}$ spheres centered on $125,000$ galaxies taken from the SDSS spectroscopic sample. We find that, at constant color, overdensity is independent of luminosity for galaxies with the blue colors of spirals. This suggests that, at fixed star-formation history, spiral-galaxy mass is a very weak function of environment. Overdensity does depend on luminosity for galaxies with the red colors of early types; both low-luminosity and high-luminosity red galaxies are found to be in highly overdense regions.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

X-ray Observations of the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium

We present Chandra observations that provide the most direct evidence to date for the pervasive, moderate density, shock-heated intergalactic medium predicted by leading cosmological scenarios. We also comment briefly on future observations with Constellation-X.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

The Galaxy Luminosity Function and Luminosity Density at Redshift z=0.1

Using a catalog of 147,986 galaxy redshifts and fluxes from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) we measure the galaxy luminosity density at z=0.1 in five optical bandpasses corresponding to the SDSS bandpasses shifted to match their restframe shape at z=0.1. We denote the bands {0.1}{u}, {0.1}{g}, {0.1}{r}, {0.1}{i}, {0.1}{z}, with λ_{eff} = [3216, 4240, 5595, 6792, 8111] Angstroms respectively. We use a maximum likelihood method which allows for a general form for the shape of the luminosity function, simple luminosity and number evolution, incorporates flux uncertainties, and accounts for the flux limits of the survey. We find luminosity densities at z=0.1 in absolute AB magnitudes in a Mpc^3 of [-14.10 \pm 0.15, -15.18 \pm 0.03, -15.90 \pm 0.03, -16.24 \pm 0.03, -16.56 \pm 0.02] in [{0.1}{u}, {0.1}{g}, {0.1}{r}, {0.1}{i}, {0.1}{z}], respectively, using Ω_0 =0.3, Ω_Λ=0.7, and h=1, and using Petrosian magnitudes. Similar results are obtained using Sersic model magnitudes, suggesting that flux from outside the Petrosian apertures is not a major correction. In the {0.1}{r} band, the best fit Schechter function to our results has ϕ_\ast = (1.49 \pm 0.04) \times 10^{-2} h^3 Mpc^{-3}, M_\ast - 5\log_{10} h = -20.44 \pm 0.01, and α= -1.05\pm 0.01. In solar luminosities, the luminosity density in {0.1}{r} is (1.84 \pm 0.04) h 10^8 L_{{0.1}{r},\odot} Mpc^{-3}. Our results are consistent with other estimates of the luminosity density, from the Two-degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey and the Millenium Galaxy Catalog. They represent a substantial change (\sim 0.5 mag) from earlier SDSS luminosity density results based on commissioning data, almost entirely because of the inclusion of evolution in the luminosity function model.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

How Do Galaxies Get Their Gas?

Not the way one might have thought. In hydrodynamic simulations of galaxy formation, some gas follows the traditionally envisioned route, shock heating to the halo virial temperature before cooling to the much lower temperature of the neutral ISM. But most gas enters galaxies without ever heating close to the virial temperature, gaining thermal energy from weak shocks and adiabatic compression, and radiating it just as quickly. This ``cold mode'' accretion is channeled along filaments, while the conventional, ``hot mode'' accretion is quasi-spherical. Cold mode accretion dominates high redshift growth by a substantial factor, while at z<1 the overall accretion rate declines and hot mode accretion has greater relative importance. The decline of the cosmic star formation rate at low z is driven largely by geometry, as the typical cross section of filaments begins to exceed that of the galaxies at their intersections.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Towards a Precise Measurement of Matter Clustering: Lyman-alpha Forest Data at Redshifts 2-4

We measure the filling factor, correlation function, and power spectrum of transmitted flux in a large sample of Lya forest spectra, comprised of 30 Keck HIRES spectra and 23 Keck LRIS spectra. We infer the linear matter power spectrum P(k) from the flux power spectrum P_F(k), using an improved version of the method of Croft et al. (1998) that accounts for the influence of z-space distortions, non- linearity, and thermal broadening on P_F(k). The evolution of the shape and amplitude of P(k) over the range z= 2-4 is consistent with gravitational instability, implying that non-gravitational fluctuations do not make a large contribution. Our fiducial measurement of P(k) comes from data with = 2.72. It has amplitude Delta^2(k_p)=0.74^0.20_-0.16 at wavenumber k_p=0.03 (km/s)^-1 and is well described by a power-law of index -2.43 +/- 0.06 or by a CDM-like power spectrum with shape parameter Gamma'=1.3^+0.7_-0.5*10^-3 (km/s) at z=2.72. For Omega_m=0.4, Omega_Lam=0.6, the best-fit Gamma =0.16 (h^-1mpc)^-1, in good agreement with the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, and the best-fit sigma_8=0.82 (Gamma/0.15)^-0.44. Matching the observed cluster mass function and our Delta^2(k_p) in spatially flat models requires Omega_m=0.38^+0.10_-0.08 + 2.2 (Gamma-0.15). Matching Delta^2(k_p) in COBE-normalized, flat CDM models with no tensor fluctuations requires Omega_m = (0.29 +/-0.04) n^-2.89 h_65^-1.9. The Lya forest complements other probes of P(k) by constraining a regime of redshift and lengthscale not accessible by other means, and the consistency of these inferred parameters with independent estimates provides further support for inflation, cold dark matter, and vacuum energy (abridged).

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Two-Dimensional Topology of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We present the topology of a volume-limited sample of 11,884 galaxies, selected from an apparent-magnitude limited sample of over 100,000 galaxies observed as part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The data currently cover three main regions on the sky: one in the Galactic north and one in the south, both at zero degrees declination, and one area in the north at higher declination. Each of these areas covers a wide range of survey longitude but a narrow range of survey latitude, allowing the two dimensional genus to be measured. The genus curves of the SDSS sub-samples are similar, after appropriately normalizing these measurements for the different areas. We sum the genus curves from the three areas to obtain the total genus curve of the SDSS. The total curve has a shape similar to the genus curve derived from mock catalogs drawn from the Hubble Volume Lambda CDM simulation and is similar to that of a Gaussian random field. Likewise, comparison with the genus of the 2dFGRS, after normalization for the difference in area, reveals remarkable similarity in the topology of these samples. We test for the effects of galaxy type segregation by splitting the SDSS data into thirds, based on the u^*- r^* colors of the galaxies, and measure the genus of the reddest and bluest sub-samples. This red/blue split in u^*- r^* is essentially a split by morphology (Strateva et al. 2001). We find that the genus curve for the reddest galaxies exhibits a ``meatball'' shift of the topology -- reflecting the concentration of red galaxies in high density regions -- compared to the bluest galaxies and the full sample, in agreement with predictions from simulations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Spectroscopic Target Selection in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: The Main Galaxy Sample

We describe the algorithm that selects the main sample of galaxies for spectroscopy in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey from the photometric data obtained by the imaging survey. Galaxy photometric properties are measured using the Petrosian magnitude system, which measures flux in apertures determined by the shape of the surface brightness profile. The metric aperture used is essentially independent of cosmological surface brightness dimming, foreground extinction, sky brightness, and the galaxy central surface brightness. The main galaxy sample consists of galaxies with r-band Petrosian magnitude r < 17.77 and r-band Petrosian half-light surface brightness < 24.5 magnitudes per square arcsec. These cuts select about 90 galaxy targets per square degree, with a median redshift of 0.104. We carry out a number of tests to show that (a) our star-galaxy separation criterion is effective at eliminating nearly all stellar contamination while removing almost no genuine galaxies, (b) the fraction of galaxies eliminated by our surface brightness cut is very small (0.1%), (c) the completeness of the sample is high, exceeding 99%, and (d) the reproducibility of target selection based on repeated imaging scans is consistent with the expected random photometric errors. (abridged)

astro-ph↗