arXiv subjects

David R. Andersen

Publications and source records attributed to David R. Andersen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

A Partial Near-infrared Guide Star Catalog for Thirty Meter Telescope Operations

At first light, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) near-infrared (NIR) instruments will be fed by a multiconjugate adaptive optics instrument known as the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS). NFIRAOS will use six laser guide stars to sense atmospheric turbulence in a volume corresponding to a field of view of 2', but natural guide stars (NGSs) will be required to sense tip/tilt and focus. To achieve high sky coverage (50% at the north Galactic pole), the NFIRAOS client instruments use NIR on-instrument wavefront sensors that take advantage of the sharpening of the stars by NFIRAOS. A catalog of guide stars with NIR magnitudes as faint as 22 mag in the J band (Vega system), covering the TMT-observable sky, will be a critical resource for the efficient operation of NFIRAOS, and no such catalog currently exists. Hence, it is essential to develop such a catalog by computing the expected NIR magnitudes of stellar sources identified in deep optical sky surveys using their optical magnitudes. This paper discusses the generation of a partial NIR Guide Star Catalog (IRGSC), similar to the final IRGSC for TMT operations. The partial catalog is generated by applying stellar atmospheric models to the optical data of stellar sources from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) optical data and then computing their expected NIR magnitudes. We validated the computed NIR magnitudes of the sources in some fields by using the available NIR data for those fields. We identified the remaining challenges of this approach. We outlined the path for producing the final IRGSC using the Pan-STARRS data. We have named the Python code to generate the IRGSC as irgsctool, which generates a list of NGS for a field using optical data from the Pan-STARRS 3pi survey and also a list of NGSs having observed NIR data from the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey if they are available.

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arXiv2021

Third-order terahertz optical response of graphene in the presence of Rabi Oscillations

Graphene has been shown to exhibit a nonlinear response due to its unique band structure. In this paper, we study the terahertz (THz) response metallic armchair graphene nanoribbons, specifically current density and Rabi oscillations beyond the semiclassical Boltzman model. We performed quantum mathematical modeling by first finding a solution to the unperturbed Hamiltonian for a single Fermion in the dipole gauge and then applying a polarized, THz electrical field. After writing the solution in terms of the four eigenstates of the Dirac system, we numerically calculated the $x$ and $y$ components of the induced current density resulting from applying the terahertz electrical field. Due to the inclusion of the Rabi Oscillation in our calculation of the optical response, we predict both odd and even harmonics, as well as continuum oscillations of the power density spectrum in the THz regime. Lastly, we show a rapid decay of the power harmonics.

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arXiv2019

Terahertz continuum generation in the LCS lattice

Rabi oscillations in two-level Dirac systems have been shown to alter the frequency content of the system's nonlinear response. In particular, when considering Rabi oscillations in a quantum model beyond the semiclassical Boltzmann theory, even harmonics may be generated despite the centrosymmetric nature of these systems. This effect magnifies with increasing excitation intensity. In this work, we extend the Rabi theory to a three-level Dirac system arising from a line-centered-square optical lattice. In this case, the Dirac cones are bisected at the Dirac point by a flat band that persists throughout the Brillioun zone. Due to the presence of this flat band, we expect a significant enhancement of the coupling between Dirac states, resulting in a large increase of the Rabi effects and the associated nonlinearities, leading to continuum generation of terahertz radiation.

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arXiv2016

Nonlinear response of metallic acGNR to an elliptically-polarized terahertz excitation field

We present a theoretical description of the nonlinear response induced by an elliptically-polarized terahertz beam normally-incident on intrinsic and extrinsic metallic armchair graphene nanorib- bons. Our results show that using a straightforward experimental setup, it should be possible to observe novel polarization-dependent nonlinearities at low excitation field strengths of the or- der of 10 4 V/m. At low temperatures the Kerr nonlinearities in extrinsic nanoribbons persist to significantly higher excitation frequencies than they do for linear polarizations, and at room tem- peratures, the third-harmonic nonlinearities are enhanced by 2-3 orders of magnitude. Finally, the Fermi-level and temperature dependence of the nonlinear response is characterized.

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arXiv2016

First-principles study of the terahertz third-order nonlinear response of metallic armchair graphene nanoribbons

We compute the terahertz third-order nonlinear conductance of metallic armchair graphene nanoribbons using time-dependent perturbation theory. Significant enhancement of the intrinsic third-order conductance over the result for instrinsic 2D single-layer graphene is observed over a wide range of temperatures. We also investigate the nonlinear response of extrinsic metallic acGNR with |E_F|<<200 meV. We find that the third-order conductance exhibits a strong Fermi level dependence at low temperatures. A third-order critical field strength of between 1 and 5 kV/m is computed for the Kerr conductance as a function of temperature. For the third-harmonic conductance, the minimum critical field is computed to be about about 5 kV/m.

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arXiv2016

Quantum Size Effects in the Terahertz Nonlinear Response of Metallic Armchair Graphene Nanoribbons

We use time dependent perturbation theory to study quantum size effects on the terahertz nonlinear response of metallic graphene armchair nanoribbons of finite length under an applied electric field. Our work shows that quantization due to the finite length of the nanoribbon, the applied field profile, and the broadening of the graphene spectrum all play a significant role in the resulting nonlinear conductances. In certain cases, these effects can significantly enhance the nonlinearity over that for infinitely-long metallic armchair graphene nanoribbon.

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arXiv2016

Multi time-step wave-front reconstruction for tomographic Adaptive-Optics systems

In tomographic adaptive-optics (AO) systems, errors due to tomographic wave-front reconstruction limit the performance and angular size of the scientific field of view (FoV), where AO correction is effective. We propose a multi time-step tomographic wave-front reconstruction method to reduce the tomographic error by using the measurements from both the current and the previous time-steps simultaneously. We further outline the method to feed the reconstructor with both wind speed and direction of each turbulence layer. An end-to-end numerical simulation, assuming a multi-object AO (MOAO) system on a 30 m aperture telescope, shows that the multi time-step reconstruction increases the Strehl ratio (SR) over a scientific FoV of 10 arcminutes in diameter by a factor of 1.5--1.8 when compared to the classical tomographic reconstructor, depending on the guide star asterism and with perfect knowledge of wind speeds and directions. We also evaluate the multi time-step reconstruction method and the wind estimation method on the RAVEN demonstrator under laboratory setting conditions. The wind speeds and directions at multiple atmospheric layers are measured successfully in the laboratory experiment by our wind estimation method with errors below 2 \ms. With these wind estimates, the multi time-step reconstructor increases the SR value by a factor of 1.2--1.5, which is consistent with a prediction from end-to-end numerical simulation.

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arXiv2015

The DiskMass Survey. X. Radio synthesis imaging of spiral galaxies

We present results from 21 cm radio synthesis imaging of 28 spiral galaxies from the DiskMass Survey obtained with the VLA, WSRT, and GMRT facilities. We detail the observations and data reduction procedures and present a brief analysis of the radio data. We construct 21 cm continuum images, global HI emission-line profiles, column-density maps, velocity fields, and position-velocity diagrams. From these we determine star formation rates (SFRs), HI line widths, total HI masses, rotation curves, and azimuthally-averaged radial HI column-density profiles. All galaxies have an HI disk that extends beyond the readily observable stellar disk, with an average ratio and scatter of R_{HI}/R_{25}=1.35+/-0.22, and a majority of the galaxies appear to have a warped HI disk. A tight correlation exists between total HI mass and HI diameter, with the largest disks having a slightly lower average column density. Galaxies with relatively large HI disks tend to exhibit an enhanced stellar velocity dispersion at larger radii, suggesting the influence of the gas disk on the stellar dynamics in the outer regions of disk galaxies. We find a striking similarity among the radial HI surface density profiles, where the average, normalized radial profile of the late-type spirals is described surprisingly well with a Gaussian profile. These results can be used to estimate HI surface density profiles in galaxies that only have a total HI flux measurement. We compare our 21 cm radio continuum luminosities with 60 micron luminosities from IRAS observations for a subsample of 15 galaxies and find that these follow a tight radio-infrared relation, with a hint of a deviation from this relation at low luminosities. We also find a strong correlation between the average SFR surface density and the K-band surface brightness of the stellar disk.

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arXiv2014

The Link Between Light and Mass in Late-type Spiral Galaxy Disks

We present the correlation between the extrapolated central disk surface brightness (mu) and extrapolated central surface mass density (Sigma) for galaxies in the DiskMass sample. This mu-Sigma-relation has a small scatter of 30% at the high-surface-brightness (HSB) end. At the low surface brightness (LSB) end, galaxies fall above the mu-Sigma-relation, which we attribute to their higher dark matter content. After correcting for the dark matter, as well as for the contribution of gas and the effects of radial gradients in the disk, the LSB end falls back on the linear mu-Sigma-relation. The resulting scatter about the corrected mu-Sigma-relation is 25% at the HSB end, and about 50% at the LSB end. The intrinsic scatter in the mu-Sigma-relation is estimated to be 10% to 20%. Thus, if the surface brightness is known, the stellar surface mass density is known to within 10-20% (random error). Assuming disks have an exponential vertical distribution of mass, the average (M_L)_K is 0.24 Msun/Lsun, with an intrinsic scatter around the mean of at most 0.05 Msun/Lsun. This value for (M/L)_K is 20% smaller than we found in Martinsson et al., mainly due to the correction for dark matter applied here. This small scatter means that among the galaxies in our sample variations in scale height, vertical density profile shape, and/or the ratio of vertical over radial velocity dispersion must be small.

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arXiv2014

The DiskMass Survey. VIII. On the Relationship Between Disk Stability and Star Formation

We study the relationship between the stability level of late-type galaxy disks and their star-formation activity using integral-field gaseous and stellar kinematic data. Specifically, we compare the two-component (gas+stars) stability parameter from Romeo & Wiegert (Q_RW), incorporating stellar kinematic data for the first time, and the star-formation rate estimated from 21cm continuum emission. We determine the stability level of each disk probabilistically using a Bayesian analysis of our data and a simple dynamical model. Our method incorporates the shape of the stellar velocity ellipsoid (SVE) and yields robust SVE measurements for over 90% of our sample. Averaging over this subsample, we find a meridional shape of sigma_z/sigma_R = 0.51^{+0.36}_{-0.25} for the SVE and, at 1.5 disk scale lengths, a stability parameter of Q_RW = 2.0 +/- 0.9. We also find that the disk-averaged star-formation-rate surface density (Sigma-dot_e,*) is correlated with the disk-averaged gas and stellar mass surface densities (Sigma_e,g and Sigma_e,*) and anti-correlated with Q_RW. We show that an anti-correlation between Sigma-dot_e,* and Q_RW can be predicted using empirical scaling relations, such that this outcome is consistent with well-established statistical properties of star-forming galaxies. Interestingly, Sigma-dot_e,* is not correlated with the gas-only or star-only Toomre parameters, demonstrating the merit of calculating a multi-component stability parameter when comparing to star-formation activity. Finally, our results are consistent with the Ostriker et al. model of self-regulated star-formation, which predicts Sigma-dot_e,*/Sigma_e,g/sqrt(Sigma_e,*). Based on this and other theoretical expectations, we discuss the possibility of a physical link between disk stability level and star-formation rate in light of our empirical results.

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arXiv2013

The Stability of Galaxy Disks

We calculate the stellar surface mass density (Sigma_*) and two-component (gas+stars) disk stability (Q_RW) for 25 late-type galaxies from the DiskMass Survey. These calculations are based on fits of a dynamical model to our ionized-gas and stellar kinematic data performed using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling of the Bayesian posterior. Marginalizing over all galaxies, we find a median value of Q_RW=2.0+/-0.9 at 1.5 scale lengths. We also find that Q_RW is anti-correlated with the star-formation rate surface density (Sigma_SFR), which can be predicted using a closed set of empirical scaling relations. Finally, we find that the star-formation efficiency (Sigma_SFR/Sigma_g) is correlated with Sigma_* and weakly anti-correlated with Q_RW. The former is consistent with an equilibrium prediction of Sigma_SFR/Sigma_g propto Sigma_*^{1/2}. Despite its order-of-magnitude range, we find no correlation of Sigma_SFR/Sigma_g/Sigma_*^{1/2} with any other physical quantity derived by our study.

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arXiv2013

The DiskMass Survey. VII. The distribution of luminous and dark matter in spiral galaxies

We present dynamically-determined rotation-curve mass decompositions of 30 spiral galaxies, which were carried out to test the maximum-disk hypothesis and to quantify properties of their dark-matter (DM) halos. We used measured vertical velocity dispersions of the disk stars to calculate dynamical mass surface densities. Together with our atomic and molecular gas mass surface densities, we derived the stellar mass surface densities, and thus have absolute measurements of all dominant baryonic components. Using K-band surface brightness profiles, we calculated the K-band mass-to-light ratio of the stellar disks (M/L). Our result is consistent with all galaxies in the sample having equal M/L, with a sample average and scatter of =0.31+/-0.07. Rotation-curves of the baryonic components were calculated from their mass surface densities, and used with circular-speed measurements to derive the structural parameters of the DM halos, modeled as either a pseudo-isothermal sphere (pISO) or an NFW halo. All galaxies in our sample are submaximal, such that at 2.2 disk scale lengths (hR) the ratios between the baryonic and total rotation-curves (Fb^{2.2hR}) are less than 0.75. We find this ratio to be nearly constant between 1-6 hR within individual galaxies. We find a sample average and scatter of =0.57+/-0.07, with trends of larger Fb^{2.2hR} for more luminous and higher-surface-brightness galaxies. To enforce these being maximal, we need to scale M/L by a factor 3.6 on average. The DM rotation curves are marginally better fit by a pISO than by an NFW halo. For the nominal-M/L (submaximal) case, the derived NFW-halo parameters have values consistent with LCDM N-body simulations, suggesting that the baryonic matter has only had a minor effect on the DM distribution. In contrast, maximum-M/L decompositions yield halo concentrations that are too low compared to the LCDM simulations.

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arXiv2013

The DiskMass Survey. VI. Gas and stellar kinematics in spiral galaxies from PPak integral-field spectroscopy

We present ionized-gas (OIII) and stellar kinematics (velocities and velocity dispersions) for 30 nearly face-on spiral galaxies out to as much as three disk scale lengths (h_R). These data have been derived from PPak IFU spectroscopy (4980-5370A), observed at a mean resolution of R=7700 (sigma_inst=17km/s). These data are a fundamental product of our survey and will be used in companion papers to, e.g., derive the detailed (baryonic+dark) mass budget of each galaxy in our sample. Our presentation provides a comprehensive description of the observing strategy, data reduction, and analysis. Along with a clear presentation of the data, we demonstrate: (1) The OIII and stellar rotation curves exhibit a clear signature of asymmetric drift with a rotation difference that is 11% of the maximum rotation speed of the galaxy disk, comparable to measurements in the solar neighborhood in the Milky Way. (2) The e-folding length of the stellar velocity dispersion is two times h_R on average, as expected for a disk with a constant scale height and mass-to-light ratio, with a scatter that is notably smaller for massive, high-surface-brightness disks in the most luminous galaxies. (3) At radii larger than 1.5 h_R, the stellar velocity dispersion tends to decline slower than the best-fitting exponential function, which may be due to an increase in the disk mass-to-light ratio, disk flaring, or disk heating by the dark-matter halo. (4) A strong correlation exists between the central vertical stellar velocity dispersion of the disks and their circular rotational speed at 2.2 h_R, with a zero point indicating that galaxy disks are submaximal. Moreover, weak but consistent correlations exist such that disks with a fainter central surface brightness in bluer and less luminous galaxies of later morphological types are kinematically colder with respect to their rotational velocities.

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arXiv2012

Collective Modes of Massive Dirac Fermions in Armchair Graphene Nanoribbons

We report the plasmon dispersion characteristics of intrinsic and extrinsic armchair graphene nanoribbons of atomic width N = 5 using a p_z-orbital tight binding model with third-nearest-neighbor (3nn) coupling. The coupling parameters are obtained by fitting the 3nn dispersions to that of an extended Huckel theory. The resultant massive Dirac Fermion system has a band gap E_g \approx 64 meV. The extrinsic plasmon dispersion relation is found to approach a common dispersion curve as the chemical potential $μ$ increases, whereas the intrinsic plasmon dispersion relation is found to have both energy and momentum thresholds. We also report an analytical model for the extrinsic plasmon group velocity in the q \rightarrow 0 limit.

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arXiv2012

Plasmon dispersion in semimetallic armchair graphene nanoribbons

The dispersion relations for plasmons in intrinsic and extrinsic semimetallic armchair graphene nanoribbons (acGNR) are calculated in the random phase approximation using the orthogonal p_z-orbital tight binding method. Our model predicts new plasmons for acGNR of odd atomic widths N=5,11,17,... Our model further predicts plasmons in acGNR of even atomic width N=2,8,14,... related to those found using a Dirac continuum model, but with different quantitative dispersion characteristics. We find that the dispersion of all plasmons in semimetallic acGNR depends strongly on the localization of the p_z electronic wavefunctions. We also find that overlap integrals for acGNR behave in a more complex way than predicted by the Dirac continuum model, suggesting that these plasmons will experience a small damping for all q not equal to 0. Plasmons in extrinsic semimetallic acGNR with the chemical potential in the lowest (highest) conduction (valence) band are found to have dispersion characteristics nearly identical to their intrinsic counterparts, with negligible differencs in dispersion arising from the slight differences in overlap integrals for the interband and intraband transitions.

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arXiv2011

Galaxy Disks are Submaximal

We measure the contribution of galaxy disks to the overall gravitational potential of 30 nearly face-on intermediate-to-late-type spirals from the DiskMass Survey. The central vertical velocity dispersion of the disk stars, sigma(z,R=0), is related to the maximum rotation speed (Vmax) as sigma(z,R=0) ~ 0.26 Vmax, consistent with previous measurements for edge-on disk galaxies and a mean stellar velocity ellipsoid axial ratio sigma(z) / sigma(R) = 0.6. For reasonable values of disk oblateness, this relation implies these galaxy disks are submaximal. We find disks in our sample contribute only 15% to 30% of the dynamical mass within 2.2 disk scale-lengths (hR), with percentages increasing systematically with luminosity, rotation speed and redder color. These trends indicate the mass ratio of disk-to-total matter remains at or below 50% at 2.2 hR even for the most extreme, fast-rotating disks (Vmax > 300 km/s), of the reddest rest-frame, face-on color (B-K ~ 4 mag), and highest luminosity (M(K)<-26.5 mag). Therefore, spiral disks in general should be submaximal. Our results imply that the stellar mass-to-light ratio and hence the accounting of baryons in stars should be lowered by at least a factor of 3.

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arXiv2011

The DiskMass Survey. IV. The Dark-Matter-Dominated Galaxy UGC 463

We present a detailed and unique mass budget for the high-surface-brightness galaxy UGC 463, showing it is dominated by dark matter (DM) at radii beyond one scale length (h_R) and has a baryonic-to-DM mass ratio of approximately 1:3 within 4.2 h_R. Assuming a constant scale height (h_z, calculated via an empirical oblateness relation), we calculate dynamical disk mass surface densities from stellar kinematics, which provide vertical velocity dispersions after correcting for the shape of the stellar velocity ellipsoid (measured to have sigma_theta/sigma_R=1.04 +/- 0.22 and sigma_z/sigma_R=0.48 +/- 0.09). We isolate the stellar mass surface density by accounting for all gas mass components and find an average K-band mass-to-light ratio of 0.22 +/- 0.09 (ran) ^{+0.16}_{-0.15} (sys) M_{sun}/L_{sun}^{K}; Zibetti et al. and Bell et al. predict, respectively, 0.56 and 3.6 times our dynamical value based on stellar-population-synthesis modeling. The baryonic matter is submaximal by a factor of ~3 in mass and the baryonic-to-total circular-speed ratio is 0.61^{+0.07}_{-0.09} (ran) ^{+0.12}_{-0.18} (sys) at 2.2 h_R; however, the disk is globally stable with a multi-component stability that decreases asymptotically with radius to Q~2. We directly calculate the circular speed of the DM halo by subtracting the baryonic contribution to the total circular speed; the result is equally well described by either a Navarro-Frenk-White halo or a pseudo-isothermal sphere. The volume density is dominated by DM at heights of |z|>1.6 h_z for radii of R > h_R. As is shown in follow-up papers, UGC 463 is just one example among nearly all galaxies we have observed that contradict the hypothesis that high-surface-brightness spiral galaxies have maximal disks.

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arXiv2010

The DiskMass Survey. II. Error Budget

We present a performance analysis of the DiskMass Survey. The survey uses collisionless tracers in the form of disk stars to measure the surface-density of spiral disks, to provide an absolute calibration of the stellar mass-to-light ratio, and to yield robust estimates of the dark-matter halo density profile in the inner regions of galaxies. We find a disk inclination range of 25-35 degrees is optimal for our measurements, consistent with our survey design to select nearly face-on galaxies. Uncertainties in disk scale-heights are significant, but can be estimated from radial scale-lengths to 25% now, and more precisely in the future. We detail the spectroscopic analysis used to derive line-of-sight velocity dispersions, precise at low surface-brightness, and accurate in the presence of composite stellar populations. Our methods take full advantage of large-grasp integral-field spectroscopy and an extensive library of observed stars. We show that the baryon-to-total mass fraction (F_b) is not a well-defined observational quantity because it is coupled to the halo mass model. This remains true even when the disk mass is known and spatially-extended rotation curves are available. In contrast, the fraction of the rotation speed supplied by the disk at 2.2 scale lengths (disk maximality) is a robust observational indicator of the baryonic disk contribution to the potential. We construct the error-budget for the key quantities: dynamical disk mass surface-density, disk stellar mass-to-light ratio, and disk maximality (V_disk / V_circular). Random and systematic errors in these quantities for individual galaxies will be ~25%, while survey precision for sample quartiles are reduced to 10%, largely devoid of systematic errors outside of distance uncertainties.

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