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G. Helou

Publications and source records attributed to G. Helou.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Planck 2013 results. XV. CMB power spectra and likelihood

We present the Planck likelihood, a complete statistical description of the two-point correlation function of the CMB temperature fluctuations. We use this likelihood to derive the Planck CMB power spectrum over three decades in l, covering 2 <= l <= 2500. The main source of error at l <= 1500 is cosmic variance. Uncertainties in small-scale foreground modelling and instrumental noise dominate the error budget at higher l's. For l < 50, our likelihood exploits all Planck frequency channels from 30 to 353 GHz through a physically motivated Bayesian component separation technique. At l >= 50, we employ a correlated Gaussian likelihood approximation based on angular cross-spectra derived from the 100, 143 and 217 GHz channels. We validate our likelihood through an extensive suite of consistency tests, and assess the impact of residual foreground and instrumental uncertainties on cosmological parameters. We find good internal agreement among the high-l cross-spectra with residuals of a few uK^2 at l <= 1000. We compare our results with foreground-cleaned CMB maps, and with cross-spectra derived from the 70 GHz Planck map, and find broad agreement in terms of spectrum residuals and cosmological parameters. The best-fit LCDM cosmology is in excellent agreement with preliminary Planck polarisation spectra. The standard LCDM cosmology is well constrained by Planck by l <= 1500. For example, we report a 5.4 sigma deviation from n_s /= 1. Considering various extensions beyond the standard model, we find no indication of significant departures from the LCDM framework. Finally, we report a tension between the best-fit LCDM model and the low-l spectrum in the form of a power deficit of 5-10% at l <~ 40, significant at 2.5-3 sigma. We do not elaborate further on its cosmological implications, but note that this is our most puzzling finding in an otherwise remarkably consistent dataset. (Abridged)

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Planck 2013 results. XII. Component separation

Planck has produced detailed all-sky observations over nine frequency bands between 30 and 857 GHz. These observations allow robust reconstruction of the primordial cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature fluctuations over nearly the full sky, as well as new constraints on Galactic foregrounds. This paper describes the component separation framework adopted by Planck. We test four foreground-cleaned CMB maps derived using qualitatively different component separation algorithms. The quality of our reconstructions is evaluated through detailed simulations and internal comparisons, and shown through various tests to be internally consistent and robust for CMB power spectrum and cosmological parameter estimation up to l = 2000. The parameter constraints on LambdaCDM cosmologies derived from these maps are consistent with those presented in the cross-spectrum based Planck likelihood analysis. We choose two of the CMB maps for specific scientific goals. We also present maps and frequency spectra of the Galactic low-frequency, CO, and thermal dust emission. The component maps are found to provide a faithful representation of the sky, as evaluated by simulations. For the low-frequency component, the spectral index varies widely over the sky, ranging from about beta = -4 to -2. Considering both morphology and prior knowledge of the low frequency components, the index map allows us to associate a steep spectral index (beta < -3.2) with strong anomalous microwave emission, corresponding to a spinning dust spectrum peaking below 20 GHz, a flat index of beta > -2.3 with strong free-free emission, and intermediate values with synchrotron emission.

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Calibration of the total infrared luminosity of nearby galaxies from Spitzer and Herschel bands

We present new empirical calibrations to estimate resolved and integrated total infrared luminosities from Spitzer and Herschel bands used as monochromatic or combined tracers. We base our calibrations on resolved elements of nearby galaxies (3 to 30 Mpc) observed with Herschel. We perform a resolved SED modelling of these objects using the Draine and Li (2007) dust models and investigate the influence of the addition of SPIRE measurements in the estimation of LTIR. We find that using data up to 250 um leads to local LTIR values consistent with those obtained with a complete coverage (up to 500 um) within 10 per cent for most of our resolved elements. We then study the distribution of energy in the resolved SEDs of our galaxies. The bulk of energy (30-50 per cent) is contained in the (70-160 um) band. The (24-70 um) fraction decreases with increasing metallicity. The (160-1100 um) submillimeter band can account for up to 25 per cent of the LTIR in metal-rich galaxies. We investigate the correlation between TIR surface brightnesses/luminosities and monochromatic Spitzer and Herschel surface brightnesses/luminosities. The three PACS bands can be used as reliable monochromatic estimators of the LTIR, the 100 um band being the most reliable monochromatic tracer. There is also a strong correlation between the SPIRE 250um and LTIR, although with more scatter than for the PACS relations. We also study the ability of our monochromatic relations to reproduce integrated LTIR of nearby galaxies as well as LTIR of z=1-3 sources. Finally, we provide calibration coefficients that can be used to derive TIR surface brightnesses/luminosities from a combination of Spitzer and Herschel surface brightnesses/fluxes and analyse the associated uncertainties.

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A Detailed Study of the Radio--FIR Correlation in NGC6946 with Herschel-PACS/SPIRE from KINGFISH

We derive the distribution of the synchrotron spectral index across NGC6946 and investigate the correlation between the radio continuum (synchrotron) and far-infrared (FIR) emission using the KINGFISH Herschel PACS and SPIRE data. The radio--FIR correlation is studied as a function of star formation rate, magnetic field strength, radiation field strength, and the total gas surface brightness. The synchrotron emission follows both star-forming regions and the so-called magnetic arms present in the inter-arm regions. The synchrotron spectral index is steepest along the magnetic arms ($α_n \sim 1$), while it is flat in places of giant H{\sc ii} regions and in the center of the galaxy ($α_n \sim 0.6-0.7$). The map of $α_n$ provides an observational evidence for aging and energy loss of cosmic ray electrons propagating in the disk of the galaxy. Variations in the synchrotron--FIR correlation across the galaxy are shown to be a function of both star formation and magnetic fields. We find that the synchrotron emission correlates better with cold rather than with warm dust emission, when the interstellar radiation field is the main heating source of dust. The synchrotron--FIR correlation suggests a coupling between the magnetic field and the gas density. NGC6946 shows a power-law behavior between the total (turbulent) magnetic field strength B and the star formation rate surface density $Σ_{\rm SFR}$ with an index of 0.14\,(0.16)$\pm$0.01. This indicates an efficient production of the turbulent magnetic field with the increasing gas turbulence expected in actively star forming regions. The scale-by-scale analysis of the synchrotron--FIR correlation indicates that the ISM affects the propagation of old/diffused cosmic ray electrons, resulting in a diffusion coefficient of $D_0=4.6\times 10^{28}$\,cm$^2$\,s$^{-1}$ for 2.2\,GeV CREs.

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The Star Formation in Radio Survey: GBT 33 GHz Observations of Nearby Galaxy Nuclei and Extranuclear Star-Forming Regions

We present 33\,GHz photometry of 103 galaxy nuclei and extranuclear star-forming complexes taken with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) as part of the Star Formation in Radio Survey (SFRS). Among the sources without evidence for an AGN, and also having lower frequency radio data, we find a median thermal fraction at 33GHz of ~76% with a dispersion of ~24%. For all sources resolved on scales <0.5kpc, the thermal fraction is even larger, being >90%. This suggests that the rest-frame 33GHz emission provides a sensitive measure of the ionizing photon rate from young star-forming regions, thus making it a robust star formation rate indicator. Taking the 33GHz star formation rates as a reference, we investigate other empirical calibrations relying on different combinations of warm 24μm dust, total infrared (IR; 8-1000μm), Hα line, and far-UV continuum emission. The recipes derived here generally agree with others found in the literature, albeit with a large dispersion that most likely stems from a combination of effects. Comparing the 33GHz to total IR flux ratios as a function of the radio spectral index, measured between 1.7 and 33GHz, we find that the ratio increases as the radio spectral index flattens which does not appear to be a distance effect. Consequently, the ratio of non-thermal to total IR emission appears relatively constant, suggesting only moderate variations in the cosmic-ray electron injection spectrum and ratio of synchrotron to total cooling processes among star-forming complexes. Assuming that this trend solely arises from an increase in the thermal fraction sets a maximum on the scatter of the non-thermal spectral indices among the star-forming regions of σ_α^{NT} < 0.13.

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Planck Intermediate Results. IX. Detection of the Galactic haze with Planck

Using precise full-sky observations from Planck, and applying several methods of component separation, we identify and characterize the emission from the Galactic "haze" at microwave wavelengths. The haze is a distinct component of diffuse Galactic emission, roughly centered on the Galactic centre, and extends to |b| ~35 deg in Galactic latitude and |l| ~15 deg in longitude. By combining the Planck data with observations from the WMAP we are able to determine the spectrum of this emission to high accuracy, unhindered by the large systematic biases present in previous analyses. The derived spectrum is consistent with power-law emission with a spectral index of -2.55 +/- 0.05, thus excluding free-free emission as the source and instead favouring hard-spectrum synchrotron radiation from an electron population with a spectrum (number density per energy) dN/dE ~ E^-2.1. At Galactic latitudes |b|<30 deg, the microwave haze morphology is consistent with that of the Fermi gamma-ray "haze" or "bubbles," indicating that we have a multi-wavelength view of a distinct component of our Galaxy. Given both the very hard spectrum and the extended nature of the emission, it is highly unlikely that the haze electrons result from supernova shocks in the Galactic disk. Instead, a new mechanism for cosmic-ray acceleration in the centre of our Galaxy is implied.

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Wide-Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Final Report

In December 2010, NASA created a Science Definition Team (SDT) for WFIRST, the Wide Field Infra-Red Survey Telescope, recommended by the Astro 2010 Decadal Survey as the highest priority for a large space mission. The SDT was chartered to work with the WFIRST Project Office at GSFC and the Program Office at JPL to produce a Design Reference Mission (DRM) for WFIRST. Part of the original charge was to produce an interim design reference mission by mid-2011. That document was delivered to NASA and widely circulated within the astronomical community. In late 2011 the Astrophysics Division augmented its original charge, asking for two design reference missions. The first of these, DRM1, was to be a finalized version of the interim DRM, reducing overall mission costs where possible. The second of these, DRM2, was to identify and eliminate capabilities that overlapped with those of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (henceforth JWST), ESA's Euclid mission, and the NSF's ground-based Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (henceforth LSST), and again to reduce overall mission cost, while staying faithful to NWNH. This report presents both DRM1 and DRM2.

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Modeling Dust and Starlight in Galaxies Observed by Spitzer and Herschel: NGC 628 and NGC 6946

We characterize the dust in NGC628 and NGC6946, two nearby spiral galaxies in the KINGFISH sample. With data from 3.6um to 500um, dust models are strongly constrained. Using the Draine & Li (2007) dust model, (amorphous silicate and carbonaceous grains), for each pixel in each galaxy we estimate (1) dust mass surface density, (2) dust mass fraction contributed by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)s, (3) distribution of starlight intensities heating the dust, (4) total infrared (IR) luminosity emitted by the dust, and (5) IR luminosity originating in regions with high starlight intensity. We obtain maps for the dust properties, which trace the spiral structure of the galaxies. The dust models successfully reproduce the observed global and resolved spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The overall dust/H mass ratio is estimated to be 0.0082+/-0.0017 for NGC628, and 0.0063+/-0.0009 for NGC6946, consistent with what is expected for galaxies of near-solar metallicity. Our derived dust masses are larger (by up to a factor 3) than estimates based on single-temperature modified blackbody fits. We show that the SED fits are significantly improved if the starlight intensity distribution includes a (single intensity) "delta function" component. We find no evidence for significant masses of cold dust T<12K. Discrepancies between PACS and MIPS photometry in both low and high surface brightness areas result in large uncertainties when the modeling is done at PACS resolutions, in which case SPIRE, MIPS70 and MIPS160 data cannot be used. We recommend against attempting to model dust at the angular resolution of PACS.

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The Palomar Transient Factory photometric catalog 1.0

We construct a photometrically calibrated catalog of non-variable sources from the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) observations. The first version of this catalog presented here, the PTF photometric catalog 1.0, contains calibrated R_PTF-filter magnitudes for about 21 million sources brighter than magnitude 19, over an area of about 11233 deg^2. The magnitudes are provided in the PTF photometric system, and the color of a source is required in order to convert these magnitudes into other magnitude systems. We estimate that the magnitudes in this catalog have typical accuracy of about 0.02 mag with respect to magnitudes from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The median repeatability of our catalog's magnitudes for stars between 15 and 16 mag, is about 0.01 mag, and it is better than 0.03 mag for 95% of the sources in this magnitude range. The main goal of this catalog is to provide reference magnitudes for photometric calibration of visible light observations. Subsequent versions of this catalog, which will be published incrementally online, will be extended to a larger sky area and will also include g_PTF-filter magnitudes, as well as variability and proper motion information.

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A Study of Heating and Cooling of the ISM in NGC 1097 with Herschel-PACS and Spitzer-IRS

NGC 1097 is a nearby Seyfert 1 galaxy with a bright circumnuclear starburst ring, a strong large-scale bar and an active nucleus. We present a detailed study of the spatial variation of the far infrared (FIR) [CII]158um and [OI]63um lines and mid-infrared H2 emission lines as tracers of gas cooling, and of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bands as tracers of the photoelectric heating, using Herschel-PACS, and Spitzer-IRS infrared spectral maps. We focus on the nucleus and the ring, and two star forming regions (Enuc N and Enuc S). We estimated a photoelectric gas heating efficiency ([CII]158um+[OI]63um)/PAH in the ring about 50% lower than in Enuc N and S. The average 11.3/7.7um PAH ratio is also lower in the ring, which may suggest a larger fraction of ionized PAHs, but no clear correlation with [CII]158μm/PAH(5.5 - 14um) is found. PAHs in the ring are responsible for a factor of two more [CII]158um and [OI]63um emission per unit mass than PAHs in the Enuc S. SED modeling indicates that at most 25% of the FIR power in the ring and Enuc S can come from high intensity photodissociation regions (PDRs), in which case G0 ~ 10^2.3 and nH ~ 10^3.5 cm^-3 in the ring. For these values of G0 and nH PDR models cannot reproduce the observed H2 emission. Much of the the H2 emission in the starburst ring could come from warm regions in the diffuse ISM that are heated by turbulent dissipation or shocks.

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Detection of Powerful Mid-IR H2 Emission in the Bridge between the Taffy Galaxies

We report the detection of strong, resolved emission from warm H2 in the Taffy galaxies and bridge. Relative to the continuum and faint PAH emission, the H2 emission is the strongest in the connecting bridge, approaching L(H2)/L(PAH8μm) = 0.1 between the two galaxies, where the purely rotational lines of H2 dominate the mid-infrared spectrum in a way very reminiscent of the group-wide shock in the interacting group Stephan's Quintet. The surface brightness in the 0-0 S(0) and S(1) H2 lines in the bridge is more than twice that observed at the center of the Stephan's Quintet shock. We observe a warm H2 mass of 4.2 \times 108 M\odot in the bridge, but taking into account the unobserved bridge area, the total warm mass is likely to be twice this value. We use excitation diagrams to characterize the warm molecular gas, finding an average surface mass of 5 \times 106 M\odot kpc-2 and typical excitation temperatures of 150-175 K. H2 emission is also seen in the galaxy disks, although there the emission is more consistent with normal star forming galaxies. We investigate several possible heating mechanisms for the bridge gas, but favor the conversion of kinetic energy from the head-on collision via turbulence and shocks as the main heating source. Since the cooling time for the warm H2 is short (5000 yr), shocks must be permeating the molecular gas in bridge region in order to continue heating the H2.

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Ultraluminous Star-Forming Galaxies and Extremely Luminous Warm Molecular Hydrogen Emission at z=2.16 in the PKS 1138-26 Radio Galaxy Protocluster

A deep Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph map of the PKS 1138-26 galaxy protocluster reveals ultraluminous PAH emission from obscured star formation in three protocluster galaxies, including Halpha-emitter (HAE) 229, HAE 131, and the central Spiderweb Galaxy. Star formation rates of 500-1100 Msun/yr are estimated from the 7.7 micron PAH feature. At such prodigious formation rates, the galaxy stellar masses will double in 0.6-1.1 Gyr. We are viewing the peak epoch of star formation for these protocluster galaxies. However, it appears that extinction of Halpha is much greater (factor of 40) in the two ULIRG HAEs compared to the Spiderweb. This may be attributed to different spatial distributions of star formation--nuclear star formation in the HAEs versus extended star formation in accreting satellite galaxies in the Spiderweb. We find extremely luminous mid-IR rotational line emission from warm molecular hydrogen in the Spiderweb Galaxy, with L(H2 0-0 S(3))= 1.4E44 erg/s (3.7E10 Lsun), 20 times more luminous than any previously known H2 emission galaxy (MOHEG). Depending on temperature, this corresponds to a very large mass of >9E6-2E9 Msun of T>300 K molecular gas, heated by the PKS 1138-26 radio jet, acting to quench nuclear star formation. There is >8 times more warm H2 at these temperatures in the Spiderweb than what has been seen in low-redshift (z<0.2) radio galaxies, indicating that the Spiderweb may have a larger reservoir of molecular gas than more evolved radio galaxies. This is the highest redshift galaxy yet in which warm molecular hydrogen has been directly detected.

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Characterizing Cosmic-Ray Propagation in Massive Star-Forming Regions: The Case of 30 Doradus and the Large Magellanic Cloud

Using infrared, radio, and gamma-ray data,we investigate the propagation characteristics of cosmic-ray (CR) electrons and nuclei in the 30 Doradus (30\,Dor) star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using a phenomenological model based on the radio-far-infrared correlation within galaxies. Employing a correlation analysis, we derive an average propagation length of \sim 100-140 pc for \sim 3 GeV CR electrons resident in 30 Dor from consideration of the radio and infrared data. Assuming that the observed gamma-ray emission towards 30 Dor is associated with the star-forming region, and applying the same methodology to the infrared and gamma-ray data, we estimate a \sim 20 GeV propagation length of 200-320 pc for the CR nuclei. This is approximately twice as large as for\sim 3 GeV CR electrons, corresponding to a spatial diffusion coefficient that is \sim 4 times higher, scaling as (R/GV)^δ with δ\approx 0.7-0.8 depending on the smearing kernel used in the correlation analysis. This value is in agreement with the results found by extending the correlation analysis to include \sim 70 GeV CR nuclei traced by the 3-10 GeV gamma-ray data (δ\approx 0.66+/-0.23). Using the mean age of the stellar populations in 30 Dor and the results from our correlation analysis, we estimate a diffusion coefficient D_{R} \approx 0.9-1.0 \times10^27 (R/GV)^{0.7} cm^2 s^-1. We compare the values of the CR electron propagation length and surface brightness for 30 Dor and the LMC as a whole with those of entire disk galaxies. We find that the trend of decreasing average CR propagation distance with increasing disk-averaged star formation activity holds for the LMC, and extends down to single star-forming regions, at least for the case of 30 Dor.

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Resolving the Far-IR Line Deficit: Photoelectric Heating and Far-IR Line Cooling in NGC 1097 and NGC 4559

The physical state of interstellar gas and dust is dependent on the processes which heat and cool this medium. To probe heating and cooling of the ISM over a large range of infrared surface brightness, on sub-kiloparsec scales, we employ line maps of [C \ii] 158 $μ$m, [O \one] 63 $μ$m, and [N \ii] 122 $μ$m in NGC 1097 and NGC 4559, obtained with the PACS spectrometer onboard {\it Herschel}. We matched new observations to existing Spitzer-IRS data that trace the total emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). We confirm at small scales in these galaxies that the canonical measure of photoelectric heating efficiency, ([C \ii] + [O \one])/TIR, decreases as the far-infrared color, $νf_ν$(70 $μ$m)/$νf_ν$(100 $μ$m), increases. In contrast, the ratio of far-infrared (far-IR) cooling to total PAH emission, ([C \ii] + [O \one])/PAH, is a near constant $\sim$6% over a wide range of far-infrared color, 0.5 \textless\ $νf_ν$(70 $μ$m)/$νf_ν$(100 $μ$m) $\lesssim$ 0.95. In the warmest regions, where $νf_ν$(70 $μ$m)/$νf_ν$(100 $μ$m) $\gtrsim$ 0.95, the ratio ([C \ii] + [O \one])/PAH drops rapidly to 4%. We derived representative values of the local UV radiation density, $G_0$, and the gas density, $n_H$, by comparing our observations to models of photodissociation regions. The ratio $G_0/n_H$, derived from fine-structure lines, is found to correlate with the mean dust-weighted starlight intensity, $ $ derived from models of the IR SED. Emission from regions that exhibit a line deficit is characterized by an intense radiation field, indicating that small grains are susceptible to ionization effects. We note that there is a shift in the 7.7 / 11.3 $μ$m PAH ratio in regions that exhibit a deficit in ([C \ii] + [O \one])/PAH, suggesting that small grains are ionized in these environments.

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Planck Early Results. II. The thermal performance of Planck

The performance of the Planck instruments in space is enabled by their low operating temperatures, 20K for LFI and 0.1K for HFI, achieved through a combination of passive radiative cooling and three active mechanical coolers. The scientific requirement for very broad frequency coverage led to two detector technologies with widely different temperature and cooling needs. Active coolers could satisfy these needs; a helium cryostat, as used by previous cryogenic space missions (IRAS, COBE, ISO, Spitzer, AKARI), could not. Radiative cooling is provided by three V-groove radiators and a large telescope baffle. The active coolers are a hydrogen sorption cooler (<20K), a 4He Joule-Thomson cooler (4.7K), and a 3He-4He dilution cooler (1.4K and 0.1K). The flight system was at ambient temperature at launch and cooled in space to operating conditions. The HFI bolometer plate reached 93mK on 3 July 2009, 50 days after launch. The solar panel always faces the Sun, shadowing the rest of Planck, andoperates at a mean temperature of 384K. At the other end of the spacecraft, the telescope baffle operates at 42.3K and the telescope primary mirror operates at 35.9K. The temperatures of key parts of the instruments are stabilized by both active and passive methods. Temperature fluctuations are driven by changes in the distance from the Sun, sorption cooler cycling and fluctuations in gas-liquid flow, and fluctuations in cosmic ray flux on the dilution and bolometer plates. These fluctuations do not compromise the science data.

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Planck early results. VI. The High Frequency Instrument data processing

We describe the processing of the 336 billion raw data samples from the High Frequency Instrument (HFI) which we performed to produce six temperature maps from the first 295 days of Planck-HFI survey data. These maps provide an accurate rendition of the sky emission at 100, 143, 217, 353, 545 and 857 GHz with an angular resolution ranging from 9.9 to 4.4^2. The white noise level is around 1.5 μK degree or less in the 3 main CMB channels (100--217GHz). The photometric accuracy is better than 2% at frequencies between 100 and 353 GHz and around 7% at the two highest frequencies. The maps created by the HFI Data Processing Centre reach our goals in terms of sensitivity, resolution, and photometric accuracy. They are already sufficiently accurate and well-characterised to allow scientific analyses which are presented in an accompanying series of early papers. At this stage, HFI data appears to be of high quality and we expect that with further refinements of the data processing we should be able to achieve, or exceed, the science goals of the Planck project.

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The Palomar Transient Factory photometric calibration

The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) provides multiple epoch imaging for a large fraction of the sky. Here we describe the photometric calibration of the PTF data products that relates the PTF magnitudes to other mag systems. The calibration process utilizes SDSS r~16 mag point source objects as photometric standards. During photometric conditions, this allows us to solve for the extinction coefficients and color terms, and to estimate the camera illumination correction. This also enables the calibration of fields that are outside the SDSS footprint. We test the precision and repeatability of the PTF photometric calibration. Given that PTF is observing in a single filter each night, we define a PTF calibrated magnitude system for R-band and g-band. We show that, in this system, 59% (47%) of the photometrically calibrated PTF R-band (g-band) data achieve a photometric precision of 0.02-0.04 mag. Given the objects' color, the PTF magnitude system can be converted to other systems. A night-by-night comparison of the calibrated magnitudes of individual stars observed on multiple nights shows that they are consistent to a level of ~0.02 mag. Most of the data that were taken under non-photometric conditions can be calibrated relative to other epochs of the same sky footprint obtained during photometric conditions. We provide a guide describing the use of the PTF photometric calibration data products, as well as the transformations between the PTF magnitude system and the SDSS and Johnson-Cousins systems. (abridged).

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Planck early results. XX. New light on anomalous microwave emission from spinning dust grains

Anomalous microwave emission (AME) has been observed by numerous experiments in the frequency range ~10-60 GHz. Using Planck maps and multi-frequency ancillary data, we have constructed spectra for two known AME regions: the Perseus and Rho Ophiuchi molecular clouds. The spectra are well fitted by a combination of free-free radiation, cosmic microwave background, thermal dust, and electric dipole radiation from small spinning dust grains. The spinning dust spectra are the most precisely measured to date, and show the high frequency side clearly for the first time. The spectra have a peak in the range 20-40 GHz and are detected at high significances of 17.1 sigma for Perseus and 8.4 sigma for Rho Ophiuchi. In Perseus, spinning dust in the dense molecular gas can account for most of the AME; the low density atomic gas appears to play a minor role. In Rho Ophiuchi, the ~30 GHz peak is dominated by dense molecular gas, but there is an indication of an extended tail at frequencies 50-100 GHz, which can be accounted for by irradiated low density atomic gas. The dust parameters are consistent with those derived from other measurements. We have also searched the Planck map at 28.5 GHz for candidate AME regions, by subtracting a simple model of the synchrotron, free-free, and thermal dust. We present spectra for two of the candidates; S140 and S235 are bright HII regions that show evidence for AME, and are well fitted by spinning dust models.

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