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M. Marcelin

Publications and source records attributed to M. Marcelin.

108 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Time Calibration of the ANTARES Neutrino Telescope

The ANTARES deep-sea neutrino telescope comprises a three-dimensional array of photomultipliers to detect the Cherenkov light induced by upgoing relativistic charged particles originating from neutrino interactions in the vicinity of the detector. The large scattering length of light in the deep sea facilitates an angular resolution of a few tenths of a degree for neutrino energies exceeding 10 TeV. In order to achieve this optimal performance, the time calibration procedures should ensure a relative time calibration between the photomultipliers at the level of about 1ns. The methods developed to attain this level of precision are described.

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Search for a diffuse flux of high-energy $ν_μ$ with the ANTARES neutrino telescope

A search for a diffuse flux of astrophysical muon neutrinos, using data collected by the ANTARES neutrino telescope is presented. A $(0.83\times 2π)$ sr sky was monitored for a total of 334 days of equivalent live time. The searched signal corresponds to an excess of events, produced by astrophysical sources, over the expected atmospheric neutrino background. The observed number of events is found compatible with the background expectation. Assuming an $E^{-2}$ flux spectrum, a 90% c.l. upper limit on the diffuse $ν_μ$ flux of $E^2Φ_{90%} = 5.3 \times 10^{-8} \ \mathrm{GeV\ cm^{-2}\ s^{-1}\ sr^{-1}} $ in the energy range 20 TeV - 2.5 PeV is obtained. Other signal models with different energy spectra are also tested and some rejected.

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Deep Hα Observations of NGC 253: a Very Extended and Possibly Declining Rotation Curve?

This study presents a deep Hα kinematical analysis of the Sculptor Group galaxy NGC253. The Fabry-Perot data were taken with the 36-cm Marseille Telescope in La Silla, Chile, using an EMCCD detector. Typical emission measures of ~0.1 cm^-6 pc are reached. The observations allow the detection of the Diffuse Ionized Gas component through [N II] emission at very large radii of 11.5', 12.8' and 19.0', on the receding side of the galaxy. No Hα emission is observed at radii larger than the neutral component (11.5'). The very extended rotation curve confirms previous results and shows signs of a significant decline, on the order of 30 per cent vmax . Using the rotation data, mass models are constructed with and without the outer [N II] data points, and similar results are found. The declining part of the rotation curve is very well modeled, and seems to be truly declining.

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Evidence for strong dynamical evolution in disk galaxies through the last 11 Gyr. GHASP VIII: A local reference sample of rotating disk galaxies for high redshift studies

[Abridged] Due to their large distances, high-z galaxies are observed at a very low spatial resolution. In order to disentangle the evolution of galaxy kinematics from low resolution effects, we have used Fabry-Perot 3D Ha data-cubes of 153 nearby isolated galaxies from the GHASP survey to simulate data-cubes of galaxies at z=1.7. We show that the inner velocity gradient is lowered and is responsible for a peak in the velocity dispersion map. Toy-models of rotating disks have been built to recover the parameters from low resolution data. The poor resolution makes the kinematical inclination uncertain and the center difficult to recover. The major axis is retrieved with an accuracy higher than 5deg for 70% of the sample. Toy-models also enable to retrieve statistically the maximum velocity and the mean velocity dispersion of galaxies with a satisfying accuracy. This validates the use of the Tully-Fisher relation for high-z galaxies but the loss of resolution induces a lower slope at high-z. We conclude that the main kinematic parameters are better constrained for galaxies with an optical radius larger than three times the seeing. The simulated data have been compared to actual high-z galaxies data in the redshift range 3>z>0.4. For rotation-dominated galaxies, we find that the use of the velocity dispersion central peak as a signature of rotating disks may misclassify slow and solid body rotators (~30% of our sample). We show that the projected data cannot reproduce the high velocity dispersion observed in high-z galaxies except when no beam smearing correction is applied. This unambiguously means that, at the opposite of local evolved galaxies, there exists at high redshift at least a population of disk galaxies for which a large fraction of the dynamical support is due to random motions.

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A kinematic study of the irregular dwarf galaxy NGC 4861 using HI and Halpha observations

Context. Outflows powered by the injection of kinetic energy from massive stars can strongly affect the chemical evolution of galaxies, in particular of dwarf galaxies, as their lower gravitational potentials enhance the chance of a galactic wind. Aims. We therefore performed a detailed kinematic analysis of the neutral and ionised gas components in the nearby star-forming irregular dwarf galaxy NGC 4861. Similar to a recently published study of NGC 2366, we want to make predictions about the fate of the gas and to discuss some general issues about this galaxy. Methods. Fabry-Perot interferometric data centred on the Halpha line were obtained with the 1.93m telescope at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence. They were complemented by HI synthesis data from the VLA. We performed a Gaussian decomposition of both the Halpha and the HI emission lines in order to search for multiple components indicating outflowing gas. The expansion velocities of the detected outflows were compared to the escape velocity of NGC 4861, which was modelled with a pseudo-isothermal halo. Results. Both in Halpha and HI the galaxy shows several outflows, three directly connected to the disc and probably forming the edges of a supergiant shell, and one at kpc-distance from the disc. We measured velocity offsets of 20 to 30 km/s, which are low in comparison to the escape velocity of the galaxy and therefore minimise the chance of a galactic wind.

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A kinematic study of the irregular dwarf galaxy NGC 2366 using HI and Halpha observations

Abridged. Context. The metal content of dwarf galaxies and the metal enrichment of the intergalactic medium both suggest that mass loss from galaxies is a significant factor for the chemical evolution history of galaxies, in particular of dwarf galaxies. However, no clear evidence of a blow-away in local dwarf galaxies has been found so far. Aims. We therefore performed a detailed kinematic analysis of the neutral and ionised gas in the nearby star-forming irregular dwarf galaxy NGC 2366 in order to make predictions about the fate of the gas and to get a more complete picture of this galaxy. Methods. A deep Halpha image and Fabry-Perot interferometric data of NGC 2366 were obtained. They were complemented by HI synthesis data from the THINGS survey. We searched for line-splitting both in Halpha and HI by performing a Gaussian decomposition. To get an idea whether the expansion velocities are high enough for a gas blow-away, we used the pseudo-isothermal halo model, which gives us realistic values for the escape velocities of NGC 2366. The good data quality also allowed us to discuss some peculiarities of the morphology and the dynamics in NGC 2366. Results. A large red-shifted outflow north west of the giant extragalactic HII region with an expansion velocity of up to 50 km/s is found in Halpha, but not in HI. Additionally, a blue-shifted component north of the giant extragalactic HII region was detected both in Halpha and HI with an expansion velocity of up to 30 km/s. A comparison with the escape velocities of NGC 2366 reveals that the gas does not have enough kinetic energy to leave the gravitational potential.

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GHASP : An Halpha kinematic survey of 203 spiral and irregular galaxies - VII. Revisiting the analysis of Halpha data cubes for 97 galaxies

The GHASP survey (Gassendi HAlpha survey of SPirals) consists of 3D Ha data cubes for 203 spiral and irregular galaxies, covering a large range in morphological types and absolute magnitudes, for kinematics analysis. It is the largest sample of Fabry-Perot data published up to now. In order to provide an homogenous sample, reduced and analyzed using the same procedure, we present in this paper the new reduction and analysis for a set of 97 galaxies already published in previous papers but now using the new data reduction procedure adopted for the whole sample. The GHASP survey is now achieved and the whole sample is reduced using adaptive binning techniques based on Voronoi tessellations. We have derived Ha data cubes from which are computed Ha maps, radial velocity fields as well as residual velocity fields, position-velocity diagrams, rotation curves and kinematical parameters for almost all galaxies. The rotation curves, the kinematical parameters and their uncertainties are computed homogeneously using the new method based on the power spectrum of the residual velocity field. This paper provides the kinematical parameters for the whole sample. For the first time, the integrated Ha profiles have been computed and are presented for the whole sample. The total Ha fluxes deduced from these profiles have been used in order to provide a flux calibration for the 203 GHASP galaxies. This paper confirms the conclusions already drawn from half the sample concerning (i) the increased accuracy of position angles measurements using kinematical data, (ii) the difficulty to have robust determinations of both morphological and kinematical inclinations in particular for low inclination galaxies and (iii) the very good agreement between the Tully-Fisher relationship derived from our data and previous determinations.

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GHASP : An Halpha kinematic survey of spiral and irregular galaxies - VI. New Halpha data cubes for 108 galaxies

We present the Fabry-Perot observations obtained for a new set of 108 galaxies that completes the GHASP survey (Gassendi HAlpha survey of SPirals). The GHASP survey consists of 3D Ha data cubes for 203 spiral and irregular galaxies, covering a large range in morphological types and absolute magnitudes, for kinematics analysis. The GHASP sample is by now the largest sample of Fabry-Perot data ever published. We have derived Ha data cubes from which are computed Ha maps, radial velocity fields as well as residual velocity fields, position-velocity diagrams, rotation curves and the kinematical parameters for almost all galaxies. Original improvements in the determination of the kinematical parameters, rotation curves and their uncertainties have been implemented in the reduction procedure. This new method is based on the whole 2D velocity field and on the power spectrum of the residual velocity fieldrather than the classical method using successive crowns in the velocity field. Among the results, we point out that morphological position angles have systematically higher uncertainties than kinematical ones, especially for galaxies with low inclination. Morphological inclination of galaxies having no robust determination of their morphological position angle cannot be constrained correctly. Galaxies with high inclination show a better agreement between their kinematical inclination and their morphological inclination computed assuming a thin disk. The consistency of the velocity amplitude of our rotation curves have been checked using the Tully-Fisher relationship. Our data are in good agreement with previous determinations found in the literature. Nevertheless, galaxies with low inclination have statistically higher velocities than expected and fast rotators are less luminous than expected.

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Deep Fabry-Perot Halpha Observations of NGC 7793: a Very Extended Halpha Disk and a Truly Declining Rotation Curve

Deep Halpha observations of the Sculptor Group galaxy NGC 7793 were obtained on the ESO 3.60m and the Marseille 36cm telescopes at La Silla, Chile. Halpha emission is detected all the way to the edge of the HI disk, making of the HII disk of NGC 7793 one of the largest ever observed in a quiet non-AGN late-type system. Even in the very outer parts, the HII ionizing sources are probably mainly internal (massive stars in the disk) with an unlikely contribution from the extragalactic ionizing background. The Halpha kinematics confirms what had already been seen with the HI observations: NGC 7793 has a truly declining rotation curve. However, the decline is not Keplerian and a dark halo is still needed to explain the rotation velocities in the outer parts.

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GHASP : an H alpha kinematic survey of spiral and irregular galaxies. V. Dark matter distribution in 36 nearby spiral galaxies

The results obtained from a study of the mass distribution of 36 spiral galaxies are presented. The galaxies were observed using Fabry-Perot interferometry as part of the GHASP survey. The main aim of obtaining high resolution H alpha 2D velocity fields is to define more accurately the rising part of the rotation curves which should allow to better constrain the parameters of the mass distribution. The H alpha velocities were combined with low resolution HI data from the literature, when available. Combining the kinematical data with photometric data, mass models were derived from these rotation curves using two different functional forms for the halo: an isothermal sphere and an NFW profile. For the galaxies already modeled by other authors, the results tend to agree. Our results point at the existence of a constant density core in the center of the dark matter halos rather than a cuspy core, whatever the type of the galaxy from Sab to Im. This extends to all types the result already obtained by other authors studying dwarf and LSB galaxies but would necessitate a larger sample of galaxies to conclude more strongly. Whatever model is used (ISO or NFW), small core radius halos have higher central densities, again for all morphological types. We confirm different halo scaling laws, such as the correlations between the core radius and the central density of the halo with the absolute magnitude of a galaxy: low luminosity galaxies have small core radius and high central density. We find that the product of the central density with the core radius of the dark matter halo is nearly constant, whatever the model and whatever the absolute magnitude of the galaxy. This suggests that the halo surface density is independent from the galaxy type.

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A Virgo high-resolution Halpha kinematical survey : II. The Atlas

A catalog of ionized gas velocity fields for a sample of 30 spiral and irregular galaxies of the Virgo cluster has been obtained by using three-dimensional optical data. The aim of this survey is to study the influence of high density environments on the gaseous kinematics of local cluster galaxies. Observations of the Halpha line by means of Fabry-Perot interferometry have been performed at the Canada-France-Hawaii, ESO 3.6m, Observatoire de Haute-Provence 1.93m and Observatoire du mont Megantic telescopes at angular and spectral samplings from 0.4" to 1.6" and 7 to 16 km/s. A recently developed, automatic and adaptive spatial binning technique is used to reach a nearly constant signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) over the whole field-of-view, allowing to keep a high spatial resolution in high S/N regions and extend the detection of signal in low S/N regions. This paper is part of a series and presents the integrated emission-line and velocity maps of the galaxies. Both Halpha morphologies and kinematics exhibit signs of perturbations in the form of e.g. external filaments, inner and nuclear spiral- and ring-like structures, inner kinematical twists, kinematical decoupling of a nuclear spiral, streaming motions along spiral arms and misalignment between kinematical and photometric orientation axes.

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A Virgo high-resolution Halpha kinematical survey: I. NGC 4438

New Halpha emission-line observations of the Virgo cluster galaxy NGC 4438 are presented. Fabry-Perot interferometry data at an effective angular resolution of ~2" are used to map the kinematics of the ionized gas in the galaxy. For the first time we obtain a velocity field covering a large area in NGC 4438, much larger than that deduced from previous HI and CO maps. The kinematics of the extended, low surface brightness Halpha filaments to the West of the galactic disk is discussed. We report on the discovery of a northern Halpha structure which is clumpier than the other filaments. Evidence for multiple spectral components through the data-cube are presented in a nuclear shell and in the approaching half of the disk. The role of VCC 1040, a dwarf elliptical galaxy located to the South of NGC 4438, is presented to investigate the origin of a small-scale stellar tail of NGC 4438. It could be due to a minor tidal interaction between the two galaxies.

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A Virgo high-resolution Halpha kinematical survey

We have completed a survey of 30 Virgo cluster galaxies in the Halpha emission-line using Fabry-Perot interferometry. The goal of the survey is to obtain a high angular resolution sample of velocity fields of spirals and to study the environmental effects on their kinematics and dynamics.

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A 3D Optical Spectroscopy Study of Low Surface Brightness Galaxies

We present Halpha emission line velocity fields of two Low Surface Brightness galaxies - UGC 628 and UGC 5005 - obtained using Fabry-Perot interferometry observations at the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope. Our goal is to study the dynamics of Low Surface Brightness galaxies.

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Environmental Effects on the Kinematics of Virgo Cluster Galaxies

We present results from an ongoing survey dedicated to the ionized gas kinematics of Virgo cluster spiral galaxies using Fabry-Perot interferometry. Our goal is to study the environmental effects on galaxy evolution in the Virgo cluster. We report here on the Halpha distribution map and velocity field of NGC 4438, the prototype of an interacting galaxy near the centre of the cluster.

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The consequences of ram pressure stripping on the Virgo cluster spiral galaxy NGC 4522

New H-alpha Fabry-Perot interferometer observations of the Virgo cluster spiral galaxy NGC 4522 are presented. A velocity field up to a radius of 60'' was obtained. The observed rotation curve is symmetric. It is not perturbed in the inner disk. For radii >50'' it shows a solid body rotation. We compare these data with a numerical model which includes the effects of ram pressure stripping. The model can reproduce the main characteristics of the H-alpha emission distribution and velocity field. We therefore conclude that the stripping event which caused the HI deficiency and the distorted H-alpha distribution and velocity field has been due to ram pressure. The closest passage of the galaxy to the cluster center is estimated to be approx. 6.5 10^8 yr ago. The observed recent star formation is due to the re-accretion of gas clouds which were accelerated to velocities below the escape velocity during the stripping event. Furthermore, the gas which is located at radii >60'' is part of an asymmetric expanding ring of gas clouds. A substantial part of these clouds is located above the disk plane. We predict the HI gas distribution and velocity field as it would be observed by deep 21 cm observations.

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The Intra-cluster Medium Influence on Spiral Galaxies

We made a detailed analysis of the sample of 39 cluster spiral galaxies of various types observed at H$α$ wavelength by Amram et al. (1992 to 1996), with a scanning Fabry-Perot. We plotted the outer gradient of their rotation curves as a function of the deprojected cluster-centric distance. The rotation curves of late type galaxies markedly rise far from the cluster center. This suggests evolutionary effects, since early types show no special trend. We suggest that the evolution process within a cluster leads late type galaxies to exhibit flatter curves when they get closer to the center, on their way to evolving into early type galaxies.

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Galactic H alpha emission and the Cosmic Microwave Background

We present observations of Galactic H alpha emission along two declination bands where the South Pole cosmic microwave background experiment reports temperature fluctuations. The high spectral resolution of our Fabry-Perot system allows us to separate the Galactic signal from the much larger local sources of H alpha emission, such as the Earth's geocorona. For the two bands (at declination -62 and -63 degrees), we find a total mean emission of about 1 Rayleigh with variations of about 0.3 R. The variations are within the estimated uncertainty of our total intensity determinations. For an ionized gas at T around 10**4 K, this corresponds to a maximum free-free brightness temperature of less than 10 microK at 30 GHz (K-band). Thus, unless there is a hot gas component with T around 10**6 K, our results imply that there is essentially no free-free contamination of the SP91 (Schuster et al. 1993) and SP94 (Gunderson et al.1995) data sets.

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