Aims. We perform an extensive characterization of the broadband emission of Mrk 421, as well as its temporal evolution, during the non-flaring (low) state. The high brightness and nearby location (z ...= 0.031) of Mrk 421 make it an excellent laboratory to study blazar emission. The goal is to learn about the physical processes responsible for the typical emission of Mrk 421, which might also be extended to other blazars that are located farther away and hence are more difficult to study. Methods. We performed a 4.5-month multi-instrument campaign on Mrk 421 between January 2009 and June 2009, which included VLBA, F-GAMMA, GASP-WEBT, Swift, RXTE, Fermi-LAT, MAGIC, and Whipple, among other instruments and collaborations. This extensive radio to very-high-energy (VHE; E> 100 GeV) γ-ray dataset provides excellent temporal and energy coverage, which allows detailed studies of the evolution of the broadband spectral energy distribution. Results. Mrk421 was found in its typical (non-flaring) activity state, with a VHE flux of about half that of the Crab Nebula, yet the light curves show significant variability at all wavelengths, the highest variability being in the X-rays. We determined the power spectral densities (PSD) at most wavelengths and found that all PSDs can be described by power-laws without a break, and with indices consistent with pink/red-noise behavior. We observed a harder-when-brighter behavior in the X-ray spectra and measured a positive correlation between VHE and X-ray fluxes with zero time lag. Such characteristics have been reported many times during flaring activity, but here they are reported for the first time in the non-flaring state. We also observed an overall anti-correlation between optical/UV and X-rays extending over the duration of the campaign. Conclusions. The harder-when-brighter behavior in the X-ray spectra and the measured positive X-ray/VHE correlation during the 2009 multi-wavelength campaign suggests that the physical processes dominating the emission during non-flaring states have similarities with those occurring during flaring activity. In particular, this observation supports leptonic scenarios as being responsible for the emission of Mrk 421 during non-flaring activity. Such a temporally extended X-ray/VHE correlation is not driven by any single flaring event, and hence is difficult to explain within the standard hadronic scenarios. The highest variability is observed in the X-ray band, which, within the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton scenario, indicates that the electron energy distribution is most variable at the highest energies.
We present optical spectroscopy of galaxies in clusters detected through the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect with the South Pole Telescope (SPT). We report our own measurements of 61 spectroscopic ...cluster redshifts, and 48 velocity dispersions each calculated with more than 15 member galaxies. This catalog also includes 19 dispersions of SPT-observed clusters previously reported in the literature. The majority of the clusters in this paper are SPT-discovered; of these, most have been previously reported in other SPT cluster catalogs, and five are reported here as SPT discoveries for the first time. By performing a resampling analysis of galaxy velocities, we find that unbiased velocity dispersions can be obtained from a relatively small number of member galaxies (lap30), but with increased systematic scatter. We use this analysis to determine statistical confidence intervals that include the effect of membership selection.We fit scaling relations between the observed cluster velocity dispersions and mass estimates from SZ and X-ray observables. In both cases, the results are consistent with the scaling relation between velocity dispersion and mass expected from dark-matter simulations. We measure a ~30% log-normal scatter in dispersion at fixed mass, and a ~10% offset in the normalization of the dispersion-mass relation when compared to the expectation from simulations, which is within the expected level of systematic uncertainty.
With the development of covalent modification strategies for viral capsids comes the ability to convert them into modular carrier systems for drug molecules and imaging agents. With this overall goal ...in mind, we have used two orthogonal modification strategies to decorate the exterior surface of genome-free MS2 capsids with PEG chains, while installing 50−70 copies of a fluorescent dye inside as a drug cargo mimic. Despite the very high levels of modification, the capsids remained in the assembled state, as determined by TEM, size-exclusion chromatography, and dynamic light scattering analysis. The ability of the polymer coating to block the access of polyclonal antibodies to the capsid surface was probed using a sandwich ELISA, which indicated a 90% reduction in binding. Further experiments indicated that biotin groups placed at the distal ends of the polymer chains were still capable of binding to streptavidin, despite their proximity to the PEG layer. Finally, a modular strategy was developed for the attachment of small-molecule targeting groups to the polymer chains through an efficient oxime formation reaction. As a result of these studies, a robust and versatile new platform has emerged for the potential delivery of therapeutic cargo.
We use measurements from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) cluster survey in combination with X-ray measurements to constrain cosmological parameters. We present a statistical ...method that fits for the scaling relations of the SZ and X-ray cluster observables with mass while jointly fitting for cosmology. The method is generalizable to multiple cluster observables, and self-consistently accounts for the effects of the cluster selection and uncertainties in cluster mass calibration on the derived cosmological constraints. We apply this method to a data set consisting of an SZ-selected catalog of 18 galaxy clusters at z > 0.3 from the first 178 deg{sup 2} of the 2500 deg{sup 2} SPT-SZ survey, with 14 clusters having X-ray observations from either Chandra or XMM-Newton. Assuming a spatially flat {Lambda}CDM cosmological model, we find the SPT cluster sample constrains {sigma}{sub 8}({Omega} {sub m}/0.25){sup 0.30} = 0.785 {+-} 0.037. In combination with measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) power spectrum from the SPT and the seven-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe data, the SPT cluster sample constrains {sigma}{sub 8} = 0.795 {+-} 0.016 and {Omega} {sub m} = 0.255 {+-} 0.016, a factor of 1.5 improvement on each parameter over the CMB data alone. We consider several extensions beyond the {Lambda}CDM model by including the following as free parameters: the dark energy equation of state (w), the sum of the neutrino masses ({Sigma}m {sub {nu}}), the effective number of relativistic species (N {sub eff}), and a primordial non-Gaussianity (f {sub NL}). We find that adding the SPT cluster data significantly improves the constraints on w and {Sigma}m {sub {nu}} beyond those found when using measurements of the CMB, supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillations, and the Hubble constant. Considering each extension independently, we best constrain w = -0.973 {+-} 0.063 and the sum of neutrino masses {Sigma}m {sub {nu}} < 0.28 eV at 95% confidence, a factor of 1.25 and 1.4 improvement, respectively, over the constraints without clusters. Assuming a {Lambda}CDM model with a free N {sub eff} and {Sigma}m {sub {nu}}, we measure N {sub eff} = 3.91 {+-} 0.42 and constrain {Sigma}m {sub {nu}} < 0.63 eV at 95% confidence. We also use the SPT cluster sample to constrain f {sub NL} = -220 {+-} 317, consistent with zero primordial non-Gaussianity. Finally, we discuss the current systematic limitations due to the cluster mass calibration, and future improvements for the recently completed 2500 deg{sup 2} SPT-SZ survey. The survey has detected {approx}500 clusters with a median redshift of {approx}0.5 and a median mass of {approx}2.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 14} M {sub Sun} h {sup -1} and, when combined with an improved cluster mass calibration and existing external cosmological data sets will significantly improve constraints on w.
We present a catalog of emissive point sources detected in the SPT-SZ survey, a contiguous 2530 square degree area surveyed with the South Pole Telescope (SPT) from 2008-2011 in three bands centered ...at 95, 150, and 220 GHz. The catalog contains 4845 sources measured at a significance of 4.5 or greater in at least one band, corresponding to detections above approximately 9.8, 5.8, and 20.4 mJy in 95, 150, and 220 GHz, respectively. The spectral behavior in the SPT bands is used for source classification into two populations based on the underlying physical mechanisms of compact, emissive sources that are bright at millimeter wavelengths: synchrotron radiation from active galactic nuclei and thermal emission from dust. The latter population includes a component of high-redshift sources often referred to as submillimeter galaxies (SMGs). In the relatively bright flux ranges probed by the survey, these sources are expected to be magnified by strong gravitational lensing. The survey also contains sources consistent with protoclusters, groups of dusty galaxies at high redshift undergoing collapse. We cross-match the SPT-SZ catalog with external catalogs at radio, infrared, and X-ray wavelengths and identify available redshift information. The catalog splits into 3980 synchrotron-dominated and 865 dust-dominated sources, and we determine a list of 506 SMGs. Ten sources in the catalog are identified as stars. We calculate number counts for the full catalog, and synchrotron and dusty components, using a bootstrap method and compare our measured counts with models. This paper represents the third and final catalog of point sources in the SPT-SZ survey.
We explore extensions to the ΛCDM cosmology using measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) from the recent SPT-SZ survey, along with data from WMAP7 and measurements of H {sub 0} and ...baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO). We check for consistency within ΛCDM between these data sets, and find some tension. The CMB alone gives weak support to physics beyond ΛCDM, due to a slight trend relative to ΛCDM of decreasing power toward smaller angular scales. While it may be due to statistical fluctuation, this trend could also be explained by several extensions. We consider running of the primordial spectral index (dn{sub s} /dln k), as well as two extensions that modify the damping tail power (the primordial helium abundance Y{sub p} and the effective number of neutrino species N {sub eff}) and one that modifies the large-scale power due to the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect (the sum of neutrino masses ∑m {sub ν}). These extensions have similar observational consequences and are partially degenerate when considered simultaneously. Of the six one-parameter extensions considered, we find CMB to have the largest preference for dn{sub s} /dln k with –0.046 < dn{sub s} /dln k < –0.003 at 95% confidence, which strengthens to a 2.7σ indication of dn{sub s} /dln k < 0 from CMB+BAO+H {sub 0}. Detectable dn{sub s} /dln k ≠ 0 is difficult to explain in the context of single-field, slow-roll inflation models. We find N {sub eff} = 3.62 ± 0.48 for the CMB, which tightens to N {sub eff} = 3.71 ± 0.35 from CMB+BAO+H {sub 0}. Larger values of N {sub eff} relieve the mild tension between CMB, BAO, and H {sub 0}. When the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich selected galaxy cluster abundances (SPT{sub CL}) data are also included, we obtain N {sub eff} = 3.29 ± 0.31. Allowing for ∑m {sub ν} gives a 3.0σ detection of ∑m {sub ν} > 0 from CMB+BAO+H {sub 0} +SPT{sub CL}. The median value is (0.32 ± 0.11) eV, a factor of six above the lower bound set by neutrino oscillation observations. All data sets except H {sub 0} show some preference for massive neutrinos; data combinations including H {sub 0} favor nonzero masses only if BAO data are also included. We also constrain the two-parameter extensions N {sub eff} + ∑m {sub ν} and N {sub eff} + Y{sub p} to explore constraints on additional light species and big bang nucleosynthesis, respectively.
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