Search

We estimate the values of the cosmological parameters using the data about peculiar velocities of 1493 flat edge-on spirals from the RFGC catalogue. The obtained values Ωm = 0.21− 0.09+ 0.22, σ8 = 1.07− 0.24+ 0.28 differ from the WMAP values by approximately 2–3σ, but well agree with modern constraints on these parameters. Due to a strong correlation between these quantities the shape of the 1σ, 2σ and 3σ-boundaries are rather narrow. This gives us the opportunity to use this estimation to verify the corresponding values, obtained by different methods.

The Lehto-Tifft redshift quantization model is used to predict the redshift distribution for certain classes of quasars, and for galaxies in the neighborhood of z = 0.5. In the Lehto-Tifft model the redshift is presumed to arise from time dependent decay from an origin at the Planck scale; the decay process is a form of period doubling. Looking back in time reveals earlier stages of the process where redshifts should correspond to predictable fractions of the speed of light. Quasar redshift peaks are shown to correspond to the earliest simple fractions of c as predicted by the model. The sharp peaks present in deep field galaxy redshifts surveys are then shown to correspond to later stages in such a decay process. Highly discordant redshift associations are expected to occur and shown to be present in the deep field surveys. Peaks in redshift distributions appear to represent the spectrum of possible states at various stage of the decay process rather than physical structures.

An appreciable number of galaxies have been discovered in recent years which are assigned high redshifts. High redshift galaxies (HRGs) are used as cosmological tools for probing early universe and knowledge of star formation. However, literature search revealed some inconsistencies in identification of emission lines used for redshift determination in some of the HRGs. We re-examined the spectra of 15 HRGs, as examples, that are available in the published literature and show that the high values of redshift may have been assigned to these objects due to the misidentification of the observed lines. We demonstrate that the observed emission lines can be identified with alternative search lines at higher wavelengths which are blueshifted instead of the lines used for redshift measurements. Observed blueshifts can be interpreted in a model of multiple expanding universes.

We analyse the history of modern cosmology based on the redshift phenomenon and on the cosmic background radiation (CBR). We show the models of different authors for the interpretation of the redshift and how the tired light models predicted the correct value of 2.7 K temperature previous to Gamow and collaborators.

Clusters of galaxies acting as gravitational lenses allow us to study the stellar content and evolutionary state of galaxies at much fainter levels than the usual spectroscopic limit. By selecting background galaxies which are close to the critical lines at high-z and with a photometric redshift z ≥ 1, one maximizes the probability of discovering galaxies with z ≈ 1 − 5. The amplification close to the critical lines is typically Δm ~ 2 to 3 mag, but it is still ~ 1 mag at a distance of 1′ from the cluster center (Fort and Mellier, 1994). Only well studied cluster-lenses, with a mass distribution highly constrained by multiple images, are useful for this purpose, in order to keep the amplification uncertainties below Δm lensing ~ 0.3 mag.

We give astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic information on an apparent triplet of galaxies already discussed by the author. The compact member of the trio has a redshift of one order of magnitude larger than the brighter member and could represent an important case for an investigation of an anomalous redshift.

By use of a theoretical scheme presented in a previous publication it is possible to calculate the functional relations among the actual cosmological redshift, the peculiar velocity, and the change of the angular separation for quasar-galaxy pairs. Applying the results to the quasi-stellar object Markarian 205 which seems to be connected with the spiral galaxy NGC 4319 we find, under the assumption of two different limiting cases, that the distance of the object Markarian 205 is reduced drastically, and that the velocity of one or the two objects remains under 0.1 of the velocity of light if the angle δ between the direction of motion of the quasar and the Earth quasar-galaxy line lies in the range 120°≲δ≲180°.

A sample of 41 radio-galaxies with 13.0≤m corr≤15.5 has been analyzed to test the angular redshift anisotropy discovered on Sc I galaxies by Rubin, Rubin and Ford. The sample does not present their anisotropy but contains an even more curious distribution of radial velocities which suggests that the Rubin-Ford effect results from an anomalous redshift of light when it travels through clusters of galaxies.

Gaps in the red-shift distribution of quasi-stellar objects and related peculiar galaxies have been studied using 205 sources. The result indicates certain definite trends in the distribution of the gaps but does not suggest any periodicity when the entire sample is considered.

Galactic evolution may be rapid enough to reconcile the observed magnitude-redshift relation with cosmological models of acceptably great age and low density, in spite of recent evidence to the contrary. Previous treatments of this subject have suffered from use of wrong quantities as the evolutionary correction, and from lack of generality in galactic models. A range of giant elliptical galaxies can be synthesized which are compatible with the available photometry, including Oke and Sandage's (1968) observations of a slow rate of change of color B-V. One such model galaxy is discussed which evolves sufficiently rapidly at short wavelengths to provide an evolutionary correction of several tenths of a magnitude at redshift 0.46.

Consequences are discussed of the fact that it may be not be possible to interpret directly the cosmological redshifts as a Doppler effect due to a recession velocity of the source of the radiation.

A new identification for spectral lines of the N-galaxy 3 C 371 is proposed. The resulting redshift isz=0.40.