Search

We search for the signature of cosmological shocks in stacked gas pressure profiles of galaxy clusters using data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Specifically, we stack the latest Compton- y maps from the 2500 deg2 SPT-SZ survey on the locations of clusters identified in that same data set. The sample contains 516 clusters with mean mass |$\langle M_{\rm 200m}\rangle = 10^{14.9} \, {\rm M}_\odot$| and redshift 〈 z 〉 = 0.55. We analyse in parallel a set of zoom-in hydrodynamical simulations from the three hundred project. The SPT-SZ data show two features: (i) a pressure deficit at R / R 200m = 1.08 ± 0.09, measured at 3.1σ significance and not observed in the simulations, and; (ii) a sharp decrease in pressure at R / R 200m = 4.58 ± 1.24 at 2.0σ significance. The pressure deficit is qualitatively consistent with a shock-induced thermal non-equilibrium between electrons and ions, and the second feature is consistent with accretion shocks seen in previous studies. We split the cluster sample by redshift and mass, and find both features exist in all cases. There are also no significant differences in features along and across the cluster major axis, whose orientation roughly points towards filamentary structure. As a consistency test, we also analyse clusters from the Planck and Atacama Cosmology Telescope Polarimeter surveys and find quantitatively similar features in the pressure profiles. Finally, we compare the accretion shock radius (⁠|$R_{\rm sh,\, acc}$|⁠) with existing measurements of the splashback radius (R sp) for SPT-SZ and constrain the lower limit of the ratio, |$R_{\rm sh,\, acc}/R_{\rm sp}\gt 2.16 \pm 0.59$|⁠. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animals use assessment signals to resolve contests over limited resources while minimizing the costs of those contests. The carotenoid‐based orange to red bills of male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are thought to function as assessment signals in male–male contests, but behavioral analyses relating contest behaviors and outcomes to bill coloration have yielded mixed results. We examined the relationship between bill color and contests while incorporating measurements of color perception and testosterone (T) production, for an integrative view of aggressive signal behavior, production, and perception. We assayed the T production capabilities of 12 males in response to a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) challenge. We then quantified the initiation, escalation, and outcome of over 400 contests in the group, and measured bill color using calibrated photography. Finally, because signal perception can influence signal function, we tested how males perceive variation in bill coloration, asking if males exhibit categorical perception of bill color, as has been shown recently in female zebra finches. The data suggest that males with greater T production capabilities than their rivals were more likely to initiate contests against those rivals, while males with redder bills than their rivals were more likely to win contests. Males exhibited categorical color perception, but individual variation in the effect of categorical perception on color discrimination abilities did not predict any aspects of contest behavior or outcomes. Our results are consistent with the hypotheses that T plays a role in zebra finch contests and that bill coloration functions as an aggressive signal. We suggest future approaches, based on animal contest theory, for how links among signals, perception, and assessment can be tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fokker--Planck (FP) equation governing the evolution of the probability density function (PDF) is applicable to many disciplines, but it requires specification of the coefficients for each case, which can be functions of space-time and not just constants and hence require the development of a data-driven modeling approach. When the data available is directly on the PDF, there exist methods for inverse problems that can be employed to infer the coefficients and thus determine the FP equation and subsequently obtain its solution. Herein, we address a more realistic scenario, where only sparse data are given on the particles' positions at a few time instants, which are not sufficient to accurately construct directly the PDF even at those times from existing methods, e.g., kernel estimation algorithms. To this end, we develop a general framework based on physicsinformed neural networks (PINNs) that introduces a new loss function using the Kullback--Leibler divergence to connect the stochastic samples with the FP equation to simultaneously learn the equation and infer the multidimensional PDF at all times. In particular, we consider two types of inverse problems, type I, where the FP equation is known but the initial PDF is unknown, and type II, in which, in addition to the unknown initial PDF, the drift and diffusion terms are also unknown. In both cases, we investigate problems with either Brownian or L\'evy noise or a combination of both. We demonstrate the new PINN framework in detail in the one-dimensional (1D) case, but we also provide results for up to five dimensions demonstrating that we can infer both the FP equation and dynamics simultaneously at all times with high accuracy using only very few discrete observations of the particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractional Laplacian &916;&946;/2 is the generator of the &946;-stable Lévy process, which is the scaling limit of the Lévy flight. Due to the divergence of the second moment of the jump length of the Lévy flight, it may not be a suitable physical model in many practical applications. However, using a parameter &955; to exponentially temper the isotropic power law measure of the jump length leads to the tempered Lévy flight, which has finite second moment. For a short time the tempered Lévy flight exhibits the dynamics of Lévy flight, while after a sufficiently long time it turns to normal diffusion. The generator of the tempered &946;-stable Lévy process is the tempered fractional Laplacian (&916;+ &955;)&946;/2 [W. H. Deng et al., Multiscale Model. Simul., 16 (2018), pp. 125-149]. In the current work, we present new computational methods for the tempered fractional Laplacian equation, including the cases with the homogeneous and nonhomogeneous generalized Dirichlet type boundary conditions. We prove the well-posedness of the Galerkin weak formulation and provide convergence analysis of the single scaling B-spline and multiscale Riesz bases finite element methods. We propose a technique for efficiently generating the entries of the dense stiffness matrix and for solving the resulting algebraic equation by preconditioning. We also present several numerical experiments to verify the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a computational stochastic methodology for generating and optimizing random meta-material (MM) configurations with nonoverlapping geometric constraints subject to various types of covariances and distributions characterizing the randomness of the MM configura- tions. The methodology developed consists of three main components: (1) a deterministic solver for electromagnetic scattering from multiple objects, (2) the Karhunen-Loève (K-L) expansion to represent the correlated configurations of the scattering objects, and (3) the multi-element proba- bilistic collocation method (ME-PCM) to provide flexibility in achieving desired distributions of the MMs. In the current work, we employ random fields from a Spartan family that includes covariance functions with damped oscillatory behavior. The algorithm is applied to study light propagation through random layered heterojunctions and random 3-D MMs. We found that greater transmission and reflection, compared to the uniformly spaced structures, can be achieved for a structure with an oscillatory spacing profile along the propagation direction. Optimized configurations of the hetero- junctions and 3-D MMs have been found with larger or smaller transmission coefficients for different wave numbers of the incoming wave and different correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open problem in the numerical solution of fractional partial differential equations (FPDEs) is how to obtain high-order accuracy for singular solutions; even for smooth right-hand sides solutions of FPDEs are singular. Here, we consider the one-dimensional diffusion equation with general two-sided fractional derivative characterized by a parameter p ∊ [0; 1]; for p = 1=2 we recover the Riesz fractional derivative, while for p = 1, 0 we obtain the one-sided fractional derivative. We employ a Petrov-Galerkin projection in a properly weighted Sobolev space with (two-sided) Jacobi polyfracnomials as basis and test functions. In particular, we derive these two-sided Jacobi polyfractonomials as eigenfunctions of a Sturm-Liouville problem with weights uniquely determined by the parameter p. We provide a rigorous analysis and obtain optimal error estimates that depend on the regularity of the forcing term, i.e., for smooth data (corresponding to singular solutions) we obtain exponential convergence, while for smooth solutions we obtain algebraic convergence. We demonstrate the sharpness of our error estimates with numerical examples, and we present comparisons with a competitive spectral collocation method of tunable accuracy. We also investigate numerically deviations from the theory for inhomogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions as well as for a fractional diffusion-reaction equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the concept of numerical Gaussian processes, which we define as Gauss- ian processes with covariance functions resulting from temporal discretization of time-dependent partial differential equations. Numerical Gaussian processes, by construction, are designed to deal with cases where (a) all we observe are noisy data on black-box initial conditions, and (b) we are interested in quantifying the uncertainty associated with such noisy data in our solutions to time- dependent partial differential equations. Our method circumvents the need for spatial discretization of the differential operators by proper placement of Gaussian process priors. This is an attempt to construct structured and data-efficient learning machines, which are explicitly informed by the underlying physics that possibly generated the observed data. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated through several benchmark problems involving linear and nonlinear time- dependent operators. In all examples, we are able to recover accurate approximations of the latent solutions, and consistently propagate uncertainty, even in cases involving very long time integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although healthcare is the biggest service industry in the world, it has yet to realise the full potential of the e-business revolution in the form of e-Healthcare due to many complex challenges. E-Healthcare also does not solve all the problems of rural and remote communities with geographical barriers, because most of the rural and remote areas that e-Healthcare are supposed to help have no electricity connections and other infrastructure needed by e-Healthcare systems. Mobile e-Healthcare removes the restrictions imposed by infrastructure challenged, underserved population, rural geographical locations, wires and cables and enables patients to benefit from increased mobility provided by e-Healthcare. The main objective of this study was therefore to identify e-Healthcare readiness assessment factors in the literature and use them to develop a Mobile e-Healthcare readiness assessment framework for the implementation of Mobile e-Healthcare in rural South Africa health facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a framework for multifidelity information fusion and predictive inference in high-dimensional input spaces and in the presence of massive data sets. Hence, we tackle simultaneously the "big N" problem for big data and the curse of dimensionality in multivariate parametric problems. The proposed methodology establishes a new paradigm for constructing response surfaces of high-dimensional stochastic dynamical systems, simultaneously accounting for multifidelity in physical models as well as multifidelity in probability space. Scaling to high dimensions is achieved by data-driven dimensionality reduction techniques based on hierarchical functional decompositions and a graph-theoretic approach for encoding custom autocorrelation structure in Gaussian process priors. Multifidelity information fusion is facilitated through stochastic autoregressive schemes and frequency-domain machine learning algorithms that scale linearly with the data. Taking together these new developments leads to linear complexity algorithms as demonstrated in benchmark problems involving deterministic and stochastic fields in up to 105 input dimensions and 105 training points on a standard desktop computer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We generalize existing Jacobi-Gauss-Lobatto collocation methods for variable-order fractional differential equations using a singular approximation basis in terms of weighted Jacobi polynomials of the form (1 ± x)μPa,b j (x), where μ > -1. In order to derive the differentiation matrices of the variable-order fractional derivatives, we develop a three-term recurrence relation for both integrals and derivatives of these weighted Jacobi polynomials, hence extending the three-term recurrence relationship of Jacobi polynomials. The new spectral collocation method is applied to solve fractional ordinary and partial differential equations with endpoint singularities. We demonstrate that the singular basis enhances greatly the accuracy of the numerical solution by properly tuning the parameter μ, even for cases where we do not know explicitly the form of singularity in the solution at the boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose three time-splitting schemes for nonlinear time-fractional differential equations with smooth solutions, where the order of the fractional derivative is 0 < α < 1. While one of the schemes is of order α, the other two schemes are of order 1 + α and 2 - α and thus they can be combined to provide flexible numerical methods with convergence order no less than 3/2. We prove the convergence and stability of the proposed schemes. Numerical examples illustrate the flexibility and the efficiency of these time-splitting schemes and show that they work for multirate and stiff time-fractional differential systems effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuum-time random walk is a general model for particle kinetics, which allows for incorporating waiting times and/or non-Gaussian jump distributions with divergent second moments to account for Lévy flights. Exponentially tempering the probability distribution of the waiting times and the anomalously large displacements results in tempered-stable L´evy processes with finite moments, where the fluid (continuous) limit leads to the tempered fractional diffusion equation. The development of fast and accurate numerical schemes for such nonlocal problems requires a new spectral theory and suitable choice of basis functions. In this study, we introduce two classes of regular and singular tempered fractional Sturm-Liouville problems of two kinds (TFSLP-I and TFSLP-II) of order v ∈ (0, 2). In the regular case, the corresponding tempered differential operators are associated with tempering functions pI (x) = exp(2τ) and pII (x) = exp(-2τ), τ ≥ 0, respectively, in the regular TFSLP-I and TFSLP-II, which do not vanish in [-1, 1]. In contrast, the corresponding differential operators in the singular setting are associated with different forms of pI (x) = exp(2τ)(1-x)1+α(1+ x)1+β and pII (x) = exp(-2τ)(1 - x)1+α(1 + x)1+β, vanishing at x = ±1 in the singular TFSLP-I and TFSLP-II, respectively. The aforementioned tempered fractional differential operators are both of tempered Riemann--Liouville and tempered Caputo type of fractional order μ = v/2 ∈ (0, 1). We prove the well-posedness of the boundary-value problems and that the eigenvalues of the regular tempered problems are real-valued and the corresponding eigenfunctions are orthogonal. Next, we obtain the explicit eigensolutions to TFSLP-I and -II as nonpolynomial functions, which we define as tempered Jacobi poly-fractonomials. These eigenfunctions are orthogonal with respect to the weight function associated with TFSLP-I and -II. Finally, we introduce these eigenfunctions as new basis (and test) functions for spectrally accurate approximation of functions and tempered-fractional differential operators. To this end, we further develop a Petrov-Galerkin spectral method for solving tempered fractional ODEs, followed by the corresponding stability and convergence analysis, which validates the achieved spectral convergence in our simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the characteristics and trends of the global and Brazilian pharmaceutical industry in the 21st century, its transformations and industry trends, and its actors. Qualitative research and the technique of document analysis allowed us to check that in early 20th century, the global pharmaceutical industry was characterized by homogeneous structure and reduced supply of products. After the Second World War, there was strengthening of the production of medicines based on chemical synthesis and diversification of supply and demand for drugs. The pharmaceutical market has shifted from broader competition for one of oligopolistic character. In the 1990s, these industries' portfolio expanded to areas of animal health, hygiene / personal care and nutrition / dietetics. In the 2000s, the global pharmaceutical industry intensified this process, and due to the expiration of patents on medicines, focused on the generic segment, acquiring companies in emerging markets. The Brazilian pharmaceutical industry followed the lines of the global pharmaceutical industry and started to invest in the production of generic medicines, herbal and advancement of biotechnology, with public financial support of the BNDES. This context continues to demand advances in health innovation, and demands of the health regulation to face the challenges arising from this great transformation. It is worth mentioning the challenges relating to costs of drugs and their strong impact on health systems, particularly those of more inclusive character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exponentially decaying behavior of the momentum-momentum and momentumforce time correlation functions of Brownian motion at large times has been extensively used for the numerical evaluation of the friction coefficient γ from molecular dynamics simulations. We perform numerical analysis on these methods and address issues related to the appropriate choice of large time and the rate of convergence of these methods. To this end, we obtain asymptotic expansions of the time correlation functions with respect to the reduced mass μ of the Brownian particle. For two important limit procedures of achieving the Brownian limit, certain forms of the asymptotic expansion of the Mori memory function K(t) are introduced by physical arguments, and then the asymptotic expansions of the time correlation functions are expressed in terms of the limit of K(t), i.e., K0(t) = limμ→∝ K(t), and the next-order correction term K1(t). For the infinite mass limit case, we show that the numerical methods of estimating γ from the exponential decay of the time correlation functions produce γ + O(μ-1), where the first-order correction depends on the microscopic nature of K0(t) (i.e., deviation of K0(t) from the Dirac delta function γδ(t)) as well as the contribution of K1(t) (i.e., deviation of K(t) from K0(t)). We also analyze the ratio of the momentum-force correlation function to the momentum-momentum correlation function, which gives instantaneous exponential decay rate. For the thermodynamic limit case, we consider the Rayleigh gas system to investigate the finite-volume effect due to the boundary conditions and to demonstrate that the lowest-order terms of the asymptotic expansions may fail to describe some characteristic behavior of the time correlation functions. We perform systematic molecular dynamics simulations of the Rayleigh gas system to confirm the theoretical predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new dynamic elastic network model (DENM) that describes the unfolding process of a force-loaded protein. The protein interaction network and its potentials are constructed based on information of its native-state structure obtained from the Protein Data Bank, with network nodes positioned at the Cα coordinates of the protein backbone. Specifically, to mimic the unfolding process, i.e., to simulate the process of overcoming the local energy barrier on the free energy landscape with force loading, the noncovalent protein network bonds (i.e., hydrogen bonds, salt bridges, hydrophobic contacts, etc.) are broken one-by-one with a certain probability, while the strong covalent bonds along the backbone (i.e., peptide bonds, disulfide bonds, etc.) are kept intact. The jumping event from local energy minima (bonds breaking rate) are chosen according to Kramer's theory and the Bell model. Moreover, we exploit the self-similar structure of proteins at different scales to design an effective coarse-graining procedure for DENM with optimal parameter selection. The robustness of DENM is validated by coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) simulation against atomistic MD simulation of force-extension processes of the Fibrinogen and Titin Immunoglobulin proteins. We observe that the native structure of the proteins determines the total unfolding dynamics (including large deviations) and not just the fluctuations around the native state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the Brazilian experience of health regulation from 1999 to 2008. It aims to understand the interfaces of the regulatory process in health in Brazil, particularly the pharmaceutical industry, seeking to identify, historically, the actors and contexts relating to the proceedings. The research was based on literature review and survey of the resolutions of the Board of the National Health Surveillance Agency. This survey identified the concentration of these resolutions in the following areas: drugs, human resources and food. Regarding drugs, emphasis was placed in three key words: drug registration, practices and substances subject to special control. In addition to a brief history of the evolution of Brazilian health surveillance, this paper focused on the regulatory aspects of the National Health Surveillance Agency and its relationship with the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, the text was guided by the desire to answer the following question: is the experience of regulation of the National Health Surveillance Agency able to cope with the adverse scenario created by the world crisis, especially with regard to the pharmaceutical industry? The main conclusion of this study is that despite the many challenges to be overcome by the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency in Brazil today, the experience of regulation has made good progress in this decade. A further finding is that these developments were, for the pharmaceutical industry, a protection against the adverse situation created by the global crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present progress on Argonne/KICP TES bolometers fabricated at Argonne National Labs. These detectors will be used to measure the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation with SPTpol. The sensors are bolometers consisting of a Mo/Au transition edge sensors (TES) suspended on silicon nitride with a gold bar absorber to couple radiation to the device. We present optical measurements and thermal characterizations of prototype devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are developing arrays of 150 GHz transition edge sensor (TES) polarimeters for the South Pole Telescope polarimeter (SPTpol). Prototype devices use an aluminum manganese (Al-Mn) alloy TES with a normal resistance Rn suited to frequency domain multiplexing (fMUX) used in SPTpol. Using the fMUX readout, the devices exhibit noise performance consistent with expectations when R>0.8Rn. Below 0.8Rn, the detectors have high loopgain and become unstable, which is predicted by use of a compound TES model. We address this issue in a recent fabrication with increased TES heat capacity and normal metal structures on the TES to tune the temperature sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a catalog of galaxy clusters selected via their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect signature from 2500 deg2 of South Pole Telescope (SPT) data. This work represents the complete sample of clusters detected at high significance in the 2500 deg2 SPT-SZ survey, which was completed in 2011. A total of 677 (409) cluster candidates are identified above a signal-to-noise threshold of ξ = 4.5 (5.0). Ground- and space-based optical and near-infrared (NIR) imaging confirms overdensities of similarly colored galaxies in the direction of 516 (or 76%) of the ξ > 4.5 candidates and 387 (or 95%) of the ξ > 5 candidates; the measured purity is consistent with expectations from simulations. Of these confirmed clusters, 415 were first identified in SPT data, including 251 new discoveries reported in this work. We estimate photometric redshifts for all candidates with identified optical and/or NIR counterparts; we additionally report redshifts derived from spectroscopic observations for 141 of these systems. The mass threshold of the catalog is roughly independent of redshift above z ~ 0.25 leading to a sample of massive clusters that extends to high redshift. The median mass of the sample is M 500c(ρcrit) $\sim 3.5\times 10^{14}\,M_\odot \,h_{70}^{-1}$, the median redshift is z med = 0.55, and the highest-redshift systems are at z > 1.4. The combination of large redshift extent, clean selection, and high typical mass makes this cluster sample of particular interest for cosmological analyses and studies of cluster formation and evolution., Physics

We present a velocity-dispersion-based mass calibration of the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect survey (SPT-SZ) galaxy cluster sample. Using a homogeneously selected sample of 100 cluster candidates from 720 deg2 of the survey along with 63 velocity dispersion (σ v ) and 16 X-ray Y X measurements of sample clusters, we simultaneously calibrate the mass-observable relation and constrain cosmological parameters. Our method accounts for cluster selection, cosmological sensitivity, and uncertainties in the mass calibrators. The calibrations using σ v and Y X are consistent at the 0.6σ level, with the σ v calibration preferring ~16% higher masses. We use the full SPTCL data set (SZ clusters+σ v +Y X) to measure σ8(Ωm/0.27)0.3 = 0.809 ± 0.036 within a flat ΛCDM model. The SPT cluster abundance is lower than preferred by either the WMAP9 or Planck+WMAP9 polarization (WP) data, but assuming that the sum of the neutrino masses is ∑m ν = 0.06 eV, we find the data sets to be consistent at the 1.0σ level for WMAP9 and 1.5σ for Planck+WP. Allowing for larger ∑m ν further reconciles the results. When we combine the SPTCL and Planck+WP data sets with information from baryon acoustic oscillations and Type Ia supernovae, the preferred cluster masses are 1.9σ higher than the Y X calibration and 0.8σ higher than the σ v calibration. Given the scale of these shifts (~44% and ~23% in mass, respectively), we execute a goodness-of-fit test; it reveals no tension, indicating that the best-fit model provides an adequate description of the data. Using the multi-probe data set, we measure Ωm = 0.299 ± 0.009 and σ8 = 0.829 ± 0.011. Within a νCDM model we find ∑m ν = 0.148 ± 0.081 eV. We present a consistency test of the cosmic growth rate using SPT clusters. Allowing both the growth index γ and the dark energy equation-of-state parameter w to vary, we find γ = 0.73 ± 0.28 and w = –1.007 ± 0.065, demonstrating that the expansion and the growth histories are consistent with a ΛCDM universe (γ = 0.55; w = –1)., Astronomy

We describe a method for measuring the integrated Comptonization (Y SZ) of clusters of galaxies from measurements of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect in multiple frequency bands and use this method to characterize a sample of galaxy clusters detected in the South Pole Telescope (SPT) data. We use a Markov Chain Monte Carlo method to fit a β-model source profile and integrate Y SZ within an angular aperture on the sky. In simulated observations of an SPT-like survey that include cosmic microwave background anisotropy, point sources, and atmospheric and instrumental noise at typical SPT-SZ survey levels, we show that we can accurately recover β-model parameters for inputted clusters. We measure Y SZ for simulated semi-analytic clusters and find that Y SZ is most accurately determined in an angular aperture comparable to the SPT beam size. We demonstrate the utility of this method to measure Y SZ and to constrain mass scaling relations using X-ray mass estimates for a sample of 18 galaxy clusters from the SPT-SZ survey. Measuring Y SZ within a 0farcm75 radius aperture, we find an intrinsic log-normal scatter of 21% ± 11% in Y SZ at a fixed mass. Measuring Y SZ within a 0.3 Mpc projected radius (equivalent to 0farcm75 at the survey median redshift z = 0.6), we find a scatter of 26% ± 9%. Prior to this study, the SPT observable found to have the lowest scatter with mass was cluster detection significance. We demonstrate, from both simulations and SPT observed clusters that Y SZ measured within an aperture comparable to the SPT beam size is equivalent, in terms of scatter with cluster mass, to SPT cluster detection significance., Astronomy, Physics

We present the results of an X-ray analysis of 80 galaxy clusters selected in the 2500 deg2 South Pole Telescope survey and observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We divide the full sample into subsamples of ∼20 clusters based on redshift and central density, performing a joint X-ray spectral fit to all clusters in a subsample simultaneously, assuming self-similarity of the temperature profile. This approach allows us to constrain the shape of the temperature profile over 0 < r < 1.5R500, which would be impossible on a per-cluster basis, since the observations of individual clusters have, on average, 2000 X-ray counts. The results presented here represent the first constraints on the evolution of the average temperature profile from z = 0 to z = 1.2. We find that high-z (0.6 < z < 1.2) clusters are slightly (∼30%) cooler both in the inner (r < 0.1R500) and outer (r > R500) regions than their low-z (0.3 < z < 0.6) counterparts. Combining the average temperature profile with measured gas density profiles from our earlier work, we infer the average pressure and entropy profiles for each subsample. Confirming earlier results from this data set, we find an absence of strong cool cores at high z, manifested in this analysis as a significantly lower observed pressure in the central 0.1R500 of the high-z cool-core subset of clusters compared to the low-z cool-core subset. Overall, our observed pressure profiles agree well with earlier lower-redshift measurements, suggesting minimal redshift evolution in the pressure profile outside of the core. We find no measurable redshift evolution in the entropy profile at r . 0.7R500 – this may reflect a long-standing balance between cooling and feedback over long timescales and large physical scales. We observe a slight flattening of the entropy profile at r & R500 in our high-z subsample. This flattening is consistent with a temperature bias due to the enhanced (∼3×) rate at which group-mass (∼2 keV) halos, which would go undetected at our survey depth, are accreting onto the cluster at z ∼ 1. This work demonstrates a powerful method for inferring spatially-resolved cluster properties in the case where individual cluster signal-to-noise is low, but the number of observed clusters is high., Physics

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 deg2 of the 2500 deg2 SPT-SZ survey, with 14 clusters having X-ray observations from either Chandra or XMM-Newton. Assuming a spatially flat ΛCDM cosmological model, we find the SPT cluster sample constrains σ8(Ω m /0.25)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 σ8 = 0.795 ± 0.016 and Ω 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 ΛCDM model by including the following as free parameters: the dark energy equation of state (w), the sum of the neutrino masses (Σm ν), the effective number of relativistic species (N eff), and a primordial non-Gaussianity (f NL). We find that adding the SPT cluster data significantly improves the constraints on w and Σm ν 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 Σm ν < 0.28 eV at 95% confidence, a factor of 1.25 and 1.4 improvement, respectively, over the constraints without clusters. Assuming a ΛCDM model with a free N eff and Σm ν, we measure N eff = 3.91 ± 0.42 and constrain Σm ν < 0.63 eV at 95% confidence. We also use the SPT cluster sample to constrain f 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 deg2 SPT-SZ survey. The survey has detected ~500 clusters with a median redshift of ~0.5 and a median mass of ~2.3 × 1014 M ☉ h –1 and, when combined with an improved cluster mass calibration and existing external cosmological data sets will significantly improve constraints on w., Astronomy, Physics

We present a catalog of galaxy cluster candidates, selected through their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect signature in the first 720 deg2 of the South Pole Telescope (SPT) survey. This area was mapped with the SPT in the 2008 and 2009 austral winters to a depth of ~18 μKCMB-arcmin at 150 GHz; 550 deg2 of it was also mapped to ~44 μKCMB-arcmin at 95 GHz. Based on optical imaging of all 224 candidates and near-infrared imaging of the majority of candidates, we have found optical and/or infrared counterparts for 158, which we then classify as confirmed galaxy clusters. Of these 158 clusters, 135 were first identified as clusters in SPT data, including 117 new discoveries reported in this work. This catalog triples the number of confirmed galaxy clusters discovered through the SZ effect. We report photometrically derived (and in some cases spectroscopic) redshifts for confirmed clusters and redshift lower limits for the remaining candidates. The catalog extends to high redshift with a median redshift of z = 0.55 and maximum confirmed redshift of z = 1.37. Forty-five of the clusters have counterparts in the ROSAT bright or faint source catalogs from which we estimate X-ray fluxes. Based on simulations, we expect the catalog to be nearly 100% complete above M 500 ≈ 5 × 1014 M ☉ h –1 70 at z gsim 0.6. There are 121 candidates detected at signal-to-noise ratio greater than five, at which the catalog purity is measured to be 95%. From this high-purity subsample, we exclude the z < 0.3 clusters and use the remaining 100 candidates to improve cosmological constraints following the method presented by Benson et al. Adding the cluster data to CMB + BAO + H 0 data leads to a preference for non-zero neutrino masses while only slightly reducing the upper limit on the sum of neutrino masses to ∑m ν < 0.38 eV (95% CL). For a spatially flat wCDM cosmological model, the addition of this catalog to the CMB + BAO + H 0 + SNe results yields σ8 = 0.807 ± 0.027 and w = –1.010 ± 0.058, improving the constraints on these parameters by a factor of 1.4 and 1.3, respectively. The larger cluster catalog presented in this work leads to slight improvements in cosmological constraints from those presented by Benson et al. These cosmological constraints are currently limited by uncertainty in the cluster mass calibration, not the size or quality of the cluster catalog. A multi-wavelength observation program to improve the cluster mass calibration will make it possible to realize the full potential of the final 2500 deg2 SPT cluster catalog to constrain cosmology., Astronomy, Physics

The galaxy cluster SPT-CL J0205–5829 currently has the highest spectroscopically confirmed redshift, z = 1.322, in the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SPT-SZ) survey. XMM-Newton observations measure a core-excluded temperature of TX = 8.7+1.0 –0.8 keV producing a mass estimate that is consistent with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich-derived mass. The combined SZ and X-ray mass estimate of M 500 = (4.8 ± 0.8) × 1014 h –1 70 M ☉ makes it the most massive known SZ-selected galaxy cluster at z > 1.2 and the second most massive at z > 1. Using optical and infrared observations, we find that the brightest galaxies in SPT-CL J0205–5829 are already well evolved by the time the universe was <5 Gyr old, with stellar population ages >≈ Gyr, and low rates of star formation (<0.5 M ☉ yr–1). We find that, despite the high redshift and mass, the existence of SPT-CL J0205–5829 is not surprising given a flat ΛCDM cosmology with Gaussian initial perturbations. The a priori chance of finding a cluster of similar rarity (or rarer) in a survey the size of the 2500 deg2 SPT-SZ survey is 69%.

We present results of X-ray observations of a sample of 15 clusters selected via their imprint on the cosmic microwave background from the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. These clusters are a subset of the first SZ-selected cluster catalog, obtained from observations of 178 deg2 of sky surveyed by the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Using X-ray observations with Chandra and XMM-Newton, we estimate the temperature, TX , and mass, Mg , of the intracluster medium within r 500 for each cluster. From these, we calculate YX = MgTX and estimate the total cluster mass using an M 500-YX scaling relation measured from previous X-ray studies. The integrated Comptonization, Y SZ, is derived from the SZ measurements, using additional information from the X-ray-measured gas density profiles and a universal temperature profile. We calculate scaling relations between the X-ray and SZ observables and find results generally consistent with other measurements and the expectations from simple self-similar behavior. Specifically, we fit a Y SZ-YX relation and find a normalization of 0.82 ± 0.07, marginally consistent with the predicted ratio of Y SZ/YX = 0.91 ± 0.01 that would be expected from the density and temperature models used in this work. Using the YX -derived mass estimates, we fit a Y SZ-M 500 relation and find a slope consistent with the self-similar expectation of Y SZvpropM 5/3 with a normalization consistent with predictions from other X-ray studies. We find that the SZ mass estimates, derived from cosmological simulations of the SPT survey, are lower by a factor of 0.78 ± 0.06 relative to the X-ray mass estimates. This offset is at a level of 1.3σ when considering the ~15% systematic uncertainty for the simulation-based SZ masses. Overall, the X-ray measurements confirm that the scaling relations of the SZ-selected clusters are consistent with the properties of other X-ray-selected samples of massive clusters, even allowing for the broad redshift range (0.29 < z < 1.08) of the sample., Astronomy, Physics

Superconducting transition edge sensors (TES) require superconducting films with transition temperatures (Tc) and properties that can be tailored to the particular requirements of individual applications. We have been developing Al-Mn films with a tunable Tc. The addition of Mn to Al suppresses Tc, but does not significantly broaden the superconducting density of states of the Al. We can produce films with Tc from below 50 mK to 1.4 K through adjustment of the Mn concentration. Since this is a bulk effect, Tc is not as dependent on precise control of film thickness as in the standard bilayer approach for TESs. We have previously used Al-Mn to fabricate TES sensors for x-ray microcalorimeters targeted for read-out with time division SQUID multiplexing schemes. In this work, we explore the properties of Al-Mn in a regime well suited for frequency division multiplexing. We have also fabricated prototype Al-Mn cosmic microwave background polarimeters for the South Pole Telescope and will show initial measurements of these sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A technological milestone for experiments employing transition edge sensor bolometers operating at sub-Kelvin temperature is the deployment of detector arrays with 100s-1000s of bolometers. One key technology for such arrays is readout multiplexing: the ability to read out many sensors simultaneously on the same set of wires. This paper describes a frequency-domain multiplexed readout system which has been developed for and deployed on the APEX-SZ and South Pole Telescope millimeter wavelength receivers. In this system, the detector array is divided into modules of seven detectors, and each bolometer within the module is biased with a unique ∼MHz sinusoidal carrier such that the individual bolometer signals are well separated in frequency space. The currents from all bolometers in a module are summed together and pre-amplified with superconducting quantum interference devices operating at 4 K. Room temperature electronics demodulate the carriers to recover the bolometer signals, which are digitized separately and stored to disk. This readout system contributes little noise relative to the detectors themselves, is remarkably insensitive to unwanted microphonic excitations, and provides a technology pathway to multiplexing larger numbers of sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]