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Tsafrir S. Kolatt

Bio: Tsafrir S. Kolatt is an academic researcher from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The author has contributed to research in topics: Redshift & Galaxy. The author has an hindex of 20, co-authored 33 publications receiving 4666 citations. Previous affiliations of Tsafrir S. Kolatt include University of California, Santa Cruz & The Racah Institute of Physics.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied the dark-matter halo density profiles in a high-resolution N-body simulation of a CDM cosmology and found that the redshift dependence of the median concentration is cvirRvir/rs.
Abstract: We study dark-matter halo density profiles in a high-resolution N-body simulation of aCDM cosmology. Our statistical sample contains �5000 haloes in the range 10 11 10 14 h −1 M⊙ and the resolution allows a study of subhaloes inside host haloes. The profiles are parameterized by an NFW form with two parameters, an inner radius rs and a virial radius Rvir, and we define the halo concentration cvirRvir/rs. We find that, for a given halo mass, the redshift dependence of the median concentration is cvir / (1 + z) −1 . This corresponds to rs(z) � constant, and is contrary to earlier suspicions that cvir does not vary much with redshift. The implications are that high- redshift galaxies are predicted to be more extended and dimmer than expected before. Second, we find that the scatter in halo profiles is large, with a 1� �(logcvir) = 0.18 at a given mass, corresponding to a scatter in maximum rotation velocities of �Vmax/Vmax = 0.12. We discuss implications for modelling the Tully-Fisher relation, which has a smaller reported intrinsic scatter. Third, subhaloes and haloes in dense environments tend to be more concentrated than isolated haloes, and show a larger scatter. These results suggest that cvir is an essential parameter for the theory of galaxy modelling, and we briefly discuss implications for the universality of the Tully- Fisher relation, the formation of low surface brightness galaxies, and the origin of the Hubble sequence. We present an improved analytic treatment of halo formation that fits the measured relations between halo parameters and their redshift dependence, and can thus serve semi-analytic studies of galaxy formation.

2,383 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied the angular momentum profiles of a statistical sample of halos drawn from a high-resolution N-body simulation of the ΛCDM cosmology and found that the cumulative mass distribution of specific angular momentum j in a halo of mass Mv is well fitted by a universal function.
Abstract: We study the angular momentum profiles of a statistical sample of halos drawn from a high-resolution N-body simulation of the ΛCDM cosmology. We find that the cumulative mass distribution of specific angular momentum j in a halo of mass Mv is well fitted by a universal function, M(< j) = Mvμj/(j0 + j). This profile is defined by one shape parameter (μ or j0) in addition to the global spin parameter λ. It follows a power law M(< j) ∝ j over most of the mass and flattens at large j, with the flattening more pronounced for small values of μ (or large j0 at a fixed λ). Compared to a uniform sphere in solid-body rotation, most halos have a higher fraction of their mass in the low- and high-j tails of the distribution. High-λ halos tend to have high μ values, corresponding to a narrower, more uniform j distribution. The spatial distribution of angular momentum in halos tends to be cylindrical and is well-aligned within each halo for ~80% of the halos. The more misaligned halos tend to have low μ values. When averaged over spherical shells encompassing mass M, the halo j profiles are fitted by j(M) ∝ Ms with s = 1.3 ± 0.3. We investigate two ideas for the origin of this profile. The first is based on a revised version of linear tidal-torque theory combined with extended Press-Schechter mass accretion, and the second focuses on j transport in minor mergers. Finally, we briefly explore implications of the M(< j) profile on the formation of galactic disks assuming that j is conserved during an adiabatic baryonic infall. The implied gas density profile deviates from an exponential disk, with a higher density at small radii and a tail extending to large radii. The steep central density profiles may imply disk scale lengths that are smaller than observed. This is reminiscent of the "angular momentum problem" seen in hydrodynamic simulations, even though we have assumed perfect j conservation. A possible solution is to associate the central excesses with bulge components and the outer regions with extended gaseous disks.

879 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate several approaches for constructing Monte Carlo realizations of the merging history of virialized dark matter haloes (''merger trees'' using the extended Press-Schechter formalism.
Abstract: We investigate several approaches for constructing Monte Carlo realizations of the merging history of virialized dark matter haloes (`merger trees') using the extended Press--Schechter formalism. We describe several unsuccessful methods in order to illustrate some of the difficult aspects of this problem. We develop a practical method that leads to the reconstruction of the mean quantities that can be derived from the Press--Schechter model. This method is convenient, computationally efficient, and works for any power spectrum or background cosmology. In addition, we investigate statistics that describe the distribution of the number of progenitors and their masses as a function of redshift.

364 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an improved version of the POTENT method for reconstructing the cosmological velocity and mass density fields from radial peculiar velocities, test it with mock catalogs, and apply it to the Mark III catalog of Galaxy Peculiar Velocities.
Abstract: We present an improved version of the POTENT method for reconstructing the cosmological velocity and mass density fields from radial peculiar velocities, test it with mock catalogs, and apply it to the Mark III Catalog of Galaxy Peculiar Velocities. The method is improved in several ways: (1) the inhomogeneous Malmquist bias is reduced by grouping and corrected statistically in either forward or inverse analyses of inferred distances, (2) the smoothing into a radial velocity field is optimized such that window and sampling biases are reduced, (3) the density field is derived from the velocity field using an improved weakly nonlinear approximation in Eulerian space, and (4) the computational errors are made negligible compared to the other errors. The method is carefully tested and optimized using realistic mock catalogs based on an N-body simulation that mimics our cosmological neighborhood, and the remaining systematic and random errors are evaluated quantitatively. The Mark III catalog, with ~3300 grouped galaxies, allows a reliable reconstruction with fixed Gaussian smoothing of 10-12 h-1 Mpc out to ~60 h-1 Mpc and beyond in some directions. We present maps of the three-dimensional velocity and mass-density fields and the corresponding errors. The typical systematic and random errors in the density fluctuations inside 40 h-1 Mpc are ±0.13 and ±0.18 (for Ω = 1). In its gross features, the recovered mass distribution resembles the galaxy distribution in redshift surveys and the mass distribution in a similar POTENT analysis of a complementary velocity catalog (SFI), including such features as the Great Attractor, Perseus-Pisces, and the large void in between. The reconstruction inside ~40 h-1 Mpc is not affected much by a revised calibration of the distance indicators (VM2, tailored to match the velocities from the IRAS 1.2 Jy redshift survey). The volume-weighted bulk velocity within the sphere of radius 50 h-1 Mpc about the Local Group is V50 = 370 ± 110 km s-1 (including systematic errors) and is shown to be mostly generated by external mass fluctuations. With the VM2 calibration, V50 is in a similar direction and reduced to 305 ± 110 km s-1.

127 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the relation between the galaxy density and velocity fields predicted by gravitational instability theory and linear biasing is tested, and a maximum likelihood estimate of βI = 0.49 ± 0.07$ (1-sigma error) is obtained.
Abstract: We compare Tully-Fisher (TF) data for 838 galaxies within cz=3000 km/sec from the Mark III catalog to the peculiar velocity and density fields predicted from the 1.2 Jy IRAS redshift survey. Our goal is to test the relation between the galaxy density and velocity fields predicted by gravitational instability theory and linear biasing, and thereby to estimate $\beta_I = \Omega^{0.6}/b_I,$ where $b_I$ is the linear bias parameter for IRAS galaxies. Adopting the IRAS velocity and density fields as a prior model, we maximize the likelihood of the raw TF observables, taking into account the full range of selection effects and properly treating triple-valued zones in the redshift-distance relation. Extensive tests with realistic simulated galaxy catalogs demonstrate that the method produces unbiased estimates of $\beta_I$ and its error. When we apply the method to the real data, we model the presence of a small but significant velocity quadrupole residual (~3.3% of Hubble flow), which we argue is due to density fluctuations incompletely sampled by IRAS. The method then yields a maximum likelihood estimate $\beta_I=0.49\pm 0.07$ (1-sigma error). We discuss the constraints on $\Omega$ and biasing that follow if we assume a COBE-normalized CDM power spectrum. Our model also yields the 1-D noise noise in the velocity field, including IRAS prediction errors, which we find to be be 125 +/- 20 km/sec.

119 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the mass density, Omega_M, and cosmological-constant energy density of the universe were measured using the analysis of 42 Type Ia supernovae discovered by the Supernova Cosmology project.
Abstract: We report measurements of the mass density, Omega_M, and cosmological-constant energy density, Omega_Lambda, of the universe based on the analysis of 42 Type Ia supernovae discovered by the Supernova Cosmology Project. The magnitude-redshift data for these SNe, at redshifts between 0.18 and 0.83, are fit jointly with a set of SNe from the Calan/Tololo Supernova Survey, at redshifts below 0.1, to yield values for the cosmological parameters. All SN peak magnitudes are standardized using a SN Ia lightcurve width-luminosity relation. The measurement yields a joint probability distribution of the cosmological parameters that is approximated by the relation 0.8 Omega_M - 0.6 Omega_Lambda ~= -0.2 +/- 0.1 in the region of interest (Omega_M <~ 1.5). For a flat (Omega_M + Omega_Lambda = 1) cosmology we find Omega_M = 0.28{+0.09,-0.08} (1 sigma statistical) {+0.05,-0.04} (identified systematics). The data are strongly inconsistent with a Lambda = 0 flat cosmology, the simplest inflationary universe model. An open, Lambda = 0 cosmology also does not fit the data well: the data indicate that the cosmological constant is non-zero and positive, with a confidence of P(Lambda > 0) = 99%, including the identified systematic uncertainties. The best-fit age of the universe relative to the Hubble time is t_0 = 14.9{+1.4,-1.1} (0.63/h) Gyr for a flat cosmology. The size of our sample allows us to perform a variety of statistical tests to check for possible systematic errors and biases. We find no significant differences in either the host reddening distribution or Malmquist bias between the low-redshift Calan/Tololo sample and our high-redshift sample. The conclusions are robust whether or not a width-luminosity relation is used to standardize the SN peak magnitudes.

16,838 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
02 Jun 2005-Nature
TL;DR: It is shown that baryon-induced features in the initial conditions of the Universe are reflected in distorted form in the low-redshift galaxy distribution, an effect that can be used to constrain the nature of dark energy with future generations of observational surveys of galaxies.
Abstract: The cold dark matter model has become the leading theoretical picture for the formation of structure in the Universe. This model, together with the theory of cosmic inflation, makes a clear prediction for the initial conditions for structure formation and predicts that structures grow hierarchically through gravitational instability. Testing this model requires that the precise measurements delivered by galaxy surveys can be compared to robust and equally precise theoretical calculations. Here we present a simulation of the growth of dark matter structure using 2,1603 particles, following them from redshift z = 127 to the present in a cube-shaped region 2.230 billion lightyears on a side. In postprocessing, we also follow the formation and evolution of the galaxies and quasars. We show that baryon-induced features in the initial conditions of the Universe are reflected in distorted form in the low-redshift galaxy distribution, an effect that can be used to constrain the nature of dark energy with future generations of observational surveys of galaxies.

4,814 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied the dark-matter halo density profiles in a high-resolution N-body simulation of a CDM cosmology and found that the redshift dependence of the median concentration is cvirRvir/rs.
Abstract: We study dark-matter halo density profiles in a high-resolution N-body simulation of aCDM cosmology. Our statistical sample contains �5000 haloes in the range 10 11 10 14 h −1 M⊙ and the resolution allows a study of subhaloes inside host haloes. The profiles are parameterized by an NFW form with two parameters, an inner radius rs and a virial radius Rvir, and we define the halo concentration cvirRvir/rs. We find that, for a given halo mass, the redshift dependence of the median concentration is cvir / (1 + z) −1 . This corresponds to rs(z) � constant, and is contrary to earlier suspicions that cvir does not vary much with redshift. The implications are that high- redshift galaxies are predicted to be more extended and dimmer than expected before. Second, we find that the scatter in halo profiles is large, with a 1� �(logcvir) = 0.18 at a given mass, corresponding to a scatter in maximum rotation velocities of �Vmax/Vmax = 0.12. We discuss implications for modelling the Tully-Fisher relation, which has a smaller reported intrinsic scatter. Third, subhaloes and haloes in dense environments tend to be more concentrated than isolated haloes, and show a larger scatter. These results suggest that cvir is an essential parameter for the theory of galaxy modelling, and we briefly discuss implications for the universality of the Tully- Fisher relation, the formation of low surface brightness galaxies, and the origin of the Hubble sequence. We present an improved analytic treatment of halo formation that fits the measured relations between halo parameters and their redshift dependence, and can thus serve semi-analytic studies of galaxy formation.

2,383 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that at low z < 1, the cosmic star formation rate degrades due to geometry, as the typical cross section of filaments begins to exceed that of the galaxies at their intersections.
Abstract: Not the way one might have thought. In hydrodynamic simulations of galaxy formation, some gas follows the traditionally envisioned route, shock heating to the halo virial temperature before cooling to the much lower temperature of the neutral ISM. But most gas enters galaxies without ever heating close to the virial temperature, gaining thermal energy from weak shocks and adiabatic compression, and radiating it just as quickly. This “cold mode” accretion is channeled along filaments, while the conventional, “hot mode” accretion is quasi-spherical. Cold mode accretion dominates high redshift growth by a substantial factor, while at z < 1 the overall accretion rate declines and hot mode accretion has greater relative importance. The decline of the cosmic star formation rate at low z is driven largely by geometry, as the typical cross section of filaments begins to exceed that of the galaxies at their intersections.

2,155 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a model for star formation and supernova feedback is proposed to describe the multiphase structure of star-forming gas on scales that are typically not resolved in cosmological simulations.
Abstract: We present a model for star formation and supernova feedback that describes the multiphase structure of star-forming gas on scales that are typically not resolved in cosmological simulations. Our approach includes radiative heating and cooling, the growth of cold clouds embedded in an ambient hot medium, star formation in these clouds, feedback from supernovae in the form of thermal heating and cloud evaporation, galactic winds and outflows, and metal enrichment. Implemented using smoothed particle hydrodynamics, our scheme is a significantly modified and extended version of the grid-based method of Yepes et al., and enables us to achieve a high dynamic range in simulations of structure formation. We discuss properties of the feedback model in detail and show that it predicts a self-regulated, quiescent mode of star formation, which, in particular, stabilizes the star-forming gaseous layers of disc galaxies. The parametrization of this mode can be reduced to a single free quantity that determines the overall time-scale for star formation. We fix this parameter numerically to match the observed rates of star formation in local disc galaxies. When normalized in this manner, cosmological simulations employing our model nevertheless overproduce the observed cosmic abundance of stellar material. We are thus motivated to extend our feedback model to include galactic winds associated with star formation. Using small-scale simulations of individual star-forming disc galaxies, we show that these winds produce either galactic fountains or outflows, depending on the depth of the gravitational potential. In low-mass haloes, winds can greatly suppress the overall efficiency of star formation. When incorporated into cosmological simulations, our combined model for star formation and winds predicts a cosmic star formation density that is consistent with observations, provided that the winds are sufficiently energetic. Moreover, outflows from galaxies in these simulations drive chemical enrichment of the intergalactic medium – in principle, accounting for the presence of metals in the Lyman α forest.

2,050 citations