Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth

About: Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Galaxy & Redshift. The organization has 297 authors who have published 1207 publications receiving 76919 citations.

A model for the cosmological evolution of low-frequency radio sources

Abstract: We present a new evolutionary model that describes the population properties of radio sources at frequencies ≲5 GHz, thus complementing the De Zotti et al. model, holding at higher frequencies. We find that simple analytic luminosity evolution is still sufficient to fit the wealth of available data on local luminosity functions, multifrequency source counts and redshift distributions. However, the fit requires a luminosity-dependent decline of source luminosities at high redshifts, at least for steep-spectrum sources, thus confirming earlier indications of a ‘downsizing’ also for radio sources. The upturn of source counts at sub-mJy levels is accounted for by a straightforward extrapolation, using the empirical far-infrared (far-IR)/radio correlation, of evolutionary models matching the far-IR counts and redshift distributions of star-forming galaxies. We also discuss the implications of the new model for the interpretation of data on large-scale clustering of radio sources and on the integrated Sachs–Wolfe (ISW) effect, and for the investigation of the contribution of discrete sources to the extragalactic background. As for the ISW effect, a new analysis, exploiting a very clean cosmic microwave background map, yields at a substantially higher significance than reported before.

Brane cosmology with curvature corrections

Abstract: We study the cosmology of the Randall-Sundrum brane-world where the Einstein-Hilbert action is modified by curvature correction terms: a four-dimensional scalar curvature from induced gravity on the brane, and a five-dimensional Gauss-Bonnet curvature term. The combined effect of these curvature corrections to the action removes the infinite-density big bang singularity, although the curvature can still diverge for some parameter values. A radiation brane undergoes accelerated expansion near the minimal scale factor, for a range of parameters. This acceleration is driven by the geometric effects, without an inflaton field or negative pressures. At late times, conventional cosmology is recovered.

Nonlinear interactions in a cosmological background in the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati braneworld

Abstract: We study quasistatic perturbations in a cosmological background in the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati braneworld model. We identify the Vainshtein radius at which the nonlinear interactions of the brane bending mode become important in a cosmological background. The Vainshtein radius in the early universe is much smaller than the one in the Minkowski background, but in a self-accelerating universe it is the same as the Minkowski background. Our result shows that the perturbative approach is applicable beyond the Vainshtein radius for weak gravity by taking into account the second-order effects of the brane bending mode. The linearized cosmological perturbations are shown to be smoothly matched to the solutions inside the Vainshtein radius. We emphasize the importance of imposing a regularity condition in the bulk by solving the 5D perturbations and we highlight the problem of ad hoc assumptions on the bulk gravity that lead to different conclusions.

Crossing the phantom divide without phantom matter

Abstract: A class of braneworld models can lead to phantom-like acceleration of the late universe, but without the need for any phantom matter. In the simplest models, the universe contains only cold dark matter and a cosmological constant. We generalize these models by introducing a quintessence field. The new feature in our models is that quintessence leads to a crossing of the phantom divide, w = −1. This is a purely gravitational effect, and there is no phantom instability. Furthermore, the Hubble parameter is always decreasing, and there is no big rip singularity in the future.

SDSS IV MaNGA: the global and local stellar mass assemby histories of galaxies

Abstract: By means of the fossil record method implemented through Pipe3D, we reconstruct the global and radial stellar mass growth histories (MGHs) of an unprecedentedly large sample of galaxies, ranging from dwarf to giant objects, from the "Mapping Nearby Galaxies at the Apache Point Observatory" survey. We confirm that the main driver of the global MGHs is mass, with more massive galaxies assembling their masses earlier (downsizing), though for a given mass, the global MGHs segregate by color, specific star formation rate (sSFR), and morphological type. From the inferred radial mean MGHs, we find that at the late evolutionary stages (or for fractions of assembled mass larger than ~ 80%), the innermost regions formed stars on average earlier than the outermost ones (inside-out). At earlier epochs, when the age resolution of the method becomes poor, the mass assembly seems to be spatially homogeneous or even in the outside-in mode, specially for the red/quiescent/early-type galaxies. The innermost MGHs are in general more regular (less scatter around the mean) than the outermost ones. For dwarf and low-mass galaxies, we do not find evidence of an outside-in formation mode; instead their radial MGHs are very diverse most of the time, with periods of outside- in and inside-out modes (or strong radial migration), suggesting this an episodic SF history. Blue/star-forming/late-type galaxies present on average a significantly more pronounced inside-out formation mode than red/quiescent/early-type galaxies, independently of mass. We discuss our results in the light of the processes of galaxy formation, quenching, and radial migration. We discuss also on the uncertainties and biases of the fossil record method and how they could affect our results.