Could M31 come from a major merger and eject the LMC away
We investigated a scenario in which M31 could be the remnant of a major merger and at the origin of the LMC. Galaxy merger simulations were run in order to reproduce some M31 properties. We succeeded in reproducing some of the most important M31 large-scale features like the thick disk or the polar ring, and gave a possible explanation for the formation of the Giant Stream. We also found that the LMC could be expelled by this high energetic phenomenon.

title: GALAXY DISKS DO NOT NEED TO SURVIVE IN THE ΛCDM PARADIGM: THE GALAXY MERGER RATE OUT TO z ∼ 1.5 FROM MORPHO-KINEMATIC DATA
abstract: About two-thirds of present-day, large galaxies are spirals such as the Milky Way or Andromeda, but the way their thin rotating disks formed remains uncertain. Observations have revealed that half of their progenitors, six billion years ago, had peculiar morphologies and/or kinematics, which exclude them from the Hubble sequence. Major mergers, i.e., fusions between galaxies of similar mass, are found to be the likeliest driver for such strong peculiarities. However, thin disks are fragile and easily destroyed by such violent collisions, which creates a critical tension between the observed fraction of thin disks and their survival within the ΛCDM paradigm. Here, we show that the observed high occurrence of mergers among their progenitors is only apparent and is resolved when using morpho-kinematic observations that are sensitive to all the phases of the merging process. This provides an original way of narrowing down observational estimates of the galaxy merger rate and leads to a perfect match with predictions by state-of-the-art ΛCDM semi-empirical models with no particular fine-tuning needed. These results imply that half of local thin disks do not survive but are actually rebuilt after a gas-rich major merger occurring in the past nine billion years, i.e., two-thirds of the lifetime of the universe. This emphasizes the need to study how thin disks can form in halos with a more active merger history than previously considered and to investigate what is the origin of the gas reservoir from which local disks would reform.

title: High-spin states in near-spherical Y-88

title: Morphology of Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the Local Universe
abstract: We study the morphology, stellar mass and star formation rate of 159 local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) using multi-color images from Data Release 2 (DR2) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The LIRGs are selected from a cross-correlation analysis between the IRAS survey and SDSS. They are all brighter than 15.9 mag in the r-band and below redshift ∼ 0.1, and can be reliably classified morphologically. The fractions of interacting/merging and normal disk galaxies are 48% and 40% respectively. The normal disk galaxies tend to have lower infrared luminosity than interacting/merging galaxies and hence become an increasingly important population at lower infrared luminosity. Our results complement and confirm the morphology evolution trend of LIRGs found by Melbourne, Koo & Le Floc’h (2005) from z ∼ 1 to z ∼ 0.1. We also find that about 75% of disk galaxies in the local LIRGs are barred, indicating that bars play an important role in triggering star formation rates & 20M⊙ yr −1 in the local universe.

title: The Milky Way and other spiral galaxies
abstract: Cosmologists have often considered the Milky Way as a typical spiral galaxy, and its properties have considerably influenced the current scheme of galaxy formation. Here we compare the general properties of the Milky Way disk and halo with those of galaxies selected from the SDSS. Assuming the recent measurements of its circular velocity results in the Milky Way being offset by ∼2 from the fundamental scaling relations. On the basis of their location in the (MK, Rd, Vflat) volume, the fraction of SDSS spirals like the MilkyWay is only 1.2% in sharp contrast with M31, which appears to be quite typical. Comparison of the Milky Way with M31 and with other spirals is also discussed to investigate whether or not there is a fundamental discrepancy between their mass assembly histories. Possibly the Milky Way is one of the very few local galaxies that could be a direct descendant of very distant, z = 2-3 galaxies, thanks to its quiescent history since thick disk formation.

title: DOES M31 RESULT FROM AN ANCIENT MAJOR MERGER
abstract: The M31 haunted halo is likely associated with a rich merger history, currently assumed to be caused by multiple minor mergers. Here we use the GADGET2 simulation code to test whether M31 could have experienced a major merger in its past history. Our results indicate that a (3 ± 0.5):1 gaseous-rich merger with r pericenter = 25 ± 5 kpc and a polar orbit can explain many properties of M31 and of its halo. The interaction and fusion may have begun 8.75 ± 0.35 and 5.5 ± 0.5 Gyr ago, respectively. Observed fractions of the bulge and the thin and thick disks can be retrieved for a star formation history that is almost quiescent before the fusion. This also accords well with the observed relative fractions of intermediate age and old stars in both the thick disk and the Giant Stream. In this model, the Giant Stream is caused by returning stars from a tidal tail which contains material previously stripped from the satellite prior to the fusion. These returning stars are trapped into elliptical orbits or loops for long periods of time which can reach a Hubble time, and belong to a plane that is 45° offset from the M31 disk position angle. Because these streams of stars are permanently fed by new infalling stars with high energy from the tidal tail, we predict large loops which scale rather well with the features recently discovered in the M31 outskirts. We demonstrate that a single merger could explain first-order (intensity and size), morphological, and kinematical properties of the disk, thick disk, bulge, and streams in the halo of M31, as well as the observed distribution of stellar ages, and perhaps metallicities. This challenges the current scenarios assuming that each feature in the disk (the 10 kpc ring) or in its outskirts (thick disk, the Giant Stream, and the numerous streams) is associated with an equivalent number of minor mergers. Given the large number of parameters, further constraints are certainly required to better render the complexity of M31 and of the substructures within its halo which may ultimately lead to a more precise geometry of the encounter. This would allow us, in principle, to evaluate the impact of such a major event on the Andromeda system and the Local Group.

title: Determination of the Topology Skeleton of Magnetic Fields in a Solar Active Region
abstract: Magnetic topology has been a key to the understanding of magnetic energy release mechanism. Based on observed vector magnetograms, we have determined the three-dimensional (3D) topology skeleton of the magnetic fields in the active region NOAA 10720. The skeleton consists of six 3D magnetic nulls and a network of corresponding spines, fans, and null-null lines. For the first time, we have identified a spiral magnetic null in Sun's corona. The magnetic lines of force twisted around the spine of the null, forming a `magnetic wreath' with excess of free magnetic energy and resembling observed brightening structures at extra-ultraviolet (EUV) wavebands. We found clear evidence of topology eruptions which are referred to as catastrophic changes of topology skeleton associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME) and an explosive X-ray flare. These results shed new lights on the structural complexity and its role in explosive magnetic activity. The concept of flux rope has been widely used in modelling explosive magnetic activity, although their observational identity is rather obscure or, at least, lacking of necessary details up to date. We suggest that the magnetic wreath associated with the 3D spiral null is likely an important class of the physical entity of flux ropes.

title: STATUS OF THE X-BAND RF POWER SOURCE DEVELOPMENT FOR JLC
abstract: In this paper, we summarize the status of X-band RF power source development for the Japan Linear Collider (JLC) project. The periodic permanent magnet (PPM) klystrons are under development in the two-year/two-stage project with Toshiba. The goal is to produce 50MW output power at 1.5 µs pulse length at the first klystron and then to advance to 75MW at the second one. The high power testing of the first klystron is scheduled to start in July 2000. The multi-mode RF windows have been high power tested at KEK and SLAC. The window with smaller diameter (53mm) achieved a circulation power of 80MW with 1.5µs duration at 30Hz repetition. It was not destroyed during the testing. As for the modulator, the SIthyristor solid state switches were tested successfully. KEK is developing the multi-mode 2x2 DLDS (Delay Line Distribution System) power distribution system, in which the stability of linearly polarized TE12 mode in a long (up to 160m) waveguide is the key for low loss power transport. The experiment was carried out successfully in the ATF linac tunnel in collaboration with SLAC using a specially installed 55m long waveguide. Details of these developments and measurement results are presented.

title: Could M31 be the result of a major merger
abstract: We investigated a scenario in which M31 could be the remnant of a gas-rich major merger. Galaxy merger simulations, highly constrained by observations, were run using GADGET 2 in order to reproduce M31. We succeeded in reproducing the global shape of M31, the thin disk and the bulge, and in addition some of the main M31 large-scale features, such as the thick disk, the 10 kpc ring and the Giant Stream. This lead to a new explanation of the Giant Stream which could be caused by tidal tail stars that have been captured by the galaxy potential.

title: First measurement of the CP-violating phase in $B_s^0 \to \phi \phi$ decays
abstract: A first flavour-tagged measurement of the time-dependent CP-violating asymmetry in $B_s^0 \to \phi\phi$ decays is presented. In this decay channel, the CP-violating weak phase arises due to CP violation in the interference between $B_s^0$-$\bar{B}_s^0$ mixing and the $b \to s \bar{s} s $ gluonic penguin decay amplitude. Using a sample of $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $1.0\; fb^{-1}$ and collected at a centre-of-mass energy of $7 \rm TeV$ with the LHCb detector, $880\ \B_s^0 \to \phi\phi$ signal decays are obtained. The CP-violating phase is measured to be in the interval [-2.46, -0.76] \rm rad$ at 68% confidence level. The p-value of the Standard Model prediction is 16%.

title: The Formation and Merger of Compact Objects in the Central Engine of Active Galactic Nuclei and Quasars: Gamma-Ray Burst and Gravitational Radiation
abstract: The production rate of compact objects, i.e., neutron stars (NSs) and black holes (BHs), in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and quasars (QSOs), where frequent supernova explosions are used to explain the high metallicity, is very high because of the interaction between the accretion disk and main-sequence stars in the nucleus of the quasar. The compact object red giant (RG) star binaries can be easily formed because of the large captured cross section of the RG stars. The (NS/BH, NS/BH) binary can be formed after the supernova explosion of the (NS/BH, RG) binary. Intense transient gamma-ray emission (gamma-ray burst) and gravitational radiation can result from the merger of these two compact objects. Collision between the helium core (Hc) of the RG and the BH may also take place and may also result in long-duration gamma-ray bursts but no gravitational waves. We estimate that the merger rate of (NS/BH, NS/BH) binaries and (Hc, BH) is proportional to the metal abundance N V/C IV and can be as high as 10~3 ((N V/C IV)/0.01) yr~1 per AGN/QSO. Subject headings: black hole physicsgalaxies: activegalaxies: nucleigamma rays: bursts ¨ gravitationquasars: emission lines