Nicholas Cross | University of Edinburgh (original) (raw)

Papers by Nicholas Cross

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2008

The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) is one of the five near infrared Public Legacy Surveys tha... more The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) is one of the five near infrared Public Legacy Surveys that are being undertaken by the UKIDSS consortium, using the Wide Field Camera on the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. It is surveying 1868 deg 2 of the northern and equatorial Galactic plane at Galactic latitudes −5 • < b < 5 • in the J, H and K filters and a ∼ 200 deg 2 area of the Taurus-Auriga-Perseus molecular cloud complex in these three filters and the 2.12 µm (1-0) H 2 filter. It will provide data on ∼ 2 × 10 9 sources. Here we describe the properties of the dataset and provide a user's guide for its exploitation. We also present brief Demonstration Science results from DR2 and from the Science Verification programme. These results illustrate how GPS data will frequently be combined with data taken in other wavebands to produce scientific results. The Demonstration Science comprises six studies. (1) A GPS-Spitzer-GLIMPSE cross match for the star formation region G28.983-0.603 to identify YSOs. This increases the number of YSOs identified by a factor of ten compared to GLIMPSE alone. (2) A wide field study of the M17 nebula, in which an extinction map of the field is presented and the effect of source confusion on luminosity functions in different sub-regions is noted. (3) H 2 emission in the ρ Ophiuchi dark cloud. All the molecular jets are traced back to a single active clump containing only a few protostars, which suggests that the duration of strong jet activity and associated rapid accretion in low mass protostars is brief. (4) X-ray sources in the Nuclear Bulge. The GPS data distinguishes local main sequence counterparts with soft X-ray spectra from Nuclear Bulge giant counterparts with hard X-ray spectra. (5) External galaxies in the Zone of Avoidance. The galaxies are clearly distinguished from stars in fields at longitudes l>90 • . (6) IPHAS-GPS optical-infrared spectrophotometric typing. The (i'-J) vs.(J-H) diagram is used to distinguish A-F type dwarfs, G dwarfs, K dwarfs and red clump giants in a field with high reddening.

Astronomy and Geophysics, 2009

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2008

We request continuation and expansion of the GAMA AAT Large Programme to achieve the following:

Astronomy and Geophysics, 2009

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2008

The GAMA survey aims to deliver 250,000 optical spectra (3-7Å resolution) over 250 sq. degrees to... more The GAMA survey aims to deliver 250,000 optical spectra (3-7Å resolution) over 250 sq. degrees to spectroscopic limits of rAB < 19.8 and KAB < 17.0 mag. Complementary imaging will be provided by GALEX, VST, UKIRT, VISTA, HERSCHEL and ASKAP to comparable flux levels leading to a definitive multi-wavelength galaxy database. The data will be used to study all aspects of cosmic structures on 1kpc to 1Mpc scales spanning all environments and out to a redshift limit of z ≈ 0.4. Key science drivers include the measurement of: the halo mass function via group velocity dispersions; the stellar, HI, and baryonic mass functions; galaxy component mass-size relations; the recent merger and star-formation rates by mass, types and environment. Detailed modeling of the spectra, broad SEDs, and spatial distributions should provide individual star formation histories, ages, bulge-disc decompositions and stellar bulge, stellar disc, dust disc, neutral HI gas and total dynamical masses for a significant subset of the sample (∼ 100k) spanning both the giant and dwarf galaxy populations. The survey commenced March 2008 with 50k spectra obtained in 21 clear nights using the Anglo Australian Observatory's new multi-fibre-fed bench-mounted dual-beam spectroscopic system (AAΩ).

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2008

The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) is one of the five near infrared Public Legacy Surveys tha... more The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) is one of the five near infrared Public Legacy Surveys that are being undertaken by the UKIDSS consortium, using the Wide Field Camera on the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. It is surveying 1868 deg 2 of the northern and equatorial Galactic plane at Galactic latitudes −5 • < b < 5 • in the J, H and K filters and a ∼ 200 deg 2 area of the Taurus-Auriga-Perseus molecular cloud complex in these three filters and the 2.12 µm (1-0) H 2 filter. It will provide data on ∼ 2 × 10 9 sources. Here we describe the properties of the dataset and provide a user's guide for its exploitation. We also present brief Demonstration Science results from DR2 and from the Science Verification programme. These results illustrate how GPS data will frequently be combined with data taken in other wavebands to produce scientific results. The Demonstration Science comprises six studies. (1) A GPS-Spitzer-GLIMPSE cross match for the star formation region G28.983-0.603 to identify YSOs. This increases the number of YSOs identified by a factor of ten compared to GLIMPSE alone. (2) A wide field study of the M17 nebula, in which an extinction map of the field is presented and the effect of source confusion on luminosity functions in different sub-regions is noted. (3) H 2 emission in the ρ Ophiuchi dark cloud. All the molecular jets are traced back to a single active clump containing only a few protostars, which suggests that the duration of strong jet activity and associated rapid accretion in low mass protostars is brief. (4) X-ray sources in the Nuclear Bulge. The GPS data distinguishes local main sequence counterparts with soft X-ray spectra from Nuclear Bulge giant counterparts with hard X-ray spectra. (5) External galaxies in the Zone of Avoidance. The galaxies are clearly distinguished from stars in fields at longitudes l>90 • . (6) IPHAS-GPS optical-infrared spectrophotometric typing. The (i'-J) vs.(J-H) diagram is used to distinguish A-F type dwarfs, G dwarfs, K dwarfs and red clump giants in a field with high reddening.

Astronomy and Geophysics, 2009

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2008

We request continuation and expansion of the GAMA AAT Large Programme to achieve the following:

Astronomy and Geophysics, 2009

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2008

The GAMA survey aims to deliver 250,000 optical spectra (3-7Å resolution) over 250 sq. degrees to... more The GAMA survey aims to deliver 250,000 optical spectra (3-7Å resolution) over 250 sq. degrees to spectroscopic limits of rAB < 19.8 and KAB < 17.0 mag. Complementary imaging will be provided by GALEX, VST, UKIRT, VISTA, HERSCHEL and ASKAP to comparable flux levels leading to a definitive multi-wavelength galaxy database. The data will be used to study all aspects of cosmic structures on 1kpc to 1Mpc scales spanning all environments and out to a redshift limit of z ≈ 0.4. Key science drivers include the measurement of: the halo mass function via group velocity dispersions; the stellar, HI, and baryonic mass functions; galaxy component mass-size relations; the recent merger and star-formation rates by mass, types and environment. Detailed modeling of the spectra, broad SEDs, and spatial distributions should provide individual star formation histories, ages, bulge-disc decompositions and stellar bulge, stellar disc, dust disc, neutral HI gas and total dynamical masses for a significant subset of the sample (∼ 100k) spanning both the giant and dwarf galaxy populations. The survey commenced March 2008 with 50k spectra obtained in 21 clear nights using the Anglo Australian Observatory's new multi-fibre-fed bench-mounted dual-beam spectroscopic system (AAΩ).