We detected significant Zeeman splitting in the 1667 MHz OH megamaser emission from four ultraluminous galaxies. These detections, in addition to being the first extragalactic detection of the Zeeman effect in an emission line, suggest that OH megamasers are excellent extragalactic magnetometers.

We presented the design for a fiber based integral field unit spectrograph for the new two meter class Wendelstein telescope in Bavaria, Germany. The proposed spectrograph will feature a fiberhead consisting of 246 individual optical fibers and a field of view of approximately 1′ × 2′ and two different spectral resolution modes optimized for the study of bulges of local late-type galaxies.

The ESA astrometric mission Gaia will be able to put to test General Relativity thanks to differential astrometric measurements. The differential experiment, GAREX, implemented in the form of repeated Eddington-like measurement, aims at measuring the quadrupole light bending due to an oblate planet by comparing the evolution of relative distances in stellar fields in the vicinity of it. Simulations which utilize (i) selected fields extracted from the GSCII data base, (ii) a realistic error model as function of the star's magnitude and distance from Jupiter's edge, show the real best scenarios and how to improve the Gaia ability to detect this relativistic effect.

Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for Infrared Exploration (JASMINE) aims to construct a map of the Galactic bulge with 10 μ arc sec accuracy. We use z-band CCD for avoiding dust absorption, and observe about 10 × 20 degrees area around the Galactic bulge region. Because the stellar density is very high, each FOVs can be combined with high accuracy. With 5 years observation, we will construct 10 μ arc sec accurate map.

In this poster, I will show the observation strategy, design of JASMINE hardware, reduction scheme, and error budget. We also construct simulation software named JASMINE Simulator. We also show the simulation results and design of software.

Despite theoretical predictions of the existence of many submillimeter masers, and some pioneering observational discoveries over the past few decades, these lines have remained relatively unstudied due to (i) challenges associated with observing at shorter wavelength; and, (ii) the lack of possibility of high (< 14″ at 345 GHz) angular resolution observations. With the advent of the SMA, the first submillimeter imaging array capable of sub-arcsecond resolution, APEX, and the promise of ALMA, opportunities are opening for performing new science with millimeter/submillmeter masers. In this talk, I will review recent work in the field - including extragalactic H2O millimeter masers, hydrogen recombination masers, submillimeter masers in star-forming regions, and in the envelopes of evolved stars - and discuss prospects for the future.

We describe a way to compare current relativistic astrometric models accurate to the micro-arcsecond level. The observed stellar direction can be written as a function of several parts, linking the astrometric observables to the relativistic effects associated to the stellar kinematical properties and distances as seen inside the gravitational field of our Solar System, i.e. the so called relativistic astrometric parameters, providing a tool for comparing the RAMOD framework to the pM/pN approaches.

We have attempted to overcome the incompleteness of spectroscopic survey and found galaxy clusters by measuring the spectro-photometric density of galaxies.

Discovered in 1995 at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO), the vibrationally-excited water maser line at 658 GHz (455 micron) is seen in oxygen-rich giant and supergiant stars. Because this maser can be so strong (up to thousands of Janskys), it was very helpful during the commissioning phase of the highest frequency band (620-700 GHz) of the Submillimeter Array (SMA) interferometer. From late 2002 to early 2006, brief attempts were made to search for emission from additional sources beyond the original CSO survey. These efforts have expanded the source count from 10 to 16. The maser emission appears to be quite compact spatially, as expected from theoretical considerations; thus these objects can potentially be used as atmospheric phase calibrators. Many of these objects also exhibit maser emission in the vibrationally-excited SiO maser at 215 GHz. Because both maser lines likely originate from a similar physical region, these objects can be used to test techniques of phase transfer calibration between millimeter and submillimeter bands. The 658 GHz masers will be important beacons to assess the performance of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in this challenging high-frequency band.

Gravitomagnetic effects are studied in this paper. Starting from the metric in the BCRS and then using the matching method, the metric in the GCRS are derived. Furthermore, we give some estimation of the order of the gravitomagnetic effects on the lunar orbit.

In this paper, we use the metric coefficients and the equation of motion in the 2nd post-Newtonian approximation in scalar-tensor theory including intermediate range gravity to derive the deflection of light and compare it with previous works. These results will be useful for precision astrometry missions like Gaia, SIM, and LATOR (Laser Astrometric Test Of Relativity) which aim at astrometry with micro-arcsecond and nano-arcsecond accuracies and a need for the 2nd post-Newtonian framework and ephemeris to determine the stellar and spacecraft positions.

Bulges are a major galaxy component in the nearby universe, and are one of the primary features that differentiates and defines galaxies. The origin of bulges can be directly probed in part by examining distant galaxies to search for high redshift bulges, and to study the properties of bulges in formation. We review the evidence for bulges at high redshift in this article, and how by studying bulges through a variety of approaches, including through morphological, colour, and stellar mass selection, we can determine when and how these systems assembled. We argue that the majority of the most massive ‘classical’ bulges are in place by z ~ 1.5 − 2, and likely formed very early through major mergers. Other, likely lower mass, bulges form through a secular process along with their disks. Direct observations suggest that these two formation processes are occurring, as spheroids are commonly seen at z < 1, as are disks and spiral galaxies in the form of luminous diffuse objects, clump-clusters, and chain galaxies. However, bulge+disk systems are relatively rare until z ~ 1, suggesting that this structural assembly occurred relatively late.

Using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) we have imaged for the first time the 321.226 GHz, 1029 − 936 ortho-H2O maser emission. This is also the first detection of this line in the Cepheus A high-mass star-forming region. The 22.235 GHz, 616 – 523 water masers were also observed with the Very Large Array 43 days following the SMA observations. Three of the nine detected submillimeter maser spots are associated with the centimeter masers spatially as well as kinematically, while there are 36 22 GHz maser spots without corresponding submillimeter masers. In the HW2 source, both the 321 GHz and 22 GHz masers occur within the region of ~1″ which includes the disk-jet system, but the position angles of the roughly linear structures traced by the masers indicate that the 321 GHz masers are along the jet while the 22 GHz masers are perpendicular to it. We interpret the submillimeter masers in Cepheus A to be tracing significantly hotter regions (600~2000 K) than the centimeter masers.

In September 2004 and September 2005 we used the Submillimeter Array (SMA) to map the distribution of hydrogen recombination line (HRL) maser spots that originate in the envelope of the peculiar star MWC349A. We measured positions in the line over a 100 km/s velocity range with 1 km/s spectral resolution. Relative angular position was estimated to an accuracy of about 0.01 arcseconds. The H30α maser components can be tracked continuously in frequency between the red- and blue-shifted peaks of the spectrum. The masers appear to trace a nearly edge-on disk-like structure. The position-velocity relationship is quite remarkable, and reminiscent of that of NCG4258. However, the “wings” in the PV relation are too steep for a simple Keplerian prescription to be correct. We present our data, and suggest a simple model to account for the steep wings.

We study the color structure of disk galaxies in the Groth strip at redshifts 0.1 < z < 1.2. Our aim is to test formation models in which bulges form before/after the disk. We find smooth color distributions with gentle outward blueing across the galaxy image: bulges are not distinctly redder than their disks; and bulge colors strongly correlate with global colors. The results suggest a roughly coeval evolution of bulges and disks. About 50% of the nuclei of galaxies with central light excesses above the outer exponential profile hold passively evolving red populations. The remainder 50% are galaxies with central blue colors similar to their disks. They may be bulges in formation, or the central parts of disks with non-exponential surface brightness profiles.

The global dynamic flattening (H) is an important quantity in research of rotating Earth. Precession observations give Hobs = 0.0032737 ≈ 1/305.5. We recalculate the geometrical flattening profile of the Earth interior from potential theory in hydrostatic equilibrium. Results coincide with that of Denis (1989). We derive expression for H to the third-order accuracy and obtain HPREM = 1/308.5. This matches similar studies, in which there is a difference about 1% between this and the observed value. In order to understand where this difference comes from, we replace the homogenous outermost crust and oceanic layers in PREM with some real surface layers data, such as oceanic layer (ECCO), topography data (GTOPO30), crust data (CRUST2.0) and mixed data (ETOPO5). Our results deviate from the observed value more than HPREM. These results verify the isostasy theory indirectly and may imply that the “positive” effects from such as mantle circulation associated with the density anomalies maybe larger than thought before.

We report on a new study aimed at understanding the diversity and evolutionary properties of distant galactic bulges in the context of well-established trends for pure spheroidal galaxies. Bulges have been isolated for a sample of 137 spiral galaxies in the GOODS fields within the redshift range 0.1 < z < 1.2. Using proven photometric techniques we determine for each galaxy the characteristic parameters (size, surface brightness, profile shape) in the 4 GOODS-ACS imaging bands of both the disk and bulge components. Using the DEIMOS spectrograph on Keck, precision stellar velocity dispersions were secured for a sizeable fraction of the bulges. This has enabled us to compare the Fundamental Plane of our distant bulges with that of field spheroidal galaxies in a similar redshift range. Bulges in spiral galaxies with a bulge-to-total luminosity ratio (B/T) > 0.2 show very similar patterns of evolution to those seen for low luminosity spheroidals. To first order, their recent mass assembly histories are equivalent.

In the near future, the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) will allow surveys for maser sources with unprecedented sensitivity, spectral coverage and spectroscopic capabilities. In particular, comprehensive surveys for many maser species with simultaneous sensitive continuum imaging and absorption studies will give a comprehensive radio picture of star formation in the Galactic plane and elsewhere. Very efficient EVLA surveys for H2O megamasers in Active Galacic Nuclei will be possible to practically arbitrary redshifts.

EVLA and Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) studies of H2O and SiO masers will serve as high resolution probes of the innermost envelopes of oxygen-rich evolved stars and HCN masers of carbon-rich stars.

Farther in the future, the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) promises the detection of OH gigamasers at all conceivable redshifts and maser astrometry with unprecedented accuracy.

Future deep space laser ranging missions together with astrometry missions will be able to test relativistic gravity to an unprecedented level of accuracy and will require second post-Newtonian approximation of relevant theories of gravity. Einstein-aether theory is adopted as the theory of gravity and the second post-Newtonian approximation of light propagation is studied.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is the radio telescope of the next generation, providing an increase in sensitivity and angular resolution of two orders of magnitude over existing telescopes. Currently, the SKA is expected to span the frequency range 0.1-25 GHz with capabilities including a wide field-of-view and measurement of polarised emission. Such a telescope has enormous potential for testing fundamental physical laws and producing transformational discoveries. Important science goals include using H2O megamasers to make precise estimates of H0, which will anchor the extragalactic distance scale, and to probe the central structures of accretion disks around supermassive black holes in AGNs, to study OH megamasers associated with extreme starburst activity in distant galaxies and to study with unprecedented precision molecular gas and star formation in our Galaxy.

In order to reveal the stellar mass distribution of z ~ 3 galaxies, we are conducting deep imaging observations of U-dropout Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs) with Adaptive Optics (AO) systems in K-band, which corresponds to rest-frame V-band of z ~ 3 galaxies. The results of the Subaru intensive-program observations with AO36/NGS/IRCS indicate that 1) the K-band peaks of some of the LBGs brighter than K = 22.0 mag show significant offset from those in the optical images, 2) the z ~ 3 LBGs and serendipitously observed Distant Red Galaxies (DRGs) have flat profiles similar to disk galaxies in the local universe (i.e., Sérsic with n < 2), and 3) the surface stellar mass densities of the LBGs are 3-6 times larger than those of disk galaxies at z = 0 − 1. Considering the lack of n > 2 systems among the luminous z ~ 3 LBGs and DRGs, and their strong spatial clustering, we infer that the dense n < 2 disk-like structures evolve into the n > 2 spheroids of nearby galaxies through relaxations due to major merger events.