Browsing by Author "Walker, Alistair R."

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    LAGER Lyα Luminosity Function at z ∼ 7: Implications for Reionization
    (2022) Wold, Isak G. B. ; Malhotra, Sangeeta ; Rhoads, James ; Wang, Junxian ; Hu, Weida ; Perez, Lucia A. ; Zheng, Zhen-Ya ; Khostovan, Ali Ahmad ; Walker, Alistair R. ; Barrientos, L. Felipe ; González-López, Jorge ; Harish, Santosh ; Infante, Leopoldo ; Jiang, Chunyan ; Pharo, John ; Moya-Sierralta, Cristóbal ; Bauer, Franz E. ; Galaz, Gaspar ; Valdes, Francisco ; Yang, Huan
    We present a new measurement of the Ly alpha luminosity function (LF) at redshift z = 6.9, finding moderate evolution from z = 5.7 that is consistent with a fully or largely ionized z similar to 7 intergalactic medium. Our result is based on four fields of the LAGER (Lyman Alpha Galaxies in the Epoch of Reionization) project. Our survey volume of 6.1 x 10(6) Mpc(3) is double that of the next largest z similar to 7 survey. We combine two new LAGER fields (WIDE12 and GAMA15A) with two previously reported LAGER fields (COSMOS and CDFS). In the new fields, we identify N = 95 new z = 6.9 Ly alpha emitter (LAEs) candidates, characterize our survey's completeness and reliability, and compute Ly alpha LFs. The best-fit Schechter LF parameters for all four LAGER fields are in good general agreement. Two fields (COSMOS and WIDE12) show evidence for a bright-end excess above the Schechter function fit. We find that the Ly alpha luminosity density declines at the same rate as the UV continuum LF from z = 5.7 to 6.9. This is consistent with an intergalactic medium that was fully ionized as early as redshift z similar to 7 or with a volume-averaged neutral hydrogen fraction of x (H I) < 0.33 at 1 sigma.
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    RR Lyrae in the LMC: Insights Into the Oosterhoff Phenomenon
    (2013) Kuehn, Charles A; Smith, Horace A.; Catelan, Marcio; Jeon, Young-Beom; Nemec, James M.; Walker, Alistair R.; Kunder, Andrea; Dame, Kyra; Pritzl, Barton J.; De Lee, Nathan; Borissova, Jura
    Although more than eight decades have passed since P. Th. Oosterhoff drew attention to differences in the properties of RR Lyrae variables in globular clusters, the origin and significance of the Oosterhoff groups remain unclear. Nonetheless, the accumulation of extensive new observations of RR Lyrae stars in globular clusters of the Milky Way and Local Group galaxies allows a fresh look at the phenomenon. Insights come not only from surveys of variables within the original Oosterhoff groups I and II but also from recent observations of the Oosterhoff-intermediate systems found especially in smaller Local Group galaxies. We will compare properties of RR Lyrae in several systems to investigate what they reveal about system-to-system differences of transition temperature between fundamental-mode and first overtone pulsators and of horizontal branch luminosity. Both transition temperature and horizontal branch luminosity have at various times been credited as playing roles in the creation of the Oosterhoff dichotomy....