William G. Tifft

Global Redshift Periodicities and Variability

Redshifts of local galaxies are examined for quantization and variability after transformation to the cosmic background rest frame. Ordinary spiral galaxies with 21 cm profile widths near 200 km s-1 show periodic redshifts, and what appears to be variability between levels, at a predicted period near 18.3 km s-1 and its higher harmonics. Evidence for variability is based on several independent sets of data. The asymmetry of 21 cm profiles seems to be related to the ordering of galaxies within transition sequences between quantized redshift levels. Galaxies near 200 km s-1 in profile width appear to populate a transition region in quantization properties. As wider profile spirals are examined, the 18.3 km s-1 periodicity is replaced by a 5.76 km s-1 periodicity belonging to a different family of predicted periods. A similar transition in properties occurs at the boundary between common spirals and dwarf galaxies with intermediate width 21 cm profiles. The ordinary dwarf galaxies show a 46.1 km s-1 period belonging to the same family of predicted periods found for wide profile spirals. The periods involved in the study are predicted by the three-dimensional time model described by Tifft in 1996. Certain families and ranges of periods are preferred. It appears that galaxies can be divided into several distinct classes within which we find both similar morphological and quantization properties. A discussion of binomial statistical testing of period fits is given in an appendix.

Redshift studies of large-scale structure. I. The south Coma void region

This paper is the first of a series of Steward Observatory redshift surveys aimed at relatively faint galaxy samples covering small areas of the sky of known importance for large-scale-structure programs. This sample of 92 galaxies includes the region alpha = 12 h 30 min - 13 h 30 min, delta = 18-26 deg, complete for m(p) = 15.7 or less. No additional galaxies are found in the Coma void, and the void is not well described as a bubble. The surveyed supercluster regions appear to have a normal luminosity function. 26 references.

The Arizona-New Mexico Spectroscopic Survey of Galaxies. I. Data for the Western End of the Perseus Supercluster

We present new optical spectroscopic data for 347 galaxies in the region of the Perseus supercluster. The new data were obtained using the Steward Observatory 2.3 m telescope and cover the whole optical window. Included are redshifts (for 345 objects), absorption-line equivalent widths, a continuum index measuring the 4000 A break, and emission-line flux ratios. After 11 objects are rejected for being too faint and redshifts for 26 objects are added from the literature, we arrive at a complete sample of 361 galaxies. The distribution of redshifts for the whole sample is examined, and we show the relationship of the continuum index to morphology.

The Arizona-New Mexico Spectroscopic Survey of Galaxies. II. Structures in the Perseus Supercluster

Using new redshift data reported in Gregory et al., we examine the structure of the Perseus supercluster. We discuss in detail three filaments lying in the plane of the sky on the western end of the supercluster that are distinct from each other in redshift and/or position. Additionally, radially directed filaments are found, and it appears that all of the filaments in the region are connected. We speculate that an important feature of filamentary structures may be the fact that many, if not all of them, connect in such a way as to form complete loops or rings. Underdense regions that border our filaments may not be very representative of the now classical cosmic void, in that their structures are not predominantly spheroidal.

Variability of the broad line spectrum of Markarian 372

We report on spectroscopic observations of the AGN galaxy Mrk 372. In 1986 the spectrum was that of a Seyfert type 1.5 with very broad permitted lines and modestly broadened forbidden lines. In 1990 the spectrum is that of a Seyfert type 1.9. At Hβ the broad line component disappeared leaving only a very weak, narrow line. Observations near Hα, however, do reveal the presence of a broad component

The Arizona-New Mexico Spectroscopic Survey of Galaxies. III. On Galaxy Populations

We examine the population statistics for two samples of galaxies in the direction of the Perseus supercluster. One sample, with N = 258 galaxies having MB ≤ -19.52 + 5 log(h) and vh ≤ 8000 km s-1, is complete for those galaxies within the boundaries of our survey region that have apparent magnitudes mp ≤ 15.0 in the Zwicky catalog. A more restrictive sample with N = 177 galaxies having MB ≤ -20.00 + 5 log(h) (with the same redshift range) is complete in both luminosity and volume. We derive the statistics for the relative incidence of galaxies in the following spectroscopic classes: (1) absorption line only, (2) collisionally-excited emission lines only, (3) nuclear H II region, (4) starburst, (5) LINER, and (6) Seyfert 1.8–2.